tinywonder

12 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Did my pun drive you away?

Ach! No!  I was driven away by BUREACRACY!  But also, fun to mention I am moving from Hungary (so many puns, but pretty hunger-based to be fair) to THE CZECH REPUBLIC.... so many more pun options, so many puns I say accidentally. "Let me check." "My Czechs mix" (that one was intentional and no one understood it). "My Czech book" (meaning my textbook for language learning, but... you understand...)

BUT!  BUT!!!

Okay so I've done nary a yoga move, possible because I have to keep the mat rolled up on the shelf or a certain cat baby will tear the ever living shit out of it... but I have failed at yoga.  Fine.

But I have NOT failed at walking every day.  My crows, and now pigeons greet me when I enter the park.  They know me.  They wait for me.  It's amazing.  I will miss them so much when I leave.

AND FINALLY.  I have been vaccinated.  I should have full efficacy in another week. The rebellion faction of my school (yes, I am serious) organized with a sympathetic doctor and was able to get a bunch of us the Janssen (J&J) vaccine last Friday.  Incredible.  We did it.  They did it.  For me.  It was done.  Incredible.

I am going to go for another walk soon, and maybe I'll do some yoga when I return, but probably not.  I'm in full job-finding mode, but was offered a position teaching online at a Chinese school, and I will probably take it, and build a freelance business around it... but for now... Oh I don't know what for now...

I think resting might be my next goal.  I am seriously lacking in the rest department.

2 minutes ago, darkfoxx said:

OH MY FUCKING GOD YOU ARE HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Much excite. 

YES!

I was hoping you'd find me, because I had no idea what your handle was in here!!! Now I am following you and feeling a little guilty for having not done any yoga yet today, (oh, goals, I knew ye...)
BUT THAT'S BECAUSE I JUST REGISTERED FOR VACCINATION!

Which is.... still complicated, I'll likely have to turn down the first two appointments, I am certain they will try to give me Sputnik or Sinopharm before that sweet, sweet, AstraZeneca, Jansen, Moderna, or Pfizer... I am thinking AZ is my ticket, because while not approved in US, it is approved in EU and I think this country (why am I so protective of calling it out? It's HUGARY and sometimes it makes me VERY FRUSTRATED!) has quite a bit of it, so while everyone is scrambling for Pfizer which I am not eligible for here (only second-shots and 16-18 year olds can get it now), I'm gonna try for AZ and just GET VACCINATED. UGH.

Oh, I need to make goals...

Wow I've not been here in a while, it looks  a little different.  

So, I've up and moved to faraway during a global pandemic, for the best more amazing program/job, and long-story short, it was taken away from me.  Not because of Covid, even, but because of a government takeover of the school... Things are weird out here in Eastern Europe.

So my priority is mostly "move forward", whatever that looks like, and "pick up the pieces."

My main goal is to GET VACCINATED.  But that's super complicated here (currently: impossible), and it's really not even a goal, because once I am able I will absolutely do it, it's not like I have to "work towards it".  I need the government to work towards me (according to them I can register now, but turns out that's a lie.  So... I am stuck).  Then there's the option of moving back to the US for a short undefined period of time, to get easily vaccinated, but managing insurance while I'm there, plus being sure I can still get back here (though to a different country), is turning out quite a chore.  So I don't know.  But I do know that is my goal number one.

My stress levels are off the gosh darn charts, so I am going to try to make manageable goal number two something yoga-related.  I messed up my shoulder here, so I've avoided my long beloved push-ups for stress management routine, but maybe yoga and stretching will help it heal (it seems like a torn rotator cuff or tendonitis) 

So my goal is to get on the mat every day, doesn't matter what time, just put in the 20-30 minutes of yoga.  It would really be good for me, I think, but for some reason it's nigh impossible for me to motivate in that direction.  Still, putting it on the list.

My second goal beyond that is to maintain a ritual I've made up while I'm here, which is a 4km or so walk to (and return from) an island park.  I've been going every day and feeding crows there.  Religiously.  And I have befriended a few who will check on me and eat out of my hand.  It's the best therapy, honestly.

That's all really... yoga, try not to get overwhelmed by nonsense I can't control, and feed some birbs.

Aw, thanks!
Yes, it's good to remember the difference between fructose and sucrose, and I think my tolerance has already gone down quite a bit, I had something over the weekend that was handed to me, coconut chips of a sort, and it didn't occur to me that it might be a sweetened thing, but oh my goodness it was way too sweet for me, I felt miffed for a moment that I didn't think to ask, but then decided I rather liked checking in with how sweet things taste to me, and watching that tolerance slip.  Then I go back to drinking this kale, protein, orange and mango chia smoothie that I just water down all day, and it's pretty good!

