Round 6 - 60 Pictures

The original list
Previous picture posts



26. A picture of something that means a lot to you.



My family is the most important thing in my life. These four people keep me going with love, laughter, and support.



27. A picture of yourself and a family member.



One of my favorites. My brother Sean and I at a Chicago Cubs spring training game in Arizona last year. I visited over spring break and had such a fun week, just looking at the picture brings back all the memories of good food, fun, and laughs.




28. A picture of something you're afraid of.



I love the water, I love going out on boats, but I don't love being in deep water. I'm not a strong swimmer, and it freaks me out when I can't touch ground. But, my husband has a strong desire to go scuba diving, and is probably going to become certified this spring or next, so I'm hoping to be able to overcome my fears and learn to dive with him. I think it'd be such an incredible experience, even if it scares the hell out of me.

That, and it's wayyy better than his plan to skydive.




29. A picture that can always make you smile.



My furbabies! I miss them terribly. Their personalities made our house even more full of laughter and fun, and it's extra quiet without them causing trouble and looking for love. They're causing a raucous at my parents' house right now, but this picture (really any picture of them) always brings a smile. They're so cute and loving when they're sound asleep!




30. A picture of someone you miss.



Flashback! Turnabout 2004! Snagged from her Facebook since I'm too lazy to pull out my external hard drive, but I miss my best friend terribly. We used to live a few blocks apart and would spend all summer meeting halfway. I can't wait until we're back within driving distance someday!

Heaven Update

Okay, after spending a good chunk of time adding books to my virtual bookshelf, I'm taking a break!

After getting all the books from my bookshelves, and all the books I could remember from the last year or so, I gave up. If I don't own it, there's no hope in me remembering things from four years ago. I have another good chunk of books at home with my parents, and I'll add those in as I get them, but otherwise I think I'll just continue on from this point with books I buy and read, rather than trying to fill in what I've already read. It probably wouldn't surprise you that I've read A LOT. My dad's basement is filled with books, and I would tear through those every summer vacation. That's easily a couple hundred...





I'm still excited about having the virtual bookshelf to keep track of and share!

My husband made me laugh. I told him all about it last night and he rolled his eyes. Then this morning I woke up to a post-it note on my computer asking if I could search for a similar website for movies, instead of books. He's cute :) And he has more movies than I have books, and we get a few more every week lately.



I'm off to fold laundry, yuck.
I found a bunch of new recipes and I'm trying a few this upcoming week, so I'll share the good ones with you!

Wife with Books Heaven?

I've stumbled upon a wonderful little site that will quickly become one of my favorites and most visited.

It's called Shelfari.com.

It's a virtual bookshelf where you can track all the books you've read, are reading, plan to read, and your all-time favorites. I haven't gotten that far yet, but you can connect with friends and groups and search for books and probably all sorts of other literary fun.

I think I'm in heaven.





I have bookshelves filled with books, obviously. But some of my books are in the states with my parents. Some of my books are contained in big chunky anthologies I'm not likely to pull out again soon. And a growing number of my books are IN my Kindle, so I can't exactly put those on my bookshelves. This virtual bookshelf combines all the above and more, keeping it straight for me. I can move my Amazon book wishlist over and have my little book haven all in one spot. Heaven, I'm telling you.

It'll be a while before I get my bookshelf filled in (if I ever do), but I hope it's an easy way to check out what this wife has been reading and loving. Since my blog is about me and the things I love, books rank high in my life.

Check out my virtual bookshelf! (A teaser is in the sidebar to your right...)

And if you have a Shelfari account, friend me! I'm always looking for new and different books to read and linking up and sharing with friends is like having a really good party in heaven.

I'm going to go back to drowning myself in books...

Working Out With Music

When I go to the gym, I need my iPod. I can't workout without music. Sometimes, Jeff will leave his iPod behind and just go. He seems to sweat and push just as much, but that just wouldn't work for me. I need music to help distract me from how hard I'm working and to push me to go just a little further. If I don't have that distraction, all I focus on is how tired I am, how much this sucks, how much I'd rather be doing something else, etc. etc. etc.

Since it takes a lot for me to stick to simply stepping foot in a gym, much less do dreaded cardio, anything that motivates me is needed.



I have a simple little iPod that plays music, and that's all I really need. My brother had given me an iPod Touch last year when he upgraded to an iPhone, and I would play with all the apps and nonsense on that for hours. But since I didn't really need any of that, I passed it on to my husband. He loves it. I got his older model iPod nano in return. I'll listen to just about any kind of music. I have everything from country to rap to musicals on my Itunes and I listen to all of it.

But when it comes to working out, there's just something about heavy rock music that keeps you going. The heavy drums, the heavy voices; I don't know but it always pushes me to go further or longer than I would to begin with. I always have a playlist full of Slipknot, Three Days Grace, and Breaking Benjamin ready to go when I need to get some cardio out of the way.



