[pandemonium]

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 05:34:52 GMT

Nothing has really happened in the past million years since I posted until the last week. First of all, I apparently haven't been eating enough and I lost 7 pounds in the past month. I now way 100 pounds and my doctor said that weighing below 104 would be unhealthy for me. I guess I haven't been eating enough...but it's funny, I definitely don't feel 100 pounds. No, I'm not anorexic because I do eat.

Also, there is a chance that I'm going to go study abroad in Tokyo for a year starting in the fall. ...At Tokyo University, one of the finest institutions in the world. And I'd be living in Tokyo. I'm so excited I can barely contain myself. More details later.

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 17:38:58 GMT

I've lost 20 pounds! :D I'll have some before and after photos soon. I'm now 116 pounds, and have 6 more to go until my goal weight.

I'm excited to start school again on September 4th. I'm bored and I'll finally start working and making money. Yay! I'll be working in the cafeteria in South Quad. I know at least Matt is interested, so this is my schedule:

Monday
9:00 am-11am Work (Ew, so early)
11:30 am-1:00 pm ASIANLAN 325

Tuesday
10:00 am-11:00 am POLSCI 160
11:30 am-1:00 pm HISTORY 451
2:00 pm-3:00 pm POLSCI 160 Recitation
4:00pm-? Work

Wednesday
11:30 am-1:00 pm ASIANLAN 325
2:00 pm-5:00 pm ASIAN 480

Thursday
10:00 am-11:00 am POLSCI 160
11:30 am-1:00 pm HISTORY 451
2:00 pm-3:00 pm POLSCI 160

Friday
11:30 am-1:00 pm ASIANLAN 325

Then I work two times on Sunday.

Polsci 160=Intro to World Politics, History 451=Japan Since 1700, Asianlan 325=Third Year Japanese, and Asian 480=Topics in Asian Studies, Secular Enchantments: Technology and Modernity in the Asia-Pacific. I'm excited about all my classes, but I'm not used to take so many credits and working. So I'm going to be incredibly busy. But Matt, we can still see each other during the week! Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays are my least busy days, it seems. I'm also going to join some clubs. I want to make more friends (I'm a loner) and get more involved in the school. It's so boring and meaningless to just go to class and commute back to school. If I get tired, I'll sleep in the library or something. I also want to exercise in the gym...I must not become a couch potato and gain back weight. I like using the treadmill...it feels so good. I like exercising, I just have to get motivated and make a habit out of it. Right now, I bike ride at least once a day, but in a couple of months I'll obviously not be able to do that (thanks to the bitter cold that is Michigan winters). So the gym will be my only hope.

I'm going to get ready to go to Ann Arbor. I have to go to a financial aid counselor to inquire about study abroad scholarships and work study. じゃあね～

Photos

Wed, 20 Jun 2007 00:26:16 GMT

I've really been in the mood to RP these days. I haven't done it in years, but when I'm bored my imagination goes haywire. I've been having a Vampire Chronicles obsession. Yes, I would RP that. <3 Lestat and Louis. Hot vampire love. Mmm.

I weighed in at Weight Watchers yesterday...I lost 1.8 pounds, making my total loss 10.6 pounds. I'm 126 pounds now and have 16 more to go.

I just got back from a long walk with my mom. Lately, I've been riding my bike and walking. But I really need to push myself more. How do you exercise?

My doggy Buster, looking ever so intently at the buscuit. :P

A photo from my trip to the Upper Peninsula last summer. We were crossing the Macinaw Bridge here...the first time I had ever been on the bridge or to the UP.

Another photo from last summer's trip. This is Lake Superior, a restless and fierce lake. The day was overcast and the waves were so humongous it was scary.

Lake Huron at sunset. Yup, I travel all over Michigan during the summer. :P My family and I go to my mom's cousin's cottage on Lake Huron every year.

A cuuuute seal that was at the Detroit Zoo on Saturday. Look at those eyes! ^_^

Another seal at the zoo. :3 Big fatbodies, they are.

Sun, 03 Jun 2007 21:42:06 GMT

I finally got Final Fantasy 12~ Matthew gave it to me. He spoils me. <3 I've been waiting forever for it to go down in price or for a sale, and alas a new copy was on sale for $30 at EB Games yesterday...キター～！It's to play this while I still have all this freetime. I haven't played an RPG in so long...I'm excited. :D

I'm off to start it.

