are so beautiful. i mean, i may be biased b/c i am an asian woman but c'mon now...
Thursday, December 23, 2010
norms/assumptions: heterosexuality
yet again, i've forgotten where i found this. -___- but nevertheless: let's remember to work against the heterosexual normativity many of us have been socialized to accept. ^^Y
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
daul kim
july 2007(side note: she was very vocal about asians as minorities and being familiar with korean history. LIKE. also- she was really intelligent and didn't appreciate the models=dumb stereotype. one time, she was reading tolstoy and her hair stylist was like 'what are you reading?' and daul responded 'tolstoy'. the woman: 'ooh, you mean toy story?'. daul: -_____-)
anyway- words of wisdom::
"the past that makes you cry will make you grow
the loneliness that makes you cry will make you strong
do not regret your past
do not forget your past
past is just past
anyway it does not exist
it can not exist
it will remain in you
but it can not rule you
as it is only memories
since you already have a different world,
you should be the person in that world.,,
nothing else"
change is good. change is scary but change is good.
it's good to be aggressive about what you want.
books: vonnegut
i've been doing a bit of reading lately. definitely recommend "the mysterious benedict society" for some light, page-turning, harry potter-esque reads! couldn't put it down.
this next statement makes me sound kind of lame/pretentious but i've also been dabbling in some kurt vonnegut. he has some interesting opinions on politics, religion, etc.
things to think about:
CAT'S CRADLE
"Americans...are forever searching for love in forms it never takes, in places it can never be. It must have something to do with the vanished frontier." (p97)
"When Bokonon and McCabe took over this miserable country years ago...they threw out the priests. And then Bokonon, cynically and playfully, invented a new religion...Well, when it became evident that no governmental or economic reform was going to make the people much less miserable, the religion became the one real instrument of hope. Truth was the enemy of the people, because the truth was so terrible, so Bokonon made it his business to provide the people with better and better lies....
So I said good-bye to government,
And I gave my reason:
That a really good religion
Is a form of treason." (p172-3)
"'Of all the words of mice and men, the saddest are, "It might have been."'" (p279)
SLAUGHTERHOUSE 5
"'I think you guys are going to have to come up with a lot of wonderful new lies, or people just aren't going to want to go on living.'" (p101)
"Everything was beautiful and nothing hurt." (p122)
this next statement makes me sound kind of lame/pretentious but i've also been dabbling in some kurt vonnegut. he has some interesting opinions on politics, religion, etc.
things to think about:
CAT'S CRADLE
"Americans...are forever searching for love in forms it never takes, in places it can never be. It must have something to do with the vanished frontier." (p97)
"When Bokonon and McCabe took over this miserable country years ago...they threw out the priests. And then Bokonon, cynically and playfully, invented a new religion...Well, when it became evident that no governmental or economic reform was going to make the people much less miserable, the religion became the one real instrument of hope. Truth was the enemy of the people, because the truth was so terrible, so Bokonon made it his business to provide the people with better and better lies....
So I said good-bye to government,
And I gave my reason:
That a really good religion
Is a form of treason." (p172-3)
"'Of all the words of mice and men, the saddest are, "It might have been."'" (p279)
SLAUGHTERHOUSE 5
"'I think you guys are going to have to come up with a lot of wonderful new lies, or people just aren't going to want to go on living.'" (p101)
"Everything was beautiful and nothing hurt." (p122)
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
sumo season
so there are 4 big sumo tournaments every year and one of them is in November in our very own Fukuoka! apparently there is a training area near where I live so I've been seeing sumo wrestlers at the supermarkets, riding bicycles, waiting in line for atms, etc. One of my friends even saw one at "da club". i love the juxtaposition of old school traditional athlete and newer technological developments.*side note: there's been a lot of scandal rocking the sumo world in terms of affiliations with gangs and gambling
**side side note: a lot of Fukuokans are uber excited because one of the top sumo wrestlers (Kaio Hiroyuki) is from Nogata, Fukuoka. I watched a news story on him and all the obaachans were head over heels. kawaii!