Of course, that's IF I go to the gym! I'm having a rough time getting back into working out after being sick for a week or two. I downloaded some new music and updated some playlists so I have some new things to listen to, I just have to convince myself to get out of the house and GO. Easier said than done, right?

Just because, here's some videos. I bet 30 minutes of this music will keep you going on that treadmill or bike.



(Marilyn Manson - Beautiful People)
_{This video is just the lyrics, because he's a little too freaky for me, but his music without video is great...}



(Three Days Grace - Bitter Taste)


So, do you need music to work out? Or are you just fine with the quiet while working up a sweat? Are you one of those weird people who loves cardio and doesn't need any extra motivation to get moving?

Making Changes

I debated whether I wanted to post this for the whole world (or whoever actually stumbles upon my little blog) to read or whether I wanted to keep it to myself, but decided there's no reason to keep it a secret.



Over the last few months, my healthy habits have been steadily declining. I started my last semester of college in the same month that we found out we were moving to Japan...in 3 months. I finished a crazy condensed semester while preparing to move overseas. We moved out of our house and into hotel living for a month while my husband did training in San Diego, and lived on fast food. We drove the many miles home to Illinois to spend some time with family, and spent a good chunk of that family time eating out. We indulged in every Chicago food craving we had and then some. We flew to Seattle and were delayed days for our flight to Japan, then spent another week in a hotel waiting for our apartment, all while eating garbage the majority of the time. And exercise?? Forget about it. I went from being buried in books and boxes to being surrounded by family. I didn't have a moment to spare in California and I didn't want to lose a moment in Illinois when I knew we were moving so far away. Then we moved here. I was jetlagged and overwhelmed and holed up in the hotel until we moved in. Then I holed up some more, because it was still overwhelming to adjust to a new base in a foreign country where I had to figure out how to drive on the wrong side of the road and use currency and language I didn't understand. I'm still adjusting to that side of things.

The long story short -- my body was showing the months of neglect.

I've never done extreme diets, but I have yo-yo'd with eating healthy and exercise just like every other person. I've gone months with relatively healthy eating and regular exercise, and I've gone months without. I'll spend a week working hard and burning calories, then have a rough day and give up. Just like so many other people. Every time I would have to start over, I would feel all this pressure at doing it all over again.

I decided this time, I didn't want to do it alone. I wanted something that will last more than a few weeks or months. I wanted something I would feel committed to, not just throw away when things get tough. So I decided to join Weight Watchers.



I don't have dozens of pounds to lose, but I do have a lot of unhealthy habits to break and healthy habits to nurture. I've been at it a few weeks, and while things haven't been as productive as I imagined in the midst of earthquakes and illness, I'm making small changes and working towards bigger ones. I've lost a couple pounds, and I've gotten better at cooking homemade meals. I'm taking the stairs more often, even though those 8 flights up to our apartment are killer. I still need to work on my exercise habits, since being sick interrupted that. And I really need to work to give up soda, but I love it so much!

For now, I'm still learning and adjusting. I'm planning to update occasionally about my progress and struggles, and to share recipes I try and workouts I enjoy. It's a little intimidating to put it all out there and admit that I need some extra help getting and staying healthy, but I'd rather face that hurdle now, in my 20's, in good health, and only slightly over a healthy weight, before it gets out of control and serious health problems start popping up. All I need to adjust for right now is long-standing foot injuries, and I'd like to keep it that way.

So that's my story. I know it will be a challenging journey to commit to a new lifestyle and stick with it. But I think with the help and support of Weight Watchers, I'll be able to deal with whatever life throws at me. Although it still breaks my heart to think about giving up soda...

"Disaster in Japan" -- A Visual Aid

My mom found this somewhere, and I thought it was too interesting not to pass on.

You're well aware of the 9.0 earthquake Japan had, but are you aware that the earthquakes have continued in a seemingly constant stream since? None as big or as damaging, thank goodness, but small little tremors daily. Sometimes it feels more like hourly.

I've always been a visual learner, so here's a visual of what we've been dealing with in these parts of the world.

Japan Quake Map

Give it a second to get going, because in no time you've got big and little earthquakes popping up all over your screen.




Want to know where we fit into all this mess? Here's a map.



I think I've gotten a lifetime's worth of earthquakes in the 2 months we've been here. And if that link freaks you out, remember, both my husband and I, and the entire Misawa Air Base, are safe and healthy. Although hundreds of dependents are evacuating this base and others, there is no danger for those who choose to stay like me.

I just thought it was a nice visual aid to try to imagine what's been going on.

Things That Have Nothing to do With the Earthquake

I'm on earthquake information overload, so I figured I'd post about some things that have absolutely nothing to do with that piece of life.

Since we've been sick all week, we've been relaxing on the couch every evening and catching up on some season DVD's we have. This week, we had marathons of Bones and Desperate Housewives. Neither of which we're caught up with, but that's okay. That just means we have more to watch!




