Jet Lag

Ugh, 4:45 AM and I am wide awake checking my mail. Which is extremely stupid, cause I am current lodging with the two people who actually communicate with me on a regular basis (O_0).
My horoscope for the 28th:
There is a larger trend operating in your life, DANIELLE, and it is asking you to break the rules and enter into a whole new realm - a whole new mindset, or way of living. Today that trend is brought into focus, as emotional outbursts call attention to these changes. You might find that your heart wants to go one way while your brain wants to go another. Take deep breaths and infuse a wave of calm into the situation before you proceed.

Perhaps this is true, or a bunch of crap some dude is paid to write up everyday. But I almost feel like it might be me with the emotional outbursts today (<_>). I can't put my feelings into words, I am not even quite sure what they are, but maybe I stayed away too long or something. Cause I don't think here is where I want to be in 9 months - which means I've got a lot of thinking and planning to do if that is the case. And that scares me. It really does (._.).

Two Roads Diverged....

Today a random conversation with an acquaintance got me thinking about something. I have reached a point in my life where I am pretty sure I would like to find a significant other at some point. I mean, my mom was married by this age and she was the last one in her family to get hitched. Unfortunately, my prospects seem to be non-existent at this point. I mean, it is not like I am turning them away at the door. No ghosts of the past are realizing how great I was and giving me a call. No random stranger in the airport has realized I am the missing piece to their happiness (^-^). To be honest, I would say yes to a first date with anybody that asked - LOL. Gotta give people a chance right? But, no one is asking.

But here is the dilemma... let us say Mr. Right (now) or a ghost, or that airport stranger does magically appear. And all is right in the world. And then I get a chance for one of my dream jobs - teach in Europe, Foreign Service, etc... And MR says - it is me or the job. I honestly cannot say I would not pick the job. EEEKK!

Have I been alone too long that I have become extra-selfish, too independent? Or am I just worrying about a decision I might never have to make?

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-I took the one less traveled by."

Where has the time gone??

Wow, it's already Christmas Eve!! Where did December go? Guess it's just been a busy month. I feel like writing a list rather than an essay on "what I did this month". So here it goes...

• Made the decision to switch from the masters program at Alabama back to the program at Wayne (it's a good thing I am enrolled in both). The Bama program was just a little too theoretical for me (and I was dead set against having to take that class I dropped again). I did pass my fall class with flying colors - but still all that writing... Wayne's seems more hands on (god, please let it be more hands on) - and since discovering it's available online - may as well go back. Unfortunately the tuition is MUCH more expensive at Wayne - go figure. My parents are being very supportive - so that's cool. Just enrolled in the winter class 10 minutes ago. Now to buy the $400 software package and order some textbooks - bah!
• Celebrated my 32nd birthday! Overall birthday was good. Got lots of packages from America and abroad. Had nice dinners with T & L - got Chuck xmas garland and my nesting doll tea set. The 18th was actually a 50/50 day. I got a fantastic present from my supervisor. It was that gesture that every person wants someone to make at some point - the one were we are just totally blown away. And I was and that made me sad - cause she was so cool and it was so cool and I am gonna have to leave here. And then 3 of my 3rd yr girls gave me a gift - more tears. But all good ones. I got flowers from my little ones. Still good. And then my car broke!!! (The week before the battery died and I managed to get that replaced). But it turns out it was the alternator. SO I was stranded in a parking lot and all my friends where waiting for me at my birthday dinner. But I really am lucky in this country! A friend picked me up and my handy-dandy insurance agent got my car towed. So I made it to dinner with little fuss.
• Still struggling with being a good human (^_^). I find it difficult sometimes to maintain my expectations regarding certain people and my expectations toward them. For example, I got lots of great, awesome packages this holiday season, and I am really happy and grateful for them! But then I don't get a card from someone I thought should have sent one (or someone I sent one too) and I get disappointed. And I know I shouldn't. I should focus on the positive, the people that do acknowledge me. And I also know that not sending a card for my birthday doesn't mean they don't care about me (it just means they are too damn lazy to go buy a stamp) And I really am trying to work on that - to not have expectations of other people. I mean, I know them and I know how they are and I shouldn't be surprised when they don't reciprocate my efforts, but there is always gonna be a part of me that is just gonna keep waiting. And a little part of me thinks "don't they know ME well enough to know that "I" would like a card?) Perhaps that is my nature, or that is human nature, I don't know, but I am trying to modify my behavior so that I can be a better person. But it's hard shit!!
• Spending Xmas at work. But then enjoying some KFC and Christmas cake with some of the others left behind in Toyama this Xmas.

I predict that I am gonna have a pretty good new year though! (~_^)b!

Earworm Edit

Got some free time today and I was thinking about John Denver and that got me thinkin' about my song. And I've never really like the last verse - so I've changed it.

