today was a really icky day. the rain came down in a slightly heavier than a drizzle sized pebble all day long. it was just humid enough to feel sticky and annoy my hair. oh summer. how i dread you... but its here... theres nowhere to hide. sah. thankfully japan, i enjoy you... its funny how when i was studying japanese at cal we always talked about the weather, and being from california, it seemed kinda strange to always tell my professors "what nice weather we're having," since weather in california is usually nice. being here however, watching the weather change so frequently, i see what all the fuss is about. -.-
smoking is a thing here. i feel like i stepped back in time 30 years to when california still had smoking in restaurants. there are lots of cafes where the smoking section is actually larger than the nonsmoking section. though admittedly smokers here are more polite than say las vegas, i still feel the idea is backwards. smoking is in the past. its not cool, its unhealthy, and it makes your teeth bad. >_<" also, i enjoy dessert and the places that have the best dessert tend to be in bars... and i always come home smelling like a pack of cigarettes exploded from inside my body. the smell comes from my pores, my hair... i wake with a sore throat. ugh. almost not worth the ice cream. almost. but ice cream IS magical, so if enough time passes, i always find myself willing to make the sacrifice for my favorite tasty treat.
speaking of eating, ive lost more weight. today i put on a pair of jeans that i couldnt zip up before coming here, could fit into during spring, and now ive got easily over an inch of room. to my own credit, i do walk A LOT. i also am REALLY active in my classes. i set my temperature at 68 degrees and my kids are always sweating.
last week was review week for most of my classes and i had them doing mini relays and a few of them actually just collapsed and gave up. mwuahaha. lol. but my school director complimented me the other day on the level of english my kids were speaking. they know all the english theyre supposed to know plus a lot of incidental language that i speak in class. for example, all my kids can properly ask me to use the restroom. they call all tell me if theyre too hot, too cold, etc., in english. none of that is actually in any of our books or in the lesson but its stuff i think they need to know. they also know all of the random commands i have for them like "GO WASH YOUR HANDS." children are filthy creatures. i say that often. these seem like small things but trying to teach someone something based on almost no knowledge of the language you speak is often a small feat. i have 15 kids classes, which like i said is really high but it doesnt actually phase me as much as i thought it would. aside from the fact that theyre filthy, they arent bad.
actually, this week i am interviewing for ECC Junior. its a subsidiary of ECC and sends people to the local schools to teach younger kids. They also work with the ECC Junior teachers, who are usually Japanese, to assist them in their English brush-ups. It's extra money which I need and doesn't require too much of a commitment. 10-15 hours a week maybe? no bad.
speaking of part time jobs... ive been seriously thinking about acting again. i really miss being on stage, rehearsals, etc. i have some friends here who do acting and modeling on the side, so i asked them for their help in getting information. my friend gave me a lot of information and her agents contact info. so last friday i went in to meet with the agent. she was really friendly and recorded my voice in english and japanese. she asked me to work on projecting my voice more - which i used to do but brought it down when i started studying japanese. anyway i told her i would and i am every day. she actually called me about a job next week but i have to work. T_T she knows my hours though and she said shed call me if she could find anything for me during my available times. she seemed really positive. i guess we shall see! lol.
lately ive been noticing that i analyze my speech a lot. im not sure if this is a recent thing or something ive always done but for some reason i am noticing it a lot more now. i bet it has something to do with work. -.- i hope my english isnt getting japanified! my english was already quirky enough...
something ive been thinking a lot about lately is what is going to happen next. im so indecisive as to what direction im supposed to go. i guess i am going to have to play it by ear to see where life will take me but there is so much i want to do with my life. current list of possibilities are:
* stay in japan a while longer (in nagoya)
* get a phd in japan (in kyoto)
* move to tokyo
* move to france and teach there
* phd in england or scotland
* teach in korea (and study korean)
* teach in taiwan (and learn chinese)
* move back to the u.s. and get a phd there
i am really up in the air about all these things. jennifer says after shes done here shes going to do a working holiday in korea for a year... it would be great to go there and see where my grandpa was... learn korean... korean guys are soooo cuuuuuuteeeee!
also, ive thought about going to taiwan ever since i went there... it never seemed a possibility but now that im here nothing is impossible is it? i could see myself being very comfortable in taiwan. they are vaguely close to the japanese culture wise.. which is comfortable for me.
