*GASP* An Update!

Hey guys! Sorry for the lackage of updates (although I'm sure many of you haven't notice... okay, except for Nick) being at home practically everyday means that although I could go on the computer, time on it is limited, because okaasan is home too, watching over me. And so I got up nice a early (because okaasan lectured us kids about sleeping early and not sleeping in until mid afternoon) to use the computer. Well, I won't claim that nothing has happened and then bore everyone with another ramble about making cookies or more complaints about okaasan. I'll just touch upon things that kinda stood out in a somewhat chronological order.

1. Naoto
Yup, he's home. We went to pick him up from the airport after going to dinner and church service with Imaizumi-san and Yuri. Two of his friends(female friends dressed in "sexy" santa suits) also came to meet him. We didn't talk all that much on the way home, because he was occupied answering all his mother's questions. He asked me a few questions, like if I understood hakata-ben and if I liked ramen, but other than that, his homecoming wasn't all too big of a deal. When I met his friends a few weeks back, they were telling me how he's a really nice person, and that I'll like him (as a friend). Well, I suppose he is quite nice, because he did help me get the odoru CD thing, and translated almost all of my emails from the seller for me. But yah... he hasn't made mention about going out together with his friends again since he suggested it while he was still in australia.

2. Harukanaru Party
Yanaga-san had this whole cosplay party planned and she invited me to join them. Perhaps its become a trend (although I can't say, since I've only been out with her on such occasions twice) but something always goes wrong. Not horribly wrong, like someone breaks an arm or anything like that. Either way, she told me that the party was going to be held near Hakata Station, and all I needed to bring was my costume and some money. I was assuming a little money would be enough, so I didn't bother going to the ATM but apparently I was wrong. For some reason, outings with her always cost alot. Like when she says NEAR Hakata Station, taking a train then taking the subway and then taking another train and a taxi is considered CLOSE to her. Just getting to the place cost a fortune, plus we had to pay for renting the room too. And I always don't have as much fun as I think I would. Usually because she's busy taking with her friends an I don't know what they are rambling about to join in. Plus I always feel so helpless around them, because Yanaga-san and Sasaki-san are always lending me stuff like safety pins and Yanaga-san always has to help me put on my wig and makeup. To make things worse, I ran out of money that day, and had to borrow money to buy dinner for myself.

Apparently, I'm not as close as I though I was, because while we were getting changed into our costumes, I asked Sasaki for a safetypin and right after that, I asked Yanaga-san for something. Sasaki-san was like to her friend "how come she calls me just Sasaki but she calls Yanaga, Yanaga-SAN" Well, I thought we were close enough to start dropping the "san" and also, I always here Yanaga-san calling her just Sasaki so I must have picked it up by accident. It was then that I realized that we're not really friends... they just put up with me. This became more evident when after dinner, everyone started going home and stuff and it was just me, and two of Yanaga-san's friends. They were considering going to Karaoke, which as much as I wanted to, I had no money, and karaoke costs alot. They kept asking me when I had to be home by, and I really didn't know, so I told them "anytime". And so we started heading towards the train station, and I though about telling them I'm going to home now but before I could say it we were at the foot of the station and I had my own classmates basically "send me home". It wasn't a nice feeling.. having your own "friends" tell you: "I think its best that you go home now. Your host mother must be worrying about you" Either way, I got a few pictures did the digicam before the batteries died, and then I took a few more with the regular camera, but then the roll of film inside that camera ran out too. See? Unfortunate things always happen when I got out with them.

3. Takehashi (Seitaro)
Since Naoto came home, Takehashi-san came over to spend sometime with him (plus Naoto managed to convince otousan to let him buy a PS2 so they were testing that out.) This is the second time I've seen him since he helped me and I didn't even know it was him until after Naoto called his name. ^.^;;. Either way, they decided to go out to the convience store and when they got back my host brother walks into the room says "hai, omiage" which basically means "here, present" (or "here, souvenier from the covience store") and hands me a pack of strawberry pocky. Then he mumbled something about Takehashi which I've took to meaning that's its from him or it was his idea or something. Well I was happy (and a little shocked... I mean, I wouldn't have thought of getting some random girl living at your friend's house something from the convience store) A few days later, I asked Naoto who's idea it was to get the pocky, and he was like "actually... it was Seitaro's idea" Hmmm, beginning of something new? I kind of hope so. It would be nice to befriend some males.. you know, just for some variety.

