Well I'm putting myself out there

And as a result, literally 15 minutes after posting my resume...I got a call for an interview on Tuesday for a number of jobs all paying twice as much as I make now.

Thank God.

I'm sure Akira is very thankful too since he's been carrying most of the load lately.  

*head hits desk*

I got my hair colored. LOL.  Anytime a major change is happening, I usually take it out on my hair.

I also chopped off about 8 inches off the length.  Akira was happy about the color but not the cut, lol, but I've been working just about as much as he is now, and my main goal was to sleep as long as possible in the mornings, and my hair was just taking up too much of my time.  I also changed my make up to a much faster applying one.  I know most women wake up before the sun to make themselves look perfect, but fuck that shit, I need my sleep.  It's great make up, it's called Pur Minerals ladies, literally takes 30 seconds to apply.  

Tada, the power of powder makeup.

I lost my law suit that I thought that got dropped because my lawyer told me it got dropped, so I lost because I didn't show up to the trail.  So the police came into my work to serve me wage garnishment papers, so that was fun.  It took me two days to find my lawyer that was dodging me, and have him help me file for an appeal.  So now that stopped the wage ordeal as well as ensured a trail to where I can fight back the SOBs who claim I owe them any money back from an ordeal that was THEIR FAULT when I was 23 (I'm 28 now).  If I lose, I'll have to file bankruptcy, so...this summer has been tough.

I'm looking for admin. assistant jobs now, since I'm great at running everyone else's life except for my own.  I'm praying to find something good soon, because I don't think I could stand having the down time of not working.  Right now even weekends depress me when I have nothing to do.

I hope my next boss will be a woman...or at least a mainly female environment because I'm also sick of falling into toilets of poorly lit bathrooms.

 I've just been really stressed, and I can't drink right now due to my detox, so it sucks because I can't just...turn off.

Anyhow...Akira and I are doing well.  I still think he has a semi-crush on one of his employees, but it could all be in my head.

Akira finally got jealous in Alabama when he met some of the guys that are still in love with me.  Ever since then, he seems to hold me closer.  So that's good I guess.  I warned him, I got proposed to 7 times before he met me...so.... :-/  At least I feel like he's very much into me now.  He's been a really great guy lately.  I hope it stays that way. 

Everyone tells me that I'm just really bad with change and that's why I'm so stressed out...I just hope it all changes for the better. 

Mini update

I'm a zombie because I had some horrible nightmares last night so pardon me if I don't make any sense lol.

First of all, I want to say thank you to my few but totally awesome readers.  I don't think my life is very exciting, but it's always pretty weird and dramatic, looool.  So thank you for checking up on me and seeing if I'm okay...I'm okay loooool. 

I had a string of friends die over the summer...and it landed me back home in Alabama for a week...which was interesting.  It had been 8 years since I had gone back home (I left at 20) and while it was nice to see everyone and to show Akira around...it only enforced the fact that it's pretty impossible for me to live a happy life there.  (I'm not Christian, I'm a half breed married to a Japanese guy...I think everyone looked at us like we were crazy) Plus you know, I'm hitting 30 without kids, which is unheard of in the rural swamps of Alabama where I grew up.  So yeah...but it was still kinda fun despite the fact another friend died while we were there and the weather was nuts. 

I came home to learn that our business is going under.  I haven't been allowed access to any accounting records for about a year now so I'm not sure how we could be suffering so badly.  This is now resulting in me looking for a new job, probably a paralegal job since I'm lovingly nicknamed "Firecracker" but the residing judge here everytime I enter his courtroom.  I also made another decision...

I'm going to retake my LSATs (since they expired) and see if I can get a scholorship for law school.  It looks like Akira's contract is going to last a lot longer then we expected...so my fear of a big move is on hold so I figured...well...may as well try for it.  I was accepted at Chapman Law (partner of Stanford Law) when I was 23...but my LSATs were amazing.  I'm really sad they expired...but I heard some schools average out all attempts at the test, so maybe that'll be good because it's been a long time since I've studied for them. 


But I have gotten a lot of closure this summer.  I am off Prozac and even though life hasn't been all butterflies and unicorns, I'm very grateful and happy. 

I gained some weight getting off my meds...so I'm using a weight doctor to get back down again.

Other than that...not loving the tight budget but that will hopefully change soon.

