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Weather: hot, humid
Mood: happy
Daily Report: We've been enjoying relaxing summertime fun. On Sunday, we went to a local water park and played in the sprinklers, water slides, and ring pools. We bobbed along in the ring pool, surrounded by other people trying to escape the heat. It was so refreshing, but crowded.Then Monday I had to go in to work, but I got to chat with the lady who sits next to me and study, so that was fun. Finally, yesterday we went shopping for camping gear, and ended up finding a little pet- a tiny little Chinese Dwarf hamster that I immediately named Scampers. Tomorrow we're hoping to go to an Edo Village recreation center, and soon, we'll be going on our trip to Tohoku!
Web page News: It's going up today! You can find it at: www.goodkittens.com
Weather: warm, humid
Mood: sleepy
Hours of Japanese language study yesterday: 2 hours
Good Mail: WOW! I just got a lovely package from Ann with her professional wedding photographs- I was so excited! They're absolutely beautiful!
Good Email: Jayson sent me this goofy web page address, which is funny because it's so quirky and like him: http://www.homestarrunner.com/main1.html
Daily Report: Going to a firework festival tonight. It will be crowded but I'm really looking forward to it.
workin on it... if not today then tomorrow...
Weather: warm, cloudy
Mood: roving
Lunch:avocado sushi and a mocha
What I'm wearing:lime creamsicle floral sundress
Current Lesson topic:NONE: SUMMER VACATION
Current Read: er
Current music: Michelle Branch Hotel Paper
Hours of Japanese language study today: 0
Good Mail: none
Good Email: none
Daily Report: We've been playing with our new car, Snowflake- drove to Costco for the first time ever, and tried to find a cheap car navigation gps system (in vain). It felt good to be driving! (or a passenger, ahem) Oh ya, and we've been in Japan for exactly one year today.
web page will be up tonight
Weather: gray, cool, moist
Mood: tired
Lunch:orange juice
What I'm wearing:black handkerchief hem skirt, spaghetti strap black top, fantastic red and black japanese scarf
Current Lesson topic: don't go to school when you don't have to
Current Read: amusing internet pages
Current music: Imogen Heap
Hours of Japanese language study today: 0
Quality Conversations with strangers: one, lengthy with girl at DMV
Good Mail: none
Good Email: Ann emailed!
Daily Report:So,today has been really weird. First I mistook the calendar and thought I had a class to teach today, when I actually didn't have to until tomorrow... so i went in early in the morning to work and i was signed up to be at home! Oops! Anyway, I went right back home. Later Justin had his big DRIVING TEST to get his Japanese license so we can actually BUY snowflake and not just look at her all pretty in the (rented) parking space. I went with him to offer moral support. Well, four hours later I was REALLY regretting going- I hate Japanese paperwork and bureocracy. It was just one long wait after another, and then a baby step, and then another long wait with no end in sight. Justin finally had his driving test- and he thought he passed because the guy let him do the whole course and then said, Ok and took him and another driver to get stamps at a desk. Then he told them to wait... which we did, with this very nice japanese girl who had her first license in America when she was there for four years through school. We even kinda made friends with her- since we had to hang out and wait together for hours and hours. We got there at about 1pm... Well, they weren't done processing us (with everyone else, all in a lump!!!) until 4:45- 15 minutes before closing time. Everyone from the afternoon got their license at the same time, which i personally think is a stupid way to organize things. But, no one official asked me MY opinion, so....
working on our joint web page, so nothing new here... sorry.. soon your patience will be rewarded!!!
Weather: spring-like, cloudy
Mood: happy
Lunch:a little macaroni and cheese, with fresh tomatoes and Japanese pickels on the side
What I'm wearing:green floral skirt, cream top, blue and green jamaican necklace
Current Lesson topic: Lesson?
Current Read: Daily Yomiuri- newspaper
Current music: students brass band- they play ALL DAY
Hours of Japanese language study today: 5?
Quality Conversations with teachers: one brief with nice english teacher lady
Good Mail: none
Good Email: funny email from Jayson linking to this amusing site
Daily Report:Today I found out for sure that I get to study at home for almost all of summer vacation! I was so relieved that my vice principal didnt decide to chain me to my useless and boring desk all summer, i was ready to cry. The sky seemed just a little bluer, the birds- er, make that a huge swarm of killer dragonflies- seemed just a little friendlier. *they were swarming the school courtyard for hours, dont ask me why.* The teachers had about four hours of meetings, with a short 5 minute break in between. Their faces were all gray with boredom and exhaustion, it made me want to make them tea. Instead I left chocolate in the snack cabinet for them. The night before I went to a teachers enkai party and ate a nice completely wheat free meal with them *they ordered it special to accomodate me, and everyone ate it!* A lot of them drank quite a bit, especially the men. Wow. Afterwards I ended up at Starbucks with the lady teachers. None of us had drank that much, but they wanted some coffee. Anyway, it was really fun sitting and listening to them gossip in Japanese, even though I understood very little of what they said. The calligraphy teacher is especially entertaining, because she is theatrical and can roll her eyes in a very dramatic and funny way that goes beyond language limitations.