Thursday, November 25, 2010
old school japan
this past weekend, i went to yanagawa in southern fukuoka. you can ride down a canal which was honestly pretty shit. BUT i did snap this photo which made me feel all artsy.
also went to a city called hakozaki to eat at a tororo place (grated mountain yam- white, gooey texture) i've been meaning to check out for a while. so good! there are a bunch of cool cafes/restaurants in the area. also got a photo of this advert. love the glasses this dude be rockin!
i love my english club!
so i gave my english club students my texting address and they have been sending me texts. one of my students texted me the other day and was like "it's your birthday tomorrow, isn't you?" SO CUTE. then she tells me to come to her classroom during lunch and gives me this handmade card as well as a bathset for my bday!! wtf?? LOVE HER!also i have a feeling that 23 is going to be a FANTASTICAL year! plus, year of the rabbit- how can it NOT be lucky?
bday shenanigans: sleepovers, baking, kotatsu, coworker okonomiyaki bonding, korean food, kpop jam session, yakiniku tabehoudai, karaoke, cake, YAY! best birthday week ever!
Friday, November 19, 2010
fashionable buddhas and changing colors
a photographic series documenting my afternoon post- mid year seminar. (nanzoin near sasaguri).
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
trains & signs, cont + crunky
there is an assortment of "Crunky" chocolates but this new product takes the cake in terms of naming!
i pass by signs similar to these (with the person bowing) all the time- for construction/if Starbucks is full and has no more seating/etcetc. kawaii!
and of course, newly found train etiquette campaign signs! oh those PIERCING EYES. and ridiculously huge backpack!
winter break 2010 plans
also known as: "tasia's solo southeast asian adventure in which she attempts to 'find herself' and experience new things and gain new perspectives on life/the world and appreciate people in life and step out of comfort zones and try to just 'go with the flow' and eat loads of delicious food and also try not to die" trip 2010.
more info to come.
i'm also try to let the people in my life know that i appreciate them. over the past year, i've become a bit jaded and judgmental and self-absorbed and have had an "i'm so much better and cooler than you" mentality which is NOT okay. i've under-appreciated and not prioritized certain people and that needs to change. there are so many absolutely amazing people in my life and i think they deserve to be reminded that they are important to me and that i appreciate their existences and everything they are (okay, maybe not EVERYthing, but...technicalities :).) you should try it out- spreading happiness and warm, fuzzy feelings around the world!
and, on an appreciating people note, the other week I baked lemon bars (which I have mastered! I am a lemon bar making beast!) for my coworkers. In return, the part-time English teacher (who retired but then came back to work because he loves kids and teaching...in addition to dancing, gardening, and traveling!) presented me with this tea cup which he bought on a trip to an area in Oita Prefecture that is famous for pottery.
isn't it gorgey? and the tea-fetish continues.
more info to come.
i'm also try to let the people in my life know that i appreciate them. over the past year, i've become a bit jaded and judgmental and self-absorbed and have had an "i'm so much better and cooler than you" mentality which is NOT okay. i've under-appreciated and not prioritized certain people and that needs to change. there are so many absolutely amazing people in my life and i think they deserve to be reminded that they are important to me and that i appreciate their existences and everything they are (okay, maybe not EVERYthing, but...technicalities :).) you should try it out- spreading happiness and warm, fuzzy feelings around the world!
and, on an appreciating people note, the other week I baked lemon bars (which I have mastered! I am a lemon bar making beast!) for my coworkers. In return, the part-time English teacher (who retired but then came back to work because he loves kids and teaching...in addition to dancing, gardening, and traveling!) presented me with this tea cup which he bought on a trip to an area in Oita Prefecture that is famous for pottery.
isn't it gorgey? and the tea-fetish continues.thoughts
why do some people just not communicate when something is bothering them?
the particular situation i'm thinking of: a friend just emailed me saying that her relationship with our mutual friend hasn't been the same in the past month. He (mutual friend) has seemed unhappy/annoyed with her personality/has changed. Maybe it's just that by spending time away from each other and hanging out with other people, you start to pick up those new friends' mannerisms/humor and you change a bit. Or maybe you attempt to fit in with this new group by changing yourself in small ways which don't mesh with old friends anymore. Or you just feel like you're better than the other person/don't need him or her in your life as much as you did before. I don't know. I just think that if something is wrong or has changed, it should be talked about. Or if something annoys you, you should bring it up regardless of whether that may make things a bit awkward. Because I think communicating despite potential awkwardness and caring enough about saving the relationship/friendship to address the source of conflict/change is so important. I suppose by not doing this, you're also communicating a message: that you don't prioritize the relationship enough to attempt to make things better.
