Lots happening, so much I don't really update anymore. I think I just get less introspective when I have less time to think. Summer has been great - not too much hot weather although we still have August to get through, I've gotten to see lots of fun people (even Sarah! :D), I had my birthday, got to go to Noah's Ark and New Glarus, just got my 3-month review back at work and passed with no complaints (yay), and in general life is good.
My parents are moving across town to a new house in September, and I'm going to help them. I figure I owe them for the 8 or 9 times they've moved me in the last 6 years, plus getting to spend time with my brother and playing video games together like the good old days is never EVER a bad time. I am completely looking forward to it. I just hope he plans to be off work for a while too :)
This weekend is going to be busy - Ty has a show tonight (I am staying home because as much as I am still not sick of their shows after attending 95% of them, I am more productive at home than at a bar, AND I spend less money [though I don't have to spend much as it is, haha] and get to bed sooner), we are going curb shopping because it's move-out weekend (hope I find some good shit), then home to visit my parents and go to our friend Emilie's wedding reception, then helping Theresa move into her new apartment and clean it so it's nice for her to live in. She is living by herself this time and it sounds like she's happy about it. I may cook dinner, or we may end up going out - probably going out since I don't know how much cooking I will feel like doing by the time moving and cleaning is over. And Bryan will be there! He is about to go back to Sudan already...
Summer's ending fast.
I have to enjoy it before all the snow comes.
But before winter comes fall, and soon my favorite season will be here!
Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts
8.14.2009
8.06.2008
August is here
and there's not so much going on as before. but I think it'll give me some more time to focus on what I need to get done, like finding full time work. so what have I been up to lately? a lot.
- I went out into the country for my boyfriend's family reunion and we stayed with his grandma at her house. On the way we passed this teeny little town called Gotham (never knew there was one in WI) and there's a bar called The Bat Cave. haha. But yes, his grandma and her man friend have a peaceful little house on a farm with cows and a big garden with fruits and veggies. She gave us some red raspberries. His family is also very welcoming, more so than mine, probably because he's one of very few grandchildren and not very many cousins either.
- went to Superior to get boyfriend's new car (which is SO nice!) and Duluth to see Collective Soul, Blues Traveler, and Live in concert. The concert started EARLY (WTF man. Concerts NEVER start early, except in Duluth where there are really lame lawmakers that want the parks closed by 10 PM) so we missed most of Collective Soul, but Blues Traveler was nice to listen to. I recognized some of their songs. and Live was AWESOME. I mean, with a name like Live, you have to put on a great live show, right? I also recognized about half of the songs they played. I had no idea I knew so much about Live. As for the old car, boyfriend put it up for sale and sold it in less than a day FOR MORE THAN HE PAID FOR IT because the lady offered him more. He drove the car for two years. His dad was going to fix all the problems and then try to sell it, but the lady wanted it right away. In the words of Brian, she got hosed.
- job interviews. two of them. both ended up not working out. I feel like I look great on paper but let them down when they finally meet me. I know that it all boils down to preparedness and confidence, and I just need some more practice. Unfortunately the five jobs I've applied to in the last week have not called me back yet.
- Noah's Ark with boyfriend, Dave and Zach. We rode every single ride and it was a really awesome day, weather-wise and everything. Bringing my own lunch and eating it out of the car reminds me so much of being little and going on vacations with my family. I did, however, partake of my very first funnel cake. It's a big, overpriced, soggy doughnut. I will probably not have one again, but it was good for experience.
- my birthday! I went to eat Indian food with Dave for lunch because I hadn't been to this restaurant in a very long time and it's one of my favorite places to eat. I decided at the last minute to have my celebration downtown and go to places that I have not been before. Nick's was more expensive than I remember, but the ambiance is nice there. I will definitely drink at Genna's again when I can, because it was so nice and cozy. After we were done there we had a massive jumping group hug that made me jump up and down without even trying. Strange but cool. Most people went home around 11 because it was a weeknight, but I was glad they came out for me ^^ I also wanted to try out the Red Shed, but boyfriend had to go home (work in the morning) and Zach offered to bring me home so I could go everywhere I wanted. :D I got a free balloon and some random drunk dude on the street wanted to breathe the helium in it, so I gave it to him (it was going to be deflated by morning anyway). The Red Shed was awesome in a big bang for your buck kind of way (but otherwise it was very loud and crazy), and I ran into someone that couldn't come out for my birthday and he still got me something to drink. yay ^^ all in all a successful night of party, not something I do often, which is why it's fun.
