Just Killing Some Time

I was just lent the coolest children's book I have ever seen. The book is in both English and Japanese, so it's a very useful book for anyone trying to learn either language... or for a young person to pick up on both languages since children are sponges... especially when it comes to picking up languages.

Anyway, the really cool aspect of this book is that it was written and illustrated by two different people, but... together. One dude is American and the other dude is Japanese. They met during some art deal and, though there was a big language barrier, they hit it off and began work on this book. The American dude basically had the idea of how Japanese books begin where our American books end. Meaning, the back of our books are actually the front of Japanese books. With this idea... he basically thought it'd be cool if the book was to start from both the American front and Japanese front... and end in the middle. The story was a little harder to come up with... but, the idea was a very interesting one.

So, after working it out... the story line basically begins with a dog rounding up other animals to join a hangage deal. The American side is obviously in English, and he rounds up the animals and meets a boy. The Japanese side is obviously in Japanese, and starts with a different dog rounding up the animals to meet a girl. Both illustrations are different styles... but, they blend well since in the middle, the boy and girl meet along with their accompanying animals to sing and dance together.

It was really cute... and a very interesting idea. I might just buy the book. Plus, it helps me practice Japanese... heh heh...

I was just given peanuts... supposedly there is a festival... or was a festival that marks the beginning of spring today? It makes no sense to me... since, I'm used to the commencement of Spring around March... the 21st more specifically. But, hey... I'm not about to argue Japanese culture and tradition... heh heh.

Man, this school's teachers are completely different from yesterday's teachers. The contrast is so obvious... especially now. Everyone is trying to talk to me... not necessarily in English... but, some try. The point is... they actually approach me and say stuff to me. They're so cool.

Get it together yesterday's school... get it together!

Heh heh... anyway... I'm about to go teach a class now with the cool book I was talking about earlier... laterness!