I don't remember my dreams very often, but I've remembered them more frequently in Japan and they've been pretty damn epic.

Example: Last night dreamed about being back in the plains states, apparently at the local college most of my friends go to. We were all headed out to the football field to see the eagle team out flying. Of course all my current friends were there too, even though none of them are from the mid-west. Anyway, I'm walking towards the football field carrying my big camera that I didn't even bring to Japan, and notice that someone has set up a circus tent and one of those towers from the Quidditch pitch in the Harry Potter movies. There's also a huge row of flags on one side of the field, all international, flapping majestically in the breeze.

The eagle team swoops in overhead. Know those giant eagle's from LOTR? Yeah. Those. And they're bearing their riders and doing loop-dee-loops and all sorts of crazy amazing things and the crowd (I hadn't previously noticed) goes nuts. It's like watching all those fighter jet squadrons who do flying shows, only much prettier because they're fucking giant eagles. And then someone yells, "Where's Woman-we-thought-was-man?!" (Of course they didn't actually yell this, but I can't name names here, what with privacy laws and what-not. She shall hence forth be known as 3WM.) I was just thinking the same thing, because she's supposed to be captain of the eagle team and she's nowhere to be seen and the sun is setting.

Of course cue cheesy music (I don't know if that was part of the dream, or just my current sarcasm levels) and her big golden eagle comes swooping through the flag posts and they all do some crazy, fantastic thing and I remember I'm supposed to be taking pictures. So I start doing that, all the while shouting, "3WM! 3WM!" The team comes in and lands in the circus tent, so I go to do close-ups. 3WM and I have a chat about why she was late, something about her father and family problems, and then I ask if it's alright to take pictures or if it will disturb the thirteen foot long eagle staring at me like I'm lunch. She says ok and starts lining up the team (the rest of whom I did not know) and that's when I woke up.

...

I love epic dreams. I want to ride the eagle's too, dammit!

Also, I tried a fancy friend-lock thingy on my previous post. I had been expecting a response because it was a drabble written for someone, but there hasn't been anything. If you guys could check my logs and tell me if you see this post, I'd appreciate it. I may have just royally fucked up on the filter somehow.

Thanks,
~Jade

Why, you ask? Because she was surfing ItMadeMyDay.com, found a reference to "All Your Base," googled it because she didn't know what it was, and then sent it to me asking, "Have you ever seen this before? Watch it full screen for best effect." My mother is officially the coolest mom in the world. Not only did she watch the first episode of Death Note and like it, after years of wondering why I like those crazy Japanese cartoons, but she looked up "All Your Base" all by herself and then sent it to me.

Bwahahahahahahahahaha! My mother may turn into a middle-aged walking meme in the near future.

That is all.

~Jade

Who's sick? I'm sick. Oh yes. The fun kind that makes me sweat until I can't stand the thought of touching anything because it will come away not smelling so fragrant. Will probably go to wash up soon so that I can restart the joyous process. At least I'm not coughing, or I'd be afraid it was the dreaded piggies come to get me. Good Lord, I sound random, don't I? Perhaps I should just go back to watching Avatar. Almost through Book 2.

One last note though. The Christmas decorations have gone up. In JAPAN! Somebody explain to me why the country that only celebrates Christmas as a secular holiday has put up decorations before they would at home? On second thought, no explanations. I understand the tyrannies of commercialism to some extent. Those waiting on drabbles...well, I'm thinking about them. In between very strange dreams mostly involving Zuko. And being pinned under a rock. Yeah...Strange.

~Jade

For quoth_the_ravyn who requested simple and pure KK waff. I added the Halloween feel because I'm in a country that barely celebrates Halloween. Got to get my pumpkin kicks somehow. I hope you like it, Ravyn.

Hunter's Eve
Prompt: KK waff
Fandom: Rurouni Kenshin
Rating: PG-ish...(It's not very adult, but at the same time...is?)
Word Count: 927

( Hunter's Eve )

~Jade

The first FIVE people to comment in this post get to request a drabble of ANY pairing/character of their choosing (of ANY fandom*) from me (with a prompt, if it pleases you to give me one.) In return, they have to post this in their journal, regardless of their ability level.

