Random Bullets of...Stuff, I Guess

1) Thank you all for the birthday wishes! It was very sweet of you all who dropped a line, I appreciate it very much.

2) I just submitted School D. Oh my god, finishing that one was killer - an hour and a half to figure out one final sentence!

3) I am not so sure I want to go to School D anymore. Not because it is far (heck, School E is right across the road so to speak in the same 'hood) but because I was looking at the J-History profs and they aren't in line with what I am researching. I am preparing myself for a rejection from them. No problem by me (I sorta like School E if I HAD to choose between the schools. Plus, School E is closer to a city :::cough cough - civilization - cough cough:::. Being near a metropolitan area is important to me - I don't want to get cabin fever. School D is near the same city but you need a car more.)

4) Lotsa knitting done. I also had two hours before class because I finished my midterm (See number 4) and took a nap. As well as knitted. Will put up a more dedicated knitting post later.

As such, most of the madness is over. I have Yo-Yo Ma playing non-stop, apartment is a mess, laundry isn't done, but it's all ok.

Oh Yes, Wait a Minute Mister Postman

I really don't get a lot of mail in Japan. My sister STILL has not sent me her postcard to me from Italy - HINT HINT Little Sister if you are reading this - and the only thing I get on a regular basis are bills.

No, I don't like mail like that. That sort of mail does not count.

This month looks to be a banner month for mail, because of swaps, birthday and Christmas. I LOVE getting mail.

So imagine my joy when I saw a bright pink bubble envelope poking out of my mailbox. In the mailbox was the package from my birthday swapper! I sent out her package yesterday (big holiday last weekend so no post office for most of the latter end of last week) and in it was yarn. Smooshy, smooshy yarn!

Specifically, Patons SWS in "Natural Denim" - 70% wool, 30% soy in a beautiful variegated blue. I also got a knitting magazine called "Knit Simple" and it has CABLE patterns! I am totally addicted to cable patterns - like I mentioned to my swapper, I am learning how to cable without a cable needle. Squee!!!

I like mail.
I like yarn.

I also like knowing that the second essay for schools E & F is done. All that's left is the fellowship essay - I have my points, but right now I really don't care much for it because if I get into the school, they give me funding anyway. So this is just a supplemental thing, and for the other schools I can tweak it more because they are due in January, and even February, but I will get them done before Christmas. School E wants it this-very-minute, along with the application.

Boo to School E, but yeah for yarn! Smooshy, smooshy yarn.

Mel Goes a Knittin'

Haha. To some extent, I wish.

He tells me this morning what kind of yarn I want, and that he heard of this store called String, on the UES - it's in Zagat. Have I heard of it?

Of course I have heard of it. It's the Bergdorf of yarn stores. It sells Koigu Cashmere for $50. For ONE skein.

Go figure that he picks the yarn store in Zagat - that is his Bible.

I told him not to get me yarn. While I do love the idea of people getting me nice yarn and appreciate it, and it is really sweet how The Aussie came up with the idea all on his own (which is his affirmation of my newfound hobby, and shows that he doesn't think I am trifling here) in my current situation (me being in Japan), yarn is no good.

I know some of you will be thinking, "The man wants to buy you CASHMERE. What the heck are you thinking, telling him no?"

I am not being picky here. Thing is, I can make only so many hats for myself in Japan, since expensive yarn = not so much yarn. It is also the question of space, and me moving back home in less than 4 months (where did the time go?). It's kind of silly for him to send me something that I won't use, only to bring it back with me. Yarn is smooshy, but I don't want the nice stuff to get squished.

I don't want him to spend so much money, since I am trying to be the sort of knitter that picks the pattern, then gets the yarn. Or if I do an impulse buy, I better find a pattern for it quick. Swaps of course, are totally exempt from this rule; making your stash bigger is a lot of fun. I did say I was "trying" - that being the operative word.

I don't have much space - nor funds - for a lot of yarn so thinking "economy" and "lack of space" is the way to go. One plastic drawer is all I got here, folks. And that sucker better be empty by the time I go on my next yarn binge.

So in lieu of fancy yarn - since he STILL wanted to get me something - I asked for fancy sticks. Yes, we call my knitting needles "sticks." It just stuck. Pardon the pun.

