Sadly, today I use this phrase "the calm before the storm" and turn it into "the calm, before and after the storm".

In regards, of course, to the unfortunate situation experienced in my country these past days, when heavy rain provoked serious landslides and floods.

Starting the night of November 6th, and continuing through November 7th, huge amounts of rain unchained a series of events that ended up in (up to date) 198 deaths, 45 destroyed/damaged bridges, over 1000 destroyed houses, 80 still missing people, and the gran (and sad) total of 7000+ evacuated people (half of them are homeless now).

And as much as I fangirl over manga and anime and books, well, my job usually slaps me across the face with these situations.

Red alert activated the national system of Civil Protection, and my building soon became the chaotic center of dozens of people (Firefigthers, Rescue Teams, ONU, UNPD, USAID, AECID, US Army etc etc) coming and going and yelling and ....well.

Almost 20 days have gone by since November 6th, and finally some sort of peace is starting to set in. Literally, hm? the calm after the storm.

Destroyed villages are being cleaned, temporary shelters are brimming with people and needs, roads and bridges are being inspected.

My office, my workmates and I, have a nice collection of mud in our pants and boots and hands. But we are getting people as much help as possible, finally leaving behind the mere emergency actions, to begin the humanitarian assistance labor.

*sigh* After all this, I think I finally will get to fully check LJ and my other hobbies. These past days I have been only snagging some icons and reading one or two entries.

I do have to say, though, this small country may have some serious issues (violence, poverty, policies) but if something makes me proud, is just how damn courageous everyone is. Still mourning, but working, still crying, but rebuilding. Any regular person is up to their waist in debris and mud trying to save a neighbor or a complete stranger.

Time and life goes on, I guess.

There are undeniable facts of life. Are they not?

For example:

1. Having over 15 userpics is really great XD

Thanks to my neechan nanaho_miharu, now I've got my paid account with my many userpics! I shall soon kidnap many pretty icons LOL (big sis already gave me two new shiny ones)

2. My eyesight is not improving after 14 years of wearing glasses XD

Today my glasses broke, thus rendering me nearly blind in regards of everything that is located some 5 meters away. Ahhh, myopia you are one hell of an inconvenience.

On the bright side of this, I shall shamelessly use this situation as an excuse not to go to work tomorrow. MUAHAHAHA. *ahem* I mean, I could have some kind of accident, deshou? I have to travel to another city to reach my office, and what if I get on the wrong bus ... or get hit by a car... or miss a red traffic light.....MUAHAHAHA!!

Thank goodness the only boss present in my office for this week is a very maleable grandpa. Lets appeal to his soft side.

3. My conscience won't stop nagging me about finishing 3 pending multichaptered stories.

Isn't this a bit annoying? Goodness, 2 of those stories belong to fandoms I am not very much involved these days.

*flails around* Go away, conscience!!

However, Conscience has a long history of success over my persona, so I fear that soon my ff.net account will be updated. Oh the tragedy, letting Conscience win over me usually leads to not only finishing pending fics, but starting new ones that I have outlined somewhere in my laptop. This, of course, means using work hours in the office to write LOL

EDIT: Forget anything and everything about writing or whatnot. We are now in Red Alert at national level, the office is a complete mess, and emergency actions are taking hold of all our time. I've been deployed with the japanese experts, so....let's see how we survive this.

*groans* I miss those few but blessed days in which my work at the office was relatively easy. I do wonder how long those days lasted....what? Two weeks?

My old boss left his post (these guys swap every two years or so) in August of this year, and thus, a new boss arrived! Since this new boss knew very few of how things worked, well, I had it easy for two/three weeks. Ahh, life was so nice. 

( Why this is givin' me headache )


Because, you know, my boss is going "NANI? NANI?" at everything!!!  And my co-worker is in love with the idea to drink some tequila over there, and I cringe to think I will have to deal with budget management, translation, communications and logistics with only these two people by my side. *sighs*

Kanpai, everyone!  *is at the office really fed up with all this*

This is actually a very interesting MEME!!

It made me go through such good memories *dreamy eyes* I think I'll even do this PICS MEME for several fandoms LOL 

Here we go: "Use any variety of pictures that are already saved on your hard drive to answer the criteria. The pics can be drawings, photographs, screen caps, anything you want"

Oh my! My character favoritism is showing!

