Scratch that

It's so dead at work this week...I'm sure it's due to the holiday but still....

Last night I met one of Akira's friends, and I have to admit, up until now I've only met his pervy Japanese co-workers...so I was pretty surprised to find this guy to be not only a decent person, but a very good person as well.  He's one of his friends from Ohio and he came with his wife who was equally amazing.  They are both artists turned graphics designers turned teachers, and they are our age as well. 

Anyhow, it was nice to hear his friend talk about Akira's mom and sisters...he made them sound just like how Akira is, and that relaxed me a lot.  His friend even went out to Japan and visited Akira for a few days when they were 14 (they have been friends since 1st grade but Akira moved back to Japan after sixth grade) where they had a marvelous (so it seemed) time in a ninja house (which his wife and I found extremely funny). 

Both of them are Star Wars dorks and bright and just dorky in a really loving way.  The guy's wife was like a cool suburbian hippie, which I adore those types, and well...it was really nice to hang out with them and see more of Akira's life besides work. 

In other news, looks like our move is going to be delayed or not happen at all since Akira got assigned a new project in a different city for a few months....so just when I think he's coming home...

He'll be home for about six weeks, then he'll be two hours north from our apartment, which actually puts him only 30min east of where I work...so what he's going to do is ask if he can get placed in an extended stay hotel and then that way I could stay with him.  I've been worried about his eating habits because his mom and sisters think he's getting fat.

He's not fat at all, he's extremely buffed up right now, but I agree that since he's been on the road he hasn't been eating very healthy, so I'd like to be around him for dinners again,  and I also would like to keep an eye to make sure he's quit smoking.  He has seven days left, actually, WE have seven days left to light up whenever we want, however I've almost completely quit and now anytime I'm around it or smoke I cough and sneeze up a storm.  A reaction that I cherish because if it weren't for that I could see myself easily slipping back into habit. 

Akira seems a bit depressed about it all, but I've been trying to keep my bounciness up so that he won't get too sad.  I'm sad too...but there isn't anything we can really do about it.  I'm just going to have to try to make this summer really fun for him.  I'm thinking theme parks and a lot of camping. I think he's just starting to feel like everyone is pulling him in every direction, and Akira just doesn't like that.  You give him a list and a time frame, the man has got it, he'll do it faster then you predicted and oddly better too...but if you throw everything at him at once, he gets stressed out.  I think anyone would... 

Anyhow, I really hope everything goes well.  I really love him so much <3 <3 <3

Last stint...at least for a month or so...

Akira has been traveling for work since Feb. and now...finally, next Wednesday will be his last little trip (he's been setting up a new production line for the food company he works for, which has so far been successful...pretty proud of my young hot shot!) and as a cause for celebration, I caved in and told him okay on getting a cat...so long as we move to a bigger place (we live in a really nice studio right now..I'm going to miss it) but we are planning on moving to a one bedroom in the same complex...that way the cat will have a patio.  I have to say, we are both excited and not so excited about this move.  We've been living together for almost a year, in a place where there was no escape from each other.  We became a team in our studio...I'm not gonna lie...while as exciting it is to get a new home together...I'm really going to miss our home that we are in now. 

But...Akira is right, we are moving forward..and the cat is something we can bring with us to Japan...I'm hoping that some way that little ball of fur will help me cope with the shock I'm about to endure. 

Anyhow, Akira is going to be home now!!!!  Back to regular cooking and cleaning, and mornings running around each other.  I'm really looking forward to it!  I have to admit, it's been nice being alone, I've never lived alone and these past few months made me realize (so long as Akira calls daily) I'm pretty secure in our relationship and pretty happy.

Akira's mom is coming around.  She requested that my Japanese be decent at a verbal level as she is studying up on her English to talk to me.  I told Akira to tell her that learning english isn't needed, that I would be more then happy to speak in Japanese with her, even in broken Japanese.  But I admit, if I were her, I'd learn English too...not to speak to me...but to understand what I'm saying to Akira.  So not that I'm an awful person or anything, but I will have to make sure I don't cuss. 

Chinami told me that what we are doing to Akira's mother is going to make his mother hate me for the rest of her life.  I'd really like to avoid that, but with the time the paperwork takes...I don't see how we can endure a proper engagment...by lack of time we have to marry quickly.  By lack of time as well, we can't run over to Japan for the weekend...we both are working all the time.  Akira and I have no desire to spend any time seperated.  And if that means that the first year is spent with his mother not liking me...then saddly that's what I'll have to go through.  She can't be a horrible person or unreasonable because Akira is so extremely humble and grounded.  I'm going to get her a gift with an apology writen and send it off when Akira sends his package this month to his family.  I feel really bad...I really really really do...and for her to start accepting this must mean she has a good bit of trust in Akira...still...I know she's not liking what is going on...

Good times to come :-/

I honestly don't know what I can do from so far away to ease her worries...

I'm starting a wedding scrap book to bring with me in October so that she can help me plan our wedding...  I'm hoping that will make her happy...instead of angry...I really don't know what to do.

Learn Japanese which is what I'm doing, even all my music and tv has changed to Japanese.  I'm trying to absorb and retain as much as I can...but it's a very hard...it's nothing like arabic or french or english....I know I'm going to sound so stupid (or baka...oooooh bet I sounded stupid right then!)  but I'm going to try my best!

I'm a pretty happy little engaged girl right now.  Akira, as always, can smooth any wrinkle of fear I have and pump me up for our up coming life. 

Niigata!  I'm getting ready for you!  ^_^

Southlands

I miss Alabama so much I could just cry. It's been seven years since I've left. I'm having an awful day.

