Need A Break, Get A Breakthrough

Listening to:
The Rocket Summer
Of Men And Angels

The academic year finally wrapped up the other day, and in a somewhat odd decision (at least to me), the teachers decided that it would be a good idea to run to the year end party. Run, as in not employ the use of vehicles. The hotel that the party was being held at was a good 9 kilometers away - 5 and 1/2 miles or so - which prompted me, perhaps as the lone American member of the staff, to wonder why we didn't just drive there like the modern human beings that we were. After all, what was the point of going on a 9 km run immediately before having to get spruced up and dapper for a fancy dinner? But as it usually is with Japanese folks, this wasn't necessarily about comfort or efficiency, but about taking advantage of an opportunity to bond with one another. Aside from my left kneecap nearly crumbling to dust during the final stretch, it was a good time. We laughed a lot, stopped a lot of traffic, almost died a few times, but made it to the end mostly intact. Personally? I'd much rather drive, but I suppose that I'm willing to hoof it from time to time as long as it means a little something.