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.

"No Worries"

I was looking at my ticket receipt last night for Australia, when I started freaking out.

I only have one hour and 10 minutes between planes. One hour and 10 minutes to go through customs, possibly get my baggage, and re-check. I then looked up the Brisbane Airport and discovered to my dismay that I need to take an AirTrain between the domestic and international terminals because they are THREE kilometers apart.

Oh, crap. Is it enough time?

I tried to reassure myself, (and my mom tried to reassure me over Skype) saying that I had an hour and a half in Detroit to go through that mess known as US Immigration and Customs (even the US Citizen/Permanent resident line took forever!) and had to get my luggage, re-check, and go back through security. I professed my worry to The Aussie, whose response was not particularly helpful: "I told you that the Brisbane Airport was big" (he of course, has an intimate relationship with BNE since that was his local airport).

Gee thanks. I love The Aussie and all, but seriously? Right at that time men sucked. After some more minutes of conversation, I began to really freak out, thinking that I am going to miss my flight, etc. etc. If I miss my flight, I miss the bus to Canberra.

Plus, I learned that the maximum amount allowed as carry-on is 15lbs total. Either I was going to pack really, really light (thank god there is free laundry in Canberra) or I was going to miss my plane. I think I might leave my laptop behind. Ringo may be pretty light compared to the clunkers that my friends have, but it will weigh me down.

This morning, I called JetStar in Australia via Skype, knowing full well I will not get the specific information via the Japan line as easily and as quickly. Apparently, I didn't have the specific JetStar reservation number so I would have to call back later. This was at 9:30am. JTB (the travel agency I used) opens at 11:00am. It was one of those times that I really wished things were like NYC and open either at 9 or 10am. I STILL forget that the shops (except for the department stores) open at 11 as opposed to 10.

At 11:01, I called JTB. After explaining twice in Japanese, the lady told me she will look up the number and call me back. I got the number in less than 5 minutes, and called Australia again.

Good news - my flights are "thru," which means when I check-in in Osaka, I have also checked-in for my flight from BNE to SYD. Also, my luggage will go between the planes so that means I don't have to pick them up and check them in again, like I had to do in Detroit. But I am still thinking of just going with a carry-on (I will call again like a week before just to double-double check). If I do check-in my bag, it means that I can bring my laptop, but I really don't want to lug it around. Alisa pointed out that I can still tweak my presentation, but it's excess weight.

Honestly, I have no qualms running through an airport. It wouldn't be the first time (when I had known Ingram less than 24 hours, I convinced him to run through Narita in Tokyo so that we could make our connecting flight to Osaka on time).

More good news: I got the confirmation from Wake Up! Sydney - 4 Share Dorm, Female Only. Another good thing about it is that while they do take your credit card for the reservation, it's only for reservation purposes; I will pay in cash there (phew). Very happy, though I think I messed up on the number of nights that I was going to stay. I don't like it when they ask for the check-in date and the number of nights as opposed to the specific dates - it can lead to mistakes. So I counted off my fingers - yes, 2/2 to 2/7 is 5 nights, not 6 - and e-mailed them back, telling them sorry made a mistake, and these are my dates.

"No worries," was part of the reply. How cool - they actually do say "no worries" in Australia, and it's not some Crocodile Dundee thing. Mel not only hides his accent (it only comes out after a tipple and when he gives speeches/presentations) he doesn't say "no worries."

All that's left is to email Mel's mum to let her know when I am going to Sydney so she can email the family friends and let them know that the DIL is coming. They might take me around for a day. Also need to email this professor I know who is at a uni in Sydney - we met last year at a conference, so it would be cool to meet up, if only for a bit.

When I return to Japan, it is going to be very interesting (but I am being sarcastic here). They just implemented mandatory fingerprinting like the US. But unlike the US, even permanent residents (except those "special permanent residents") and those who are on visas and have the gajin card (like me) get fingerprinted. According to the news, travelers are fine by it, but a lot of the foreign residents are not happy.

Thinking of Him

You know, I just realized I have been blogging for almost two years, been together with the him for almost 8 (yep, since I was 15), been engaged and I have never posted a picture of Mel - just in case if anyone is wondering what he looks like.

In terms of looks, we are like night and day: I am fair-skinned, light-brown hair and blue eyes, Mel is more olive-skinned, thick, black-black hair and brown eyes. He insists that he is 6'1" but when we stand next to each other straight, he is only an inch or two taller than me.

