:: My Urban Eyes ::
All that I see, and then some.
:: Saturday, December 23, 2006 ::
New Year Ringing
I am totally not a meme person, but this looks like a good way to put the year into perspective. (via Elizabeth's blog, link at left)
Year in Review
1.) Where did you ring in 2006?
In Japan--my friends and I stayed up all night to see the first sunrise, which is a lucky thing to do. We watched Densha no Otoko and other dramas that got sillier as the night went on.
2.) What was your status by Valentine’s Day?
I've been happily not single (coupled? attached?) all year ^_^
3.) Were you in school (anytime this year)?
Yup, in Osaka.
4.) How did you earn your keep?
Starbucks.
5.) Did you ever have to go to the hospital?
Yes. It was just an infection, thank goodness.
6.) Have you encountered the police this year?
Yes. They come into my store to buy coffee and kick out ruckus creators.
7.) Where did you go on vacation?
...does my time in Japan count as a vacation?
8.) What did you purchase that was over $500?
My computer.
9.) Did you know anybody who got married?
Yup, my cousin.
10.) Did you know anybody who passed away?
Yes, my grandfather.
11.) Have you ran into anybody you graduated high school with?
Not a one.
12.) Did you move anywhere?
Cross-country. And technically, cross-globe, I guess.
13.) What sporting events did you go to?.
Hanshin Tigers baseball games, Osaka.
14.) What concerts did you go to?
I don't think I went to any, actually, unless random bands playing at Kansai Gaidai count.
15) Are you registered to vote?
Yup!
16.) If so, did you do your patriotic duty on Nov. 7?
Of course ^_^
17.) Where do you live now?
10th floor of an apartment building, San Francisco, California.
18.) Describe your birthday:
Red Lobster. And we forgot to tell them it was my birthday, hehe.
19.) What’s the one thing you thought you would never do but did in 2006?
Move to California.
20.) What is one thing you regretted this year?
Not keeping in touch with my Japanese friends.
21.) What’s something you learned about yourself?
That sometimes, to create pressure/motivation to get something done, I stress myself out about it.
22.) Any new additions to your family?
No babies, but I did gain a cousin-once-removed.
23.) What was your best month?
January. Mark and I travelled around Japan, I rode my bike everywhere, I spent full days in the pottery studio and full nights with friends, watching Japanese dramas and music videos.
24.) What pop culture event will you remember 2006 by?
I'm going to remember the year by the Japanese pop culture I experienced--Seishun Amigo, Pop Star, and karaoke in general.
25.) How would you rate this year with a scale from 1 (crappy) to 10 (amazing)?
Japan is going to be hard to beat. A 9.
Labels: Life
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:: Wednesday, December 13, 2006 ::
Take a Left at Christmas, a Right at the Moon
I've been having some semi-hard thinks about what direction I would like my life to head in. (A semi-hard think is a hard think without an impending deadline for action.) I finally feel settled in to where I am and the rhythm of things here, so the thought of changing or adding a couple of things doesn't feel as hairy as it once did.One big part is, how do I want Japanese to fit into my life? How big of a role should it have? Do I want to actively pursue gaining fluency, try and maintain my current level, or just let it slide?
As much as I love Japanese, I don't know if I want it to become my vocation. Right now I'm thinking about journalism--public radio. I would love to do This American Life-esque stories, with witty, deep writing complimented by well-placed music. So maybe journalism will be the elusive "grad school" I'm saving up for.
There are things I'm thinking about doing in the meantime. There's a Japanese language school in town with once a week classes on the cheap. They cater to lower level students, but two of their classes--Practical Communication and Reading for Comprehension--look interesting. The next round of classes starts in mid-January, making for awesome timing.
San Francisco is home to one of the nation's leading public radio stations, KQED. They produce many shows that are aired nationally and broadcast several (that's right, not just one, but several) public television channels. They have openings for two types of volunteers--people to answer the phones during pledge drives, and "daytime" volunteers who can do office work and other menial tasks during a 9-5. Maybe, just maybe, I could work that out around my 'Bux schedule. KQED is a union house so I wouldn't be able to do any audio production work hands-on, but it may be the little oomph I need to get into the field.
2006 was a year of big changes for me, between Japan and graduating and moving to San Francisco. Perhaps 2007 will be a year of many smaller, orderly changes towards a common goal.
Labels: Life
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:: Monday, November 20, 2006 ::
A New Yorker Thanksgiving
Cartoonist Chris Ware did four New Yorker covers for their Thanksgiving issue, and they rock. I'm having a hard time deciding which one I want to arrive in my mailbox! I especially love that characters show up on more than one cover, and that seeing all four provides a more complete story. To see what I mean check them all out (in high res, yea!) here.update: [11.22.06] I got the cover pictured here, go fig, hehe. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Labels: Media
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:: Friday, November 17, 2006 ::
Konnichiwa, pasokon desu.
I'm a big fan of the "I'm a PC/I'm a Mac" ads... and they've finally come to Japan! The cultural differences are funny--the PC dude is a "salary man", and the Mac dude uses slightly less formal Japanese. The acting isn't as good as in the American version, though. :/ Here's my favorite vid, followed by a translation by yours truly:
Mac: Hi there, I'm a Mac.
PC: Hello, I'm a PC.
Mac: Ah, an iPod. What'cha listening to?
PC: Some Eurobeat.
Mac: Eurobeat?
PC: Isn't iPod great? iTunes is easy to use, and podcasts are fun, too.
Mac: Well, a Mac is just as simple for stuff like photos and movies, since it uses iLife.
PC: iLife, eh? Well, I have some pretty cool software, too.
Mac: Ahh, like what?
PC: A calculator.
Mac: ...anything else?
PC: A clock!
edit [6.18pm]: Here's the original ad in English. ^_^
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 5:54 PM [+] ::
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:: Thursday, November 16, 2006 ::
Coffee's Hidden Dangers
Being a barista is a lot of things I thought it would be--busy, fun, hard, an opportunity to meet and talk with lots of people. There are some pros and cons I never dreamed of, and wasn't warned about, either.Pro: Boost in short-term memory. Small victories are when a customer rattles off their drink in a non-standard order, and I repeat it back in the correct order without forgetting anything. A bigger victory is when an unclaimed drink has been sitting on the bar . "What is this drink?", a customer asks. Without looking--"ah, that's a grande decaf two pump sugar free vanilla extra hot no foam latte for Pat." I feel so good when I get it right. ^_^
Con: Damage to hands. The sleeves we put on cups tear up cuticles something awful. I didn't know my cuticles were nice until some turned bad! Oh, well.
