Break the Glass

[006] Ow.

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 20:49:26 GMT

I find it odd that, through all my years of martial arts and related injuries, I've never had stitches. And it is an act of clumsiness that finally warrants me getting them. They're interesting; they don't really hurt, but they feel weird when the skin pulls at them.

Though that could partially be due to the numbing salve.

My school break has indeed been an enjoyable one, though ~~despite the stitches and incident requiring them~~. Thank you to the couple friends I've managed to spend some time with - it would be fun to do it again, I think. :)

[Private to Shino]

...Thank you again for driving me to the hospital. I'm sorry for inconveniencing you. Is there anything I could do to return the favor?

[/Private to Shino]

[005] Oh. Yeah. This thing.

Tue, 25 May 2010 07:21:14 GMT

While it was interesting to meet so many of you who required assistance with taxes, I think I'm glad to say I'm thankful tax season is over. The extra work was good experience ~~and a little extra income~~, but very draining.

Gaki is doing well. He adjusted quickly to training and doesn't seem to mind me not being around all the time, thankfully. He still baffles me with his ability to not be where I thought he was and tendency to get into everything. I almost shut him in the fridge the other day because he crawled in while I was getting something off a higher shelf. He's gotten pretty big and lost a little fluff, since the vet says he's almost a year now.

I'm also glad for the break between class terms. I think I understand a little more why people try to avoid working while getting their Masters. Not that I can't handle it, but...finals were intense. I still received top marks, but I sometimes wished I'd had more study time. I can only imagine it would have been even more daunting were I still at Harvard. ~~Though I wouldn't have to work then, but I'd still have to live with Father...~~ But anyway, I have a couple weeks to regroup before summer term, so I plan to enjoy them! ~~And sleep.~~

[004] Oh, hey, lookit the cobwebs.

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 08:43:52 GMT

Oops, it's been awhile since I updated this. I kind of forgot to, hehe.

The holidays went well. Thank you for the chocolate, Naruto; it was delicious! I had a lot of fun on Christmas Eve with Sasori - thank you again! And the Christmas meal Lee and I made was really, really good. Maybe next year we can have more people come. Not that I'm hoping that there are people who don't have anyone to spend the holidays with! Just...I figure there were others out there that still spent theirs alone. New years was interesting, since my sister called at midnight EST and made me stay on the line with her until she could wish me a happy new year according to our time zone. I'm still just amazed she didn't run out of things to chatter about on a three hour phone call.

Also, I now have an adorable rascal of a kitten ~~thanks to Sasori~~ who has been claiming most of my free time. He's pure white with these biiiiiig green eyes. He's been taking well to training, though he has been incredibly put out the past couple days because I had to get him neutered. Poor darling. I finally decided to call him Gakidou. It means "hungry ghost" or "hungry devil." And he's always hungry, hehe. And tries to get into my food when I'm not paying attention. But he's learning not to. And he has this tendency to get into rooms when I know I shut the door...and the door is still shut...and I know he was on the other side of it. So he's very like a ghost. ...I can also shorten it to "Gaki" when he gets underfoot...which is often. I'm glad, though. The apartment was far too quiet before.

Oh! Before I forget: your W2's have all been sent now. Thank you for being patient while we verified everyone's addresses. Please remember that you have until April 15th to file your taxes. Failure to comply can possibly result in felony charges of tax evasion in the instance that you owe money. However, most people get money back from their tax returns. Either way, it's a good idea to file. If necessary, you can even file for an extension until October 15th - but if you owe money it is still due April 15th to avoid a penalty. If you require assistance in filing, there are many agencies out there that specialize in sorting the legal fine print of filing for you, and there are several qualified people in the accounting offices offering their services as well. :)

[003] It's That Time Again...

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 04:44:32 GMT

So...that postcard thing...was...interesting. I've never posed for anything before ~~except when harassed by my sister~~. I don't think the director was too happy with us when we refused to kiss on the mouth. It was still very embarrassing. ~~Especially when I realized that no one's ever kissed me that much...other than family. ...Which is slightly weird.~~ It was a neat concept, though. ...Even though I'm a bit terrified some cousin of mine will, um, end up with it and recognize me. Which would be...very, very bad. ...Not to mention awkward. But I suppose there is nothing to be done...

