To Do: Months of October 2007 to March 2008

I make weekly to-do lists. I like to know at least the things that should be accomplished during the week; it is somewhat obsessive-compulsive and Type-A anal-retentive, but it makes me feel better. It sorta harks back to the homework pads that I used to have in grade school.

A few posts ago, I made a list of things to do. To make sure that I actually do them, I decided I should give an update. So here is update 1:

1) Antiques Grand Fair - check, with two kimono and a vintage Christian Dior silk scarf for my sister
2) Interesting field trips for my class that I am the CA for - check in progress, semester ain't over yet (so far: two museums, one shrine festival and a visit to a Buddhist graveyard at a temple this week)
3) Maybe a trip to Okinawa/Hokkaido with some of my students/classmates? - no check, 90% chance going somewhere over Christmas so this is off the list
4) Japanese language classes start up next week at Kyodai - check, I get the placement test results tomorrow
5) Need to blog on the Kyoto Botanical Garden - check
6) Fall Light-Ups at the Temples (and a VERY delayed post on last March's Spring Light-Up for context, and another delayed post on Shirahama) - Shirahama, still working on that. The Fall-Light ups: those start in November. I plan ahead in advance.
7) I need to go to Osaka to get Kate Spade refills for my organizer (yeah yeah, I know I can get a cheaper refill but KS is so pretty! And I am a stationary whore). And I want to go to the Umeda Sky Building. - check on October 27, though I am thinking of getting a Japanese diary thing for this year to save some money since KS stuff is expensive. I saw a pretty KS-ish one at Loft for 1800yen and it is both monthly and weekly. Plus, I won't have to carry my big gold organizer anymore - I get these phases where I don't want to use it, and now is the time, methinks for something new. As for Umeda, maybe next time - might go to Suntory Museum instead with my friend Emi.
8) Random free festivals at Shinto Shrines - check, going to Nonomiya Jinja in Arashiyama's bamboo grove this Sunday
9) Momiji Madness Month (aka people go gaga for fall leaves in November)- it's just starting to get chillier now!
10) More flea markets- most likely in December, as I am broke, going to Osaka next week and I have the flea market that Emi is running at her school's festival on November 3.
11) TRY to see Kabuki in December-working on that, but I have the rest of my life to see kabuki, really
12) Check out a Sake Museum possibly- probably in November
13) Get my bum over to Kobe for the Illuminarie in December and eat Kobe beef!!!- this is in December
14) I get to play teacher November 22, when I give a lecture to my students/classmates on expositions in the Meiji period- starting to get a bit nervous about this...though I am probably overreacting
15) Oh yeah...grad apps.- London advisor (L.a.)knocked off 4 from my list, but I put one back for my own sanity since it's a safety and now I have 7 as opposed to 10. I apologized to (L.a.) saying that my personal statement wasn't done yet and yes, I am guilty of procrastinating and he just turns to me and says "Calm down, you will do fine, you have done well, its only October."

That doesn't mean that my somewhat frayed nerves are not un-frayed. No matter how many people tell me that I did good, I still feel like the black sheep (since I didn't do the traditional East Asia Studies major and study Japanese like everyone else) and inadequate, but that's the topic for another day.

Nonetheless, still many things to look forward too. At last count, I have 1,113 photos of Japan alone in my iPhoto. And more this Wednesday (Buddhist graveyard/temple) and Sunday (Nonomiya Jinja and the bamboo grove).

The Sun is Always Brighter on the Other Side

Firstly, I want to say thanks to two people who helped me regarding yesterday's post - Saisquoi and Libby, you totally rock and thanks to you, I feel so much better now.

Unfortunately, it looks like Thailand is off the hook - Deena is the process of getting a job and is thisclose to getting one - and I liked how she used "we" to refer to me and her in terms of what she wants to do in the future (something in library sciences possibly). So that's good, I'm happy for her.

So, unless certain person A reads my blog (and by the time CPA does, the previous post will probable be at the bottom of the page now that I am back in blogging gear and got that off my chest) CPA will not know about my rant which is all the better. I did mention to CPA about Singapore for Christmas...I was looking at some places and emailed a quick note to Ingram if he was interested.

I am listening to NPR's "Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!" right now via my iTunes podcasts and I totally forgot about Taiwan, since they just mentioned it. Taiwan seems to be like China, but more managable, maybe? Options, options. Hong Kong looks to be for February regardless of whether or not I go to Australia (though that would be an awesome plus!). Then there is the Philippines to with Mel - oh dear I am going to be SO broke when I get back home...but it will be worth it in the end, I think.

