The Bipolar Otaku

You scored as Bomb. Your death will be by bomging. You will probably be an innocent bystander, not doing anything wrong and not a person who was targeted at, just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Bomb 73% Posion 60% Gunshot 60% Suicide 53% Suffocated 40% Cut Throat 40% Dissapear 40% Stabbed 40% Eaten 40% Accident 33% Disease 33% Drowning 27% Electric Chair 7% How Will You Die?? created with QuizFarm.com

I guess I'd have to consider the retreat fairly successful. I disagreed with the way some things were run, but I just sat back and bit my tongue because I knew the directors were at least somewhat in control. As expected, there was a big time-stall because of our priest getting in late (he was being driven in because he's in crutches right now). And since the Q&A session with the priest was actually generating a lot of questions, we ended up being an hour behind (big surprise...) and they started to compensate by pulling out small group discussions, which made it hard to get to know our small groups.

Anyway, by the time night prayer came around, I was praying, in my head, that God would "help me to exceed my talents tomorrow". I was really hoping for improved skill on the guitar, because I knew that I'd be on my own (with no "good" guitarists) for morning prayer. Fortunately, one of the candidates helped by playing along on another guitar while I, unfortunately, continued to screw up the all chords and also started to lose my voice from yelling. However, when we finally did get to our small groups, I think I was able to lead the discussions better than I ever have been able to do it before. So it felt like my talents were exceeded in my ability to talk, not my guitar skills.

And I fasted the entire retreat. I figured it would make up from making the stupid mistake (and then finishing my meal once I realized my mistake) of eating beef on a Friday. The fasting was actually pretty easy, though, especially after looking at the beef stew they served on Saturday night...

Also, there were a couple of freshman college girls who were active in the retreats when they were in high school. I got along with one okay, but talking and being wiht the other one was a lot of fun and really comfortable at the same time... I'm probably just reading too much into it. Didn't get to say goodbye to her, but maybe I'll send her an email or something.

Then after the retreat cleanup, we were back at church for our LifeTeen version of the "Amazing Race", so we each had a small group of teens where they had to find different parts and offices inside our church buildings. Kind of fun, except the fact that they ran around everywhere, while I was wearing steel-toed hiking boots trying to keep up with kids 12 years younger than me. They did really well, though... but I guess I helped them out a lot along the way (which I wasn't supposed to do). But alas, the big prize (DVDs and CDs and popcorn and stuff) didn't go to anyone in my group.

And "Mama P" has taken me on as one of her many "projects"... She's been trying to play the matchmaker game, and so far she's 1 for 1, but everyone sees that hook-up and figure that if she could make that one happen, she could make other relationships that work.

I slept in this morning (big surprise), so I never made it to the retreat meeting. Plus, I told myself that I would fast today, to make up for the meat I ate yesterday, but I already had a bowl of cereal... oops.

The party last night was okay. I didn't know anyone. I met the girl who my sister was telling me about, but I didn't get much of a chance to talk to her. She actually did sit down on the couch next to me, but before I could even open my mouth, another one of her coworkers sat down next between us so that she could ask me questions about the Phillipines (of which I knew nothing). Anyway, the girl seemed nice, but we never made a connection.

The bus will be leaving the church for the retreat around 3pm. I still haven't decided whether to take the bus or to drive myself. I typically drive, but then again, I'm usually leaving directly from work. This time I actually could make it on the bus... but do I really want a ride in a bus full of 40 teenage brats? I'll drive. That should make it easier considering the amount of baggage I carry with me (a big rolling duffle full of books, a guitar, a camera satchel, a huge laptop backpack, and a sleeping bag, most of which will never leave my trunk). Anyway, I need to pack.

Originally, I was supposed to use tomorrow morning to bring a bunch of teens down to the seminary for a CYO meeting, but sometime in the last week, they all signed up to go on the first retreat, which started this afternoon and goes until tomorrow afternoon. So naturally, I decided to volunteer (if they wanted me) to go on the 1st retreat also, but they turned me down. So no retreat tonight, but I do have another retreat planning meeting tomorrow morning, plus the 2nd retreat which starts tomorrow afternoon. Maybe I'll spend some time at my niece's house in between, too (notice that I've just changed ownership of the house from my brother to my niece).

