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!