In particular, Lantern Moon needles, size 9, 10" long. Don't mind which color. It is also my dream to have all my needles from Lantern Moon - I love wooden needles. Good chance to start now no? I think they are birthday-worthy sticks myself. Needles, I can use. Like the day I get them in the mail. Yarn? Might wait awhile.

I am also very proud of Mel - he may scoff at the idea of me teaching him how to knit, but he will not balk at going to a knitting store. What a man.

Although he pointed out that he wanted me to get cashmere so I can knit HIM hats.

Fall is Here

I started up a new project, for my sister: an iPod cozy. On DPNs (double-pointed needles). Quite ambitious, since I am STILL not done with The Aussie's scarf (never knit a 6 foot long scarf with finger weight yarn!). After several attempts, curses and watching a video on the use of DPNs, I finally figured out how to knit with 5 pointy sticks. I showed my mom via webcam and she was astonished. So was I. DPNs are cool. I don't think I will ever do socks via Magic Loop.

This morning was a meeting of a new Kyoto Stitch'n'Bitch group. Me and two others, met up at the Sanjo Starbucks and knitted for 2 hours. One of the girls uses Magic Loop for her socks, and expressed concern at the possibility of my poking my eye out. We showed each other our projects, and upon further examination of the yarn for The Aussie's scarf (I brought a new skein with the label still on it because I am almost done with my current ball), we learned that it's not just wool, but it consists of mohair (ok, thats normal) and REINDEER. That's what "tonakkai" means. Cool and weird at the same time.

After, I went to Seria (love that 100yen store) and rode my bike back home. It was a beautiful day; and the leaves are really starting to change. So I thought I would end here (and my day of relaxation, back to the grad school grind tomorrow) with some photos of Kyoto in autumn. Hopefully, there will still be momiji (the maple trees) that are red by my birthday which is in two weeks; according to Prof. S. they are turning late this year. Ginko trees, which line Kawabata-dori, turn a luscious gold.

O-Yasumi, Yo.

It's late and I need to get to bed. Random stuff:

1) I want the Phildar patterns for the swing jacket, the sailor sweater and the Cabo Marine. And I want them now. (^_~).

2) Red sangria is good. Red sangria with grapefruit is even better. Red sangria, with grapefruit that emits a crapload of more sangria when you bite down on it and is indicative that the fruit was not put in for show, and has properly soaked up the sangria is the best.

3) Vanilla gelato with fresh espresso poured over it from a REAL espresso machine (not that Starbucks crap - not to knock Starbucks overall, but the stuff in Japan is so bad!) is beautiful.

4) I had the best cheeseburger and bite of french toast in my life.

5) Going out to dinner is fun. Going with a friend who loves to eat is even better. Going with a friend who loves to eat in great places that are mere steps away in our neighborhood (we both live in the same 'hood, but different parts of it) is bloody AWESOME.

6) My sister compares the possible neighborhood that she might get an apartment in Rome for next semester as "Flatiron, but close to Chelsea." The other option is in "Chelsea." I turn around and describe my neighborhood as "Park Slope, with a university attached," or "Morningside Heights, but the more residential area, west of Broadway."

O-yasumi, yo*.

(*"Good night!")

Fits and Starts

I seem to be working on my grad applications in fits and starts. A half hour here, an hour there. My draft is done, and now I am fixing it which makes me happy (thanks to a friend with amazing editing capabilities, London Adviser hasn't responded yet) so it will prob be done this week. Maybe. I try not to cry or be terrified of them too much - I have done that and now I am ready to bring it.

I have given myself two days - or rather an afternoon and a day - known as "Grad Apps Day." I will hunker down, and just work on grad apps. I plan to do these twice a week - Wednesday afternoons and all day Friday - till the deadline. Hopefully, I will get ALOT done, since I am planning to print out all related papers and forms on Tuesday and maybe even the paper version of the applications so that I don't have to go online. Thus, I am not tempted by internet demons and I can work on my apps in a cafe. Time to hunker down, and kick some application booty.

Fits and starts is also representative in my knitting. Mel's scarf is going by really slowly, simply because the yarn is so thin and it takes forever (I think it's fingering weight). Not so sure if I will finish it so it's mailed by Christmas, considering the other project I want to make for him. Then, I made one slipper which was meant for me, and I realized that I have too much yarn (I got enough for two pairs incidentally), so then I decided to give them to a friend and then make another pair for me.

