Street art in Naka Meguro

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Keeping abreast #1

Doing some solo substitute classes in a private girls school yesterday, in the middle of an activity, the dictionaries came out and the word "chest" was uttered and repeated a few times accompanied by hysterical giggles.
"Chest" "big" "you" "berry berry BIG", ...eventually accompanied by voluptuous hand movements in the general upper regions of their torsos after their thoroughly entertained and astonished teacher feigned confusion for as long as possible....

Keeping abreast #2

About a dozen Tokyo High School girls were having a lovely giggly girly lunch with their Australian English teacher in the cafeteria today. Slurping on her soba noodles, the teacher failed to recognise the signs until it was too late.
"A. A. Me" girl pats chest
"A. Me too" next girl giggles
"I'm B" a chorus of "honto?" and "eh???"
"wow, she berry cool"
Teacher raises her eyebrows "What are you talking about?"
After some rapid fire japanese discussion, Hiromi announces confidently:
"Cup-u. Bra cup size" All eyes and many pointed fingers turn expectantly to teacher.
Teacher sighs, knowing the imminent squeals will be deafening
"D"
Entire table dissolves into predicted squeals for a solid minute.

I am loving working in a co-ed high school. My own personal high school experience was limited to a private girls school run by Anglican nuns, and boys were unknown entities from outer space.

I am getting a chance to see first hand what a co-ed high school is like - watching the class room dynamics and shyness and crushes and stuff. It's so cute. And I get to perv on cute boys in un-buttoned white shirts. Mmmm, and now that it's getting cold again I get to perv on them in their gorgeous psuedo-military mandarin-collared blue suit coats. I swear, it makes me feel 16 all over again. Only with a much much dirtier mind.

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In other news, the Rock Action Label showcase gig in Daikanyama on Sunday night was most excellent. The lineup included Part Chimp, Tokyo's own Envy, James Orr Complex and the Mogwai djs.

The whitey bands were ok, and of course the Mogwai DJ set was eclectic and refreshing, but Envy were completely mesmerising. My flatmate, Tim the Punk Rock Pimp told me a few times that they were his favourite Japanese band, and ... well, I haven't been gobsmacked by a live show like this in years. Seriously powerful. You can listen to them at Epitonic

Here's a cool review:

Envy: A Dead Sinking Story
label: Rock Action
release: 15 Sep 2003
words: karen piper

Jesus Christ. It�s the clash of the titans. Envy are from Japan, though they sound like a miracle. More specifically, they play spiny melodies, wispy ballads and orchestral saturations underneath the rage of the world � the singer screaming his bloody lungs out. It�s a juxtaposition that�s been nearly breached in the past, but never quite made it to the stage where it sounded functional, and now, somehow it works.

Just when you think it�s gone beautiful (i.e. six minutes into �Chain Wandering Deeply�), the tension of an explosion keeps you from resting even just a moment, because you can hear it coming like jet fighters on the invasion. Not until �Distress of Ignorance� does it begin again, but when it begins it�s like the war of the worlds on your stereo. Keeping it contained isn�t an option, and sometimes the sheer intensity makes listening just that little bit harder. With dynamics that traverse the usual vocalless spirals, this is the stuff that nightmares spring from. Envy�s A Dead Sinking Story is fearless and with crushing concentration. Brilliantly executed. Required listening.