Life (生活)

A little deeper insight into life

by

The Princess of Tennis: The True Story of an American Manga Assistant

I finally got my copy of The Princess of Tennis from Jamie Lynn Lano!

CIMG2832

There aren’t many stories (if any) about Western manga assistants working in Japan. Jamie Lynn Lano tells all in this book and on her blog, Jamieism.com. You can buy  The Princess of Tennis: The true story of working as a mangaka’s assistant in Japanon Amazon.

Also, you can help Jamie get to San Diego Comic Con through http://www.gofundme.com/9v7x64.

by

Short Story Contest Finalist

CIMG2829

I got my “2014 Short Story Contest Finalist” certificate for entering the 1st Annual Little Tokyo Historical Society Short Story Contest. It came with a $10.00 gift certificate to Mr. Ramen’s, a ramen restaurant in Los Angeles. Although I didn’t win the top 3 spots, I placed top 16 out of 60 entries. I’m proud of myself! Writing the story, “Smile’s Sonata”, taught me that there’s another layer to myself that can be drawn out through writing.

And, yes, my name on this certificate is misspelled. 28 years later, and my name is still being misspelled. Lovely!

私は１回リトル東京歴史協会の短編小説から「平成２６の短編小説決勝戦出場者」の証明書とロサンゼルスでのラーメンレストランの「Mr.Ramen」商品券をもらった。トッポ３番を勝ってないのに、ストリーは１６番でした。うれしいです！「笑顔のソナタ」を書いたら、多く自分の層があることを学んだ。

 

by

Okinawa’s Memorial Day

Okinawa has two more holidays than mainland Japan: obon, or the honoring of one’s ancestors, and Irei no Hi, the day to console the dead. This year’s Irei no Hi is today, June 23rd, and while mainland Japan and Hokkaido still commute to work, Okinawans get this extra day off.

It’s not like the Fourth of July or the American equivalent of Memorial Day where there are barbecues and fireworks. Irei no Hi is to remember the lives lost during the Battle of Okinawa during World War II when American forces attacked Okinawa and seized it under bloodshed. Over 240,000 people died in this battle, and Okinawa has been occupied by American bases since then.

800px-Okinawa_prefectural_Peace_memorial_Museum-2007-06-27_4

 

In 1995, a memorial sight in memory of the Battle of Okinawa was built to remember the deaths, pray for peace, pass on the lessons of war, and serve as a place for meditation and learning. The sight hosts the names of the dead facing the sea in Japanese burial fashion.

by

Super Saiyin Level 4: My 4 Years Living and Blogging in Japan

I’m at Super Saiyin status! Yup, I’ve reached 4 complete years of living and blogging in Japan!

Image (45)

I know, I know. Some Americans have reached city-stomping, moon-transforming monkey status in their tenth, twentieth, or even thirtieth years in Japan. Good for them! For me, it’s an awesome thing: I’m still living my dream! And I’ve learned a few things along the way.

Anime and manga does and doesn’t equal culture.

Just as any media doesn’t fully capture a single culture, it also says a lot about that culture. The Japanese population is mostly Japanese. From the time Japanese people are born until they die, there are certain things that’re taught to them. Did you know that Japanese students take Ethics and Morals in junior high school? And did you know Japanese students are punished more for not following the rules than their grades? No, maybe not. In reality, Japanese people aren’t allowed to stand out. Japan is a collective society, and in a country the size of California housing millions, the population can’t afford to be individualistic. But in anime and manga, you’ll see students who are totally different because of their natural talents or super abilities. In a way, these media are reflections of a country where the hammer strikes down the standing nail.

Design and marketing is on a whole different level in Japan.

Wherever you walk in Japan, you’re bound to find billboards upon billboards, posters behind posters, signs above signs of ads, ads, ads. Even if you can’t read them, these ads are successful at embedding colorful and creative images into your brain. Everything has a mascot (ever hear of Hello Kitty, Kumamon, Pikachu, or Luffy?). When I think of American ads, they don’t compare. Then again, the States has it good with creating recognizable brands. Hmm, maybe I’m wrong… Still, Japanese advertising makes me laugh!