Pictures have been uploaded to the keitai pictures page- yay! at last! You can see the third story window and plastic chute the students jumped through FROM the third story window in the name of fire safety. This country is insane.
Weather: warm and steamy
Mood:change- oriented
Lunch:tomato mozarella basil salad
What I'm wearing: denim dragon short overalls
Current Read: In Style
Current music: Femme Fatales on VH1
Good Mail:got a package from Justin's parents- magazines!!!
Good Email: nothin special
Weather: cool, cloudy
Mood: decadent
Lunch:went to Saizeriya, potatoes and mussels, and mushroom risotty with kohii jerry for dessert.
What I'm wearing: elegant long black skirt with red flowers, black t-shirt
Current Lesson topic: watching my fingernails grow
Current Read: Sophie's World
Current music: Nirvana, Pearl Jam..reliving high school
Hours of Japanese language study today: 2.5
Quality Conversations with teachers: 2, one even sang me happy birthday when i gave him a brownie. he's so cute.
Good Mail: missed a package from my mom, will deliver tomorrow
Good Email: b-day cards and well wishes
Daily Report: Today I brought the teachers brownies and they brightened up an otherwise dreary day. One teacher called them healthy (not having wheat makes oil, chocolate and sugar good for you?) but he took two. After work I met Justin in Chiba and we watched Charlies Angels 2 and went out for Japanese Kyoto style food. It was lovely. Justin also gave me three matching stuffed animals by 'Mother Garden'- they are soft plush seals dressed in frog suits- weird but sooo cute!
updates:I added a whole new section on my experience in Kyoto dressing up as a Maiko.
Read about it by clicking HERE
I added Ann and Dave's wedding to the weddings section, with text blog entries and pictures. Click on wedding button below, or click here
pictures:
straight to the gallery of me as a maiko
Weather: rainy, misty, cool... . is this July???
Mood: stir-crazy
Lunch:leftover spaghetti
What I'm wearing: v necked express cream top, floral skirt.
Current Lesson topic: watching my fingernails grow
Current Read: The Secret Sushi Society
Current SONG: Pink- i really need new CD's
Hours of Japanese language study today: 4 or more
Quality Conversations with teachers: 1.5
Good Mail: nada
Good Email: nada?
Daily Report: Tomorrow is my 27th birthday!!!
updates: YESTERDAY I added a whole new section on my experience in Kyoto dressing up as a Maiko.
Read about it by clicking HERE
Day before Yesterday I added Ann and Dave's wedding to the weddings section, with text blog entries and pictures. Click on wedding button below, or click here
pictures:
straight to the gallery of me as a maiko
Weather: cool, rainy, and foggy- it could be London in October.
Mood: bored, depressed
Lunch:thai noodles with deep fried tofu balls
What I'm wearing: green floral skirt, v necked green three quarter length shirt.
Current Lesson topic: final exam recording (again)
Current Read: Dave Barry Turns 50 (library pickings are slim)
Current SONG: Fred Durst "Outside"
Hours of Japanese language study today: 2
Quality Conversations with teachers: .25
Good Mail: birthday card from Grandparents and Mike
Good Email: grandparents
Daily Report: Today there was nothing much for me to do, so I typed about my maiko experience and read. My job is so very mind numbing sometimes. But then, after school, this lady I've made friends with on the bus (Shizuko) gave me an early birthday present- hand embroidered Japanese dish towels. I was so touched!
It's the weekend! (but barely)
Interesting Sights:A man taking his dog on a romantic rowboat paddle around the lake, a garden of pink water lotus blossoms as big as my head, with leaves bigger than my torso.
Weather: gray and blah
Mood: unmotivated, then absorbed
Lunch:fried tofu leftovers, salad, a corn tortilla
What I'm wearing: linen pants, a blue crocheted spaghetti strap top.
Current Read: the girls guide to hunting and fishing
Current CD: vocal trance techno
updates: 0
pictures:keitai diary
Daily Report: Today was the 4th of July. After work Justin and I went to our favorite cheap Chinese restaurant down the street, checked out bicycles at the local bicycle shop, then walked down to Jusco where we bought fireworks in the kids section. Then we went down to the beach and set off fireworks on the beach. It was great, and there were even a few other people there doing the same thing!