No, I'm not dead.

Thu, 31 May 2007 23:41:09 GMT

I need to stop being lazy and update this thing regularly~ I have nothing else to do, as school got out a month ago and I haven't found a job yet.

I've applied to at least 10 places in the past month and I haven't gotten so much as a call. I read in the paper that it's hard for students to get jobs because the recently unemployed autoworkers are taking the jobs. This is very frustrating. I need the money and work experience and I'm bored as hell. I can't take it anymore. I cannot go throughout the summer doing nothing productive. Of course I can review Japanese and apply to scholarships for study abroad, but still...I want a job so bad. I'm the only person my age without a job. The whole thing is making me very anxious.

I plan on studying abroad in Winter '08. My program of choice is the Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies. It's really expensive but hopefully with scholarships it will be affordable. I hope I get into that program...I've heard Kyoto is a wonderful place to be, and it's been my dream to study abroad for a long time.

I'm on Weight Watchers and so far I've lost 7 pounds. My first goal is 122 pounds (7 more to go!) and then after that, my ultimate goal of 115. I'm following the points system. At first it was difficult because I couldn't eat my guilty pleasures such as bagels and pizza. But I've gotten used to eating lighter...and what's great about this program is that you can't eat what you want but you have to watch the portions and count everything out. It's very doable, and plus Weight Watchers makes some pretty damn good dinners and desserts.

Well I'm off to ride my bike.

Car destroyed

Sat, 20 Jan 2007 18:41:45 GMT

I just came home from a car accident.

I was driving to my grandma's house when I stopped at a yellow light. But the lady behind me slammed into me and totalled the back of my car. I don't know if it can be fixed or not. It happened so fast. I stopped at the yellow light and all of a sudden I heard and felt a BAM. I screamed. It took me a while to register what happened. I didn't know what kind of damage was done until I got out of the car and went to the back...the bumper fell off, the trunk was open and crushed in, and car parts were all over the road. The lady was very appologetic though...and she got the ticket. I'm still freaked out. My parents tell me that it wasn't my fault, but my dad is super stressed out about the whole thing...I feel like it's my fault somehow.

I wish I could turn back time and just run through the yellow light. I fucking left my iPod in the car!! I seriously hope it'll be there when my dad goes to wherever it's being toed. God, this sucks.

Wed, 03 Jan 2007 05:49:57 GMT

Does anybody know of any good bands to download on iTunes? I have like $25 left on it and I don't know what the download...

A new Birthday Massacre cd comes out in August. I can't wait that long, wtf!

Has anybody heard of Pan's Labyrinth? It's only limited release right now, but it's coming to Detroit on the 19th. It looks amazing and is one of the best reviewed films of the 2006. It looks like Labyrinth meets Silent Hill. I'm so excited to see it. :D

Automatic payment? WTF?

Tue, 02 Jan 2007 04:03:37 GMT

Oh, shit. I didn't know that LJ automatically makes me pay for an LJ account every year. That means $30 was just wasted from my account, which i probably didn't even have. I'm pissed. I guess I'll update this this thing more often to get my money's worth. -_- God, I'm so mad. Does anybody know where to get good LJ layouts?

How was everybody's Christmas? My favorite gifts were an iPod 8 gig Nano, Carnivale Season 1 and 2, and a DS Lite from Matt. I didn't even ask for an iPod because they are so expensive, but I often wh‌ined about how everybody at UM has one. My parents must have interpreted that I wanted one. I did even though I wouldn't ever admit it. I'm happy now! I'm happy as long as I don't think about going back to school on Thursday. Why won't they let us have the entire week off? Bastards.

Awful week

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 16:28:59 GMT

I'm having a terrible week. I've been sick and unable to get anything done. I've done bad on the Japanese quizzes that I've taken since I've gotten sick. I have some type of stomach or intestine virus. I've been having chronic...you know what. I've been weak and unable to concetrate. Last night, I tried to study for the Japanese quiz today but my head was pounding and I was incredibly tired. I couldn't concentrate. Hence, when I took the quiz an hour ago, I probably made so many mistakes that I did awful. I'm close to tears. I wish I could go home and study nothing but Japanese. I wish I could turn the time back so I could get an A on that quiz.

Maybe I'm just irresponsible and I'm using being sick as an excuse for my shittiness. Whatever it is, I'm so tempted to skip the rest of today's classes and go home.