Hitting One Year

So Akira and I will be at one year of offically dating this coming Saturday.  It blows my mind to just think we've moved this fast...but I also find it very comforting.

Yesterday he came by my office to wish my little brother a happy birthday, to talk about the move and marriage with my father, and in the process something sweet happened...

My little sister, who is 8, loves the fact that Akira and I are together.  She draws pictures of Akira asking me what kind of ring I want, she talks to Akira on the phone all the time, she pulls me aside to tell me not to yell at him, to instead let her handle something if I'm mad, and then she'll pull Akira aside and tell him what gift to give me...

It's pretty damn adorable.

So yesterday she was at the office because of my brother's birthday and Akira walked up to her, and was like, guess what Krystal?!  I'm going to be your brother soon!  And the smile on her face...the next thing I knew, she ran over and hugged him...which resulted in this picture....

And you know...seeing that...it eases the fear I have on our future...I'm still scared out of my mind...but there's something about his heart that is golden.  Makes me know, it's all going to be okay.

New Degree in progress

So...I really don't know what I'm doing..but I highly doubt a degree in Criminal Justice is going to do crap for me in Japan....so I have enrolled in Japanese classes to get offically certified (because I was taking classes in Japanese studies just for the hell of it...but now I need to get my ass in gear)...and then I also took the left over credits from when I attempted to double major and now applied to an international business degree...which I'm 15 classes short of completeing.  Maybe less...I'm waiting for my advisor to call me back.

Now I'm working on my resume and then I'm hoping Naseem can translate it for me and tweek it so I can start applying for work. 

We decided that most likely we are going to rent a house...so that's a relief because I was scared we would end up in an extremely small shoe box with a cat to boot. 

Other than that...I really haven't done any wedding planning because I'm so extremely paranoid over our move that now I really could care less about a wedding until I have more stuff completed.

I'm not very excited about being back in school...since I'm at least 5 years older then everyone and I'm slightly pissed that it's not law school...but...I am marrying the man of my dreams so...I can't go to law school in Japan anyway.  I need a decent job that won't make me want to shoot myself.  Or jump into a train since there are no guns over there...

It's so loud here at work right now that I can't think and I'm seriously thinking of screaming at the poeple that brought their kids because I have shit to do and I can't even think!  I had to bring my laptop to Subway to take a call that I needed to remotely log into...because some kid keeps screaming near my desk.

Now...off to a client!

Because I'm American

Akira's parents have rejected the notion of us getting married.  That's really too bad because it'll happen anyway.

His parents and old sister went with excuses like, Americans have high divorce rates, Americans do not value family, Americans are this and that...

And you know the entire time Akira was translating....I was amused because it was the first time in my life someone was racist towards me for being American.  I am CONSTANTLY battling racism for Dad being Iranian.  I get called Sand Nigger, Terrorist, Anti-American even...sooooo...I was like, looool, wtf???? 

I'm still surprised.  So Akira started going into detail on how I'm not completely American, that I'm both Iranian and American (which is true), and his parents were like, well I don't know what you mean by that, but she will leave you and you are not thinking seriously about your life and blah blah blah.

Well...Anyhow, his older sister then starts going on about how she had to wait so and so long to get married, and how she's the only one living with the mother and how she's getting married right now that what he's doing isn't fair (even though the damn wedding is a year from now, that we are marrying right now just to get the paperwork going so I can plan the dream wedding in peace).  So I basically can already tell that I'm going to have quite the trip in October, grant it if I'm still invited. 

It's fine, if they keep at it, I'll tell them about the baby.

That shit was recent, and I'll be damned if I'll tolerate being accused of having no family values.

Ah, racism....

The announcement

Well Akira decided that this week would be the week to announce that we would be skipping tradition and marrying as soon as possible so he could bring me back with him to Japan . During the entire process though I felt like he was too cocky and belittled me a lot which was weird because shouldn't announcing marriage be about boosting ur partner instead? Shouldn't you be like, oh I'm with her because she is wonderful and I love her instead of poking jokes at me all the time and making me feel like poop. Yes it is kind he asked permission to marry me and yes it takes a lot of guts to tell parents who haven't even met me... But his jokes are always at my expense.

Anyhow, i felt very over shadowed today, like he was running the show and I had to go along with it down to the point that he ordered my meal and chose not my side dishes because they were standard but he choose my meat actually without even asking. Then I had been suggesting that we should get married when his old host parents were in town because they r like family to him. The parents r coming in June anyway for a visit so I was like sure why not? But he kept rejecting it until finally his host mom suggested it and then when he told me it was like he had never heard the suggestion before. It was too much today. Too much lately he's gotten very controlling not over me but just on whatever he wants to do.

Again I realize he is naive that he doesn't even realize these things make me want to slap him sometimes, so.... I have to bring it up... Gently. A little bit bit of an ego is okay, and I know he feels very secure and very excited. He feels like he's winning which is sweet. But sweet guy got flipped for work Akira and i can't stand the ego trip that persona has so I'm afraid a decent fight is going to come. Most likely over something stupid, like ordering my meat. I just wanted to give the back ground on it before I seem like I'm a screw or two loose. I'm not going to tolerate a husband who is bossy. But I do love the man. Just times like this when I have to turn into a slightly monstrous version of myself is never enjoyable and I always hate making him feel bad. Or this could be the result of all the stress the announcement has caused. Which is why I didn't unleashed hell on him today. I know he uses humor when he feels nervous, I'm just not a fan of his humor since it entails lowering me. But I know what to tell him, since he was bullied in school I'll tell him that it feels like he's bulling me. That is a quick way to put back the consideration which he's usually flawless at.