sorry...but just because you might be breaking broke up with your girlfriend, doesn't mean i can't still be friends with her.

you have no say in who i do or do not hang out with!

grrrrr....



sorry guys just had to vent that. on to happier things...

*i'm studying like CRAZY!!! don't know why, but i just am. i guess it's b/c the study group at work - 2 of the guys are test taking this weekend.

*嵐 concert is THIS WEEKEND!!! BAHAHAHAHAHA!!! oh geez what am i getting myself into.

*i'm spending the whole weekend in Tokyo...the first time i've been in since Hanagumi back in Oct!!!! XD

ack...now off to class

and it almost felt real just now.

Last night i dreamed that i was at work and yet i couldn't remember when any of my classes were, which rooms they were in, or even who my students were. i knew my coworkers, but i completely forgot EVERYTHING else. one example that is still fresh in my mind...

i'm in the office & there's three classes all starting at the same time so the lobby is full of kids & teachers. i turn to a coworker and ask where i'm heading & they tell me upstairs. but i don't know WHERE upstairs or which class b/c all 3 are up there. when i turn to ask no one is there. so i run up the stairs & run into a room all genki & say hello b/c seeing the kids i go...hey i remember these faces this must be my class - a girl sitting at the end of the table (one of the students) turns & is all excited & goes " ah...you're back?" then i look at her & say yeah, but then i turn to look to my right & there is Bob (a coworker) walking to the front of the room. i simply respond "oh nope guess not, bob is still your teacher, sorry." so i go into the next room & there's no teacher so i assume this must be the one...for some reason now i have a class card in my hand, but it looks like complete jibberish to me. I can't recognise the kids at all and when they start telling me names they aren't matching up with the card, but something finally clicks and says...oh well, but this is my class anyway.


well just now in the real world...i come out of class & realize that i still haven't planned my last 2 classes. i go to grab the textbooks & realize that my other coworker still has them...this could be a problem b/c i need them to teach at the same time right...so i'm freaking out trying to figure out what to do & i turn around to see one of my students. out of habit tell him hello. after saying his name...i'm like...why is he here? he's not in this class & there's NO WAY he could join this class as a make up...he's 4 & this is a pre-JH class!!! then it clicks...i mentally skipped my 2:00 class & was thinking it was 3:00.


at least the dream this morning after i reset my alarm was AMAZING!!! mmmm...hot boyfriend...niiiiiice :)

 ok...so i was a little hesitant about going to this concert on Dec. 6th with 2 of my coworkers/friends...but i think now have to admit i'm kind of excited...esp. seeing as how my friend received her tickets today...


ARENA SEATING ALMOST DEAD CENTER!!!!

currently a puddle of goo...

 on the way home from the concert the other week, my friend & i were talking about sneezes & such...ya know the "special meanings" behind things. 

for example...my grandmother & my mother - one of them sneezes just before company arrives while the other sneezes right after company has left. 

how we got on this topic was because we just left my student's concert & one of my ears was burning - which i explained that from what i was always told it meant that someone was talking about you - good or bad i didn't know, just that someone was talking. so she explained that when someone is talking nice about you - you sneeze once...3 times means they're talking bad about you.

what the heck is the meaning if you're sneezing more than that within a short period? like currently i've sneezed 7 times since walking in the door...what does it mean? well now 8

my theory ... i've kicked up too much dust during all my cleaning in the last 48 hrs. 

now 9...

so the cookies didn't turn out the greatest. they weren't burnt, but they were more cake like...maybe it's one of the following:

1 - the type of flour i bought was wrong - i don't know what is all-purpose in japan...if they even have it here.

2 - i can't figure out my oven!!!  :( i can get it to heat to the temp i want, but then when i start it cooking @ that temp it wasn't really at that temp & basically went like it was preheating again & then cooking.

ugh...taking my japanese manual to someone that can help me figure out what to do. looking at the pictures & the oven this time apparently isn't enough to figure out how the appliance works.  haha 

However...the cookie mix is SUPERB!!! so jenebi  come on over...i've got dough wrapped up in the fridge with your name on it ;)

as far as the cleaning...

