雨が降ってるの

It has been raining now for almost, if not for a full, 24 hours and I am quite certain my pants are going to get wet again. I'm just going to say that next week I only have 2 days of school before break so I am very excited about that-woot! Hokkaido and Tokyo are on the horizon and it should be loads of fun. I have just spent the last of my October stipend ($400) last night on food and so I was really worried that I wouldn't get my November one for a while and need to borrow from friends for a few days while I recovered and waited for the direct deposit. No worries though, today I received the confirming e-mail of another direct deposit and so I am back on top. Either way, Dad or Mom if you're reading this could you please transfer some of my money into my ND account? I'll try and contact you. I know that Tokyo's hotel for 2 nights is going to cost me only a little less than $60 (way to go hostel!) and then my train tickets are going to be a bit steep but I imagine around $100 round trip should be about right. That leaves me with 240 to spend on food & souvenirs in both Hokkaido and Tokyo over about a 4 day period (this trip is going to be nuts by the way. Luckily Hokkaido is only about an hour and a half away by plane so the trip so that shouldn't wear down the energy level. Prolly have to arrive at the airport about an hour before departure (which, logistically has not been calculated as far as time and money). I have to do a little more research about what I want to do and see in Hokkaido but I think I have a certain couple things in mind that would make me a happy traveler. As far as Tokyo goes though...I'm pretty clueless except for the fact that I want to see Harajuku and Tokyo Tower (maybe even go up in it). For the most part I feel like I might go head first into the whole experience with vary little foreknowledge of the city. Karen says that she has a friend there that could show us around and that idea seems like the most ideal to me.
Yesterday I went with Regina and Marla to an Izakaya to chill. Basically these places are the coolest restaurants that you have ever seen. I felt like a kid in a treehouse with room service! And the room had little tables and those great square pillows that I really should know the 日本語 for. The music was not of Japanese origin but it did not distract me or annoy me at all; they played some grand piano and brass for most of the time. There were sayings written on the walls (next to caveman-quality drawings of little boys falling down??) and the food selection was wide while the service was impressively alert. It has been the only place so far that I have gone to in Japan (besides my house here) that requires its patrons to remove their くつ, shoes, before entering. It was so cool! I was pretty spent and not that hungry but I somehow ended up paying 1000 yen by the end of the night (you go ahead and look up the conversion on that baby). Totally worth it. Rob, Cristine, and....yeah I don't remember her name, all joined up with us later and partook in the festivities until it was late and we were tired. G

げり all over the place.