Scoopin' up the field mice and boppin' em

What a good day!

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:11:57 GMT

Today was awesome...

It started out with me meeting my friends for "morning service" which is really common in Aichi and way better than American morning service. Basically if you go to a cafe here before 11 and buy a coffee, you get free breakfast that is pretty darn nice!
We had a really great time talking about random stuff like shitty Japanese doctors and teaching.

Then went Christmas shopping...ack. Still lots of presents left to buy!

Then to work!

Then found a snack I've been looking for for ages at the convenience store!

Then to Toyohashi for my friend's Birthday party!
Yummy Italian food and good conversation!

Then back home...to see a shooting star right as I walked up to the door of my apartment.

Man, I can't wait to come home! Just 10 more days!

iyada...tte iwaretara mukatukan?

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 17:26:08 GMT

Phew...I'm so glad the work week is over...

Somehow I'm so busy that the week seems to go fast albeit stressfully while the weekends are pleasantly lazy.

This week had a really crappy beginning though. I need to stop letting small things bother me so much. First I was sick all weekend, then Monday my boss told me after I'd been throwing up all weekend that one of my students parents had made a complaint...

Oh man...

So far I've had complaints for "playing DS in class" and "drinking tea and not sharing"(WTF?!). My boss asked me, "do you take a DS to class?" and I was like...yeah...like a month ago I took it some days because I have an hour break between classes and I plan my lessons ahead so I had nothing else to do. Plus it's my dinner break (On Tuesday I work from 11am to 10pm...whee!) so yes, I usually am drinking tea, eating and playing DS before the students show up. I always turn it off at 5 though, 20 minutes before my class starts. Problem being that sometimes, the parents are kind enough to drop their kids off 30 minutes early for a 50-minute lesson. Sometimes I haven't even arrived by then...in which case they call my boss. In which case she calls me asking where the heck I am. Dude...if I need to be there half an hour early so that parents can have me babysit their kid I should be getting paid for it. Maybe that's just a bad attitude I have, but geeeez. Times like this I miss America...dropping a kid off half an hour early for a lesson would not fly there...
At least now I've learned that I can't even bring anything to class because the students look through my bags...this includes food...so much for eating anything between the hours of 4 and 10pm.

Next complaint, a student's parent checked a workbook of hers and found one mistake in it that I hadn't corrected for some reason. I guess I am a horrible teacher. But I am also human.

At least my pottery class is going well. I managed to make a nice vase for the first time that isn't all tilted and out of proportion.

After that my Thursday lessons went better than ever due to the troublemakers being miraculously absent. Disciplining kids is hell enough...disciplining kids that aren't yours in a foreign country is worse. I know by now they have to know what "Quiet please" and "Sit down please" mean, but sometimes...
The worst was one time I got fed up, said, "chanto seki ni suwarinasai!" (Basically, "Sit properly in your seats!") and they FLEW to their seats...dammit. I haven't used it since then, but that time didn't motivate me much towards the not using Japanese plan...
Anyways, since they weren't there, I had a few of the most satisfying lessons I've had in a long time. The kids really enjoyed the time, laughed at my bad jokes, seemed genuinely interested...it's amazing how much they enjoy English when they actually pay attention...if only there were a way to make them without tying them to the chairs and taking away their cellphones and pretty much anything shiny/noise-making.

Today I went to Okonomiyaki with a new student to a pretty cool place in the "Technology" district of Toyokawa (There are like 3 electronics stores in the same area...amazing.) After a delicious lunch I got to make cotton candy for the first time...it was pretty freaking cool!
The student seemed really nice too, although she's one of those ridiculously fashionable girls who has fake eyelashes and high heels and wears the type of clothes I wear maybe once a year as well as carrying her dependable LV everywhere she goes. She mentioned that she wanted to go on a trip with me and some of her University friends sometime...that are studying English.
Now I love new friends...can't complain...but when these students know that I am studying Japanese to pass 2kyu, know that I have almost no friends, and only offer to introduce me to people who want to use me for free English practice it gets kind of old. Now of course, I would be happy to hang out with her and her friends...but what will happen if I speak Japanese? Should I just go with it and speak English? I would probably still have fun...but there would go one of my only chances to speak Japanese...
I don't want people to think I will only speak English to them if they pay me money though..
gah, it's ridiculous.
But anyways, lunch was good and it was nice to have someone to talk to over lunch at the end of the week. She dropped me off at 2 and I had just enough time to finish doing some last minute lesson planning.

Today I had two new students from the US with amazing English. My boss of course had told me to prepare an easy lesson because she said they'd only been in the US for 2 years. Well it turns out they'd been there for 4.5...and their parents also stayed to watch the lesson. Whee for stress! Still, I think it went alright. The kids seemed to have a lot of fun and the parents even laughed along with the students occasionally.

I'm really wondering how I can convince my boss to let me have breaks though...aside from saying I'll quit if she doesn't fit them into my new schedule for April...she always makes excuses though. But 7 hours of solid teaching with no breaks on Fridays kills me...3:30-10:30pm...

I've been spending lots of time lately (when i'm not studying for 2kyu..>_<) trying to figure out new ways to get students involved more in English, especially the ones whose parents are just making them go against their will. I've been trying to think of ways to teach kids English and help them to learn better all around so that they actually understand what they are reading without me telling them in Japanese...it is tough going, but one of these days (and hours of internet research and hot cocoas later) I will prevail!

Note: Been talking in Japanese to some people on mixi for a while now. I just got a nudge from my new male Japanese chat buddy and nudged him back, to which he replied in English "Happppy...." LOL. Man...why do Japanese guys have to be so cute? If only I wasn't so tall and could actually enjoy guys who are obsessed with lookin good. Damn.

Ah...kutakutadesu! (I'm spent!)and glass class to look forward to tomorrow!...off to sleep I go!

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 15:36:20 GMT

Japan sickness count (since October):

Runny nose colds: probably about 2 weeks
yucky cough: 3 months (finally went away!)
Stuffy nose colds: 4 weeks at least
Sore throat: 1 or 2 weeks
UTIs: 1
Back spasms for several days: 2 times
Headaches: 3-4 times a month
Vomiting and fainting: only all today

Missed days work: 3

Where the hell did my immune system go?!

The grass is always greener...

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:34:13 GMT

But Japanese grass sucks because the only places where it's the same as in America you're not allowed to walk, run, or roll in it...what a waste.

I miss you...and you...and you.
You know who you are :)
Hope I see you in my dreams ^_^

Negativity...to positivity...

