So, yeah, I did some labeling, and...diagraming? So that those who were NOT in Taiwan can better visualize some of the things I described. ^____^ I started with my Host families' homes... You'll understand soon about the whole....disaster...that was Heating's.




All the sqaures around the edge of Heating's apartment is CRAP and JUNK that was piled up. The two rectangles across from my corner were the computer desks. >..< See how that was a problem? *le sigh*

LURVED my second host family, though. ^________^ They were wonderful, and didn't make me pose for pictures in front of stupid fancy cars...




The MRT System! It's a lot bigger than it looks here, and the distances are a lot further. For example, if you cut across the white empty space from Linguang to Taipei City Hall station, it takes about two hours on foot? If I remember right... If you take the MRT, however, it takes about fifteen minutes. ^______^ Just ask some of my friends (who shall remain nameless). I'm sure THEY remember... *evil grin*

It's all cold and snowy here, and -- though pretty -- I really REALLY dislike it on principle. We had this wonderful thaw last week, and now it's all come back with a vengeance. *sad*

That said, my New Year's Resolution is to do more outside activities this year...I'm waiting till the weather is nicer, though, 'cause I want to kayak, mostly. ^____^ I didn't get to go out even ONCE last year! That's just not cool. So, yeah...

Nick, did you start looking into colleges out west for me? lol. Surprisingly, my mom didn't object when I mentioned the possibility to her. *grins*

1. Copy and post in your journal.
2. Bold anything that is true.
3. Leave plain anything that is not true.
4. Add something.