- celebrating Lammas (the celebration of harvest) with Dave. We went to a nature sanctuary in the country and participated in a Wiccan ritual, a first for me. I didn't know it operated in such a religious manner. We sung some interesting chants, sung around the campfire, burned a giant wreath, ate peaches and bread, and had dinner (not all in that order). It's not really all that different from what I know, just that you worship nature and not the invisible man in the sky.
- had a picnic in the park as a goodbye party for Evan, who's moving to California soon. We also had Les stay at our house for a few days after he had to move out of his apartment. He's moving to Oregon shortly. Eric is going to Hong Kong with his wife, and Ken's going to Hong Kong too...so many goodbyes, such a short time. :( but that's life. and it's not goodbye forever.
- finding a dress to wear for my brother's wedding now that my mom is unable to make me one. I have two options: buy my own or make my own. Making one is fairly cheap but takes a lot of time, and I'm not exceptionally skilled at sewing (although I do have a machine now so it would make things MUCH quicker). I COULD take it home for my mom to help me with at some point, since I plan to visit home sometime this month or next month. Buying a dress is quicker but it's expensive, I have a very limited choice of fabric quality, and I'd have to pay even more for alterations. Maybe I'll get lucky and when I go to the mall there will be a lovely, simple, classy looking chocolate brown dress on sale and all I'll have to do is hem it a couple of inches higher.
I haven't any more plans for this month besides going to Mike and Amy's wedding this weekend and finding a new job. Those are my priorities.
Lastly, I want to share with you some songs/music videos that have put me in a good mood lately.
Perfume - love the world
Muse - Supermassive Black Hole
m-flo - DOPEMAN
- I went out into the country for my boyfriend's family reunion and we stayed with his grandma at her house. On the way we passed this teeny little town called Gotham (never knew there was one in WI) and there's a bar called The Bat Cave. haha. But yes, his grandma and her man friend have a peaceful little house on a farm with cows and a big garden with fruits and veggies. She gave us some red raspberries. His family is also very welcoming, more so than mine, probably because he's one of very few grandchildren and not very many cousins either.
- went to Superior to get boyfriend's new car (which is SO nice!) and Duluth to see Collective Soul, Blues Traveler, and Live in concert. The concert started EARLY (WTF man. Concerts NEVER start early, except in Duluth where there are really lame lawmakers that want the parks closed by 10 PM) so we missed most of Collective Soul, but Blues Traveler was nice to listen to. I recognized some of their songs. and Live was AWESOME. I mean, with a name like Live, you have to put on a great live show, right? I also recognized about half of the songs they played. I had no idea I knew so much about Live. As for the old car, boyfriend put it up for sale and sold it in less than a day FOR MORE THAN HE PAID FOR IT because the lady offered him more. He drove the car for two years. His dad was going to fix all the problems and then try to sell it, but the lady wanted it right away. In the words of Brian, she got hosed.
- job interviews. two of them. both ended up not working out. I feel like I look great on paper but let them down when they finally meet me. I know that it all boils down to preparedness and confidence, and I just need some more practice. Unfortunately the five jobs I've applied to in the last week have not called me back yet.
- Noah's Ark with boyfriend, Dave and Zach. We rode every single ride and it was a really awesome day, weather-wise and everything. Bringing my own lunch and eating it out of the car reminds me so much of being little and going on vacations with my family. I did, however, partake of my very first funnel cake. It's a big, overpriced, soggy doughnut. I will probably not have one again, but it was good for experience.
