Thursday, August 30, 2007

thunder and lightning

ok... i know everyone has experienced thunder and lightning
but the one i am talking about is something that i have never seen in Canada before
the geographic location of where i live in Japan now apparently has POWERFUL thunder and lightning
i have to TOTALLY agree with that

i personally LOVE thunder and lightning
i thought they are so beautiful and majestic
not until i saw the ones on last wednesday and 2 days ago

the thunders were so loud i thought the sky broke in half...literally
they sounded like the sky is opening up for something to descend from heaven
the lightnings were so low and bright that night seemed like morning

i honestly was scared...
i felt like the frequency of the thunder will break my apartment into pieces
and the lightning will just burn the rice peddles around me

there were no serious damage
except the power in my office went out and i had to work in a very romantic atmosphere for just half the day

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

a little bit of art works

i joined this "E Tegami 絵手紙" workshop in my town...
i thought it was an one time thing when i first went...but they actually meet up twice every month...so i somehow was signed up for this workshop.

it's really fun!! i rarely have time now to sit down quietly and draw...
well, i am not that artistic to begin with anyway
but this type of art is very simple and easy to look pretty...hehe! which is perfect for me!

the past tuesday was my fourth time there.
it's interesting to chat with a bunch of elderly ladies and draw at the same time.







this is the summer english school i organized for the kids
they are all about 6 or 7
SO CUTE!!!
so much fun playing and teaching them!!




this is a little 'art work' we made with our palms...hehe!











Spitz - Masayume

Monday, August 20, 2007

正夢 by スピッツ 'Masa yume' (Prophetic Dream) by Spitz

a song i fell in love with lately
i really like the lyrics

i tried to translate it but there are just some expression that i cannot describe in English

i tried...hopefully, you can taste a little of it

=========================================
正夢(masayume)by スピッツ (spitz)

ハネた髪のままとび出した 今朝の夢の残り抱いて
with messy hair I ran out embracing the leftover morning dream

冷たい風 身体に受けて どんどん商店街を駆け抜けていく
with cool breeze passing through my body I ran through the street                
「届くはずない」とか つぶやいても また
although a voice muttering “it’s impossible to reach” still

予想外の時を探してる
I look for the unexpected

どうか正夢  君と会えたら 
somewhere in dream if I get to meet you

何から話そう 
where should our conversation begin

笑ってほしい
I hope to see you smile

小さな幸せ つなぎあわせよう 
let’s connect the little pieces of happiness together

浅いプールで じゃれるような
in a shallow pool let’s be playful

ずっと まともじゃないって わかってる
it’s not real I know it all a along

八つ当たりで傷つけあって 
the pain from being taken out on

巻き戻しの方法もなくて
there are no method to rewind

少しも忘れられないまま 
not even able to forget a single bit

なんか無理やりにフタをしめた
forcefully I closed the cover

デタラメでいいから 
I don’t care if it sounds stupid

ダイヤルまわして
I dial it up

似たような道をはみ出そう
believing the most likely path will stick out

いつか正夢 君と会えたら 
somewhere in dream if I get to meet you

打ち明けてみたい 裏側まで
let’s pour our hearts from the inside out

愛は必ず 最後に勝つだろう 
love will win at the end

そうゆうことにして 生きていける
believing in that I live on day by day

あの キラキラの方へ登っていく
heading toward the beaming side

どうか正夢 君と会えたら 
somewhere in dream if I get to meet you

何から話そう 
where should our conversation start

笑ってほしい
I would like to see you smile

小さな幸せ つなぎあわせよう 
let’s connect the little pieces of happiness together

浅いプールで じゃれるような
In the shallow pool Let’s be playful

ずっと まともじゃないって わかっている
it’s not real I know it all along

もう一度 キラキラの方へ登っていく
Once more I will head toward the beaming side

Monday, August 13, 2007

a weekend in summer 2007

all started off with a nice bowl of ramen!! YUMMY!


with my lovely co workers!
on a sunny and hot saturday... draw on the street with Bonnie



Finished!!



we met snoopy and charlie brown on the way




and found a huge can of beer!!



and joined a horse race


and saw some traditional japanese dance (yosakoi)



and drums (taiko) the kids who are performing are from my town!!
they were amazing!


makes me wanna learn too!



the 2 little girls were just way too cute...hitting with their little drum stick on a bamboo




sunday afternoon: indulged myself with a nice mango treat!! YUM!!

and sunset by the beach...
what can be better?!?

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

one year

it has been a year
a year full of grace and joy
far more than i can ever imagine

i remember arriving thinking 'GOSH! where i am? it's all rice peddles here!!'
to now
not only i LOOOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVE the freshness of the rice peddles
i can drive in the small little streets with tons of small little curves at night with no street lights
(you probably wonder when i mentioned that...but most of my friends from overseas were amazed...or in awe when they got here...haha!! japan country side roads have brought my driving skill into a different level!!YEAH!!)

i really like Japan
i never thought i would like it so much that i would want to stay here forever
but i do now

when you ask me what do i like about Japan
i can give you lots of answers
'the people' 'the culture' 'the language' 'the environment' 'the excitment'...etc
but if you dig down...
my answer is simply
'i don't really know...i just have a passion for this country'
it's strange...it's personal...it's biased...it's extreme?...
whatever you call it

this year has passed by way too fast
way too fast for me to digest, reflect and savor every single moments

2 things i have reconfirmed with myself:
1. i trully love Japan
2. i trully LOVE working with children

and 4 things i need to continue to learn
1. learn to be a humble servant
2. learn to be patient and loving (genuine love)
3. learn to listen
4. learn to pray and wait
(i think both 3 and 4 are related to patient...anyways...)

all in all
i will be in Japan for another year...or 2 if God allows..hehe!
i love visitors!!! so..feel free to come visit me!

ps. for my male friends...if you come...please bring at least one or more female friends with you...i would like to host you but it's kinda awkward for me to just stay with a guy alone in my apartment...hehe!!