I'm fucking sick of college. Maybe if I could only study Japanese, It'd be great. But I have to be bored to death in Intro to Asian Studies and Statistics. Intro to Asian Studies may sound interesting, but it isn't. The readings are the most boring texts I've ever read, and what's worse is that they are long. Yeah, I know that it's college, but...ugh, I can't wait until the four day weekend coming up. And I can't wait until the next Japanese quiz to redeem myself.

I'm tired of being suck a fucking loser.

Fri, 28 Jul 2006 03:53:39 GMT

I got an A or an A- the exam! I wasn't able to add up all the scores, but it was in the A range. OMG.

I need to work the hardest on speaking. Terao sensei said that I need to work on fluency and pronounciation. I laughed when I read that because it's so obvious...of course, I get a bit nervous when I speak Japanese in front of Japanese people. I need to work on speaking indeed...especially before I study abroad in a year. I need a regular study partner who is also studying Japanese and is serious about improving. I hear that the Japanese Student Association is a good opportunity for that.

I can't wait until this class is over. I want a damn summer vacation already.

Thu, 27 Jul 2006 03:05:09 GMT

I'm so worried about the Japanese exam that I took today. It was grammar, reading, listening, and an oral all in 3 hours. It was waaaaaaaaaay too much. I feel a pit in my stomach because I have a great feeling that I made stupid mistakes....I am worried about the amount of those mistakes. For instance, during the grammar part I wrote "aranakatta" instead of "nakatta" for the past negative plain form of aru. And I'm pretty sure during the oral exam I said "watashi /wa/ yoku miru terebi bangumi wa "Lost" desu. The correct particle is ga. I studied for 5 hours. I guess not hard enough. I don't know, I really don't. I can't wait to see what i got...but I'm so worried it will ruin my day.

Sun, 16 Jul 2006 05:25:00 GMT

I would appreciate it if the people in the neighborhood behind my house that set off fireworks at 1:30 AM fire the damn things into their heads. Assholes.

Mon, 10 Jul 2006 04:22:16 GMT

I hardly have a vacation. Lately, I've been having to study Japanese like crazy. Well, that is exagerrating. Maybe I was kind of slacking because the first half of the class, which ended last week, was pretty easy for me. Starting this week, I have a feeling it's going to get a lot harder. I don't mind it other than the fact that it's summer. I love the class...I love Japanese. The class isn't full of anime fanatics, which is quite refreshing from Wayne. Mwuhaha.

I've been doing a lot with Matthew lately. Yesterday we went to Kensington Park and had a little picnic by the lake. And then we went for a walk on the nature trail. Beforehand, he said that nature "hurts his head". I think it's his imagination. He didn't appear to be bothered by it. Silly Matthew.

I just found out that I left my purse in Matt's car. I put it in the big bag with the blanket, and even after I double checked to see if I left anything in his car, it turns out missing...and I don't notice it until midnight the next day. As it is the night before class, I absolutely need my license at least. And I couldn't even drive over there myself because I don't have a license! Why do they not give us multiple copies of our licenses? Fuck. So Matthew had no choice but to get dressed and drive over here to drop it off. I feel terrible. He does all these things for me and I feel like I do absolutely nothing. I'm so annoyed right now...at my fucking purse which always ends up being left somewhere even when I try to make sure I have it. RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWR

It turns out that I didn't see my purse because it slid under Matt's seat. Sigh.

I love my Matthew so much.

And after many years of craving Captain Crunch, my mom finally gave in an got some. How can I not be happy with Matthew and Captain Crunch? <3

Fri, 26 May 2006 18:29:17 GMT

Am I the only person who doesn't have an iPod? I don't have the money for one, though I really want one. Why? Perhaps it's because of peer pressure. At U of M, where much of the student population is of rich kids, everybody has an iPod. When I see them all the time, I can't help but get jealous. But I don't have the money! ><

My mouth hurts a lot when the motrin wears off, so I try to take it before that happens. My cheeks are swollen and I look like a chipmunk. I am reluctant to go out in public because I look so rediculous. But I'm so tired of being couped up in this house, so I'm going to Matt's house, damnit. My cheeks are also starting to bruise...before long they'll be all black and blue. Yuck.

