As The Days Go By

The days just keep bleeding by and our time keeps shortening in Japan...and that's a good thing. A classmate of ours also did started JET when Chris did so he's been here as long as we have, and he summed it up the best. "Japan is fun, but it isn't that fun." We've had a really great time here, but now we are ready to come back home to cheap food, easier communications, school, full-time jobs, etc. Anyways...

Here's my time line I have right now if you want to keep up with what's going on:

• June 25th: Last Tutoring Session
• June 28th: Susie’s last day at Kisuki
• July 13th: Susie’s last day of classes (tentative)
• July 23rd: Chris stays home to help pack and get ready
• July 24th: Chris’ last day of work
• July 25th: Leave Izumo for Tokyo
• July 26th: Leave Japan, arrive in Atlanta
• August 17th: Move to Bloomington

How fun! It's only 2.5 months left until we go home, so I'm started to get fidgety (which is driving Chris absolutely nuts). This afternoon we are going to fax our lease back to the apartment complex in Bloomington. Woo! So, it's all set and done with apartments and I don't have to worry about that. We have a 22kg box sitting in our 'other room' waiting to be shipped. It's filled with winter clothes, some DVDs, some games, and stuff like that. It's going to be a beast to ship. Something like $110...but it's got to go. We also have a much smaller book box waiting to be shipped as well. What is it waiting on? Well...I've been waiting on my tax refund to send the stuff out (and muscle-man Chris to help carry the 50 lb box).

But enough of that.

Yesterday was Mother's Day! It was Mother's Day in Japan as well. It was kinda amusing to see how it worked. It really seemed like it was more of a "Mom's day off" day rather than a family day. There were lots of kidlets running around with Daddy yesterday. Men don't take care of the kids in Japan. Sunday is the day they spend with their families (they usually work Mon-Sat) and do stuff, but it's always the Moms' responsibility to take care of the kids that they don't bother Dad too much I think. Because it really is his only day off. Or something. But yesterday, there were lots of overwhelmed looking Papas around with their kids. They were evening buying gifts for Mom and having them wrapped (talk about waiting until the last minute!). You really didn't see a lot of women. I can only imagine that they were at the Onsen (Hot Springs) and relaxing. At least I hope so! We went out to eat last night and the restaurants were CROWDED! Dad doesn't cook, so it's the best way for Mom to get a break.

Ah...Mother's Day. I hope everyone had a lovely Mother's Day.

On Saturday MTV showed the 2006 Video Music Awards so we watched that. And it was very depressing! You wouldn't believe all the music we don't hear over here! They really like Hip-hop so we get a lot of the rap stuff (go away Akon, I hate you and your misogynistic songs!) and we get some pop stuff. Most of the stuff is boring British bands. So watching the VMAs let me see a LOT of songs that I had completely missed from 2006! They seemed like good songs too.

Most American Rock or Alternative music is just not brought over. Big names or soundtracks come, but not much else. It's really weird and disappointing since that's really my favorite genre of music. Beyonce who? She rarely gets played here. Really...she has put out like 4 or 5 songs in the last two years and I haven't heard any of them except the Pink Panther song. Shakira is also a no go. Her Hips Dont Lie or something, but I wouldn't know since we didn't get that song. Weirdly, they play the Beyonce/Shakira duet song a lot though. It's just weird.

Oh...and one more thing. Panic! At the Disco and Fallout Boy. Are they the same band? Different band? Combination band? Insanely similar? I can't figure it out! I can't tell them apart (except Panic! tends to enunciate more that Fallout Boy). It's weird. Seriously, someone should clue me in as to what is going on with these bads. Oh yeah, Fallout Boy is popular here but not Panic! At the Disco. I love that Fallout Boy music video "[This Ain't a Scene] It's an Arms Race". Funny stuff.

Ok, enough of that stuff that no one cares about. I really think that's all that's been going on lately. Oh! My stupid high school class keeps getting canceled! I haven't been since before I got sick. Thursday will be my first day back in like a month. It's really annoying. I like my high school classes. They are having midterms this week! MIDTERMS! I have seen each of my classes twice and they are already having midterms! I am not sure how this happened. It annoys me a bit.

I want to finish this entry on a big hearty congrats! Congrats to Jon and Abby Rogers! Yay! Jon and Abby got married last Saturday. It's a very happy thing. Being married is a lot of fun. I hope they enjoy every minute of it. :)

Ok, that's all for me today. Sorry I'm kinda rambly and not very interesting...but that's what happens when all my classes keep getting canceled!