- my birthday! I went to eat Indian food with Dave for lunch because I hadn't been to this restaurant in a very long time and it's one of my favorite places to eat. I decided at the last minute to have my celebration downtown and go to places that I have not been before. Nick's was more expensive than I remember, but the ambiance is nice there. I will definitely drink at Genna's again when I can, because it was so nice and cozy. After we were done there we had a massive jumping group hug that made me jump up and down without even trying. Strange but cool. Most people went home around 11 because it was a weeknight, but I was glad they came out for me ^^ I also wanted to try out the Red Shed, but boyfriend had to go home (work in the morning) and Zach offered to bring me home so I could go everywhere I wanted. :D I got a free balloon and some random drunk dude on the street wanted to breathe the helium in it, so I gave it to him (it was going to be deflated by morning anyway). The Red Shed was awesome in a big bang for your buck kind of way (but otherwise it was very loud and crazy), and I ran into someone that couldn't come out for my birthday and he still got me something to drink. yay ^^ all in all a successful night of party, not something I do often, which is why it's fun.
- celebrating Lammas (the celebration of harvest) with Dave. We went to a nature sanctuary in the country and participated in a Wiccan ritual, a first for me. I didn't know it operated in such a religious manner. We sung some interesting chants, sung around the campfire, burned a giant wreath, ate peaches and bread, and had dinner (not all in that order). It's not really all that different from what I know, just that you worship nature and not the invisible man in the sky.
- had a picnic in the park as a goodbye party for Evan, who's moving to California soon. We also had Les stay at our house for a few days after he had to move out of his apartment. He's moving to Oregon shortly. Eric is going to Hong Kong with his wife, and Ken's going to Hong Kong too...so many goodbyes, such a short time. :( but that's life. and it's not goodbye forever.
- finding a dress to wear for my brother's wedding now that my mom is unable to make me one. I have two options: buy my own or make my own. Making one is fairly cheap but takes a lot of time, and I'm not exceptionally skilled at sewing (although I do have a machine now so it would make things MUCH quicker). I COULD take it home for my mom to help me with at some point, since I plan to visit home sometime this month or next month. Buying a dress is quicker but it's expensive, I have a very limited choice of fabric quality, and I'd have to pay even more for alterations. Maybe I'll get lucky and when I go to the mall there will be a lovely, simple, classy looking chocolate brown dress on sale and all I'll have to do is hem it a couple of inches higher.
I haven't any more plans for this month besides going to Mike and Amy's wedding this weekend and finding a new job. Those are my priorities.
Lastly, I want to share with you some songs/music videos that have put me in a good mood lately.
Perfume - love the world
Muse - Supermassive Black Hole
m-flo - DOPEMAN
7.03.2008
夏空 -summer sky-
I think after fall, summer is my next favorite season. Although I don't particularly enjoy all the heat and humidity, I have to say that nature is very pretty in summer. The sky is the prettiest during the summer, it's the one time of year here where all manner of colorful plants grow, a lot of fruits and vegetables taste the best in the summer (tomatoes, cucumbers and berries... ^^), and being out in the sun and breeze feels really good on a very base level. Humans were definitely not meant to be cooped up indoors all day.Last week, Ty's grandma picked us about 10 pounds of strawberries from her garden at home and brought them to us, and every time I eat them I can't believe how good they taste. I made a strawberry rhubarb crisp out of some of them, and while that was tasty, I think I like eating them all by themselves better, or in strawberry shortcake (which we've had about 3 times in the last 2 weeks).
We also went to New Glarus last weekend for the Heidi Festival, but mostly we just went there for eating and drinking. We toured the brewery there and the Primrose Winery, and ate at Glarner Stube like last year...we got Swiss cheese fondue for an appetizer, which was REALLY REALLY good, but even for five people it was a bit much...we were full by the time our dinner came to the table. XD I couldn't even look at Swiss cheese for a couple of days afterward. We also got lost a lot on the way there and back, which wasn't so bad because it's a pretty drive, but it was a bit frustrating when we didn't know where we were or where we were going.
