I've made it back (a week ago)!

Current Sounds: DDR - naoki 190 - Hysteria Remix

About to head to school, but figured I'd update and let people know that I'm still alive. It's been insanely hectic since returning to America, so I haven't had alot of free time, unfortunately.

As I mentioned before, I had two midterms on the Thursday after I returned (last week Thursday). Took those and got an A in both! Quite happy about that. Since then, I've been busy writing papers, reading for school, or working on Japanese stuff. To prepare for the upcoming Japanese chapter test, I spent 9 hours studying last night. After getting home, I realized that I still had to write a paper that's due today, so I stayed up for a few more hours and tossed together a paper on Japanese and American views of eachother during WWII. Exciting. Though, alas, this also means that I didn't really sleep much more than 5-6 hours, so today's going to be something of a long day. We're also watching a movie in at least one of my classes, so.. we'll see how it works out.

8 minutes before I need to leave the house, so I should probably finish throwing stuff in my backpack, making sure I have everything, and grab something to eat for lunch.

Hopefully I'll be able to write something a little more in-depth later.
Jason on 03.29.07 @ 08:38 AM JST [link]

Let's go, try number 2

Current Sounds: Those loud laptop cooling fans

I should be returning to America tomorrow, weather permitting. Already missing two days of class, and about 48 hours until two midterms.. we'll see how it goes. It took a joyous two hours on hold until I finally was able to get in touch with someone and arrange my return flight, but at least I was able to get it done. Tuesday isn't quite Saturday, but.. not much you can do.

What I find weird, however, is that apparently having my flight cancelled and being stuck in another country is not considered an 'excused absence' from class. I'm sorry, but.. how exactly am I supposed to get to class? It's not like I'm in Cancun and decided to hang out with assorted women with names I can't pronounce for a few more days and just skip class. No, actually, I gave myself ample time to get back and weather did not permit. I'm just a little annoyed with this, even though it's really not important. I had perfect attendance up to now, so I can afford to miss the class. But it's the principle of the matter.

For some reason, I've lost any form of appetite since I woke up today.. probably due to nerves or some such. After the shock last time, you never really know what's going to happen upon arriving at the airport tomorrow.

Anyway, I need to get back to charging all the random stuff that's supposed to keep me entertained on the airplane and through the layovers at airports tomorrow. Next time I write, I'll ideally be back in America. And then, uploading photos.
Jason on 03.19.07 @ 10:09 AM JST [link]

Flight cancelled, can't get free

Current Sounds: Some stupid 'on hold' music

Today is one of those days where I try, and I try, and I try.. yet doubt and uncertainty are getting the best of me. Only sleeping 3-4 hours probably isn't helping much. As you may or may not have heard, nearly all flights to the East Coast are cancelled. This, naturally, means that mine's cancelled to. What's more, they can't tell me when I can fly out of England, when/where to rebook, or pretty much anything. At all. We were told to call a phone number to try to get in touch with their booking/reservations department to reschedule, but I've been on the phone for a solid 95 minutes now and have heard from absolutely no one.

I have class in two days, two midterms on Thursday. I need to get back home. I want to be back in my own room with my own things eating my own food. I'm, in everything but in technicality, trapped in the country with absolutely no way out EXCEPT THIS PHONE THAT NO ONE'S PICKING UP.

Haven't had anything to eat, hardly slept, I don't know when or if I'm going back to America (I will, clearly.. but I know absolutely nothing about the process because no one's answering my call). I'm really, really distraught right now.

And due to the time difference, there's no one to talk to. How lovely.

Help?
Jason on 03.17.07 @ 06:09 AM JST [link]

The trip thus far

Current Sounds: Queen - I Want to Break Free

First and foremost, I finally got my bags back. A little late (by a DAY), but I did finally get them. We actually found them quite by mistake. I was on the phone on hold (for 30 minutes) after finding that the bags hadn't been dropped off at the campus distro center (where I was told they would be) and was going to go back to get some food and then head out to buy some clothes to keep my settled for the rest of the trip when we stopped into the mail office to check the mail. Lo and behold, on the floor in the back, my bags are there waiting for me. I think I scared the poor mail-counter woman when I shouted something about my bags.. but no harm done. I have my stuff now, so I'm happy.

Spent about 12 hours in London yesterday, bought souvenirs, and saw many, many landmarks. My legs hurt, insanely so. 12 hours up and down hills on your feet.. definitely more tiring than I expected. The last few hours, though, were spent in the "Queen" (an entirely different one from the 80s band I'm listening to right now), a 100 year old theater hall where I watched "Les Miserables", which was much better than I thought it would've been. Tons of people die in it, but overall the ending's happy enough. I bought a program to remember the event, as well. It was definitely worth going, and I had a great time.

