Summer notes

University notes:
Summer semesters at Seidai are complete. Freshman Writing, Reading, and Research and First Aid completed satisfactorily; 94% and 96% achieved, respectively. No grades for the spring semester fell below 90%. Acceptable academic progress achieved. Fall semester begins 29 August.
Goal: Complete registration on or before 15 August

Training notes:
Training progresses satisfactorily (overall 4.6% improvement in stamina and maintenance of accuracy). Adjustments made by coaching staff yielded mixed results which will be discussed after semester start. Morning training rotation has been adjusted slightly [reference: ...\tennis\tprogram\rev2]; will remain unchanged through semester beginning, at which point swimming will be dropped and other activities adjusted to accommodate team practice. As of 1 June my status with the tennis team/scholarship is probationary, contingent on attending 90% of practices and 100% of matches for which I am eligible. Difficulties are not anticipated.



Thank you, Sakuno, for overall the most pleasant birthday I have experienced. Are you available on 17 August?

Thank you, Tezuka & Tezuka, for the hospitality of your house and the use of your beach. Chiba is beautiful. I look forward to you upcoming match in the final round.

Thank you, Shinji, for your research assistance; it is always helpful to have a fresh perspective.

Personal notes:
Shinji's sister, Sada, was a revelation (almost bloodthirsty); she is welcome at any time. Turtle soup was more appealing then expected. No one involved contracted salmonella for which I am most profoundly grateful.

Tachibana Kippei was an interesting tennis opponent, although the opportunity to play against him again will likely only come at the university district level. [reference: tennis\rivals\tack\0022] He was wary of my interest in the mechanics of his relationship and my misunderstanding with Shinji has not endeared us to each other. The misunderstanding with Shinji, at least, is resolved.

Dinner with Sakuno's family was an experience that is difficult to describe. While I understand their interest, it was not an entirely comfortable process for either Sakuno or myself. I was surprised to find an ally in Ryuzaki-sensei; I expected her to provide the deepest scrutiny. I have taken Ryuzaki-san's advice and procured a supply of the item(s) indicated.

Private notes:
My frustration level is reaching critical mass. Library resources are exhausted, much to the amusement of the staff, and if I wish to explore further resources from the bookstore it will be necessary to begin making special orders. It appears to be futile, however; there are no instructions available. Suggestions are all variations on proper communication and deference to a partner's needs/wishes. I have not yet found a satisfactory listing of either, and am uncertain how she can be expected to adequately communicate such. I do not, in fact, expect her to know what she requires; she lacks any practical experience.

Conversely, it is possible she will surprise me again; she manages to do so regularly. Certainly her statements on Chiba beach were not anticipated, and her response to the shunga pillow-book was a revelation for both of us, I believe. I lack an adequate frame of reference from which to evaluate the situation. It is not an entirely comfortable position.

It is a relief to have the discussion of my sexual orientation accomplished, however. It was slightly more difficult then anticipated, but not for the reasons projected – yet another instance in which Sakuno has surprised me.

Tangentially, it is quite difficult to locate an appropriate replacement for latex condoms. Both the experimentation required and the expense have been considerable. [reference: sex\dif\nlatex]


I am quite interested in the events that lead Tezuka Kunimitsu to call for advice regarding Tezuka Syuusuke. If it were possible I might consider traveling to Seoul to observe; they would certainly not be expecting visitors. I may have contacts there, however. I believe further investigation is indicated. Tezuka Syuusuke was at his most opaque, but obviously unhappy when we spoke.


Tezuka Kunimitsu:
An additional thought on licorice: A particularly astute shopkeeper might recognize that my craving stemmed from a problem not directly related to licorice, such as a deficiency in biotin, folic acid, manganese, etc. (licorice is an excellent source of several key nutrients), or perhaps a stomach ulcer, high blood pressure, or other ailment (licorice has been used in traditional Japanese medicine for longer then our recorded history). In either case, there would likely be alternate methods of supplying whatever was required.



I will be returning to Ogachi Town for several days next week and will be available via cell.