One day before I was sick, I played with the frames for my intended wall collage in the living room. I didn't get a layout I really liked, and I still haven't figured out what I want to put in all those suckers, but it feels like progress? I was browsing blogs and found This post by Young House Love and drooled all over my laptop. Just imagine the frames in black, and that type of collage is exactly what I've been picturing in my head. So pretty!



I've also been browsing new recipes for when I actually have the energy to cook. Since we've moved here, I've discovered that I really love finding new recipes and trying them out. I'm trying to reach out of my comfort zone of staples like spaghetti and tacos for more interesting (and healthy!) dishes.

Here's a few I'm hoping to try sometime soon:
Pan Fried Garlic Steak and Potatoes


Meatballs & Greens on Ciabatta


Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers


Yum. Hopefully.

I'm slowly recovering from whatever bug laid me on my ass all week, so hopefully by mid-week I'll be feeling normal again. I'm starting to feel the need to fill up the walls in this apartment, if I ever remember to pick up some supplies for hanging. And now that I've scoped out a ton of recipes and have a folder full of bookmarks, I'm hoping my kitchen will get some more use this week!

It's Been a Long Week...

I've been sick as a dog and spent most of the week curled up in bed or on the couch. Which has made a decidedly stressful week much longer and more exhausting. My husband has been sick with the same bug and trudging through long hours at work. He's working all weekend and he's certainly not the only person on base working long hours and 6 or 7 days a week.

We've continued to have multiple aftershocks daily. The base continues to have power, food, and gas, but even in Misawa city supplies are running thin for the Japanese. On the good side of things, some of the normalcy will return to base on Monday since schools will re-open and after school programs for the kids will continue. Although this removed north side of base feels a little deserted since the shoppette and gym over here remain closed, the main side continues to work.

Voluntary departures were approved a few days ago, and the processing for those departues begins today with those with medical conditions, those pregnant, or those with children 24 months or younger. Since it's a voluntary decision for all dependents and civilians, I had to make the choice to return to the states for 30 days or less, or stay here in Misawa and continue living with the limitations. It was a hard decision, especially since the government was covering the costs of the round trip flight to the west coast, and maybe even to the permanent residence. While it would be amazing to get home and see family and friends and have a degree of normalcy back in my life, I ultimately made the decision to stay here. I do not have pressing medical conditions or small children. Our small family of 2 can live with relatively small amounts of electricity and garbage (the two most pressing matters of conservation at the moment). As chaotic and stressful as base life has become, staying here means I can continue to provide emotional support to my husband. Once I get healthy again, I can volunteer and provide help in the relief efforts, one way or another. I may be stressed right now, but I would be even more stressed worrying about Jeff from thousands of miles away. He has a tendency to work, work, work, and sometimes he deserves some TLC. Most importantly, since there is no real danger at this distance from the nuclear situation, being 240+ miles north and upwind, I didn't feel the need to evacuate.

The chaos of this voluntary evacuation is taking over the base, though. The rumor mills are running overtime, and I'm getting a little sick about comments of radiation way up here. The news is taking the facts and running with them, making things more dramatic and more dire than they seem to be. While it's understandable that everyone is scared, it's exhausting to sort through all the crap and find out what's actually fact.

Basically, I'm exhausted from being sick and even more exhausted from the chaos.

Not the most upbeat post of the week, but it's a short update about what's been going on in Misawa. Or a reaction to what's been going on? Not sure, I'm sleepy and on medication ;)

I know a lot of people are impatient for updates and news from here, but there honestly isn't a lot of change. The main focus here is energy conservation and getting all the work centers up and running. The voluntary evacuation process has started, and is of course about 1,000x more complicated by people's panic and impatience. The rest of us are chugging along at a relatively normal speed. Daily updates are a little monotonous at the moment, but if I can say it enough, both Jeff and I are okay and in no danger, besides our immune systems.

The 8.9 Earthquake, Which Became The 9.0 Earthquake

My experience is thankfully unexciting and minimal compared to the catastrophic damage in other parts of the country. I was in shock when I found out how bad the earthquake and tsunami really were, and I still struggle to watch the news stories of cities and towns mere hours from where I'm sitting comfortably in my powered, damage-free apartment. My heart breaks for all the pain and loss, and I wish I could do more for the country that is currently my home.

Despite the relatively low excitement in my area of Japan, the experience was a first for me and worth sharing. So if you're up for it, I'm going to share a long and detailed account of the past weekend of my life. With very few pictures to break the words up. Ready?





Friday was shaping up to be a great day. Jeff's work had a potluck for two newcomers, so I whipped up a pasta salad and went to get some good food and company. Around 3pm, Jeff let me know that he was on his way home early. I was so excited! He had time to relax, then I was cooking a good homemade pizza, then we were meeting up with some people from work for more fun and laughs. Within 10 minutes, all those plans went out the window.

