sakura_senshi’s Neighborhood

A drawing for Kawazaki, the guy who gave up his restaurant and city life to move to a remote village in the mountains of Toga where he throws parties on a nightly basis for the interesting, the talented and the eccentric, who builds inventions of convenience for his house and town and redirects waterfalls and natural streams into moats around his renovated century-old Gassho house, who always keep the music going whether it be an old record first thing in the morning accompanied by the smell of french toast or any instrument he can get his hands on, who keeps cats and dogs and an eclectic collection of artwork, who is always feeding me something delicious, and who always knows how to keep people happy.

Kawazaki Funiki

I plan to give it to him the last time we see him in August. So shhh...

Kawazaki's house in Toga

you'd never guess this house is host to the best parties ever.

best parties ever:

Every year the ALTs of Toyama Prefecture spend lots of time and energy producing a two-part variety and parody play to raise money for random charities. It's brilliantly been dictated, the annual "Charity Show." Being the perky volunteer I am, I partook in last year's showing of "Peter Pan" by attending the final performance. I know, I'm a bad ALT. That's been well-established, thank you. Falling in with a bad crowd doesn't help :P
This year however, perhaps because of guilt...or maybe and more likely just because Ivy signed up, I am contributing this year in my own small out-of-the-spotlight kinda way by illustrating the program for their chosen classic "Snow White (and the 6 Otaku)"
This is my first time having my art mass printed for something that people are going to look at and possibly judge. Unless you count those postcards they made out of my "gift" to the school... I don't. I don't think I even had my artwork chosen to be published in the PTA newsletters when I was in elementary school. Displayed, yes, but never printed. And you should've seen the crap stuff that ended up in there. Sadness.

Anyway, as usual I'm here to share:

There's no more denying it...I'm officially and indisputably 24 years old now in all time zones. My age is now a fire hazard when represented in cake form. This year my friend provided instead 2 big candles- a decade each.
I realize I have no right to complain, and I'm not. Twenty-four is a nice age. I just wish I didn't still feel like I have the maturity and mind-set of an 18 year old. I can't even claim to be in my early twenties anymore. People are getting married, starting careers, laying down the grounds for secure or promising futures, and I still don't have a clue what I wanna be when I grow up. If it was up to me I'd still be staying up all night reading pre-teen fantasy novels or trying to beat the final boss in Final Fantasy and spending my days making lego houses. Although there are plenty of mid-20 somes who still do that I suppose. Too bad it doesn't pay the bills.

I'm going to Kyoto tomorrow for freeeeee.

My old Japanese prof from UPS is in town, or rather country so gunna have a mini reunion with some former classmates who also ended up in Japan. Just hope we don't go shrine hopping... I've had more than my fill of Kyoto.

peace

Bowie's in The Prestige!? Well now I feel like quite the inadequate Bowie fan :\  Although I do have the excuse of being secluded to the middle-of-nowhere Japan past two years...
He's makes a brilliant Nikola Tesla btw.  

Bowie as Tesla

What do you daydream about? Is it something far-fetched, or something that might actually happen?
Submitted by lost_in_eternity2207.

haha.
 I am a daydream.

I have a friend at my elementary school. She's in her late 60's and she professionalizes in the planning and execution of healthy well-balanced meals for students. In other words she's a lunch lady. Or rather, the lunch lady as there's only one at Seibu (try not to imagine the stereotypical American lunch lady in a hairnet and dirty apron pouring chunky gravy on to your mashed potatoes... the role of making "kyuushoku" in Japan is an arduous, respectable job. She even has her own desk next to the other teachers). Every now again I go to her house, which usually involves an elaborate "introduction" to some Japanese food that we make together. One time it was sushi, another time soba, etc. All that she asked in return was that I draw her a picture of sakura. I dunno why it took me such a freakin' long time to get around to it, since the actual drawing only took 3 hours of Hyotan Mura cake and coffee set. Anyway, I finally finished and thought I'd share. See if you recognize the picture I used for reference:

Oyabe Sakura

I'm done with finals and have some free time, so I'm dusting off the blogs a bit.  Xposted updates here and on livejournal, but upped the privacy since they involve work.  Log in to read, or make an account and contact me.

I'm in my early 20's, and I feel like I'm 80. My joints are stiff and my bones creak. I feel like I have weights hanging off my arms and legs when I move. The mere thought of getting up to teach another class exhausts me.

Why am I so tired??

If I try to nap or go to bed early I lie there for hours with my eyes open. If I try to boost my energy by moving or eating I just feel more tired. I've tried caffeine, watching humorous youtube videos, engaging conversations... nada. it's like that feeling of lethargy that weighs on you on a humid summer day, or the feeling of constant fatigue when your body is battling a virus and you can't get enough sleep.

Stress? Allergies? Mono...??

Ugh, I hope this doesn't last long.

Show us your favorite pair of shoes.

Escargoboot