Oishii desu yo

Tonight I got together with my friend/anime-convention-partner-in-crime Inyx and the gang for our New Years celebration. Since we technically work for Inyx helping her set up and sell buttons and other wares at the conventions, she also likes to give us all a year-end bonus. Last year was Best Buy gift cards, this year was dinner on her. It was me, Inyx, Catherine "Ninja Shuichi," Xaqu (Zack) and Inyx's boyfriend Chris from Maryland and we went to Bisuteki Japanese Steakhouse in Revere. Wig would've gone too but he had to do something for his grandparents tonight. My mom got a free copy of the Entertainment '09 coupon book at the most opportune time because there was a coupon for a free entree with the price of another in it, so I saved Inyx $23. It was that Benihana kind of thing, where there's a huge Hibachi grill on your table and the chefs come out and prepare the food right there with fancy chopping and flipping moves and onion ring volcanoes. Our chef was funny cuz he messed up a couple times and he was joking about it, like saying the shrimp was still alive and the lemons were bad. I thought the food was pretty good but Inyx and Chris are used to a much better Japanese steakhouse in Baltimore so they were disappointed. They give you a lot, though. You get a bowl of some Japanese mushroom and onion soup, then white rice, and then the dinner comes with whatever you ordered plus a side of shrimp, noodles and vegetables. The cocktails were pretty good too. I got one that had vodka, Kahlua, Bailey's, amaretto and milk in it. So while nothing to brag about, it was an interesting evening with decent food. I'd go again.

So tomorrow I'm working 930-130, one of only 3 days I got this week because hours suck right now. Everyone's hours are in the shitter, I think some of the people who haven't been there as long or have a more limited availability only got one day. Fortunately, we're able to pad our paychecks with our Earned Time hours, which are usually used for time off. At Toys R Us the Earned Time accrues pretty quickly, so it's not like a waste. (The first year I worked there I accrued enough Earned Time from January to July to take the entire week I went to London off fully paid, with leftover, so that's more than 40 hours in 6-7 months). As soon as I can physically have my degree and teaching license in my hands I can talk to Jim Devaney at the McGlynn about a teaching job. I'm so lucky to have a shoe-in in this economy. I should also look into substitute teaching in the meantime. Apparently Medford and neighboring cities - especially Arlington - are hurting for substitutes. It doesn't pay a lot though, $50 a day ($60 in Arlington), but if I'm doing subbing in the day and Toys R Us in the night and weekend then it'll make a bit of a difference. Plus it'll give me experience and further put my foot in the door. The only thing that's going to suck is not knowing if you're going to work until that morning and getting the call at like 630AM.

Anyway, I got to make some Brain Slug amigurumis to sell on Etsy. I got to look for patterns for some other shapes too. Probably go with animals and foods.

I think Gavin Rossdale of Bush has an oral fixation because he has a song called "Mouth" and a song called "Swallowed." Just something to ponder.

And on that note, I sign off. Until next time, stay bloggy.