Bitterly thankful

Well we got 2/3 of the finances figured out, and for the time being ,I'm fine with that.  I was getting super upset over the fact that we weren't saving money for things like...a house... or a family.... the only thing that was being saved was Akira's school money (he has a side dream of us going back to Japan to live...during this time I'm to be an English teacher and he's to go back to school for his masters and be a stay at home dad...I'm not exactly very supportive of the idea, if he wants his masters he can do it online and work just like every adult has to...kids are expensive and a masters isn't very useful.  Ph.D yes...masters...no).  So I started to get paranoid because I had nothing in my name, everything was under Akira's name.  Then I got upset that his other account wasn't being regulated by him or myself...then he had unfiled expense reports and what not...

Anyhow, I got pissed at what a poor job the money was being handled.  Very wife of me right?  It's just fucking stupid to not know what is going on because now we are building a life together.

Anyhow...it's somewhat taken care of. 

I will be back in Alabama soon... for a funeral of my best friend's sister.  It's been horrible and a sad ordeal and I haven't been home in 8 years...so I'm sad and scared at the same time.

So that's stressful.

The sweet girl in my Japanese class switched teachers so now my classes are even more expensive...but in all fairness I understand her choice and she's a lovely geek doll. 

I'm talking to one of my ex friends again...just because of the streak of my friends dying off this month, I felt like trying to mend things. 

I just feel really stressed out.

I also found out I'm deathly allergic to chlorine, and had to have Akira change the filters in our bathrooms and kitchen because I started to blister EVERYWHERE.  I'm not slightly covered in scars from the experience...so I'm pissed off about that because now I'm wearing long sleeves in the summer.

I'm happy it got fixed though.

Akira has been more active at home now...so that's good...I was starting to feel extremely alone in all of it.

We've been more loving to each other.  That also helps.  More physical contact...which is something I've been craving as well...

So again...there are downs and ups...

Our immigration interview is on July 10...so I'll do a decent greencard update after that.

I'm working six days a week now too...  yay....

At least I have a job.

Two Prozacs later...

I don't know what it is that makes me worry about Akira cheating.

He really hasn't shown any signs...I guess it's just because he omits a lot of details in his life that it makes me uneasy...

But there really isn't a real reason for me to worry...

It's not like there is anyone that would dare cross me...female wise...at least not yet.

I would say, oh he would never hurt me because of his family... but I'm not very sure of that, haha.  It seems to be traditional in that sense, but that's okay.

The point is...I KNOW there's no reason for me to worry.

So...how do I get rid of this feeling?

Western?????????

Alright..

So I guess I should discuss how "western" Japanese weddings are performed.

First of all, the couple having the wedding are usually married to start with.  I  don't know why the Japanese do this...but usually they are married a year or more before the actual wedding.  Some people have told me couples marry before their weddings in order to "test" the marriage.  Since most marriages seem to be marriages not based on romantic love, but more on common interests...I guess it's good that there seems to be a testing period.  Another reason why there is a delay in weddings is because the couple themselves, pay for the wedding.  The average wedding is around $20,000 or higher. 

This would be reasonable in a way because the guests usually give the couple $300-$3000 as a wedding gift.  No guest can get away with giving nothing.  No gifts, no cards...just money.

Now, 'western' weddings are held in businesses that are made to "look" western like.  It is in no way close to being western....but it's very clear how the Japanese view westerners when you're placed in a twilight zone like of a Japanese attempt of a western wedding. 

Everything is rented, down to the wedding dress.  There are "rooms" with the top "room" in the stage of a church.  Not a bible can be found in the entire building usually.  No real vows are said...it's just basically a place where pictures are taken.  The families have already been formally introduced in a "waiting" room, this is also where the large sums of cash are given to the couple. 

After the "ceremony" there's another picture moment...and then the tossing of the flowers.  After this is a dinner...and that's where it feels more like a normal wedding. 

No dancing though. 

A lot of talking.  Surprisingly...a lot of bosses and professors talking. 

It's all very Japanese.  Just pure ceremony for the hell of it.  I had a hard time finding real meaning in it all...and just tossed it aside and focused on how the Japanese must view it as a show of passage from one family "house" to another, new "house" forming.  I'm sure traditional Shinto weddings find their ways into these ceremonies as well...because even in Shinto weddings, no one could really explain to me what goes on because no one really cares why they are doing it.  It's just the fact that there is a ceremony and it be done correctly with all the correct responses while spending a butt load of money on it. 