So, I just decided to go out for sushi with my sister tonight, then we invited my brother along, and then she invited me to go to a farewell party for some of her co-workers who are getting laid off (result of a bummer of a medicare policy change). Of course, I'm sure she's inviting me along because there's that one co-worker she has been talking about hooking me up with for well over a year but never seems to come up with a good excuse to get us together, even though I've told my sister quite plainly (and judging by what she's told me about the other girl, she would agree) that the only excuse she would need to get us to meet is to invite us both to dinner at a Thai restaurant. Anyway, during dinner, my sister did say that the girl told her to invite me. So now I get to go out a meet a bunch of people that my sister does not work with anymore... that alone should be interesting... maybe not.

But other than that, I've had this disconcerning thought since last Sunday. That night I looked at my right hand and thought "My hand feels weird. What's wrong with it?" and immediately realized "Oh. It's empty. That's the problem." Isn't that pathetic?

I had been thinking, over the past few weeks, about the how the faith-life of my family has changed. My two brothers, when they were in high school and college, were heavily involved in the church, both helping in the youth group, both teaching confirmation classes, one even serving on the parish council. And suddenly they stopped: one stopped suddenly, one kind of drifted around for a few years before he finally gave up. As for myself, I stopped being active in church when I finished high school, but years and years later, started getting more and more involved again. And as I thought about all this, I think it all came down to one person.

You see, we had a deacon as our youth minister. He was an extremely energetic and lively person. He had an presence that people felt, which they were energized by. He was, for most of the people, like a modern personification of Christ. For example, during "spirit walk" meditations, they tell you to picture Christ; I would bet that 3 out of 4 people who were active in the church back then pictured this deacon. Not that we thought he was actually Christ, but he still ended up being the center of many people's faith.

For me, I got separated from the church because he was suggesting I go seek psychological help after he found out I had tried to commit suicide more than a year ago. I was fine! (at least, at that particular moment). Imagine, though, if Jesus told you were crazy. I refused to trust him, or the church he represented. Eventually I came back around, but who knows if I would have done it if he was still there.

But later, it ended up that this deacon was either fired or invited to leave or something, by a new pastor. That's where one of the brother's leaves. A few years later, after deciding there's nothing left for him at that church, then the other one leaves. I guess it would be one thing if they left and then became active in another church. But I don't think they even believe in Christ anymore. Well, I know one will even admit to being agnostic (in his case, believing there may be a higher power, but that it cannot be defined or known). So I kind of think, now, that while they were active in the church, they did't really have a faith in God or in Jesus, but they only had faith in that deacon, and when he left, so did all their beliefs. It's sad, really. And I keep thinking I need to do something about it, but I'm not sure what...

Thought this article was interesting. Last week, in a federal court, a woman with bipolar disorder won a discrimination case against her former apartment leasor, who refused to allow her to keep a dog to help her with emotional assistance. This seems to be the first federal case to recognize mental illness in the federal Fair Housing Act and the first to recognize a dog as an effective aid for mental health. For the full article: Disabled woman's dog has its day - Detroit Free Press.

Thought this article was interesting. Last week, in a federal court, a woman with bipolar disorder won a discrimination case against her former apartment leasor, who refused to allow her to keep a dog to help her with emotional assistance. This seems to be the first federal case to recognize mental illness in the federal Fair Housing Act and the first to recognize a dog as an effective aid for mental health. For the full article: Disabled woman's dog has its day - Detroit Free Press.

I finally got the plant supervisor to explicitly say "I want you on days!" so i was finally able to tell my boss that I'm not going to do 2nd shift anymore. Woohoo! Now I get to return to being a "not-a-morning-person" person and to being late on a regular basis, but at least it means that I get to do things I want to do at night and it means I won't have to take a vacation day just to make it to some of the retreats.

Well, in my absense, the team has done an amazing job
of building their robot. And it is THEIR robot. I
hardly had anything to do with it, really. I think
they just had to get over their Im not an engineer; I
dont know what to do. phase. After all, Im not an
engineer and really have no better idea of what to do
than they do. So congrats to them for building a
working robot!

Finally! 5" of thick, wet snow! So thick and slippery that I couldn't even get my car up the driveway! I finally got to use "Brutus", the snowblower I bought from the Randalls (my friend's in-laws who just moved to South Carolina). It went pretty quickly, I guess. The "Very Light" speed setting worked great for those 5", so I'd hate to think of what the slower "Heavy" setting would be necessary for.