*I reserve the right to decline ONLY if I am not familiar with the fandom. Here are the one's I'm most familiar with.

Rurouni Kenshin
Inuyasha
Full Metal Alchemist (both manga and anime)
Cowboy Bebop
Harry Potter
Darker than Black
House
True Blood
Ouran High School Host Club
Fruits Basket
Soul Eater
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Final Fantasy (only know Advent Children, so this is a stretch...)
Yu Yu Hakusho

Please enjoy.
~Jade

So a friend asked me to list five personality traits I like or admire in a person and five traits I dislike. Not necessarily traits in a lover or a friend or anything. Just in general. Not a meme, but you can do it if you like.

Five things I like

1. Self-discipline-I admire it when a person is on the ball. Ahead of the game. Able to motivate themselves to succeed in life. This is why I like so many people at my college. They genuinely value what comes about when one strives to improve.

2. Cleanliness-Not just of the body, but of the place they live in, too. It's not like a little mess is awful. That's normal. But I like seeing that a person takes pride in both him/herself and his/her living space and takes the time to show that.

3. A sense of humor-I can't stand it when people don't ever laugh. It feels unnatural to me. Let loose. Enjoy yourself. Smile. Crack a joke, or at least try. Don't act like the world is always such a serious, dark place.

4. Independence-I suppose this is related to self-discipline, but I have a lot of admiration for people who aren't afraid to go out and face the world alone. The ability to stand on your own two feet and not lean on others eternally can take you far in this world.

5. Thirst for Knowledge-A person who wants to explore the world, to know things, to see things, to experience the lands beyond his/her comfort zone; that is something I really admire. Not just book smarts. That only gets you so far. I want to see people take genuine interest in each other in an effort to better understand the things happening around them.

Flip-side: Things I Dislike

1. Disorganization-Freaking drives me crazy. I can't stand watching people wade through life in a complete mire without even the slightest plan or goal. If there's no goal, how can there possibly be motivation. And if there's no plan for getting to the goal, how will you ever realize it. Life is way to hard to just assume that everything will go your way with no effort. This also, of course, ties into cleanliness.

2. わがまま/Selfishness-You know the person I mean. That person who must make absolutely everything about him/her. Even when something good happens to the people around him/her, this person manages to spoil the occasion in a few simple words. "Oh, that's great. You know I once..." Shut your trap and give a shit about the people around you.

3. Disrespectful Attitude-Admittedly, I think a little disrespect is healthy. "Row, row, fight the powa!" and all that jazz, but at the same time there is a point at which it's too much. Yes, teachers are annoying, but they're in the difficult position of attempting to help a lot of people who don't want to be helped. Yes, school is a pain in the ass, but how far would you have gotten if you didn't have that teacher who wouldn't give up on you? The same for all authority figures except crooked politicians.

4. Shut Away-By which I mean those who are unwilling to ever take risks, try new things. They want to keep locked up in their safe little bubble and aren't even willing to look into their own backyards for adventure. This isn't healthy. You've got to step outside the bubble, think outside the box, and try to push yourself to be something more. If not, what's the point?

5. Vapidity-Ok. Occasionally I want to talk about clothes and relationships. Again, a natural feeling. But sometimes, I want to talk about politics and social issues and high literature. Someone who refuses to even think about these things is only cutting him/herself off in the long run. Number one hated conversation? "Man, I hate what the going on in the world." "Did you get yourself informed and vote?" "Nope, didn't bother." Well then, you're part of the problem, aren't you?

So there we go. Personality traits that I like and dislike.

I sleep through them. According to my host mother there was one this morning at about 6. Didn't notice at all.

Today has been a nice day. Spent a good deal lazing about and writing letters and fanfiction. Unfortunately this is fanfiction that was used as a prize in the final HakuBaikou contest, so nothing on Shards. Sorry people.

About the only downer was anxiously waiting until 11:30 to make sure guy who couldn't take a hint took the hint. Long story. Don't really want to talk about it now. Or think about it.

What else. Went to see Obama. Not the president, the town in Japan. Made very strange looking chopsticks. Ate fishcakes. Also made paper, which I think my grandmother will love, but I screwed up the kanji on the poem I wrote out for her. At least she won't know the difference.

