2008 is almost over..

We only have 10 and half hours left!! 2008 was a both fun and rough year for me. How was yours?

Well, I know it's kinda early, but.. Happy New Year!
(not for people in Japan, I guess ;p)

I hope I can post more often next year. Yes, this is my new year resolution for 2009!

Happy Holidays / Merry Christmas!

↑This is the Christmas tree at my boyfriend's parents' house.

Because of this crazy weather, it's a white Christmas in Seattle area this year!
I hope all of you are spending time with someone(s) special :)

Snow, Snow, SNOW!

OH MY GOD, it's been super cold lately! We had some snow last Saturday, but it didn't stick much. When I woke up today, it was, and still is, all white outside! I heard the highest temperature on Friday would be -5℃. Negative five! Can you believe it?! I'm not sure if I'm still in Seattle anymore.. hehe ;p But I also heard that we're having a cold wave (寒波) this year (last time it happened was over 10 years ago!), so that makes sense.

Personally, I don't like cold weather. I get cold really easily, and I just hate being cold. Maybe it has something to do with the fact I was born in summer.. I like snow, though. I know it's kinda contradicted, but it's true. Snow makes me excited! Like it does dogs.. ;p I like playing in snow, just can't stay out for too long even with layers and layers of clothes! I still get to have a lot of fun, tho.

Anyway, I hope all of you stay warm and don't get sick! Oh, and Christmas is just around the corner!! I need to finish my Christmas shopping before it becomes impossible to go out.. Are you guys ready for it??

Current Situation

Right now, I'm doing something called OPT, Optional Practical Training. OPT is granted to international students who have graduated from 4-year university. During this OPT period, newly grads are allowed to get a job in the States (For those who are not familiar with visas: It's illegal for international students to get a job outside of the campus).

I graduated from a university a year ago, which means my OPT is almost over. Since I couldn't find a company with visa sponsorship, I have to go back to Japan in a couple months. Technically, I could just get married now and stay in the States. But I won't.. The main reason is my family back in Japan. Last 5 years, I've been in the States, away from my family. I love my family and miss them so much, so I really want to spend time with them before getting married (=living in the States permanently). Also, because my family just met my boyfriend and his family in September (Oh, I should write about that too!), I want to give them some time to be ready for our marriage. I mean, I don't want them to be upset, mad, or sad. I want them to be happy for us as well, you know.

There's some other stuff that has made me come to this conclusion, but this is pretty much why I'm going back to Japan. Not for too long, though. I will come back in one year; that's our plan for now.

Am I being selfish? Maybe I am.. But family is really important to me, and my boyfriend respects that (And I know I should be grateful for having such an understanding boyfriend).

We just have to stay strong and make it through! I know we can do this, babe!!

Nowhere to Go

かつて友達だった子がいる
色々あって絶交って形になっちゃった子

いつも4人で遊んでたのに。
どうしてこうなっちゃったんだろね？

彼女が癌だって初めて分かったとき
みんなで必死に千羽鶴折ったよね

それなのに彼女がもう大丈夫って聞いてからすぐに
うちら4人の関係が悪化しちゃって
気づいたら連絡も全く取らなくなった

それから1年後、彼女が亡くなったって聞いた

どう感じれば、どう受け止めたらいいか
正直分かんなかった
けど涙はとめどなく溢れてきた

今でも時折自然と流れる涙と
行き場のない想い

どうすればいいのかも分からず
一人静かに彼女を想い泣くことしか
私にはできない

Truth

You ask me,
"Why doesn't it bother you like it does me?"

It does, honey.

You ask me,
"You're so strong. Why?"

I'm not, baby.
Sometimes I just want to break down and cry like a baby.

But I can't.
Because I'm the one who decided to do this.

I have to be strong for you, and us.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I just got back from my boyfriend's parents' house. Man, I'm full! I always eat way too much whenever we have dinner at their place.. Well, they make good food, so I can't help it ;p

It was fun and nice seeing everyone (meaning his whole family) today. They're SO nice, and I really like them. But spending time with them always makes me miss my family in Japan.. I just miss having them around. Of course, I miss my mom's and dad's cooking too ;)

It's OK, though. Why? Because I AM going to back to Japan in 3 months. Yes, my boyfriend did propose to me and I did accept it.. Yet I'm still going back. You may wonder why... Actually, I do too. I mean, I don't know what's the right thing to do anymore.. even though I've put a lot of thought into it for a long time and come to this conclusion. Well, it's getting late, so I'll explain more later.

Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving!

After That...

We went out to have dinner at a restaurant in West Seattle, where he made a reservation a week ago. This restaurant faces Elliot Bay. Our table was by the window, and we could see the best view of Seattle city skyline. That was just great!

We had a glass of champagne and enjoyed their excellent dishes.
It was so romantic and felt like I was dreaming.

The restaurant people knew we just got engaged, so we were treated extra well. Our server brought us a free white chocolate cake and some sort of soda in a shot glass. The cake was really good. We also ordered a Creme Brulee (We didn't know we were receiving a free dessert ;p). I must say, it was the best Creme Brulee I've ever had!! So smooth and rich.. Man, that was delicious.

After the dinner, we went to his parents' house to show the ring. And I officially received warm welcome to the family, which felt a little weird.. But I'm happy that they're happy for us.

P.S. The restaurant is called "Salty's."

What Happened on November 10, 2008

Hi there,

I know I've been slacking off.. It's been pretty busy. Like I had to move to a new apartment and work longer hours than usual. I know, I know, it sounds like I'm just making lame excuses whatever I say. Haha ;p

On top of that, something life-changing happened to me!!
Are you ready??????

********************************************

I came home from work
It was dark when my boyfriend and I entered the apartment
I saw some dim light coming from the dining area

Immediately, I saw a bunch of little candles on the dining table, shaped as a big heart
In the middle of the heart, there was a vase in which had a bouquet of roses

He started keeling down on the floor
He pulled a small box out of his pocket

He slowly opened the box
There was a ring, a very shining ring

Finally, he opened his mouth and popped the question
"Will you marry me?"

"Yes," I said.

Historical Moment

For the first time in the U.S. history, we have an African American President! Senator Barack Obama won the presidency!! Though I'm Japanese, I can still understand that it means a lot to American people, especially African Americans. Just looking at people's faces on TV gave me goosebumps. The fact that the U.S. had the highest voting turnout in 100 years explains everything, I'm sure.

Mr. Obama's victory speech was incredible. I have to say, he is a great public speaker. And it's really sad that his grandmother couldn't see it.. 2 days before yesterday, she passed away. But I'm sure she watched his awesome speech from the heaven and will keep watching over him.

"Yes, we can." I hope we can proudly say this again when Mr. Obama finishes his 4-year term as President.

Halloween Party 2008

Halloween this year was a lot of fun! I'm not going to post any pictures of myself (cuz I'm shy..), but I want to tell you about this crazy party I went to! The entire house was decorated like a haunted house. There were spooky pictures and skeletons on the walls, a moving hand on the floor, a coffin filled with beers, and more. What scared me the most was a Michael Myers figure standing behind the bathroom door!! Here are some pictures.





And this is Michael Myers from the movie "Halloween" (found on the Internet)
Seems like they are having a crazy Halloween party every year, and I would love to go there every year if possible :)

I hope you guys had fun dressing up and going to parties too!

Pre-Halloween

Last (and only) time I carved a pumpkin for Halloween was my second year in the States, with my host family. This is the one I did then.

↓ Haunted House

It was a lot of fun, but I didn't get to do it for various reasons after that year.

This year, my boyfriend and I decided to carve pumpkins! We got pumpkins from Safeway and carving tools from Target. That carving tool kit came with a book of patterns, so I picked one out among them. And here it is!


Can you tell what they are? Wolves!! I think I did a pretty good job ;p
It's sad, however, that it's been 2 weeks and my pumpkin is all dried up and shrunk.. before Halloween!! We shouldn't have done it that early.. but it's OK, I enjoyed it a lot :)

Now I have to go buy a costume! I'm sooooo excited!!

Over and Over

今持ってるものに満足しないで
すべてをほしがること

これは向上心？
それとも欲張りでわがままなだけ？？

夢と現実の狭間で行ったり来たり

もう何回繰り返したか
あと何回繰り返すのか

自分で決めた道だけど
頑張るって決めたけど
分からなくなる

一体何をどう頑張ればいいの？


弱ってる日の私の小さな本音。

The Phantom of the Opera

TA-DA!
Yes, I went to see "the Phantom of the Opera" at the Paramount Theatre!! As you can see in the pic above, the play's last day was October 5, which is a while ago.. Anyway, that very last day was actually the day we went. Still can't believe that we were able to get tickets. We were so lucky!!

