The mullet I saw today. My god. The mullet.
I was sitting on the bus minding my own business when we came to a stop and a woman a few rows in front of me moved to depart. It took me more than a moment to realize that thing on her head was not her hat, but was in fact her heavily permed hair, the back flowing, and, indeed party-like. I sat there staring at the back of her head battling with myself. No, that's got to be a hat, and her hair's coming from under it. She's got nice shoulder length hair and that's just a fuzzy knit hat that matches her hair exactly and oh god no that is a mullet, that is a POWER MULLET AHHHHHHHHHH seriously who would wear that? What era of fashion could she possibly be emulating OOH MY GOD MULLEEEETTTT and basically spent the next minute and a half trying not to emit any noises of glee.
Aside from that, the damndest thing is, I had a pretty good day at Nagawachuu. After the anarchy of Usu, I was looking forward to the discepline, if only to try and figure a way to take it with me. The teacher didn't seem to be in too foul a mood today- she was back to the responsible and effective educator I remembered from our first meeting. Downright pleasant (If all of the gossiping going on in the teacher's room was ignored, which I have taken to doing- honestly, when I listen in with the intention of joining the conversation, I just find myself blown away by how rude and ruthless they can be, so I am happy to leave them thinking I don't understand any of it). Only a few moments of nastiness and I found little pieces of my heart crumbling away when she wouldn't let me give students more points for their work when they only made small mistakes. Her (what's the opposite of misogyny?) bias against the boys is especially disheartening. I told her, "If I were in this class, I would fail," and I know it's true. She praised a drawing I did of Dagkoma very highly and in the art room while I waited for the bus some of the students praised me too. I tried to explain that even though I can't draw cleanly or properly, and there is no meaning to what I do, I like it, and so I continue. But I wonder if they picked up on what I really meant. I want to be able to tell them directly, "What you do in school does not determine your success in life, it's following what you love that hones it and makes it worthwhile", but I have a feeling it would not be greeted well. I will practice how to say that in Japanese, though.
It just depresses me to see everyone throw away a kid who doesn't do things "properly" and condemn them to mediocrity and shame for life. If I hadn't gone to Thompson Falls where everyone treated me like a goddamn shooting star just for existing, I think I would be useless and miserable. Some of us just need to be told our flaws are ok before we can take action and become useful.
Gripe gripe. Sigh.
Yesterday I took the day off for "Terrible Cramps" (but really I took it off for roleplaying, damn gaia sucked me in way too late at night and I was out of commission all day- ended up roleplaying and eating nothing but natto and miso for lunch/breakfast and dinner. Stomach not very happy today, but the closure, the sweet, sweet closure). It was warm yesterday, but today finally dropped the cold hammer again. Blessedly, prepared and in proper clothes (maybe a little too bundled up, but you know, in the US I always thought foreigners had their own cool kind of fashion- kind of a "it's good they're themselves and wouldn't it be neat if I could wear that too" mentality) it wasn't nearly the bone-chilling, soul killing experience it was last time. With my Chacos sent by mom, Amelia's scarf, gloves, leg warmers, thick coat, cute hat from Debra and scattered other accessories, I may just survive this winter.
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