Yatuso Roads (to the tune of Country Roads by John Denver)
Almost heaven, Yatsuo Machi
Tateyama, Jinzu river
Spiders are large here
Larger then the bees
Smaller than the bats
Flying thru the trees
REFRAIN:
JR Rail, take me home
To the place I belong
Yatsuo-machi, the inaka
Take me home, JR Rail
All the rice paddies growin round me
Oishi Mizu, drink delicious water
We’ve Owara, dancing in a line
Bitter taste of sake
More raindrops from the sky
REFRAIN
I hear the bells of the junior high school ringing
My keitai reminds me it's time to start the day
And walking down the road I get a feelin
That I this is the place to stay, to always stay
REFRAIN
REFRAIN
Take me home, JR Rail
Take me home now, JR Rail

Obsession!

I just read that 1 in 5 young adults has some kind of psychological disorder (search MSN if you don't believe me) - I think I might be "the 1"!! LOL - okay, maybe not... but I have some evidence that there is definitely an "obsessive" side to my personality. Take, for example, my "obsession" with Chuck (my yellow Japaneses bird). I now have so many in my position that I don't think it can be classified as normal (O_o). And right now, I "want" Christmas stickers! It's like my brain thinks that I have to buy these cute stickers cause I will never see another Christmas sticker again EVER (what the hell?? crazy right?). My penny collection is another sign of this "obsessive" side - while it's calmed down now, at one point I was driving around the state looking for pressed pennies! Hell, I paid for part of my parents trip to New Orleans so they could get me pennies (granted that was an anniversary present or something too). Man, even traveling is a bit of an obsession for me - to get to as many countries as possible. "Sigh"!

I am sure this trait has some positive affect on me - getting things done or some such, but right now it's manifesting itself in the form of worry over the future. I am currently obsessing about what to do after JET. And worrying is making me scared and being scared is making me worry MORE. As I see it I have a few options:

1. Leave Japan in August, go home, get a job, work on Masters degree
2. Find a way to stay in Japan, work on Master's degree (will make less money if I do this)
3. Leave Japan,travel for a few months, go home, mooch off parents, work on Masters degree

None of these options is entirely bad, but its the not having a concrete plan with guaranteed results after JET that is got me worried. That, and the fact that I general do enjoy my time here. I am not sure I am ready to leave Japan yet, but I am also not sure if I feel that way out of genuine feeling or just fear of the future. Honestly, my "feeling" about being here yoyos almost every hour, depending on what I am doing. Argghhh, I do know this though. I really want to work overseas - top choice being Europe. I am 95% sure I don't want to end up back in Michigan or the US permanently right now. I love living in another country. I can't explain it or tell you why, but I really do love it. I guess with Japan, the whole being "foreign" thing is just cool. And working with kids just intensifies it - I mean, nowhere in America will I have students yelling "I love Danielle" from the bathroom windows when I leave work. Perhaps I am a bit narcissistic and I like the attention. Honestly, I don't know and it's not really something I feel I need to examine to closely. My time would be better spent figuring out how to continue living overseas (since the FS is out, bastards!).

Man, perhaps I should switch my "disorder" from obsession to just plain drinking or something. I'd be a hell of a lot more mellow (^_^).

This is really all needless worry, I did the same thing before I left for Japan and everything turned out just fine. So the lesson for me is... worrying is pointless, just make reasonable choices and things will work out just fine. As for JET and life after it... it's like the song says...."You don't have to go home, you just can't stay here".

Hello dear blog. It's been awhile. I feel compelled to write today because I had one of my "oh, my gosh, I live in Japan" moments again today. I was getting out of my car at the local ACO to see if I could find an electric fly swatter (think love child of normal fly swatter and bug zapper) and I looked over at the hills and the pachinco parlor blinking in the distance and I was filled with that warm glow I get every time it hits me - I am in mother-freaking Japan, baby!!!! And its been almost 2.5 years and I still get this feeling. So that's got me thinking - what/how am I gonna feel when I am gone in 10 months?

Cause I kinda/sorta have to leave. JET won't let me stay and my lack of Japanese skills kinda highlights the fact that I am not remotely qualified for any other job in this country. I could look at teaching with another company, but honestly, I think I've milked my job at an ALT (part, part, part time worker) in Japan long enough (though I wouldn't rule this option out as a possible way back should life look grim in the future). And despite any desire to remain, I still don't have ANY desire to torment my brain with learning Japanese (it's tricky, I know, but I can't help it).

So now the question is... Where do I go from here?

Errrgghhhh! Why didn't I save....