4. Rainbow Plaza (Tenjin)
So I had an outing with my Japanese teachers and one of the short term exchange students from Malaysia. I was late that morning, since I was up again baking the last batch of cookies. I feel very proud, because I managed to bring all the girls in the family together. First, it was just me cutting out cookies, but then I managed to rope Yoshie-chan into it too. Then after all the baking was done, me and Yoshie-chan started decorating, and then okaasan started to help (only because she wanted us to get to bed faster). Either way, baking is a good way to bring people together... well, girls anyways.

Well, when I did finally arrive at Tenjin, I had a conversation test with Shibata sensei's friend of sorts, which when okay I suppose. According to the tester, both of us (the other exchange student and I) were "intermediate" speakers. Woot! Then we had lunch at this buffet style place which serves vegetables organically grown by local farmers in Fukuoka. The food was pretty good. Then we went to Rainbow Plaza, which is basically an information place for foreign residents to get information in their own language and stuff like passport registration forms or Japanese classes. They were closed for the holidays, but we picked up lots of random stuff. Then we went to some other place, and picked up lots of recipe cards. ALL FOR FREE. ^.^ Mom, that's your souvenir. Jokes, although really, you can have it.

Anyways, I really should get going. I have to help with cleaning (since is new years eve) And Naoto is throwing fits at everyone. o.O Really didn't expect him to be that sort of person... but then I don't blame him for doing so. I need to send things home soon. Ja.

Slaving Over Little Gingerbread School Girls

Well, I stayed up till 3 last night making, decorating and wrapping little gingerbread cookies for my classmates and teachers. -_- I'm actually not THAT tired anymore... and since my host mother INSISTED that I wake up at 7am (even though school/worship doesn't start until 9:45) I got to school about 1.5 hours early. Well I slept a plenty on the train and bus ride here, so that might be why I'm not that tired. But yah.. since I had time (and luckly, the university computers were free) I'm here, trying to blow an hour blogging and checking stuff.

Well, unfortunately the cookies didn't turn out as well as I had hoped. They're about half the size I wanted them to be, since I couldn't find a large cookie cutter, I had to work with the small one that my host mom offered me. I made two batches of dough, one yesterday and one the day before but the one I made yesterday was tough and hurt my hands when I pressed the cookie cutter into it. To make things worse, I had to bake the cookies in batches of 9, since the toaster oven was the only method I could use. I suppose its a good thing that the cookies were small now, since if I had made them the size I wanted to, I would have most likely only been able to fit 2 in the oven at once o.O that would have taken forever, seeing that I had over 40 cookies to bake, each taking around 5 minutes to bake.

Well, so I finished all the baking, got all cleaned up and then came the hard part. Well, it wasn't really hard... actually making the icing was easier than I remembered it being. So yes.. I made the icing (while on the phone with mom) and then started mashing blueberries for the blue colour. THAT part didn't turn out so well. At first, there was a light tint of lint grey-blue... but then when I started putting more mashed blueberries to try to darken it, it turned into a lint purple colour and turned watery. -_- So I had to scrap the idea of my little creations wearing blue uniforms and wasted $3 on blueberries which will now reside in the fridge until they go bad or I swallow them whole just to get rid of them and not waste them. (Did I mention I'm not very fond of blueberries?) I had better luck with the red icing (I LOVE the colour powder that I bought... too bad its so expensive, and I bought green and yellow too, even though I didn't get around to using it) And so using a toothpick, I drew scarfs and cuffs on over 50 little cookies. o.O Then I went at it with white icing for the eyes and a blob just above the scarf to represent the symbol we have on the uniform around that area. Not the best I've ever done, but atleast they taste okay...ish. Well, the one I ate did, and the ones that Yoshie and Otou-san ate didn't kill them, so its fine.. right? ^.^;;

After all that was done, I cleaned up, grabbed the boxes of cookies (I had two large boxes of them... single layered of course) and took them upstairs to wrap after I took a bath. And so from 2ish to 3:30am I sat in bed individually wrapping them. o.O I had originally planned to use stickers on the back to close them, but since the cookies came out smaller than I had planned, it was impractical to use the stickers. So now I have 500 cute little chirstmas stickers, and I'm hoping I can refund them (I didn't open the package or anything) because those stickers cost me 1050yen and I could do with that money for other things (like funding my future baking) Ah well, we'll have to see later.

Wow.. what a long pointless rant. Well, I have to get running.. the christmas service is going to start in... one minutes. Great. Well, incase I can't get online before then:

MERRY CHIRSTMAS EVERYONE! HAVE A NICE HOLIDAY!