Back to memory--while my short-term memory may be improving, my longer term memory is still shot. I remember our most regular of regulars--a name or a drink, but rarely both. Our new assistant manager is insane--he's only been working at my store for a few weeks but he already knows all of the regulars and their drinks, and some semi-regulars as well. I'm in awe.
This weekend Mark's work is having some parties--it's going to be a blast! One's a cowboy costume party, so tomorrow I'm going out to buy a fitting hat. ^_^
image credit: Julius Schorzman
Labels: Work
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:: Monday, November 13, 2006 ::
It's Raining in San Francisco
It's the perfect day to curl up with a blanket, sip a cup of tea, listen to mellow piano based music (so far: Ben Folds Five - Brick, Annie Lennox - No More I Love Yous; upcoming: Vince Guaraldi Trio - various), and look out the window thinking, "glad I'm not out there".
If you haven't guessed, this is exactly what I'm doing. ^_^
Labels: Life
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:: Friday, November 10, 2006 ::
Ceramic Goodies
I just realized I never posted the pictures of my work from the second semester of ceramics class... so I'm gonna fix that! ^_^
Plate, white clay, dripping shirohagi over black (OF), W.19.5cm H.2cm.
I made a dinner set using this design--four dinner plates, two dessert plates, four sushi plates, a saucer-like plate, a bowl and several cups. Fell in love with the look of it. ^_^
Bowls, white clay, slip decoration, sekkai (OF), W.14cm H.5.9cm.
I use these whenever I have cereal--the perfect size! Sensei and I joked that they are setto-ppoi, or "a set... ish". A good potter can make bowls very similar in shape and size, a master potter can make perfect copies. I on the other hand make stuff that's bascially a set, but doesn't stand up to scrutiny.
Jar, white clay, inside - shirohagi, outside - spraying kurotenmoku and shirohagi separately (RF), W.10cm H.11cm.
Bowl, red clay, pouring haiseiji inside after dipping irabo (RF), W.12.5cm H.8.2cm.
This bowl, destined for large servings of soup, broke en route to America. -_- All in all I lost one large rectangle plate and three bowls of various sizes... not too bad considering how much I sent back, but sad none the less. I took my most prized pieces--the dinner set, a teapot made by Sensei, and others, in my carry on.
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 6:11 PM [+] ::
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Of Bats and Sleep
I just heard this on This American Life's Halloween episode. All of the stories for this show are not only scary, but real to boot. Carbon monoxide poisioning making a family think their house is haunted. A monster that has escaped from the insane asylum. And this, from a story about attacking, rabid raccoons:...which brings me to a quick public service announcement. A bat can bite you in your sleep without you even knowing it, and without leaving a mark. So if you find one in a room with a sleeping person, you have to catch it and have it tested [for rabies]. And if you can't catch it you should go to a doctor.
I'm serious. I learned about this, it freaked me out, and now I want to tell people.
Not only is it scary, but it's also factual, informative, well-written and well-presented: damn fine radio.
image credit: University of Missouri
Labels: Radio
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:: Thursday, November 09, 2006 ::
Blogger Beta
It's neat because I finally get tags, like a real blogger. But my archives seem to have disappeared off of the sidebar. Not cool. Working on a fix for it at the moment, we'll see how it goes.
Update: [2.40pm] Fixed! Yea knowing a tiny bit of html!
Labels: Media
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:: Tuesday, November 07, 2006 ::
Numbers Rolling In
The best way to watch the returns--highly visual news network on the tv, NPR out of the stereo. Great information and eye candy all together--perfect. ^_^
Labels: Democracy
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:: Sunday, November 05, 2006 ::
Random Remembrance, Plus
- There are no unit prices in Japanese supermarkets. So when you're trying to decide if the jumbo size is really worth it you're left to your mental math or cell phone calculator. Added difficulty--in US it's a given that you'll save money if you buy the gargantuan box of cereal, but that's not always the case in Japan. A six pack of soda costs the same as six single sodas. It makes the unit price more important, and it's lack more glaring.
Other randomness:
I just clipped my nails--it's like an instant +5 for tasks like typing or using my electronic dictionary. Instant ease! It also ups my typing speed--I feel like I'm flying right now!
Mark bought the new Final Fantasy and is loving it. It's neat because I get to watch, ask questions, and enjoy the storyline, but he does all of the fighting/grinding/leveling. -_^
I hope everyone who is eligible votes on Tuesday, if you haven't already! I just watched the HBO documentary on Dibold voting machines, and how easily they are hacked... I might vote absentee next year, just to be safe.
Today I fiddled around, crocheting and knitting some cup sleeves (the cardboard ring that protects your fingers from the heat of your drink). I don't have an actual Starbucks cup here to test it on, so I eyed the size from memory. I get to test them out tomorrow... we'll see how it goes.
I open tomorrow, but I don't want to go to sleep now. It's my day off, I want to enjoy as much of it as possible! The reality of waking up at 3:30 am is fast approaching, though. Boo.
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 10:49 PM [+] ::
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:: Thursday, October 26, 2006 ::
My Media Diet
While I was in Japan I became out of touch with U.S. news and the English language. I read the New York Times and listened to NPR as much as I could, but the slip was slow, steady, and inevitable. Now that my life has settled down and my free time has become predictable I've been able to catch up as far as tv, radio, and print go. Here's what's commanding my attention:
Television
- The Daily Show: The satire has become predictable, but the election coverage is still good. Two new faces stand out: John Oliver as the token Brit and John Hodgman as the Resident Expert.
- The Colbert Report: Still has a refreshing, scathing bite to the writing. I find myself skipping over the Better Know a District segments, but The Word is consistantly well done. I'm also looking forward to the book, which supposedly will be written largely by Colbert.
- Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip: Aaron Sorkin, best known for creating The West Wing, continues to work his wordy magic here. I love the cast (especially the West Wing holdovers), though Amanda Peet's performance is lacking.
Radio and Podcasts
.:NPR:.
- Morning Edition and All Things Considered [RSS]: perhaps the best national news out there.
- KQED's The California Report [RSS]: My (vain?) effort to become familar with California news and politics.
- WNYC's On the Media [RSS]: A weekly hour long look at issues facing the media, from the obvious (bloggers getting jailed, the ethics of anonymous sources) to the not so obvious (pop song references in legal decisions, the outing of Lonelygirl15).
