Ger and Dave's Wedding

Ger and Dave's wedding was small, simple, beautiful and a lot of work; but well worthwhile!

I flew out on Tuesday to help with preparations and Ger put me right to work. I met her family, whom welcomed and accepted me with open arms on their little land right outside Orlando. I helped shop, run errands, cook, and do creative little things; but most importantly I kept Ger organized and from going insane.

The wedding was beautiful and Ger was a stunning bride!

The Ceremony

Picture with the bride

Cutting the Cake

DC Friends with Bride and Groom

Traditional Ceremony

Caps Game 11-11

Ger invited me to a Capitals game last minute and so I ran home from work to change into something warmer for the ice filled arena. As I ran in the door, Joe ran in behind me and I yelled "I'm late! I'm late!" and he yelled as he ran right behind me "for what?!" and I yelled "For the hockey game!!!!" and went to change. When I came back down stairs he said "Want a ride?!"

Yep, my roommates and I were going to the same game! Its not surprising seeing as how they are both HUGE Hockey fans and Shaun is especially a big Caps fan! I got lucky and they gave me a ride to the game and I made it there on time! It was also a good bonding time in the car ride there and back!

The game was amazing! Not only was it an exciting game, but it also went into overtime and then into Shoot Out overtime!!!! NOT ONLY THAT!! It wasn't until almost everyone on each team had taken a shot that the Caps won! E-X-C-I-T-I-N-G!! EXCITING!!

Ger and I at the Caps Game 11-11-09

Halloween was a success!!

Roommate was excited and did some bonding. Friends came and enjoyed eachothers company! Asked for an encore. Food was amazing, if I do say so myself! And all in all it was a great night! Most at home that Ive felt since I moved to the east coast! YAY!

Our new teacher, Allyson and her husband Connor

Julie, from mad mad men

Fabi's boyfriend Lane, the bloody hand prints on the wall add the right touch

The food, half gone before I could get a picture

The pumpkin cake

Some of the ladies (the important ones) Me, Fabi, Julie, Gina and Allyson

Airi-Chan

Congradulations to Gamou and Maki who had a beautiful baby girl named Airi on October 20, 2009 in Japan! She is beautiful!

Ren Fair

When I was in the 7th grade, there was a class field trip to the Renaissance Fair. There was a dinner for parents and all kinds of other events planned around the time period. This was the start of a great friendship. This was when I asked Jennifer Poe's mom to help me make a costume. She was a great sewer and made us beautiful period costumes. Wish I still had the photos so I could show you all.... but ever since then I have had a special place in my heart for the Ren Fair. Over the years Jennifer and I went to the Ren Fair many times, sometimes with my family and sometimes with hers, but one thing was for sure...WE LOVED IT!

Its been years since I have been to one and it wasn't until my friend Lane mentioned that he went while I was in Japan and had a great time that I thought of how much going to them meant to me and how much I enjoyed them.

So Andrea and I decided to go! We rented a car and went on a Sunday during Shakespeare week. We didn't dress up in period costume, but did get a little gussied up. We were like little girls on Halloween! And this time I could enjoy the BEER! We got our faces painted, tried things, on, watched the silly and attractive people. We ate good food and drank great beer! It was an amazing day that brought back all kinds of memories! Thanks to Andrea for going with me.... I look forward to going again next year!

A quick update...AGAIN!

Oh my.

It seems as if every time I get caught up on my blogging, I end up busy and full of procrastination putting me behind again. Its a never ending battle like most things in life.

Sorry fast forwarding though the end of my trip to Japan.....

The wedding was great! I met up with many good friends! Nathaniel left. I met up with Takako many times. Joined Chat Room at Lesley School, Spent the day at Takahata Winery with Yoshi and Chikako. Went drinking with Chiaki and many other friends....yes and ate tons of GREAT JAPANESE FOOD!

So there is the gist.


Since I have been back things have been busy and crazy.


I was offered a job back at Lesley English School. As much as I would have loved to have taken it and moved back to Japan and all my friends, I knew in the end I would have felt as if I were moving backward in life instead of forward. So I took that opportunity to go to my current bosses at Huckleberry and talk to them about a raise. They said that as soon as I enroll in the CDA classes I will have the title and pay of Head Teacher in our room. YAY!! A raise within 9 months of working there! Finally!! A step in the right direction!