Quality of (Insert a Noun) is cities above the American sense of quality

I’m absolutely in love with Japan’s sense of quality. It shows in mundane things: merchandise at thrift stores are clean and cared for; lunches are freshly prepared by mothers and lunchbox pros same day; fast food actually matches the pictures. So, yeah, quality of life is awesome in Japan. There’s the national healthcare that every working person can receive (OMG, Japan is Socialistic ::gasp::), and the older you are, the cheaper your optional car insurance becomes. Don’t get me wrong, I do miss the States, but some things–the crappy secondhand buys, the fat-salt-sugar-saturated processed food, and the bombardment of unhealthy lifestyles–aren’t living up to my quality of life anymore.

I miss the straightforwardness of the West

Japan is the land of beating around the bush. You can’t say anything directly because it’s seen as unfriendly. Instead of saying, “Why aren’t you wearing an undershirt?” you have to opt for a round-about way of saying things. “Aren’t you cold?” The real meaning: you’re not dressed properly for work! Then again, no one will tell you at the very beginning how to dress for work in Japan like in the States. “Do I have to wear suits? What color? How long?” You have to become a really great observer in Japan and answer the questions yourself. In a way, I find it refreshing. As Haruki Murakami wrote in 1Q84, “If you can’t understand it without an explanation, you can’t understand it with an explanation.” 

by

American Prince of Tennis Manga Assistant to go to San Diego Comic Con???

American Prince of Tennis Manga Assistant to go to San Diego Comic Con???

You can help make this headline come true without the question marks!

One of my manga friends, an American manga assistant to the popular Prince of Tennis, needs your help! She’s trying to get to the annual San Diego Comic Con, the biggest pop culture convention in the continental U.S. In order to get there, she needs to find some funds.

This is what she wrote on her website and Facebook:

“I was invited to speak at San Diego Comic Con in July!!

The thing is that I need your help. I can only spare the time to come for the one day that I’m invited to speak, what with all of the chaos going on in my life, but I’ll fight hell or high water to be able to share my experiences with everyone. I just need some help paying for it. You know that I come from a poor family, and working for a mangaka didn’t pay all that well, nor does book writing (I wish that it did!).

But I don’t want the money to stand in my way. Instead of a corporation paying my way, I’m hoping that the fans will. That everyone who has heard my stories will chip in just a little bit.

I need your help, let’s help each other, ne?

http://www.gofundme.com/9v7x64”

Donate anything, even your pocket change! It’s a good opportunity for Americans to learn how to break into the manga in Japan Land!

http://www.gofundme.com/9v7x64

by

Not Like Anime or Manga: 10 Realistic Ideas for Your Japanese School Festival

School festivals are central to all manga and anime centering around Japanese schools as well as Japanese society.

velektel_delusion_v003_extra_003

Everyone participates in the school festivals, even the foreign English teachers like myself. Last year, I was faced with the school festival, and though I wanted to do something as typical as a cafe, rules kept the maid outfits at bay. “There are only two places where food can be made, and they’ve already been claimed,” a teacher told me with a sympathetic smile. “You’ll have to come up with some other idea for the English Club.”

Great. I guess my anime dreams of doing a maid cafe couldn’t come true. Ideas, I thought, I need ideas. Of course, my students couldn’t come up with anything. You’ll find that unless you offer Japanese kids ideas, you won’t come up with anything concrete.

For those of you in the same situation, here’s a list of ideas you can do with a small club (3 to 5 members) or more.

1. Cake Walk (Musical Chairs + Raffle): Use Daiso vinyl tape and make footprints or circles on the floor into one big circle. Put numbers in each circle. Participants will stand on the circles, and when the music starts, they will walk to each circle. When the music stops, a number will be called. The participant on the called number will win a cake or a prize. For more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cakewalk_(carnival_game) 

2. Costume Booth (Halloween + Photography): Get a lot of costumes and props. Designate someone who will print pictures and put them in cellophane holders. Participants will pick what costumes they want and the theme of their photograph.