- This American Life [RSS]: "Stories based around a theme", though that description does it little justice. Some of the most interesting, captivating radio in existance.
.:Other:.
- Stanford Campus Events and Lectures [RSS]: Speeches by leaders in their field. I especially love the Knight Fellow journalism talks.
- The New Yorker: What can I say? Awesome and essential.
Needless to say, I reccomend all of these. ^_^ Is there something I should add to my list? Leave a comment and let me know!
Labels: Media
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 10:08 PM [+] ::
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:: Friday, October 20, 2006 ::
I Love Work, but Owww
Earlier this week I got burned at work. >_< It wasn't a simple coffee burn or steamed milk burn, but a cheese burn. We have these new warming ovens for our breakfast sandwhiches--all of which include cheese. When I took a hot sandwhich out of the oven a stray piece of melted cheese slid off of the parchment paper and right onto my arm. Left a second degree burn about the size of a pencil eraser. When I used my other hand to brush the cheese off, a layer of skin went with it. >_<
It didn't hurt too much, which is good. I've been keeping up with band-aids and triple antibiotic (a.k.a. Neosporin), but it hasn't completely healed yet. You can be sure I'll be more careful with the sandwhiches from now on! It turns out burns are pretty common in warming stores. In fact, my shift supervisor has one in the exact same spot.
Today was a pretty crazy day at work--the line didn't stop. Oracle is in town, there's a medical conference across the street from the store, and there's a marathon on Sunday. It's gonna be interesting to say the least. ^_^
Labels: Work
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:: Tuesday, October 17, 2006 ::
Aoki-san Branches Out
This may only make sense to Kansai Gaidai-ites, so bear with me.
We all love Aoki-san, ne! Look, here he is with Arashi on Music Station!
Wait wait wait, the actor Takenaka Naoto is on Music Station? Why would that be? Well, to sing his new song, of course! Here's the music video (he's the guitar-less one):
I'm still in shock.
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 9:10 AM [+] ::
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:: Thursday, October 12, 2006 ::
An Evening with John Hodgman
Talk about simply amazing. John was super funny while reading excerpts from his book, The Areas of My Expertise, and ultra funny while answering all of our questions. Perhaps the best was the story of his night in a British gaol after being apprehended at London Zoo after hours... I can't do it justice here.
John is so nice and really took his time with everyone. When I told him my name he was like, "Oh really, with a K?" and told me about the book Smiley's People, where Karla with a K is a Russian spy, a villain. The only famous Karla I knew of, I said, was the axe murderer Karla Faye Tucker, who isn't much better. So, when he kindly signed my book he wrote:
Update: [10.14.06] It turns out Violet Blue was at the event as well, and she has posted photos and three great videos with hopes of a few more down the line. Watch and enjoy!
Labels: Photos
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:: Sunday, October 08, 2006 ::
Just Some Pictures
I've been meaning to post. Very random, as that's how my brain is tonight.
Rooftop smoker.
Old pretty roof in new shopping center.
Three alarm fire in the city a little over a week ago--I don't think anyone was hurt, thank god. Apartment building under renovation went up in smoke. Quite a sight--this is from my apartment.
Bay Bridge, outbound.
And here's the line to get back in.
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 10:29 PM [+] ::
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:: Friday, September 29, 2006 ::
Crochet and Espresso
On Tuesday I celebrated my day off with a trip to the closest big box craft store in Emeryville. While I love independants to death, the only yarn I've been able to find in the city is beautiful and expensive ($12/skein and up) or just expensive (what should be a $2.50 skein selling for $5).
So off on BART to Emoryville, which turns out, is a suburban wasteland. They had a free bus that looped around "town", which was good, because absolutely nothing was in walking distance. Even the things that were were separated by freeways and their cloverleafs. (Lingustic note: both 'cloverleafs' and 'cloverleaves' are valid plurals of cloverleaf, a kind of interstate interchange. On the other hand, when refering to the plant they are "clover leaves", space included. Huh. I guess when we reappropiate words the grammar can change along with the meaning--neat.) Anyway, it's not a friendly town for those without a car, athough the bus system is certainly trying.
Find my way to big box store number one to find a quite small, ill-stocked store that doesn't even have cable needles. I do manage to snag a skein of cute baby yarn, though.
Once I was able to find the bus stop going the other way (yaaargh routes splitting as if there's one way when there isn't) I take it to big box store number two, which lives up to all of my ideals--nice sized yarn section, cable needles, hooks in all sizes and two different brands, a nice person on register to give my money to. My take ended up being another skein of baby yarn (for knitting and hopefully some preemie hats for the hospital), some nicely shaded Red Heart, and some awesome Caron Simply Soft in dark brown and heather gray. The lattermost is the beginning of an afghan in ripple stitch. When I told Mark about it I hyped it as "something great to cuddle with on the couch or have on the bed!" forgetting that he radiates heat and never gets cold on the couch nor in bed. So maybe it'll just be a blanket for me. -_^
Everything else is going really well. I still love work, yea! ^_^ Next week Starbucks is implimenting a company wide pay raise, which in my region means a bump of almost a dollar an hour. I won't qualify for it until I reach my 6 mo. mark at the beginning of Febuary, though. :/ It'll be an awesome bump when it happens--January 1st city min wage rises to meet infation (yeaaa living wage law!), going up $0.35/hr. At six months I'll get bumped up the remaining $0.65/hr or so, plus the pay raise that comes at my six month review. That will certainly make waiting a little easier! ^_^
I'm up to speed on bar, even rush speed, which is a lot of fun. It's kind of like a puzzle--in what order should I start these drinks so we have them made in the least amount of time? It's a fun challenge. When a customer asks for a drink to be remade, though, the entire system crumbles and things get backed up. Sometimes it's legit (we mismade the drink, the cup was mismarked, the customer forgot to ask for non-fat milk) and sometimes it feels like they're milking the system ("I wanted a venti, not a tall", "I wanted a quad espresso, not a solo"). We smile and make the drink to their liking, but sometimes you wonder if they are honest mistakes.
Next week our maple drinks come out--maple latte, maple frappuccino, probably a maple creme, too. We already got some syrup in so we got to sample it--very sugary, but very very good. I have trouble drinking a plain ol' latte, but a maple latte? No problem.
