Cherry Blossom Adventures

I have seen 100 things about me lists on a couple of blogs but it was young D’Jen who inspired me to do my own when she recently added hers to her blog.

Here is my attempt-

1. I have only ever had stitches once and it was when I had my wisdom teeth out.
2. My favourite Japanese take-away is sukiya. Most people prefer Yoshinoya but I have a soft spot for Sukiya as apart from MacDonald’s it was the closest take-away to Seikei Uni where I was when I went on exchange.
3. On Christmas day 2004 I had MacDonald’s and champagne and orange juice for Christmas day lunch!
4. As a young child I ate a lot of veggies (mashed versions) but from age 3 onward I stopped and did not each any vegetables apart from potato until I was about 14. I ate a lot of fruit though…and now I eat a lot of vegetables but am still very particular.
5. I have several favourite Japanese words. Fushigi (unexplained or mystery), muzurashii (rare) and mendokusai (can’t be bothered or complicated…It has several meanings and doesn’t really have a translation in English.) My favourite English words are promiscuity and procrastination.
6. I had a blog (on mixi) in Japanese before I had one in English. I rarely update my Mixi (Japanese) blog but sometimes I read what my friends have written…Mixi is like the Japanese version of MySpace.
7. I watched home and away and Neighbours religiously during the end of primary school and early highschool and now I doubt I could sit through an episode.
8. I have always liked medical dramas.
9. My drink of choice is water…I prefer it without ice but I do like it cold (or room temperature).
10. My alcoholic drink of choice is Vodka and Orange Juice but in recent years I also like drinking white wine.
11. I competed for Queensland as a sprinter when I was younger. I was actually quite fast.
12. My real name is Laura Ashley. My parents were drunk when they named me i suspect. I am not sure if this is why but I am not a fan of really girly flower prints…she also died the year I was born. 1985.
13. I have had the nickname Lulu since I was really really young…My parents pretty much always call me that. Some friends also do but it is more of a family nickname…..
14. I have a stuffed toy that I received at 10 months old…It is here in Japan with me. It is a rainbow bright toy (not the doll but one of her little fluffy friends). I loved it so much that my dad went out and bought two more…(in yellow and blue…the original was green) and they were never touched. The original (bow) on the other hand is ragged and has no nose…cos I bit it off when I was about 3. He used to also have a tag which I would twist to get to sleep…but it fell off.
15. I ate half a cockroach when I was a baby.
16. I have a magazine addiction- The first step is admitting you have a problem
17. I also have a spending money and inability to save problem…I am very bad with money. The one time I saved was to get back to Japan….Since then I have not been able to…I need a job
18. I didn’t have my first boyfriend until i was 16…We were together 2 years.
19. I had a really huge 18th birthday party. I invited pretty much everyone I knew and I think more than 150 people came though that night. I had a jumping castle.
20. I hate a lot of foods. Anchovies, daikon, cooked carrot…but beleive me I could go on forever. I could come up with a 100 things list for foods I dislike.
21. I had never owned a coat until I came to live in Japan the first time…there is no need for such things in Brisbane.
22. I am a published writer (SHOCKED RIGHT??)
23. I am a restless sleeper.
24. I do not like coke (or pepsi)…and some people find this strange.
25. I think hats really do not suit me…maybe it it is the short hair. My mum loves me in hats.
26. I have asthma but it did not develop until I was 10 or 11 so they suspect I will probably have it throughout adulthood.
27. I have been in an ambulance a couple of times. Once for passing out and falling overboard a boat during a sailing tournament in the middle of winter…so despite the passing out I was also slightly hyphothermic. The other time was for fainting and my friends could not get me up…I do not remember much about this.
28. I love crafty stuff. Card making, beading, sewing so therefore I have lots of crafty stuff. Problem is I am really not good at crafty stuff at all.
29. I have jewelery I wear all of the time. A bracelet, two rings and a watch.
30. I am not allergic to anything that I know of but I had a bad reaction to sulpher when I was a child and also to yellow wasps (or a hornet) It only happened once so we don’t really know what it was.
31. I was really sick when I was 5…for a good 6 months. It wasn’t anything really bad but because they couldn’t figure it out I was really weak and I know at one stage I could barely walk…once they figured it out antibiotics made me better in a week.