Next weekend is Halloween and we're trying to decide what to do about the fact that the bathrobe is coming. Unfortunately, it will be attached to its owner, and he's expecting to hang out with us. No! I want to go hang out with my new Japanese friends, but you just had to come up the weekend they were having a party. I'm not irritated that I can't go, really. I probably wouldn't have gone to the party anyway, considering I have no costume and don't want to pay the $30+ for entrance and booze. I am however, irritated that bathrobe has not yet noticed that his presence actually repels most people.

Not much exciting school wise. I hate my Japanese teacher, but I've endured six weeks of her, so only another six weeks to go. And then theoretically we get a different one, who will hopefully be better than the 70's flower child who hasn't noticed that almost forty years have passed since the 70's. And is incapable of teaching. That too.

But I'm getting out and seeing things and generally love Japan. I haven't hit the stage of "Oh God I hate it here" yet, but people around me are beginning to succumb to it. Of course, they've had significantly worse luck with host families, classes, etc, or are just completely awful people to begin with.

Not much else to say, really. If anyone has any questions, ask away. Also, for the love on God sign on Skype. I'm dying to talk to you guys. You know who you are.

Until the pumpkin guts start flying,
~Jade

ps. The one time I'm not going home for Christmas Breaking Benjamin comes to my hometown. Fuck that! I really want to see them live in concert.

So I went to Tokyo this weekend. Went to the Ghibli Museum. Did other nerdy things. Had a blast but find Tokyo entirely too large. However, all that pales to the 100th chapter of FMA!

What the fuck? Seriously! I'm close to tears. No way! Just no way!

And I haven't even touched Soul Eater yet. Stein had better be in there to chase away my anger and distress with insanity and violence, or I might have to kill someone.

~Jade

ps. Ghibli is the best overload of cute ever! (And the quickest way to drain your pockets.)

Hey guys. I need your help. For a project. For a class. No joke. If you've got a few minutes to waste, please tell me what your favorite Disney movie is and why. We're trying to do a comparative thingy. Also, if you live outside of the U.S., please note that when you drop the comment. You don't have to say where, just if you do or not.

Thanks so much.

~Jade

ps. I'm about to live through my first natural disaster other than a tornado. Isn't that exciting? Or terrifying. Um...both?

So I've been wandering around Kyoto doing touristy things. Mostly seeing temples and museums and one castle. And went to karaoke with everyone again. Ran into the other big group who was planning on getting very smashed. Not much appeal to me really. As AfroRaptor pointed out, it's very hard to see myself ever actually getting drunk. After five shots of vodka (mixed with lemonade, and over an hour and a half or so) I'm only tipsy and I can't bring myself to drink more. Alcoholism runs in the family and I'd rather spend my allotted amounts of stupidity in other ways. Like singing songs that I only know because I watch too much anime. We did Howling by Abingdon Boys School and screamed out the Darker than Black title run at the top of our lungs. Ryouga and Squee-chan, I hope you heard us in your hearts...or possibly lower regions of your bodies. But let's not talk about that.

I have approximately fifteen dollars to make it to Thursday because I had to pay for all of these things for a kimono class I'm taking, and right after payday I have to go and buy my commuter pass for the month so I'll be broke again right away. Joy. But at least I'm doing something with my time other than going out a buying manga. Not that that's a bad thing, but I feel obligated to do something that's even remotely constructive while I'm in Japan, and the thoughts about my senior thesis are always lurking in the back of my head, gleefully poking me and telling me that there's no way in hell I can pull anything off.

I feel strangely apathetic about this whole experience. Kantrix continually concurs with me and keeps mentioning how very not on high we are. Before we came, the program showed us this nice chart that essentially was two camel humps. Top of hump one: when you first come to Japan and love everything and are on a constant adrenaline high. Never felt it. At least not yet. I mean Japan is nice, and I enjoy living in a city with this much history, but it's kind of like I moved to Washington D.C., except everyone speaks a language that I only understand on a middle school level. It's not that I'm disappointed. It's just that I'm wondering, "If this is the high, what the hell is my low going to be like?" Let's not forget that schizophrenia, paranoia, and depression also run in the family, so if I get depressed, it might be dangerously so.