001. I miss somebody right now.
002. I watch more tv than I used to.
003. I love olives.
004. I love sleeping.
005. I own a home.
006. I wear glasses or contact lenses.
007. I love to play video games.
008. I've done something illegal.
009. I've watched porn movies.
010. I have been in a threesome.
011. I have been the psycho-ex in a past relationship.
012. I like my handwriting.
013. I have acne-free skin.
014. I like and respect Al Sharpton.
015. I curse frequently.
016. I have changed a lot mentally over the last year.
017. I have a hobby.
018. I've been to another country.
019. I carry my knife/razor/whip/pipe/sword/whatever weapon you want here everywhere with me.
020. I'm really, really smart.
021. I've never broken anyone else's bones.
022. I have a secret that I am ashamed to reveal.
023. I love rain.
024. I'm paranoid at times.
025. I would get plastic surgery if it were 100 safe, free of cost, and scar-free.
026. I need money right now.
027. I love sushi.
028. I talk really, really fast sometimes.
029. I have fresh breath in the morning.
030. I have long hair.
031. I have lost money in Las Vegas.
032. I have at least one Brother and/or Sister.
033. I was born in a country outside of the U.S.
034. I shave my legs.
035. I have a twin.
037. I couldn't survive without Caller I.D.
038. I like the way that I look.
039. I have lied to a good friend in the past 6 months.
040. I know how to do cornrows.
041. I am usually pessimistic.
042. I have mood swings.
043. I think prostitution should be legalized.
044. I think Britney Spears is pretty.
045. I have cheated on a significant other.
046. I have a hidden talent.
047. I'm always hyper no matter how much sugar I have.
048. I've been sexually intimate with less than ten people
049. I am currently single.
050. I have kissed someone of the same sex.
051. I enjoy talking on the phone.
052. I practically live in sweatpants or PJ pants.
053. I love to shop.
054. I would rather shop than eat.
055. I would classify myself as ghetto.
056. I'm bourgeoisie and have worn a sweater tied around my shoulders.
057. I'm obsessed with my diary.
058. I don't hate anyone.
059. I'm a pretty good dancer.
060. I don't think Mike Tyson raped Desiree Washington.
061. I'm completely embarrassed to be seen with my mother.
062. I have a cell phone.
063. I watch MTV on a daily basis.
065. I have passed out drunk in the past 6 months.
067. I have never been in a real relationship before.
068. I've rejected someone before.
069. I currently have a crush on someone.
070. I have no idea what I want to do for the rest of my life.
071. I want to have children in the future.
072. I have changed a diaper before.
073. I've had the cops called on me before.
074. I bite my nails.
075. I am a member of the Tom Green fan club.
076. I'm not allergic to anything deadly.
077. I have a lot to learn.
078. I have dated someone at least 10 years older or younger.
079. I plan on seeing Ice Cube's newest "Friday" movie.
080. I am very shy around the opposite sex.
081. I'm online 24/7, even as an away message.
082. I have at least 5 away messages saved.
083. I have been rejected by someone.
084. I have made a move on a friend's significant other in the past.
085. I own the "South Park" movie.
086. I have avoided work to play on OD.
087. When I was a kid I played "the birds and the bees" with a neighbor or chum.
088. I enjoy country music.
089. I really care about my best friends.
090. I think that Pizza Hut has the best pizza.
091. I watch soap operas whenever I can.
092. I'm obsessive, anal retentive, and often a perfectionist.
093. I have used my sexuality to advance my career.
094. I love Michael Jackson, scandals and all.
095. I know all the words to Slick Rick's "Children's Story".
096. Halloween is awesome.
097. I watch Spongebob Squarepants and like it.
098. I have dated a close friend's ex.
099. I'm happy as of this moment.
100. I have gone scuba diving.
101. I've had a crush on somebody you have never met.
102. I've kissed someone I knew I shouldn't.
103. I play a musical instrument.
104. I strongly dislike math.
105. I'm procrastinating on something right now.
106. I own and use a library card.
107. I fall in "lust" more than in "love."
108. Cheese enchiladas rock my socks.
109. I think The Lord of the Rings is one of the greatest movies/books ever.
110. I'm obsessed with the tv show "The O.C."
111. I am resentful that I have to grow up.
112. I am an entirely different person around different people.
113. I think the world would be a better place if people just smiled more often.
114. I think ramen is one of the best foods in the whole world.
115. I am suffering of a broken heart.
116. I am a nerd.
117. No matter where I am or who I'm with, I always seem to be lonely.
118. I am left handed and proud of it.
119. I try not to change who I am for someone.
120. My heart resides below my feet.
121. I have had sex with someone I was not in a relationship with.
122. I enjoy smoothies.
123. I have had major surgery.
124. I have adopted a pet from the SPCA.
125. I am listening to Radiohead right now.
126. Some people call me by a nickname.
127. I once stole a music stand.
128. I like pumpkin pie.
129. I love NASCAR!
130. I own over 200 CDs.
131. I work 7 days a week.
132. I have mono.
132. I don't have the ability to make decisions without changing my mind.
132.5. I have the ability to make decisions without changing my mind.
133. People tell me I have a horrible sense of humor.
134. I'm still in my PJs.
135. I'm looking for love in all the wrong places.
136. I have a tendency to fall for the wrong boys, or have them fall for me, so I can't help but reciprocate.
137. I'll try anything three times.
138. Done drugs other than alcohol or cannabis.
139. I'm having trouble sleeping.
140. I am a cuddler.
141. I love John Waters films.
142. I have made a pornographic videotape.
143. Sloth is my favorite deadly sin.
144. One of my boobs is bigger than the other
145. I know all the words to the "Firefly" theme song.
146. I love Dr. Pepper
147. I'm a programmer.
148. I can't explain why I'm unhappy at times.
149. I own and have read all of the Harry Potter books.
150. I like to smell my own hair.
151. I carry a book with me almost everywhere I go.
152. I have an eating disorder.
153. I have flown to a different country to see a band.
154. I have been hospitalized for "mental issues".
155. I have survived totaling a car I was driving.
156. I am addicted to a Manga/anime.
157. Somehow I always seem to get myself into trouble
158. I have dated someone for longer than 5 years
159. I love Eric Szmanda
160. I have lived in three different countries.
161. I have tattoos
162. I have lost someone I cared about deeply.
163. I've filled out an obscenely long quiz.
164. I am not human until I have had some form of caffeine.
165. I cannot use can openers.
166. I can write with both hands.
167. I Heart Taking back Sunday.
168. I can’t sit still for more than an hour.
169. I get writer's block a lot.
170. I don't deserve to be here as much as my brother.
171. I've tried to commit susicide.
172. I hate my life, even though I know I shouldn't.
173. I feel like I have no chance with any one.
174. I use the term "that's stupid" a lot.
175. I have a crush on someone I know I shouldn't.
176. I've seen a close friend 'nekkid'.
176.5 (And I liked it...)
177. I lied on this. Only once though.
178. I eat most everything with chopsticks.
179. I have a secret love for musicals.
180. I can speak more than one language with relative fluency.

