Vicky

ayekasong @ 2009-06-22T15:29:00

2009-06-22T20:32:26Z

FYI-

Don't print your pictures at Wal-Mart. They will treat you like an internet criminal and refuse to give you your pictures if they "look professional." You'll need a signature from your photographer, even if that photographer was your friend in college who enjoyed taking pictures for fun and was in no way a professional.

I don't bitch to customer service people often, but I am furious that I was refused a copy of an uncopyrighted image that I had the rights to print and was taken many years ago.

Sad because I actually shopped at Wal-Mart. Won't be going there again anytime soon.

Obligatory 6 month post

2009-05-28T00:14:04Z

Heh. I never update here. Sorry.

So, after a 3 year run in Milwaukee, I am moving! And not a moment too soon. My neighbor (whom I have dubbed guitar heron) is an obnoxious teenager who doesn't understand that you can't have band practice at 3 am on a Thursday morning. "What? You can hear through the walls? What? My guitar wakes you up and you don't like it?" No. I don't like it. Nor do I like your teenage ass coming home at 4 am drunk as hell and louder than a train. So Saturday, I'm done! Out of here! I'll be staying with the Stephs for a week to finish out the school year, and then I'm moving on.

So...what that means is I have no idea how long I'll have internet and how long it will take me to get internet service in my new place. Not that it really matters to my LJ friends since I never update...but yea!

My apartment is a flood of boxes, and I pretty much have no food. I've also thrown away about half a ton of garbage. But I'm excited to get out of here.

Yay!

ayekasong @ 2009-03-26T21:38:00

2009-03-27T02:42:49Z

Wow! I haven't posted in a long time.

Things are still chaotic in my world. They will be for a while, I think. Ugh.

Job update: I'm now back to being a K5 aide- the job I was supposed to have at the beginning of the year. I'm happy, but I still feel like the life is being sucked out of me. I'm exhausted, and I need a break.

Grad school is somewhat winding down. I applied for my teaching license and am now waiting to hear back from DPI. I'm working on the master's part, but I basically just have my thesis left.

I took on two nightmares of costumes this year and I feel like I'm not getting a thing done on either of them. It's very frustrating. I work for a minimum of 2 hours a night, but I'm progressing at the rate of a turtle. I am so nervous about things being perfect, not getting done, etc. Valkyrie Profile costumes are so intricate and complicated!!

Blah!

Upheaval

2009-01-26T03:51:16Z

Well... it seems as if the light at the end of the tunnel is not ready to appear just yet.

Why is it that every 3 or 4 years, I go through a crisis of what I want to do with my life? Sigh. It would just be nice to not have my life in a seemingly constant state of upheaval. But I guess it is time to just resign myself to that fact.

Bleh.

In other news, I'm totally looking forward to ACEN and have been on a costume kick lately. Yay!

Cold

2009-01-15T04:34:18Z

At about 3:15 today, the president of my school called off classes for the next two days. It is just that cold.

Good excuse to spend a day working on my costumes! Mwahahahahaha!

P.S.: I hate fabric dye.

ayekasong @ 2008-12-18T18:10:00

2008-12-19T00:11:24Z

Seriously. God is up there laughing so freaking hard, and I don't find it funny at all. I'm tired of being unhappy.

Great...

2008-12-17T23:19:31Z

So I finally made it to the doctor for my coughing/sinus crap. Turns out I have a sinus infection with a bronchial spasm.

Since I've had bronchitis twice previously, I now have to be concerned about asthma. Great, I needed yet another health problem to watch out for.

Can I get a break please?

I never really post....

2008-09-13T21:31:15Z

I guess it's cuz not much is changing, and the things that are changing lately are just things to complain about... and I don't really feel like complaining here.

What's new and positive?

Well, I am getting some friends for my diamond doves and starting to work on getting my parrotlet. Um, I'm working on setting up my own webpage which will be mostly cosplay related.

The fall semester of grad school has started and I'll be a licensed teacher in January. I'm assisting in first grade this year, too.

Um, yea that's about it!

So tired...

2008-08-12T01:07:37Z

I haven't posted in too long, sorry.

I got back from Otakon last night. The weekend was freakin awesome. I met so many cool people, got an autograph from one of my favorite voice actors, cosplayed, bought fun stuff, and geeked it up. Oh man am I an ubergeek, but it was so fun!

