Closing Down This Blog?

I just wanted to say that I thought I was able to continue my blog, as it was a place where I can share my thoughts and other things. However! I noticed not only my blog, but other blogs are also having a hard time sustaining their blog because it's going whack. In my case, I did every way to post my pictures onto this site and it not from any other source but mine, yet the pictures were all blocked off in my recent posts. Not only that, but some strange symbols show up or replace what I've typed up. As some of you may noticed I had to either delete/revert the recent posts because of that. I tried to find different ways to fixing it, even asking about it. And when I asked about it, the advice I got didn't work still. So I felt it was just no point fighting it. I'm not upset or anything. I didn't really blog as most bloggers normally do. It just was always a place to come back to...at least that's what I thought. But now that I'm "somewhat" back into vlogging, I'm more focused on that. I know that probably my vlogs will be the same and not work out either someday lolol. Nothing really may not work out. I guess that was what I was also afraid about when coming back to vlogging this year. That's kind of why I was always in a debate. But it's nice to get messages from friends and family that they're happy to see me posting on my YouTube channel again. And that's when I realized why I did vlogs in the first place. It isn't about being "the famous YouTuber", because no and it was never something I was aiming for. I always loved making videos since high school with my friends and we had our own skits and stuff. Now that I don't really have that style in video anymore, I just post my boring life through vlogs lol. And it's still fun doing that. It's always been a hobby of mine. But hey! At least some people are watching. It's worth something, no?

Anyways. I can't say this is goodbye. Who knows if the system will change again. But for now, I don't want to try again when I know things aren't changing now. I will keep this here though. So you might not catch up with me here, but you can always catch me up at my Instagram or YouTube Channel.

Thank you!

Why Yoga?

So, I don't know if you guys have noticed, but I've really gotten into yoga a lot since last year. Any kind of yoga really. A lot of my friends do it and watching them really made me want to get into it. I love to be active, I love to move my body. I took dance classes and did sports a lot in my high school years. I go to the gym quite often, but when I can't, I would love to do something at home as well. The one person who gave me a big push in particular was my good friend, Arisa. She actually was my private student when I first met her. She was a friend of a student who introduced us. I only taught her for about a year but we still keep in contact with each other and often hang out. She's a yoga instructor! She has such a beautiful form so this is definitely her kind of field. Anyway! In the beginning of 2019, she told me that she had nobody to go with to try out sup yoga. I didn't know what that was at first, but judging by pictures, it looked like a lot of fun...challenging, but fun. In case you guys don't know, sup means "stand up paddle surfing". And you pretty much get on a surfboard and do yoga on it. I agreed to take a lesson with her and we went during the summer. I'm super glad I did. It was so much fun! And that was the start of me wanting to take on more yoga. After that, we even decided to go aerial yoga during the winter which was a bigger challenge since you have to have a lot of upper and lower body strength. But it always feels so good to accomplish something like this afterwards. It's definitely rewarding.

Yoga is very relaxing. You take in everything around you and you take the time to fill your head with positive thoughts. It has really helped me to calm down and release all that unnecessary tension. Yoga isn't exactly easy, but it's good for your body and you become quite flexible. It just gets easier as you do it. It's a good change of pace in my life right now. It's definitely challenging, but I like that and I can't wait to become better at it. I love to try new things. Any kind of new thing and yoga is the next step for me, but I want to try other things as well along the way. So I really recommend those who are reading this, that trying new things takes you to new worlds. You take a peek at why people choose to do these things and whether you might like doing them or not, at least you can say that you've experienced it. Who knows, it could be a new hobby of yours.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2020 (super late)*

Hey guys! New update since November. To come to my decision about the vlogging situation, I decided not to do it. I pick up the camera, but I just don't take anything anymore. I want to, but it feels different nowadays. There's so much I have to do now that I'm becoming even more independent. I can't say this is the end of it. Just this year I don't think I'll be doing any vlogging. I tried, but I’m way too busy right now. I thought I’d do more for the blog than the vlog. But I’m ok with that. We need to make a living, both my boyfriend and I...for the sake of ourselves and our...girls (*ahem* cats). But it’s a new year. Omg. Oh yeah a new year and I haven’t said happy new year yet on this blog. HAPPY NEW YEAR! 🎉 And what a year 2020 has already started off to be. So much chaos because of the coronavirus going around. Many people have been infected by the virus and I’m trying to avoid large groups, traveling outside of Japan and just stay safe as I can being at work and at home. It’s just crazy. I know it’s serious, but are people overreacting or just not reacting enough? I don't know what to believe on the news anymore. Anyways, let’s talk about something good!

We got another cat. Her name is Remi and we just love her (despite how crazy she gets when she’s around food). Why did we get another cat so soon? After the first month of living at the house, my boyfriend and I just kept running around, being busy and I thought that wasn’t something good for Kuromi. I know she must have had been really stressed out. She was alone most of the time and we really needed to change that. So on January 12th, we found Kuromi’s little sister. The place we went to was a Cat Cafe, but they sometimes have events where they want to give cats a home. Honestly, the reason why we went there in the first place was because we saw a picture of a cat we wanted online, but when we met the cat...it just wasn’t destined to be. Instead, the cat next to her who happened to be Remi was really what caught our eyes. Remi was 9 months old at the time and we were honestly looking for a kitten around 2-3 months old, but Remi was just too cute and we couldn’t say no. The people there told us that she was a stray and a bicycle ran her over. They took her to the vet and luckily it wasn’t anything serious. She’s not hurting. She didn’t need surgery but you can kind of tell her back area is a little misshaped from the incident. Also some of you are curious about the v cut on her ear. In Japan they cut the ears of stray cats to notify people they have be spayed. And I think it’s a charm point. It looks like a sakura petal so these kind of cats are often called “cherry blossoms cats”. So we adopted her and got her a week later. She's the sweetest! The first encounter Kuromi and Remi had made us worried, but the next day they immediately clicked. Which we were so relieved! Yes of course they do a little cat fight every now and then, but they sleep together, play together and just really cherish each other. And I’m truly happy for Kuromi. Remi has definitely been keeping her busy and giving her more love she needs. It’s a big house so I’m glad we made the decision to get another cat. 

