The Art of Japanese Culture through Untranslatable Words; Monday, Fourth Period [01/11].

[sake_shinigami]

Shunsui was far less impressed with his eight year old self this time around than he was the last time; this time around, he had apparently decided that what was in all those jugs around the apartment were clearly some sort of poison and dumped it all down the sink, before eating all of the food in the fridge and then doing nothing but lazing about the apartment all weekend. That last part, at least, he could approve of, and he did actually take care of Nanao-chan VII, so it wasn't a complete loss. It did still feel like a tragedy having to lose all that booze, though...

The ordeal still worked nicely for Shunsui having a newfound appreciation for his older, wiser self, and made it exceptionally easy for him to decide which word the class would be discussing that afternoon.

"Konnichiwa, ducklings ♥!" he greeted the girls once they were settled in the usual circle, with the offering of hot drinks available to them if they so desired. "Welcome back ♥. Today, we'll start with this week's word before getting into our various topics of discussion, both about last week's assignment and about this week's word in general. Now, I don't know how the two of you may have fared over the weekend, but it would seem that we had another one of those events that may put today's word in a particular potent light. Today, we will learn about sabi:

寂
sabi
(beauty that stems from age)

"If this weekend did, in fact, affect you, perhaps this morning you awoken with a particular appreciation for some of the benefits of age, and sabi is a concept that embraces how much the years can improve something ♥! Granted, I may be incredibly biased with regards to something that places one's age in a positive light, but there is no denying that some things truly do improve as time passes on. Directly translated, the word originally meant lonely, but has developed to also refer to a patina or an ancient look. Obviously, this may refer to a certain grace and wisdom that radiates off of a person who has experienced life longer than others. It may refer to a rock, perhaps, that has stood the test of time and gathered an attractive or interesting collection of moss or lichen that gives it a sort of indescribable sabi that only time and nature could give it ♥. The aging of a fine wine or a tea, or the patina that builds on a piece of art: a statue worn down from many hands touching it in reverence or prayer, or the rust on a metal wall. There is a great appreciation for tradition and ancestors in Japan, so to find something that is ancient and old and find the beauty of it because of what time has done to it is a deeply honored perspective that I'm sure it won't take any stretch of the imagination for two bright young artists such as yourselves to appreciate ♥."

Here, he had to give a small chuckle, a duck of his head.

"Again, though, as something ancient and old, I would say that, neh ♥?

"So, today, let us talk about what where we might find sabi, and, since you both have your various media you like to express yourself in creatively, I'll propose that, for next week, you try to find the sabi in things around you, and come back with an example to share. Just as I hope you'll share anything you may have done in regards to tashinamu from last week, as well ♥."

Fuck Yeah Science - Monday - Period 2

[badassprodigy]

Class today was in the classroom. There were no portals, no elaborate experiments and there weren't any vials that would turn you into something interesting.

That was probably next week.

"All right. I was a fucking kid all weekend so I didn't get shit done," Barry admitted. "So I'm going to try something fucking different. Today? I want you to come up with something that will make the world better. It can be a device. A process. Anything. Think of it this way: If you had unlimited funding to build or make something that would better the world, what would it be?"

Creative Writing- Monday- 1st period

[gotyoucookie]

Yeah, Nick still had nothing. This felt like a very bad idea. Which may have been clear when students got in and he was slumped in the chair behind his desk with his head in his hands for like, just a little too long.

At that point he dropped his hands on the desk and said, "Okay. So. Creative writing." He waved a hand vaguely, and came up with, "What kind of things do you want to write?"

...Actually, that wasn't a bad question. "Yeah. What kind of things do you want to write? What kinds of stories and characters do you like? Do you want to write what you know? You know what, forget that, next week you're writing what you know."

Look at him, spontaneously planning ahead!

Let's Get Creative!, Monday, Period Three

[jedigrammarians]

"So there's this thing they make younglings do on this planet involving decorating with dried foodstuffs."

Was Aphra annoyed because she'd turned into a kid or because she hadn't? Either way, she wasn't telling, but she was taking it out on you. "Since a bunch of you rediscovered your youth this weekend, I thought might as well, after all it's cultural tradition, and we should be respectful of other cultures."