Still haven't gotten to read the RBG workout, but I went kayaking and stretched before and after, so I did some good physical engagement this weekend, and today I am planning on getting back into my 5K training, so while I'm floating a little off course from my stated goals, I am glad I am succeeding where I am.

On 6/4/2018 at 9:24 PM, Manarelle said:

Grats on the tying up, how'd the big show go? Major kudos on sticking to your food goals during a production, that doesn't sound like an easy feat, but it's obviously paying off. What's the workout looking like? I haven't heard of anything involving The Judge. 

The show!　It's up! Or the cute bootleg version is.  At no point does anyone need to watch 40 minutes of me doing this, but I am proud of the accomplishment, and it took 7 hours to upload to youtube, so... if anyone is interested:  HOLY POOP! It just pops in like a big ol' embedded video... we'll, okay then.

As for the workout, my shortened version is okay I've still had no time to *read* the book about the workout, so I've been sort of picking from the basic Nerd Fitness workouts.
The book I am referencing is this one: https://www.amazon.com/RBG-Workout-How-Stays-Strong/dp/1328919129/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1528309792&sr=8-9&keywords=ruth+bader+ginsburg
I can't recommend it yet, as I've not read it, but I think it was a worthwhile 2$ digital book purchase.

I actually found that the "diet" worked well while I was in the stress of all this.  I made smoothies with veggies, fruits, and protein powder and kept a package of Soylent (plantbased powdered food) if I needed it. And the venue makes a great cashew and kale salad.
I know fruit has sugar (heck, veggies too), but I am really liking how I feel almost mentally and emotionally when I cut out sugar. I'll enjoy it when I am done with this month, but I don't miss it yet.  Been snacking on dried unsweetened unsulphered mangos from Trader Joes which are my sort of designated weakness.

<3

Ouuf!  So far so set back!

Not *really*, just had a buncha loose ends to tie up, in the form of a big show, which I did, and is over, so hooray!  We did it!  Or I did it... but now I can focus back on Japanese, and working out.  Workout is set for tomorrow, as I am playing D&D tonight (what?  this is a rarity for me!).  Going to do some basic stretches now, though.  The show, while mostly music based, still made my body feel like it got tumbled around on spin cycle in a washing machine, but in a good way?  

Time blocking.  That I will do when I am home today.  I tried to do it this past weekend, but my life was dictated by the show, the tech, that sort of thing, so blocks were abstract.  This time I hope to make it stick.

Throughout I've had no processed sugar (obviously there is sugar in fruit, but nothing added), or bread-stuffs.  Feeling good.

I've not given Japanese the proper study time either, but I've not dropped any of my study streaks.  I'm in the 120's on Duolingo and 8 or so Memrise tracks, so I am still studying at least a half hour a day, but I want to up that this week and onward.

How is everyone else doing?

I am a little late to start this challenge, but I sort of started it yesterday... when I bought the e-Book of the RBG Fitness Routine.
If Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg can do it at 85?  Damnit, so can I.

But baby steps, yeah?  I'm starting a shortened version twice a week, 30 minutes, as I don't have the time to do more right now, but yeah, it's a cute book, and why not?
 

Which brings me to....
TIME BLOCKING.  As I get closer to my trip to Japan, my time is more and more valuable.  I have two major puppet builds to do this month, a day job to keep on top of, and learning Japanese throughout.  So I need to make a nice obvious easy to follow time blocked schedule and then I need to STICK TO IT.  Wish me luck.

But I need to EAT to have the energy to do all this, so I figured I'd try a vegan/vegetarian version of Whole 30. I've been vegan off and on, and was thinking to keep that up, but I might being in eggs from the local farmers here, as they are local, good for me, and cruelty free.  It depends how I feel about eggs at the time, I guess.  So far I've been starting my day with frozen fruit, kale, protein powder, and chia blended to death smoothie, lunches seem to be lettuce wrap based, and dinner I've been making insane fusion tacos that are kinda brilliant. I will mix things up, but I'm going to try to do Whole 30, but the vegetarian version (so lentils, peanuts, tofu, that sort of thing are okay as protein sources.)

That's about it, besides massively studying Japanese.  Which I'm doing alright with.  I am going to start using tutors to talk to in June and July, as I leave end of July and need to be able to base level function in conversation.