I was thinking about going down to Nara next weekend, but then I realized that I won't have any money so I should just stick to the city. Maybe I'll finally go to that nearby park I've been meaning to go to for a couple weeks and have had to put off. I love my friends to death, but I wish they didn't insist we do everything in a group. I like my alone time and there's nothing wrong with going to explore the city by yourself.

Weird Japanese thing for the post: Talking vehicles. So large vehicles (buses, etc.) talk to you. Not just when your inside the vehicle, but also just if you happen to be passing them on the street. They shout out warnings like: "Turning right now. Please be careful. Stopping now. Please be careful. We appreciate your cooperation. Please be careful." Then there's garbage collections trucks, which run through neighborhoods blasting messages about garbage pick-up and generally being annoying. I'd be happy to the kind of cars that don't tell me everything they're doing. It makes me think of the fat, little orange tabby we had for two years when I was in high school. Said cat felt the need to announce every time he was using the facilities. In hind sight, it's because he was in serious pain, but all the same.

~Jade

Ps. And before any of you go off thinking I'm cruel to animals, we took that beast to the vet at least twice a month to get his waste disposal system checked. He was just a very sickly animal and there was little the doctors could do for him. We ended up putting him down when he was only 1 and half.

Curse your name! Why must you take all that is good and geeky in my world. First Marvel and now ANN reports that you're buying up Naruto: Shippuden...ok, so I hate Naruto, but what's next? My beloved FMA? Sayounara Zetsubou Sensei? Well, ok, actually if they bought that show I'd put up a shrine to Disney. But my point is that they're digging their greedy-ass fingers into my subculture.

Now for the other side. Disney has money and marketing skills. Which means that the next generation might enter a world where it's ok to like cartoons even when you're 20-something. I was just reading some reviews of 9 (which looks cool, but sounds like the story doesn't hold up) and kept getting these irate parents wondering why they'd made a children's film about the post apocalypse. Why must an animated film automatically be classified in the ages 5-13 category? Why can adults not appreciate a CG masterwork without toting the kiddies along?

In other news: karaoke=fun. Being horribly lost equals not so much fun. Not at all. In fact, I vow never to go anywhere in Kyoto with anybody ever again unless they're holding a map and set of directions that follow all the streets on that map. I hate the feeling of being lost. I understand to some people it's an adventure or some bullshit like that, but to me it's just a situation in which I'm helpless, and I cannot abide that feeling at all.

On the other hand, the Louvre exhibit today was fantastic!! Got to see a real-live Rembrandt and a Vermeer and Valesquez and my head is still spinning with all the skill and the beauty and the textures. Totally worth the hour wait in line (which I'm pretty sure wasn't actually an hour, but I didn't dare look at my watch to see.) I would do it again the second my arches stop screaming. My feet are absolutely dying. Afterward, went out to lunch with a friend for whom I will have to think up a nickname as she does not yet have one and internet privacy and all that shit.

Strange Japanese thing for the entry: Well, really, if you think about it, karaoke is strange. Cram into a room with a few of your closest friends and sing until your voice runs hoarse with the cigarette smoke in the joint and the sheer volume of the music. At least there was an air conditioner and I got to sing "Hito toshite...." whatever the hell the title of that song is in SZS. Still, a very strange concept that worked remarkably well.

~Jade

I've received 3rd or 4th hand complaints through friends because I'm not posting so here it is. I'm all settled in with my host family now and have placement tests tomorrow and the next day for Japanese. This weekend I'm headed off to a visiting Louvre exhibit with Kantrix and AfroRaptor. Should be fun. Especially since we'll be indoors on the first day it's supposed to theoretically rain since we got here.

Not so fond of the insane heat and humidity. Today was nice because a typhoon just passed by the coast, but normally upper eighties with at least 60 to 70% humidity. I come home looking like a lion because I cut my hair before I left so there are fly away strands that occasionally do not wish to be controlled, even by super maximum strength, turn-your-hair-into-plastic gel.

However, love the food, love the city, and rather enjoying being able to go anywhere with my bus pass. It's a kind of freedom I don't get back home because I don't have my own car and I live in the countryside so there is no public transportation.