Love life is moving forward, keeps having a few road bumps, but I will keep you posted.

Have decided to have a house warming/Halloween dinner/party thingy. You know me peeps, I'm always cooking and having people over and finally live in a place where I am comfortable and happy to have people over again!

Jessica, my little sister, just moved into a new apartment by herself. She is happy to have her independence again and is playing house decorator! She also got the cutest Siamese cat that she calls Baby Girl.

Mom is writing an auto-biography with my grandmother (who wrote, edited and bound hers years ago). I am very happy to hear this because it gives her reflection, a sense of self worth and inspiration for years to come...oh and keeps her busy for the time being. I believe everyone in this world should write an auto-biography... there is so much to learn about people we love! We only every see such a small glimpse of them.

Since Dad has been cancer free and healthy, he has been back to Work... he is working harder than ever and feels as if he has to make up for lost time I think. I worry he works too hard, but what can I do?! On a happy note, I think Dad and Jeanne (my step mother) will be visiting DC in the spring and I am very happy to have them come and visit.

Besides all this and work, I am focused on my good friends Ger and Dave's wedding over Thanksgiving weekend! Ger looks classically beautiful in her wedding dress and I think she is stressed and very excited knowing its only a month away!

So there is a quick update... I will do my best to keep up on my blog for a while! Hope all you readers are doing fantastic this fall and keeping warm!

Konno Wedding

Youhei and Asami Konno's Wedding

The main reason why I went to Japan was to attend Youhei and Asami's wedding. Youhei and Asami were our first Japanese friends. They showed us a lot of places and we had some really good times with them. We were even asked to give a speech during their reception. I don't have any pictures of Nathaniel and I, but we were there. My camera gave out so I didn't really get any good shots... will ask Nathaniel for a copy of his.

The wedding was beautiful. It was a TAS hotel and there was probably around 150 guests there. Most of the guests were people Nathaniel and I knew from different drinking establishments around Nagai. This was because Youhei's family owns an Izakaya in Nagai. All us Gaijin sat at the same table; Nathaniel, I, Nathaniel's step-brother Andrew, Andrew's friend Wess and Will (the teacher who took my place when I left Nagai). Also at our table was one of Youhei's close friends and his wife and a Ramen shop worker who is super kind.

The wedding started with an explanation of how Youhei and Asami met. Then a speech from their parents. Then speeches from old family friends. Then a toast. Then speeches from friends (and Nathaniel and I). Karaoke. A fruit raffle. Cutting of cake. LOTS AND LOTS OF DRINKING! (there was Beer, Sake, Shouchou....)Then they had this lighting of flowers on each table and then a larger tube on stage that ended with fireworks! YES FIREWORKS! Then it all ended with a Thank you speech from Youhei and Asami. We were really impressed because Youhei and his father both took the time to incorporate English into their speeches!

Asami looked amazingly beautiful and Youhei very handsome! I was very glad I could be there and be a part of the celebration!

Youhei and Asami in their American Wedding Wear


Asami's Parents

Youhei's Parents

Gamou and I

Nathaniel, Wess and Andrew

Youhei and Asami in Japanese Wedding Kimonos

Asami

Youhei

Chikako's Birthday

Chikako's Birthday Party!

We had Chikako's Birthday Party at Sushi Tetsu! Yoshi, Nathaniel, Takako and I had a great time laughing and talking about the old days and about our future plans. During dinner another Shishi festival was going on and we went outside to see it with the owner of the Sushi shop and had a great time talking with Nagai locals and taking pictures. We ended the night with drunken Karaoke and good times at the Snack Shop Doremi. All in all it was a great night and I was very happy to be there to help celebrate another year of Chikakoness!

A normal Nagai Night

The first Saturday night, after going for dinner and drinks with Chiaki, Takako met up with us so that we could go see one of Nagai's local Shishi's. For those of you who don't know what a Shishi is, its a Japanese dragon. The kind with a head that snaps open and closed and a long cloth tail. Usually its followed by drums and Japanese flutes. I met one of the new teachers Alex and we enjoyed the Shishi and met up with many people around Nagai. Afterwards, Alex, Chiaki, Takao and I went to Paradise to say hello to Gamou! It was nice to see Gamou, but missed Maki who was in Yamagata Hospital for her last month of pregnancy! Congratulations to them both! It was a normal Nagai night!

