Sunday, January 28, 2007

   Too tired to rant....

I could really rant here if I wanted, but I'm way too tired and I can hardly breathe. People have been smoking in the lobby and it's posted NO SMOKING. I've had to tell one of them that they can't smoke here. The psycho is getting on my nerves again. I just won't go into detail. I don't want to scare you all off. I do apologize for the last few weeks. I just haven't felt like doing much of anything lately. I did manage to sort of finish off a drawing Friday night. It's a landscape, so I won't be posting it here. It may go on deviantArt. Maybe... who knows? Who cares?

By the way, my Winter Blahs are turning into Slightly Aggressive Apathy. Not a good sign.

Laters!

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Friday, January 26, 2007

   Still blah.

Didn't get anywhere on my theme Thursday. While doing laundry, I spent most of my time making sure the cats didn't harm each other.

We sort of have another cat. A stray adopted us and she's been spending quite a bit of time inside the house. My cat was doing quite well ignoring the kitten, but today my cat was a big brat about it. We have a morning ritual... I have to pick on my cat every morning when I come downstairs after showering and dressing. This morning, my cat was taking her usual abuse, but was growling at the kitten the whole time. Then another time, I had to separate them. I carried my cat out of the kitchen and she growled and hissed at me the whole time. I told her off. She was mad at me for about 10 minutes.

Now, it's not quite midnight. The kitten is in the basement and my cat is on the table nearby. She's still acting like a brat about some things. *sigh*

Oh, yeah... I did get a haircut today. I needed one so bad. It now has some feathery type layers. I'm still considering getting some highlights or something done.

Well, time to go to bed and maybe play my GBA for a while.

Laters!

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Wednesday, January 24, 2007

   Winter doldrums....

Sorry I haven't been around much lately. I guess the Winter Blahs have set in somewhat and I'm finding I don't feel like doing much of anything. I still want to change my theme here, but find that actually working on it is a chore unto itself. So many things that I usually like to do have become things that don't get done. Hopefully this will pass in the next few days. I don't have to work tomorrow. Maybe I can get something done while doing laundry.

Laters!

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Tuesday, January 23, 2007

   Wanted: Dead or Asleep

Don't ask. That just sort of appeared in my head.

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Well, yesterday was supposed to be a day off. April called in sick, so I worked for her. Money's money! It was rather busy for a while and I was too tired after the rush to do anything of any import. I got slammed between 6:00 and 7:30 with the phone ringing off the hook and a bunch of people walking in at the same time to be checked in. It was a bit nuts. Same thing happened tonight between 5:30 and 6:00.

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Otherwise, not much is going on right now. It's 7:35 pm and I'm seriously considering giving up on the computer... but I still have music playing!

I have a question... does anyone know how to read the digital booklet that comes with some albums bought on iTunes? I have one with this album and can't figure out what to do to be able to look at it.

Laters!

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Monday, January 22, 2007

   Grrr...

Work. Busy. Tired. Nothing else to say.

Laters!

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Sunday, January 21, 2007

Snow use, Bananaman!

I give up. It's no use trying to fight it any longer. The little psycho will never shut up. I surrender....

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Well, it's Sunday night at work. It's trying to snow outside again. It's not doing as good a job as it did last week. I may actually get home after work tonight. That would be great, because I want to watch my Kenshin DVDs!!!! I couldn't fit them in with my clothes tonight.

I guess I didn't post the past couple days, did I? Well, I had to work Friday night, and it was one of those nights that didn't lend itself to doing much online. It was kind of busy for a while, and when it finally slowed down so I could possibly get online, I didn't feel like it.

Saturday was a day off. I did the usual and ran around with my brother. All I bought was an iTunes card. I tried to buy a video earlier this evening, but the server kept timing out on me. *sigh*

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Speaking of iTunes... I was talking to my mother the other night about my studies of the Japanese language. She said she wished I could go somewhere to actually take a course. I told her that one thing I had in mind with my tax refund money was to get an iPod and one of those FM transmitter things so I could listen to it in my car. I told her that I've got some Japanese lessons that I've downloaded and it would take about 300 CDs to be able to get them so I could listen to them in the car while driving to work. She actually thought that was a good idea!!!!

I told my brother about that and he was amazed. My mom has decided that anything I do or want is not important. I showed her something that I would like to get ahold of: a Japanese/English dictionary program for the Nintendo DS. She told me that was a stupid thing to want to buy! (I don't have a DS... yet.)

Now, which is more "stupid" or "frivolous":
an iPod that costs over $300,
a Nintendo DS and a program that costs $170?

I guess my mom just doesn't know what an iPod of any size costs. Oh well...

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Well, I guess that's it for tonight. Time to either do some actual work or play around for a little longer.

Laters!

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Friday, January 19, 2007

I totally forgot what I was going to use as a subject line.

Well, it's now just past 12:30 in the morning on Friday! I should be in bed! I'm not! Wahahahaha!!!

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Thursday was day off again. Did the usual stuff for Thursdays. Nothing exciting there.

