Too funny not to share

Ah ladies, yet another example of how pitiful men can be sometimes. So strong and macho, but something as simple as a little diaper can completely destroy any semblance of manliness they may have had. The really funny thing is that these are new dads and infant diapers really aren't all that bad. It's not until kids start on formula and solids that the diapers become a bit more... interesting.

Go here, in case the above doesn't work. I've been having some problems.



He he, even my dad who had seen lots of decay when he was in Vietnam, tells me he gagged the first few times he had to change one of these suckers.

This video is even more priceless, because Maurice has what I like to call fecal phobia and freaks out about anything poo related. He even tells me that he will get up in the middle of the night just so he doesn't have to change poopy diapers! Good deal, but we all know that won't last long on either end. I'll be awake anyway, being the food source, and at some point he's just going to have to suck it up and deal with diapers.

**Amazing side note: Can you believe that I've recently heard the excuse of a father with a new baby girl that he can't change her diapers because 'it's just not right' (cause she's a girl and it's somehow wrong for him to be looking down there on an infant -- HIS infant!). Apparently he's not the only guy to have tried this tactic.

Fortunately for Maurice, this diaper issue is still several years down the road. Aside from the fact that we don't want to even start trying for kids for at LEAST three years (probably more), I have recently found the best method of birth control avialable: watching your friends chase their toddlers around!!
I love kids, I love these kids, and I can hardly wait to meet the beautiful babies Reese and I will make, HOWEVER! An infant that doesn't run around is one thing. Watching two of my friends chasing their very mobile little ones around only makes me appreciate more the years ahead that I will have with just my husband. I don't understand people who want to get pregnant the second they getting married. Nine hormone filled and cranky months is not enough time alone with your new spouse!!

I'll wait a few years before I need to baby proof everything. I appreciate being about to leave the house without worrying about a diaper bag, not have to chase baby all over the place taking things out of his/her mouth, listen to the banging clanging beeping and wailing of all those damn toys, never be able to sit in one place for more than two minutes because said baby has gotten into something else, and to be able to finish a meal in one sitting for the same reason as the last. Not to mention having full night of sleep (I do love my sleep)!! Oh yeah, and being able to actually AFFORD children is quite a novel thought. All of my friends with little ones, married or not, can either barely afford to their cihldren, or are lucky enough to have their own parents footing the bill. Yikes!

So just another reminder to the love of my life: I love babies and want to have yours, but don't worry, it's quite a few years down the road.

PS: you're going to have to change poopy diapers eventually. Get used to the idea. :D

Heat wave

Well, actually it's not a heat wave, it's just summer in Eastern Wa. Current temp, 98 degrees with no air conditioning, but the fans are whirling away. Still recovering from the headache I got after an hour of kick boxing in one of the two unariconditioned buildings on campus. That type of activity in that temp is dangerous!

Anyway, went home this weekend for my birthday and it was lovely. Though it was on sunday, my two best girlfriends came over on saturday for tasty pizza and we followed that up with s'mores at Trish's (my maid of honor) house, where my brother and another dear friend Ali joined us. Very chill and quite lovely. Mom took me shopping for books that I wanted and I got some much needed work out gear at Target. Set me back, but I won't need anything new for a loooong time now.

Sunday was the actual birthday. I'm 22 now. No big deal. Reese called me for a brief b'day wish at 12:06 and then again for a longer chat at 7:30 in the morning. Loved the chat, but I needed a nap later that day. Went to church 'cause my grandmother dedicated flowers to me for my birthday/graduation/wedding. Busy busy am I. Went to see my soon to be family and had a lovely chat out on the patio where we'll be married in less than three weeks (!!!!), and got some lovely flowers that Maurice had arranged for his uncle to, uh, arrange.
Had birthday brunch with the fam: a yummy cold crab and ceasar salad meal. It was a very pleasant day, only marred by my journey back to school. Didn't want to leave in the first place, then didn't take into account the longer sunday ferry traffic wait and ended up catching a ferry an hour later than I wanted. Got into Seattle only to get blocked AGAIN by a train (happened last week too and I waited for 15 minutes before saying 'screw it' and going another way). Took the alternate route but accidentally went south instead of north because some truck bent up the sign and I couldn't see the arrow until too late, got lost trying to turn around and finally got back on track 15 minutes later.
Needless to say, I needed ice cream to brighten my mood.