I Found My Homework (Drats.. To Some Extent)

Yup, I went to the ILC site, and I found all my English homework there. -_- Problem is, the online course is very media heavy, and requires me to be infront of the computer(unless I print the reading materials)... something I can't do at home. Meh, I'll most likely just do as mom suggested and do it when I get home (or did I suggest it?) The site is very cool though, and paper friendly (as in you could possibly do this whole course without ever having to write anything on a piece of paper)

Well, yesterday was Wong Shuk Ting's(the exchange student's full name) last day at Fukuoka Jo. She had self study time last period, so I decided to go visit her in the library after math class. She was at the computer emailing, and I read pieces of her email and found out a little more about her host family. Her host family doesn't have any children living with them at home (they're all working or married and moved out) so she's pretty lonely at home. Having read that, I asked her if she wanted to go out somewhere with us. She said sure, but she didn't know if she had anything planned for today and when didn't know how to go anywhere, since her father drives her to and from school. I told her that when her father comes to pick her up, I can ask her father for her, since her father doesn't speak any English, and so they don't communicate at all.

On a side note, she was using the computer that I was using earlier that day, and I thought she was on MSN, but really.. it was mine (I must have forgotten to logout before running off to lunch) I went to check the messages and I got a chance to talk to my host brother (which I hadn't spoken to for a while, since I had to back away from the home computer) THE LUCKY BUM! He's already on his "summer holiday" (because its summer in Australia now) so he was online during the middle of the day. He asked how I was, said he had to go to his friends house and then left saying he'll (hopefully see me soon). Yesterday was a rather pleasant school day. Okies, we're off topic now.

Well, me and Ting went back to the classroom and I told my friends (and respectively, Ting's friends too) about how we were planning on going out somewhere together. We started planning, but we couldn't decide on a good day. Today, Ai-chan and them have to take a major English Test (which I don't) and Sunday was no good for most of them. We thought Monday after school would be a good day, since its going to be a shortened day, but then Ting told us that she was going to be moving to her next host family that morning. And so we all reluctantly decided that today after the test was the best.. and only time we could go out together before she left. (since we have no clue where she's moving to, we might not see her again after she moves) Well, off we went to see her off, and to ask her host parents if it was okay for her to go out with us. No offence to her host parents, but they scared the heck out of us. The host mom didn't seem all to pleased to hear that we wanted to go to Tenjin with Ting, but she agreed. The plan was that since I didn't have to take the test, I would go with Ting from wherever she lived to Tenjin by train. Her host mom didn't like the idea, and said that she would drive her to and from wherever we were going to meet. So we decided place and time and her host mother gave me their home number and the bunch of us hurried away in fear of them. It wasn't that they were menacing, but more like cold.. very, very cold and suspicious of us. We felt sorry for Ting. (Also, in her email, I read how her next host family has no childern living with them either)

Lol, funny side story here. (Okay, not funny, more like interesting... to me anyways) When I first talked to Ting, I asked her if she spoke Madarin or Cantonese. She said she could do both, and then I went on to explain that I could only speak Cantonese, but I could understand a little Madarin. Later during the day, I asked her why she was staying for only 3 days and she explained to me about how her exchange works and stuff. I then told her that I was also here on an exchange program, which surprised her, because she thought I was just a regular student here. I felt special. XD. I explained to her that I was from Canada, and that I had been here for 3 months already, and that because I hadn't spoken Cantonese for 3 months, i was starting to forget it. She must have thought that since I spoke semi-understandable Cantonese, and I could converese decently with the Japanese(she wouldn't know how well I actually spoke,since she doesn't have any Japanese language background) my parents must be a Japanese and someone from Hong Kong. My friends we amazed (and amused by the pronounciation of Cantonese) and they kept saying how I was so "international" because I could speak 3 languages decently well. ^.^ That was a very nice confidence boost.

