I want all hot tubs cold.

So I met with my financial advisor last week, and unless I manage to mess things up completely, I should be studying at a university in Japan by October. Neat.

Well, soccer season is here again, this time in the form of co-ed indoor intramurals.

I've put together a solid team, and I think we will be contenders for the RECREATIONAL division title. Man, we are good.

Since this is a new team, we'll need a new team name. Help me pick one. Currently, I'm considering Princes of the Universe (a reference to a Queen song from the soundtrack of Highlander), or Tequila Mockingbird (maybe Tequila Mockingbirds). Anyway. Suggestions, please.

Also, does anyone else find it odd that goals by women are worth 2 points in co-ed games? We're gonna be cherry picking like you won't believe.

Being away from downtown sucks.

I'm so happy that my daily commute is on a bicycle and not in a car.

Today I drove to the orthodontist at 7:00 a.m. His office is way out south, and the timing of my appointment managed to put me in the middle of morning rush traffic. Puke.

It had been a long time since I'd been that far south. I guess I'm sort of wrapped up in my own little world that doesn't extend much beyond a 15 block radius from campus.

When I finally got home and changed from automobile to bicycle for the trip to work, it was like a weight had been lifted.

Riding down the street is so much better than being trapped in a stupid car.

Cop the sorbet/ Straight from Jorge/ Jack of all trades/ Even mastered the gourmet/ Plus the price got the street tongue in cheek/ Cook it till it's Al Dente/ Muah, magnifique!

I was told that the Bachelor's Degree is the new Associate's Degree.

Isn't global warming stellar?

Awful and great at the same time, you know? I was outside yesterday, January 15th, playing basketball in shorts and a t-shirt. I dominated some some buddies in 21 and retired unbeaten... I guess my jump shot must be improving.

Despite the sports, though, I'm not quite back to perfect health yet. This cold or virus or whatever the hell it is has really been destroying me. I lost five pounds in a week. Ugh.

I feel like I could be back at full strength here in another week or two, but who knows.

Also, if being sick isn't bad enough, I had the hiccups, for two fucking days straight. If that doesn't make you want to put a bullet in your head I don't know what does. Jesus that is some serious torture.

...

Other than the hiccups and sickness things are good, I guess. Classes are easy. Intramural soccer is starting soon. Work is going great. My New Year's resolution of drinking less is coming along well, and I'm actually writing a bit more for the DN.

One thing though, is that I need to force myself to set aside a few hours a week to work on my research proposal, and I need to be diligent about it--if I'm serious about my education, about getting back to Japan, about my life, I need to actually do the hard work, and not let myself just get dragged into a rut.

Because life is easy right now, and my ambition to do anything is dwindling. I can see how people just sort of stumble into careers and do nothing with their lives. It makes sense.

It's easy.

So I'm not going to do that.

Finally it's fucking Friday. This week has been the definition of hell. It's amazing how sickness can completely take me out of my element.

Oh well, I still handled my business.

And bowled a pretty decent game last night, too. I know Annie was impressed.

The world is such an enchanting place.

I'm thrilled at the possibilites ahead of me.

I still have a little frog in my throat, I guess. Just a few more days and I'll be tip-top.

...

Things on my mind:

• The weight room is ridiculously crowded. Why do people have to make New Year's resolutions? It's not gonna last, people! Go away!
• The Blue Orchid has some of the best food in town. They also have the slowest service, bar none. Hopefully, since it's their opening month they'll have things worked out by the time I go back again.

I guess that's all I'm thinking about. Oh, and school. And graduating. And life is crazy.

At times it just seems easier to curl up into a ball and hide from your future than actually do anything real about it.

I still generally feel like shit, but I'm pushing through the week. Hopefully by next Monday, life will be a lot better, and it won't hurt to swallow.

This year is off to the worst start in history.

I often wonder if people can tell that my eyes are out of focus. Like, when I'm staring at a computer screen completely zoned out. Can they tell, by looking at my eyes, that the words on the monitor are actually a blur to me?

I mean, it's not always blurry.

But sometimes.

...

So I'm only going to say it once, but seriously, GO TEXAS!

Vince Young's Heisman pose while holding that giant crystal football was truly a thing of beauty. Take that Reggie Bush.

...

I'm feeling very optimistic about life today.

San Francisco is a go.

Man, I missed coffee.

Finally, I'm back at work after a nice 10 day hiatus, and 7 a.m. at the office never felt so great. Working--I mean, actually doing something that is meaningful--is just what I've needed after a long vacation that included mostly drinking, reading, and cleaning my house.

Cleaning is a fine activity, though, because you find out some interesting stuff. For example, the glass surrounding our hanging living room light wasn't actually frosted as my roomates and I had all assumed--it was caked in dust.

I wonder when I became so anal about cleaning, because I used to just disregard things. Not that I was dirty, but let's just say I wasn't washing my sheets as often as I am now (my mom would be so proud).

So Chicago.

On New Year's Eve I mentioned that I partied at a pretty stellar apartment on North Halstead that was above an art gallery.

Well, some people at this apartment decided to fill the jacuzzi and continue the New Year's festivities submerged. I'm not entirely sure what exactly happened, but five or more people crammed in and somehow managed to leak water into the art gallery below.

Fast forward three days: Jessica, the apartment's owner, is now being sued for a lot of cash. I guess that a lot of the leakage ended up on a few paintings worth more than a million dollars.

Whoops.

Good thing ol' Jess is a Harvard grad who just started an $80,000 a year consulting job and can afford a lawyer.

In another Chi-Town monetary fiasco, Emily and a few other girls had their iPods, purses and wallets stolen after one of their roomates brought a random guy home from the bar on New Years. They woke up and he was gone, then they realized that so was most of their stuff.

He promptly charged $1200 on one of the cards at Circuit City.

But guess what--he left his phone number with the girl who took him home.

Whoops.

And if this isn't enough craziness, an inebriated Takayuki woke me up this morning at 5:30 a.m.

Yes, that's right. I was drunk dialed from Tokyo. He said he's coming back to Nebraska next month. I want to believe him, but he was pretty smashed so I'm going to wait until I get a chance to talk with him under better circumstances.

I hope he's coming... of course, I wish I was going. Though I will be, eventually.

He ordered me over and over again to get my ass to Japan ASAP. All I could say is, yeah, I'm trying.

And speaking of the Japanese, Megumi will be here tomorrow. I can't believe it. So Lis, if you want to see her, give me a call. I'm sure she misses you.

Busy busy.

So much to think about.

Time to start planning spring break in San Francisco.

Well, 2006 is here.

I'm in Chicago.

Public transportation is the best.

Partied at a bar called Tequila Roadhouse for a long, long time and drank a lot of Jager and Redbull.

It was strange because there were probably eight girls there for every one guy. I've been surrounded by estrogen this entire trip. I need my boys.

... post Tequila Roadhouse was a huge, beautiful apartment in Boystown.

And of course more, but you can ask me in person if you really want to know.