Sun, 18 Jan 2009 09:52:50 GMT

Lots of stuff on my mind lately...figured I'd write it out...and maybe if I'm lucky the people who can read this will sympathize with me and not be irritated.

The Ugly:

I really miss American small-talk...just buying a cup of coffee you could make a friend...

and hugs...even from people you've just met at a party or something...at least my little students give me hugs...lol

I haven't drank more than one drink in a long time...maybe 5 months...because I have no one to drink with here.

blah...why did I take a people person job? I am totally not a people person and having to act super happy all the time when teaching kids who throw tantrums and act like monsters sometimes at random while other days proclaiming "Katie-sensei Daithuki!" wears me out. I actually got mad at my students for the first time the other day and afterwards they behaved like angels...I didn't even yell or anything...Now I feel kind of bad about it though.

I hate that my friend's Christmas present to me may be lost in the mail. Damn post office people.

I hate living by myself and having no friends in Toyokawa aside from students who are really busy/not my age and my coworker.

I hate my bills...lol...they get higher every month even though I've been using the same amount of electricity, gas and stuff ever since I got here...what's up with that?

I hate that every time I try to study Japanese after work, I fall asleep.

I have a love-hate relationship with my boss...who is really spastic and always forgets to tell me stuff that would be good to know like that I have an extra class to teach, or that 3 extra students will be coming...I hate being unprepared. But then she randomly does really really nice things for me...always giving me fruit and introducing me to people, teaching me Japanese and so forth...

I hate Japanese weather.

I hate it when people smoke indoors

and Japanese TV.

I hate the damn copy machine that never works when I need it to.

I hate that no matter what I do to try and fix it, my SKYPE refuses to work.

I hate that I never speak Japanese...it's probably my own fault too...but my boss has drilled into my brain so much not to speak it that I don't even speak it outside of class either now...

I hate that all the problems are probably my own fault for having a bad attitude or not speaking up about stuff that bothers me.

The good:

I've had internet for a month now...and it is awesome.

Which means that I can FINALLY keep in touch with everyone outside of Japan on a regular basis.

I've been going to the gym a fair amount with my coworker. This is a good development because exercising generally makes me happy...not because I need to lose weight, which I don't...I will be a fat American forever and all the crazy Japanese people who think differently will not make me change my mind!

I'm saving about half of my salary every month. Which is good because I'm sure I will find some use for it once I'm back in the USA.

I'm happy that the yen is getting so strong so that the money I make in Japan becomes more when I change it to American dollars.

I'm happy that I finally have weekends off so that I can maybe go somewhere during them.

I'm happy that I finally have a few friends in Toyokawa/Toyohashi area...even if I can only see them once or twice a month.

I'm happy that I have a job what with the economy being total crap.

I'm happy that I could go to Tokyo and eat Shabu shabu on V-day with friends and sing karaoke looking over the city.

I could go on, but since it's like 3am...(I have mixed feelings about working from 4-10pm almost everyday, but not having to wake up at the crack of dawn is definitely a plus!) I should probably go to sleep.

I miss you all!^_^

I finally haz ze internets!

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:48:48 GMT

Fantasmic-how to tell someone they look fantastically orgasmic
without getting roughed up or possibly raped (probably)
Certain people would like to add that you can't rape the willing.
(/end super awesome news announcement)

Can someone tell me where the heck I got this from? I must've heard it somewhere...

Letters from Spain...

Sat, 26 Jul 2008 21:47:11 GMT

Here are the emails that me and my aunt have been sending back and forth while i housesit for her...the oldest ones are at the end and the first one on here is the one i just sent to my aunt...enjoy...or not...

haha, that's awesome. The other day i saw an item called "hangover cure" on some website that i thought was pretty funny. I have a funny story for you...no worries, no people or houses were harmed in this event except for my big toe. Molly and Jake got here last night and i had forgotten they were coming so when i heard people outside talking at first i thought it was a burglar and then Molly called me while i was considering this and asked to be let in...heh. So we ended up deciding we were going to use the hottub. We went out (the cat got out too at this point because i had forgotten the screen door doesn't work so i ran and got the other cat and put him in the kitty room) and i got in the hottub after failing at finding the cat figuring i could let him in when he decided to come back.
Meanwhile Molly goes to get a towel and we realize that we're locked out O_o I thought she was joking...and they're like, "well didn't you leave some door or window somewhere unlocked in case this happened?!" "uh...nooooooo, cause i don't WANT anyone to get in!" lol...so then we were wandering around the outside of the house, me soaking wet and in the dark with no shoes trying to find some opened window or something...Molly and Jake were eyeing the guest bathroom window which was open and calculating a way to get the screen off and ninja themselves into the house even though i repeatedly told them this was NOT a time to be attempting to climb on the roof.
They suggested we go and ask the neighbors for a screwdriver and i said, "oh yeah, that'll go over well...*knocks on neighbors door at midnight* 'Hi, you don't know me, but if possible, i'd like to borrow your screwdriver...why? because i'm trying to break into that house over there....'"
...eventually i found that the window RIGHT next to the hottub had been open the entire time...tell Ellie she is a lifesaver for leaving her window open! So i carefully took off the screen and went in and let them back in. Unlocked the door so it wouldn't happen again and put the screen back in which was fine. Then we hung out in the hottub and were so grateful. Mercury came back and we put him in the kitty room in case he had eaten anything that disagreed with him. Phew...from now on, i do not leave the house without my car keys so i can get in.
Today has gone fine though, aside from Mercury waiting to get sick until after he had left the kitty room>_<. I used the carpet cleaner and some paper towels though and it seems alright, but if there's anything else i should use, just let me know and i'll take care of it. I woke up to banana chocolate chip pancakes and the cats seem very pleased with the company! ^_^ We were planning on going swimming at the lake, but the weather is kind of questionable so i don't know what we'll end up doing. Molly and Jake are in the kitchen watching youtube videos on her computer, but it's a nice change to have some human noise in the house...lol.
I think you'll need to bring me back some common sense and luck for jobs from Spain^_^. I applied to Amazon and had already applied to Microsoft, but i looked through their job listings and tried for a few more of them. Hope i get some interviews!
Oh yeah...and one more thing, is the light in the corner of the piano room set to turn on automatically? Sometimes it turns on and off randomly. You may have a ghost ^_~
Well, that's all the update i can think of in probably more detail than you probably would have liked. Hope your trip continues well and you have lots more fun!
<3 Katie

On Fri, Jul 25, 2008 at 1:55 AM, <@comcast.net> wrote:

Two other options for the cats at night - shut them up in theír kitty room (the room with the furnace and their kitty litter, food, etc) or use the box fan from upstairs (it may be in our room or right outside our room)

Good luck with the job hunt - you might want to apply online to microsoft too... Amazon is another good option. My neighbor works their and another friend of mine too. They hire people right out of school and my friend who is 50 says she tries really hard to keep her age a secret because everyone around her is in their 20s.

