Less concerned about fitting into the world

nemui_tenshi @ 2007-05-31T09:02:00

2007-05-31T00:06:37Z

I think I might have been manic yesterday.

I went on a shopping spree (that I really can't afford right now...thank goodness Japan is a cash based society) and then went home and wanted a haircut, like at that very moment. So I went across the street, but the place was closed. So I went to the drugstore and bought hair scissors thinking that it couldn't be very hard to cut side-swept bangs...

...I was wrong.

Pen pals

2007-04-20T05:46:30Z

Letters written to Sillee, Kali, Seika, Michelle and Loretta and will be sent out today or tomorrow. Hopefully will get have replies sent to other penpals by the end of the week.

nemui_tenshi @ 2007-04-18T15:04:00

2007-04-18T06:13:53Z

It's tough to teach and be cheerful after reading news about the Virginia Tech mass murder.

I read a little about it yesterday, but had no time to think much about it because of work. Today I had to be extra cheerful and energetic because it was orientation for the first years.

I feel so horrible thinking about the students and the professors who were killed. I keep imagining what it would feel like if that happened at Kent. The professor who died trying to save his students...students so young dead or lives changed forever. The effects of this tragedy will be felt throughout the world.

My heart goes out to those at Virginia Tech and their families.

"I never laughed at your broken little heart"

2007-04-06T04:58:44Z

Goodbye hospital school.
Noone told me I wouldn't work there anymore. No one here, no one there.
So, I didn't get to tell anyone a proper goodbye. I just left like I always did, and the desk is a bit of a mess.
And those kids were finally starting to try to talk to me without being prodded by the teachers.

nemui_tenshi @ 2007-04-06T09:43:00

2007-04-06T00:48:09Z

Life has been a little crazy this week. I have been kind of exhausted since I returned from Singapore; right after that I went to Osaka because Jeff's parents were visiting, and I feel like I have been running on empty ever since. I've also had work to do (yay) preparing for the new year. Tonight is the farewell/welcome party for the teachers who are leaving and the teachers who are new to my school.

So to the penpals who read this journal, I have not been able to answer any letters that I have received in the past two weeks yet...I will try to have replies for everyone sent out by Monday or Tuesday,

nemui_tenshi @ 2007-03-30T09:33:00

2007-03-30T00:33:21Z

My score on The ~~~ What U.S. City Are You ~~~ Test:

Seattle
(You scored 62% intellectual, 54% laid back, and 80% liberal!)

You are smart, laid back, and liberal. You are Seattle, Washington.

Link: The ~~~ What U.S. City Are You ~~~ Test
(OkCupid Free Online Dating)

Nara

2007-03-20T01:44:44Z

x-posted in jetzel

On Saturday, Jeff, Theda and I went on a day-long road trip with our friends, Sanae and Miho. Sanae drove us to Nara-ken; Nara (and Kyoto) are famous for many of Japan's historical treasures.

On the way to Nara, we stopped at Aoyama. Aoyama is a huge mountain topped by gigantic windmills. It was very beautiful. The windmills were impressive, but the view from the mountaintop was even more so. I will post pictures later, if I can.

In Nara, we went to Hasedera Temple. Then we went to Tenri, to eat the famous Sakai Ramen (which was fantastic). Tenri itself is a very nice city. There is a university, and the architecture is a beautiful blend of traditional Japanese and European...even the parking garage looked wonderful.

After that, we went to Asuka Temple and Asuka Burial Mound. Inside the Asuka temple was the oldest Buddha in Japan. The Asuka Burial Mound was impressive...I'm not sure how to describe it.

The day trip was a lot of fun. Sanae and Miho are great people to hang out with, and we got to see places in Nara that we've never seen before.

nemui_tenshi @ 2007-03-16T11:24:00

2007-03-16T02:27:46Z

Met my friend yesterday, and we tried to get tickets to see Muse in Nagoya, but the show was sold out :( Then we went to an Italian restuarant that we both love, and they were closed due to a party of some sort. So, it was kind of a disappointing evening, but in all fairness the Muse concert is this upcoming Monday, so I'm not surprised it was sold-out (I did not find out about it until Wednesday). And we ended up going to the delicious Okinawan restaurant, so all was not lost.

