Shows/Movies Recommendations #1

Hey guys! So I did this segment on my old blog. I don't exactly remember what I titled it, but I remember I shared shows or movies that I watched and was happy to recommend a lot of them to people who were interested.

I've been trying to keep my balance between watching Anime, Japanese/Korean and American dramas. I live in Japan and even though I'm an English teacher, most of my classes consists of me explaining everything in Japanese. There are days where I forget my English (not even kidding), so I've been trying to message my friends/family in English several times a day including social media, speak more English, and watch American dramas as much as I can. I want to recommend the latest shows I finished watching most recently or shows I'm still in the process of watching (mostly because most of the shows are still ongoing). So let's get to them!

The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead takes place after the onset of a worldwide zombie apocalypse. The zombies are colloquially referred to as "walkers". Humans that they bite or scratch become infected and slowly turn into walkers as well. It is revealed early in the series that all living humans carry this pathogen, so that if they die from any other cause, they will also turn into walkers. The only way to permanently kill a walker is to damage its brain or otherwise fully destroy the body, such as by cremating it. The series centers on sheriff's deputy Rick Grimes, who wakes up from a coma to discover this apocalypse. He becomes the leader of a group of survivors from the Atlanta, Georgia region as they attempt to sustain themselves and protect themselves not only against attacks by walkers but by other groups of survivors willing to assure their longevity by any means necessary.

(Credit: Wikipedia)

I started watching this series while they were on their 4th season. I fell in love with it as soon as I watched the first episode. I'm a big zombie fan, so I was happy to have found out about a decent zombie series. They'll be on season 8 this month and I don't exactly know when they'll end it, but I'm kind of hoping it'd be soon. Why? Well I'm still a fan of the show, but after season 7, my love for it kind of died down due to a certain traumatizing episode (don't want to mention any spoilers)! And it just kind of ruined it for me. I still want to watch the series til the end, but I hope they can lift my spirits again lol. It's a little frustrating when it feels like the walkers aren't much of the main problem anymore.


Stranger Things

Stranger Things is set in the fictional rural town of Hawkins, Indiana, during the early 1980s. The nearby Hawkins National Laboratory ostensibly performs scientific research for the United States Department of Energy, but secretly does experiments into the paranormal and supernatural, including those that involve human test subjects. These start to affect the unknowing residents of Hawkins in calamitous ways. (Credit: Wikipedia)

I apologize I couldn't find a more thorough summary for this series, or wasn't able to summarize it myself. I didn't exactly know where to start. Ok, so I didn't think I would ever watch this series, but I did. A lot of my friends were posting pictures of it and it made me curious. I checked it out and I thought it started off a little slow, but I watched the entire first season in one day! It's different, but so intriguing. I just love the kids! They're so adorable and easy to love. I'm probably the only one saying this, but I felt like I was watching something like The Goonies. This series is fairly new so season 1 (now they're on season 2) didn't give a whole lot of detail to what's going on or how, but I look forward to seeing what more they'll reveal as the series progresses.


Game of Thrones

Set on the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos, Game of Thrones has several plot lines and a large ensemble cast but centers on three primary story arcs. The first story arc centers on the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms and follows a web of alliances and conflicts among the dynastic noble families either vying to claim the throne or fighting for independence from the hrone. The second story arc focuses on the last descendant of the realm's deposed ruling dynasty, exiled and plotting a return to the throne. The third story arc centers on the longstanding brotherhood charged with defending the realm against the ancient threats of the fierce peoples and legendary creatures that lie far north, and an impending winter that threatens the realm. (Credit: Wikipedia)

I watched this series while it was on their 5th season. I saw Michelle Phan's tutorial on Daenerys Targaryen's look and just from watching that YouTube video, it directed me to Game of Thrones and I got into the series instantly. I don't really know what to say about this series. I don't know how to go around it without giving out spoilers. You just have to see it for yourself! It's just full of unexpected turns and it's something you would want to bringe-watch your way through. If I'm able to find the books, I'd love to read through them. But I must warn you ladies; be careful for Jon Snow...you'll fall for him.


Riverdale

Set in the present day and based on the iconic Archie Comics characters, "Riverdale" is a surprising and subversive take on Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, Josie and their friends, exploring the surrealism of small town life -- the darkness and weirdness bubbling beneath Riverdale's wholesome facade. (Credit: AceShowBiz)


Binge-watched season one in one day! Any of you guys into those Archie Comics? I read quite a few of them a long time ago. But I have to admit, what really drew me into watching this show was because of Cole Sprouse (how did he get so handsome? lol). Though I'm not exactly that big of a fan of his character...yet, or maybe I'm just not used to it after just one season. There is something haunting about the show that pulls me in and I love the style and atmosphere of everything. They're currently on their second season! And I heard things are heating up and darker secrets are to be revealed.


13 Reasons Why



Clay Jensen returns home from school one day to find a mysterious box lying on his porch. Inside, he discovers seven double-sided cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and unrequited love, who tragically committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah unfolds an emotional audio diary, detailing the thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Her instructions are clear: each person who receives the package is one of the reasons why she killed herself. And after each person has completed listening to the tapes, they must pass the package on to the next person. If anyone decides to break the chain, a separate set of tapes will be released to the public. Each tape is addressed to a select person in her school and details their involvement in her eventual suicide.

(Credit: Wikipedia)


I'm a fan of Selena Gomez. I don't know what it is about her, but she is so true to herself and to her fans. She's obviously very popular, but I feel like she's genuinely a caring person and not a diva. But anyways! I guess she's the executive producer of 13 Reasons Why, and because she is, I watched all of season one. This is a sad series. There were several scenes where it was hard to swallow. I feel a lot of the events were relatable to what a lot of people go through. Recently on the news, I suppose someone committed suicide the same way the character in this story did and a lot of hate happened for this series. The show sends out a deep meaning, and I know it would never intended on doing that to someone. This is like a bullying prevention. I think this is more for people who bully people and to show them what they're like from another point of view. To see what pain they bring upon a precious human life and pushing them into ending it. Bullying is still a serious issue and though this show has been pretty dark so far, it teaches that and I think it wants to reach out to a lot of people to make them understand.


