I'm fed and happy, which is just about the best you can reasonably expect to be after thanksgiving. Mizuma Hisanori paid us a visit (he was a student at UT for a year or so and went home last spring) for four days. He's a really nice guy. Nori taught me everything I know about the Japanese language, and translated several lines of dialogue from Capcom Vs Snk 2. Thanks to Nori, I'm fluent enough to challenge a Japanese karateka to a fight, and taunt him after I've won. Ah, there is no end to my useless knowledge.

The first night he was here, we had a small pre-thanksgiving bash with him at the Cracker Barrel. The party consisted of Brent, Marci, Lydia, Rachel, Dee, and myself. Nori too, of course. The next day, after everyone else had left, I drove him to the Sacks', who were having a big thanskgiving meal for international students. It was a good crowd, and the food was great. I really wanted to nap after that, but it's always polite to stay and play a game, in this case Taboo. The level of competition wasn't quite as intense as when I played with Mike and the Terrys (that's a band name right there), but it was something to do after we'd stuffed ourselves, so why not.

The next day I met Nori and Claire (a girl from Hong Kong and our mutual friend, though I never see her anymore because I've gotten old and I'm not cool enough to hang out with her) for lunch at IHOP, of all places. Nori wanted to go there because it brought back memories for him. That's why I love my friends, they are all so strange. Anyway, we talked and I caught up with Claire, made fun of her thoroughly like I always do (actually I think that's why she doesn't hang out with me anymore... her self-esteem was taking too cruel a beating =p), and drank coffee. It was a good time. After that I drove Nori to the Cedar Springs Christian Bookstore, because he was looking for a CD. I took a crap (IHOP does that to you) and after that I thumbed through the latest Left Behind comic book. I swear there's no symbolism there.

Nori found his CD, then I drove him to the Sacks' again, where he was staying that night before flying home, and said bye to him, see you again later, email me ok? The only person in the house at the time was Aaron, and that's him in the picture with Nori. It was supposed to flurry a little at that time so I decided to go home right after, just in case. Nothing fell though.... what a drag.

It was Friday evening, and Brad was having a big farewell bash for Michaël at his house that evening. Yup, the same Michaël. We weren't done celebrating his departure yet, apparently. Unfortunately, I completely forgot about the party... I guess I was all done socializing for the day. I'd reached my conversational limit... I needed to hide in my room for the rest of the night.

...and half of Saturday too, it turned out. I woke up at half past eight, but didn't even peek out of my door until 3pm, and after that it was a mad dash to Kroger and back so I could sit in front of my laptop again and play Gothic 2. When I got home, though, I decided I'd stayed indoors long enough and it was time to get out and get some air in my lungs. So I took a walk through Fort Sanders. Not the smartest thing to do when it's getting dark, but what did I take Karate for? Besides, it was cold outside and it was hard to imagine any hoodlums hiding in a bush outside waiting to pounce on unsuspecting folk in this weather.

There were lots of people walking about when I got to the World's Fair Park. There was something going on at the new Knoxville convention center... lots of people were lined up. I think it was some kind of musical performace. It was kinda nice watching all those people walk around in their warm clothes. I took a picture of the sunsphere (actually I took four and then digitally created the panorama shown here) just because I thought it looked nice in that evening light. I've been here six years... I still don't know what that thing is for.

I started walking back after a while. It was getting real dark. Then I stopped one more time to take this last pic. I thought it looked cool, with the black trees and the streetlamp shining brightly like a false sun, and the dark blue sky in the distance. It *looked* cold. And it was. But I was full from two days worth of eating, and I'd just spent a whole day by myself doing absolutely nothing, so I was happy and even thankful. I suppose that was the best Thanksgiving I'd ever had (and I've had six so that probably counts for something).