Might I add that I LOVE Takumi needles? My new size 10 needles (JPN13) are by Takumi and they were a joy to knit with. I LOVE wooden needles. Can't wait to get to my Takumi circulars, though my DPN's are another brand since they were cheaper. I can totally tell the difference between my 100yen needles and the Takumi's. Dream is to replace 100yen needles with Lantern Moon needles - I think I am a wooden needles knitter.

My sister saw them over Skype and wanted a pair, so I will finish this pair, mail them to her in my little care package that has been sitting on my floor for a month, then make the other pair for my friend. The slippers are a really quick and affordable knit (and turns out I bought enough yarn for two pairs), so it's no matter if I don't get my own pair later rather than sooner. I have to admit, I think I did the overcast stitch quite nicely.

Maybe I will also make a pair of slippers for Mel for Christmas and birthday (he is December, like me). It's DIY this year, though I will be getting him a model Shinkansen train set (but I am waiting to see if they made a model of the newest version of the Shinkansen which came out in July and is f*&$-ing fast). I got him a 19th-century Japanese train engine last year. As you can tell, he collects train sets; I have actually gotten all of them for him too. Guys are hard to shop for, unless they have hobbies.

In other news, I went to Emi's school's November Festival. It involved a lot of eating, and Japanese kids speaking to me in English the minute they saw me. Nonetheless, it was fun. I got there a bit early, so I walked around the (hilly) campus which is in the NE part of Kyoto, carved into the mountains; I found a pond and sat down. I had my knitting with me and my camera; my new banner is a (edited) photo of the pond. It was such a gorgeous say, and so serene, I wanted a photo of myself there. So, I figured out the self-timer and took a photo of myself. The unfortunate thing is, the background noise was not serene silence, but Japanese college boys playing REALLY BAD rock music. Luckily, photos don't emit sound.

Is it Wrong...

...to want to make a baby sweater?

Not really. Good sweater making practice.

But to make a baby sweater for me?

I do not mean what you are thinking. Not quite yet!

I want this (I got the photo off a Queens knitter blogger on my nyc knits ring):
But I want to WEAR it.

It is from a 2005 issue of Knitty, but I googled and found the pattern on the internet for $6. I am totally down with getting it and tweaking it so it can fit me, maybe for next fall, and make like 3 of them. I personally love that color combo above - makes the sleeves bracelet length and make it maybe a bit cropped in a nice bulky weight - makes a nice cardigan jacket for an early fall day, with a white t-shirt, dark jeans and heels or flats. The grosgrain ribbon adds that perfect preppy touch, but I can also close it with a nice brooch or a cameo(!).

Update: I just bought the pattern from Knit/Purl in Portland, ME. $12.50 but well worth it! I just remembered that a family friend (who is like an older sister to me) is having a baby and my mom agreed to mail it to me here so I can get working on that and other baby goodies - I have the instructions for a baby blanket and a knit cap. I plan to make that sweater in all three sizes - the baby is due in February so the newborn will be I think a warm acrylic blend, 6 mos. will be cotton for the summer and the 12 months will be again a warm acrylic. Hurray for making things for babies!

Plus, by the time I finish all three I will be good enough to figure out how to make it in a big-girl`s size.

KICKIN'!!! And Knittin'

This is just so awesome!!!

First, my old advisor from Fordham comes to Kyoto on his way to China and I meet up with him.

Second, he tells me that he will write me a rec letter for grad school.

Third, my advisor over at Rits agrees to write me a rec letter.

Fourth, my advisor back from London agrees to write me a rec letter...and is currently in Osaka for the next nine months. I will probably get to meet up with him in the first time in about two years - June 2005 was the last time I saw him.

That is just so kickin'! If it weren't for London advisor, I would not really be here right now. He was the one that told me about my scholarship, let me sit in on his grad class as a junior and helped me start my undergrad thesis which is now my research project.

Fifthly, I finished my first ball of yarn for Alisa's scarf, and it is now about 21cm. I forgot what that was in inches, but I have 10 40g balls of this stuff and I did the math - it will be just about 6 to 6.5 feet. I am going to add tassels, just to funk it up a bit.