An unexpected guest

So I started my trip to Nagai with nostalgia and loads of time to write and blog, however, my trip took a turn when an unexpected person knocked on JoeyD's door my second day in town.

I had just been outside talking to Chikako and had gone up stairs to JD's place when all of a sudden there was a knock on the door. I was almost sure it was Nathaniel seeing as how it was the day that he said he was going to arrive into town, but was shocked to open the door and see Chiaki there.

Chiaki and I had been very good friends until Hanami-kai over a year and half ago when we got into a huge fight and stopped talking. The last 4 or 5 months of my time in Japan were Chiaki-less. This was mainly due to stubbornness. So when she was standing outside the door I didn't know what to expect. I immediately gave her a big hug, but was still cautious because I wasn't sure if she was going to start screaming at me or crying or what. She came in and sat down and started talking as if we had never been apart. Over a year and half and we talked as if we were hanging out just yesterday.

She then invited me to dinner and drinks and that was the start of my trip to Japan. She insisted that I stay at her house instead of a hotel like I was planning when JoeyD got back to Nagai. The entire trip she cooked for me, cared for me and was the sweetest kindest person ever. When she cares about a person there is not a single selfish bone in her body. When.

Nagai- A thought or two

Nagai is a place that is always so foreign to me yet so familiar. I know the places to go and the things to do. It has a home feel to it, but it’s the strangeness that keeps me intrigued and interested. It’s like there is always something to learn. Always something that distracts or amazes me. It’s never boring. One could say or assume that that’s because I enjoy learning and observing people, but it’s really the culture. The more I learn about Japanese people in the country side the more I understand and can communicate with them, yet they are never a bore and there is always something more to learn.

What is it about Nagai that I love so very much??

Well maybe it’s the comfort. The sense of family, the sense of community, the sense of friendship. There is this constant sound of children’s laughter during the day. Old ladies in aprons riding their bikes in the middle of the road. Children playing together without a worry of strangers or fear at all. At night when the children are tucked into bed, then the sound of drunken Japanese men Kampi-ing swarm the streets. Young people Karaoke-ing can be heard from blocks until the wee hours of the mornings. Sometimes until dawn. There is always a friendly hello and greeting amongst friends and strangers alike when passed on the streets. Cars are left with keys in them, doors left unlocked, bikes sitting outside and a friendly person chasing you down because you dropped a dollar.

Maybe it’s the vegetation. The greenness and earth. The sense of Mother Nature that brings such down to earth joy amongst there residents. Every house has a tree or a garden. The mountains are full of large green trees, flowers and mountain vegetables. There are personal gardens on every corner. Flower gardens that are more beautiful than words could ever describe. In the spring Cherry Blossoms bloom in full, Tulips, Azaleas, Big beautiful Iris’s. Nagai-jin flock to these gardens full in bloom and celebrate their beauty with huge festivals full of lights, shishi dragons, traditional music, tea ceremonies, and traditional foods like donburi, takoyaki, and okinominyaki. Then when the festival comes to an end there are endless Otsukarasamadishita parties for the adults with beer, sake and karaoke. All this because a flower blooms. Also there seems to be an endless sound of life, I’m not talking just the sound of people, but the sound of secedes, the sound of crickets and frogs. There are dragonflies, and butterflies, there are yellow and black spiders and bird. It seems as though not only people are happy here, but the rest of Gods critters are also.

Maybe it’s because I feel inspired here. There isn’t a shopping mall, a movie theater nor a bowling alley. Just mom and pop shops, restraints and homes. But somehow none of those matters, what I always want to do is walk, paint and write. I feel so inspired here, like I just can’t sit still. I have to be doing something creative all the time. Today, for example, I was inside watching TV, and finally couldn’t stand it anymore. I had to get up. I picked up my laptop, grabbed a blanket and walked to the park (where I am write now) and began to type. Just typing whatever came to mind. Whatever inspires me.

Maybe it’s because I lived here so long that it feels like home. I know the streets, the shops and the people. I still see students of mine at the park and they say “Oh! Hello! How are you?” oh my how they have grown. I see parents who greet me with a “long time no see, are you moving back?” I know where to go if I need or want something; I know what streets to wander down and where to find my favorite food and people.

No matter what it is, the fact still remains, that I have a love for Nagai.

