Sushi stories (part 1)

I have just taken on a third day working at the sushi bar -- and I still am not going to be working more than ten hours a week there. It's a remarkably easy job, though, close to my apartment and I get free lunch when I work there, so all in all it's not a bad deal.
The most stressful part of the job is dealing with the owner/head sushi chef when he gets mad. Mistakes are not accepted at the sushi bar, at least not without a firm scolding. If you make the same mistake twice (I am good at this) you are berated and chastised. Your intelligence is severely questioned, as is your continued employment. The owner is partially deaf, so he yells to be heard. And he is heard, by everyone in the restaurant.
And apologies are hardly ever accepted. The only way to lessen a verbal beating is to have a water-tight excuse, and even that doesn't always work. If you just plain screwed-up, there is nothing to be done, except stand there and take being whacked over the head with your stupidity for minutes on end until he gets tired of yelling or you finally get fed up and walk away.
In a way, it's a fair system. You have to accept responsibility for what you do, and you are not rewarded or praised for working hard, because that's what you are expected to do. There's no real forgiveness, you just have to hope for, well, the grace of forgetfulness. Not just that your inequities will be forgotten, but that you will also eventually forget the bitterness, loathing and resentment that hang in the air, residue from the combustion of imperfect obedience meeting potent, but imperfect discipline.

Wow, I hadn't meant to end on a down note. I'm actually in a pretty good mood right now.
More Strange Tales of Sushi tomorrow probably. Now I need to finish my laundry and go to zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzbedzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

three things to remember

Just letting you all know that there are new strips up at True Tales of Bravery and Honor for Monday and Wednesday, and there will be another one come Friday!
Oh, and while I am linking, it is always good to visit The Hunger Site (and friends!)
And finally, "blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled" (that's Matthew 5:7, for all you who are truly longing for something more)

Why I couldn't write a better blog tonight.

So I was riding my skateboard to work today and the left front wheel was creaking and squeaking and wouldn't spin quite right. But I kept pushing off of the sidewalk and making it do it's job, because no slouchy wheel shall hinder me on a mission, no sir, no way . . .
When I got to my job and hoisted my skateboard against the wall where it would rest while I would type, I noticed that the truck was hot to the touch. Like really hot, like it had been sitting in the sun or on a stove.
There's something in there about friction . . .
and now I have to go get WD40 to make sure that the wheels turn properly tomorrow and my skateboard doesn't burst into flames.

And that's why I couldn't write a better blog tonight. Thank you.

True Tales of Bravery and Honor!!

Our webcomic debuts today!!

Click above to experience the first part of True Tales of Bravery and Honor. Or, go to almost-eponymous www.braveryandhonor.com.
We'll keep updating regulary with color pages chronicling the main story on Sunday and black and white strips filling in background details throughout the week.
Peter's done some great art on this -- and the best is still yet to come. I'm really excited to be doing this, so please check out the beginning and let me know what you think!
I would write more, but I need to sleep now. More later--!

(p.s. the website for the comic is not yet great, so please be patient with its relative plainess!)