I even mastered the skill of adding on another piece of yarn from a new ball - granted its the same color, but whatever. My Knit Knack kit suggests that one way to do it is to "knit with both strands for 2 or 3 stitches, to secure it then continue to work with the new yarn alone...weave loose ends later into the knit fabric." Well, I just did my first knitting mod (to me at least) - instead of leaving loose ends, I just kept knitting with both strands till I had no more of the old yarn. No loose ends to weave in later! Saves a step.

Unfortunately, the one non-kickin'is is my GSPS - Grad School Personal Statement. Remember that acronym! It feels quite messy, but I will try to finish something of the sort tomorrow to type up and print.

Knit 0, Purl 0

So I mentioned how I got (slightly overpriced) pretty plum purple 100% wool yarn from Avril. 100 grams. Well yesterday, I go to Avril (as opposed to working on grad apps - that WILL be rectified! I go to Starbucks tomorrow at EIGHT a.m.) to get more pretty plum purple (henceforth known as PPP) yarn.

The idea was since that that PPP yarn is a bit pricey, to use it at the ends and fill in the middle with a different color. I was thinking chocolate brown - preferably to get it at a different store, since it might be cheaper. Ok, so I go to Avril and I get the last 82 grams and there is no more in the lot at the store. Bah. I get it, and trot off to find this fabric store that I always remember in passing - but I forgot if it was in Shinkyogoku or Teramachi, the two covered shopping arcades between Shijo and Sanjo. I was at Sanjo so I go down Shinkyogoku (where I pick up the bamboo needles that are actually in numbered sizes as opposed to millimeter width, and a few other sewing things at the 100yen shop) and walk back up Teramachi. Wouldn't you know, the shop was in Teramachi.

I go and a see a small bin with yarn. For 2100 yen I got 400grams each of chocolate brown and hunter green wool (the latter color is for Alisa). But I notice it's rather...thin. Hmm.

After walking around Fuji Daimaru (sigh, but I did not buy anything - control here!) and getting a case for my Nintendo DS (they came out in new colors! METALLIC PINK, METALLIC SILVER!!! Good thing my sister didn't get hers yet I can pick up one for her here and she will be the coolest girl on the block, haha), I returned to Avril to see if they had any acrylic yarn. I wanted to make dishcloths.

Seriously! The state of the yarn situation in Kyoto is deplorable. It is (somewhat) overpriced (I am a student, ya know!) and there is not much variety. I miss the bins at Michael's and the stores down in SoHo that I have not been to yet (oh, but I will! I need to now set up a separate yarn fund - I am totally addicted now).

There are 2 more stores possibly around here - I asked the girls at Avril and they didn't even know. I go home and realize that the chocolate brown yarn is too thin to go with PPP to make a comprehensible ribbed scarf. Furthermore, 182grams a tucker scarf does not make. Especially in a K3,P3 rib stitch.

I could go back to Avril and get the chocolate brown from the same group that I got PPP from to make it a tucker but a) ANOTHER 1050yen for 100 grams? Hell no, and b) I have 400grams of very nice 100% chocolate brown wool and I was considering chocolate brown originally. PPP was a bit of an impulse buy.

Sadly, I frogged it. I was talking with my mom about this issue of the now excessive PPP yarn (if I knew what I knew now I wouldn't have gotten that other 82grams) and I was thumbing through my Knit Knack cards. Wouldn't you know! There is a pattern to make a knit cap with ear-flaps and it requires 100grams exactly. Well I have that, and I think a PPP knit hat would go better with my (sister's) red J.Crew cropped Panama jacket with a chocolate brown scarf since the purple won't clash so much against the red.

As for the other 82grams? I dunno but for now I am thinking of tassels to go on the bottom of the ear-flaps and have those braided - I would say a foot long braid so that is two feet and then that would mean 6 feet of yarn total...possible. It is such a pretty color, I really do not want it to go to waste. Mittens require 113 grams, but I will go back to Avril and get a funky color (like a multi-color yarn) for that.

In the meantime, I am working on Alisa's scarf, on No. 6 bamboo needles. I think I am going to toss the plastic ones, since the exact bamboo needles I got at the 100yen shop were also sold at Avril, so I know those are the proper ones - I also got a set of size 6 double-pointed needles so I can start knitting in the round, though I think I might need 8 for the hat whereas 6 is fine for the socks/mittens pattern I have.

