Haircut!

Yes, I went this morning to the salon I've been going to for about a year now, and got my hair cut. I based it on the picture I posted here and the stylist (who used to live in Japan, oddly enough) loved it enough to keep the picture when I left, in case other people are looking for inspiration for a short cut. It's much shorter than anything I've had in... ever, but it's really light and cute. I'm really happy with it.

So, you all get a picture taken with my Myspace-style photography skills. I couldn't get a good one showing both sides, okay?


Cute, huh? I'm really pleased.

明日 の Ｒｅｓｏｌｕｔｉｏｎ

Yeah, I'm listening to Daisuke Asakura again. This happens kind of a lot. I mean, the title of this blog is the first line of Orange Tea Time (aru hi fushigi na kuni e itta no - that day I went to a strange country), which probably says something about my love for this man and his heavily synthesized music. Oh, DA, one day I will see you perform, either solo or, more likely, with Access. With Kenichi Ito is probably way too much to hope for.

Anyway, generally speaking I continue to fail at life. I finally called Nikki back, at 2 o'clock Sunday morning, when I was coming back from seeing a concert at El Corazon downtown (it wasn an awesome concert, for the record, even if most of the other attendees were pretty wasted). I was expecting her not to answer and was all set to leave a conversational and rambling message (I'm at least somewhat known for this skill), when she picked up. So I talked for a minute, assured her that I still love her... and then didn't call her back like I said I would. Because, as established, I suck. It's worst during the summer when I just forget about my phone for days at a time and check it to find that I've missed, like, five calls. So, on the to-do list for tonight and tomorrow: call Nikki and then call Annie. And then call the loan people because they seem to think I've graduated and want me to start paying them back in November. Yeah, that's not gonna happen, guys.

In other news, as probably no one remembers, back in January I made a vague and short-lived attempt at a media blog. As in, I made the blog and posted one recommendation before completely forgetting about it for about six months. But now I think I am going to try to resume this project, because I like reviewing and recommending things. The link is in my sidebar, if you want to peek in on it. There will be music and book recs (and possibly TV and film, depending on my mood), with samples and my opinion. Because I know you all value my opinion so very much.

All of that aside, I ideally start work next week. I'm pretty much set to be put in the float pool for the county, which really means (since I don't drive) that I'll be working medical records at a clinic. However, my mum found out today that the jail may also need float pool people, so I might be partially back at the jail. Basically, I'll be spending the next two months or so in some of the sketchier parts of downtown being a temporary public servant.

I'm actually looking forward to this, partly because I'm getting bored and partly because I'm tired of not being able to buy anything. I keep seeing books and stuff that I'd like to have, but can't afford because I have no income. Also, I saw a black and white sort of retro dress today (it has a layer of tulle under the skirt and everything) that I very much Do Want. I'm kind of digging dresses and skirts these days.

And... I really don't have any other news. I'm just trying to keep this blog somewhat updated so everyone knows I'm not dead. Keep an eye out for media posts from me. Hopefully I'll actually get that off the ground properly. I've got some obscure Japanese music and some awesome cyberpunk fiction to recommend. Oh yes.

Updates

I might have a job at a clinic. It'd be in medical records as an Administrative Specialist I, which was my job class when I worked at the jail last year. I guess they keep losing their medical records help, probably because it's mind-numbingly boring, and they're just now looking. So I submitted an application via email and my mom says I have a good chance at taking it because I've worked for the county before and did really well. The clinic is down in the sketchy part of 4th avenue (makes sense, given that these clinics are intended for people who don't have health insurance or money for other health care), but it would pay similar to what I made last summer and, since I don't need a bunch of money for Willamette, would leave me with a decent amount of money to save and spend. I really want this job.

In other news, I'm trying to get it together and really work on my Japanese. I know someone who's trying to sort of teach herself from the basics and it's good motivation to further my own skills. I really want some money, though, because I was down at Kinokuniya and they have these grammar dictionaries that would be really helpful, but they were, like, $40 each. Then I saw a guide to Kansai-ben, which just looked like fun.