I'm so sleepy this morning! I did not get up until 8:05.

blah

2007-03-13T00:36:49Z

It's 9:30. I've finished my grading. Caught up on some of my e-mail. What will I do for the next 7 hours? I will probably write some letters, clean my desk, and study some kanji.

I am feeling very nostalgic for the 90s lately. Very strange feeling. I went to karaoke last night and sang NIN, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and the Offspring. I think that is part of what has triggered this. Also, most of the shows I've watched lately are from the 90's.

Mopey

2007-03-07T00:49:30Z

I was sick with the flu from thurs until sat, and I think I am still recovering. I have just been really tired all the time. Tomorrow is my early day, and I'm so tired now, I will probably feel awful when I get up. </whine>

The weather has been very strange. I hear that usually, it is still very cold in Japan right now. It is very warm, but there is a strong, icy wind. Many of the rice paddies have remained green throughout winter, but now they are looking very lush. I wonder if they can get more than one harvest a year. I should look that up.

I am downoading Season 1 of Angel. I probably won't have as much time to watch it since the weather is warming up, and it is no longer dark by 5:30. Lately, I've been watching Forever Knight, and it is nowhere near as good as I remembered it :( I still like it, but I don't love it.

Sleepy Coffee (Monster Post)

2007-02-28T00:44:04Z

I'm very sleepy this morning. One of my friends had a crisis yesterday, so I went to visit her. Then when I got home I talked to Jeff for an hour on the phone instead of catching up on work that needed to be done. Consequently, I woke up really early this morning to do the work I should have done last night.

I bought some "instant" coffee the other day, that are actually contraptions hold a tiny filter full of coffee over your cup. The taste though, is unfortunately not very good, and I am too clumsy to not spill ground coffee or drip coffee all over the place when I throw the filter away. I'll stick with the freeze dried stuff at work. It's kind of funny because I never would drink instant coffee at home. Also, I drink tons more tea...I've always liked both tea and coffee, but have always drank more coffee than tea. And now I'm on my second cup of coffee, so I'm not quite so tired.

I recieved my first two letters from new penpals last Friday (Thanks dreamers_ball)! I was very happy to get them. I will have replies sent out by this Friday.

On Saturday, I went south to Toba.

x-posted in jetzel
On Saturday, Jeff and I went down to Toba to participate in "Toba Kids Day." It was a function sponsored by the rotary club so that children could meet foreigners and get excited about learning English. Really though, we weren't there to teach, we were there to play with the kids. It was a lot of fun, and the kids were adorable (and also full of energy)!

Toba is a small cty that is south of Ise. It is a resort area and many people from Japan go on vacation there. It is famous for Mikimoto Pearl Island and its aquarium

Before the event, the ALTs participating were taken to Mikimoto Pearl Island. Mikimoto Pearls are famous because they are the world's first cultured pearls. You can also watch the famous pearl divers (called ama). It was a very cold and windy day, and the sea was incredibly choppy. I didn't really want to see anyone diving into it for my entertainment, but the diving shows were going on anyway. It was really interesting. They took us to a special observation room for foreign guests and served us green tea and cookies that looked like oyster shells with a sugar pearl inside (the cookies had pearl protein in them).

All the ama are women. The reason that divers are only women was given as "because women can hold their breath longer than men and have an extra layer of fat," but I think it is more likely the reason our tour guide gave us. He said that most of the men were fisherman, so the women became pearl divers. The ama begin training at the end of elementary school, and many aren't experts until they are middle aged. There are ama as old as 80 who go diving everyday! Now, people don't dive for pearls anymore, but they still use this method to harvest abalone (and other shellfish) and sea urchins.

