誰か、カレ・ライス？

Nope, I'm not a BUM

2006-05-03T23:40:00.000+09:00

...not yet.

It's been almost two months since I finished school. And what have I been doing? Well, nothing much. Before I graduated, the game plan was to find work before graduation and go straight to work right after finishing my last final exam. I didn't want to go on a vacation because I felt that I've already had my "vacation" when I went to Japan for a year. Well obviously, the game plan didn't materialize. I'm now at home, writing this blog. Geez...

So, am I a bum... well, not quite. I have decided that between my graduation and my employment (and I hope this doesn't take too long), I'll do some of the things that I have always wanted to do. Simple things that I wasn't able to do basically because I was too focused (was I?) on school.

Bring out the artist in me. Yes, I believe I am an artist. Haha! I've been painting recently. It's something that I've always wanted to do, but wasn't in my set of priorities ever. But now that I've got nothing to do, I actually have time to try it out. Maybe I'll post some of my works soon.

Read. Yes. I'm a 22 year old adult and I'm just discovering the joy of reading. After reading all those textbooks on Calculus, Project Management, JAVA programming, I realized that I have never read for my own pleasure. I read Shakespeare and liked it, but I hated studying his literature. I've read a novel and have a short line up of the books I want to read. If you have any recommendations, please drop me a note.

See the Philippines. Well, thanks to my mom and dad. Hahaha! Obviously I wouldn't have the cash to do this on my own. But the family's planning some travelling. We've been to a couple of weekend short trips since graduation, and I think the family's planning for a few more.

Invest on the next generation. I've been spending some time with my church's youth group. Basically helping out in laying the foundations for a stronger organization.

So yes, I've been a bum, but a productive one at that. And until I get a job, I'll be happy to do what I'm doing.

Yup, It's been nine months since...

2006-04-17T12:39:00.000+09:00

I never thought I'd start blogging again. Maybe I've gotten too bored these days. Haha!

SO, nine months have passed. A lot of things have come and gone. I'm a university graduate now with a degree in Management Information Systems. The past year was very hectic. Of course I got a few tips and some lecture notes from my friends who've finished a year earlier, but then it was basically my show. I had to deal with pressure and stress without the luxury of what we call in Filipino, a "karamay" (how do you say that in English? geez...). It was a true experience of "fending for one's self". You bet it was tough! But looking back, I think it was a true experience of growth and maturity.

I'm totally over Tokyo life, and somehow gotten used to merely talking with my friends online and receiving infrequent emails. Oh well, things change and people move on. Too bad I can't get to hang out with them on weekends, but good that somehow we've gotten to maintain a certain "freshness" to our friendship.

Christmas has gone, so has my birthday, and easter. Time just can't be stopped. I never imagined myself feeling this way, but things seem so normal. A year ago, I was frantic about going through my senior year all by myself, while feeling really sad about not seeing my friends from Tokyo. But, wow, things are really normal now. People really just need to move on with life, and bring with them nice memories that will be needed for the journey ahead.

Yup, it's been nine months since I posted anything online. It's refreshing, that's all I can say.

Surfin' Tides of Change

2005-11-02T19:58:00.000+09:00

They say that one thing in life is constant: CHANGE. I guess all of us can attest to that. Well, as for me, a lot of things changed since I came home from Tokyo. (1) I'm on my LAST term in college now. (2) I've become more stressed out and busy lately. (3) I haven't spoken any Japanese for soooo long now. (4) I got a NEW haircut! I'm bald now. As you would notice, the picture on the left was my old cut which was taken about three weeks ago. On the right is my new well shaven cut. Yup, nice and breezy.

But I'd like to believe that there are also some things in this world that do not change. And I guess it is also another thing that we are experiencing. For one, I'm glad that our friendship does not change. I still get excited seeing you guys online or receiving an email or two once in a while.

Surfing. Yeah, I guess you're wondering why I placed surfing in the title of this post. Well, 'cause a cousin of mine's inviting me to try out surfing. Funny as it may seem, for a tropical archipelago such as the Philippines, they just recently discovered that we've got pretty nice tides suitable for surfing. So, I might go try it out one of these days. Something interesting and fun, I suppose. I guess a welcomed change to my otherwise monotonous daily routine.

Officially on Vacation

2005-10-25T22:58:00.000+09:00

Hi guys! It's been a while, huh. And that is all because I just went through a very tough semester, which ended a week ago! WOOOHOOOO!!! Yep, I'm sure glad it's over.. And it's now time to party (okay, i dont mean to be a scumbag to all you guys working or in the middle of school right now... but i just wanna share how glad i am... hehehe)!