As one might expect, the exchange rate between the Yen and the dollar is plummeting at an astounding rate. It's gone down 2 points every day this week and currently stands at 100.93y = $1. What does all this mean?? It means that my yen is getting stronger and it takes less yen to get a dollar and I should be sending money home ASAP before things start to turn (although given all the media glum and doom, that might not be for awhile).
It also means that traveling on the US dollar is gonna get even harder then it's been. Now that sucks for my post JET travel plans - unless I just travel around with a wallet full of yen.
The problem, of course, lies in the fact that I haven't been saving as well as I should have (<_>). Blast my spend-thrift ways! But if the rate is 98 tomorrow, I am gonna raid every piggy bank I have and send something home!

In other news, my body's hormones must be on wacky-a-mole mode cause I'm in a crazy mood. Yesterday, I practically drooled on some poor man who was observing a class I attend. I must admit - he was a handsome guy (tall, nice hair, good teeth, normal breath, beautiful English skills) so I can be excused some of my strange ways. I was practically begging him to join the class though (^_^). Truth is he's probably married with teenage children (this is Japan after all). I do enjoy my active fantasy life though - LOL. And there is a possibility I creeped another ALT out when I told him he should think about cloning himself (seriously, he IS the nicest guy ever!) and sending me the copy. Desperate times call for desperate measures -LOL. I read on MSN that proximity plays a very active role in most dating scenarios... taking a look around here... I think it's time I got out of Dodge and started hanging out somewhere else - perhaps with professional sports teams - LOL.

Amusing side note... My seventh grade students are give self introduction speeching in front of the class this week and one of the girls made the sign of the cross before starting her speech. Granted, there is a church in this town, but it just threw me for a loop (and the JTE as well). I mean, Japan is like 98% Shinto/Buddhist and Toyama has the smallest number of Christians in all the kens (makes things more of a challenge for the Mormons and Jehovahs floating around).

What do you do with a drunken sailor?

Happy Autumn!
The title of this particular blog is random and has nothing to do with anything I am about to write. This will be a hodgepodge random post of nothingness.
First an observation from school life....
The other day whilst trying to impart vital information to my students (the sentence "It is +adjective for me (+infinitive verb)+ noun) I noticed one of the female students making friendship bracelets. I suppose I should have been appalled at her lack of enthusiasm for my lesson, but my first thought was - "whoa, I was doing the exact same thing at her age". And I was - when I was in 8th grade, all the girls in my class had a stash of embroidery floss and safety pins and we'd be crafting bracelets while the teacher droned on about some subject or other. So I guess my thing is... the more things change... and in an entirely different country too!
Since this is my last year here, I am enjoying the fact that every time I teach a lesson, it will be the LAST time I have to teach that lesson. There are a few that I will be happy never to see again :P.
General observations...
I think I am getting addicted to taking naps. I wake up thinking about taking a nap, I spend most of the afternoon thinking about my nap, and the best feeling right now is when my head hits the pillow at 4:15. Of course the downside is that I am not going to bed at a decent hour, I can't keep to the schedule I've set (I snooze until way past the time), and I am a groggy mess for a good 45mins after I get up. It's just that will all the extra curricular activities I've taken on, naps are one of the only things I have to look forward to that are entirely ME time :P.

I am turning into a grumpy homebody. Which on one hand is actually saving me lots of money and actually - I can't see a downside to this - LOL. Just have a different mentality this third year in Japan. It's neither positive or negative.

Um, okay sorry, headache and nothing to say so I will stop this pointless blog now......

It's a sign

The gods have sent me a sign that it's time for me to get out of Japan and back to the Land of Opportunity. For some time now, Diet Coke has been disappearing from the shelves of konbinis and grocery stores. First replaced with that black-labeled, less delicious tasting, "diet coke for men" - Coke Zero. And now by the "it's got vitamin C" so it must be healthy - Diet Coke with vitamin C (disgusting by the way!). Until now, I've been able to keep my addiction going by stocking up on the REAL stuff at my local grocery store. But to my absolute HORROR when I went in last week, there were only a few 2liters left. In a normal world, this would only mean the stock boy was a big slacker, but I am in Japan and I KNOW better. If something is running low here, you can almost be sure there is a chance you will never see it again. In anticipation of this catastrophe, I bought every bottle of Diet Coke they had left. AND I WAS RIGHT! I was there last night and where DC use to be - now DC with C has taken it place - that evil impostor! Soon there will be no DC left in Toyama. A sad day, to be sure! Perhaps it's time for a healthy change (which in my case means just water - everything else would require additional insulin). A sad day indeed! To think I might have to wait 11 months before I can partake of the "nectar of the gods" once again. The HORROR!

How many gallons of sweat does it take....

before they'll turn the AC on in the teachers room??

I am not sure, but it's retched in here when the AC is not on. I finally broke down and bought a battery operated desk fan (which of course is Mickey Mouse and his ass is the fan - this is Japan folks). Unfortunately it goes thru 2 AA batteries every 2.5 hours. SOOO, I am just buying alot of batteries right now. I will destroy the earth one way or another.