The play was awesome! It was my first time to see opera performances, and it was very enjoyable. I knew the story beforehand (only parts, though), so that was helpful. Now I want to read the original book :) Also, they used really cool effects that I didn't expect to see at the play. On top of that, I fell in love with this theater! It's such a beautiful building. I mean, the outside is not that great but the interior is so nice, all classy like a European castle. Here's a picture I took in the hallway.

Isn't it beautiful?? I'm pretty sad that I could only take a couple pictures in the theater.. I have to go back soon!! ;p

Hello My New Laptop!

It was a couple days after my laptop died.

I came home from work, and my boyfriend told me that we should do laundry that night. I was really tired, so I told him we could do it next day. Then he started saying, "I hear a weird noise coming from the dryer.." I was like "Really?" and went there to check it.

What I saw there? A box with a big ribbon bow! I knew it was a surprise present from him, but I seriously didn't realize that was a brand new laptop until I opened the box!!

I was really surprised and told him that I would pay him back. But he wouldn't say yes. I still feel bad about that part..but I'm very happy that I now have a laptop that works really well ;)

He bought this laptop on the next day my old one broke online. He even had it delivered at his parents' house so that there would be no chance for me to know his plan!

What really touched me, however, was what he said to me.
"It was very difficult not to say anything about this present! 'Cause I'd been so excited since the day I bought it, to see your smile!!"
"I'm so happy you liked your gift. I know I didn't have to, but I was glad I was able to do it for you."

It wasn't the very laptop that made me so happy; it was his kind heart and his big smile. This is why I'm with him and I love him so much :)

Man, I've got to get a really nice Christmas present for him this year!! ;p

Goodbye and...

Hi there,

It's been a while since my last post. I've been pretty busy, and on top of that, my laptop broke down! It's really sad because I'd been using it for all these years in the States. We experienced all the good and bad together, you know? ;p But I should probably be thankful for its 5 years of its great performance.

When my laptop died, I was upset. Why? Because I didn't have the data backed up. Yeah, I know I should have.. Anyway, then here comes my best friend, Matt. He knows a lot about computer and already fixed my laptop once last year. He figured that my hard drive was failing, so he did some crazy stuff (I seriously have no idea what he did..). After that, I was able to get most of my data!! Thank you so much, Matt! I'll buy you dinner next time as I promised :)

That made me feel a little better, but still, I didn't have a computer. It was a big deal, since I use the Internet A LOT. I'll tell you how I got my new laptop in my next post. It's a very sweet story, too ;)

Appreciation

何もかもがうまくいかないときでも
自分を支え、愛してくれる人達がいるという事実

それに感謝。

**************************************************

What I'm grateful for:

Having people who support and love me
when it seems like nothing is working out for me

**************************************************

毎日感謝の気持ちを忘れず生きていきたいと思う今日この頃。

Something I Want to Share with You

Ichigo Ichie*

In this whole wide world
There's only one "you"
There's only one "me"

Irreplaceable
Precious
Precious
Only one

There's no other one



*"Ichigo Ichie" means 'You should treat people (well) like you'll never see them again.'


P.S. Mom, thank you for picking up this art piece for us! We love it :)

Songs

Everyone has songs that remind them of certain people or time
All the memories come back and become vivid when we listen to them

Every time I listen to those songs, I'm taken back to the past
There were days when listening to them made me cry

However, it stopped one day
I started feeling something new instead
It's like just looking back and thinking,
"Yeah, this and that happened.. Good times :)"
It even makes me smile

Finally, I felt I could move on

*****************************************************

誰にでもある思い出の曲
聞くたびに鮮明に思い出される記憶

聞くたびに過去に引き戻され
思い出すたび泣いた日もあった

それがあるとき消えた
変わりに新しい気持ちが芽生えた
「こんなときもあったなぁ」と
ただただ昔を懐かしむような
そんな穏やかな気持ち

前に進める、そう感じた日だった

Omoi

Don't be sad
It makes me sad when you are

Don't cry
It makes me cry when you do

I try to pull you out of a deep hole
But you wouldn't let me do so

No matter what I say
You wouldn't listen

It breaks my heart, my friend..
And that's the hardest thing

葛藤

自分に自信がない人間は始末が悪い

恋人が出来たって「なんで私なんか？」って思う
少しでも不安になると「まだ私のこと好き？」って確認したくなる

この先どうなるかなんて誰にも分からない
自分次第で悪いほうに行く可能性もあれば
いい方に進んでく可能性だってある
それなのに確認したい
「あなたはこの先ずっと私を好きでいてくれるの？」と