Went out shopping in Shijo today with Kantrix to get her a better bag that wouldn't be so hot or cumbersome as her backpack. Found a used kimono store and about fainted out of joy. Number one goal in terms of shopping in Japan, get myself a fully outfitted kimono. Oh yes. Would love that very much. After we parted ways, I made my way down the street and stopped at the river to just sit at the bank for a while, rest my feet, and appreciate the scenery. I just wasn't made for walking long distances unfortunately, so I often have to stop and rest.

I still feel very awkward around my host family. I'm definitely on the guest end of things and am very uncomfortable with being treated that way and patiently trying to wiggle my way into the family circle is frustrating. I think the best way to go would be through the 9-month old grandson and the daughters, but mothers are the masters of their kitchens in Japan and so long as I can't bus my own dishes after dinner, I'll feel very uncomfortable at dinner.

That's really about all of the excitement.

In order to make my entry not so boring, allow me to describe Japanese toilets. First we have retro-style hole-in-the-floor, oh-dear-God-it-smells-like-piss-and-I'm-terrified-I'm-going-to soil-my-pants-and-underwear type deal. Not sure if I'll ever be able to bring myself to use those damn things. On the other hand, we have the modern toilet, complete with heated seat, bidet, call-for-help button, and other buttons that I dare not push lest I make the toilet bowl implode. This is a very strange contrast to me, especially because I have encountered bathrooms in which these two types coexist.

Hopefully I've amused you all in some manner

~Jade

Ps. I saw a penis-shaped water gun and a boob pen today while we were walking through Shijo and it totally made me think of Ryouga and Squee-chan. We miss you guys!!

...in Japan. I'm alive. I'm very jetlagged. Will maybe write more in a few days once I'm settled a bit.

~Jade

Well, not really. But I leave for Japan in a few days time and I'm looking for any advice anyone might have for me. If you've ever been to Japan or are in Japan, please tell me about sites I should see, things I should do, places I should go, tips for getting around, ways to save money. I'll be eternally grateful. And I might do something nice like drabble or go scribble on Facebook's graffiti wall.

In other news, I've been spending the week with Kantrix. It's pretty much her first time outside of the east coast, so I'm trying to exhibit what my home has to offer (not much, but certainly more than our campus.) We'll be going to her first zoo today. That's right. Stare in horror for she's never been to a zoo before. It's just a shame we couldn't go to the one in Omaha to see its awesomeness.

I think that's about all for now.

~Jade

Things that suck: surprise family visits. As in those family members who only talk to my dad and have not talked to Mom and me more than a handful of times since my grandmother died more than twelve years ago. Do I know what to say to these people? No. Am I pissed off that they've come to invade my house and take my bed during the few precious weeks I have home with my parents? Hell yes. I'm sure they think that we'll love to see them and I'm sure Dad will, but the fact of the matter is that Mom and I are not exceptionally social people and we're just not close with Dad's side of the family to begin with since they all live far from here.

Things that don't suck: playing Wii with my mother, especially when I'm winning.

Things that suck: overmedication. So my father has a lot of health problems. I mean a lot. Which means he takes a lot of medication. However, he comes home today all excited because one of his dozens of doctors prescribed him a drug to reduce the shaking in his hands. Which is caused by another one of his medications. And this drug will cause sleeplessness which means that in two months time, Dad will probably come home bearing pills to help him sleep. Which will likely give him some other new and improved problem. Does anyone see a pattern here? Pills are not the answer to everything! This pisses me off about the American health care system. It really does. Have a cold? Here are some pills for fever, aches, chills, cough and sore throat. Never mind that gargling a plain glass of salt water will kill the germs in the back of your throat and ease the soreness, while drinking plenty of water and sleeping will very quickly solve the other problems and strengthen your immune system against similar cold virus strains.

Things that don't suck: having a piano all to myself.

Things that suck: Michael Gambon when portraying Dumbledore.

Thanks that don't suck: The Harry Potter movie. Note that I'm not saying it was fantastic. I did, however, love Alan Rickman. I want to wear his big, intimidating, black cloak.

I think that's enough for today.

~Jade

ps. I'm almost healthy again.

Yeah, it's still weird. After having willingly given up 9 weeks of my life without English, I seem to have forgotten some basic grammar laws...or perhaps my brain is still just thinking backwards...or forwards. It's weird, ok?

