The Case of the Missing Mechanical Pencil

I love Muji. There is no question about it. Whenever I go (I try to go as often as possible) I always buy something. And it's usually something I don't need. I can't help it. I love Muji.

So when the mechanical pencil (sharp pen/pacer/whatever you want to call it) I bought at Muji went missing, I was, well, distraught.

I have an orange mechanical pencil that's not from Muji. One of my 3nensei girls is in love with my orange mechanical pencil. She always tries to steal it from me - even going as far as tackling me in the hallway after class just to try to score the goods. But I have always managed to fend her off.

Then I bought my wonderful Muji mechanical pencil, and when I used it in class one day, she asked me where my orange one was. I told her it was in my pencil case. She asked if I don't want it anymore. I said I still do - as a back up, you know. She reached for my pencil case to try and get the orange mechanical pencil, but I snatched it up first. Then, when class was finishing, I went to put my Muji mechanical pencil in my pencil case. As I was doing so, I let my guard down, and WHOMP! The mechanical pencil from Muji was snatched from my hand. It was a hostage. She said she would keep it until I gave her the orange mechanical pencil. I laughed, pretended not to care, and walked out of the room. On the surface, I was cool as could be. Underneath, all I could think about was my Muji mechanical pencil.

A few days later when I opened my pencil case to get my Muji mechanical pencil, it wasn't there! Then I remembered the events a few days before. So when I saw her next, I questioned her on the whereabouts of my mechanical pencil. She denied having it. She said she gave the hostage back. Hmmm. I was perplexed.

Over the course of a week, I kept questioning her, and she kept asking me if I had found it. I hadn't. My Muji mechanical pencil was somewhere. But where, I didn't know.

Then yesterday, in class a boy asked me to describe my Muji mechanical pencil. I gave the best description I could. When I finished, he said "Oh, it's in the meeting room. You must have left it there after Selection English Class". My heart skipped a beat. Could it be true?

After class I went straight to the meeting room. And there, covered in chalk dust, was my Muji mechanical pencil. The case was solved. She didn't steal it (and I knew that all along). I left it behind. I left my Muji mechanical pencil behind. I made a pact to never do such a thing again.

Achi Kochi

Lately, I haven't been doing so well at this blogging thing. I have been pretty busy lately. So, this is going to be an entry of randomness from the past few weeks. Complete with photos. A picture diary, if you will.

On the last Sunday in November, friends and I hit Disney Sea for a bit of Christmas-ness. There were so many people, and lines were ridiculous (a 90 minute wait for a short Journey To the Centre of the Earth) but Christmas was in the air, so we managed to survive the crowds.

The past week saw me sitting at my kotatsu every night for about 3 hours making a paper Electone. It was bloody hard work (I managed to stick my fingers together on the first night) but I think the results were worth it.

And this weekend was really achi kochi. Friday night I drove to Maebashi to see J for the last time in a long time. So sad. She just got back from 3 months on Peace Boat and is heading back to NZ on Wednesday. Love you girl!

Stayed in the Bash that night, then took the train into Mitaka for my Electone lesson. Had some time to kill so I went shopping in Mitaka, then went to Ginza, Ueno and on to Narita to meet up with a friend. Then it was back to Ginza via Ueno Sunday morning for my Electone Teacher's Christmas Concert. M, M and N made the trip in from Tatebayashi - thank you!!! Went out for an expensive Chinese lunch with the other performers, then headed home. Picked up my brand new futon (yay!) from M's house then drove back to Maebashi with N. Got my car and then headed back through SNOW to my house.

It's still snowing here now and doesn't look like letting up for a while yet. Hayaku kaeritai~~!

So, yeh, random stuff ne.

What's going on?

Things aren't good in either Australia or Japan at the moment. What's with the violent raids in Sydney that prompted the government to dispatch 450 police for night patrol? And what about the separate murders of the primary school children here in Japan? I don't understand it.

One of the killings took place in the neighbouring prefecture, Tochigi. But it happened in a town that is located on the same national highway as Azuma. So, beginning Monday this week, the school bus has a police escort, all parents have been asked to wait at bus stops and walk their children home, and mountains of paper have been placed on desks to keep staff updated on the situation. It really is quite scary.

My today

I think these two pictures pretty much explain how my day was today.

Studless

Nope, not referring to single ladies. I'm talking about tyres. Winter is here, which means it's time to put the studless tyres on the car. I was a day late this year - had to drive to school yesterday on normal tyres on icy roads. Only slid around once or twice. So after school yesterday, it was straight to the gas stand to get them changed. I sipped hot ocha while the guys worked their magic.

Omiyage

Here are some pictures of omiyage I have received recently. The giraffe is from Africa, the beauty kit from QANTAS Business Class, the Santa Walrus, candle and stickers from Fukushima. The Lilo and Stitch Lunch Box is omiyage I accidently bought myself at Disney Sea last Sunday. Whoops. Oh, I also got an apron from Italy... just imagine BIG David.