One thing that a lot of my coworkers (and I) are worried about is gaining weight at work. We get free drinks before, during, and after our shifts, so it's easy for calories to build up. One coworker only drinks tea and coffee which, unsweetened, are less than 10 calories a cup. Another always has a glass of water nearby to quell the urge for a mocha. I'm doing my best to stick to splenda-sweetened tea, and when I do get a maple or chai latte I use non-fat milk and use fewer pumps of syrup. Every little bit, right?
...right! ^_^
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 8:55 PM [+] ::
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:: Tuesday, September 12, 2006 ::
Golden Year
Now that I'm basically settled in and have time to breathe, I find myself thinking about Japan a lot. It's all too easy to picture myself there--at the University, walking to the train station, doing all-night karaoke at Jankara, exploring Namba with friends. The bittersweet part is that I can remember the spacial elements so clearly. I can still remember which escalator to take to get to the 300 yen store in Vivre and what buildings line the road to school. I can close my eyes and bike down the steep hill to Tsutaya at 11 pm to get the newest game for my DS Lite. Seeing it and knowing that it's half a world away makes me want to cry.
My time in Japan was a golden year in my life. I made amazing friends, saw incredible sights, and grew and changed in more ways than I thought possible. While high school and college bring the prospects of reunions and homecomings, a study abroad is final. There is no way that all of us can get together again from all corners of the globe, stay in the dorm, and hang out 'like old times'. This is something I realized during my last few weeks in Japan, but denied in order to enjoy each moment to the fullest. I guess this pain, this bittersweet natsukashii, is what I get on the back end.
But I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. It reminds me that these are things to remember, friends to cherish, and a self discovered. In that sense, I hope this awful feeling lasts a long long time.
To everyone I met in Japan: I remember you, I miss you, and I thank you.
Labels: Japan
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 11:26 PM [+] ::
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:: Monday, September 11, 2006 ::
The Fad I'm Glad to Miss
Over the past two weeks I've found myself thinking, "Last year, at this time, I was in Japan" quite a bit. It's a bittersweet natsukashii, or nostalgic, feeling. While sometimes I see a dorama/music video/quiz show that makes me wish I were back in Japan, now and then something comes along that makes me glad I'm back home:
This ad is all of the rage in Japan now, the media you cannot escape. These girls even perform the ad live on morning and variety programs. Crazy, eh?
As for the move, it went really really smoothly. We had six people total and it took two hours for two van loads. The couch (!) also arrived yesterday, and the cable guy came in to do his thing. Today is a lot of unpacking and settling in.
The apartment is awesome--Mark and I are taking such joy in the little details. Things like the bathroom actually being a walk away from the bedroom, having a couch to nap on, a rug in front of the couch to put your feet on, a kitchen with actual drawers. Not to mention being able to stretch without smacking something or someone. -_^
It's my day off, but the city is calling me--time to do some shopping! ^_^
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 12:24 PM [+] ::
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:: Friday, September 08, 2006 ::
The View from There
The view from our new apartment! To the left is the Ritz Carlton on Stockton. If you look down Stockton you can see all kinds of stores around Union Square like Cody's Bookstore and Macy's. It's even more spectacular in person--completely mind blowing.
We're all set up to move this Sunday--van rented, friends cajoled, fridge being eaten through. It's only a half block, but all of the pains of moving remain.
In other news, work is going awesomely. My coworkers rock, the customers are cool, and the work is fun. This week I've finally gotten on bar, which is actually putting together the espresso drinks. There are a lot of recipes to keep straight, but many are similar, which helps. Next to work on is my speed, and steaming milk to get awesome foam.
That's it for now... wish us luck for the move!
Labels: Life, Photos, San Francisco, Work
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 10:19 PM [+] ::
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My third visit - I think I'll post a comment. YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY for bigger apartments! Heck - you both moved across the country by yourselves. I'm sure you two can manage doing the 1/2 block thing with friends :-). I have faith!
-e
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-e
:: Wednesday, September 06, 2006 ::
Balloon Walk
Lower California St.
Labels: Photos
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:: Wednesday, August 30, 2006 ::
Sightseeing Plus
Wah, what a week! Mark's parents visted from Ontario, so we took every opportunity to do the tourist thing. I'm warning you right now, this is going to be very picture heavy!
First up, Muir Woods, home of the California Redwood!
But first you have to get there. ^_^ The best way is over the Golden Gate Bridge, which was neat! Quite foggy that morning (not unexpected, if you saw my earlier weather post), but that just added to the mystique of it.
Pedestrians and bikes can go over the bridge for free. Cars don't pay anything to get out of the city, but there's a $5 charge to get back in.
Once you get close to the park the roads get really hairy--basically climbing up a mountain and cominging halfway down the other side. Mark did a great job driving--I would have been so scared!
See? Sharply turning road, white line, no shoulder, three tufts of grass, cliff. Eeeep.
Once you're there it's incredibly beautiful. We were lucky to catch a ranger tour that was just starting. He was a great tour guide and we learned a ton. One girl on the tour was celebrating her birthday, so she got to wear a banana slug on each arm for the duration of the tour. I kinda wish I got a picture of her, it was neat.
Being a federal forest nothing is disturbed--fallen trees included. The only exception is where fallen trees obstruct the walking path.
Mark's parents and I in the large hollow of a redwood tree.
Mark and I in the same spot.
~*~
That's it for right now--more pictures upcoming, though!
Labels: San Francisco
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 9:29 PM [+] ::
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Actually, fallen trees do get taken cared of - especially ones like that over the path. We call that kind of snag a "wider'maker" for obvious reasons. It's nice to see pictures of that park ;-). About how far a drive was it from San Francisco?
The ranger dude said that in Muir Woods the only trees that get touched/moved are those across paths, so... ~holds hands up in the air in an "I have no idea!" fashion~ -_^
The drive isn't too long--under an hour, I think.
The drive isn't too long--under an hour, I think.
I'm not accusing you, dear. ;-) I'm just telling you what *we* do at *our* National Park. I should know, I report those snags to trails all the time. Of course, we have plenty of reasons for our trees to be a safety hazard - Chestnut Blight, Dogwood Blight, Hemlock Wooley Adelgid, ::counts off list of zillions of other tree diseases because of non-native infestations and general human stupidity:: Oh, and Justin wants me to tell you that the road has lines on it - so it shouldn't be scary. I guess he's still feeling resentment for the 1 lane gravel mountian road I drove him up at breakneck speed. ;-)
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:: Thursday, August 17, 2006 ::
The View from Here
Click through for nice big version.