The Vampire Diaries



The series is set in the fictional town of Mystic Falls, Virginia, a town charged with supernatural history since its settlement of migrants from New England in the late 19th century. It follows the life of Elena Gilbert, a teenage girl who has just lost both parents in a car accident, as she falls in love with a 162-year-old vampire named Stefan Salvatore. Their relationship becomes increasingly complicated as Stefan's mysterious older brother Damon Salvatore returns, with a plan to bring back their past lover Katherine Pierce, a vampire who looks exactly like Elena. Although Damon is initially the villain and harbors a grudge against his brother for forcing him to become a vampire, he later reconciles with Stefan and falls in love with Elena, creating a love triangle among the three. Both brothers protect Elena as they face various villains and threats to their town, including Katherine. The brothers' history and the town's mythology are revealed through flashbacks as the series goes on. Additional storylines revolve around the other inhabitants of the town, most notably Elena's younger brother Jeremy Gilbert, her best friends Bonnie Bennett, and Caroline Forbes, their mutual friends Tyler Lockwood, and Matt Donovan, and their history teacher, vampire hunter Alaric Saltzman. The town's politics are orchestrated by descendants of the original founding families, all comprising a "Founders' Council." The founding families of Mystic Falls includes the Salvatores, the Gilberts, the Fells, the Forbes, and the Lockwoods. They guard the town mainly from vampires, although there are many more supernatural threats such as werewolves, witches, hybrids, ghosts and many more.

(Credit: Wikipedia)


Omg. Damon Salvatore. That's all. Just kidding hehe. Where to start? This is the show I'm currently watching now. My friend Saho recommended this show to me, saying it was good. I've heard of it for quite sometime, but I was afraid to start watching it because I thought it would be something like Twilight. Not that I don't like Twilight, it's just I wanted something completely different from that. Nina Dobrev is gorgeous. I actually was a fan of hers since Degrassi (yes, don't judge me). I can't stop watching this series! It's good. There are 8 seasons in all and I think season 8 recently ended (correct me if I'm wrong)? And after 3 weeks, I'm already on season 7 lol. My honest opinion about it; from season 6, I just started to get upset for many reasons. If you watched the series from the beginning, you'd know what I'm talking about. I'm hoping things will get better from where I'm at now. Regardless, I know I'm going to cry when I finish. This series is like a rollercoaster.

5→9: Watashi ni Koi Shita Ikemen Sugiru Obousan

Junko Sakuraba dreams of working in New York, but she currently works as an English conversation teacher. She's about to have her 29th birthday. Junko works hard to achieve her dream, but New York seems far away. She has also not dated in a long time. Junko attends a funeral held at a temple. During the funeral, she makes a mistake and throws ashes onto a monk chanting a sutra. She feels apologetic and embarrassment. Later, Junko's family deceives her into going on a blind date. The man she meets on the blind date is Takane Hoshikawa. Her date is the monk whom she accidentally threw ashes on. (Credit: AsianWiki)

I'm a fan of both Ishihara Satomi and Yamashita Tomohisa, so I had to check out this drama. I really like the storyline since it talks about an English teacher (and well, I'm an English teacher myself hehe). It's not one of those serious love stories, but rather a cute and funny one which I normally enjoy most. It's been awhile since I last saw YamaPi on screen and I was so happy to see him again and he still looks handsome as ever! As for Satomi, I really loved the wardrobe they had for her throughout the entire drama. There was a time where it actually inspired me to wear those kinds of clothes to work. I recommend it! If you like cute and short love stories.

Kaito Yamaneko

Kamenashi plays Yamaneko the eccentric and mysterious 'Phantom Thief' who steals from the corrupted rich and while exposing their misdeeds. Along for the ride is: Hideo Katsumura a magazine reporter who (at Yamaneko's request) is writing a feature on the 'Phantom Thief', and, Mao Takasugi is a bullied schoolgirl who is secretly a genius hacker. (Credit: MyDramaList)

Fantastic! This was a pretty good drama. This was definitely a different side of what Kamenashi usually portrays in other dramas. I personally think I loved the kind of character he was playing in this drama the most. I have to admit I was still a little confused with the ending, so I'm hoping if they do make a season 2, that they'd get more into detail with that. Nonetheless, it's enjoyable to watch. It'll give you quite a few laughs.

Detective Conan



The story follows the adventures of Shinichi Kudo, a young detective prodigy who was inadvertently shrunk into a child's body due to a poison he was force-fed by members of a criminal syndicate. Neighbor and family friend Professor Agasa strongly suggested Shinichi hide his identity to prevent them from killing him and the people he cares about, so Shinichi takes the name Conan Edogawa. He goes to live with his childhood friend Ran Mouri and her father, Kogoro, and tries to use Kogoro's detective agency as a way to find the people who shrank him—without letting Ran figure out who he really is. (Credit: DetectiveConanWorld)

I haven't been watching a lot of anime recently. Well, I haven't been watching new anime at all lol. The one anime I'm watching right now and keeping up to date with is Detective Conan. I started watching this series when I was in Misawa, Japan during my elementary school years. At first I thought it was ridiculous, but once you get into the show, it really reels you in! There are so many unexpected twists and it's never ending. Gosho Aoyama is just full of surprises. There's a lot of fillers, but it's always fun to play along and figure out who the culprit is. Almost all the characters will grow on you. The series is still ongoing; around episode 880 and almost at 900! I can't believe how far I came to catch up with this series. But I want to see it til the very end.

That's all for now. I don't know when I'll release #2, but I have a feeling it won't be for awhile until since I haven't decided on the next series or movies to watch. I'll get some recommendations from my friends and I'll see you in the next segment of Shows/Movies Recommedations! Bye for now.

The Horror Movie Tag

1. What is the first horror movie you remember watching?
A Nightmare on Elm Street! As a kid. I have no idea who got me into watching that but I think it was my dad, since he was a horror movie fan. But I'll definitely not forget about that since it gave me years of nightmares lol.

2. What is your favorite horror movie?
That's hard! Maybe Ju-On (The Grudge), only because after A Nightmare on Elm Street, no other horror movie got me so terrified until I watched Ju-On, then it became another year full of nightmares because of that movie. It was a different and interesting story like no other. If a movie like that really affects me, I must give it credit lol. But only the first film! I wasn't a fan after it kept continuing.

3. What is your favorite horror movie genre?
Slasher, Thriller, Paranormal or Psychological kind of genres.

4. What genre scares you the most?
Gore, but also Paranormal movies.

5. What is the last horror movie you watched that actually scared you?
The last time I actually watched a really decent scary movie was when I was in the states. Maybe my bestie Dani can recall our last horror movie session, but I honestly don't remember.

6. Who is your ultimate scream queen?
Jamie Lee Curtis.

7. What’s a concept that you’d like to see in horror?
I would have to agree with my friend here, I really like the whole yami shibai concept, because Japanese stories are, I find, scarier than American stories. It gives you a lot of unexpected chills. These stories are like no other ordinary stories. I've heard a lot of those kinds of stories here in Japan and it's really freaky. And sometimes even disturbing, but I think it would make a horror movie more interesting, grabbing concepts from that.