3. Skit: Pick a Western-origin or English-language skit such as Red Riding Hood, Beauty and the Beast, or Harry Potter. Adjust the script, pick the actors, and perform the skit on stage.

4. Names in Cursive: For more artistic people, participants will get their names written in pretty cursive. If you’re into graffiti, do names in graffiti.

5. Dance: Do a traditional dance from a different country (i.e. Philippine’s tinikling or binasuan or Mexico’s folklorico).

6. Western bazaar: Get lots of new knickknacks (stickers, posters, bilingual books, toys, stuffed animals, bracelets, snacks, etc.). Set up a booth or room with the items all tagged with prices. Get a register or cash box and put someone responsible for it.

7. English wanage (Ring Toss): Make rings and stands out of cardboard and tape. (I would use Daiso colored tape to make the rings and stands more interesting, seeing that cardboard is pretty ugly.) Use vinyl tape as a distance marker. Give participants the rings and prizes after they’ve gotten the rings on the stands successfully. For an English-involved ring toss, put pictures on the stands. Show the participants an English word. They will throw the ring onto the matching picture of the English word.

8. Basket Toss: Make balls out of tape and set up cardboard boxes. For an English-involved basket toss, put pictures on the boxes. Tell the participant an English word, and they will throw the ball into the matching picture. You can also do this with teachers’ pictures and tell the participants a teacher’s profile (where they’re from, the subject they teach, the homeroom they’re in charge of).

9. Western Cafe: Pick any theme for your cafe (find ideas at CelebrationsatHomeBlog.com). Get refreshments (cupcakes, brownies, muffins, breads), drinks, utensils, table clothes, napkins, and props that fit the theme. Set up nice tables and have the club members be waiters (make shifts!). Customers will come and order food and drinks from an all-English menu. The waiters will take the orders in English as best as they can. For the non-food option, still set up the cafe the same way but make a separate table with different candies, knickknacks, and lots of gift wrapping materials (ribbons, wrapping paper, tape, scissors, cellophane bags, hole punches, and stickers). Customers will look at a menu of themes and make a gift for their friends, parents, or lovers. The waiters will only clean up after the customers and offer suggestions to them.

10. Movie: Make a movie with the club before the school festival (summer vacation is the best time to do this if your festival is later on in the year). Sit down with the club, write the script, schedule times to film, practice all the scenes, film, edit, and add Japanese subtitles.

11. English Scavenger Hunt: Give attendees a scavenger hunt paper with tasks such as “Find three married teachers” (３人の結婚したの教師を探してください). If they complete the task, they get a stamp on their paper. They can show their stamps at one location (if you have no room, use a kiosk or table-top cart) and get prizes. If you’re looking for examples of this kind of activity, it has been done at the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Okinawa for their annual festivals (おきなわ国際協力・交流フェスティバル[English][Japanese] ).

If you’re having trouble coming up with school festival ideas for your English club or the English Speaking Society, just think of a fundraiser or carnival event and try that.

by

Japan: Land of Interesting Chocolates

Every month, there’s always new chocolate appearing on my desk. Gotta love Japan, Land of the Omiyage!

CIMG2724

FEBRUARY – A librarian I talk to every week gave me this cat chocolate as a トモチョコ (tomochoko), or friend’s chocolate, which is becoming more common between women on Valentine’s Day. In Japan, Valentine’s Day is a day where girls give boys chocolate and sweets. No, it’s not a day to subject Japanese women to being, well, subjected. On March 14, boys “return” the chocolate and sweets that was given to them by the girls. As Japanese girls become women, they still do this tradition, but I’ve noticed how every year, the women get more disgruntled with giving ギリチョコ (girichoko), or obligation chocolates. I suppose this friend’s chocolate is a way of saying, “Valentine’s Day isn’t just for guys.”