Future plans for 2020? Nooooo idea. After this virus broke out, plans are hard to make at the moment. I do want to go to Okinawa this year when (and if) things calm down. I will have another job. But right now unfortunately all schools in Japan, including amusement parks and even my workplace are closed for almost a month. We won’t know what will happen after that. There is a chance of them extending it and I really hope not! People are going to have a hard time making a living. Olympics might not even happen. And in my opinion? I think they are REALLY late doing this. They could have done it as soon as the breakout happened. So the country is currently just asdfghjkl as well as any other country out there. I’m trying to stay as low as I can. Eat plenty of food and get plenty of sleep! And that's it for now! ✋

Witch's Pouch (Moisture Ampoule Base & Lipstick)

You may already know why I got into this beauty brand. A few years back, I often bought products from this brand to give as gifts to my girlfriends, but I never got anything for myself until recently. There's a huge cosmetics store nearby called "Mimosa" and it provides ALL kinds of cosmetics from around the world and that includes beauty products from Korea. I didn't go into much research into this brand, but it seems to be a brand from Korea and it's called, "Witch's Pouch". And everything from this brand is so cute. I just can't get enough and I wanted to buy more (including the pretty eyeshadows), but I didn't want to go overboard since I was mainly there trying to find a present for a friend's birthday. So here's what I purchased that day from the store, Witch's Pouch Real Skin Moisture Ampoule Base and a Witch's Pouch POPO Lipstick. 

I want to first talk about the Real Skin Moisture Ampoule Base (¥1,800 - $18.00 USD). This thing is like...magic! It has everything you need as a moisturizer. It keeps your skin moisturizing with ceramide. It provides hyaluronic acid, preventing from dryness and for fresh skin. Aloe Vera leaf extract to tone, brighten and clear the skin. Water-soluble collagen for elasticity, firmness and moisture that are all maintained into this one product. Not to mention there is gold chips mixed into it for richness, and natural glowing skin.

I've already used this for 3 days now, and I love it! Love it, love it, love it. This is to be used before applying makeup on. Because of this product, it really keeps my makeup intact. It gives off a dewy, natural glow to my skin; the healthy kind, not the overly-oily kind. Honestly, my skin can probably go without moisturizer, because I do have oil-prone skin. There is only one time of the year where my skin gets really dry and that's before winter. Believe it or not, my skin gets oily even during the dry and cold season. It's funny, because it only happens in Japan. When I was in the states, I never had this problem. But! I know I should use moisturizer or it'll affect me later on in life. What I really love is how easy it is to apply. This has a watery base and soaks into the skin right away! And though there are gold chips in the product, as soon as you rub it into the skin, they become smaller to the point where you no longer see them and I think they're the reason for the dewy skin (kind of gives off that soft glitter effect too). Don't worry ladies, you won't become gold-faced, if that's what you were worried about. Because of this moisturizer, I don't need any highlighting to give this effect. It definitely keeps my skin plump and hydrated.

Next; the POPO Lipstick (¥800 - $8.00 USD). There were a lot to choose from! But knowing me, I think red suits me best. There was an option between gloss or matte lipstick, and I chose matte. I don't necessarily go around with just matte lipstick, it tends to dry my lips and appears flaky. I always apply DHC's lip cream as the bottom coat and then apply the matte. Even though you might think what's the point when I could've gotten the gloss, but it's different. Gloss is definitely easy to apply, but matte has a darker tone to it that goes better with my features. I use gloss too, but only on occasions where I don't have to be presentable? LOL. Gloss makes me look sick sometimes, I gotta be honest with you. Here I have Burgundy Wine in S21. I love wine, and I love the color of red wine, so as soon as I spotted this, I had to get it. It looks dark, but when you apply it on the lips, it looks a little lighter compared to the lipstick itself. Maybe it depends on the person. I really love this color, but the only problem is that it doesn't exactly stay on long. Within a day, I'd say I had to reapply 2 or 3 times. It isn't my favorite lipstick, but I will still use it.

This isn't exactly a popular brand. I think it's still fairly new, that's why it isn't quite well-known. It's affordable, and there's a huge selection you can choose from. What can I say, anything that has to do with witches, I go for it. I often get fooled by packaging, but at least I can say that one out of the two products was definitely worth it. If I happen to buy more from this brand, I will post about it. I'm hoping they will come out with new products soon. Bye for now witches (or warlocks)! ✨

Shows/Movies Recommendations #2

It's been a while since I last did these. Here is part 2 of Shows/Movies Recommendations. Part 1 is here from 2017 (though I didn't rate them at the time, I'm doing the rating system now). Ever since then, my taste hasn't really changed but I have seen new shows and movies. Note that I didn't list everything. I'm sure there were more that I've forgotten. I mean...it's been 2 years since my last recommendations. But! All that's listed below, I really enjoyed/still enjoy watching! And I hope you guys check them out.


Kill It 킬잇

Kim Soo Hyun is a veterinarian who is also a professional killer. Many individuals and organizations hire him for large sums of money. Nobody in the public knows anything about him as a killer, including his age, name, and race. Animals are his only companions, but deep inside, he constantly yearns for love. He struggles to develop and maintain any pure relationships around him. One day, a client asks him to kill in exchange for information regarding his mysterious past and a conspiracy involving his birth. Do Hyun Jin was once a ballerina, but now she is a detective working in Seoul, who graduated from police academy as the most excelled. Although she looks cold and stern on the outside, she is, in fact, a very sympathetic individual. Hyun Jin trusts her instincts and isn't afraid to rely on the things around her to make a decision to the best of her abilities. She has suffered trauma but still keeps pushing forward. She starts to chase after Kim Soo Hyun as she believes he is a serial killer. What happens when both get to know that the connection between them has started years ago?