That and I'm making a delightful puppet to accompany me, and I will share him with you all when he's done!

Why, hello abject poverty for good reason, how you doin?

I am so. broke.  That's fine, because I have rice and a prius, and a fellow Townie who is lending me a conduit bender to make hoop houses for my incoming garden.  This is fine, but damn, I am broke.  I get paid Thursday, so just waiting it out, trying to spend as little money as possible... and politely poking the scholarship committee about the scholarship money that I've already spent.

But JAPANESE, right?
I am making ANKI flashcards, and I am learning!  I started reading a grammar book before bed, but holy damnit that was a lot.  So, I am breaking it into chunks, and hopefully will be making more ANKI flashcards for grammar specifics as I do.  ANKI is great because while I include kanji and kana for the words, I have native speaker recordings and photos (no English) so I am trying to boost audio communications and bypass translation... it's too soon to tell, but I am learning bit by bit, it's just such a slow process, but I am dedicated, and I am learning.

I'm teaching a puppet and prop building panel at a Doctor Who convention at the end of the month... because of course I am <3!  I need to figure out how that's going to go... I mean, I can ramble about puppets indefinitely, but maybe I should make some focused points.

..........

ganbatteru.

やった！
日本にの私のきっぷを買った！
それはばかげて高価でした
でも、しあわせです。

On 2/23/2018 at 10:34 AM, Hazard said:

 

Sweet!

 

I don’t understand most of it, but I’m catching a few things, and I love that I’m getting to hear native speakers pronounce the things I catch.  My fav so far:

 

 はじめましてパパですよ  

 

Though, what’s the よ on the end mean?

 

 

Hard for me to explain, but ending a sentence with "yo" is sort of like saying "don't you know." but when the listener didn't know.  I think it's a little casual, like colloqial...  But I am not sure.  I am pretty sure it's kind of like "ne' (ね) which gets tacked on to the end of sentences when you want approval like "ですね” basically translated to "it is, ne" or "it is, isn't it?"

That's my guess, though it is a fairly well educated one. I've been hitting the books and fashcards and NHK podcasts pretty hard of late.

For those of you playing along at home...

日本語出来ます！

(にほんごできます）
Nihongo Dekimasu!

That's what it was called!  And I found it! On an old dusty harddrive.  It's such delightful low quality video that the kana subtitles are a little hard to read. It's less weird than I thought and I am just going to watch a few episodes a night to see if it helps.  It can't hurt. However this will have to wait until tomorrow because tonight I am in Atlanta to work on a TV show <3 I am very pleased about this, and it's been eating up all my free time, I am glad to get it done and have the experience land on my CV.  
It's been an awesome week.

今週はすごいでした。

4 hours ago, WhiteGhost said:

I think this is a very good strategy.  I started with speaking and was fluent before I ever started really trying to learn kanji. Most of the things I read had furigana so I didn't really need it.  

 

I have spent a large part of my life learning languages and have, at various times, been certified to translate Japanese, Russian and Korean. My Mandarin is now better than any of thoae ever were but I have not bothered to get certified because I don't work in that field anymore. Becaus of this i have tried a number of different methods and programs and the most successful by far are the ones that focus on speaking and listening, rather than reading, writing, or grammar.  I categorize language learning into a 2x2 graph:

 

                   Active          Passive

Oral:          Speaking     Listening

Written:     Writing        Reading

 

I have found that Active is much more useful than passive in learning because in order to say or write something it has to actively pass through your mind, leaving a stronger imprint, which lasts longer and brings things back to memory more easily.

 

I have also found that oral communication makes for faster learning than written because it is interactive and you can pick up additional meaning through gestures and intonation, which also aid in memory retrieval better than word written on a page.  

 

The languages that I learned the best, and that have stuck with me, are the ones I learned with a focus on speaking first and foremost. In fact, when I was learning Japanese (and later Chinese) I would often spend time talking to myself or inanimate objects around me for practice, just to have more opportunities to speak. I made plenty of errors and said a lot of stupid things, but it worked and I found myself better able to say the things I had learned when it came time to talk to actual human beings

 

Most language programs, however, seem to focus on reading, and this is understandable because it is the easiest to replicate across multiple teachers to scale the program. However, in my experience it is the least efficient way to learn a language.

 

That said, however, there is certainly a place for it. Reading is great for reinforcing the things you have learned and is by far the best way to broaden you vocabulary base. You can never really get good at a language (even your own native language) without being able to read, but I really discourage it as the primary learning resource for beginning students.

