1-5/25 facts about myself. (Installments of five each.) (Personal Entry)

(Foreword: They've become long-winded, so in order to make my 25-facts notes easier on others to read, I have divided them into five installments of five each.)

(Note: If you've been tagged, press Ctrl+F and type your name to find where I mentioned you.)

I'm a procrastinator anyway, so when I get the time and recoup the willpower to attempt it again, I'll post them over several installments. I don't like to think of all 25 in one sitting. I was going to finish with 5 and say that I'd be putting off the rest until I got more time and energy.

Then the browser took me to another page automatically for some evil, self-aware reason, and when I got back here, my work was lost.

Maybe the browser wasn't malevolent though; maybe its self-awareness knew I was going to go TMI with my facts, so I'll reconsider whatever they were gonna be! =_= (if that's the correct emoticon.)

1.

I have a "personality shaper" that I'd feel pretty ashamed to reveal to just anyone.

1a.

Andie Spry, Evan Roberts, Lane Roney, and Dillon Roark have figured out (on their own) that I have it. It was either through serendipity, knowing someone pretty well who also has it, figuring it out from the hints I drop, or a combination of any of these. If any of you three decide to reply here, please don't mention that "shaper" itself; just allude to it. The reason and even this request would/should go without saying.

1b.

I plan to reveal the "shaper" secret in a future set of notes - at least 5 installments because there is so much to tell about it. I decided to keep each installment 750 words long or fewer to keep them an easy enough read.

1c.

However, a hint I'll give you is that reading people is like listening to metaphoric (read: usual) pop songs. When people without this "secret" read people, it's like listening to songs on Metaphor-Free Radio: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aa-eo-tsaso

1d.

This "secret" is also why I have this aging complex - I would only feel at-ease to "bring myself out of my shell" if I looked younger - that is, as old as my estimated social & emotional age, which I believe cannot be any older than 17.

1e.

Sisters Enrico and (Lyndee? / Lynae?) Unsicker conceded this and decided to recommend me "Oil of Olay" since they surmised/agreed that for me to be my true self would mean having to look young enough to feel comfortable about letting my true self out. (I thought this was a woman-only product, so as long as it does not make me look like a woman; just younger, then I'll not mind.) They also suggest drinking LOTS of water and NO soda; that'll help me keep looking young too.

1f.

(Added 2-15-2009 11:09 PM) Imagine a kid, aged 17, who AP'd his way to and started at K-State. He may have the academic smarts of a grad student but his social & emotional level is still that of other 17 year-olds. He'd want to act careful around college students too. That's how I'm like, and how I feel. (At least he'll relax when others learn he's just 17 and put the 2-and-2 together with his rather young looks.) Now they'll cut him slack for his social & emotional inadequacies. The same can't happen for me unless I start looking young enough to make people assume I'm that age.

2.

I have compiled the most memorable quotes of former missionaries:

2a.

"Chodo" Stephen Matheson: "That's 'cause we've got land." (Area served: Nagasaki)

2b.

"Chodo" Jordan Anderson: "Muri Means Impossible." (Area Served: Nagasaki)

2c.

"Chodo" (???) Carter: (Cannot Recall) (Area Served: Nagasaki)

2d.

"Chodo" (???) Tausinga: "Nyo-ki-ki." / "Nani-mo-nai means nothing." (Area Served: Nagasaki)

2e.

"Chodo" (???) Stevenson: "You might just have to take a hit!" (Area Served: Fukuoka)

2f.

Sister Chelsy Pollock: "Super-important." / "It's all over Wal-Mart." (Area Served: THE LITTLE APPLE)

2g.

Sister ??? Harrington: (Cannot Recall) (Area Served: THE LITTLE APPLE)

2h.

Sister Emma Watson: "I'll see if we can get you some coloring books." (Paraphrased; I cannot remember exactly the way she said it anymore.) (Area Served: THE LITTLE APPLE)

2i.

Sister Kathleen Amy Hyrns: "All the time!" / "A new thing." (Area Served: Apostolictown, A.K.A. Junction City)

2j.

Sister Elfreza Teresa Montano: "Teresa is my middle name, but it's the name I go by 'cause it's easier." (Area Served: THE LITTLE APPLE)

2k.

Sister Lisa Enrico: You're STILL hung-up about the first name thing? (Area Served: THE LITTLE APPLE)

2l.

Sister Lyndee Unsicker: (Currently serving; haven't yet made up my mind.) (Area Served: THE LITTLE APPLE)

2m.

Sister Rigby: (Currently serving; haven't yet made up my mind.) (Area Served: THE LITTLE APPLE)

3.

I have been putting together 100 reasons why I wish I was born in the year 2000, with 40 of the reasons compiled in two notes of 20 each so far.

3a.

Reasons 1-20: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=8064948913&id=17007923&index=50

3b.

Reasons 21-40: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=37824573913&id=17007923&index=15

4.

After going to Japan, I really wish I'd have studied in Korea instead. It would have been far easier on my wallet. I'd like to return to Japan someday, but for vacation and business trips of no more than a few weeks at a time. To make your financial health go a LONG way, Japan is NOT the place to live long-term; Korea is! To show you examples, I've done some calculations on taxi fares:

4a.

To ride 20 miles (32.18688 km) in a taxi, in Nagasaki, where it's ¥500 ($5.56) for the first two kilometers and ¥260 for each kilometer thereafter, at ¥90/$1, that equates to $4.65/mile. The total trip would cost about ¥8350, or about an exorbitant $92.78!

4b.

For the same distance in Tokyo, where taxis are ¥710 ($7.89) for the first 2 kilometers and ¥312.5 per kilometer thereafter, ($5.59/mile, therefore the most expensive in Japan) the ride would cost you about ¥10150, or a bank-busting $112.71!! You can ride a stretch limousine in America for a better deal!

4c.

Now across a strait, to ride a taxi 20 miles in Seoul, for their "standard" taxi, the fares are W1900 for the first 2 km and W695 per kilometer thereafter. At ~1360 Won / $1, that is ~83¢/mile. The 20-mile trip would only cost about $16.83.

4d.

Finally, there's a deluxe (mobeom) taxi in Korean cities. In Seoul at least, the fares are W4500 (~$3.31) for the first 3 km and W1220 per kilometer thereafter, which equates to ~$1.45/mile. Fare for 20 miles: ~$29.50. Mobeom taxis are luxury cars that are generally better-maintained, have leather seats, other deluxe amenities, and drivers who are usually multi-lingual. At least they also know English, from what I've seen. There's even a phone you can use for translation service if you speak a language the driver doesn't know. I think even hiring a stretch limo in Seoul will still not have you pay the fare that you'd need to ride a Tokyo taxi the same distance! (And most of THEIR taxi drivers aren't bilingual either. Japan is one epic rip-off.)

5.

I want electronic notebooks to be called "yestebooks."

5a.

Because No, I don't write manually as fast as you do, and would get cramps in under a minute.

5b.

And Yes, I love typing much better, and can get my work done quicker. Also, erasures and edits are far less troublesome.

5c.

A little off-topic, but Noah turned Allie's "No" to a "Yes" when Noah pulled the stunt for her on the ferris wheel.

(Continued on "6-10/25 facts about myself. (Installments of five each.)" )