Wow, today's rantage is LOOOONG. Well, we have 2 computer periods today, so I'm not crunched for time or anything. Yah.. after school today is going to be a big rush. Some girls from my host brother's school want to me meet, and so they made arrangements with my host mother to see me today after school. I feel like an exhibit or something, being shown and introduced, and having people wanting to see me. I didn't forget about this arrangement, but I really wanted to go somewhere with Ting(because she might not have a chance to go out with friends later) and it just so happened that today was the only day. I told my host mom how I was going to come home around 2pmish, meet the girls from Naoto's school at 3pm(or was it 3:30? Please let it be 3:00.) and then catch a 4:00 train to Tenjin to meet up with Ting and them. She didn't like the plan. Then she went about saying (in a"you shouldn't have made that little plan of yours to go with you friends to Tenjin so close to when you have to meet those girls" tone of voice) about how I would have to get on a local train before 4pm, because those trains turn into express trains from Chikushi Station and blah blah blah (I know what she said and everything, but its too hard to explain... that and it takes too long.) Hopefully meeting and talking to the girls won't take more than 45 minutes (I mean, what are we supposed to do anyways? Sit and have tea together, while discussing gobal politics?) I think my host mom said that she wasn't going to be there, and something about after I come back from Tenjin, should we go out for dinner or she'll buy something and me and Yoshie will eat at home. I don't know. Then there was something about calling her. O.o Confusion. Meh, I'm too hungry to care about that right now. *Stomach grumbles so loud that librarians give me a look*

Yah, you know you've been here too long when people stop asking how long you're staying and start stating how you're leaving soon. (I still have a month and a week, and they're already saying "awww, you're going to be leaving soon") Of course, a few of my closer friends are saying how I should come visit next year, and that they'll come visit me and maybe do an exchange in Canada and stay at my house. I actually like that idea quite alot.

On a quick random note.(I have to go in a bit.) Since I quit badmintion (Adam, I still get lots of excercise from the Marathon practice... that's 3km of running twice a week) my host mother heard of a kyudo(Japanese achery) club that her friend goes to. We went to visit it last Wednesday, and they said that if I want to learn, I can just pay 500yen each time I come and they'll lend me the stuff and teach me the basics. Too bad the kyudojo is in Kurume... I have to pay extra to get there by train because its not within the area that my teikiken is paid for.

Oo, bell rang, gotta go to math (which I'm proud to say, I understand most of it). Ja.

When's Lunch Again?

I hate it when we have messed up schedules like today. I never know when lunch is (and　of course, that's the most important time of the day... second to sleeping XD) Ah well, the bell will tell me and then I get to make a mad dash back to homeroom so that I don't cut into everyon's lunch time.
Well, here we are again. I actually got some help from the ILC chatroom today. Knowing that not ALL the questions are supposed to be done with just pencil and paper makes me feel better. Why? Because if they expect me to be able to calculate 15000(1.135)^8/5 without a calculator... they're crazy. I know I'm crazy too, but unfortunately, I'm not math crazy.
Yesterday we and the two Malaysian exchange students had Japanese class together. They didn't learn any Japanese before coming here, so during our class together, we were just learning how to buy stuff. You know, asking for the price, and stuff. When I think about it, I think its best to have atleast 1 year of Japanese, because when you come with none, classes and stuff are very boring and its fustrating because you have no clue what's going on and everyone has their things to do, so you're left to fend for yourself sometimes. Not that some of the classes become more interesting once you have more Japanese under your belt. I'm sorry, that was random and beginning to get off topic. Yes... so after Japanese, we all had long home room,
KYA. LUNCH. finish this some other day.

Go Bad Cantonese Skills! XD

ひさしぶり　ね？ I haven't written in quite a while. Yesterday, two exchange students from Malaysia came to our school. They're only here for 3 days though, which I thought was a rather pointless exchange, but today I got a chance to talk to the exchange student that's in my class and she told me that its a one month exchange program, and that they aren't really here for school, but more for experience and sightseeing. Something about going to school somedays, and just staying home or going out with their host family on other days.

Yah, having not spoken Cantonese for over 3 months, my Cantonese is REALLY bad now. I can't remember how to say alot of things, like, what was Gym in Cantonese? And Marathon? Or did I never know those before? o.O I was trying to explain to her her schedule, and my friends were there with me, and I even started forgetting that it was in English! For example, I was trying to explain to her what we do in Long Home Room, and at first, I forgot what "self study" was in Chinese, then I realized, I couldn't remember what it was in English. I was like to my Japanese friends "benkyou wa eigo de nani?" and they all give me a shocked look and say "STUDY" -_- Then we all said "yabai, yabai" which (if you guys didn't know) means "shoot" or(in my BAD Cantonese) "sei la"

Ah shoot, bell rang, I have to go show Ting(the exchange student) where the second years are. Ja.

Pottery Class

Wow... 3 times a week, that's got to be a record for me blogging. Anyways, today they switched out Bible class for Japanese History, so I get 3 period of computer time. Woot. Aw shoot, I think the University computer room is going to close for lunch soon. Merg, I was just starting to move up the Chatroom line too. Yah.. I finally got into the ILC chatroom to try to get some help with my math, but each student takes about 10 to 20 minutes, so I've been waiting in line for quite a while.

