This morning's storm

This one is really scaring the piss out of me. It is right over our house. I know this because the flash and the rumble that was so loud I had to plug my ears came at the same time. I could hear the lightening rip through the sky and then hear the insane boom at the end. The tv signal died and it was insanely quiet in here. Then iTunes wouldn't play so I almost started screaming at my computer so I could get another sound beside rain and thunder. Ugh, finally got it to work. Now I think I'll go get my iPod and headphones so I can drown out some of the sounds. Oh, and my book too.

Storm (part 2)

It is getting a lot closer and raining harder. I am getting wet sitting out there. The house is rumbling too. Maybe this is a clue I should go inside and watch it from someplace safe.

Storm

Yes, this is happening as I type. It's a little disappointing because there are so many clouds and it is far away, but it is getting closer so maybe I'll get some better video later.
Don't worry. I am under cover of our front porch. I promise to be safe. Plus, its raining and I don't feel like taking a shower.
Kinda reminds me of summers in Ohio. Now if only I could read my book without getting wet.
P.S. If you listen really close, you may hear me whisper "woah!" under my breath.

Yikes

Good golly its getting hot here. It's now officially summer.

funny image

Found this image online which may be pretty funny for anyone who is familiar with Harry Potter. Yes, it is spelled wrong, but it's some strange online cat picture phenomenon.
Maybe I am only posting this because I am lonely and bored. Since there is only one person regularly reading my blog right now, I'm sure you'll understand.

The book (part 3)

... I finished it and I LOVED it!!


Now I can finally read all those things online written about the book.

For my husband...

Happy Birthday Danny!!

Wow

Wow, wow, wow. They chose me!! Hehe.
FYI: my nights will be a little busy starting next week.

Oh, and Harry Potter is starting to get really interesting. I am in Chapter 30! Gotta go to bed soon...

Interviews are depressing

And the sad thing is that it wasn't even a real interview.
I was called by this English teaching gal to come meet a bunch of her female students at her house. They asked me a bunch of questions, including my age which sadly caries a "unqualified" stigma to it, and generally wanted to know about me and my teaching style. Then, she whisks me out the door so another teacher, a slightly older man with a Japanese wife along side (major brownie points), can get the same kind of questioning. I am doomed.
Now, to avoid depression, I will immerse myself into my Harry Potter book although it isn't exactly a happy book and I'll be depressed when it is done and I see who dies. :( Someone cheer me up. Maybe I could get a nice care package... hehehe.

Even more about my lessons

So, just about everything was screwed up today. I was supposed to have a lesson at 1:30 but she sent me an email last night after I went to bed to say she wanted to cancel. I was waiting this morning for the gal who is giving me the new lessons to call me. Of course she never did. I called her at noon and she told me this group of students were going to go to lunch, but not all the students were going to be there (because she told them I couldn't come become of my lesson) and now I have to wait until next week -after this gal has already left for the states and I have no idea what is going on- to meet them. Now she wants me to meet some women at 9 tonight. I have a feeling that if students want to meet me at nine o'clock at night, they are going to want lessons at unreasonable times of the night.
Sigh... at least I have my Harry Potter book. What am I going to do when I finish it?!
Probably read it again!

The book (pt 2)

I got it in the mail today!!! I've had it for 3 hours and I've finished 5 chapters (85 pages). I could hardly stop to eat dinner (but didn't want to get food on my new book). I promise not to give anything away... :)
I should be finished by Saturday. Don't expect to hear from me much until then!!

UPDATE: It's almost 10 o'clock and I just finished chapter 9. I am taking it to bed with me and I'll finish at least one more chapter before I fall asleep.

Update on lessons

I am tired of being underpaid....
I thought I could start getting a decent paycheck by taking on some groups and new students. All is not lost, but things are getting progressively more difficult. That group in Kamakura (the one about an hour from our house that is twice a week) was supposed to work out. I was really excited about it. The guy who owns the school called the woman who passed the group on to me and said that his students said they didn't think they could learn from me. What is that supposed to mean?! I am a perfectly good teacher and their lessons wouldn't change. I am upset about this, does it show?
Someone explain this to me. Oh, and while you're at it please tell me what it is about my personality that makes people walk all over me. I won't get into that now though.

