So yeah...

This irritating word was popping in and out of my head all day...
"blog...blog..."
I thought it was some alien expression from a past life.
Until I remembered this.

So yeah.
Basically I've been busy. It's our vacation now, a bunch of humans came to hang out at my house. It's cool having people everywhere you look. It defeats the lonely feeling.
But for some reason it makes you miss other people more.
Nothing works, ay.

Yeah well, basically there's been a lot to blog about, but I make it a point not to blog about the especially blogworthy topics, cause that'd be too easy on my brain; almost like cheating.

I love you.

Bits and Pieces

I vaguely recall saying something about how it was annoying that so many people were latching onto blogger, simply because they weren't aware of any other options. Now there are so many blogs of family members that look exactly the same. I, for one, would want a signature layout...something to establish my individuality (however lame that may sound, it's too true to ignore).
So I did a little research, and I've put together the following information, which I will title:

ADVICE FOR NEW BLOGGERS:

Not that I think I'm capable of giving anything that could be called "advice"...God I hate that word.

1. FIND SOMETHING NEW. Almost everyone has a blogger account. Do something different. May I suggest the following sites. I haven't used them, myself, so there may be a feature or two difference among them, but it's worth it to look different.
www.blogsome.com
www.blog.com
www.livejournal.com
To name a few. You can easily do a google search for more stuff.

2. IF YOU ARE GOING TO USE BLOGGER, CUSTOMIZE YOUR TEMPLATE. Don't settle for the default templates. And certainly don't persuade yourself to ignore the the annoying navbar and blogger button that rape your website, because you don't NEED THEM.

To get rid of the navbar, follow these simple instructions:
Click the TEMPLATE button. Scroll down to
/* Footer ----------------------------------------------- */

Below this section, there should be something that reads "/head" and "body"...both enclosed by <> those thingies. I can't add the raw code otherwise my post swallows it.


Use your thrifty fingers and insert so that it looks like this:








To get rid of the Blogger button, follow these instructions:
Find the code that's highlighted in the following screenshot:

DELETE IT. Yes, all of it.
Viola. Sayonara annoying blogger associates.

WE ARE FREE.


Maybe I'll waste time typing out the rest of my tips later. Cheerio.

Getting to KNOW ME!!!

True is red, odd is blue. I didn't know about some of it, it sounded kind of fishy to me...and some was about "relationships" and stuff that I wouldn't know so much about. Besides, if it was all true, I wouldn't want it to be such common knowledge. Heehee.

Name: Florence
September 27 1989
Hachioji (Tokyo), JAPAN

Rising Sign is in 23 Degrees Sagittarius
You are known for being open, frank, outgoing and honest. At times, though, you are also blunt and quite indiscreet. Others have to learn not to take everything you say personally, because you usually do not mean any harm. You appreciate living your life in a straightforward and simple manner -- you dislike social niceties and consider them to be hindrances to real communication. You have lots and lots of energy and tend to become quite restless if you feel confined. You demand the freedom to do as you choose -- you must be self- directed or you feel trapped and anxious. With your abundant energy, you enjoy being outdoors, and you should be attracted to physical exercise or to those forms of sport which can help you burn off some of that excess energy. Very gregarious, you love to socialize -- your innate enthusiasm livens up any gathering.

Sun is in 03 Degrees Libra.
Very sociable, you enjoy being with others and definitely prefer not be alone. Warm and affectionate, you go out of your way to make others like you. You despise ugliness, for you being surrounded by beauty and harmony is a necessity of life. You prefer fine clothing, an attractive home and pleasant surroundings wherever you are. Your refined tastes apply to music and to art as well. At times, you are very indecisive you waver and falter when forced to make a choice because you have the ability to see both sides of any question. The positive part of this is that you are very fair-minded and can be trusted to settle disputes. Your greatest challenge is to take any one- on-one encounter and make the most of it.

Moon is in 03 Degrees Virgo.
You tend to be serious-minded but cheerful for the most part. You need tasks that engage both your mind and your hands. A careful worker, you enjoy making things. You are neat and orderly, and are very concerned with good health habits. Fastidious to the extreme, you cannot tolerate messes and will immediately clean them up. Reserved, shy, and very self-critical, you tend to be very hard on yourself. You usually will go out of your way to be helpful and useful to others. Practical, reliable, efficient and conservative, at times you are a bit of a prude. You are known to lead a simple, uncomplicated, frugal, methodical and unemotional lifestyle (HA???). You are devoted and caring to those you love.

Mercury is in 29 Degrees Virgo.
Very thorough and efficient, you pay attention to the minor but important details of any project. You are a careful thinker who can learn complicated, intricate techniques. You are attracted to practical, useful skills and are probably good at working with your hands. You are very critical of yourself and others, sometimes too much so, and you get the reputation of being a nag or of being nit-picky. Your first reaction to any situation is to try to organize, classify and analyze everything!

Venus is in 16 Degrees Scorpio.
Your feelings about others are deep, powerful, intense and complex. When you like someone, you do so totally and obsessively if you do not like someone, they do not exist. Your faithfulness and loyalty to your lover is unquestioned, indeed at times it is too much so -- you get so possessive that you almost smother your partner. At times, your feelings are kept deep within you and, because they are so complex and intense, they frighten you -- this is the way that you try to ignore them. But the more you try to do this, the more explosive things get when you eventually do express them.

Mars is in 04 Degrees Libra.
You are very aware of the need to cooperate with others in order to further any effort. You are usually willing to compromise with others, although you can be quite competitive in a friendly way. Very fair- minded and impartial, you have the ability to sense injustice and the desire to take corrective actions to make proper compensations. You see both sides of issues and questions, but you tend to be undecided or wavering when forced to make choices that might make you vulnerable or unpopular.

Saturn is in 07 Degrees Capricorn.
Very serious-minded and mature, you have the ability to take on responsibilities and to carry out important duties. You can also be trusted to be extremely practical and thrifty. A good organizer, you are the ideal one to be counted on to take a clearly defined project through to its logical conclusion. An achiever, you pride yourself on your ability to focus your attention totally on some worthy goal and then attain it. (I don't really know...actually. It's all a little strange to me. Maybe sometimes.)

