Author Topic: Congratulations, Chronovore! (Read 2848 times)

Cormacaroni · « **on:** December 14, 2011, 10:30:34 PM »

....on his last day of indentured servitude in the Nihons!

Japan's loss is Amurrica's gain

spoiler (click to show/hide)

date of commencement of indentured servitude in the US unclear at this time

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Mr. Gundam · « **Reply #1 on:** December 14, 2011, 10:38:19 PM »

Come to Seattle. The beer awaits.

chronovore · « **Reply #2 on:** December 14, 2011, 11:05:07 PM »

Aw... Guys! $:-\$ :'(

(ssnnnnnfff)

It is truly a melancholy feeling.

Edit: Maybe not melancholy -- there's that, but there's also a big dose of FUCK YEAH!

Van Cruncheon · « **Reply #3 on:** December 14, 2011, 11:17:40 PM »

welcome to the third world!

Howard Alan Treesong · « **Reply #4 on:** December 15, 2011, 01:18:07 AM »

come to OC, we have better Japanese restaurants and grocery stores!

Bebpo · « **Reply #5 on:** December 15, 2011, 01:19:36 AM »

Happy Birthday!

spoiler (click to show/hide)

On your new AMERICA BIRTHDAY that you get to acquire when entering the country permanently

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Eel O'Brian · « **Reply #6 on:** December 15, 2011, 06:01:35 AM »

Congrats! Maybe we can play some online games when I don't have insomnia now!

Cerveza mas fina · « **Reply #7 on:** December 15, 2011, 07:36:06 AM »

Congrats! Come to Europe

Brehvolution · « **Reply #8 on:** December 15, 2011, 09:33:10 AM »

Congrats on the escape!

What's the next step?

tiesto · « **Reply #9 on:** December 15, 2011, 10:53:13 AM »

Welcome! Come to NYC!

Himu · « **Reply #10 on:** December 15, 2011, 10:54:01 AM »

Quote from: Borys on December 15, 2011, 10:06:11 AM

Borys listens to rap? Broadening one's horizons is good.

Himu · « **Reply #11 on:** December 15, 2011, 10:59:52 AM »

no wonder you like snow. you're a wigger. BORYS IS A WIGGER.

Brehvolution · « **Reply #12 on:** December 15, 2011, 11:51:28 AM »

He'll lick yer boom boom down.

Beezy · « **Reply #13 on:** December 15, 2011, 11:59:03 AM »

Quote from: tiesto on December 15, 2011, 10:53:13 AM

Welcome! Come to NYC!

Seconded. NYC Bore needs new recruits.

chronovore · « **Reply #14 on:** December 15, 2011, 07:41:07 PM »

Thanks, guys! You're the best! *wipes away a solitary tear*

It's my first day unemployed in... crap. FOURTEEN YEARS.

I've been employed, solidly, since 1997? It looks like I've not been out of work at all, moving from company to company, since then. Wow.

My wife is telling me to take a break, but all I can think about is getting my portfolio together and getting the next job. In a month, I'll be in California, and will want to move as fast as possible.

During work yesterday, I sent out my "sayonara" email, and received a number of very thoughtful replies. Last night, a bunch of the peeps took me out for drinks and dinner. They snapped a whole mess of pictures during the debauch, then gave me a digital photo frame to remember all of them on. It was touching. When we all parted ways, I said, "Hey, guys! Do your best tomorrow! 'Cos I won't!"

Next week, the director staff are taking me out as well; I'm happy they are making an effort -- as a contracting consultant, I'm not actually a director, but I guess after 10 years working together, those lines blur.

So... yeah, today I'll be working on Christmas cards, and taking it a little easy!

Mr. Gundam · « **Reply #15 on:** December 15, 2011, 08:06:12 PM »

So your family is coming with you, right? Kids excited about coming to the US?

chronovore · « **Reply #16 on:** December 15, 2011, 08:09:16 PM »

No, the kids are in school, and my wife has a work commitment until April at least. I'm moving on my own, until I know where the next job is, then I need to work on getting her visa ready (calling an immigration lawyer this time) and finding a nice neighborhood to put them in. It's going to be a rough few months without them. :'(

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #17 on:** December 15, 2011, 08:16:37 PM »

...yeah right. Bachelor hell

lennedsay · « **Reply #18 on:** December 15, 2011, 09:59:01 PM »

When you find a place here in the states, PM your address so we can send you a case of ramen noodles and Kraft mac&cheese. Maybe even throw in gift cards for all the best and worst fast food. That way you can feel like a true American bachelor.

Mr. Gundam · « **Reply #19 on:** December 15, 2011, 11:28:42 PM »

I will personally deliver him beer. In a truck.

An American truck. Full of American craft beer.

FUUCK YEAH.