This week, I built up the realization that I *must* go to confession, ASAP. Since I got shifted back to dayshift, my plan of walking in to the pastor's office and asking for some time, but fortunately they have a time set aside on Saturday afternoons before the 5 o'clock mass.

So, this morning, after a little praying (asking for courage and fortitude), I tried to figure out how to really talk about going through my sins. How about the 10 Commandments? Let's see... Have no other God? Money, materialism, ego... Lord's name in vain? All the time, working on it, though. Remember the sabbath? Missed it for 8 years. Commit adultry? Jesus says he who commits adultry in their thoughts have committed the sin. Pornography, sure, done that. Steal? Sure, MP3s, movies, that deck of cards when I was a kid. Bear false witness? Covet thy neighbor's wife? I think trying to break up and steal my good friend's girlfriend probably counts as both. Covet thy neighbor's belongings? Yeah, pure materialistic envy and want. Hey, at least I never killed anyone! Wait... Honor thy mother and father... I still feel guilty about that... If I only took the two minutes to vacuum, he wouldn't have been vacuuming and that third heart attack wouldn't have happened that day... well damn me all to hell! Imperfect 10. Not good at all...

So the fear kicks in... what would the pastor do to me? What if he does something like kick me out of the youth group? Nooooooo.....

Anyway, after work (3:15-ish) I drove to the church (3:45) and spent 25 minutes sitting in my car reading the Catechism of the Catholic Church about how this whole penance sacrament was supposed to work while listening to music (Matt Maher) and then finally walked into the church. The pastor was did my confession, face to face.

14 years. A little longer than his own 10 year gap. I asked him to help me through each of the 10 commandments. And then I was absolved. From what I read, I understand that the absulvsion requires the heart to try to not repeat the sins. He led me through an act of attrition (he used simple a 4 line prayer) and asked me to do two things. Go to the tabernacle and thank Jesus. Take the next mass I go to (which was this one) and dedicate it, in my heart, to my father. Come back every 2-3 months.

So, I'm a "clean slate", at least for the moment. Doesn't really feel different, except I am trying to stop thinking of the sins I had committed. And the other fear still lingers... will I do any of those again? or worse? What will the next swing do to me?

I wonder how it is that I ever sleep through my alarm clocks... Yes, that's plural: 5 alarm clocks, one has two timers, one has real bells, one dings, one can shake my bed (but it can't be felt with my down featherbed), and they are all loud enough that they are heard quite prominently throughout the house. Every time I pull an all nighter, I end up thinking "What an annoying ruckus!" and it takes me a minute to go around the room and figure out how each one of these things turns off. Yet, if I'm not in bed by 10pm, I won't (at least I never yet have been able to) wake up before 6am. Stupid Seroquel!

Worked 'til 5 and then went over to my brother's house. I got to hold my niece for the first time! I didn't hold her last week, since I still had a cold, but I held her and fed her and watched her sleep for almost 2 hours. She's soooo adorable! However, I keep accidentally calling her Ashlyn, which was the other middle name they were thinking about calling her, since she was born on Ash Wednesday. Kendall... her name is Kendall... gotta remember that. However, my sister-in-law did suggest that maybe Ashlyn should be my nickname for her. I had already thought about giving her a bible at her baptism, signed to Kendall Michelle "Ashlyn"...

Then, at 8, the church was throwing a "coffeehouse" thingamajiggy for the teens. I came early to set-up my cappacino maker, and I spent all night manning the capaccinos. However, considering none of the teens actually like the taste of coffee, I ended up drinking about 70% of the capaccinos I made. Wired... Anyway, I was kind of upset at the youth minister and the other adults that put the whole thing together, because they didn't get the "Teen Council" involved. Back when I was in high school and involved on Teen Council, I pretty much ran any of the coffeehouse events. Sure, it was easier back then, because all that a coffeehouse involved was having coffee on hand while some of the guitar players got up there and did a set. These days, they want smoothies and lattes and stuff like that. Anyway, one of the more musically talented families (two brothers and the father) sang songs and played guitar. Eventually, our pastor pulled out his guitar and sang a few songs, and afterwards was supposed to do a Q&A session for the teens.

I don't know how that went because some of us went out to see the movie Constantine. Everyone I went with already saw the movie, though, since they got tickets for a sneak preview on Wednesday. Oh well, as always, I'm an outsider to the group, but at least they invite me along. Anyway, it was a good movie.

