April 22, 2009

If New is Better...

...and old is worse, then I don't EVER want to get old monia.

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April 19, 2009

..and then there was an Earth shattering....thwack

Note that said "thwack" is unrelated in any way to the accompanying picture ...

...which is probably more deserving of comment than the banality that is below the fold.
more...

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April 15, 2009

...and then there was an Earth shattering KABOOM!


Pictured is, of course,  Rumiko Takahashi's  Lum and as such is, regrettably, unrelated to the banality mentioned below the fold.
more...

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April 13, 2009

Bad News

After recovering from cancer surgery a few years ago, my mom has quite naturally been getting a LOT of checkups...all X-Rays have come back negative though.
Friday, when seeing a doctor for an unrelated matter (chest pains) she had an ultrasound done. The heart doctor immediately sent her to get an MRI.
It seems that Mom has a rather rare form of cancer that does not show up on X-Rays...and it has been steadily growing these last three years...to the point that it is causing her pain now.
There is not much information other than the fact that there is a LOT of it and her recent symptoms (extreme fatigue, dizzyness and nausea) are not at all encouraging.
I've moved back into the sewing room at my parents house as I will undoubtedly be needed shortly and we await further word. But this does not look good.  

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April 05, 2009

I liKe pIE


Unrelated bird is a trespass but relevant caption is relevant to the banality....
more...

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March 28, 2009

Virginia Beach Sakura Festival 2009

For a student of Japanese at ODU, the Virginia Beach Cherry Blossom Festival is sort of an annual requirement lest one get scowels on the following Monday. I had much to do today between work, family matters and studying but I was able to make it out to Red Wing Park in time to make the last hour or so.
For the first time In my experience, the festival was held on a day that was warm and rain free.


Not only that, but the Cherry Blossoms were actually in bloom during the festival for the first time ever in the 5 years they've been holding it.


Red Wing Park has a small Japanese garden in honor of Virginia Beach's sister city Miyazaki Japan.

Sadly the koi ponds are koi free....

...and there are no fireworks.
I must say that the attendance was surprisingly large. (These pics were taken as the festival was disbanding). Despite the mud (It's rained here for 5 days straight) the enthusiasm was high and many people decided to dress up for the festival in culturally appropriate attire...


...of various flavors.

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March 17, 2009

Cheer Up !

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March 11, 2009

Banality of Terror


more...

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March 07, 2009

It's OFFICIAL!

I've now been formally accepted  into the College of Oceanography!


 Yay!
more...

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March 04, 2009

Exams Upon Me

Posting has been light due to 17 credits worth of midterms and papers. Tomorrow is a cram day. The rest of the week is exams. Light posting will continue, so  here is a pic of Yuki Nagato as compensation.


Pic is by Toshihide Sano

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February 21, 2009

I shall just leave this here....



It just gets better every time I watch it....I must know what this is for.

If you are confused...then your childhood was lacking.

UPDATE: Oh good grief...It's from a pachinko game...My hopes are dashed.


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February 20, 2009

Onward if not Upward


more...

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February 15, 2009

Busy Busy Busy

The picture is unrelated to the text....


photoshop by Wonderduck
...which involves utter banality and is therefore tastefully below the fold.
more...

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January 18, 2009

The Home Stretch

Apologies, my first post in a week and it focuses on my Walter Mitty lifestyle...so here is an unrelated picture of a Vespa as compensation.....


Vespa study is by Haku

Banality blogging is tastefully below the fold....
more...

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January 01, 2009

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It's 2009!

While 2008 did indeed suck for many people in many ways, Tigerhawk has put it into some proper perspective.

For my part, since January 1 is my birthday, I went to my folks house and was presented with the best birthday cake evah!


A steak with a candle in it.

Traditionally this is the time to set goals, and I once again have a few.
Continue loosing the weight.
Get my TESOL certificate.
Graduate college (this is more dependent on the proper courses being offered in the summer or fall than anything).
Stay within budget.
Keep my hurricane kit stocked and...umm... a dust mask in the glove compartment at all times.


A pretty short list.
In addition, if, by the summer, I'm actually on track for a December graduation, I plan to return to Japan in August and hunt for a teaching job (to begin next April). In that event I resolve to not rent an apartment that combusts, not to break my heel, and, having not broken my heel, to climb Mt. Fuji.

I hope everyone has safe a wonderful year!

Here, for your amusement, is a gratuitous hyperactive chibit.

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December 14, 2008

Signs of the times...

Our volume Friday at my UPS center was perfectly normal....for a Wednesday in July. After the big rush before and immediately after Thanksgiving, volume has been dropping in increasing increments each day. I won't mention specific volume numbers of course, but I've been at UPS 16 years, I was hired during the recession in '92...I've NEVER seen anything like this.
 
On the up side the hours are still christmassy....UPS is afraid of getting hit short of time when the actual presents arrive so they are keeping the extended sort time as a hedge for now in the expectation of a late spike. This is prudent from a customer service standpoint and  I'm pulling long days of double shifts (wo0t)... I still expect layoffs after Christmas though.

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December 09, 2008

Oh God...

....it's Christmas at UPS again.


 I'm going in early to help park the trucks and staying late to help pull them out of the building. I actually managed to make more overtime than straight time last Friday (double secret overtime!?). Anyway I'm tired, so tired that I got home Friday put the key in the door to unlock it and was momentarily puzzled when it wouldn't start...

I'm taking all the hours I can now because this may be it. Some UPS centers in Virginia are reportedly going to close after the holidays and as I mentioned previously there are lots of layoffs on the horizon. There was a big spike in volume up to yesterday but I suspect that this is companies desperately clearing inventory for tax purposes...and it is Christmas at UPS after all.

On the home front, the pickup of peril is now sporting a clutch. (yay!)

I leave for work momentarily, but here are a couple of.....

Christmas carols!


Also here...


Well, enough religion for now.....I'm off to work. Blogging is going to be necessarily light till the weekend. Stay safe!

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November 28, 2008

Still More Banality Blogging


Naturally, out of consideration for our readers, the banality is below the fold.
more...

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October 19, 2008

Gainfully Employed






more...

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October 05, 2008

My Current Screensaver

Exams upon me...posting light....


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