We´re going to the Prado museum today. Susana and I have a hangover this morning. Her friends brought us dinner last night and we had a little party until 3:30 this morning. We didn´t think we drank that much, but it adds up...the girls are just waking up now and it´s almost 11. Have a great day! Love, Molly

-------------- Original message --------------
From: "Kathleen" <@pacificu.edu>

Hey! Sounds like things are awesome. Everything is fine here too. ^_^. Thank YOU for letting me stay here. It's been all sorts of helpful. I went to the job fair on tuesday and I haven't gotten any interviews yet, but I did hand out a bunch of resumes. I also applied for a couple jobs at Boeing for their HR department, so i'm going to wait and see on that :). I also got to go bowling with a friend from highschool who lives in Redmond the other day so it was fun to catch up :). It's been no problem here aside from the cats occasionally scaring me half to death with their door opening skills at odd hours of the night. Last night i put the fan next to the door though and they still managed to come in so i looped two pony-tail holders together and put them around the door handles and i finally managed to keep them out. Mercury for some reason really likes my computer and has taken to nibbling on it when i'm writing emails...like right now. haha :) Hope yo u guys continue having a good time! I'll let Molly and Jake know how you guys are doing when they get here either tomorrow night or saturday!
Love ya,
Katie

On Wed, Jul 23, 2008 at 4:10 AM, <@comcast.net> wrote:

Hi Katie! We are here and having a wonderful time. It is hot, hot, hot! Last night we had dinner in the park at 10pm when it was cool and the girls tried some liquer that the restaurant brought to the table with 7 glasses (the girls figured if they were given glasses, then they were allowed). Stephanie found a pair of jeans and Elizabeth got pants for 10E each. We have been eating Spain´s version of fast food which is nothing like ours - lots of tapas and little snacks of fresh slices of bread with yummy toppings. John and I are jet lagged pretty bad but the girls aren´t. Susana is letting us be pretty lazy and we just got moving today and it´s 1:00 in the afternoon. Thanks again for taking care of things for us. What do you want from Spain? Say hi to Molly & Jacob this weekend

Sun, 25 May 2008 09:17:03 GMT

So I'm in Dublin right now.

We have done a lot of stuff that i will have to highlight later, but so far, London, south ireland, and Dublin have been the places we've been. Most impressive by far has been the skellig island trip where the old dude driving let me drive his boat, and driving the ring of kerry on the wrong side of the road in a manual car. It was really beautiful with lots of rocky hills, beautiful views, and delapidated castles...and sheeeeeep. I only got to drive a little bit tho, but it was still cool. I was glad Shannon had a lot of experience driving manual cars. Last night we went bar hopping (picture me and Shannon running in the streets and giggling while a bunch of guys walked around in groups yelling and waving Irish flags and scarfs with noisemakers)Today we're gonna walk around Dublin and check out some major tourist stuff. Shannon posted the first batch of pictures on facebook, but hopefully i can post some of my own soon.
Heard there was a crazy storm in Portland area. I doubt it affected anyone in Oly/Seattle, but hope you are all well! Gotta go catch a bus now so...
<3

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 17:58:09 GMT

I had a dream about dating Zach Braff...it was better than eskimos...*awkward*

ah, St. Patty's day...

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 09:20:08 GMT

Always reminds me of how hot Sean Connery was in Darby O' Gill and the Little People when he was young...

Anyways...i won't tag anyone in particular...but if you're bored and need to procrastinate a little, join the club.

2. What is your most guilty pleasure?
I have many...frozen indian curry from Safeway, sushi, bubble tea, Pho, Chai creme frappucinos from Starbucks, cheesecake, FOOD in general, playing mindless games like sudoku and mindsweeper, sleeping in, staying up too late talking to a certain gentleman. Rewatching movies like "Under the Tuscan Sun", "You've got mail", "Ever After", "Chocolat", "The Holiday", "How to lose a guy in 10 days", etc. while eating icecream or sipping cocoa or tea

3. Have you ever seen someone die?
Nope...thankgoodness

4. Are you confused as to what lies ahead of you?
I have ideas, but some confirmation would be nice

5. What was the last book you read for pleasure and would you recommend it?
My Japanese history book in Japanese...heeeeelll no.

6. Name a personal hero.
The dude who invented the microwave...college students everywhere praise ye

7. If a person you like doesn't feel the same way, would you continue to wait for them to change their feelings?
Oh gosh..don't want to talk about this...fortunately haven't been in this situation for over a year now though :)

8. If a person you secretly like is already attached, what would you do?
I don't...like people who are attached...what's the point?

9. Is there anything that made you unhappy recently?
Just stress and uncertainty

10. What do you want most in life?
Happiness for my family

11. Which of the 7 Deadly Sins do you think relates to you the most & why?
Pride and gluttony? I have really high standards and i tend to hold myself and others to them...i also like my food. :)

12. What advice would you give to someone who thinks their whole world is falling down around them?
Just keep swimming, just keep swimming...

13. Who is currently the most important person to you?
My friends and family...not one person i know, but that's how i feel

14. What is your drug of choice?
Tea

15. If you could keep any animal for a pet, what would you keep?
Something fuzzy and snuggly that hopefully wouldn't smell too bad...

16. Which fictional character could you most see yourself marrying?
Darcy...*sighs*

17. Would you give your all in a relationship?
That's what loving is. So yes, once i find the right person.

18. Do you have a motto?
Be all that you can be...err...ok, i stole...i guess more like be as good a person as possible or die trying

19. What type of friends do you like?
Entertaining ones that have respect for themselves and aren't overly dramatic. Yet the kind of person who is not so wrapped up in their own life that they don't have time to hang out once in awhile.

20. Do you have an all time favorite song?
Too many...I really like Ride 4 U right now though...hate the MV though

21. Name three movies I just HAVE to see.
The Secret of Roan Inish, Under the Tuscan Sun, Love actually

Our parents were right...