32. I was one of those children that never ever sleeped in sleeptime at preschool and kindergarten. I still do not nap very well…
33. I disliked pink growing up but love it now…while I do not really wear much pink I choose it for other things. For example our futon cover is white pink green and yellow…mainly bright pink and white…Poor shumpei
34. I hate letting people down.
35. The first time I ever dyed my hair I was in primary school and it was my fringe…purple. The second time was at age 12 for last year of primary school sports carnival. It was red.
36. I first got on a plane at 10 months old. The first time I got on a plane by myself I was 8.
37. I want children but the idea of giving birth freaks me out because I do not handle pain well.
38. When I was younger I spent a little bit of time on a chicken farm. I vaguely recall a baby lamb been born. I more than vaguely recall the smell.
39. I love Mai Tai’s and other fruity cocktails. But especially Mai Tai’s.
40. I have visited 15 different countries in my lifetime. The favourites are hard to choose but probably Japan, France and Germany.
41. My favourite flower is Gerbra.
42. I am half New Zealander. My mother was born there and all of her family is still there.
43. I had braces when I was 12…before that my teeth were really really bad.
44. I used to get car sick when I was younger. But have never had problems with boats or planes. Car sickness doesn’t really affect me anymore.
45. I do not tan…I only burn. And for some reasons I had more freckles on my face as a child than I do now.
46. I walked when I was 9 months old and my first memory was when I was about 1 year old. It was of watching a storm with my dad in the sun room at our first house and seeing the lightening light up the big mango tree we had.
47. I used to think an Indian lady lived in my closet. I hated to go into my room.
48. I have a very very vivid imagination and had two imaginary friends James and Mary who wore blue and pink overalls. I also had an imaginary friend I shared with my brother who was like a bald baby. When I used to stay home by myself in Australia I would imagine that people were in the house or in the yard…I hated staying home alone.
49. The first Christmas I remember I was wearing a nightie with elephants on it. I got a keyboard and roller-skates and I was about 4.
50. My father had cancer when I was 15 and he had a stem-cell transplant and is now in remission. I worry a lot that it will come back. Our family has really bad health and it is always one thing after the other…
51. I am really surprised I hate it past 50…I have another 50 to go and am already running out of things.
52. A lot of people wish they were famous…I have never had this wish.
53. I played a talking bush (or tree) in the only play I ever acted/starred in.
54. I have eaten snails and they were not so bad. It was in France. I could not eat frogs legs though…When I think about this now I realize that the frogs legs were probably not so daunting…
55. I hated my year 4 teacher. He was a bully and once put a child in the recycling bin.
56. The only car I have ever had was a 1973 electric blue mini that my father fixed up for me. I miss driving it…
57. I do not like horses or horse-riding.
58. I was a SRC (Student representative leader) in my first year of highschool.
59. I like the toilet paper to roll from underneath (the bottom?)
60. I loved Nancy Drew books growing up…I would still read them I think.
61. I was baptized, confirmed and had my first communion and went to a catholic primary and highschool.
62. I can re-read books and re-watch movies and I find it strange that not all people can do this or like this.
63. I have a degree with majors in Public Relations and Japanese and an accidental minor in journalism.
64. When my grandmother died I found out she had collected 50 cent pieces. She even had enough original round ones (not the hexagon or whatever they are ones) to give to each of her 27 grandchildren. The rest of the money that was saved in 50 cent pieces from her collection was given to us all…I think we each received about 22dollars.
65. There are now 29 grandchildren on that side of the family. My brother was the youngest until approximately 4 years ago. The oldest is 45 and the youngest is 2.
66. I am really bad at general knowledge and rarely know what is happening in the news. In Australia i relied on radio news to get my important updates.
67. I used to write stores when I was younger. I never finished any of them but the longest one got to over 150 handwritten pages.
68. I can not tell any story quickly. I use too many words…always.
69. I have googled myself before. It brought up lots of matches but the real me only came up on 2 or 3 sites…all where places I have worked as an English teacher from a couple of years ago.
