Things I've Been Told

I'm at the point in my life where I need to start trying to figure out my next step, and you know, I've got no idea what that should be. I've got plenty of options and contacts, but I just don't feel inclined toward any one option right now. I want to be near my family because I miss them dearly, yet I'm being told to be selfish and do waht I want. I begin to think about being selfish, and I'm told to move closer to people who love me. ACK!!!!! Talk about frustrating. I have prayed about where my next step should be, and I don't get an answer. I really want to experience life, but really, I'm tired of not having someone to come home to. Well, here's the paradox, I'm happy right now being single. I'm happy that I can just do something on a whim and not confer with a spouse if it would be okay. There is really a lot that I can do when I'm done in Hawaii. Well, talking with another person, they pointed out that maybe I should stay in Hawaii for another year if I can. I don't know what's going on, but I do know that the Lord will give me light. I will know where I need to go, maybe right now is not the time for me to know. I have made a decision though, and that is to focus on bettering myself and working on my friendships. On this, I've had a friend tell me how lucky I am to be able to restart old hobbies. You know, he's right. I've thoroughly enjoyed getting back into reading and writing. I've been doing some sketching even. I even spend time to meditate and think, contemplate the mysteries of the universe, my universe.

I wonder if I'm just holding myself back. I wonder if I'm allowing fears to constrain me from doing that which I should be doing, or could be doing. This is something I haven't talked with anyone about, and I probably won't ever talk to anyone about. I already have a difficult enough time talking about where my future could lead me, mainly because everytime I do talk to someone, I think of yet another option I could go after and become more confused. I am very much not used to frequent change. I know, sad, but I grew up all in one place really. I was only in two different school districts growing up. I keep thinking that I've done plenty of jumps in life, but maybe I haven't done enough. I know that whatever choice I end up making, it will be a large jump. I really want to go back to Japan, but I get the feeling that if I do, I might miss something. Although, this is the first time that I've thought that that thought might be something planted by Satan to disuade me from going. Maybe Japan is the place I need to go next. I am so close to getting the language. Watching anime really has helped me. As strange as that might sound. Well, at this point I need to just go for something and see where the path pans out.

Song of the Day

"All Falls Down" by Kanye West

Operation: Surprise!!!!!

So, operation surprise was a success. I awoke this morning to my mom turning on the kitchen light to find that I was asleep (well, not really, but I was in her eyes) on the couch. :D It was so cool to hear her reaction when she saw me three days earlier than she thought she would. I've done quite a bit so far today, and you know, I don't think that this day will end anytime soon, which I'm grateful for.

Let me start with phase one of Operation: Surprise!!!!!

Phase one started way back in September when I purchased my plane ticket to come home. I plotted and schemed with my sisters about coming home early, and we came up with a plan that was nearly flawless. The one catch in the whole surprise was me. ^^; I can't remember how many times I almost blew the surprise. Even this past Sunday when I was talking with my parents I almost blew it multiple times. But, I succeeded in my part of the plan. I got to the airport yesterday and on the plane bound for my home state: Washington.

Phase two started with my little sister. She and her boyfriend were also in on the surprise, and they came to pick me up from the airport. Phase two was to pick up me and my luggage. I had no clue that both my sister and Tony, her beau, had had little sleep, and when I was bouncing off the walls in the airport, I didn't know how much it annoyed them to see me with so much energy. I was rocking out to my ipod while waiting for my luggage to come out of the carosel, and I didn't care if I was embarassing her or not. I love rocking out to music, but anyone who's been reading my blog can tell you that. So, after waiting for about an hour for luggage, phase two of Operation:Surprise!!!! was successful.

Phase three started when I arrived at my parents house. My little sister let me in through the basement, and I snuck upstairs to go sleep on the couch. Well, I guess my mom woke up around 4 am because of a headache, but you know, she thought that it was my little sister asleep on the couch, not me. :) A couple of hours later, she got up to take the dog for his walk, and my little sister heard her, so she came upstairs to throw her. Well, my mom was now curious as to who would be asleep on the couch, so she turned on the kitchen light, and SUPRISE!!!!!!! It was me on the couch, and she was so thrilled to see me early. It was awesome. I highly recommend surprising parents when you can. The reactions are priceless and things to remember. I woke up my dad, and he was surprised to see me too. It was quite entertaining to hear both of their reactions which were, "I thought you were coming on Friday."

