Nike+ Number One Hundred Ninety-Nine

Got lazy posting my runs, but here is today's.

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UW News

Well the UW finally let me know that I didn’t get into the program, at least not yet. It wasn’t an out right rejection letter like I have received twice before. Instead it was a deferral letter saying basically “Sorry we’re not letting you in yet. But, we are going to interview more people in September and we’ll throw your application and interview results into that batch too.” So instead of abandoning all hope I get to wait another 4 months and then maybe … abandon all hope ☹. After this latest rejection I’m considering maybe my chosen carrier path isn’t they right way. We’ll see how I feel when I get back home. Perhaps I should look at alternative routes, such as secondary education or kinesiology. The interviewer was surprised I wasn’t pursuing a degree with some sort of link to science. Not that I should put much weight behind the person who’s institution has now twice out right rejected me and once deferred me.
So there is your latest blog. Take care.

What's up doc

Still no word from the UW, that is the biggest bit of news really. Yesterday was the Yukata Festival (Summer kimono. It is summer because they are made usually from cotton and not silk.) This year it sucked because it is Sunday and Monday. Last year it was Saturday and Sunday so we could enjoy the night life more after the first day. Also it rained off and on in the afternoon so I ended up getting soaked and left downtown early.
Nothing big has happened in my life since last week, so this is a very short blog. Hope you are all doing well.

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Yes I skipped a number cause the previous run's graph is all funky and doesn't show a pace.

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Weekly

Well this is just my weekly update, nothing really big to report. I saw my friend Yuriko again this last Saturday. She was in town shopping and so we met for coffee. She is the teacher who left Ohtsu last spring because of a bitch at that school and moved back to her home town about 2 hours north of Himeji. She is doing well, but she is looking at finishing out this year of teaching and then going back to school possibly at U of Oregon or U of Vancover. She wanted to study teaching in English to improve her knowledge base.
Still running as you can see. The weather can’t seem to make up its mind some days its cool and great for running. Other days it is humid and hot and difficult to put one foot in front of the other. I am hoping the weather in Washington is more temperate.
I am starting the lengthy process of packing. I test packed my biggest suit case and am looking for a scale to see just how heavy I made it. I’m betting around 60lbs, but we’ll see. I still have a ton of stuff floating around and no one has answered my ad about selling my room yet ;/.
Not much else to report. No word from the UW yet, I’ll post whatever the result when I get it. See you crazy Americans soon.

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Bad pineapple today ... :(

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Today's run took me past a beautiful patch of wild Gardinia's.

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Nike+ Challenge

Sunday Morning News

OK, so not really any news. I have four weeks starting tomorrow until my last day of work in Japan. And infact I really only have 1 full weeks and three partial weeks. I've been giving lip service to cleaning my room (meaning I've been attempting to not make it any worse than it already is). I probably should be starting to pack, but I've been procrastinating big time there.
With only a month and a half to go my social life has come to a halt mostly. I've been trying to catch people I've met over here and make an effort to meet them at least one more time,but I haven't had much luck :(. Other than that nothing to report. Still no news from the UW and I'll be sure to post whatever they say when it finally arrives. Later guys!

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Time Marches On

Time continues to move inexorably forward. I still have several weeks left, but now that it is June my time here seems to be so much more limited. I am both excited and scared about coming home. After so long abroad I feel like I am moving to an alien country again. Already I am hatching plots to get back in to the JET program once I have completed my Master’s Degree.
Of course once I am firmly on US soil again I’m sure I will acclimate again quickly. I am planning my next steps when I get home, which include moving in Seattle probably sometime in September or early October. I enjoy the island life, but I think it’s best if I go to a more fast paced place soon after my return to avoid settling in like I did when I returned from college.
I am of course going to be apartment hunting, so if you happen to come across an ad for an apartment that is pet friendly and located somewhere between redmond, bellvue, queen anne, capitol hill, ballard and downtown (in short some place in northern Seattle area with relatively easy access to the UW) This is contingent on my acceptance to the MIT program. I haven’t heard from the UW yet and so unless they are dumb enough not to accept me this round I won’t be editing my choice of location.
I will also most likely be looking for short term work after the summer is complete (unless of course the county elects to offer me work at on of the other pools again). So if you happen to hear about an opening somewhere be sure to let me know about it.
Not much to report on the Japan side of the world. Work continues. Life continues. This week is “trial week,” which is a week when 2nd grade students (8th grade equivalent) go out in to the community and work for a week at a local business. They do everything to working as a clerk at a super market to working at nursery schools to pumping gas to working at a convience store. So my work-load this week is light. I am trying to get my teachers to let me visit some of the students but as of yet they are digging in their heels.
My running as you are all well aware is still going. Although I have been extremely lazy these last few months only logging 30 or so miles a week instead of my previous 50ish. I attribute it in part to the hotter and humid weather. But, part of the fault is with me just being too lazy to do the 7+ mile runs I did through April. During the rest of my stay in Japan I will attempt to kick my ass out the door for longer runs on a regular basis again. Then when I get home I hope to start in earnest to prepare for the Portland Marathon.

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And on we march ...

Another week draws to a close. It is a little over a month and a half until I leave Japan again for an unknown length of time. I’m both excited to see my family and friend again and sad to be leaving this great place that I’ve called home for two years. I have grown comfortable here and that is probably a danger signal since that means I’m not savoring my time as much as I should. I still haven’t ironed out exactly what I will do with the last two weeks of my time in Japan. But, I’m sure to find something entertaining.
The private lessons are going well. Luckily I have them set up at a time when they do little/nothing to effect my “fun time” so I am happy for the small pocket money they provide. Even though I am almost done I visited a new elementary school yesterday. This one is tiny with maybe 250 kids. They were nice there and let me leave at 3 (normal time is 3:30) even though it was a small difference in dismissal compared to some of my fellow ALTs who leave at 12 or 1 I was happy to have it since my other school keep me until nearly 4 most days.
I am still waiting to hear from the UW. Most likely next Monday is when I’ll get the news if I got in. I sincerely hope I do since this is THE program for me I think.

Nike+ Number One Hundred Seventy-Nine