My boredom is eating me from the inside. ^___^ It's okay, I'll get over it.

I have a Rotary...thing...tomorrow. I get to talk to possible exchangees about RYE, and I'll get to babble about Taiwan to people who probably haven't heard any of it yet. Yay!!

That totally beats going to work, or going to school (though, really, I don't mind either).

I have to get my stuff together in a wheel-able bag, since I have to walk to the school from Java's, early in the morning. I need my uniform, my Qin Po, some of my text books (those should scare them! Lol), and my Rotary jacket -- the most important part. *grins* I need to steal my External HD back from Craig, since it has my photos on it. I think I'll put some in a folder, and just play them as a slideshow....with or without music. I may make a playlist to play in the bg... Probably will. Lots of foreign music. ^____^

So, a week or so back, we were walking towards Ben's apartment in the early evening. His new host family is near 101 -- across the road, in fact -- so that was all lit up. But there was something different about it.

Lit up in huge letters on all four sides were the words, "Marry me, Diana?"

Isn't that sweet!?

300,000 USD to put that question up there. Somebody out-bid this huge international technology convention for the space.

We were all hoping for a "She said yes" to follow it, but that'd be another 300,000.....lol.

I go home in ten days. Oh. My. God. *blinks* That's........so soon. And I'm so unprepared. I'm not really packed....not entirely. I've been trying to pack, but I just get all depressed when I start, so I haven't been making much progress.

I drank some of the last of my French Vanilla tea last night, and chatted with Elly this morning......

It feels so surreal.

I mean...I know I said that about leaving FOR Taiwan -- to come here -- but it almost feels more-so now. Like.... "Has it really been a year?? Are my ten months already up?" I feel distant from myself. Like, if I pay attention to things like dates, I'll want to cry, or something.

How long until I'll get to see my exchange friends again?

( Read more... )

Um. I'm done now. I'll post in a few days....maybe. Definitely there will be a Last Post before I go.

<3 you all,
~Kallen

I'm a horrible person, I know.

( Read more... )

Gonna end this now. See you all soon!

~Kallen

At Kiki's insistence....

Non-slash:
The Stranger Trilogy, Part One
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stranger_trilogy/files/A%20Stranger%20in%20an%20Unholy%20Land/


Slash:
The Dragon Games (I can't actually remember if this is slash or not...)
http://www.fictionalley.org/authors/rent_serenity/TDG.html


Add on to this!

OMG. OMG!

So, I'm at my new host family's apartment now. Let's give things in alphabetical oder, okay? Bad parts first.

Item 1. I have a ten o'clock curfew.

Item 2. There's no internet in the actual apartment, you have to go downstairs.

Now the good parts.

Item 1. I have a host sister, Sandra, and a host brother, Eric, as well as a host baby, Kristina. Eric paints, and Sandra loves to draw anime! Kristina cries. Lol.

Item 2. We have a SWIMMING POOL in the building.

Item 3. We have a MOVIE THEATRE in the building.

Item 4. We have a super cheap COFFEE SHOP in the building.

Item 5. The shuttle bus to the MRT station is FREE.

Item 6. We have a MAID, so I won't have to clean my own clothes anymore.

Item 7. I have WALLS and a door with a LOCK!!

...I'd say the good out-weighs the bad, wouldn't you?

I haven't actually explored yet, I'll do that Wednesday, probably. ^^ And I'll post this thing when next I encounter internet. So, maybe at school...? I dunno. I might have to sit outside the library tomorrow and leech off them....

And, sure enough, here I am beneath a tree at the library. Whee! Updates and email checking's gonna be hard for a while...sorry, guys. My computer has a battery life of two hours. I have to make the most of my internet time -- ie., getting as much fanfiction to take home as I can. LOL!

~Kailun

Okay, so today I encountered my first anti-american sentiment from someone Taiwanese....

It was interesting.