Uranus is in 01 Degrees Capricorn.
You, and your peer group as well, seek out practical solutions to a changing society's attitudes to customs, traditions and authority structures. Your logical and orderly manner of dealing with these matters will result in permanent and carefully planned, but sweeping, reforms. (If you say so.)

Neptune is in 09 Degrees Capricorn.
You, and your entire generation, will idealize work, practicality and the ability to attain reasonable goals. But, because you will also stress the need to be selfless and giving, you may find it difficult to attain your goals unless you have lowered your expectations on all fronts.

N. Node is in 25 Degrees Aquarius.
As long as someone else (or a group or organization) appeals to your intellectual sensibilities, you'll try to ally yourself with them in some way. You may find that you always seem to get involved with many wide-ranging groups -- so much so that you find it difficult to fit them all into your busy schedule. Your many friends and acquaintances provide you with needed stimulation. You're loyal and fair-minded -- you try to spend time equally with all your friends, never concentrating on just one or two for any length of time. Although probably quite conservative yourself, you're attracted to those who are a bit offbeat or eccentric -- you enjoy watching their minds work. (SO NOT TRUE!!!)

I Insist That You Watch This

Here, brush up on your Japanese. I'll wager you won't be sorry...
Turn up the volume too.

Niiiiiice...

Hanging out in an English nudist garden

By Richard Savill, The Telegraph

WANDERING around beautifully tended gardens has long been one of the great pleasures of an English summer for keen nature-lovers.

On Friday they were busy admiring fe atures including the herbaceous borders, ornamental pond, rose beds, waterfalls and well-trimmed lawns of Abbey House, a former monastery in Malmesbury, Wiltshire.

However, that was not all that was on display. The visitors themselves had taken off their clothes and were following the example of the owners, Ian and Barbara Pollard, by baring all.

The Pollards, labelled "the Naked Gardeners" in BBC television's Gardeners' World, opened their two-hectare garden for the first time to fellow n aturists.

They made clothes "optional" for the day and, as the rain held off, more than 200 of the 250 visitors stripped off.

"It was no different to what people normally do with their clothes on," said Mr Pollard, 60. "They brought blankets and picnicked by the river; they walked everywhere, appreciating the plants and all the colour we have. Those who kept their clothes on didn't seem to be adversely affected."

The Pollards like to wear only boots and gardening gloves when they do the planting, because they find it "liberating".

Mrs Pollard, 53, a former model, and a mother of three children aged 18, 13 and nine, said she organised the optional clothes day to "explore attitudes to something that has become mixed up with sex".

Following the couple's appearance in a TV documentary about people who go to work naked, they said they had had requests from other naturists to join them.

"We had endless emails asking if we could share the garden and if we could take our clot hes off--and we thought, 'why not'?" said Mrs Pollard.

"I'm self-conscious about my own body and it took me a while to get my head around taking my clothes off. Now I feel liberated doing it and I think 'why does it matter'?"

She added: "When you're out there with a gentle breeze on you, every last hair on your body feels it. You feel completely connected with the natural world in a way you just can't in clothes."

Visitors who wanted to take off their clothes were escorted by stewards f rom the Council for British Naturism so they could change in the tea room.

One of them, James Longton, 46, who travelled from Cambridge to explore the garden naked, said: "It's been a lovely day. It's great that we can get together and explore something so beautiful without the restriction of clothes."

The Naked Gardeners

The truth

I tried being super honest with someone today.
You know how, you say things...but if you think about them, you know you know that that's not the ACTUAL reason, or that's not the ENTIRE truth. That's just what you've deluded yourself into thinking is the truth. Usually it's a pampered version of the truth...or a politically correct version of some inate selfishness.
So today I tried being totally unshackled. Free to actually THINK before I answered questions. I walked down the road of reasoning and traced everything down to its actual reason. I delivered such answers as:
"Yeah, well...basically I'm in it for me."
"What can I say, I'm horny." and
"I have an inferiority complex." (GASP, god forbid!!!)

It didn't feel SUPER cool. Like, I was expecting some awesome release. Some euphoric feeling that you get from finally telling the whole truth. Being unburdened, unshackled, as they say.

Basically, I don't feel so much different. If anything...I feel kind of worried.

Linky linky

Two new links: Rosie, who seems to have a wondrous personality (Hey! Like me! OSTENTATIOUS SMILE!!!)
And Haven, whose meek(y...oh what a lame joke)ness and songwriting ability I have always admired.

And why is it that everyone uses blogger? Blog is just as cool. Seriously, if you're going to start a blog, be original with a shorter url.

Thank You Jesus

I exploded today, and I ran outside to escape the fall-out.
I am a typical teenager with typically ballistic emotions and opinions. Hello.
But today, so many things went wrong.
I realized that I know so little. Little threads of reasoning end somewhere, and now the strands are dangling, and my life is only half sewn. I feel helpless, six feet down and ropeless.

The sky is brewing ink and smoke. The sand is wet, mingled with the spray of the waves and the recent rain. The house is just over the seawall.

I sit on the rocks and lean against the cement wall, looking out at the ocean. I don't want to analyze my thoughts, I'm tired of philosophizing about life; I'm tired of making educated excuses for myself.

Sea, wash over me.

I look up on the seawall. One of our cats climbed the seawall and meanders aimlessly thereon, like a white ghost against the the spines of pine trees. He doesn't seem to see me, as they never do, and sits himself just to my right, haunched over, barely moving, like an egyptian statue.
A bird moves to my left. He's strangely near my hand. I don't think I've ever had a sparrow so close to me before. He doesn't seem to see me either. But he hops on two legs in full circle, and seems to be chasing his own tail.
I shift my body to protect him from the beady gaze of the cat.
"Don't move, fella. He can't see you unless you move away."

I hate to patronize you with the obvious parallel, but it strikes me like a bolt of lightning.
Stay inside the Lord's shadow, and I'll be alright. It doesn't matter what lies beyond what I can see...
I'll be alright.

Yes, Lord.