バカげてるってことは分かってる
そんなの今確認したってなんの意味もないってことも
その確認が相手を遠ざけるかもしれないってことも

だから私は確認はしない
したいけど、しない

その代わり、心の中でいつも恐怖と戦ってる

Confusion

I thought I got over him
I thought I could move on

But..
There were always "buts" in the end

I just kept coming back to him
My heart was aching to be his again
Or to make him mine

Did I still love him then?
Wasn't it to make myself feel better when things didn't work out with a new person?
To think "It's OK because I still love HIM. No Wonder it didn't go well"

To protect myself from the pain of rejection
To keep myself from thinking nobody loved me

I was weak
Crying by myself in the dark
Failing to recognize my own worth

Maybe I just needed something to hold on to

In Edmonds

Last weekend, me and my boyfriend went to Claire's Pantry in Edmonds for breakfast :) He's been there many times and told me that their food was good. So I was pretty excited about going there.

There was a car show going on in Downtown Edmonds that day, so it was crowded and hard to find a parking spot. The cars there were all classic cars (meaning old), yet the owners have been taking great care of them. You can tell by looking at them; they were shiny and looked really cool! I even saw a guy who dressed up like Elvis, which fitted right in the scene.

Anyway, back to Claire's Pantry. This place has been around for years! (I remember seeing "since 1968," but I might be wrong..) I read other people's reviews on this place, and a lot of people say that their service is slow and bad. However, when we went there, it wasn't slow. It was actually pretty good. Maybe it was simply because the place wasn't busy at all..

I ordered Denver Omelet, and my boyfriend had Eggs Benedict. The food was good as I expected! Especially their hash browns!! One of the best hash browns I've ever had, hands down :) Their Eggs Benedict was delicious too (This was actually my first time trying it).

So I'd say the whole experience at Claire's Pantry was pretty satisfying. I would definitely go back for their breakfast items!!

***********************************************************

ちなみにEggs Benedictとは、イングリッシュマフィン（半分に切られてる）の上にハムと卵（poached egg）がのってて、その上にソース（Hollandaise sauceと呼ばれるバター、黄身、レモン汁から作られるソース）がかかってるというもの。

コレが写真（かりものです）↓

ソースは見た目よりも全然あっさりしてて、イケます:)

Trip to Portland - Day 3

It's already the last day in Portland.. That morning, we checked out the hotel at 11 am and went to a bagel shop in Nob Hill (around 'Twenty-Third'). It's called "Kettleman Bagels & Bakery." They have quite a selection of bagels! I had a plain bagel with egg and ham, which was pretty tasty. But after seeing somebody's bagel with smoked salmon and cream cheese, I kinda wish I had it instead ;p

Now off to Japanese Garden! That was...just beautiful. Here are some pictures I took, so enjoy.







I hadn't seen anything that Japanese in a while, and it made me feel peaceful and really relaxed.

I wanted to take more pictures at the garden, but something unexpected happened. My camera's memory card became full, and my boyfriends camera's battery died! Well, I should've put all my pictures onto my boyfriend's laptop the night before.. We still got enough pictures, so it's ok :)

After seeing the garden, we had to went back to the hotel because...my boyfriend forgot his phone there!! It would've been really bad if we realized it after coming all the way back to Seattle, hehe ;p

Then, we finally left Portland. It was a really fun weekend trip! Thank you so much for everything, baby <3 br="br">
Hello again, Washington!


And going to Muckleshoot Casino on the way home and losing some money is only between you and me ;)

Trip to Portland - Day 2

The second day started kinda early. The hotel was serving breakfast in the lobby until 10 am, so we got up around 9:30. It was a buffet style breakfast: Coffee, huge waffle makers, muffins, scones, bagels, cereal, some fruits, and yogurt. It was pretty impressive considering the fact that it was all free ;) After having nice breakfast, we went Chinatown, a little north of Downtown Portland.

The Chinatown Gate

We walked around the area and noticed that a lot of businesses have been closed down. It just felt empty and sad.. Anyway, we had Dim Sum for lunch at a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown. Sadly, I don't remember the name of the restaurant, but their food was pretty good. I still think Jade Garden (in Seattle) is better, though ;p Now we were headed Downtown to do some shopping!