( The D.GRAY-MAN Pics Meme )( The DGM Pics Meme )( The DGM Pics Meme )</div>

I wonder if this sort of thing is allowed in the communities...

*skips off to make another pics meme, Fullmetal or Kuroshitsuji perhaps*

ETA: WHY ARE THERE SO MANY CUT-TAGS "DGM PICS MEME"??!!!

*blinks* Beats me, really.

I mourn the loss of some silly but dear idiosyncrasies of mine (again?)

*as I craddle a cup of formerly-detested coffee*

And I guess I should be doing something akin to mourning the acquisition of new ones

*since I can eat seafood with a smile plastered on my face now*

More than anything, I am pretty sure my family cringes at some of the new ones

*remembers the sweet umeshu that was served during our work-dinner-meeting this past monday*

My conclusion is this:

Your honor, the job is to blame. There's where I learned to drink coffee and alcohol and eat seafood.

...

Ahhh the good times when no coffee was consumed and the shrimp and raw fish were regarded with a snort.

AT LEAST I STILL REMAIN LOYAL TO READING FICS AND FANGIRLING OVER MY DEAR BROODING CHARACTERS!!!

*evil cackle*

YO LJ!! It's been ages, hm?

Today I finally decided to end my Lj-hiatus and post something again. Meehhhh.

MEMES! I'll do some memes to get back in shape LOL

Hello everyone!

Sorry for the long absence.

As of late, I am terribly delayed in everything that has got to do with Lj, manga and the like.

I  have been in Japan for some days now, I came to visit my sister who is a student in the Osaka University since this April.

So I arrived here like 2 weeks ago and I will stay until April 25th.

Someone out here in Osaka, or Kobe or Kyoto? So far those are the closest places I can move to LOL

Well, when I return I will have to go through dozens of LJ entries, I am sure. XD Sorry for not commenting for anyone and for being so anti-social lately.

My sister is not feeling so well, the weather here is kinda strange even if it is supposed to be spring....so anyway, I want to support her with all my best!! FAITO FAITO!!

As long as I am here, I will see if I can find some goodies to buy. Some Dgrayman and Kuroshitsuji doujinshi, at least!!

Every time I come to Japan I say the same thing: "I will buy manga and djs and goodies....." but LOL the time and locations are always against me.

Today I will go outto some book shops with a girl here who is studying....check this out....."the yaoi fandom as a social phenomenon in modern asian countries" as her research project.

LOL She is such a sweetie and LOL we have had great conversations, I met her by sheer luck. And guess what....since they kicked me out of my sister room (against regulations to stay more than one week, it seems XO) now I stay with this other girl in her apartment.

It is kinda weird, though. I feel very self-conscious of everything I do and say when I am there. I wish I could continue staying with my sister nanaho_miharu  but  it is impossible now... T__T

Maybe this afternoon I will finally get to visit a Book Off store and get something. Yeeeyy!  And yesterday with my big sis we got some cool clothes. But we have to be very careful with the money, everything is damned expensive here. XD

So this is my update.

I hope you guys are doing great! Take care minna-san!!

Oh God.

What a terrible day. Oh God.

Vane-neechan, where are you? How are you?

We miss you so much already.

I never thought this day would be like this. Sister sister sister, please be happy and do great things over there in your scholarship.

We are here and already it feels so lonely without you. How are we going to live these years without you?

Oh God, what am I going to do without you? The house, even with the four of us, it feels so empty.

Vane-neechan, when the time comes....please come back to us.

Please come back to me. I will love you always.

After such a long work mission, I am dead tired.

And how are you doing?

I returned yesterday to my country, and I went to bed and slept for about 20 hours.

Still tired, though. XD

But today is a good day. I took the day off from my work, to rest up a bit, and today is my b-day.

*cheers* Ahh I'm getting old.

The work mission was...fine....and interesting. With the usual discussions, arguments, yells and whatnots.

In case anyone is wondering why I haven't made any kind of comments in any entry or in my Friends List, please consider I have been abroad and without much access or time to get on line, for the past 2 weeks.

So, what's new in LJ?

I have many manga updates to check and friends' entries to comment to. I'll get back on track soon, I hope.

*waves bye and falls asleep again*

So...mehhhgg.

And just a couple of days ago I was ranting about how ungrateful these people at work can be, and how they insist in me not "doing that much effort" into getting everything done and every responsibility covered.