Today I encountered THE most confusing and messed up multiple choice section of a test I've ever seen, and I've seen some pretty messed up ones. I think I may actually have to talk to that prof. I could have defined all the things had she just asked us to write them out, but the choices she gave where insane, and I think some were just down right wrong (she put polygyny on there instead of polygamy, I'm sure of it)... I thought the worse multiple choice section I'd ever seen had been written my a prof who spoke English as his third language, but no!! THIS one tops the pile and the woman (and she's not actually a professor, just a stand in for the summer) speaks English as her first language! I wanted to shake her!! The options were so ludicrous that I may just post that section on here so you all can marvel.

Now, I gotta tell you about this sandwich I made today!! Just kidding. :P It's my blog. I can talk about whatever I want, and you are more likely to see silly and/or boring things here than any deep conversation, and I'm okay with that.

Have a good week all.

ah how I can ramble on... those who know me are not surprised tho'

What I started to write in Reese's blog comments section, but then it just got waaay too long:

Wow did this thing get blown out of proportion! Yes my ego was bruised a bit because someone denied me a title I like having and identify with very much. I like the last anonymous comment in your previous entry though (and I find I also like Jamie quite a lot—he got you there, honey) because the commenter was able to start to put to words to what I'd been trying to formulate.
Talking to you the other day, you used similar examples as in your blog today: ‘martial artist, chef, political scientist’; these titles you tried to compare to one I use for myself. I couldn't put my finger on why they didn't seem quite comparable but I think I figured it out now. Martial artist, chef, political scientist -- they imply one or both or two things: that expertise (or very nearly) has been reached, and/or that the title refers to a job. It really is a matter of semantics (thank you poster for finding the word I couldn't quite pinpoint) because those definitions may not be the case at all.
I now realized that by saying I'm a dancer, implies to many people that I am exceptionally skilled and/or that that is my job. Because neither of these is the case, by Brandon's standards I am automatically disqualified for said 'title.' By my definition however (and that of all the other dance folk I know) a dancer is not only someone who is a professional, but also an amateur who is fairly skilled, enjoys it immensely, does it with a fair amount of regularity, and often doesn't function well for long periods of time without the outlet -- I tried to picture telling all of them they weren’t dancers either and that little scenario didn’t turn out too well. It is a crucial part of life, like breathing!!
I dance -- swing (mostly), blues, tango, and dabble in a few other styles of ballroom -- and therefore can be referred to as a dancer – an ‘er’ of the dance! We all breathe, and are therefore breathers (heee)? One could say if you sing, you’re a singer, though not necessarily professionally employed as such. The list goes on.
The 'er' attachment makes the word, and many others, a very flexible one. Someone could say you (for example) are a good dancer. Now this may or may not mean that they are saying you are a dancer, just that you dance well. Also, as you somewhat scathingly put it the other day, as of two weeks ago I am no longer a dance teacher because I am not currently doing it and may never officially again (sniff). I would say it's fair to be called a dancer when one is a teacher of dance, but is that no longer true after the teaching has ended?

I now realize the joke about the country boy thing may have been very near the belt for Brandon because in spite of the fact that he's not actually from the country, he likes to think of himself as a country boy because he likes the image. I’m not sure ‘elitism’ was the best choice of words though for you.

Thoughts, thoughts, ego, and semantics. That will be my favorite word for this week: semantics. As an anthropology major and student (not necessarily an anthropologist, but one could argue) particularly interested in linguistics, I'm ashamed I couldn't flick that word off of the tip of my tongue when I wanted it.