Pioneer Place was really nice, and the good thing about shopping in Portland is there's no sales tax!! So I bought a few clothes and was really happy. However, the weather was really weird that day. It was raining pretty hard when we left our hotel, but the sun came out after the lunch. It was nice for a while, then it started pouring, like a storm! I'm serious!! And that's when we decided to go back to the hotel for a while (of course, it stopped raining by the time we got to the car..oh, well).

On the way to our car, we made a stop at a doughnut place called "Voodoo Doughnut."


Sounds interesting, huh? As you can guess by the name, their doughnuts are very unique. Here are some pictures of the ones we had.

Voodoo Doll

Neapolitan (top right), No Name Doughnut (top left), Blazin Blunt (bottom)

The store is very tiny; there's no space inside where we can sit down and eat. There was a line in front of the store, which indicates its popularity. Those doughnuts we got were very tasty, especially 'No Name Doughnut." If you're interested in seeing doughnuts in more weird shapes, visit their website!! (at your own risk, hehe) They do wedding services, too ;p

When we came back in Downtown later, we went to Powell's Books, the largest independent used and new bookstore in the world! Oh my gosh, it was huge, and I loved the atmosphere of it!! I love bookstores and libraries, and Powell's is now one of my most favorite ones. I wish we had it up here..

For dinner, my boyfriend told me that we could go wherever I wanted to go. I was looking at all the nice, romantic restaurants in Portland. But guess what we had for dinner?? Sushi at Sushiland! I know, I know. There is Sushiland in Seattle, too. It was just, for some reason, I didn't want anything American or Western. Sushi sounded really good, and I was also curious if the food and/or service was different from the ones in Washington State. So what did I think? Well, Sushiland in Seattle is better in my opinion..but maybe it's just because I'm so used to the ones in Seattle. Anyway, I was a cheap date that night ;p

We went to a bar afterwards and played some pool together. He beat me...well, actually I let him win, and he just doesn't know it!! ..Yes, it is called 'makeoshimi' ;p

Trip to Portland - Day 1

OK, so I'm back in Seattle now. This short trip to Portland was really refreshing, and I had a great time down there :)

We left Seattle on Saturday. It took us about 3 hours to get to Portland by car (without stopping for a break)!!

See you soon, Seattle



Passing Olympia, the capital of Washington State



Nothing but trees...



Finally entering Oregon State!
Can you see the sign says "Entering Oregon" in this picture? I know it's really far away.. My boyfriend should've been more specific!! Hehe ;p



Then, we went straight to the hotel, and the room was very cute just as I had imagined! I took so many pictures of the room, but I'm not going to put them on here (just because it's not that exciting and you can see how the hotel looks like on their website).
BUT I'll put one picture; the room key! Isn't it cute??



I knew each room had a kitchen, but I was surprised to find a built-in microwave, a dishwasher, an oven, a flat-top stove, a coffeemaker with ground coffee, a toaster, sets of plates and silverware in our room! Well, we didn't use the kitchen much while staying there, but it felt nice to have all the stuff ;p

After examining all the aspects of the room, we headed to NW 23rd Ave., so-called 'Twenty-Third.' It was only a few blocks away from the hotel, so we could just walk there. It reminded me of Wallingford, neighborhood in Seattle; a lot of the stores are actually houses (people remodeled the interior to make a house into a store).

On 23rd Ave., we entered a place called 'Moonstruck Chocolate Cafe.' I first thought it was a small local coffee shop, but this cafe actually has more than a couple locations in OR. Anyway, they have many kinds of chocolates, and some are even in animal shapes. Here's the picture of the ones we got.

Pyramid, Cat, and Ice Cream Cone (They are tasty, too)


Since Huskies (UW) were playing that evening, we were looking for a sports bar on 23rd Ave. The only sports bar there was closed down, so we went to the downtown area. It was somehow difficult to find one even in downtown.. maybe it's because we didn't know the area well. Finally, we found one and had dinner and beer while watching the game. I was a bit disappointed because I'm not really into college football and having dinner at a sports bar wasn't quite what I expected (I mean, not when we're on a trip, you know?). It turned out ok in the end, though; I was glad that my boyfriend had fun watching the game, and he got the message. He just understood how I was feeling without me showing it or telling him. That's what I think is great about him; he is just really considerate :)

And the first day in Portland ended with Huskies getting their ass kicked by Ducks.. (sorry, baby!)