The actual process of getting married is even drier.  Again no vows, no personal promises...it's just a legal contract that you "sign" with your family stamp.  You can do it at a pay window even. 

So...while I enjoyed very much watching my sister in law get "married", I did tell my mother in law that I had no desire to do the same.  I'm sure a lot of Akira's family finds this disappointing...but the truth is...I really don't understand the point of spending a down payment on a home on something that's just pure cermorony.  Nothing legal or official about it.  It's 100% pointless...western view speaking.

I also had a hard time understanding why something costs so much when everything down to the pearls were rented. 

I don't know about some of you other wives, but I look at my dress at least once a week.  I can't image renting something so precious.  But again...the Japanese don't understand what these dresses really stand for..... so I guess it's just a big scam in the wedding industry over there. 

Not saying that it takes away any of the sweetness though.  I still cried like a baby through a good part of it.  And they fully included me as part of the family and were beyond kind to me.

I love Akira's family.

It's just the wedding industry there....it's very much in the phrase of "what the fuck Japan?!"

Here's a sample...

http://www.seiyaku.com/seiyaku/en/western-wedding.html

Still here!

Sorry about the month of silence.  Clearly a lot has been going on.

First....I finally went to Japan and enjoyed the absolute shit out of it!!!!

I still had a lot of people scared of me, but I would instantly start talking to them and they all ended up super warm and friendly, and I got a lot of random gifts from people who just thought I was very cute and funny.  Akira's uncle gave me a pink pearl necklace just on that fact...which was awkward because no one knew how to react to him giving me such a gift, but I wear it all the time now.  LOL.

A number of people thought I was a Disney princess hahaha, so anytime Akira told them no I'm his wife, they'd look at us confused, haha.  Some business men told him good job.  Hahaha.  The immigration officers at the airport kept showing each other my picture and told me I was beautiful.  So instantly...just on arriving, I felt better, haha. 

It makes such a HUGE HUGE HUGE difference being able to talk to people in Japanese.  Oh my goodness... 

I didn't get lost in the Tokyo Station this time either. 

I wasn't skinny this time either...I ended up leaving Japan at the weight of 150 pounds :-(.  But again, I probably got more positive attention then negative.  

The wedding was pretty cute, a little funny, but over all extremely sweet.  Akira's father formally introduced to  everyone as his daughter, and we did all the bowing and the politeness and what not.  Akira's sister had me up with her a few times, and I even got to hold her hand and walk her around as she said her hellos from table to table. 

Isn't she just beautiful???

The after party, after I was pretty buzzed, I ended up smashed at the party.  I got drawn to be on stage to compete in a "how fast can you eat a soy bar and drink down lemon juice" contest.  I would have won but the guys competing with me kept making jokes and I kept laughing so much I couldn't eat.  I even took the microphone and was talking to everyone and everyone was cheering.  I felt like a rock star. 

After the wedding, and all of us were hung over.  His little sister had thrown up all night while his mom cried all night and we were all together drunk in a hotel room (the wine my mother in law drank was labeled "happy wine" lol) ...we staggered to the bullet train and went to Nagaoka.  :-D  Again, his family was great, we went to his uncle's again and got new glasses.

 

 

I know you can't really see it but I'm also wearing the pearls, loool.

 

 

It was just so much fun!  I could shop, I could order food, I could read somewhat...  And then, his family took us to this super fancy sushi place for my sister in law's and mine birthdays!  Again we got smashed, and that was again super fun.

 

We saw the cherry blossoms!  We went to a massive Shinto Shrine and his mom formally wished us happiness, and I wished to be a good family member...and so on and so forth.  We went to two castles and a beautiful wasabi farm.

 

 

It was a really great trip.  It looks like in August we will try to go again for Hanabi....  but we'll see.

 

:-D

 

From my D+ first time to a soring A+++ this time.

 

I still got a little turned off by some things, but now...I understand enough on how to avoid unpleasantness. LOL.

 

 

Sorry for the weirdness of this photo, I didn't sleep well last night looool, but here's a shot of the pearl necklace...pink and the pearls are from Japan and the charm is a sakura <3. 

 

 

 



Breaking up.

Broke up with my two "best" friends.

More details later.

If I start singing...I'll be convinced I'm sucked inside a cartoon.