A question posed to me (in which i know my hypothetical answer but am still unclear on what I'd realistically do): If you were falling out of love with your partner, would you tell the person to try to work it out? Or would you wait until you knew for sure you didn't love this person anymore and then cut it off?
In theory/ideally, I'd bring it up with the person. But realistically, I think I wouldn't want to worry my partner and be sure that I wasn't just going through a phase. And THEN maybe talk about it and try to work things out? But would I even want to at that point because I'd be sure that I didn't love this person anymore?
Man! People are so complex and have different expectations/ways of communicating...I'm just left silenced and confused and neck-deep in my introspection of it all.
the particular situation i'm thinking of: a friend just emailed me saying that her relationship with our mutual friend hasn't been the same in the past month. He (mutual friend) has seemed unhappy/annoyed with her personality/has changed. Maybe it's just that by spending time away from each other and hanging out with other people, you start to pick up those new friends' mannerisms/humor and you change a bit. Or maybe you attempt to fit in with this new group by changing yourself in small ways which don't mesh with old friends anymore. Or you just feel like you're better than the other person/don't need him or her in your life as much as you did before. I don't know. I just think that if something is wrong or has changed, it should be talked about. Or if something annoys you, you should bring it up regardless of whether that may make things a bit awkward. Because I think communicating despite potential awkwardness and caring enough about saving the relationship/friendship to address the source of conflict/change is so important. I suppose by not doing this, you're also communicating a message: that you don't prioritize the relationship enough to attempt to make things better.
A question posed to me (in which i know my hypothetical answer but am still unclear on what I'd realistically do): If you were falling out of love with your partner, would you tell the person to try to work it out? Or would you wait until you knew for sure you didn't love this person anymore and then cut it off?
In theory/ideally, I'd bring it up with the person. But realistically, I think I wouldn't want to worry my partner and be sure that I wasn't just going through a phase. And THEN maybe talk about it and try to work things out? But would I even want to at that point because I'd be sure that I didn't love this person anymore?
Man! People are so complex and have different expectations/ways of communicating...I'm just left silenced and confused and neck-deep in my introspection of it all.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
melty kiss
i seriously love candy/chocolate names here. this one is called "melty kiss" & only comes out in the winter when it's cold enough for the chocolate not to melt in the box.trains
i love this one. that is to say, it is amazing.
so there is a campaign on the trains here to encourage people to be courteous to others while riding public transportation. the accompanying engrish and drawings are amazing.*the side panel with the train + ! says something like "if you care, manners will change". ^_^
hikosan, tagawa
yesterday was a national holiday (culture day) so i went hiking in the inaka/yankee-central. the leaves are starting to change color （紅葉）! My friend also had an Italian couch surfer named Marco who came on the hike-- he's been traveling around the world from Italy on his motorcycle for the past 5 months- working in one country for a month, saving money to ship his bike overseas, learning English (he was conversationally fluent which is impressive seeing as he couldn't really speak when he started his adventure), making his way through s.e. asia and australia, etcetc. and the accent! these types of people inspire me to throw caution to the wind and do things that force me out of my comfort zone/just live life! it's so easy to become jaded and pessimistic but meeting these types of people give me a renewed sense of hope and optimism- like wow. there ARE good/cool/friendly/amazing people in this world!