So now it's 1:30 and I have to be at work at 7... Sleep no longer seems to be an option... Maybe I'll watch a movie or something...

Other things to ponder:
- One girl jokingly said that I'm stalking her. Oddly enough, she's not the first girl who has jokingly (or maybe not) to have said that within an earshot of me... Bothersome thought.
- We seem to be carrying a joke from last night about me being a girl's doctor. The joke started because her best friend started calling her gas-filled belly a baby, and one of the other guys became the surrogate father (because we don't know who the real father is), and suddenly I became the family phsyician. So I got to spend all night saying "Your doctor doesn't recommend you doing that." But she didn't think it funny when I asked "May I?" and rubbed her belly instead of giving her a hug. At least it's not a gall stone like she was afraid of, and her doctor is glad to hear that.

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Despite the fact that I slept in (9 hours of sleep, total) and got to work late today, I was extremely exhausted throughout the day. I even took a post-lunch nap in my car, which helped, but still left me really really tired. I'm sure the Seroquel is at least partially responsible, because I've been taking an extra pill a day, as prescribed, because I know I'm hypomanic right now.

The weirdest part was this morning. It was as if I was still dreaming, even though I was awake. For one moment, I thought I saw a dog (a big greyhound, to be specific) sitting next to me; sure, I knew it really wasn't there, but why would I even think I saw one? I haven't had visual delusions since I underwent a significant sleep deprival (roughly 3 hours of sleep in a 6 day span) in college, but the difference is that I have slept lately.

It's just weird...

I'm up to 9 curses and 2 blasphemings (out loud this time). I also broke another resolution (one of the ones I never mentioned). Plus, it's way past my bedtime (another resolution).

I guess the good thing is that I finally decided to admit (to myself, at least), that I'm floating way to high in the hypomanic zone and that I really really need to slow myself down and ask if whatever I'm doing is really a good thing for me.

No question, I'm buying Garden State, and maybe the soundtrack too. However, it reminds me that I'm much too lonely to be watching this romantic sh...tuff.

On that note, as of right now, 6am in day 7 of Lent (day 6 of 40, if you don't count Sundays), I've cussed out loud 6 times (once in church) and almost (just almost) used the Lord's name in vain twice.

Oh yeah, and the movie also reminded me I need to set up an appointment with a new psychiatrist, one that takes my new health insurrance... Maybe I'll remember to do that today. And I need to pick up a new prescription for lithium. While it sounded unnecessary for the guy in the movie, I think it's still necessary for me. And one of these days I'll even get another blood test... eek.

Another 2nd shift to 1st shift conversion... I talked my boss into letting me go on 1st shift for the rest of the week, and the only way I know to reliably make the 8 hour change over is to stay up all night and watch movies and anime.

Kaleido Star! Although each episode fits in the very predicatble "I screwed up, but I practiced and made everything better" format and the progressive "girl's heart will melt the ice of everyone around her" theme that you would expect out of a girl trying to perform on stage, I still find each successive episode worth watching. So far (I'm at episode 10, I think) they have, amazingly enough, avoided making a love triangle, too.

Now I'm watching Garden State. This extremely strange movie, so far (I'm half way through), has kept me chuckling almost all the way. The lead male is supposed to be taking "a vacation" from his lithium, depakote, zoloft, and prozac cocktail prescribed by his father while he's at home for his mother's funeral. While home, he meets old friends all over the place and meets a compulsive liar (Natalie Portman). Strange strange, but somehow funny, movie. Might need to buy it.

Speaking of dvd's to buy, what ever happened to the Kill Bill box set? I haven't heard anything about it since October or November... I really would prefer having a version that didn't needlessly cut to black and white like the US theater version did. The Japanese "Limited" box sets included everything in full color, but I don't have a R2 DVD player, so it doesn't do me much good.

Oh well, I have to be at work in 2 hours...

This evening, after mass, our church started its "parish mission", a five evening set of talks about the faith and symbols of the Catholic church. Tonight was a lecture on the bible, led by a Redemptor (some special order of priest, I guess). I don't really feel like wrting about all of it, but it has once again reminded me that I really need to read the New Testament...

A mere two years after the pilot video was shown, it seems the this OAV (Kumo no Muko, Yakusoku no Basho in Japanese) is going to be released on DVD in Japan on February 17. This is the latest work from Makoto Shinkai, famous for Hoshi no Koe (Voices of a Distant Star), which he produced, directed, and animated all by himself. I can't wait for the US release!