Wisdom teeth pulled+Chicago photos

Tue, 23 May 2006 03:24:36 GMT

I got all four wisdom teeth pulled this morning. Last month the tooth that had grown in was starting to dig into my jaw and it hurt really bad, so I went to an oral surgion to get an exam and it turns out that I have three other wisdom teeth that will push into the teeth that I have now when they mature now, and will cause even more pain and damage my teeth. So I had no choice but to get all four of my wisdom teeth taken out. I was put to sleep (that was the expensive part, especially since we don't have dental insurance), and that was the part that I was afraid of. I've never been put to sleep before or even had an IV. But I don't even remember falling asleep! The next thing I knew, I woke up with my mom in front of me and with wods of cotton in both cheeks. I couldn't talk well. I still have trouble talking normally because the novacaine is still making my lower lip numb. My gums hurt, but not too bad because I've been taking Motrin and have had bags of ice on my cheeks. I've been laying around all day and my mom has been babying me. :P I even had two frosties today. XD

Now for the Acen/Chicago pictures!

Acen+Grades

Thu, 11 May 2006 18:45:06 GMT

All my grades have been posted:
Comparative Studies in Cultures - A
Language in Society - B (That class SUCKED so bad)
Modern Japanese Lit - A-
Earth&Life Through Time - A-
GPA: 3.566

Let's hope I do even better next semester. Too many minuses! >< But I'm impressed for doing so well my first semester at UM, especially since Wayne and Madonna were so much easier.

Acen was fun! Matt bought his own digital camera because I was retarded and forgot mine. The con made me realize how I'm much more into video games than anime. The whole time, I was searching for video game cosplay, Silent Hill merchandise (I found none ><), and the like. I...hardly cared abotu the anime. XD; Matt seemed to be annoyed by the OnlyJapaneseThingsAreGood people and the lack of video games (especially the lack of WoW because he's obsessed with it) . I was a bit also...it's quite a narrow-minded view, and not true. I adore Japanese culture and the like (I'm majoring in Asian Studies/Japanese afterall), but I also love American, European, Korean, etc things also...I don't dismiss something because it's not Japanese. That's hilarious. "Otakus" also bugged me. People who call themselves "otakus" don't know that in Japan they would be shunned and made fun of. I laugh at those people who think they would fit in so much more in Japan, especially when 1% of them have actually been to the country.

The best part of the con was being able to see deux. She had a table in the art room, so I didn't get go to any panels with her or anything, but we ate dinner together in her hotel room and I got too meet her cool friend Andrea.

I didn't buy that much, but somehow I ended up with only $16 when I brought $100. I did impulsively bought a $25 panda hat. It was so cute! I saw tons of these hats at the con...the kid that made them and sell them must have made a fortune.

I saw a lot of super dollfies. I would love to have one but I'll never be able to because they are $700. The people that had them at the con were a bit scary...they treat them like their children..as if they were human beings.

Will be posting photos as soon as Matthew-Poo sends me them.

Mon, 01 May 2006 22:13:17 GMT

Totally addicted
You are 80% Addicted!

When the server's down, its like the end of the world. You check your auctions before going to work, you love the game and everything it involves. Remember that other game called real life? Its not any fun, anyway! Keep it up! And remember, its just a game, but its the best game ever!

My test tracked 1 variable How you compared to other people your age and gender:

You scored higher than 69% on addiction level

Link: The World of Warcraft Addiction Test written by survivedestiny on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

Yay!

I'm done with winter semester. Liekomgwtfbbq! So I have a month off...but I have to find a job to pay for gas. I hate looking for a job... It's really hard to find a part time job these days...

This weekend Matthew and I are going to Chicago for Anime Central! I'm so excited! I haven't been to an anime con since 2002, and that was the only one I've been too. It looks like there's lots to do, and plus we get to go to some places in Chicago. It should be a fun trip. I'll share photos!

Thu, 27 Apr 2006 03:43:03 GMT

My last exam is tomorrow. Japanese lit. I can't wait until this semester is over. I am NEVER going to take another anthropology class. *shudder* The reading and papers...cry. I don't like the subject that much. But I finally get to take more asian studies classes in the fall though. I met with a concentration councilor/professor so I know I'm doing, unlike the winter semester. In the summer, starting in June, I'm taking Intensive Beginning Japanese, a 10 credit class that meets for three and a half hours, 9:00AM-12:30PM, Monday to Friday for two months. I have no choice but to take it...ugh, summer classes. Cry.