I got my little "entertainment" corner cleaned & reorganized. got to buy some more holders so it'll be completely organized, but at least things are separated :).  My couch has been vacuumed & covered with the blanket i bought for it. some of my tatami in the now exposed areas has been vacuumed as well.  It felt great to go to sleep last night & wake up to a clean corner ;)

Currently my bedding is washing while my futon is outside airing out.  when i get back from cleaning the preschool (which is part of my job today since it's a national holiday & my company classes tonight are canceled - the boss can't just let us have a break :-p) I'll be attempting to organize my bookshelves before heading to my 2 KG classes at the local NPO.

 my sink looks like i'm attempting a science experiment....my clothes by the washer luckily haven't started walking on their own yet...& my living room looks like a hurricane came through...

good thing i'm locking myself in the apartment - now that my grocery shopping is pretty much over (had no food in the apartment but rice & pasta - with nothing to go with either of them mind you). I'm in CLEAN MODE!! I aired out the apartment this morning while i went to the store...so it's all nice crispy cool in here at the moment. After fixing lunch i began to have the urge to bake...

1st attempt of made from scratch chocolate chip cookies are in the oven - man i hope i pressed all the right buttons.  i bought this thing MONTHS ago but have never used the oven part...& the instructions are all in kanji that i have no clue how to read. and there's like a million combinations of how to set it to cook all this different types of stuff...

hopefully this works out right...at least it's smelling good & not like i'm burning my apartment down ;-)

it has pretty much been raining non-stop since at least 8:30 this morning. there have been a couple breaks...i guess, but they were probably still misty sprinkles...of course this is coming from me judging by the loudness of the rain in my apartment today. so what a great time to finally lock myself in my apartment & get some much need cleaning & downsizing done right?!

i've sat here under my cover bundelled up in my chilly lonely apartment watching sappy J-Dramas...

caithion  i think i agree with your comment on the train yesterday & feel like doing the same ;)

 so i just got back from a concert that one of my adult students had with his band. It was at a small hole in the wall venue which was awesome. The walls were plastered in the stairwell & lobby with posters & bumber stickers of groups that had been there. my kind of place! there were suppose to be 4 groups going on tonight - but my friend Kayo & i only stayed for 2.

I was suppose to call my student when i got there to meet up with him to get the 2nd ticket for Kayo before the show. (he gave me mine 2 weeks ago @ his lesson).  we show up & have no idea where to park so i call K-san & he says he'll send a member of his staff out to meet us - yeah this guy is the CEO/owner of his company.  M-san meets us & directs Kayo about where to park, then he tells us to follow him & we end up around the corner @ a Jonathon's (family style restaurant) where we meet K-san & the rest of his band & a friend of his that's there to take pictures.  K-san makes us order something - which he paid for - and this is 15 mins before the show starts...so i'm guessing by this point that i guess they weren't going on first like i originally thought - b/c they were listed 1st on the ticket.  K-san turns to me & says, "so we have a big problem." (he mentioned this on the phone earlier today when i called him to double check on Kayo's ticket). "Today, our vocalist ran away" so what the heck where they going to do? "so today, drums is vocal" HAHA. The drummer had just left right when we got there with lyrics sheets i'm guessing to practice a bit. oh this was going to be interesting!! I felt bad for the guy. K-san also asks me to give them a new band name O.o   way to put me on the spot there buddy.  Eventually they were talking about M-san's shirt while discussing names further (they had made a list of different drink names on a napkin as options already - haha). It was a Hollister shirt...K-san was asking about the Hollister & M-san started explaining it was the brand name. K-san turns to me & asks if I knew Hollister & i said yes. "famous?" "yes they're VERY famous"  HAHAHA!!! well his shirt simply said...Hollister Surf Riders...then it hit me...Riders - why not? i mean things were changing for them & they were acting like they were along for the ride...i know i think about meanings too much. I suggest it...they're like...ohhhh yeah...i think it stuck...so i might have just randomly named a band...haha.  M-san took Kayo & I over to the venue so we could watch some of the other musicians before K-san's band went on & so he could set up the video equipment. It was soo HOT inside the music hall during the first guy. During K-san's group it started getting cooler finally, but Kayo & i had to go back out to the lobby in between b/c it was just too hot & she mentioned it to the girl behind the counter. 