Ariel and I were eating lunch in Subway, and Ben joined us a bit later, and he was in a bad mood. He'd spent the last five hours making cookies in his cooking class at school, and towards the end of school he went to go to the bathroom. When he got back, they'd taken EVERY SINGLE ONE, even though the plan was for them to be split evenly among the twelve or so people in the class. So, he was telling us all of this in less than happy tones, with a few cuss words tossed in, and suddenly the staff room bursts open and the manager comes flying out, cussing himself, spit flying, and his wife (we think) trying to hold him back.

"Don't ****ing curse! Get outta my **** store!! Go back to your own ****ing country!!!" and more of that sort. He picked something -- I'm not sure what -- and was nearly going to throw it at us. We didn't react after the initial staring. We remained seated, didn't say anything. "Don't just ****ing sit there!!! I'm gonna ****ing kill you! Go on! Get out!!!!!" His wife was trying to get him back into the staff room, poor thing. The man was about forty-five, we think, and his English was very good -- barely any accent -- despite all the swear words he was throwing about (hypocritically). I finished my Coke, and Ariel finished her cookies, and Ben just stared at him for a while longer before looking away. We went back to our conversation, Ariel and I, and he got even more furious. Told us not to ingore him, to get out, and then he started in about Korea and how they'd kicked our @$$es...

That's when his wife managed to close him into the staff room. She apologized quite profusely, as we assured her it wasn't her fault, then we packed up and left, feeling rather shell-shocked I might add. He didn't look old enough to have experienced the Korean war himself, and we had certainly done nothing to him, so it didn't make any sense. It still doesn't make sense, and I want to understand why he hated us. I don't get it.

I wasn't even frightened, oddly enough. Ben's convinced he wouldn't actually do anything. I think he would have, if his wife hadn't been in the room to get between him and us, but even feeling that, I wasn't in the least bit afraid of him. I guess I felt as if I could take care of myself, and I know Ben can (not sure about Ariel) even though he's a pacifist. It wasn't scary, so much as it was confusing and -- this is horrible, but -- slighty funny, in a very twisted way. He was completely off his rocker, and yelling at us wasn't going to fix anything, so it was ironic I guess, more than funny. I mean....

...Ben just wanted cookies...

Today's the Day of Silence. I'm going to participate as much as I can, but I have a rotary thingy this morning... Not happy. *le sigh*

Toon Disney bought the rights to the fifth season of Digimon, "Digimon Savers". Unfortunately....it's Toon Disney. They're going to butcher it. Starting with the series name. THey've already decided to call it "Digimon: Data Squad". How lame is that?!? *shakes head sadly* None of the TRUE Digimon fans are ever going to call it that. It's going to be Savers until the end of time, in the good circles and forums... *slightly snobbish* Seriously -- we've all been watching it on Youtube, and stuff, since it came out in Japan last April. And we've been calling it "Savers" all this time. Disney is absolutely ridiculous to call it anything else. And we're none of us going to LIKE the dub they do... Well, Steven Blum will probably have a part in it, so that'd be cool.... Most people want Johny Bosche Young (...sp???) to voice the "goggle head" of the season.... Who, I might add, doesn't even have goggles at the beginning. I'm hoping he gets some before the season's out. *le sigh* But, yeah. Comes out on Toon Disney sometime this fall. Bryce and I will have to watch it together. Lol.

I'm supposed to be finishing my slideshow for the Rotary thing today, but my program is giving me all sorts of trouble! I'm beginning to get angry....

Um. Also, I've turned Taiwanese. I.........bought a costume for cosplay. But I have a good excuse for doing so!! I swear it! See, since I've bought ONE of it, now we have something to make a pattern from........and I wanna remake it in red with black trim, rather than the actual blue with white trim.

...yes, it IS the military uniform from Fullmetal... I wanna cosplay as Maria Ross. lol. With my hair as short as it is right now, I totally could, too....

Oh! And I found a wig I might have to go back for next month... It's PERFECT for Amalthea. Kaa-san, you'd help me with her dress, right?? Kiki, I think you could pull of Mommy Fotuna. You said you wanted to, but were too tall...? Well, she stoops, you know. And has drapey clothes. You could do it! (...and Elle refuses to...) Anywho... Yeah. We still need a Prince Lir, a Schmendrick, and a King Haggard. I can think of several people who could pull off a Molly Cosplay, so I'm not too worried about her. Can I hear a few guys volunteering, please??