I was sitting watching TV, and the apartment started rattling. Then it just kept shaking harder and harder. It got to the point where things were slipping and sliding everywhere. Movies started spilling off their shelves, books were flying in the office, water bottles were catapulting off the fridge, and I was able to save the Italian glass collectibles from crashing off the entertainment center. The power clicked off in the midst of the crashing and clanging, but I hardly noticed. It seemed like it went on forever, but it was probably 5-10minutes? I haven't looked the actual details up myself.



When it all finally calmed down to a soft tremor, I laughed at the chaos of movies, remembering I had told Jeff it would be his job to pick any fallen movies up during the next earthquake. I snapped some quick pictures to share, then left the mess for my dear husband! That's when I remembered that he was supposed to be home by now, he had called a while ago. I tried to call his cell, but no calls were going through. I was a little worried, but knew he wouldn't do anything stupid. Turns out he was parking in the parking lot of our tower as the earthquake started. He noticed the van in front of him shaking and rocking after he parked and went to leave the car, and decided to wait it out in his car. Once it stopped, he trudged up 8 flights of stairs to come check on me. Our next door neighbor came by at the same time. After the last earthquake, I went to see how she handled our first earthquake. She knew Jeff's general schedule so she figured he wasn't home yet, and came to check that I was okay by myself this time. She's such a sweetheart.



Jeff came in and surveyed the damage. In the chaos, I didn't even notice that his desktop tower had fallen off his desk! Yikes. (Luckily, it's okay. It's an old beast of a thing anyways) He laughed with me about the movies I left for him. Then we tried our circuit breakers to see if the power outage was a quick fix. Nope, no dice. I walked down to our neighbors to see if they had power (they didn't) and sat through another pretty large quake with them.


_{(He had picked the tower up before I realized it had fallen...so I took a picture of it anyways)}

We knew next to nothing for the next few hours. We didn't know if the rest of base had power, we didn't know if it was just our tower. We didn't know squat. As it started to get dark, we were able to see that all the buildings on this side were powerless. We continued to feel aftershocks and tremors, although nothing so shaky that things went flying. We carefully lit some candles for light, keeping them in one area for fear of another quake! We dug out our flashlights and warm blankets and bundled up on the couch. Jeff found out he needed to check in with his command and notify them that we were okay, so he did. Then played some phone tag with some of the guys from work trying to get everyone accounted for. Some cell companies worked sporadically; ours only worked calling landlines and same company cell phones. We bundled into bed knowing only that base and Misawa was out of power and that it was getting cold in our apartment! We were both hoping power would be on by morning.

Again, no dice. We woke to a cold and quiet apartment, and continued to scour our pantry for food. Luckily, I had just gone grocery shopping the day before. As the hours ticked by we said goodbye to all our dairy products, but we had enough in the pantry to get by. Sometime Saturday afternoon, we decided to drive to the main side of base and see if any power had returned. We were going to browse the BX and pick up some fresh food and just get out of our quiet apartment for a while. Well, the whole base was without power. The BX was closed. The Commissary had minimal power and looked like everyone was prepping for WWIII. It was dark in the store with minimal lighting, so it was a little creepy. People were everywhere, frantically grabbing things and stashing them in their carts like they'd be eating for weeks. We grabbed some soda and snack food and got out of there as fast as we could! As we were driving home, we finally got a little scope on how bad the conditions were. The radio station continued to play, and we found out that the entire base was without power and frantically arranging for hot meals and showers. Fuel was being rationed, and bread and batteries were already sold out.

At this point, we knew the power outage in Misawa Air Base and Misawa was a big deal that was going to take some time to fix. Outside of our little world, we had no idea what was going on. The base was on top of things though, posting updates on all stairwells and entrances and updating through the radio station. They had hot meals and showers provided, as mentioned, and they were doing their best to keep business running for the more important jobs on base.

We spent another night in the cold and dark. I've never been so thankful for my collection of blankets! I have a family quilt that became a lifesaver, since it packs a lot of warmth in a thin layer. I snuggled under that all weekend with some sweats and was warm and toasty. We were a little sick of candlelight, cold, and pantry raiding, but we were getting through. My husband's extra crabby attitude on Saturday turned out to be some kind of bug or cold he'd been fighting. He slept off and on all day, which never happens. When he woke up with congestion and a sore throat, I forgave his cranky attitude.

On Sunday, he was feeling a little cramped in our apartment. He figured there had to be power at a nearby mall area, so we were going to get out and around. Maybe get some real food too. We got in the car and started driving, and the radio updated us again. I don't remember what we heard exactly, but we found out that the problems stretched much further than our little town. We found out that the earthquake was large and far-reaching, followed by the tsunami, and that the power outages and problems spread much further. So we nixed our plan and went for sandwich fixings at the commissary. Which was still crazy, but not WWIII crazy like the day before. We stocked up on junk food and easy meals like Pop-tarts, because all the updates gave no date for power being turned back on.

