I really need to put forward a better effort to actually write in this thing. I remember a few years ago when I was on Xanga, I would update every day. Sometimes twice a day. But lately, I've been slacking. I should be ashamed of myself. And I am. Bad Eiri.
The new year passed without incident. I'm not really one to attend crazy New Year's parties. Plus... the ones that people throw around here kinda suck. I don't even see how their "celebration" was any different than their usual weekend antics - they sat outside around a bonfire, listened to terrible music, drank beer, and screamed at the top of their lungs every twenty seconds. Not really my idea of fun. Maybe if someone put on some good music, I would consider joining in.
But it's not like I'm good friends with my neighbors, anyway. They bother me.
I finally got my ticket to the BUCK-TICK show at Zepp Tokyo about a week ago. And my passport book arrived just the other day. I was actually surprised about the passport processing time - I applied for it just after Christmas and it arrived in the second week of January. Super fast processing time. Good job, passport office! Last time, you kept me waiting for weeks... and weeks... and weeks. Anyway, getting that in the mail made me really happy. It kind of reinforced the fact that I'm really getting to go to Japan. Really drove the point home. I'm super excited. So excited that I just used the word "super" in a sentence without being sarcastic and/or facetious.
I've been taking Kage out for walks lately. He's not used to going out on a leash since we've always had a big yard for him to run around in, so he doesn't really know what to do with himself. We live right next door to a campground, so there are almost always cars/RV's/big trucks with trailers coming down the road and he freaks out whenever he sees one. But he's getting a little better. He kind of has no choice since by the end of this year, he won't have a yard.
Little by little since last year, I've been piecing together what I really want to do with my life and where I want to do it. It took quite a bit of soul-searching, but I finally know what I'm supposed to do. I'm leaving for Japan on March 20th and getting home on April 3rd, and the first thing on my to-do list after that is to look for an apartment in Los Angeles. It's finally going to happen. I'm going to get myself fixed up in an efficiency apartment somewhere in the city, find a job, and work toward my cosmetology license at Aveda. I'm dead set on this.
After Aveda, I'm hoping to go to CalState LA to get a Bachelor's in Japanese studies with a minor in Psychology. The really big dream after that is to attend the Chicago School to work on a Master's in Forensic Psychology. I'm very excited about it. Like, extremely excited. So excited that I wish I could fast-forward five years and be at the Chicago School right this very second. It's really the university of my dreams. I haven't quite decided what campus I want to attend, though, because I'm still not sure if they're going to have a Master's program out in the new LA campus by the time I'm ready to apply. If not, I might just have to spend a few years in Washington (that's D.C., folks).
It feels weird trying to sum up all of my academic aspirations in one paragraph, but there it is. It feels great to finally have a direction in life. The really tough part is going to be packing up my life here in Arizona and moving on to California. It's something I've dreamed about since I was a little kid, but I've only just decided to act on. Chances are that I'll have to take on some dead-end entry level job at a fast-food restaurant, but if it pays the rent, I don't really care. It's a means to an end. It'll take me a year to get a California cosmetology license, but it'll be well worth the effort because after that, I can get a better job doing hair and makeup while I'm working on my Bachelor's.
Certain people don't think that I can do it. I won't call them out here because I don't have a clue who reads this blog. I know it's going to be difficult, but these days, I'm ridiculously optimistic about the whole thing. It's going to happen and I'll be taking the first step before this year is out. I've never wanted anything this badly in my entire life and I'm damn determined to make it happen.
Whew. Feels good to get all that off my chest.
Bedtime now. Kage's taking up my whole bed and I gotta push his fluffy butt out of the way...
お前の指 お前の髪 お前のその匂い
冗談じゃない もう夢じゃない
愛してくれBaby
Listening to: TANGO Swanka - BUCK-TICK
