so you know how I said "get some rest" yesterday?
what I actually meant was stay up until two reading the last segment of Cassandra Claire's excellent Draco Trilogy. and then downloading the entire thing for future reread. (if you are curious, wiki)
I think the worst thing about coming back is not the jet lag, is not the having to go back to work tomorrow, is not even the finding out of all of the good things I missed while out of the country...the worst is wading through the massive pile of junk mail that WashU forces upon it's incoming students. picture the amount of mail you all got from WashU during college app time, and then multiply that by like 10. sigh.
I'm not sure if it's just me becoming querulous in my old age, but my plane trips this time round were far more uncomfortable than in past years. now, I am one of the few dozen people in the world who actually enjoy plane food (though, word of advice, the vegetarian fare >>> the normal tray), and I don't get nauseous anymore, so why? well. three reasons: 1) on the first flight there, I sat next to this little Japanese man with a greasy combover, who, although in the inner seat and thus disturbing two people in his exit, nevertheless got up at least once every half-hour, including when I was asleep (DIE! DIE!!!!!!). which would be totally understandable and forgivable if he had bowel problems or something, but no. he would get up to get a beer. or flirt with the stewardess. and when in his seat, he fidgeted, spilled out of his seat, and VIDEOTAPED the clouds. what the fuck. I would be half asleep and suddenly there would be this glaring light as he slid open the window cover, videocamera in hand. I wanted to scream, I wanted to cry, I wanted to torch his entire ancestory to the ground and dance on their molten skulls. aragh, worst experience ever. 2) on the plane ride back, I had it all planned out: I wouldn't sleep the previous night (which turned into, I couldn't sleep out of nervousness) and the next morning, on the plane, I would sleep for the entire flight to Narita disregarding food and entertainment. I thought it was a good plan. however, the fates the man sitting next to me deemed it not so, and proceeded to make small talk, which, in retrospect, was nice as I would have been entirely unable to carry on a Deep and Meanful Conversation, but nonetheless, I wanted to sleep SO SO badly. then, from Narita to Minnesota, I pretty much could not sleep at all (note: no socks next time- socks on airplane flooring create Static Electricity of Doom...I am amazed that with all of the socks, the planes don't spontaneously combust), and so I am anticipating passing out any moment now. 3) also on the way back, while I sat silently watching my hair crackle and spark (actually, at that moment I felt a bit godly, sort of like a lovechild between Zeus and Medusa), the big screen up front (note: never fly NW international...whereas a lot of planes have little personal screens on the back of seats, NW 747s have one big screen for an entire cabin that is pretty much unavoidable unless you are a) asleep or b) blind) played "She's the Man". I think that speaks for itself.
customs, however, have become more and more lax. in the past, we've been delayed for maybe half an hour as officials flipped through our things one by one; this time they just kind of poked around, didn't even open the pot that we had stuffed in our suitcase. we could have been smuggling opium and they'd never have known. as it was, we were smuggling packets of plant seeds (sewn into various pockets and linings) and DVDs (we emptied out a box of dramas and refilled it with pirated ware). basically my parents dominate the smuggling scene; I am of the opinion that they should create their own opium ring. however, I did hear of a family acquaintance who, when passing through Germany, had his baggage checked and, when discovered to be carrying 7 pirated DVDs, was fined ten thousand dollars (Euros? not sure) for each. eee. I did bring back a lot of quality things though, including V for Vendetta (Emark, let's have a movie night, when are you leaving?) FF7: Advent Children, a partial collection of Miyazaki works...anime is huge in China right now, especially Tenipuri. (the previous statement should be read as: China pwns, hard.). and if anyone is presently horrified at such criminal behavior, I'll have you know that pretty much everything in China is fake. even the ones being sold as authentic. so we feel that at least buying them from people who honestly confess that they are illicit saves both money and conscience. but seriously, I feel that the Chinese, like the Christians, are a reactive rather than a proactive breed- we don't invent, we take your creations, copy them, then sell to millions at a discount. why don't the Chinese rule the world again?
this is insane; I haven't even gotten to China itself yet. maybe I will edit the entries into a fanfiction, an Asian Alice in Wonderland without the crack. hmm.