Last week, I went up to the mountains, for work and play, as most people say. It was this city up on the mountainside, Baguio (which by the way Jordan has visited already). We had this client for a project that was needing a payroll system. So, me and my project teammates went up the mountains to meet our client. Did some studies, but basically just enjoyed the nice weather. The good thing was that our client was a hotelier. So, we had an absolutely free 5-star treatment beginning from the accommodations, to the food, etc (Hahaha! I just hope that real work was that way). But honestly speaking, the only reason why we had that treatment is because one of our teammates is actually the son of the owner of the hotel.

Anyhow, we were there for five days. And now back in Manila, I'm just taking it easy. This morning, I went to the gym (after almost a year of letting my flabs thicken!) for a little workout. Then had some lunch. Got some stuff from the bookstore. And just relaxed at home.

I'll be on vacation until the 14th of November. I still don't have plans for any travel or any big holiday vacation, but I'm just glad that after five greuling months, I can now do what I want to do without any stress whatsoever.

So, that's it for now. But do expect more to come! Cheers!

*** Hmmmmm.... looking at the emails or posts I've been writing lately, I seem to sound like a different person all together. Hahaha! And I'm loving it!

It's Freezing!!

2005-10-07T13:00:00.000+09:00

Hey, what's up everyone? You guys...let me just tell you: the weather here is absolutely ridiculous. It's already around 1 or 2 degrees Celsius. That's like the coldest it ever got in Tokyo. I'm very afraid for what's going to happen in the winter. I heard it gets down to -30 sometimes. That's just crazy. I'm going to die.

Well, I thought I'd just write a little something because I'm bored. We have our first 4-day weekend coming up in 2 weeks. I'm not going home for another month and a half though. But anyways, the main reason for this update is I took a picture of how I currently look. It's quite different from how I looked last year, so I just thought I'd share it with you guys :). The link is here if you can't view the image in this update.

I'd love to see updated pictures of everyone else if you have the ability to take them. Hopefully I can get some pictures of my friends here or something too. Anyways, that's pretty much all I have to say today. Keep in touch. - Jordan

Update on Jordan's Life

2005-09-21T09:52:00.000+09:00

I say "update" in the loosest definition of the word. By which I mean not much is really going on for me to update about, but I just want to keep in contact with you guys. Let's see, classes are going well, but I've been staying up way too late. The latest I ever stayed up on a school night in Japan was like 12:30, but here I've been going until like 2 or 2:30. I dunno, it must be something about living in the dorm. The bad thing about it is I've been waking up like 10 minutes before classes start and having to rush (like Davey used to do). It's getting annoying because I keep missing breakfast.

Ok, so I'm volunteering for this "conversational english partner" thing. I have a Japanese guy and a Chinese guy that I'm supposed to hang out with once a week. It should be pretty cool. I might be able to practice at least a little Japanese. And I want to go out for sushi, but it's way too expensive here, so I don't know. I'm starting to miss Tokyo a lot though. I mean, there's this one street that just has a bunch of clubs, bars, and theaters and it's just crazy to walk down there. Two weeks ago, I was in a restaurant on that street late on a Saturday night, and these two "women" walked in. I immediately recognized they were guys. Ugh.

Let's see...what else....oh yeah, I'm trying to get a part-time job during the year. The one I want would be like 20 hours a week, plus they help with tuition. I kinda need to earn some money if I want to see Hui during the summer :) Haha, hopefully...the airfare is around $1000, plus I'll need spending money. We'll see what happens.

Oh yeah, what is your address Hui? Or does anyone else know it? I think I already have Davey's and Joan's, but not Phoebe, Hui, or Margaret. And I still want to call Davey, but I keep waking up too late. One of these days.

Well, I just want to let you guys know that I miss you a lot. I already have a few friends here, and I've had a lot of fun, but it's just different. Ok, I'll talk to you later. Keep updating and stay in touch.

- Jordan

Stress + McDonald's = Cerebral Meltdown ???

2005-09-02T01:20:00.000+09:00

Have you ever felt sooo tired that you just can't seem to function properly? I mean, it just seems like your brain went through a nuclear meltdown. Well, although I'm trying to write something right now, I feel like my mind is just floating around aimlessly. I know my brain is right there but it just feels as if my head has nothing but empty space in it. (Hmmm, I guess by the stuff I've written so far, you can easily get my point.)

Anyway, this week has been really stressful. Exams, projects, meetings, errands. Woah! It's friday and I cant believe I'm still getting by. The more stressful part is the fact that next week and the following weeks ahead will prove to be more stressful! (Ahhhh! Simply writing about this makes the veins in my eyes pop out!)

That's the reason why I refuse to believe that it is my frequent intake of McDonald's burgers and fries that is causing me this cerebral meltdown. Since I came back here in Manila, I've been eating the most McDonald's ever. I think it's my class schedule... you see, every tuesdays and thursdays, I have classes from 10am 'til 3pm straight. SO, I get out of class really tired and hungry. AND, the most convenient thing to do it to get a drive thru meal from McDonald's and eat it while driving. Just yesterday, I ate McDonald's for lunch and McDonald's for dinner (yeah Jordan, it's getting that bad...).