Sat, 15 Mar 2008 22:36:21 GMT

I was reading through some old journal entries...and they made me want to break things.
All of us were completely psychotic (in our own ways), crazy teenagers a few years ago...
I may have been a crazy teenager...but my mom's reaction to my craziness was a bit insane as well.
I'm glad we're all sane now...right? :P

oooga chaaka

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:44:08 GMT

http://msn.match.com/msn/article.aspx?articleid=8718&TrackingID=523934&BannerID=566942&menuid=6>1=10886
Everybody remember #8
Lol...today when i met up with "the dude" he was staring at me and smiling the entire time...
Good grief...don't tell someone that you like someone else and then do that...

Also accounting is a bitch, micro is tedious, and Organizational behavior is boring as all hell. Also i have the first 3 pages of my "thesis" due tomorrow at 4...crap.

Our new (and last) dance is freaking badass...it's all really fast hiphop...i will definitely get a video of it up after we perform if i don't make a total embarrassment of myself!

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 01:47:49 GMT

So i worked out with Shannon today...and she told me that she talked to the guy i asked out and he didn't know it was a date...and has another girl that he's into...
That sucks, but in a way i'm relieved cause dates are way too awkward...from now on it's inviting people over for food all the way.

Still, i wonder how he could've misinterpreted, "will you go out with me?" in any other way.
Anyways, i'm kinda just glad that i had the opportunity to ask him out. My dance performance went really well too.
Yay for courage :)

Sat, 09 Feb 2008 20:25:01 GMT

I asked a guy out today...
One that i don't "like" per se...but that i could see it working out with.

It seems like in the past i always would go for people that i was like...obsessed with and it would never work out because i liked them more than they did me...and then they tried to just use me as a sex buddy at which point i would cut the "thing".

But man...it's such a rush asking someone out. And now i get to go on a date later this week :)

In other news...i have a dance performance today at 7-ish...and i'm really nervous...like...nauseated, lightheaded, shakey, cold sweat, etc.

Any advice? I think it's just the performance anxiety coupled with asking someone out that has me so worked up.

two entries in 2 hours? that's crraaazy

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 08:13:35 GMT

Internet quiz stealing is the best...i've got that giddy procrastinating feelin :) So hurry up and post it so you can help me put off my thesis ^_^

1) Are you currently in a serious relationship?
A.

2) What was your dream growing up?
A.

3) What talent do you wish you had?
A.

4) If I bought you a drink what would it be?
A.

5) Favorite vegetable?
A.

6) What was the last book you read?
A.

7) What zodiac sign are you?
A.

8) Any Tattoos and/or Piercings? Explain where.
A.

9) Worst Habit?
A.

10) If you saw me walking down the street would you offer me a ride?
A.

11) What is your favorite sport?
A.

12) Do you have a Negative or Optimistic attitude?
A.

13) What would you do if you were stuck in an elevator with me?
A.

14) Worst thing to ever happen to you?
A.

15) Tell me one weird fact about you.
A.

16) Do you have any pets?
A.

17) What if I showed up at your house unexpectedly?
A.

18) What was your first impression of me? (hmmm...careful!)
A.

19) Do you think clowns are cute or scary?
A.

20) If you could change one thing about how you look, what would it be?
A.

21) Would you be my crime partner or my conscience?
A.

22) What color eyes do you have?
A.

23) Ever been arrested?
A.

24) Bottle or can soda?
A.

25) If you won $10,000 today, what would you do with it?
A.

27) What's your favorite place to hang at?
A.

28) Do you believe in ghosts?
A.

29) Favorite thing to do in your spare time?
A.

30) Do you swear a lot?
A.

31) Biggest pet peeve?
A.

32) In one word, how would you describe yourself?
A.

33) Do you believe in/appreciate romance?
A.

35) Do you believe in God?
A.

36) Will you repost this so I can fill it out and do the same for you?
A.

"I'm telling ya...homework'll get ya pregnant...you gonna deliver a book or something..."-Myriam

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 05:35:29 GMT

I love my roommate..:)
This week is strangely better than the last...I think because I've been studying so much that i don't have time to be angry, stressed or even think.
Erika took her plane on monday at 4 in the morning and is safely back in Argentina...so i'm really glad that she's no longer here and depressed and is home and happy.
But Sunday i felt so bad because I had this paper due, and two final exams on monday so i couldn't spend much time with her or do much for her on her last day in America...
I found out i got a 78 on the first half of my management exam from friday>_< Fuck...
I skipped dance on monday and now probably won't get to be in the next performance (although the one on Saturday was ok...I had fun even though getting up and dancing in front of the whole college was terrifying)
I have to finish up this research paper for history which is now going to drop a third of a grade for being late...ack.
Tomorrow i have two group projects to work on...and one class to attend.
I forgot to turn in my cases for IB (cue me frantically running back to my computer going "oh shit, oh shit" to my roommate's amusement)and the prof let me turn it in late without docking me points...which is strange, but nice of him.
I am coming home tomorrow and my roommates said they will be relaxing here instead so i can do whatever the hell i want instead of worrying about them...none of this driving all the way to Seattle and then them saying, "Actually, we're tired...could we go back to your house now?"
I am coming home...Huzzah! 3 days of home with nothing to do, but enjoy!

What's up....

Fri, 02 Nov 2007 23:05:08 GMT

-So my computer sucks and doesn't like my new webcam and sometimes goes into capslock permanently and logs me off msn 20 billion times
-My roommates are making me sad because they hate America...or maybe just Forest Grove...even though they only have 2 classes and don't have to go to them and have all the free time in the world, but are just wasting it bitching to their home people instead of exploring Portland or joining a club or SOMETHING..I would kill to have a bunch of freetime in a foreign country.
-I'm on dance team and playing intermural soccer which has me doing about 8 hours of exercise a week...which is actually pretty cool. Exercise is keeping me sane.
-Grey's anatomy is causing me to fail all my classes (or would be if I hadn't cut myself off)
-I've been getting no more than 6 hours of sleep a night which is making my health reeeally shitty
-My 5 Classes are kicking my ass...but i'm still somehow maintaining a B average...I don't think i've ever been as busy as I am lately and i don't even have a job...
-My Japanese is going away..
-There are no men in sight.
-My sister is turning six in four days! aww...i'm so old >_<
Dumbledore is gay?!
-I missed halloween because I was too busy studying and doing homework and dance team. :(

It's really sorry that i find the most motivation to write when I am feeling most bitchy. On the plus side though, Thanksgiving Day and, better yet, Christmas break loom not so far ahead!
Can't wait to boogie at La Cantina tonight after i go to the Samhain event for class! Now homework time!
Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, dumdadadumdum...

where am I?