Christmas is around the corner already; where did the time go? I've almost finished my shopping, but not quite...some people are a little difficult to buy for. It's kinda neat, though, shopping for ~~friends~~ acquaintances too instead of just family. By the way, thank you again for the barrettes, Sasori; they're very pretty. :)

This is going to be my first Christmas on my own. I'm going to miss my sister terribly. She's a little mad at me, I think, since I can't just fly back there for Christmas and my birthday. ...Even if my birthday is on Sunday and I don't work until 4:30 Monday so I could technically make a flight back...~~but I can't afford it without Father's assistance.~~

It's odd; I'm not going to be a teenager anymore. Part of me wonders if there should be more fanfare for that, but part of me thinks it's somewhat fitting that I'll be on my own away from my family. ~~...It's still going to be lonely.~~

Is anyone else stuck alone for the holidays? ...I kinda still want to make a turkey, since I usually only get to do that twice a year... Maybe we could do a potluck thing? ...Or I'd be willing to cook stuff if someone else contributed. ~~...I don't want to be alone after all, I guess.~~

[002] First Week...

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 02:48:04 GMT

...I will admit I completely forgot about this journal thing this week. But it's been a very hectic week, so I don't feel too silly about it.

I have finally gotten most of my stuff situated in my new apartment. It took me awhile to find something sufficient to stand on to finish painting the walls near the ceiling and hang some of my decorations. I really like my place. All that's left to unpack are my books and a little bit more clothing. The books will take forever for me to alphabetize and put away, so they can be saved for tomorrow's projects or I'd spend all night on them and fall asleep on a stack. ...Also, I seem to be missing some kitchen utensils. I have a feeling this is a result of letting my little sister help me pack. Either she left them out in hopes that I couldn't live without them and would have to return home immediately, or she thought it would be funny to prank me. I'll probably find them wrapped in a sweater. ...Hopefully not the hard way, since at least three of them are very, very sharp, hehe. [~~Little brat, but I love her still.~~]

Work has been very interesting! It's neat getting to put into practice some of the things I learned in my courses. Though...that one spreadsheet we use... It needs to be fixed. ...I'll probably start working on another version tomorrow so I can submit it on Monday to see if it works more efficiently. I like my desk a lot. It's just large enough to have the space to keep things organized but small enough that it doesn't dwarf me behind it. :)

I hope everybody enjoyed the cookies on Monday! I...think they were well-received. Did you like them? There were only a few left over at the end of the day, so... I hope you found them on your desk, Sasori, since I said I'd bring whatever was not eaten to you. :) (Also...is it okay for me to call you all by your given names, or would you prefer Mr./Ms./Mrs./Miss and your surnames? ...There seems to be an even split between what people on the first floor prefer in that respect, and it is generally polite business practice to use a person's surname, so I'm curious.) I hope the people who requested kinds of cookies liked their boxes, too. :)

Sorry for writing so much, but it's been an exciting week!

[Private to Self]

I...am not sure of what my officemates think of me. Miranda is sweet, but...her bobbleheads kind of scare me. They...stare. I...really don't want to work late in that room. And as much as I love cats...I don't even know how she accumulated so many posters and pictures of them. It kind of reminds me of Umbridge from Harry Potter, hehe...except she's nice. Bill has been very helpful, but I'm am on the verge of organizing his desk for him. I don't even know what he could possibly be working on to have that many papers on his desk. ...And those piles...I don't think they're organized... [*twitch*] Jessie...I don't think she likes me. :( I don't know why, either... She started glaring at me when Lee came by, and hasn't stopped. [*sigh*] I don't know what to do... Mr. Jensen, my supervisor, has been really nice. But...sometimes he hovers a bit. Maybe because I'm new. I probably will need help. But...it's...kind of weird. He's given me a lot of good ideas on restaurants in the area, though, since he seems to like talking about them. :) It'll be nice once I get settled in...and maybe make some friends to go with.

Sasori was very nice to me, and incredibly helpful. ...I hope he managed to find Naruto with that box, though. :( But he didn't say anything, so I assume he did! Itachi, Shino, and Lee were all wonderful, and I hope I can talk to them again. I'll be stopping by the cafe a lot to try all those different kinds of tea, hehe!

