There is a receptionist at the school where I work on Mondays who is really cool. I was playing around with some music one day before class (we were doing a lesson on types of music so I brought in some CD's) and we got to talking about music. I told her that I have been known to sing now and again and that I used to sing in church all the time. She said that she plays the guitar and is in a Mandolin Club. That was a while back. Then a few weeks ago she brought in tickets for me to go to this huge concert that her Mandolin Club was putting on. I thought, sure, cool. Well, today was the concert and let me tell you, I have just come back from the symphony. They actually played many pieces that are symphony pieces (like Tchaikovsky) only instead of whole sections of violins and brass and winds, it was sections of different kinds of mandolins, basses and guitars. They also had, for a few pieces, one flute, one oboe, one clarinet and a percussion section. There was one man in the whole thing. It was spectacular. And I'm picky. They aren't the kind of mandolins that we're used to (I'm sure there's a name for the different kinds, but I'm completely ignorant), they have rounded backs and come in different sizes. Fabulous. It was just over two hours long. I was the only non-Japanese person in the whole building.
From there I went to what used to be the largest shopping mall in Japan. I hate malls. I went for one thing, and one thing only. Indian Food (made by people actually from India) Buffet. It's just under 1000 yen for dinner, and it's all you can eat, and I should have worn baggier clothing. I then went for a quick walk around the mall (I saw maybe a fifth of it, it's very large) and I have come to a conclusion: shopping here is no good because it's all so cool and cute and girlie and I can't wear any of it because it's made for miniature dolls. And yet the pants are too long!!! What's up with that? They're even short on me.
