Ah January, how cold you've been...in other parts of the world that aren't Southern California. Oh? What's that? You say it's February? Oh! Let me restart that. Ehem.
Ah February, how cold you've been...in other parts of the world that aren't Southern California (there, nailed it!). I'm eternally thankful for the rain that you gave our drought ridden state, but why are you hogging all the snow? Send some here instead! But I'm not here to talk about weather. No sir (ma'am?)! I'm here to talk about dreams. So grab a margarita and a sombrero and dream with me!
Ever since the age of 14 I've wanted to go, even live in Japan. It started with my friend Yuko tricking me into memorizing all of the hiragana and katakana in a week (because her parents had forced her start Japanese school, and she felt her best friend should also suffer along with her) and gave me a bag full of manga. And thus my love for Japan began. Well, Sailor Moon as a 12 year old helped. I longed to see Tokyo and speak in Japanese and fly in giant Gundams. But one thing stopped me just like it stops all artists at some point in their life.
Math.
Thanks to my horrible (and also tested) inability to do math and a lot of stress and tears through college (followed by an actual academic court case of which I lost on a technicality so freaking tiny that even the department fighting for me pitched a fit) I was unable to graduate with only my one math class missing so that I couldn't accept my degree. I knew (and my department knew) I wasn't able to complete the class. I'd failed it three times in a row and after that you have to wait a year before you can re-take the class. I walked out feeling angry and betrayed and more than that, defeated in my quest to go to Japan. To work there you need a four year degree. Or so I was led to believe for more than a decade. But it turns out where there's a will, there's a way. And boy do I have will. Apparently. But mainly I had google.
What I lack in math I make up for in ability for languages and writing. And drinking. With those powers combined along with a strange talent for typing quickly, I became what I had always wanted to be (but didn't know): A writer. And apparently, writing is considered an art. And if you can prove that you make a livable wage (whatever that means) from it, you can receive an artist Visa and work as an artist in Japan. Well color me holy-taco-painted-purple surprised!
So with a new goal in life set before me, I've begun the process of getting my novels out into the world (which is first and foremost in my life anyway) so that they can be read and enjoyed. And from that to get a chance to live my dream that I thought wasn't possible (legally). So it turns out little dreams can indeed become a reality. So by this time next year or so, I'll be setting up shop in Japan with my laptop and a very very very angry behemoth 18 lb cat who hates traveling.
Because that's how I roll.
Showing posts with label japan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label japan. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Monday, January 5, 2015
Changes
Oh hello there! You must be lost, right? Oh. You're not? You've been waiting for me to update for like...two months? Crap. Um. Well hey, here's an update for you!
Life is change. If you're not changing you're not living. New Years happened--and it was pretty exciting! I had an impromptu party where copious amounts of alcohol was drunk, food eaten, and a lot of deep discussions happened. I really don't think I've ever been to a New Years party with friends where we didn't in some way end up talking about world religion, writing, or the moors of society. I guess that's what I get for having smart, artistic friends. We can't do anything right apparently!! But it was fun!
I didn't make any Resolutions this year....at least not on the correct day. I've actually been thinking about it really hard. I wanted it to MEAN something, and not just be empty ones I'd give up half way. (Or two days in....or two minutes in. Any one who says they're giving up chocolate is setting themselves up to fail. Don't do that.) So this year, my few resolutions are this:
1.Make this the year of homemade soup (You heard me! I'm going to make lots of homemade soup!)
2. Eat healthier (not diet. Just make better food choices)
3. Not be afraid of success (I've realized this is a big problem of mine)
4. Speak kinder to myself/compliment myself more (because if I don't love me, who will?)
Those are my 4 resolutions. I don't like diets because they're CRAP. And also, I like food. No. I LOVE food. So I refuse to give it up! I just eat smaller portions now--I've already lost quite a bit of weight doing it, so there you go, proof! If you haven't noticed I didn't put up there "become a writer" or "get published". There's a very good reason for this. It's because that's already going to happen--it's not something I need to make a resolution on. It's an undeniable fact. This year is a year of changes, which brings me to my next paragraph!
This year is different. This year I can feel a monumental shift myself and how I think. It started back in early December but it's been growing rapidly. The feeling of Change. A big change is going to happen, my old life is going to die and be replaced with a new, bigger, better one. I feel it coming and it freaks me out a little with the intensity. But I know it's here. All the stars and planets are aligning in my favor I guess! I made a couple of life changing decisions and the second I firmed them in my mind as "I will do this" the universe just snapped things into place for me. Clearly I've made the right decision. But writing. Writing is a thing. It's one of the big changes. There's no going back, no stopping, no worrying if it's the right thing to do in life. It is.
So I will not put it as a new years resolution, because that time for getting things published, for making a living off my books--that time is NOW. Not in half a year, not in four months. NOW.
Another big change that I'll be making (other than fully writing as a career and no longer needing to rely on an outside job for money) is that I'll be moving to Japan. It might take slightly longer than I wanted (which was the end of this year) but I should be going by early spring next year. If that isn't exciting I don't know what is! I'll be starting school this month, going into Japanese II and taking psychology classes (for writing! Because understanding human conditions are important!). It's a new year and new me!
Life is about to get very interesting around here, so expect more updates (Because also, as a thing, I DO want to be better about writing in my blogs this year!)
Life is change. If you're not changing you're not living. New Years happened--and it was pretty exciting! I had an impromptu party where copious amounts of alcohol was drunk, food eaten, and a lot of deep discussions happened. I really don't think I've ever been to a New Years party with friends where we didn't in some way end up talking about world religion, writing, or the moors of society. I guess that's what I get for having smart, artistic friends. We can't do anything right apparently!! But it was fun!