English teaching

I may have mentioned to you before that I was offered a job teaching a group of adults in Tokyo (Ebisu to be exact). I have been told by my boss that the company was looking for a discount and that the lesson may be canceled. Right now they are paying 3500 yen and hour, which is dirt cheap. I was supposed to have the trial lesson as early as tomorrow, so if it happens it will be a while. All I can say is that it would make for a long day. The lesson would start at 8 or 8:30 in the morning for an hour and I would have to travel for about an hour to get there.
Last week I attended and English teacher's networking group in Yokosuka. It is a group offered through the Fleet and Family Support center. The moderator of the group gave me information about a woman who is leaving Japan and has tons of students she needs to give to other women. Last night I went with her to Kamakura (about an hour away from Yokohama) to see a class of about 9 to 19 year olds. There are four groups and the lesson lasts one hour each. It is a lot of work, but I really enjoyed it last night and I look forward to taking it on. There are tons of other groups and private students that I still have to make a decision on. I'll keep you updated.

Harry Potter!

DISCLAIMER: I am not responsible for any information you will read here, even if I did write. It is not guaranteed that I will not give away any information about the newest Harry Potter movie. If you don't want me to spoil anything for you then stop reading! I hope that anyone as obsessed as me will already know what happened in the movie because they've already read the book and/or seen the movie. In case I never mentioned it before, I am one of the many nearly insane Harry Potter fans.

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Okay, I (literally) just got home from seeing the 5th Harry Potter movie and I have to say that it was the most amazing movie I have ever seen. Sure I've got small complaints, but all-in-all AMAZING!! I loved the special effects, especially the fight scene in the end first with the Death Eaters and then the fight between Dumbledore and Voldemort. The part where Fred and George set off fireworks was especially good too. I believe there was a new director for this movie and I wholeheartedly approve. The visuals were amazing. Oh, forgot to mention that I really loved the night shots of London. Very beautiful. My only complaint is that I really like the original Harry Potter song (mainly the music from the first movie) and I would have liked to see that more (or rather, hear).
So, for the important part... All I have to say about Daniel Radcliffe (aka Harry Potter) is wow! There is something about the character that has always pulled on my heart and to me, Radcliffe is Harry Potter. There are times I just want to reach into the screen, or book, and just kiss him. He really has changed a lot since the first movie and in a totally good way.
Sorry Danny, you know how it is. Don't take it personally! :) Oh, I could go on forever...
Maybe I should just leave it at that because I may ruin the movie for anyone who hasn't seen it yet. J.K. Rowling is so talented and I am amazed at her ability to create a world out of a book that people never want to leave. I can't count the number of times I've just wanted to be sucked into the story and be a part of it forever. So, some people may think I am crazy, but I know there is someone out there who understands what I mean.
By the end of next few weeks I will be able to read the last book. It feels so daunting and I just don't know if I can take it. Sure, I can read the stories over again as many times as I like, but its just not the same when you already know what happened. I am sad it is the end. I will say how I feel about the book when I am done, but I promise not to say what happens. Someone might get mad at me...
After I finish the book then I've got to wait until November of 2008 before the next movie comes out. Darn it. Why did they have to put the movie and book release dates so close together?!

So cute

Now I want to learn to crochet just so I can make this. You can't tell me it's not cute.

The book!

Now I get to start checking my mailbox everyday!

Dear Lori Kohlbeck,

Thank you for shopping with us.

Your order is now packed and ready to leave our warehouse. The details of your order appear below.
For further assistance, please email us at service@barnesandnoble.com.

We appreciate your business and look forward to you visiting us again soon at http://www.bn.com

-- Barnes&Noble.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------

The following is packed and ready to leave our warehouse:

Bill To: Lori Kohlbeck
Ship To: Lori Kohlbeck, PSC 472 Box 136, FPO, AP 96348

QTY PRICE TITLE SHIP DATE
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 $20.99 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter #7)
ISBN:0545010225 Jul 19, 2007
------------------------------------------------------------------------
$20.99 Net Product
$4.98 Shipping & Handling
--------
$25.97 Total Shipment
$0.97 Credit Card
$25.00 Gift Card

Carrier: USPS


Don't anyone think about ruining it for me. It will probably take over a week to get here. They should have sent it a few days ago...

Nothing happening

Just because it's been a few days since the blog has been updated, I just wanted to say that nothing is really happening around here.
I did feel the earthquake earlier this week. Since it was on the west coast, it wasn't nearly as strong here but it did last for quite a while and shook differently than others I've felt. It was rocking side ways and felt like the house was on a shallow pool of water. Anyway, no damage here and I didn't even get up from the couch while it was happening. Does that totally make me sound lazy?
As you know, the typhoon didn't really happen here, but the weather has been pretty mediocre ever since. Very little rain, just constantly overcast. Blah!
I spent majority of my day yesterday babysitting a three month old boy. His twin sister, mother and a friend with her one year old went to Tokyo to the embassy so Aidan was with me from 930 til 7 pm. I hardly even found time to eat. It was a lot of work.
Gotta drive to Yokosuka today. The Fleet and Family Support Center offers an English teacher's networking group every month and I am available to go for the first time since I started teaching last December.
I got a call from Danny a few days ago. Unfortunately, I did most the talking but it was really great to hear from him anyway. I'll be happy when he is home again.

