Saturday, February 7, 2009

Oh, Amazon.

It makes me so happy to know that amazon.co.jp lets you pay via internet banking or at a convenience store. That is so nice.

If only other things were like that. I have internet banking, and hell, I even asked for a debit card. Why the hell can't I use my debit card to pay for things? I have yet to find any place that accepts J-debit, or whatever it is that I have. By Japanese standards, I'm still a minor, so I can't apply for a credit card, either.

This leaves me in a kinda rough spot at times.

Another somewhat ridiculous and unecessary complaint: Why isn't there netflix here? Why do they have monthly limits on internet rentals? Seriously.

Really, I'm probably just bitter about school.

That, and I'm bitter that I have to wait to read the newest Scott Pilgrim. They're not shipping through amazon.co.jp for another few weeks.

I feel the most geeky I have for a while.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

On a lack of motivation

And here comes the end of the first school year at this university.

Where did the time go? Why didn't I pull out my books during the semester?

Technically, I did. I took my books with me to every class. Well, when I went to class. I went to class most of the time, but often times I ended up working on stuff for other classes, mostly Japanese and Korean, during those other classes. So, what was the point of going, anyway? Couldn't I have just stayed home and studied? Was it really so important to be in the lecture hall if I was only going to pick up the handouts for the day and spend the rest of the time in another world, attempting to memorize set phrases?

Due to my lack of better judgment, I am in somewhat of a pickle. (Which is a weird phrase that must be incredibly illogical-sounding to non-native English speakers. I am sorry, world. You have some weird sayings, too. Dragon heads and snake tails, I am looking at you. And you, too, horse ears on the Eastern wind.)

Apparently I need at least one social science credit in order to become a second year student. I failed my sociology class during the summer term, so that left me with zero entering into winter. Unfortunately, the number of classes that would fit that category in winter are extremely limited, and being as I have a required class in one of the few time slots where social science credits are offered, I decided to take a gamble, signing up for politics.

Pretty much, if I don't get this credit, I don't get to move up. When you consider that I'm on a scholarship, this could be a slightly more complicated problem.

I took the exam yesterday, and I turned in all of the assignments within the class, but I have little confidence. It's a little bit of a shock to the system.

You would think that being in a situation where advancement to the next grade is at stake I would have put far more emphasis on studying for that class, but it just didn't work out like that.

Here's hoping for a passing grade. Even if it's a low one, I will be thankful.