Ok, so some of you may already know this but I'm fan of Nana. She is my all-time favorite model and not only is she gorgeous, but I love her personality. She was in a kpop group called "After School" (sadly they all went their separate ways), and she wanted to pursue being an actress. Nana has already been in a few films now. I think I really got into her acting when was in the Korean drama, "The Good Wife". But I loved her acting even more after watching this drama. She's becoming such a great actress, that I totally forget at times that she was in a kpop group. Well! It's been a long time since I last watched a Korean drama. I guess I got kind of tired of the same old love stories, and I'm more interested in action, mystery and suspense! This gave me that and I was just dying to know what was going to happen next. There are about 12 episodes altogether and it took me a week to finish the series, because I wanted to take my time, but once I was half-way through it, I binge-watched the rest lol. You already know the main character pretty well right from the start since from the beginning you know he's a killer, so you're kind of afraid of how things will turn out for him later in the series...

4/5 ★★★★☆

Terrace House テラスハウス

Terrace House is an unscripted reality television show about six strangers who move in together while the viewer watches what happens as a result. The group is composed of three girls and three boys aged from their teens to their 30s. While not explicitly described as a dating show, Terrace House has been labelled as such by several reviewers. Viewing drama comes from watching members pursue romance with each other and dealing with the differences in their personalities, morals, hopes and dreams. The show provides access to a furnished house and two cars, all of which are equipped with cameras, in a fly on the wall style. While in Terrace House members keep their day jobs and are allowed to go about their daily lives as they please. At various times the cameras will also follow members to other locations, such as restaurants or their work. Should one of the housemates decide to permanently leave the show they are replaced by a new member of the same gender. A group of studio commentators introduce each episode and watch along with the viewer. They provide commentary at regular intervals: analyzing conversations, deciphering members' body language and joking about the last 10 minutes of footage.

I already mentioned this many times on social media. I was hesitate on watching it at first because I always thought it was a "falling in love" reality show, when really, that's not just it. It's showing how people cope with each other whether it is romance, friendship, or trying to find yourself. Almost all my friends are watching it and they finally convinced me to watch it and I'm all caught up! The new season just started last week. It's a really interesting series, because you can somewhat relate to a lot of the members. I'd be lying if I said that Terrace House didn't make me cry many times already. Also the commentary is SO funny. I think if they didn't have the commentary it'd be kind of boring, but because they have it, it makes the series unique in its own little way.

4/5 ★★★★☆

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

This adaptation of the "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" tale is a dark coming-of-age story that traffics in horror and the occult. In the reimagined origin story, Sabrina Spellman wrestles to reconcile her dual nature -- half-witch, half-mortal, while standing against the evil forces that threaten her, her family including aunts Hilda and Zelda, and the daylight world humans inhabit.

I'm a big witch fan. Anything witch-related, I'm all down for it. Once I found out about this series, I watched it right away. I did watch Sabrina the Teenage Witch when I was younger. It's a classic! I watched it almost everyday it was on TV, but it wasn't exactly my favorite. It's interesting how these two adaptations of Sabrina are really different. Sabrina the Teenage Witch was more comedic and very family-friendly, which isn't a problem, but I really like all that "dark stuff", so for them to bring CAOS into our lives, means everything. Dark stuff is more witchy, right? Since it takes place in Greendale, I always thought it'd be nice for Riverdale and CAOS to have a crossover.

4/5 ★★★★☆


The Haunting of Hill House

In the summer of 1992, Hugh and Olivia Crain and their children – Steven, Shirley, Theodora, Luke, and Nell – move into Hill House to renovate the mansion in order to sell it and build their own house, designed by Olivia. However, due to unexpected repairs, they have to stay longer, and they begin to experience increasing paranormal phenomena that results in a tragic loss and the family fleeing from the house. Twenty-six years later, the Crain siblings and their estranged father reunite after tragedy strikes again, and they are forced to confront how their time in Hill House had affected each of them.

A friend recommended me to watch this series and I'm so glad I did. This isn't like any other haunted house movie or tv series I've seen before. I like how with each character, you get a backstory of what happened that night at Hill House. And as you watch every backstory of each character, things slowly start to make sense and you see a connection. I just feel that doesn't really happen much nowadays, but it's a good concept because it helps you learn not only what happened, but more about the character too.

4/5 ★★★★☆

Supernatural

This haunting series follows the thrilling yet terrifying journeys of Sam and Dean Winchester, two brothers who face an increasingly sinister landscape as they hunt monsters. After losing their mother to a supernatural force, the brothers were raised by their father as soldiers who track mysterious and demonic creatures. Violent memories and relationship-threatening secrets add additional burdens on Sam and Dean as they investigate all things that go bump in the night. As old tricks and tools are rendered useless and friends betray them, the brothers must rely on each other as they encounter new enemies.


I like this series! I love the brotherly bound. I definitely get some Full Metal Alchemist vibes. I'm gonna be honest with you though, after like season 9 or 10, things kind of died down for me. Of course they do have some suspense going on, but I kind of feel like they're speeding things up? Maybe I'm wrong, but they do have one more season! I just feel like the beginning was something to look forward to and there were a lot of surprises and I get some good laughs as well. Maybe because they're getting older? Or maybe some of the same things keep happening? I don't know what it is. I still enjoy the show, because the characters are so lovable, but I'm still unsure of the series itself. I hope season 15 will end with a bang!