Kids Rule

Today ended our first 3 day English Camp this year.
I'm wiped. With a very large and sticky cloth.
Steve and I had a little time to shine; a few hours where we were the only ones looking after a horde of 14 kids. Ideally, within the first five minutes, one kid had an accident and started howling, two kids started a fistfight, another kid started complaining of a fever, and the rest of the kids ran outside and started playing in the backyard.
It was super fun.
We just ended a barbeque. I had fun talking with the parents of the kids. There's this one kid that's SUPER smart (who I'm going to recruit for the Family, lord willing). He's a genius, I swear. I was talking to his Mom and I couldn't express how impressed I was by him. He's a young mad scientist.
Then there's this other kid who's super cute, but majorly vain. I totally loved him cause every time I got near him to take pictures, he would start posing with his hand in his hair, with these heavy, nostalgic looks on his face. He'd be like "is that a good pose?" and TOTALLY serious about it too. It got a little creepy. But I got tons of photos of him. I feel like a psycho.
It's great to be busy. There is no holier feeling than ending a day of frantic service for the Lord, and wanting nothing more than to drift into the arms of Morpheus (or Jesus, whichever you prefer).
If I should die before I wake, I pray thee Lord my soul will take.
Amen.

Split personality.

I visited Lils today.
I did this in the morning:

What Kind of Intelligence Do You Have?

Your Dominant Intelligence is Musical Intelligence

Every part of your life has a beat, and you're often tapping your fingers or toes. You enjoy sounds of all types, but you also find sound can distract you at the wrong time. You are probably a gifted musician of some sort - even if you haven't realized it. Also a music lover, you tend to appreciate artists of all kinds. You would make a great musician, disc jockey, singer, or composer.

And then I did this just now:

Your Dominant Intelligence is Linguistic Intelligence

You are excellent with words and language. You explain yourself well. An elegant speaker, you can converse well with anyone on the fly. You are also good at remembering information and convicing someone of your point of view. A master of creative phrasing and unique words, you enjoy expanding your vocabulary. You would make a fantastic poet, journalist, writer, teacher, lawyer, politician, or translator.

Weird.
Strange thing is, I don't think I lied on either...and I don't remember exactly what I said either time. Perhaps my mood influenced my answers.
Am I a musician one moment and a linguist the next?
Weird, I say.

Thinking about stuff, again

I contemplated posting prose on this site.
Just a bit of it.
But I don't think I will.

I picked up "Piercing the Darkness" again this afternoon; BIG MISTAKE.
I've already read it through twice, and every time I see it I pick it up and either consume select pages with my eyes, or I rant about it to the nearest moving object. It is a book that I could never hold a candle to in craftiness.

And the competition on the new Writers' Forum is leaving me sad. If anyone feels so inclined (and if you are a nice, un-spamlike godly gentle-human), sign up, read the stories, and vote.
Something of mine is included anonymously someplace therein.
You can't vote unless you sign up, but you can read.

All things change.

Today I was in a strange mood.
I was thinking about me, and life. Can't seem to do anything right. I guess this is why teenagers should be adaptable; not overconfident. Cause eventually the walls you've created for yourself are going to turn against you, and you'll find yourself the worse off for them because they actually start holding you back. It's funny how good intentions can decay.
Hey, but we've got the Lord. All things change but Jesus never.
I remember at my first Jett camp, Oli was giving us Jetts a class on that exact theme, and he was like, "Wow, that's always spoken to me, that one quote. That's something that I constantly find myself holding onto! Who else is like that?" And nobody raised their hand. I remember laughing because it was so funny...like he was alone in his own little problem.
I realized that he expected too much of us. We Jetts hadn't changed yet, we were still little happy kids. Things change eventually. Life gets tumultuous and we find ourselves faced with the options of learning from our mistakes, or reasoning with the same adolescent logic...
We often find ourselves making the wrong choices.
I know I've made lots.
And I know from here on in I'll make a lot more. Lord help me to be adaptable. Lord help me to learn. Lord help me to be weak.

Soulwinning, Prisons, and Risky Rick

The Activated Incentive program finally came to Japan...
And just when it does, I don't have time to go soulwinning anymore. Nuts.
Our show season started, and it won't calm down (not on the weekends anyway) until around the middle of September.
I used to go out and get 20 souls saved in a few hours, most of the time with Yosh, my trusty partner. Man, we were the team. We were like THIS (to quote a corny phrase of Ambie's). She's moving away, though. All things change. It makes me sad to think about it.
I want to go soulwinning, damnit.

Today we went for our show at the Youth Prison. So many boys. So many many many boys. These straight-faced, serious-looking youths LAUGHED when I said my age. Hello? What's wrong with you guys?

Yosh and I faced a groundbreaking day today, cause it was the first time that we sang our song together, anywhere. And it was the first time that it was sung at a public show (other than the livehouse). And I think we sang it considerably better today than I did at the livehouse (for lack-of-practice reasons that I just cannot resist pointing out).

There won't be any pictures because we weren't allowed to take photos of the boys. I mean, you know, get them in any of the pictures. Sucks cause we did this FANTASTIC show.

Basically it was all acoustic with Steve and Rick on guitar, and Yosh playing the tamborine. But our songs were awesome, man it's only the Lord. It's the spirit it's the spirit. We sang...damn I don't know the titles in English. The Search, the "whatcha gunna do when you blah blah 25" one, Our song, You are God's child, and Walkamile. This is aside from the dance part of the show. They rocked, man.

(We actually considered playing "I used to be a prisoner in a cell--" Imagine.)

I totally count it as turning over a new and wonderful leaf when I can totally forget whole LINES to a song and just smile and do a little dance.

And Steve played his kazoo. It was awesome. You look at the awestruck faces of the kids watching and you know they're thinking "Wow, he's gotta be a real master to play that funny flute without using his hands!" I mean, I guess it wouldn't occur to them that he'd be stupid enough to play something that doesn't require any skill at all to play. Needless to say, Rick, Yosh AND I were all beaming on stage, but the boys didn't seem to get the hint, they just kept staring dumbfoundedly at Steve as he played the guitar and the kazoo at the same time for the lead break.