70. I met Shumpei at my dorm when I was a student here in Tokyo. One of the guys I lived with had a group of people over and Shumpei was one of them. Koki (the guy I lived with) had called me to ask if I was still in town and could I pick up some orange juice and coke for mixing on my way home. It was after midnight. I did and when I walked in I saw Shumpei and while he claims it was love at first sight, I think it was more lust. I still remember what he was wearing though.
71. We knew each other for only 5 weeks before I returned to Australia in February. We stayed together and while we broke up in the August until the February when I came back to Tokyo, we still spoke or emailed everyday and he visited again in the October. I still thought I would end up with him but been that far apart and not knowing what to do after only having been in the same country for 5 weeks (and together for 10 days in April) was very confusing. I am glad it has all worked out now!!
72. I am not a huge perfume fan but if I do wear it then it has to be fruity.
73. I am slightly claustrophobic. I used to hate lifts but have become accustomed to them.
74. I have one brother and he is younger than me. His name is Paul but his nickname was always boofhead….It is not used much anymore.
75. I speak really really fast. When I speak English and Japanese also.
76. My mother went grey when she was 18. I am not grew but I do worry…I have only ever found one grey hair and it was several years ago.
77. I have been to Asakusa many times and I still love it.
78. I love spicy food.
79. I stopped believing in Santa before I stopped believing in the tooth fairy and easter bunny. When I told Shumpei this (after explaining what the latter two were) he could not beleive that I stopped believing in Santa before I stopped believing in a fairy that brought money and a giant bunny carrying chocolate. I see his point but in my defense I did realize on the same day that Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy were also fake…
80. I got my license the first time I went for the test…some would say I am not a very good driver though.
81. I went camping as a 2 year old but then not again until I was 17…I don’t mind sleeping outside but I am not a huge fan of bugs. We were camping near a beach…I was not a fan of the sand either.
82. I can never decide on my favourite food. I do love pizza, fruit, chocolate, chicken kiev, ceaser salad, mud cake, gyoza, stuffed potatoes (or capsicums), garlic prawns and many other foods. I doubt I will ever be able to decide on a favourite…I can also never decide on if I like Chinese, Thai or Indian better among others…
83. I have a godson and he is 7..
84. I used to wake up on Christmas morning between 2 and 5am…It drove my parents insane.
85. I am not at all graceful and therefore am a pretty crappy dancer.
86. I originally started studying Japanese because I did not get into the university course I wanted to do so thought I would do a language for six months while I waited to change to my preferred course…I chose Japanese because in my last year of highschool I became really good friends with a girl named kanako who was on exchange to our highschool.
87. Apart from my parents and other relatives there are other people in my life I have known my WHOLE LIFE and still know today.
88. I have had a mobile phone since I was in my last year of primary school or first year of highschool…I can not remember which. I do not go anywhere without my mobile…
89. I got stuck at 89….And sat here for 15 minutes trying to think of stuff…I was going to give up but realized I am sure I could come up with another 11 things. I give up on things easily and it is a trait of mine I dislike.
90. I had my first proper kiss at age 9 or 10…I realize it was young.
91. I like polka dots.
92. I am 170 or so centimeters tall. Shumpei is only 1cm or a bit more taller than I am. But my legs are longer than his by about 3 inches.
93. I do not like sleeping without clothes on…
94. The first time I saw snow was in Tokyo, with my brother, at age 19. I got a call from my friend Hiro at 5am in the morning to tell me it was snowing…I went outside and told him he was a liar and that it was just raining. I went back to sleep and when I woke up 5 hours later everything was white.
95. I make a lot of lists. Things to do, and especially before traveling. Or before present buying or other shopping tasks.
96. I really like doing the food shopping but I prefer it more in Australia.
97. The first ever part time job I had was in a newsagent’s (apart from the odd babysitting gig)…I liked the idea of it but my boss was a bastard and caused me to have nightmares so my mum told me I should quit. I was 15.
98. I still remember my school song from primary school. “This is our school, let peace be found here..”
99. If you take out the Australian and New Zealander in me I am mostly Irish…That and German and Scottish.
100. My favourite seasons are Spring or Autumn. I dislike being really cold and or really hot. I hate being hot more than being cold.

