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[25 Nov 2009|07:04pm] |
The coolest thing just happened. Not as cool as the weekend I just spent in Osaka with ex-Lex (totally necessary, wow. I am still happy despite a very long bus trip back and two days of school -- there is nothing like awesome company, great food and onsen. We totally have to do that again!) but still up there on the coolness factor -- my Japanese teacher just gave me two free lessons for next week -- in what is, for him, the busiest time of the year. How nice is that?
And just in case anyone is in the market for an online Japanese class: Here.
In other news, I did a practice JLPT test last Friday and well. I passed in one more section that I did last year! Down side to that is that I didn't pass any sections last year. Oh well. I'm still improving!
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[08 Nov 2009|07:30pm] |
Something seems to have either gone very wrong or very right with my NaNo this year. The bad news: My narrator just doesn't seem to know when to stop. The good news: I don't think word count is going to be an issue. I started Sunday last week. Now?
I'm a bit behind in JLPT preparation, but I made myself a schedule today and am feeling all right about things. This is going to be a busy next 28 days, but I should be able to manage it by turning into a very boring person and not doing anything exciting. Since this is about what I usually do, I'm sorted!
Then again, Nano seems to have brought out my inner baker. Friday it was a pretty disastrous attempt at gluten-free rice cooker bread. Last night it was Blueberry Muffins. (used rye flour instead of wheat bran and gluten-free bread mix in place of the flour, doubled the baking powder, cooked mini-muffins for ten minutes in toaster oven and let sit for 2). Having had polenta crusted fish and chips for lunch, I decided it was time to try the recipe Jenny recommended me: ( Banana Polenta Cake. )
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[31 Oct 2009|08:00pm] |
I have not been off my island (except to visit a smaller island) for 13 days -- and I'm not leaving this weekend either! I was going to gatecrash the Matsuyama JET Halloween antics, but my stomach is just being iffy -- and inventing and participating in a Ghost Hunters drinking game and marathon with ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) drowned_cities, a bottle of cola and candy has not helped. I knew it was a bad decision even at the time.
In other bad decisions, as you may have inferred from my new icon, I've signed up for Nano! And am still studying for the JLPT. This can only end badly. Warning that I will be scarce and distracted until December 6th. If anyone else is doing Nano this year, let me know what your username is!
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[06 Oct 2009|11:52pm] |
You know that feeling when something's going well, but you think if you say anything, it might change that? I've been feeling that way since I got back to Japan. I was tired at first, but I just had this feeling of happiness and my recovery went so quickly. I was up and about much quicker than I was the last time and without any of the horrible moodswings or arguments with people. It was amazing.
But yeah, I didn't want to say anything too soon. October 2cnd, I thought. A month after the surgery, about the same time the doctor thought I'd be able to have baths etc. again. That's a safe amount of time. Shouldn't be jinxing myself then, right?
I think I jinxed myself in the opposite direction. Since October second my life has become a whirl of business and excitement, including but not limited to the following fun things:
Hours of daily JLPT study!
Discovering an old cafe in Matsuyama that has items I can safely digest on its menu!
Gatecrashing a conversation and making a friend that lives on my island!
Going to a french restaurant!
Going to dinner with new friend and her Mum learning how to make Japanese style potato salad in the process!
A birthday party!
Going to the mall with another new friend!
Buying a bright orange bicycle!
Typhoon expected Thursday!
Discovering Bowie's 'Heroes'!
Chocs-Away soap!
Making wheat free cookies that turned out right on the first attempt even if I am now out of all things to bake with!
Discovering a new Modigliano and seeing some early Picasso's at the Ehime Art Museum!
Went to a brassband concert (have decided that I want to be the girl playing the triangle)!
Temples with Kym and Louis!
Raiding Louis's bookcase!
Being told my new shoes are cool 'because they look like Mickey Mouse shoes'!
Seen my students do the zombie dance from Thriller!
Re-enacting our glory days with Buffy!
I think that about covers it. Oops?
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[03 Sep 2009|03:12pm] |
Sore, tired and cranky but home -- surgery went well! Very well, actually, and if I hadn't had a two and a half hour drive home, I'd have been allowed out last night. Will probably be taking things very slowly the next few days, but am doing much better than the last time apparently.
/o/
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[24 Aug 2009|10:25am] |
I really am on a roll with dreams. I was just thinking 'what can I do now? Oh, I'll go over to goodreads, add that book I just finished.' And then I realised I never actually finished that book -- I just dreamed I'd read it, then dreamed myself coming up with a review for it.
The sad thing is that while I can't remember the title or more than the basic gist of the book, I can remember my review. Rather sorry it's going to waste.
By the way, have been scarce lately -- things have been kind of insane here. Surgery in NZ in just over a week, and it's been a nightmare getting everything together -- didn't have a visa, plane tickets or time off, my Japanese doctor has been away for a week and a half for Obon and I still haven't talked to her, and it's just all kinds of stressful. But it's slowly been sorting itself out and tomorrow night, I will be on the bus to Tokyo on my way home! Apologies to RP people in particular as I anticipate that I will continue to be sporadic for a while.
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[10 Aug 2009|08:20am] |
I just woke up.
I'm editing a story at the moment, and at first that was all I dreamt about. I was doing exactly what I was doing while awake. Then somehow, I'm not sure how, I was given a story which I was told was 'just what publishers were looking for' and 'that I should take a look at it' so I started reading it.
It was about Kurt Wagner from X-men, Wally from Where's Wally (Waldo in some countries) and a flesh eating zombie guy needing to learn to work together to save the world. There was the implication that at some point they fell in love. I'm very glad I woke up during the first chapter.
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