Throughout all of this, we stayed pretty calm. We were worried about our families back home, wishing we could contact them so they'd stop worrying about us and our safety. We were worried about Jeff having to go to work and me being home isolated from everyone and everything. We were mourning the loss of a fridge full of dairy and leftovers (remember, I had just shopped on Thursday and stocked up!). We were worried about gas and groceries, since both were in short supply and slow to receive shipments here on base. We were fearing just how cold our apartment would become with no heat for days. We were cranky and tired and ready for "normal" again.

Sunday night, part of normal returned. Our power came back on! After 48 long hours, power was returned and with it came heat and television. I cooked a real meal for dinner, we watched some movies and enjoyed walking around without candles or flashlights. Internet was still down, which made us both impatient to send word back home that we were fine.

I can't remember now if it was Sunday night or Monday morning that we sat down to watch the news. Whenever it was, I was shell shocked. To see the damage, to hear the deaths, to discover the power plant issues, to learn individual stories about loved ones lost and buried under debris. The first time I watched a news update about the "Disaster in Japan", they showed a clip of a town literally leveled by the quake and tsunami. A thriving community of houses and businesses turned into complete rubble in a matter of minutes. I choked back tears and changed the channel. I had no idea how bad the earthquake and tsunami had been in other parts of the country. The power plants were obviously frightening, but the super efficient Japanese had already begun evacuations, so those concerns were overwhelmed by the stories of the people. I still can't watch more than 5 minutes of the news stories without tearing up. I can't make sense of such catastrophic damage just hours from our relatively undamaged base. Sure, there's some water leaks and damage to some buildings. Sure some people probably have some broken household items. Dealing with limited and shaky power and scarce resources is tiring. But at the end of the day, I have a bed, in a home in an undamaged building.

The base is still a place of chaos right now. Rumor mills are obviously running at full steam. The fear of radiation has leaked all the way up here, almost 5x further than the US (some official name I forgot after the brief I watched a few hours ago) recommended safe distance, aka 50 miles. We're 240 something miles north. Misawa Air Base is safe. But that doesn't stop the crazies from throwing those rumors in amongst all the other things. Annoying to say the least.

In reality, things are shaky here, but working. The grocery store continues to have food, although things like bread and batteries are severely limited. Gas is rationed as well. Fill-ups are maxed at 10 gallons, and your vehicle must be below 1/4 tank to fill up at all. The base is urging for severe conservation efforts. Minimal cooking, minimal appliance use, minimal electrical anything. Most work centers are up and running; Jeff's just got power today. All other businesses are at a standstill. Last I checked, schools were still closed, although I pay little attention since we don't have kids. Basically, we've got the bare minimum up and running and we're slowly working towards normal again. It won't be fast and it won't be soon, but for now, we've got what we need. We're safe and healthy, and that's more than enough.


After almost a week, I'm still adjusting to reality. I still find it hard to believe
what happened and how terrible things continue to be in this country. I also caught Jeff's bug and have spent the majority of that week drowsily vegging out on the couch. There's a lot of questions and rumors going around base, so we're doing our best to learn accurate facts and do what we can to return the base to normal.

I'm going to continue nursing myself and my husband back to health and vegging out on the couch for a while. The base grocery store is supposed to receive its shipment of corned beef tomorrow, so we're planning an Irish feast this weekend. I've got all my Irish music ready and we'll thoroughly enjoy celebrating our Irish roots, even if it's a few days late. I may have to dig up some old Irish dancing pictures to share...

Covering All the Bases---We're Okay!

I've been overwhelmed with love and thoughts from all directions since the natural disasters Japan has experienced this past weekend.

I've posted on Facebook and Women of Liberty, but just to make sure all bases are covered, here we are.

Jeff and I are both okay! Misawa Air Base has relatively minor damage from the earthquake, and is working to restore all power and sense of normalcy back to the base.

I'll update in more detail soon! Our power is on again, but base has warned that brown outs and short outages may continue. Our internet was restored today and has already cut out once, so I'm assuming the same will continue for most technology. I'll share our experience soon, but we've had next to nothing compared to some of the more severely effected areas like Sendai. So please, put all your energy and prayers towards those poor families who are still struggling to uncover the dead and missing. Up here we're only worried on turning on lights and stocking foods.

First Earthquake!

I just experienced my first earthquake in Japan!

I was sitting watching TV and browsing the web, and it felt like someone was shaking the couch, just a little. I stop to actually pay attention and notice everything else was wiggling too. Our blinds were going crazy and our massive movie collection was shaking all over the place.

Remember these?



I watched in terror as they shook for a few minutes, hoping they wouldn't come crashing on the floor. Those suckers take forever to alphabetize... But even the precariously stacked collection of TV shows on the floor didn't fall!

It was only a couple of minutes long. And as far as I can see nothing fell over. The doors all moved and some of the things on tables slid a little, but not enough to cause any damage.