3/5 ★★★☆☆

American Horror Story

American Horror Story (AHS) is an American anthology horror television series created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk for the basic cable network FX. Each season is conceived as a self-contained miniseries, following a different set of characters and settings, and a storyline with its own "beginning, middle, and end." Some plot elements of each season are loosely inspired by true events.

I love horror! And I know this series had been going on for quite some time, but I finally started watching it in the summer of 2018. I'm also caught up with this series. They recently announced a season 9 will be happening. Every season has a different story, and I might be a bit bias but season 1 was definitely my favorite out of the entire series. It's interesting because even though each season has a different story, each season has some sort of connection to each other. I fell in love with Evan Peters as soon as he showed up and his acting is phenomenal! But sadly there were rumors saying that he'll be leaving the series?! So that makes me so sad because he is the main reason why I watch the series. I hope it isn't so! But I do highly recommend this to all you horror fans.

4/5 ★★★★☆

The Originals

A spin-off from The Vampire Diaries, centers around three of the Mikaelson siblings: Klaus (Joseph Morgan), Elijah (Daniel Gillies), and Rebekah (Claire Holt). The Mikaelson family is called "the Originals" as they are the first vampires to ever exist. Niklaus "Klaus" Mikaelson is a descendant of a witch and a werewolf, and his quest to unleash his hybrid nature was detailed in The Vampire Diaries. The backdoor pilot, which aired on April 25, 2013, also revealed that the werewolf Hayley (Phoebe Tonkin) is pregnant with Klaus's child. The series begins with the Original siblings returning to the city of New Orleans for the first time since 1919, where a pregnant Hayley has also settled. Having originally built the city, they had been forced to abandon it when fleeing from their vengeful father. In their absence, Klaus's protégé, Marcel (Charles Michael Davis), took charge of the city. Klaus resolves that they must take down Marcel and get back the city that once belonged to them. While doing that they must also protect their city from a war brewing between vampires, werewolves, and witches. Over time, new and old friendships are formed, love is in the air, death surrounds them, and the Originals learn more about their own family past. The first season describes how Klaus's mystical child is going to be born and speaks of the threats that the Originals together must keep her safe from. The second season deals with the return of Klaus and his siblings' parents, and the arrival of an aunt who threatens the baby's life. The third season shows the Mikaelsons facing both a prophecy that speaks of their downfall, and the first-sired vampires who have wanted revenge for a millennium. The fourth season jumps ahead five years, with the Mikaelsons returning to New Orleans and having to face a reawakened ancient menace set on destroying anything in its path. The fifth and final season of the series takes place seven years after the fourth season, with Hope now being a teenager at a school for supernatural children, the Salvatore Boarding School for the Young and Gifted.

Watching this series gave me The Vampire Diaries feels all over again. I like how they made a spin-off for this family. Of course they showed up in The Vampire Diaries, but once they disappeared, I wanted to know them a little bit more. I really didn't like Klaus in the beginning, but as the series goes, I really started to sympathize with him and he probably became one of my favorite characters. When the series ended, I was actually really sad! I bawled my eyes out on the last episode. I think because after all the ups and downs this family goes through (and I mean SO much happens), you finally get to see how they know the importance of family and the lengths they'd go through for it. And that really hit me in the feels.

4/5 ★★★★☆

Legacies

The town of Mystic Falls has a new generation of protectors in this spin-off of "The Vampire Diaries" and "The Originals." The Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted is home to Klaus Mikaelson's daughter Hope, Alaric Saltzman's twins Lizzie and Josie, and other young adults who are coming of age as witches, vampires and werewolves, nurtured to be their best selves and overcome their villainous impulses. Together, they rely on ancient folklore and tales to learn how to battle their far-reaching enemies and attempt to keep balance in the world.


This series only just started, and I was kind of iffy about watching it because I knew it wasn't going to star the original cast (well at least not ALL of them), so I knew it wasn't going to give me the same feels. But I'm actually enjoying it. Because I'm so stuck on The Vampire Diaries and The Originals, it's nice that they made another spin-off where my mind can just be focusing on what's happening in the storyline now than what is in the past is in the past now. I do not suggest you watch this series first. You really have to go all the way back and start watching from chronological order; The Vampire Diaries, The Originals and then Legacies. Or you're not gonna know what's going on. They just finished season 1 and season 2 is on the way.

3/5 ★★★☆☆

Kingdom キングダム

Set in Qin Dynasty during the warring states period in ancient China. Shin (Kento Yamazaki) was a war orphan. He has a dream of becoming a great general Shin has a fateful encounter with young King Eisei (Ryo Yoshizawa). King Eisei aims to unify all of China.

I didn't know it, but this movie was based off a manga. Once I saw the previews I was wanting to go see it. I finally went to see it the other day and I'm so glad I did. Great action. Great actors. Yoshizawa Ryo really captured my heart in this film, compared to the other films he's been in. And by coincidence...my student's brother (Kato Masaya) was also in the movie. She didn't mention it to me, but she did tell me last year that her brother was in China filming for a movie. Little did I know, it was THIS movie. If any of you guys are into these kind of ancient period films, this was a refreshing one for me. I definitely enjoyed it.

4/5 ★★★★☆

I was going to add in Avengers, but I know many people have already seen it. It's like, who hasn't yet? I'm wanting to put shows and movies on here that maybe not many people are familiar...you get my drift? Well, that's all for now. If you don't have anything to watch right now, I hope you are able to check some of these out. Let's see when part 3 will come out. I'll see you in the next segment of Shows/Movies Recommedations! Bye for now.

LuLuLun Face Masks (Okinawa Edition)

Haisai! 🌺 Back with another blog post...surprised? If I don’t have a vlog prepared, I thought a blog post could be a substitute for the time being. Anyways! I wanted to talk about these Okinawa Edition LuLuLun Face Masks. This isn’t a review or anything, I just felt like sharing them because I just love this brand. I have that Okinawan blood in me, so I couldn’t resist getting these. Since these are Okinawa edition, these obviously gotta be goya-scented, right? When I went to Okinawa 3 years back, I bought two different Okinawa edition face masks from this brand and that was hibiscus-scented and shikuwasa-scented. Yum yum yum, I love shikuwasa~ but not the point. 