And I was thinking: Well, fuck you too.

LOL XD

(Pardon my expression, and Vane-neechan, don't tell mom about that LOL)

And now, here I am, working working working with a damn fever running.

*facepalm* I guess I really am way too foolish sometimes. Yesterday I kept wondering:

"Why am I feeling a bit tired? And kinda sick? And I ate dinner 'cuz I kinda made up the story of having lunch...And why OH WHY I keep falling asleep even listening to my baby-new Ipod?"

Figures, because I was running a fever AGAIN. Geez! I just got over one week of the flu, and here it makes another appearance. 

*grumbles* Not so good day today. Bitchy rant is proof enough. 

A work-mate makes the joke: "lets get you out early and have some tequilas, you need some C-vitamin!" 

XD If I liked to drink, I'd go. Mehhhhhh Since I don't, I can only hope to find some good Kanda fanfics tonight when I get home. 

*fake cheers*
 

Hello!

It's been a long, long time since I posted anything in my LJ account.

I don't know why, several important things have happened, and I keep thinking: "ho ho ho I will make a post about this!" 

But then I loose all the inspiration and end up not writing anything. For example,  I didn't make a Christmas entry, or a New Year entry or an LJ anniversary entry.

I also didn't make an entry for my second trip to Japan, this last December. It was an incredible experience, both the many many places we visited, the amazing time in Kyoto and Kobe and Yokohama, as well as the Training Course we received.

But I've got no post to account for it. Hmmm. Come to think of it, I haven't even finished my posts about my first visit to Japan last March. LOL.

Ahh, procrastination, you rule me so.

These last couple of days have been a bit depressing regarding my job -which rules by its awesomness XD - but there are so many many things to do, and a lot of people just don't want to take responsibility.....it all contributes to increase my own work load.

I have always been happy about it, though. You know what they say "become a key piece within your job" and "do more than expected" and jazz like that.

However, I just got a little speech by some of my upper-powers, about how I should limit myself to a lower profile, because....

"....let's accept it, you are a woman, and very young....the other men in the office don't want to receive instructions from you....so just take it easy, we know you are doing your best to improve the project, but don't help so much....you just... keep a low profile okay? " 

*sigh* I may be a woman and I may be 25, but I know very well how our work is not doing as well as it could. We could do so much better! Why no one of the upper levels takes responsibility! There's no leadership!

And this chauvinist environment of my country seems to refuse allowing someone like me, to try and straighten things up.

And here I was so excited and powered up. But if that's how people want to play....I'll keep on trying my best, if albeit quietly and subtly, because I for one, refuse to keep my arms crossed and do nothing if things start to fall apart.

And on better news.... XDDD

I got myself an Ipod Nano 4-G.  *happy dance*

That's all in this update. Busy getting stuff into my new toy. LOL

*waves*

This drabble meme had its origin in a Drawing Meme in sagakure  Journal. Since there are great people with the great gift of drawing, Drawing Memes are splendid things!

But since there are people who cannot draw to save their lives *points at herself* then we have to make do with Drabble Memes.

The basic rule goes like this:

First four (4) people to comment on this entry will be entitled to a drabble request.

The drabbles can belong to these manga/anime series: D.Grayman, TsubasaReservoirChronicles, Loveless, OuranHostClub, VampireKnights and Kuroshitsuji.

And of course it's a great thing if the people who get their drabble can also put a Drawing or Drabble Meme on their own LJs too!!

Hopefully my requested drabble will be in the making soon, so that makes me a happy girl!! 

*skips off*

 

Well, I've known for some time, but I didn't want to post about it until all the small details were covered (visa authorization, forms, agenda, formal invitation, etc)

Ara ara Japan once again!! *ureshii*  AND I haven't even finished posting the pictures of my visit to Japan in March LOL I am pretty slow with the post frequency, it seems.

But anyway! I am going to Japan again!  : D  : 3 !!

Schedule goes like this:

1. Departure on November 28 .....NEXT WEEK OMG!!! *have to hurry with so many pending stuff to do*

2. Night of 28 in Houston, then on 29 to Narita.....we arrive on November 30.

3. From December 1st to 12th: we (4 people) will receive a training course for JICA Projects Coordinators. Some of the places we will go are: Kobe, Yokohama and Kyoto. We will stay mostly in Tokyo and Yokohama, it seems.