Not sure what else there is to say right now. It's just a bunch of random experiences, one linked to the next. Interesting for me, but I'm not sure how much appeal it'd have for others to read about the disconnected, fragmented thoughts of what stood out from my travels thus far. I'd upload photos, but unfortunately I can't connect my laptop to the internet from here, so I'll have to do that when I get back. Thus far, I've taken about 150 photos and 4 or so videos. The joys of digital cameras. I even got my picture taken with a police officer (in front of the royal palace, to boot)! Totally pointless, but oddly awesome.

Have no clue what we're doing today. I think I'm aiming for pointless window-shopping in town. I'm a tourist, and therefore must shop. MUST BUY. As for what I'd buy, I have no clue. But that's not really so important, now is it?

The one unfortunate thing is that this hellish cough has continued from over a week ago, and is definitely not getting better with all the cold weather. Otherwise, all is well.. but I'd really like this cough to go away.

So, I'm gonna go, let my iPod keep charging, and probably get ready for another day. I'll keep in touch. If you need something, e-mail me. Otherwise, I'll be back in about 4 or so days, then back to school. Oh, joy.
Jason on 03.15.07 @ 03:18 AM JST [link]

Gah..

Current Sounds: Prozzak - When I Think of You

Well, went to the distro center. They still don't have my bags. They closed 7 minutes ago, so that means that my last chance of getting my bag today has been screwed. So, if it's not there at 7am, I get to go clothes shopping tomorrow and get to buy the stuff that was lost.

So. Very. Annoyed.
Jason on 03.12.07 @ 09:08 AM JST [link]

'The reason to say goodbye is to say hello again'

Current Sounds: The jet-engine noise of a laptop's cooling fans

Before I left, I commented on how odd it was for me to be so paranoid and pack an extra outfit in my carry-on bag, since I hardly ever lose things on flights.

Upon landing in London (17 hours later), I learned that my bags were still in Philadelphia, and would be there for another 24 hours. 'Angry', 'upset'.. those are all mild ways of putting it. But I'm trying to make the best of it. The bag is supposed to get here by courier today, but the distribution center on campus closes at 4PM (GMT), so if it's not here by then, I won't get my bag until 9AM tomorrow. If it turns out something else has occured and I don't get it by then, I get to go clothes-shopping in Britain.. let's hope for the best. Fortunately, it's nothing irreplaceable or valuable (that stuff all goes in the carry-on), but it's still not exactly ideal.

Things haven't been so bad, though. I think the first day of nearly every trip is destined to go straight to hell. Lost my bags, was delayed by an hour in getting where I was going, found out I needed a local area code to even call the person I was supposed to meet, and had to stay awake another 9 hours after been up all day. After going to bed and sleeping for 12 hours, I'm feeling somewhat decent. Went out for lunch at a castle today, killing some time while my friend's in a lecture now, and then going out to a pub of some sorts for dinner tonight. I'm still a little sick from last week, but I think that if I drink enough orange juice, I'm destined to get better.

Anyway, so.. all's decent and I'm still around. I'll try to upload some photos later this week. I already have a bunch in the digital camera right next to me, but.. I'm lazy.

I'll write some more when I get some more time later!

If you need anything, I'm available via e-mail.
Jason on 03.12.07 @ 08:21 AM JST [link]

Pick your battles, but fight for what you believe in

Current Sounds: Daniel Powter - You Had a Bad Day

Jason-san,

I'd like to have a meeting with you.
Do you have time after class tomorrow?

Under normal circumstances, this is a rather simple e-mail that I just received. Considering the events of this week, however, I'm quite probably (to put it bluntly) screwed. Badly. Not in the normal "oh, darn!" kinda way either. This is a meeting that I may actually have to refuse to go to.

Why? For reasons I can't exactly make public at this point in time. But I'm currently caught up in a situation where I've done what I feel is the right thing to do, and that I rather have to do for moral reasons. Before you go out and do something that has (potentially) far-reaching consequences, you should make sure you're committed and ready to face what may be coming up.

How ironic. And here I thought today was bad. Tomorrow may top it.

Anyway.. ideally, I'm just paranoid. I highly doubt it (the timing's too good), but it's possible. For now, I have some homework to do, gonna study a bit, and then try to relax a bit. I really don't like being sick.. blargh.

Wish me luck..
Jason on 03.01.07 @ 01:11 PM JST [link]