8. What is your favorite on screen kill?
Not that I would call it my favorite, but if I had to choose, I would say, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, where Freddy was controlling one of the patients as a puppet by using their...veins/tendons? It was like blood bending and every time I saw that scene, I would cringe. Just the thought of my insides being used like that...

9. What’s your favorite horror franchise?
Probably Halloween or A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise (as you can already tell). It's like it's been following me since my childhood lol.

10. Who’s your favorite horror director?
Wes Craven and Stephen King. Though Stephen King is more of a novelist, but wouldn't he be considered a director too, for his own horror movies? I don't know.


This was a pretty challenging tag. I've seen many horror movies in my life, so going back to them was tough to choose from. But this was fun to do! Thanks so much for the tag, Mon-chan! For any of you bloggers and horror movie lovers out there, go ahead and give this tag a try!

Halloween Questionnaire 2017

It's October! So you know what that means...yes, I had to do this. Because yes...Halloween. It's a Halloween Questionnaire! I found this going around on Instagram and I thought it'd be fun filling it out. I really haven't been active on this blog, so I thought it'd be nice to put up an entry every once in awhile. Just to give my blog some life. But enough about that. Here. We. Go!

1. Do you believe in ghosts? Have you seen one?
Yes I believe in ghosts and yes I've seen one when I was a kid.

2. Favorite candy?
I actually don't eat candy much anymore. I don't know what it is. I guess I kind of grew out of it. But what I do eat every now and then is chocolate. So...chocolate, I guess.

3. What did you dress up as when you were a kid?
The one costume I clearly remember was my devil costume.

4. Parties or Trick-or-Treating?
Parties.

5. Have you ever carved a pumpkin?
Yes. Many times.

6. Worst thing you’ve ever gotten trick-or-treating?
Candy wrappers? Lol.

7. Best costume you’ve ever seen?
I can't remember, but there are a lot of great costumes out there. People come up with brilliant ideas!

8. Favorite ‘Halloween’ monster?
It's always either been vampires or witches.

9. Favorite thing you’ve dressed up as?
Probably my Amber from Sucker Punch costume and my Koan from Sailor Moon costume. I don't know what it is, but I was so proud of how those came out.

10. What are you dressing up as this year if you’re dressing up? What would you dress up as if you aren’t?
I don't know. I don't really plan my costumes anymore. If I do get a last minute one, it'd probably be a simple witch or cat.

11. Do you like going to haunted houses?
Yes! ...But not alone lol.

12. Haunted woods?
Yes, but again, not alone.

13. Ever worked in/hosted a haunted house/wood?
No. I mean, not that I know of...

14. Got a favorite spooky tune?
Halloween Party from Halloween Junky Orchestra! I play that song every year ever since the song first came  out.

15. Any wardrobe malfunctions?
I remember I had problems with my Jill Valentine costume lol.

16. Scariest Halloween moment?
I don't know if I would call it the scariest Halloween moment, but I remember going out with friends and there was someone going around, dressed up as Michael Myers. They followed us around the neighborhood for over an hour! It was pretty creepy~

17. Least favorite candy?
Candy corn. I know what you're thinking! But I don't really like the texture.

18. What are your plans for this Halloween?
Not sure. I know that we will do something for the kids though.

19. Have you ever played with a Ouija Board?
No. And I don't think I ever will. Those are no joke.

20. Least favorite thing about Halloween?
It's only once a year instead of everyday of the year.

21. Have you ever played Bloody Mary?
Yes! My friends and I actually filmed a video of us doing that in my parents' bathroom lol. I honestly don't know what happened to the footage, but I swear there were weird things happening in that bathroom after that...

22. In a zombie apocalypse what is your weapon of choice?
Oh, I gotta go with my Asian instincts and go with a katana. XD (Michonne status)

23. You’re in a horror movie. Are you the final girl, the first to die, the comic relief, the skeptic, the smart one, or the killer?
Not even kidding, I think I'd  be the first to die lol.

24. If you could have a spooky Halloween pet (black cat, owl, bat, rat, wolf), what would you pick?
Black cat, which I already have, but a wolf would be cool too.

25. Favorite Halloween/Scary movie?
Oooooh. That's a hard one...but it's always been sort of a tradition on Halloween day, where my friends (or me alone), would watch the Halloween series. Or Hocus Pocus (which isn't scary, but so fun to watch every time).

Bonus Question: Planning on going to any haunted attractions this year?
I want to. Universal Studios Japan is doing something and I really wanna go, but I'm pretty busy this month to even go. Plus it'll be so packed with all the people! Maybe next year.


And that's all. Get into the Halloween spirit and try this out yourselves, bloggers! I'll see you in my next post.

2017 Update

Hello everyone! WOW. It sure has been a long time since I posted here. I've been super busy! As always. Like I said, I don't want to get rid of the blog, but I also won't be posting frequently, because...well...this is why hehe. That's why I do vlogs more. I don't exactly film EVERYTHING, but if you haven't yet, fill free to check out my YouTube channel (here). There's so much to talk about, but I'll only give a quick summary.

This year has been crazy. Especially during April and May because there was a huge mess at work that came at us out of nowhere and I had to help clean it up. It wasn't necessarily a "bad" thing, but I was so stressed out because I had a lot of jobs coming at me all at once. I'm finally getting used to the routine, so it's at a good pace now. And during that time I got a kitten who I named Kuromi! I'm so happy. People ask me, why another black cat? Well, I love black cats! They say they're bad luck, but in my eyes, they're not. Plus when I got her at the event, she was the most popular kitten there among her siblings. It's interesting, because she was the only black kitten in the bunch, so she really stood out. It's like I have a child now. It's definitely teaching me more responsibility. But really, I have my friends to thank. When I'm not around, they always take such good care of her. Right now she is almost 6 months old and next month she will most likely be getting fixed. I feel bad doing so, but the vet said that it's best she does or she could pick up a lot of illnesses and it'll be tough later. Plus it will extend her lifespan. We will see how that goes. If you're interested, you can follow her journey in my vlogs or even on her Instagram page (here)!

Speaking of busy, work has been great! The team and I are also working on some projects/other jobs on the side, most of what I'm keeping secret and hope to share with you all in the near future. Even though I'm busy, I don't let work stop me from going to the gym and doing other activities such as getting back into dance. I'm also starting to run every night. The gym I go to; the running machines are all broken due to an accident that happened to three people! THREE PEOPLE (including one of our students). After that, I'm terrified to get on them, so running at night is its replacement. Keeping active helps me relieve stress and though I'm so exhausted, it feels so good when it's accomplished! I can't just sit around the whole time, I need to keep my mind and body moving. Oh! Not to mention, I got an image change. I felt I needed it after Obon vacation. I was thinking of cutting my hair short at first, but it took 2 years to get it as long as it is now so it would have been a shame to start all over. I don't know what I was thinking, but I suddenly had the urge to get bangs again and I did. There are days where it looks good, but there are other days where it looks horrible! I guess I'm just not fully used to it yet.

