続けてる。

Frodo: I can’t do this, Sam.
Sam: I know. It’s all wrong. By rights we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something.
Frodo: What are we holding onto, Sam?
Sam: That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo… and it’s worth fighting for.

Slightly off topic, but too important to not post.

下に、日本語版があります。
아래로, 한국어판이 있습니다.

In 2005 my Grandfather passed away from complications of Alzheimer’s Disease. He suffered from the disease for many years before losing his battle with it. It was a very painful progression to watch, and since his diagnosis my family has been active in supporting the Alzheimer’s Association and related causes.

Four years ago my family began participating in local Alzheimer’s Memory Walks. The first year we raised over $1,400. We immediately decided we wanted to aim higher for the next year and set our goal at a lofty $10,000. We fell short, but still reached a total of $2,400. Last year was a good year, but we still didn’t reach $10,000. We’re still aiming for that mark.

I sent this link to ask if you might be able to contribute to our goal or our personal mission as a family. I realize you are all probably busy and may give to other causes, but I figured it couldn’t hurt to ask. Anything at all would be greatly appreciated, be it the donation of money or simply words of encouragement for my family and those who support us. Whatever the case, please know that we appreciate your support.

This year, I will not be able to join in the Alzheimer’s Memory walk, as I will still be in Japan when the walk takes place, so this year, I would like to support my family as much as possible.

Thank you again, so very much.

http://memorywalk2010.kintera.org/columbus/chimie45

日本語：

2005年に、私の祖父は、アルツハイマー病の合併症から亡くなりました。彼の戦いを失う前に、彼は、何年間も病気に苦しみました。彼の診断以来、私の家族はAlzheimer’s Associatonを支持しています。4年前に、私の家族は、「Alzheimer’s Memory Walks」に参加し始めました。

初年度の間、私の家族はチャリティーのために1,400ドルのドルを集めました。その次の年のゴールは、1万ドルの私たちの目標をしました。 私たちは、それゴールのお金を増やすことができませんでしたが、合計2,400ドルに達しました。昨年、再試行しましたが、私たちはまだ1万ドルに達していませんでした。
私たちはまだそのマークを目指しています。

私は、あなたが家族として私たちの目標か私たちの個人的な任務に貢献できるかどうか尋ねるためにこのリンクを送りました。皆さんが、たぶん忙しいとわかって、他の原因に与えるかもしれませんが、私は、尋ねてもよいのを計算しました。とにかく何でもよろしくお願いします、私の家族と私たちを支持する人に対するお金の寄付か単に奨励の単語であることにかかわらず。私たちがご支援に感謝するのを知ってください。

すみません、私には、警護が本当に難しいので、私はインターネットから助けを使用しました。（笑）

今年、私は、「Alzheimer’s Memory Walk」に参加できないでしょう、散歩が行われるとき、私がまだ日本にいるときです。それで、今年、できるだけ一家の暮らしを立てたいと思います。

本当に、ありがとうございました。

http://memorywalk2010.kintera.org/columbus/chimie45

한국어:

2005년에, 나의 할아버지는, 알츠하이머병의 합병증으로 돌아가셨습니다. 그의 싸움을 잃기 전에, 그는, 몇년간이나 병으로 고생했습니다. 그의 진단이래, 나의 가족은 Alzheimer”s Associaton을 지지하고 있습니다. 4년전에, 나의 가족은, 「Alzheimer”s Memory Walks」에 참가하기 시작했습니다.

초년도의 사이, 나의 가족은 자선을 위해서 1, 400달러의 달러를 모았습니다. 그 다음 해의 골은, 1만달러의 우리들의 목표를 했습니다. 우리들은, 그것 골의 돈을 늘릴 수 없었습니다만, 합계2, 400달러에 달했습니다. 작년, 재시행했습니다만, 우리들은 아직 1만달러에 이르고 있지 않았습니다.
우리들은 아직 그 마크를 목표로 삼고 있습니다.

나는, 당신이 가족으로서 우리들의 목표인가 우리들이 개인적인 임무에 공헌할 수 있는 것인가 아닌가 방문하기 위해서 이 링크를 보냈습니다. 여러분이, 아마 바쁘다고 알고, 다른 원인에 줄지도 모르겠습니다만, 나는, 물어도 좋은 것을 계산했습니다. 어쨌든 무엇이든지 잘 부탁합니다, 나의 가족과 우리들을 지지하는 사람에게 대한 돈의 기부인가 단지 장려의 단어인 것에 관계 없이. 우리들이 지원에 감사하는 것을 알아 주십시오.

미안합니다, 나에게는, 경호가 정말로 어려우므로, 나는 인터넷으로 도움을 사용했습니다. （웃음）

올해, 나는, 「Alzheimer”s Memory Walk」에 참가할 수 없지요, 산보가 행하여질 때, 내가 아직 일본에 있을 때입니다. 그래서, 올해, 될 수 있는한 일가의 생계를 꾸리고 싶습니다.

정말로, 고마웠습니다.

http://memorywalk2010.kintera.org/columbus/chimie45

Favorite Pictures from Japan so far.

I’ve not put many (if any) pictures up here since I’ve arrived in Japan (cause hosting pictures and html is so much more time consuming than uploading to FB)

Anyways, I figure I’ll upload some of my favorite pictures from this year to date to the blog for anyone who’s not my Facebook friend to see.