HERE TO SAVE THE MOTHERFUCKIN' DAYUH YEAH.

chronovore · « **Reply #20 on:** December 15, 2011, 11:50:16 PM »

Quote from: Cormacaroni on December 15, 2011, 08:16:37 PM

...yeah right. Bachelor hell

GONNA PLAY ME SOME DnD! FOR REALZ!

Quote from: lennedsay on December 15, 2011, 09:59:01 PM

When you find a place here in the states, PM your address so we can send you a case of ramen noodles and Kraft mac&cheese. Maybe even throw in gift cards for all the best and worst fast food. That way you can feel like a true American bachelor.

Yeah, pretty sure I won't need Top Ramen, and I know where to find Mac 'n' Cheese in the USA -- but where were you when I was jonesing for "the cheesiest" over this last 10 years?!

Quote from: Mr. Gundam on December 15, 2011, 11:28:42 PM

I will personally deliver him beer. In a truck.

An American truck. Full of American craft beer.

FUUCK YEAH.

HERE TO SAVE THE MOTHERFUCKIN' DAYUH YEAH.

FÜCK YEAHHHHHH!!!

lennedsay · « **Reply #21 on:** December 16, 2011, 12:57:37 AM »

I don't hate - when I'm not feeling well, I only want Kraft mac & cheese or Velvetta shells & cheese.

chronovore · « **Reply #22 on:** December 16, 2011, 01:49:47 AM »

I don't hate, either. Mac 'n' Cheese with hot-dogs cut up into it? THE BOMB. I suspect when I introduce my kids to it, they will agree.

My wife likely will not be having any of it though! She also can't stand rice pudding, like most Japanese, she thinks rice should never be sweet. At which point, I say "o-hagi" (a sweet rice dish) and she says, "That's different!" Consistency!

On a side note, I just had a "Oh shit, I forgot to go to work" moment -- I wonder how many of those are ahead of me? I had "I forgot to take my last final!" dreams for years after I graduated.

chronovore · « **Reply #23 on:** December 16, 2011, 08:35:09 AM »

Oh, christ, the image -- it burns! My eyes! My eyes!

Beezy · « **Reply #24 on:** December 16, 2011, 08:57:42 AM »

Quote from: chronovore on December 16, 2011, 01:49:47 AM

On a side note, I just had a "Oh shit, I forgot to go to work" moment -- I wonder how many of those are ahead of me? I had "I forgot to take my last final!" dreams for years after I graduated.

I still have these. Worst nightmares ever.

Joe Molotov · « **Reply #25 on:** December 16, 2011, 09:32:20 AM »

I always used to have the ones where I couldn't remember what classes I was taking and then I would wind up in like Advanced Calculus III or something that I'd been enrolled in all semester but I'd forgotten to go to it until just now.

chronovore · « **Reply #26 on:** December 16, 2011, 10:31:12 PM »

Quote from: Joe Molotov® EDGE™ on December 16, 2011, 09:32:20 AM

I always used to have the ones where I couldn't remember what classes I was taking and then I would wind up in like Advanced Calculus III or something that I'd been enrolled in all semester but I'd forgotten to go to it until just now.

These were even more common for me than the other one. I'd also remember that we had always passed the "drop date," so I had to go and try and finish the class from halfway through the semester.

BobFromPikeCreek · « **Reply #27 on:** December 16, 2011, 10:37:36 PM »

Waking up from those dreams is the best though.

chronovore · « **Reply #28 on:** December 17, 2011, 01:49:32 AM »

Not for that first five seconds or so, though!

Dickie Dee · « **Reply #29 on:** December 17, 2011, 05:01:01 PM »

I was always a slacker who skipped class even through engineering school and just crammed and (usually) did very well on exams, but still by the skin of my teeth. Still occasionally wake up from these dreams with near panic attacks almost a decade later.

Beezy · « **Reply #30 on:** December 17, 2011, 06:08:33 PM »

Quote from: Mamacint on December 17, 2011, 05:01:01 PM

I was always a slacker who skipped class even through engineering school and just crammed and (usually) did very well on exams, but still by the skin of my teeth. Still occasionally wake up from these dreams with near panic attacks almost a decade later.

Fuck. I'm screwed.

chronovore · « **Reply #31 on:** December 21, 2011, 11:36:23 AM »

Had several more bouts of "What was I supposed to do at work today?" and then realizing I didn't have to go in.

My final-final going away party was tonight. The director staff saw me off, and I actually felt like I would be missed, which is just about the best present they could give me. They also gave me some signed "farewell" placards, and two crazy-deluxe sake drinking sets.

Christ, so strange -- truly feels like the end of an era. 10 years!

chronovore · « **Reply #32 on:** December 27, 2011, 01:39:06 AM »

Quote from: Stringfellow Hawke on December 15, 2011, 03:09:05 AM

Wow. Congrats! Hope you'll still come over every now and then.

