Just when you think vacation has started, you have to go to another class.

Today I spent all day buying gathering everything I need for my skate class, including train tickets. That took forever because the lady messed up the time twice, and also tried to reserve a round trip ticket which wouldn’t work because I was going to be there for more then four days (anything over four days requires two one-way tickets; there is no difference in price between a one way ticket and two one-ways) and then she messed up the time on the return ticket having me leaving on a train before I was even done with the skate class. But no worries, everything got settled and I did it all with a 20% student discount.

Tomorrow I have to leave my place pretty early to be at Tokyo Station for my train and I’ll be back home on the 4th, only to leave a few hours later for a ski trip with all the other 1st year students from the Design program. Hopefully no injures will be incurred on either trip.

今日こっそりと一人で紙袋を終わらせた。グループのメンバーに悪いけど、みんながいると何もできない。今までみんなで５時間以上かけてもできなかった紙袋を、今日一人で３０分前後でできた。

今は心理の勉強をしている。専門用語の定義を覚えるのはいいけど、後期を受けて「プラスになったと思うこと」は全然考えつかない。プラスになったかな。あんまり大した話はしてないよね〜、心理。

Week one of two weeks of testing is over. Tomorrow I start the last week of my first year of Japanese University on a course to graduate (I’ve already spent a few years at a Japanese University but that was non-degree seeking). Here’s my remaining testing schedule:

Monday: Japanese Constitutional Studies Check!
Tuesday: Economics Check!
Wednesday: Psychology Check!
Thursday: NOTHING Check!
Friday: Politics Check!

Tomorrow I’ve also got to finish my last design related project, making a paper bag with an image silk-screened on it DONE!, and there is a possibility I will be taking my Design History test over again on Saturday if I didn’t pass it yesterday. Hopefully I won’t have to. (Last semester I was the only foreign student to pass the test on the first try (about half of the regular Japanese students don’t pass it the fist try either) but I don’t have much confidence this time around.) No possibility, I passed!

Then after all is said and done, I leave for gym class to go skating on the 31st and come back on the 4th at noon only to leave again on the evening of the 4th to go skiing with the rest of the 1st year design students and will come back on the 7th. Then it’s vacation until early April!

Although I was planning on staying here, I’ve been considering going back to the states sometime from mid-February to mid-March. Anyone with something to say about that gimme a call, send me an email, or leave a comment.

So it’s here, it’s finally here, the Apple iPhone. Oh dear Buddha, would you take a look at that!

And be sure not to miss the Keynote speech. Wow!

Gah, I can’t wait… How much longer? Let’s check the countdown. 149 DAYS!!! And that’s until it’s released in the US.

They say it will be ready for ‘Asia’ in 2008; that’s next year. This year is less than 20 days old… I can’t wait, I think I’m going to have to drop out of school, go back home to the states, just for this phone. I’ll work at McDonalds, no, Taco Bell, I’ll never work at McDonalds, just to get it.

I’ll just have to make one out of paper, this is too painful.

The people that made the plans for the paper phone also run a whole website dedicated to free paper toys you can print out and make yourself; good stuff. I should have known all those old-skewl Bauhaus projects would come in useful some day!

Actually, since I mentioned school… Starting final tests for my first year right now, and as a result there will most likely be little to no updates to the blog. I’m still alive, so far, don’t worry, I’ll be back soon-ish.

こんにちは、昭和５８年生まれ、イノシシ年、年男の真っ白・白人です。やっぱ年男っていいわ。

昨日たまたま友達とスケート場行ってきた。今度体育実技で４年ぶりのスケートに行くから一度練習しといた方がいいと。さすがに休みだけあって、人はいっぱいでイヤでしたので２時間ちょっと滑ったらもう帰ろうとしていた。「もう一周」ってところで、キーパー用のスケート靴履いている人を見かけた。その人に話をかけてみると、その日の夜、練習試合があるため今滑っているって。「試合？」実はその人が船橋のチームに属していて、ちょうどキーパー不足しているから試合を見に来るように誘われた。要は土曜日に４年ぶりに練習試合に出る事になった。やったな！やっぱ年男って運がいいよね。