Flowers in Nagai
The Kamio Temple

Street by my old apt

Some country homes and gardens

I love this little walk path

Nagai

I have been away from Nagai for over a year, but somehow it feels as if I never left. As I got off the plane and into the Narita airport, it started feeling very comfortable and like home. However, I was frustrated that I could no longer go through the Japanese Passport line (when you have a VISA with a re-entry permit you can do all Passport things as if you are a Japanese Passport holder) and had to stand in the foreigner passport line for a little while. But it was when I got to Tokyo Train Station and stopped by my favorite Bakery navigating though the Tokyo Station like a pro that I realized how at home I really felt. When I got on the Shinkansen train I let out a sigh of relief and looked out the window at the rice patties, tiny cars and Japanese style houses until I fell into a deep sleep. I woke up just before Yonezawa (lucky because had I woken up 20 minutes later I would have missed my stop) and was greeted with a big hug from Chikako! Oh how I miss my friends from Nagai! As soon as we hugged I realized how much love I had left behind and how it still felt like home here after a year of being away. It was like coming home .
Like always we stopped by the combini and then off to Lesley School Chat Room, where the same students sat there. (Norihiko, how I make him so uncomfortable still! LOL) Yoshi gave me a big hug and looked better than ever. Tomohide walked in surprised to see me (he never knows what’s going on at Lesley). Takako was driving by and saw me in the window so stopped and came inside to chat for a while… it felt like a year ago and like I had never left. The same group of us debating all things in life from Gaijin to Nihonjin to Politics to who has gotten married since I left. Nagai even looks the same (with the exception that World Liquor has closed down and become a tire shop). It felt as if time had been frozen and not changed at all (even my classroom and Lesley School looked the same way as when I left it), it was a comforting and also a nervous feeling. Comforting to have things be exactly felt as if time had been frozen and not changed at all (even my classroom and Lesley School looked the same way as when I left it), it was a comforting and also a nervous feeling. Comforting to have things be exactly the same, but nervous because I have grown in a year, but it looks as if they are still the exact same.
I am staying at JoeyD’s (if only I could figure out how to connect to the internet…), and somehow I thought I knew the exact apartment that he is in, but last night proved that I was 100% wrong! I thought it was 406, and pulled the door, but it was locked. Then I thought, well maybe its 404, but I kept thinking 204, but knew it was on the 4th floor. I went up to 404 and pulled on the door, but it was also locked. So then, Yoshi saw some boys coming out of one of the apartment buildings and asked them if they knew where JoeyD lived. It was a group of three boys and immediately I wanted to run and hide. For one of the boys was one of the only Nagai boys that I had ever taken home drunkenly one night… he immediately noticed me and blushed and walked away…it was awkward, however, the one guy did know it was 402 that JoeyD lived in. YAY! Found it! And it was open of course (JoeyD never locks his door). Then Alex walked up and said “Are you JoeyD’s friend (ahh how the times have changed, it used to be that JoeyD was Monica’s friend, but now I am JoeyD’s friend)” and we briefly met and then it was off to bed I went. Oh how I don’t miss Futons nor Japanese Toilets…lol…first day down… 10 more of Vacation left!

Japan

Well, here I am on the airplane back to Japan. It feels like I am going home. The Japanese has come back so naturally and everything still feels the same thus far.

For those of you who don’t know, my friends Youhei and Asami are getting married on the 22nd, it’s also my friend Chikako’s birthday on the 20th, and also I haven’t been back to Japan in a year. When I found airplane tickets for $850 round trip I couldn’t pass them up! So here I am, mid September in an airplane headed to Japan. Isn’t that cool?! I am typing on a computer in the air on a plane! I love how far technology and society has become!

I don’t really have any plans for my visit. Except to do things as CHEAP as possible! (Teachers don’t make much money) JoeyD rocks and is letting me stay at his place the first half of my trip and I will stay at an old students of mine’s Japanese Inn for very cheap. I will spend the ENTIRE trip in Nagai. Just take it all in and visiting friends and old students. Nathaniel is also coming up to Nagai for the wedding, so I will see him of course. I plan on taking lots of pictures too!! So keep posted for blogging about Japan and pictures!