It was so bad today that I escaped to the Post Office for the AC. I ended up buying $132 in stamps. They have SUPER cute Hello Kitty ones right now. I figure I'll use them up soon enough. I also bought the "Beautiful Toyama" collection. And the cool thing was, the lady there had saved me a set. See, the last time I was there, I asked about them and I guess they wrote my name and address off the package I was sending and saved me some. I found this out cause I spent so much money i was eligible for some promotion and she just pulled out the form and wrote my address for me. I like small towns!!!

In other news, I've just returned from a 5 day trip "Up North". Few of us went to Hokkaido, Japan's northern most island. The weather was shit most of the time - rain - but it was COOL - and for that, I loved it! Highlights of Hokkaido.....

Sapporo Beer Museum - interesting; cheese and a beer for a buck
Sapporo City - like most cities - but we stumbled upon a festival
Daisetsuzan - Largest national park in Japan - picture Northern Michigan - same.
Furano - Lavender farm - we had sunny weather - gorgeous flowers - smelled good - best part of the trip.
Hokkaido Historical Village - kinda felt weird cause alot of the building were built in the American style. But no one there but us and a group of elementary students on a trip and they loved to say "hello"!

Fun food: soft cream flavors - lavender, melon, asparagus and beer (not all together); caramel flavors - lavender, beef, potato, corn, cantaloupe, milk, butter, strawberry, and beer; lavender cream puff; squid ink cheese; Hokkaido is famous for cheese and dairy products - apparently all the cows live here, although we never saw a single one.

Fun souvenir: famous in Hokkaido - a little green man (made from algae I believe) with a small green algae ball where his wee wee is located. Pull the ball and he vibrates. Available everywhere in Hokkaido dressed in or as the local theme. (Oh Japan, how I love your marketing strategies!) As you might expect, I bought one. Mine is dressed as a bear so his little willie isn't so noticeable - but you can still pull it and make him shake!

Sometimes the easy way out is the right way out.

Oh happy day - things are starting to look up!

• I dropped my summer class as it was making me physically sick (long story, email if you wanna hear it).
• I finally called the NTT phone guy and they fixed my 2 month long Internet problem (call sooner next time dork!)
• I removed RealPlayer from my system and I can play my favorite MSN game again!!!
• I got new clothes from Old Navy (via mom) and they ALL FIT!!!
• I was selected to assist at the Tokyo Orientation for new JETS in July. So that is a 5 day business trip for me!!! No school, get paid AND T is going that same weekend. Should be fun!
• Going to Hokkaido in a month. It'll be the last hooray with some of my friends that are leaving in August.

But seriously, dropping that class...... "sigh" as the stress floats away. To bad I'll have to take it at some point if I want to graduate.

Note to Self

DO NOT help other people out! Because when the shoe is on the other foot they WILL NOT help you!!!!

Screwed over once again!!! You'd think I'd have learned by now!

BAH!

But really, kids....

What is the point??

Let's Enjoying Crafts

Thought I'd post my latest craft phase - decoupage and origami paper! Fun times!

Here's a close-up of one of the picture frames with a beautiful photo of me (^_^).
And another craft project..... Mom brought me 2 DIY Nesting doll sets when she came in February. I've earmarked one set for five of my friends to paint. The other set is pictured below. The largest doll is Owara dancers (Yatsuo's big festival) and was painted by one of my 3rd year students. She also painted the third doll. The second and fifth dolls are my works of art - the 2nd one is decoupaged origami paper and of course you should recognize the tiny one. The 4th one was painted by another of my 3rd year students. Pretty cool huh!

Pondering Life's Important Questions

You Are a Buttered Popcorn Jelly Bean

You have a strong, distinct flavor that makes you quite controversial. Some people love you, others wish you would disappear forever.

What Flavor Jelly Bean Are You?

A Gaggle of Gaijin Geisha

A picture says a thousand words!

My own private hell

If your a subscriber to the "hell exists" theory (here, there, wherever) then I ask: What does your hell look like? Is it hot, cold, full of enemies, friends?? Well, whatever it may be (please tell me in the comments!!!) I am going to share my current version of hell with you.

• It's hot as Hell (^-^) - like muggy, Michigan/Toyama full on summer hot and humid - EHH!
• I am only allowed to sit 'seiza', so my legs are perpetually numb
• I HAVE to eat dinner, but it's only like fish heads, crickets, worms.... you get the picture
• I have to write a paper for school and I will have waited until the last minute to do it. As soon as I finish one, I'll have another one due two days later. I'll have too many ideas and not enough resourses to support any one of them.

