I'm Alive.

[hermeticdog]

In Germany safe and sound. Time with feorran is great. I still can't get over how wonderful the landscape is here, and it's wildlife. The city wildlife is interesting, too. I even saw a brown rat chilling up close on someone's front walkway. Very neat.

Spending lots of time reading, relaxing, and engaging in philosophical, social and political commentary with feorran. He also introduced me to this goofy anime cartoon called Hetalia. Heh, normally anime really isn't my thing, but given that it employs political and historical contexts in a sort of slapstic environment...and the fact that I actually have free time on my hands, I figured why not. Needless to say I would like the hours of my life back I spent watching that goofy damn thing. Also, gradually, learning my German. Being immersed in the language really helps, but there are times where I still feel pretty stupid. Hah. I'm sure that'll pass with practice, though.

Oh yes--I will not be getting to my emails or messages for another few weeks. Sorry guys. I know some people have written, but I just have no time right now, this is a rare moment I'm updating and I'm not sure when I'll be online again. Same with cell phone calls and messages. People have left me messages--mostly work-type folk, even after I told them I wouldn't be responding until I get home, unless its an emergency. I've even received art commission requests from people I've notified of my absence, and who are urgently awaiting a response from me apparently. I am a bit annoyed with people's inability to respect my personal space, but oh well. At least people like my art-crap enough to pester me about it!

Tango is doing well. He still has four more treatments to go. My father has reported a pickup in his appetite and activity levels. This is a very good sign.

Anyway, hope everyone is doing well.

Comments

[countershade.livejournal.com]

::hugs:: Happy for you :)

[feorran.livejournal.com]

zomg germany/italy otp!!1

[dogemperor.livejournal.com]

THEY WILL NEVER SHOW MY OTP BECAUSE IT HITS A LITTLE CLOSE TO HOME FOR THE FOLKS BEING OTP'D :D

(See below note. ;3)

[narumi.livejournal.com]

Naw Finalnd is where its at >)
ILU Italy though ;) and of COURSe Germany <3

[martianmooncrab.livejournal.com]

enjoy your time in Germany. relax, ...

[dogemperor.livejournal.com]

OMFG Hetalia. :D (Concept is mildly disturbing, but series is hilarious--manga series (which is still ongoing) also is in a remarkably similar vein of SPESHUL EDUMACATION. :D)

(And yes, there are things that hit close to reality. One of these being what got Hetalia banned (for a time, anyways) from Japanese television, ironically enough.

(In the manga they do have a Korea (who does, shall we say, have a wee bit of an inferiority complex, is happy to remind folks of the fact that Koreans Essentially Preserved Eastern Culture, and (similarly to the IRL Korea) isn't exactly fond of Japan...well, Korean media (who is always happy to start shitstorms over Japan anyways) found out about this and publicised this, and (predictably) the Irish of East Asia went more than a little apeshit. As in literal threats by the South Korean government to drop all diplomatic relations to Japan over it, protests, the whole nine yards. Even though the anime would not have a Korea in it (because of sensitivity issues--Japan *does* have a rather loud Korean minority, some of whom are descendants of people who ended up there post-WWII) pretty much the network carrying it was forced to take it off air for at least some time.)

(I say "predictably" because (in Korea) there IS still quite a lot of resentment towards Japan re the Japanese essentially deposing the Emperor of Korea and spending from 1910 to 1945-ish essentially making Korean language and culture illegal, using Korean women as "comfort women" (basically forcing them to be prostitutes to soldiers), having had the last Queen of Korea assassinated, and so on; the treatment was NOT dissimilar to that of the US Government towards Native Americans till recently, and the Koreans look at the concept of the Japanese (or a person of Japanese nationality) making commentaries re Korean-Japanese relations about as kindly as, well, your average Lakota takes someone referring to the "Battle" of Little Bighorn and making a "white history" of it. In Korea (both North and South), alas, anti-Japanese sentiment (especially strong with older generations) IS often used to essentially distract from ongoing problems--in the North in particular, the US is literally portrayed as lackies of the Japanese...)

But yes...*interesting* series, and I'll leave it at that. :3

Glad to know Tango is doing better--and glad to know you had a rat who said hi :D

[rhiannasilel.livejournal.com]

Glad you made it safe and sound and are enjoying yourself. The internets will still be here in a few weeks when you get back, for now treasure the time you get to spend with your partner.

[seorgia.livejournal.com]

*humps your leg* Is that enough personal space respect?

*hugs* I'm glad you boys are having fun in the Germany. I am decidedly jealous of all my far flung traveling friends. ^_^ Tell the Germans I say hi. Oh you might want to run afterward there was this thing... back in the day... and well yeah run ^_~

[paleo.livejournal.com]

Wishing you good times, great food, and wonderful company!