LuLuLun is one of my favorite face mask brands. Not just because of how cute they make the packaging, or how they have special editions for areas in Japan or during the seasons, but that they really work well with my skin. My skin is very sensitive. And I mean VERY. Like I have to be careful with what products to use on my face or I break out like mad. I’ve always had sensitive skin since junior high school. My skin isn’t as bad as it was since I try to take better care of it now, but it’s still not perfect. LuLuLun is very gentle with my skin. It doesn’t overpower it or harshens my skin. Plus, it's not heavily scented. I say this all the time, but it's best to stay away from heavily scented products. They may smell nice, but if it's heavily soaked with that scent, it can't exactly be good for your skin. There's a chance it could cause damage. So I've been told multiple times by a beauty guru and a dermatologist. Getting back to these face masks, they really sooth my skin from all the chaos that it goes through lol. I don’t use face masks quite often. I’m told it’s not good to use them a lot during the week or it could overwhelm the skin. I used to do it twice a week, but now I’ve lowered it to once a week and that is usually on a Saturday after a whole week of work finishes. I really pamper myself (with a glass of red/rose wine 🍷, sake🍶 or Orion beer of course🍻). I do also use Korean face masks from Missha, but rarely since Missha face masks are not exactly easy to find here. They sell them at a specific store. Not to mention the face masks from Korea are huge! From what I’ve experienced anyway. I think face masks from Japan are a perfect (errr sorta) size for my face. But I’m not complaining. As long as they do the job for my skin, I’m fine with whatever size it comes in. 

I know my eyes are like super red haha. They always get like that after a long day of work, especially having contact lenses in for an entire day. I should stick to my glasses at work once in awhile~

Alexia Stam Seashell Necklace

I don't really wear necklaces, but when I do, it has to be a necklace of my taste. I noticed I have been getting into ocean-related things (especially involving mermaids). It was never a phase in my life before, until now. How did that happen? Well, it's all thanks to Terrace House! 😂 The first season introduced a member named Michiko Yamanaka and when she first appeared, I really loved her style. I don't exactly know why. It wasn't the first time I saw a style like that, but maybe because it really suited her and how she presented everything was so intriguing. She loved anything that had to do with the ocean. Because of that, she made her own brand called "Alexia Stam" which is mainly swimwear, but has expanded further into other clothing pieces and accessories. It's a very cute line! What made me get into things ocean-related even more was after watching Terrace House: Aloha State. The girls on the show had different styles compared to Michiko's, but they were still very...refreshing. Like what you would see people in Hawaii wear. I loved all their styles. I don't know what it is! I guess it's because I never been to Hawaii before, but I've always been dying to go. The closest is probably Okinawa. I know Okinawa can not compare, but I feel there are similarities between the islands. I love the Okinawan vibes, and I'm sure I would feel the same for Hawaii if I ever go.

I've always been just a silver kind of girl, but I guess as I get older, my taste constantly changes? Is that just me? Haha. I still love silver, but recently I've been leaning into gold a lot. This necklace set altogether was about ¥1,800 ($18 in USD), which is a reasonable price for 3 necklaces as a set. But then again, I bought this from an app called Mercari, which items/products tend to be a lot cheaper, even when it comes to high end brands. The usual price could probably go between $100-200. Ouch. 😬 SHOCKER. I honestly refuse to pay that much, so I'm lucky to have Mercari there to help a girl out. If Mercari is available in your country (or app store), I highly recommend getting it because it's...amazing. And saves me a lot of time especially when I want to buy gifts for people. The only problem is that you might scroll through it for hours lol.

It's pricey if you look here, but those of you who may be interested to see what's in store, check out the site: here 

*note that not all items are listed on this site

Also if you like to watch shows where people "want to find love", watch Terrace House! Haha. I personally never liked reality shows and I kind of get tired of watching the same old love stuff, but my friends have been pushing me to watch this series and it's so good. It gets really stressful along the way because some members are so hard to understand, but there are loveable members as well. And there are times where I bawl my eyes out. I'm almost finished with Terrace House: Opening New Doors, and I'll be all caught up with the series. I can't wait for the new season that's coming this month.

Thank You Heisei, Hello Reiwa

When was the last time I posted a blog? Lol. I say this all the time. I felt like posting something, because I kept getting notifications about my blog about my absence. I thought it would be nice to come back with a new era post. I always feel bad abandoning this place. Also, I think it's better for me to share updates here if I need to get something across (of course I'm not going to share everything), because it's hard to express myself in a limited space, when I have all the space I need right here. As always, I'm still working on like a 2-month-old vlog. I don't know when I'll be able to get it done. It's not that I'm not motivated, I just haven't had a lot of time to sit and focus on them. I've really been keeping myself busy these days and trying to spend the time I can get with the people (*and cat, I will not leave you out of this Kuu 😆) close to me. Typing up a blog isn't so bad, but when it comes to editing videos, I REALLY need to be in concentration mode. I don't want to guarantee anything anymore with vlogs and blogs, because I really don't have a specific time where I post them. So it'll all just come as a surprise hehe~

I wanted to talk a little bit about the new era that has arrived! Yes, Japan has entered a new era and it is called "Reiwa". For me (and there are others of course), I feel it's a huge deal because this is my first time witnessing a new era. I was born Heisei 3rd Year, so to come this far to witness a new era is a blessing! I'm so happy and I can't wait to see what this era brings to everyone. My friends who live outside of Japan don't really know how the whole system works and they ask me what's gonna happen to Japan? Are there gonna be some big government changes? Honestly, I don't think so...or at least that's what everyone around me has been saying. All we know is that the dates are going to be changed. And there's now a new emperor and he is the son of the emperor of Heisei. I guess this time around is different because usually when an emperor passes away, a new one takes over and that's when a new era starts. But in this case, the Heisei's emperor is still alive, but is kind of "retiring" and passing the position to his eldest son. It's a big deal for Japan, so I think this is going to be a memorable moment for me to have witnessed it. I spent the first day in Motomachi, Kobe with a friend, we had lunch and did some shopping (omg especially with Mother's Day around the corner). I came home in the evening to be with everyone. It was a nice, simple day. But sooooo many people! Considering it is Golden Week vacation so it gets a little stressful, but I had fun.