So, is it stress or McDonald's? Hmmm... probably both! Ok ok, I know I'm not making the least amount of sense right now. Well then, after all the crap I have written and subjected you guys to read, all I really wanna do is to say "HI!!!" to you guys. So now I'll crawl into my bed to get a little rest, then hopefully wake up tomorrow, read what I just wrote, and have a good laugh at myself. Sorry for the waste of time guys! Goodnight! HAHAHA!

Work, Love, Life?

2005-08-28T15:23:00.000+09:00

Finally, I am here! Last week was incredible. Firstly, it was my birthday! Happy Birthday to Phoebe! I didnt plan anything big this year, but had plenty of surprises from friends, which was very touching. Secondly, I've started working at a PR/Event firm. Workload is crazy, I work average 12 hours a day. Sometimes I cant even make it to my Nihongo class which starts at 8pm! Life is very busy with me: job, Nihongo class, driving , and most important LOVE! I guess I am still at the stage of finding a BULL or being chosen as a BULL.

Oh, I met Tsubone sensei in Bangkok! She was travelling with her husband for a bit. The Tsubone couple is great!

So what are you guys up to?

Lastly, just wanna tell the gals, I lost so much weight!

Rainy Days, Doughnuts, and Standard Deviations

2005-08-15T13:31:00.000+09:00

Hi guys! It's been a while, huh. Bah! It's just that I've been crazy busy the past month. In fact, I'm in school right now, finished with the day's classes, but waiting for five freakin' hours to take a midterm of Information System Administration, which I have barely studied for yet (Hmmm... now I'm thinking that maybe now is not the right time to write... oh well).

But last week was an ok week. It was bad just like the weather! It was raining pretty much the whole week! I was feeling sick because I got rained on a couple of times. And you know how it is here in my nice tropical island... it rains but still remains hot! I'm feeling better now except for occasional coughs and a runny nose. BUT! Nothing too bad to keep me from being the same crazy Davey.

Last Friday, everyone was out of the house. My parents went to watch a theatre play, my brother had a party to go to. My other brother went to a fashion show, then my sister had some kind of camping with school friends. While I was driving home from school and expecting to have a slow, boring night, I suddenly had a craving for doughnuts! I dunno why, but I did! Hahahaha! So I stopped by Dunkin' Doughnuts and got myself a bow of 6 doughnuts of different flavors! I dunno what it was in the doughnuts, but I was soooo happy afterwards! HAHAHA! (ok... Am I getting that sad and stressed out now?)

Then the following day, on a nice sunny Saturday, I woke up at freakin' 7am to go to a 9am class! Darnit! I'm supposed to be sleeping in on Saturdays! Anyway, it was a Project Management Class. So, we were going about the most normal of classes, computing for return on investments, profit values, interest rates, and all those numbers that I think I'm getting allergic of, the teacher suddenly talks about standard deviations! WOAH! Standard Deviations! If you would remember, Hui and I made "remarkable" analysis of our I2 class on the basis of standard deviations! HAHAHAHA! It instantly placed a smile on my face, as I remembered how Hui and I came up with some piece of "BULL" (See Bull Finding, 06/07/05) for our final presentation. Hahahahaha!!! Oh those Intensive Japanese Days! But one thing though, our presentation was so remarkable that somebody just wasn't able to keep his remark to himself. Hahahahaha!!!

So that was last week -- rainy days, doughnuts, and standard deviations. Looking forward to what this week has in store for me!

2 weeks of working!!!

2005-08-10T17:15:00.000+09:00

Hello my dear friends!!! I am back from 2 weeks of working as a sales promoter at Takashimaya in Singapore!!! i worked everyday from 9.30am to 10 pm for 2 weeks!!!!!!!! from when Takashimaya open to when it closed!!! i have so many horrible green and purple veins on my legs now!!!!!!!!!!! i was selling some stupid Zen Diet... balanced nutrition food... CRAP!!!! hahahaha i earned about the equivalent of 60000 Yen... how is everyone???? please write more ok!!!! MISS YOU ALL!!! 2.5 more weeks before I go back to school!!! dun want the holiday time to end!!!! * and davey i know what u mean by sleepy, i was so sleepy at work after 3 days, tired and hurting at the feet... i was like a zombie, reciting "wanna try some balanced nutrition food... zen diet for you??" hahahaha...*

Contact Info and Other Stuff

2005-07-11T23:52:00.000+09:00

It's been a while. I think that the emails and blog posts are coming really slow! Tell us about what's happening with you guys!