vending machine (自動販売機, literally "self moving selling machine") near Hikosan
Monday, November 1, 2010
halloween shenanigans
2ne1- Fire
Friday, October 29, 2010
zines
photos via: "vivi" & "glamourous" magazines (nov.2010)Thursday, October 28, 2010
life: words of wisdom
fuckyeahamazing.com - Soren Kierkegaard
p.s. it got trench coat wearing cold all of a sudden here. time to bust out the kotatsu ♥
p.p.s. start talking to the people around you about things that matter. you'll start to appreciate the strong, intelligent, amazing beings they are.
p.s. it got trench coat wearing cold all of a sudden here. time to bust out the kotatsu ♥
p.p.s. start talking to the people around you about things that matter. you'll start to appreciate the strong, intelligent, amazing beings they are.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Comparisons
Self: Pre-JET (ie approximately 1.25 years ago) // NOW
22 years of singlehood // one relationship behind me
sexually nonexistent // sexuality exists
sweats, riggers shorts // dresses, work appropriate clothing
leggings // stockings
lenka, meiko, justin nozuka // bon iver, the national, tegan&sara, sufjan stevens
nonexistent guitar playing skills // 4 songs crappily played
suite life // living on my own
hawaii, l.a. // fukuoka
french kissing = saliva/ew/why? // french kissing = yes please!
self-concept: nerdy/academically-focused // self-concept: hot ^_^, people-focused
future-focused // living in the now
obsessed with to do lists // obsessed with to do lists
tasia, t-Asia (stripper name), tash // tasia, t-bird, t-bag, t-swizzle
driving // walking, training everywhere
undecided, unknown black hole future // same
uncomfortable, awkward around guys // more comfortable around guys who embrace their awkwardness & thus mine
green tea snob // all-tea lover (with a scandalous latte/cappuccino affair on the side)
2 am? still early! // 10 pm? beddy-bye time. Obaachan-status.
no non-american friends // australian, new zealander, european, south african, singaporean, all over! friends.
hating on ^______^ // using o____O all the time. in other words....
not fob // FOB
scarf fetish // scarf, postcard, tea&coffee (+ paraphernalia) fetish, with dark chocolate & peanut butter fetishes developing
aversion to being concise // aversion to being concise (as witnessed in the above point)
pretty well-versed in the english language // non-ironically misspelling words; notably: confuzed & sight/site. le sigh.
sticking to a budget // budget???
"friends" of convenience // true friends, social support
crap japanese // still crap, but slowly improving, japanese
naive // life lessons
"I just want some japanese food!" // "Where's all the good western/non-japanese food up in this heezy???"
naked? // NAKED! (esp. nudie apartment dance parties for one!)
skype -____- // skype ^____^
freak! // WHAT THE FUCK?!
linguistically understanding most of my surroundings // illiteracy, constant state of (blissful?) ignorance
normal glasses //hipster glasses
related conversation excerpt:
dad: go buy new glasses when you're in korea.
me: i already have glasses & an extra pair. i don't need new ones.
dad: no, tasia. not the weird ones. [reference to hipster glasses].
oh dad :)
22 years of singlehood // one relationship behind me
sexually nonexistent // sexuality exists
sweats, riggers shorts // dresses, work appropriate clothing
leggings // stockings
lenka, meiko, justin nozuka // bon iver, the national, tegan&sara, sufjan stevens
nonexistent guitar playing skills // 4 songs crappily played
suite life // living on my own
hawaii, l.a. // fukuoka
french kissing = saliva/ew/why? // french kissing = yes please!
self-concept: nerdy/academically-focused // self-concept: hot ^_^, people-focused
future-focused // living in the now
obsessed with to do lists // obsessed with to do lists
tasia, t-Asia (stripper name), tash // tasia, t-bird, t-bag, t-swizzle
driving // walking, training everywhere
undecided, unknown black hole future // same
uncomfortable, awkward around guys // more comfortable around guys who embrace their awkwardness & thus mine
green tea snob // all-tea lover (with a scandalous latte/cappuccino affair on the side)
2 am? still early! // 10 pm? beddy-bye time. Obaachan-status.
no non-american friends // australian, new zealander, european, south african, singaporean, all over! friends.
hating on ^______^ // using o____O all the time. in other words....
not fob // FOB
scarf fetish // scarf, postcard, tea&coffee (+ paraphernalia) fetish, with dark chocolate & peanut butter fetishes developing
aversion to being concise // aversion to being concise (as witnessed in the above point)
pretty well-versed in the english language // non-ironically misspelling words; notably: confuzed & sight/site. le sigh.
sticking to a budget // budget???
