春と海 The Spring and the Ocean

Last night I went to a really awesome Koto and Shakuhatsu concert at school. My favorite Koto player Mitsuki Dazai was playing along with a shakuhatsu player named James Schlefer. The event was about 2 hours which would seem long for just 2 players but they made it really lively and I was really into it (except right before intermission when I really had to go to the bathroom!!) but otherwise it was a really great night. I believe this was the 3rd or 4th time I'd seen Mitsuki Dazai before. I have her CD and I even got her to sign my program guide (as seen below). Actually the highlight of the event was their encore song- haru to umi or "The Spring and the Ocean" which I perchance bought off itunes about a week ago so I knew the tune already. I really think it's one of my new favorite songs just because it's so relaxing to listen to.

There was some cool backstory to this song. It is meant to sound very authentic and old style Japanese but it was actually composed around the 1920's and is now a popular New Years song. Maybe that's why I liked it... it sounds so familiar.

Anyway, below is a picture of my signed program and a youtube video of haru to umi. I know you'll really like it if you give it a listen. I was really entranced the first time I heard it.

Ahh I guess it's kind of hard to read, but there it is!

This is the video where I found the song. I think the cooking video

paired with the music gives a really awesome feeling.

Finished My Application

Hey guys,

I celebrated last night and had a drink to reward myself. Anyway, I finished my application and I'm really excited. It was a long week and I spent it all studying and working, but now I'm done with everything now. Here's a picture of my completed application. I blurred out my name, but I guess it doesn't really matter now since it's so easy to find my name from something like this anyway. Anyway, that's the latest update. I'm pretty excited about that. Look forward to more in the coming future!

Signature Form Received!

Well after about two weeks of waiting and getting no reply from the OUS office, I finally was able to electronically sign the documents. This is the main reason I haven't posted anything. It has been pretty much a waiting game at this point. I submitted everything else, so I'm sure by Monday it should be up and ready to go, but until then it's pretty much do-nothing.
Since the electronic signature verification was processed I was able to sign off on two more of the necessary checked items, but I'm still not completely done... I'll check everyday until it's all done. It makes me nervous, but I'm sure it will be fine, after all, I submitted everything a month before the deadline so I have nothing to worry over.

Last week I called the OUS office (I guess they aren't completely ignoring me) and they said they received my documents but hadn't been processed, I guess that's the main reason as to why I'm not sweating about this.

That's about all to say... I "signed" two boxes and they checked themselves off, nothing else to report.