CIMG2746

MARCH – This one came from my student who went to Tokyo as part of her school trip. Every year, Japanese students (usually second years or eleventh graders) visit different parts of Japan. I understand going to different parts of the country, but its really hard for poor students. They usually pay anywhere from $1,500 to $4,000 to make this week-long trip. My student went to the Skytree, the new tower in Tokyo (not to be confused with Tokyo Tower).

CIMG2750

CIMG0018

APRIL – This $5 chocolate is one I bought for myself at Lawson’s (one of many convenience store chains in Japan). It features characters from my favorite recent anime, Attack on Titan (新劇の狂人, Shingeki no Kyoujin).

by

Give Me My (Free) Digital Manga!

Looking to read manga without going to the bookstore? Get your digital manga here! 

Provider Cost E-Reader Source Genre Notes
Comicloud.net/eng Purchase per manga Kindle, Google Play Directly from Japan, Korea Indie, bizarre, grotesque
CrunchyRoll.com and ComiPo! $6.95/month (limited access), $11.95/month (full access) Apple, Google Play Directly from Japan, international Indie, shonen, seinen Gift memberships: $34.95/3 months, $99.95/1 year
GENmanga.com $24/year Barnes & Noble, Amazon Directly from Japan Seinen, indie, manhwa
Inkblazers.com Free Apple International All, indie formerly Manga Magazine
en.MangaReborn.jp $10/1000 coins Directly from Japan Indie  Has a specific search engine for preferences
Weekly Shonen Jump (shonenjump.viz.com) $25/year Apple, Kobo, Nook, Kindle, Google Play Same day direct from Japan Shounen, seinen
ComiXology.com Purchase per manga, comic  Apple OEL manga, former Tokyopop titles Free comics available
SparklerMonthly.com(Serviced by Chromatic Press) $5/month  Depends on format (audio, visual)  From English-speaking creators OEL shoujo and josei manga, prose, and audio First chapters and prologues available for free

You can also check out some apps that give you free or cheap access to licensed and new manga.

Manga Box App – This English and Japanese app provides popular manga like Nisekoi and Kindaichi Case Files along with lesser known titles such as Spoof on Titan, Chubby Cinderella, and Shinjuku DxD. This app is a free download for Android and iPhone.

by

A Postcard to Obama from Okinawa

Okinawa’s pissed. Why? The Okinawan governor recently sold out for another U.S. base in Henoko, the dangerous Ospreys (planes with a helicopter design) crash into a local university, and the rapes and incidents between American military men and Okinawans have people ready to deport all foreigners off the island.

It wasn’t a big surprise to noticed this little postcard in the back of the teacher’s office this morning.

obama

In case you can’t read the postcard, it says:

“Dear President Obama,

The U.S. Forces have occupied Okinawa for 68 years. This oppression is unbearable. We demand the following actions for the restoration of our human rights:

1. The withdrawal of deployment of the Osprey aircrafts.

2. The closure of Futenma Air Base for safety reasons and its subsequent return.

3. The cessation of plans to reclaim land in the Henoko areas of Nago and the cessation of construction of Takae helipads.”

I know what you’re thinking: “As an American, why should I care about these brown Asian folks from some nowhere island?”

You’re a human being, right? Well, OK, let’s use something more practical: money. If you’re an American paying taxes, you should know that you’re paying for the stealing of someone else’s land that you won’t be able to go to even if you made it to Okinawa. You’re paying for the crashes and damages done by Ospreys, something that costs over $69.3 million for one aircraft. You’re giving a paycheck to rapists and pillagers.

And, no, I’m not being anti-American. I’m doing my duty as an American and questioning where my money’s going, where the soul of humanity has flown off to.  “Our country is not the only thing to which we owe our allegiance.  It is also owed to justice and to humanity.  Patriotism consists not in waving the flag, but in striving that our country shall be righteous as well as strong” (James Bryce).