This post is one of the best I've had on this forum. I absolutely agree with you!

Any tips for programs that push spoken/listen language?  I'm going to be making digital flashcard decks (with audio) but want to put the emphasis on audible linguistics as much as possible.

There was a Japanese TV program designed to teach Japanese to foreigners via immersion... And I am sure it had "nihongo no" in the title (maybe) but I heard about it years ago and don't know if I still have the files, and looking for it now, nothing is coming up.

頑張ってる！
Though I do heavily rely on my keyboard to translate into kanji. Like... I didn't write that.  I wrote "ganbatteru" (in kana). I am learning it, but slow.  I know many radicals, but smashing them together... oh my.

Also, I am focusing on speaking and understanding the most.  I can ask for help with reading, etc.  But I need to be able to speak more than read at the moment.  I ordered a copy of "fluent forever" a an audiobook (I literally have no time to read right now), which I plan to burn through and then apply to my learning.

I'm trying to figure out Anki flashcard decks... it oddly reminds me of programming Linux, but that's more an aesthetic thing.

On 2/18/2018 at 9:37 AM, WhiteGhost said:

I don't know if you have ever used ALC (aka 英辞郎 on the WEB) but it is way better than Google Translate for English<->Japanese translation, especially if you need it for business/academic translation.  

 

https://eow.alc.co.jp/search?q=Japanese-English+translation

 

That is what I used when I was working in Japan and it was great.

 

 

Okay, after a very brief playing around, this seems to be super intense and great for individual words, but less for phrases.  I tried to check myself to see if there was a better was to say "I did not know it", but it wasn't able to translate that phrase (0 Results).  Still, I was able to get very specific puppet terminology which is invaluable for what I am doing, so this is a great tool to add to my tiny arsenal! 

I am obviously (I hope) not criticizing this tool, I am just wondering if you have any tips for using it?  I am woefully unable to read kanji (though I am learning it, but learning it is far from knowing it), which slows down my ability to read through the page very quickly.

I also saw it has an app version, I will be grabbing that today and tooling around with it.

Thanks for the help!

On 2/18/2018 at 9:37 AM, WhiteGhost said:

I don't know if you have ever used ALC (aka 英辞郎 on the WEB) but it is way better than Google Translate for English<->Japanese translation, especially if you need it for business/academic translation.  

 

https://eow.alc.co.jp/search?q=Japanese-English+translation

 

That is what I used when I was working in Japan and it was great.

 

 

ああああ！これはしりませんでした

すごい！

ありがとうございました！

1 hour ago, Manarelle said:

 

Here's the post to fill out your own challenge. It was just started Tuesday of this week, so the actual phone book hasn't been published yet. A fair number of people have replied on that forum, though, so it's worth scrolling through.

 

Ah, duolingo. I used it diligently for a while, then.... just stopped. Not really sure why. Does it go into the kanji at all, or just use the kana syllabaries? I'm already paying for a Russian tutor, don't think I can justify another one just yet. Seems like you're doing well in your studies, though. How'd the week go, overall?

This week has been great until today. 

UGH Travel is expensive, scholarship or no.  I have started buying/paying for? the things for this trip.  As in, booked my hotel for Iida.  Booked the closest hotel to where I am studying (still a 45 min train/bus ride, but that's just how it is)  holding off on buying the next hotel block, and buying the last hotel block where I will also be doing my workshop.  It's just weird to spend $250 or so, and then instantly spend $300 more, knowing I'll be kicking out another $100 and $225 soon, and also buy a plane ticket.  It's a lot to take in.  I just need to remember that travel costs are pretty cheap for me in Tokyo once I am there (just trains and food, and I eat on the cheap, grocery store grab and go style) and I will be given $1,000 soon from the scholarship, which takes away about half of the expense... just... damn it's expensive.

I'm about to watch Kimi No Na Wa (Your Name) It is a very popular anime movie, I saw it, delirious, on the flight home from Japan last year (only it was in Japanese with Chinese subtitles, because AirChina), and it's Saturday night.  I deserve to relax.  But while I am still listening to Japanese and see how much I get without subtitles (though I will have subs on.)

Other than that, I made a weird spinach, cauliflower, lentil, chick pea and potato curry today.  But realized the sauce I had on hand had dairy in it.  But I don't care, it's in, it was fabulous, and I'm packing it for my Indian themed bentos next week.  Not quite vegan, but it was in the house and when I replace it, I will replace it with something non-dairy.

