Hey, the food chain!

Another good reason to learn new instruments - it keeps you humble. I was in a room full of very patient old women today who stayed way late to help me learn a song on the koto while all the while I had very little idea what was going on. I did learn some though. Oh yeah, also, I think I mentioned last time how they brought up the idea that I could play in the cultural festival with them on the 16th of November. So today I found out that that actually means they've already put my name on the performance program flier which has been printed and is ready for distribution. Sooo, I had better learn this song quickly and well, haha. They shortened it because there isn't enough time for everyone (mainly me, I'm guessing, but hey maybe not) to learn all the parts. So, needless to say, after staying later to practice, I came home, made and ate dinner, and practiced koto for the next couple of hours, hah. And I actually got a lot of the new version of the song right! So, I'm going to keep working on it until I get it perfect! Two of the members of the group even offered to meet with me next Wednesday to go over the piece with me. I'm sure it will help me a lot. And, with interesting timing, the talks with a neighboring town's high school went through and I'll now be going over there once or twice a week to practice koto with them too. Wow, that actually ended up being a bit more than I bargained for, but I think I see a possibility for major fun and meeting new people. And musical DEVELOPMENT (?). That's not really the word I'm looking for. Just, music, and, me. Yeah, and others. Nice. I'm a koto MACHIIINE!!

I made a cool "stock" for stir fry made half of soy sauce, a quarter miso made in my town!, and a quarter white dashi (fish stock?). Mmm, I fried up some Japanese peppers (shishito), satsuma imo (sweet potatoes), another cool kind of sweet a little different tasting pinkish potatoe I found a while ago at the local market and started eating, tofu, two eggs that I randomly thought of and realized were 4 days expired so I used them, and shimeji mushrooms I got from an elementary school (so awesome) last Friday. I was actually going to write about that (getting awesome delicious food from that elementary school) last week but I just didn't. Huh. Okay.

I want to go to sleep.