Well, Tokyo is getting (relatively) cold again and the sakura predictions have to be revised. It's possible that the next predictions will be over a week later than the original ones. Can't trust the weather report at this time of year...

It's dry and my nose has been runny for two days. The combination leaves my face all chafed and bothered. *scrunchles nose* There is blood in my left nostril. I'm not sure if it's broken skin or if it's actually a minor nosebleed. No worries.

A few weeks ago, I bought a pocket notebook and pen that I was planning to give to someone in State College, but, while shuffling through random scraps of paper and consolidating random reminders and notes, I realized that I could use it. I made a pen holder out of cute tape and it has since made my life infinitely awesome. Having fleeting ideas, flight information, reminders, to-dos, etc. in your coat pocket is really convenient. It's nice to be able to just wing it out and start writing as soon as something comes to mind. I wish I had thought of this sooner.

Knitting update. It's been a while since I've had one of these. The DS Lite case I'm making for Mia has just gone through a number of revisions in terms of the closing mechanism and perhaps even the pattern itself. While it's a dramatic improvement upon v. 1 of the DS case, there are a few more things I have learned in making v. 2 and I'm still considering it to be a prototype of sorts. The hole for in-case charging, for example, cannot be used unless you don't have any straps or strap-like decorations. There is a fairly noticable mix-up remaining from one of my many reworkings of the first half. (I was trying to figure out how the weaving-in-of-unused-colors thing worked and that, too, I have learned.) So, Mia, at this point I'm thinking a zipper would be the best way to close it. I tried a flap and button like I had on the original, but it just doesn't work. Also, I'm running out of tan yarn, so I can either make the game pockets on the back in black or wait until I get back to the skeins of tan that are waiting for us in Utah. Up to you.

My chum, Monica, bought really nice alpaca yarn when she decided to take up knitting, but she got bored with the cheap stuff before she could get to use it. It has been passed on to me and I am making a striped scarf for her. Her birthday is approaching, so maybe it'll be done by then.

Today is Jiiji's official second death-day. Moment of silence. [insert silence]

Pictures about some of the things I talked about. (Click to view full.)

* *