The view from my apartment window! Well... actually, the view when standing on our fire escape, but shhhh. -_^ At far right you have the Transamerica Building, the most recognizable skyscraper in the city. In the middle on top of the hill is Coit Tower. Between them you have a glimpse of the Bay--how much of a glimpse depends on the fog. -_^
Going to have a new apartment soon (cross your fingers for the lease!), so soon there will be a new panorama, yea!
Labels: Photos, San Francisco
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 10:56 AM [+] ::
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:: Wednesday, August 16, 2006 ::
A Sit Read
A Sit Read
This is in the spirit of a "daily photo", but without the promise of being daily. -_^ Taken on California Street.
Labels: Photos, San Francisco
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 6:58 PM [+] ::
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:: Tuesday, August 15, 2006 ::
Six Ways to Say the Same Thing
Only in San Francisco. Read seven day forecast aloud for full effect. ^_^
Labels: Photos, San Francisco
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 11:41 PM [+] ::
:: ... 2 comments
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you know, someone told me or i must of read it some place, that san fran gets morning fog now and again!
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# posted by 
: 3:59 PM
: 3:59 PM:: Monday, August 07, 2006 ::
The Simple Things
Okay, call me totally simple minded, but there is a joy to be had from having your iced vente passion tea lemonade marked with "Our Karla". (We put people's names on their drinks when they order.) That whole sense of belonging and so on--warm and fuzzy! *^_^*
It was a good day at work--I was on the register for my entire shift and took in around $1,100 in sales(!). I'm feeling a little better at marking cups, which is a code of its own. And tomorrow was made a day off, so I'm only closing three times this week, wheee.
Oh, and it turns out I'm not eligible for tips while I'm training... but today was my last "training" shift! Yea!
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 10:11 PM [+] ::
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:: Sunday, August 06, 2006 ::
Let There Be Morphs
Mark and I went to an Anime Convention right here in town... well, it used to be an anime convention, but now they're trying to make it more of an animation convention. Which was awesome. ^_^
We got to see Merlin, the director of, get this, the Wallace and Gromit movie that came out last year. He brought a suitcase of characters along with him, including a couple of Gromits (he's Gromit's lead animator) and the were-rabbit.
And then afterwards he held a claymation workshop where we could make our own charcter! He taught us how to make Morph, basically the simplest human-esque character possible in clay.
They came out with varying levels of success... Mark's fella, on the right, is giving my sorry guy a pat on the head. :P
Mark and the were-rabbit and Morph.
~warning: webcomic madness below~
Other highlights include meeting Greg Dean of Real Life Comics and Jes of MacHall. It's all a very twisted web: Mark works for Three Rings, and Ian of MacHall was recently hired there. Jes is his girlfriend, I am Mark's girlfriend, and Greg is a friend, period, and so on. (Everyone, by the way, is super cool. Super super cool.)
Anywho, later there's a webcomics panel, and we arrive a little late because the main room was running way over on time. By the time we pop in the panel has degenerated into god-knows-what. Greg and Jes are there, along with a girl we don't know and a guy we don't know. As the guy-we-don't-know rants we realize... it's Shirt Guy Dom from Megatokyo! The one webcomic that I've read the most of. Sort of mind blowing in a way, especially when Mark is pointed out to him (as a Ringer) instead of the other way around.
...okay, I realize that probably made no sense to anyone but Elizabeth, and that my writing skills are less than sterling this morning, but I hope that was at least somewhat coherent.
Anyway. We had a lot of fun. ^_^
To make up for all of that crazy rambling blab, here are some San Francisco pictures for ya!
Cable car! This is near the Chinatown library.
The State Seal, as found near City Hall. Yes, that is Minerva, who is also the symbol of the University at Albany. Real life convo with Mark about the motto:
Karla: Our motto is Eureka, as in, "I've found it?"
Mark: ~shrug~
Karla: That's dumb. New York's motto is Excelsior, which means, "Ever upward". I like that better.
Mark: But we don't need to go ever upward--we already found it.
Labels: San Francisco
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 1:04 PM [+] ::
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:: Thursday, August 03, 2006 ::
A Job!
Sorry I didn't post after my interview, but I've been a little busy... with my job! ^_^ You are looking at one of Starbucks' newest baristas, yea! Interviewed on Monday, started Tuesday, worked the closing shift Wednesday (yesterday), and work the close again today and Friday. My store is really really busy, so 7pm-12:45am is the only time it's possible to learn with less pressure. I'm hoping that once I get into things I'll get more (busy and fun!) midday shifts, but we'll see. I may have to open now and then too--that's 4:15am >_< Luckily, the store is only three well lit blocks from my apartment, so it doesn't look like the walk should be a problem.Anywho, just wanted to pass along the good news! ^_^
Labels: Work
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 10:34 AM [+] ::
:: ... 3 comments
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Congrats!!! I know you're happy and relieved. Think of you often, have fun!! love love love
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# posted by : 10:08 PM
: 10:08 PM:: Friday, July 28, 2006 ::
A Day
This morning I had an interview at the Houseware store, and I think it went quite well. Turns out it was just a prelim with the floor managers, a secondary interview with the store manager during the week of August 7th. I have an interview at the local coffee shop Monday though, and I'm kind of hoping I do well with that.
I've been thinking about the pros and cons of each job, it's quite a quagmire. The coffee shop would be busy, bustling, hectic, and fun. (For me those are all positive adjectives. Well, hectic is neutral.) Higher chance of burnout, I'd say, but it would be a ton of fun. The houseware place, on the other hand, would be more laid back, a bit slower paced (though still busy at times), and probably boring.
So should I take the more fun job that may burn me out, or the more boring one that's a safer bet? Well, my favorite jobs in the past have been the hectic ones--advisement, open houses as a tour guide, etc. I get a charge out of interacting with people. Was I drained when I got home? Most definately. But I couldn't wait to go back the next day. Other jobs that were more boring (and will not be named) were torture to be at, and I had a hard time hauling my butt there in the first place. So, I'm leaning toward the coffee shop. But we'll see.
Other stuff today--got my Cali driver license in the mail, and mere nine days after I went there. My picture is awful. It's the kind you never show anyone, ever. The camera made my face all red, and the camera operator made me take off my glasses! I think this is the first time I've seen myself without glasses, to be honest. A mirror doesn't work because by the time I get close enough to be in focus all I can see is my nose. :P And the license itself is ugly, too, all yellow, the exact color that looks horrible on me. -_^ And they couldn't even bother to print up my info in a nice font, it looks all dot matrix. It seems a little sturdier than a NY license, though, while not being a "credit card" license in rigidity.