Alhtough this is, by far, the worst organized and most chaotic "training" retreat I've ever been on, I probably learned the more on this retreat than I have from any other in the last 13 years (ie my first time facilitating). Fr. John led a talk where he tried to show us how we can defend our belief with real and historical basis (though I've since done some searching and read the loopholes in the arguement). However, that talk, while very informative and very worthwhile, set our schedule back by at least an hour and pretty much chopped the up all the rest of the talks and skits for the evening. I was supposed to be the "task master", but after a while, it became apparent they were going through all sorts of schedule changes without even telling me, so I gave up and just relaxed for the weekend.

For our "guardian angel", we did the usual routine of getting someone else's name in a bag that we receive at the beginning, then we have to watch that someone throught the retreat and write them a letter. Typically (4 out of 6 times?) I draw the name of someone I hardly know. This year, I drew the name of one of the girls who I went to Rainbow with. So, for once, I could actually write what I consider a decent angel letter that actually complemented her for the good things I know about her.

I did, in fact, pull out my guitar and played along with the real guitarists (the ones capable of more than 6 chords) for mass and morning prayer. I lead morning prayer, which went pretty well. Most people though I just copied off my brother, who had led morning prayer for years and years, but the truth was that I managed to copy the routine direct from the source, Deac, who I saw at Rainbow. It went pretty well, I guess, though I would have liked to get another song or two in.

Speaking of Rainbow, some of the teen find it humorous that I keep pushing CYO... The funniest (I think) was at the top of the letter I wrote. The stationary they gave use had a nice rainbow at the top, so I labeled it "Rainbow XXIV", pointed an arrow to a spot in it and wrote "This could be you! Join CYO!" Anyway, I think she's in and one of her friends too. I'm going to try to get them to talk the rest of the group into it and have the whole gang at Council.

And speaking of that gang, they continue to crack me up! They keep asking me if I've hooked up yet. All I can do is laugh, which just encourages them...

Oh yeah, and following my tradition, I walked around the retreat in socks. So, when they eventually had a break where they could go outside, instead of going to get my shoes, I just took off my socks and fought in their snowball fight. The teens were either a remarkably bad aim, or I was a supurb dodger, because I was only hit twice, though I was facing 5 people. On the other hand, I think I missed only 3 out of 25 before they all realized, "Hey! You're barefoot! Are you crazy?" Yes, of course I am!

So, all in all, it was fun as always. Two weeks until the next couple retreats, so only two weeks to get all the teens organized to a level which us adults couldn't achieve this weekend. Luckily "my" retreat (the one I'm in charge of) isn't until the weekend after that.

Actually, the windows recovery worked exactly like it was supposed to! Actually, I still need to reboot and make sure it's actually okay...

I will stop swearing or using the Lord's name in vain.

I will start cleaning up after myself.

I will start going to bed at a reasonable time. Note: given that I need 8 hours of sleep, that means by 9pm as much as possible.

I will go to confession before Easter.

Welcome to the world Kendal something Hernandez! She was born this afternoon at 12:08pm weighing in at 6lb 7oz and measuring 19". They haven't decided a middle name yet, and I'm not even sure how they want to spell her first name.

One remarkable part about this is that if I hadn't overslept today, I'd be stuck at work and I wouldn't have been able to see her until later tonight...

I had to call in sick again. Woke up at 10:30, so I missed my alarm clock by 6 hours. 4 voicemails on my phone all asking where I am...

In other news, my sister in law is finally in labor, so my niece is on the way out.

Well, it's good to see that my robot team has figured out how to do things without me around. Anytime I'm there, they still constantly look for my approval for the ideas they've come up with, but when I'm not, at least they go ahead and do them. They'll make mistakes, but honestly, I'm not sure if I really care that much. They'll make it work.

Retreat planning is moving forward. I just found out that I don't need to rely on my meager playing skills for all the morning prayer songs. Instead, one of the more talented teens and his older brother have stepped up to the task, so I just have to pick prayers and songs and go. I think I'll still pull out the guitar and pretend to keep up with them, for a while...

I went to our church's "XLT" session, kind of like our youth group's choir singing some upbeat and some prayerful songs. I had fun singing along, but right in the middle of the chorus of one song, I choked on tears... Temporary mood swing? Dunno, but the mania felt semi-strong once I stopped crying.

