so i spent the summer working for obama in hopes that i can convince him to hire me.
backup plan: show up at a staff meeting and say "um yeah my check didnt get deposited this week, can we do something about that?"
but no it was like starbucks 345-12 and then obama 130-9 or later and then sleep. EXHAUSTING to say the least. but i loved it and really think i might wanna be an organizer. which is what obama was BTW. but i also kicked fucking ass. everyone thinks i am awesome except crazy cat guy and he already hated me. but i got called out to be an example on calls and stuff. cuz im awesome. so that was really cool. and i def got recommended for a job, but no call yet :( i actually had to drunkenly update my resume. i do not suggest that.
so now im trying to get obama or some other dem to hire me bc starbucks is completely and totally awful.
i need to go back to the gym cuz i am now like REALLYF UCKING FAT. so get ready for that.
patrice gimme your japan address and we'll write letters.
also amanda sorry i was really busy getting obama elected which is why i didnt write you :( but you can thank me when you have health insurance.
OH I GET MY HEALTH INSURANCE BACK MNDAY! YEAH MY EVIL EMPLOYER KICKED ME OFF BUT I GET IT BACK SO I CAN GO TO THE DENTIST YUP WOOT WOOT.
ok that is all. love you guys tons and i miss you
Team work!
Friday, August 12, 2011
Thursday, August 11, 2011
In Japan
Hey guys, what happened? Why doesn't anyone write here anymore?
I'm in Matsusaka right now. First had an orientation in Tokyo for a few days and it's been a week already since I moved into my apartment. Been setting up bank accounts, cell phone, insurance, getting apartment set up to0. Been meeting lots of the other JETs that are in my prefecture, but there is only like 5 other JETs in Matsusaka. Haven't really met up with them though.
At the second orientation earlier this week I got to ride in an earthquake simulation machine. It was pretty scary. One of the guys videoed it so there is the video. I'm the one on the left in the back, kinda hard to see me, but that was a magnitude 7 on the japanese scale which is around a 7+ on the american scale.
Its super hottt!!!! I feel like a sweaty mess everyday. Right now the kids are on summer break, so I've haven't started teaching yet. Been to tons of orientations and presentations though. Its kinda lonely at times living by myself. I really need to learn how to cook instead of buying already prepared food or eating out.
Anyway, I'll update again with some pictures of my apartment in my next entry.
I'm in Matsusaka right now. First had an orientation in Tokyo for a few days and it's been a week already since I moved into my apartment. Been setting up bank accounts, cell phone, insurance, getting apartment set up to0. Been meeting lots of the other JETs that are in my prefecture, but there is only like 5 other JETs in Matsusaka. Haven't really met up with them though.
At the second orientation earlier this week I got to ride in an earthquake simulation machine. It was pretty scary. One of the guys videoed it so there is the video. I'm the one on the left in the back, kinda hard to see me, but that was a magnitude 7 on the japanese scale which is around a 7+ on the american scale.
Its super hottt!!!! I feel like a sweaty mess everyday. Right now the kids are on summer break, so I've haven't started teaching yet. Been to tons of orientations and presentations though. Its kinda lonely at times living by myself. I really need to learn how to cook instead of buying already prepared food or eating out.
Anyway, I'll update again with some pictures of my apartment in my next entry.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Unemployed forthe next 2 weeks......
So...yesterday was the last day at Borders. Borders might have a buyer, so its up in the air for the company. Gladd I'm leaving before all that shit goes down. And they are starting to do inventory (literally have to count and make notes of every single piece of item in the store).
Kinda sad bout leaving but yet really exited for Japan. It was rough at the beginning, but I think it was good for me. Just gonna practice for the recital and packing and stuff.
My coworkers, well ex-coworkers now and kept telling me that I have to find a hottt Japanese boyfriend. haha!!!!! I'm excited!
Kinda makes me sad that we don't write in here as often anymore, but I guess everyone is getting busy. Hope all is well.
Kinda sad bout leaving but yet really exited for Japan. It was rough at the beginning, but I think it was good for me. Just gonna practice for the recital and packing and stuff.