I didn't make any Resolutions this year....at least not on the correct day. I've actually been thinking about it really hard. I wanted it to MEAN something, and not just be empty ones I'd give up half way. (Or two days in....or two minutes in. Any one who says they're giving up chocolate is setting themselves up to fail. Don't do that.) So this year, my few resolutions are this:
1.Make this the year of homemade soup (You heard me! I'm going to make lots of homemade soup!)
2. Eat healthier (not diet. Just make better food choices)
3. Not be afraid of success (I've realized this is a big problem of mine)
4. Speak kinder to myself/compliment myself more (because if I don't love me, who will?)
Those are my 4 resolutions. I don't like diets because they're CRAP. And also, I like food. No. I LOVE food. So I refuse to give it up! I just eat smaller portions now--I've already lost quite a bit of weight doing it, so there you go, proof! If you haven't noticed I didn't put up there "become a writer" or "get published". There's a very good reason for this. It's because that's already going to happen--it's not something I need to make a resolution on. It's an undeniable fact. This year is a year of changes, which brings me to my next paragraph!
This year is different. This year I can feel a monumental shift myself and how I think. It started back in early December but it's been growing rapidly. The feeling of Change. A big change is going to happen, my old life is going to die and be replaced with a new, bigger, better one. I feel it coming and it freaks me out a little with the intensity. But I know it's here. All the stars and planets are aligning in my favor I guess! I made a couple of life changing decisions and the second I firmed them in my mind as "I will do this" the universe just snapped things into place for me. Clearly I've made the right decision. But writing. Writing is a thing. It's one of the big changes. There's no going back, no stopping, no worrying if it's the right thing to do in life. It is.
So I will not put it as a new years resolution, because that time for getting things published, for making a living off my books--that time is NOW. Not in half a year, not in four months. NOW.
Another big change that I'll be making (other than fully writing as a career and no longer needing to rely on an outside job for money) is that I'll be moving to Japan. It might take slightly longer than I wanted (which was the end of this year) but I should be going by early spring next year. If that isn't exciting I don't know what is! I'll be starting school this month, going into Japanese II and taking psychology classes (for writing! Because understanding human conditions are important!). It's a new year and new me!
Life is about to get very interesting around here, so expect more updates (Because also, as a thing, I DO want to be better about writing in my blogs this year!)
Monday, February 7, 2011
Common Sense Misses Again!
You know that adage 'look before you leap'? I have learned this lesson all too well today. I WOULD be mad that I just spend 12 dollars on a product that I thought was going to work only to find out it might be bad for me, but really, it was my fault. I should have read before I bought. Or perhaps I should have seen the sarcasm in the words that were written about said product. Either way I can't get mad because it was my fault for not fully reading the article.
So what is this terrible thing I've wasted my money on? Soap. That's right, soap. Its from Japan, and its name is AHA Soap. Underneath it, it says 'mild chemical peeling soap'. Now, I really want to get rid of my top layer of skin. Why? because it has some things on it that I could really do away with (like larger pours awkwardly gracing my cheeks). And since I didn't want to spend 500 dollars doing it I thought 'well, why not with this soap! Twelve dollars is a lot cheaper!' Supposedly this soap burns your skin raw and 'peels it'.
Or that's what I thought. Turns out, it simply make your skin dry to rawness. Not fun, and it sounds painful right?
Unfortunately for my face, my curiosity has gotten the better of me, and I find that since I've already spent my money, I might as well use the product! And if I went the inch, I might as well go the mile right!?
So here is my before face:
(Awww, aren't I cute...and...purple)
aaaaaannnnd here is my after face:
I'm not sure if it fully shows it, but my face wasn't too bad at all! It was pretty pink on my cheeks, but I didn't feel the burning sensation that your supposed to feel, and my skin didn't feel overly dry or red. So this leaves me with several hypothesis.
1) The girl in the article just has really sensitive skin
2) I should have left it on longer
3) My skin is so bad that it needed a stronger chemical
4) The company has revamped its line and the soap is now 'milder'
But other than that, no harm has come to me so I think I'll just keep using the soap until something adverse happens.
Oh yes, I'm living my life on the edge.....
So what is this terrible thing I've wasted my money on? Soap. That's right, soap. Its from Japan, and its name is AHA Soap. Underneath it, it says 'mild chemical peeling soap'. Now, I really want to get rid of my top layer of skin. Why? because it has some things on it that I could really do away with (like larger pours awkwardly gracing my cheeks). And since I didn't want to spend 500 dollars doing it I thought 'well, why not with this soap! Twelve dollars is a lot cheaper!' Supposedly this soap burns your skin raw and 'peels it'.
Or that's what I thought. Turns out, it simply make your skin dry to rawness. Not fun, and it sounds painful right?
Unfortunately for my face, my curiosity has gotten the better of me, and I find that since I've already spent my money, I might as well use the product! And if I went the inch, I might as well go the mile right!?
So here is my before face:
(Awww, aren't I cute...and...purple)
aaaaaannnnd here is my after face:
I'm not sure if it fully shows it, but my face wasn't too bad at all! It was pretty pink on my cheeks, but I didn't feel the burning sensation that your supposed to feel, and my skin didn't feel overly dry or red. So this leaves me with several hypothesis.
1) The girl in the article just has really sensitive skin
2) I should have left it on longer
3) My skin is so bad that it needed a stronger chemical
4) The company has revamped its line and the soap is now 'milder'
But other than that, no harm has come to me so I think I'll just keep using the soap until something adverse happens.
Oh yes, I'm living my life on the edge.....
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