*100*

(Bride-to-be E, B, Me and my sis circa 2003)

This is my 100th post on rolling in Japan. It doesn't feel like I've changed much since post 1, but I'm sure I've changed loads... does that make sense?

Just got off the phone with my aunt. I forget sometimes, but she rocks. We've always been close - not as close as my sis and I, but pretty darn close. She called me to make sure I'm not just crashing at a hotel in HK when I go back for E and B's wedding. My mum doesn't seem to really worry about where I stay, which doesn't bother me... but it's really nice to feel welcomed into my aunt's home and actually have a home-cooked meal (without actually cooking it myself) waiting when I get there. I really do forget, but I do love my aunt loads. I think it helps that there's only a 10 year difference between us.

I was planning on just staying at the hotel for 10 days, but thinking now... staying at a hotel's just so... impersonal.

There's only one tiny problem... my cousin. She's MEAN to me! She's got a brilliant mind and is freakishly witty. She makes rapid fire retorts and I'm just a tad terrified of her...

Did I ever mention that she's 9?

Yes, I'm scared of my 9-year old cousin B. But my aunt still rocks.~

*We'll Miss You*

First... I'd just like to say that the movie "The Departed" was AWESOME! I watched "Infernal Affairs", and it was good, but I wasn't that impressed. "The Departed" was just so polished and well thought-out... I had never been a Leo fan before, but this movie has converted me. Both Leonardo Di Caprio and Matt Damon were great in this film... FAB!

Didn't end up getting home 'til 5:30am. The four of us ended up "discussing" the night away. Some interesting things came up... mostly just getting to know and see more of other people around me...

Crashed for 4 hours before having K over, then drove K and N to the airport. I'm so jealous that they're in warm and friendly BKK now. I wish I'd submitted now to Thai TESOL...

Got home from dinner couple hours ago. Had S's semi-secret farewell dinner. She was genuinely surprised (yay! I managed to keep my trap shut!) and dinner was yummy! It was so obvious through dinner that we're all due for a vacation. Everyone's energy levels were pretty low. I'm glad we've got a 3-month break!

S - We'll miss you!~

*He's Awesome*

Today, I'm addicted to James Morrison. His voice is awesome and his music's really easy to listen to. "You Give Me Something" is FAB.
Definitely a sexy song.
Oh... and I got tickets to Snow Patrol! Yay!~

SNL - Urigrow Commercial

I miss SNL.~

*Bad Engrish*

Inspired by my beautiful friend S, I'm starting a new category of posts on this site:

"Bad English Knows No Boundaries"

This sub-category of posts is similar to other "Engrish" sites out there... but these will be my own personal milestones from around the world.

In honour of Cute-Train-Guy, here's the first BEKNB post...~

*Chicken*

So... S and I ended up going to Roppongi Hills yesterday after my disastrous attempt to be an adult and lunch with a friend in Tokyo. While there, we found some really nice restaurants that we'd like to try when the weather gets warmer and some other things we'd like to explore more.

On our way back, we hopped onto the Chiyoda line which neither of us has taken before. We had about 8 or 9 stops before we had to switch and we started chatting and reading magazines on the fairly empty train...

Neither of us were really keeping track of which station we were at and neither of us were really aware of the people around us either. I suddenly perked up about 15 minutes after we got on and asked S if she knew if we'd missed out switch. She'd been looking up every once in a while to check where we were and didn't think we'd missed our stop. I started laughing about how I didn't really care and how I was just feeling really comfy on the train chatting and reading when... Cute-train-guy piped up and asked us what stop we were looking for.

I mumbled something about Otemachi and he gave us some reply... but by that time, I didn't really care what he said.

S and I got off at Otemachi and parted ways with Cute-train-guy. We only exchanged a few words, but boy oh boy was he cute and polite.

Needless to say, S and I proceeded to giggle like 2 high school girls for the next 15 minutes and analyze our brief exchange with Cute-train-guy.

I reckon I should've dropped my phone or dropped my name card on his lap. But I'm chicken-sh** when it comes to boys.

Here's the poll of the day: What should I have done? What would you have done?~

*Senility*

It's begun...

Left home today to head to Omotesando for lunch with R. Was smart enough to remember to throw my cellphone in my bag - especially since I've got my SUICA (metropass) set up on the phone. Had a 7 minute wait during the switch from local to rapid, so I decided to do some shopping at the station. Bought everything on credit on the phone. Got on the rapid and for some reason got an uneasy feeling...

No wallet.

Texted R immediately. Was then told to just head into town anyways and that I wouldn't need money because R would cover me. Sounded like a good idea until I realised I didn't have a Yen to even switch to the underground. Had to bail out of lunch and call in for immediate rescue. S got into my apartment and met me with my wallet.

