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I haven't had much time lately to do everything I want to because the Japanese proficiency test is coming up this weekend. I've been kicking myself for not studying harder these past two years or so. Chances are slim that a few weeks of cramming will help me pass, but I have learned more in November than in the last two years combined. That's a good thing!
Either way, I'll be happy when the test is over on Sunday afternoon. All this studying is draining!
If you want to see something pretty cute, check out this link for the animated advertisement that popped up when I was checking the weather last night. Make sure the sound is on, and get ready for cute overload! (Not sure how long the link will work though...)
This was the group of runners for the Komono 5k that I ran last month. After my parents' visit I didn't have nearly the time to train that I thought I would, so I was pretty nervous about actually even being able to finish this race. It was hard to get motivated without my old running buddies from last year!
Despite the big mountains looming in the background, the race was delightfully flat, unlike my first 5k that I ran earlier in the year along the top of a local mountain range. Never doing that again! This race was really fun.
See? I'm not making this up, I actually run!
The best part was that I actually saved enough energy to sprint at the end of the race. I knew I didn't have Cally and Rachel to drag me across the finish so I had to do it myself.
Angie and I were still smiling after the race, and feeling pretty good. Luckily, she wasn't too mad that I inadvertantly sprinted past her in my surge to the finish. Now I am just training for a 10k. It was my New Year's resolution to work up to that this year, and I found a race in my town on the 30th of December. Pretty good timing, I'd say. Now I just have to remember to train for this one.
I forgot to bring my camera to the Halloween party this year so the pictures are a little late...
Chito and I decided to dress up as each other this year, primarily because I was happy to get away with wearing a t-shirt and jeans for the whole night. Chito played it cool, but I think he enjoyed his costume more than anyone else at that party, walking proudly with his "chest" out the whole time. I knitted a wig to complete my outfit but it ended up looking like I was just wearing an ugly hat!
Megan dressed up as a strawberry superhero and got the award for "most ridiculous." Is it any surprise that Angie walked away with "slutty cliche" in her Santa outfit? (She certainly wasn't hoping for it and didn't look all that excited to win).
My favorites of the evening were definitely Rob and Krista in their tetris costumes.
Kjersten, Jill and Lauren in all their glory: Kjersten with her Cruella rental gloves, Lauren's mod space girl and Jill's signature "least effort" costume. All throughout the night Chito was posing like this, whether the cameras were out of not! He made a frighteningly attractive woman, actually.
I thought I was all Halloween-ed out after years of the same Halloween party... but it turns out that this year was still a lot of fun!