Wow I made it to 100…I was going to include pictures but now I am just too exhausted from coming up with 100 things about myself…I will probably not be able to sleep now because I will be thinking ” Oh I should of added that…” or “mmm…maybe I shouldn’t have written that” I want to see other people’s 100 things!!!!

Popularity: 5% [?]

I have posted consecutively over the last couple of days and have decided I don’t want to let the streak end just yet. Problem is was home all day so nothing but study and a bit of internet to keep me busy and trust me nobody wants to hear about that.

Yesterday on the other hand…apart from enjoying Ray Charles in Starbucks, I managed to do all my Christmas shopping for Shun and go to a cooking class and make Christmas cake with Suzy. I am unsure as to whether Shumpei ever reads my blog so I can not tell you what I got him…I shopped so early because yesterday I also bought Christmas lights on sale and a very small Christmas tree (as in 1 foot big) and wrapped his presents before he got home from work and put them under the little tree (which lights up)…I am teaching him about Christmas gradually. It is a little hard though because he has not grown up with it…

Christmas here is a time for couples and friends while New Years is a time for family where as in Australia and I think in most Western countries, it is the opposite. We will be going back to his parents place probably on the 31st for two nights but we will be at the apartment for Christmas.

In the two weeks leading up to Christmas we are going to do christmassy type things like go listen to carols or go see the lights at Tokyo station…maybe even some ice-skating (OK that is not Australian Christmas but I always imagined in Europe at Christmas time they go ice-skating) maybe even go see Santa. I am not sure really what goes on in Tokyo at Christmas time though so will have to do some research.

I will post a photo of our tiny Christmas tree another time. Oh and the little decorated cake I made with Suzy…It is nice to go out for lunch or coffee with friends but it was also really great yesterday to do something different like a cooking class…Plus it was free!! So thanks to Suzy for inviting me!!

PS: I was going to write a post about how I cut open my finger while making dinner and maybe take a photo and post it but to tell you the truth all the blood freaks me out even so I decided against it. But yeah I sliced through the top of my thumb while making dinner and couldn’t get the bleeding to stop. It has stopped now and is covered in three band-aids…It bloody hurts too!

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I was sitting in starbucks this morning in Shinjuku and i managed to resist cream in my coffee and the yummy snacks they had on offer. I even got a short coffee instead of my usual grande or tall. And the best thing about my morning coffee was they were playing Ray Charles…(I love Ray Charles…but I really was just glad to hear something other than christmas carols)

I grew up with music from the likes of Ray Charles. Not to mention The Beatles, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Roy Orbison, John Lennon, Simon & Garfunkle, Hermans Hermits, Aretha Franklin, Carole King and many many more…

Not only did dad have many records and cd’s and a very eclectic style in music but he also had a record player and that was the one of the best things about been home with Dad when nobody else was around because he would put on a record lay on the floor and just listen to it…

My father can also sing…The best thing about that is that i can also (luckily) hold a tune (when I want to)…so I not only inherited my height from him but also my singing voice. The other great thing about my father singing is for some unknown reason when dad sings, he sings like the artist…My father can sing like John Lennon and then turn into Aretha Franklin at the drop of a hat.

I think before I knew how to sing twinkle twinkle I could sing Imagine by John Lennon and I am a Rock by Simon & Garfunkle..and by 8 I could play them on the piano.

I think my father (and mothers) love of music rubbed off on both me and my little brother because despite growing up catholic I grew up thinking that prayer time was a sing along of 60’s music. If I ever have children then I would love to instil a love of music in them also…although for lessons on the 60’s and 70’s they would be going to their grandfathers place.

Dad always regretted not learning an instrument when he was younger…he would tell stories of how boys and girls who could play instruments were also hits at parties and got all the girls (or boys). He told me this everytime I did not want to go to my Piano lessons…”You’ll be sorry when your at a party and a nother girl can play better than you or if a boy whips out a guitar..” At the time I always thought it was so strange that people used to play instruments at parties but now I understand. My little brother has jam sessions over beer with his friends all the time. He owns three guitars, a keyboard (the piano is at Dad’s place) bongos, a harmonica and probably other assorted instruments…

When I was about 8, I had already been learning the piano for 4 years or so, Dad decided to start getting lessons. It didn’t last long but I will never forget coming home from school and my father saying excitedly…”lulu lulu…come listen to this” because he had taught himself to play I can see a rainbow…

I received my first cassette player at 5 and my first CD player at 11 or 12. My first cassette was Michael Jackson in the early 90’s and my first CD later on in the 90’s was Crowded House. My father approved of both my choices even if he thought they were not QUITE old enough for him. I now have a very eclectic taste in music and my ipod carries tunes from all over…

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A lazy girls post…Here are some photos from last night. It was a great night out and despite a slight hangover I am feeling Ok today and ready to start the week with more study, gym and job hunting!!! The original photos are here.

I think Ryomei had a good time, and I do hope he enjoys Germany when he leaves just after the new year. Maybe I will be able to get to Germany in the next two years while he is there. I do hope he can find ramen there…I don’t know what he will do if he doesn’t.

I actually wanted to go to bed early but our apartment is on top of a basement club and sometimes, not very often, the music is quite loud making it difficult to even attempt sleep before 12:00…tonight is one of those nights. Usually it doesn’t matter because we don’t go to bed until after 12 most nights anyway but tonight, on the one night we hopped into bed at 8:30 hoping to be able to sleep it just wasn’t working. It would be ok if the band/DJ was any good…but tonight they aren’t!!