I started it in a garter stitch - I was too pissed at myself to concentrate on K3,P3 whilst talking to my mom on Skype, though I might just make it really nice and long and use up all 400 grams. Right now it is about 5 inches wide - a bit skinny but since it will be long and flat it will be nice and warm, and I have seen her wear long-ish scarves. Maybe I will dress it up at the ends with some tassels if I have enough yarn left over.

Knit 3, Purl 3

When I came back to Japan, I left my mom's garter-stitch scarf on size 13 needles behind. Kinda wish that I didn't now, since I learned how to purl via the internet. I need someone to visually show me how to do it at first, or else I am clueless. That's why I was grateful to that knitting group back home although I didn't go again after that first time because of other things popping up.

However, I still like to knit. It's fun - esepcially now that I can purl so I am doing a ribbed scarf! Cue in the ooohs and the aaahs...I have graduated from garter stitch! I can purl! I can do more than make rectangles!!!

As for my mother's scarf sitting on top of the stereo, that is going to be frogged and put in a rib stitch. I really did make it too wide - the number of stitches does matter and it is not really an indicator of the actual width of the scarf. My mom's just got out of control.

Before I returned to Japan I went with my dad to BJ's. There was this "Knit Knack Kit" which was in the books section and one of the kits was open - a sample, perhaps. I took a look and it was really neat! 25 projects on little cards in PLAIN ENGLISH with a size 8 circular needle, yarn needle and a basic how-to book. But like I said earlier, I need someone to show me, especially since I am a left-handed Continental knitter. (I really, really like Continental). I know if I want to make better stuff I have to learn the shorthand, but for now this is all good.

So I brought the contents of the kit sans the needles (don't ask my why I didn't bring them I think I'll ask my mom to mail the needle stuff - which is plastic - since I think I'll be itching to make hats next!) and knew that there was a nice yarn store in Kyoto. I found it last Sunday, it's called Avril. Nice stuff but a bit expensive, I ended up paying 1000yen for 100grams. Eek. But thats ok - I'll look at the other craft/sewing stores that I also know where they are and probably they will have cheaper yarn since I was in a specialty store. I picked up 7mm, 8mm, and 12mm needles for 100yen each (plastic, though they do have bamboo) at the 100yen store and voila!

My first real knitting project: a Knit 3, Purl 3 rib-stitch scarf. 100% wool yarn, in a deep plum (I know I mentioned I wanted a cream scarf to go with my sister's red jacket, but this color called to me). If the yarn gets too expensive (I won't go over 3000yen for this) I will make it more like a tucker for early fall, closed with a brooch.

We Now Returned to Your Regularly Scheduled Blogging

There was a really stupid reason for why I have been on hiatus for more than a week:

I couldn't blog from my laptop. Ringo was resting for a week.

Never mind that my sister has her own laptop - it's password locked and she won't let me use it (it's a 12" PowerBook and her baby). Never mind that we have wireless in the house: I couldn't get my laptop onto it for some damn reason, and now my sister tried the EXACT same thing that I kept on doing it for a week and she got it. Pfft.

Never mind that my mom has her PC always on the net - I HATE using regular computers. Never mind that I can also use Mel's laptop, however from the hours of 9-12 (around that time) the internet is off limits, so he can trade from home.

I just simply want to use MY laptop. I am used to it. Other laptop users could probably relate.

So, roundup of what I have been doing:

1) Flight: TWENTY-FOUR HOURS of travel, literally from door to door. There was a delay in Detroit because of some strange weather system, otherwise, it would have just been 21 hours. I ended up spending $50 on books from the Borders in the NWA terminal, and picked up a fancy Lancome travel compact with eyeshadow, lipstick and blush and a two pack of Clinique Happy (parfum) from the duty free. Because I wasn't going international, I had to pay the taxes (since I couldn't get this stuff at Kansai due to the stupid rules on cosmetics) but the taxes were cheaper than NYC. Going to get another Lancome compact when I go back to Japan, the colors suit me really nicely, and I get a nice rosy glow with the blush, very fresh.