K-san's group was really good. a lot better than i was expecting honestly. I had heard a recording of them but the mix was bad so it was hard to tell exactly how good they were. well i was HIGHLY impressed. i think i'll definitely be starting to go more of their shows. they used recorded drums for the rock songs. At first either the mix was a little odd or they were all rather nervous b/c it seemed off a bit & i could hardly hear the vocals. but it got better...i really liked it. 

I was prepared to be asked about going out with them afterwards...and i was going to as long as Kayo was ok with it or if he offered to take me back to Ota if she was leaving. He's been trying to get me to go out with them since i started teaching him about a yr ago now. After he came out to talk to us i told him we were leaving. He said, "so no hostess bar?" ;-)  "i have no money." "oh no problem!" (which means he'd pay of course) i laughed at him & said it was up to Kayo b/c she was my ride. he wanted me to ask her, but i made him ask...even though i did give her warning.  she declined & he didn't make any offer about giving me a lift (and i wasn't about to ask), so we headed home. got back to Ota @ 8 - we left @ 4:45...WAY too early for me. i was prepared to be out much longer. i almost wish Kayo & i drove seperately b/c now i'm at home wanting to go out...& i don't want to call K-san now & be like...so even though Kayo wasn't able to go out, when you guys get back to Ota can i come meet up with you guys...b/c i'm not really keen on the idea of going to a hostess bar. now if it was a regular place, somewhere they could jam (which they do occasionally), or karaoke i'd be making that phone call right now...

AWESOME!!!

I just got home from the sports park by my apartment. it's got a walking path around that - if i'm reading the sign correctly is 1500m, even though the path is marked @ only 1470m...maybe the kanji i can't read (which is all of it >.< ) really reads that it's about 1500m. Oh well...I've gone out there before with snapes_mistress  & i think caithion . It's a really nice walk. today...4 laps = 5880m = roughly 3.6 miles in about 1 hr! 8-)

While i was on vacation in the states I realized some things...some that i won't write about at the moment...but one of the biggest ones was that i've got to spend time on myself. i need to be able to honestly say that i'm happy being the way i am. i haven't been able to say that for a LONG time now. i apparently put on a really good facade...but i'm tired of all the work to keep it up. so what will i do with that energy instead? put it to use to actually make myself happy. that means...

* no bringing work home - unless it's a project that absolutely MUST be done.
* eating healthier
* spending a little money on myself & not feeling bad about it - once i've paid all the bills of course ;)
* EXERCISING!!!

yep the last one is the biggest one. I realized tonight that inside my spirit is just wanting to bust out (if that makes sense) I really do WANT to run, to workout, just BE ACTIVE!!! however, due to circumstances over the last few years I haven't been that active. so my body has limitations. There's also former injuries to worry about...but i'm not going to let all this hold me back. I'm going to start small. well...small for me anyway - which of course is going to be pushing myself, but i HAVE to get past my wall that i've built up. so I'm putting this out there mainly for myself...but feel free to ask how things are going.

I'm still trying to figure out the best schedule with my work schedule. but here is what i've planned so far...

Sunday & Monday - walk @ sports park or go for a hike - do something active for the weekend
Tuesday mornings - abs & yoga
Wed - rest
Thurs mornings - walk @ sports park
Friday - walk @ sports park during my break in the afternoon
Sat - abs & yoga...maybe walk @ the park too

ok maybe that's what i should work up too, b/c actually typing that out made it sound more intense to start with...but then again, maybe that's what i should do. well that's my goal at the moment. Probably in about a month or two i want to start jogging. naturally it'll be in spurts b/c i have to build myself back up for it. plus, it's just darn painful right now.

Things i need...
* sports bra or binding - whatever i can find to work...sorry but it hurts to try & run b/c of the girls
* knee brace - which will probably have to be ordered
* new shoes (maybe)
* music player - keitai works for now...but i'm going to get bored of those few songs real fast! yes, this is also b/c the ipod i bought back in april was in the stolen purse  T-T

This is of course all going to have to wait though - unless i can plan things out financially. I've got some big things coming up in the next couple months...

