Nihongo ga scoshi wakadimas

I really want to invest in the Pimsleurs Japanese lessons. After meeting a Japanese couple in Tahiti and finding out that what few phrases I did know were spoken "With a perfect accent" I have a lot of faith in the system. PLUS, I remember all of it to this day. Of course, as would be evidenced by the title to this blog, I have no literate knowledge of the language, but speaking it alone would be very useful. I would like to speak it.

I would also like to take a Japanese Culture class, or even get a Masters in Japanese studies...but alas, what for? I think it could be a fascinating career jumping off point, but at the same time, I imagine I would either need to live in Japan or work there most of the time, and I like San Diego and love my hubby, so that would be difficult on us.

Of course, we still think that we would like to live in New York City at one point in our lives, and maybe we could extend that to Tokyo. What do you think, SPF?

At any rate, the Pimsleurs full course is upwards of $300.00. YIKES, I know, but it is effective, and so worth every penny. Of course, I have a LITTLE debt to pay off still from the wedding before I go and buy this course, but if it works as well as I think it will, I am going to get French next and then maybe Spanish as a refresher and Italian because I like Italy. Ooooh, and Greek. I would actually get them all. I would LOVE and have always thought about knowing multiple languages. It is what I rank among the highest intelligence skill sets. Probably because, based on how I have been taught, I am no good at languages other than my own. But this system is really good.

Blogging from PA

So, blogging can be cool because I am nowhere near my home, I do not have a journal present with me, and I can still post to my site and in some way contact my peeps.

I don't know what to write. I am in a training seminar for a Disaster Recovery software that my company bought. It is actually very versatile, but now I am afraid that I will be doing all of the training/compiling/writing/surveying etc. for the company. The project is technically my bosses boss' project, but what can you do? I am the low-totem-pole lackey. I don't really mind. I like project and problem solving, and if everyone else wants to be lazy and sit in their offices all day, no matter, at least I will have something to do. And probably a good amount of job security. I mean, who would want to get rid of the person that does their work for them? Not I. I imagine. I have never been in that situation. Then again, I hate delegating, because you get blamed when people don't do things correctly.

Take for instance the most recent audit I did. HUGE audit. I had five auditors reporting to me. In that circumstance you have to rely on your auditors to audit appropriately. Did they? Mostly, yes, but I come to find out that one of them broke my cardinal rule. NEVER blind side an auditee. If you have something that you think is a finding, tell them THEN AND THERE. This way, if they disagree, they can try and get you to reverse the finding and you can "discuss" until an agreement is reached. It is SO NICE. Everyone understands where they stand at the end of the day. My auditor didn't tell the auditee, didn't tell me they didn't tell the auditee, and gave me the finding in the report. So now I am trying to answer for my auditees and my report and calm the waters of disgruntledness to the best of my ability. Anger making. Of course, since my auditors don't REPORT to me, I can't do anything about this instance. Like, for example, taking him aside and flogging him until he utters "This is a finding!" with every lash.

Cest la vie. I try.

SO EXCITED!

My company holds an annual golf classic with important customers and suppliers as a bonding experience for all the big wigs.

Yesterday the long-standing photographer for the event canceled. The Marketing guy in charge asked around and somebody knew that I liked photography, so they asked me to shoot it!!!!

I AM SO EXCITED!! Of course, I am already on the payroll, so I won't be getting paid, per se, but I do get to spend the day at a golf course and beef up my portfolio. Plus, the next time they want a photographer for something, if they like my work, then they can just choose me!!

We shall see....

My Wings Feel Crinkled Today

And they itch.

Organized Religion

Okay, people, what are everyone's thoughts on organized religion? I have been spurred to thinking based on some recent comments that I have read in friends blogs, and now I am curious what my peers think.

Irony at its Finest

"You must remember this, a kiss is still a
kiss". Your romance is Casablanca. A
classic story of love in trying times, chock
full of both cynicism and hope. You obviously
believe in true love, but you're also
constantly aware of practicality and societal
expectations. That's not always fun, but at
least it's realistic. Try not to let the Nazis
get you down too much.

What Romance Movie Best Represents Your Love Life?
brought to you by Quizilla

I find this highly ironic given the current state of the nation. Also ironic that I have never seen this film and apparently it represents my romantic side...(I know, I know, it's a classic...) So now I will have to see it.

I VOTED!!

Jon Stewart would be proud.

Trick or What now?

This would be the first Halloween in memory where I did not dress up as something. All my life I have LOVED Halloween. It allows you to be something or someone you would otherwise not be. It can showcase creativity and craftiness and is just down-right fun.

This year, I did nothing. I was planning on going to see my sister in LA, but they had to work and I didn't want to intrude on their party on Saturday night. (Even though it probably would have been okay, it could have been strange.) So SPF and I stayed in SD and pretty much didn't do anything. We saw "Shaun of the Dead" and caught the end credits of "Napoleon Dynamite" (which, if you haven't stayed to the end, go back and see it again) and then headed home for some TV before bed.

I did make cookies. Lots and lots of homemade gingerbread and chocolate shortbread cookies. They were good. I have some to give to Kung Fu later tonight, but for the most part, I didn't really participate in the holiday this year.

Work was stressful for the last few weeks, and my health was starting to be affected, so I also didn't participate in SPF's pumpkin carving with friends. We have his on display in front of our house right now. If we had a digital camera, I would share, but alas...

At any rate, most things have been suffering right now because I have been working so hard and so much. Kung Fu, photography, writing, even reading are things of the past. I am going to try and get back into ALL of them this week, but you never know. I tried last week, too, and then got sick in the afternoons.

At any rate, no other updates. The cat is now fine, although he trusts us significantly less than he did before this ordeal. Mostly because we have to keep ambushing him to give him medicine, but that is over now. You try catching a perfectly healthy cat and shoving a pill down its throat without getting maimed in the process. Let's just hope he stays healthy this time.

Until later. I am back to blogging, at least. :)