In November, I'm going to have a little getaway from Kobe and most likely going to Okinawa. At least I'm hoping, but it pretty much sounds official. Reason why, is because my cousin is getting married! She also had a baby boy who I haven't met yet, but dying to meet! Her and her boyfriend have been trying to arrange their wedding date for years. Due to a lot of incidents happening during the years, they had to hold back the wedding countless times. But now it's official and they invited me to come. I really wanted my mom to come too, but I'm afraid she won't be able to come to Japan this year. It's been two years since I last went to Okinawa. I'm really excited to see my relatives again.

Let's talk about vlogs! I know I've been a little behind on them (not going to try rushing anymore), but like I said, it's been busy and it'll be busy for quite some time. I'm trying to work on vlogs little by little each night, depending if I'm not too tired. I really enjoy vlogging! It's just been hard to vlog, especially since there hasn't been much to vlog. That's why I'm doing a lot of random rewinds from my old vlogs. Recently it's been a lot of traveling/scenery. During and after Obon vacation, it's been very eventful! In a good way. What you see in the recent vlogs doesn't even sum up everything that had been happening. I've been trying to do face-to-face vlogging, but that's hard too! Especially when I don't get exactly have enough time and I don't know if it's even facing me LOL. Which brings me to getting a new camera, one that you can see yourself while filming (but so expensive). That won't be for quite sometime. I want to use the camera I'm using now until it gives out. It's very special to me, because my mom gave it to me as a birthday present 4 years ago when I told her I wanted to film again. Thanks to her, I have a camera to vlog with!

On a last note: My birthday is next month! No idea what's planned for me, I don't really care for it anymore haha but I feel my friends are still going to do something. What I'm looking forward to is HALLOWEEN!

I guess that's about it so far. I feel there's so much more to talk about but I don't even know where to begin. If I feel there's something missing, I'll add it in later. But that's all the time I have today. Hope you all are having an amazing week! Until next time.

10 Things That Make Me Happy

Hello everyone! Long time no post. I haven't been getting the time to sit down and type stuff lately. Life has been super busy! It's hard to find time, but I'm really enjoying it nonetheless. Anyways, my buddy Mon-chan tagged me in a post called, "10 Things That Make Me Happy" and I'm glad she did! I felt I had to try this one myself. It helps me realize even the simple things in life are what makes me happy, makes me enjoy the everyday life even if struggling. Most may be similar to hers. Let's go!

1. Friends & Family
After all the stuff I've been through in the last couple years, I've learned to cherish my friends and family more than ever. It's hard when my family and most of my friends who I've known for a very long time live far away from me, but I try to keep in touch with them as much as I can. Of course, the people here with me now as well. I really try to cherish even the little time I can possibly get. You don't know where life will take you, so I don't want to throw the time away when I can use it wisely with those I care about. There may not be another chance. I'm grateful for everyone around me here and those who are still supporting me from afar. I love you all!

2. My Students
I work with students from ages 4~80. I've always thought of that as a challenge and it has been, but it's so interesting to get to know these people at their different ages. Though I'm their teacher, they also teach me a lot of things along the way. They trust me. Whenever I have a bad day, they give me so many reasons to smile and laugh. They make me really enjoy my job and even help me gain more confidence. Their everyday kindness is something I feel I shouldn't even deserve! But they make me so happy, and so proud.

3. Green Tea & Coffee
Ok, most of you may already know what a green tea addict I am. I drink at least 3~4 cups a day. Even during the summer with scorching hot weather, I'm still drinking hot green tea (the Asian in me!). I prefer it over cold green tea. I love coffee too, but something about green tea always makes me feel calm and at ease. Coffee gets me wired, which is always something much needed for work.

4. Shopping
A lot of people don't believe this, but I LOVE shopping. Especially when it comes to clothes and makeup. I think that skyrocketed once I moved to Japan, because they have so much stuff here that you can't resist buying. I wouldn't go as far as to say I'm a shopaholic though. I know when to contain myself. I enjoy shopping with friends, but I also like shopping alone. I like getting other people's opinions and stopping me from getting something stupid, but sometimes I like to buy things without having any control LOL.

5. Traveling
I've traveled for almost my entire life as a former military brat -- living in different countries. I love meeting new people, going to difference places and learning about the stories of those places. I hate airplanes though (I can't believe there was a time where I wanted to be a flight attendant), unless I can sit in business class but that never happens! If it's the only way to get me to somewhere new, then I'm willing to take that risk anytime. But I rather not go by myself...

6. Vlogging & Blogging
I'm black to vlogging for the 3rd time. When I first did it, I didn't think much of it and I stopped right away. The second time I did it, I actually got really into it that I even asked for a new camera for my birthday. I made a bunch that time, but because of no more motivation (and for personal reasons), I stopped. This is the third (and I'm hoping the final time) that I'm actually going through with this without stopping. I really enjoy making vlogs. I really enjoy filming (even if it's not interesting) and sharing to the people I love and even those who are just starting to tune in. I guess now that I'm living in Japan, there are a lot more places to explore and share to those who would like to experience it someday. My goal was to post at least one vlog a week, but sometimes things may get crazy during the week that I may skip a week or two. But eventually the vlog will be up. I definitely don't plan to quit now! As for blogging, I will keep my blog up for any details or for some other interesting tag posts. I won't delete this. I've been back and forth with blogging too and I don't want to throw it away so easily again. But I'm going to do my best! And I have you guys to thank for that.

7. A Home
I'm told everyday that I have a lot of guts to be coming back to Japan. Though I'm half Japanese, there are a lot of things about Japan I still don't know about. And after the crazy incident that happened about a year ago, I thought I wasn't going to have a place to go to. I'm truly thankful for the friends who have helped me have a home. I don't care if the place is big or small, it's nice to have a roof over my head. And at times it's not even the place that I would consider a home, but the people I'm with who makes me feel at home.

8. Food
Food is life! Even if it's just a small bite, even if it's something I know I won't like, I'll take it anyway. I learn to appreciate food, even when I'm full, because I think about the days where I'm working all day and I don't eat for an entire day (not kidding). There are those who don't even have food at all!