i know if i spent a year in france i could be fluent. french is super easy for me to pick up. i had a really high a in my 10 unit class and i dont think i spent more than an hour of time studying total the entire time i was there. this would help with my overall goal of getting my phd in medieval literature since most of the manuscripts i read have english, french and latin writing in them...
i donno. so much to think about! what am i going to do with my life?! what am i supposed to do with my life? ive never spent so much time thinking about it really. ive always gone with the path that life has taken me but recently ive been feeling a sense of urgency. im not sure why.
my sister graduated from GRAD SCHOOL last week!!!!!!!!! GO CINDY!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOO! <3 i am so very proud of my sister. she just amazes me with how she can choose to do something and make it happen. shes my baby sister and shes quite the capable adult now but since i played such a big role in raising her, the pride i feel seems like that of a parent and not just a sibling. i am in awe. im pretty sure that might have something to do with why i am feeling the fire to do something in my life too. i keep thinking to myself WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH YOUR LIFE VALERIE?!?!?!?!?! -.- grad school? someday. soon.
as my 7 month mark approaches and the half way mark of my current term in japan approaches, i am feeling settled here. life is nice. ive made some solid friendships. also though, many of my friends are leaving now to head back to their respective countries. its sad to see so many people leave, but most of the people here are not planning to make careers out of their time in japan. that being said, I FINALLY GOT AN OVEN!!!!!! WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!! AAAAAAAND A RICE COOKER!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *DANCES* im bought a small oven from a friend who is moving. as well as a lamp, rice cooker, and some extension cords. -.- and i got them all at garage sale prices! i feel so lucky! T_T you dont know how much life sucks without an oven! and while i cant really enjoy it very much now that summer is here... i am going to be doing all the baking as soon as fall hits! yay me!
so yes, my life revolves around food. every saturday night mandy and i find time to have dinner. we travel all over the city eating at different restaurants and trying new things. we have had some of the best conversations over dinner and had some pretty amazing food. its also a nice chance to catch up and/or vent about life. really though neither of us really has much to vent about. we both seem to be really enjoying our time in japan in our own way. we are similar yet quite different in a way that makes us compatible as friends. talking to mandy helps keep me grounded while i am here. its great.
lately work has finally settled down. the kids are in a routine. i can anticipate the bad ones and usually head them off before they cause any trouble. i also realize how much i tend to form bonds with people. i worry about my kids. i dont like to see them get picked on at school and i want to guard them. one of my students had her last day this week. shes 5 but her family has to move to osaka. her father beats her mother and her mom is pregnant and is having complications from it all. the child is one of the sweetest, most caring children i have in all of my classes combined. that anyone would harm her makes me feel so much pain for her. also, its not secret that i also shared similar experiences growing up, so it makes the situation more intimate for me. i am glad she is moving though. it means her mom is taking a step in the right direction for the children, which is difficult but very brave. my understanding is that domestic violence happens more frequently that we know about here, just like in the states. sah. such a terrible thing to experience... especially as a child. but again, thankfully her mother is strong enough to make this step...
ive been talking with many of my students about japanese families. my friend told me she believes about 30% of marriages are arranged marriages. that number is kind of shocking to me actually but she met her husband via an arranged marriage. my impression is that husbands and wives live separately. husbands often travel for work and leave their wives home to care for children. ive heard on more than one occasion of husbands and wives living in different cities all together. the reason being that its hard for children to change schools since they have to take placement tests to get into junior highs and high schools here. also many japanese companies move their employees around every 3-5 years, so men often have no choice in moving. that puts a big strain on the marital relationship. also though, it seems like many people get married because its whats expected. people arent marrying for love - at least not the older people ive met. they marry because they must have children to succeed the family. my perception might be slightly skewed since i work for an expensive english school and wealthier people have fewer options as to whom they get to marry... but it is the stereotype many people have expressed to me. though obviously there are exceptions.
shelby came to visit me last weekend! it was great seeing her! i hadnt seen her since 2009 i think. its amazing how quickly time flies. shes just about to leave japan and head back to california to finish up her graduate degree and i am really glad i got a chance to see her. the best part about having so many friends in the japanese department is that theyre all here with me. its like japan is a big college and i get to bump into people on occasion. a lot of my heart is here in japan.