My flight almost got cancelled last night though, because flights to the north were getting cancelled and delayed, which in turn caused mine to delay. When the aircraft finally arrived, the gate clerk was like, "okay guys we need to get on really fast because if the plane is not airborne by 7:08, it will be cancelled." Oh snap. But things ended up going off without a hitch.

The one complaint I have is about people. This poor gate attendant was doing the job of like 4 different people because they were short staffed. A flight to Boston got cancelled and people were pissed. Yes, it's frustrating when your flight gets cancelled. But I don't understand why people get so angry at the airline. They cancelled the flight because of weather! Do you really want to get on a plane and crash because you have to fly through a thunderstorm? Airlines don't find it fun to cancel flights, but they have to put passenger safety as the number one priority. The guy was super nice about everything and he did his best, but people were still all angry and upset with him. Instead of giving yourself a stress headache over things that can't be controlled, be thankful that you'll live to see that later flight you have to take. Your work can live without you for a day.

Another couple got mad at the guy because their flight had been delayed and they decided to saunter around the airport...for hours. Dude, seriously, common sense. If your flight is delayed, never go far for long! Sometimes planes are able to get out sooner than they expect. I'm not saying sit around for hours, but don't go dawdling around the airport for hours at a time without checking back every 15-20 minutes.

Blah.

So anyway, I had also been feeling kind of bad about my birds lately. I have a lot of them, but they are small and I'm able to take care of them all. People kind of made me feel like I have too many. But I have supportive people who love me who encourage my hobbies, no matter how many live animals I have nor how much I sew.

...or how nerdy I get.

<3

Amagad!

2008-07-11T03:52:47Z

I just booked my flight and preregistered...

I'm going to Otakon!

Now comes the freakout about costumes & being on an airplane! GAH!

ayekasong @ 2008-07-08T17:07:00

2008-07-08T22:08:23Z

Argh!

I am so tired of being broke! I should be making a hell of a lot more money than I am. I should be able to afford to Otakon with no problem. I should be able to go to the NYBS! GRRR!!!

/endminirant

Nostaliga...

2008-06-16T20:54:15Z

Perhaps it is the exhaustion from the lack of sleep due to a domestic disturbance outside my apartment last night... or perhaps it is the onset of returning depression (in summer of all times... odd...), but I am experiencing a very odd phenomenon.

I am "homesick" for my life in Japan.

Yes, nearly 3 years after my return, I'm experiencing true longing and not just culture shock. I miss the traveling I got to do. I miss the money I was making there. I miss not having a car yet being able to get around easily. I miss the kids, my coworkers, my friends....and damn do I miss the food. Let's face it, Japanese food in America sucks unless you are willing to pay a small fortune for an authentic restaurant. Even the "Japanese food" that they do have over here is so limited. You're basically talking sushi or "hibachi" - which by the way, is not Japanese. What about Japanese-style crepes? What about that rice/egg dish that I had at the Kyoto ryokan? I miss lying on a futon, crazy and energetic television, being able to communicate in a language other than English, and general cultural things. I have lost so much of what little language skills I acquired over there, and I have no time to take a class over here.

And sadly, there is really little hope of me ever returning for a significant amount of time. *sigh*

How the hell do I get over this one?

Facepalm

2008-05-25T17:48:05Z

Can someone please tell me when exactly it became a crime for teachers to have personal lives and hobbies outside of educational matters?

There is a huge debate on one of the sites I frequent about how you shouldn't do so much cosplay when you are a teacher and you definitely shouldn't ever let students or parents know that you make costumes. Oh and on Halloween make sure you only wear store-bought costumes, not ones you might have made yourself no matter how "mainstream" that costume might be.

OH THE HORROR! I CAN SEW!

Good Lord. Is it really so hard for people to understand that one can balance a personal and professional life? I don't sit there and go "amagad kids last weekend I went to an anime convention and it was so fun and I cosplayed lol!!!!!!1111one" It's not like it comes up in lunchtime discussions with other teachers. The teachers who do know about my geekdom are fine with it. Hell, my friends as me to hem pants for them because they know I can sew. I'm not going around advertising it, but I'm not hiding anything either. I'm not ashamed of the fact that I am a nerd.

What are these people doing to do when their former students or even parents of students see them at a bar one day? Are they going to leave because they are a teacher and "shouldn't be there"? Or are they going to learn that being a teacher during the day doesn't define who they are after work is over?