My coworkers, well ex-coworkers now and kept telling me that I have to find a hottt Japanese boyfriend. haha!!!!! I'm excited!
Kinda makes me sad that we don't write in here as often anymore, but I guess everyone is getting busy. Hope all is well.
Monday, June 20, 2011
I'm starting to feel that weird anxiousness you get before traveling (or the one I get before traveling...though I doubt I'm that unique in that respect.) I've got literally only one more full day in Tarnow before heading out. Unfortunately, I teach 3:30 pm to 8:30 pm and then leave Wednesday before 5 am. (My train leaves for Krakow around 5 am, then I have a train at 7:20 from Krakow to Berlin, then from Berlin to Hamburg.)
I feel like I am constantly cleaning recently. Had to reorganize and clean the entire kitchen, which was a wreck because I live with a male. Still gotta clean the stupid bathrooms as well as my room. UGH it'll be so much better next year when I live on my own with Jeff...household tasks will actually be SHARED. I refused to clean up after my flatmate, so the place was a mess, but whatever. I'm not his 1950's mother. I swear to god, why would any woman want to be with a man who doesn't think it's important to clean up after himself? But that's enough complaining for now ;)
My first real vacation in Europe starts on Thursday. Super freakin' excited, except I'm too tired from all this stupid cleaning to really show it. Downside...it's supposed to rain a lot :( Boo.
Also, I'm recently feeling nostalgic about everything, but especially DePauw. Maybe it was cause it was just over a year ago that we all graduated. *sigh*
Thursday, June 16, 2011
MIA for 2 months
So, the last time I wrote an entry was in April. Seems I have been neglecting this blog when I was one of us who was really pushing is to use this in the first place.
I found out my placement yesterday: Matsusaka-shi (city) in Mie-ken (prefecture). Pretty much in the middle of Honshu (biggest main island of Japan). At first I was thinking shit this looks like it's in the boonies since there is only like one rail line to that area, but its actually not as bad as I thought it would be. Further south of the prefecture is really in the boonies. The city's population is about 170,000, so not too small, and it's in the center of the prefecture. Osaka and Nara are about an hour to the west and Nagoya is about an hour to the east. This is totally way far away from Fukushima and where the earthquake and tsunami were. Lots of wilderness and mountains for me to explore and its right by an huge bay/ocean. I'm actually quite some distance away from Ingrid and Charlie, but I'll make it out to visit them.
Oh and the best part, the town I'm in is famous for their beef. Matsusaka-gyu. Japan has like the best beef ever, its called Wa-gyu, sooo good. They like give the cows beer and massages so they aren't stressed out and stuff, and the meat is super juicy/fatty, delicious-ness. There are 3 top types of wa-gyu, and this town is one of the top 3! I'm pretty excited for the beef, but its kind of expensive.
Lets see what else....Waikele Borders closed down so half of their staff came over, including their GM and 2 other managers. We finally have a full staff, but it is still busy and crazy. Since that other one closed down we are getting lots of their customers and just more business in general. But, last week Borders announced another list of 51 stores (including my store and 2 other ones on oahu) that will be shut down by the bankruptcy people if they do not negotiate their leases. So....that sucks. We might be closing, or possibly staying open. They want a decision by the 21st of June, but Borders is trying to push it back to July because they may be a buyer who will buy out Borders stores. Too bad, my store makes the most money of all the Borders stores on Oahu too.
Been working out a lot and practicing a lot. I'm pretty disciplined. Depending on what time I work, I usually wake up early and practice for an hour, go to work, then go to the gym after work. Fitting it all in. I should fit studying Japanese into this somehow too.
Ok, that was pretty much it I think. I'm going to a wedding next week. This is like the first wedding that I'm going to as an adult......kinda crazy.
I'm pretty excited for Japan. Thinking about packing is stressing me out though.