I JUST made it under the weight limit, but I still had to leave those 10 books behind. Meh. However, I can say that I am pretty seasoned traveler, to go 24 hours and not look completely horrible and gross. And, I beat the jet-lag demons: I stayed up the entire night before my flight, drinking coffee, chatting with Elisa and watching Grey's Anatomy, so I was right proper tired when I got on the plane, and promptly clonked out. I am able to sleep on planes. So no jet-lag whatsoever when I leanded in NYC which was great!

2) Last Week: Started making the rounds to see people. Had dinner with Fordham girls, and the rest of us are planning to go to the Beer Garden over here in Astoria, the last one in NYC. So the rest of the Fordham people will come there, since everyone hasn't been to the Beer Garden yet and want to go. Saw my mom's godson and his family, and have started to drink the frappes like no tomorrow. I promised Alisa I would bring back a shaker and the Nescafe for frappe in Japan.

3)Personal: Eyebrows threaded, hair cut, nails manicured and pedicured (Essie's Capri). My mom was at the salon when my sister and I got our cuts, and she likes me with the golden highlights, and I am going back to get a half head of highlights. With the postponement of the wedding, I chopped my hair, got bangs and asked my stylist to use a razor to cut my hair to give it more oomph. Got my Neutrogena face stuff and it all FEELS good. Had steak too!

4) Mel and Maria: I got a Trek bike! I think its a 2007 or 2006 Trek Hybrid 7200. Mel and I split the cost and it was my anniversary gift. It was our 7 and a half year anniversary this past Sunday, and we spent it riding our bikes to Astoria Park and had lunch. And enjoying the East River view. It looks sorta like this:

However, the black is in blue. At first, I really didn't like it, but then I listened to the bike guys there and they know what they are talking about - I am too big for a women's bike since I am 5'9". It's either a men's bike, or a 20" step-through for me. However, I really couldn't get my leg over the men's bikes and I couldn't afford the nice women's road bikes that come in more sizes (like the one Mel has) so I stuck with the 20" and I am glad I got it.

It's got seat and front-wheel suspension, BIG comfy seat, and flat-proof tires. I'm going to add a rack to it in the back with maybe a side or top-pack so I can put my bag in, a light for night; say if I end up in Cambridge or Princeton, I can zip around like I do in Kyoto (I already zip around in Astoria, but I still need to get a lock, but Astoria and NYC has alot of bike paths, and Central Park is closed to vehicles on the weekends. I am going to try to increase my endurance to get over the Queensboro Bridge to get to Central Park and not rely on the subway). Kinda hard to get on and off, because now it the proper way to do it - I need a lot of space to extend my legs, so I need a big bike. The guys at the shop were aghast at my height. Not really sure if I am into the real hard-core cycling yet - however I got into cycling because that's all I do to get around in Kyoto - but it's a pretty good start, since I am on a hybrid bike.

4) Misc: I learned how to knit! Well all I know now is how to do a long-tail cast on and the knit stitch; this week, I am going to learn garter and purl from the girls in the local knitting group here. I have started a scarf for my mother on size 13 needles with a dark lemony-yellow yarn that my mom chose for her scarf. However, I got a little to cast-on happy when I finally figured it out, so my mom's scarf is going to be like a mini baby blanket, but she doesn't mind. However, I might run out of yarn, unless they restock at the crafts store here. Now that I got the hang of it, I am going to get a nicer/thinner yarn than I have now, on maybe size 9 needles.

Have I started studying yet? NOOOOO. (^_~). And now?

My Aunt Stella and Uncle George (the ones who actually ended up visiting me back in October) are here right now; I am blogging from the back porch of my house. How nice! So they, with my mother and sister they are looking at Google Earth and her dorm in Rome. Tomorrow, I go to Woodbury Common Outlets - woot!

The Art of Being Slovenly

In my opinion, everyone has their own way of being slovenly. I once wrote last summer that when there is no school, my desk just turns into an utter disaster. Now then, my definition of disaster appears to be quite relative; in London, and here, whoever walks into my room/apartment and sees it is astonished at the neatness. But for me, that is not neat. In the summer, I usually have things just stacked on one another - I may be organized, but my one flaw is that I tend to either stuff or stack, leading to a big mess in my opinion.