I'm all for being professional. But there is a time and a place for it and a time and a place for having fun.

/end rant

Cosplay

2008-05-20T00:48:23Z

So apparently I am getting my interest in sewing and costuming back. I might start commissioning for friends. Woot woot, ACEN-inspired-rejuvenation.

ayekasong @ 2008-04-30T20:27:00

2008-05-01T01:27:23Z

₪ Tell you why I friended you.
₪ Associate you with something - fandom, song, color, photo, word etc.
₪ Tell you something I like about you.
₪ Tell you a memory I have of you.
₪ Ask something I've always wanted to know about you.
₪ Tell you my favorite user pic of yours.
₪ In return you must post this in your journal.

More Geek crap

2008-04-10T23:52:09Z

So I think I have decided to forgo No Brand Con in lieu of one of the conventions in Minneapolis. Greyhound wants upwards of $80 to go from Milwaukee to Eau Claire whereas on MegaBus it is $8 one way to Minneapolis. Yea, a huge difference and much more realistic for me to afford.

In other news, I am sick of everything, ready to quit my teaching license program, and just in a generally pissy mood. I guess I am finally tired of feeling like a failure. Why the hell am I a teacher when I could have been a meteorologist or an astronomer.. or something else that makes more money. Mom always wanted me to be a linguist... maybe I should have listened to her.

/end pityparty

Geekdom

2008-03-27T22:42:39Z

Okay, I'm cutting for those of you who are not geeks like me. :)

For certain, I'll be attending Anime Central. I have gone and figured out what other conventions are likely possibilities for me to attend.

POTENTIALS:
No Brand Con, Eau Claire,WI April 18-20
Wizard World Chicago, Chicago, June 26-29
Anime Expo, Los Angeles, July 3-6
Otakon, Baltimore, Aug 8-10 (trainable)
Anime Iowa, Coralville, IA, Aug 15-17
Geek.Kon, Madison, WI, Sept 27-28
Youmacon, Dearborn, MI, Oct 30-Nov 2 (trainable)
also Anime Reactor... whenever that is.
Trainable means that the Amtrak station is within walking distance of the convention center.

So... I don't want to go to any of these alone. Does anyone want to go with me? Every year I say I will go to more than Anime Central, and every year, I don't.

ayekasong @ 2008-03-17T21:16:00

2008-03-18T02:35:47Z

So I was sitting in my shower thinking the other night... shutup... my year is seriously booked already.

For the rest of March:
Easter/Spring Break - I will spend this time sewing my ass of since I don't have classes.
Weekend of March 29th - possible bird show.
Last week of March - Karen's moving

April:
Holy crapola projects for school. That is when I'm not in class or at work. Actually, April is probably my most relaxing period until my 2 week break in August.
No Brand Con?? Possibly?? Anyone want to trek up to Eau Claire with me?

May:
Zoo trip
Portfolio due
9-12- Cousin Nick's wedding
16-18 - ACEN
at some point in there, spending time with Dawn and Ben.
Preparations for kindergarten graduation

June:
Summer class #1 (3 weeks, 3 credits...ouch)
Potential job/new place to live hunt?
Summer class #2 beginning
Might be a good chance to go to Wizard World Chicago...

July:
4th of July crap
AX - if I can convince anyone to go with me :(
Summer class #2 finish up
Summer class #3
Wisconsin Dells trip

August:
1-15 two week break! Yay! Maybe vacation?
15th- contracts begin/inservice (boo)
preparations for kids coming in
Hopefully attending Anime Iowa

September:
Kids start
3 grad classes + student teaching (I don't know how I'm going to make it. I've got 3 this semester including student teaching and I'm dying.)
Geek.Kon (I will go this year I swear!)

October:
Bird show in Tennessee?
otherwise nothing extra as of yet...

November:
Thanksgiving
Karen's wedding

December:
License completion

Okay so now that I wrote it down, it doesn't look like that much. This is the bare bones, however. Lord knows how much I'll be doing in terms of class, preparing for Karen's wedding, and possibly having my own classroom. Plus, if I start this aviary thing this year, that will take up a huge amount of my time.

Okay /end whining.

And as always, one of my goals is to get to more conventions, so if anyone wants to be my convention buddy, holler.

Exhausted

2008-02-27T03:37:40Z

Oh wow.

