Rough week, eh?

This is more of a venting of the hard stuff that happened this week. It is in no way indicative of how I really feel. To be frank, I actually enjoyed my week to some extent. There were a lot of positives to take from it... but here's some of the adversity I came across.

Sunday: Fly from Korea to Fukuoka - wake up way earlier than we non-farmers were ever intended to. Find out the flight will leave Fukuoka, but may return to Fukuoka because of a typhoon approaching Okinawa. The flight lands at its destination, but it was somewhat turbulent.
Monday: Back to work. Ugh. Not ready for this, after such a lovely time in Korea! But whatever... get through it, drive home feeling burnt out. Go for a run (energy begets energy, as they say!). Feel worse. Miss out on BOB and all-you-can-eat ice cream at On Dish. No energy to start Week 3 of 580 (the grad school class).
Tuesday: Feeling worse, miss work. No brain cells functioning very well. No 580 work accomplished, no fun. Movies somewhat entertaining, but the headache prevents full enjoyment.
Wednesday: Feel better, give work a try. Voice starts to deteriorate. But after work, feeling great! Gotta catch up on laundry, studies, and eat a "real" meal for the first time in days! Accomplish a lot! Still no 580, though. Go to church. Come home feeling worse than in the morning.
Thursday: Wake up shivering at around 3am. Never truly fall back asleep. Go to the hospital, treated like a leper (had to wait in the car, b/c they thought I might have flu). Waited long time. Was told that they are 90% sure I don't have swine flu or any other form of it. BUT they can't say for sure, and oh, "would you like us to prescribe you some medicine?" (They're the experts, aren't they? If they think I need it, gimme! If not, don't!) I leave without meds, go home, sleep/rest. No time/brain cells for 580.
Friday: Feeling a little better, but follow the doctor's orders and stay home. Need rest. Must rest. Don't want to rest. The ceiling is only so interesting. Finally read the chapter for 580. Uh-oh. No computer. Can't post anything. Can't read any DF. 1 day til class. I'm DONE. Go out for lunch, come home, go out to Starbucks, come home. Panic. Go to a cafe, finally with time/energy/resources to work on 580. Get some stuff done (was it enough, though?). Oh, and... I missed the kanji test that I have been studying 6 months for. Too sick for work = too sick to take a proficiency test. Oh, and I found out Acer Japan is incompetent, put the wrong motherboard in my computer - which they've had for almost 3 weeks now - and they have to order one from the States. "It'll be 2-3 more weeks." Are you KIDDING? Great way to cap off the week, eh?

But there's a good chance that a new computer's on the way... God's mercies are new every morning! (Oddly enough, my devos these days are in the book of Job - so compared to him, the things plaguing me are nothing! Just gotta keep holding on, trusting that He knows best - and He does!)

Introducing...

OK it's quite late - having a busted computer has prevented me from updating this much recently, but here's someone I want you all to meet (if you haven't already): my nephew, Damon Raichura. He was born on Tuesday, August 11 in the wee hours of the morning (more like the middle of the night). Anyways, he's now over 2 months old, and looking cuter with every new picture I get from the family!


Last month when I had a bit of time off work, I went over to visit my friend Barbie, who's a quilting instructor. She had helped me already make 3 quilts (imagine that - me, a quilter!) so I figured, I made one for Myles, let's make one for Damon! I can't be there to cuddle and make him feel all warm and fuzzy, so I guess the quilt will have to do that for me! So here's a picture of my dear nephew, and the quilt his uncle made for him with tender loving care.

By the way, Facebook users, this came to you only because my blog and facebook are linked - don't be thinking I've already caved in and updated my FB!!!

Weird Happening

Today I headed down to the office at school on my way out the door. On my way in, everything was normal. On my way out, I look over and see my colleague, Nick, being bugged by some Japanese guys with a video camera. Then one of them, with a fake afro and painted on mustache, calls out, "Hey, Mark!" He's looking at me.

I know he wants to talk with me. I figure, what the heck? Let's have a little fun... after all, it's Friday afternoon before a long weekend... let the fun begin NOW! Here's a rough transcript of what happened. J1 = Japanese guy 1 (fro & mustache); J2 = Japanese guy 2 (long blonde wig); T = me

J1: Hey, Mark! My friend!
T:Hey what's up, man?
J1: Mark, my high school friend!
T: Long time no see!
(We hug.)
J1: What's your name?
T: I'm... Mark.
J1: Oh, I'm Mark!
T: We have the same name?
J1: I'm Eddie Murphy.
T: Yeah, I know! Nutty Professor...
J1: What?
T: (slowly) The... Nutty... Professor...
J1: Oh yeah! (makes motion like he's got a really wide butt)
J2: この人のヒゲはちょっとゲイっぽい。。。(This guy's beard makes him look gay.)
(Trevor looks from one guy to the other, apparently confused - little do they know I speak Japanese!)
J1: Are you gay?
J2: You... gay?
(Trevor looks at J2 and then slaps him across the face.)
T: NO!
(J1 also slaps J2 across the face.)
J1: I'm sorry man, good job!
(J1 & Trevor give each other a high five.)
J2: I'm sorry.
(J2 goes to shake Trevor's hand, gooses him in the process.)
T: HEY! Don't touch! That's the no-touch zone! (to J1) Maybe HE is gay! He touched my no-touch zone!
J1: Yeah. OK, do you know good job?
T: Good job?
J1: Yeah, ecology, recycle...
T: Oh yeah, of course!
J1: OK, last question. What do you think, Japan student woman?
T: You mean high school girls?
J1: Yeah. You like?
T: NO!
J1: Why?
J2: You gay!
T: No, too young!
J1: Japan school girl... (crude comment, omitted)
T: NO! That's a BIG 犯罪 (crime).
J1: No, no 犯罪.
T: 犯罪 man, 犯罪！
J1: Last, please look (points to camera), say "Good!"
J1, T, J2: GOOD!
J1: You from America?
T: No, Canada!
J1: Oh, Canada. Wayne Gretzky! Steve Nash! Celine Dion!
J2: You English teacher?
T: No, Chinese.
(J1 laughs, J2 glares.)
T: I'm comedian, like Eddie Murphy.

*END TRANSCRIPT*

Weird, random Friday happening!
Oh, and afterwards I got looks from the office ladies. I kinda bowed in apology for making noise... but it wasn't my fault! These guys came up to me all noisy and hyper!

Anyways, if you're in Okinawa and watch TV from time to time, try to catch me on Okinawa TV... and if you're WAY cool you'll even record it for me! I don't have an antenna on my TV so I can't even see how stupid I looked!

No PC + Grad School = No Blogging

Hey all. It's been awhile, that's for sure! I was really excited about my trip to Hokkaido (Sept.18-23) and how I would be able to blow everyone away with breathtaking pictures of one of the most beautiful parts of Japan. Then something happened.

Remember September 2007? Yeah, my HP failed me and I was computer-less for nearly 3 months. Well, it's not the same problem but it's the same result. While I was in Hokkaido, my computer stopped working. It's in mainland right now being diagnosed, though I'm quite sure it's the motherboard. (This means it's going to be real expensive to repair!)

And so my wonderful roommate Rob was kind enough to loan me his newly bought laptop so that I could at least finish my huge grad school assignment. I sent it off this morning - hopefully the results will be good! (But I'm not so confident.)

Anyways, if/when I get a computer, I will post pics of Hokkaido and other stuff that's been going on. Mind you, with grad school being as demanding as it is, not much really has gone down in the past few weeks!