Hmmmm.... what happened to me today? Well, i woke up a little late, and I guess having that bad start ruined my whole day. I dunno what was wrong with me, but I was sooooooo sleepy the whole day. I was in class and I was sleepy. I went to the library, hoping to get some readings done, but I just took a nap. I was having lunch, and I couldn't even properly hear what my friend was saying 'cause I was tooo sleepy! I'm just glad that I didn't doze off while I was driving... that would've been disastrous.

Anyway, I'm home right now. And guess what? Chatting with Hui! Hahaha! It's really nice getting to hear and converse with friends from Tokyo. So, GO ONLINE GUYS!!! I wanna hear from you!

Now, Jordan gave his contact information. Here's mine:

DAVEY C. SANVICTORES
mobile: (+63)-917-896-8702
home: (+63)-02-372-9543

email: stric2davey@yahoo.com
yahoo: stric2davey
msn: davey_in_japan@hotmail.com

Contact Information

2005-07-10T14:33:00.000+09:00

Well, since I have all of my contact information now, I thought I'd post it. Keep in mind I'll be at college from September-April (except three weeks over Christmas) and home from May-August. For talking online and the phone, keep in mind I will be 12-14 hours behind those of you not in the U.S.

Home Address and Phone Number (for May-August):

Jordan Fazio
19 Warren Way
Burlington, NJ 08016
United States

(1)-609-386-0065

School Address and Phone Number (for September-April):

Jordan Fazio
NCU 0867
910 Elliot Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55404

(1)-612-343-7733

Online Information:

email - jordanfazio@gmail.com
AIM - Jordan Fazio
MSN Messenger - jordanfazio@hotmail.com
Yahoo Messenger - zublay

I know that probably looks like a lot, but at least you have many ways to keep in contact with me. I'd appreciate if everyone posted something similar to this.

Being Back Home

2005-06-25T16:26:00.000+09:00

Last Friday was really hard. I had to carry a 32 kilo suitcase on my right hand and a 16 kilo handcarry on my left. I had to carry it from my room, all the way to the ICU rotary, then to the trains, and finally to the check-in counter at Narita. At the airport, I found out that my luggage was too heavy, and they were charging me JPY35,000 for excess baggage. Woah, crazy, huh! Anyway, I just acted dumb, "ahh, soudesu ka", "soudesu ne", "unn unn". Hahaha! I had to move some of my heavy stuff to my backpack, but at least I didnt have to pay a single cent. But the worse was yet to come. My flight was delayed. For four frickin' hours! I was looking forward to checking-in, going straight to the plane, and sleep. I only had 1.5 hrs of sleep the previous day.

Anyway, I'm finally home now. Last night, my grandparents, some of my uncles, aunts and cousins came over for dinner. It was really nice. I was so happy to see them but everytime I would tell stories about Tokyo, I couldn't help but think of the fun times I had and people that I shared it with. And with that, I felt a little sadness. Of course life must go on, but I think it is simply not that easy at this moment.

I think it would help though, if I said a few words about the people who touched my life in Tokyo. I'll do this in alphabetical order. Hahaha!

Hui - I remember that the first few school days back in September, I had lunch with random people, people that I didn't really know. One day, I didn't see anyone at the syoukudo. I was thinking, this would look so sad and embarrassing. Hehe. But then I found Hui, and invited her to sit with me. Since then, we spent most of our lunches together. Hui is a really nice girl. At first, I thought she was too spoiled and choosy. But that's Hui, I guess one of her secret charms. I really cherish all the fun times we had in Kyoto, the crazy stuff we did in Tokyo, and of course our trip here in Manila. You'll always be the dearest Annie to me.

Ji Young - My older sister in Tokyo, my ippo nunna (there, happy?). I think that both of us have really strong personalities, that's why it's not a surprise for our personalities to clash at times. But then, we have come to overcome that, and become really good friends. I guess that a friendship that can last tough times will definitely last the test of time. So, Ji Young, I know that you will be my friend forever. One more thing about Ji Young is her kindness. At first, she seems violent, giving guys strong blows on their arms, when you least expect it. But she's really kind, and I have been blessed to have been a receipient of that kindness. Whenever I feel hungry, she would immediately offer to cook me some nice food, and share the meal together. I'm happy to be your younger Filipino (Korean?) brother.

Joan - Silly Joan as Hui would usually call her. Yes, Joan might act silly at times, but she is definitely one of the smartest and hardworking people I know. I think that Joan gave her best until the very end of the year, even when most of us were getting too tired and unmotivated already. I think that shows Joan strong character, I admire you for that! Joan is a precious sister to me too. I feel very comfortable sharing my feeligns and thoughts with her. I think that she is a very good listener. I am truly blessed to have my life touched by Joan. Thanks!