As for work, I'm starting to look forward to 2nd shift because I get to sleep in all I want, but one of my coworkers is going to talk to the boss and convince him that 2nd shift coverage isn't needed. Time to start sleeping earlier, again...

And as for today's twitchiness, it pretty much lasted all day. However, it did slow down by lunchtime, presumably when the sugar high and caffeine buzz both wore off, but more subtle muscle tremors continued. So, I think I really really need to sleep...

Okay, while I sat at work, I decided the first thing I should give up for lent this year: whining about how my mind works. Yeah, it's getting annoying, isn't it? I think I should be a little more optomistic about myself and act a little more positively. I think (hope) I can deal with it for 40 days.

There is something that keeps nagging at me, not in the back of my mind, but right there in the middle. It has been there for days, weeks, maybe even months, and I think it's the root fear that I get with every manic cycle.

What if tomorrow I rationally choose what today I consider a bad idea?
What if tomorrow I destroy what yesterday I worked so hard to build?
What if tomorrow I terminate the connections I made?
What if tomorrow I become the person I fear?

It's like knowing that Mr. Hyde is lurking in my brain. He's shown himself before; rationally, I'd have to assume he'll show himself again. Each thing I do, I see what he would do. Each time, the rationalizations flow in; each time I need to decide again, who am I? However, the problem is, this isn't a separate personality; this is just a separate set of givens conditions and assumptions that I have collected, a different set of statistics and formulae that I've learned and have used before. And that's the worst part: not the knowing of what I would do right now, but knowing exactly what I'm capable of - because I've done it before. Schemes and betrayals. Little bits of kindness pulled into deep, empty infatuations. Hate for myself turned into hate for everything else.

So, what kind of trouble will I get in today? Will I be stupid enough to push the limits?

For the retreat this weekend, I volunteered to do morning prayer. Typically, morning prayer starts with a basic prayer, moves on to singing, does some warmups to make sure everyone's awake, and finally ends in singing and dancing. Usually, a guitarist has to do it. For the past who knows how many years, morning prayer has been led by my brother, borrowing all the old tricks of our old youth minister. But now, I've taken this on. I know all the old wake-up tricks, but I barely know how to play guitar. So I called him up, and he gave me a crash course on retreat music. I think I can hold my own, as long as no one really listens to what I'm playing and I don't goof up so bad I decide to stop playing. I'm not that bad, especially considering I've only tried working my guitar about 20 times since I bought it, but I still catch myself screwing up a lot...

Hopefully we'll have other guitar players to actually do the work, and my guitar will be just for show...

Lately, I've been watching Read or Die, the TV series. The TV series introduces three new paper-masters, Michelle, Maggie, and Anita, as they get hired to protect Nenene Sumiregawa, a young writer and friend of Yomiko Readman, the now-missing paper-master from the OAV. Each of the three (adopted) sisters have their own special talents and work as a team to accomplish their missions. The series starts several years after the end of the OAV, with the British Royal Library burnt down, England as a rogue country, and a series of extremely rare edition books floating around Hong Kong and Japan. Though disc 4 is just starting to get to the point where the original Agent Paper reappears, I really think this series holds very well on its own, separate from the OAVs. Unfortunately, only disc 1-4 have been published so far, so I'm waiting for discs 5 and 6...

Also, following Steph's reco, I watched the Wind Named Amnesia. It was okay, I guess; the graphics were dated, the plot was kind of weak, the flow of time was atrocious... There was a car chase the spanned from DC to New York, for crying out loud. Might have made more sense if Wataru's wandering took place as a TV series instead of a movie, kind of like Logan's Run the TV series or something.

I also started watching Kaleido Star. Japanese girl travels to the US to join the Kaleidostage, a world renowned acrobatic stage. She misses her audition, somehow manages to still go on in a show, almost falls, but through after keen observation by the manager she still gets kept on as a trainee. Visually stunning, audially annoying (aren't most over-excited female characters annoying?). Maybe it's too early to judge after just one episode, but I was expecting more since it was one of the first anime TV series to get licensed in the US before it aired its first episode in Japan.

That's about it... Maybe I should take some time to rewatch KareKano, finish Gasaraki, continue GTO, continue Ghost in the Shell, start Kino no Tabi, or start Texhnolyze (all of which I own, but most of which I haven't watched). Maybe...