* Hanagumi on the 25th - of course tickets are already paid for, but i've been on a break from the land of sparkles for what...about 2 months now (i haven't been in since Aug for Legend 2)
* Concert Dec 6th - my friend won the tickets she wanted (Johnny's Lotto system for 嵐) so now i have to pay her for mine. & we're getting a hotel that night so that we don't have to peace out a bit early from the show to be able to make it to our last train. (which sorry Amanda that's why i can't make Magee's ochicai again) *runs & hides* . . . .
* Also ordering some merch & stuff...
* Tsukigumi...'nuff said

ok off to get a shower b/c i'm all kinds of sweaty & going out tonight with coworkers for a bit b/c a former coworker is back in town for a short visit :) ♥♥YAY RIE!!!♥♥

i'm back from my vacation/trip home to the states.  now to get caught up on all things LJ...or should i say all things Zuka since that's mainly what majority of my f-list posts about ;) haha

the trip was great. DEFINITELY needed. I had to step away to take some time to look at things & get back to what's important.

I'll post more about my adventures later...now i'm off to get some money & buy some groceries!! then maybe a nap...even though i slept around 16hrs when i got back from dinner with <lj user="caithion"> last night when i got back to Ota.

So here's the details of my adventure flying home for the first time in over a yr...

( Nothing real exciting happened in Japan... )

need to get off...severe thunderstorms moving through the area...

the cool thing though about taking the later flight...i got to see the lights of Atlanta :)

I have arrived on US soil!!  just to let you know...

it was a very long & interesting trip...more will come later...probably in the morning. sitting on my folks back porch getting eatten alive by mosquitos & it's getting ready to rain.

but i'm alive & well! 

you leave the hazards on for 5 mins (MAX) & it kills the battery!!!

Then you're boss who is normally a cool guy sounds all flustered & irritated that you even did something so stupid even though you explained that it wasn't even 5 mins b/c you just dropped off your stuff & left...b/c (and i quote) "that's enough."



Oh I'm so ready to get out of here...everyone's stress level is WAY too high right now. sorry, but i put in for this time off WAY before the other 2 teachers were probably even thinking of quitting. I need Mary Poppins...or at least for her to tell me where she bought that bag so i can hurry up & pack... 

 I must be a good girl & get off of the computer today...haha...i have WAY too much left to do in the apartment for it to be where i wanted it to be by the time i have to start work again tomorrow. 

*ganbattimasu pose*

plus i have to finish getting it ready to be vacant for almost a month b/c i leave for vacation in 21 DAYS!!!! <3  WAHOO!!! XD

 . . . apparently work!!!!  Yesterday was soooo hot by lunchtime here that I was dreading the summer party for work. NOT because i was going to be in yukata,  but b/c we were going to be OUTSIDE. it was too hot for clothes period. while talking with caithion through keitai mail at one point (b/c she was lucky & didn't have to come :-p ) i typed...*breaks into rain dance*  I get to the party & i'm helping the Japanese staff set up. the view is great. the sky looks AMAZING...but those clouds look awfully dark in the distance...then after Mark gets his guitar & amp stuff set up the owner of the place tells us we should move it under the shelter that the tables are b/c it's going to rain. they finally get us an extra table to set his stuff on (after he puts the more expensive amp back in his car b/c the other guy didn't bring his guitar like he was suppose to) & the wind starts picking up. i'm looking at the clouds, the heaviness, the speed, the lightning & the bamboo curtain shielding us on the side...i tell mark he should just put it all back in his car b/c it wasn't going to be pretty. so we shuffle everything back quickly. once back under the shelter & have been mingling a bit & ask why they won't move us in side...the bottom falls out. it came QUICK!!  Everyone from last year was remembering the storm that hit us & we were still going...WHY ARE WE OUTSIDE IN THIS!!! it wasn't quite as bad as last year...but it probably did last about an hour. one of the kids was crying b/c she was scared...poor thing - i know how that feels & was TERRIFIED of storms until probably 5th grade. finally it started dying down...they put up more curtains & boards across the back so the people at the back tables could sit down without being in a waterfall. 

