So here we are.

I'm feeling better now. I gave myself a few pep talks, took some walks, got some sun, etc. I think one of the problems has been that my job is already getting monotonous. I've never had a real job like this, and it's been years since I've taken a class that lasted more than a few months. It's like I keep expecting change to happen, and I'm getting the opposite. The reality of settling into a routine as a college graduate is a little weird. But the truth is, I'm having a good time. Life is sweet. And I'm finally starting to get off my ass and get proactive about learning Japanese, which can be really rewarding. I realized today that I am now able to say things like: "Someone in this apartment is using too much toilet paper, and I'm going to get to the bottom of this." (Kono apaato no naka ni dare ka toire peepaa o tsukaisugite irun dakara, minuku tsumori.)

Anyway, here's a rant:
Tokyo is one of the most famously crowded cities in the world, but for some reason people do not know how to freakin' walk. It's really ridiculous. There are many types of people who interfere with my ability to get from one place to another. Usually it's your average run-of-the-mill situation where the street is a river of people, and a person or group of people will just arbitrarily stop and look around. Or the girls walking through Tokyo in three-inch stiletto heels, wobbling along at less than half my normal speed. What can be really obnoxious is that bicycles share sidewalk space with pedestrians, yet there's no system in place whatsoever. Say I'm walking on the right side of the sidewalk. A bike comes up behind me ringing its bell, so I switch to walking on the left side. *ring ring* Another bike. Oops, better move to the right side again. *ring ring* Sorry, let me get out of your way. *ring ring* WHAT THE FUCK.
Another WTF has to do with the retarded way that couples NEED TO BE TOUCHING EACH OTHER AT ALL TIMES. I'm in the center of the center of Tokyo at a major clothing store, and I cannot get through the doorway because each couple holding hands forms an impenitrable wall of PDA. Large groups of schoolkids are the same way, completely oblivious to the fact that there are other people trying to get by. Omiya has gigantic sidewalks by Japanese standards, and I still can't get around the armies of uniformed teens.
I also get annoyed when people are walking in the opposite direction at a crowded time, and, seemingly oblivious to my presence, will leave absolutely no space for me to get by. The arrows on the floor of the train station are there for a reason, assholes. So it becomes a war of sorts, wherein I tell myself I absolutely will not suffer the indignity of turning sideways and squeezing by people who refuse to do the same for me. So we bump into each other. And I assume that they spend the rest of the day after that thinking about their "encounter with the rude foreigner."

Alright, that's done.

Anyway, yeah. Teaching English is either really fun or really horrible. It all depends on the students. I cannot teach anyone social skills, nor can I come up with a hundred topics of conversation when you've answered ninety-nine questions with a short sentence and an expectant look at me.
I fail to understand why it is so difficult for people to figure out a reasonable flow of conversation in English, when they're perfectly fine conversationalists in Japanese. A typical example (this occurred today):
Me: "So, Hiroko, what are you going to do today?"
Hiroko: "I'm going to iron some clothes."
*awkward pause*
Me: "Satoshi, let's ask Hiroko another question. Remember: 'What else...'"
Satoshi: "How long are you going to iron?"

I also seem to get a lot of people wandering into English school in a state of near-coma, who plop down and proceed to engage me in a thrilling conversation that goes somewhat like this:
Me: "Nobusato, good to see you again. How are you today?"
Nobusato: "I am tired."
Me: "Tired? Why?"
Nobusato: "I work today."
Me: "What do you do?"
Nobusato: "I am office worker."
*awkward pause*
Me: "Well, what do you like to do in your free time?"
Nobusato: "I sleep."
*awkward pause*
Me: "Well, have you seen any movies recently? Done anything interesting?"
Nobusato: "Nothing special."

Having fifteen to twenty minutes of free-talk time built into each lesson plan, you can imagine how awesome this can be.

And sometimes it's just unpredictable. Like this one from a low-level lesson I taught today:
Me: "Okay, today we're going to learn about buying things in America, using dollars and cents. Has anyone been to America?"
Yoko: "No."
Miyuki: "No."
Yoshikazu: "I hate America."
Me: "Uhhhhh OKAY! Let's turn to page 34."

But I do get a good amount of fun people who are actually interested in learning and have something to say, and that can be great. It's pretty funny when people hang onto every word I say like it's gold. It's really made me aware of how much bullshit I spout in everyday conversation (a lot).

So between classes today, I was making small-talk in simple English by the desk of the sole staff member working at my school (nicknamed "Ellen," I have no idea what her Japanese name is). I told her I thought that my previous student Daisuke was cute and nice, and she looked up at me with an innocent smile and said, "You should attack!"
Stuff like this is becoming commonplace.