...

...I miss Hanabi. I wish she was here.

[/Private to Self]

[001] Introductions?

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:39:32 GMT

~~((OOC: What? I'm not lazy. Nope. >.>))~~

~~Um…~~Hello there! My name is Hinata and I just started here. Well, technically my first day will be on Monday, but I was just given my system access and briefing. I’m…not entirely sure what else I’m supposed to say here.

I work in the Accounting and Payroll department. I believe I’m to be assisting with the handling of general finances with certain departments as well as the issuance of paychecks to those who do not have direct deposit. I’m not sure who handles the direct deposit, as I’ve only just arrived so I haven’t had time to be introduced to my coworkers yet. But if you have any questions that you think I could help with, just call, e-mail, or stop by my office and I’ll certainly see what I’m capable of doing! I usually work from four-thirty until ten during the week and from ten until six on Saturday.

I was thinking about making some cookies to bring in on Monday, since it will be my first day. It seems to be okay according to the company’s policy – and everybody likes cookies, right? Um, well, does anyone have a preference for a certain kind? I don’t want to bring ones that no one will eat…

[Private to all employees]

My office is located [directions here] on the first floor, or so I am told. I think I share it, but I'm not certain; my desk should have something saying my name anyway. :) There is a general line for accounting issues, but if you feel the need to reach me directly my desk's number is [work phone] and my work e-mail is [work e-mail].

I hope we'll get along well!

[/Private to all employees]

[OOC] Application Post!

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 04:29:52 GMT

Player
Name: Kira
Are you 17+?: Indeed, 22 and a half~.
Personal Journal: Kira-chan on LJ

Contact Information:
AIM: KiraRP
Email: KiraKattRP@gmail.com
Timezone: EST
Availability: 6pm-1am on the weekends. During the week…any time after 10am to like…6am. It all depends on class, my weird work shifts, and when my body demands it needs a few hours of rest. :P
Other: Poke me and I will love you forever. Or squeak. Maybe both. ♥

Past RP Experience: For LJ, Hinata at Discontinuing Inc. and Phoenic Reform Center. (I’d apped elsewhere and for other characters, but the comms all died before I could hop in. D:) A tiny bit of OC RP with old friends, two characters in the RP-MUD Aetolia, and if you count RL stuff then a little bit of experience with tabletop RP/gaming. So…not a whole lot, but I know the ropes and I’m willing to learn. ♥

Character
Name: Hinata Hyuuga
Age: 19
Sexuality: Mostly straight. A bit bi-curious, but has never really thought about it because she’s well aware her father would kill her dead.
Role in company: Accountant/Payroll (though she can be commandeered for secretarial stuff and the reception desk at times, if needed).
PB: Erika Toda (I know she’s over-used, butbutbut…she’s like…the perfect Hinata. D: Except, uh, with not as large of a chest as the character is supposed to have. And, um, dark eyes instead of really light ones, but…yeah. :|)

Background History:
When Hinata was born, her family rejoiced for the new heir. There were those who muttered about being disappointed she was female, but her mother resolutely defended that a daughter was just as good as a son. Her mother was the most wonderful thing in her world during those early years, filling her time with smiles and warmth; her father was much more stoic and his work forced him to be somewhat distant, but he would sometimes allow his fondness to show during the rare moments he had time to spend with his family at home. She was a bright and happy child – a little on the shy side, but her mother found it adorable and was certain she would grow out of it in time. The arrival of her little sister was also welcomed joyfully, though with not as much fanfare. Hinata was ecstatic to be a big sister and promised she’d always take care of her precious little sister. However, it became more and more apparent that something was wrong with their mother. It wasn’t until it was much too late that they figured out she had contracted a disease while in the hospital after the birth, and no more than a couple months after the birth Hinata’s mother passed away. Hinata was barely five and still a little too young to fully comprehend what it meant, and was suddenly very lost with her mother gone and her father having thrown himself more into his work. Further tumult was added to the mix with the arrival of her slightly elder cousin with the tidings that her uncle had also passed and that he was to take up residence with them. She distracted herself from her fears by keeping her promise and taking care of her sister as much as the nannies would allow.

