July

I like it when a new month comes because it kind of feels like a fresh start. I can forget about all that crap I did or didn't do last month and start again.

Having that said, I still wish I was in Hokkaido learning Japanese as I was a year ago, but I'm in Minnesota right now and am trying to keep myself busy. I'm testing out a bunch of different methods to both keep myself busy and also improve myself. Self improvement is becoming a pretty big interest of mine recently. So, here's what I'm doing now:

1) reconnecting with friends here. I have a pretty good number of old high school friends here in Minnesota who I try to keep in contact with. Because I love them. I've always loved being around them and enjoy every moment I get to spend with them. Many of them are working multiple jobs and/or spending extra time with the family now in the summer, so seeing them is seeming to be a maybe once a week thing, but it's still awesome.

2)Exercise! I got a student membership at my family's health club and have taken up swimming. I hope to go and exercise for a couple hours every morning. Starting tomorrow. And also I like to go on bike rides in the evening, since there's a really pretty pond to bike close to my house! :)

3)Animation. I'm going to enter this months 11 second club competition. I don't know how this is going to pan out, but I'm pretty excited about this month's sound clip. I just have to animate a character to that bit of dialog.

4) Drawing. More detail on this later...but I want to start sketching more and more.

5) Japanese. I'm continuing to plug through my goal to study all 1945 common use kanji by the end of the summer. And also, one of my biggest regrets about last year is deciding to not take the JLPT exam even though it was offered at my school and I had nothing going on that weekend. So I'd like to make up for it by working really hard and taking it this year. I know I would be able to pass level 2, but I'm wondering how close I could get to passing level 1 which is the highest level. I just ordered last years tests to practice from and see where I stand.

So yeah that's what I'm doing here in Minnesota. If anyone knows any ways for me to get out of this state and do something better...let me know! :D