4. Return to our countries on Dec 13th.

Wahhhhhhhhhhhhh they say it's getting DAMN COLD over there! I have to pack coats and gloves and stuff.

So! Hope to get nice thingies to bring back as Xmas presents for my family and friends. *shifty eyes* Of course I hope to learn a lot in the training program. Good thing the other 3 people who go with me (all of us from different countries but we work together in the same regional project) are damn nice and we get along big time! I am sure we'll have a blast.

I'd like to send my Xmas cards when I am there too, so if you guys wanna drop here your address, I'd be very happy to send you a pretty Xmas or Ushi-doshi card XDD (because next new year will be the Cow/Ox year neeee!)

*whisper* This year 2008 is the Rat/Mouse year, and isn't it great? I belong to this sign *me is a pretty rat who likes cats LOL*

PS: I am so buying music CDs/DVDs and doujinshi this time! Mou!

*waves hi*

*tacklesrolls*

This is a present for dear Deidei-chan, a.k.a. nobeansprout, who is creator and main writer of the Alternative Universe of the scenario of D.GrayMan, where two of the main characters, Allen Walker and Yuu Kanda, become part of the enemy lines, members of the Noah Family, as Kyuuya Noriya and Christopher Evans, respectively.

Deidei *hugs* I hope you like these colorbars, featuring Kyuuya Noriya, our dearest Kyuu-tama, the eternal tease!!

( Kanda / Kyuuya colorbars )

Spread the AU love!!!

XOOO

I have so many posts pending to write!

1. Continuation of my mission in Japan (still pending 2 posts, I think)

2. My mission to Mexico (it was great, would you believe it? for the first time, a job-related trip had some fun in it)

3. My utter and foolish break-down when my crush-first-love-dear-person left and how I ended up crying everywhere at any time XO

4. My graduation night...although I will throw a couple of pictures here, and get it out of the way already LOL

( Uni's Graduation FTW )

In a completely unrelated comment, I was LOLing so hard with the comments made by my 17 years old brother regarding Kanda Yuu (D.GRAYMAN)

Here's the exchange, for minna-san:


Bro: So what was the story of that girly-man again?

Me: *growls* He's not a-! Okay, he's a bit on the delicate features side, but he's very manly!!

Bro: whatever *rolls eyes* ....what was the story then?

Me: Well, it's mostly about this Allen Walker (INSERT ALLEN'S STORY) and then Kanda's story is kinda of a secret but (INSERT SPECULATIONS REGARDING KANDA)

Bro: Hmmmmm, so basically, Allen Walker is a big emo, and Kanda is not emo....right?

Me: XDDD It sounds like the phrase for an avatar!!! "Kanda Yuu is not emo"  LMAO !!

*ponders* Hmm, this is like the third entry I make about cats, is that so?

*squeals* Can't help it though!

I was laughing a lot when my little brother show me this 'home-made' video, of myself being attacked by one of the orphaned kitties we found on the street some months ago.

So, I am just posting it LOL  You can also laugh at me yelping for help and the 'get him off me ahhhhh!' shrilly noises XD


</div>
Aren't these tiny things just darn cute! XDD

Saaa, I have to accompany an official mission to Mexico, this time.

I leave tomorrow Wednesday and I'll be back home Saturday night.

*sighs*

I hope we get some free time to walk around and do some sight-seeing at least Saturday morning.

Last time I went to Mexico was 4 years ago, when I was still in the University and we had an students exchange.

So, fanfics, manga-reading and anime-watching gotta be on hold for this couple of days. 

Or if I get lucky and I've got internet connection in my hotel room, I may write something during the nights. Not very probable though.....

*yawns* 

Sore dewa mata ne!

Okay, so this particular episode of my life was rather hilarious but kinda creepy, too.

I never expected to receive a call from -lets call him the M boy- the M Boy and ask me out. The hell, eh?

The M Boy, I have no idea what he's thinking. Heck, I have no idea who he is, for starters. He's a friend of a friend's friend!!!  I have no more reference than that. We've gone out with a group of friends like 3 times only, and last time I saw him was like 2 weeks ago, when we went to eat pizza for a b-day celebration of a common friend (Lisa, let's say)

And now he calls me to ask me "hey, wanna go out to do, whatever, just go out and hang around or something?" 