A lot of people have gone through the same thing that I am going through now, so I just really can't sit on my bum and go "woe is me." I need to be proactive. That said, on the agenda for the future (I looked at the Kyoto Event's Web Magazine for things going on for the next three months):

1) Antiques Grand Fair this Sunday
2) Interesting field trips for my class that I am the CA for
3) Maybe a trip to Okinawa/Hokkaido with some of my students/classmates?
4) Japanese language classes start up next week at Kyodai
5) Need to blog on the Kyoto Botanical Garden
6) Fall Light-Ups at the Temples (and a VERY delayed post on last March's Spring Light-Up for context, and another delayed post on Shirahama)
7) I need to go to Osaka to get Kate Spade refills for my organizer (yeah yeah, I know I can get a cheaper refill but KS is so pretty! And I am a stationary whore). And I want to go to the Umeda Sky Building.
8) Random free festivals at Shinto Shrines
9) Momiji Madness Month (aka people go gaga for fall leaves in November)
10) More flea markets
11) TRY to see Kabuki in December
12) Check out a Sake Museum possibly
13) Get my bum over to Kobe for the Illuminarie in December and eat Kobe beef!!!
14) I get to play teacher November 22, when I give a lecture to my students/classmates on expositions in the Meiji period
15) Oh yeah...grad apps.

She's Making a List, and Checking it Twice

Exchanged yen into dollars: Check (with tears, the exchange rate is so bad right now)
Made sure my passport still has that stupid re-entry sticker: Check
Returned library books: Check
Signed for scholarship: Check
Made reservation for taxi to take me to airport and to return in September: Check
Packed: Half-check
On-line check-in: Check for tomorrow


Laundry: No check
Cleaned apartment: No check


Doing that when? RIGHT NOW.

Imagine Little Post-Its Everywhere...

Such is the state of my blogging mind.

I am glad most of you like my new banner! I think it goes quite nicely with the title of the blog and except for the Tunis and France posters and the one with the suitcase, I have a connection in one way or another to all of the countries above.

So, in all seriousness, imagine little post-its stuck on my laptop screen. Of course, Macs have the Stickies program, but I tend to write things down in my organizer. I have so many little topics and missives and reminders for my blog that if I put them all separately since I am more of a topical blogger than a diary blogger it would just lead to alot of clutter. So I begin my first "Post-It" blog entry.

Yellow Note on Upper Left Hand Corner of Screen:
I finally did the "100 Things" list; see the sidebar. But I made it into an "old post," so that it doesn't clutter the blog.

Pink Note, Upper Right Hand Corner:
I am going to begin some more "Things in Japan"-like posts. Topics include: bento, weird appliances (Toilets that wash your butt? You bet!), the garbage, and keitai storappu. Consider this a sneak peak.

Blue Note, Left Palm Rest:
I am going back home from August 3 to September 3. That means another series will begin called "Wedding Bonanza." 7 Bridal Salons, 3 Reception Sites, and a church in a pear tree. Consider yourself WARNED. You got a sneak peak with the previous two posts recently on wedding dresses. I told you I am not looking forward to this.

Hot Pink Star Note, Right Palm Rest:
MUST. BLOG. ON. SHIRAHAMA.

Purple Heart Note, Lower Right Screen:
Campbell (the Aussie classmate) does more than say "Irasshaimase, mate!" at the sento. He also cleans the tubs. Considering that back in the day gaijin were considered dirty barbarians, the image is rather medieval and samurai-ish in a snarky sort of way. But still quite funny in a good way, since he is really good-humored about it.

Green Note, Lower Left Screen:
It is BLOODY HOT. I have my A/C on right now because I have no air circulating in my teeny apartment and I am thinking of just getting a floor fan to use less electricity (my last bill was only 12 dollars). Today I wore my new Uniqlo t-shirt and finally did not sweat like a pig. I am going to get more 1000yen Unqilo t-shirts, the quality is great.

And so ends the digitizing of my figurative post-its. I have figuratively taken them off my computer, thrown them away and my blogging mind is at ease, for now all the little notes have their own place. Tomorrow: Rice cookers that can make banana bread, and in the Academy blog, I finally get through Classical Japanese.