Yes my ego was a bit bruised which caused me to look at why I was so angered by what Brandon and one of the many anonymous posters said. Looking at reasons when you’re still seething is an annoyingly humbling thing to do. I also know I overreacted, but all my other frustrations of the day funned into this and more specifically at Brandon, since he said something very rude, offensive, and chauvinistic (big huge surprise... seriously, knock it off) before he left.

So, perhaps titles should be dropped as Reese suggests. Goodness knows they can be abused and people can get down right mean about them, as well as supremely high and mighty. They can also get paid obscene amounts of money for some titles! I think it’s safe to say though that I have earned mine, by Maurice’s standards, as others gave it to me before I ever used it for myself. I cling to it perhaps a little bit too much because it’s a skill I’m known for over here above my others, and I like that a little too much.
No one will care when I’m in Japan, and I’m perfectly fine with that. I need a break anyway.

Okay, I think that's all the stuff that's been swirling around in my head the past few days.
The end.

Back in the 'burg

It's so empty here in Ellensburg now that it's summer vacation. I rolled in around 6:45. Did gobs of laundry all day and then when I finally left, I ended up getting stuck in Seattle by a train who decided it would be awesome to go back and forth in front of the street I needed for fifteen + minutes. I finally gave up and got a bit lost trying to find an alternate route to I-90. Finally got there, wasted gas. Bugger that.

It's cold here. It's June in Eastern Washington! What gives?!! I expect it'll get nice and hot again soon though.

I had a pretty good week of work. I balanced every single day, which I used to not do. I always used to be off by like 74 cents or something odd like that, but not this time!! Apparently I learned how to count some time in the last few months.

Classes start tomorrow. 7:30 in the am. I'm going to want to shoot myself. That's what time I had been getting up for work!! Early to bed I guess. No more staying up late to catch my honey online. The next few weeks are gonna suck. Classes all friggin day long, very few friends left in town, and not so much of Maurice. Ah well. More time to work on my Japanese I guess. It's coming along okay too, so that's good. I bought two more books yesterday, one on hiragana and katakana since I'm told by many that those will be pretty much essential to know. Goody. Oh, I was watching the Last Samurai last night on TV and it was very exciting because there were a few things I was able to understand without the subtitles!! Woo and hooo. I also now remember the word for 'ears' after seeing that cute little kid grab his own. I guess I just need adorable visual so cement some words that don't want to stick.

Guess that's all for now. Latuh!!

week of work

Well, it's wed and I've been working as a teller all week at my local bank. I like the job but not so much the getting up early. That's okay though, I'm getting paid, and money is good.

Strangely I have found myself in an odd mood of late. The last two three days or so I have had a very short temper and seem to get really really annoyed at fairly mild offenses. Now that school pressure is off for a bit (oh hell, next quarter will be fairly breezy) and grades are in (did amazingly well considering what an insane quarter emotionally and school wise it had been), I was having some trouble pin pointing it. I realized that it was likely due to the fact that I am jelous that Brandon gets to spend a month with Maurice. He's on the plane right now in fact. Has been for about five hours. Maybe he's in the middle of a movie, or enjoying a meal.

I realize it's quite a silly thing. Brandon (who is like my other brother and we roomed together last quarter) hasn't seen his best friend since last July and soon enough I'll have Maurice all to myself, but I can't help feeling miffed that I'm stuck here while the boys get to go play for a month. I dare say I took it out on Brandon a bit last night, but then again he was making woman jokes that even his very chill sister did not find funny, so perhaps violently throwing my pad of paper at him that I was drafting a note to Maurice on, wasn't too much of an over reaction.
I'm still annoyed at him for thinking he could steal my fiance` and drive down to Portland the night befor our wedding to go to a "house warming party" with Hooters girls, and then drive back up, still jet-lagged and possibly hung over. Yeah, that sounds like a recipe for a really good wedding, a very happy me, and a great start to our life together. Brandon got shouted at a bit when I found out about that idiotic idea.
Just to clarify for the men folk out there: NO WHERE IS IT WRITTEN THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A BACEHLOR'S PARTY THE NIGHT BEFORE THE WEDDING (and it's a really stupid idea, by the way) or that you have to look at naked women. I told Maurice to have a party over there with all his ALT guy friends and Brandon and it would be fun. I'm having mine a week or two before the wedding. No big.