Someone stole my basil plant off the front porch that day, too. :( I came back from the farmer's market and it was gone. It was growing so nicely too. You can't leave ANYTHING outside these days, not even on your own damn property. If it can be moved, it will be taken. On the good side, though, someone has offered to give me one on this plant exchange thing, which was really nice. I want to move all the mint plants to one place, but they're really kind of hard to dig up. I probably don't need to be too careful, though, I guess...it spreads really fast, so even if I kill some there will be more to take its place :) I tried moving the sundrop plants to the bed by the front door and 2/3 of them died. I guess I'm not very good at gardening. But I tried. XD The anemone bulbs never grew anything. I was really disappointed. I think I'll just try to grow poppies instead. They look a lot like anemones.
Still looking for a new job, although I've applied to some. The one I have now is getting comfortable and sort of boring, and the annoying things about it are getting to be more of a problem. Especially now that I have reduced hours and I live a lot farther away, it's not all that convenient anymore...and it's weird being recognized by random customers outside of the store, particularly the guy that sells newspapers to help the homeless right across the street because he rides the same bus I do in the morning and says hi to me every day. He's kind of creepy. Someone that you know nothing about who tells you more than once that you have a nice smile, and knows where you work and generally where you live is kind of creepy, right? Lately the autistic guy that works where I do (and his special ed teacher from a nearby high school) have been coming to work in the morning. He does some of the really simple tasks that I do when it's not busy, so I felt compelled to remind him where things are and how to get what he needs if it's not where it normally is. It was slightly awkward at first because I didn't really know how to communicate with him...like I know he's a perfectly intelligent human being and I want to treat him as such, but just talking to him as I do with anybody wasn't working. The teacher that accompanies him is pretty cool. At work nobody really asks each other about their personal lives or anything (I suppose it's none of my business, but still) so it's hard to get to know them, but she is really the first person I've talked about that kind of thing with, and it was nice. When I mentioned that I know Japanese, she told me all about how she used to work on an Alaskan fishing boat (which is pretty badass) and her experiences with Japanese people there and on neighboring boats. I have to work all day on the 4th (tomorrow) while Ty gets a day off...and I'll be late to Kevin's cookout, but hopefully I can still get some dinner there.
Speaking of cookouts, they are fun. We had one for our housewarming party a couple of weekends ago, Les had one last Wednesday and we went swimming (yay swimming pools!) and now we have a big grill screen for the giant grill we bought from the guy who used to live here. :D
I have also been busy translating Base Ball Bear interviews and finding out new and cool things about them. I especially love their new song (and video?! they have a video!) "SUMMER ANTHEM". :D Speaking of music, I have occasionally been going down to the Man-cave (the basement) and playing bass. Zach was over not too long ago and we had a jam session with him singing, Ty on guitar and me on bass, and we played AC/DC songs. That was FUN. ^^
My next challenge: perfecting a recipe for curry squash, or for any curry, really. I hope I can find some winter squash in the middle of summer XD
We also went to New Glarus last weekend for the Heidi Festival, but mostly we just went there for eating and drinking. We toured the brewery there and the Primrose Winery, and ate at Glarner Stube like last year...we got Swiss cheese fondue for an appetizer, which was REALLY REALLY good, but even for five people it was a bit much...we were full by the time our dinner came to the table. XD I couldn't even look at Swiss cheese for a couple of days afterward. We also got lost a lot on the way there and back, which wasn't so bad because it's a pretty drive, but it was a bit frustrating when we didn't know where we were or where we were going.
Someone stole my basil plant off the front porch that day, too. :( I came back from the farmer's market and it was gone. It was growing so nicely too. You can't leave ANYTHING outside these days, not even on your own damn property. If it can be moved, it will be taken. On the good side, though, someone has offered to give me one on this plant exchange thing, which was really nice. I want to move all the mint plants to one place, but they're really kind of hard to dig up. I probably don't need to be too careful, though, I guess...it spreads really fast, so even if I kill some there will be more to take its place :) I tried moving the sundrop plants to the bed by the front door and 2/3 of them died. I guess I'm not very good at gardening. But I tried. XD The anemone bulbs never grew anything. I was really disappointed. I think I'll just try to grow poppies instead. They look a lot like anemones.