Jordan - Jordan is one of my best buddies in Tokyo. We can practically do nothing, but still have the best time in the world. When I think of Jordan, it is simply good fun. We laugh a lot, yeah definitely good times! And since we both love movies, there is always the cinemas to go to, when there's nothing else to do. I think that we spent so much time together that Jordan has become one of the most precious friends in my life. I'll really miss you, man! I'm glad that we were able to spend a lot of time together during our last days in Tokyo. And lastly, although Jordan and I might not agree all the time, we share the same set of basic morals and values. Maybe thats also why we get along really well. Keep in touch, ok?

Marge - My toughie little sister. Marge was my first roleplay partner in class. I remember that because I felt that during that time, people havent known each other yet so the atmosphere was kinda weird. But Marge was really friendly and genuine, and when I saw that, I guess it helped me let loose myself too. Thanks Marge! We have shared a lot, and I mean a lot of fun times together. Drinking, watching movies, biking, bumming around. She truly is a perfect partner, not only in roleplays, but in everything else. From the outside, she may look like a toughie, but I know that she is a really sensitive, sweet, sentimental girl. And I guess that is one of the most interesting dimensions of Marge's personality.

Phoebe - The next supermodel/designer of the world! I'm really proud to have a friend like Phoebe. Not just because she has big dreams and seems to have a very bright future ahead of her, but primarily because she a really, really nice fun person to be with. And I think that Phoebe is a very humble person. I never thought that I'd be friends with Phoebe, just because I thought that we belonged to different worlds, but I guess it turns out that Phoebe doesn't choose/judge people based on impressions. So I'm glad that Phoebe has become one of my closest friends in Tokyo. And I'm thankful to Phoebe because she agreed to call one of her future designs a "davey". Hahaha! Right?

Wee - Wee-san! This is a person I didn't think I'd be friends with either. I dunno, maybe cause I thought we didnt think alike, or that we just are sooo different. But as it turns out, Wee is just as crazy as me! Hahaha! especially in Kyoto. We had a really great time. Definitely one of my most treasured memories of Japan. Another thing about Wee is his kindness and willingness to help. He actually did most of the reservations and coordinating tasks during our trip. And whenever I would need any help in Japanese, he is just one MSN message away! hehehe! Thanks Wee! You're a really good friend. Oh, and before I forget, I think that Wee has the most interesting quotes.I really like them, man!

I'm sorry if this took too long. But of course this is not a goodbye message. I am confident that in one way or another, in some time in the future, our paths will once again cross. And for that, I will always be in anticipation. Again, thanks for all the good times! You guys will always be part of my life! See you again soon!

Love from Maru............

2005-06-23T03:16:00.000+09:00

When I first came here, I wasn't really expecting to make 'friends'. As some of you might know already, I just needed some break from my home university and ppl there, and the reason that I chose Japan was just because it's near from Korea, which means it was kinda random.
Although I lived in the States for quite a while, I only had Korean or Korean American friends there, never really tried to be friends with the non-Koreans.
What can I say. As Jordan said it already, I really cannot imagine my life in Japan without you guys. More than you can imagine, you guys mean a lot to me. I treasure every moment that we shared, even the tiny, meaningless jokes. I'm really bad at expressing my true feeling, expecially when saying goodbyes. And last Tuesday night at the Hub, I don't think I really showed you guys all the love and thanks. Well, here it goes. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for all the friendship that you shared with me, and for everything else, from the bottom of my heart. I just feel so lucky and greatful to know you guys here in Japan, and for all the memories that we shared here, I will never forget.

Jordan- yea, I know what u mean by same level of humour...It must have been so hard to keep quite and pretend that nothings funny if you weren't there...I was really glad to find out that u were a christian, man...u know wat?when i get bored or stressed out in champaign, i might just grab my car and drive to ohio...dont be too terrified if u see me around ur campus, alright?:)

Phoebe-hey u...haha..yea, as Jordan said, ur just so funny,funny,funny...u know that i sometimes become kinda too serious in such small things, right?i think u were just the right friend for me to hav around..thanks for cheering me up in my gloomy days, and hope to see ur name in some fashion magazine,,,thanks, pheobs.

Hui-I think I already told u before, but u are just the most young-looking girl that i ever met in my life!!haha..Since Intensive 1, we saw each other almost everyday for like 10 mths..I know that we didnt spend a lot of time just by the two of us, but that doesn't mean anything..I will never forget ur spontaneous humor and the perfect-white skin that i envied so much..hehe..just good luck with everything thats ahead of u!!!!..i'll miss u girl!!