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blackwings... you asked about me driving a trucker to a casino. I work in a motel and we have a shuttle van. I was the driver Wednesday night and he gave me $10 to take him there and pick him up later. Cool, eh? I'm gonna spend that $10 frivolously, of course. *grin*

krickit & Vankala both asked about the subject line. Hmmm... krickit, I suppose I can email you the translation. Vankala, I suppose I could PM it to you. *thinks about it for a bit* Oh, what the heck. I'll put it here! "Flying baby shit!" Yeah... I know how to say that in German. Well, the literal translation is "Flying child shit!" but baby rolls off the tongue better. I know... I'm weird. I can say other odd things in German if truly pressed. I'm still working on weirdness in Japanese.

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Hmmm... oh yeah. There's a story part down below for those that read them. One of these days, I must get my arse in gear and fix the site that has the whole story. Well, it ain't gonna happen tonight. I'm gonna hit the sack here pretty soon.

Laters!

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Day 2 -- On the Making of Beds & the Rest of the Journey

Even though there were servants available to make the bed, Nakamura Michiko enjoyed doing the morning chore herself. It was almost a ritual for her each day. She did not feel she could have a good day if she wasn't allowed to make her own bed. It gave her time to reflect on the things she had to do in the upcoming day. On this particular day, Michiko was putting fresh sheets onto the bed, and as soon as she finished her own room, she would go and make sure the bed was made in Hikaru's room.

With the help of Ashida from her husband's office, she was able to send a letter to Hikaru in a way that made it look like it had come from his grandfather. Michiko was excited to meet her grandson. She had so many hopes and dreams as to what he would be like. She was going to try to put her dislike for the boy's mother as well as the terrible way her youngest son had left the family behind her. That was all in the past now, and she was looking forward to life with her grandson. She had such great plans for him.

Michiko hurried down the hall to the room she had picked out for Hikaru. It was a nice room with a balcony that overlooked the courtyard and gardens at the front of the mansion. A large four-poster bed sat along one wall where the morning sun would greet whoever slept there. Fresh linens were waiting nearby. Michiko smiled as she started to make the bed and turned her thoughts to Hikaru.

She unfurled the first sheet and let it fall gently onto the mattress. She mused about what Hikaru looked like. She hoped he would look like his father. Yoshihiro was a tall man with fine features. Many women had considered him handsome and were disappointed when he left all those years ago. She imagined Hikaru to be tall and strong like his father.

She smoothed the sheet and tucked the edges under the mattress and proceeded to the top sheet. As she watched the sheet drift through the air, she went over the plans she had made for Hikaru's education. He was just fifteen years old, she knew, but his schooling was more than likely lacking. Kamakura was not Tokyo, after all. He would attend the finest school in the city. On second thought, as she readied the pillows, she decided a private tutor would be called in. The grandson and heir of a diplomat would have private tutors. Nothing but the best for her only grandchild.

Michiko stopped to catch her breath before she put the blankets and pillows onto the bed. She looked around the room with great scrutiny. Nothing could be out of place here. A good impression must be made. It was very important. She spread the blanket over the crisp white sheets and let her thoughts wander again. Smoothing out a wrinkle that wasn't there, she had the sudden fear that Hikaru would be base and wild like the nobody his mother had been. No, that was impossible. He wouldn't be so common. His mother had run off when he was just a small child. He had been raised by a samurai. He would be noble like his father. Of course, he would be a samurai and would have the dignity of his station.

At last, Michiko had made up the bed in Hikaru's room. She stood back and admired her handiwork on the bed. The spread was immaculate and there was not a single wrinkle to be seen. She smiled to herself and was sure Hikaru would be impressed with the room. She made sure the drapes were open to let in the sunshine. A sudden thought that the room was stuffy made her open the doors to the balcony before she left.

Bed freshly made, the room perfect in every way, Nakamura Michiko left to continue her day. It was going to be a long day as she waited for the arrival of her grandson. She was not, by nature, a patient woman.
* * *
The second day of the journey was much better for Hikaru. He was more relaxed than he had been, but was still a bit nervous about meeting his grandparents. Midori was watching out the window, and Sam was sitting with her eyes closed. The heat and the motion of the carriage were making her feel sick.

Hikaru looked over at her and asked, “Sam-chan, are you feeling all right? You look a little pale.”

Sam opened her eyes. “What did you say?” She wasn't sure if she had heard correctly. Had he just called her Sam-chan?

“You look pale. Do you feel sick?” he asked.

“Um... I do feel a little tired. It's too warm, and the rocking of the carriage isn't agreeing with me.”

“Do you want to stop? We can stop.” Hikaru never gave her a chance to answer. He had already turned around and opened the little window to speak to the driver. “Please stop the carriage. Sam-chan wants some fresh air.”

The coachman acknowledged Hikaru and pulled over to the side of the road. Hikaru helped Sam out of the carriage and carried her over to the shade of a tree. “How's this? Do you need something to drink?”