When her father finally did return home, it was as a much changed man. There was a coldness about him that made her balk slightly when she first saw him, and when she ran to him for comfort he scolded her harshly. He told her that she was to greet him with the respect she should have been taught to have. Wanting only to be held and reassured and smiled at, she began to cry, and was scolded even worse. As time wore on, Hinata began to realize that that was the way things were going to be and dedicatedly tried to adapt to please him. However, nothing ever seemed enough to please him and her self-consciousness grew. Every effort was a nervous one, as she never knew what he would find fault with – even the smallest things would cause him to sneer in disdain of her efforts. Everything she tried to change or practice was always met with some new criticism. The one change he sometimes pressed her for that she couldn’t comprehend was to become cold and harsh and stoic like he was; she couldn’t bear to leave behind the warmth and kindness and smiles her mother had instilled in her, and she didn’t understand why he would want her to. She then developed a nervous stutter, and that made matters even worse.

One day when she was eight, she overheard her father speaking with other members of the family. They were talking about how it might be best to adopt her elder cousin and name him heir instead. She didn’t think much of it until her father said that as completely disappointed as he was that she wasn’t male, he wasn’t going to accept a child who was not his own. She hid for awhile crying after that. For all the efforts she endured to please him, there was one thing that she would never be able to change, and she knew he would always fault her for it. She became very quiet after that, no longer the bright and bubbly child she had once been, but intent on drawing as little attention as possible.

She tried her best to bestow the warmth she’d received from their mother on her little sister as they grew, but was no match for her father’s teaching methods. While when it was just the two of them they would get along wonderfully, the moment her father was around her little sister would be his mimic. Instead of becoming jealous of the praise her sister received and attempting to put her down to best her, she instead was happy that she was getting positive attention – even at Hinata’s expense. As they grew older, both became increasingly aware of their father’s motivations for the praise, but unaware of any way to change it and so quietly kept on. Hinata was grateful when they began to grow closer in those times they were not under their father’s eye – which was ~~thankfully~~ relatively often, given his work.

During her teenage years, Hinata had a small bout of rebellion. However, as most children go from avidly attempting to impress their parents to doing what they’re not supposed to, she was somewhat the opposite. She became determined to prove herself in her own way and to succeed in every way she was expected to fail. She might not be male, no, but she would prove to her family that she was just as qualified to be the heir. Despite natural genius, she endeavored to study hard and quietly received the best marks in her classes. She practiced her family’s martial arts style diligently and would sometimes enter into local competitions. She volunteered in the community, helping out at shelters for everyone from the homeless to orphans to runaways, and shelters for animals as well. She took dance classes since she knew she might need them someday, from the way she’d watched people at the business partner parties her family had hosted(she discovered a secret love of it, and even sought to teach herself the types of dance you can learn from formal classes). She learned how to speak multiple languages, play piano and violin, cook, and garden and worked hard to develop an exceptional knowledge of etiquette and manners. She was the only girl in the math club, and satisfied her love of math by helping to arrange the school fundraisers and serving as student government treasurer. A slight bit of perfectionism earned her a place as the school newspaper’s editor, and she placed in a county-wide short story contest. She was still incredibly shy, and her multitude of extracurricular activities only further inhibited her ability to make friends. She gave up on having more than acquaintances or being ‘that girl who’s good with math’ to her peers in order to try to groom herself to be the best heir she could be for her family.

They never noticed. Or, if they did, they still didn’t care.

Despite this, she decided she liked the things she did and that she had done her best and would continue to do so. She graduated high school at 16 and moved on with full scholarships to a nearby Ivy League school. Her father’s distance and coldness – as well as the continuance of his harsh criticisms still weighed on her, though. The fact that she was developing into a rather curvaceous young woman weighed on her too, as it was even more of a reminder to her that she was exactly what he didn’t want for his heir.

She decided to follow up on her talent with numbers and money and study accounting, figuring it would be one more asset to her should she earn a place at her father’s company in the future – or ever be expected to take his place. She gained the permissions necessary to take much more than a normal courseload, and earned her Bachelor’s in only three years. Her father didn’t bat an eyelash, and she secretly wondered if he’d only attended her graduation out of propriety(though she was still grateful he was there). She figured that perhaps having a bit of experience in her field might make her father more aware of her capabilities. …And with her father’s constant belittling finally hitting a bit too hard, she thought that perhaps a little distance might be a good idea during that time. She took a semester off and began her search for job opportunities near universities with decent Master’s programs.