I've been watching a ton of the West Wing lately, and have been a very happy, wordy girl because of it. Isn't Sorkin's writing wonderful? He only wrote the first four seasons, I think, and I'm at the beginning of season three. ^_^
I could have sworn there was something else I wanted to write about... huh. When I think of it, if I think of it, I'll be sure to add it in an edit. Until then, I hope everyone has a great weekend!
Labels: Work
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 9:02 PM [+] ::
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:: Wednesday, July 26, 2006 ::
Interviews
I have two! One is this Friday at the housewares place, and the other is Monday with Coffee Shop B. I've also put in an online application with Coffee Shop (well, company) C. There are actually four major coffee chains here, so there's still another option if everything else falls through, but I hope it doesn't. I really want a job, especially at Shop B. Three blocks away! Busy store, always hopping. I think I would be a good barista. ^_^ That and being without a job is more stressful than I thought it would be. Wish me luck.
Labels: Work
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 6:05 PM [+] ::
:: ... 3 comments
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Hey -
Congrats!!! I feel for you and the without a job stress. Something I just found out - SanFran has a "living wage" law, if Mark hasn't told you yet. So if any interviewer asks about pay, this may be important. :-) I care, so I don't want you out of the loop. Again, at work, so not signing in. We're always thinking of you!!!
-Eliz
Congrats!!! I feel for you and the without a job stress. Something I just found out - SanFran has a "living wage" law, if Mark hasn't told you yet. So if any interviewer asks about pay, this may be important. :-) I care, so I don't want you out of the loop. Again, at work, so not signing in. We're always thinking of you!!!
-Eliz
# posted by : 3:49 AM
: 3:49 AM
Elizabeth - I looked into it--the "living wage" is a minimum wage that is tied to inflation, so it goes up every year. Right now it's over $8.50/hr, I think. It's a San Fran ordinance and doesn't carry over to the rest of the state, which has it's own min wage (still higher than NY's :P). Thanks for the heads up! ~hughughug~
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:: Sunday, July 23, 2006 ::
Karla the Cook
Tonight I made up a dinner myself--a first! Not from a recipe, not from the back of a box, but honest to god looking in the fridge, seeing what we have, and creating something from it. I'm pretty proud of myself. ~puffs out chest~
Dinner tonight--kilbasa wrapped in those croissants that come in a tube, with a side of scrambled eggs that have green peppers in. It wasn't bad! The spice of the kilbasa was interesting against the butter of the croissant. And the eggs actually came out decent too. A little culinary victory. ~makes a peace sign, Japanese style~
Also, yea for going to the supermarket today, hehe. We actually have food now! I stocked up on my Special K Red Berries (it tastes really good!), yogurt, and milk. Mark and lactose don't get along very well, so any dairy in the house is mine... all mine! Bwahahaha... ha... a... -hem.
Other news--have an interview scheduled for this Friday at the houseware store. It's not my first choice, but they're the only ones to call me back so far. I'm going to drop applications off at several more coffee shops that are close by--there's at least five in easy walking distance, all nice and busy spots. I think I'd be a lot happier there than in housewares--more people to talk with, no chance of getting bored. Also saw some other "Now Hiring" signs on Sutter, so I'm going to head down there, too. We'll see what happens. ^_^
Labels: Life
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 9:41 PM [+] ::
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Things I Have Learned in San Francisco
(also, things San Francisco has taught me)
Lesson #1 - A Hill a Day Keeps Your Legs in Shape
Yesterday Mark and I walked all over the city, up and down many hills. And we're talking San Francisco hills--so steep the sidewalk is a set of stairs. According to Mark, I cannot "carry over" those hills to last me the rest of the week, the slate is wiped clean everyday. Darn.
Lesson #2 - Always Carry Your Camera
The plan for yesterday, in my head anyway, was to head to a shoe store to find Mark some shoes that actually fit (success!), then go out to lunch, then "whatever". We ended up going on a nice, long walk. We came up to the top of this hill, where there was a park. Then we looked to our left and said, "Aren't those the houses at the beginning of Full House? And this is the park they're eating in and stuff! Woah!" Cameraless. Lesson learned.
Lesson #3 - The Next Market will Always Have Greener Veggies
I live a couple of blocks from Chinatown, which makes for cheap veggie shopping. There are a ton of markets, and the quality of each fruit/veggie varies at each--this one as better peaches, but the lettuce at that one looks awesome, and so on. Whenever I settle ("This looks green enough") and buy whatever-it-is, the very next stall has the same thing in even better quality. If I don't buy it the next stall will have rotten whatever-it-is. Without fail.
I think I'm going to keep on adding to this list as time goes on--it's good to remember what you've learnt. ^_^
Labels: San Francisco
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 8:12 AM [+] ::
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:: Friday, July 21, 2006 ::
A Powerful Story
I love National Public Radio. I got this story via their Story of the Day RSS feed, and whoa, what a story. It's about the miltary's burn center and what miracles happen there every day. Soldiers go from Iraqi battlefield to the burn center in Texas in as few as 36 hours, with a stop in Germany along the way. Don't get me wrong, it's a sad story (I needed some tissues), but it's also an important one to hear--to know what some of the 18,000 men and women wounded in this war are going through.
Here's the NPR page for the story, mp3 file, and the Story of the Day podcast (RSS).
Labels: Radio
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 4:07 PM [+] ::
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:: Monday, July 17, 2006 ::
Goings On
I've been doing so much stuff this past year, from Japan to Albany to San Francisco, that I've forgotten that blogging can be more than travel pictures. So, welcome to the pinball machine of my brain. -_^
Things are going really well here. Waiting to hear back from the three companies I applied at... kinda nervous just waiting, but there's nothing more I can do. Looking to go to the DMV this week or early next to get my driver's license. I have to take a written test, kinda like the permit test, before they'll give me one. I've been reading through the nearly 100 page handbook, and I'm surprised by how many things are different than New York--painted curbs, a speed limit of 70 on some highways... little things, I guess. But this test will be on the little things, boooo.
I love living close to Chinatown. Today I got some apples and peaches there, along with yakisoba and milk. Milk is so expensive here! Fully double the price in New York--I think I paid $2.19 for a half gallon of skim. I guess those happy cows have agents or something. And while back home you can get blueberries, which are in season by the way, for a dollar a pack or so. Here you get a half pack for $1.25. And the berries are grown in California! What the hell! I realize that living in a city the price of groceries is higher than elsewhere, but still. Double the price? Please.