I found out my placement yesterday: Matsusaka-shi (city) in Mie-ken (prefecture). Pretty much in the middle of Honshu (biggest main island of Japan). At first I was thinking shit this looks like it's in the boonies since there is only like one rail line to that area, but its actually not as bad as I thought it would be. Further south of the prefecture is really in the boonies. The city's population is about 170,000, so not too small, and it's in the center of the prefecture. Osaka and Nara are about an hour to the west and Nagoya is about an hour to the east. This is totally way far away from Fukushima and where the earthquake and tsunami were. Lots of wilderness and mountains for me to explore and its right by an huge bay/ocean. I'm actually quite some distance away from Ingrid and Charlie, but I'll make it out to visit them.
Oh and the best part, the town I'm in is famous for their beef. Matsusaka-gyu. Japan has like the best beef ever, its called Wa-gyu, sooo good. They like give the cows beer and massages so they aren't stressed out and stuff, and the meat is super juicy/fatty, delicious-ness. There are 3 top types of wa-gyu, and this town is one of the top 3! I'm pretty excited for the beef, but its kind of expensive.
Lets see what else....Waikele Borders closed down so half of their staff came over, including their GM and 2 other managers. We finally have a full staff, but it is still busy and crazy. Since that other one closed down we are getting lots of their customers and just more business in general. But, last week Borders announced another list of 51 stores (including my store and 2 other ones on oahu) that will be shut down by the bankruptcy people if they do not negotiate their leases. So....that sucks. We might be closing, or possibly staying open. They want a decision by the 21st of June, but Borders is trying to push it back to July because they may be a buyer who will buy out Borders stores. Too bad, my store makes the most money of all the Borders stores on Oahu too.
Been working out a lot and practicing a lot. I'm pretty disciplined. Depending on what time I work, I usually wake up early and practice for an hour, go to work, then go to the gym after work. Fitting it all in. I should fit studying Japanese into this somehow too.
Ok, that was pretty much it I think. I'm going to a wedding next week. This is like the first wedding that I'm going to as an adult......kinda crazy.
I'm pretty excited for Japan. Thinking about packing is stressing me out though.
Monday, May 30, 2011
whoa!
seems like a lot happened this month!
So happy that your kiddies recital went well Rachel! I wish I coulda been there to see them play! Kelly, sounds like you got your 5-year plan set. I don't even know where I'm gonna be in 5 years.
I moved in with Ryan like a month and a half ago. So far it's awesome. I don't have a crazy landlord that asks me to do favors all the time and gives me lectures. (btw she made me wash the walls of my old room because "it reeked of smoke". Weird, because I don't smoke and I never let Ryan smoke there, and, oh yeah, it DID NOT smell like smoke at all.) So happy I don't live there anymore.
My new roommates are supercool. All of them are artists (as in visual) except for one chick who does theater. It's nice, there's usually music and painting going on in the loft at all times. My roommate Cris is working on this project with crayons right now. He melts them all down with this super hot gun and they all end up looking super trippy. I'll post a pic of one.
One thing that does suck though is that there is no a/c. And it's crazy hot right now. The loft is an old brick building (I think it processed lumber back in the day) and it heats up really fast. Oh, and now that its warm outside all the crazies are out. So it's not really the safest place for chicks to walk around in at night. Like an hour ago I wanted to get some ice cream from the nearest grocery store, but it was already dark outside so Ryan wouldn't let me go because he thought I would get raped and killed or whatever. And there are prostitutes (kurwa), really. Saw a truck driver pick one up the other day. Basically, the part of Jersey City I live in is like post-apocalyptic. Like if Judgement Day really happened, my part of Jersey City would have stayed the same.
Um, other things...I went full-time at whole foods for like a week, but now I'm back to part-time because I am GETTING PAID ($22/hr) as a per diem assistant producer at WNYC. I'll be working there two days a week in June and hopefully more throughout the rest of the summer! I bought a viola recently! I haven't had one in like a year so that's really exciting for me. I got it from shar and it's way better than my last one! I'm thinking about joining a community orchestra in the fall after I get my chops up.
AND, I think Ryan and I might come to Indiana in August! It's seriously being considered so I'll let you guys know more as I do.
That's it I think, Ciao!
So happy that your kiddies recital went well Rachel! I wish I coulda been there to see them play! Kelly, sounds like you got your 5-year plan set. I don't even know where I'm gonna be in 5 years.