Today marks two events...

First...Akira and I have been married four months!  YAY!!!!

Second...20 days until Japan!

I have been plotting my return in order to redeem my first experince into a much more enjoyable second experince of our home away from home.  I have been studying my ass off, deiting, learning more Japanese cooking, changed my fashion to something a little less stuck up, and plotted various goals to do for each day spent in Japan.

I will avoid pink areas this time.  Save for a fun love hotel here and there.

I'm very much looking forward to spending more time in the Tokyo area...and I was hoping to go to Kyoto...but it looks like that might not be possible.  I will be going to see a bullfight in the village near Akira's house...so that'll be something...  (not bullfighters, like the bulls just butt horns and then it's over, no harm to them because they are idolized in that village for some reason.  There's a ton of shrines in that area as well.  Last time I scared a snake walking to a shrine and it rolled all the way down the stairs faster than I could reach the bottom screaming...lol.)

Speaking of creatures following me around at work now I have a wild squirral that literally follows me around.  The first few days I thought it was just because I had shiny shoes, but now it follows me from the parking lot to the center, from the center to the mailbox...  I'm sure it's quite a sight for all the businessmen that see me walking around in heels with a little squirral following me.  Akira said it's the cutest damn thing he's ever seen and that I look like a Disney princess with it following me. 

In all honesty, I'm worried for my furry friend and I've stopped two cars from running the poor little guy over.  Yesterday he let me pet him.  Naturally I feed him.  Usually a strawberry or something grainy. 

So yes...that's all that's exciting, married for four months, Japan in 20 days, and I have a wild squirral that follows me around at work. 

So my Japanese class is very small on Saturdays, in fact it's just another girl near my age taking the course.  Yesterday morning she informed me that she was dropping out of Saturday classes and instead going to the Monday night class.  She's not exactly very nice to me...I'm fact I don't think she likes me.   She's a part time accountant at a Japanese company that produces printers...and to be honest I'm not even sure if that part is true...

She's trying to win a trip to Japan...again for reasons I didn't quite understand...

Anyhow yesterday I gave her a gift to say thank you for reviewing some stuff with me, and I even sent her a text afterwards as well...and I got not response.

I don't get it.

Akira has been funky with me too.  We finally hit that silent part in our relationship.  The part where you sit in the car and have nothing to say...it unnerved me a little.

Maybe I'm weird :(.

*Bang bang bang* Is that the door? No..it's in my head.

I am so sleepy!  No more Izakayas for a while.  I've been hung over for two days straight.

Yesterday I was a zombie. Today I'm just tired.

I thought having a little bit more of the snake that bit me would help, but I was wrong.

I ended up doing a strip dance for Akira in the mist of my Izakaya haze.  I woke up not remembering much but I saw where I had ripped off my panties and tied it on Akira....sooooo...sex life is back up to par.

Studying a lot today.

Not retaining a lot.

Had soba yesterday, today will be curry.

I will be so happy when I feel normal again...oi.

you can't see it, but my forehead is actually twitching... 

Prepping

Alright, time to play caught up.

Alaska.

Alaska was beautiful and very very Republican.  We had our tiny misups...but Akira was fine since the entire state seemed to be filled of uniformed, bus riding, Japanese tourist.  And I'm not saying just a few...there were thousands.

It was entertaining for me to see so many super whites and then some many super Japanese, all avoiding each other.  It made me appreciate that I don't live in a place where race is so...black and white.  It's so mixed with such massive communities, I felt shocked to see so many white people in one place.  Akira did too. LOL.  We tried to blend in with the tourist, but since we had no uniforms...  Anyhow... it was a trip.

The hot springs were AMAZING!  It was a huge, boiling lake.  I literally felt myself melting away so I had to sit in the snow every 20 min or so.  I spent my time ease dropping on the Japanese tourist, but luck would have it that I understood nothing save for a "Oh I see" and "watch out the floor changes" and then something about a key.  I know I shouldn't be discouraged.  My Japanese teacher told Akira I'm very fast and that I'm too hard on myself when it comes to studying...but they don't get it.  I want to feel safe in a month when we go to Japan this time.  I want to be able to order my own food and figure out the train system.  And just after four lessons I'm at that point...but nothing else.  So I'm nervous about the wedding, but Akira told me that people stay pretty silent and listen to the speaker, and I can just down a few glasses of whatever has the highest chance of getting me drunk.  Anyhow, Alaska.