Because I lost my red shirt I wasn't able to dance "Where is the Love" at the last 2 shows. We finally worked something out with the costumes and I was able to dance it again. As soon as I got up there I was like, "CRAP! I forgot it!!!" But thankfully I remembered it without a single mistake. Ahhh it's only Jesus.

I was seriously having a good day, aside from the fact that I miss my dear pals that I cannot reach, and I'm tired and hot and sweaty after laboring over computer work in the sauna computer room all afternoon. It's all good when you know you're working for the Lord. Great, great feelings.

Man of the day: RICK (kudos to Ambie for the photo. Heh) because he made a grand win at Risk. He's really happy about it (because it's only his second time playing Risk). I figure I won't be cool unless I'm happy about it too. YAY!!!
Song of the day: The Search

Coolest things I've heard all week

(Movie night)
Danny: Cool! I'm sitting between the CROOKED!!!

(Band practice)
Steve: Here, play the tamborine.
Me: My wrist is not so talented. Yosh's might be.
Yosh: No way. You're the pervert.
Me (scornfully): Player.
Yosh: Big difference.

August BO

My husband just now to an unnamed smelly fellow:
"Dude, that's unloving and gross."

Person of my day:
Mark (carried Michelle in the obi to Fujiya and back, in pouring rain. NOw that's Family Day)

Song of my day:
Say Goodbye--STEM

Hoi?

I'm being told that I'm a player.
Like, by four different people.
Like, a hundred times already.
Now I have begun to get a little irritated, as any one would if they are told something repeatedly. Especially something as disturbing as being a player.
What the heck is a player anyway? Help me out here.

Okay, if you don't want to give me the definition, just let me know: is it good or bad?
I'll trust you.

The Florence Thing: Elaina Style

1. First name: Elaina

2. Were you named after anyone?: Does a DTD song count?

3. Do you wish on stars?: Only the shooting variety.

4. When did you last cry?: Yesterday.

5. Do you like your handwriting? Not when I'm writing fast enough for it to be useful.

6. What is your favorite meat?: Chicken. Shrimp.

7. What is your birth date?: November 7th, 1986

8. What is your most embarassing CD?: A Nelly CD that Masa gave me for my 15th birthday.

9. If you were another person, would you be friends with you?: Doubtful. I'd like to think I'm a decent human, but I'm most certainly a lousy friend.

10. Are you a daredevil?: I'm generally a wimp, but I've been known to suprise myself.

11. Have you ever told a secret you swore not to tell?: Hasn't everyone? I have.

12. Do looks matter?: Increasingly, suprisingly, no.

13. How do you release anger?: I started to say that I'm your typical door-slamming, tantrum-throwing bitchy bitch; flaming, but harmless. If we're talking anger that's been pent up though(which it has to be before it's released) ...then that's a whole nuther animal.

14. Where is your second home?: Bayside, Chiba.

15. Do you trust others easily?: Sometimes. I'm cynical, but ridiculously naiive. That would make me the queen of misjudgement.

16. What was your favorite toy as a child?: Anything that glowed in the dark.

17. What class in highschool do you think is totally useless?: None. Even if you don't end up using or remembering what you learned, your mind always benefits from the discipline of studying.

18. Do you have a journal?: Kind of a journal/prophecy book/quote book...thing. Florence and I tried our hand at some abstract Pollock-ish paintings. I stuck them on the cover. They closely resemble bird poop.

19. Do you use sarcasm a lot?: I used to. I learned it from ALISA!!!!! (hahaha!) I try hard to squelch it these days.

20. What are your nicknames?: I'm not very nickname-able, thank God. But I've been called Ena, Oui Oui (Don't ask.) El, E, Lainee, and Elijah.

21. Would you bungee jump?: Hell yeah!

22. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?: Yes.

23. Do you think that you are strong?: Mentally? Physically? Spiritually? Emotionally? What is this question? Oh well: No, no, no, and no, respectively.

24. Shoe size?: 23.5-24

25. Red/Pink?: Pink

26. What is your least favorite thing about yourself?: The I-ness of my shyness. My insecurity, my selfishness.

27. What do you miss most?: My family.

28. What color pants are you wearing?: Black.

29. What are you listening to right now?: Crickets and Florence.

30. Last thing you ate?: Coconut pudding!!!!!

31. What is the weather like right now?: Like nighttime in August.

32. Last person you talked to on the phone?: Ryan.

33. The first thing you notice about the opposite sex: Their smell.

34. Favorite drink: Right now...litchi-chu with ice tea

35. Favorite sport: Figure skating.

36. Eye color: Dark brown.

37. Do you wear contacts?: 50/50 between glasses and contacts. My naked eyes are very nearly blind.

38. Favorite food: Tempura soba, GOOD oden, KFC, Alisa's cooking. I have this obsession with mineral water right now, but that's not a food, is it.

39. Last movie you watched: Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Sweet, but weak.

40. Favorite days of the year?: Tuesdays.

41. Scary movies or happy endings?: Scary movies.

42. Summer or Winter: Summer and naked people everywhere.

43. Hugs or kisses?: Kisses. But doesn't a kiss generally include hugging of some sort?

44. Favorite dessert: Anything soft and creamy, nothing crunchy or warm.

45. Where do you want to live?: Where He wants me. If I wasn't a missionary...Jamaica. Yehehe!!!

46. What books are you reading?: The books Michelle brings me to read.

47. What's on your mouse pad?: No mouse pad, just a grungy desk.

48. Favorite smells: Kinmokusei, green tea, good cologne, wet asphalt, whiteboard markers, beer, bread baking, new books, shoe stores.

Count the Lousy Metaphors

It never rains here. It pours and pours.

I'm going to thumb my nose at one of the looniest weeks in a very long time, by not writing anything more about it.
In fact, I'm going to go the distance and do the Florence thing, Elaina style. (how wrong does that sound?)
Hooray for trivialities! Knock my serious socks off. Burn my grumpy pants.