"friends" of convenience // true friends, social support
crap japanese // still crap, but slowly improving, japanese
naive // life lessons
"I just want some japanese food!" // "Where's all the good western/non-japanese food up in this heezy???"
naked? // NAKED! (esp. nudie apartment dance parties for one!)
skype -____- // skype ^____^
freak! // WHAT THE FUCK?!
linguistically understanding most of my surroundings // illiteracy, constant state of (blissful?) ignorance
normal glasses //hipster glasses
related conversation excerpt:
dad: go buy new glasses when you're in korea.
me: i already have glasses & an extra pair. i don't need new ones.
dad: no, tasia. not the weird ones. [reference to hipster glasses].
oh dad :)
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
inspiring/interesting quotations
(fuckyeahamazing.blogspot.com)In the past week, I've stumbled upon some quotations that have resonated with me so I thought I'd share them here.
Mark Twain (I now want to read more of his works...wiki him. He's pretty cool in terms of impact on American Literature and his views in general.)
"I am always on the side of the revolutionists, because there never was a revolution unless there were some oppressive and intolerable conditions against which to revolt."
"There are many humorous things in this world; among them the white man's notion that he is less savage than the other savages.""Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowliness, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marilyn Monroe
"I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together."
Monday, October 18, 2010
cat cafe
this weekend, i defied my dislike of animals and went to a cat cafe so that cat-loving b can live vicariously through my experiences. you basically go in and are required to buy a drink or meal of some sort. then proceed to play with feline friends for an hour (or more). slightly (okay, very) unsanitary and wouldn't pass health codes in non-Japan but....they're meccha kawaii and that's all that matters right?
Thursday, October 14, 2010
bed>futon
right...just disregard the mess going on to the right. ~_~ i live in filth.happy price
things on sale here are sometimes marked with the sign "Happy Price". i like this. they DO make me happy!gestalt prayer
I do my thing and you do your thing.
I am not in this world to live up to your expectations,
And you are not in this world to live up to mine.
You are you, and I am I, and if by chance we find each other, it's beautiful.
If not, it can't be helped.
I am not in this world to live up to your expectations,
And you are not in this world to live up to mine.
You are you, and I am I, and if by chance we find each other, it's beautiful.
If not, it can't be helped.
letters
so i came back to my desk the other day to find 2 letters from a student in my English Club.
it's kind of small, but the first is a letter to her pen pal in Hawaii & the second is one inviting me to see her paintings at the prefectural art museum. is she not the sweetest?
it's kind of small, but the first is a letter to her pen pal in Hawaii & the second is one inviting me to see her paintings at the prefectural art museum. is she not the sweetest? Wednesday, October 6, 2010
introspection of late
i've been thinking about a lot of things lately. here is a peek into my brain.
love: is there really a moment in a relationship when you have an epiphany and are like OMFG I LOVE YOU? initially i thought this, but as my idealizations became more realistic, i began to think that it's more of an ebb/flow (ie- sometimes you're really into your partner and sometimes you're not but underneath everything there's this deep connection/comfortableness/trust/caring and THAT is love). now, i'm not really sure but am still leaning towards the latter.
is it that you can click with someone so well, be attracted to him/her, and just feel RIGHT together but that not be enough? i suppose so, just hadn't thought of it.
it's SO EASY to be blinded in a relationship and do things/become the type of person you told yourself you wouldn't. pet peeves regarding couples: being overly coupley in public, becoming too clingy/not having your own lives, becoming exclusive/spending all your time together, (on the same note) limiting time with other friends to spend time with your partner, etcetc. and yes, i fell into doing all of these. how did that happen?
why are all of the songs i listen to slow & predominantly about love either lost or lusted after?