I think the worst thing about coming back is not the jet lag, is not the having to go back to work tomorrow, is not even the finding out of all of the good things I missed while out of the country...the worst is wading through the massive pile of junk mail that WashU forces upon it's incoming students. picture the amount of mail you all got from WashU during college app time, and then multiply that by like 10. sigh.
I'm not sure if it's just me becoming querulous in my old age, but my plane trips this time round were far more uncomfortable than in past years. now, I am one of the few dozen people in the world who actually enjoy plane food (though, word of advice, the vegetarian fare >>> the normal tray), and I don't get nauseous anymore, so why? well. three reasons: 1) on the first flight there, I sat next to this little Japanese man with a greasy combover, who, although in the inner seat and thus disturbing two people in his exit, nevertheless got up at least once every half-hour, including when I was asleep (DIE! DIE!!!!!!). which would be totally understandable and forgivable if he had bowel problems or something, but no. he would get up to get a beer. or flirt with the stewardess. and when in his seat, he fidgeted, spilled out of his seat, and VIDEOTAPED the clouds. what the fuck. I would be half asleep and suddenly there would be this glaring light as he slid open the window cover, videocamera in hand. I wanted to scream, I wanted to cry, I wanted to torch his entire ancestory to the ground and dance on their molten skulls. aragh, worst experience ever. 2) on the plane ride back, I had it all planned out: I wouldn't sleep the previous night (which turned into, I couldn't sleep out of nervousness) and the next morning, on the plane, I would sleep for the entire flight to Narita disregarding food and entertainment. I thought it was a good plan. however, the fates the man sitting next to me deemed it not so, and proceeded to make small talk, which, in retrospect, was nice as I would have been entirely unable to carry on a Deep and Meanful Conversation, but nonetheless, I wanted to sleep SO SO badly. then, from Narita to Minnesota, I pretty much could not sleep at all (note: no socks next time- socks on airplane flooring create Static Electricity of Doom...I am amazed that with all of the socks, the planes don't spontaneously combust), and so I am anticipating passing out any moment now. 3) also on the way back, while I sat silently watching my hair crackle and spark (actually, at that moment I felt a bit godly, sort of like a lovechild between Zeus and Medusa), the big screen up front (note: never fly NW international...whereas a lot of planes have little personal screens on the back of seats, NW 747s have one big screen for an entire cabin that is pretty much unavoidable unless you are a) asleep or b) blind) played "She's the Man". I think that speaks for itself.
customs, however, have become more and more lax. in the past, we've been delayed for maybe half an hour as officials flipped through our things one by one; this time they just kind of poked around, didn't even open the pot that we had stuffed in our suitcase. we could have been smuggling opium and they'd never have known. as it was, we were smuggling packets of plant seeds (sewn into various pockets and linings) and DVDs (we emptied out a box of dramas and refilled it with pirated ware). basically my parents dominate the smuggling scene; I am of the opinion that they should create their own opium ring. however, I did hear of a family acquaintance who, when passing through Germany, had his baggage checked and, when discovered to be carrying 7 pirated DVDs, was fined ten thousand dollars (Euros? not sure) for each. eee. I did bring back a lot of quality things though, including V for Vendetta (Emark, let's have a movie night, when are you leaving?) FF7: Advent Children, a partial collection of Miyazaki works...anime is huge in China right now, especially Tenipuri. (the previous statement should be read as: China pwns, hard.). and if anyone is presently horrified at such criminal behavior, I'll have you know that pretty much everything in China is fake. even the ones being sold as authentic. so we feel that at least buying them from people who honestly confess that they are illicit saves both money and conscience. but seriously, I feel that the Chinese, like the Christians, are a reactive rather than a proactive breed- we don't invent, we take your creations, copy them, then sell to millions at a discount. why don't the Chinese rule the world again?
this is insane; I haven't even gotten to China itself yet. maybe I will edit the entries into a fanfiction, an Asian Alice in Wonderland without the crack. hmm.