Sky airplanes, in flight.

It's official. September 26th, 10:10AM my feet leave the earthy michigan soil and don't touch down again until December 22nd. I cannot wait. My eyes have been on the prize. And, when you come see me in Japan, Call me 'Andre' as per my International Student Identity Card.

Traveled home this weekend, very busy. Saw good people, had good times, ate good food; it gave me what I needed.

I noticed a strange immunity one seems to share with their family. Did I use the glass left on the counter out of laziness? No. I used that glass because since it was family, it was clean. There's almost a desire to share germs with family, same way you share rumors.

Ann Arbor smells better than here. So many trees, a more familiar smell, more familiar allergies. And now, pinball!

Babies cry and cry and cry. It hurts my head for six hours on a bus. And I was stuck in Pokemon.

55 days........................................................home/north/aa.
100 (count 'em) days.................................fukuoka, japan.

3 days RE:4 Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.(!)

Rule #5 If there is any food left on your plate you will be charged $5.00 each

It is very difficult to get full by eating sushi. Usually it's just too expensive to eat alot. A location in Chicago seems to have that problem solved. $13.95 all-you-can-eat sushi, order any type of their deluxe rolls.

In following with their American theme of eating as much as one possibly can at all times, their menu includes many "contemporary" styles of sushi.

So what's the catch? 8 simple rules that range from not letting anyone with allergies to order the buffet to punishing you for having bigger eyes than stomaches.

My recommendation, don't go with some chick who claims to be a fat ass then completely pusses out on her last 12 pieces of sushi. After eating approxiamately 3 feet of sushi, you will not feel well the rest of the night.

I bought some movies and went to Shedd Aquarium as well this weekend. I'm glad I've had friends that have come to visit the last two weekends, otherwise I would be out of my mind. 10 weeks to go; but, who's counting?

I'm gone...to Chicago

I am now moved in to my apartment in Palatine, Il. It's about 1hr from downtown Chicago by train. The apartment is huge with lots of nice features and my employer is subsidizing the rent.

I feel that this is a good stepping stone for me to get ready to go to Japan. For one, it is my first opportunity to live outside of Michigan and in a different time zone (both of which I will have to face again). Plus I'm making the money I need to finance the trip.

I found out on friday that I have been awarded another scholarship for Japan, that's exciting and will allow me to go a bit more deluxe with my new laptop and camera.

It turns out my passport is expired. So that sucks. I'm gonna go to the post office tomorrow and get the ball rolling on that. I've now had to get like 3 different sets of passport photos because I've needed them for different reasons.

I'm not sure what day specifically I leave for Japan. It's makign it very difficult to keep my day-to-day countdowns that I like so much. So in the meantime:

-----Days until I move back to Michigan: 85 (that seems like alot, I guess 12 weeks)

In conclusions, I really want to figure out what my schedule is going to be like for the summer.
I really need to start studying Japanese again (so far I have set up my desk and brought out my box of Japanese things).

This summer is just starting so much different that last. Last year I rushed out of Ann Arbor and moved back in two weeks later saw everyone in Ann Arbor, Rochester friends were still in Rochester. This year I took my time leaving in Ann Arbor, then moved to Rochester, then moved to Chicago and my Rochester Friends are all in Ann Arbor this year. I just feel like I don't know anyone here (I actually don't, though) and that I'm going to be racing off to Japan so soon. There are many people I worry I'm never going to see again. It's hard to deal with right now.

First Post

This is meant to be a test.