Sorry, forgot to respond to this: Yeah, with family in two countries, we'll be over at least once a year, possibly twice. It may be that the kids come over for summers, which will likely have one parent escorting them out, and the other one coming to escort them back. Should be ace!

I'm also noticing that my wife is INTRACTABLE on the idea that the kids will attend Saturday school for Japanese lessons, to make sure they keep up on their language structure and kanji reading/writing abilities. I'm honestly a little perturbed; it's not like she was insisting that the kids have English lessons, so they'd be prepared to be dropped back into US culture at some point.

Then again, learning kanji basically requires constant attention and effort, whereas learning English is difficult but not based in rote-memorization.

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #33 on:** December 27, 2011, 02:02:07 AM »

Good luck with that - that was the bane of my mate Scott's life when he moved back to the UK with 2 kids. He drove hours back and forth every Saturday, since schools that offered Japanese were like hen's teeth. Why not just have Mom teach them 30-45 mins every night? Kanji is the very definition of something you can self-study anyway.

chronovore · « **Reply #34 on:** December 27, 2011, 02:24:48 AM »

No shit! I was trying to pitch her on, "Well, in this day and age, there is probably an internet-based option, where they can participate via webcam, and not even just limit it to Saturdays. It may be even better than going just once a week."

Wife: "No."

Pffffffffff. We'll see how enthused she is about the whole shebang when she has to get up early on Saturday to drive them out to the mini-mall or wherever these things are.

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #35 on:** December 27, 2011, 03:15:18 AM »

The thing about bilingualism is there really is no point half-assing it, because of the cost and time investment. Do you have any real plans for the kids to take college courses in Japanese, or work for a Japanese company? If not, why do they need to spend their Saturdays studying kanji instead of playing baseball or learning ballet or karate etc? If it's just so as not to be embarrassed in front of grandma in a few years time, I would put the foot down. You guys may never live in Japan full-time again, after all.

Mr. Gundam · « **Reply #36 on:** December 27, 2011, 10:48:48 AM »

If you end up in Vancouver, Seattle, LA, Portland or San Francisco, you won't have any problem finding Japanese language schools. There's actually a public elementary school near my house that does a Japanese immersion program.

Cerveza mas fina · « **Reply #37 on:** December 27, 2011, 10:58:32 AM »

Quote from: chronovore on December 27, 2011, 02:24:48 AM

No shit! I was trying to pitch her on, "Well, in this day and age, there is probably an internet-based option, where they can participate via webcam, and not even just limit it to Saturdays. It may be even better than going just once a week."

Wife: "No."

Pffffffffff. We'll see how enthused she is about the whole shebang when she has to get up early on Saturday to drive them out to the mini-mall or wherever these things are.

Think of how big an advantage your will kids will have by speaking Japanese.

I have a shit degree but because I know 3 languages I will always find some job.

chronovore · « **Reply #38 on:** December 27, 2011, 11:46:36 AM »

The kids have dual citizenship and to some degree my wife wants the kids to have the option of living as a Japanese person. She may eventually relent. I mean, if the kids want to go back to Japan permanently, they will be able to major in the language if they wish.

I imagine it will be a hot topic soon enough. Right now, just thinking about selling our house or renting it, and the international move are way plenty.

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #39 on:** December 27, 2011, 07:37:01 PM »

Why would you rent the house? Think about the hassle of that. It wouldn't be like some time-share villa that you could drop in on whenever - you'd have to give tenants months of warning before using it. With the widespread decline in real estate values everywhere except central Tokyo, you'd just be renting it to sell it at a lower price later, or to move back into a house that had been abused by renters. Why not just buy or rent a new place IF you ever move back?

Is she actually sold on this move? It sure sounds like she wants to hedge her bets pretty strongly.

chronovore · « **Reply #40 on:** December 28, 2011, 09:34:43 PM »

She's sold on the move, but she also wants to be able to live in Japan at some point, in the future, in this ideal place I constructed which is really, really near her family. Like, 20 meters away from her ancestral home, and on land which her paternal grandfather used to own, but lost in the bursting of the Japanese economic bubble. Me buying it back was seen as a return of ancestral assets to the family.

Maybe I should just offer to sell it to her parents. If someone wants to step up, great.

It's a major thorn, but they are going to live here for probably another half year, so I'm waiting until I actually have a new place to which I NEED to move them before insisting they give up this ideal place I built.

Shaka Khan · « **Reply #41 on:** January 03, 2012, 09:10:19 AM »

Congratulation Chrono, you wonderful man.

The late bump was intentional. I learned it from a very wise person.

chronovore · « **Reply #42 on:** January 03, 2012, 10:11:19 AM »

8 more days. Holy cow.

I'm visiting the immigration office tomorrow, so I can get my re-entry permit renewed. If I leave without it, I lose my permanent residency visa. Not sure why it works that way, but there it is.

News:

Author Topic: Congratulations, Chronovore! (Read 2848 times)