GOOD NEWS! I'm switching host families! I complained to PP Hipo again recently, and he talked to my club president. ^^ Actually, that's who I'll be living with, apparently; my club president, Tom. Not sure when, though, 'cause Tom said Saturday morning, but I have a YEP thing that morning. Granted, it's a YEP thing I'd like to miss, but I'm not allowed to, so, yeah....... So, then Heating said maybe Sunday, only I've already made plans for Sunday, and they're not easily changable plans.

Heating makes me angry. VERY angry. I asked him when I was leaving. Whenever I talk to him recently, though, he starts going on about how Taiwanese people have such good hearts. "Taiwan ren de xin hen hao" or something like that. I'm like, "I know, I know" and kept trying to move PAST that point -- you want me to know Taiwanese are good people, got it! -- but he didn't want to let it go. He just kept saying how great an opportunity it was for me to come to Taiwan, and how Taiwanese people had such big hearts, and how I wasn't good enough because I don't have money on my phone to call my teacher when I don't want to go to school.... Yeah, here that's the student's responsiblity. "Laoshi, wo sheng bing. Wo bu zai xue xiao. Hao bu hao?"

...great system. *sarcasm*

But, yeah. I'm not good enough, I should talk more with my classmates (I don't have much opportunity...they study too much, and I leave half-way through each day for Rotary), I'm stupid because I can't read Chinese (slight exaggeration; I told him I couldn't read what the teachers wrote on the board, and he as good as accused me of just being too lazy to try, or not wanting to, or whatever), and a whole bunch of other stuff. I was about ready to hit him by the end of it. I told him I had made plans for this weekend, and so had Rotary, so this weekend was too busy, and he was all like, "You're a student! Your plans aren't important!" And he kept going on about how Rotary was twenty people, and I was just one. (He really did use the number twenty.) The thing is, I have no idea why. I was just telling him the truth -- Rotary had made plans for the YEP students this weekend! And he tells me I'm self-centered, self-absorbed, whatever, and that I was just one person, a student, and therefore not important.

Maybe I am self-centered. So what? This is MY Exchange, and I'm going to make it one of the best years of my life. If that involves some self-indulgence, so be it. I'm not going to let horrible host families ruin it for me. I'm going to do my best to stay away from the people who so aggravate me, and do what I want as much as Rotary will allow. It's not right for someone who's supposed to be a family-figure to make me feel so awful about myself, though. That's just B.S...! I haven't done anything wrong. (Especially if you compare me to the other Inbounds...!) I don't have to take that sort of stuff from him. If he has a problem with me as much as it seems like he does, then he should have told me back when the problem started. I started talking to PP Hipo back when I began to loose sleep because of Heating's messed up habits. I'm GLAD to be rid of him. He doesn't have the right to make me feel less than awesome about myself, and I'm not going to let him. I'm going to keep telling myself I'm in the right. He's an old fashioned (--not always a bad thing!--) idiot, who knows nothing beyond the two countries he's ever lived in, and who doesn't get that it's NOT OKAY for a teenage girl to live in an apartment with people not her family and not even have walls or a bed.

Oh, but "Taiwan ren de xin hen hao!"

Yeah, I can accept that he "means well" or whatever, but I want a room and bed. My legs from the calf down hang over the arm of the couch. Because it's not really a couch at all, it's a loveseat. Two cushions. *head/desk*

Of course there's nothing wrong with that...!

....I'm not bitter. Just sleep deprived.

Much love, everyone!
~Kallen

( Read more... )

...um...?

...oh, wait. Mine can.

The most amazing thing happened this morning, that proved just how THIN the walls of apartment buildings can be. I heard a man outside YAWN. Seriously! It sounded like perhaps Heating was in the bathroom, but he wasn't, he'd already left, and the direction the yawn came from wasn't right for it to have been our next door neighbor.... It came from outside!

...okay, so the bathroom window was open, but, still. People should NOT yawn that loudly. It's weird. Lol.

So, I'm doing a sort of..."trial run" for NaNoWriMo. Dumb of me, ne? I started it yesterday, and I'll end it in 29 days. We'll see how many words I have then, huh? I only have just over 1,500 now. I hope to have at least 4,000 before I go to sleep tonight, but we'll see..........

Happy birthday, Natalie! (If you're reading, that is...if not, someone tell her happy b-day for me...)