All in all...it was FUN!! i really enjoyed it. MUCH better than last years & WAY better than the Christmas party. we managed to do a decent job wingin it on the music performance later when Miho (the one in charge of the party planning this year) came up & said we were going to perform in a min...i looked at her & said "um Miho...we put everything away because of the storm, therefore we haven't even practiced. I'd talk to Mark." "oh um...just a second then." i love Miho...haha!! so we pulled an amp & his guitar back out & practiced while the groups did watermelon smashing. oh to be able to still kind of throw stuff together...i can still handle it...

well except when Ryan wants me to start ad-libs when we are jamming after what we prepared...ummmmm yeah lost to the nerves on that one...>.<

I didn't get enough pictures - actually i have to get Eiko to email me a picture of the obi...but there are going to be pics floating around on facebook i'm sure. i did get a couple cute pics with some friends. i'll add them later...now i'm off to go to immigration to get my renewed visa & apply for my reentry permit.

i  ♥ Eiko-chan!!! she's one of my Japanese co-workers. She came over tonight to try & help me with my Yukata b/c i told her Saturday when covering for caithion that i was afraid it wouldn't fit.  It WORKED!!! XD  she suggested of course that i wear leggings or something just in case...YAY!! now...just to get some other coworkers to maybe wear theirs...

ok so the "one last hoshigumi post" & the Yukigumi weekend when the "nightmare" happened... um yeah. sure no one is interested in it now. here's some basic highlights though. 

( Hoshigumi )

( Yukigumi )


Ok done with that...this past weekend...COMING SOON!!! & yes it will be before this weekend when i go back in to try for Elisabeth again & go to Masaki's ochikai. I will say this much...

♥♥♥ AHI ♥♥♥

sooo cool...soooooooooo tall!!! & she spoke English to us when shaking our hands @ the ochikai!!! hehe 

ok so it was only "thank you" with a HUGE grin on her face...but still!! Ahi & English!!! it was really clear - not a muttled "th" like so many Japanese i've met have trouble with...

 tomorrow i sell my soul try for Elisabeth tickets. 

i hope i get them tomorrow...getting up WAY before dark thirty to catch the first Ryomo in to secure a spot in line...even though I should be skipping this shot to hog tie caithion in her apartment until noon tomorrow so she can get some rest & get better...poor sick thing...

Ahi is doing Rudolph for BOTH shows that day & neither is a company booked show...so caithion  & i are probably trying for the 2nd show...figure it's our better shot. This is my ONLY shot to see Ahi's Rudolph...and darn it if i have to knock over an oba-chan or two i'll see the show miss it i'll be EXTREMELY bummed. next to Masaki - this is the other role i've been most interested in seeing for Elizabeth.

ok better get off so i can take a quick nap so i can get up & finish packing *shakes fist* darn you work...that was my time to do LAUNDRY & PACK!!! oh well...it was for caithion  & when Hiro asks me to do stuff in that pleading way where i know he's at his wits end...i just can't say no...plus it was for caithion ...

bought my 1st yukata today from UniQlo! SOO cute! can't wait to wear it!!

            ( ♥♥♥かわいい!!!♥♥♥ )
Next weekend is the summer festival here in Ota...of course I won't be here on the 19th b/c i'll be in Tokyo...i'm trying to decide if i'm going to go in or not on the 18th after work so i can attempt to get a good spot in line...(I WANT to see Ahi's Rudolph darn it!!) but that would mean i'd miss the whole festival. i really want to wear my yukata once before the summer party @ work so i can be use to it...especially since i'm having to sing-would like to know my limitation of movements. i'm also just crossing my fingers that it fits...1 size things & i usually don't get along...even in the states.

Also, I purchased my plane ticket home tonight!! well I hit purchase...just have to wait on the confirmation email...but YAY!!! VACATION HERE I COME!!! I think I got really lucky...when i was looking @ flights around 2am they were looking along the lines of $1340...tonight...$1188...when i actually started selecting flights...$984!!!! 0.0 umm...ok!! that works. so after taxes & the optional insurance...$1038...such a happy note to end the day on!

Transformers & GI-Joe are becoming cool again...MAN i feel like i'm a kid again! haha


especially after running barefoot through the parking lot in the rain after watching the new Star Trek movie!! ♥_♥