Another Year Bites the Dust
So a guy goes home for about a month and has so much fun that he didn’t even have time to blog. Anyway came home a few days ago. Krystal of course was a sight for sore eyes. I can’t believe that I was away from her for so long. Just this past April I was talking about the longest I’ve been away from her was the 10 day trip to Taiwan, which she ends up topping when she went to Yamaguchi-ken, and then I top by going to Hawaii for about 3 and half weeks. But all is well in Kyoto, just as I left it.
What can I say about Hawaii? It’s home and there is no place like it. I got and still get asked, “How was Hawaii?” and usually I say that it was relaxing and I needed the trip home. But it was more than that. How do you explain the feeling of seeing your family after living with them your whole life (even through college) and then going away for a year? Or how do you explain the feeling of cruising with your best buds, at their house, my house, in the car, and even at work? Totally priceless.
First thing I did when I got back to Hawaii was to take in the mountains and sea. For some reason nature had a real big effect on me because when I came back that’s all I could think about. How green Hawaii is. My flight arrived in the morning and made sure that I was off the plane first so I can get out of dealing with customs. Just walking into the Hawaiian air was so refreshing. Made me really appreciate the phrase, “Lucky you live Hawaii.” First thing I did when Jake picked me up was got o Zippy’s. I can’t believe that I was away for so long. I ordered small saimin, Zippy’s chili and rice with cheese, and Portuguese sausage, eggs, and rice. Oh and a side mac salad. Got to have been one of the best tasting foods in my life. Food was not a problem on my vacation back home. I had the luxury of going and having whatever I wanted prepared. I ate so much food that I think I gained 10 –15 pounds in the first week. I had a choice of whatever I wanted to eat the whole trip. I even got turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes on my last dinner with my family. It was so AWESOME!!
During the day I was obligated to stay with my family, which, wasn’t bad. It was nice to talk to them and was treated with somewhat a celebrity status because my time away from home. But the night were all for my friends. I didn’t know that I had so many friends. And not just acquaintances but FRIENDS. I never felt so popular when people would ask me when I was free to go out so that they could spend time with me. I especially liked cruising with Lauren and Jake. It was so easy to talk to them. Lauren having done the Jet program she could relate to all the things that I was going through in Japan. And Jake is just easy going that all conversations we had were serious and not serious at the same time. We can always just pass the time away. I also go to meet all the pizza hut dudes and even some new ones. My COHORT group was really cool that they had an outing for me and one of the other girls that was going to move to mainland. I even hung out with Krystal’s family. At first I was a little worried that it would feel weird but it was surprisingly comfortable. I went out a few times with Krystal’s sisters. I also got an invitation to go to a wedding of one of my Godiva friends. That’s what I missed most. Not the meat, Taco Bell, English, and not even my car. I missed hanging out with my family and friends.
Something also really surprising happened. So anyway I said my good byes and had to make the trip back home. The plane tickets I got were the ones where you need to pick them up at the gate. So I take my boarding pass and request an aisle seat. My legs are just to long and shoulders to broad to be sitting in the middle of people I have no idea who they are. So anyway I make it to the gate and find out that I can’t get an aisle seat and have to do with the middle. The lady was nice to find me a seat in the first row of coach so that I would have legroom in front of me. Anyway I get my ticket and start to dread the 8 and a half hour flight. I guess I looked pretty pathetic because the lady flagged me down about 10 minutes later and asked if I was traveling alone. I said yeah and then she said that she would try to look for another seat. I thanked her without knowing where she was going to place me. Anyway I got a new ticket and headed for the plane. Once one I immediately started walking down the plane towards the back. All the people were already sitting down so I just kept walking without looking at my ticket. I get to the end and realize that no seas are available. I look at my ticket and it says 11F. I was all the way down in the 30’s. I walk back up the aisle when I see a flight attendant and ask her where my seat was. She says, “Sir, your in 11F which is on the right side of the plane in the business section.” BUSINESS SECTION?!?! No Freakin WAY!! I couldn’t believe it. I muttered something and made my way into the Business Cabin. It was freakin AWESOME!!. Just when I noticed my LA-Z BOY seat, a flight attendant asked if I wanted any orange juice or champagne. HOW COOL IS THAT!? I got bumped to Business. By far the best way I have traveled anywhere in the 24-25 some odd years of my life. For lunch I started out with a crisp green salad with yellow peppers in a Dijon mustard dressing and a plate of smoked salmon and shrimp cocktail. Not to mention the focaccia and sourdough roll. The main course was filet mignon with mashed potatoes and some spinach cream sauté. I also accompanied my filet with a glass of red wine. For dessert I was given the option of a black bottom chocolate cake or a dish of some cheese and fruit. I took the cheese and fruit of course. And washed that down with a lovely glass of port. MAN I COULD SO GET USED TO THAT! First of all my seat could almost recline to 180 degrees, which also came with an ottoman thing so I could put my legs up. They gave us complimentary slippers that everyone used to walk around the cabin. I also got a “refresh kit” which was a small toiletry bag with all the things I need to make the flight the best flight of my life. The alcohol was always flowing and there were no crying babies, loud kids, snoring people, or obnoxious guys. Business class is the real life…