I was kinda clueless. How did he get my cellphone number by the way? 

My answer: "okay, we can go out, to where and who else is coming with us? Our friends Lisa and Rica and Vanny?" (all fictional names LOL) 

And the M Boy says: "no, errr....like....errr.......hmmmm......as in.......hmmm.....only the two of us, you know?" 

O_O

Oh poor boy, really. Poor kid, he's so screwed.  LOL XXXDDD

Just by his speaking pattern, you get the idea ne? He's kinda shy and laid back and something of a slacker, but all in all seems like a good person and he's.....so not my type. GOMEN KIDDO!

Me goes: "So, hey, you asking me out in date?" (inwardly, please say no no no)

He goes silent like a tomb for like 10 minutes. Oh god, I knew a massacre was coming. Answer: "I think so?"

*facepalm* 

Me goes: "ah, well, I actually think it's better if we go out like friends with everyone else, like we have done before, ne? So, lets call the others and arrange going to the movies or something for the second week of september because frankly I am full with work right now and I'll get a free day until those dates. We cool?" 

WAS I MEAN TO HIM? I didn't think I was. The M Boy said we were cool and that it would be great to go out with everyone again in september and then we said our goodbyes and ended the call.

Ten minutes later I was in the MSN speaking with our common friend Lisa, who turned out to be the person who gave out my cell number and who encouraged the poor kid to ask me out. Oh Lisa, honey, what were you thinking? 

To my surprise, she was mad at me!!  T.T Apparently I was damn cruel to the boy and damn it I look down onto my suitors and I'm a snob and et cetera. 

Which suitors?! And if the M Boy wanted me to outright tell him I was not interested, he should have also been straightforward, ne? I tried to answer as neutral as possible, I hate people who humilate others. 

AND damn it, Lisa, you know I like someone else!!!

Lisa says: "the person you like already has someone and he will never turn to look at you twice, get over it already" 

T________T  Alas, I did not know friends could be that mean when trying to set you up. Of course the person I like already has someone else, of course I know I won't have any kind of relationship with him, and damn it, this person is about to leave the country FOREVER and I will never see him again. Why my friends don't believe me that this is actually painful for me?

Lisa's words were kind of a low blow, but hey, truth is truth.

I won't speak with Lisa about this situation anymore. I don't want to go out with anyone right now, so don't send over strangers to ask me out, please.  What started as a hilarious thing  (LOL the M Boy asked me out, what a cutie but of course it's not possible, he should know that!) turned out as a creepy thing ( my friend ganging up on me and calling me a snob while rather harshly ignoring my feelings about the whole situation) 

*sighs* What a day I had yesterday!! I need TO READ FICS ABOUT KANDA YUU AND FANGIRL ABOUT HIM to forget all this crap.  

EDIT: Since I already ranted this long about this situation, let me add a  couple of words.

I just remembered something about the M Boy. When I first met him like 4 years ago, he refused to greet me with a kiss on the cheek. Among friends, that is a custom here. I greet most of my friends, even men, with a kiss on the cheek. I found the M Boy's ideosyncrasy rather odd, but it was okay. Back then he never spent much time talking to me and was generally oblivious to my presence. I never cared much about him either.

BUT....Two weeks ago when we met again to eat pizza for Lisa's b-day, the M Boy looked at me (we hadn't met in about 2 years) and then approached me and gave me the kiss on the cheek as greeting. And that day when everyone split out to their houses, he also gave me a kiss for goobye. 

So what's this, M Boy? It's because you just realized I'm a big girl now, ya know, boobies and all? *huff of indignation*

And here I end this, I better go and prepare for tomorrow's party anyway.

Well, after my last rather depressive post, I come bearing a crack-ish comment!

I feel like those blogs where j-musicians post about food LOL XXDD

Here you go, I discovered this brand of cookies yesterday! Yummy cookies!! I bought one yesterday and another one today! 

Brand is "Florentinas" and according with the description they are: strawberry mini pies. 

(and I kept the wrapping paper *lol*) 



And well, I have to take care not to buy them every day ne? *is overweighted already, damn it*  The place where I found them is the bus terminal, where I take the bus back to my city, after work. 

Today I bought one and got on the bus *grins* The movie in the bus was Die Hard 4.0 XXDD I  lol'ed  all the way, that movie is full of funny stereotyped comments.

*skips off*