Language school was...an experience. We'll leave it at that. I made some great friends and have some great memories, but in the end I think the costs outweighed the benefits and it's an experience I'll likely not repeat as a student. Regrettably, my family is not made of money so really, I already feel awful about the fees for summer school on top of my regular tuition, which of course went up again this year.

Anyway, I'm back home for two weeks. Of course the very first thing I did after getting home and seeing friends and family was catch a cold, so my head feels like it's going to explode and I've slept a ton in the past few days. Oh well, at least it happened before I went to Japan as opposed to, say, orientation week. In my waking hours I've been making a memories quilt of old T-shirts and shirts from high school and playing video games. I confess, playing Wii with my mother has been my best experience back home so far. I particularly loved watching her swing madly at the screen while shouting "Stay on the ground, you bastard! Stay on the ground!" She was playing boxing, which is a fantastic way to let out the inner beast she refuses to reveal at her hell-hole of an office. We also discovered that we're both very destructive individuals as we both cackle like fiends while playing target shooter and cow racing. I also suck majorly at Wii fit. It has decided I'm twice my actual age because I'm A)overweight and B)physically incapable of balancing on my left foot to save my life.

In other news, I started FFX. Those of you gasping in disbelief or anger, please understand that I didn't get a PS2 until this year and it's not like I've had time to play during the school year. Things I've concluded so far:

1. The American voice actors need to be walked off a cliff at gun point and impaled on rocky spires below. They're that bad.

2. Seymour Guado has appeard and thus I will be unable to take the rest of this game seriously because I'll be hearing Ryouga's voice in my head the entire time mumbling "Guado" under his breath. Or something along those lines. Also, very far in advance, "Curse your sudden, but inevitable betrayal."

3. Tidus needs to die. I would feel this way even if his voice actor were..say Crispin Freeman or Steve Blum. But they are too kickass to voice such a whiny bitch of a character, so no worries there.

I believe I've sufficiently rambled. For those of you waiting on fiction...well you know, head does feel like it's exploding, so we'll see what happens once I'm feeling better.

Ja,
~Jade

Oh my god. English, English, English, English!!!

I will post something more coherent when it's not 2:00 AM.

~Jade

では、半分の学校が終わってきた。ま、ちょっとがっかりしているけど、しょうがない。でも一ヶ月間に家に帰るから、ちょっといい点があるだろう。今何をしている？あの。。。ちょっと描くこと。今日はりょうがの誕生日なので、何か描かなくちゃ行けないかな。そして、るろうに剣心のコンテストのものも描きたいと思う。

その他、今週末は休みから、ゆっくりしたい。ごめんね。私の生活は本当につまらなくなっちゃった。皆さん何か質問が会ったら、聞いて。学校について、描くことについて。何でもいい。

最後、りょうがによると新しい犬夜叉のアニメを作ることになった。もちろん、犬夜叉があまり好きじゃなくても、多分見よう。
では、
ジェード

本当に。私とじテクノロジの関係は最低だよ。信じられない。新しいカメラ。。。新しい！！！落とすちゃった。こわすちゃった。直したかったら百ドラ以上払わなくちゃ行けない。カメラの半分のねだん以上。本当に私はばか。それで、両親に言いたくないけど、多分しょうがない。そんなお金がない、今は。でも、本当に。。。先月買ったよ。今頭に来てる

ほかのニュースはあまり面白くない。雨しかふっていない。あさにちょっと晴れだったけど、今。。。ま。家に帰りたい。ホームシックの気持ちはだんだん強くなってる。それとカメラのことと一般的なつまらなさのおかげでとても疲れててただ掘っておいてほしい。

失礼
そのポースとは多分落ち込ませるかも。

ジェード

So I'm doing a summer language school that's so intense they forbid English for nine weeks. What does this mean? Well, it means that even if I post here over the summer, it will be in Japanese, and I won't be checking the posts on my friends' list at all. Which kind of makes me sad since I'm bound to miss all sorts of good fiction, but I'll catch up. Anyway, if you leave comments, I won't be able to answer, so please be patient. If you'd like a laugh, run any posts I make through Babelfish.
~Jade