The opportunities available for someone with no experience were very slim, but she did manage to find one for the accounting and payroll departments for two joint companies. Her research into the companies left her highly embarrassed, but…she applied anyway. The university nearby was decent, and the actual management of the company was revered for being very well-organized. It’s not like she’d have to be a part of the company’s…goods and services. And Father very much did not need to know just where she worked, just that she was excelling in the field of finances…

She submitted her applications and received both her enrollment and employment letters and was pleased when she received positive responses rather promptly. With the small amount of money she had saved up, she packed her things and moved to Reno, and hopefully to a fresh new start.

Personality, Likes & Dislikes:
Hinata never did get the positive attention she needed to grow out of her shyness. She is intensely shy to the point of being slightly flustered when people talk to her. She blushes easily and is incredibly self-conscious. Her lack of real socialization has also left her somewhat uncomfortable with social interactions in general, but even more so for anything of an intimate nature. She will still turn a light shade of pink when she hears the word “sex.” (Oh…the poor baby. ♥) She is aware of things that have to do with sex and the like, but has absolutely zero experience with it or even talking about it. So she’ll get dirty jokes (and definitely blush and sometimes maaaaybe laugh), but probably won’t venture to make one. ~~This doesn’t mean she might not do it on accident.~~ She stutters more when she’s nervous, and less when she’s become comfortable around a person.

She really does believe that most people are inherently good and that they simply need someone to recognize that. She’s not necessarily naïve – as she does realize that people will sometimes take advantage of kindness – but she still tries to be kind to everyone she meets and will believe the best of them until proven otherwise. She’s very giving, and will attempt to be accommodating and of assistance in any way she possibly can. She never expects to receive anything in return for her efforts except her own satisfaction at trying to help someone else – a smile or an offhanded thanks would make her day, and something given in return would leave her stuttering and blushing. After years of doing it, she doesn’t even realize that she often will go out of her way to not inconvenience another person.

She hates seeing people suffering in any way, and will do whatever she can to make it better. Even if someone just seems sad, she might make them cookies; if there’s someone else working late or who looks exhausted, she’ll grab them a cup of coffee ~~and try to remember what they add to it so she can do it better in the future~~. She’s always willing to lend someone an ear or a shoulder to cry on, and isn’t one to ever flaunt a secret. She thinks honesty is the best policy and will take care to make sure that she never even accidentally tells a lie – though…sometimes she might not disclose everything. She has a huge guilty conscience for anything she perceives she might have possibly done wrong, and has the tendency to apologize profusely for whatever it was.

In university, she developed a secret love of cars and made the small amount of money she had saved up by fixing them for acquaintances. …Though there were times she wasn’t sure if there were ulterior motives behind some of her ‘customers,’ as sometimes it was an incredibly simple fix that just involved her leaning over the engine for a little bit and getting a little greasy…and it was often the same group of guys that just happened to be hanging out with their buddy with the ‘broken’ car… Buuuut, she didn’t put too much credence into her suspicions. This is mostly because she really doubts that her looks are anything above average ~~if that~~, and doesn’t think she’s all that interesting to know overall. She has a tendency to not really believe praise directed at her ~~probably in part due to her father~~, but any type of negative comments are taken very seriously.

Because she doesn’t think that highly of herself, she’s rather hard to anger with anything directed at her. And though it might upset her, if someone she knows is being insulted or two friends are having a dispute, she’ll try to get them to talk it over. If it does go too far, she will stand up for whomever she believes to be in the right(which, in some cases, could actually be both people…). A surefire way to make her angry, though, is to insult her family, to whom she is completely loyal. Especially if it’s anything even remotely derogatory aimed toward her mother or sister.

She’s rather skittish to begin with, but she has a huge heart and anyone who shows they might want a place it in is welcome in her eyes. She doesn’t really like needing anyone to take care of her ~~though she is grateful when someone does~~, but she very much enjoys taking care of others.

Likes: Cooking, purple, cats, big dogs, dancing, music of most kinds, food, sweets, flowers, spending time with her little sister ~~without their father~~, muscle cars, sports cars, martial arts, math, books, when people like her cooking.