You know what I've discovered? I write best when I have something really familiar playing in the background, like an anime I'm intimately familiar with. Like Fullmetal. Seriously. If I put in one of my Loveless DVDs, or something, or pull up Fullmetal on Youtube, and then minimize it and type while listening to the Japanese and background music, and sound effects, etc., I write more consistantly. The creative juices flow better with anime on in the background. It's weird. I'm fairly certain it's not a fluke, too. I probably got so used to multi-tasking -- Saturday night line-up with a notebook on my knee, or sitting at the computer desk -- that it became a part of my Writing Mindset.

...I suppose that shows just how truly and pathetically dependant on anime I've become...*sweatdrop* Lol.

I've decided that my favourite musical ever is Jekyll and Hyde. I'm not even sure why...! Just....it is... Of course, I love CATS, too, but... *shrugs* There just something about the music in Jekyll and Hyde that makes me want to purrr. ^..~ That was not a pun. That was not a pun. That was not a pun... *says that until she believes herself*

OMG. MILK CHOCOLATE. Real milk chocolate. (It's mostly cheap stuff over here, but this....this is real...! Now I sound like the skeleton in The Last Unicorn... "Real wine..." *mad giggle*)

*shifty eyes* Right. Pretend I didn't just go off on the chocolate tangent, will you? Thanks...

I'm not going to end up finishing the practice NaNoWriMo thing, I don't think... Mainly because I've little motivation to. *le sigh* It's not that I lack inspiration, 'cause I don't. I also don't think the plot's up to 50K words. I think it's supposed to be shorter than that....... *shrugs* We'll see. Then there's the fact that I'm still working on Casting Shadows, which is what should be taking up all of my attention.

...maybe that's why the NaNoWriMo is so tempting...... *procrastinating*

Ooo! Guess what! I had waffles for dinner! REAL WAFFLES!! The first I've had since I've been here! *gleeful* They had chocolate sauce criss-crossing on them, and powdered sugar. And there was a pile of whipped cream with strawberries next to them! I got to eat just whipped cream...! lol.

Yes, I am pathetic, why do you ask?

Well, it's late, so I'm going to sleep. Maybe. Insomnia. It seems like whenever I get a good night's sleep, I can't sleep the next night. *le sigh* And for once Heating's NOT on the computer, too....... *mourns* I'll try to sleep in a while, definitely.

ttys,
~Kailun

Sneaks! Sneaky Taiwaneses....they is playing trickses, they is... *coughGOLLUMcough* RENTING their costumes... *spits* Nasty, dirty sneaks, they are, cheating like that. Poor Kallen slaves away for hours and hours on her lovely automail and hand-modified cloak, and that horrible wig, but the Taiwaneses goes out and RENTS their costumes, they does....*coughhackGOLLUM!coughhack*



....on the plus side, by trying this costume on, I know know how to MAKE one..........theoretically.

*sings* "Oh, wheeeerrrreee is my hairbrush...?"





...I'm pretty sure this is the shortest I've ever had it. And I'm tempted to cut a bit more off the back so it spikes easier.

..............and I wanna dye the tips white. Maybe. Maybe just bleach 'em redder. *tugs at her hair*

I drew HP fanart last night....mainly because I found the US cover for book seven on Wikipedia, and was consumed with fangirly glee. My new manga I'm drawing has...four pages. Three of them are inked. Inked using ballpoint, but.... ><"

I have nothing else to say...what do you all think of my new hair?

Happy Easter! My internet's down, so that's not cool...I'm kinda bored. Ariel is probably still sleeping, despite it being almost two in the afternoon, Ben's in Wulai getting baptized under a waterfall, Nick doesn't want to go anywhere today, because he's short on funds and doesn't get his allowance until next week....this week, now, I guess.

I think I'm just gonna leave this word document open until my internet comes back on. And I'll just babble until it does. So... Yeah. This will probably be a long post. ^______^

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...I'm such a failure. I didn't get ANYTHING written in my book today. Too busy iceskating. As soon as Ariel sends me the pics she took, I'll post them. ^^

As for my book...? It has 283 pages, handwritten. I'm...in chapter fifteen. People have started dying, and.....