I am always so tired. I feel like all I ever do is homework. I am not sleeping well and I'm getting sick again.

I'm worried that I may not have it in me to finish my licensure program.

Ugh. Stupid winter blues.

ayekasong @ 2008-01-30T20:49:00

2008-01-31T02:50:12Z

Ginger left us today. She had a heart murmur and hadn't been eating. She was 18.

She's back with Dusty now. Ironic that it's the 2-year anniversary of grandma's passing.

Ugh

2008-01-16T03:39:42Z

So all the politics and crap recently have gotten me fired up. Please understand that my political views have indeed changed, especially since I became involved in the education field. I couldn't believe that some politicians want to get rid of the school choice program. Are you kidding me? Yes, it takes away from public schools, but why should kids be forced to attend schools that aren't meeting state standards? That's bullshit. And you know that the poorest neighborhoods are going to be the ones to suffer because too many teachers are scared away from the "high-risk" areas (high risk in terms of academics, not safety). So once again let's screw the poor and make the rich richer. How the hell are those kids going to get ahead in life if they can't even get a good education?

Don't pretend to care about our kids if you're afraid of teaching in the toughest schools.

Don't pretend to care about our kids if you think School Choice should be reversed. Schools should be expected to meet standards if you want to get rid of school choice.

Don't pretend to care about education if you blindly vote yes on referendums without knowing what you are voting for. Administrators don't need yet another raise if teachers can't even get enough books for their classes.

Don't pretend to care about the future of America if you constantly make excuses for kids. If you tell them that they are not capable because of X excuse, they will never believe themselves to be capable. Yes, 5-year-olds can write. No, it is not too much to expect a 4-year-old to follow rules.

Oh another thing,
TEACHING IS NOT EASY. Anyone who believes that is welcome to come spend a day in the classroom that I aide in. Teaching is the hardest job I have EVER had, a hell of a lot harder than sitting behind a desk typing in orders for bottle caps.

Anyway, sorry for the rant. Quite honestly it's not well thought out but I am just so frustrated in my field right now. People claim to care about kids but treat teachers like the scum of the earth, like its an easy job. The government wants to keep cutting and cutting and cutting the funding of schools. I'm not exaggerating at all in anything I've said in this post. Our school can afford a lot of unnecessary things, but the 7th graders at our sister school can't even have their own textbooks because the school doesn't want to pay for them.
A local school system recently wanted taxpayers to pay even more in taxes to "support the school." I would put my own money on the bet that the kids in that school system either won't benefit or will benefit minimally from increased revenue.

UGH POLITICS.

Wiping the slate clean

2007-12-31T17:12:25Z

So I was going to write this big heartfelt message about wiping the slate clean but I forgot half of what I wanted to say. So here is a summary:

As of midnight tonight, the slate is getting wiped clean. If you have done anything in the past to hurt me, at midnight tonight the "statute of limitations" is up and I am putting it behind me. Similarly, I am forgiving myself for stupid things I have done in the past. Depression will be a lifelong struggle for me, and I seriously cannot continue to live in such a way that I am constantly beating myself up for my mistakes. I don't want to get to the brink of sanity again. I got told this year that I might have a personality disorder and that I am having hallucinations of things that aren't happening. A lovely thing to be told of course. I'm refusing to get to that point by clearing the slate. It will be a brand new year with new possibilities.

After all, I cannot fulfill my purpose if I can't even be at peace with myself.

On a lighter note, here are my resolutions:

1. Lose the 15 lbs I gained this year.
2. Let things go more easily.
3. Make steps towards opening my own aviary.
4. Take the risks that I've been afraid to.
5. Make real progress towards my financial savings.
6. Eat healthier.
7. Exercise more.
8. Get out more - there are like 15 different types of conventions that I want to go to this year.
9. Be a good "mama" to my birds.
10. Not let school stress me out as much.

2007

2007-12-28T23:16:23Z

So I totally stole this from Sarah but what the heck, I haven't posted in 5 weeks so yea.