100 things lists have been popping up on blogs again…I was thinking about attempting one myself. Has anyone out there reading my blog done one? If so please leave a link!!!

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Shumpei and I slept in today and then layed in bed because it was warm. When we finally got up (It was about 1 I think!) we got ready and set out to do the christmas shopping for my family in Australia as well as buy a going away present for Ryomei who is moving to Germany for two years to work.

The streets were packed, as were the shops, but I always love walking around the shops in Kichijoji. You could do all you shopping here without having to drive or catch the train. It has everything you need (Even English novels, International food and Japanese style shops not to mention department stores). I have got everything I need to send to my family back in Australia for Christmas…I can’t say what everyone is getting since some of them read the blog…but I will be sending it by the end of the week anyway! Some of it is from Shumpei and me, some is just from me and some is just from Shumpei. It is going to turn into quite a large box…and we only bought for my immediate family and my brothers girlfriend!!

It is nice to have it all out of the way now. At least all the stuff I have to send overseas.

I have being trying to explain to Shumpei more about christmas. Like how if you don’t have a christmas tree then there is no where to put the presents and also that you have to eat christmas style food near christmas and that you have to actually wrap the presents. If we had a bigger apartment we would get some lights and maybe a small tree but there really is just no where to put them at the moment. I am trying to organize with some people to go somewhere to eat out for Christmas, or the night before since most people will still have work on the 25th but nobody knows yet if they can make it or what not. Maybe I should just book for Shumpei and I and then see what happens…

I haven’t bought Shumpei’s christmas presents yet but my cards and other things are bought so I just have to sit down and write in them! I actually like Christmas cards…Receiving them and writing them. I tend to write a lot though so say if I am writing 20 then after long messages in 20 cards (some in Japanese) then let me tell you my hand hurts after them all!!

Tonight is Ryomei’s goodbye party. There is about 30 of us meeting up and we have hired out the basement of this bar and some DJ equipment and we have the whole room and some friends that DJ and lots of ipods that we can hook up and all drinks are 500yen so it should be a really good night out. It starts at 10 and goes til 5am so some of us are meeting up for dinner first. I am actually really excited because it has been awhile since such a large group of our friends have been in one place…and I am wearing a dress!! Actually I better go and get ready actually!! Will upload photos tomorrow or next week!

Ps: The photo is of a little girl dressed in kimono who was wondering the streets of Kichijoji this evening. Isn’t she gorgeous??

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Are you more likely to purchase something endorsed by a celebrity?

Cameron Diaz is the new face of SoftBank (Previously vodafone..I think David Beckham was the face of that) which is one of the main providers of mobile phones and mobile phone plans here in Japan…She is everywhere I look. On the train she pops up, in the supermarket, in magazines, on billboards…Just about everywhere. This one has one of the prime spots in Shibuya (And before that it was a giant billboard with Kimutaku promoting gatsby hair products….Yes…the one with the song that got stuck in everybody’s heads that I loved)

I am not sure it celebrity endorsement makes much difference in my buying habits. I think it probably did more in Australia where I could afford to go out and buy lots of stuff…especially make-up etc which always seems to be endorsed by celebrities…and hey who doesn’t want to look like that?

I guess celebrity endorsement works well in Japan…It seems to be everywhere but maybe I notice it more here. It must work well… Apparently well known celebrities are more likely to do endorsement here since they get paid lots and lots of money and apparently agree more readily to doing it here than in their homelands…I guess cos they would rather make fools of themselves on Japanese TV and in Japanese magazines and stuff than in their home counterparts (Some of the the main ones include Brad Pitt, Kevin Costner, David & Victoria Beckham and Richard Gere…Just to name a few) It is mainly with products they will never use or know nothing about so I guess that is why it is hard for me to take it seriously….I personally think that SoftBank, If they had to use a celebrity, should have gone with someone Japanese.

I am with Docomo, another mobile phone service provider… That said I have heard of others changing to SoftBank (vodafone) in recent months since it changed to SoftBank and started offering different deals and Cameron Diaz popped up as their mascot. There is research to show that a lot more Japanese (and also Chinese) people respond better to celebrity endorsement than other types of advertising while Americans and other more western cultures tend to be more indifferent to this type of advertising.