Romance

Oh Romance, I am beginning to remember the reasons why I hated the whole idea of dating to start with. BUT! I am also realizing that there are many great benefits to it as well. I have dated here and there, and it seems as though as soon as I let go of one another comes along. Some of you might find it interesting to learn that I tend to attract the “monogamous, family oriented, emotionally attached” male. I have never thought of myself of that type of woman and therefore thought I’d never attract that kind of male in a million years, however, it’s the opposite. It might have to do with the fact that my career revolves around children and all that come attached with that stereotype, but still…I always thought I was the furthest from that. So I guess one can say that by dating, I’m learning a lot about myself. I have been dating someone new that is fun and willing to invest time with me… so we will see where that goes. I don’t want to label it just yet.

Update!

I have been very far behind in my blogging since I have gotten to Washington DC. For that I apologize, this is me blogging a whole lot in one day to get everyone caught up.

First, I am happy to say that I have successfully moved into my new place. It’s a town house in Rockville Maryland. It’s about a 5-10 minute walk from the Grosvernor-Strathmore metro. The walk to the metro is beautiful, there is a man made pond that is surrounded by grass and it even has an island in the middle with a weeping willow tree. I am going to have to find the time to sit down and paint it one day. It’s in an area where there are a lot of apartment complexes and condos, so there is a little market and what not close by as well. The only bummer is that because I’m so far out of the city, most places are easier to get to by car. I have been renting a Zip Car every other weekend to go to the grocery store and what not, but besides that the metro takes me everywhere I need to go.
My roommates are very cool guys. There are two of them. The one that is on the third floor with me is Joe. Joe is 28 and works for the Department of Transportation, every time I talk to him I find out a little more about him. He isn’t an over talker, but he is social. His girlfriend, Jamie, comes down and stays with us every other weekend. I haven’t talked to her much, but she seems like a very nice girl. They are both from Philadelphia. Joe met Shaun when they were in college in PA, but they weren’t that close back then. It wasn’t until Joe moved to DC, Shaun’s hometown area that they became roommates. Shaun is 30 and he is a 5th grade teacher and avid Hockey fan. So much that the basement living room is full of hockey paraphernalia. Shaun and I don’t see each other much, mostly because I spend most of my time in, mostly because I spend most of my time in my room and he spends most of his in the basement. All in all, they are really great guys that are super easy to get along with. They are upfront about a lot of things; yet at the same time don’t sweat the small stuff. We are all super respectful and work hard.
The house is a typical bachelor pad, instead of a dining room table there is a foose ball table and dart board, we have a separate fridge for beer and refreshments, my roommates don’t cook at all, there are two living rooms, the one in the basement is a big screen with rock band and other video game stuffs, there is a beer pong table on the back patio and two grills. This may seem a little daunting and people may assume that it’s a party house, but really it’s not. Its clean 95% of the week and most nights we are in our own areas quietly unwinding from work.
As soon as I get back from my trip to Japan (which I am actually typing this blog on the airplane… what else am I going to do for 12 hours?!), I plan on trying to get the roomies out for beer and possibly a game of scrabble for some bonding. Guys are so different than girls, girls you just sit around and say “So, tell me your life story…” and then you talk for hours. Guys aren’t quite the same, so I think will try the beer and game approach.


An update on my job. Well, I am still teaching preschool at Huckleberry Cheesecake, we are STILL interviewing for a new teacher to join our classroom. It’s been a difficult task, not only for us (the teachers in the classroom), but for the directors who spend hours on end interviewing. They said something like 200 people applied. That tells me that the economy really isn’t getting any better. Until they find the right teacher to join our classroom, the position for lead teacher is up in the air. I am hoping that I get it, but if I don’t, that’s ok too. After all, as much as I love teaching, it’s not something I plan on spending the rest of my life doing.

First night in new place

So my first night in my new place, I locked myself in my room.

Yes, things like this ever only happen to me.

So I turned the knob to close the door and noticed that it didn't turn all the way, but ignored it and closed the door. Pushing pretty hard to get it closed. Then I turned it to open it and it wouldn't turn all the way. I twisted, turned, pushed and pulled and still couldn't get it open again. Thinking that maybe there was a trick, and swallowing my pride of being an independent woman in a male household; I got my cell phone out and called my roommate down stairs. I told him not to laugh, that I locked myself IN my room. Confused, he came up stairs and started pulling and twisting on the door as well. After a few minutes. he recommended we take the door knob off, I said yes please do! The screws were on his side and he got the knob off and started poking, pushing and pulling at the retractable part in the door and he came to the conclusion that it was stuck on lock and was not retracting from the door frame. We tried for about a half hour when I said "Just break the door, I just want to get out at some point!" He then went and got my other roommate out of bed. He came and tried the same things and then removed the handle on the spare room and tried that one. A half hour later and knowledge about door knobs, they managed to get my door open without breaking it!

