I'm still alive.  Still looking for work.  In fact, I've not had any hours in 2 weeks now.  It's not great, but it's how things work.  I may post later this week as I have some experiences to recount.. but for now, I just felt the need to make a little post to let those who know and/or care that I'm still alive (cue GladOS).  I'm just about to buckle down into my Japanese study for the day and I'm drinking some mediocre coffee.  I've really gotten spoiled with good roasters - there really isn't much coffee at TJs which satisfies me anymore.  In fact, I may even return this one as I just don't care for it.   There's just nothing interesting about it.  It's just coffee.. though, to be honest, my palate has gotten to the point where I can taste all the little off flavours which come from using inferior beans and employing bulk roasting techniques.  There ain't a lot of hiding room in a french press preparation.

Valhalla is a local roaster which does a really nice job and is only about $10/lb.  It's still pricier than cheapy bulk coffee, but for locally roasted coffee, it's a good deal.  It may not be the coffee I really want.. but on a negative budget, it's reasonable enough to justify :)

Again, maybe I'll write again soon.  But for now, it's time to talk about shopping and sports in Japanese to a computer!

It's not that I don't love you all... it's just that I haven't felt like writing much recently.  It's kind of a hard time for me right now:  I'm not getting enough time at work, and the trip to California ended up being a pretty expensive endeavor.  I further found out that it was likely in my best interest to pursue job opportunities away from Johnson, Graffe, Keay, Moniz, and Wick as there "could be no promises made" and that it would "make sense to keep my name out there".  I got the message, so I went back into full gear last weekend.

I have some things in the works, but until anything is more conclusive, I'll reserve my progress.  Needless to say, I've done a nice job of updating my resume to include my new experiences here and I've contacted several local firms to "get my name out there".  I'm at work today and there's nothing to do so I'm writing a post.  I left early on Monday because there was no work for me.  I will probably end up having to do the same.  I need to start making some money... any money.  I realized I'm down to about 2 weeks worth of reserve.  Not good.  I'll probably have to leave early again - I can't justify sitting here getting paid for doing nothing.  I just don't feel right about it.  I like to work when I'm at work.

Perhaps the fool, given these financial challenges, I recently purchased the first personal/discretionary items I've purchased in several months.  I've been studying Japanese but I've felt a definite challenge in understanding the gramatical structure of the language using the immersive method that Rosetta Stone employs, so I purchased a $7 grammar book from my local Borders and have been 'enjoying' 'reading' it.  I also purchased a pleasure book (something I ran out of 4 months ago) that both Alaya and Jason had recommended to me in the last couple of years.  I started it last night and read the first little bit.  We'll see.  You know Jason and Alaya: inherantly untrustworthy, what with their getting engaged and moving to Boston and buying iPhones.  You know who you are.

Jon bought BioShock for my Steam Account as a bar-passing gift and I've been having a blast with it.  I actually spent nearly 3 hours yesterday drudging through Neptune's Bounty.  I love the combination of the AI in the game and the diversity of tools you get with which to interact with the wonderfully immersive environment and creepy opponents.  Plasmids are genetic upgrades your character can inject himself with to reprogram his DNA to permit amazing new abilities.  You get some really fun ones.  There's something wonderful about using Incinerate to melt down a pool of ice to uncover an explosive barrel, using the Freeze plasmid to freeze a guy so he's a brick of ice and then using Telekinesis to hurl the explosive barrel at the frozen guy and watch him shatter into 1000 pieces and the blow up with the barrel.  It's awesome.  And really, best audio in a game, ever... seriously.  Here's a Gamespot Review with pictures.  It's a beautiful game - check it out if you've not heard of it.

Uncle Jerry is coming to stay with me for 3 days, starting tonight.  This should prove interesting considering my (we'll be generous and call them:) "spartan" living conditions.

Oh.. my neighbors offered me a super ugly love seat as they got a full sectional couch hand-me-down for their apartment (it takes up 80% of their living room).  So I took it.  It looks ridiculous in my 'living room', just sitting there.  I've never sat in it.. but I figure it'll at least give Jerry a place to sit while I play more BioShock ;-)  I mean, really, it's hideous and utterly useless on its own: I don't have a coffee table; it's not comfortable enough to supplant my computer chair as a place to sit; my computer monitor is too small that I can sit on the 'couch' and watch shows.  But at least it makes my apartment feel slightly less empty (I think...)

I need to find some good chocolate.  When Jerry's here, we're going up to Seattle and I think I'll have to spring for a good chocolate bar - and, in fact, the chocolate shop near Pike Place is already a destination to get a good Michel Cluizel or Domori origin bar.

Okay, I better go ask if I can do anything for anyone again.