Does advertising and marketing have much effect on you? Do you think it is more on a sub-conscious level? At the moment the only thing that effects my spending habits is how much money I have…I really don’t think advertising of the media is making much difference these days…But perhaps it is and I am just not realizing…Maybe it was television that made me buy mandarins today…(Although I tend to think it was because we only had one left and Shumpei eats like 2 or 3 a day)

I had to write about this because she is starting to get on my nerves…Cameron Diaz I mean…Since she really is just popping up everywhere. Its enough to make me swear I will never ever switch to SoftBank…

Ps: Does anyone else think this is a shocking photo of Cameron Diaz? She looks tired or stoned or something…maybe even bored? All the billboards and ads I have seen have her looking this way…

PPS: A wiki link with some more information about foreign celebrity endorsement…

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Is there no better way to start a post than with a photo of a giant cupie doll? There are cupie dolls everywhere in Japan…well that isn’t entirely true but they are gaining popularity which would explain this giant one I saw in a shop window in Shimokitazawa a couple of weeks ago when I was spending the day with Cat & Mai. Isn’t it huge??? It kind of freaks me out…Especially because it is without clothes…

Tomorrow is a public holiday in Japan so Shumpei will be home but he is going to soccer. I am thinking I might go watch but there is probably a lot of other stuff I could be doing at home instead. For example studying, looking for a job and updating my resume as well as writing Christmas cards and re-installing the programs on my computer I haven’t gotten around to yet…Maybe I should flip a coin.

I got to go to Karaoke after I said I wished i wanted to go a couple of weeks back and then I found cadbury chocolate at the international food shop when I went to buy pesto! All my wishes came true!!! Well not all of them but those couple I wrote down did…So I am going to try it again and see what happens. I really want to pass my exam which is in less than two weeks and I want to lose lots of weight and I also want to find a job that starts before January or if it has to start in January then I hope it pays me lots of money! There, now I have gotten them out in blog world, then they should definitely come true!

Am slightly pissed off at the moment because I have put on weight…I am the heaviest I have EVER been in my life…and it just sort of crept up on me. And today when I got up and went to the gym (yes the one only 50m from my apartment) I was angry when I arrived because it was closed….I went yesterday and I thought this morning ” Yep, I’ll get up, go the gym then come home and study” but nope the gym had to be closed today. I will try to be enthusiastic tomorrow when I wake up and go then instead…

I need some dinner ideas that do not involve an oven but are actually healthy…Tonight we had beef and vegetable stir-fry with rice…But I need other ideas. There is only so much stir fry you can eat…and curry is not healthy so I have to stop making that all the time.

What does everyone do to have to motivate themselves to do the stuff they must do? For example losing weight and studying… Please tell me all your hints!!!

And here is some photos of the last couple of weeks while I was internetless…I finally got around to uploading them today to flickr…I am out of 365 days…When I lost the computer and had no way to upload I continued to take photos for about 5 days and then I just gave up…I might start up again another time but for now I have stopped…I was getting sick of looking at myself!! Click on the photos for bigger pictures and try to forget about the fact that I had nothing interesting to write about above!!

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Yes I am back online and my computer works….YAY! It is a couple of years old so I am just so happy that I do not have to replace it just yet (because if that was the case you probably wouldn’t hear from me for six months) I am still looking for work as my course is coming to and end so if anyone knows of anything please let me know. See post about it here.

For now, while I continue to get everything re-installed on my computer I will leave you with a meme…I stole it from D’Jen…Here goes…

1) Are your parents married or divorced?
Seperated
2) Are you a vegetarian?
No…am a fan of beef…chicken…lamb…pork…seafood. Not so much guts and stuff or tongue…or liver…don’t like liver.
3) Do you believe in Heaven?
Yes. I grew up with my father telling me that Heaven is where we go when we die and it is whatever we want it to be. As a child I always imagined it would be a lot like care bears…you know playing on clouds and stars with a cool flying car…I also think that everything will be free and that money will not be needed.
4) Have you ever come close to dying?
Not really. Had a couple of close calls in sailing accidents.
5) What jewelery do you wear 24/7?
A watch, two rings and a Tiffany & Co Bracelet Shun gave me for my birthday. I have a necklace I used to wear all the time but it broke and am waiting for it to be fixed…I take off my watch to shower but sleep and do everything else with the rest of the jewelery on.
6) Favourite time of day?
Not sure. Probably laying in bed just before sleep as TV, computer etc is off and Shumpei and I chat…It is the most likely time we will have conversations about life and death, the future, travel and what if scenarios…
7) Do you eat the stems of broccoli?