As soon as it was over, I went over to my neighbor's door. We were just talking about how weird it would be when we had our first earthquake, so I knew she would understand! Well, her husband, who I've never met, answered the door. I dumbly asked if his wife was there, but she walked up behind him and said "Did you feel that earthquake?!"

I thought about calling Jeff ad telling him, but figured he would either laugh at me or say "Uh, Teri, of course I know, I feel it too". He'll probably still laugh at me when he gets home and I explain, but that's okay.

I survived my first Japanese earthquake ;)

Walking & Reading

It gets boring being in the apartment all day. Jeff takes the car to work. I have plenty of little things I can do around the house (like finally finish my crocheted afghan, which I will show you soon!) but sometimes I just need to get out!

But without a car, that's a challenge sometimes. See, we live in this little area of housing separate from the rest of base. By car it's a <10 minute drive, but it's a bit far to go walking. If we lived closer, I'd go to the store to pick up random groceries or to the library or to the crafts center. But all of those are out of reach. Here, I have a small shoppette with the basics, a coffee shop, sandwich shop, gym, and elementary school. That doesn't provide a lot of excuses to get out of the house during the day. Of course, I could drive Jeff to work and take the car, but without a compelling reason to take the car, it feels like a waste. On Thursday I do have a doctor's appointment, and I plan to take full advantage of having the car to do some running around on the main side of base. I'm sure I will get hopelessly lost in the process. I'm still adjusting to driving on the right side of the car and on the left side of the road, not to mention I'm navigationally challenged and can only safely get to the BX and back without getting lost. I'm going to beg my dear husband for directions and put up with his eye-rolling so I can get to the hospital and library safely ;)Anyways.Today, I felt the urge to get out of the house. And since I didn't need anything, I just went for a walk around the neighborhood. We live right off the main road, so I hadn't been back into the twists and turns to see all the housing. It's a pretty monotonous view, since all the towers are built the same and all the smaller townhome complexes are built the same. But it was sunny outside, so it was a nice little walk. Here's the main road coming into this little area of housing called "North side". You can see we've had some warmer weather, all the snow that gets sunshine is melting!

I kept showing pictures of a neighboring building to describe our tower apartment, so I finally got a picture of OUR tower. I kept meaning to, but would never remember when I was outside.



While I was walking through the parking lot to come back inside, I saw a hawk circling overhead. This happens quite frequently; I'm assuming because there's a forest behind the building. Since we're so high up on the 8th floor, I see a hawk circling outside of our window at least once a day. I always wish I had my camera magically ready to go whenever I see a hawk out my window. At least today when I was walking I did!





That was a decent sized post about relatively little... There's relatively little going on in my life right now. I'm gearing up for some things (job hunting, exploring, etc), but right this second, not much.



I have been reading, of course. I'm about three chapters from the end of The Boleyn Inheritance. I purchased The Other Boleyn Girl nearly a year ago, and I finally read it and loved it. I quickly downloaded the next book in the series (I didn't know it was from a series until I started searching on Amazon!) onto my Kindle and have been reading it nonstop. It's fluff with just enough of a touch of history to make it interesting. And the secrecy and manipulation is dark and twisted, which makes for a great read.






_{(All linked to Amazon)}

I can't remember who recommended Philippa Gregory to me, but I haven't been disappointed. She has some more recent books out as well. And yes, I've already told Jeff we have to watch the movie now. He had already seen it before I started reading The Other Boleyn Girl, so he kept threatening spoilers. I threatened him back by telling him I'd go google spoilers for the book he was reading, and he kept his mouth shut ;)

Unpacked and In Need of Organizing...

Our apartment is finally starting to look like our home again. Almost every box is unpacked, and even better, everything fits! We lost lots of storage space when we moved from a townhome to an apartment. Luckily, we got rid of some bulky items, like the lawnmower, before we left CA. And some things, like our cats' stuff and extra chairs, fit into a small storage cage we get that's around the corner on our floor. We have just enough space on the balcony for our grill and table, but they're in pieces until the snow disappears for good. We still need to do some work to organize and make the most of what storage space we do have, but for now things are in a semblance of order and it's enough.

The living room is by far the most finished, since it's where we spend most of our time. The movies were the first things put away and organized. My dear husband has his priorities after all.



After we piled all the boxes then lugged them all down to the garbage area, we had a little nook of space in the dining area. I stuck a spare folding table there and it's turned into our little laptop charging station. I usually move my laptop to the kitchen table so I'm not facing a wall, and Jeff usually grabs his and takes it to the couch, but it's a handy space to stash them.



The setup of this room was actually pretty easy since there was only one way to situate our couch and entertainment center. That big empty wall will soon have some type of collage on it. I'm still working on what I want to put in all the black frames I have... I don't want it to be picture overload. I'm in no rush, although the bare walls are pretty boring.