I moved in with Ryan like a month and a half ago. So far it's awesome. I don't have a crazy landlord that asks me to do favors all the time and gives me lectures. (btw she made me wash the walls of my old room because "it reeked of smoke". Weird, because I don't smoke and I never let Ryan smoke there, and, oh yeah, it DID NOT smell like smoke at all.) So happy I don't live there anymore.
My new roommates are supercool. All of them are artists (as in visual) except for one chick who does theater. It's nice, there's usually music and painting going on in the loft at all times. My roommate Cris is working on this project with crayons right now. He melts them all down with this super hot gun and they all end up looking super trippy. I'll post a pic of one.
One thing that does suck though is that there is no a/c. And it's crazy hot right now. The loft is an old brick building (I think it processed lumber back in the day) and it heats up really fast. Oh, and now that its warm outside all the crazies are out. So it's not really the safest place for chicks to walk around in at night. Like an hour ago I wanted to get some ice cream from the nearest grocery store, but it was already dark outside so Ryan wouldn't let me go because he thought I would get raped and killed or whatever. And there are prostitutes (kurwa), really. Saw a truck driver pick one up the other day. Basically, the part of Jersey City I live in is like post-apocalyptic. Like if Judgement Day really happened, my part of Jersey City would have stayed the same.
Um, other things...I went full-time at whole foods for like a week, but now I'm back to part-time because I am GETTING PAID ($22/hr) as a per diem assistant producer at WNYC. I'll be working there two days a week in June and hopefully more throughout the rest of the summer! I bought a viola recently! I haven't had one in like a year so that's really exciting for me. I got it from shar and it's way better than my last one! I'm thinking about joining a community orchestra in the fall after I get my chops up.
AND, I think Ryan and I might come to Indiana in August! It's seriously being considered so I'll let you guys know more as I do.
That's it I think, Ciao!
Saturday, May 28, 2011
I am bout to give my dog away!!!! (not really)
not really...but No FUCKING JOKE she is driving me NUTS right now. i love her and i don't regret getting her, but it's moments like this that make we wonder if actually do ever wanna have "adorable" little babies of my own. SHE IS SO ANNOYING sometimes. like right now, instead of realizing that i have this monumentally important blog to post, she thinks that she can just fucking jump ALL over me while biting me *ouch* to get my attention. i mean, maybe i'm just a bad puppy mommy, but really i think she's just a puppy. she's only 6 months old, so she's similar to a 3 year old kid or something. she's starting to realize what no means but then chooses to ignore it cause she knows she is cute. ALSJFOIEWFALKSD. i really do love her. don't call animal control or anything lol.
rachel, congrats on your awesome recital! even though i know i said that to you today in the gchat. i'm so glad you were so proud! you deserve it.
so anyway, i'm blogging. rachel's blog inspired me to blog, but also i don't wanna practice. why? BECAUSE IT'S SUMMER. AND I AM STILL IN SCHOOL DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT'S SUMMER. quarters suck! i have one more week of classes this upcoming week and i'm skipping out on finals to drive to blue lake on june 3. luckily, i don't have any finals. but i have a 10 page research paper due (the only paper i'll ever have to write at ccm..lol) and a take home theory test next week, so that'll be crazy. plus, patrick is visiting, PLUS, steven maijala is visiting on wed/thurs because he's taking the dayton phil audition (which is like 45 min from here). so it'll be crazy to write/take a final/keep from going psycho cause of the dog/entertain two people/pack for blue lake. but hey what's life for if it's not fucking crazy.
oh and now she's doing the thing where she runs around in circles and then pees wherever she wants. crazy ass animal. i really think she might be retarded. she passed the retarded dog test except then the next day she rolled around in some other dog's shit. i just put her in her crate and i think she knows i'm mad at her.
ugh.
patrick is working at blue lake with me this summer. i am really excited cause we'll be in the same place and i'll see him quite a bit more than i did when he didn't work. plus i'll have the puppy up there (god save me) but i think she will be a little more well-behaved because it'll be in the woods and she'll have big spaces to run around, unlike my tiny-ass ghetto cincy apartment. which i can't WAIT to leave.
