Round 4.1 - Day 111 - Done

Yesterday I ran 5 km non-stop, and today I'll do X-Stretch, and we be done.
We are off to Australia today and I can't wait to get out of this place. My work has been a pain in the ass and it's cold. My company has given every employee a handbook called "Bonding: 7 Habits". Every morning we have to read one of the 7 habits. This morning's was "Challenge". チャレンジ：不可能を可能にする。高い目標を掲げ、勇気をもって挑戦する。"Challenge: Make the impossible possible. Aim high, and fight with courage". Everyone feels so stupid saying this because it is so irrelevant to our experiences working at this company. Then the boss talked about how you have to keep going, even if you fail, never give up. I like to look around when he talks like this, and see everyone in my department. How would you describe the atmosphere? Downcast. Despondent. Sick of hearing this bullshit every fucking morning.
Rant complete.
This last week, I have been doing everything in my workout schedule except yoga. Yoga is probably the one thing I should be doing but I don't have time. Regardless, I'm feeling strong, fit and healthy. I did Chest & Back last Monday night and busted it up, and I was really sore yesterday. To get sore now takes a lot of work. Watching the Biggest Loser, I would love to have someone yelling at me while I workout. Maybe that will be the next home fitness DVD trend. Instead of "You are worth it, you can do it, do your best" stuff, we can have an instructor that screams at you. "You make me sick!" "Look at you, you fat piece of shit!". Just a hardcore asshole. That would be awesome. Anyway, Bob and Jullian just destroy these fat people. It's great to watch. The results they get are phenomenal.
I've been thinking about some New Year's Resolutions.
Number 1 is to improve my Japanese. Get my Level 1 in December '11. This is going to be a huge task, requiring a daily commitment. I have to find some motivation. At the moment I just want to get as far away from this place and these people as I can. Probably not the best frame of mind to begin from. But I find that a trip home does wonders, so before I go I'm going to draw up a study program and get going as soon as i am back. Lot's of listening, reading, and talking. I will need to get a tutor. You might think it's strange that even though I live in Japan, I need to pay someone to talk Japanese with me. I have to pay to have someone correct me if I make a mistake. That's the difference. I would like it to be a man, too. The words and style of male and female Japanese are very different, and because most Japanese teachers are female, a lot of foreigners who learn Japanese sound, well, gay. I have been thinking about working something out with Nori, I think I've mentioned it before, which I might do. But I think I should get a professional teacher. Maybe this blog will become more of a motivation for my Japanese study than for my exercise.
Number 2 is Health. Stop the stuff that does me no good, like chips, coffee, chocolate, and fucking around on the computer, and start doing stuff that makes me feel good, like golf, meditation, and ideally a new sport (maybe free climbing). I want to get fitter, stronger, and take advantage of my health.
Number 3 is finance. I have money in the bank. I have no debt. I have a good job. I'm in a great position to take advantage of the clusterfuck that is going to be 2011, I just don't know how. I want to spend the first few months learning about how I can kind of sew things up, and then maybe see someone or talk to someone about it.
Number 4 is Australia. I want to put a few irons in the fire regarding employment in Australia. I'm seeing someone when I'm down in a couple of weeks, so that's a good start. I will have to be careful not to let that be an excuse to slacken off with my Japanese studies, and my job here (this fourth year here has definitely been my worst here in terms of performance. I'm just lucky that it doesn't really matter). Still, the last three years has seen some huge changes in my life, so all things considered I'm doing okay.
Anyway, Will and JoJo have been sick all weekend, and I feel like I'm coming down with something, but who cares? We are outta here.