So, the same thing has happened again. It's a vicious cycle. My bookcase (if you can call the cabinet above my bed that has my books) is actually in pretty good condition as is the clothes cabinet - just things are a bit out of place. It gets to a point where it just irks me. So because I was really bored, I started to pack. A week ahead.

This flight around, I am bringing an extra suitcase of just well, crap. I have mentioned this before, but when you see all the crap that I have just made a list of actually right in front of you, it's alot. Yikes! Extra Japanese textbooks (I have ten, including JLPT but those stay with me), the ReEA Conference proceedings, bento boxes, my yukata, clothes I don't need, all the pottery and Starbucks mugs, my old paper dictionary, my paper kanji dictionary, kanji flashcards and just well alot of paper and books. And some clothes I don't need anymore and my peacoat - I have my Northface, two coats is excessive and I will have my sister's cute J.Crew jacket for days when I feel girly. Speaking of which, I am also brining back two of my three light jackets, and my sisters A&F bomber. I really need to just get rid of a lot of stuff, especially stuff that is a bit extraneous (like skirts and dresses, I really don't wear my spring dresses in the winter, and as a student I really doubt I will dress up alot).

So I filled up the little suitcase, which is an extra and I have to bring back regardless. I figured I might as well take full advantage of the 35 kilo per suitcase (o DRAT, I just checked Northwest Airlines, I'm only allowed 50lbs per suitcase!) weight limit. However, I filled up that suitcase with books :::cringe::: I MIGHT have to just re-pack so I can distribute the weight of the books. That little suitcase is DAMN heavy. But it's good to see all that extra crap away, so that my apartment doesn't feel so cluttered.

I pretty much got into packing mode not because stuff is all over the place in my apartment, but also I went shopping today. Again, I really didn't intend on it, but I did. But I am justified! When you find things that fit in JAPAN and ON SALE you do not pass it up! I got 6 shirts for 6000yen at this shop called Lowry's Farm and they are all cool. Four of them are the same style but in different colors - and one is bright fire engine red so I think that's awesome. I also got Mel's little sister a birthday gift - an umbrella that is sky blue with brown swiss dots and the curved handle. I would take a picture of it, but it's wrapped. People may think that umbrellas are an odd gift, but that is not the case with Japanese umbrellas. They are damn cool. And another Liberty handkerchief/head scarf from Takashimaya for 315yen. The sales are still going on.

Before I went shopping, I went to Rue-Ergo for lunch/brunch (I woke up at 12pm today). Unfortunately, on my way there, I was accosted once again. And this time, it was at a stoplight; I was on the bike, with sunglasses and iPod on. I had my head scarf on so my hair was back; you could obviously see that I was listening to my iPod - I really blast the music so that I don't have to hear those damn election trucks (they are BAAACK! Elections are this Sunday). So this guy comes up to me and starts talking; I totally ignore him, and he just keeps on trying to get my attention. Asshole. When the light turned green, I pretended that I had a message on my cell phone so that he would speed off first; NO WAY in hell was I going to let him see where I was going. Seriously, I am not amused. But I just brushed it off; and kept an eye on the guy riding ahead of me, should he stop again.

He looked sleazy, just coming up to me on his bike and talking to me WHEN I HAVE MY IPOD ON! GET A CLUE! Seriously! This is more in exasperation as opposed to anger; really these guys are so clueless - back in NYC, having your iPod/any sort of headphones in your ears is a clear sign to not go up to the person. Jeez!

In other news, I do have some happy news - I am going to get free knitting lessons! I found this forum for Astoria, the town in NYC that I live in and just asked about knitting. Turns out there is a cafe right on Ditmars (I would have to take the bus since I am further up, but since it's summer, I am going to go by bike, I still have my old one circa junior high school and Mel is promising me that he is going to fix it) that hosts a knitting/craft circle. Knitting! For free! In Astoria!

I think I am going to bring a box of nama-yatsuhashi (the sweet special to Kyoto) as a little thank-you maybe, since the leesons are free and share them with the group. Any thoughts on that? It's nothing really big; a decent sized box goes for about 800yen and make good souveneirs, I can pick them up at the airport too. They come in all awesome flavors; since it's summer, I am going to get all the citrusy ones, like peach, mango, strawberry (and get some for myself!)