The museum at mikimoto was interesting. We learned all about the procedure of cultivating pearls, and there was some fancy pearl jewelry on display. They had displays on different types of pearls, and on how pearls are sorted and made into necklaces.

Pearls are lovely, but I never liked them that much until the past couple of years. I think the black pearls and the blue pearls are the prettiest.

After, the museum we headed to a gymnasium for Kids Day. There were 13 ALTs and about 70 kids. We played games like 4 Corners and a ping-pong relay race. I got to practice a lot of Japanese, since the children don't learn much English in school (I did get to teach words like "sky blue" to groups though). Sometimes I miss working with kids (the best part of the daycare job was seeing the kids everyday). It was a lot of fun, and I definitely will sign up for any other Toba Kids Day events.

I also finished Buffy last week.

So, many years later, I have watched the whole Buffy series. Overall, I really love the show. I think the last season was weak though. It felt very rushed to me, and I did not like the addition of all the potential slayers. The "epic battle" at the end, was extremely rushed. I felt it was too easy to defeat them. Plus the uber-vamps were a little too much like the orcish hordes of the LOTR trilogy.

I didn't like Kennedy. This could possibly be because Willow is one of my favorite characters, and I really liked Tara. Of course, I didn't like Tara at first either. Kennedy was just too brash and confrontational for me to like her...plus she was very dismissive, criticial even, of Willow's magic at first. So, to go from Tara, who was probably the most kind and generous character on the show, to Kennedy was a little jarring.

I'd seen the series finale before when it originally aired, and I thought it was very bad when I saw it out of context. It just made me think that the whole time the series must have been awful. I still thought it was not the best when I saw it after watching the whole series. It was just dissapointing.

I think the 5th season is my favorite overall. I'll have to rewatch it to decide though. I adore the musical episode in season 6.

Interesting Quiz

2007-02-21T03:56:20Z

Your Rising Sign is Leo

You are confident, self-assured, and more than a little vain.

And you have a flair for the dramatic - whether you're on stage or causing trouble.

Your spirit can't stay in one place very long.

You like to live in new places and travel the world.

Cultured and sophisticated, you pride yourself on having good taste.

You are an expert in art, music, food, and film.

What's Your Rising Sign?

I think this one is kind of right...except I don't think I'm very vain

nemui_tenshi @ 2007-02-18T00:44:00

2007-02-17T15:45:51Z

I think the apartment upstairs has become a dance club for tonight. I've been hearing a pounding bass beat for the last hour or so.

One day in Tokyo

2007-02-13T05:20:43Z

Last weekend, I went to Tokyo with Jeff. We took the overnight bus from Yokkaichi on Friday night, and then took the night bus back on Saturday. I am never taking the overnight bus two nights in a row again. It was not bad, but I've felt a little exhausted and sick Sunday morning.

So, the Tokyo day started out with a visit to the world's largest fish market in Tsukiji. I have never seen so many fish. It was a dangerous place to walk because people driving carts were all over the place and aisles were very narrow and slippery. Water was all over the floor to rinse away the fish blood. I almost got blood on my pants when a fishmonger sliced the throat of a live fish...I've never seen blood splurt out like that. Anyway, this talk of blood makes the place sound gross, and it really wasn't. The fish market was pretty interesting. A sign that I have been in Japan too long is the fact that now, when I see raw slabs of tuna, I think that they look delicious, and I want to eat them.

We went to a sushi restaurant for breakfast. We had to wait about an hour to get in because there were only about 10 seats in the restaurant. I have never eaten such good sushi...the texture was fantastic, and the taste was so nice. There were 8 pieces of nigiri and 3 pieces of maki.

After breakfast, we headed to the Square-Enix Building to buy some souveniers. The gift shop was nice. Most of the stuff they were selling was Enix merchandise though...smile slimes abounded. They had a room devoted to jewelry and other more valuable merchandise. Embedded in the floor of that room was a life sized Sephiroth in his mako cacoon. It looked awesome. I got a picture. Yes, I am a Sephiroth fangirl.

