Yes. It’s a challenge. I figured this would be a good challenge for me. What you’re supposed to do is just ‘free-write’ for 5 minutes flat. Just set the timer and go. I’m just wondering why it’s the 2010-17 challenge…? Does that mean it’s open for 7 years? That can’t be right as we were set a Dec. 14th deadline. Or is it December 14th 2017? Chri.. I mean, “Kween?”

(In case you were wondering, no. I haven’t started the challenge yet.)

(Now I have.)

So we’re meant to not come into this with a subject in mind, the problem being if I deviate from the thing that’s on my mind right now I will be still violating the terms of the challenge as I’d be rethinking my initial response so what the hell. Kabuki. Now Kabuki’s over I get a lot of my free time back. You’d think I’d be happy about that. Actually I’m rather disappointed. Not to get free time but to not be doing Kabuki. I really enjoyed it this year, not just cos I had a pretty cool role but cos it really does make me feel a part of something and let’s me connect more with my kids outside of the standard role I play in school. It’s weird but connecting with them is really important to me. At first I thought it was just an ego thing; wanting to be a better ALT than anyone else. But ultimately I think I just desire connections. With anyone. I wanna feel part of something, I want to belong somewhere. The irony here is I know I’ll never belong anywhere in Japan, not really. But reasoning does not abate instinct and this is very much instinct for me.

And done.

Funny. I thought I’d write a lot more than that. I thought it’d be far less focused too. But there it is.