also, this year marks the 5th anniversary of my grannys passing. i cant believe shes been gone that long already. my grandma was such a remarkable person. the stories she had were priceless. whenever we had time to talk i would ask her to tell me stories about her childhood, her family, her friends... she was the youngest child and had all brothers. she started picking cotton when she was 3 and was born at the tail end of the great depression. her brothers were in wwii, once of them landed on the beach on dday and one of them fought in japan. she didnt wear jewelry or fancy clothes. her favorite color was green. she loved chili and spicy foods, perhaps even more than i do. if i listen closely, i can still hear her voice. when she died i thought that i couldnt even imagine a world without her. 5 years later i still cant believe its true. but grandma had no fear of death. she didnt worry about it and she didnt ever think we should make a fuss about it. she was remarkably brave and strong. she was everything i hope to be in life. i miss you granny.
i hold very tightly to many of the things my granny taught me. one of them was not to fear death. granted my granny was a lot more religious than i am, but i dont fear death. i dont even think about it actually. well no, i think about death a lot because i am kinda morbid (i.e. i like to read obituaries), but i dont *fear* death. i dont think about what happens after you die or anything like that. but, i must admit, i want to have a grand funeral. ^_^ i want a funeral like my grannys. lots of singing and people who will lie and say how absolutely wonderful i was... and lots of sobbing. like this ---> T_T but for details on that, you can ask bobby. he's the official event planner of my funeral.
since we're on the death topic, this weekend was fathers day. this will be my second without my dad. next month will be the 2 year anniversary of his passing as well. how quickly time passes. it passes without regard to feelings or want... just keeps going. but tomorrow i will celebrate fathers day. i will celebrate it for my grandfather and for my step dad chris, both of whom have helped me through many troubled times. i am lucky to have so many wonderful men in my life. many people only have one father but ive had many. for this i am thankful. i am sure my dad would be pleased that i am paying my respects to the people who have helped me in my life. still, its tough.
in lighter/happier news, my good friend emm is coming to japan next month! yay! she'll be here for training for 3 weeks! i am super excited to see her and also ill have a chance to go to tokyo! weee!!! i can hardly wait! i dont think ive seen her since 2008! ack! i dont even care what we do as long as we get to catch up... its gonna be great!
also, with any luck, cindy le will be visiting me at the end of her term in korea, which will also be at the end of next month. i cant believe shes been here in asia for almost 6 months already. cool. but also crazy how quickly time flies. i always say that but its never any less strange.
lately yohsuke has been sick. he had the flu and a cold back to back. poor guy. things have been hard lately because he lives with his family in another city thats not easy for me to get to... and he works a lot, and with him being sick, the last couple of months have been hard. i dont blame him... just, its rough.
last friday i got a new movie rental membership and rented a couple of japanese movies with no subtitles. in some parts i caught upwards of 75% and in other parts about 50% but it really depends on who is speaking... girls are easy to understand and they have easy speech to follow but guys seem to speak an entirely different japanese sometimes. although i am not a huge fan of the romantic comedy, they are the easiest for me to watch.
something that proved to be quite shocking to me was the lack of ovens in japan. THEY DONT HAVE OVENS!!!!! *gasp!* yea, like none. you can buy a small oven that is about the size of a large microwave but they dont come standard. thats why when i found out my friends were getting rid of theirs (since theyre leaving to teach in korea), i jumped on it! theyre so expensive here! about half the cost of an american sized oven for about 1/4 the capacity!
the last thing i got was a brita water filter. it was something ive wanted since i got here but have been too cheap to buy. admittedly, it was only about 30$ but that still seems like too much for water! but i did it and now i am drinking water like nobody's business.
last week i went to a school party. i like the school that held the party but i am always taken aback by foreigners. like, how do they have no tact? how can they be so self involved and have no regard for the culture or the place they are living? ugh. i was embarrassed to be there. one of the students told me, "they are very american arent they?" its sad that that's a phrase people use here... but its true. so i keep my distance. i dont need problems in my peaceful existence in japan...
finally, ive been watching a whole lotta k-dramas. ive always liked them more than anything else but stopped watching them when i got to cal. lately though ive picked up the habit again and its brought me endless amounts of joy in the last couple of weeks. i love so many things about them... but mostly i like how relationships seem to work in korea. its my perfect balance of love and distance... no overcrowding and not over the top, but not cold and distant either.