Sat, 28 Jul 2007 16:35:36 GMT

So glad this is finished...

Fri, 06 Jul 2007 05:37:06 GMT

日本とアメリカの社会の比較
ハード・ケイティー
日本社会

Intro
日本にいるアメリカ人にとって、日本の社会についての観察は様々あるようである。外国人はどうして日本に興味を持つようになるかは人によって違うが、大体日本の社会と文化に何らかの影響を受けているから日本語を勉強したくなると思う。日本の社会をアメリカと比べれば、違いがいくつもある。いい違いもあれば、悪い違いもある。アメリカと日本の異文化について説明してみます。

日本の社会というと、日本の文化のことも考えると思う。日本は島国で、日本人は他の国の人より同質性が高いと思う。日本は約２６０年間、オランダ以外の国と交流せずに鎖国していたことも日本人の同質性に関係していると思う。アメリカだの場合は異質性、人民も様々な国から来ることでアメリカでは世界の文化が経験ができる。そのため、アメリカ人は違う考え方などあるので、他の人ではなくて、大体自分のことしか気にしない。一方で日本人はもっと社会的に考えていると思う。それで次の話題に入る。

A Collectivistic society
アメリカと日本の社会の一番大きい違いは多分日本は集団主義でアメリカは個人主義の社会といえる。日本では皆社会のどこに受け入られているかを本当に考えていると思う。
ちえ・なかねという社会人数学者はA Japanese Societyという本でこのことを詳しく説明した。アメリカの社会は個人主義で、他の人のことあまり気にしないのは日本人にとって、失礼だと見られているかもしれないが、本当はどっちの方がもっと失礼か分からない。その理由は、様々あるが、まず、人の意見を聞くことが話し合うの原理だと思う。

先輩と後輩
日本社会は集団主義で、日本人は自分で言いたいことを直接言えないことが多くあるようである。言ってしまったら、他の人はどう反応するかをちゃんと考えているので、直接いうのは日本人にとって、不安なことだと思う。先輩と後輩の関係もある。アメリカだと、“Respect your elders”ということわざがよく言われているが、大人になったら、自分の能力はもっと大事だといわれているので、ただ、年上という理由で、尊敬するわけではないと思う人が多いと思う。日本では話し方の丁寧度は話している人と自分との関係によって違うことも面白い。今私は学生なので、友達と話す時、普通に話してもかまわない。日本に初めて来た時、丁寧な話し方しかはなせなかったので、友達を作るのは大変であった。いつも、丁寧な言葉ばかりを使わないようにいわれた。でも、今そのことになれているので、もし会社に入ったら、大変になると思う。多分アメリカに帰る時も、先生に私の話し方のことでしかれるはずだと思う。

Belonging to a Group
日本人は人の関係もアメリカ人より心配していると思う。特に、日本人だと、自分のグループを守ろうとすることは面白いと思う。アメリカでも、このようにグループに入っている人がいるが日本より少ないようだ。グループに関して、本音と建て前があるということをアメリカで習ったが日本に着たら、さっそく経験した。時々質問を新しい知り合いに聞いても、はっきりこたえられなかったり、友達にどこかに誘ったら、その友達は行けるかどうか迷っているような感じがしたり、することがあります。
他のきづいたことは日本人は時々ものごとを決められないことである。子供たちに英語を教えていた時に、意味を当てるゲームをやることがある。このような時に言葉の意味を言ってから、賛成していたら、部屋の右側に立つが、違う意味だと思ったら、左側に立つ。このゲームの問題は一人自身がある子がいたら、その子「絶対右だ」と言ったら、全員その子の意見を聞いて、決めた。面白かったが、このようにだれも勝つことができなかったから、必ずこのゲームと諦めた。出かけるときも同じである。日本人と出かける時、優柔不断な人が多い。皆どこに行くかを決める時、どこに行きたいことを強く言わない時が多い。結局、一番年上の人が皆のために決める。

しかし、アメリカだと、１０人友達が集まっても、半分がタイ料理と半分は日本料理を食べたかったら、それぞれ分かれる場合が多い。日本で別行動をしないのは、皆グループ主義なので、別れるのは複雑である。気持ちになるので、皆のために何をすればいいかを考えて、行きたくない人でも我慢して行くと思う。アメリカ人は多分この場合一番仲のいい友達と一緒に行くと思う。私の経験では、パーティーに誘われたので行ったが、５時間がたっていた時に帰らなければならないと丁寧に言ってもお年寄りの英語を勉強している人達は帰らせそうになかったので、びっくりした。いいえ、帰っちゃだめと言われなかったがそのような気がした。アメリカではもっと自由に行動してもいいと思っているが、私にとって、社会の事情に本音を言えるといいのに日本人はあまり本当の気持ちを言葉で言わないから、はいつも悩ませられる

恥と堕胎
前に日本を集団主義な社会として論議した。それは堕胎のことと関係があると思うからである。日本では結婚していない恋人にもし子供ができたら、堕胎をする理由がいくつもあると思う。独身の女の人に赤ちゃんができたら、顔を失うことがあるようだ。それも、恋人と分かれたら、子供がいると社会でその女の人は機能できないと思う。一人で日本に暮らしていくのは大変なことだと思うが赤ちゃんがいたら、もっと大変になるだろう。アメリカと違って、べービシッティングのようなサービスは良く使われていないようで、それよりも独身の女の人にとって、高すぎると思う。それに赤ちゃんを一人で育てたら、将来結婚できるチャンスが減ると思う。こういう理由で堕胎が日本で多いことがわかる。

