If you're down he'll pick you up, Dr, Robert.

Let's get substantive around here.
School is over. I don't really believe it, but it's true. A large group of my favorite people in Japan are returning to the States in the next few days. I myself will return to LA on the 17th, which seems like a joke or a sort of very realistic dream I haven't fully shaken yet. But no, it's the truth. I made my ticket reservation yesterday. I'll be flying Korean Air, which almost definitely means free alcohol.
After about 4 weeks of thinking about nothing else, I found an apartment and a roommate back in LA as well. My new roommate is a film editor from Australia, and the new apartment is in Los Feliz. I will be (apparently) 100s of miles away from school, but I think I can make the bus riding work for me in exchange for having such a nice place to call home. I plan on getting a bicycle immediately after I move in. Hopefully, it will have a basket on the front or back for my groceries, and will be a bright blue or green. I am also planning, for some reason, to buy long chino shorts as a summer wardrobe and to wear them with docksiders without socks. Sort of a weird late 50s New England summer, but on the wrong coast and happening to probably the wrong person. Aesthetically though, it is incredibly appealing.
In my new apartment I will have my own bathroom and not too much rent to pay. In my old apartment, which is where I am lying right now, it is a little too hot except when a strong wind comes in through the big windows. I like it to be a little cold when I am home, so I can be under the blanket and feel like I'm hibernating, but this sunshine is a portent of the sweltering Japanese summer I am escaping. At least in LA, I can afford to pay for the electricity to run the air conditioner. Here, my electricity bills ran about $90 per month when I had to run the heat, and I only ran it when I was at home in the evenings and when I slept. Japan is not made for poor me.
Graduation. It was strange. I stood in a room full of people I knew and received a diploma and people clapped. I took pictures of the people I liked, first with a digital camera, then with my Diana+. I plan to finish off the last of the second roll of film tonight, and then get it developed so I can finally see what kind of magic this camera makes. I bought bags of Jelly Bellys from the candy store in the mall next to school, and gave them to my three favorite teachers. I think they were surprised, because I don't come across as the thoughtful type.
On Wednesday, I gave my final presentation, in front of my classmates and my landlady and her mother, as well as random Japanese businesspeople who had an interest in what our school does. I was very nervous in the beginning and couldn't always read my essay particularly well, because I was directing my eyes almost straight down so I could rest the paper on the podium and use it to lean on. Later, my advisor told me it had sounded smooth at the end, and a fellow student told me my voice 'flowed like water'. This is much higher praise than I would have expected. I am glad my voice only sounded shaky to me.
I did do a little better at hiding my nervousness than a few people (one person had a beautiful presentation, but her neck and chest broke out in hives as she spoke), but I was less practiced than many others, so I feel like it was sort of a C+ performance on my part. Also, I didn't make a Powerpoint to go along with the speech, not realizing that without one I would have to stand in front of two gigantic bright blue screens. I haven't used Powerpoint since I was in high school, but perhaps I had better learn. It gives the listeners something else to look at besides me, anyway, which has to be a good thing?
At the presentation, I wore a black sweater and skirt with plum-colored tights. I need to buy some more colorful footwear before I go 'home'. It lets me dress like a girl without worrying that anyone is thinking about how pale and bruise-y my legs are.
Now, the wind is blowing a little bit stronger, so I think it might be an excellent time to take a small nap.