Feeling pretty good about those goals.

Thanks for the link!  I'm filling it out now!

How are you?

22 hours ago, raptron said:

Hahah, sorry! 

Oh don't worry! I'd be stressing anyway.  It's a good stress though.  I get panicked, but I am doing pretty much everything I can, and at the very worst, I can say "すみません。私の日本語はとてもわるいです。わかりません。ちょっとまってくでさい。".  Which should translate to: "Sorry/Excuse me. My Japanese is very bad.  I do not understand. Please hold on a moment."
Then WHIP OUT MY PHONE, which will have a Japanese SIM card and use Google Translate to say, (or have them write) exactly what I need to say (or they need to tell me).
I am working so hard, and I am proud of the progress I am making.

Thing is, unnerving, and wonderful... it's not just learning Japanese that I need, I need to make a few more sample puppets for a workshop/panel I am teaching/running at a Doctor Who convention in a month, which is sort of my Doctor Who-y dry run for a workshop I am running in Tokyo.

I think this weekend I will work in my studio while NHK Learn Japanese podcast plays in the background.

20 hours ago, raptron said:

Welcome back and congrats on your super exciting opportunity! When do you take off?

6 months!  I have 6 months to learn Japanese and get much more flexible.  6 months is a doable time, and I am working on it daily.

Wait, it's half February now.

I have 5-and-a-half months.

Well, poop. Now I'm stressing.
私は慌てます。

3 hours ago, Manarelle said:

Welcome back. Travel is a delightful thing, disruptive though it is. Congrats on getting to go back to Japan, that sounds like an amazing opportunity. May I ask what website(s) you use? 

 

I don't have any insight to yoga, but I believe several assassins do it diligently. Our fearless leader is compiling a "phone book" for this challenge, so that should be a good resource once released. 

Ooo... can you link me to the post on this phone book?  I am rubbish at forums, but I love a fitness-minded community and support group!

Websites I'm using:
Duolingo for free (it's still new, and not great, almost too gameified, and their nag ads are all "pay us to use the app without ads", rather than offering more support or content.
Memrise: I'm paying like 35$ a year or something for.  It's great.  I am studying 4 different strands of Japanese lessons at the moment, having compleated two others.  And I love their setup, listening skills, speed reviews, strands on kanji... good stuff. And a great deal.

JapanesePod101 (dotcom): I am PAYING for this one.  I think the regular price is 250$/year, and I got it at 40% off or so.  The website takes a bit to get used to, and there are banner ads everywhere reminding me I can buy what I already just bought... but it comes with Sara! My tutor!  An actual human who I chat with every day and answers any questions I have.  It's fantastic.  I direct my own progress. 

Right now my routine has been pacing (so I'm not sitting) during my lunch hour and having study sessions on my phone apps.  Then I sit at a computer with Jpop101, write/respond to my tutor, and study a bunch of flashcards.  Jpod101 tracks my "time studied" and of course it's low because it doesn't count my working on a Japanese phrase for Sara, or the time I spend on my apps, but that's fine.  I know that I've studied at least what it says I have.  

Okay!  Now I am off to pace around and study, then eat my little bento of 3 inari (tofu pockets of rice with seasoning) and cucumber daikon salad (and there are two more sets of this in my fridge at home for the rest of the week)
 

I am back!  I need to work on follow through for this sort of thing!  I've fizzled out on my last challenges, but travel had a bit to do with that.  Travel exploded my world in the most delightful of ways.

What are my goals for this challenge?

Be vegan for a month.  I've done it off and on, and I just want to try it, actively, for 4 weeks.  I rarely do dairy, so it's not too far a jump, but being vegan forces me to focus on what I am eating, and I often am making my food anyway.

Tonight starts 4 weeks of meal prep!  In the Japanese bento style!  I'm going to make little bento for my lunches each week, see how that works.

Why Japanese? BECAUSE I AM GOING BACK, MOTHERFATHERS!  I got a scholarship to go study Kuruma Ningyo puppetry there, attend a giant international puppet festival, and teach my own workshop in Tokyo!  I am literally vibrating with excitement... but I don't speak Japanese so hot.  I mean... I do alright, but not "hot".  I have a subscription to a learning website (multiples, really), a tutor, and rampant ambition.  I want to clock 10 hours of study a week, at minimum.  This is not so much, but also a lot.  I need to find where it fits in my routine.

