Traction Anyone?!

Another week comes to an end and instead of enjoying being outside and free from the confines of business clothes and stuffy schools I have been cooped up in the house for two days. On Wednesday I woke up with crushing back pain and no clue as to why it started. If I was a marathon runner or an obsessive exercise freak there might be a reason for such pain... However, my present occupation is not really high risk and taxing on my body. Oh well, on the up-side I might just be able to weasel my way out of a busy saturday at school if I am still in pain

What else? It is getting very close to Halloween here and people are gearing up to celebrate the holiday. The only catch is that no one actually wears costumes, goes trick-or-treating or eats candy. The celebrations seem to be limited to buying cheap crap that has pumpkins on it and watching westerners go nuts on the 31st. I was surprised that there was even a mention of Halloween, given that it is a North American tradition. Even my fellow teachers from New Zealand, Britain and Australia don`t really have much of a clue about it. Craig, Rob and I were planning to have a little fun at school on Monday the 31st. That was before we were informed that we are not allowed to wear any sort of costume, or give candy to the kids. So I will have to wait until I can again be back in Canada to actually have a good time on Halloween.

My observation for today...
In Japan there is a neat way of advertising on the street. Instead of handing out flyers to people walking by a business or restaurant they hand out small packages of tissues with advertisements printed on the side. I think this is a brilliant idea because who in their right mind can pass up free stuff? Well, apparently EVERYONE can here. Today while I was having coffee I watched two poor fellows trying to give out tissues on the corner. They were selectively targeting only the young and pretty girls with impossibly short skirts. Older women, men, mothers and kids walked by unmolested, but as soon as a young girl came by they would bust into action. It was quite funny to see these poor guys walking back and forth along the street being snubbed by pretty girls, practically pleading with them to take the damn tissues. I am always amazed at how people can walk by and ignore someone who is talking to them. I guess irritation with people trying to give you stuff on the street is universal.

That is about all for now. I have to go back home, get back on the couch and keep taking the strange medication that may or may not be for my back.