Yo yo yo

1. First name: Florence
2. Were you named after anyone?: Florence Nightengale.
3. Do you wish on stars?: No.
4. When did you last cry?: Singing "My Family" in front of about 100 fellow disciples...on my birthday, no less. Sept 27th, 2004.
5. Do you like your handwriting?: Not especially. But I don't hate it either. Gosh, the people that spend their time hating such insignificant things.
6. What is your favorite meat?: Jesus. Pork, if one must choose. Beef, coming in a close second.
7. What is your birth date?: September 27th, 1989.
8. What is your most embarassing CD?: I'm not embarassed...if I like something it's no one else's problem. If I MUST answer, maybe Feed My Lambs that I keep just because I sing on it.
9. If you were another person, would you be friends with you?: I think the real problem is...if I were another person, the odds are against me that Florence would be friends with me. Florence doesn't have many friends.
10. Are you a daredevil?: Uhhhh...I guess that would depend on your definition of the word.
11. Have you ever told a secret you swore not to tell?: Not that I remember.
12. Do looks matter?: Maybe.
13. How do you release anger?: Talk with someone. Write. Sing. Draw. Take a walk on the beach. Listen to music. Write a song. I'm rarely ever angry.
14. Where is your second home?: Mmmmmmmmm...I don't know.
15. Do you trust others easily?: Haha...no.
16. What was your favorite toy as a child?: A Barbie that was named Jasmine (by YOSH).
17. What class in highschool do you think is totally useless?: Math.
18. Do you have a journal?: Yes.
19. Do you use sarcasm a lot?: With people I don't especially like, YES.
20. What are your nicknames?: Flo, Florie, Florencer, Flor, Florry door, Floor rag.
21. Would you bungee jump?: Probably not.
22. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?: No.
23. Do you think that you are strong?: Hahahahahaha...ummmm...I don't know.
24. Shoe size?: 25
25. Red/Pink?: Red
26. What is your least favorite thing about yourself?: My...uhhh...I don't know how to put this into a neat and tidy answer.
27. What do you miss most?: People.
28. What color pants are you wearing?: Uh...what color is jean? Blue?
29. What are you listening to right now?: The sound of semis warbling outside.
30. Last thing you ate?: Heehee, a banana.
31. What is the weather like right now?: Well. It rained earlier today. Now everything outside is soggy. It's cool and...kind of cloudy.
32. Last person you talked to on the phone?: Tom.
33. The first thing you notice about the opposite sex: The way they laugh. The people they like. Their ulterior motives. The way they move.
34. Favorite drink: Creamy alcohol. Orange juice. Root beer.
35. Favorite sport: Soccer.
36. Eye color: Greenish blueish grayish. I've got big pupils. I look stoned all the time.
37. Do you wear contacts?: Nope.
38. Favorite food: Peter Rabbit cookies (people have asked me for YEARS what these are...and to be honest, I wouldn't be able to describe them because the memory of them is rather faded in my mind, but they were yummy.) Cheese cake, mentaiko french bread, creamy ice cream, bread with ham, cheese, mayonnaise...and good red wine. Instant ramen.
39. Last movie you watched: The Terminal.
40. Favorite days of the year?: Sept 27th, August 26th, December 23rd, January 1st (early early in the morning). For now anyway.
41. Scary movies or happy endings?: My intellectual dark side prefers tragedy to happy endings. But happy endings are good for me.
42. Summer or Winter: Winter.
43. Hugs or kisses?: Kisses.
44. Favorite dessert: Cheesecake. Whipped cream. Mochi. Ice cream. Cherries.
45. Where do you want to live?: If I wasn't a missionary...Italy.
46. What books are you reading?: Going through DB #1
47. What's on your mouse pad?: I'm working at a laptop...no mouse.
48. Favorite smells: Men's cologne, clean air, shampoo (I really get off on clean hair).

Damn, I just realized that I gave multiple answers to each of the questions. Heehee, what can I say, I'm a libra. First time I noticed it, though.

Birthday Present for Winnie

I know there are people who won't find these quite as funny as I do. But I live in Japan, so they hold an entirely new and real glamor for me.
Plus, I'm posting them for Win. Happy Birthday yesterday.
Click on the pictures to enlarge them. Some of them are pretty hard to read unless you do.

And this one is a tribute to Mash:

Thinking about my blog

I recently encountered quite a few people whom I did not know, had met briefly upon occasion, who confessed that they read my blog. Wow, what a shocker.
Some of them hadn't known that Elaina was blogging with me. Gee well, thanks a lot. But Elaina is the more clever one. Also, for the mentally challenged, Elaina's name appears at the bottom of her posts, and likewise with mine.

The cool thing is, I recently realized how far-reaching this blog is. Could it possible have negative repercussions on my life? I certainly hope not.
Perhaps I'm narcissist and self-absorbed. I hadn't admitted this to myself before, but I guess it's rather obvious if I have a blog. I mean, that's what it would be for.
But honestly, I think the reason I blog is because I have speedy fingers (you said it, Elaina), and too many creative juices to let go down the drain every day. So I wanted to put them to something memorable. Something I could look back on and...smile about. I never intended to have a huge reader society. I'm still getting used to it. (The clincher came when Miguel way off in the Western hemisphere somehow read my post about him. Haha, fun fun.)

But hey, El and I were thinking it'd be cool to know who reads us. You could...like...comment. Even if you think we know you read...or even if you don't read THAT much...you know. It'd just be cool to know how many cool people actually...know our names.
So like, shout out and sign your name, or something. Don't be shy. It's cool to comment.

It's my motto and it should be yours: It's cool to comment!!!

Win win

Hey hey, whaddaya know?
It's win win's birthday today. And that translates into HAPPY HAPPY DAY. Well, for her, anyway. And maybe the people who live with her. Because it means cake...and revelry (I'm sure, because Winnie is such a celebrated woman).
I have no photos to post, and no kind words to say, but these (and this)

Windy, you make my heart sing.
You are an evil woman with a sting
You can be mean, this is not nifty
But you are smart and you are swifty.
You are a mom, and that is cool
You are also very good at school
This is the worst poem I have written
I am glad my brother, with you, was...smitten?
So keep being raunchy, yeah, you show'em
Thankfully, this is the end of my poem.

I know you loved it.

You have fun, now.

Consult me for baby names. You know I've got good ones.
I'm still trying to get dibs on Rachel.