...I'm not letting myself bring them back to life... *angsts* See, I've reached the beginning of the--- well, on second though, I'm reaching the pinacle, but the BEGINNING of the pinacle was some time ago...like....four chapters ago.

...But, yeah. Damian's "Big Scene" is coming up soon. I wrote out all the details of the technical side of what he'll be doing, but I can't quite seem to find a good way to get TO his scene. *pokes muses several times as they snore*

...I think they've been staying up too late. They've recently become addicted to Scrabble. *blink blink* Scrabble, and... *squints* ...what looks like Coca Cola Blak.

...I wish they'd share...

Anyway, they've crashed, and are doing NOTHING to help progress the story any further. I'm going to the library tomorrow to write in peace. I'll meet up with everyone later in the day, I think. I love it when my school has exams.... *purrs*

*ponders* So...um. Iceskating today. SOOOO much fun! Boozy, next time you're in Taipei, you, me, and Adora must all go! ^^ Nick had never been iceskating before, and he was really wobbly on his feet. Lol. Poor guy. He had fun, though. Ariel's feet started bleeding from the skates, unfortunately, but she's fine now. Neither Ben, nor I, fell down even once, and I started trying to learn how to skate backwards. ^___^ PP Hipo did indeed pay, and then he gave me a bday gift! A book. I'm not sure what it's about, because the back cover didn't say anything. If I weren't in the middle of Good Omens, I'd start reading it. When I finish GO, I'll probably read it. ^^ Yay for new reading material!

Um...we didn't really do much. My teacher called, and wanted me to SIT IN THE CLASSROOM this morning. I'm like...."why?" It's just stupid. I can't participate at ALL in written exams. I can listen to teachers, and watch what they write on the board, but I can NOT take the tests. I was told by someone, once, that the teachers get....credit, or something, for every student who sits the exams. And my teacher, Ms. Wang, has done NOTHING for me all year. So I don't feel very inclined to do anything for her, you know?

Um....I can't think of anything else off the top of my head. In four minutes I'll have been officially born... If anyone has any questions, just ask and I'll do my best to answer them! ^_____^

Much love,
Kallen

Happy Birthday to me
I'm eating toffee
while drinking coffee.
Happy birthday to me,
happy birthday to me.

...true story. Toffee is quite yummy. If really, really sticky. It's two minutes after midnight. And my coffee loves me. Even if my host family doesn't.

*looks at the window expectantly* Hedwig should be bringing me presents from Ron and Hermione any minute now....

OMG. I'm totally an adult in the wizarding world now!! *rushes off to the Deathly Hallows to destroy horcruxes* DIE, VOLDY, DIE!!!

...sometimes I think I DE-age on my birthdays....

Although, technically, I was born at 11:45 PM (right, Kaa-san?), so my birthday is only fifteen minutes long....and I won't be "born" until 11:45 am tomorrow, my time. Heh. Weird. I'm weirding myself out.

*eats candy*

I started my book one year ago today. Around six o'clock, I think. In the evening, that is. So, tonight, I'll post again and we'll see how much of my book is finished at the one-year mark. ^____^

...I'm such a dork, sometimes...

Iceskating later! PP Hipo is paying! *squees* Also, I have no school today, because my classmates are taking exams! *dances*

...yesterday, I did have a rather horrid experience in Chinese Class, but I'm writing about it to Kate and Jerry, so hopefully they'll do something about it...

Hm. Lemme think... Nope. That's it. I can't think of anything else to say right now.

Much love!

K.

I spoke to PP James, my councillor (whom I despise), and to PP Hipo (whom I loathe), about the situation at Heating's. They were under the impression that I was sleeping in his daughter's room, apparently, not knowing that his daughter shared with his mother. >< Until this fall's inbounds' year, it wasn't standard procedure to actually LOOK at the homes of the host families. Which explains how I got stuck with Heating, and Adrian (Mexico, very friendly, we tease him - calling him Iraq-ren - because our Chinese teacher thought he was from Iraq) got stuck with the disgusting family in Haulien. Anyway, now they have to at least see pictures of the homes. When they found out that Christine shared with Nainai, they asked if I wanted to.

...share...? With the senile old bat? Whom I am terrified of??

"No," I told them. "That'd be worse."

