10/08/2008: "Sorry to disappear!"

Looks like a disappeared for a bit.. sorry about that. It's not so much that I have nothing to say or that I don't have time, it's more that I know in the end what I feel like saying right now is a bothersome little niggling feeling that'll come to pass.

Case in point, the past week or so. It's been about a year since the stuff that went on last year (in short, two people were dead, I went to some funerals, life wasn't cheery), which has brought up alot of memories in me. It doesn't help that both people had a really strong, personal attachment to Japan or that it's been raining alot lately, for days at a time. In short, I know that whatever I write will be unnecessarily dark, and liable to concern people when really, it's something that likely would've passed by the time I finished writing. So, anyway, I try to spare the drama and keep to the stuff that it lasting, that will actually be worth remembering.

I went out to try my hand at calligraphy about two weeks back, on a Saturday. It really was quite a bit of fun, even if I'm not so good at it! I have a picture of it, but I'll get around to uploading that later. I'd like to continue taking lessons (since it's only twice a month, an hour each time.. that's a time investment I can do without feeling like I'm 'wasting' my free time), but unfortunately I have a Japanese speech contest on November 1st and a Japanese proficiency test on December 9th. Busy, busy...

Speaking of the speech contest, I have about 3.5 weeks and I haven't actually started my speech. That's kinda bad, I realize, but I haven't felt much up to writing a 5 minute speech. I'll get around to it soon-ish. You know, because I kinda need to. I hear it actually helps to have a speech before diving into a speech contest. But hey.. you only live once, right?

As an interesting aside, one of my students at the high school (exchange student from Thailand) is in the same contest that I'm in. Seriously.. that's just wrong! It's not that I mind, in actuality, I just think it's amusing. It makes for a good story at least.

Other than that, I've just been working, working, and in general working. I've also been tutoring one of my Japanese coworkers on the weekends to help her prepare for an English test in January. Only 4.5% of people actually pass that test, and she told me she didn't feel confident about it. So, being the 'I seriously need a hobby and have too much free time' kind of guy I am, I told her that she most certainly will take the test, and I will tutor her for as many hours as it takes. And free, at that. Last Sunday, we spent 4.5 hours sitting in a McDonalds reviewing writing samples, giving impromptu speeches, etc.

I think I'm just trying to pad out that karmic debt. You know, get a few more acts in there before I invariably do something completely and utterly soulless.

In short, shy of the intermittent bursts of depression, the iffy sleeping, and rather unimpressive array of dreams, life's going all right. I'm trying to stay positive (because, really, what else can you do?), and just pushing on, watching movies, reading books, and studying.

I need to redesign my journal soon. I've actually got images and everything ready to edit, I just haven't thrown it all together yet. Blah.

On an aside before I go: I seriously don't know why everyone's so panicky about the economy right now. It has been worse. There's nothing you can do about it. And, frankly, if you're watching tv or on the internet and reading/listening to how the economy's going to hell.. don't you think it's not all that bad?

I'm gainfully employed, I can easily BE employed at almost any time if I suddenly needed a job (seriously, you can't tell me you need money and turn down a job at 7-Eleven in the same sentence), and everyone I know is relatively safe, myself included.

When you're in the bread line with your ration coupons, then I'm totally willing to talk about how the economy has crumbled. Until then, I highly advise you stop driving to Subway for lunch..

And NOW I can go.. see ya!


Jason