9. Sleep
Because without it, I'd be a mess! Haha. When I was younger, I would always stay up until like 3 in the morning, but as I get older, I learn to cherish sleep more. Sleep is very important. I often get home late from work and once I get home I have house duties and I even have to prepare for the next day (which takes up more time). After that, I go to bed and that's always at a late time. I get about 4~6 hours of sleep. My body needs more, but I'm lucky to at least be able to sleep at all.

10. Gym & Watching Videos/Listening To Music
Work can be pretty stressful. For anyone! Just because I enjoy my job and the people around me, doesn't mean I can't get stressed. Along with other side jobs. There's sooo much to do in sooo little time that it gets overwhelming and I try not to break down. My solution for that is to go to the gym! They're right when they say that you can sweat off the stress. I usually go to the gym with someone, but I honestly prefer going by myself because I can concentrate more and clear my mind. If I'm not able to go to the gym for whatever reason, I like to watch videos or listen to music. When I watch videos, I either watch YouTubers or series that I'm really getting into lately, and they help me let loose and forget what I'm stressing out about in the first place. Same goes for music. It's as if they take me to a completely different universe.

There are a lot more reasons for me to be happy, but seeing as it's limited to 10 in this tag, I'll only list 10. We need to learn to appreciate the things in our lives a little more. Sometimes it can be hard and you feel there's no reason for you to be happy. You're wrong. Take in your surroundings and observe a little more of what we're living in. You're alive, be thankful for that. Even if it's just a simple little thing that comes up. I hope you enjoyed this tag. I would tag some people, but most of my friends on here don't post anything lol. So fill free to try this out yourselves!

Furry Friend Tag

Hello everyone! Happy March! I saw this cute Furry Friend Tag idea from my friend's (Mon-chan) blog and I had to do one for mine. He lives with my mom right now, but I will always think of him as my baby. I miss him so much! But, I decided to do this for him. So, let's do this.

1. What is your animal’s name?
Pochi.

2. What type of pet is it and what breed?
He's a cat and his breed is an American shorthair.

3. How long have you had your pet friend?
Around 12 years now, I believe.

4. How did you receive your pet?
My aunt was a vet so there were times where animals wouldn't have a home so she'd give them a home by giving them to friends/family. One day, I went to my grandma's house with my dad and brother and my aunt brought a box, and inside were 3 black kittens with different colored ribbons around their necks. They were siblings; 2 male and 1 female. We weren't supposed to get another cat or my mom would get mad, but since my dad is a animal lover he really wanted to take one home. We took one of the males home and that was Pochi! My mom was a little mad at first but once she met Pochi, she fell in love instantly.

5. How old is the pet?
12 years old now.

6. What are some quirky aspects of your pet’s personality?
In the beginning I thought he was the craziest little kitten I've ever seen! He would just go running like crazy all over the house and liked biting and scratching people. But as he grew up, he started to be more loving and got really attached to people. He HATES kids and he also doesn't like mean people. He's unique and also super funny. The faces he makes, the things he does is not cat-like whatsoever, he's more like a dog which is why my mom gave him the name "Pochi" which is a common Japanese dog's name lol.

7. What does your connection with your pet imply to you?
We had two other cats who passed away who were like a brother and sister to Pochi, so seeing as Pochi was the last one standing really crushed us. He even got depressed for the longest time. We cherish him as if he's still a baby. And he likes that of course lol. He also has been with us throughout the really tough times and he always kept us company no matter what.


8. What are your favorite past times with your pet?
There was a lot! But one in particular was when my best friend and another one of my friends had came to my house one time. At that time I didn't know them both that well so things were a little awkward with how we started conversations. But! Pochi totally broke the ice when he started climbing up the screen door which really got our attention and entertained us. He often does that to the Christmas tree too. But I like to always thank him for that moment.

9. What are some of your pet’s nicknames?
Mister Popo, Poch, Pocky or Pochi-chan.

I hope by reading this, some of you guys kind of got to learn about Pochi hehe. I love him to death so if I go visit the states, I always be running to my mom's place first. This was short, but fun to fill out. Fill free to do one about your furry friends! Until next time~

Vlogging Update + February Favorites

Hi! Long time no post. The reason for that is because I've been working really hard on vlogs. I film a lot of stuff (even though half of them I don't use) and when I edit the clips in the video, I like to stop it at a certain area which explains why most my vlogs so far are short. Well! I finally caught up and I want to try to upload a new vlog once a week instead of jamming a few within a week. If I can't upload a new vlog once a week, it means it'll eventually go up. I also have a very busy schedule and I've been sick a lot recently because I'm so exhausted and my body easily gives out. I have a weak immune system. But everything seems to be going well and I'm all caught up. The good news about the vlogs is that some of our students, my friends and my family (mostly my mom) are starting to watch them! If you guys haven't seen any yet, here's the link: click here. Be warned that I'm not a professional when it comes to these.

So, anyways! Now to get to this blog post. February isn't over yet, but it's almost at its end, and since it's my day off I wanted to take the chance to get this up now. I don't exactly have a lot of favorites for this month, especially since I haven't gone shopping for awhile lol (sooo not like me). I'll show you what I've been loving and using this month.

LuLuLun Precious Red

I love LuLuLun face masks! They are a very popular brand here in Japan. Right now they are my all time favorite facial masks. I've been using them for about 2 years, but I didn't exactly use them as often as I should. To get me through those 2 years, I used the Okinawa version of LuLuLun which can only be found in Okinawa. Now that I ran out of them, I bought this LuLuLun Precious Red face masks (for ¥1,600) which says it provides 365 face masks for 365 days of the year. I don't exactly know if that's true, because on the bottom it says 32, but when I looked inside, it looked a lot more than 32 face masks. I don't know! But I think I'm set for quite a while. I like that this is an anti-aging care with rice power (rice is a great ingredient for skincare, and one of my favorites) and keeps my skin moisturized after a long day and with the cold weather we still have which dries up my skin. Unlike most facial masks I've used, this one fits my face. I keep this on for about 15 minutes and use my hands to press in the extra moisture.

Missha Magic Cushion (Moisture)

I mentioned this product in one of my vlogs saying that I was so happy to have found a product from Missha (though I'm sure Tokyo has more Korean brand stores). Missha was the very first Korean product I've tried when I was in college and I loved the brand ever since. I always used their BB creams, but I was dying to use a cushion of theirs. And I finally got a hold of them! Here in Japan. And since it's a very popular product now, you can find it anywhere. I must say though that when I first bought the Missha Magic Cushion, I wasn't happy with it because when I applied it to my skin, I started flaking and you could see a lot of dry patches. So I haven't used that one ever since, but then I noticed at the stores they have a Missha Magic Cushion Moisture (¥1,000) which I wanted to give a chance because it provides the one thing that's a must for my skin -- moisture. I bought this one (No.23) and it's different compared to the other one. It blends in a lot better, there are no dry patches, it's long-lasting and it gives that dewy finish. It also has a faint, but nice fragrance to it. I'm very satisfied with this one! I love it and I think I'll be using it for quite a long time. Like I always say, moisture is important for my skin and those who have the same problem, I suggest getting the Missha Magic Cushion labeled "Moisture" which actually provides it.