Mark has a PS2, so I've been enjoying his games while he's at work. Game of the moment is Katamari Damacy, where you roll a ball around. It's sticky, so it picks up stuff and grows in size, hopefully to the point where you get to roll up the world! Bwahahahahaha! ...ahem. It's a lot of fun. ^_^
I've also been catching up on the West Wing. My catching up starts at season one, episode 12. -_^ I'm into season two now, and loving it.
Has anyone caught the first two episodes of Psych on USA? It's about a brilliant slacker-detective type who gets a gig with the police by faking to be a psychic. The first ep showed a lot of promise, but the second one was pretty stale and boring. Don't know how much more of it I'm going to watch.
I have been drinking a lot of wonderful tea lately, so tasty. ^_^ I have a bunch of green tea I brought back with me from Japan, the real stuff. I'm also enjoying Celestal Seasonings' peppermint tea. I'll get around to buying my earl gray eventually, too. I found this place online that sells tea in bulk for cheap--a pound of peppermint for under $2.80. A pound of earl gray for $7.75. The place is a bus ride away, but I may make an adventure out of it. ^_^
I didn't bring any mugs here with me, so I've been using what Mark has. There's this really nice mug--black, well balanced, handsome ...and it has an Ottawa Senators logo on it. I hate the Sens, which happens to be Mark's hometown team. So I'm using the mug, but I try to look at the logo as little as possible. :P
Speaking of adventures, I want to go to the library, but I don't have any proof of address yet, and I can't bear to go if I can't bring anything back with me. Every day I check the mail to see if my ATM card has come through, but no such luck yet.
Ramblings of the day, yea! See what happens when I'm left to my own devices? -_^
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 4:54 PM [+] ::
:: ... 2 comments
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Hey - on the library, our library here in town will send a postcard to you and you return it. That's your proof of address. Any chance they'll do that?
I'm at work, so no sign in ^^
-Elizabeth
I'm at work, so no sign in ^^
-Elizabeth
# posted by : 11:41 AM
: 11:41 AM
I ended up going to the DMV to get my license, which requires no proof of address, then used the interm paper thingie they give you as proof of address at the library. ^_^ That's cool with the postcard thing, though.
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:: Thursday, July 13, 2006 ::
Get 'Round the Square
The bells are ringing
The song they're singing
The sound is bringing the people 'round
They hear the instructions
They follow directions
They travel great distances to the sound
-They Might Be Giants
Today was the Cable Car Bell Ringing Contest, which was a blast. ^_^ Straight to the pictures!
Before the professionals had their shot local tv and radio personalities gave it a go, with the top prize being $1000 to their favorite charity. I think this fella was a traffic reporter.
Here is a video of the runner up, Byron Cobb. I got to shake his hand before his performance--a really nice guy, and a character to boot. I'm sorry the video is sideways, I wanted to get as much of him in frame as possible, and I can't turn it due to technical difficulties. T_T
A San Francisco icon--the bellman for a hotel that's right next to Union Square, where the competition is held. That's the uniform, can you believe it? He looked so hot, the poor guy.
This fella was awful hot, too.
And here is our winner, Ken Lunardi. He was very very good, but I think if Byron was last instead of first he may have won.
Other news for the day--put in some job applications! One is at... let's call it Coffee Shop A. I love the brand--some of the best tea I've had in a chain ever--but it is a rather crowded bus ride away. They will be opening stores downtown in the coming months, so I may be able to transfer. Another is at Coffee Shop B, which is a mere three blocks from my apartment, and is looking for a local to come in full time. I kinda hope they don't need someone to open, which means coming in at 4:15 am. >_< That means I'd have to be asleep by like, 8 pm! Travesty. :P The third is at a housewares store downtown, maybe a 10 minute walk away. All offer benefits, all seem nice... wish me luck!
Labels: Photos, San Francisco
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 6:21 PM [+] ::
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:: Tuesday, July 11, 2006 ::
All Made Up
I can't really believe it, but today I bought makeup. Real adult makeup from a super nice store. (In San Francisco there are only two types of stores--nice and super nice.) I sure paid for it, too. >_< But now I have a simple makeup routine that will make me more presentable when I go apply for jobs later this week into next week. Working in retail, a little bit of makeup will go a long way. Still not my style, but hey, I guess I gotta be realistic.
For those who are into details - tinted moisturizer with some neutralizer mixed in (to get rid of the red in my skin), blush, lip gloss, mascara. All very neutral in color. My only issue at the moment is that the tinted moisturizer is starting to do some weird color splotchy stuff on my nose and forehead... may end up returning that one.
Labels: Life
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 9:44 PM [+] ::
:: ... 3 comments
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Our little girl is growing up!!! :-). just remember a little goes a long way. we dont need you looking like a clown. Talk to you soon. Aimee
# posted by : 6:01 AM
: 6:01 AM
Hell, little girl! That's all I remember and NOW she's buying makeup! Geez, first my SISTER gets married NOW my cousin is buying makeup....WHAT NEXT!!!
# posted by : 3:05 PM
: 3:05 PM
If you don't like all the moisturizers, try mineral makeup, you can use any part of it without any of the creamy stuff, just powder for your face, blush, mascara, little eyeshadow....that might make a big difference for you if you don't like the blochiness the tinted stuff is giving you, that'll also take care of your own redness.
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# posted by : 3:08 PM
: 3:08 PM:: Monday, July 10, 2006 ::
City Strolls
The last two days have been spent walking around the city, seeing the sights and trying to get my bearings. I have a couple of really good maps now, so I can wander without fear. ^_^ Yesterday we walked along the bay, and today I did some shopping in Chinatown, which is a mere block from my apartment. Random pictures from my travels!
The Bay Bridge, seen from the Ferry Terminal, which has a whole bunch of upscale shops and even a farmer's market four days a week.
The Transamerica Building, the tallest and most famous skyscraper in town. I can see it from my window! ...this was in Chinatown, though.
Only in San Fran. ^_^
So! Plans for this week--finalize references, find places I'd like to work, complete applications for said places, set up bank account, get drivers license. Settling in, bit by bit.
Labels: Photos, San Francisco
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 3:55 PM [+] ::
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:: Saturday, July 08, 2006 ::
San Francisco, Here I Am
And I'm having fun! Got here safe, the plane ride was fine. The first plane, from Albany to Boston, was a prop job, no joke! The entire plane had nine rows of two people and one row of three. You could see straight into the cockpit, which was pretty cool.