If you don’t feel a single emotion over this, you’re heartless, soulless, downright suicide material ready for the elevator to 6-Feet Under.

by

3/11: 3 Years Later

Right now, there are many articles circulating the web about the anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake and its subsequent tsunami that took over 15,000 lives. I preferred Mainichi Shinbun‘s (Every Day Newspaper) short article so far (http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20140311p2g00m0dm034000c.html).

But I’m not here to recap this sad marker in Japan’s history.

There’s still a lot of work to be done and a lot of help to be given. Thousands have been displaced by this event from 3 years ago. We should remember to be human and help those that are in need.

To donate to the Tohoku fund:

For UK donors, please use The Japan Society.

For US donors, please donate to the Taylor Anderson Memorial Fund:

TAMFGG-Facebook-Cover-Image

For everyone, Ashinaga (supports children affected by Tohoquake) and various funds you can Google.

Speaking of help, if you’re looking to donate to other more recent causes, please donate to the victims of Typhoon Yolanda (Philippines).

by

Western Actors in Japanese Commercials

Japan should be called “Land of the Forgotten Commercials” starring Western actors looking for some easy money and international fans outside of their famous roles.

The former California governator, Arnold Scwarzenegger, made many Japanese commercials in his younger days for Nissin’s Cup of Noodles, Arinamin C Drink, and Direct TV. In the commercial above, he stars as a foreigner gambling with Japanese middle-aged men. In superhero fashion, he dashes away to pull out a Japanese energy drink while saying, “Good!”

Leonardo DiCaprio (Great Gatsby remake) in Japanese commercials mean that regular items like whiskey are going to be promoted as cool, premium items–even if those products will be sold for 800 yen ($9) at the local supermarket. Here’s Leo in a recent Cool Bourbon Jim Beam commercial.

Although Bruce Willis (Die Hard) tries hard to say his Japanese lines in these Daihatsu commercials with the disapproval of the director, he still looks very awkward and dubbed in every scene. I think taking the same measure as his Hollywood pals and saying very little (or nothing at all) would help.

The actor who takes the cake–er, the coffee–is acting veteran Tommy Lee Jones (Men in Black series). He didn’t just star in commercials for different products. Even to now, he’s a face for the canned coffee brand, BOSS. Everywhere in Japan, his wrinkled face adorns BOSS vending machines and ads.

by

New Year, New Skills, New Profile Pic

My husband showed me a tutorial on coloring images, and I decided to try it out since I’m trying to transition from traditional media to digital media.

ImageI sketched out a random picture of myself on a crummy piece of notebook paper (see edges). Then I used a sepia-colored School-G Tachikawa pen to outline it.

profile2 Cleaned up the pencil marks with a plastic eraser.

profile3Went over the outline with the same pen and darkened some areas.

profile4Put the file into Adobe Illustrator, traced it, and colored it with base colors.

profile6Took the image to Adobe Photoshop, made a transparent layer, used the “Lasso” to pick the highlights, and brushed and smudged the colors for the face.

profile7Finished my first Photoshop mini-project (and my new profile pic)!

by

Galloping to the Goal in the Year of the Horse

Last year, I made 5 resolutions:

1. Lose weight. I managed to lose 15 pounds from July to November by exercising 3 to 4 times a week. Injuries got in the way. I injured my left knee twice in June and July and strained my neck in December. Even though I’m starting from zero again for 2014 (at 154 pounds, only 1 pound lighter than last year), I’ve figured out the exercise program that works for me.

2. Learn Japanese. I had planned to take the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), but I missed the deadline. Still, this year, I finished one full journal in Japanese, applied for a Japanese speech contest for foreigners, and re-started organized Japanese studies with an advanced course.

3. Save more money. I didn’t save more money this year. I spent more money (yikes!). I did, however, started seriously paying off my student loans and my husband saved the majority of money.