Anyway. I also might be easily pushed to cranky-ness because I know that this next month Maurice is going to be really busy having fun and I will hardly get to talk to him. I want them to have fun, I'll just miss talking to him at least a little online almost everyday, and once a week on the phone for a few hours. Plus I'll be stuck in Ellensburg taking basket weaving classes with only three friends there who also will be busy. I'm going to be so friggin lonely!!

AND as much as I love half of the island knowing that I'm getting married and congratulating me (the moms have been busy spreading the word-- I like to call it the mommy network), it's starting to wear and make me miss Maurice that much more.

But, now that Brandon has left, that just means they are one step closer to coming back here. A month from yesterday I get to see the love of my life for the first time in seven months, and a month from tomorrow I get to marry him!!

/rant

Begin cheering up any time now...

really, any time... I'll wait...

Fine!! I have better things to do anyway!

Weekend part II

Okay, couldn't post these pictures before, so trying again. It was pretty good weather. Didn't rain like it had been threatening. The band was playing pieces from The Music Man (NICE!!) while we were marching in before starting on the traditional Pomp and Circumstance. Had a speaker from the House of Reps come. She did a nice job. I walked with two of my anthro riends and all our profs that were there hopped up to say hello and I got hugs from everyone. I do love being a smaller school and getting to actually know the people who are attempting to get you to learn stuff. It was a lovely ceremony.




Marching out. Got a lovely black book to put my diploma in. Sadly it will have to remain empty for two more months. That's okay though.










My brother Joel and me













My parents

















Three generations









Kazumi, me, and my conversation partner Mari. They wanted to see an American graduation and patiently sat through the whole thing. Hope they had an interesting time.







Yup, good day, even though they wouldn't let me have an Honors tassle. But since I'm not actually graduating until July, they won't give it to me till then (who knows, I might fail ceramics next quarter). Well cool I guess, but I wanted to wear it on my hat THAT day!! Oh well.
Amazingly there were no antics either. Not a single beach ball was thrown around the crowd or anything else. It was all very pleasant and people seemed to appreciate the formality, unlike other graduations I've been too (high school graduations are the worst by far). Strangely though, no one tossed their hats-- a time honored tradition. I think maybe we weren't sure exactly when to do it, and then it was too late. That's okay -- no hat hunting then. :)

Had a nice drive back with just my brother and then slept like the dead last night.

Today my friend Ali brought over her two month old baby that I got to fight over holding with my other friend and maid of honor, Trish. Ali cut my mom's hair and then gave me a trim. Gotta keep her skills up so she's not rusty when she goes back to work after materinity leave!!
Then Trish and mom and I went shopping to find shoes and other apparel necessities for wedding type stuff. We were unsettlingly successful right off the bat... eerie... Ran into Maurice's sister who was getting her nails done and ran out calling my name as I passed the place on the way to JcPenny's. She's so sweet. Really glad I get to have her for a sister in law. Ah heck, all my inlaw are awesome. I am so lucky... one does hear horror stories.

Tomorrow, I start work and also cram in a dermatologist appointment and a dentist appointmen (I'm only on my parent's insure for three more weeks so gotta take advantage). Then I'm working at the bank as their filing monkey for the rest of the week. Can't complain, I'm getting paid and they always have a job for me when I want one.

Well then, talley ho!!

My weekend in a bunch of pictures and a short paragraph

Aaaahhhh... school is over. Well, for a week at least. Then I'm back for an intense four week session. All my papers are finished and I feel much better. So, after things were done what does a student do to destress? That's right, play a nice relaxing game of monopoly. No? Okay, maybe go drinking and dancing with your close dancing friends. Okay, that sounds better. Stay up drinking (cheap date that I am, I was good for hours off of a strong rum and coke and then two beers) and blues dancing all night. Four hours of sleep later I got to sweat through a rather lovely graduation ceremony. Good times, truly.