smoking is a thing here. i feel like i stepped back in time 30 years to when california still had smoking in restaurants. there are lots of cafes where the smoking section is actually larger than the nonsmoking section. though admittedly smokers here are more polite than say las vegas, i still feel the idea is backwards. smoking is in the past. its not cool, its unhealthy, and it makes your teeth bad. >_<" also, i enjoy dessert and the places that have the best dessert tend to be in bars... and i always come home smelling like a pack of cigarettes exploded from inside my body. the smell comes from my pores, my hair... i wake with a sore throat. ugh. almost not worth the ice cream. almost. but ice cream IS magical, so if enough time passes, i always find myself willing to make the sacrifice for my favorite tasty treat.
speaking of eating, ive lost more weight. today i put on a pair of jeans that i couldnt zip up before coming here, could fit into during spring, and now ive got easily over an inch of room. to my own credit, i do walk A LOT. i also am REALLY active in my classes. i set my temperature at 68 degrees and my kids are always sweating.
last week was review week for most of my classes and i had them doing mini relays and a few of them actually just collapsed and gave up. mwuahaha. lol. but my school director complimented me the other day on the level of english my kids were speaking. they know all the english theyre supposed to know plus a lot of incidental language that i speak in class. for example, all my kids can properly ask me to use the restroom. they call all tell me if theyre too hot, too cold, etc., in english. none of that is actually in any of our books or in the lesson but its stuff i think they need to know. they also know all of the random commands i have for them like "GO WASH YOUR HANDS." children are filthy creatures. i say that often. these seem like small things but trying to teach someone something based on almost no knowledge of the language you speak is often a small feat. i have 15 kids classes, which like i said is really high but it doesnt actually phase me as much as i thought it would. aside from the fact that theyre filthy, they arent bad.
actually, this week i am interviewing for ECC Junior. its a subsidiary of ECC and sends people to the local schools to teach younger kids. They also work with the ECC Junior teachers, who are usually Japanese, to assist them in their English brush-ups. It's extra money which I need and doesn't require too much of a commitment. 10-15 hours a week maybe? no bad.
speaking of part time jobs... ive been seriously thinking about acting again. i really miss being on stage, rehearsals, etc. i have some friends here who do acting and modeling on the side, so i asked them for their help in getting information. my friend gave me a lot of information and her agents contact info. so last friday i went in to meet with the agent. she was really friendly and recorded my voice in english and japanese. she asked me to work on projecting my voice more - which i used to do but brought it down when i started studying japanese. anyway i told her i would and i am every day. she actually called me about a job next week but i have to work. T_T she knows my hours though and she said shed call me if she could find anything for me during my available times. she seemed really positive. i guess we shall see! lol.
lately ive been noticing that i analyze my speech a lot. im not sure if this is a recent thing or something ive always done but for some reason i am noticing it a lot more now. i bet it has something to do with work. -.- i hope my english isnt getting japanified! my english was already quirky enough...
something ive been thinking a lot about lately is what is going to happen next. im so indecisive as to what direction im supposed to go. i guess i am going to have to play it by ear to see where life will take me but there is so much i want to do with my life. current list of possibilities are:
* stay in japan a while longer (in nagoya)
* get a phd in japan (in kyoto)
* move to tokyo
* move to france and teach there
* phd in england or scotland
* teach in korea (and study korean)
* teach in taiwan (and learn chinese)
* move back to the u.s. and get a phd there
i am really up in the air about all these things. jennifer says after shes done here shes going to do a working holiday in korea for a year... it would be great to go there and see where my grandpa was... learn korean... korean guys are soooo cuuuuuuteeeee!
also, ive thought about going to taiwan ever since i went there... it never seemed a possibility but now that im here nothing is impossible is it? i could see myself being very comfortable in taiwan. they are vaguely close to the japanese culture wise.. which is comfortable for me.
i know if i spent a year in france i could be fluent. french is super easy for me to pick up. i had a really high a in my 10 unit class and i dont think i spent more than an hour of time studying total the entire time i was there. this would help with my overall goal of getting my phd in medieval literature since most of the manuscripts i read have english, french and latin writing in them...
i donno. so much to think about! what am i going to do with my life?! what am i supposed to do with my life? ive never spent so much time thinking about it really. ive always gone with the path that life has taken me but recently ive been feeling a sense of urgency. im not sure why.