The bathroom is done, because it's a bathroom and doesn't take much. We hung a curtain, some towels, and stocked up on toilet paper and were good to go. I have some artwork for in here, but it's actually the exact same shower curtain cut up into frames, so I don't think I want the same pattern all over the place. That's a little overkill.




The bedroom is pretty plain right now. We don't have much furniture for this room because all our clothes fit in the closet in CA, and they do here too. (Although just barely, and only when all the uniforms are in the spare bedroom's closet.) It was another easy room, since the bed could really only be put one way.



I'd love to get a nice big dresser to match our nightstands and make the room feel fuller, but without an overflowing closet, there's really no need. We have some plastic storage units and put our folded clothes in those, and hang the rest. It works out well that both of us prefer simple clothes, and don't buy many of them. Easier to move with!



This is another room where I have things in mind for the walls, but I'm not sure how I want to put things up yet.


The office is the only disorganized room left. It's the least used room right now. When we were in CA, I spent hours in the office working on papers and exams for my degree. We had a desk and bookshelf and all the little office supplies I wanted to have on hand to over-organize things. Now, I don't really need any of that. We set up the desk with Jeff's desktop, but he usually uses his laptop now that we bought new laptops for both of us recently. We bought another bookshelf before we moved, so we set those up and filled them immediately with all our books. I alphabetized and plopped them on the shelves, but they're not "pretty". Jeff and I also disputed over how to organize the books, so we intend to split the collection into "his" and "hers" so we can each organize how we prefer. The boxes are full of the office supplies and misc. items that we don't really need at the moment, so we haven't worried about.



Since Jeff intends to start taking some college courses soon, I suppose I should start organizing all those pencils, pens, calculators, and papers that are stacked in boxes. Not to mention, our book collection is almost as impressive as our movie collection (they're both forever growing, check back in a few years and we should be buried in our collections), so I want it to look as neat and impressive as our movies do. Our movies need work too, since they're overflowing from their bookshelves, but we can't agree on a solution and that's not the point right now...






So that's the house as is more recently. It's organized enough to feel like home again, but too plain for my liking. All these empty walls! Oh well, I'm sure things will change soon.

Not much else going on around here. It snowed pretty heavily the past few days, so we're staying close to base this weekend. The Japanese roads are treacherous in the snow, since they rarely plow and don't salt. At least on base the plows are running as soon as the snow hits! I've got plans to explore some more on base, and then we're meeting with some people from work to check out the "Misawa Idol". I've never been a fan of Idol, but I figure it'll be a few laughs and some good company.

Round 5 - 60 Pictures

The original list
Previous picture posts




21. A picture of something you wish you could forget.




I'm generally in the mindset that things should be remembered regardless, history repeats itself, knowledge is power, yadda yadda.

But if I could, I would happily forget the hell of flying to Misawa. Delays, getting halfway to Japan and having to turn back to Seattle, etc. I'd also lump in the travels to Italy to visit Jeff in 2006, when the airline went on strike and if it weren't for my mother-in-law and her quick work with the telephone, I wouldn't have gotten to Italy period, then my luggage getting lost in Rome for weeks. Although both travel ordeals make good stories now, I wouldn't mind one bit if they had never happened!




22. A picture of something you wish you were better at.




I like working out...when it's over. I am absolutely horrible with consistency. I'll have a good run for a few weeks, then have an off day and have a hell of a time getting back into the routine. I generally despise cardio in any shape or form. I actually like weight training, I just can't motivate myself to remember how good it feels and want to get up and do it.

Sidenote: I never use weight machines because I'm generally too short for them to work properly. And I'm too lazy to downsize the weights after the manly military men finish working their biceps. I use my own free weights at home.




23. A picture of your favorite book.


Seriously, just one? I can't.
I'll show you some of my favorites. I really can't pick just one though.



Good in Bed is one of my favorite "fluff" books. Aka-- a book not assigned in college, a book I generally read to take a break from academic work, and a book I expect very little out of besides a few love trysts and some good ol' life drama. This one is a little above the normal fluff reading, I think. It surprised me. The main character draws you in and makes you love her and sympathize. It's one that I finished and felt the urge to turn back to page one and start all over again. I only feel that way when I really like a book.



Lucy is one of my favorites from college. It's a short novella, so you can knock it out in an afternoon. It's may be short, but it's powerful. I wrote one of my best papers on Lucy's claim of power through her sexuality, and I feel like I could still add more and more to that discussion. It's one I could talk about for hours. It's deep and heart-wrenching and brutally honest, and I don't know if I want to love Lucy or hate her, but she stuck with me.



Black Water is another seemingly short but tremendously powerful read. It follows a doomed character you can't help but sympathize with. It was another one that I wanted to dissect and analyze for hours. The timeline and narration of the story are unique and dramatic, and I really love the way Oates wrote this. Joyce Carol Oates is a powerful writer in all her works. I'm quickly falling in love with her writing, and am working my way through her works. I've read numerous short stories and a couple novels, but this book sticks out to me the most.