Then we met a couple of our friends for lunch in Shibuya. We actually went to T.G.I. Fridays. Surprisingly, two Western girls who had also been at the sushi restaurant for breakfast were at Fridays for lunch. After lunch, we went to Cold Stone Creamery!! I have not had CSC ice cream since July, before I came to Japan. It was so delicious.

The day ended with a Tool concert. It was not one of the best concerts I've seen...mainly because the sound quality was bad, and we were packed on the floor tighter than commuters on a Tokyo train at rush hour. I was too short to see the stage. There was a girl in front of me who danced so wildly every time I moved to see the stage better, she danced into my line of vision. Then during one song she started hopping and hopped backwards onto my foot. Frustrating.

This weekend has been much more sedate. Jeff is in Suzuka, and we relaxed most of today. Just went out to lunch at the awesome Indian buffet with a couple other JETs.

nemui_tenshi @ 2007-02-07T13:31:00

2007-02-07T04:34:47Z

I am very excited about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

So excited in fact, that the other day I ordered the deluxe edition to be sent to my house in Ohio. Today I ordered the regular one from amazon japan to be delivered to work on the day it is released. Can't wait!

Yes, I know I'm a geek. I love Harry Potter books so much. And I've gotten to the point that I'll splurge on books whenever I feel like it. A little dangerous for the pocketbook, but there are no English libraries anywhere around here.

nemui_tenshi @ 2007-02-05T11:42:00

2007-02-05T02:43:12Z

I am done with classes for this morning. I had one class, and won't teach again until Thurs.

I think this afternoon will be spent grading papers, making Japanese flashcards, and catching up on e-mails.

I have been watching Buffy, the Vampire Slayer and am now mid-way through the 5th season. I only watched it occasionally when it was on TV. I really enjoy the show, although I did not like the 4th season very much. The 5th season is pretty interesting.
I think the 4th season sets up the 5th very well, but I did not like it because of the Initiative. Having a secret military base at the university was a little ridiculous. Plus, Adam, the major villain, was not very interesting or threatening. Also, in the 4th season, the characters did not have much direction and were growing apart; although now I can apprectiate that more because it helps get the characters where they need to be by the 5th season.

Everyday, I go home and my mailbox is full of junk mail and sometimes bills. It makes me sad, and I really miss snail mail and writing to people. Therefore, if any of you want to write me, let me know and I will send you my address.

Also, I pre-ordered my copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Yes, I know I won't get it the day it comes out, but I am just really excited.

nemui_tenshi @ 2007-01-31T14:34:00

2007-01-31T05:42:48Z

"When the Bible and prayer were removed from our schools, in effect, God was expelled. So we've raised a generation not to know Him."

Yes, right because it has always been the responsibility of public school to educate children about the one true god. And Harry Potter is the devil.

Laura Mallory vs. Harry Potter

Slow morning at work...

2007-01-31T02:47:35Z

The True You

You want your girlfriend or boyfriend to be more open with you.

With respect to money, you spend as little as possible.

You think good luck depends on maintaining good relationships with others.

The hidden side of your personality tends to be satisfied to care for things with a minimal amount of effort.

You are the type of person who assumes that the world revolves around yourself.

When it comes to finding a romantic partner, you base your search on information from your friends.

Who's The True You?

You Are Most Like Richard Nixon

Oh sure, you give people plenty of reasons to call you "Tricky Dick."
But you're actually quite diplomatic, even though you secretly hate your enemies.

What Modern US President Are You Most Like?

You Are the Swedish Chef

"Bork! Bork! Bork!"
Your happy and energetic - with borderline manic tendencies.
No one really gets you. And frankly, you don't even get you.
But, you sure can whip up a great chocolate mousse

The Muppet Personality Test

You Are Mud Pie

You're the perfect combo of flavor and depth
Those who like you give into their impulses

What Kind of Pie Are You?

Your 1920's Name is:

Esperanza Dessie

What's Your 1920's Name?

