Time to go SPEAK!

Current Sounds: Listening to morning American radio shows

Sorry for not writing in awhile. Been somewhere over two weeks or so, I think. Long story short, in addition to not feeling so chipper due to two people passing away last year at this time, I learned that a university classmate of mine died in a car accident a few weeks ago. Needless to say, I was pretty shaken up by this and spent a week or so trying to get things together. I didn't feel much like talking about it, and if I did I knew it'd just be a whole lot of fire and brimstone stuff that I wouldn't really necessarily feel later.

So, basically, we're up to 3 people I knew fairly well dying in one year, two of which were under the age of 25. I'm pretty tired of this, to be honest. It's such a drain, and it adds a certain element of 'who's next' that I really don't want to deal with that.

But that's that.. let's move on.

First off, I have Halloween pictures from my classes. In total, there are 11, but I decided to spare you with 4 to give a decent look at my children's classes. Those, of course, can be found under 'more..' at the bottom of this entry (if you're bored and want to see the rest, send me and e-mail).

Also, in case you can't tell, I'm a pirate. I understand it looks more like a cowboy, but for $23 and an hour of shopping.. it was a decent pirate, I'd say.

Next up, today is my speech contest. To be exact, I leave in 2 hours, then get ready to compete. With my words. Have I mentioned that I don't like speech contests? I believe I have. Likely many, many times (I'm prone to saying things like this over and over. Just want to make sure it's clear). I hear there will be roughly 10 people there, though I think all are exchange students (either in high school or university), making me the only one who's actually a teacher and not in school. Also of note, one of the girls at the speech contest is a student of mine at the high school. The problem with this is that she's from Thailand and adorable. I'm in a country where cute always wins. That's just seriously not fair.. how can I compete?!

Other than my speech contest, I also have a 3 day weekend for once. Unfortunately, I don't actually have any plans. Today, speech then go to a festival. Tomorrow, go to a different festival and go to McDonalds and tutor my coworker in English so she can prepare for an exam in January. We meet about 4 hours a week at McDonalds every week, though I'm pretty sure the employees are going to kick me out eventually seeing as I only buy one cup of tea (small) and then steal their booth for 4 hours.

Monday? No plans! I actually had plans, exciting plans. But they got cancelled, so now I'm not sure. But at least this weekend sounds interesting if only for the robot competition tomorrow at the local college. Oh yeah! And the speech contest. That'll be about 3 hours, but I'll be sure to let someone know the results as soon as I learn them.

Other than that, not much to say. I had to write an article for the high school newsletter this week and then was interviewed on the school PA system, radio-show style. I'll be sure to post the article relatively soon. As for me, I should go get to practicing my speech a few more times and then get all dressed up and pretty.

Wish me luck, and look at the Halloween pictures!!

Jason on 10.31.08 @ 04:05 PM JST [more..]

Sorry to disappear!

Current Sounds: Takeharu Ishimoto - psychedelic

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 on 10.08.08 @ 07:46 AM JST [link]