just + L

MIT

08.20.06

Konnichiwa. I am back from Japan.

A day and a half from now my parents and I will drive off to the east, ultimately arriving at MIT in Cambridge-Basically-Boston, MA. For at least the next 2.5 years I'll be in Boston working toward my masters degree in architecture.

In about 5 days from now--while I am finding my feet in Boston--my diaryland subscription will run it's course and I will fail to renew it. As I hardly made the time to update the site while in Japan, I have the feeling that I will be just as busy at MIT and again hardly have the time to update. Friends and family who have enjoyed reading this site, I hope that you continue to stay in touch with me via email. I suspect that after a year or so I may feel the urge to start a blog again and will let you know when I do so.

Diaryland, sayonara!

11:53 p.m.
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yell'en 2

03.29.06

Yes, loveable, planarian-like Yell�en is back! Having come to terms with the Blu�ens, Yell�en now finds himself in another exciting cross-spectrum adventure! Let's see how he fairs...

One bright morning, Yell�en set off on a journey. As he lived in a land of generosity and kindness, he had no need to take anything with him. He knew that he could count on the kindness of strangers.

The Yell�en enjoyed the journey. A gentle soul, he spent the time smelling the flowers, listening to the birds sing, and thinking of family and friends.

Whether he was hungry, lost or in need of a place to rest, Yell�en always found someone willing to help him.

One morning, Yell�en noticed that the flowers had thinned and saw before him a brilliant sunrise of ruby red. The Yell�en had heard of this land.

The Yell�en had heard of it�s exotic birds and their melodious songs. He had heard of its crimson flowers and their sweet aroma. Yell�en�s heart swelled and with great excitement he stepped forth into this new world.

Apart from color, something was different. When Yell�en leant forward to smell a flower, it closed.

He tried to smell another and another and another, but they all closed before him. This pained Yell�en greatly, so he tried not to think about it.

But try as he might to forget the pain, it lingered and formed a small stone in the Yell�en�s heart.

Saddened by the flowers, Yell�en walked onward a little slower than before. Trying to remember something cheerful, the Yellen remembered the birds. Birdsong had always cheered him in his own land and he had heard that the birds of the red land sang even sweeter.

In the distance came the most beautiful sounds the Yell�en had ever heard. He followed the song, guessing that the source of the song was a red bird.

Soon, the Yell�en spotted the wonderful bird from which the sweet song was coming.

But as soon as the bird caught sight of Yell�en�s golden sheen, the bird fell silent.

Regretting that he�d interrupted the bird�s song, Yell�en continued his journey. After the bird was out of sight, it began to sing. The Yell�en wanted to turn around and glimpse the bird once more, but he knew that if he went back, the bird would stop singing again. So, the Yell�en kept onward, even slower than before.

The bird�s reaction to the Yell�en pained him, and even though he tried hard not to think about the pain, another stone formed in the Yell�en�s heart.

The Yell�en decided that a good meal and peaceful sleep would help him feel better. Luckily, it was not long before Yell�en came across a nice little home nestled amongst the flowers.

The welcoming little house looked just like his grandmother�s home in his own land. And indeed, the elderly Red�en who answered the door even reminded Yell�en of his own grandmother. Unfortunately, however, Yell�en was a stranger to the Red�en and she turned him away. There was nothing he could do, so the Yell�en continued on.

The Yell�en was hurt by the Red�en and sadly, another stone formed in his heart.

While he walked, the Yell�en tried to recall memories of the flowers, birds and Yell�en of his own land. But it had been a long time since he�d been home and the memories had faded. And as the power of his happy memories faded, the stones in the Yell�en�s heart grew larger and larger.

As the stones grew heavier and heavier, Yell�en found that he could only walk slower and slower. Until one day, he stopped. The stones were too heavy. Yell�en could no longer move.

The Yell�en soon realized that if he could not move, he could not return to his homeland.

In anguish and fear and desperation, Yell'en called out, "Oh, why! Why won't the flowers let me smell them?"

"Oh, why! Why won't the birds let me hear them?"

"Oh, why! Why won't the Red'ens let me near them?"

Then the Yell'en heard a gentle voice, "I once felt as you do now."

"I once journeyed to a strange land of lemon-yellow flowers and great golden birds."

"I, too, was a stranger in a strange land as you are now," said a Red'en kneeling beside the Yell'en. "And now let me help you as someone once helped me."

With each kind word the stranger spoke to him, Yell'en felt his burden grow lighter.

Soon, the Yell'en found that the stones in his heart were now each the size of a pea.

The Yell'en stood up, and hand in hand he and the Red'en walked back the way the Yell'en had come. It was time for the Yell'en to return home.

When they came upon the house Yell'en had visited before, the elderly Red'en welcomed them both into her home. She had feared the Yell'en before when he'd come alone, but seeing him with a fellow Red'en eased her fears.

When the two began to hear the ruby bird's beautiful song, the Yell'en feared that the music would cease as soon as he appeared. But this time the bird was less afraid and gladly serenaded the travelers' as they passed under his tree.

The flowers, too, did not close to the Yellen when he leant forward to smell them after seeing that he was no longer feared so greatly. With every breath of sweet perfume that he took in, the Yell'en's heart swelled and spirits lifted.

They soon reached the edge of the red land. Yell'en was sad to leave his new friend, but it was time for him to return home.

The Yell'en stepped into his land and turned to the Red'en. "Friend," he said, "thank you for your kindness. The memory of this journey will always be with me, close to my heart."

"Friend," said the Reden, "let us never forget the kindness of strangers."



00:10
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