Continuing on in my book of practical kanji, here are the kanji of the day (with one reading each):

軍 (ぐん, military), 理 (り, reason/principle), 玉 (ぎょく, jewel), 取(る) (とる, take), 用 (よう, business), 支 (し, branch/support), 市 (いち, market), 位 (くらい, rank/grade), 政 (せい, administration), 毛 (もう, hair), 戸 (こ, door), 近(い) (ちかい, near), 野 (や, field), 不 (ふ, negative/un-), 平 (へい, level)

So, yes, those are today's 15 new kanji to learn. I like this book a lot - it has all the Japanese readings, the Mandarin reading and example words to put the character in context. According to the book, I'm at kanji 136, but I know more than that because I wasn't taught in this order. But, in addition to the kanji, I need to also work on my grammar. This is helping my vocabulary, but grammar is also 大切.

I'll just watch more Takarazuka. It's actually really helpful because I translate bits of it for the friend who's starting to study Japanese, so I'm picking up new things all the time. Seriously, music in your foreign language is really good for listening comprehension. I highly recommend it.

Off to make more tea and study. At least I can find ways to keep myself busy, right?

Not my best week ever

I've been kind of sickly this week. Not full-on sick, but iffy. And yesterday I had the world's worst migraine. I ended up taking three painkillers and going to bed at 2:30. I slept till about a quarter to 5 with the blankets over my head because everything was pain, then I got up and took more ibuprofen and was mostly okay. Mostly, I've taken to just chugging herbal tea.

Speaking of tea, anyone have recommendations? I'm enjoying my fruit flavours (all I have right now other than some loose-leaf oolong and green), but variety is also awesome.

My life is still pretty boring. No news on the job front, other than Macy's letting me know that they're not hiring me. Ashalyn, I am definitely interested in getting in touch with your mom and her group to volunteer in June. Actually getting hired by someone is looking less and less likely and the Freedom School thing sounds way more interesting, anyway.

Nikki, I swear I'm going to call you soon. I've just been sort of reclusive lately.

This is a pretty lame blog post. I'm just not really doing anything worth blogging about, unless you want to hear about Pokemon Diamond (I'm about 80% through it now) or trying to work out some Tori Amos songs on the piano. I'm going to get Father Lucifer down, I'm serious.

I think I'm going to go play with the dog. And make more tea.

I have a boring life

No, for real, I do. Right now, anyway. I'm at home in Lynnwood, which is cool with me because I actually have more to do up here than in Salem (I live, like, 5 minutes from a transit centre that can get me a bus to downtown Seattle), and I actually like doing things with my family, but it's definitely not exciting blog material.

I got some good news last week, though: because of my FAFSA information, my financial aid award for next year totals $24,500, half in the fall and half in the spring. Taking this on top of the money I already have from various sources, I will owe Willamette nothing my senior year. I think I have a minor carry-over balance from last year, but even that should fit into the budget I already have. So, I will get out of undergrad with just shy of 15k in loans, which isn't going to be too hard to pay off, and I don't have to stress out about money for the first time in my undergrad career. I've needed to make $2500+ every summer up to this point. I'm still job-hunting, of course, because it'd be nice to have some money that I can spend/save for the fall, but it's not urgent like it's been in the past.

Of course, the job market sucks, so I'm just waiting and crossing my fingers that someone will like me. I've applied at Macy's (I used to work there), Ann Taylor Loft (where, as it turns out, a former Macy's coworker works now), Buckle and Borders. But no one seems to be actively hiring, so we'll see what comes of it. I did my best.

In other news, I've been playing a lot of Pokemon Diamond. I'm about 2/3 of the way through the game at this point and I'm kind of obsessed. It's fun, okay? I've also done some cleaning of my room, studying of kanji and playing with the dog. Well, maybe a lot of playing with the dog. And now I'm reading a book about Takarazuka and modern Japanese sexual politics. It's really interesting, half history and half gender/sexuality studies.

I also found a shirt that will work pretty well for future adventures in drag. It's black with white pinstripes and it's not fitted, so it could be a dude's shirt.

And... I'm planning on cutting my hair again. I need to, because the cut I got back in March is growing out. I think I'm going to go for this:


It's similar to what I have now style-wise, with the heavy bangs, but shorter. I think it'll be good for summer.

