air cooooooooooon

The weather today is cloudy, but pleasant, in that it's not hot as the devil's balls. In fact, when the breeze picks up, it's bordering on cool. A nice change from typical June weather.

So why, I wonder, has the air conditioner been on ALL DAY? It's not even hot outside! This is especially curious given how, on the hellishly hot days we've had of late, it hasn't been turned on until late afternoon, or only for an hour or two. It's been on since 10 o'clock! And it's still on!

I really don't understand this place.

noah's ark

Via the JET wankfest that is Big Daikon, I have found perhaps the worst site on the internet. How I didn't find it on Encyclopedia Dramatica, I'll never know, since that's where I usually find these things.

Anyway, this internet abomination is FurrsFurChrist.com. I refuse to link to it, but feel free to Ctrl+C & +V. It's a forum for Christian furries, complete with bad poetry and ridiculous "theological" discussions.

Here's a quote, so you can see what kind of shit these "people" talk about without sullying your browser history:

"So my hatchday is coming up next month, & since I'm both in college and saving up for a fursuit, is it wrong to ask mostly for money as a gift? My first instinct is to pray about it, of course, but....I dunno. What do you think?"
I'm assuming "hatchday" is like a birthday for dragons. My favorite part is definitely "My first instinct is to pray about it, of course." LOLZ IT'S A FURSUIT FFS.

Anyway, I hate furries more than terrorists, and I've been especially intolerant of Christians of late, so the combination of the two just proves that there is no God. At least not a just one. Though maybe there is a God, and he has put these miserable creatures on this earth for my amusement. Either way, I think they are an abomination.

Aside from wasting my time at work on such sites, I've been playing the taiko game a lot. I've gotten quite a few on the demon level, which is quite an accomplishment, as that shit is hard.

I've also been watching Hairspray almost every day, which is fine with me. Any day with a little Corny Collins is a good one. But it has made me dream about civil rights. Not that I'm complaining, it's just a strange thing to dream about.

I found out that I'm leaving on July 23. Less than a month, yay! Unfortunately, I'm flying on United AND I'm connecting in San Francisco. Ugh. I hope that doesn't fuck me over.

The new girl finally contacted me and was very nice and gracious, so I'm feeling a lot more charitable. I hope she's nice, for Catherine's sake.

Now, every time I see the word "sake", I think of the drink. Thanks for that, Japan!

wah

There is a tiny baby somewhere in the neighborhood, perhaps even in my apartment building, that cries all the time. Just cries and cries. I find it very annoying, and usually turn on a movie (which is usually Hairspray), and try to drown it out. God help me when/if I have a tiny crying baby of my own.

Today was my last day at Kinomoto JH, and quite frankly, I am happy I never have to see some (most) of those kids again. The three classes I had today were so bratty. I really wish Japanese teachers could kick the disruptive kids out of class. Of course, that would mean kicking a third of the class out, but whatever. They would not be missed.

I am so, so sleepy, but it's very early, and I would feel lame going to bed now. But I don't know that I can stand being awake for too much longer. Maybe I will just go to bed and rest up for my busy day of sitting on my ass at the office tomorrow. Perhaps?

bread

The mouse-over text for one of my favorite Dino Comics sums up my feelings about bread perfectly:

you might question choosing humble bread as a favourite food, but next time you're eating it consider how good it is, and how we've had like three thousand years to perfect it. imagine what pizza will be like in three thousand years. that's what bread is like RIGHT NOW.

That is so true.

superfluous

Today, I am chillin' at the office. It's not bad. I wish the A/C was on, and I'm confused as to why it's not, since it was on last week, but whatever.

The best part about today is that I am not currently in a boring meeting with some of the worst English teachers in Kumano, plus Drew and Catherine. I told my boss I didn't want to go when asked about it last week, and he was cool with it. I think the expression on my face was enough to convince him. I would have been super pissed if I did have to go, because my presence would be completely superfluous. I don't teach with any of the teachers in this meeting, and I would just be sitting there, "listening".

I've been reading this "definitive explanation" of the last scene of the series finale of The Sopranos almost all day. It's like the length of a freaking book. Definitely "definitive". The funny thing is, I don't even watch that show. But it's interesting, so whatever.

Yay for gays in California! Now try not to contribute to the divorce rate.

I still haven't heard from the second new ALT in Kumano. I sent her another email today, so I hope she will at least reply. If you happen to google me and find this, new Kumano ALT, please reply so I know you're getting the emails and aren't just blowing me off. Thank you.

My body has been kind of achy. I got this pain in my right hip yesterday that I cannot explain. I wasn't particularly active or sedentary. I was right in the middle on the activity scale. But when I got up from my chair at school yesterday to go home, my hip hurt like a bitch. It felt slightly better this morning (as in it didn't hurt to walk like it did yesterday), but still. It lingers. I guess I'm getting old.