アメリカでは宗教上の理由で、堕胎しない人がいるが、特に宗教を信じていない人でも、日本と違って、堕胎をせずに自分であかちゃんを育てることが多いと思う。片親で子供を育てるのはどこでも難しいと思うが、しなければならなかったら、日本ではなく、アメリカでした方がいいと思う。東京に行った時お寺で子供の形に作られている帽子をかぶっている彫像が何千も見えた。それは私にとって、本当に悲しいことだったが、死んだ子供のために多くの人が祈っているのに考えたら、なんとか落ち着いた。でも、日本だけではなくて、本当に世界中の堕胎率が減っていったらいいと思う。
Punctuality
日本に来てから私は自分の行動が変わったのに気が付いた。どうして、変わったかと自分で考えてみると、多分日本の社会の影響で変わったと思ったが、本当は日本の文化の恥という考えで変わったようである。
　　まず、細かいことに気が付いた。私は授業に遅れたり、アルバイトをさぼったり、するのはしないようになったことに気づいた。遅れたことがないのに、毎週アルバイト先の上司に遅れないように言われたことがきになったと思う。だが、そのような（＿＿）は本当に効果的である。日本に来てから、遅れるのは非常に怖いことになってきた。それよりも、外国人として、日本で生活するのは私にとって、日本人より社会に影響されているようだ。
見つめられるのはいや
　　なぜかというとは毎日大学へ電車で通学するので、毎日他人にじろじろ見られることである。日本はあまり外国人と話す機会がないので、ばったり出会うと、びっくりする反応が多いと思う。しかし、あまり外人と話す機会がないだけは問題ではなく、本当はメディアなどで一回でも、会ったことない日本人がいるはずだと思う。それにちょっと、私を後ろから見ると外人とは分かりにくいので、時々、急に私が日本人ではないことがばれたら、ある人たちは振り返ったり、バランスを失って、転んだりすることがある。次のことは作文の授業で数週前に書いたが、適当だと思っているので、このレポートに含むことにした。

じろじろ見られる経験
　　　日本人はテレビや広告など以外で外国人を一回でも見たことない日本人がいるだろう。だから、日本人は外国人をみたら、じろじろ見る時があると思う。それは日本にいる外国人にとって、面白いことかいらいらさせることは日によって違う。
　　　アメリカではじろじろ見られたことがない日本と違って、アメリカに住んでいる外国人にはアメリカ人のつもりで大体暮らすことできると思う。だが、日本は違う。外国人にとって、特に電車に乗るのは大変である。礼儀正しく乗っても、何回もじろじろ見られたか分からない。
　　　友達といると私たちは美人だから、見つめられるとよく言うがそういう冗談ができる時もあれば、我慢できなくて、自分を消したいほどの時もある。日本の社会はアメリカと違うので、これは仕方がないことだと認めるようになったが、アメリカでそのような経験がなかったので、見られるのがいやでも、自分にとってはいい異文化経験になった。
この作文は私の本当の気持ちを表しているが、もし、日本人がアメリカにきたらどうなるかというようなことである。もう一回考えてみたら、多分それは誇張だが、日本にいると、時々本当にアジア人の顔をかぶったらいいかなと思う時がある。なぜなら日本人だと変なことをしてもかまわないが、外国人だと、日本人は外国人についての意見もう正しくないので、何か変なことをしたら、たぶん外人のせいだと思われる。
　　　特に母と妹が日本に来た時に自分が変わったのに気づいた。東京行きのバスに乗った時、面白い経験があった。妹は疲れていて、癇癪を起こしてしまった。５分ぐらい大声で泣いたが、それより自分の反応に驚いた。私はきわめて恥ずかしかった。どうしても、妹をしずかにしないとやばいと思った。アメリカだと、そういうふうに気にすることはないだろうと思う。子供が疲れている時は仕方がない。子供は子供だから。だが、本当にびっくりした。多分、私も外国人として日本の社会に影響されているからである。

犯罪率
　　　日本の犯罪はアメリカと違って、あまり問題ではない。その理由は多くのひとが銃を持っているかどうかに関することではなく、社会の影響で日本人はほとんど犯罪をしない社会だからと思う。例えば、日本の社会では大抵は中産階級である。アメリカでも中産階級があるが非常に貧乏な人もいる。アメリカでは上流階級が政府を支配しているので、貧乏な人たちの世話をする人はほとんどいないUnderrepresented。その結果として、普段の生活でも、貧乏な人は犯罪に訴える。それで、私の意見は貧乏な人の数が増えれば、増えるほど、犯罪も増えることである。もちろん、犯罪は貧乏な人だけが起こすことではないが、日本の社会ではそういうことを許されないと思う。それより日本の社会構造はあまり犯罪を起こさないようにしてあるそうだ。

ファッション
　　　日本の若者はアメリカより流行に興味を持っているようである。特に日本の男性の流行にびっくりした。例えば、初め日本に来た時、若者を見ていたら、誰が女か、誰が男か迷ってしまった。今なら区別できるようになったが、前に日本の若者の流行で非常に困った。どうしてかというと、日本の男性の流行はアメリカのホモセクシュアルと大体同じためである。その考え方に基づくと、初めて日本に来た時に友達を判断することがあると思う。本当になれていなかったので、思わずに判断して、恥ずかしかったことであった。
　　　まず、髪型がアメリカと違ったことに気が付いた。髪型を伸ばしたスタイルの男性をよく見るが一番困ったことはその男性たちが婦人のアクセサリーを付けていたことである。クリップやヘッドバンドなどのようなアクセサリーは絶対アメリカでは男性がしない。それにアメリカでは男の髪型はほとんど女ほど複雑ではないが、日本ではどちらの性別でも、髪のことを心配していると思う。
　　男性の流行についてびっくりしたことは、男性が眉を女ののように形づくることやきつい服を着ることや女と男の色を区別しないことである。なれるためにこのようなことを考えたら、このことも認めた。日本とアメリカではどんな男がいい男かの考え方は反対である。日本では若くて、きれいで、美しい男性は感嘆されている。つまり、日本の男性のある部分は女のように美しくなりたいので、アメリカ人に見られたら、女のように見えるような感じがする。
アメリカでは子供だときれいな子は感嘆されるはずだが、やはり、大人になったら、その考えが変わる。大人だと、アメリカでは理想的な男性は男らしいのである。筋肉があることや身長が高いことや、広い肩がするのは全部男らしく見えたことである。日本とアメリカの意見は違うので、これも仕方がないことだと思う。
でも、男性のファッションだけにびっくりしなかった。婦人の服にもびっくりした。はっきり言うと、アメリカではどのぐらい肌が見えるかが問題ではなく、それよりも本当の問題はどんなスタイルの服を着ているかである。アメリカでは一年中スカートなどのたくさん肌をみせる服は着ないので日本ではそれと違う。それでアメリカ人は困る。特にストッキングや高いブーツを履いているのはアメリカだと、売春婦に見られているので、アメリカで日本女性が着たら、危ないと思う。
他に性別に関係がないことに気づいた。それは、どうして日本人の若者は高いブランド商品をたくさん持っているかということである。何回もルィヴィトンの財布を持っている男性やグッチの靴を履いている女性を見たことある。アメリカ人にとって、それはもったいないことだと思う。例えば、サングラス、腕時計などのようなアクセサリーは高いので、ブランド商品を買ってばかりいると、同じ値段で旅行ができる。
携帯電話の行動
アメリカでは携帯電話でメールあまり送らない。確かに短いメールをたまに送るがそれでも珍しい。その理由はメールを送る代わりによく携帯電話で話すためだ。日本では携帯電話でメールを送るのは話すよりするようだ。どうしてかというとは多分日本人はよく公共輸送機関で動いている人の数が多くからだ。電車に乗っている時電話するのは禁止なので、メールしかできない。携帯でメールするのは確かに便利だが、いいコミュニケーションができるようにちょっと不便だと思う。それで日本人の携帯電話の行動を変えて欲しい。
まず、どこでもメールをもらうについてどう考えるかは人によって違う。私にとって、いつでもメールもらうのはいいことか悪いことはメールによって違う。例えば、友達が電車に乗っていて、することがないので、あたしにメールを送るのはいいが、時々私は携帯を持たずにスパーでもに行った時に、メールに遅すぎる返事するので、そのような時その友達に怒られたことある。でも、電話したら、私は出ないからその誤解を避けたらよかった。それに時々忙しくて、メールに返事するのを忘れてしまう。それか、何かを計画する時、5回ぐらいメール送る代わりに一回電話した方がいいのではないかと思う。英語でも書いても、長いメールを作るのが5分もかかるが、ただ電話したら一分しかかからないと思う。
他の問題は絵文字のことだが、使い方は本当に困っていることだ。使いすぎる人もいれば、まったく使わない人もいる。それで、新しい人にメールする時どんなぐらいエモーティコンを使うかを考えなければならない。それにもし誰かが普通にスマイルをたくさん使ってメールするが、急に絵文字を使わないメールをもらったらどんな意味があるかを考える。その人が怒っているのか、ただ忙しくて、絵文字を使わなかったか？それに嬉しいか楽しい絵文字をよく使う人がいてもその人はその時どんな表情をするか、どんな声がするかわからない。今大学生だから、あまり気にしないが丁寧にメールを書いたら、それは足りると思うが、電話したらよかったと思う時がよくある。
私にとって、電車に乗っても友達と話したい時はメールをもらう方が便利だが、他の時にメールを送るではなくて、電話したらいいと思う。その方で良いコミュニケーションができると思う。