Back to reality. I’m here sitting at the computer in an elementary school that I don’t really care for. The staff room is empty and I have no idea where all the teachers are. I have two months of junior high to look forward to and my pants are ripped. Some irritating kids were clinging to me and one of them totally ripped my pants. It’s by my left pocket and goes about half way down my pant leg. I guess it isn’t too bad until the kids who made the rip told all the other kids and they all wanted to check out my boxers. Bastard kids. We also went on a weird field trip thing today. It is the anniversary of a huge earthquake that happened 80 years ago in Tokyo. So on the anniversary they have a drill, which all public schools participate in, at their school. But because this school is close to a park where the city is throwing a demonstration the whole school has to be there. Anyway my schedule is totally messed up due to this thing happening in the middle of the day. And when we get there they have a whole bunch of schools huddle under one tent where helicopters land for big official people to make an entrance. You have fire fighters putting out fake fires, military troops demonstrating what they would be doing in the aftermath of an earthquake. The whole time all this is going on nowhere near the tent where any kid could see. I don’t think anyone knew what was going on. The humidity level under the tent was reaching levels where the kids were passing out and to keep us quiet they gave us samples of emergency food and water. WHOOPI! And then the main head guy makes a speech that no one is listening to and then we all walk about to school. That had got to be the worst field trip I have ever been on. They had so much cool things set up to look but the kids weren’t allowed to go there. Things like emergency vehicles, shelters, first aid demonstrations, and even a tank. And the kids weren’t allowed to check it out. Anyway sorry to vent like that. In the words of Blink 182, “Work Sucks… I Know…”
Totally Breaking Down
What can I say about Hawaii? It’s home and there is no place like it. I got and still get asked, “How was Hawaii?” and usually I say that it was relaxing and I needed the trip home. But it was more than that. How do you explain the feeling of seeing your family after living with them your whole life (even through college) and then going away for a year? Or how do you explain the feeling of cruising with your best buds, at their house, my house, in the car, and even at work? Totally priceless.
First thing I did when I got back to Hawaii was to take in the mountains and sea. For some reason nature had a real big effect on me because when I came back that’s all I could think about. How green Hawaii is. My flight arrived in the morning and made sure that I was off the plane first so I can get out of dealing with customs. Just walking into the Hawaiian air was so refreshing. Made me really appreciate the phrase, “Lucky you live Hawaii.” First thing I did when Jake picked me up was got o Zippy’s. I can’t believe that I was away for so long. I ordered small saimin, Zippy’s chili and rice with cheese, and Portuguese sausage, eggs, and rice. Oh and a side mac salad. Got to have been one of the best tasting foods in my life. Food was not a problem on my vacation back home. I had the luxury of going and having whatever I wanted prepared. I ate so much food that I think I gained 10 –15 pounds in the first week. I had a choice of whatever I wanted to eat the whole trip. I even got turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes on my last dinner with my family. It was so AWESOME!!
During the day I was obligated to stay with my family, which, wasn’t bad. It was nice to talk to them and was treated with somewhat a celebrity status because my time away from home. But the night were all for my friends. I didn’t know that I had so many friends. And not just acquaintances but FRIENDS. I never felt so popular when people would ask me when I was free to go out so that they could spend time with me. I especially liked cruising with Lauren and Jake. It was so easy to talk to them. Lauren having done the Jet program she could relate to all the things that I was going through in Japan. And Jake is just easy going that all conversations we had were serious and not serious at the same time. We can always just pass the time away. I also go to meet all the pizza hut dudes and even some new ones. My COHORT group was really cool that they had an outing for me and one of the other girls that was going to move to mainland. I even hung out with Krystal’s family. At first I was a little worried that it would feel weird but it was surprisingly comfortable. I went out a few times with Krystal’s sisters. I also got an invitation to go to a wedding of one of my Godiva friends. That’s what I missed most. Not the meat, Taco Bell, English, and not even my car. I missed hanging out with my family and friends.