“Yes, this is fine,” Sam said as Hikaru sat her under a tree. “I'll be all right now. You don't need to make a fuss over me, Hikaru-san.” She actually felt a little embarrassed for having caused him to worry.

Hikaru wasn't paying close attention to what Sam was saying, as he was looking around to see if there was someplace he could get some water. “I'll go find you some water, Sam-chan,” he said and was off down the road in a flash.

Sam watched him run off in disbelief. “Did he call me 'Sam-chan'?”

Midori nodded. “Yes, I heard it, too. What has gotten into him? Yesterday he was so subdued and nervous.”

“I know...” Sam said with a sigh. She closed her eyes and tried to relax.

Hikaru ran off down the road a little ways and noticed a farm house off to one side. There was a fence running around the field separating the farm from the road. He walked along until he found the gate. He reached out to open it and pulled his hand back quickly as if burned. He looked at his hand and saw that the skin was turning red where he had touched the gate. He checked the gate, but couldn't see anything unusual about it. Looking toward the farmhouse, he could see someone moving about. “Excuse me,” he called out.

The person looked up and ambled over. He was a tiny old man, who fixed Hikaru with a baleful stare. “What do you want?”

There was something about the old man that made Hikaru feel uneasy. “My friend doesn't feel well,” he said. “I was wondering if I could have some water for her.”

The old man sharply said, “No water. There is nothing here for the likes of you. Go away.” He then turned his back and walked back to the farmhouse.

Hikaru stared after the old man for a moment before turning back to where he had left Sam and Midori. His hand was beginning to hurt, but he wasn't about to let either of the women know about it. It took a couple minutes to get back to the tree where Sam was resting.

Midori looked up as Hikaru approached. She smiled and asked if he had found any water. When he answered that he hadn't, she said it was too bad.
Sam opened her eyes at the sound of Hikaru's voice. “It's all right,” she said. “I didn't want you to go to any trouble. I'm actually feeling a little better, so we can go back to the carriage.”

Hikaru reached out to help Sam up, forgetting about his sore hand. He winced and gasped when she took his hand.

Sam and Midori both noticed Hikaru's reaction. Sam looked at his palm and saw that it was blistered as though it had been burned. “Hikaru-san, what did you do? Your hand is burned.”

Hikaru pulled his hand away and sank to the ground by Sam. “The gate,” he said. “I touched the gate and it burned.”

“What gate?” Midori asked.

Hikaru pointed down the road. “There's a farm there. I reached out to open the gate to go to the house for some water. The old man there said he had nothing for the likes of me. I don't know what he meant.”

Sam reached over and took Hikaru's hand. “I don't know what he meant either, but I do know this needs to be treated. You don't want it to get infected. Midori-san, could you fetch my small bag, please? I have something in there I can use to wrap this up until we reach Tokyo.”

“Yes, Sam-chan,” Midori said and went to fetch the small bag.

Sam found a handkerchief which she carefully wrapped around Hikaru's injured hand. “Now, promise me you'll take care of that burn when we get to your grandparent's home.”

Hikaru watched quietly and nodded in agreement as Sam looked after his hand. Her touch was gentle, like nothing he'd ever known before.

With the help of the coachman, Hikaru got Sam back into the carriage, and they continued the journey to Tokyo. Hikaru looked at his hand and wondered why it had been burned by the gate. He couldn't figure it out, nor could he fully understand why Samantha took care of the burns like she did. It was something he would ask about later, after they arrived in Tokyo. He looked over at Sam and smiled. He was happy that Takeda-sensei had sent her with him. He felt so calm when she was near. He closed his eyes, still smiling, and dozed lightly the rest of the way to Tokyo.

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Wednesday, January 17, 2007

   Fliegende KinderscheiBe!

Sorry for that subject line, but it's the only thing that came to mind. Translation available upon request.... maybe.

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It's Wednesday. I'm at work. I'm mildly bored. I did get a $10 tip for taking a trucker to the casino. Whee. I'm not working with the little psycho tonight!!! Yay!!!

Not much else is going on. I haven't worked at my theme for a few days. *hangs head in shame* I know I should work on it, but I got involved in working on my kanji flashcards the past couple days.

Well.... I just had to go get that guy from the casino already. Therefore, I have lost my train of thought.

Laters!

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Tuesday, January 16, 2007

   Brrrrrrr.....

Well, the snow has ended. It actually ended sometime during the night last night. The official total was something like 6 inches. I think some places got more than that. We may have had about 8 inches at home.

I did get stuck at the motel after work last night. (It's stll Monday right now, even though the thing up there says Tuesday) It was kind of fun to play with the cable system of SUX. However, Sunday night on Cartoon Network after 11 pm is terrible. Nothing worth watching as far as I'm concerned. So I watched other stuff.

Today was cold. Really cold. The wind chill was below zero (Fahrenheit). The actual temperature wasn't much above that, either.

Well, I think I'm gonna continue playing around with my Kanji flashcards....eventually. I still wanna play online for a while.

Laters!

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