Joan-omg, you dont know how much u helped me with all of my nayamis...just by telling you, i just felt much better..hope ur having a safe but fun trip with ur friend right now..I admired ur honesty, which just made everyone so comfortable to be around you..i am so thankful to you, for all the conversations that we shared in our lil meetings..we'll definitely meet again in the States, right?Lets continue our small chatting sessions back there, alright?:)

Davey-...its so hard to say everything that i wanna say to you..i truely feel u as one of my family..we spend so much time together, u n me n jiyoung..all the fun memories that we shared, i'll never forget them in my life..sometimes as a big brother, sometimes as a younger brother(well, MOSTLY as a younger brother..hehe), and always as my best friend, thanks for being around...i'm so sure that i'll miss u sooo much when i go back..luv ya, buddy!!!!

Jiyoung-..unni...there's so many things that i need to apologize, n so many things to thank you...u gave me so much luv and trust...u really treated me as if i'm ur real younger sister, even though i didn't really deserve that..thank u so, so, so much for everything... n good luck with everything, i'm sure that u'll be seccuessful in watever area that u chose....just thank you a million times... i'll b lookin forward to meet u in korea, with hyuna and minji.lets save the goodbye for that time..:)

well, i guess thats about it...
guys, just take care of yourself wherever u go and whatever u do..and just drop by this place once in a while, post a memo, tell how u've been, u know those stuff right?
I'm so sure that for the first night back in Korea, I'll cry just because I miss you guys.
But for now, I'm just gonna smile:)

I already miss you guys so much.
Good-bye.

The World I Love

2005-06-22T14:03:00.000+09:00

Well, since everyone is leaving soon, I guess I'll write a post to just say thank you. I can't imagine what this year would have been like without all of you. In these situations, I always feel like someone has already said it better than you could ever express yourself, so I like to put lyrics and quotes. And it makes it a lot easier, haha.

But first I'll just put a little something about each person individually.

Wee - I enjoyed the times I was able to talk with you and when we went to Kyoto together. I admire that you work so hard and you speak good japanese! I know you'll be successful in your graduate studies at ICU.

Ji Young - I don't know if there's anyone in the world who helps self-esteem as much as you. You were always really nice to me, even if you did call me "lamb", haha.

Joan - One of the more practical thinking people in our group of friends. It's very easy to have any kind of discussion with you and that's a good thing. Sometimes . . . hehe. Anyway, I hope I'll be able to see you back in the U.S.

Phoebe - The first word that pops into my head when I think of you is "fun". You're fun to talk to, fun to be around, and just altogether fun. And you still call Hui "Annie", hahaha.

Margaret - This might sound weird, but you recognize the same type of humor in situations as me. I remember numerous times when we would just look at each other and laugh without saying anything because we were both thinking the same thing. It's always nice to have someone like that around, even if they do occasionally hit you...

Davey - You go about life with the same non-serious approach as me, and that's good . . . I think. Maybe we should work harder sometimes, but it's a lot easier to just joke around, haha. And of the few semi-serious conversations we've had, you're a good advice-giver. I hope we can stay in contact with each other, at least online.

Hui - I don't know what I can say . . . Well, first, thanks for giving me a haircut. Even though it was your first time, you did a great job. I know you'll be great wherever you end up working too. And just remember: you'll always be my favorite person in the world.

During high school, I had a really close group of friends that I had known for a long time. When I came here, I never thought I could make friends like that again, especially in such a short amount of time. You guys are the best though, as crazy as you all are.

When I had to give a speech at graduation, I ended with a quote by Martin Luther King Jr. "In the end we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." That's exactly how I feel about you guys too, like I could just spend time with you and not talk, and it'd be the best conversation ever.

Alright, that's all I have to say. I know we will all move on and have our own lives, but I will always remember the great year we had together. And if you guys ever need a favor, just let me know, and I'll completely ignore you. Haha, just kidding. I hope to see all of you sometime in the future, and I will use all my spare money to visit you. Have a great life.

we'll never be the same, never feel this way again

The World I Love

2005-06-22T14:00:00.000+09:00

Corny Jokes for a Stressed Bunch

2005-06-17T00:36:00.000+09:00

Hey guys, I know you're all stressed out these days. So, STOP what you're doing and read on...

Teacher: We are descendants of Adam and Eve!
Student: That's not true! My dad sez we are descendants of an Ape!
Teacher: We are not talking about your FAMILY!

***

Wife: It's a miracle! You're home early today!
Husband: I just did what my boss told me... He said "GO TO HELL", that's why I went straight home...

***

Take it easy, guys. Two more days and we're done with school! 頑張ろう！

the last weekend in Jap

2005-06-14T15:54:00.000+09:00

this weekend is my last one in Japan. But since the final is coming on next Monday, I might have to study on the weekend.

Hee, my parents and their friends are coming on Sunday. Really looking forward to it now cos I can spend Father's Day with my dad in Japan!!Oh btw I am the one who got snaked. Freaking scary! Why on Earth does this evil animal exist? You guys better explain this to me.

