Rising Up From The Ashes

I am planning a trip to Japan at the end of the year. Want to do 3-4 weeks over winter break. When I travel I hate to be a stupid American who knows nothing of the language or the culture so in preparation I took sumi-e classes in the fall and am now studying ikebana and batto-do. I will, of course, still stink at these arts when I go but at least this way I will have some rudimentary knowledge of them.

I was talking with a friend today who joked that I will now be able to chop off your head and then arrange flowers for your funeral. I claimed to have mellowed over the years and that instead I will now arrange the flowers as a gift and not chop your head off until you make fun of my novice skills.