Greetings Fair Readers ( Read more... )

That translating assignment I was given by the folks at my prospective new job turned out to be a pretty big generator of stress over the last month. I didn't realize just how much until I finished the thing yesterday, which coincidentally also lined up with me finishing most of my other major items of work just in time for a week long vacation ( Read more... )

I have cleared one more hurdle in the path to securing my next job. I went in about 2 weeks ago to take a competency test for the company that is looking to hire me. I was told that it would largely be a formality for me, but I made an earnest effort to prepare all the same. The results came back to me last week, and I was informed that I had ( Read more... )

Recently, in an attempt to get myself back into shape and restore my health somewhat, I have decided to try my hand at running. A friend of mine here did something similar last year and got great results, so I am following in his footsteps and starting off with the excellent Couch to 5K running program that is geared toward getting a completely ( Read more... )

I do have news aside from all the disaster stuff. Actually, fairly big news for me. About a month ago, I officially dove head first into the great mess that is looking for a job. Honestly, one of the reasons (admittedly one of the smaller ones), that I rode out my whole 5 years of JET was that I was clinging to the small hope that somehow, the ( Read more... )

Well, we're about two weeks through the crisis here in Japan. Things in my area remain largely unaffected. The biggest things going on right now over on the other side of the island are probably the rolling blackouts that are being held in and around Tokyo and the lack of various amenities in stores around the areas affected by the quake ( Read more... )

No doubt, you have heard of the giant earthquake and tsunami and ensuing nuclear meltdown crisis that have hit/are hitting Japan right now. Here is some information regarding that ( Read more... )

Lots of work coming in the next few weeks, but this weekend is relatively free for me. I'm chilling at home right now, in fact with little to do as snow dumps down from sky. So with a chance to relax, I have been hitting up some books ( Read more... )

I am in the final year of my JET contract. I rode it out for the full 5 years, thoroughly enjoying my time out here. It has honestly probably been the most eventful 5-year span of my life. During my time as CIR here, I've pretty much met all of the goals I had for myself. I've solidified my Japanese skills, I've picked up slew of other useful ( Read more... )

Wow, I haven't even written here yet this year. Well. Happy New Year! I managed to get this in just in time to prevent myself from blanking out an entire month on the LJ calendar. The longer I stay away, the harder it is to get back into it because I feel obligated to go back and cover everything I haven't been talking about, and that becomes ( Read more... )