lingqi's Journal: November 21st, 2003

November 21st, 2003 (18:52pm - Tokyo Std Time)

Despite having thought that my jetlag has completely vanished, I guess I am facing the real reality here having somewhat of an insomnia. I mean, maybe I can fall asleep if I tried, but at least a part of me don't want to sleep quite yet. I am not exactly sure which part it is, but am certain it is not the reasonable part, being nearly 2am in CA.

My flight is leaving in about 10 hours, heading to New Orleans. Up to this point I am not really sure WHY I am going to New Orleans; I mean, I know I am going there to see a friend, but I think it's more than that - it's this strange feeling of wanting to go somewhere that I know little of; the "adventure," despite the world already having been explored. Maybe this is why Columbus couldn't just sit on his tooshies and had to go out and find something new and exciting. Granted though that for him opening up trade to india would have been extremely lucritive while in my case travel is almost always a luxury with a high price tag. I guess this just means that my urge to go somewhere new is larger than his.

I can't wait for the day when they need colonists to go to Mars. I will be the first one to sign up. Heck, even cryogenic ships that head to Alpha Proxima / Alpha Centauri is cool with me too.

Speaking of columbus and such - I became a U.S. Citizen yesterday morning at 9.30am or so. The Judge came in and swore in 1022 individuals from 80 countries, in an auditorium in San Jose. The speeches are passionate but saccharine - speaking of how we have all been waiting for this moment for so long, and America is such a great place to live and everybody all wanted to live here, and the such. Of course - what they say is true to many extents: Just from the size and diversity of our group it is easy to tell that the US is indeed a place that many wants to come, but I just feel that there is a visible dischord with the speech given at the podium and the feeling of the tired, cold, and probably somewhat bored audience at the bottom - the 1022 of us really just wanted this to be quick and painless, not some three hour thing that it ultimately was, despite the amount of stating-the-obvious that they decided was necessary.

Though, I have to say, I am glad it's now all over.

A side note - I took breakfast at Dennys in Japan before heading to the US. Amazingly, they started to serve a seasonal dish involving steak and foie gras. heh. Denny's serving foie gras... Every time I drive by a Denny's in the US, I think to myself - gosh, why can't they learn from their japanese contemporaries?

Congrats!

[ScuzzMonkey]

Welcome to American citizenship! Here's the bill for your chunk of the deficit! ;)

Just kidding. Congratulations!

Re:Congrats!

[1nsane0ne]

Yeah congratulations, I hope they taught you the secret hand shake when they gave you the bill.

From reading your journal it seems you've accomplished more in the past year then I've manage to accomplish in the past 19, I need to get on the ball. If they just had a patch so I could quit this slashdot thing......

Congratulations

[fractaltiger]

I'm on the other end of the spectrum, barely getting paperwork and other stuff ready to file the application. My father has to learn the language, so he has a long way to go as well. I've been checking your journal once in a blue moon, and only know the beginning and the end, mostly because of being busy. It's good that I happened to check on a date that's important, and come out with some knowledge. Now I know that it'll be a long ceremony. Oh boy. Ha ha. Thanks for the announcement.

Denny's in Japan sucks

[Anonymous Coward]

No skillets, no grand slam breakfasts... It's not the same without the greasy potatoes first thing in the morning.

OG