Duh... I'm here now, not on Friday, so it's kind of moot to point out the fact that I was going to be here on Friday. It was such a great farce to play on my parents. I hope I can do it again in the upcoming years. Maybe with an engagement or a pregnancy. Hopefully pregnancy after marriage... j/k. Alright well, to all Mele Kalikimaka... Have a yourselves a merry little Christmas, and this will be my last post for a week or so. Which is about normal for me at this point.

MacGyver'd

Today at work I broke my stapler. Brilliant, I know. The good news is I was able to jerry rig it so that it's working again. Woohoo!!!! I totally MacGyver'd it... used a screw driver and my fingers, I rock.

I leave for my parent's house tomorrow. I'm so excited. It's been a year since I've been in Washington, and once I leave, it'll probably be another year before I go back there. Right now, things in my life are great. I have a new place that is great, I have a great job, I have great friends, I am part of a great church. Finally, life is good. I know that the Lord watches out for me, I just become blinded by everyday life to His influence. Hmmm... strange post, I know, but hey, it's something.

A Commonality

In my current job, I do a lot of writing about people. In reality, I never thought that I would be using my skills as a writer professionally, but I'm glad that I am right now. Mainly because I've begun to notice that people carry a lot of similarities. The students that I have been writing about are no different. Neither are the ones I cast as narrators during the campus' Jubilee week. This commonality is shared by many of the students and alumni from this place: not giving up on dreams. I know people dream all over the world, but more often than not, I find that not enough people try to see their dreams through to the end. I find that a good number of people throw their hands up part way onto the path of their dreams. It saddens me when I hear those stories. I am an eternal optimist. I like to see the brighter side of things, and recently I've tried to take it on myself to see the darker side of things for the soul purpose of being able to more enjoy the bright side of life.

There are exceptional people everywhere. There are exceptional people from everywhere. Well, if there were a place called "Everywhere" there would be some people from that place too. At any rate, I find that those who acheive great things in life fall share the commonality of chasing dreams.

Song of the Day

"Good Enough" by Sarah McLachlan

Enter Mr. Green: Capt Caf's Nemesis

On a night that was as unusual as the lunar calender, Capt Caf's daily adventures led her to a string of performances where she met that which would become her nemesis: Mr. Green. She was accompanied by two of her acquaintances, Saru and one who has no name. At the performances, people who she knew as peers, like the great OmegaDragonflyShem and the Trumpeter, showed off their musical abilities all the while Mr. Green floated and waited for his chance to attack. As the performance came to an end, Capt Caf and her friends decided that there was plenty of time left in the night to do some general ruckus and hanging out. After meeting Mr. Green, Capt Caf welcomed it with open arms into her group of friends, bringing the number up to three acquaintances instead of two.

The night continued on as the trio blissfully ignored Mr. Green. The concert came to a conclusion, and the group of friends wondered where next they should go. Saru came up with the idea for them to head over to a gaming club called the Rat Lab. This place was a happening club where only the best were allowed to come play. That night, quakes were felt as Capt Caf, Saru and the other one played their best in realms unfamiliar to them. All the while Mr. Green hovered and waited for his chance to strike at Capt Caf. It waited for when she paid little attention to it, and then struck. It swooped down from the sky to attack her. Perplexed at the attack, Capt Caf grabbed her head after being hit by Mr. Green. Saru and the other looked on in horror as they realized that they had allowed one of Capt Caf's enemies to get close enough to attack.

Helpless, the two friends watched as Capt Caf fought with Mr. Green... a loud bang noise could be heard in the Rat Lab, as all looked on at the defeat of Capt Caf's most powerful nemesis, Mr. Green. With its defeat, Capt Caf continued on in her night, combatting hunger and trying her hardest to distract Saru in his gaming.