Japan Extension

Hey Everyone,

Since Lori posted about the extension, I figured that I should explain a little more since I'm the one actually doing the job onboard. What I've talked to my CO about is call the Division Officer's Sequencing Program, or DOSP. What it basically means is that when I’m done with my first tour (October of 2008) I’ll move onto a second tour job onboard. The biggest benefit (other than rolling to shore duty 6 months early) is that there will be no re-qualification period. This means my current qualifications will remain in place and I’ll be able to progress to new qualifications more quickly. In the end, there’s a good possibility that this will help in career progression (assuming the Navy becomes a career). Nevertheless, it’s basically the best of both worlds. We get to stay in Japan a little longer (what I want to do) and I get to roll to shore duty earlier and spend more time with Lori (what she and I both want). Anyway, if you have any questions that are more specific that what I’ve posted, please let me know.

Lame

That was the most pathetic storm I have ever seen. If they hadn't have told us it was coming, I wouldn't have even noticed it was here. I was actually kinda looking forward to a storm... :(
My weekend would have been better if Danny were here.
My life is boring.

Man-yi

My grumbling gets louder as the rain continues to fall outside and the storm moves closer to Yokohama. We've gotten about 3" of rain today, which is just less than half the rain we've gotten so far this month.
I had to spend a lot of my day out in the rain today. Had to move my plants and other things inside because they were "potential projectiles". I stood outside with one of the dogs I am watching this month because he refuses to do his business in the rain. I took him out about 6 times and he'd never go. Hate to see what I'll find tomorrow morning...
The NEX, Commissary, and other things including the on-base chapel will all be closed tomorrow. Lucky for me I went out in the rain today to get groceries and gas for the car!
I honestly just hope that the weather is nice where ever my husband is!

Japan extension

This isn't official yet, but I want to let everyone else know that Danny is extending in Japan for an extra year. He will stay on his ship, but get a second job at the end of his original 27 month tour. We will leave Japan in the October of 2009 instead of 2008. This also means that we get to go to his shore duty 6 months earlier than most other people since this second tour is 12 months instead of 18 months.
We really like it here in Japan and am excited about staying a little longer.
Have questions? Ask away.

'Tis the season

Its that time of year again.... grrr.






















Typhoon Man-Yi Strengthens as It Heads Toward Japan

Mt Fuji Pictures (pt. 2)

When we stated out the climb, I believe it was about 5 am. We got up at 1 and left Yokosuka before 2. The weather was clear but cloudy. By the time we started climbing, it was pouring rain and windy. Of course, my jacket is not waterproof and Danny's "goretex" from Korea didn't work so well either. We didn't make it to the top top because it was close due to bad weather (sleet coming down sideways) and snow buildup. It was also -25 degrees Celsius. We didn't have the right gear to take that on.
Our group was supposed to stop climbing at 1 (1300) no matter where we were, but I think Danny and I were already back down where we started by then. They say it takes 4-5 hour to get to the top and 2-3 hours to get back down. We took a lot of rests near the top. Most of the other people from the ship were up there so we stayed around and chatted for a while. Thats when we made our decision to go back down and think that was just before 11.
The bus wasn't supposed to leave until 5 or 6, but we left by 3:45. After a quick rest stop we were back in Yokosuka by 6:30 or so. I really have a hard time saying for sure because I didn't look at my watch much.
Well anyway, here are Danny's pictures.

Mt Fuji Pictures (pt. 1)

Here they are! Danny and I climbed Fuji yesterday and had a blast. It was certainly hard and the high altitude and rain made things difficult. The pictures say alot. Here are my pictures. I've got Danny's too that I'll put in a later post.
P.S. I am sorry that so many are sideways. I rotated them but they still posted wrong. Can't say I understand why. If you click on the slide show, the slide.com show will open and all the photos will be correct.

Happy 4th

It may be a little early for all of you, but it is tomorrow in Japan (does that count, should we celebrate it when it is the 4th in the states?!) so I wanted to wish you all a happy fourth of July.



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