Okay, well the last point there is actually happening RIGHT now and I'm writing this post because I am avoiding writing the paper. I HATE writing papers, I really do, I have the hardest time getting started (hence the due tomorrow thing....). I make writing papers this slow and painful process that general results in me taking lots of naps and stressing out as I write the thing the day it's due. WHY? Why do I hate papers so much? Really, there are not that big a deal...... EHHHH! We are supposed to write this paper as if we are writing for a journal and all I can think is I NEVER want to write for a journal. Or if I have to it'd be for the "Journal of Who Gives a @#$*"

I was actually on a roll today and then i realized that all the notes i'd taken really don't relate to each other - it's like i have 4 pieces of fabric - a circle, a square, a triangle and a rectangle - and I have to sew them into a perfect square banner. YEAH I can sew them together - but it's gonna look like shit! And that is pretty much the state of my paper right now - a lopsided banner of Shit!

Oh man..... Okay, back to hell.....

Raaaaantingggg

Oh, I hate to burden the four people that read this, but I am frustrated and need to rant!

1. I finally (after MUCH kicking and screaming from my motivation) finished the first draft of my graduate course tutorial. Now the stupid #$%*&$# file won't load to the server. I've tried 3 times and each time it FAILS. I have a sinking suspicion it has everything to do with file size.
2. I have 4 tires in the back of my car and I am trying to get rid of them without having to pay for them. To make a long story short, I got new winter tires for my Starlet 2 months ago, I've yet to pay for those tires (the guy never gave me a bill), the Starlet went to shit 2 weeks ago, I got a different car and those tires won't fit, I kept them and they are now in the back of my March, i am TRYING to get my supervisor to call the guy and just ask if he'll take them back and not charge me and she's having a MINDFART (and why is number 3 rant).
3. ALL THREE of my English teachers at Yatsuo are leaving!!!!!!! I won't miss the one dude cause he never let me teach with him anyway. I will miss my supervisor - I mean this is the lady who took me to driving lessons, the dentist, the ladies clinic, and is currently half-heartedly working out the tire situation. This means a new supervisor AND two new JTE's to break in - BAH! Bah, bah, bah!!!!
4. Need to change insurance and they are telling me I need this and that and I am trying to explain I’ll give them what I have and it there is a problem the two $%#*& people that speak Japanese can @#@_ sort it out!!!

Of course the real reason I am sitting here fighting tears is hormones and the fact that most of the situations above are, for the most part, OUT OF MY CONTROL! It's so frustrating! Man, I am going for a walk before I kill someone!

How to Waste an Entire Day

Well, I've managed to waste another day at school. To my credit, I did teach one class - so I can account for 45 minutes of my time. Oh, and I did mentally plan my lesson for tomorrow. The rest of the day was spent reading this blog and sucking snot back up my nasal canal. Bad news is I still have 9o minutes to go. Even worse, I have homework that needs doing........

In other news, there is a convention of teachers being held 10 feet from me. I have no idea what they are really talking about - but in the exciting world of my mind, here's the conversation:

• A-san: "What have you got there?"
• B-san: "The sliding doors from the classrooms. Someone kicked the shit out of them"**
• A-san: "Really??"
• B-san: "Yes, really."
• C-san: "Hum, what should we do?"
• A-san: "Well, I've raided the shoe cubbies of the unruly boys and we are going to match the shoe prints."
• C-san: "Ugh, but they are all unruly."
• B-san: "That's true. This could take awhile. Maybe we should just ask the teacher who was in the room when it happened."
• A-san: "Bah, where's the fun in that. Plus, the shoe technique is more fun. Not as if we're going to actually punish someone for this."
• B-san: "True, true."
• C-san: "Hey, what's that noise?? I hope no one started a fire in the bathroom again!"
• All: "Let's investigate!" (all run out the room. One teacher returns to bag the evidence (aka the tennis shoe))

** someone really is squatting down holding a tennis shoe and comparing it to a stack of broken doors

Happy Easter from Japan!

When good Karaoke goes Bad

This weekend a bunch of us headed to Unazaki, home of famous onsens (naked bathing) resorts in Toyama. I won't lie to you, it was not what I was expecting - more like an extremely overpriced bath (nakesd, with your friends, and strangers). Having said that, I still had a good time with those friends. The inspiration for this post however occurred during our late night karaoke session. Now I am sure most of you have spent some time on the Internet checking out the misheard song lyrics that are rife out there. And the karaoke screens of Japan are in no way immune from this phenomenon. But Saturday night, they destroyed one of my favorite songs and for that I will never forgive them!! I am a big fan of the song Africa, by Toto and my favorite line (and I have no reason why) is:

I know that I must do what's right
Sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti

I was all set to sing it and what do I see on the screen but this:

I know that I must do what's right
Sure as Kilimanjaro rises LIMBLESS above the SAD KENYA

WTF?????