You really can't call us "high school sweethearts" because when we started dating I was a sophomore in high school, and he a freshman in college. But we did meet in high school - in Science Club class.

Funny thing: when I was presenting at a NYC Science Fair when I was a junior, my mom, Leah and Mel came along. My mom was chatting with another woman, who remarked upon seeing Mel and Leah and finding out that I was in the science fair room, "Oh that is too sweet! You have kids all in junior high, high school and college!" She thought Mel was her son, which was cute.

I still have a photo of him in my wallet from the first letter that he ever wrote me - it was a digital photo, printed out on regular paper. We still look the same, sort of; a little older, the hair is different (he insists on cutting it almost military short - I blame my dad for that since he has his own military haircut, whereas I have gone through various lengths of short and shorter, and blonde and blonder). I don't have that many pictures of him on my computer (as all the photos from our trips are on his) so when he finally utilized the Flickr Pro account I got for the both of us, I downloaded my favorite photo.

Now, as I get ready to go out and brave the rain to go salsa dancing, the only one other thing that I am thinking, besides "Please don't let me get too wet" is, "How I wish Mel was with me."

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!

Fortune Cookies

Confucius say:

"You will move to a wonderful new place within the year."


Well, not exactly.


It was the fortune I got in my fortune cookie at dinner this evening. Mel, his brothers, sister, cousin from Germany and I had dinner at Ollies, which is a Chinese restaurant chain that has a branch near school.

I sort of believe in fortune cookies. I have not been eating much Chinese food lately (kind of makes me gag, and the only thing I can really bank on is lo mein), but when I do I often eat the fortune cookie. It is tasty. And, of course, I read the fortune and say it out loud to anyone, usually Mel. I really don't believe in the superstition of trading fortunes within the cookie with your dining partner, or that if you say it out loud, the fortune won't come true. You get the cookie, crack eat open, and hopefully enjoy what the mass-produced pieces of paper have to say.

I have a few saved fortunes from previous cookies. But I really enjoyed this one tonight because I am really hoping that I have a good time when I leave for Kyoto. I am a bit nervous because of my experience in London; had a good time with the school part - I knew I made a good decision with that - but had a hard time with the outside-of-school part. Adjustment, making friends, trying to fit in, trying to have fun and be able to afford it, etc.

But that information, most people know anyway. Time for some new information:

1) Going to Philadelphia this Friday for three days! Finally, a vacation away from the city with Mel. I am really looking forward to it, as I have looked on the Philadelphia tourism site and they have a plethora of usefull information. I don't even need to buy a guide book. And, unlike D.C., the touristy/historical stuff is pretty much confined in one area. Unfortunately, its going to be a bit rainy on Friday and raining on Saturday, according to the weather forecast. I am kind of worried, as there is a free jazz show at Penn's landing at 7:30 pm this Friday for free. Free is good. I still have that student mentality. If worse comes to worse, Mel's coworkers who are from Philly say that there are alot of good museums there. Need to make an itinerary tomorrow.

2) While in Philadelphia, making a pitt stop to UPenn. I was accepted for the master's degree in East Asian Studies, and requested a 2-year deferral, like I did (and got) for Uni Michigan. I still have not recieved the letter and after a summer of mild bugging, I finally find out today that it's really the overall grad school's fault that I haven't got the letter, not the actual department - they don't have as much autonomy from the overall school as some other grad schools do. So, I told the coordinator at the EA Studies office that I will be in Philly this Friday, and is it ok if I drop by to pick it up? No problem! GOOD - I want my letter. Not that I will actually go for a master's degree when I have done (with what money?) but they told me that they will reactivate my application for the Ph.d prog (I told them that I would most likely not enter the master's but reapply for a Ph.d) and I don't have to pay the application fee. Hell, its 90 bucks! I save where I can, and I think that my file was already copied for the history dept. since I made a mention of applying there anyway.

3) Macbook! Finally got my laptop this Sunday. Got a free printer (all in one with a scanner so that means I can photocopy my research docs onto the comp to take with me as opposed to carrying alot of paper) and my sister got the iPod video for her birthday (comes with the Mac via rebate) - I didn't want the iPod since I have no use for a iPod that plays video. They don't have Grey's Anatomy on iTunes yet so frankly I see no point.

4) I am published - again! Or rather, forthcoming. My abstract was selected for the East Asian Architectural History Conference at Kyoto this December and will be "published in the conference proceedings". Have to edit my paper down to 10 A4 pages but after formatting its at 17.

Not much else to report.