Still looking for a new job, although I've applied to some. The one I have now is getting comfortable and sort of boring, and the annoying things about it are getting to be more of a problem. Especially now that I have reduced hours and I live a lot farther away, it's not all that convenient anymore...and it's weird being recognized by random customers outside of the store, particularly the guy that sells newspapers to help the homeless right across the street because he rides the same bus I do in the morning and says hi to me every day. He's kind of creepy. Someone that you know nothing about who tells you more than once that you have a nice smile, and knows where you work and generally where you live is kind of creepy, right? Lately the autistic guy that works where I do (and his special ed teacher from a nearby high school) have been coming to work in the morning. He does some of the really simple tasks that I do when it's not busy, so I felt compelled to remind him where things are and how to get what he needs if it's not where it normally is. It was slightly awkward at first because I didn't really know how to communicate with him...like I know he's a perfectly intelligent human being and I want to treat him as such, but just talking to him as I do with anybody wasn't working. The teacher that accompanies him is pretty cool. At work nobody really asks each other about their personal lives or anything (I suppose it's none of my business, but still) so it's hard to get to know them, but she is really the first person I've talked about that kind of thing with, and it was nice. When I mentioned that I know Japanese, she told me all about how she used to work on an Alaskan fishing boat (which is pretty badass) and her experiences with Japanese people there and on neighboring boats. I have to work all day on the 4th (tomorrow) while Ty gets a day off...and I'll be late to Kevin's cookout, but hopefully I can still get some dinner there.
Speaking of cookouts, they are fun. We had one for our housewarming party a couple of weekends ago, Les had one last Wednesday and we went swimming (yay swimming pools!) and now we have a big grill screen for the giant grill we bought from the guy who used to live here. :D
I have also been busy translating Base Ball Bear interviews and finding out new and cool things about them. I especially love their new song (and video?! they have a video!) "SUMMER ANTHEM". :D Speaking of music, I have occasionally been going down to the Man-cave (the basement) and playing bass. Zach was over not too long ago and we had a jam session with him singing, Ty on guitar and me on bass, and we played AC/DC songs. That was FUN. ^^
My next challenge: perfecting a recipe for curry squash, or for any curry, really. I hope I can find some winter squash in the middle of summer XD
5.28.2008
slowly chugging on
Life is moving slowly, and today that's just really getting to me. Thankfully I have some extra free time to do something about it. I say that and then I don't make any headway. But I like to think that I do. If you call job hunting for a couple hours and not applying headway, then I've made some.
I'm excited for margaritas with good friends on Thursday evening after work.
I'm excited to see the Yoshida Brothers on Friday night in Chicago...if Ty's car can get us down there and back. (please, belt on motor, do not snap...) I wonder if Ken'ichi is as ridiculously good looking in person? :)
I'm rather anxious to move on Saturday because of all the new space we'll have, but not so excited about having to spend tons more time getting to work (a job I'm only OK with; I don't particularly like or hate it right now)
I'm not excited that it's going to get much hotter outside for the summer and we don't have an air conditioner. It's been in the mid-50's during the day mostly and I love it.
I have this song stuck in my head right now:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XL2od1AF_Cs
So catchy. Every time I listen to it I think about it for a few days. yay Genki Rockets.
I want to translate something else today because I feel like I'm making breakthroughs in understanding things I wasn't quite getting in certain stories or songs before. Some days the ideas just make sense to you, and you think of good ways to put them in your own language. I think this is one of those days. Novala Takemoto, here I come :)
Someday I'm going to send him my translations of his work when I get enough of them. His afterword in Kamikaze Girls made him seem really excited for his work to be available in English. I think he'll be happy that someone likes them that much. In any case, it'll give him something to do when he's in jail. It's too bad he was the one that had to get caught with cannabis. I agree, he's probably a rather weird person, but writing while on drugs is practically an institution. How else would Japan produce such crazy shit? How do kids' shows get written? (Seriously. No person in their right mind would come up with the majority of things children watch and read.)
