*Thankful*

I've just re-read my posts for the past year, and I realised that I've been bitching a lot and it's really not like me at all to be that horrible. So this post is dedicated to positivity and being thankful for everything I have.
Luke mentioned the other day that it's not like me to be "subdued". Yes, it's been a stressful time at work and in my personal life, but I am thankful for good friends and family around me. There are things that go on in my family that I may never understand and maybe it's just better to not try and understand it and work around the nastiness and just be there for them when necessary. I had always thought that my family was simple and perfect, but it turns out that behind the fairytale lies stories that twist and turn - where some stories reach a happy ending and some stories reach a not so happy ending. Despite some of the unpleasantness, I am thankful for a family that stands by me and my decisions and I'm thankful for their understanding when they don't really understand.
It's a new year (Lunar). I can feel already that this year will be a year of progress and self-discovery. I've managed to get this far in life and I'm not going to give it all up for anything less than I deserve. Yes, I acknowledge that I'm getting on in years, but in my field and in my profession... I'm still a baby. I figure I'm only 26 and I've still got a 4 to 6 year window before I really should think about settling down and have children. I've been blessed with great romantic experiences - both good and bad. I thought I had met that one great love, but I now know that I was mistaken. I'm still looking for that one great love, but I'm in no hurry... yet. So here's so positivity and progress.
I'm incredibly thankful for all the love I have in my life. My family and friends all truly care about me and it's really awesome to have the support of colleagues from work when the going gets tough. I may complain about being a foreigner in Japan, but sometimes when I'm riding on my scooter with the wind in my hair and the sun on my face... I remember the path I chose and just smile about the fact that I get to live in one of the most beautiful countries in the world - a country with a fascinating history. I'm only 26 and I've already lived and worked in 5 different countries - I can only smile and wonder where life will take me next.
So with that... Happy New Year and poo-poo to a tumultuous last year. I'll try my best to be Super-Genki-Girl (SGG) again!~

*Ph.D*

Jeez... I'm applying for my Ph.D... and I'm looking at how the degrees will be assessed... I'm expected to write a dissertation that's no more than 80,000 words - EIGHTY THOUSAND! I checked my 20-page Master's thesis and it's only 6,000 words! I have to write a paper that's 10-times that length! I suppose it is possible, if I thoroughly research my topic... but it's still pretty scary. I'll just have to look at it as writing 2 to 3 papers each year over the course of 4 years.
I've got two options for schools right now, and they're so different from one another - U of Toronto and U of London. In keeping with the country-hopping theme of my life, I'm seriously considering London for my doctorate. I was initially thinking of doing my studies full-time... but it looks more reasonable to be doing it part-time. I'm expected to be "in residence" for part of it anyways... and rather than sitting around ONLY studying... I might as well gain more teaching experience and work on my course work over the breaks... seeing as I get 5-6 months off a year anyways.
Wow... If you asked me 10 years ago if I'd do anymore schooling beyond my B.A., I'd have told you - no effin' way. Now, when asked if I'd do anymore schooling... I say - HELL yeah.
Life's funny, ain't it?

*LONDON!*

I'm going to London! Albeit only for a short holiday... but I'm still going!
I'll be in New York for about 3 weeks and at the end of Feb, I'll be flying to London for 4 days. I've already been invited to a Ceilidh and I'm trying to learn some of the dances... but I'm laughing my head off just imagining myself doing the steps. The last time I did it was at the Highland games at the end of October... and I was laughing really hard then too. Yay! London!
Can't wait to see Lui... it's been ages since I've seen her... I think the last time was the time we did the protest/march in Hong Kong!
'Ro's in town with her FIANCE Ben. I don't think I'll ever get used to the idea that she's going to be married soon. I still remember when we were primary school and back then... we thought boys were icky. Well... 'Ro, Icky and I will be going to Tokyo Disneyland on Thursday... I've never been to a cold Disneyland before... I've always gone when it's been boiling hot - weird...
I'm excited about my upcoming holiday. I hate that I didn't manage to save up as much as I hoped to... but I'll still have a smashing time - I hope.~

*single... SINGLE!*

Yay!
I've had a truly fantastic week. My last week as a 25 year old was absolutely awesome. I managed to have a ton of fun, be unfathomably productive, financially lucky, incredibly blessed AND enlightened... all in one week!
After a horrible year that was wrought with headaches and revelations, my last week of that year was AWESOME! It was kicked off with a full night of hitting the clubs with Rox and friends. I made new friends and it was so nice that they're not in academia! Monday was the reversed-charges-day... Tuesday and Friday were days of enlightenment and today's another day of surprise... SNOW IN TOKYO!
I'm extremely thankful for being blessed with good friends all around me. I had 2 really lovely birthday dinners with all the people I'm closest to here in Japan. I got kick-ass presents from them all and a special mention goes out to Jeff for my new "Princess Stick" - which I very almost used twice on Friday for its secondary purpose...
The enlightenment comes as I realise that it's better to be single than to be in a relationship that doesn't appear to be healthy. I've been chatting a lot with a close friend lately, and just seeing the state of his relationship helps me realise that relationships shouldn't be difficult. We shouldn't have to remind the other person of important events (birthdays). We shouldn't have to remind them to call or email, and it shouldn't be an emotional roller-coaster ride where you go through immense highs and lows. Each person should make an effort to let the other know that they care - be it a word, a letter or just a smile. The most important thing that I have to remember for myself is that we shouldn't be disappointed all the time.
With that... I'm proud to be single. Until I find someone who can be a truly equal partner in a relationship... I'm not going to "settle".
So that's that.
Back to catching big-ass snowflakes on my tongue now.
Here's to being 26 - BRING IT ON!~

*Six-Ten*

Six months since my last post, ten months since my move to Japan...
It's been a heck of a year for the Mooncake. Except for that one year of hell 4 years ago, I've never experienced such a roller-coaster year.
Japan's been a bit of an experience for me. The people are friendly enough, but some of them really go all out to make you feel like a definite outsider here. I've managed to learn just enough Japanese to get by, and my comprehension is pretty good... so good that I watch sumo in Japanese now!
I'm mad about Sumo - Ozumo. I've been following the current tournament almost every day, and I'm an crazy about Kotooshu - a Bulgarian Rikishi. It's the most exciting sport I've ever watched - save Canadian Hockey... and it's great for anyone who has occasional attention-deficit disorder like me because eat bout only lasts about 3 minutes... and it's then time for the next 2 guys!
Work's been crazy too. I'm still not too impressed with the way things are run and done... but I love my kids so much. They're not really kids - adults, really... but they'll always be my kids to me. My freshmen have really grown into themselves over the year, and I love them to death and will do almost anything for them. Today was the last day I had them for Freshman English, and they gave me a gorgeous basket of pink flowers (my favourite colour for flowers) and they each wrote me a postcard that they packed into a little holder. I ran into some of them tonight at their part-time jobs, and I realised that they're really not the same babies I met 9 months ago. They work and they do their school work - some times well... and sometimes not so well... and I love them for always trying their best for me, even if they're exhausted from work.
It's been a great day and a great weekend for me. I met new friends, tried new things... and got an apology from a problematic stay at a super-posh hotel in Beijing! Not only did I get an apology... they reversed the charges and apologised by letting me stay free! Sometimes... it really pays to be as bloody outspoken as I... but most of the time... I know I should be a little less... loud.
Time to go back to my reality. Japan's nice and all... but I'm still missing good ol' New York! Woohoo! Only 3 and a half weeks to go before I'm back! Yay!~