日本の社会は本当にアメリカで習っていたイメージと違う。本当はカルチャーショックかどうかわからないが、まだ、日本の社会のことに全部なれることができなかった。すこしずつなれてきても、私にとって、外国人として、日本の社会では受け入れられるわけではないと思う。それは他の外国と違うことである。たまに友達に同じような質問をきかれている間に、「ずっと日本にいるつもりなの？」という質問を聞かれたことある。正直いうと日本は外国人を受け入れられないことで、私は多分快適に日本に住むことはできないが、２－３年間もすんだら日本の社会をもっと習うことができたらいいと思う。
それで私の意見では日本の文化を全部習うことできない。が、時々新しいことを習うのは面白いので、日本はいつまでも不思議な国として考えると思う。

Resources:
Chie Nakane, Japanese Society. U Calif. Press.
W. Scott Morton, Japan, Its History and Culture. McGraw-Hill,
In-class discussion in　both Japan and America

lovin the color test

Tue, 19 Jun 2007 05:02:37 GMT

katiiiiie took the free ColorQuiz.com personality test!

"Urgently in need of rest, relaxation, peace, and a..."

Click here to read the rest of the results.

Fri, 08 Sep 2006 12:13:30 GMT

Pictures of my school! I'm tired, but I'll try to put up a few captions :)

my bathroom!

More of my room

Pretty...

Dark Gyros (?)

It is beautiful :)...even if it's hot as hell

Creepy...

Mon, 07 Aug 2006 19:29:18 GMT

http://comcast.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/careerbytes/CBArticle.aspx?articleID=528&lid=myspace&lpos=HPCover&siteid=comcast007&cbRecursionCnt=1&cbsid=5ac2e6a341ec42eaa46483a052bab11c-208279466-R6-4

"Warning: Social Networking Can Be Hazardous to Your Career
Kate Lorenz, CareerBuilder.com Editor

That cute, affable guy who brags of his drunken exploits on FaceBook.com may be meeting a lot of other partiers online, but he's probably not getting added to the "friends" lists of many corporate recruiters. A recent study by the executive search firm ExecuNet found that 77 percent of recruiters run searches of candidates on the Web to screen applicants; 35 percent of these same recruiters say they've eliminated a candidate based on the information they uncovered.

"You'd be surprised at what I've seen when researching candidates," says Gail, a recruiter at a Fortune 500 company who recently began looking up potential hires on the Web. "We were having a tough time deciding between two candidates until I found the profile of one of them on MySpace. It boasted a photo of her lounging on a hammock in a bikini, listed her interests as 'having a good time' and her sex as 'yes, please.' Not quite what we were looking for."

"Another time I went to a candidate's site and found racial slurs and jokes," Gail continues. "And there was yet another instance where a candidate told me he was currently working for a company, yet he left a comment on a friend's profile about how it 'sucked' to be laid off, and how much fun it was to be unemployed!"

As the amount of personal information available online grows, first impressions are being formed long before the interview process begins, warns David Opton, ExecuNet CEO and founder. "Given the implications and the shelf-life of Internet content, managing your online image is something everyone should address -- regardless of whether or not you're in a job search," he says. Because the risks don't stop once you're hired.

Twenty-three-year old Kara recently took a job as a management consultant at a high-profile practice in the Los Angeles area. An Ohio native, with no friends or family on the West Coast, Kara put up a profile on MySpace in the hopes of meeting new people.

Kara was judicious in how she set up her site: "I didn't fill out that cheesy questionnaire many people post, where you describe your best feature and say whether or not you shower every day." she says. "I used a photo that was flattering but not at all provocative and was even careful what music I chose."

Within a few months, Kara met many others online who shared her interest in biking and water sports. One Friday morning, Kara decided to call in sick and go surfing with a few of her new pals. That weekend, unbeknownst to Kara, her friend posted some of the day's pictures on her profile and sent Kara a message saying, "We should call in sick more often."

Unfortunately for Kara, her boss happened to be patrolling MySpace to check up on her college-age daughter and came across Kara's site and the dated photos!