4. Travel more. Because of our savings, my husband and I decided not to travel.

5. Get to reading and writing! 2013 was a good year for me in regards to writing and reading. I won a science fiction writing contest and one of my stories was selected for a science fiction anthology. I also read 32 books out of my Goodreads’s goal of 30 books in a year. Along with my writing and reading progress, I took two very insightful Coursera classes: Comic Books and Graphic Novels (University of Boulder) and Fantasy and Science Fiction: The Human Mind, Our Modern World (University of Michigan). They helped me improved my writing style and approach to fiction.

Now that I’m staring my 2013 resolutions in the face, I understand why most of these goals failed. They’re so broad! I need concrete, realistic goals, not general ones that can be transposed from me to another person.

So here’s another shot at my resolutions:

1. Lose 25 pounds in 2014 and keep it off. If I exercise 30 minutes 3 times a week every week for a year, that’ll make 144 workouts in a year. This is possible if I look at it as in half a pound a week is lost in 48 weeks (a year). Luckily, I’ve found some great workouts online for free (save money!) and I can put my birthday gift to use (Nike Plus Fitness on Kinect). And, since my husband and I have decided to only eat meat in one meal a day, we’ll be helping each other stave off the pounds.

Ultimate goal: Weigh 130 pounds.

2. Take the lowest level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). I missed the deadline last year, but I have another chance in July. I have a tutor to help me with this resolution now, and I can concentrate on kanji (Chinese writing system) and grammar through old textbooks.

Ultimate goal: Pass N1 of the JLPT, finish 2 Japanese journals, and pass my Japanese advance course.

3. Pay off 100% of my last credit card, pay off 95% of my student loans, and save at least $1,000 a month. This is totally possible if I ignore the horrid yen-to-dollar exchange rate. From October, I already implemented my student loan pay off. This year, I have to take the reigns of my budgeting plans by creating monthly bill deadlines and alerts.

Ultimate goal: Have $0 on all credit cards, have $700 left on student loans, and have $10,000 in savings.

4. Read 50 books this year and win 2 writing contests. I’ll have to pace myself and read more e-books while I’m at school. I need to develop a writing schedule and stick with it for the year.

5. Create 8 manga podcasts on Anime 3000. I’m a manga podcaster for Anime 3000’s Manga Corner. I was able to release only 4 manga podcasts last year. I’d like to re-vamp the show a little and interview 8 different guest stars. If you’re an anime, manga, or Japanophile podcaster, you can contact me (mangacorner [ at ] anime3000 [ dot ] com) about being a guest star.

by

50 Questions: My Answers to an Anime Q&A

Found this on Ephemeral Dreams‘s blog and thought it would be fun to do. Updated 5/27/2020. 

1. Who is your favorite male anime character?

Toss up between Ichigo Kurosaki from Bleach and Ulquiorra Schifer from Bleach. I love Izuku Midoriya, aka Deku, from My Hero Academia for his positivity and not being a mindless punching or smiling machine 

2. Who is your favorite female character?

I have so many female favorites! Clare from Claymore and Momo Yaoyorozu from My Hero Academia and Ryo Miyakozuka from Otomen and Sakura from Naruto Shippuuden. I love strong and smart women.

3. What is your favorite anime soundtrack?

Love all of Bleach and NANA‘s music. I’m also liking lots of the music from Carole and Tuesday.

4. What is your favorite anime opening + animation?

“D-tecnolife” by UVERworld on Bleach.

5. What is your favorite anime ending song + animation?

“Gravity” by Maaya Sakamoto from Wolf’s Rain.

6. What is your favorite anime scene?

Absolutely love the final fight between Ichigo and Ulquiorra in Bleach…Can you tell that I’m a Bleach fan?

Here’s another scene: A piano begins to play as a girl on a motorcycle swings her bike through giant robots. She delivers deadly blow as she makes her machine dance to the music. This scene was the last action scene in RideBack.

7. If you could meet an anime character who would it be?

Totoro.

8. What anime character is most similar to you in terms of personality?

Even though he’s a guy, I relate the most to Kazuhiko Fay Ryu from CLAMP’s Clover.

