December 30th, 2004 13:01 hours CST
Currently listening to: "When The World is Running Down, You Make The Best of What's Still Around" by The Police.
Feeling: happy

A look back on 2004: I was going to make a big list like I did last year, but honestly, I'm not looking at it like that. Everything lately has been going so well that I've almost forgotten about the earlier parts of the year. I suppose it's a little bit like the Academy Awards or something, where we really only focus on the recent things, instead of the entire year. But I'm amazingly happy right now. I'm in love and that has allowed me to go to Japan TWICE now and I'm still learning the language. Learning a 2nd language has been something I've wanted for a long time and now I have a very good reason to learn it. My trips to Japan have been nothing short of amazing. I remember it all so clearly.

Airiel did some great things this year. Finally played some shows outside of Chicago and released more EP's. The box set is finally done and selling well. 2005 should be a great year for us.

The only negative things I can really think of this year are my appendix having to be removed and the horrible burn incident when I took Stella to the fucking Tree House to be spayed. I want to burn that place to the ground for hurting my cat. She recovered 90% of the hair that was gone, but she's still very sensitive around that area. But, despite being overweight, she's very healthy and happy and I'm glad she's in my life. My scooter is also healthy and happy and I'm glad she's in my life also.

I remember last year that I was very glad to see 2003 go away. Mostly because of my emotional state. But this yeah has really been fantastic. I owe most of it to Yuka and my experiences with Japan. It was always a dream of mine to go there and she inspired me to make it come true and I got more than I could have hoped for.

I love you, Yuka.

December 30th, 2004 09:30 hours CST
Currently listening to: "Get Them In" by The Trash Can Sinatras.
Feeling: warm, for once

I went around our cubicle area and noticed that the thermostats were set to 55 degrees. Well, that explains why I've been freezing my nuts off the last 2 weeks. I'm also wearing a warm and comfy sweatshirt that I found while cleaning out my dresser the other night.

Tonight I fly down to Chattanooga to get picked up by someone in my family to drive to somewhere in Alabama to stay in my brothers cabin for the weekend. Dave and Rusty have been busting their asses to get it finished so my family can spend NYE there. Should be fun. I could certainly use a few hikes in the woods. I'm bringing lots of books and my iPod, of course. I'm hoping that there are other things to do besides hang around and eat. I've had enough of that this holiday season.

Ok, the big Japanese Journal Entry for my 2nd trip is finally finishied. You can read it here.

December 27th, 2004 09:30 hours CST
Currently listening to: "The Chemistry Between Us" by Suede.
Feeling: cold.

My feet are the last parts of my body to ever get warm. I don't know what the deal is. Once again, I'm at my desk at work wearing a coat. It's freezing in here! Anyway.

The holiday was nice. Despite the 20 inches of snow awaiting me in Bloomington, the roads going down there were totally clear. They got a little tricky when I got on 67, but it wasn't bad at all. It was bitterly cold the whole way down there. It was 5 F when I was on the road. Bloomington looks fantastic in the snow. I spent the bulk of the weekend making cookies with mom. Good lord, buckeyes are evil. 3 pounds confectioners sugar, 2 pounds peanut butter, 1 pound butter, plus melted chocolate and paraffin wax. I took them to the office so I can get rid of them. I'm going to the freaking gym as soon as I can. Not tonight, though. Tonight I'm finally cleaning my apartment. I've been traveling so much that the place is becoming a dump. Well, not really, but there's crap everywhere. ;p

X-mas was a little weird without my sister and brothers there. Mom and Dad and I opened presents on x-mas eve since we had to meet up with the other family members at my grandmothers retirement home for lunch. I now have a bad-ass Sony Cybershot. 5.1 Megapixels, baby. Awwwww yeah. I laughed out loud when I realized that my mother purchased "Visitor Q" on DVD for me from my amazon.com wish list. There's no way she actually looked at it before buying it. Hahahahah. I watched it last night and it's really damn funny. Takeshi Miike is a genius.

I left my station wagon in Bloomington for some repairs and borrowed my parents pickup truck. It's this massive GMC Sierra or something. Way too much car for me after driving a little Volvo for 8 years. I don't have any money right now, so I won't be driving it around Chicago anyway. I have to figure out how I'm going to pay all my bills and my rent which are all do on practically them same day. That blows.

I still don't have the journal up yet for Japan. Sorry, folks. I'm getting to it. Yuka posted her pics on Fotki. There are some super cute ones in there. And here are some random pics that I took with my phone. I walked around my neighborhood and took pics of the snow with my now old digital camera, but I haven't uploaded them yet.

To my friends in Indonesia, I hope you're all OK.

December 21st, 2004 09:15 hours CST
Currently listening to: nothing.
Feeling: a little hung over.