1. What did you do in 2007 that you hadn't done before?
Went to Riversplash, Summerfest, and State Fair :D

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
No, I totally broke my lose more weight thing

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope

4. Did anyone close to you die?
For a change, no!

5. What countries did you visit?
None, :( But I did go to Colorado

6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
Money :D

7. What date(s) from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Oh good lord, this was a really eventful year... The SuperBowl (go Bears even though you lost), St. Patty's day (my first time getting kicked out of a bar), Acen 2007 (hanging out with Ben, Dawn, and Wes)... um and a ton of other stuff that I don't feel like writing out here

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Beginning grad school

9. What was your biggest failure?
Letting depression get ahold of me again

10. Did you suffer any illness or injury?
Yes I went to work even though I felt like I was on death's doorstep a few weeks ago... also had another MRI (yay) and was promptly told P.T. would magically fix it... 3rd round is a charm?

11. What was the best thing you bought?
My doves

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
The fourth floor girls' behavior always merits celebration

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Ehh I plead the fifth.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent, tuition, stupid tests, food

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Once again, a billion things, I get excited easily.

16. What song will always remind you of 2006?
Assuming you mean 2007... I guess "Give it to Me" by Timbaland/Nelly Furtado/Justin Timberlake

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? happier
ii. thinner or fatter? fatter by 15 lbs BOO
iii. richer or poorer? much poorer, I'm paying tuition by myself, no loans

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
relaxing

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
eating

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I spent it at home with my family

22. Did you fall in love in 2007?
I fell in love with my birdies :D

23. How many one-night stands?
Zero although Nass and Johnson would say 5 billion

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Grey's Anatomy, House, Simpsons

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I don't hate people, but I strongly dislike a few people who I will not name here.

26. What was the best book you read?
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Umm I dunno, Timbaland?

28. What did you want and get?
I wanted clothes and got them

29. What did you want and not get?
Money

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
25...I worked and then ate with the Stephanies

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Um, I dunno I am pretty satisfied with this year. Had some pitfalls but overall I'm pretty satisfied.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
I have no idea, "normal"

34. What kept you sane?
Alcohol, Prozac, my girls, the kindergartners

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Orlando Bloom as always

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Gay marriage, abortion, poverty, the usuals

37. Who did you miss?
Ahaha I know what I want to say but I won't but Johnson knows who I wish was back from last year.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Crystal and Katie

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007:
That I can't worry over petty stuff and toxic people. I have much bigger things that I am doing to worry about drama.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
My favorite from Utada Hikaru: "Mokutekichi wa madadayo." Translated: "We haven't reached our destination yet."

Holidays

2007-11-21T23:59:37Z

So yea I haven't made many posts of substance as of late, but here is one of substance (although it is disjointed, sry.)

I have learned that I hate being tied down by school. I love school and I love learning, but the fact that I must do my program in Milwaukee ticks me off. I want the freedom to be able to switch jobs whenever I want and move whenever I want. I don't like this contractual stuff. However, being tied to people doesn't bother me at all. I live in Milwaukee because I am tied to my friends. I don't want to leave there because my friends are there. I don't want to be too far from my family either. And, my friends and family have no impact on my career, so I don't feel suffocated by them as I do by school.

I also have no free time whatsoever. I have school 2 nights a week and am not home until at least 8pm on those nights. Considering I need time to wind down before my early bedtime, this is a problem! 6 am does come early after all, and I have trouble sleeping as it is... So anyway, on the nights I have off, I do homework...and more homework. I have been home for a grand total of 2 full weekends since the school year began. Life is just too crazy sometimes. Trying to schedule a time to take my car in for maintenance proved difficult.

In addition to this, my knee has been causing me tremendous pain. I had a second MRI done on it last Friday and received the results yesterday. Not only did the doctor confirm for me that the ortho I saw in Illinois had no clue what he was doing, he also informed me that basically nothing can be done for me at this point. It's not bad enough for surgery, but I have more "wear and tear" than normal. Goodie. So here I'm thinking now that it must all be in my head or something. I guess I have to live with the pain until something breaks or tears.

I am also having a nice new back pain. I pulled a muscle while sleeping, which is not uncommon for me. The pain usually goes away in a few days at most. I've had this pain and tensing up for well over a month now. Not only this, but I have been having stomach problems that some suspect could be an onset of lactose intolerance. This is a major problem when I live in Wisconsin! Others suspect it could be an ulcer. I don't know what it is. I'm testing the lactose theory by avoiding dairy right now. I really have no desire for more doctors, especially when they can't figure out what's wrong or do anything for me.

Also I gained some of my weight back. Grrrr! At least the Christmas season is approaching.

Snow is cold

2007-11-06T03:42:20Z

Oh my, flurries already. This puts me in a very very bad mood.