I was rescued!

Come to find out, the door handle had been an issue for a while. There were jokes about how it could have been days until anyone noticed that I was locked in my room. One roommate even said "It was a test to make sure you wouldn't panic". All in all a slight bonding experience and the door now works very well!

Hopefully last rant about old roomie

So, The roommate that had the huge party has been a pain in the ass as usual.

I moved some of my stuff out on Sunday August 16Th, the the majority of my stuff out on Sunday August 23rd, however, I ran out of time with my SUV rental and didn't get the chance to move my bed frame, dresser and chair. Seeing as how these aren't really all that important to have right away, I decided that I would move them sometime in the next week or so since I am paying rent until the end of the month. Talked to Ger who is wonderful and willing to help me move them on Sunday afternoon. Then on Monday received a nasty email from old roomie saying that she wanted to know when my furniture would be moved out so the new person could move their stuff in. I reminded her that I was paid until the end of the month and would move them out at some point before then. She then told me " I will move your stuff to the living room then" I don't think she understood that I am still paying for the space. I once again reminded her that I am paying for the space and asked her not to move my things, but then she said that I since I pay my rent the last Friday of the month that I had to have my things moved out by Friday Aug 28th, for some reason I had to remind her that I pay the last Fridays of the month for her benefit, but pay for the entire month. I told her she could move my things, but I would expect her to pay for anything if it gets damaged. She then said that I couldn't talk about damage because I left two small screw holes behind the door. Its so frigging ridiculous!

The whole time I am thinking... this is ridiculous! This is all illegal and I can have her kicked out by a small phone call to the leasing office, because she isn't even allowed to sublet! The nerves of this girl is amazing! Now I am torn between being nice and letting things go or calling the leasing office and getting her kicked out like a bitch. I hate being caught between the two, but that's what its coming to! She manages to create drama where ever she goes. Thank gawd I'm not her nor no longer living with her! YAY!

However, I will feel 100% better when all my stuff is back in my possession and I am rid of her for life! I highly dislike her!

Moving

So I started packing up some of my stuff, well a lot of my stuff. Going to take it over to my new place today. Then next weekend or the weekend after I will move my big furniture. I am very excited to be moving somewhere that I will have more respectful roommates. Wish me luck!

If you want my new address just let me know!

Up for a Promotion

So our lead teacher in our classroom just gave her two weeks notice. In a really shitty manner no less.

The good news, I am one of the people up for the position. However, I am not qualified for the position, if they decide to go with me for the position they will put me through the CDA course. I do most of the work that the position requires now, and have been for about a month while the lead teacher (same lady) has been out on vacation, so I know its stuff that I can handle. The raise wont be that great, but something is better than nothing. It will look good on my resume to have gotten a promotion with in my first 6 months at a job.

So, we will see. Wish me luck!

bartender

My co-worker/friend, is starting to date one of the bartenders at the pub I frequent. This is awesome because it has created a more friendly environment and more free drinks. However, I don't want to think about what would happen if they were ever to break up or get into a fight....

hmm......

On a lighter note, the bartender that I always stare at and think is frigging hot!! Yeah, I tried to explain to him that I am like a frat guy, but not....lol. I guess you'd just have to know me well to get those kinds of jokes...sorry Jim.

lots of drama

Oh my! What a week I have had!

Where to start?!

Well good news first. I did find a new place to live. Its a four bedroom townhouse in Maryland (off Grosvnor/Strathmore Metro). I will be living with two guys, one a 30 year old elementary school teacher and the second a 28 year old guy who works for the government and has a girlfriend. They seem pretty clean and respectful. I will have two small rooms (kids sized) and am excited to move in there on Sept 1st! YAY

I had a few boy issues this week, but seem to have gotten my head in the game and made some difficult (but I am happy with) decisions.

