U I vethed na I onnad.

STILL have not heard back from my follow up to Dear Old Company regarding my last pay check. Last time I checked my bank account status there was still no deposit of said pay check. I'm emailing Kazuyoshi directly this time, and then I swear if I have to get a lawyer I will. Not over my vacation, but it will happen, and they will pay me my dues. Bitches. >:(

IN other news, vacation is so damn close I can taste it. ONE WEEK. Then I don't have to think about Mood and their psychotic owners or at least another week and a half - just about applying for new positions since I won't have to worry about my internship. Current plans are three days in Bath, seeing capncosmo for the first time in waaaaaaay too long, then two in York so I can be at York Minster for Midnight Mass, and finally 4 in Edinburg - where I did not get to spend nearly enough time the last time I was in the area. I fully intend to do nothing more than drink tea and take pictures. That will be the best damn change of pace ever.

FINALLY: I never put up a Christmas card post. Er. L-LOL? SO. I'm going to use last years' post for my Christmas card list. If you DON'T want to get one, this is your time to tell me to cease and desist. I promise not to be offended. I imagine it's weird getting mail from somebody you don't want to hear from. 8D (If you want one and don't mind it being late, you can also leave your info here - I enjoy sending these things. Comments will be screened.)

It's that time of the year. Anybody looking for a holiday card should leave me their address here. Even if you don't want a holiday card, you should leave me your address (particularly if you've moved) because I want to send you one. Comments are screened as always.

In light of me being sick, on Monday my vice-principal sent me home early. It wound up being by less than a whole period, because my one class of the day was during 5th and I leave 10 minutes before 6th ends, but the thought was there. My vice-principal was ready to let me go home that morning, if I wanted it. Instead I spent the day being plyed with cough drops delivered from the office keeper/secretary.

Tuesday there wasn't an offer to go home early, but two of my four classes were cancelled so it didn't really matter. I spent those two classes doing as little speaking as possible, which sort of defeats my purpose, but I had my writing cards. Also, someone presented my vice principal with two calendars, one of James Dean and one of Marilyn Monroe. (I'm not really sure why.)

Today I'm basically totally better, which is nice. Again, two of four classes were cancelled. And then after lunch my vice-principal gave me the James Dean calendar. It's huge and gorgeous and I'm very excited. On top of that my mom sent me an e-mail saying that my grandmother's apartment has finally been sold - cash contract for $610,000 (I think). The closing will be in January. It's a great relief, because now mom doesn't have to pay the maintainence on her apartment.

That's all the news in the land of me. Now I being my Hawaii-and-Stevie countdowns!

In a last ditch effort to see 紅葉 (colored leaves), which were apparently still in season at Mt. Akagi, maiaide came out to Maebashi this weekend. After a drive of many circles and "Crap, were we supposed to turn there?"s, we reached the summit of the mountain and lake Haruna, and discovered that no, in fact the leaves were all done. It was on the drive back to the city when we stopped at the visitor's center (which is about to close for the winter) and the lady behind the counter confirmed that the season was over. But the lake was still very pretty and there is a lovely shrine on the water and we saw a small girl out in full dress for 七五三.

We had a snack at the visitor's stand, bought apple mochi, and drove back to the city (and circled many streets) where we had lunch at a shabu-shabu place (which, since it was lunch time, was surprisingly cheap). Then we drove in yet more circles (since I really never drive beyond the area where I live and the moutain is far away from where I live), finally managing to find our way to Keiyaki Walk. I showed maiaide around the mall, we did purikura, I bought two new books, and then we drove back to my place.

On Sunday we woke late, showered, and headed out for breakfast and coffee at the mall, because I had nothing in my apartment that was remotely breakfasty. (Or lunchy for that matter.) The single cutest thing happened while we were at Starbucks. A tiny boy wearing a Mickey Mouse hat was waiting for their order with his father; naturally he turned to stare at the scary foreigners. However, he was also holding a giant bag, and he was playing with his hat so much that it fell from his head. Since he had the giant bag in one hand and his father was holding his other, he couldn't figure out how to get the hat off the floor, so I put it back on his head for him. This started a game of him purposefully dropping his hat - but by then his father got in on it and was picking it up for him. Finally they got their order, and the boy's father let go his hand, so this time when the hat fell the boy picked it up and held it out to us. maiaide reached for it, and he gave it to her, walking away without it. (This resulted in his father being all LOLWHATAREYOUDOINGTAKEITBACKLOL.) It was adorable.

Once again we wandered through Keiyaki, got caught out by a gaggle of my elementary school students, and I now have coffee enough to last me probably two months if not three or four. This is excellent.

Also. If you have not indicated to me a desire for a Christmas/Chanukkah/New Year's card via PM you can still do so. Even if you think I have your address, please give it to me anyway.

Hope everybody had themselves a Merry Christmas.
Now to New Years, and the glamorous Hollywood 30s.

Happy belated Thanksgiving! I hope everyone had a good lunch/dinner with their families and/or friends.

Also, it is now that time of the year again: Christmas (Holiday) cards. So, please leave me your full name and address if you feel inclined to receive a card from me, and I'll do it. Even if I've gotten your address before, please comment with it again. All comments are screened, so only I will see them.

Now back to essay writing and lesson planning.

So first we were to a restaurant for Thanksgiving. Then we were going to grandma's house for Thanksgiving, 'cause she bought a turkey.

We wound up going to the restaurant.

Gnocchi dinner just doesn't have the same buzz of Thanksgiving as turkey dinner, ne? I haven't even seen turkey since I got back.

Ah well.

I slept too much last night. I'm incredibly not tired.