Middlemarch is a book I powered through during the crazy hours of a condensed semester while I prepared to move overseas, while reading 6-10 other novels in between and during. To say my memories of this book are a little fuzzy is an understatement. I read it ahead of schedule for class, and would forget large chunks of the plot while the class was discussing what I had read a month ago. It doesn't help that this is a hefty book... with 838 pages in my edition. But it's a classic. And it has some amazingly complex characters. It was interesting discussing a book largely composed of what happens after you say "I Do" in a class mostly filled with single students. My experiences and beliefs about marriage were generally quite different, and have changed from before I said "I Do". My professor joked that she told her children they had to read this book before they got married. Besides that, it was a great read and one I plan to read at a much more leisurely pace sometime soon.


24. A picture of something you wish you could change.




I have flat feet. My heels start to ache if I stand on my feet too long. If I really overdo it, I get shooting pains. I can't run or jump in abundance. I can't wear heels or sandals. I also have old injuries in the balls of my feet from dancing, and my feet are apparently deformed because of one or both of these issues. My pain is relatively controlled after months of anti-inflammatory pills and a cortisone injection to get the inflammation and pain under control, followed by years of figuring out my personal limits. It's a pain.

Since my feet have been flaring up lately and giving me some pain, it's something I really wish I could fix. Unfortunately, pain management is my only solution. If the pain gets to be too much or too prolonged, I'll be back at the podiatrist for more anti-inflammatories or cortisone injections. I'm hoping I can continue to manage my pain without either of these aids for many years...




25. A picture of your day.




I slow-cooked some beef all day long for delicious beef sandwiches for dinner. I also baked some brownies and brought them to our new neighbor. We sat and chatted for a while and got to know each other. I worked on my crocheted afghan, which is a tedious and tiring process of sewing all the pieces together. It's been a pretty uneventful day.

Round 4 - 60 Pictures

To see the original list, click here.
To see the previous questions and pictures, click here.



16. A picture of someone who inspires you.




This was hard. I take a lot of inspiration from a lot of people, so I had a hard time picking just one.

Anyways.

Dr. Ruth Jenkins was my advisor and professor at Fresno State. By the time I left, she felt more like a friend or colleague than professor. She was one of the professors who really fueled my love for literature. She pushed my writing further, she pushed my discussion skills, and she encouraged me weekly to pursue graduate school. She's also an incredible person with a husband and kids. She has a life outside of the university. Considering one of my dream jobs right now is to teach at a university, she's a good life model! She inspires me to continue with my love of literature even if it makes me crazy by finals, even if I have to live on rice and water, and especially if my husband is understanding and supportive enough to encourage my studies even if it puts a cramp on our family life (which he definitely is).




17. A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently.




Moving to Japan!
Our first PCS as a married couple, my first move overseas, our second home together, a new country to learn and understand, new road rules to master, new language to decipher...moving to Misawa has been the biggest change in my life.




18. A picture of your biggest insecurity.




It may not always be obvious, but I am ridiculously shy. I was the little kid that hid behind my mom's legs so I wouldn't have to talk to anyone. I would cry if adults tried to talk to me. After years of teaching myself how to walk without looking at the floor, and talk to strangers without hiding, and all the other little changes, I'm still shy and I still get anxiety when I meet new people or do new things.

The intensity isn't always the same. But it's always there and it's tiring to deal with. I'd love to be one of those people who can walk into a crowd of strangers comfortably and leave with all new friends, but it's just not me. Which makes moving every couple of years and especially moving overseas kind of terrifying. But exciting too.




19. A picture of you when you were little.




This is the only childhood picture I have on my computer, the rest are at home with my parents!




20. A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel.




I just googled and picked the first clear image, so I'm not really sure where this is, but it's somewhere in Ireland.

I WILL travel to Ireland at some point in my life. I want to see Dublin and the country. I want to have an Irish beer in an Irish pub and quite probably get drunk and Irish dance in the pub. (I was an Irish dancer for 10 years.)

In my dreams, I imagine spending months traveling around Europe and leisurely exploring town after town. If we somehow become rich in the next couple of years, maybe that will happen. More likely we'll take an amazing vacation that was entirely too short and we'll dream of going back every night. But my husband and I are both determined and we WILL go.

Who knows, maybe next time we'll move to Europe! Jeff loved Naples and we'd both go back to Italy in a heartbeat. We both doubt that's in the cards for us, but we also doubted moving overseas at all was in the cards for us, and look at us now...




Also, an update on the fire alarms!
We had SEVEN total this past weekend. Yes, SEVEN. We were thrilled. The last one was 6am on Monday morning, ew.
Monday afternoon maintenance was in our lobby checking out the machine for a few hours, so I'm hoping that fixes the problem. We haven't had another one yet *cross your fingers* And since it's currently snowing so hard I can't see the buildings across the street, I would really love it if the system didn't malfunction again!