Thursday night I woke up in the middle of the night to my very rude roommate having a party. The kind of party with under-age drinking, beer pong and tons of alcohol. She didn't warn me, she didn't knock on the door and say "Sorry, it just kind of happened". So at 1am I got pretty pissed because I had to work in the morning and called her to come and talk to me. I told her that I had to go to work in the morning and that I would appreciate it if they could keep it down and she had the audacity to roll her eyes at me and walk away. Luckily for her, her boyfriend apologized for her and said he would take care of it. He didn't. So I called security. I am not sure if they ever came or no though. So I kept falling asleep to be woken up by some yelling drunk punk ass kid. I was pissed and tired all the next day.

Since I found my new place I was excited to be able to move out of my current apartment early, especially after the fiasco of Thursday night and thought (especially because of how rude she has been) that my roommate would be happy I was leaving earlier, so I wrote my roommate a check for half a months rent and wrote he a note saying Id be gone by the 16th and left it on the table next to drunken strangers sleeping in the living room. I came home to an email that threatened to take me to court over the half a months rent check and no 30 day notice. I was pretty pissed seeing as how she had given me 60 days to vacate the property. All this without every signing a lease! AND, here is the real kicker, we lived in subsidised housing and if they found out I live here they would kick her out because we make too much money together to live here!!!! So after yelling, and shouting, after threats and rude remarks. I gave in and told her that if my new a roommates were cool with it, then I would pay her for all of August and move into the new place in September. She lucked out because although the guy was pissed that he was going to have to pay for ALL of August, he was still eager to have my in the townhouse. So two people bent over backwards to help my current roommate out because she cant budget or plan for things like this to happen financially. I am too nice.

Also, found out tonight that our head teacher will be quitting to get a new job closer to her home. Maybe that will open some possibilities for me. We will see.

So all in all things have been full of drama! I AM TIRED OF DRAMA! I HATE DRAMA! But I guess that's what our lives are consumed by. If its not one thing its another!

However, super excited, will be visiting Japan in September!! !YAY! I cant wait!

Blogging again

For my avid followers I would like to apologize for my lack of posting. For those of you who dont know, my computer died (RIP). So I had to buy a new one, which was an experience all its own.

Its crazy. The computer sticker prices are so cheap!! $699 or $599 for new laptops! I got all excited about how I could afford one! BUT there is ALWAYS a catch. The computers are truly $599, PLUS windows, PLUS RAM, PLUS hard drive space..PLUS, PLUS PLUS.... they still come out to being over $1,000!!!! Its crazy!!

So I finally got my new computer and the first week was full of feeding though emails and responding to people. That took a lot longer than I thought it would, but now Im finally back in the blogging world. Have a few things and some pictures to post from the past month or so that you all have missed, but I am sure I will eventually catch you up on all that!

So the moral of this blog: HAVE NO FEAR MONICA'S BLOG IS HERE!

LOL

Growing

I was thinking about the people I have known in my life today. I was thinking about how much we have all grown and changed over the years, but how we really are essentially the same.

The hopeless romantics are still hopeless romantics. The posers are still posers. The people needing approval from others are still in need of approval. The ones who march to their own beat still march to their own beat. And so on and so forth.

But with age comes wisdom. We become wiser about life and the decisions we make. We are more poised and graceful the older we get. We learn from our mistakes. We understand more and those around us better. And I believe we become more accepting.

We really don't change deep down I think, but we grow and learn to adapt who we are to those around us, making us appear as changed, but really we've just grown and adapted.

Strep

Well this week I had been feeling under the weather, but especially Friday and early Saturday morning my throat was bothering me. I was getting nervous that I might have Swine Flu so I got online and looked up the symptoms, usual flu symptoms plus vomiting and diarrhea, and knew that's totally NOT what I had. So I started looking up Strep throat thinking that might be it and I read the symptoms: Soar and swollen throat (check), Pain swallowing liquid or food (check), fever (check) and No coughing nor runny nose (check). So I assumed I had strep throat and looked online for home remedies since I hate going to the doctors. They suggested the usual: Aspirin for the pain, gargle with salt water, lots of liquids. BUT all websites said that the only way to get rid of strep throat is to get an antibiotic from your doctor. I looked up Kaiser hospitals close by, but none were open on the weekends (WTF?!), so I remembered the CVS Minute Clinic commercials online so I went.