my sister graduated from GRAD SCHOOL last week!!!!!!!!! GO CINDY!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOO! <3 i am so very proud of my sister. she just amazes me with how she can choose to do something and make it happen. shes my baby sister and shes quite the capable adult now but since i played such a big role in raising her, the pride i feel seems like that of a parent and not just a sibling. i am in awe. im pretty sure that might have something to do with why i am feeling the fire to do something in my life too. i keep thinking to myself WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH YOUR LIFE VALERIE?!?!?!?!?! -.- grad school? someday. soon.
as my 7 month mark approaches and the half way mark of my current term in japan approaches, i am feeling settled here. life is nice. ive made some solid friendships. also though, many of my friends are leaving now to head back to their respective countries. its sad to see so many people leave, but most of the people here are not planning to make careers out of their time in japan. that being said, I FINALLY GOT AN OVEN!!!!!! WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!! AAAAAAAND A RICE COOKER!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *DANCES* im bought a small oven from a friend who is moving. as well as a lamp, rice cooker, and some extension cords. -.- and i got them all at garage sale prices! i feel so lucky! T_T you dont know how much life sucks without an oven! and while i cant really enjoy it very much now that summer is here... i am going to be doing all the baking as soon as fall hits! yay me!
so yes, my life revolves around food. every saturday night mandy and i find time to have dinner. we travel all over the city eating at different restaurants and trying new things. we have had some of the best conversations over dinner and had some pretty amazing food. its also a nice chance to catch up and/or vent about life. really though neither of us really has much to vent about. we both seem to be really enjoying our time in japan in our own way. we are similar yet quite different in a way that makes us compatible as friends. talking to mandy helps keep me grounded while i am here. its great.
lately work has finally settled down. the kids are in a routine. i can anticipate the bad ones and usually head them off before they cause any trouble. i also realize how much i tend to form bonds with people. i worry about my kids. i dont like to see them get picked on at school and i want to guard them. one of my students had her last day this week. shes 5 but her family has to move to osaka. her father beats her mother and her mom is pregnant and is having complications from it all. the child is one of the sweetest, most caring children i have in all of my classes combined. that anyone would harm her makes me feel so much pain for her. also, its not secret that i also shared similar experiences growing up, so it makes the situation more intimate for me. i am glad she is moving though. it means her mom is taking a step in the right direction for the children, which is difficult but very brave. my understanding is that domestic violence happens more frequently that we know about here, just like in the states. sah. such a terrible thing to experience... especially as a child. but again, thankfully her mother is strong enough to make this step...
ive been talking with many of my students about japanese families. my friend told me she believes about 30% of marriages are arranged marriages. that number is kind of shocking to me actually but she met her husband via an arranged marriage. my impression is that husbands and wives live separately. husbands often travel for work and leave their wives home to care for children. ive heard on more than one occasion of husbands and wives living in different cities all together. the reason being that its hard for children to change schools since they have to take placement tests to get into junior highs and high schools here. also many japanese companies move their employees around every 3-5 years, so men often have no choice in moving. that puts a big strain on the marital relationship. also though, it seems like many people get married because its whats expected. people arent marrying for love - at least not the older people ive met. they marry because they must have children to succeed the family. my perception might be slightly skewed since i work for an expensive english school and wealthier people have fewer options as to whom they get to marry... but it is the stereotype many people have expressed to me. though obviously there are exceptions.
shelby came to visit me last weekend! it was great seeing her! i hadnt seen her since 2009 i think. its amazing how quickly time flies. shes just about to leave japan and head back to california to finish up her graduate degree and i am really glad i got a chance to see her. the best part about having so many friends in the japanese department is that theyre all here with me. its like japan is a big college and i get to bump into people on occasion. a lot of my heart is here in japan.
also, this year marks the 5th anniversary of my grannys passing. i cant believe shes been gone that long already. my grandma was such a remarkable person. the stories she had were priceless. whenever we had time to talk i would ask her to tell me stories about her childhood, her family, her friends... she was the youngest child and had all brothers. she started picking cotton when she was 3 and was born at the tail end of the great depression. her brothers were in wwii, once of them landed on the beach on dday and one of them fought in japan. she didnt wear jewelry or fancy clothes. her favorite color was green. she loved chili and spicy foods, perhaps even more than i do. if i listen closely, i can still hear her voice. when she died i thought that i couldnt even imagine a world without her. 5 years later i still cant believe its true. but grandma had no fear of death. she didnt worry about it and she didnt ever think we should make a fuss about it. she was remarkably brave and strong. she was everything i hope to be in life. i miss you granny.