Dislikes: Doing things incorrectly, lacking knowledge, people who drive too slow, failing at anything, her stutter, ~~her father,~~ inefficiency, seeing others upset.

Sample Post:

First Person
~~Um…~~Hello there! My name is Hinata and I just started here. Well, technically my first day will be on Monday, but I was just given my system access and briefing. I’m…not entirely sure what else I’m supposed to say here.

I work in the Accounting and Payroll department. I believe I’m to be assisting with the handling of general finances with certain departments as well as the issuance of paychecks to those who do not have direct deposit. I’m not sure who handles the direct deposit, as I’ve only just arrived so I haven’t had time to be introduced to my coworkers yet. But if you have any questions that you think I could help with, just call, e-mail, or stop by my office and I’ll certainly see what I’m capable of doing! I usually work from four-thirty until ten during the week and from ten until six on Saturday.

I was thinking about making some cookies to bring in on Monday, since it will be my first day. It seems to be okay according to the company’s policy – and everybody likes cookies, right? Um, well, does anyone have a preference for a certain kind? I don’t want to bring ones that no one will eat…

Third Person
Hinata sighed and flopped down on her new couch. She was going to have to try to move it eventually, but she figured it could wait a few more minutes. It wasn’t slacking, really. She’d just carried up about three quarters of her things from the large moving trailer she’d rented. And she’d already rearranged a few pieces of furniture. Not that it was the delivery guys’ fault! It’s not like they knew where she wanted it. …Though putting that dresser in front of the bathroom door…um, was probably a mistake. Maybe they thought it was the closet. …Or something.

But she could take a five minute break. …Plus, it was somehow even colder outside here than back home. It might be a good idea to start unpacking some of the necessities while her body figured out whether it wanted to shiver with cold or sweat with effort. And then it wouldn’t even remotely be slacking at all, but productively spacing out her moving activities. …Just as soon as soon as she could convince her legs to move again. Which could be awhile…this couch is even comfier than it was in the store…

A loud, chirping ring startled her out of her doze and she quickly jumped up to answer. It might be work or the university admissions counselor, after all. She didn’t recognize the number, but it had a Reno area code, so…

“Ah, h-hello? This is Hinata s-speaking. M-may I ask who’s calling?” she stuttered out quickly. It ended up being the manager of the accounting department, seeing if she’d received her login and password and if she’d been able to check her company e-mail yet.

“Ah, y-yes, sir, I did. I made an i-introductory p-post like I was told alr-ready. Ah, y-yes, sir. No, sir, I’m f-fine. No, um, th-that won’t be necessary – but thank you. I’m sure I can f-find my way around town j-just fine. Um, yes, I-I’ll see you on Monday, sir. Thank you, a-and have a good evening!”

She sighed as she hung up, mentally berating herself for getting nervous over a phone call. Stupid stutter, she grouched. She hoped it wouldn’t interfere with her job performance come Monday. That would be embarrassing. And she couldn’t bear to think of what she would say if she had to call home to say they’d fired her for poor performance.

A small pang of home-sickness and guilt washed over her at the thought of her sister, who was still ~~stuck~~ living back in New England. She banished it as best she could with a shake of her head. She’d come here to prove herself, and she would. There was no point in second guessing the decision now. However, it was going to be very lonely if the apartment was always this quiet and still. Maybe I should get a cat… She made a mental note to figure out where the local animal shelter was as soon as she was settled. Speaking of getting settled…

“Well, I s-suppose my break’s over,” she said to her scattered belongings. And with that, she resolutely set out to locate and unpack her kitchen utensils. She was getting hungry. …And after the fifth box was desperately hoping that they weren’t all still down in the trailer.

((Gah! Sorry I’m so long-winded! And, um, my samples kind of suck, but I drew a complete blank on ideas. D: And, um, if there’s anything that needs adding or changing, just tell me please! I figured that it was unlikely someone would play Hiashi or Hanabi, but I left their names out and tried not to build them up too much just in case. I, um, tried to leave Neji out as much as possible so as not to interfere with any future applicants(not because I don’t ♥ him, ‘cause I totally do). :3 And, um…yes. ♥))