I didn't exactly know how a new era coming works around here, but I'd like to think of it as a new year. This new year did start off great! I got to visit the states and see my mom, family and friends. But coming back from the states was a disaster with a lot of tragedy that was happening around us. It was an overwhelming few months and I'm hoping things will get better this year. I also want to make some proper changes to my life and to myself. It's time for me to be a little bit more serious compared to where I was at. It's not going to be easy, and I may fail along the way, but I'm going to do my best! Ganbarimasu! FIGHTING!! Please treat me well, Reiwa! Yoroshiku onegaishimasu! 🙏✨

What REALLY Went Down In 2015: A Year In A Hell House

Ok guys, so this is something I always wanted to get to, but never had the chance to...or rather I didn't have the guts to talk about it till now. I know it isn't relevant to talk about, but I feel it's something I wanted to get off my chest, because a lot of people were very concerned about how I was in 2015. Some people know the actual details about this. And when I say some people, it's mostly the people who were involved. I was often told it was like I was a different person, and they felt something was a little off. And yes, it's true, and I'm here to reveal the reason why. So grab a cup of coffee or tea, because here comes a long story!

To start it all off, it was February of 2015 when I was making my way to Kobe, Japan with my ex. (Let's give him a different, random name here, and name him Max LOL. I prefer not to use his real name.) While I was on the airplane, my heart was just pounding. I was getting nervous the closer we got to our destination, but excited at the same time.

The plan was to stay with Max's parents until things settled down. The reason why we decided to come to Japan together was because Max was going to start his job in Tokyo. I came along with him because he knew I wanted to teach English in Japan.

Once we arrived at his parents' place, I felt comfortable having his company there with me. I kept holding onto his arm to feel reassured everything was going to be ok. I knew I came here for a reason and I had to work really hard for it. It didn't fully hit me that after 14 years, I finally came back to Japan. It was so surreal and I couldn't hold back the tears. My jetlag was very bad though! It lasted for a month. And because of the sudden climate change coming from Arizona, I also got very sick for a long time. It took a long time adjusting to the new atmosphere.

A lot of people asked this. Since we came all this way together, was there ever talk about marriage? Honestly? We never really talked about it. I mean I thought about it and it came across once or twice, but it wasn't something we had seriously planned for. Max was a kind person (or so I thought), but he never was one to share his feelings. Not that he had a cold exterior or anything. In fact, he's known to have a "friendly atmosphere." I tried everything I could to get him to share, but it's always been one-sided. However, his parents strongly thought we were going to get married...or at least that is what they were pushing us to do.

The very first or second day of being in Kobe, we tried to find places for me to get a job at. I'm not afraid to mention this school, but there is a very popular English school chain all over Japan called "ECC", and that was the first place I applied at. Next day, I got a call and they turned me down. At the time I was legitimately sad that I was turned down, but hearing rumors about the school cheered me up a bit. After years of hearing about ECC, I highly recommend not involving yourself with that school (for those who want to be an English teacher in Japan) whatsoever. They are not flexible, they'll transfer you constantly to random places that can change within a week and from mine and other people's experiences, they are not so friendly as they are said to be. So I suggest private schools or center classes. l never experienced public schools before, but they might be a bit strict. I just don't suggest ECC LOL.

Anyways! ECC didn't work out. So I started volunteering at YMCA to teach kids English for only 2 weeks. But in the first week of being in Japan, I already got a job offer. You see, Max's parents were taking an English lesson at the center every Saturday and the first Saturday of being in Kobe, I went to check it out. That's when I met my boss.

They introduced me to their English teacher. First impression? He looked scary LOL and I thought he was maybe half Japanese or Okinawan. He's 100% Japanese (born in Kobe, but grew up in Guam and Hawaii). I remember after the lesson ended, he told me he would show me his school (which was a 4-minute walk from the center). Once he showed me the school, it seemed very comfortable. The motto is "at home and reasonable" and I instantly felt that. That's when he told me, "If you can't find a place to work, we're always open. Call us anytime." I was super happy and super lucky.

I really thought about the job offer for about a week or two and finally contacted the school. I honestly don't remember, but I think I started working at the school near the end of February to be an assistant for kids. I didn't make it fully official. Since I was here on a visa, I could only stay for the first 3 months and then go back to the states once and come right back. So, when it hit the first half of May, I returned to the states. Since I already made the decision to live in Japan, I had to take care of a lot of things in the states before I came back. It wasn't an easy decision...but I just wanted to be in Japan. Not just for me, but for my mom too. I made a promise to her that one day I will bring her back to Japan. Whether she lives with me in Kobe (or at the time Tokyo), or goes back to Okinawa to live with family. I'll do whatever it takes! No matter how long it takes...

After everything had been finalized, I came back to Kobe. When I came back, Max was already in Tokyo starting his new job. So I was alone...with his parents. Now, what I thought was going to happen was that once Max started his job in Tokyo, was that I was going to go with him. But that wasn't the case...his parents were going to teach me many things about becoming a "good housewife" in Japan and keeping my body healthy for the baby. asdfghjkl YES. BABY. Excuse my language. What the actual f***?! They often took me to the hospital for checkups to check for any abnormalities with my body. I wasn't even pregnant. I'm not even kidding when I say this, and it may be too much information, but she even checked if I got my period regularly. Sick I tell you. Sick. What is this? Camp?! We never agreed to this. I was just so shocked. I even called Max and he said it like they were just joking...but no...they weren't.

