KABUTOMUSHI!

I spent the weekend studying and precious little else. Well quite allot of study anyway. What was going to be a start break to the school on Saturday to check my emails turned into a 3 hour study holiday; I first chatted to my mum then it started raining (heavily) and then Kelly came on line and I talked to her. I ended up getting very wet on the way home, I had to strip off in the doorway. Sunday I had a 30k run scheduled and I managed that and about 6 and half hours of study, not bad. The big news was I acquired a pet on my run. I got my self my very own Kabutomushi (helmetbug) which is the vulgar Japanese name for stag beatles. Most of the native Japanese species are of the genus Dorcus. Unfortunate name really. Having looked at a few pictures I would guess that is it Dorcus Rectus (doubly unfortunate name) or Dorcus Platymelus, given that Dorcus Rectus is much common I would hazzard a guess that is it. However to be honest they all look very similar. My chap (it is a male) is about 40mm long although I haven't measured him yet. As a side note these beetles are very popular in Japan. Some species selling for huge amounts (circa. 100 dollars) and are popular amungst adults and children alike. It seems to me that children here are crazy about any and all bugs, during the summer one often sees primary school kids wondering around with bug net and regulation bug box (I have one ;)). The Katbutomushi is undisputed king of all bugs in Japan and therefore highly sought after. I think this is mostly due to its pretty fearsome appearance and the fact that they fight! Put two stags on a branch and they will lock horns and spar until one falls off! Monsters fighting is a pretty popular theme in Japan (my reference for this is almost ALL anime and manga -you at least know about pokemon- and a good proportion of TV and movies) also the beetles are generally unhurt which of course makes it all the more suitable for kids. There are popular kabutomushi card games and an arcade game that I often see kids playing called MushiKing where children fight beetles against each other. Anyway I have one now so HAH! I came across him about 24km into a 30k run just sitting right there in the road! I couldn't pass up the chance so I decided to carry him back the remainder of the run. A couple of Km later his squirming was bothering me so I broke off a branch and put him on it, he clung there happily until I was home. I was passed by one or two cars, I wonder what they though about me running while holding a stick with a large beetle on it? Whatever, I can be as eccentric as I please, humph!
I had an unexpected blast of Britishness just before bed last night. I finished the last financial management chapter on my to-do list and turned on the TV while I munched some supper (oatcakes and smelly Danish blue). What was on? The bleeding last night of the proms that's what! If you do not know what that is, well, it is like a musical festival but with classical music, kind of, held in Britain. The BBC philharmonic was playing a rather racy piece (complete with the slightly passée attractive lead violinist) moreover who was commentating but none other than Ground forces finest Alan Titchmarsh! I would have preferred Charlie Dimmock but that's by the by. He is quite a ridiculous fellow, well he is definitely English at least. It really could not have been more British if it tried (and it appeared they tried very hard), within moments there was a sea of Union Jacks waving to Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance, not once but twice (following tradition) and accompanied by a video clips of the 80 year reign of the Queen! Land of Hope and Glory........... followed by a series of naval bugal calls which were answered by the other wings of the proms in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland (each waving appropriate flags). That was something to do with the Battle of Trafalgar. It was almost a bit too much for me, I saw some other famous Brits in the audience but I couldn't place their names. Been away for a while I suppose! I missed what came between Danny Boy and Rule Britannia because I was trimming my beard and as it was getting late with a final Pum Pum Puddle-iddly-um I had to go to bed. Just for the record in theory I despise nationalism and even the idea of nations. As to nationalism my opinion is that if you need nationalism to give you some identity then you are solely lacking in that department. I consider myself to have quite enough identity without having to resort of nationalism or nationalistic labels.....generally. Although in practice nationalism (of ones own country and tending to view foreigners in terms of the nation they are from) is.....easy, I hesitate to say natural as it is probably a result of social/cultural influences.