Went to Funky Buddha Lounge last night for the first time. Tobias and Hope were spinning. This place is COOL. I was told that the normal clientele and the music really sucks on any other night but Mondays, though. It was good to see my friends. They are all doing well. Hope had some super hair going. I threw down a Halo 2 challenge to Hannah. Bwahahahah. I got home a little drunk and managed to wrap Yuka's x-mas present without taping myself to it. Rock.

The show in Pittsburg went really well. We almost didn't get to go out there. John and I showed up at Enterprise to pick up the 15 passenger van that he had reserved and they told us that we could not pay for it with a debit card. WTF???? We were screwed. I was the only one with a credit card and it was over its limit. We sat in my car, really pissed off and disappointed, then I ran back inside and asked if there were any other rental places nearby. This cheery guy who had just started his shift said "Oh sure! Ace Rental Car has a bunch of big vans and they're just up the street." I flipped off the woman who wouldn't help us and we went to Ace. These guys came through. After trying to transfer money to my credit card and realizing that it wouldn't post to my account until midnight, they offered to just rent us the van and authorize my card after midnight. How cool is that??? We only left an hour late. I was impressed.

The drive was fun, even though there is nothing at all to see going through Indiana and Ohio. It's nothing but flat farm land and rest stops. The weather was totally clear the whole way. Getting into Pittsburg was cool. The geography there is so different from where I live. Hills! Hills and valleys! Cory was bummed that he was the one driving into the city because he wanted to look at all the houses climbing up the hillsides. After what seemed like getting through a maze, we got to Brad's house. Super nice guy. Totally cool all around. He and his friend Ian walked with us up the street to a bar and a pizza place. Cory and I did a couple shots and then walked back with our discount pizza. Brad's girlfriend Carrie showed up and then we all went back to the bar. They have a local lager there called Yenling or something that is really good.

Anyway, the show went well, despite Cory's mic dying after the 2nd song. It felt weird singing without him. We rocked out, though. I zoned out during the outro for Kiss Me Sadly and opened my eyes to see Cory on the floor next to his bass and John lighting a cigarette over his collapsed drum kit, looking like he had just fucked it. Olympus Mons was really good. Instrumental, dreamy songs. I really liked them a lot and look forward to some recordings.

I forgot how much is sucks to sleep on a couch with only your coat for a blanket. Rock n ROLLLLLLL!!!!

Driving home was interesting. We went through two bad patches of snow. The first was outside of Pittsburg where we drove through the aftermath of a 25 vehicle accident site. Semi's, SUV's, cars and vans were all over the place. Some where completely obliterated. We heard later that it got worse at that site and more cars crashed into the already crashed ones. Cory called me last night and said that it got up to 90 cars or something. Crazy. John and I dropped the van off and I got back to my apartment around 9:00 and was in bed by 10:00. I fell asleep the moment my head hit the pillow.

December 17th, 2004 08:33 hours CST
Currently listening to: nothing.
Feeling: mild

Well it looks like my sleep schedule isn't fully back to normal. I got back from Stella's vet appointment last night and ate dinner. At about 9 PM I realized I was falling asleep while playing Metroid Prime 2. So I decided just to go to bed. I woke up at 5 AM and......uh...... played more Metroid Prime 2.

Stella is up to 13 pounds, which is just too damn big. I'm going to get her down to 10. Sorry, sweetie. But you is too much kitty.

December 15th, 2004 08:50 hours CST
Currently listening to: "Blue on Pink" by Jenka.
Feeling: warm

Well, I took yesterday off from work. It's one thing to have to adjust from a 15 hour time difference, but it's something else to also have a cold at the same time. I woke up Monday night at 2 AM and had to take a sleeping pill to get back to sleep. I rested most of the day, only leaving the house during the day to pick up medicine and the new Return of the King DVD set. The extra scenes are pretty cool, with the Mouth Of Sauron scene probably being my favorite.

Band practice went pretty well last night. I'm glad I clipped my nails because it helped a lot with my playing. I think we have the details with the rental van worked out. John and I got to pick it up at 6:30 AM Saturday morning. I just hope the weather isn't too bad on the way to Pittsburg.

I'm still working on the journal and the 200+ pictures I took.

December 13th, 2004 09:25 hours CST
Currently listening to: "The Ominous Cloud" by Broadcast.
Feeling: zombiefied

Japan was awesome. I'm still on Tokyo time. Despite being awake for 33 hours on Sunday, I slept terribly last night. Bed was cold and too big. But things are great. Absolutely great. I'll work on the journal this week. Until then, I leave you with these words of wisdom from Kyoto:

"If you are not a LOSER, you should must order one two more Yebisu beer or get the fuck out of here soon!! Thank you!!!"