I started to work at the school officially now that I've returned. And since my coworker (and very good friend) was about to give birth to Yuujin, I took over her classes for the time being. Plus I became my boss's assistant at the centers to gain experience.

Work was going well, but it was being at Max's parents' house that started to eat at me and drive me insane. Around this time, it's probably been mid-August when I started to feel extremely strange and uncomfortable at the house. Let alone, I had to sleep in the same room with Max's mother!!! Which was all levels of creepy! As his father was sleeping alone in the room upstairs. They wouldn't let me go anywhere (aside from work) alone! After work, his mother would come by taxi and go home together by taxi. They wouldn't let me see anyone, or make friends. And they thought eventually I'll be going to Tokyo to live with Max, so I shouldn't get used to Kobe...but at the time, I already had. The parents were the ones showing me the ropes anyway. Why take it away from me now? I have a good job that I am comfortable with, and I met so many awesome people. Maybe I didn't want to leave...

At times I did visit Max in Tokyo for about a week or two, then soon had to return back to his parents' place. I think in 2015, I've gone to see him only 3 times that year. And the more and more I don't see him or hear from him, the more and more I was losing hope. I mean think about it. He just dumped me here with his parents (which was like an asylum) as he goes off to Tokyo with total freedom!

I already knew that his parents were a bit crazy, but learning new things about them made them seem even crazier. They never got along, the father was always out late, they never had friends come over. I was always stuck in the house with his mother. I had no freedom whatsoever. The house just felt dark and eerie. In fact, there was a dark secret involving Max's father (isn't my place to say), that I kind of understood why Max's mother and I had to sleep in the same room...WHICH MAKES ME MORE CONCERNED WHY HE LEFT ME HERE.

Around October, it was gradually getting to the last straw. Their orders, their rules, it just was starting to not seem normal. So I called Max and told him I'd at least like to stay somewhere else. I wanted some privacy, because I wasn't getting any. He said he would talk to his parents about that. And when he did, they told him "NO. Nowhere is safe but here." I'd be anywhere BUT here at this point. And just like that, Max just lets it go so easily and totally shuts out the problem like nothing.

December. At this time, I was about to explode. I was a ticking time bomb. I called Max everyday in tears telling him that I couldn't handle this anymore. It was excruciating. For 6 months, I've broken out so badly, vomited almost everyday after dinner, couldn't sleep most days and there were times where I even blacked out from all that stress. People at work started to notice it, but I know most were very hesitate on asking. You just could tell by my appearance. I was a total mess. Students kept telling me I looked too thin and my face just looked so dark and tired. I couldn't mention this to any of my friends or family. Especially not my mom. I didn't want to worry anyone. I just...kept fighting it alone.

I was going through this alone. Scared. Going through this, how can Max not even care to do anything??? No matter how many times I cried to him for help. NOTHING.

In January of 2016, Max came back to Kobe for New Years vacation. I'll never forget this time...I had to work one of the days and Max said he was going to go hang out with some old friends. Well, when work was over, I got back to the house. Max and his parents were gathered around the table with a piece of paper in his hand. I had no idea what it was until his mother said to me with a creepy smile, "Sign this. You'll be legally married." I was just in utter shock. Words couldn't escape from my mouth. I looked at Max, feeling anger building up as I was just lied to yet again. We had no plans for this. At least, nobody mentioned this to ME. But there was no way in hell I was going to sign that damn paper. "It was sudden, so we will give you a little more time," was what she said as she kept the paper in a safe place. I still couldn't say anything. Max didn't go off to see old friends, he went to City Hall to get that paper! What else have they been planning behind my back? What was next? To impregnate me?!

Later that month, Max went back to Tokyo for work. A few days later, I called him again in tears. It just felt like it was getting worse. And since it was considered an emergency, he said he'd come back to talk directly to his parents about the situation (um, FINALLY, why didn't you when you were just here?!).

So a week later, he came back to talk with his parents, and at the time when they were having the conversation, I was at work. When I finished work, Max was there waiting for me outside the school and told me, "I spoke to them. We need to talk."

We went to a nearby café and talked. He told me the situation very briefly. "They were very upset. They told me to tell you that we get married now and then pack all your stuff and come live in Tokyo with me right away." UH. WHAT.

At that time, my boss just got off of work. And for some reason, I felt if I asked for his help, I knew he would do something. So I called my boss and told him to meet us at the café. From there, we had a really long talk that lasted till 10pm. The thing was, I knew what I had decided. I wanted to stay in Kobe, at least for a little longer. But Max....he just had no idea what to do. My boss told Max, it was either me or his parents. He chose me, and it may have been reassuring...but I just knew at the pit of my stomach that this wasn't going to go well. The plan was to get me out of that house.

Once our talk ended, my boss and his wife drove us to the house. They said they didn't want to leave me there so they stayed. Max first went inside to tell his parents. Obviously they got upset and his father came out and started arguing with us. He was also arguing with his English teacher by the way LOL. It was just a big mess. His father even called Max a "useless son" and "you are messed up after being with this bitch" pretty much. I was so surprised because I never saw his father like that, but I'm glad I saw his true colors. His mother wanted to talk, so Max and I went into the house as the 4 of us had another long conversation. I told them what I needed to say and they just wouldn't listen. Honestly, it was too much going on all in one night that I forgot most of the conversation. It didn't end well, that's for sure. I was going to leave the house that night, but they kept refusing it. I didn't want to be there anymore. I was scared. And who knows what they would have done to me if I had stayed that night after saying how I really felt all this time. But I was going to leave that place that night. I made sure of it.