i didn't realize one could ever feel such deep emotional pain. but also underestimated the power of social support/showers/tea/sleep/nudie dance parties for one in my apt. EMPOWERMENT.
i don't regret anything that's happened and am also excited to relearn/rediscover how to be ME/whole/content with that, expand my support network/reconnect with people, and make the most out of my time in Japan.
boyfriends are great for extra warmth in the winter time (esp. when you don't have central heating) and for motivating you to cook when you live alone. but not necessary. kind of like colorful sprinkles on birthday cakes.
why is it so easy to think irrationally and engage in self-torture?
time heals and whatever but it seriously needs to hurry the eff up and improve the effectiveness of its healing properties.
note to self: post-breakup people just want to be distracted. when comforting someone, just keep blabbing about whatever the hell you want b/c it's nice to not be consumed with your own overanalytical thoughts.
stop thinking about the what ifs and whys because sometimes there is no concrete, satisfactory answer. and it'll just consume you and drive you insane. so don't do that.
when life gives you lemons, make lemon bars. literally. they're delicious and smell good and will make you smile.
love: is there really a moment in a relationship when you have an epiphany and are like OMFG I LOVE YOU? initially i thought this, but as my idealizations became more realistic, i began to think that it's more of an ebb/flow (ie- sometimes you're really into your partner and sometimes you're not but underneath everything there's this deep connection/comfortableness/trust/caring and THAT is love). now, i'm not really sure but am still leaning towards the latter.
is it that you can click with someone so well, be attracted to him/her, and just feel RIGHT together but that not be enough? i suppose so, just hadn't thought of it.
it's SO EASY to be blinded in a relationship and do things/become the type of person you told yourself you wouldn't. pet peeves regarding couples: being overly coupley in public, becoming too clingy/not having your own lives, becoming exclusive/spending all your time together, (on the same note) limiting time with other friends to spend time with your partner, etcetc. and yes, i fell into doing all of these. how did that happen?
why are all of the songs i listen to slow & predominantly about love either lost or lusted after?
i didn't realize one could ever feel such deep emotional pain. but also underestimated the power of social support/showers/tea/sleep/nudie dance parties for one in my apt. EMPOWERMENT.
i don't regret anything that's happened and am also excited to relearn/rediscover how to be ME/whole/content with that, expand my support network/reconnect with people, and make the most out of my time in Japan.
boyfriends are great for extra warmth in the winter time (esp. when you don't have central heating) and for motivating you to cook when you live alone. but not necessary. kind of like colorful sprinkles on birthday cakes.
why is it so easy to think irrationally and engage in self-torture?
time heals and whatever but it seriously needs to hurry the eff up and improve the effectiveness of its healing properties.
note to self: post-breakup people just want to be distracted. when comforting someone, just keep blabbing about whatever the hell you want b/c it's nice to not be consumed with your own overanalytical thoughts.
stop thinking about the what ifs and whys because sometimes there is no concrete, satisfactory answer. and it'll just consume you and drive you insane. so don't do that.
when life gives you lemons, make lemon bars. literally. they're delicious and smell good and will make you smile.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
love
this is kind of how i feel right now. curled up but learning to grow into myself again. [fuckyeahamazing.com]i am reposting this from a friend's blog. an excerpt from bell hook's "all about love"
To begin by always thinking of love as an action rather than a feeling is one way in which anyone using the word in this manner automatically assumes accountability and responsibility. We are often taught we have no control over our "feelings." Yet most of us accept that we choose our actions, that intention and will inform what we do. We also accept that our actions have consequences...If we were constantly remembering that love is as love does, we would not use the word in a manner that devalues and degrades its meaning. When we are loving we openly and honestly express care, affection, responsibility, respect, commitment, and trust.
i think i may have been in love and didn't even realize it/was too scared to acknowledge it.
life lessons are a pain in the ass.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
store names, the first of many
okay, foreal. this CHILDRENS' clothes store is called "STARVATIONS". wtf. other stores yet to be photographed: jizzo, labia, titty...i am not even kidding you.
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