誰がホイに助けてください！！！彼女今死にそうだ！sos

Stupid Final Week

2005-06-13T12:21:00.000+09:00

Yeah Joan, we went to all these places and had so much fun without you. Haha, just joking.

Anyways, I guess this is our last week of class, meaning I have a presentation tomorrow (hey, just like you guys), a paper due later in the week and two finals at the end of the week. In other words, this week has the potential to suck. A lot. But I won't let it. I'll get my work done, but I'm just going to be relaxed about it. I know all of you will work hard at the end because you're nerds or something.

It's hard for me to believe I'll be leaving Japan in just two more weeks (although I wanted it to be a little earlier). Most of you will be gone a few days before me, so let's try to enjoy next week as much as possible. I keep knowing I'm going to be so sad when I go home even though I have friends there. Oh well, it's like in the song "Closing Time": "every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end". Alright, I guess I should kinda save this for a 'last entry before I leave' type thing, so I'll just stop for now. All I'm trying to say is we should, y'know, have fun the next 10 days or so.

Alright, I should really start doing some work. I'm on page 20 of 200 in a book I have to give a report about tomorrow (and I'm pretty sure the teacher has read the book). The good thing is I think this is the most difficult assignment I will have to pull off this week, so it just gets easier after today. Ok, that's all for now.

Currently Listening to: Jimmy Eat World - "Work"

Don't think we're not serious
When's it ever not
The love we make is give and it's take
I'm game to play along

All I can say
I shouldn't say
Can we take a ride?
Get out of this place
While we still have time
We still have time

no one writes anymore

2005-06-13T00:59:00.000+09:00

hey someone write something.. where is davey today?? did not see u online the whole day.... no one came online all day... so sad... did u guys all go out without me??? i will cry if u did... :P

Hui the Hairdresser

2005-06-08T22:15:00.000+09:00

There are some things that you just do without really thinking about it. Today, I had my hair cut by Hui, without giving it any thought. It all started with Jordan asking for a haircut. So, after class we go to my place to give Jordan a haircut. Well, mostly it was done by Hui. But I got to handle the electric shaver for like two seconds, when I almost gave Jordan a bald spot behind his head. Hahaha! I never thought those things had so much power in it!

Anyway, Jordan finished having his haircut. Then Hui goes, "How about you?". I was really thinking of getting a haircut one of these days. The last time I had my haircut was back home, when I had it all shaved off. So now, even though the length of my hair was pretty short, the back and the sides were starting to get bushy. So, yeah, instead of paying someone Y2500 for a quick cut, I decided to be subject under Hui's scissors.

OK, it didnt turn out to be bad. Although there are some spots that I think can be a little more neatly trimmed, but nothing that can't be handled by hair gel. So, thanks Hui! I saved Y2500, and had a great afternoon. Hahaha! And just in case your Shanghai plan gets a little shady, there's always hairdressing! And then, we can call your beauty salon "Annie's".

Oh, you got jokes?

2005-06-07T21:19:00.000+09:00

I was reading some jokes online and I came across this one. So true.

A group of girlfriends are on vacation when they see a 5-story hotel with a sign that reads: "For Women Only". Since they are without their boyfriends and husbands, they decide to go in. The bouncer, a very attractive guy, explains to them how it works. "We have 5 floors. Go up floor by floor, and once you find what you are looking for, you can stay there. It's easy to decide since each floor has a sign telling you what's inside."

So they start going up and on the first floor the sign reads: "All the men on this floor are short and plain." The friends laugh and without hesitation move on to the next floor. The sign on the second floor reads: "All the men here are short and handsome." Still, this isn't good enough, so the friends continue on up. They reach the third floor and the sign reads: "All the men here are tall and plain." They still want to do better, and so, knowing there are still two floors left, they continued on up.

On the fourth floor, the sign is perfect: "All the men here are tall and handsome." The women get all excited and are going in when they realize that there is still one floor left. Wondering what they are missing, they head on up to the fifth floor. There they find a sign that reads: "There are no men here. This floor was built only to prove that there is no way to please a woman."

Bull Finding

2005-06-07T00:28:00.000+09:00

In Spain, one of the most interesting things you can see is the Spanish Bull Fight or the Toro. In our JLP class however, a similar event occurs once in a while, but instead it's called the Great Bull Find. Let me just say that I am now acting as a toreador looking for my "bull". In other words, I'm trying to finish writing my report. I think you've got my point by now.

A Bull Find begins after you've exhausted all possibilities of writing a report based on facts. Like in my case, I conducted a survey. However, I can only go so far as to talking about Japanese baths and how foreign students see it. Therefore, Bull Action takes place.