Something also really surprising happened. So anyway I said my good byes and had to make the trip back home. The plane tickets I got were the ones where you need to pick them up at the gate. So I take my boarding pass and request an aisle seat. My legs are just to long and shoulders to broad to be sitting in the middle of people I have no idea who they are. So anyway I make it to the gate and find out that I can’t get an aisle seat and have to do with the middle. The lady was nice to find me a seat in the first row of coach so that I would have legroom in front of me. Anyway I get my ticket and start to dread the 8 and a half hour flight. I guess I looked pretty pathetic because the lady flagged me down about 10 minutes later and asked if I was traveling alone. I said yeah and then she said that she would try to look for another seat. I thanked her without knowing where she was going to place me. Anyway I got a new ticket and headed for the plane. Once one I immediately started walking down the plane towards the back. All the people were already sitting down so I just kept walking without looking at my ticket. I get to the end and realize that no seas are available. I look at my ticket and it says 11F. I was all the way down in the 30’s. I walk back up the aisle when I see a flight attendant and ask her where my seat was. She says, “Sir, your in 11F which is on the right side of the plane in the business section.” BUSINESS SECTION?!?! No Freakin WAY!! I couldn’t believe it. I muttered something and made my way into the Business Cabin. It was freakin AWESOME!!. Just when I noticed my LA-Z BOY seat, a flight attendant asked if I wanted any orange juice or champagne. HOW COOL IS THAT!? I got bumped to Business. By far the best way I have traveled anywhere in the 24-25 some odd years of my life. For lunch I started out with a crisp green salad with yellow peppers in a Dijon mustard dressing and a plate of smoked salmon and shrimp cocktail. Not to mention the focaccia and sourdough roll. The main course was filet mignon with mashed potatoes and some spinach cream sauté. I also accompanied my filet with a glass of red wine. For dessert I was given the option of a black bottom chocolate cake or a dish of some cheese and fruit. I took the cheese and fruit of course. And washed that down with a lovely glass of port. MAN I COULD SO GET USED TO THAT! First of all my seat could almost recline to 180 degrees, which also came with an ottoman thing so I could put my legs up. They gave us complimentary slippers that everyone used to walk around the cabin. I also got a “refresh kit” which was a small toiletry bag with all the things I need to make the flight the best flight of my life. The alcohol was always flowing and there were no crying babies, loud kids, snoring people, or obnoxious guys. Business class is the real life…
Back to reality. I’m here sitting at the computer in an elementary school that I don’t really care for. The staff room is empty and I have no idea where all the teachers are. I have two months of junior high to look forward to and my pants are ripped. Some irritating kids were clinging to me and one of them totally ripped my pants. It’s by my left pocket and goes about half way down my pant leg. I guess it isn’t too bad until the kids who made the rip told all the other kids and they all wanted to check out my boxers. Bastard kids. We also went on a weird field trip thing today. It is the anniversary of a huge earthquake that happened 80 years ago in Tokyo. So on the anniversary they have a drill, which all public schools participate in, at their school. But because this school is close to a park where the city is throwing a demonstration the whole school has to be there. Anyway my schedule is totally messed up due to this thing happening in the middle of the day. And when we get there they have a whole bunch of schools huddle under one tent where helicopters land for big official people to make an entrance. You have fire fighters putting out fake fires, military troops demonstrating what they would be doing in the aftermath of an earthquake. The whole time all this is going on nowhere near the tent where any kid could see. I don’t think anyone knew what was going on. The humidity level under the tent was reaching levels where the kids were passing out and to keep us quiet they gave us samples of emergency food and water. WHOOPI! And then the main head guy makes a speech that no one is listening to and then we all walk about to school. That had got to be the worst field trip I have ever been on. They had so much cool things set up to look but the kids weren’t allowed to go there. Things like emergency vehicles, shelters, first aid demonstrations, and even a tank. And the kids weren’t allowed to check it out. Anyway sorry to vent like that. In the words of Blink 182, “Work Sucks… I Know…”
Totally Breaking Down
posted by Chris at 10:41 PM
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