About to Head Out!

I'll be leaving America in less than 48 hours, and I'm mostly packed and ready to go. I'm a little nervous, but mostly excited for this trip to begin! I've taken care of all the necessary things here, and I'm ready for a new and exciting path to follow.

When I arrive in the country, I'll still have quite a journey ahead of me until I arrive at my final destination. After I land in Narita, I'll take an express shuttle to Tokyo station. From here, I'll buy a ticket for the bullet train north to Akita. 4 hours later, I need to locate the Crypton Hotel, where I made one night's reservations. I'll be sure to take lots of pictures on my way, as well as of the hotel and my morning meal (so excited for their food!). Finally, I take a shuttle to AIU and get settled in to my new home for the next 4 and a half months!

Though this school is situated in the middle of the country, it does offer a bus ride to the main city of Akita. This is great for those who want to make the walk in the summer, or pay a 100 yen (1 dollar) for the quick 15 ride to town. It's quite a walk, but this would encourage me to get some more running in, and it would offer some time to appreciate the natural surroundings in such a beautiful wooded area. 

I foresee money being an issue with this trip, since I'm already spending so much to get to Akita. Web design is my "future" income source, so I'm going to consciously split up my spending: pleasure, presents, and personal. This is everyday spending, big trips to the city, and gifts I'm bringing back (not for YOU! haha jk it probably is you). With my yen-intensions (or yenshins haha) made in advance, I'll know when and how I can make a trip to Tokyo and other areas, as well as enjoy onsens (hot baths), baseball games, and the Akihabara (games and comics in Japan). Horay for budgeting! 

Ithaca Preparations

Like Odysseus in Homer's The Odyssey, I've returned to the land of Ithaca (thankfully, I'm not facing 50 young suitors who are trying to steal my wife). I'm here for a few reasons, namely to secure an apartment for August 2009- May 2010 and make sure Financial Aid is taken care of. However, I do plan on seeing some good friends and enjoying some weekend drunken revelry before returning home on Monday. I also plan to get some website/iphone sdk work done... or at least finish reading and watching all the tutorials. 

I was surprised how well I was able to travel today. I basically listened to music, thought about things, played video games, and worked on my MacBook for 11 hours. And I feel amazing! My heart's magma burns with fire! It really is surreal being back in APT 0302, almost like I never left!

A Week of Assignments and Coffee

As this week comes to a close, I question a few expectations and assumptions that I have before I depart for Japan. What will it be like to finally immerse into Japanese culture, from my train ride into Akita to daily life with the locals. What can we talk about, relate to the world about? Will it just be day to day affairs, or random facts about Japan? How about the food, bathrooms, public communication, going to the store? All of these things I take for granted insofar as I already know the culture and norms of America. I can certainly expect some difficulty at least with the transition to a new language for all hours of my visit, but I remain hopeful that my learning curve is great enough to help me adapt to this new environment. I see myself journeying through Japan with a sense of self-discovery and growth that will also stir some change within me. 

I downloaded a few software development kits today, one for Mac called GameSalad and another for the IPhone. These are necessary along with Game Maker the Adobe Creative Suite to increase my arsenal of tech skills needed as an entrepreneur. I am a little apprehensive about this role, but I'll remain confident and see where life takes me. 

As far as female companionship is concerned, I'm ready for new friends during this international getaway. I've never had a steady girlfriend, but I'm not looking for a hookup either. I just want to get to know what girls from around the world are like, to see if I can grasp it enough to be communicating friends. Just talk about homework, classes, and common interests. And when the japanese schoolgirl fantasy starts to materialize before me, I'll know exactly what to do.

Before this week gets started, lets see the report for today's Killzone 2 scores here.

Me: Unlocked Medic's Combine Ability.

Puffy: Great motivational support.

Gotwols: First on his Team's Leaderboard. Also, 93 in a match without the team win 1.5 multiplier. 

"The Man who approaches War with Sorrow and Compassion will be passed over. Swords will swing and bullets shot, but none will land on Him. With the Way to guide Him, he can never be Lost in Death."

My First Post!

This is my first blog post! Horay! In honor of this day, I'll transcribe what I've already written in my journal/ slice of computer paper. 

[This was hand written on 3/11/09] Relaxation and Preparation

I have 20 days to prepare for my journey to Japan. I can't wait to get there and start seeing a whole new lifestyle, a whole new world in fact! I know I've overburdened myself with preparation work: learning Japanese, practicing Street Fighter 4, and developing Mom's website must remain at the top of the list. I also planned to work through my game programming and design books, as well as spend a few days in Ithaca. My primary concerns there are to secure housing for the fall semester, check on my motorcycle, and visit some friends. [some sentences omitted] 

I'm going to work hard to see these goals met, while detaching myself from the outcome. If I finish or leave work to be done later, I'll know that I gave it my best! Haha easier said than done, I can already feel my procrastinating mind say, "You don't have to do it RIGHT now, go have fun instead." Fun is my balance to work, and they must each hold a strong sway in my lifestyle from now on.