Yes, the senility has begun. Only a day into my 27th year...~

*Best*

Happy Birthday, Greg!
Happy Birthday, Me!
It's been a beautiful but horribly chaotic birthday so far. The best birthday present so far came last night when my friend told me that he and his wife are expecting! Yay! I'm so happy for them and it was awesome that they chose to share the news with me on a special day!
Another wedding looks to be in the works. No details yet because he hasn't proposed yet... but it's pretty much a sure thing. I've got to start a wedding counter. I think I'm at 7 now... and 1 baby.
My grand-aunt passed away peacefully a couple weeks ago. In a way, I'm thankful that she's in a better place. She was never the same after... anyways...
So basically... take the good with the bad. I'm looking forward to a fab 27th year. I'm officially 27 now - to the minute.
D asked me last night what was the best thing that happened to me in my 26th year. As cliche as it sounded, and what was initially said in jest, the best thing that happened really was meeting all the new people and making new friends in Japan. Under other circumstances, I seriously doubt I'd meet these people let alone befriend them.
So here's my thanks for the year, and my resolution...
Thank you to all my friends in my life. I really am blessed to have met you all and I'm looking forward to making more new friends this year and visiting all my oldest and dearest friends.
Thank you too to my sister (and partner in crime) for always being on the same wavelength.
I do love you all in my own "special" way.~

*Dreaming?*

So I guess it wasn't a dream afterall...
I dreamt that there was an earthquake... and apparently, there was a pretty big one while I was sleeping last night. I've gotten so used to earthquakes, that unless things fall over... it's not really enough to even rouse me out of bed.
Can't wait for this week to be done. In the home stretch now... I've bought the first 2 sets of plane tickets for my hols. In HK for the wedding and Chinese New Year from Feb. 4th - 22nd. Back in Tokyo from Feb. 22nd - 26th. In San Jose Feb. 26th - Mar. 2nd and finally back in NYC Mar. 2nd - Mar. 12.
Haven't bought the final 2 sets of tickets. I've had a hard enough time figuring out the timing for these two trips. The Korea and Hawaii tickets will have to wait until I've digested my itinerary. I'm starting to think that I'm crazy, wanting to go to Hawaii for that conference. I'm going to be so sick of travelling by the time I get to Korea.
Living it up for the remaining days of 26-ness. I don't want to grow up!~

*Strange Day*

My day's barely started... and it's already shaping up to be a strange sort of day.
It's not the last class of the semester yet, but I'm sitting in class with less than half the students here in front of me - and it's VERY rare for this class in particular.
Our work group email list was bombarded this morning with cheeky comments "attacking" 2 people...
AND... I'm checking in as usual (obsessively) on my CNN page... only to see the following headlines:

• Official: Part of jetliner found Video
  Somalis: Al Qaeda militant killed Video Gunship attacks
  Sudan, rebels back 60-day truce Map of region
  Chavez begins 6 more years Ortega returns to power
  Jewish director defends Hitler comedy Read
  Gere to prostitutes: Use condoms
  Chopsticks test for school entry
  Whale destroys boat, 'says sorry'
  Nude skier exposed by cold 'snap'
  Williams sisters in double setback
  Scorpion on plane, pantful of pain
  CNN Wire: Updates on world's top stories
  Scorpion stings airline passenger
  Nude skier exposed by cold 'snap'
  Gere cheers sex workers in AIDS fight
  Whale destroys boat, 'says sorry'
  Bush plan to cost $5.6 billion
  Trailer residents to millionaires
  Somalis: U.S. strike kills suspect in '98 embassy bombings
  Search official: Part of jetliner found
  Marcia Cross put on bed rest
  School to test chopstick skills
  

The headlines read like it came straight from The Onion!
What is going on in the world today??~

*Getting Married*

Not me...
But it looks like another best friend is! A grand total of 5 weddings this year! Woohoo! I'm so excited for all my friends! I'm busting my ass around the world this year to make all my best friends' weddings!
As all my friends are getting married, I'd like to take some time to reflect on my singlehood.
*poof*
Right... nothing to reflect on. I'm happy waiting for "The One" to come for me when he's ready. I know what it feels like now when you're with something who's just right for you. I'm not going to settle. I want 100%.
Still haven't found time yet to blog about my last week of 2006. It was FAB. Will blog... later...
Congrats to my best friends!~

*Happy New Year!*

I had a fun time ringing in the new year. L & T, J, Me and G headed up to Nagano for 3 (ish) days of good snowy fun.
Will blog more about that later... Just wanted to post my birthday wishlist... oh wait... it's just one material thing that I REALLY would like this year.
Ollie's Birthday Wish
If this gift doesn't appear in time for my birthday, any other gift-giving holidays would do too. I observe the following holidays:

1. Chinese New Year
2. Coming-of-Age Day
3. Valentine's Day
4. White Day
5. Diwali
6. Easter
7. Canada Day
8. Hong Kong Repatriation Day
9. Labor Day
10. Labour Day (HK, Japan, UK, Canada)
11. Teacher's Day
12. Girls' Day
13. Breast Cancer Awareness Month
14. My sister's Birthday
15. My dad's Birthday
16. My mum's Birthdays
17. Thanksgiving (Chinese, Canadian & American)
18. Halloween
19. Christmas
20. New Year's Eve

I thank you in advance.~