9. What is your favorite thing about anime?

The transformation of characters (Level up! Level up!), the fun factor, the storytelling, the animation…so many things… 

10. What is your least favorite thing about anime?

The over-done themes with high school students, ranks, and main characters being sucked into a parallel magical world. There are other people and storylines in the world!

11. Who are your favorite anime couple?

Nana (Hachiko) and Nobuo from NANA.

12. Who is your favorite anime animal?

Kilala from Inuyasha.

13. What anime would make a good game?

Redline and Onepunch-man (not as Jump Force). 

14. What game would make a good anime?

Soul Calibur.

15. What was the first anime you ever watched?

Old school Sailor Moon!

16. Do you think you’ll ever stop watching anime?

Well, in the long run, no, but I’ve watched less and less anime and started to read more and more manga as I’ve matured, so…

17. What is your favorite genre of anime?

Shounen.

18. What is your least favorite genre of anime?

Horror. 

19. Are you open about watching anime with people you know?

I used to be, but now, I’m not. It’s mine, mine!

20. Have you ever been to Japan?

Um, I lived in Japan for 5 years and not having to do with the military…

21. What anime was the biggest let down for you?

SkyCrawlers. Slowest. Anime. Ever.

22. What anime was better then expected?

Law of Ueki.

23. What is the best anime fight scene?

Ichigo Kurosaki versus transformed Ulquiorra Schifer in Hueco Mundo from Bleach. I think I noted this already…just love it way too much.

24. Who is your anime waifu?

Um, I have a husband, so… Major from Ghost in the Shell?

25. What was your favorite video game as a child?

Tetris (the only game I could beat my brothers at because I’m a spatial learner), DDR (the only game I could beat my brothers at on the controllers), Soul Calibur (the only game I could beat my brothers at without them having a handicap), Mortal Kombat (the only game that motivated me to win against my brothers so I could do the most awesomest kill scenes), Killer Instinct (the only game I could beat my brothers at as a female character), and Street Fighter II Turbo (the only game I could never beat my brothers at). My brothers really beat the crap out of me with video games…

Questions about me

26. Most Embarrassing moment?

One day from my first year in college, I was sitting in my drawing class, and everyone was quietly working on their projects. I remember the class being completely silent when I farted.

27a. Can you drive?

In the U.S. and Japan!

27b. Do you own a car?

Yes! A Scion! (It was free. If I could choose a car, I’d like a Skyline.)

28. Are you mature?

Sometimes.

29. What year were you born?

1985.

30. Do you prefer cats or dogs?

Cats. They’re smart and take no shit.

31. Describe yourself physically.

Short, brown skin, black hair, brown eyes, curvy, athletic build, and round face.

32. What would you name your first child?

None. Don’t plan on having kids. I’d like to keep my money, individuality, and sanity.

33. What is the worst injury you have ever had?

Tore my ACL in both knees.

34. What is your worse habit?

I procrastinate when I get too much work. I usually read manga or watch anime (in three days, I watched over 100 episodes of Bleach during Finals Week). Why? Because I know I can do whatever work in, like, 30 minutes. 

35. Do you drink or smoke?

Nope! I like to keep my money in wallet and my health, well, healthy.

36. Do you have a tattoo?

No!

37. Are you a morning person or a night person?

Both! I can wake up with the alarm and I can stay up and work.

38. Have you ever slept past midday?

Yep! It’s called going to sleep late.

39. Do you regret anything?

Yes! What person doesn’t? But if you can move past it, even use your regrets to fuel your future, things should turn out OK.

40. Can you count the number of friends you have on one hand?

How about a closed one? 

41. Do you wear glasses?

Yup! And contacts, too.

42. Are you a picky eater?

No, but I definitely don’t like corn beef hash. Gross.

43. Would you die for someone?

My husband…after he stops annoying me.

44. If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

Unbreakable body.

45. Do you believe in the supernatural?

Yes!

46. Would you rather be rich or famous?

Rich, not famous. Too much baggage with fame.

47. Have you ever committed a crime.

Yup, stealing a pack of gum when I was seven. Forgot I had it in my hand before we walked out the store.