Mortified, Kara says she learned an important lesson -- not only about honesty, but about how small the world of online social networking can be and how little control you have over any information put out there.

Not all employers search candidates and employees online, but the trend is growing. Don't let online social networking deep-six your career opportunities. Protect your image by following these simple tips:

1. Be careful. Nothing is private. Don't post anything on your site or your "friends" sites you wouldn't want a prospective employer to see. Derogatory comments, revealing or risqué photos, foul language and lewd jokes all will be viewed as a reflection of your character.

2. Be discreet. If your network offers the option, consider setting your profile to "private," so that it is viewable only by friends of your choosing. And since you can't control what other people say on your site, you may want to use the "block comments" feature. Remember, everything on the Internet is archived, and there is no eraser!

3. Be prepared. Check your profile regularly to see what comments have been posted. Use a search engine to look for online records of yourself to see what is out there about you. If you find information you feel could be detrimental to your candidacy or career, see about getting it removed -- and make sure you have an answer ready to counter or explain "digital dirt."

Kate Lorenz is the article and advice editor for CareerBuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues."

Mon, 24 Jul 2006 07:02:41 GMT

I am home! It is 12 AM.
Life is exciting...well mostly too busy to be boring. I am actually going to Japan...got me plane ticket n everehthin :)

Smells...
My room smells all skippy since I got one of them Glade plugin things...so everything smells like "rain showers" which actually smells almost the same as my new deodorant...which is "Pacific Breeze" and since most Pacific Breezes are rainy...I suppose it works.

Touch
I feel verrrry sticky...this kinda heat makes me feel like I'm sick all the time. I am not pleased with the weather :(. I bought a Snoopy T-shirt at Walmart...I am a bad person, but Snoopy is just too cute to pass up.

Sounds
I'm listening to trains and airplanes right now, but since I started working at Mervyn's I have become an expert in the sounds of elevator music.

Sights
I saw a mouse at work the other day. One of the managers has named him Triscuit. He scampered right by my foot into the electric room which is filled with mousetraps...but alas he lives on. Oh yeah, and I almost hit a bat driving home tonight...
Evil ho-bitch sighting yesterday at work. Lady came in about two hours after I started my shift and she was STILL there when I left...7 HOURS later...she tried on like every single item of clothing...then asked if I would watch her stuff (a whole rack of items which is usually reserved for people to put their "no-go" stuff on) for a couple minutes. An hour passes and we have no choice but to empty it. Then she comes back an hour later and starts yelling at me for moving her stuff...couple minutes my ass.

Taste
Lots of good eatins recently. Got to go to visit my Aunt's and we had some great fun. Went to a rotisserie grill and had chicken tortilla soup and yummy asian salad. Also had Teriyakidon at Crossroads mall. Lonestar is good stuff. Mom took me out for Pho but I ended up paying since she talked on her cellphone almost the entire time at the restaurant. Lame

Anyhoo, got paid the other day! Yay! A 420 dolla check which I must try to the best of my ability not to spend...I still haven't even broken a Grand in savings for Japan :(.
Room is too stuffy to sleep right now..but blah.

I'm posting my schedule for this week so that hopefully someone out there who actually has some freetime will call and hang out with me. It makes me sad how every call I've made lately has either gone unanswered, gotten canceled, or am told that whoever I called for is at work. Blah

Monday:
9-2:30 Babysitting

Tuesday:
8:30-2:30 Babysitting

Wednesday:
8:30-2:30 Babysitting
5:30-10:30 @ the place where I work

Thursday:
8:30-1:?? babysitting
5:30-10:30 @ work

Friday:
10:30-6:30 @ work

Saturday:
Rob's b-day!
6:30-11:30 @ work

Oh yeah...and it's crazy how many of my co-workers will seem to be the exact same age as me...and then I'll find out they're a couple older and married with two kids...and how they assume that I'm the same as them...and I'm super single and definitely childless. Life is strange

Sun, 04 Jun 2006 14:27:29 GMT

Top ten reasons why I need to stop watching Asian dramas:

10 Even if a girl and guy absolutely hate each other they will get into a situation at least once where one will get sick and the other will realize how sweet the one looks while in a fever-induced haze

9 Hell hath no fury like a lover scorned...drama girls who don't get the guy are psychotic. This includes hiring thugs to kill the rival, hiding information from the guy that he should know and of course...8

8 There is no better way to get attention than by committing suicide because someone will always find the person before they die and everyone will hate the lover who rejected the girl rather than getting the girl psychiatric help

7 The more feminine the guy, the more ladies love him...unless the main guy is Rain (^_^)

6 If the plot is ridiculous in the first 5 minutes stop watching...it will only get worse...MUCH worse...friends offering you tickets to china for a vacation and then offering to take care of your house. During the vacation they sell the house, empty your bank account, take out a loan and credit cards in your name and then disappear while you get into a business marriage with a movie star so that he can avoid scandals with the media? And then the movie star ends up buying your old house? And thats just the first couple episodes?

5 If you don't have parents or an education and you try to get with a highclass man, his ex will turn his entire family and friends against you and make your life miserable

4 If you cry in the first five minutes, stop watching...I don't understand why but leave it to Japan to make a drama about a disease almost exactly the same as the one that my sister died from. Why anyone would want to watch a girl die from a degenerative disease over twelve episodes is beyond me.

3 Nothing like a little jealousy to make an asshole realize that he "loves" the girl. I hate how people are used as possessions in dramas.

2. "Little kids solve owies with icecream...adults solve them with booze." Nuff said

1. The guy who is the biggest asshole at the beginning always gets the girl rather than the guy who is nice throughout. The girl would rather wait (preferably in the cold so that she can get sick and he can take care of her later) for the asshole to "turn" than just be with the sweet guy who actually gives a shit about her from the beginning.

Ack...someone needs to hire me already! Must go running more and study Japanese more and apply for more jobs! Ganbaranakya! And maybe sleep a bit instead of watching the sunrise everyday...? Hmm...

We should play some soccer people! Might have a barbecue next sunday at my mom's for those that are interested...will have DQ icecream cake so come prepared for some yummmeh stuff ;) That is all...
Oyasumi!

Tue, 16 May 2006 11:02:23 GMT

Holy Crap...I've driven by that church loads of times...and yet I don't believe I've ever heard of this before...

http://www.religioustolerance.org/ra_ingra.htm

I unearthed this while reading "The Devil" by Peter Sanford for my now 15-page history paper on the history of Jewish Persecution in Europe...Craziness...