Bites

16 mosquito bites ALL over my legs. I've got this one huge mosquito bite that is actually three interconnected. Curse you, insect scum!
Phil is using Fruity behind me and he's making all sorts of annoying sounds, basically because he's playing the same loop over and over.
I'm very tired. It was freenight last night, I stayed up until about 3 and had to wake up at 10:00, which is not a normal wake-up time for freeday. I grumbled and grumbled all the way in the car; I get home and can't sleep because the computer addicts have nabbed my fan. My head is swimming.

But I'm happy.

Strangely, there are so many little things that should be making me angry right now, but there's one thing that manages to make me happy.
I feel like one of those weirdos with a static smile in some kind of foggy euphoria, head tilted slightly to one side, looking pathetic and clueless.

Oh well. I'm happy.

Death is just another part of life.

PETER JENNINGS IS DEAD?
He is not freaking dead!!! I won't believe it. I can't.
MAN I loved that guy!!! DAMN!!!

Fellow of the day: WAHHHHHHHHH

HE WAS SO HANDSOME!!!

Song of the day: The Hallelujah Chorus Frogs

Groucho Marx

Who are you going to believe, me or your own eyes?

Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

Room service? Send up a larger room.

Those are my principles. If you don't like them I have others.

He may look like an idiot and talk like an idiot but don't let that fool you. He really is an idiot.

I never forget a face, but in your case I'll be glad to make an exception.

A child of five could understand this. Fetch me a child of five.

From the moment I picked your book up until I laid it down I was convulsed with laughter. Someday I intend reading it.

You know I could rent you out as a decoy for duck hunters?

You've got the brain of a four-year-old boy, and I'll bet he was glad to get rid of it.

A man's only as old as the woman he feels.

Why should I care about posterity? What's posterity ever done for me?

Why, I'd horse -whip you if I had a horse.

Military justice is to justice what military music is to music.

Military intelligence is a contradiction in terms.

One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got into my pajamas I'll never know.

There is no sweeter sound than the crumbling of your fellow man.

I must say that I find television very educational. The minute somebody turns it on, I go to the library and read a book.

I have had a perfectly wonderful evening, but this wasn't it.

If I held you any closer I would be on the other side of you.

I must confess, I was born at a very early age.

I don't care to belong to a club that accepts people like me as members.

I was married by a judge. I should have asked for a jury.

Either he's dead or my watch has stopped.

Remember, men, we're fighting for this woman's honor; which is probably more than she ever did.

Women should be obscene and not heard.

Why was I with her? She reminds me of you. In fact, she reminds me more of you than you do!

Behind every successful man is a woman; behind her is his wife.

As soon as I get through with you, you'll have a clear case for divorce and so will my wife.

Well, art is art, isn't it? Still, on the other hand, water is water! And east is east and west is west and if you take cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like prunes than rhubarb does. Now, uh... Now you tell me what you know.

I married your mother because I wanted children, imagine my disappointment when you came along.

Whatever it is I'm against it.

A woman is an occasional pleasure but a cigar is always a smoke.

Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.

Oxymoronic morning

I woke up this morning to an oxymoron.
I'm ouchie all over, but I was really really happy. The most healthy happiness I've had in a long time.

I also realized that I am a very impatient person.
After the critical condition that left me able to do little other but hunt and peck, blogging has become unpleasurable. And my spelling has gone downhill. You know how you do things fast and do them right, somehow when you have to slow down you're not sure how to do it properly anymore?
Garbage.
I cannot blog about the livehouse because it's too long a story. I'll ask Ambie or El to do that for me. Ambie rocked beyond words, by the way. She was too nice to freely grumble with me all day long in order to keep me in a good mood. What a jewel.
Pray for me. I'm afflicted and invalid.

But my mind is happy.

Ouch

Ouchie ouchie ouch ouch THE PAIN





Person of the day: Garfunkel
Good seeing you, buster.
Song of the day: Tell me what do you believe...

Smoo and Me

I've heard a few veteran mothers insist that prime time for getting pregnant is immediately after you send off all your old baby clothes like bread on the waters.
If there's anything to that superstition, then conception is imminent.
Today Mark and I hauled and sorted through piles of teeny onesies and booties and bibs. He hauled, I sorted...and got sentimental about baby socks.
Michelle's such a big-girl (1and 4 mos.) now, waking up all happy from her naps and walking naked to the next room to find me, babbling about people she misses (Nina, Jesse, and Kelly) , and staying home with Grandma when we go to shows.
It's getting harder and harder to pretend she's still a baby, especially when she calls her dolls "baby", gives them a bottle, sits them on a coffee mug for a potty, and shushes them to sleep on their tummies.
She even refuses to say Mama anymore, not even to sing a song. She looks at me, all annoyed, and corrects me, "MoMEE!" Darnit!
Sometimes, secretly, I want another little wrinkly, wailing, spit-uppy one.
That's the way, Elaina, willingly doom yourself, why don't you.

It looks as though Mark and I will go to the Livehouse together tommorrow and Michelle will stay home with Grandma and Grandpa. She's been with Grandma for naps but it'll be the first time she's been away from me for the night, and she usually nurses to sleep, so please pray that she'll be able to go to sleep easily and that she won't miss us too much. Pray for Micah and Merry too.

Song of my day:

Someday--Sugar Ray
What decrepit memory banks does this stuff crop up out of?

People of my day:

Ryan, Rejoice, Windy, and Alisa

Brave preggy women.

"Sheesh! Get over it already, Mom!"

Dinner at Mash's Restaurant

Stop and smell the marigolds

Blogging about blogging about blogging about blogging...