Ember, Alissa, me










My dance partner Keith and me

Scott and Tina

We're a bendy blooming flower

of not-so-gracefulness. I believe

there was some big time keeling over

the second after the flash went off.

Failed crow pose-- had to summersault

out to avoid injury. Getting better at it

though.

Hmmmm, for some reason I can't seem to get more photos on here. So, I'll just do another post. Ha!! I defeated the sytem! Or maybe am just working around my lack of any skill with the internet.

Sigh...

Well, as of yesterday morning, classes are now over for spring term. I wish I could say it's a relief, but I still have other stuff to do, so I guess it's only a little weight off the shoulders. I turned in two papers friday, I have two finals to semi study for for this week, and I still have two papers to write. Not too bad. I'm not looking forward to my Primate Conservation paper though, but because I've put it off for so long. It's a little hard to get motivated for a class that makes you want to either drown yourself or sterilize the entire human population after every class... yay, we're killing the planet and nearly all the primates (and everything else) on it... yay happy fun class. Ugh. My paper's going to be on how conservation efforts affect not only the wild life that they're trying to save, but the lives of the indigenous people in the area as well. Bushmeat trade, national park rules, other laws... good times.

Went to the anthropology department's annual Spring Fling end of school year bash yesterday. I missed the last two years and was very pleased to get to attend this year. It rained for a little but then the skies cleared and the weather was very cooperative and enjoyable the rest of the night. Ahhhh, I do love the anthro crowd. We're a kooky bunch, we are. I fit right in, but am probably the least insane and geeky one of them all, and that's really saying something. Add anthro geeks plus alcohol and you get some wacky times. It was quite odd seeing one of my very smart and normally mellow 30+ year old classmates who normally won't shut up about projectile points and experimental archaeology, spend ten minutes doing Beevis and Butthead lines and giggling like a 5 year old girl, all the while having consumed an embarrassingly small amount of beer for how hammered he was... I'll never look at him the same way again, and not only because I found out he sometimes does nude modeling for the drawing classes here.
It is however a good time to see professors buzzed and giddy, hanging with the students. I learned lots of interesting things about my profs and fellow studetns. My archaeology prof used to cook steaks at a steak house a long time ago, two of my other profs are married and I had no idea, and one of my classmates only just turned 17 because she's brilliant and skipped a million grades and is now finishing her junior year. Who knew??
It was a very enjoyable evening, ending with some drunken yoga attempts (not by me, I was driving) and one of the grad students playing a didgeridoo (I could listen to one of those things for hours).
Dammit, why didn't I take pictures of this event?!!

Went home and killed time by me onesie waiting for my mom to role in from her flight around 3 am. She's a flightattendant and decided to come see me after her getting in, instead of heading home.
She took me out for breakfast this morning and I had the nationally famous curry eggs benedict at the lovely little local secret, the Yellow Church Cafe. SOooooooo good. Then we went to Fred Meyer and bought a stack of bridal magazines to thumb through. I don't feel it's quite right to buy those things unless one is engaged (otherwise you can end up scaring the men folk a little bit too much when they spot those things lying around), and even though I've been engaged for a good two months now, I still had yet to buy one. Well, we had lots of fun looking through them and tearing out pages on boquets, cakes, jewerly, and skin care. No dresses though. As much as I LOVE looking at them, I won't be getting one, so what's the point? I did however nearly swoon over one in particular. Ladies, check out this one . I like a little color in the gown personally.

So mommy time was good and needed. No matter how good your friends (and your dad) are, there are some things that only a mom can do, you know?

Well, now she's gone home and I sit here trying to make myself start a paper on a saturday night. Yeah, I'm cool. I may actually get bored enough to do it, because simply falling asleep at 9:30 on a saturday night when you haven't even been up 10 hours and all your friends are elsewhere, is too shameful even for me. One can only check one's email so many times when trying to avoid paper writing before it gets completely ridiculous.