Bleep bloop.

So my sleep schedule is effing stupid at the moment. Part of it is constantly being woken up by aftershocks/assholes ringing my doorbell before 11am/those damn soundtrucks/Maura and I have been on a horror movie binge (in an attempt to feel more like actual residents, we have gotten a TV -yay news- and membership cards at the DVD rental place near the station).

TUJ has postponed classes resuming until the 4th of April. Why? I have no fucking idea and I think it's stupid. I was actually looking forward to going to classes on Monday. Oh, and I can't get a refund for my month-long commuter pass that I only got to use for like a week. Thanks, TUJ class cancellation/douchey Toei Oedo refund regulations.

Outside of Alaska, this is by far the coldest March I've ever experienced. Goddamn. There was snow in Kichijoji (western Tokyo) on the 23rd.

For St. Patrick's Day, we (me/Maura/Ryo) went to an Italian restaurant, drank sake (Japanese rice wine) and watched The Departed. Very Irish, I know.

On the 19th, Maura, Ryo & I went to Daikanyama, where I introduced Maura to my tattoo artist Hase and he touched up/added to her Miyavi kanji. It turned out awesome. Ryo & I donated to Red Cross and had Thai food for lunch. Then the three of us went to Royal Host and I had pancakes. Afterwards, we went to Tower Records. There was some whiteboard thingy where you could write to Luna Sea, so Maura and I did. I saw Kuriyama Chiaki's debut album but didn't get it. Instead I got GiGS no.336 (Dir en grey's on the cover), Tokyo Vice by Jake Adelstein (my own copy, which Ryo is currently borrowing) and Yakuza Moon by Shoko Tendo. Holy shit is Yakuza Moon depressing. I also wanted to get that-one-other-magazine-that-I-don't-remember-the-name-of but had FANTASTIC pictures of LM.C. Oh my god, is Maya-tan sexy. On our way back home, WE FOUND BREAD AT THE CONVENIENCE STORE. HOLY SHIT. YOU CAN'T FIND MILK OR BREAD ANYWHERE RIGHT NOW. And I got an e-mail from Uchiko. And the weather was actually awesome that day! It was an awesome day.

I am very disappointed in America lately. Just, all around. Seriously. What the fuck, guys.

HEY FOREIGN MEDIA: Japanese media underreacting is no excuse for you to overreact and print lies and ignore real problems. Most of you assholes don't even speak Japanese, what the fuck are you doing over here?

Monty Dickson, a JET from Anchorage up in Tohoku, is still missing. =(

A comedian is running for governor of Tokyo. Hope the next governor's better than Ishihara, the xenophobic/homophobic douche.

The Fukushima situation has exposed a grave danger to our world. But the danger isn't radiation, it's the poor state of science education. For every 1 person to die from nuclear energy, 4,000 die because of coal.

I'm so proud of Ryo. These past two weeks (or whatever) has really shown me how much he truly cares about me. He took care of me and translated news stuff for us constantly. (He went back to Shiga Tuesday night.) He's so sweet and wonderful.

Last night, Maura and I went to Shinjuku to go to Kinokuniya (huge bookstore) and Closet Child... except Closet Child is apparently closing early lately because they, like many businesses and homes, are trying to conserve energy in order to prevent blackouts and reroute unused power to Tohoku. So we went to karaoke. And let me tell you, some Dir en grey songs are just fucking impossible to sing (but oh how I love Drain Away and Koudou). I bought legwarmers at Donki.

So I got the lottery ticket dealie for the fanclub only tour... I got both Tokyo shows, but I dunno if I'll be here or if I have the money for the tickets. ;_; It's towards the end of May.

I really want a new tattoo or piercing or to dye my hair purple again. Argh. Every time I go to a show or see rocker/Vkei kids...

One thing I loved about the King of Tattoo convention: NOBODY stared at me because everybody (gaijin or Japanese) had piercings and tattoos and possibly dyed hair. I haven't felt that in a room full of strangers in so long.

My Kanji II and Crime, Deviance, & Social Control in Japan finals are on the same day and one hour apart. FML.

Because I'm paranoid of aftershocks, I've taken to carrying my passport and a few other bits of precious with me, like the sweet Valentine's Day note Ryo wrote for me and my Dir en grey fanclub metal card thing, with me at all times. Lugging a purse all the time though is kind of a pain in the ass to be honest.

Life is almost normal in Tokyo, slowly but surely.

I finally tried the Starbucks instant coffee VIA stuff or whatever it is that my mother sent me ages ago. It actually tastes like coffee for the most part.

I need to do laundry.