Weather: warm and sunny, a little humid
Mood: restless and then happy
Lunch:rice with grilled eggplant slices from our Japanese style barbeque the other night
What I'm wearing: black yoga pants, magenta dress shirt
Current Lesson topic: final exam recording
Current Read: dreadful sci fi
Current CD: dido
Hours of Japanese language study today: 2
Quality Conversations with teachers: .5
Good Mail: none
Good Email: hmmm, none
Daily Report: Justin and I both thought the other person had set our alarm, so I woke up suddenly at 9am and had to run out of the house to try and get to school on time. I had to take a taxi from the station to get there on time, barely. After teaching and having English Club, Justin met me at my school and we went down to the beach... then we had lunch and went to the driving test place to see if he could practice, before going to the park, riding bicycles, and playing badminton.
Weather: warm and sunny, then pouring rain
Mood: nervous
Lunch:seafood risotto with cafe ice cream and a cappucino (Justin and I went out)
What I'm wearing: cream flowered skirt, ruffled shirt
Current Lesson topic: American summer holidays
Current Read: In Style
Current CD: none
Hours of Japanese language study today: 05
Quality Conversations with teachers: 2
Good Mail: none
Good Email: hmmm, none
updates: 0
pictures:keitai diary
Weather: cool and then sunny blue bliss
Mood: upbeat
Lunch:tuna fish sandwich on fake rye bread (caraway seed)
What I'm wearing: linen pants, spaghetti strap green striped shirt
Current Lesson topic: studying abroad
Current Read: something fluffy
Current CD: michelle branch
Hours of Japanese language study today: 1.5
Quality Conversations with teachers: 3!!
Good Mail: got my package from Ann! yay! my painted cup, jean jacket, hat, and pictures! wheeee!!!
Good Email: hmmm, not so much today, i need to reply to grandpa and grandma
updates: 0
pictures:keitai diary
Weather: Damp and warmly cool, grey, dreary
Mood: grey
Lunch:alfredo spaghetti with italian seasonings tofu
What I'm wearing: long pastel green sundress with blue flowers
Current Lesson topic: none
Current Read: In Style
Current CD: no doubt
Hours of Japanese language study today: 2.5
Quality Conversations with teachers: 1
Good Mail: we missed a package from Ann- they will bring it back tomorrow
Good Email: Katie from college, Jays
updates: 0
pictures:keitai diary
Weather: Hot and sticky, so you feel like you're running a fever all the time.
Mood: disjointed
Bad News: a third year student was killed in a motorcycle accident yesterday. I didn't know him, but still...
Lunch: samsar fried rice
What I'm wearing: blue floral skirt, v necked blue shirt
Current Lesson topic: Studying Abroad
Current Read: In Style
Current CD: Cyndi Lauper
Hours of Japanese language study today: .5
Quality Conversations with students: long chat with a bunch of boy students
Good Mail: none
Good Email: grandparents, Jays
updates: 0
pictures:keitai diary
it's the weekend!!!
Weekend Destination: Funabashi
Weather: rainy and cool
Mood: absorbed
Lunch: porcini risotto
What I'm wearing: black cotton dress
Current Read: fantasy drivel
Current CD: Final Fantasy 10 as background
updates: Wedding section, Lara's wedding
pictures:NY Trip Photo Gallery and some in the story.
Weather: Blue Skies and sunny, with a faint dampness in the air
Mood: exhausted
Lunch: leftover vegetable lasagna
What I'm wearing: cute cream japanese style dress
Current Lesson topic: Studying Abroad
Current Read: fantasy drivel
Current CD: michelle branch
Hours of Japanese language study today: 2.5
Quality Conversations with co-workers: 1 brief exchange
Good Mail: none
Good Email: grandparents emailed me, package arrived!
updates: none
pictures:none
Weather: Skies have opened up and dumped out all the rain it has been storing up
Mood: sleepy
Lunch: tuna mayo rice ball, vegetable sesame salad, vanilla coffee pudding
What I'm wearing: White miniskirt with cute pockets, navy knit top
Current Lesson topic: Kabuki Quiz show, Cultural Surprises Quiz Show
Current Read: The Secret World of a Shop-aholic
Current CD: shoutcast techno
Hours of Japanese language study today: 0
Quality Conversations with co-workers: all day with Akiko!!
Good Mail: none
Good Email: message board stuff, that's it
updates: keitai diary pics (through June 22nd)!
pictures:keitai diary
Weather: Muggy, warm, occasional sprinkles of water
You know how the bathroom feels 30 minutes after a hot shower with the fan on? That's the weather. Humidity is so not my friend.
Mood: pensive, restless
Lunch: Leftover vegetable lasagna
What I'm wearing: black jeans, tan ruffled blouse
Current Lesson topic: International Foods, Studying Abroad
Current Read: The Secret World of a Shop-aholic
Current CD: Pink
Hours of Japanese language study today: 2.5
Quality Conversations with co-workers: 2, short
Good Mail: none
Good Email: message board stuff, that's it
additions: this index, self introduction, 'teachers' and 'students' section in school life
updates: keitai diary pics
pictures: in students section, keitai diary