Obama-rama

Yet another reason to love Japan :)

My morning routine is this: alarm goes off at 6:50, I hit the snooze about 4 times and finally get out of bed between 7:20-7:30, then I turn on the TV so I can watch the morning news as I go about my business. Obviously, I don't understand the words - but I get the meaning. So this morning as I sat down to eat a bowl of imported Fruit Loops, I watched the news for a bit. And there on the TV was US political campaign crap. But then it was followed with a story about the town of Obama, Japan. It seems they've taken up the cause for Obama and are supporting their namesake. They were singing Obama songs and wearing Obama gear (headbands, tshirts, kimono with Obama obi!) and eating Obama roll cakes (chocolate cake (obama) with white cream (hiliary) - that was a bit disturbing), Obama bean cakes, Obama fish burgers, you name it. As with all of Japan, the town has taken a local thing (the name Obama) and made it work for them! Hilarious!!!!

You can read about it for yourself here: Obama-rama

Got some free time... Take a quiz

What is Your Fate on Lost?

More on Lost. Created by BuddyTV

Lot's of fun stuff here - check it out here

I love my hair (^-^)b

Should be asleep right now - but.....

Here's some random info for all my loyal readers.

1. I am in a taco betting pool for my friend's baby's due date.
   
2. I got a hair cut 2 weeks ago and I think it's the best hair cut I've ever had (I like it). Think I'll have to stay in Japan forever just to be near my hair stylist.
   
3. Favorite karaoke song - You're All I Have - Snow Patrol


4. Mom will be here in 2 days (^-^)


5. My chat tonight - 90 minutes of playing Scrabble - hahaha!

Good night!

Okay, I've added a photo! Man, my nose looks huge!

Trapped in a Snow Globe

I think I am trapped in some alien's huge snow globe. Well, that's what it seems like anyway. It's been snowing in Yatsuo for the last week or so. For the most part it snows while I am sleeping, requiring me to get my hiney out of bed early to clean off the car. Bad news - we are getting a lot of snow; Good news - it's light, fluffy, and easy to clean. I have no idea what the official count is but I'd have to say over the last few days we've probably gotten about 5 or 6 inches of snow. The cool part, and the inspiration for this blog is, the fact that it will clear up and be nice and sunny out one minute and then the next it's snowing - huge, fluffy blobs of snow. Then it will stop and then 2 hours later start again for another 10 or 15 mins. It really is quite pretty. When I stand outside and look up at the falling snow, I can just picture someone shaking up a snow globe. Of course, this is the real world, so the ground sprinklers intrude and turn the snow into a mass of slush and all the beauty is gone. Although, I do enjoy the rouge sprinkler - the one that shoots water 5 feet higher then its neighbor at random intervals - startling innocent passerbyers.

In other news, this is Adventure Travel at it's finest - and I am SO ready to go:
Immigration and border patrol seems to be at the top of every political conversation. At Parque Eco Alberto, you can go on a pretend 'Night Border Crossing Experience.' The parque is owned by the Hnahnu Indians in Hidalgo, about three hours from Mexico City. The $18, four-hour night hike starts with the Mexico National Anthem. Your 'coyote' guide, Pancho, pulls off his black ski mask while actors gather around to scare you senseless along the way. Run from border control agents; dodge hidden actors shooting (blanks) at you, and make your way through barbed-wire fences. Survivors are blindfolded, led across a rickety bridge, and then set free to run across the border to freedom!

1096 Days

1096 days = the number of days I'll have spent in Japan And guess what today is - it's day #548 - it's EXACTLY the middle. I've been here 548 days and I've got 548 more to go.

I am not gonna lie to you, I've been a little off kilter today - I think maybe subconsciously I knew..... Also, one of my best friends 'offically' decided today that she is going home - and that bums me out a bit. And makes me question my decision to stay (only a little bit, no really merit to the questioning). AND I was reading my blog from the beginning and I need to get the 'genki' back (^-^). So there you have it.

Beep, Beep, Beep, Beep

HELP ME! I am slowing being driven insane by a constant beep emitting from the box on wall behind the VP. I am not sure that the purpose of that box is, security, electricity controls, etc... But every now and then it will start beeping. Usually a teacher or the VP will take a peep and turn the beeping off. But not today - it's been beeping for at least TWO HOURS. So I've got my headset on and I am trying to block the sound with a music. I've found a great website that will let me stream radio from around the world. Today it's bluehair music from Naples, Florida.

So what's up in my world?

Well, I guess the big news would be that I handed in my re-contracting papers today. I will be staying in Japan for a third year!

The class I signed up for is pretty interesting. The homework is kicking my a@@ though. I've got four assignments due each week. Add that to lesson planning, teaching classes, and extra-curricular classes and I've realized that I am a pretty busy person. It was pointed out to me that, of course, I am having trouble organizing all of my tasks because I am not a fresh out of university person. To which I say, when you have a full time job + extra, you come talk to me about "study habits". Might need to re-evaluate my after school activities if I end up taking more than one class a semester. I really thought I'd be able to do alot of reading at work, but this month has been oddly busy. Not sure if the administration said something like "work her or face the consequences" or what - but I've been teaching more lately.