I sat down here to write something, but it was so much easier to just sit, staring, sweating, and eating wilted nori, that I did just that for a few minutes. And a few more.
Now the nori's in it's rightful place and I'm here in earnest.
So...
I was wondering to myself today, why, exactly, it is that I enjoy reading other people's blogs so much. It's how I prefer to waste my time; Mark plays a computer game, I read a stranger's views on life. Both entertaining, both pointless.
Here's my conclusion: It's really mostly voyeurism.
How do I ease the guilt of having peered almost uncomfortably far into someone else's life, of having glimpsed little intimacies they would never confess to me if they met me?
I ease it by blogging myself. Offering bits of me up on the altar of the Crooked to pacify some other stranger's voyeuristic hankerings. Balance is restored, and all is well.
Also, of course, I don't exactly blog for comments per se, but it is nice to be assured that I'm not talking to myself. I wait especially for comments from people who DON'T COMMENT. (I hope I'm heaping some coals of fire on some heads here, AHEM!)
The truth is, obviously, that I'm a sucker for comments. I may as well come out. No point in playing aloof. I'M A COMMENT JUNKIE. Fine. I guess I do blog for comments. Loser.

Hitchhikers

Old-folks home show went nicely, and the hitchikers departed in two teams thereafter.
Floor-rinse and Jeshee as one team, Wreckage and Stever as the other.
Anyone who glimpses this, please pray that they get good, air-conditioned, sheepy rides. Easily.
Particularly Rick and Steve. If for some reason you only have time to pray for one team...eheheh...

Multi-purpose post

This post will serve several purposes. 1. Letting you know what I'm doing today, why I'm really too busy to be doing this right now 2. Why I'm typing with two fingers 3. and To post a photo of Uncle Francesco.

So we have a show at 2:00, then Jesse, Rick, Steve and I are splitting up into two teams for our hitch hiking trip to TNT home (the land of bloggers Niki, Ambie, and Aich), to attend rehearsal and livehouse on the 5th. It promises to be a long day.
I should be packing, but I checked my e-mail and found that Windy sent me this blogworthy photo of Fran looking very happy and healthy.
He's usually more handsome. I think he's kind of disshevled here. The beach does that to you.

I'm taking forever to type this because I'm using two fingers (commonly known as Hunt and Peck, like Elaina) because I have a nasty rash on my fingers for which I am currently caked in medication, and i only have two finger-tips free of the gooey stuff. Nuts.

Francesco
Courtesy of Win win (It's a win win situation)

No! In the name of Jesus, NO!

Florence seems to be taking over this place. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
So, here is my sad little token post about nothing, with no pictures.

It's a steamy day today. The kind of day when people are having mental meltdowns because of the heat, and the toilet paper is wilty and wet on the roll.
A room with three computers and three incandescent lightbulbs makes for some seriously oppressive heat. Then Florence comes and steals the only struggling fan. GReat.
I have no wish to stay here any longer.
Thank God for the shower. A shower can cure even the most wicked of my moods. Amazing grace.


Song of my day:
The Search
I must've heard this muffled booming from the studio about 300 times today.I've gotta hand it to those guys, they're diehards. On their freeday, no less!

Person of my day:
Whichever sick puppy keeps turning on the HEATED TOILET SEAT!

Sad

Luchi's blog seems to teem with such a happy family. It makes me feel fuzzy and warm, and lonely at the same time. Golly, I wish the people that I cared about the most would come around now and then.
And then she came and made this post.
It's exactly what I mean to say.

Anonymous people have ALWAYS bugged me. I've always hated them. Even if they were just submitting an editorial someplace, and even if they were saying good, agreeable things, I couldn't help but get just a little bit angry reading that anonymous word. Why would anybody want to be anonymous? Why would anybody want to partake of something that doesn't affect them?
Even when people added me to their chat lists and wouldn't tell me who they were. When they made me guess; damn I hate that. I really do. I wish there were some word one could use to effectively convey: "I do NOT want to play this game, I will HATE YOU if you make me do this."
Sad that there isn't.
And if we think really hard, I think we realize there are no winners in the "anonymous troll" game. It's not as if anyone's ever going to listen to you if you present your opinions on a tag that basically means "nobody". So what's the point?
I used to be one of those trigger-happy kiddos that would run around and argue with any evil person. Whether they be bored ex-members that had nothing better to do but post disgusting insults as "anonymous" or meanies with "the wrong opinions".
Not so much anymore.
Now it makes me sad. It makes me really sad. I don't know why it makes me sad. Maybe I'm sad for the person who's getting continually bashed, maybe I'm tired of reading what they're saying, maybe I'm sad for the troll who will burn in hell, maybe I'm sad because it's a psychological reflection of everything and everyone nowadays, or maybe I'm sad because of a mishmash of all of the above.
But it makes me sad. And being sad is not a nice feeling.

Dis and claimer

I just wanted to say that when we post photos we're not trying to show off any talent in photography. Just to show our multi-angular faces and our fun fun lives.
We have no talent. If ever a well-taken photo appears on this site, rest assured that it was not taken by us.
YO HO HO!!!

PHOTOS!!!

So here are the promised photos from our first two shows. (The third and fourth are not yet on the computer, because of the slackardness of our camera man, but they will be soon.)

The first is of Elaina, who is in her element here, leaking motherly qualities all over the place. Look how she bends over forwards (she would bend over backward if someone wasn't taking a picture) to flash this old woman a beautiful smile. I'm charmed.



And here is all of us, Jesse (otherwise known as Still Bliss), yours truly, Yosh (who is up there to look beautiful; notice how far she is from the mic. Sucks cause she can sing super good but we can never hear her. Whatever.) And Steve, otherwise known as...yeah.
If you avert your eyes to the far left of the photo, you can see Elaina, wearing a typically tired face.







You have no idea how long I toyed with the idea of cutting myself out of this photo. Oh well, it's the age of humility. And what would be the purpose for posting this photo if not to advertise my debut. HOORAY.


AND NOW, one more photo just for good measure. Below are Mark and Yosh, dancing Vida Loca at the aforementioned big Yaizu bash. Lo and behold, there is one cable television camera.

Rant: Rude Colors Needed

Once upon a time, a married woman and a hormonal teenager got together and decided to make a blog. They laid it out and then tried to decide on colors. What resulted was a rude purple that looks rather like the purple that you see right now.
I recently got all jittery and excited about rude colors such as purple and orange, and began to hope that perhaps there were other blogs that sported equally disgusting colors.
The only blog I found is the blog of this fellow, and, because I am almost sure he doesn't read our blog, I feel safe expressing my admiration for him. He is rather like what I hope to attain; honest, poetic, and courageous.
The only sad thing is that we two sites are alone in our snazziness. What is this fear the rest of you have? Must we be squeaky clean? Are we DOCTORS?
I'm not just fighting white here. These subtle, pale colors, and the easy soft blues and greens and stuff. Those are annoying as well.
LAUNCH OUT, I SAY!!!
I have yet to see pink. We would go with pink, except neither of us matches pink very well. But for your information, pink is not taken. But I know that after this post I will see an influx of pink sites because so many people read my blog and worship my every succulent word.
Selah.