48. Pirates or ninjas?

Totally ninjas! Why? Because I have a black cat named Ninja! Plus, they’re so quiet, you don’t even know they’re there (unlike my cat).

49. Does someone have a crush on you?

Any guy or gal with lots of muscles…

50. Are you in a relationship?

My marriage license says I am.

by

Kumamon Kraze


 Kumamon

Maybe you’ve seen a happy-go-lucky bear, maybe you haven’t. If you’re in Japan, you’re likely to see him on everything. Yes, I mean, everything. Tissue boxes, frozen fried rice packages, candy, cookies, soba bags…I think even on Ninja‘s shaved tummy (from her spay).

Kumamon is a mascot bear from the Kumamoto Prefecture. Since his creation in 2010 from the Kumamoto Surprise campaign for tourist through the new Kyushu Shinkansen line, Kumamon has become a hit in Japan. In 2011, he won a national mascot contest, generating a large revenue prize for the Kumamoto region.kumamon pocky


Kumamon isn’t just a prize winner; he’s a profit builder as well. Anything with Kumamon is expected to be bought up. Is it because of his sheer cuteness? Who knows? All I know is that Kumamon looks very much like my Bombay cat.

 

 

by

How Much of the Snake I’ve Eaten

In January, I posted my New Year’s resolution. Now, six months later, I’m doing a check-in.

Gotta get that fat outta here!!

#1: Losing weight: Drop 25 pounds.

In January and February, while my husband did a cleanse, I opted for only eating meat once a day. I don’t know if I dropped weight, but my clothes did fit differently–good for not exercising (my husband did, though). Just when we were going at a good pace, my husband hurt his back and the exercising (for him) and the non-meat meals stopped. It goes to show how much being in a relationship can affect your body.

Three weeks ago, I started doing Tae Bo again. It wasn’t as bad as I remembered (I did it last year for two months), but I decided to do cardio three times a week and strength training once a week. A week ago, I hurt my knee, so I’ll have to stick with strength training and minimum cardio. Injuries are the worst!

Plan: Do 30-45 minutes of exercise every other day. Two times a week include a strength training regiment (12 reps, 3 sets with weights), and work on abs every exercise day.

How to write “learn” in kanji

#2: Learn Japanese: Become a more fluent speaker.

I entered an international speech contest in Japanese, but I wasn’t picked. Maybe next year… Every day, I learn a new Japanese word (today’s word is 野良猫, noraneko, or “stray cat”) to build my vocabulary. I also write in a journal in Japanese, and some of my posts on this blog have a Japanese translation. So far, my reading comprehension has gotten easier as well as my kanji.

Plan for the rest of the year: Sign up for the JET Programme’s free advanced Japanese course and get ready for another speech contest (to get picked this time!).

#3: Save more money

I haven’t saved any money (according to my Mint account), but I have managed to slim our daily expenses. Instead of buying many snacks and going out to eat, we cook at home and avoid sugary products like cookies and fruit juices.

Plan: Send a set amount of money to my American bank account and not touch it except for emergencies and bills.

#4: Travel more.

Because of Item Number 3, traveling is out of the question. Sadness!

Once upon a time, there was a writer…

#5: Get to reading and writing!

I became a part of a creative writing circle. We get a prompt and two weeks to write something, then we post in on Google Plus. It’s very convenient because I never know how people will react to it. Also, it keeps me on my toes in keeping with deadlines!

Plan: Continue with the writing circle. Win at least one writing contest!

Links

  1. Scale: http://www.johnstonefitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Weighing-Scales-1.jpg

  2. “Learn” kanji gif: http://nihongoichibandotcom.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/5b66.gif

  3. Piggy bank: http://sj.sunne.ws/files/2011/09/Piggy-Bank1.jpg

  4. Suitcase: http://henricodoctors.com/util/images/TravelMedicineSuitcase.jpg

  5. Books: https://jadesescape.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/books.jpg?w=257