Let me tell you though that Bull Finding is not an easy feat. It is essential to find the right "bull" or else, it'll simply end up as bullshit. Thats not good.

So for now, I'll be the courageous toreador, trying to find a nice bull to write about...

Here We Go Now

2005-06-06T22:27:00.000+09:00

OH MY GOODNESS!!!! I just made a whole entry and it didn't work. I feel like breaking something. Ok, I'll try to do this over again.

I guess you guys are busy with your projects now, and I should be busy, but I'm not for some reason . . . So yeah, I got a chance to talk with my tutor online. She'll be leaving to take a summer course in Beijing next month, and she'll be in Shanghai starting from September. Hear that Hui? You know, since it's not really a big city, you'll probably see each other every day.

Anyway, today I will just put up some recommendations and links. First, is my recommended movie of the day: Garden State. It started out as small budget independent film (about $2.5 million to make it) and ended up becoming pretty popular. It made around $27 million in theaters and won some awards. Anyways, it takes place in the state where I'm from, New Jersey, which is nicknamed the "garden state". And it's a romantic movie . . . aww.

In keeping with the same theme, my recommended song for the day is from the soundtrack of Garden State. Frou Frou - Let Go. And yes, I actually uploaded it to my site so you could listen to it . . . so you better, haha. I would tell you about the song, except I know nothing about music.

Alright, then we'll move on to the Links/News of the day:

The Daily Show - Amazing show. It's on the comedy channel in the U.S. Basically, it's set up like a news show, but it's really funny and sarcastic. It tends to play out more like a talk show (maybe similar to Letterman, Leno, Conan, etc.). There are videos from the show at that site if you're interested/bored.

Russell Crowe Arrested - Ok, he's a good actor and all, but man, he can be really dumb sometimes. Apparently, he got upset and threw a phone at someone's face.

And now for the picture of the day (click for a larger view):

This is at the end of our trip to Disneyland so of course we look tired/pissed off. What I never realized before though is that . . . I HAVE A PURSE AROUND MY SHOULDER. Jeez, what a weird day that was.

That's all for now. I hope this was a nice break from your work. Have fun.

don't it feel like sunshine after all
the world we love forever gone

mitaka shiyakusho

2005-06-06T20:36:00.000+09:00

hey guys i am planning to go to the mitaka shiyakusho to get my insurance settled on wednesday.. wanna all go together after school?? get it done the sooner the better... okok please reply here :) hehehehehe...

mugger toad

2005-06-06T19:56:00.000+09:00

A mugger toad is someone who studies too much and has no life... and it is definitely NOT ME!!!!! hahahaha I AM SO WAY COOL!!!! everyone who is studying right now at home is a mugger toad.. u know who u are... MUGGER TOADS!!!!

hi

2005-06-06T19:34:00.000+09:00

hi, i am posting this so i am not the last one. ^_^. are u doing ur project?

かわいいじゃない？

2005-06-06T11:03:00.000+09:00

I love ouｒ障害　blog!　Ha ha ;-p
Cant think straight at the moment, too tired.
Can anyone actually do this project for me ? I dont mind buying you kare-raisu...

ストレスをたまること

2005-06-06T01:35:00.000+09:00

It's almost two in the morning... I give up. I just spent practically the whole day in front of my computer trying to write a report in Japanese. So far, I've come up with four pages, double spaced, with huge fonts, and wide margins... I didn't write a background, and I can't think of anything to put in my conclusion at this hour... Ummm... I don't think this is good... To make matters worse, I just survived a two-hour dorm meeting... tired... sleepy... wasted...

I'm going to bed now. I'll just see how this works out tomorrow...

See ya guys, 頑張って！

icecream..

2005-06-05T14:10:00.000+09:00

i want some icecream sooo bad..........
u know, the one they sell at ootoya...cold green tea icecream with a slice of hot yakimongs...
errrrrr...

i still haven't start to work on my script...and i cant stop eating...for like 4 days...anyone please help me!!!!!!!!

やった！！！！

2005-06-05T14:02:00.000+09:00

hello i am just testing to see if i can write a post too :) i think davey is way cool, but perhaps has some kind of 障害 for calling this blog CURRY RICE!!! but we all love u , SILLY DAVEY!!! hahahahahahahaha THANKS for starting this!!!!!!!!!!

誰か、カレ・ライス？

2005-06-04T23:51:00.000+09:00

Curry Rice! A dish that you find in Japan, but just doesn't quite seem Japanese at all. Curry Rice! The only decent meal you can find at the university cafeteria. Curry Rice! Just one of the weird things that pops right out of davey's mind when he's supposed to be doing something else more productive. Curry Rice! Just something stupid to name this blog. Curry Rice! isn't it great?

Curry Rice!!!

I'm first to post! Last one to post is a stinking bowl of spoiled curry!

~ davey ~