No…not a huge fan of broccoli
Do you wear makeup?
Yes, most days.
9) Ever have plastic surgery?
Nope.
10) Do you color your hair?
Yes whenever I can afford it. Not entirely sure what my natural hair colour is…although haven’t dyed it in awhile so it would be pretty close to natural now!
11) What do you wear to bed?
Well tonight it is elmo pj bottoms and a white singlet
12) Have you ever done anything illegal?
Yes…
13) Can you roll your tongue?
yes and I can turn it inside out and over in my mouth
14) Do You tweeze your eyebrows?
Sometimes I pluck if they get a little unruly…But I am very lucky to actually have nice shaped eyebrows…it is just a shame about the rest of my face
15) What kind of sneakers?
New balance for excersise and sport. Converse sneakers for other sneaker wearing time…
16) Do you believe in Abortions?
Yes. While I am not sure I would have one I support anybody that wants to or needs to so I am definitely pro-choice (The way I see it I wouldn’t want to be forced to have one, so I would also not like to be forced to not have one)
17) What is your Hair color?
Naturally light brownish (I think..who knows it has been a long time) at the moment kind of a reddish copper colour.
18) Future child’s name?
Kai, Sho, Yoshi,Yuki, Jack, Tom, Taichi, Hiro for boys( Shun likes Rick but I am going to veto it)

Mia, Mai, Hana Maya (maiya), Aya, Mika, Ana, Ayami, Emi, Olivia, Lucie, Ella, for girls (I am always thinking of more)
19) Do you snore?
Sometimes…lightly…apparently. I cry in my sleep sometimes and I talk a lot…and move around a lot.
20) If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be?
Vietnam (the place I really want to go to next), Korea, China, Guam (the places I will go to if I can’t afford Vietnam in the next six months), Hawaii, Back to Europe and definitely visit Prague this time round as well as a lot of other places in Italy and France as well as through a lot of other countries. Greece. Ireland. Back to Thailand. Egypt, Peru, Argentina, Brazil and New York. Actually I really want to do a lot more travel. I think I would also like to go to Canada one day and also Russia.I would also one day like to go to space.
21) Do you sleep with stuffed animals?
Are tofu-cushion stuffed animals? There is also Ushi-san my cow puppet that is sometimes around. Bow, a childhood bear (thing?) is in my room but not in the bed…
22) If you won the lottery, what would you do first?

How much money??? Send money to my brother. Pay off my uni debt. Then travel… buy an apartment in Tokyo and a property in Brisbane and a unit on the Goldcoast or Sunshine Coast….Actually if I won a lot of money I would probably buy a lot of property and travel! I would also start sponsoring several children in Africa…My parents always have, My dad since he was young. And my little brother has just started sponsoring a child in Africa recently.
23) Gold or silver?
silver.
24) Hamburger or hot dog?
Gourmet? Probably a handburger (unless it is my dad’s hotdogs with cheese. Onion and bacon)
25) If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Fruit
26) City, beach or country?
Probably the city.
27) What was the last thing you touched?
Before my computer…Shumpei? My dictionairy? Can’t remember
28) Where did you eat last?
At our apartment
29) When’s the last time you cried?
Yesterday
30) Do you read blogs?
Yes! Will definitely be having withdrawal while rebuilding my hardrive etc….
31) Would you ever go out dressed like the opposite sex?
Not unless I was going to a fancy dress party? Or getting lots of money
32) Ever been involved with the police?
Everytime I am lost I ask policemen in the Koban where something is. They have lots of maps and think nothing of looking something up in the phonebook and ringing for you. In Australia just for speeding and RBT stuff…
33) What’s your favourite shampoo, conditioner and soap?
At the moment Frutrience…
34) Do you talk in your sleep?
Yes. Whole conversations.
35) Ocean or pool?
Pool. Not a huge fan of sand…Although I like swimming in the ocean…It just needs to have less sand…
38) Window seat or aisle?
Aisle