Professor for this course is super nice and has mentioned something worth a little research. That would be teaching in American schools around the world! There are quite a few - and some look really interesting and there is a slight chance my IT degree could get me into one of them. Teaching Americans in Europe? How awesome does that sound?

Social schedule is showing no signs of slowing down. Think I may need to start picking and choosing to protect my budget. Seems everyone in Toyama was born in February though!

Mom and my godmother will be here in 23 days. Need to start planning my driving route so I don't get hopelessly lost in the middle of Honshu! Hahaha. Really looking forward to their visit. But after she leaves, I'll have a traveling dry spell until this summer.

Still haven't sent out my newsletter. Just not inspired to write it this time. Maybe too much going on. Who knows!

Well, the Internet here is on crack, so I am gonna post this before it goes down again!

FUDGE!

Man, I hate it when I have actual work to do and absolutely NO motivation. Not sure if it's my lack of sleep, my super cold toes, or the mounds of snow falling outside but (as you can see) I am doing my best to avoid work. UGH! This does not bode well for the online class I just signed up for (YES, the university finally admitted me - 24 hours before the deadline for registration). I need a lesson on directions, but the teacher probably doesn't want the kids to move around - so that's a challenge - "turn right, but don't actually MOVE!". And I need a "can" lesson for my ichi kids, but that teacher doesn't really like them talking to each other cause they get too rowdy - so no fun there either. Man, maybe I am unmotivated cause all my lesson have to be boring??? You'd think that since this is the second time I've had to teach this stuff I'd be all set. But alas, my previous lesson plans smack of inexperience and need some help. I'll take comfort in the fact that if I can do them better this year, next January will be a breeze (^-^)b.

Well, guess I'd better get cracking.......

It's ALIVE...

Okay, so it was just the battery (^0^)b. The folks here at school got it all sorted and my little piece of shit is back on the road. But I'm still getting a different car come August. So I've purchased a piggy bank (one I can't open) and will start a "new (used) car" fund.

It was only a matter of time...

My car is dead. I picked T up at Toyama Station and drove her home, parked the car to help her carry her suitcases up, chatted for about 5 mins, headed back to the car and NOTHING. It won't turn over and it just makes a horrible little ticking like noise. And all the "your car is f*&K*d" lights are on. SOOOO we pushed it to a safe spot and I walked home.

Am I freaking out? No, it really was only a matter of time before that car died. And really, I am not the best on maintenance - I think my last oil change was this summer (maybe). Depending on the cost of fixing it, there maybe a new (used) car in my immediate future.

The only annoying thing is I can't just call AAA here to get it towed. I'll have to go in to school tomorrow and drop the bombshell and sit back and watch the drama unfold. But with any luck some one's got a brother or neighbor who's looking to sell there nice 2 year old car for a good price!

Hell, wouldn't want things to get TOO easy around here.......

WHOO HOOOO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IT'S JUST LIKE CHRISTMAS!
So I had the post office hold my mail while I was gone and today they delivered it all. So inside my mailbox was: 4 postcrossing postcards, 14 cards and 2 postcards from America, 11 Japanese new year cards, 2 packages from America and 3 packages from Japan (the fruits of my Chuck addiction)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There were lots of goodies inside the packages!!!

PLUS I got a big box yesterday (from Hogan) and I got to "open" my presents from mom and dad (online of course).

So the 12th day of Christmas really was the best day for me!!!

One Night in Bangkok.......

Why are all the sweets in this country filled with bean paste?? Bah!

Well, it's back to work with me today and I started off the new work year the only way I know how - running late as usual! It's just SO hard to get out of bed! And you can't really catch pneumonia from wet hair right?? No kids today or tomorrow, so it's pretty boring (wait, that's pretty much every day anyway - haha). Sooooo, I've had a request to blog about my last trip. So I will, but I am gonna be lazy and copy most of this from an email I sent - so if you got that email - this is a rerun.

One night in Bangkok and the world's your oyster....... (did you know that song is about chess?)

I can't say I was overly impressed with Thailand. Bangkok was just a HUGH dirty city with a sprinkling of attractions. The Grand Palace was GORGEOUS. At least it was something different to look at (as opposed to European churches and Japanese temples). The colors were amazing. Lots of paint and glass mosaics. They like it gaudy! I think I saw about a million Buddhas while there - big ones, long ones (47 meter), tiny ones, emerald ones, ones made of 5 tons of gold......... My companions and I took to the water as well as land. The highlight there was the floating market. They put you in a canoe like thing and you float around amongst the shops. If you wanna buy, you just float on over. I got the Buddha plaque I wanted from that market (good thing too cause that is ONE thing I didn't see for cheaper in Cambodia). What else in Bangkok??? Walked around the foreigner street. Got asked if I wanted to see a "ping pong" show. What is that you might ask.... Well to put it bluntly - it's ladies shooting ping pong balls and other items out of there vagina. I was tempted - just for the entertainment value - but no one else wanted to go. All in all didn't get too wild while I was there. You know me and the people I was with weren't down with "crazy" either.