DHC Lip Cream 

I've been a fan of DHC since I first discovered the brand. I still buy a lot of my beauty supplies from there and because I've been with them for quite some time, they often give me gifts in return. What I really love about DHC is their main ingredient being olive oil. It's one of the best source of moisture and it gives your skin a healthy glow. This is one of the best lip balms ever! It's my favorite lip balm (¥600~¥700) and I always apply this before applying a lip color. It's hydrating and my lips don't get chapped at all. It's my replacement for Carmex/Burt's Bees. When I was living in the states, I always bought Carmex and it worked like magic. This lip cream has that same affect, but it's a little more subtle when it comes to the texture. I call this my healing wand. There's really no need for me to do constant reapplying. Also the lip cream provides an anti-aging ingredient as well.

That's my February Favorites! I want to try doing monthly favorites, but I can't guarantee I can keep up with them. I don't want to make any promises when I know at times I'm going to be too busy. Well, I hope this was an interesting read and that there's a chance of any of you guys to try these products out yourself. Until next time!

Once Upon a Time, I was a Cosplayer

Hey guys! I wanted to go back in time and talk a little bit about what was once a huge hobby of mine. I used to cosplay. I was actually a pretty dedicated cosplayer at the time. Every week, I was always planning a new cosplay. Plus, I made everything myself!

A lot of people I know know about this fact. It all started in high school. I found a site called "deviantART" and I always loved going on there because there was a lot of fascinating art and even cosplay. I started the site myself but now I no longer use it. One of my favorite cosplayers that I admired when I started, was Alodia Gosiengfiao. Her work is absolutely amazing (and still is). When I saw all the different cosplays she did, and other famous cosplayers, I felt it would be something I'd be interested in starting on my own. I never thought I would have done cosplay, but it was actually quite fun, becoming a different character.

I have to admit that my work could never be as amazing as those cosplayers. I wasn't professional cosplay material. Even so, I tried to be as accurate as I can be to look anything close to the character. Most of the time I would have the characters dressed casually, but you would still recognize who the character is. It's a lot of fun to put together and the makeup was a lot of fun doing as well. I had a lot of fun with color contacts too!

I did a lot of cosplays, but most of them were on my old computer, so I lost a lot of my work, which I'm really sad about. I will only display what I can find for now. If I can get a hold of more, then I'll update this post with them.

Asuka Langley from Evangelion

Amber from Sucker Punch

Kenshin Himura from Rurouni Kenshin

Koan from Sailor Moon

Lightning from Final Fantasy XIII

Maleficent from Maleficent

Usagi Tsukino from Sailor Moon

Along the way, I was slowly starting to give up on cosplay. I don't exactly know what it is. I think in a way it was because money and time. I don't want to say that I grew out of it because it's a hobby that you could do at any age. It was a lot of fun while it latest, but in a way I think it wasn't going to last forever. If there are occasions like cosplay parties, I would still go for it. But it won't be something I can do every week like I used to and have it as that hobby again. My last cosplay was Sailor Moon's Koan which was in 2015. Who knows when there will be another cosplay coming. But that's it for now! I hope this has been an interesting fact lol. Until next time~

15 Random Facts About Me

Hello everybody~! Today will be a short entry. I decided to jump on the bandwagon again as this is going around. Here are 15 random facts about me. And as always, fill free to jump on as well.

1. I love kimchi! And rice. Definitely rice too (I should stop though, but the Asian in me says no).
2. I wanted to be a flight attendant or a lawyer for so many years. I was always told that I look the part, but in the end, I didn't feel like I was meant for the part.
3. I want to go to Korea so bad. Fingers crossed, we might be going this March~
4. I'm a green tea and coffee addict.
5. I'm a nerd.
6. I'm always on time for anything. I know I'm crazy when I say this, but at times I could be 2 hours early lol.
7. I have eaten Indian food before, but I want to try more of it.
8. I love singing! I feel I have to go karaoke at least once a week. Lately it's not been happening because I had lost my voice and it hasn't fully recovered. *sadface*
9. I like editing things, like videos. It takes time, but it's also therapeutic.
10. I love shopping, but I wouldn't go as far as to call myself a shopaholic.
11. I have to go to the gym at least 2~3 times a week or I get stressed (not kidding).
12. I'm a neat freak.
13. I like positive people. It's not that I don't like negative people or anything, but I prefer not to be caught up with negativity. If I do get caught up with it it kind of gives me anxiety. It gets me worried, I can't think straight and it'll only interfere with my work. I think negativity is a big issue with me. For some people it can't be helped, but I can't stand the kind who are looking for a reason to be negative or do it just for the attention.
14. I love fashion and makeup.
15. I'm often told I look like Sawajiri Erika. And I don't know why. I don't see it...but they always say "fuinki niteru." Which basically means there's something about me that looks like her.

USA and Japan

Hey guys. I want to talk a little bit about something that tears me apart at times. So, a lot of people ask me, "Do you like USA or Japan better?" or "Do you ever regret making this decision?" When I was living in the states, I tried so hard to find a way to come back to Japan. At the time, I could honestly say that I didn't want to be in the states. That's something that is true. When we lived in Japan for the first time 15 years ago in Aomori (then later left), I really wanted to come back and live here forever. It honestly changed my life at the time because I got to experience the culture and learned more about where my mom came from.

I lived in the states most of my life, because that's where my dad is from. On the other hand, my mom is Japanese, so Japan is also a big part of me as well. I have a lot of people I care about who are in the states. And a lot of them prefer I live there rather than Japan. I remember when I went back to the U.S. last year for my dad's funeral, someone had pushed me to stay. They gave me so many reasons to not go back to Japan. I know it's because I have family in the states (though I have family here too), better benefits and more freedom. That's something I did think about, but I decided to continue down my own path. I felt I needed to experience my other half. I want to get to know myself better, so I decided to come to Japan.