i hold very tightly to many of the things my granny taught me. one of them was not to fear death. granted my granny was a lot more religious than i am, but i dont fear death. i dont even think about it actually. well no, i think about death a lot because i am kinda morbid (i.e. i like to read obituaries), but i dont *fear* death. i dont think about what happens after you die or anything like that. but, i must admit, i want to have a grand funeral. ^_^ i want a funeral like my grannys. lots of singing and people who will lie and say how absolutely wonderful i was... and lots of sobbing. like this ---> T_T but for details on that, you can ask bobby. he's the official event planner of my funeral.
since we're on the death topic, this weekend was fathers day. this will be my second without my dad. next month will be the 2 year anniversary of his passing as well. how quickly time passes. it passes without regard to feelings or want... just keeps going. but tomorrow i will celebrate fathers day. i will celebrate it for my grandfather and for my step dad chris, both of whom have helped me through many troubled times. i am lucky to have so many wonderful men in my life. many people only have one father but ive had many. for this i am thankful. i am sure my dad would be pleased that i am paying my respects to the people who have helped me in my life. still, its tough.
in lighter/happier news, my good friend emm is coming to japan next month! yay! she'll be here for training for 3 weeks! i am super excited to see her and also ill have a chance to go to tokyo! weee!!! i can hardly wait! i dont think ive seen her since 2008! ack! i dont even care what we do as long as we get to catch up... its gonna be great!
also, with any luck, cindy le will be visiting me at the end of her term in korea, which will also be at the end of next month. i cant believe shes been here in asia for almost 6 months already. cool. but also crazy how quickly time flies. i always say that but its never any less strange.
lately yohsuke has been sick. he had the flu and a cold back to back. poor guy. things have been hard lately because he lives with his family in another city thats not easy for me to get to... and he works a lot, and with him being sick, the last couple of months have been hard. i dont blame him... just, its rough.
last friday i got a new movie rental membership and rented a couple of japanese movies with no subtitles. in some parts i caught upwards of 75% and in other parts about 50% but it really depends on who is speaking... girls are easy to understand and they have easy speech to follow but guys seem to speak an entirely different japanese sometimes. although i am not a huge fan of the romantic comedy, they are the easiest for me to watch.
something that proved to be quite shocking to me was the lack of ovens in japan. THEY DONT HAVE OVENS!!!!! *gasp!* yea, like none. you can buy a small oven that is about the size of a large microwave but they dont come standard. thats why when i found out my friends were getting rid of theirs (since theyre leaving to teach in korea), i jumped on it! theyre so expensive here! about half the cost of an american sized oven for about 1/4 the capacity!
the last thing i got was a brita water filter. it was something ive wanted since i got here but have been too cheap to buy. admittedly, it was only about 30$ but that still seems like too much for water! but i did it and now i am drinking water like nobody's business.
last week i went to a school party. i like the school that held the party but i am always taken aback by foreigners. like, how do they have no tact? how can they be so self involved and have no regard for the culture or the place they are living? ugh. i was embarrassed to be there. one of the students told me, "they are very american arent they?" its sad that that's a phrase people use here... but its true. so i keep my distance. i dont need problems in my peaceful existence in japan...
finally, ive been watching a whole lotta k-dramas. ive always liked them more than anything else but stopped watching them when i got to cal. lately though ive picked up the habit again and its brought me endless amounts of joy in the last couple of weeks. i love so many things about them... but mostly i like how relationships seem to work in korea. its my perfect balance of love and distance... no overcrowding and not over the top, but not cold and distant either.
this is my favorite actor: kim hyun joong *swoons*
finally, if you follow the facebook updates, today we are experiencing typhoon tuesday. <---check out our weather map! i think two typhoons are supposed to hit tonight so classes were cancelled! yay!!!! i came home at 2 and had a nice dinner, a long bath, and did some of my chores for the week. tonight im going to start a new drama and then hopefully get a good night's sleep. its my first typhoon! i hope the power doesnt go out... then id have to eat all my ice cream in one sitting! itll be tough, but it must be done!
hope you are all enjoying whatever life has to offer you. til next time....