Here we go.

During Eun Hye’s last week here in Japan, we decided to have a 勝負 (Challenge [lit. win/lose]) to see who could drink the most. We ended up having a really awesome time and took a lot of awesome photos. This is one of them of Moon and me wearing the beer boxes on our heads. As Carl says, Everything is a hat.

Everyone in Korea with our new friends Wandy and Kayoko (aka Hayako) on our last day at Lee & No Hostel. It was so much fun, and I can’t wait to go back to Korea (though this time I’ll actually speak Korean!)

Tom & Tom cafe in Seoul. I feel like I should open a store in BG. Perhaps I might need to find another Tom first.

Me and Buddha chilling in Kamakura. We took a bus trip to Kamakura a few months back (See, I should have been updating this blog a LOT more.. ugh) It was an awesome time, even though it was exhausting to travel that much. By the end, we just wanted to be home haha.

Back in January or Feb, not sure when, but Brett came to visit. Its one of the best pictures of everyone together. That and well, Jessie is being…herself. <3

Seba, EunHye, Carl, and I played around with our hair. It was fun. My hair just looks cool in this picture.

Back in December, right before Winter break, Oliver, John, Carl, and I went out to Ibaraki to visit my old host family and go out to the ocean. We dropped by an Onsen in 大洗 (Oarai) which was amazing. The trip was awesome, just to get out of Tokyo and see actual green countryside. It was much needed.

Back in November, was the annual school festival, called the Mutsume-Sai It was a huge three day carnival festival like thing where 1) everyone was pissed drunk, 2) All the clubs, organization, community stores, etc set up shops around campus and sold things. 3) lots of crazy shit went down. It was so much fun, It’s one lasting memory I’ll never ever forget.

There are more I could post of my personal experiences, but I’ll post a few of my non-me related photos.

(I’m rich in Korea!)

Scratch Graffiti on the streets of Seoul. People exclaiming their love for each other. Beautiful thing.

The first snow of the winter, and the Swede throughly enjoying it.

Oh Naoko….

Kyoto:

One of the greatests moment of my trip so far. The girl sitting right above the first A in NARA started making faces at me, and within seconds, the whole bus was going crazy waving, pointing and making faces, and boy did they go wild when I pulled out my Camera!

Fastest cat ever.

Oh, Japan.

Nagoya:

Fuji:

Bowling Green

8:35 PM

So I’m in BG for the weekend, before I leave for Japan, and I’ve been able to do so much! I have seen so many of my friends since I’ve been here, it’s been amazing!

I got into town at about 5:00 on Thursday, 2 hours beofre the game, I talked to my friend Chris before the game started, he’s in the marching band, so I got to see a lot of them. I got into the game without paying and without my student ID (cause I’m badass). I ran into my old roommate Mark, as well as my old friend Aaron while at the game. We hung out a bit, and on my way out, I was in contact with my friend Lucas and Jacob, they were at Japanese club, so I decided to stop in for a bit. I said thankyou to Akiko and Saito sensei, and then Jake, Luke and I all went to BW3s and had a few drinks, After we left Luke said I could crash at his place. I slept till 11:30, but I had to go to lunch with Mike Franks, the little brother of one of my friends from Freshman year, who is a freshman himself here this year. I then went to the union and hung out with all my friends from school, who all meet in the same place that they did last year. It was fun to see all the people who were there, and say some goodbyes. I then grabbed a few beers with different Michael, his boyfriend, and a few other friends. had a few beers, then we headed over to Erics house to have a party. –Which is where I’m at right now. Not many people are here yet.

The last 7.

Today is my second to last day of work. I’m not really sure what to think. Its less than a week until I leave, and I’m not sure I’m ready–I mean, I picked up my visa, I have my passport, I have all the -legal- requirements for me to go, and while I do still need to go shopping, it’s not even that, I’m not sure if I’m mentally prepared for the culture shock again. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’ve been dying to get back for the past 4 years, but at the same time, at this time next week, I’ll no longer be in an English speaking country, I’ll be thousands of miles from my parents and family, and truly be, on my own completely.

Yikes!

On a separate note, I was just discussing with my brother about using a program that allows me to access my PC at home (in Ohio) from anywhere else, given I have the internet. This means, theoretically, that I could leave my PC at home running, and use it while I was overseas. This would be a great help, as I have photoshop, word, lots of useful programs on my PC at home, but not on my laptop. I obviously could still use my laptop for things, but it would offer me great functionality to be able to have a server at home that I could access. It would even allow me to leave my external HDD, which is kinda fragile, at home too.

New Laptop

So last week I received my first paycheck from my new Job, and as a result went out and bought my new computer. It’s a Acer Aspire One. 11 inch (I’ll update with pics when I get home.)

I got this computer so I can update my blog, load pictures and stay connected (even with a webcam!) while on my trip. the laptop is small, which is nice to fit inside my bag, but powerful enough to do what I want with it. I’m pretty excited, it was $421.88 but it’s a higher-end of the netbooks. So, hopefully it allows me to do everything I want it to do while I’m in Japan, it was the first thing on my list of things I needed to do.

Just about 50 days left until I leave!

Countdown

Less than 75 days until I leave.

What?! Crazy.