Tears

There are days when you cry for no reason
Tears just keep coming out
You have no control over it

Who says you can't cry without a reason?
Who says you always have to be strong?

Difference between half full and half empty
There are days when you can only see it as half empty

Like there are sunny days and rainy days
But we always see the clear sky after raining

If you can see it as half full after the rain,
why not just let it out?


流れた涙は蒸気となって空高く舞い上がり
あなたの心を軽くする

Irish Style?

This weekend, we went to a restaurant, called Shawn O'Donnell's, for breakfast. Yup, I'm going to write about breakfast again! Maybe I should make a new category...Anyway, it's not like we planned to have breakfast there beforehand. We decided to go into this restaurant just because we were very hungry and driving by it, which turned out to be a great decision.

This restaurant is also an Irish pub. Because of that, it's got various Irish beer signs on the walls and tap handles at the bar counter. They even use mini-whisky bottles for salt and pepper at the tables! I really liked its interior.

As for food, I'd say it's a little different but delicious. I had Monte Cristo, and my boyfriend had Ham & Cheddar Omelet and a pancake. You know, most restaurants' menu says "Pancakes (3) $xxx," meaning a stack of 3 pancakes. BUT this restaurant's menu says "Pancake $xxx," and our server brought us one gigantic pancake! It was probably about 10 inches in diameter. In spite of the size, this pancake was fluffy and really tasty. The pancake itself isn't sweet, and I think I can eat the entire thing by myself with no problem (if I order one next time) ;p

Monte Cristo was good, too. It's just I've realized that I simply like French toasts without ham or cheese.. I had hash browns with Monte Cristo, and I really liked their hash browns. However, it tasted a little different. So did country fried potatoes. I can't really explain what or how, but maybe that's the Irish style.

This restaurant is right by a drive-in theater in Everett. Next time we go to Shawn O'Donnell's, I want to check this theater out!

Never Know..

It’s often said, “You never know what you got till it’s gone.”
It’s so true, and you should never take what you have for granted. Nothing is more heartbreaking than realizing all you wanted was once in your hands.

However, as for relationships, some people want what they had back even when they were never satisfied with the person; it could be because of mere 'Naimono Nedari' (wanting something you don't have), emptiness, or loneliness. Whatever the reason is, it’s easy to get caught up in this kind of situation or feeling, and all you need to do is look at the facts, not your feelings or memories.

*****************************************************

You were unhappy and sad all the time
You wanted somebody else
You wanted to end it

Don’t ask all the whys and what ifs
Don’t say you really loved and still love him now
You know you can't..

What do you want me to say?
You know I can’t tell you what you want to hear..

Nice Weather, Nice Beach

It's the hottest and nicest summer I've ever had in Seattle! Last Saturday, my boyfriend and I went to a small island in Everett, called "Jetty Island."

Jetty Island is a 2-mile long island with sandy beaches. We get on a little ferry (or I'll say, a boat) to go to this island, which only takes a few minutes. What's cool about it is that the ferry ride is free! They accept donations, like a couple dollars per person, and that's how their ferry service has been free for over 20 years. I hope they can continue this free service so that everyone gets to enjoy it. The water is warm and shallow. I mean, it's really shallow. It's so weird because you can be out in the water, 30m away from the beach, and the water level is still below your waist!! The only thing that bothered me was seaweed. There is so much seaweed both in the water and on the beaches.. But I'd say, it's worth it!

We made and brought a Japanese style lunch box (Obento), which we enjoyed a lot. I love both making and eating Obento ①because it makes me more excited about the event, and ②because it tastes So good. I remember I always loved to go on a picnic or a trip with my family, especially with the Obento my mom made. I'm guessing, it's because of those factors: Spending time together with someone special, being somewhere you've never been, and being under the sunshine. Well, whatever the reason is, Obento always reminds me of good memories, and I think Obento is very important for picnics and trips :)

Since the water is shallow, families with little kids can have a great time without worrying much about the safety issues. Please check this place out if you live in Seattle area (Jetty Island beaches are open until September 1)!

Despite all the hot and sunny days we had last couple of weeks, it's raining and cold today... I really hope summer is still here!!!