Oh, and while we're on the subject, I'm adding the vivacious Mash to our links. Lives in my home, doesn't especially appreciate comments from people she doesn't know. Unlike us.
She doesn't update often either, but that may be a good thing. KUDOS, MASH! Let'er rip. Raze da roof.

Oh what a short post.

Yesterday was a big day. It had its highs and lows. But it's a good story.
Starts off with a big お知らせ for everybody because we have two shows to do, the big Yaizu one (filmed by cable TV), and a pay show in Fujieda.
My Dad and I had a conversation about clothes. Yes we did. It appears he's more vain than I am. *grin*
So he gave me a run down of the kind of clothes that look good on me and the kind that don't; it figures, being that I'm not wealthy or nothing, that I have a bunch of clothes that aren't exactly fashionable or vain, and as a result, don't look spectacular on me. Okay, don't look good at all.
So we get this plan for me to get rid of all my clothes that don't quite fit or that aren't very nice, and then we can do code red when I have like 3 shirts left, and hurry and get money for nice clothes from the home or some place when they realize what a situation it is. Yeah, sounds all good and all, but it's not exactly a fun thing to part with all of one's clothing. Especially when it's the middle of summer, all my nice clothes happen to be fall/spring shirts, and I don't want to swelter for a week until stage two of the plan falls into motion. I was kind of grumpy about it all, but then I decided that I may as well take the step of faith, and I spent the morning before getting ready for our first show getting rid of more than half of my clothes. Yikes.
So I was on a bummer. Get called for our last dance practice and I'm bitching about not being a good dancer and complaining about not looking nice on stage and not having enough clothes, and then bounce back (in true Florence style).
Some English teachers come and drop of bags and bags of forsake all right before we leave.
So Faith and Dad go off to do a sound check at the place where they're having the Bash, and they call a few times to make sure of our song order. We're running around wondering what songs to do. Initially we weren't going to do "Professor", because it's a song that I sing, and I don't do very well without GOOD blaring sound, good blaring monitor speakers...etc. So we were leery about it, on a huge concert stage.
Finally we decided to run with it. I said "I don't care if I screw up as long as anyone doesn't get mad at me afterward." So they seemed to like that and we went with Professor, Where is the Love, and Vida Loca.
And then Yosh and E make this catastrophic decision to freestyle clothing on "Where is the Love", rather than wear our costumes. Um, this poses a problem for me, because I don't have many clothes to "freestyle" out of. I'm running around going "is this fine? is this fine?" and getting one "no" after another, getting ANGRY, and I see the bags and just yank something out of the bag and put it on...
And I look at myself in the mirror and I'm like, "Oh my God...this is a nice shirt! This is...PERFECT!"
So I run out and jump in the car JUST in time, we drive down there, all get ready for our show...
And then we start. I sing "Professor" and of course I can't hear anything. Monitor speakers didn't help with anything except feedback. Great. What more can go wrong? I may as well wave at everyone on cable television. Howdy.
And then we go to do Where is the Love. Wow, I'm a singer AND a dancer. Hahahaha...excuse me.
So that was pretty good. That was our best show so far. The shirt was great. I was...like...whoa, total miracle.
And then we get home. Someone gets the marvelous idea for us to dive into the bags of clothes.
Just for your interest: I NEVER EVER EVER get clothes that fit me from these things. Maybe a shirt or two. That's all.
This time, I got an ENTIRE wardrobe. Can you say...miracle?
Five pairs of shoes, including two girlie sandals. I had been living off of ONE pair of tennies until this time.
Two brand new jeans. PERFECT FIT.
Three other pairs of pants. Including one pair of niiiice black ones. Fancy.
About 20 shirts.
So now I'm living in someone else's clothes...but I really couldn't care less. I'm so thankful...the Lord did the hugest miracle ever.
Before we call...he answers.

The show that night was wonderful. We all got free kakigori, someone stole my 500 yen coin but that's okay.
I HAVE TO GO GET OUR MOVIE. SORRY TO CUT THIS SHORT.
BYEBYE.

Double you tee eff MATE

Apparently, according to Ambie:
"My flaws are my best feature."
Or to paraphrase her exactly:
"Your flaws are your best feature."
(Just making sure).

???

Uncle Fran

I noticed something super cool about Uncle Fran.
I was in the dining room alone for about an hour, the lights were off, I was in the corner and no onw could see me.
The counter windows were open and the lights were on in the kitchen.
Fran came down stairs to help himself to a cup of cold water from our huge water cooler--he got a drizzle and a spat, proclaiming that the cooler was empty. He immediately forgets his lust for ice water and begins hauling pitchers of water from the sink one by one, filling the water cooler. At last, when this monumentous task is done, and he thinks no one has seen him, he closes the lid and leaves, without his water.
Being as I had nothing to do, and was in a reflective mood (why I was in the dining room in the dark all alone in the first place), I thought about what he did.
Okay, first and most obvious observation, I would NOT have done that.
Recently I've begun to watch him do these selfless things more often. We've always taken forgranted the fact that the water cooler was always full. I guess we never thought it required anyone to actually fill it.
So, okay, I've made little steps. Little ones. When someone gets home from buying milk and leaves it in the genkan, I swear I make this dramatic decision as I pass, stop and think for a moment, then retrace my steps and go to take the milk into the fridge.
I hope this stuff becomes a habit. I don't think I do it nearly enough.
Still, I was so impressed by fran that I have made him my man of the day.

Person of the day: FRANCESCO
It's so late, and I'm so tired after having done two complete shows today, standing and running around all day, that I will not go hunting for a photo of him.
I will blog about today tomorrow, and I may find a picture of him then.
Good night.