HA. This is even worse. I get to the top of the line, and all the tutoring sessions have ended. Stupid system. ANYWAYS, main reason I'm here again is to give Genie this link:http://page7.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/g24025638 If this one is okay with you, start betting (or tell me to) You have my address, so yah... send it my way if you win it. Just let me know if you do, and I'll look out for it in the mail. And Genie, there is no IniD love. I've checked out all the used bookstores that I know of(except for the one in Tenjin, which I might go to during the break), and I can't find a single IniD doujin. Trust me, I looked hard (perhaps a little TOO hard, because guys started giving me looks since I was standing at the doujin and yaoi sections for so long XD) If you want bleach or Tenipuri(there's millions of Tenipuri comiplations) I can get those, but if you want them thin, circle published booklets(like the PoT ones Atobe-cow has) I'll have to go to Tenjin for those.

Also, Adam(its always you two I'm addressing in my blogs) each book is 105yen, but they have premade sets (usually of all 20 volumes) which vary in price. I remember seeing one for 1250yen, which means that each book is around 63yen. Of course, these sets are a little aged, so keep that in mind. You can't break up the sets either, so if you get the set, you'll have doubles of 1-4. I'm sure you can sell them off to someone. Tell me which way you rather me buy it, and I'll see what I can do. Yah, "roy gloves" are those gloves that Roy Mustang from FMA wears, except these gloves don't have the design on the back of them.

Well, yesterday I had pottery, AND IT WAS FREAKN' FUN. It was just me and the teacher, which was a bit akward at first, but apparently I learn quickly, and after showing me how to use the potter's wheel, I was making stuff on my own. Yesterday he taught me how to prepare the clay, and the basics of the potter's wheel. My first project was to make rice bowls, and in one period I managed to churn out 3. Each one of them is slightly different from the the others though ^.^;; so I can't really call it a set. I'm hoping that I can make atleast one more bowl, and if possible, paint them a little. I only have 3 more classes, and I wish I had more. Apparently there is a pottery class afterschool on Thursdays, and he's going to ask to see if I can join. I really hope I can, because I'm loving pottery class. I can't wait till the next class, which is so far away: next next thursday. ;_;.

Wow, this rantage kinda has a point. Okay, not really. I would complain some more about my host mother, but meh, I think you guys have heard enough of it. Ooo, guess what everyone: I QUIT BADMINTON CLUB. Yah, this week hasn't exactly been nice. Well, in particular Wednesday. Ooo, lunch time. I'll continue the complaining on Monday (or whenever I get on the computers again) Ja.

ええ～? わかない～！

This sucks. I decided not to go to the Korean lecture this morning, but instead decided to bunker down in the library and work on my ILC work. At first, it was easy, but now.. I don't get. Its only the first unit too. They're explainations suck. Randomly, and magically, certain numbers dissappear from the equation and they don't explain how or why. Very annoying. I tried accessing the resources they had on the ILC site, but I can't access them without all this junk first. Help?

Well, the main reason I'm blogging(wow, 2 days of bloggin in a row and twice on one day...that's a first) is that I keep forgetting to ask these two things:

1. Genie, I found "roy gloves" at the dollar store. They're made of soft cotton, but they're actually driver's gloves, so they have the ridges on the back of the hand. Do you want them to make Roy gloves? (Or just have a pair for fun) I also found REAL tabi (the split toe socks) at this store near my house. You want a pair of those? (could be useful for future cosplays/ reappearances of Ichigo)

2. I'm considering getting a cellphone, but I want to know which ones are known to work well in Canada first, before I go get one and find out it doesn't work in Canada. Genie, would you mind asking Jose?(BTW, does he actually crash your dorm sometimes?) Or Tiff, could you try getting in contact with Marco Shum for me? Greatly appreciated.

Well, today is a wacked up schedule day because we have human rights lectures after lunch. -_-.... This totally messes up my schedule, because I don't think Shibata-sensei(my Japanese teacher) knows about this, and today's lunch has been shifted earlier(meaning that lunch is during my usual Japanese class) I wouldn't mind missing the human rights lecture for Japanese class, but not lunch! Dang, I'm kinda hungry now. -_- Anyways, I have to get going in 10 mintues. Geez, my posts are getting really pointless now(did they ever have a point? o.O) Yah... Genie, I was afraid it was TakiEiji, I was starting at it, and trying to convince myself it wasn't really him. XD I'll try betting on the box set thingie when I get home or something (can't access yahoo auctions on the library computers.. stupid internet safety thing) Ja.