Its a clever thing this Minute Clinic at CVS. An actual doctor there to basically test you out and give you prescriptions fast and easy without insurance. Unfortunately, they don't take Kaiser (no surprise really), so I had to pay full price which was $69 for the doctor fee (one of the more expensive fees). She gave me a throat swab that was supposed to show if I was positive or negative for Strep Throat within 5 minutes, about 2 minutes in she looked at it and said "WOW! That was the fastest I have ever seen it change, you sure do have Strep, no question". She also looked in my throat and said "Oh its red in there and white spots too!" She also said "Good self diagnosis, you called it". I don't know if I should be proud of these things or not, but what I do know is that now I have Penicillin and some mouth gargle. Doctor said I should start feeling at least a little better tomorrow... I hope she is right!

The only positive: I got to Dial 911

I was waiting for the bus at the Bethesda Metro station to go home (usually I walk, but I haven't been well so I decided to wait for the bus). There was a lady standing to my right talking to a young man about what time the next bus was coming and then all of a sudden I heard a strange crash pop sound and then she said "Did that car just hit that man?!" and gasped. There was a column in my way so I could exactly see from where I was, but I could see that people started rushing towards that area and the lady said "I hope someone calls 911!" My cell phone happened to be in my hand so I dialed 911. Apparently I was the first to call in and I was transferred to emergency response and they asked me a lot of questions. I had to walk over to the area that the man who was hit was at to answer them. Like "How old is he?" "Is he moving or talking?" "Is he on the ground?" I answered the best I could and told them that a police officer was there already and talking to them and the man on the phone said "Yes, we are just now getting the call in, OK, can we get your name and the telephone number from which you are calling" I gave it to them and that was it. It took longer than expected, but first another police car arrived, then a fire truck and then two ambulances. The young man who hit him couldn't have been over 21 and seemed very regretful and flustered at what had just happened (in the kids defense, there was no crosswalk there, bu there was a cross walk a few feet away.. USE THE CROSSWALK PEOPLE). Anyways it was all kinds of exciting and also scary and reminded me to use cross walks and be a good pedestrians. Also I got to call 911 for real!! That was cool!

GRE

So I bought my first GRE study/practice book and have started preparing myself for the mindset that I will be taking the exam in the next year or so. I have been out of school for so long and have never been a very good test taker, so I am a little nervous. Also I realized that my vocabulary has greatly decreased from living in Japan for so long. I am thinking of majoring in International Communications, but you all know me-I always change my mind and end up doing something completely different anyways. So the point of the blog... wish me luck on my studying!!

Won't lie, Im totally bummed

Met a guy that I really liked. Different from some of the other guys. Funny, down to earth, religious, kind, geeky... perfect. It took a long time and a few friends pointing him in the right direction to get the nerves to ask me out. Apparently I make people nervous. Finally he asked me for coffee and we talked for 5 hours. It was great! I couldn't wait to see him next, but it took him so long to ask me out. Finally he called and sounded so sad and stressed... a talker he is, but he didn't speak for a few moments and then explained that in the time that we had coffee to now his friend expressed her deep feelings for him and that he decided to try things out with her. He told me that it wasn't his intention to lead me on and that it wasn't honourable to see more than one person at a time. So that was it. I told him I was happy for him and that I understood, but was still totally bummed. "I won't lie, I'm totally bummed, but happy for you." were my exact words. I want to be angry and bummed, but he is so nice and straight forward that I just cant be.

I secretly wish it all goes wrong and that I'm next in line...... is that terrible?

Out with Andrea and Casey

Went out with Andrea and Casey on saturday night so I could check out the hot bartender at Rira. We had a great time! It was Casey's first time sitting and drinking at a bar!! We had some good laughs and good music!

Me and Casey

Weavers Visit to DC

My mothers cousin and her family came to DC to see the sights and I was able to meet up with them! We had a great time exchanging stories and laughing. Not to mention the great dining experience we had! YUM! Thanks again to the Weaver family! Dont be strangers!

Grace, Helen, John and Amy Jo

The Weavers and I

Grace and Amy Jo's "Italian boyfriend"

Around DC

Random pictures around DC this spring time!

Cherry Blossoms

The DC Cherry Blossom festival was great! I got to go twice down to the tidal basin on the Mall!! I really enjoyed it!

Gift from sister

When my sister was visiting DC she made this for me. She even choose my favorite colors! Thanks Jessica! You did good!