Akira's host family, as always, was extremely lovable and sweet.  And the visit over all was great.  We saw massive art sculptures (the hot springs's hotel has a building made of complete ice with a bar (made of ice, even the glasses where made of ice), a natural history museum of Alaska, saw the gold mine his host family is mining, the northern lights, and an arctic bbq with dog sled racing.  It was pretty epic. We also went to the north pole and a native village where we got stared down and Akira got confused as a native himself, looool.

So that was fun.

Other than that, life has gone back to normal.  Sunday night we went to the izakaya Honda-Ya (for those of you in the area, they have a number of locations http://www.izakayahondaya.com/)  and Akira got drunk and told me to start thinking about having children.  Between him and my father...I'm starting to get worried about being forced into being a house wife.

So....that lead to having a serious meeting with my stepmom about the company and how my brother and I still want to work here but my father has kind of lost his mind since his brother has died.  Which is 100% okay, but it's becoming an issue at work.  So...that's still in process..

Our sex life is hitting a bump...mainly because I can't get Akira to focus on anything other than work.  Even on our date at Honda-Yo he was texting and emailing and it took all I could to just not have his phone swim in the sake along with him.

Anyhow...  Saturday we finally have a day together (after my class)...so...here's hoping on getting lucky.

Still paranoid.

Work?

My dad is losing it....

Other than that, I'm sorry I haven't posted anything yet.  I have some pics.  Gay rights supporter, kitkat lover, and in need of a tan pic.  I will post tomorrow hopefully...

A post about nothing

Sorry for being MIA.  I see that my last post didn't exactly post.

I wrote a whole entry about the victory sign vs the peace sign and how the japanese use that hand signal as much as New Yorkers use the finger...but I'm way to lazy to rewrite it.

So google it.

I'm sure someone out there has written about it.

Anyhow....

Alaska was amazing!  Cold, but amazing.  We stayed in a little cabin, went to a hot springs (which was so full of Japanese tourist that all the signs were also in Japanese...so that was interesting).  I went to an ice festival, a dog sled race, and saw the northern lights.

I have a lot to write about it, but I have a test tomorrow so I'll try to do a recap entry this weekend.  I have some plum wine so I'm sure I'll have a glass and write my ass off.

We're still going through green card crap.  Never ending.  Turns out we need to make our accounts a joint account and bills joint and ect....

So much paperwork that it's starting to annoy me now.

Akira's company has promoted him once more, he is now the fastest promoted employee in the company's history.  As a result, now that we moved all the way to the OC they are demanding him back in San Diego...so...I'm done moving.  Last year we moved three times.  I'd like to stay in one place for at least a year.  So I'm about to see Akira even less then I am now.  Not very happy about that considering that we don't even have weekends together either...

Happy he is doing so well though...

We go back to Japan in five weeks.  Golden week and a bit of time after.  So I'll be turning 28 in Japan.

Other then that...my class is going well...and I currently have a head ache.

How exciting.

Dream....dream dream dream....

So many cute babies around...sometimes I pretend that Akira is actually ready for a baby...but then reality hits....

It's okay...I can day dream...

One day, when everything is in line, my dream will become reality <3

Rambling

Alright I've been silent for a while...but I suppose I should go on and break that.

Since things have calmed down a bit and we filed for the greencard...my contentment level has gone up.  Usually I write only when I'm upset or ranting...as I'm sure all of you can tell.  My Muse doesn't work up great topics to write about unless my head feels like it's going to explode.

My dad...we're having some major issues...mainly with how he's handling money...and how he's handling it in regards to me.  Anyhow...It's caused me to really lose respect for him because I just think what he did all the way around is wrong.  I don't exactly understand it, but I know if it were right it would be easy to understand what he did and why.

He is trying to woo me to stay...and it's hard not to stay...at the same time...I think I can find something better...

SO that's depressing.

Other than that...Akira's family is doing alright...the rest of my family is doing alright.  My girls are constantly on the hunt for a husband and since I can't really join in the activities I find it a little boring to talk about this guy or that guy.  In fact...I'm finding most gossip pretty dull.

I'm dying for a camping trip.  I really wanted us to go to the desert hot springs...but since Akira and I don't have the same days off as Akira does...our trips are lacking.