Though I was somewhat familiar with Japan before, I made a huge decision to come to Japan and leave everything behind in the states to pursue what I always wanted to do. I want people to know that I'm doing this mainly for me. Yes, there's a part of me now that I'm also doing it for my mom, but I feel I didn't make a mistake. My first experience back in Japan was a mess, but I learned to survive through it and now I'm in a better place. Because of my skills (yes, apparently I have skills lol), I have received so many offers since the day I came. I also have benefits here in Japan, and the rules here may be strict, but you learn to go with it.

You would think me being a half, I'm expected to learn both languages. Well, growing up, my mom would speak to my brother and I in Japanese, but we only spoke back to her in English. So, our ability to speak Japanese was never in our system. Nor to write or read it. We didn't think it was necessary. We regretted that though. It was always easy for me to understand it, but never to speak it. Since the day I came back, I speak it everyday (obviously) and I feel like I've became so much better. Everyday my vocabulary broadens and I speak faster as each day passes. I study literally everyday. It took this long to communicate with my family in Okinawa. I honestly don't remember how I communicated with them this whole time, but I know I didn't speak Japanese to them so I think my brother and I were using hand gestures to get by. Now that I can speak it, they were so happy and surprised that even my obaa was in tears. I felt bad for so many years because I know how much a grandma would want to communicate with their own grandchild, but couldn't. Sadly, my mom hasn't heard me speak Japanese and I know how much she wants to hear that too. It's weird because as much as I want to speak to her in Japanese, I can only speak to her in English because it's always been like that since I was little. But that will change eventually. To be honest, my Japanese is way better than my brother is at it. I swear that's the only thing I'm better at than my brother (I feel older siblings can do just about anything). And recently, my brother even called to say that he was so proud of me and how our dad would have been so proud. Who knows, there may be a chance my brother will be living in Japan again too!

I can't say that I belong in the USA or in Japan. I don't want to have to choose, when I know at times I have to. I just want everyone to know (mostly pointing out to my friends and family), that I don't regret this and though things are going smoothly now, I know that could change. I can't say that I'm going to be living in Japan for the rest of my life. Maybe, but I honestly don't know. Who knows, maybe many years from now I could be going back to the states or even a different country. But that's not going to stop me from doing my best with how things are going now. I'm learning everyday and meeting many wonderful people along the way. It's been a good and bad experience, but that's anywhere in the world. I also don't want everyone to worry and feel that the people here are forcing me to stay here when I'm here on my own free will. I know it's hard for some to understand, but just because I'm living in Japan, it doesn't mean I betrayed or forgotten my other home. It's a huge part of me I could never erase, and because of it, it has given me opportunities. Though things may change drastically over there, I still love America no matter what. I love them both equally. No matter what.

Questionnaire #2

Hello! I'm back with another questionnaire. Again, my friend was passing this around. I don't know what's so fun about filling these out. It's weird, but I feel in a way I start to remember myself better. I think it's a good test for yourself. This time it's not 100 questions! It's shorter compared to that last one. So here we go~


1. Are you an emotional person? 
I can be.

2. Do you like your name?
In the beginning I hated it, because while living in America I was always made fun of for it. It was the kids, during elementary to junior high. But when I entered high school, I was never made fun of for it. I think because we had many different kinds of ethnic groups at our school and they all had a unique name. Everyone liked my name and they said it was different compared to the others so I should be proud of it. Though in Japan there are hundreds of people named Hitomi lol.

3. What was the last thing you did?
Took a nap and now I'm doing this.

4. Who is right next to you?
Sunny!

5. Who was the last person you ate with?
Friends.

6. What song are you listening to right now?
BLACKPINK - PLAYING WITH FIRE

7. How’s the weather right now?
It's really windy. And people have been saying it's gonna get colder.

8. Lost a friendship over something stupid?
Yes. Very stupid.

9. Faked being sick to miss school?
Many times. Sorry mom hehe~

10. What time did you wake up today?
8AM.

11. Have your friends ever seen you cry?
Yes, but it's rare.

12. Do you watch what you eat or eat whatever you want?
Recently I've been watching what I eat. I've been trying to eat healthier. Like when I go out to eat I always order something that involves veggies. I could never eat stuff like that in America, but something about the veggies in Japan are just so delicious and more healthier. When I'm at home I always have a side of some veggies too. Kimchi has been my main appetizer. I LOVE kimchi, and though a lot of people think it stinks or just too spicy, it's really good for your body. Love, love, love it.

13. Do you laugh loudly?
Sometimes.

14. Are you a vegetarian, if so why?
Nope. I don't think I can be, but I seriously wanna try lol.

15. Do you like wearing socks?
I do, but lately I've been wearing stockings.

16. Have you celebrated any birthdays this month?
Yes! January is a month full of birthdays.

17. Which Spice Girl was your favorite when you were a kid?
Ginger and Posh.

18. Do you straighten your hair everyday?
Almost everyday.

19. Do you dress up just for the fun of it?
Sometimes.

20. What’s your favorite kind of ice cream?
Vanilla and matcha.

21. Are you named after someone?
Yes. My dad named me after one of his favorite characters from an old Japanese drama.

22. If you were another person, would you be friends with you?
Yeah! I would. I know that's weird but I would...because I'm pretty cool once you get to know me. Don't mean to brag, but y'know~ XD

23. What is your favorite kind of cereal?
I've been really loving the Kellogg's Fruit Granola cereal. I don't know if this is only being sold in Japan, but it's so delicious. As you can see, I'm so in love with it. I remember advertising this a few weeks ago lol.


24. Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone?
Relatives in Okinawa.

25. Favorite sport to watch?
Baseball and football. But they're fun to watch with people, not by myself.

26. Hair color?
Light brown, mixed a little bit with red.

27. Eye color?
Dark brown (I like to call it 'tootsie roll' brown).

28. Do you wear contacts?
Yup.

29. Scary movies or comedy?
Scary movies.

30. Summer or winter?
That's always a hard question~ because it's winter now, I prefer summer...but when it's summer, I prefer winter. I don't really like either of them. I'm a fall girl, so I'm in between.


And that wraps up this questionnaire! I'm not good at tagging people, only because I feel bad for pressuring them. So, fill free to try this one out to those who want to fill it out~ enjoy!

Best Makeup Favorites of 2016 + Announcement

Happy New Year everyone!
あけましておめでとうございます✩
We can now say bye to 2016, and hello 2017. I'm so relieved to be in the new year. It's a whole new start, a new slate with new list of resolutions. I wish you all nothing but the best of 2017.

To start off 2017, I wanted to do a post called, Best Makeup Favorites of 2016. This was going around, so I thought I'd hop on too. I want to share with makeup lovers out there what makeup I found were my favorites of 2016. I also have an announcement that will come later.