They asked what was so very terrible about the couch in the corner. (!!!) I started to explain about Heating staying up until three, sometimes four (...hree, Kiki) AM on school days, but then PP James, I discovered, had broken every rule in the Councilling Handbook, and actually CALLED Heating (who was nearby at the time, 'cause we were at some huge All-district thing) and had him come over.

Oh. My. God.

You do not call over the subject of someone's ire!! PP James doesn't know the first thing about being a coucillor! Bloody moron...

So, yeah. Heating shows up, and they tell him all my complaints (which I'd rather he never knew, 'cause it makes me look...ungreatful? Is that the word I want? Or just honest??), and they tried to find a solution. I told them on a short term basis it was fine -- which is true, I'm fine with it as just a short term sentence arrangement. Then, PP Hipo turned to me and told me something that made my heart jumpstart.

"Heating says he will try to find an apartment close to his. For you to stay at. For the remaining three months."

Oh. My. God. (And, yes, Kiki, I know one does not end a sentence with "at," but PP Hipo is Taiwanese. He no speaka English pretty good.)

PLEASE AND THANK YOU?!?!?

Kaa-san, Otou-san, I realize you may not be as happy about this as I am, but...just keep in mind that anything is better than Heating's.

To all my friends....? (Parents, don't read this next bit...)

PARTY EVERY WEEKEND!!!

I'm kidding. Lol. I'll be seventeen/eighteen, pretty much living on my own. I imagine I'll have to check in with Heating once a day, or something, but... My apartment will end up being the new hang-out place. For a while it was Ben's, 'cause he's also in Zhongshan (though maybe not for much longer) and his parents feed us, but...we stopped going to his house when his host sister accidently knocked out the internet router. Permanently. So we shifted to Ariel's house, who's mom will usually feed us, and who lives a five minute walk from the Library. ^_______^ Happiness. We don't usually go to Nick's, because his host family are...weird about EVERYTHING. We thanked them very politely for letting us come over, for feeding us, and when we left they complained to Nick about how rude we were. O_o?? We never hang out at my current host family's, because they don't like me to have friends over, and it's way out of the way, anyway (another problem with Nick's family).

But an apartment of my own in Zhongshan (which is as close to the MIDDLE of Taipei as you can be, more or less) will be PERFECT. D&D campains that run into the hree hours of the morning! Not really, because Nick and Ariel have curfews...but whatever. Also, I've already figured out a budget thing, if they don't increase my allowance (I'll probably be paying for more of my meals).

It'll cost about six-eight hundred NTD a month for dinners, about 450 for breakfasts, 1500 for drinks. Total, 2750. I get 4,000 NTD a month for allowance, plus 1,500 for lunches. 5500 NTD a month. I'd have 2750 left over, as I don't usually eat lunch, anyway. Take out three hundred a month for my cell, and 1,000 for travel, I'd have 1,450 extra NTD, for fun stuff like coffee (average price, 105 NTD), movies (average price, 250 NTD), and ice-skating (290 NTD). This is basing my food intake on a plan of two water bottles, one breakfast, one dinner a day, with extra if I get hungry between, which I usually don't. I'm guessing dinner will mostly be comprised of the 20 NTD cup ramen, 'cause they're cheap, filling, and the only thing I can easily cook. Subway is about 110 NTD, McDonald's 105 NTD, and the onigiri rice triangles are 22 NTD each, and it only takes two or three to be full, so about 66 NTD... So, if I don't feel like eating ramen, I get fast food. Also, I eat with friends a lot, and we split the bill and use coupons, etc. And every eight times you eat at Subway, you get a sub free, so there's that. ^______^ See? All planned. If I were living here as an adult, I'd be making a LOT more than 5,500 NTD a month (English teachers tend to make...I think that a day, if the school's good enough...maybe I'm wrong though...I should double check with Ben...). I could TOTALLY live here! I think Benz told me his apartment was about 11,000 NTD a month? I'm probably way off... Anway, Heating's apartment is nowhere near as nice, so it most likely MUCH cheaper.

(Kaa-san, Otou-san, let me give you the same advice the Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy gave me... *in big friendly looking letters...* DON'T PANIC!!)

I'm...actually (almost) looking forward to going back to Heating's, now...isn't that...insane?

I'd love to hear everyone's opinions! ^__________^

Much love,
Kailun