Ali is coming to see me in Charlottesville! Yay!!

an eternal flaaaaaaaaaaame

I forgot to post about the wedding party. It went quite well, not nearly as bad as I was expecting. Our karaoke serenade of the bride and groom wasn't awful. And then the groom did this song and the bride was crying the whole time, it was so sweet.

After that, we went for real karaoke with Lauren for two hours. It was awesome. The karaoke place had excellent muscat sours. A+ Would drink again.

On Saturday, I rented the Bourne Ultimatum, National Treasure, High School Musical 2, and Sakuran. I've watched all but Sakuran, and I've watched HSM2 like 5 times. Fuck, I love Zac Efron. If only I were 14, then I could have posters of him everywhere without feeling like a creep.

I'm watching Beauty and the Beast now, which I haven't seen in years and years, and it's way funnier this time. I guess I didn't realize that the Prince/Beast guy was just 20 (as he's supposed to be cursed until his 21st birthday), so it puts things in a completely different perspective. He's just this young jerk who stomps around his house and doesn't eat with utensils and only has household items to talk to. It also makes me feel bad for him, since he was just a little punk kid when he got cursed. What spoiled 16-year-old wouldn't kick some old lady to the curb?

On another note, I wish I could tell my appliances what to do and have them do it instead of just sit there.

I finally applied for my loans today, and it made me ill. $60,000. Holy fuck.

wedding bells

Next Friday is the wedding party for one of the girls at the office, and I found out yesterday, that me and Catherine and Mizuko are going to have to provide some entertainment. At first, it was just going to be us singing a karaoke song (I think "Eternal Flame" by The Bangles was the winner), but then they were like, "Oh, Kara, why don't you play a song (or two) on the piano?!" So now, in addition to singing, I have to play "You Raise Me Up" and a Chopin nocturne. Great. Thanks for the heads up!

I wonder what I'm supposed to wear to this thing. Hmm.

I heard a loud "Konnichi wa! Gomen kudasai" outside (not at my door, though), so that means the Witnesses are out today. I'll be sure not to open my door. Crazy bastards.

This new taiko game is great. There's a game section where you have to play against these characters and beat levels and stuff. The end is really hard! You have to beat this weird god creature, and he blocks the screen, so you can't see what you're supposed to hit! But I beat it on the easy course, and now I'm playing through again on the hard course.

My eyes have been really itchy lately. I guess I need to find my Claritin. Argh.

frustration

I read the new Naruto chapter today, and it has left me concerned/angry, even though I kind of predicted that the current events would happen. Fucking Sasuke. Why are you trying to destroy what your brother gave his life to protect? This turn of events will only lead to another fight with Naruto, except this time, somebody will probably die. And I hope it's you, Sasuke. Fuck you.

Yeah, that's right. Cry about it, loser.

nan

Oh, man, do I love curry. Curry curry curry. And nan. Curry with nan is the best. Especially the sag cheese curry with nan. It's perfect. Heaven in my mouth. So good.

Catherine and I went to curry after work. When I saw her spinach soup she brought for lunch, it made me think of the spinach curry, and it didn't take much convincing to get her to go with me. We left right after work (technically, we left at 4:26, 4 minutes before work officially ended, but whatevs), and we got down to Shingu at 5:00! Amazing!

While we were there, I bought a little Rirakkuma for my baby cousin. It's tiny, and appropriate for a 6-month old, I think.

Today was kind of a surprise school day, since I didn't know I'd be going to school until late yesterday afternoon. I went to Atashika with Catherine, and since she'd already planned out the 2 lessons we had, I didn't have to do anything. Perfect!

At the junior high, we only had class with the 1st years, since the other kids are on their school trip to Tokyo this week. There are all of 3 students in that class. It worked out pretty well. After lunch, we played table tennis with them (I beat Catherine, hahahaha), and then we made stuff out of bamboo shoots. We kind of whittled these shoots with rusty knives and the kids were wielding these saws without any kind of protection. Not the safest environment. I think an American shop teacher would have a heart attack at the sight. But it was still super fun. All of my bamboo products are in my freezer, since they are "alive" and will "go bad". Hooray.

After the bamboo whittling, we went over to the elementary school for class with the 5th and 6th graders. We did some body parts activities, most of which were pretty fun. Then we chilled until the train, and upon reaching Kumano, we high-tailed it to Shingu for delicious curry.

I think this tale has gone full circle, so I will leave it at that.

springy

I just cleaned everything off my floor in my bedroom. Yay! I even vacuumed. I should probably go to the post office tomorrow and try to mail some stuff and also buy a lot more boxes. I have at least two more boxes worth of sweaters and other colder-weather stuff. This shipping stuff home business is going to cost a lot of money, alas.

Mom went to Linens-N-Things this weekend and bought my dishes! I'm very excited. I have the poppy and the white, how festive!



Haha, I have finally added pictures! Surprise! Maybe I'll add more in the future.