Starting off with eyeliner. My favorite eyeliners of 2016 are from KATE and Visee (both in BK001). In my opinion they both are very similar so I would get either one. I only use liquid eyeliners. I don't know what it is about pencil, powders or gel liners that just never seem to work out for me. Liquid eyeliners last for a long time and they have a perfectly sharp shape and helps me control the strokes better. Others may say differently, but in my opinion, liquid eyeliners are very easy to use.

Also from Visee, I absolutely love their eyebrow pencil (in BR305). As you can see, I already used most of it and in need for a new one hehe. The tip of the pencil is shaped slanted for easy application and to give a more natural brow with each stroke that's being made. After applying, there is a bristle brush on the other end to brush out the brow to mix everything evenly. It's so much easier compared to what I did in the past; I always drew shape, solid lines that made my brows look so unnatural.

KATE Mineral Mask BB Cream (in OC-C). I personally like cushions, but they don't really have a big variety here in Japan. So, I stick to BB creams. CC creams are way too creamy and they tend to make my skin dry up. BB creams I would say is just right for me; they're soft and has better moisture. What I really like about this BB cream is that it runs on smoothly and the color is perfect. It's not too beige and not too light; the color is in between but it also doesn't make my skin look like a different color from my body. It blends fairly well and isn't heavy at all.

I always need just a little something on my cheeks to bring life to my face. Here I have Integrate Melty Mode Cheek (in RD382). This blush is separated into two colors. I already mixed both so you can't really see where the separation line is in the middle where one side is red and the other side is a very light pink with a little touch of glitter. When you mix them together, it becomes a pinkish red color -- it makes the red color subtle from what it started out with. When you apply it on the cheeks, the red shows (not a harsh red) with the glitter that somewhat gives it a pixie glow.

For more volume for my eyes, I like to use a white pencil liner along my waterline. This is the Majolica Majorca Jeweling Liner (in WT909). I don't use this product all the time, but on days where I look exhausted, I always like to apply it on the waterline area to make it look like it distinguishes the bags under my eyes. The glitter mixed with the white also gives it that extra pop.

I may have said this before...many times, somewhere, but my eyebrows and hair color do not match. That's kind of a downfall to being a half. I get my hair color from my dad and my eyebrow color from my mom. My hair is a very light brown but my eyebrows are black. Over the years I've been trying to make my eyebrows look less heavy, so I trim them which made a difference but I'm still not satisfied. That's where the eyebrow mascara comes in. Here's the Visee Coloring Eyebrow Mascara (in BR-1). After filling my brows in with the Visee eyebrow pencil, I apply this eyebrow mascara. This mascara isn't chunky as most eyebrow mascaras I've tried in 2016. Most mascaras would come out chunky or when you apply it to your brows, the texture doesn't look natural, and sometimes the tips look weirdly frosted. The brush brushes out the brow evenly and doesn't come off so stale, and that's what I really like about this product.

Lip balm is an important product in my life! It's a must need in case of emergencies. Here I have a L'occitane Lip Balm. I got a little set of these from one of my students and I love it! It's a very small packaging, but it's compact and doesn't take up space in my bag. I use any lip balm that contains shea butter or beeswax.

This next item I've loved since the first day I got it. Memebox "I'm" Collection, I'm Lip Crayon (in #06 Bella). A makeup product from Korea and Nana from After School collaborated with it as well. This lip crayon is long-lasting. It doesn't come off as easily and it's a lovely color. When I first got it, I thought it would have been matte but instead it was dewy. Nonetheless, I'm very happy with this one! I wear it often but sometimes I don't want it to go to waste since it's not exactly easy for me to get. This color always makes me think 'vampire'. It's quite dark and has that mixture of dark red and a bit of dark purple.

Another "I'm" product, Memebox I'm Eye Shadow (in #02 Wonderland). This eye shadow may seem like it's plain, but it really isn't. Just like the blush, this eye shadow is separated into two colors that combine into one. One side is kind of a bronze, where as the other side is a nude color. When you combine them, it turns into a lighter bronze and it even has glitter! I personally don't wear eye shadows -- heavy eye shadows that is. Most of the time I don't wear eye shadow at all. Darker shades tend to make my eyes look heavier, and it's not a look that I'm too fond of. Lighter colors like these give my eyes a softer look which I find more natural. Also, last year I realized that I may have an allergic reaction to certain eye shadows. I do own a few and aside from this one, the others make my eyes rather itchy and irritated.

This is the Jill Stuart Lip Blossom (in #06). I'm always wearing a red kind of lip color, but here is something that is complete opposite to what I usually would wear. This was the very first lipstick I was given when I first came to Kobe. The color is a very light pink (in my opinion a mix between pink and orange) and it also provides...you guessed it -- glitter! Though it's a lipstick, it's very glossy so it glides on very easily. It's great for dry lips and it even has a little mirror on the lid, which I thought was super convenient. Jill Stuart is pretty popular with their princess packaging, which I found absolutely adorable.

Last product is the Econeco x Doronjo High Cover Powder (in light clear biege). Econeco is having a collaboration with a character named Doronjo, who is a villainess in the Yatterman series. I have to admit that the packaging is what drew me into getting the product. However; when I used this product I just fell in love with the consistency. I always apply a tiny bit of the powder after applying concealer and a little more after I'm finished putting my entire makeup on. The reason for that is because it helps conceal any oily parts of my face and keeps the makeup intact. The powder is soft, gentle, and the aroma is amazing. I don't usually get face products that provide a floral aroma, since I heard it isn't good for the face, but so far I haven't had any problems with this one.

These are the products I use quite often or products that I'm satisfied using last year and possibly continue using this year as well. Aside from the Memebox I'm Collection, all the other makeup products are from Japan. If you want to check them out yourselves, fill free to do so! I wouldn't mind hearing of other people's opinions.

Announcement Time!
Since it's the new year, and I honestly was still really debating whether or not to go back to vlogging...I asked many people for their opinions and I decided...*drum roll please*
...to do it! I'm really going to kill myself for this. But! I've given myself strict rules. I will not do daily vlogs (that's impossible) and there may be times where I won't put a new vlog up until months later. I'm very busy, yet I keep making myself get busier. I may have time to take footage, but like I said, editing videos is very time consuming. Blogging is also time consuming, but it's easier than editing. I may actually be blogging more than vlogging. There will be people who also may not want to be filmed or want to keep some things personal and I will respect that 100%. Though I already share some personal stuff about my life, I don't share everything. There may not even be anything interesting to film lol. I don't know what it is that's so fun about vlogging...I just can't seem to give it up. As you can tell I'm always running back to it. Thanks for reading! And we will see when the first video goes up. That's all for now. Bye bye~