[You have a coupon for a Chili Peppers show??]

I was conscious in the last few lessons I taught today, but only barely. An awful day. I thought for sure I was going to get a complaint from at least one of the students in one of the afternoon sessions. I was, by my own estimation, that out of it.

But, hey, there's nothing like the absurd humour inherent in attempts at sleep-deprived half-broken-English/half-broken-Japanese conversation to ease one's way out of a bad day at work. My Japanese is apparently insufficient to clearly distinguish between "Red Hot Chili Peppers", the band, and "Hot Pepper", the coupon book.

Of course, it probably would have helped if it had occured to me (as it really ought to have) that "bando" is a perfectly acceptable translation for "band".

And for the record, the best sentence I uttered during all of last week: "Ah, but what is love if not a contrivance of the heart?" Spur of the moment--straight face! I'm quite proud.