The scene on the way to Boston. The flight left right after sunrise, so the light was really neat. ^_^
The next two planes, from Boston to Las Vegas to San Fran, were bigger. No problems the entire way.
Things look really different out west. I was shocked to open up the window shade to find red ground!
So we got in around 1 pm local time, took the BART train back to the apartment. Started to get things straightened out a tiny bit, then headed down to Mark's office to meet his coworkers. The entire office (well, most of it) went to see Pirates of the Caribbean (diappointing) and then went out for drinks. It was really really awesome--everyone was really cool and interesting.
Okay, getting kind of tired, so here's some pics I took while walking around today. ^_^
One of San Francisco's many hills. This one is a block away from our apartment.
Union Square, as viewed from Macys.
Okay, I'm gonna watch some Japanese tv right now, yea for the asian language channel! Catch you guys later! ^_^
Labels: Photos, San Francisco
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 8:00 PM [+] ::
:: ... 1 comments
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Glad you're safe. Good luck in your adventure, hope all turns out well. Lots of love, Aunt Pat
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# posted by : 6:24 AM
: 6:24 AM:: Saturday, June 17, 2006 ::
Home Sweet Home
While home is sweet, it's also a little... boring. :P I've spent my time here getting over jet lag (it only took a week, wooo!), unpacking, going through the stuff in my room (I found clothing from middle school in my closet >_<), and setting aside stuff in the "San Francisco" pile. ^_^
Keeping up with my Japanese by studying kanji and muttering to myself whenever I can. I've also been crocheting up a storm! Working on a doily at the moment, and I've completed some unfinished projects I had laying around. Nice to get things out of the way.
On dial up here, so getting Blogger to cooperate is kinda hard. -_- You may not hear a lot from me until I get on broadband again (three weeks from now or so), but I assure you, I'm here. ^_^
Oh, my plans! Mark is coming here to visit on July 1st, and on July 7th we're flying back to San Fran together. Get a bunch of sightseeing in while he's here--hopefully Riverside (a.k.a. Six Flags New England), Thatcher Park, the fireworks in Albany, and whatever else we can manage.
Okay, gotta run while my connection is still good. ^_^ Take care!
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 9:56 PM [+] ::
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:: Wednesday, May 24, 2006 ::
Home Safe and Sound
...it's 2 am and feels like 3 pm... but I'm home. ^_^ More later, but flight was good (if long), and all is well. ^_^
Labels: Life
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 10:53 PM [+] ::
:: ... 3 comments
Comments:
Your parents must be happy to have you back!
and to welcome you back to the area - as well as i can from south of the Mason-Dixon....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MxFzceF-Wk&search=egg%20tulip
Aim me and I'll get you my cell number so we can talk some. And don't forget to stop on by if you get the chance!
and to welcome you back to the area - as well as i can from south of the Mason-Dixon....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MxFzceF-Wk&search=egg%20tulip
Aim me and I'll get you my cell number so we can talk some. And don't forget to stop on by if you get the chance!
Glad yer back safely. Sounds like ye had a blast. Now get yer butt back on YPP, I won't buy the "it won't install" excuse fer long! :P
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# posted by : 7:13 PM
: 7:13 PM:: Tuesday, May 23, 2006 ::
Sayonara is the Hardest Thing to Say
(This blasted thing won't let me write in Japanese characters, so this will have to do...)
Demo, sho ga nai, ne. Nihon, iroiro na koto, watashi no kokoro kara, arigatou gozaimasu. Meccha tanoshikatta. Mou ichi do aimashou, ne. Hayakereba hayakuhodo yoi. ^_^
Sayonara.
Labels: Japan
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 3:59 PM [+] ::
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:: Saturday, May 20, 2006 ::
Graduation!
Yea for graduation! Boooo for saying goodbye to so many people. T_T Here are some pictures of everyone... omoide!
This is what happens when it starts raining, a huge gust of wind comes up, and the photographer gets wet and the subjects get worried. Me and Noriko (not my speaking partner, but another Noriko... a really common name).
Ceramics Sensei is wearing a suit! Quick, take a picture, take a picture! -_^
Robby ("Robbie" in my mind, though!)'s friends gave him this shirt for Christmas, daring him to wear it in Japan. When is better than at graduation? This is during the luncheon, where they had an amazing spread... and free beer. In huge bottles... like the one Robby is holding.
Travis! His hair really grew out while we were here, hehe. He's from Texas, but he's really nice. ~huuuuuge wink~
Ridwan and Karen.
Robby and I with Komura-sensei, whom we happened to catch at a bad time. -_-
Me and Matt. ...and the ceiling. -_^
The darling Elaine, whose Japanese is so good that she's taking classes in Japanese this semester.
Ian, Robby and I. We were in the same language classes, both kanji and speaking, both semesters.
Ashley, who I'm really going to miss--especially going to karaoke together.
With Chae.
My roomie Georgia. She's from Australia, and we get along so well it's scary.
Jen rented a traditional outfit worn at graduations... I think it's called a hakama. It's not a kimono, but it is kimono-esque.
Joe and Josh. Since we always use last names in Japanese class, I didn't know Josh's first name until today. -_-
Robby and Molly were in my classes this semester, too. And Robby looks... befuddled? Hehe.
I met Takashi on a trip to Kobe, and I caught him at the graduation. When I asked him why he made the face, he said, "That face is all of my feelings! Happy, sad, sabishii (lit. lonely--sad that people are leaving), hung over, all of it!"
Yea for people! Boo for saying goodbye. Meccha sabishii.
Labels: Japan
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 8:37 PM [+] ::
:: ... 2 comments
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GAAAH! SO MANY POSTS!!! We're so PROUD of you!!!!!!!(lots more "!!!!"'s)!!!!! I hope the trip goes well and smoothly and that they give you lots of those little packets of peanuts and sodas and waters. I hope that you can fit everything into your suitcases! Those ceramics looked so pretty. I sorta feel bad that you have to come home, but I'll be happy to see you. That was such an awesome experiance! Let me know when you make it back to your mom's (like, a short blog post or something).
I sure hope they give me a lot of peanuts--the first leg of my flight is 12 hours! Hehe. Last time I flew on Northwest, which stunk, but this time I'm on United, so I'm going to have my own personal screen to watch stuff on, yea! I'm thinking it will be a much better experience ^_^
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