Loser Blogger

i really didn't think it would be too hard to keep up this blogging thing after i left japan, but look! i'm averaging a post a month or something like that. pitiful.

i guess the problem is that i'm no longer spending 10 hours a day in front of a computer at work, i've been travelling from place to place with no reliable internet connection, and that my folk's house (where i'm finally firmly anchored until june 18th) has the SLOWEST connection ever. i mean, after cable you just cannot go back to dial-up! i can't make too many excuse, though. i have had plenty of opportunities to post but my mind is going crazy thinking about so many things at once that i just can't be asked to write about stuff.

at any rate, thanks to the three or four readers of mine for sticking with me! love to you all XOXO

so, the news in brief:

• two former students of mine, ena and wakako, visited me in virginia. (i feel so old! they were 11th grade students of mine in shimonoseki and now they are 23-year-old soon-to-be college grads!) the girls just finished up a year-long exchange at Indiana State and are now heading back to japan. we had a lot of fun, just chilling and chatting. we went to an international festival, an old-time bluegrass jamboree, some cool waterfalls and also found the nargile cafe in rural VA, as well as the table with the group of handsome Turks. of all places!

• now that the girls have left, i've got nobody to chat with during the day. i spend the mornings and afternoons watching TV while going through boxes of my stuff that's been stored in the attic for the last 7 years. funfunfun! in the evening, i try to escape for a bit... anyway, i lied. i DO have somebody to chat with during the day. two golden retrievers, in fact! my family's dogs rule the roost around here and though i've never really known these dogs, or even been a fan of dogs at all, they now have me wrapped around their little paws. they stink, they lick me, they jump on me and dirty my jacket, they piss wherever they please and they stare when i'm eating. and damn it, i still love those guys!

• i had a fantastic visit with my two favorite undergrad profs and they wrote stellar recommendations for me. i was thrilled and i feel so relieved to know that i have two fantastic people willing to write references for me at any time. one of the profs has always encouraged me to pursue a particular international scholarship and i think i'm finally going to go for it. with that and grad school starting on june 20th, i'm going to be one busy gal.

• negotiations are underway for a teaching job to begin this august in turkey. i've been nervous about being unemployed, but also excited because i can go almost anywhere. turkey has long been on my list of places to live and i hope that between work and grad courses i can enjoy myself there as well. shall we start a sign-up list for visitors?!

OK, signing off for now. take care, all!