Thanks to my boss, he let me have a place to stay. I packed some clothes (I had planned to come back for all my things another time). At the time, I actually felt kind of bad for Max having to stay there with them as I left.

Two days later, I went to get all my things with my boss and his wife. Max and his mother were there, but not his father. I took all my things and put them into the car. I went back inside to thank his mother for their hospitality. The words she said sent chills down my spin. "You'll be back soon..." was the last thing she told me. I got into the car and Max actually got in too. He said he didn't want to be at the house so he went with us for a drive.

In the car, I noticed Max kept sending text messages. I didn't know to who, but later we found out it was his mother and father. I don't know if he was trying to be some sort of spy or something, but I just knew for sure whose side he was on at that point.

After the drive, we dropped Max off at the station. It's been several days since that day, and Max was already back in Tokyo yet again. We thought it'd be calm after the storm, but his parents were thirsty for revenge...

His parents contacted my mom, my family in Okinawa and our friends (who have nothing to do with the situation). They would tell them that I was forcefully taken away. They wanted me "home" and if there was any way of convincing me to go back. I'm the "future wife" to their son, so I needed to go back. They spoke very badly about my boss and even tried to get him fired many times. They just wreck havoc! And from there, I had to make the biggest decision...but a decision I felt was the right one. The decision I should have made a long time ago.

I called Max and told him we needed to end our relationship. I knew what side he was on and his parents are crazy and involving people who have nothing to do with the situation. They're absolutely obsessed at this point! They will not eat or sleep until they get what they wanted. But that wasn't just it. "You've always lied to me. I gave you so many chances. I am a complete idiot to keep giving you those chances, even after the hell you put my mom through. After 2 and a half years, I still don't even know who you are. You've done nothing but hide things from me. But after experiencing what I had with your family, I've finally realized that this is as far as we go. I tolerated so much, yet you never cared until I was nearly on my death bed. I needed you there the most when I was going through it all on my own. And another cruel thing you've done? You allowed them to keep me caged in without any hesitation. I've given so much effort into this relationship. I believe I deserve a lot better than this. Good luck with everything, and goodbye..."

After my farewell to Max, his parents still caused us problems for an entire year trying to destroy everything. I hadn't heard from Max ever since, so why are his parents still in the picture? I felt so awful, because everyone was protecting me no matter if it cost them their jobs. The harassments were getting way out of hand. We even told the police and they couldn't do anything to help but only file a report. It finally ended when we hired an attorney. It was an unusual case, but whatever the lawyer sent them, it sure scared them off.

For awhile, I tried disguising myself on the streets in case I ever ran into those crazy parents again. That included dying my hair jet black, wearing baggy clothing, and just blending into the public. I even had friends as body guards. It was a traumatic experience and I was very shaken by it for quite some time.

Last year, I slowly just learned to let it go after getting into vlogging again. And now my hair is like so bright, I stand out in the streets! I just don't care anymore. It's been two years now and I'm not afraid anymore. They can't control my fear again. I won't let them.

I have many people to thank after all we had been through together for my sake. After escaping that place, I've been so much happier -- freer! Students are seeing a big difference and they are so happy for me. My goodness...how did I deserve such support from all these wonderful people? What have I done to earn it? I still question it today. But I know I would do anything for them too.

Well! There's nothing more to say, but if you stuck around till the end, then you're awesome! This was quite the scary experience, but I've learned so much from it. I've became so much stronger and I actually feel like myself again. There was a lot left out of what more happened in that house that was odd, but there was so much that it would have taken too much time to putting effort into all those details. I never felt so pressured and so cornered in my life to the point where I became so ill. It was like some sort of asylum...or cult. If I had went with their plan, I probably wouldn't be here right now. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Until next time!

My Earrings Collection

I was never one to put on a lot of accessories. Sometimes I would put on a simple necklace, but most of the time I would wear rings or a pair of earrings. Recently I’ve been wearing earrings almost everyday now. I feel like just having earrings on really makes a difference. It compliments your face and I feel like having them on, you don’t have to put on an excessive amount of makeup. It kind of gives off that professional look. I’ve been going subtle with makeup and earrings really bring out the features.

When I was little, I always wanted to get my ears pierced, but apparently I had an ear infection? And my mom told me that I wouldn't let ANYONE touch my ears. So for many years, I wanted to get my ear pierced, but just couldn't. Until finally! In junior high, I went to get my ears pierced at Claire's. That was one of the happiest moments of my life LOL. So I was really excited to try out many different kinds of earrings.

I’ve always worn small earrings, because I was always afraid that longer and bigger earrings would get caught on something and whatnot. But now, I’ve been purchasing a lot of those kinds of earrings. I don’t know what it is...it gives like that 'slimmer-face-longer-neck' kind of illusion (I'm always into sophisticated looks). I’m willing to take the risk lol.

So in today’s post, I like to share my current earrings collection. There’s actually a lot I haven’t even tried on yet hehe.

Here we have an ear cuff. I collected a bunch of these last year, but I had to throw a lot of them away because they were changing color. This one I've only used twice, but I want to try wearing it more if it went along with my outfits.

Hoops! A blast from the past. I think these were really popular in the 90's and I feel like for awhile they had died down, but they are popular all over again.

I honestly don't know what these kind of earrings are called, but I really like them. Especially when they're hard to come out. You pull these earrings all the way through until your lobe reaches the center, and then let it dangle from both ends. 

Halloween earrings I was gifted with, but haven't worn them yet. Maybe this year for Halloween! And as for the cat earrings, the bell and cat paw earrings, they came as a set. I couldn't resist but to buy them! The crazy cat person in me. I love how you can mix and match this set.

These are probably my favorite so far from my entire collection.