The ferry (boat)↓


The beach↓


From the ferry↓

Promises

約束が嫌いだった。
前ほどじゃないけど、今もあんまり好きじゃない。

私の元彼はいっぱい約束をしてくれた。
「絶対泣かせるようなことはしないから」
「君が望まない限り、僕からは別れないよ」
「君を捨てたりは絶対にしない」

私はすべてを信じた。
あの頃は、その前の恋愛でめっちゃ傷ついて
ちょっと心が病んでたときで。
元彼はただ単に私の笑顔を見たかったってか
私の心を救って正常にしたかったのかな、なんて今なら思う。

愛なんて信じれないって思ってた私。
そんな私は言葉となった約束と毎日会うことで、相手の愛を確認してた。

そんな元彼の約束はもちろんずっと守られることはなくって。
それ以来、約束が嫌いになった。
誰かが「約束」って言うたびに、泣いた。
ただどうしようもなく泣けた。

だって、そんなの絶対に守られないって思ってたから。
「約束」って言葉が、いつかその人に裏切られる日を
より一層鮮明に私に思い浮かべさせたから。

私は知らなかっただけ。
「約束」は「保証」ではないこと。
結局のところただの言葉だってこと。

想ってもらうことに一生懸命になって、相手を想うことを怠った。
常に求めているだけで、与えることを忘れた。
そんな状況で、約束なんて守られるわけはない。

私がしなきゃいけなかったことは、約束に安心して甘えることじゃなくって
相手に約束を守り続けたいと思わせることだったんだね。
そして、その約束がどこから来ているものなのかっていう本質を見ること。

******************************************************

I used to hate it when people make promises to me.

My ex-boyfriend promised me a lot of things.
"I'll never make you cry"
"I won't break up with you unless you want to"
"I'll never dump you, I promise"

I believed them all. I know it's silly, but back then, I was really hurt from my previous relationship. I was depressed.. But now I see that he was just trying to make me happy.

I didn't believe in love then, well, I just couldn't. Those promises and seeing him every day were the only ways to feel his love for me.

Of course, those promises weren't kept forever.
After that, I started hating promises. Whenever somebody promised me something, I cried. It just made me cry.

Because I thought no promise could ever be kept.
Because the word 'promise' made me think of the day when the person would say goodbye to me.

I just didn't know:
That a promise wasn't a guarantee.
That promises were mere words, after all.

Focusing so much on being loved, I failed to love him back.
Wanting so much from him, I forgot to give him anything in return.
Promises wouldn't be kept in this kind of situation.

All I had to do was try to make him want to keep his promises, not to be relieved or satisfied with the given promises.

I should've seen the more important thing; where those promises are coming from.

******************************************************

To my ex,
Though you put me through a really difficult time for a long time, I want to thank you for teaching me a lot of important lessons.

My Favorite Ice Cream

Well, actually, I'm more of a chocolate person. BUT there's one kind of ice cream that I love. That is...

Starbucks Mud Pie Ice Cream!

Oooh my goodness, it's good :p It's "coffee ice cream on top of a chocolate cookie covered in rich milk chocolaty coating." Doesn't it sound good?? The part I love the most is the chocolate cookie on the bottom. Without it, I don't think it'd be my favorite ice cream (yes, it's that important!). If you like chocolate or/and Oreo (and ice cream, of course), I bet you'd love this too :)

I usually get it from Fred Meyer and have never seen it at Safeway... Maybe it's just around the area I live in. Still, I wonder why regular Starbucks stores don't carry their own ice cream..

Anyway, please try it when you have a chance!

Last night, my boyfriend came home with some tulips and Mud Pie ice cream for me. That was a very sweet surprise <3

Lost

Complete darkness
That I was in

It didn't matter if I couldn't see anything

Thought I knew where I was going
End of this darkness

It wasn't where I thought it would be
I just kept going
Without knowing what else to do
Without accepting I was wrong

Scared
Lonely
Tired

I heard someone say “Let’s just stop”
So I stopped

Then I saw the light coming in
Brightened my world
Darkness is gone

I’m not lost anymore

Yesterday was...

My birthday! I had a really good evening. First, my boyfriend took me to El Paraiso, a Mexican Grill Restaurant in Everett, for dinner. We both had Fajitas, which satisfied our hungry stomachs very much (Well, a little too much and we felt like we could explode afterward..hehe). Their Mojito was also delicious!