I joined a Doctor Who themed mini challenge which is about running around looking for The Tardis (oh, my hearts) and that will keep me physically active. Though on dreary winter days I am going to stay in a do yoga.  Anyone have a suggestion for a good yoga class app?  Or youtube video series?  I had Yoga Studio, I bought it any everything, but they clawed it back and now want more money via subscription, which makes me want to watch it all burn.  Not very enlightened of me, I know.  So I am open to suggestions.

Alright, a day late to the party, and I must dash, but I am in!  What are you doing?

This is game I play all the time. I am so in.

I woke up an hour early today and went for a run! (A run-walk-run-inhalerhit-walk-run)  It was great!  I am going to try to do that.  It makes me feel better about everything, because even if I get home after work and do NOTHING BUT fix dinner, draw some stuff, and watch Stranger Things, I will have still DONE SOMETHING, and BEEN ACTIVE today.  Going to make that a thing, I hope.  I'm kicking a cold, so my asthma has been extra evil, but I still did it.

Also, being vegan is surprisingly easy.  I've "cheated" (I don't use that word) because I don't want to be a dick. (I was given a "regular pancake" at brunch the other day rather than a vegan one, and had brunch with my NASA friend to talk about Spacejunk (!!!) and had a vegetarian option, but there were eggs involved, and I don't care.  I'm not needy, but at home, where I eat most of my food, and lunch I bring to work: all vegan, all the way.

I'll keep this up mostly after the challenge is over.  Rather than "vegan", though, I'd say I'm on a "plant-based diet", they sort of mean the same thing, but I'm not going to be angry about it if someone gives me goat cheese they made themselves at their farm, which totally just happened.  And I will use that stuff next month (I've frozen it for now). But my diet is largely plant in origin.

Spacejunk is not on hold, persay, but I've been finishing a comic before throwing myself into it.  I made a puppet in a master class last weekend, so my skills are honed and accurate... just need to get this Japanese application finished... UGH, WHY AM I SHY?

Anyway, those are some updates.

Also.  I made vegan curry pie.  It's kinda the best and simplest winterfood ever.

Hello!  I am vegan!

I still can't run for beans.  Or maybe I should!  Beans are great!

I'm not building yet, but I am planning applications for travel abroad to learn and to make Spacejunk next spring... work work work prep prep prep.

Tomorrow I am doing 24 Hour Comic Day, a few weeks late because I've been travelling.  Probably going to do a sort of journal issue about meeting Peter Capaldi, or another Spacejunk bit... but as much as I like prepping SJ, I did that last year for 24HCBD, and people keep asking me about the Capaldi Kerfuffle, so I think that's where my heart is at.  We'll see tomorrow through Saturday, I guess.

I fell off the internet again.  I do that time to time, it's fine.  Usually due to traveling, which I am not doing for the next month, so CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!

I could write for days, because I am a verbose motherfather, but I'll bullet these.

I have a big project coming up to overtake the next 7 months, it's called #SpaceJunk, and it's a filmed puppet show.  I hope to spend my free creative time building the puppets and set pieces for that show.  There's no way I'll be done in a month, I want the build done by mid January, but I also want to travel to Japan for New Year's if I can swing it.  So I am hunkering down, which saves money, and building puppets, which doesn't save money, but doesn't spend it either.

Oh!  I figured out what my "and more" is.  To help me get to Japan I need to apply for a special scholarship, but this involves writing a letter to a Japanese sensei and asking to come and study with him... in Japanese. Not my best language (though I am not hopeless, but I am super super basic). 

So where was I?

Number 1.  SpaceJunk building.

Number 2. Scholarship Application.

Number 3?  Oh.  I want to be vegan.  I've been vegetarian for half my life now, so it's not a huge shift, but I am curious how cutting out eggs and dairy will affect my energy, health, etc.  I'm not going to be an ass about it.  If at someone's house for dinner, etc, I'm not going to demand a list of ingredients, etc, just sticking to the basics.  But at my house, it's animal-free.  Let's see how this goes.  Really, it's mostly just cutting out eggs and cheese for me, which I don't do much of anyway, but it'll be nice to pay more attention anyway, can't hurt, right?

and Number 4.  Running.  I passed someone on the street today running and I miss it.  I want to get back into it.  I think twice a week is a fair start, three if I can swing it.  I have so little free time.  Maybe I'll even commit to once a week in the morning, see if I can become a morning run person (I really love the idea of that, but I SUCK at the follow-through there... so... let's make it part of the challenge!)

Okay, that's about it for now.  This starts tomorrow!  I'm excited.  I like being excited.

Hearts and Stars!