As for the second part of Thailand - Phuket - save yourself some flight time and head to the Caribbean or Hawaii - it's about the same (I guess I am saying a beach is a beach.....). I did get to visit "James Bond" island - where they filmed the "Man with the Golden Gun". Which dad describes as the worst Bond movie ever. Visited a few other islands, went snorkeling, got sunburned, ate lots of pineapple..... Walked around the main drag and dodged vendors selling the same shit. Got a very cool and crazy hat (that I will never wear but can add to my growing collection of hats from around the world). Went to the "Disney" of Phuket and got to ride on an elephant and see a interesting show (acrobats, elephants on stage, pryotecnices, etc).

Cambodia - I liked it there - again, the temples are different from things I've seen (although by the third day I was like "do we really need to stop at another temple?"). Angkor Wat was impressive but my favorite temple was Ta Prohm, were they filmed scenes from "Tomb Raider" - the ruined temple with the really big trees... I think all in all I visited like 12 different temples and that was only the really popular ones. On the last day, I went for a boat ride to view the floating villages. Which I would more accurately describe as wooden shacks floating on water (with lots of garbage and such floating around them). By American standards these people are living WAY below the poverty level. I tried to capture it on film, but I am not sure you'd get the feeling I got. I don't think the people are unhappy or underfeed or anything like that, but looking at it with a middle class American eye - you couldn't pay me to live like they do. One cute (albeit strange, possible depressing) thing were the kids floating around in metal tubs trying to get you to give them a dollar. And then there was the little baby crawling around on the floor with a snake draped around her neck. She was squeezing the hell out of it and tourists were running from her in terror as she crawled toward them. I gave the mom a buck and took a couple photos.

One of my favorite things about this trip was the inexpensive massages. I got 6 in total - a Thai massage (2x), a aloe massage, a neck/back one where she was walking on me, an elephant massage (which was two Cambodian guys massaging me at once), and a free 15min foot massage. Ah that is the LIFE. Yet I still have this pain in my neck - go figure.

So overall impression:
Thailand - two stars (for the temples and possible seedy underworld that I missed)
Cambodia - four stars (for the people that kept smiling at me (bit creepy actually), awesome historical sites, cheap souvenirs - most of which I brought home, and cooler weather).

So, the question now is.... where to next?????

I give you good price! How much you pay?

OH LORD, someone get my weak willed ass out of this country!!!!!!!!!! It's my second day in Cambodia and I am now the somewhat bewildered owner of 26 scarves, one brass elephant, 2 bags, 3 magnets and 7 braided palm ornaments. Okay, some of that I willingly picked out and purchased. The rest of the stuff (including 18 scarves) were the result of 7 or 9 small children and a 25 foot walk back to the bus. I couldn't help it - they were surrounding me and tossing scarves at me "two for a dollar" and I just kept buying until I ran out of singles!!!! Since then I've decided to only carry $5 in my pocket when we approach a temple with lots of little people clustered outside.

I do have to laugh to myself because my travel companions in Thailand were not impressed with the sale tactics of the merchants in Phuket ("You come look in my shop, I give you good price" was sometimes accompanied with a friendly hand in that direction). Here, they just ambush you with a full frontal attack and surround you until you no longer have the will to say no :). I can only say that I at least haggle with them - so they don't totally fleece me. Of course had I KNOWN I'd have waited until Cambodia to get most of my souvenirs - cause the price is a bit cheaper here. BUT I didn't pay that much for the stuff I got in Thailand. And OF COURSE I bought WAY too much, as I always do. I am not sure if it's my lack of will power, my strange compulsion to buy cause I won't be back or what, BUT at this point I can open a "One week only" store of Thai and Cambodia handcrafts - and I give you good price!! LOL

As for this trip, it's been great. I think I like Cambodia better than Thailand, but that could be because I am not sweating as much here. Angkor Wat was amazing, but I liked the Ta Prohm temple (were they filmed a scene from "Tomb Raider") the best. I still have 2 days and tons more temples to go. I have my own tour guide and driver and it's just me in a 6 passenger van - LOL. I get lunch included everyday and since it's just me, I eat alone, which is probably the only draw back. The people are friendly and Siem Reap is hopping. But since I am alone I still have a sense of uneasy when walking around - so I stick to the main drag. I may venture into "Bar" street tomorrow to mingle with the other foreigners in town. Oh and I get HBO and Cinemax in my hotel - so that rocks - LOL.

Okay, that's it for now, I am off to get a massage! Remember if you want a cotton scarf from Cambodia, I give you good price!!!