So here’s the thing: I can’t seem to write. I’ve noticed that my blog posts have become incredibly lax over the last two months and I find it mildly disconcerting. I have attributed this malfunction to the possibility that I’ve run out of misadventures…but that’s not necessarily true. I admit that I’ve gotten pretty comfortable here, but there’s always something to do. I’ve decided it must be because I don’t have a conducive writing place. I used to be able to write in my room, but it’s become rather difficult lately. Take this post for example — I started this at least three times before now and obviously failed. I managed to post about the really important things (I refer you to the previous post) but other than that not so much. I’d like to say that I’ve been doing incredibly interesting things…but that ain’t really true.
It’s times like this that I really miss Western-style furniture. Like a desk.
Which is why I’m trying something new. I write this post from Jacob’s old desk in the kitchen. I don’t know if this will work, or that it will really suit what I’m looking for, but it’s worth a shot, desu ne? I figure I really oughta post something since Chris O took it upon herself to e-mail! A sure sign that things have been decidedly lax! (Not that Chris O doesn’t e-mail, more that it was specifically to see that I was still alive. Later, when I was chatting with VoW, she also cried foul at the lack of posts.)
I’m wracking my memory for milestones over the last month…
Oh! I finally finished watching all of Buffy: the Vampire Slayer, which is quite an achievement all things considered. I think I said it before, but I think I’m more in love with Firefly than I am Buffy. Don’t get me wrong. Buffy will always mean something special to me; at the time, it was incredibly addicting…but it seems to have dimmed a bit for me. I think I’m more of a Browncoat than anything else. And for the record, I still dig the comic — so totally looking forward to the Faith arc! Incidentally, it seems Season 6 doesn’t suck as much as I remember; I mean, Season 4 wasn’t exactly an all time favorite one for me either. I’m still staunchly an Angel/Buffy shipper. Spike is cool and all…but the relationship between him and Buffy just doesn’t do anything for me. And Xander still bugs me.
Hmm…what else?
I’ve still managed to be up to no good with peoples here. I took Clint, Laura, and Phil to Akameguchi (the others had had previous engagements and were unable to join) and Firefly Sundays remain a constant. I was pretty social at the end of June and the beginning of this month — I went to a friend’s birthday party, celebrated the 4th of July with Fight Club, and went out to dinner with Laura, her parents, Steve, Cline and Claire — a charming young lass from Scotland; Steve is pretty happy about having more Scottish friends about. That same night, Clint had a gathering at his place. Also, Kat and I seemed to have made Thursday night coffee a regular thing.
Actually, she and I had a smashing time last Thursday. We had planned to go hiking, either at Akameguchi or traipse around Nara, but it was raining, so we had a Plan B: watching DVD’s. Kat doesn’t have a region-free DVD player, so she hasn’t been able to enjoy things like Buffy or Gilmore Girls. She seemed quite happy to pass the day just watching Season 7 with me. She amuses me. She knows the entire freaking opening cheer to Bring It On. Just lookin’ at her, you wouldn’t think she would…but oh man, was that hilarious when she started it. We’re trying to work out another day when we can play.
As you can see, I’ve finally finished reading Pride and Prejudice, and my feelings remain the same. I seem to lack the sophistication to truly appreciate the book. I mean, it was dandy and all…but I don’t reckon it’s my all time favorite classic. Many folks maintain that my feelings will change once I see the movie; but it’s not that I don’t appreciate the story. It’s just…it didn’t really do anything for me. Besides, I was attempting to appreciate the literature, not the film. I’m sure the movie with Colin Firth is great, and I look forward to it; but I’m not relying on it to change my views on the novel. Sorry, Al, I tried.
You may have also noticed that I’ve taken to reading the Harry Potter series again…well sort of. I started at Book 5 because of the movie, and I’m reading Book 6 to prepare for the release of Deathly Hollows which I will pick up this Saturday after work. I even arranged to have someone substitute my private lessons for the event. I was talking it over with Rob and the books aren’t the greatest thing to ever become literature, but they’re admittedly fun books to read. I still can’t quite wrap my brain around why they became so popular, but as a bibliophile, I guess I really can’t complain since it encourages other folks to read.
Work has been interesting. After the fiasco with the government, I’ve noticed that we’ve been getting a lot of free periods lately. It’s been like this since Golden Week. I’m not too worried, but it is mildly disconcerting. It bothers me that people will have a negative association with Nova teachers based on the follies of the corporation ‘cuz dammit, I do my job. The corporation is the one with the problem, not the teachers.
I’m getting better at the TOEIC thing, though, so that’s pretty cool. I’ve decided that I want to try taking the test so I actually have some tips that might help the students. I’m trying my best in this regard, but I’ve never taken the test so I don’t know exactly how it works. I mean, if this was a prep course about taking all the teacher certification exams, I have a fair knowledge and memory of what to expect. Not so much in this case.
Rob is still living here. He’s recently set up his XBox. Here in lies the problem. He’s got SNES games loaded onto it, including all the games I’d been wanting to play. It kind of makes buying Miho a bit pointless, but Phil pointed out that once I magic her, she’ll be able to support the very games that are on Rob’s magic XBox. In the meantime, I totally just got to Level 4 on Super Castlevania. I know that doesn’t seem like the biggest achievement, but I did it in the shortest time I’ve ever tried. Something like an hour.
I finally saw Sukeban Deka, or as I kept calling it “Yo-Yo Chick” and thank God I didn’t actually pay to see it. There were several times when I had a fit either ‘cuz of the acting or the storyline. It was worth watching, but seriously, I bet the original was cooler.
I was such a girl today. I went out and bought sandals to go with these pants I bought from UniQlo. I don’t know what’s come over me. It’s mildly disconcerting for me. Of course, I wouldn’t have had to buy them if my mother hadn’t given away my sandals to Salvation Army.
I can’t rightly think of much else to report. I mean, there’s been a bunch of times throughout these past couple weeks where I was like, “I should post about that”…but obviously it didn’t matter that much. This whole sitting at the desk thing was all right, I’d much rather have it in my room, though. I know what you’re thinking, why not just move the desk upstairs. Well, I don’t think it will fit in my tatami room, so there! Like I hadn’t thought about it.
So yeah. Not dead. The earthquake happened on the other side of the country and I guess we only felt the tremors. I didn’t personally, but other people were talking about it the day it happened.
I’ll try and be better about posting. I’m even thinking of joining Facebook, mostly to stop getting the damn e-mails. But it’s a way people stay in touch after leaving Japan so…
Take care, one and all! Miss y’all lots!
