:: 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
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 9:41 PM [+] ::
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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
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 11:37 AM [+] ::
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