39)Everr met anyone famous?
No body overly famous. Andy Bichel was my neighbour so I met a few different Aussie and QLD cricketers at different times.
40) Do you feel that you’ve had a truly successful life?
I am not sure. If I was to die now I think it would a no, but am still quite young so might need some more time to work on the successful part.
41) Do you twirl your spaghetti or cut it?
Cut. I have not mastered twirling…
42) Ricki Lake or Oprah Winfrey?
Is this a joke? Oprah…
43) Basketball or Football?
Football
44) How long do your showers last?
5 minutes. Longer if I wash my hair.
45) Automatic or do you drive a stick?
Usually manual in Australia.
46) Cake or ice cream?
What are the flavours? Probably cake. Am not a huge icecream fan…
47) Are you self-conscious?
Yes
48) Have you ever drank so much you threw up?
On more than one occasion…
49) Have you ever given money to a beggar?
Yes.
50) Have you been in love?
Yes. Twice.
51) Where do you wish you were?
I am quite happy were I am but if I could fly back to Australia for 2 nights to see my family I’d do that.
52) Are you wearing socks?
Nope.
53) Have you ever ridden in an ambulance?
Yes. A couple of times…
54) Can you tango?
Good god no…
55) Last gift you received?
Probably something from mum! Books. Clothes or food! I get packages sometimes too from swapping…
56) Last sport you played?
Probably soccer.
57) Things you spend a lot of money on?
Rent.
58) Where do you live?
Tokyo
59) Where were you born?
Brisbane
60) Last wedding attended?
Shumpei’s brothers wedding 6 weeks ago.
63) Most hated food(s)?
Daikon, Nato, liked Jen’s suggestion of Oysters, Konyaku, Lots of Japanese food I do not like, or do not like the look of.
64) What’s your least fav?
I am going to make this my favourite instead and say Choclate, dried apricots or perhaps fruit or cocktails or actually I like a lot of food. Pizza is always good…
65) Can you sing?
I can hold a tune…
66) Last person you instant messaged?
On my phone? Jen & Em
67) Last place you went on holiday?
Okinawa
68) Favourite regular drink?
Water without a doubt. Followed by coffee
69) Tag 3 friends:
Anybody please feel free to steal it. I stole it off D’Jen
70) Current Song?
Well current noise…No music at the moment but I can hear the TV, Shumpei breathing (we have a small apartment) and the washing machine…

71)Favourite song at the moment …too hard.

Will update again soon, with photos perhaps from my adventures over the last couple of weeks!!

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My computer isn’t. Granted I am using it at the moment but it is still rooted…

I have given up on 365 days, and checking blogs as of late just because well my computer’s hard drive crashed…so we bought a new one and reinstalled windows…But somewhere in between re-installing internet last night and today I have gotten some nasty virus that is taking over my computer….ARGHHHH! I do not know how long I will be gone but will try to check email at least once a day and hopefully if we reinstall everything again then maybe (I HOPE SO!) everything will be back to normal soon.

Poor Shumpei, got it all working again last night and brought me home a poinsettia plant (that is pink instead of red!!!!Photo another time perhaps!) and I was so happy…and now it is screwed again…and I will have to ask him to help me yet again. Poor thing.

Me too…I am a poor thing because I am going to turn off my computer now, unplug it and disconnect the internet and take out the hard drive!! Oh No!!!

Popularity: 3% [?]

After a lot of thought I have decided to stay in Japan. I had been thinking about what I wanted to do since leaving my job which is one of the reasons I started the four week Japanese course so it would give me more time to think of what to do with my future. Haven’t exactly decided what to do with my future as such but for now I am going to stay (I am sure everyone is very excited…bring out the marching band!)

That said, I now need a job. I have one week left of my course and my test on December 3rd. So I am putting myself out there…I may have decided to stay but I am still not exactly sure what I want to do (Non-sales…know that much) I do not know what I want to do as a career so am thinking I might go back to working in international schools, do a year or more and see what happens. But non-teaching would also be great. I need something that is starting sometime between now and January 10th…Hopefully sooner rather than later but am not too phased. It also needs to be in Tokyo area…

I have a degree in public relations and Japanese. Am fluent in English and have conversational Japanese and can read Japanese reasonably well. Also know a lot of random phrases in other languages. OK below is where I list some of my good points

• hard-working
• Organized
• Reliable
• Quick learner

Lots of other stuff as well of course but they are the main things.

I have experience working with kids, in administration, publishing (limited), government (child safety, transport, DMS), tour liaison (translation), event organizing, some writing (I swear I can actually write without bad spelling and grammar!) But if you want to know anything then please leave a comment or email me at laura_rafter (at) hotmail.com.

So know of anything? Want to hire me?

Ps: I need to replace my computer hardrive because my current one is old and dying…I am surprised the computer is even working at the moment because three hours ago it could not even read my hardrive…have managed to transfer over everything I need but once I get a hardrive it will take about a week to get it all set up. Will try to get on-line at least once a day quickly but might not be blogging or commenting!! Have a good week everyone!!!!!!

Popularity: 2% [?]