I feel like I'm in a trap as far as my professional life is concerned. I'm working a dead-end job right now, and for what I REALLY want to do, I need more training in Japanese, and I feel that the best way to get it at this point in my abilities is to live (and work?) in Japan for a while to get practical experience and further my practical knowledge because there's only so much you can learn from books and controlled situations. But I have someone who doesn't want me to leave, and he will come with me, but I need to wait a few years before he will want to. So find some other work that will feed into translation in the meantime, right? That's hard here. Hard because there are few avenues for translation work here, and the few companies that ARE here are very small and it seems unlikely that they will need to hire someone for something other than translation. Of course, I guess I need to contact them and figure that out for sure. Even just a day of job shadowing might be enough to inspire me to try again. I also thought of other jobs, like proofreading and editing, for something that may not have anything to do with foreign languages at all but is important to the translation process. I have yet to figure out if people generally like you to have an English degree or something to hire you for that, though. Maybe a job at a newspaper or magazine. What other places need lots of editing done?
I don't think I've gone through that thought process with anyone else, to be honest. I don't know why I'm afraid to, or otherwise just don't want to. I guess I'm scared of not getting what I want. But through that I'll get a better idea of what I DO want, at least, if it ends up not being the right thing. It's too bad that it's so much work. Man, I sound like a whiner. If you really want something, you will make yourself do what it takes to get it.
I'm excited for margaritas with good friends on Thursday evening after work.
I'm excited to see the Yoshida Brothers on Friday night in Chicago...if Ty's car can get us down there and back. (please, belt on motor, do not snap...) I wonder if Ken'ichi is as ridiculously good looking in person? :)
I'm rather anxious to move on Saturday because of all the new space we'll have, but not so excited about having to spend tons more time getting to work (a job I'm only OK with; I don't particularly like or hate it right now)
I'm not excited that it's going to get much hotter outside for the summer and we don't have an air conditioner. It's been in the mid-50's during the day mostly and I love it.
I have this song stuck in my head right now:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XL2od1AF_Cs
So catchy. Every time I listen to it I think about it for a few days. yay Genki Rockets.
I want to translate something else today because I feel like I'm making breakthroughs in understanding things I wasn't quite getting in certain stories or songs before. Some days the ideas just make sense to you, and you think of good ways to put them in your own language. I think this is one of those days. Novala Takemoto, here I come :)
Someday I'm going to send him my translations of his work when I get enough of them. His afterword in Kamikaze Girls made him seem really excited for his work to be available in English. I think he'll be happy that someone likes them that much. In any case, it'll give him something to do when he's in jail. It's too bad he was the one that had to get caught with cannabis. I agree, he's probably a rather weird person, but writing while on drugs is practically an institution. How else would Japan produce such crazy shit? How do kids' shows get written? (Seriously. No person in their right mind would come up with the majority of things children watch and read.)
I feel like I'm in a trap as far as my professional life is concerned. I'm working a dead-end job right now, and for what I REALLY want to do, I need more training in Japanese, and I feel that the best way to get it at this point in my abilities is to live (and work?) in Japan for a while to get practical experience and further my practical knowledge because there's only so much you can learn from books and controlled situations. But I have someone who doesn't want me to leave, and he will come with me, but I need to wait a few years before he will want to. So find some other work that will feed into translation in the meantime, right? That's hard here. Hard because there are few avenues for translation work here, and the few companies that ARE here are very small and it seems unlikely that they will need to hire someone for something other than translation. Of course, I guess I need to contact them and figure that out for sure. Even just a day of job shadowing might be enough to inspire me to try again. I also thought of other jobs, like proofreading and editing, for something that may not have anything to do with foreign languages at all but is important to the translation process. I have yet to figure out if people generally like you to have an English degree or something to hire you for that, though. Maybe a job at a newspaper or magazine. What other places need lots of editing done?
I don't think I've gone through that thought process with anyone else, to be honest. I don't know why I'm afraid to, or otherwise just don't want to. I guess I'm scared of not getting what I want. But through that I'll get a better idea of what I DO want, at least, if it ends up not being the right thing. It's too bad that it's so much work. Man, I sound like a whiner. If you really want something, you will make yourself do what it takes to get it.
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