Japanese Whiskers

I know I said I would write more often, but alas I find myself too busy to even get enough sleep (something that is quite important to me.) Today though I started reading Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, a rather monumental book, and rightfully famous it seems. I'm not so sure I agree with Ms Rand's view of the world, but the book is interesting, has great suspense, and quite witty language. It's required reading the entrepreneurship class I'm taking, but that is not to say it is a book a would not have wanted to read had it been otherwise. It merely means choosing to read it at this time was done for me, of which I am actually thankful. All too often have I been in the mood for reading but given up after trying to decide which of all the great works of literature still unread that I should read. I can make decisions for others rather well when I try, but for myself I am sometimes struggling.

In other news, the AIU Festival kicks off on Saturday, it's a two day happening at which students will do all sorts of things to promote AIU, activate the local community and just generally have a good time. As for me, I'm the head chef of a food stand serving "Swedish pancakes", which are basically crepes with jam and ice cream. Our initial plan was to make Swedish meatballs, but prefectural health regulations made that impossible. We then thought of doing Swedish hash, which was likewise rejected (have you ever heard of barbecue being allowed but not frying meat in a frying pan?), so we just gave up and settled for something not particularly Swedish, but still something a lot of Swedes eat on a regular basis.

背に腹は代えられぬ
se ni hara wa kaerarenu
The back cannot take the place of the belly
("Self-preservation is the first law of nature")