patrick and i think we're going to move to michigan after i graduate next spring/SUMMER cause quarters go on forEVER. we were gonna live in indy but we changed our minds. rach, don't worry ,it's still doable to visit each other every so often. plus i imagine we'll frequent indiana cause that's where our fam is. i think we're gonna go to ann arbor. i might look for a job at like SHAR since that's where their headquarters are. i think we might both work for a year and then patrick is gonna go back to school to finish up his degree and i might work to get either a second master's at U of M in music ed to get my teaching license, or, if i feel up to it and can get into the school, get my DMA at U of M. CCM is a great program, but there are several things that i don't like about it and I'm not a huge fan of cincy. I've always loved MI and plus, I'll be closer to camp! Always a plus, for me, the camp junkie.
wedding planning is going smoothly, i already have my dress and everything! i'll be taking a hiatus from thinking about ANY wedding stuff while i'm at camp, and then churn it into gear when i am done with that. next school year might kill me--i have to plan a wedding, play two solo recitals, and do my oral exams at the and of the year to graduate. ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
ok that's about all i can think of for now. i miss you all so much and seeing everyone's grad pictures from dpu made me miss you all even more. love you guys. I'll post my camp address on fb if any of you want to be my pen pal this summer!
rachel, congrats on your awesome recital! even though i know i said that to you today in the gchat. i'm so glad you were so proud! you deserve it.
so anyway, i'm blogging. rachel's blog inspired me to blog, but also i don't wanna practice. why? BECAUSE IT'S SUMMER. AND I AM STILL IN SCHOOL DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT'S SUMMER. quarters suck! i have one more week of classes this upcoming week and i'm skipping out on finals to drive to blue lake on june 3. luckily, i don't have any finals. but i have a 10 page research paper due (the only paper i'll ever have to write at ccm..lol) and a take home theory test next week, so that'll be crazy. plus, patrick is visiting, PLUS, steven maijala is visiting on wed/thurs because he's taking the dayton phil audition (which is like 45 min from here). so it'll be crazy to write/take a final/keep from going psycho cause of the dog/entertain two people/pack for blue lake. but hey what's life for if it's not fucking crazy.
oh and now she's doing the thing where she runs around in circles and then pees wherever she wants. crazy ass animal. i really think she might be retarded. she passed the retarded dog test except then the next day she rolled around in some other dog's shit. i just put her in her crate and i think she knows i'm mad at her.
ugh.
patrick is working at blue lake with me this summer. i am really excited cause we'll be in the same place and i'll see him quite a bit more than i did when he didn't work. plus i'll have the puppy up there (god save me) but i think she will be a little more well-behaved because it'll be in the woods and she'll have big spaces to run around, unlike my tiny-ass ghetto cincy apartment. which i can't WAIT to leave.
patrick and i think we're going to move to michigan after i graduate next spring/SUMMER cause quarters go on forEVER. we were gonna live in indy but we changed our minds. rach, don't worry ,it's still doable to visit each other every so often. plus i imagine we'll frequent indiana cause that's where our fam is. i think we're gonna go to ann arbor. i might look for a job at like SHAR since that's where their headquarters are. i think we might both work for a year and then patrick is gonna go back to school to finish up his degree and i might work to get either a second master's at U of M in music ed to get my teaching license, or, if i feel up to it and can get into the school, get my DMA at U of M. CCM is a great program, but there are several things that i don't like about it and I'm not a huge fan of cincy. I've always loved MI and plus, I'll be closer to camp! Always a plus, for me, the camp junkie.
wedding planning is going smoothly, i already have my dress and everything! i'll be taking a hiatus from thinking about ANY wedding stuff while i'm at camp, and then churn it into gear when i am done with that. next school year might kill me--i have to plan a wedding, play two solo recitals, and do my oral exams at the and of the year to graduate. ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
ok that's about all i can think of for now. i miss you all so much and seeing everyone's grad pictures from dpu made me miss you all even more. love you guys. I'll post my camp address on fb if any of you want to be my pen pal this summer!
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