In the fall I'm taking second year Japanese I (which I can't register for yet and will have to get an override), Stat100 Intro to Statistics (for a quantitive reasoning credit -_-), Asian235 Intro to Asian Studies (which I hear is absolutely horrible, but I have to take it for my degree), and History351 Modern China.

So, now that I have more time, I'm getting into more of the LJ groove. I hope nobody has defriended me due to inactivity. ^_^;

Wed, 26 Apr 2006 22:35:21 GMT

Is it just me or does anybody else get pissed off when critics mention Uwe Boll in their Silent Hill reviews?

Please. The movie wasn't that bad at all.

Fri, 21 Apr 2006 00:22:01 GMT

I can hardly contain myself for Silent Hill tomorrow night. I am practically creaming myself. XD Matthew and I are going to see it tomorrow night (he's reluctantly coming because he's a big pussycat). I am so fucking excited.

Mon, 06 Mar 2006 04:02:44 GMT

Does anybody have a Facebook? Look me up as Mara Gamble and add me or let me know your name and I'll add you myself. ;P

I'm over the Wizzywig business. I'm applying to some other places nearby, including the Starbucks downtown Plymouth. I hope my next job won't suck and I won't have a shitty boss. Is that even possible these days?

Must return to reading. God, it's so hard to read. Everything is so distracting unless you're in a library or something.

Wed, 01 Mar 2006 18:03:45 GMT

I called work today to see when I'm going to work this week and I found out that I wasn't working at all this week, like last week. So I called Kathie, the boss, to see if there was a specific reason why I haven't been scheduled very much lately. She took this as an accusation and spoke in a defensive tone, somewhere along the lines of "You worked on Sunday last week (for like 3 hours) and you could have worked Sunday this week but you asked for like four days off (it was 3 days off while I was in Toronto with Matthew). And another thing, you made some mistake during your employment and we had to issue him a refund. So I'm going to schedule you as little as possible or I'm going to have to let you go."

I make one mistake 3 or 4 weeks ago. And she waited this long to tell me. For one thing, how am I supposed to get any cash register experience if I'm never scheduled to work?

This is very upsetting. Now I'm back to having absolutely no money. I tried very hard, I really did. I make one mistake when I first start out and she fires me. That is ludicrous. Everybody makes mistakes. I really liked the job too. I was so excited about traveling to conventions. :(

edit: Not to mention how was I supposed to learn when I only worked 4 hours a week?

Wed, 15 Feb 2006 21:56:26 GMT

Oh, hooray.

Turns out that the city is tearing down our woods in our backyard to build condos. Yes, condos. Fucking hooray! We moved here for the solitude, and they build FUCKING CONDOS. LIKE THE CITY NEEDS MORE FUCKING CONDOS. They tore down woods down the street last year to build condos and they haven't been finished yet. And guess what? There is going to be a shit load of noise behind our house for many months. Oh, I am estatic. Very very estatic. This fucking blows. I wouldn't mind just living in the middle of nowhere. My fucking God. I hate neighbors, people. I don't like neighborhoods. Oh my God. I have never been so pissed.

Guess what...

Sun, 29 Jan 2006 04:11:53 GMT

I just found out that I got the job at Wizzywig! I am so estatic. Things are looking bright...I finally have a job, and one that I will love no less!

I've been really stressed out lately. U of M is definitely not a breeze. I have tons of reading to do. I have at least 200 pages to read a week for all the classes, probably even more. It's so hard to finish all the readings. I still have to finish articles from last week tomorrow. And then read a crap more. Then read more, and more, and more. And start a project. It's incredibly stressful. But I got some incense for Christmas...I haven't tried it yet, but I think it may help me relax.

It was my dream to do homework in a cafe, and now I got my wish. I often go to the Cafe Expresso and do some homework there while drinking coffee and eating a homemade lunch. I used to hate coffee, but after having to do all this reading without falling asleep, drinking it became a necessity.

I am taking two anthro classes, Comparative Study in Cultures and Language in Society, and Japanese lit. Japanese lit is by far my absolute favorite class. The others are just...annoying. It's so hard to get into the readings that are assigned to them. My comparative culture professor seems to not think we have any other homework to do...*shudders* Must not think about it.

Sat, 24 Dec 2005 23:47:55 GMT

Merry Christmas everybody! <3