Alaska is soon though...but again...it's more like a visit, not a trip where we go off exploring and hiking and hot springing it...

I'm at a freeze on my diet.  I can't seem to lose any more.  I'm going to have to start adding weights.  I was dreading this part.  At least I can get some strap weights and wear them at work since my pants are loose.

I'm going to dye my hair.  That's not exactly exciting but my 27 year old ass is greying...so I gotten fix that asap.  Just shows how stressed out I've been in my 20s.

Akira got another promotion.  I guess he's has seniority status now or something like that...I'm not sure how Japanese companies run...but he was head of junior and now he's mid senior.  So if anyone has any clue how to explain that to me that would be helpful because when people ask me what Akira does for a living I'm like...Well he works 120 hours a week and then sleeps the rest.  People just look at me strange, but I don't know how else to explain it.  He does everything, constantly, mulitasking, all the freaking time.

That's why I miss our trips where his emails couldn't reach him.

Even his off days he spends half of them answering emails and doing spread sheets.

Did you guys know that the Japanese salary people working themselves to death is the fault of this idealist American prick who went around Japan lecturing to companies on how they should run????

BAM!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Edwards_Deming

So their entire over working and constant improving is post WWII...at least to this extent.  I think this model of company management works so well with the Japanese because of the constant submissiveness in the culture as well and the back and forth seasaw process of carrying out any kind of action with in a group.

I still think this whole thing is horrible and that the Japanese should really scrap this form of working their life away...but...it's probably me just being American and thinking there are more important things in life other then work.  Something that most Japanese would strongly disagree with me on...so what the hell do I know.

I just think it's interesting that the USA imposed so much on Japan, and instead of Japan kicking and screaming over it...they just went with the flow.  That's culture right there.

Still....still.

So again...not much to report...

I've been in shock I think...because I keep finding out more and more on how much my father stole from me and how much he's lied to me and about me.

So...I've been looking for new jobs...but it still doesn't change the fact that my own father betrayed me.

Now I have both parents who ended up doing something messed up...

Disappointing.

Anyhow...in other news...everything is pretty quiet.

I saw my first cherry blossoms today.  They weren't pink.  I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed.

Still on a diet.  Still trying to quit smoking.  Still stressed out.

Nothing exciting to report

Well my lack of posting is due to the fact that not much has been going on.  We filled out the green card paperwork.  On my side it required five years of my information like where I've lived, worked and taxes.  It was pretty straight forward.  We have to take pictures for the submission and akira has to under go another medical exam.  So far the cost is $1500, which is a shock to me...but I've heard that once its all done and over with the cost will go up to about $7000.  Luckily akira's company is taking care of the rest.  We are lucky in that respect, they also hired a lawyer for us to speed up the process.

Still trying to lose weight..the first few pounds came off easy but now it's slow going but still going.  Akira has lost weight too because our dinners are extremely healthy now.  I'm sure his family will be pleased :).

I have also decided to stop working for my father soon.  I had a major fight with him Friday because I found out he stole money from me...and akira says he's the reason why my self esteem is so low and that while he's still my father it's best to put space between us because he's been hurting me so much. That's very true and very sad...but typical of a middle eastern man sadly.  Women aren't worth much in my Father's world and I just have to come to peace with that.

My mother got a new job and is doing well, I'm so happy for her <3.  My little brother also had money stolen from my father and is moving and leaving the company as well.  I've been working for the company for seven years now and it's sad that I'll have to start all over but akira is so supportive <3.

I really haven't had much support from my girls...but I also understand everyone is busy with their own lives and now that I'm the only married one in the group my interest have changed a little bit.  It's kind of sad but I guess that's what happens.

I decided against plastic surgery.  I'm harassed enough as it is...

Other than that..my Japanese classes start march 2.  So... That's about it.

Treading Water

So nothing has been really going on.  Everything seems to be going well.  Akira and I haven't had any major upsets since the wedding ordeal...and my emotions have been pretty much in check except for the one day I flipped out (in all fairness I was on my period).

I'm a size 2 now (in JEANS which makes me thrilled)  So I've got ten more pounds until I'm done with the diet and then it's just toning up from there on out.

Akira has befriended the other American guy from Japan sent here to work...so that's nice.  I haven't met the guy, but I've seen a picture and he seems nice.

Yeah...boring lately.

Better this way.