Your Russian Name Is...

Parashie Nadya Ivanov

What's Your Russian Name?

You Are Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

You are kind, popular, and generous.
You tend to be successful at anything you try.
A social butterfly, you are great at entertaining a crowd.

You are most compatible with strawberry ice cream.

What Flavor Ice Cream Are You?

Long time, no quiz

2007-01-31T02:22:20Z

You scored as Friedrich Nietzsche. Well you're an egotistical maniac, and you are so very iconoclastic that you probably are currently lost in a post-modern Jupiter, I mean jungle of self-definition.

Don't let it get you down though, someday, through a willful onslaught of reinterpretation of dated forms and ideas, you will strike on something that passes as remotely new, and people WILL be into it on the basis of how hip it is alone. Also, the average espresso drinker looks up to you.

</td>

Friedrich Nietzsche

83%

Dante Alighieri

75%

C.G. Jung

75%

Miyamoto Musashi

58%

Adolf Hitler

58%

Elvis Presley

50%

Steven Morrissey

50%

Jesus Christ

50%

Charles Manson

50%

Mother Teresa

42%

Stephen Hawking

25%

Sigmund Freud

25%

Hugh Hefner

O.J. Simpson

What Pseudo Historical Figure Best Suits You?
created with QuizFarm.com

nemui_tenshi @ 2007-01-19T14:14:00

2007-01-19T05:18:53Z

It has been forever since I last posted. Right now, I am going insane editing a five page essay by one of my students. She is a very smart girl, and has really great ideas, but her essay is a little unfocused and kind of "stream of conciousness" style in some areas. So I'm starting to get an "I've been up all night and only have two hours to finish my paper" in my brain. (And did that last sentence make sense?)

I had a nice winter break. I will try to post about it next week,

I had the most bizarre dream...

2006-12-15T04:58:57Z

Last night, I dreamt that I was leaving for the JET program which was on a space station. During orientation, I met some new people (who in reality were people I met during the real orientation and people from grade school, but I didn't know them in the dream). We had to take classes through Kent on TEFL, and then one of my favorite professors from Kent was giving a lecture (except he is a professor from the anthropology department, and not the ESL department). Then I woke up, panicked because I hadn't taken any notes.

Tomorrow, I am leaving for Ohio! I'll be home for about two weeks. I'm really excited to see my family again, and I'm already planning what I want to eat! My first meal will be at the Detroit airport though...I have to be there for 7 HOURS while I wait for my flight. I have to type 7 HOURS in all caps, anytime I mention it because it sounds like pure torture after being on a plane for 12 hours. I'm a little worried I might fall asleep sometime during those 7 HOURS and miss my flight to Cleveland.

nemui_tenshi @ 2006-12-07T11:44:00

2006-12-07T02:44:08Z

Today I gave a Christmas lesson to my junior high students at the hospital school. I feel that it actually went pretty well, other than the third years who are so shy and unenthusiastic that it is hard to inject any type of liveliness into the lesson. The game/activity was a holiday word search, and they all seemed to enjoy it.

I am feeling rather exhausted today, but luckily I did not oversleep! I did not miss the train today, thank god. Last time I was here, I overslept and missed my train. Which caused me to miss my bus...which only runs once every two hours, so I had to catch a taxi. It was not a good morning.

nemui_tenshi @ 2006-12-05T12:13:00

2006-12-05T03:13:03Z

</table

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nemui_tenshi @ 2006-11-28T15:47:00

2006-11-28T06:47:53Z

Here is a sentence from one of my students:

"The girl is ice cream in your head."

nemui_tenshi @ 2006-11-24T15:32:00

2006-11-24T06:32:14Z

Your Geek Profile:

Academic Geekiness: High

Gamer Geekiness: High

Movie Geekiness: Moderate

Music Geekiness: Moderate

SciFi Geekiness: Moderate

Fashion Geekiness: Low

Geekiness in Love: Low

Internet Geekiness: Low

General Geekiness: None

How Geeky Are You?