Stay tuned for updates on the job-hunt front, and for pictures when I do get around to going to have my hair cut. Maybe I'll just start taking pictures of interesting things to have something to put on my blog during the summer. I'll take my camera when I go to the International District on Monday and see what I can find. It'll be like a personalised tour of the Greater Seattle Area.

立ち上がれ！

Silly title is silly. It reads tachiagare, which basically is like shouting 'rise up!' and has no significance whatsoever to this entry. Well, actually, it kind of does because I'm going to be talking about Takarazuka again and they shout that a lot in Elisabeth, particularly in the parts that take place in Hungary.

Before I dive into fangirl land again (come on, y'all had to know this was going to happen again at some point), I'm just going to say that I am so glad term's out. I got all my crap turned in on time and I got a B on my Japanese exam, which is acceptable. You can really see what I'm good at if you look at this test: speaking and listening got perfect scores, reading and writing demonstrated high-end mediocrity. I'm not bad at anything, really, even the kanji was okay, but it's so obvious what aspects of this language really click in my brain.

As for my papers, the best one was probably for Shakespeare (Foucauldian bio-power in Measure for Measure), the final philosophy one (critiquing an aspect of History of Sexuality) was the worst because I didn't care anymore by that point and, if it sucks, it'll be dropped out of my grade, anyway.

Now I'm chilling for a couple of weeks, then I'll try finding a job. I really crashed at the end of the semester, or I'd get on the job thing a little quicker. I need a break. So I'll watch things, and read things, and do more cleaning of my room, and it'll work out. I cleaned out my clothes today and have a big bag of things to donate because I will never wear them again. And a slightly smaller bag of things to throw out because they aren't in good enough shape to give away in good conscience. What I really learned from this is that I own a lot of clothes. I felt really good about my closet/dresser after putting together the discard piles... then I put the clothes that I had in Salem away and it filled up again. I think I just hold on to things for way too long and forget about them. But I do feel good about how much I'm giving away. The clothes are still pretty nice and I know other people will be happy to discover them in Good Will (or wherever I decide to take my donation).

Anyway, time for me to be a fangirl again because I've been watching Silver Rose Chronicle. It's a Yukigumi production about vampires/vampire hunters/vampire romance that I'm now kind of in love with. It doesn't have my beloved Mizu Natsuki (it ran in a secondary venue, not the Grand Theatre), but Ouki Kaname (aka Teru) is the vampire Christopher and she's one of my babies. Speaking of which, I'm really unhappy that she's been transferred to Hoshigumi, because I don't follow Hoshigumi at all, but it is a promotion and she deserves the recognition. Takarazuka fandom, for the record, is hella complicated. Everyone, and I'm definitely no exception, has that one troupe that they love and follow. For me it's all about Yukigumi, which is not the most popular troupe among foreign fans, and I was so upset when I found out that, yes, Teru really is being transferred.

I'd share a clip of SRC, but Youtube sucks and doesn't have any of the really good ones. The best they've got are focused on Elliot, which makes sense given that he's the protagonist, but I like Teru better than Ayabuki Mao. Anyway, if you read my blog regularly, you've seen Teru before. She was Rudolf in Elisabeth, so that one video I posted awhile back that has Der Tod dancing with Rudolf, Yami ga Hirogaru? Yeah, that's her.

I am, however, going to post a different Takarazuka-related video. You don't have to watch the whole thing, 'cause it's kinda long and full of talking, just watch the first minute or so. It's a clip from a TV thing (the title reads Takarazuka Kageki Tokushuu, which means Takarazuka Theatre Special) and the first part, after some guy talks, is Mizu Natsuki getting up and winking at a girl on the panel, who is basically a walking Japanese stereotype, as a demonstration of the sexy power of otokoyaku (or... something). I don't know what the real point is, but it's funny because the girl just melts. Which would probably be my reaction to Mizu Natsuki winking at me like that, but it's really funny because she doesn't seem to know what to do with herself.



I'm picking up tips on how to be a sexy, slick drag king from my fangirling Zuka, true fact.