During the dinner, he gave me one of the birthday presents. It was a weekend trip to Oregon!! I kept telling him that I wanted to get out of Seattle and have some quality time together. You might say, "It's not really a get-away trip because Oregon isn't that far from Seattle." BUT check this hotel (←click) out!! This is the one he reserved, and isn't it a cute hotel?? Obviously this hotel is very popular, and he even had to put his name on the waiting list to reserve a room (we're lucky that somebody canceled their reservation!). So I'm very excited for the trip :)

I love making plans for trips. I'd say that it's one of the most exciting parts about trips. You can think of all the things you want to do, and everything goes smoothly in planning (in your head), which never happens during actual trips. There would be always something unexpected, and that can mess up your perfect plans. I honestly think that's why people sometimes have more fun planning than going and spending time on trips. Of course, the unexpected is the key that makes trips more interesting and memorable.

Anyway, when we came home after dinner, I received a birthday card and the other present. That was a watch. Well, there's a story behind it. One day, he told me to help him pick a watch for his sister-in-law. So I did, and it turned out that was for my birthday last year! I was picking up a present for myself without knowing it. But..yes, I lost it after wearing it for a month or so; I was really sad and felt bad for my boyfriend. He knew how I've been feeling, so he gave me a new one this year!! What a nice, sweet boyfriend... I won't lose it this time, I promise!

And my birthday ended with a nice foot massage :) Thanks to my boyfriend, I had a wonderful birthday. Baby, you're the best and I love you very much!!

Now I want to thank all the people who sent me a b-day message. I'm so happy to have you all in my life <3 br="br">...it's kinda funny that I'm saying it here 'cause nobody knows about this blog.

American Breakfast

Yay, new background!! I can't believe I figured it out all by myself (Like I said, I'm new to this whole blog thing).. Good job, Nite ;p

Sorry, I got a little too excited. Let's get back to the topic, "Breakfast."

American breakfast is goooooooooooood. I don't think I can have American breakfast more than twice a week, but I'm sure I would miss it very much when I go back to Japan. Pancakes, French Toasts, Hash Browns, Sausage Links, and Eggs (I'm not really a bacon person). Man, just writing about it makes me hungry and drool! Since both my boyfriend and I love Breakfast, we go to places, looking for good breakfast. Today, I'm going to introduce Top 3 restaurants to you.

#3: Denny's

I know what you're thinking; It's a cheap, not-even-so-decent restaurant. But I have to admit that they have one of the best french toasts I've ever had. Their hash browns are good, too. On top of that, they serve breakfast 24/7, AND it's not expensive. I mean, you don't want to spend a lot of money just for breakfast, right? If you haven't tried Denny's breakfast, you should give it a shot.

Also #3: Bob's Burger & Brew

Well, you can't actually find this restaurant in Seattle. They have 9 restaurants in Whatcom and Skagit Counties. The closest one would be the one right by Tulalip Casino and Seattle Premium Outlets. Their specialty is brunch. It's all you can eat, and the food is SO good! They have a huge variety of breakfast items; it gives you hard time deciding what to have because it's impossible to have them all. Also, They've got an omelette bar, where a person makes your own omelette as you order. Bob's is a really nice restaurant, and their burgers are also on the you-must-try list.

#2: 13 Coins

I have to say this first; It is not cheap (well, it's not crazy expensive, either). BUT it's totally worth it! Their breakfast, lunch, dinner...in short, everything is awesome, and the atmosphere of the restaurant is great too. Most importantly, they have THE BEST hash browns!! For us, it's usually for special occasions, which makes it more exciting and enjoyable every time we go back there.

The Number 1 breakfast is... the breakfast my boyfriend makes! ;p

I'm serious, though. He can make really good french toasts, which he uses his Grandpa's recipe for. That's a golden recipe! And we cook eggs and sausage links, which we get from a grocery store. Frozen hash browns (in bags) are not so tasty, in my opinion. So we don't have hash browns when we make breakfast at home. My boyfriend's french toasts are good, and it's fun to cook together on a lazy weekend morning. That's why this is the number 1 breakfast for me.

One thing I really recommend you is sausage links with maple syrup. Simply dip them in the syrup and take a bite. It's surprisingly good!

If I exclude my boyfriend's breakfast, then it would be 3. Denny's, 2. Bob's, and 1. 13 Coins. If you like breakfast, you should check those places out!

Note: This breakfast ranking is based solely on my taste and preference.

Zoo Day

My boyfriend and I went to Woodland Park Zoo a couple weeks ago. Last time I visited there was with my host family, and I couldn't see much because they had little kids. I don't blame them, though, since this zoo is huge! Even this time, just me and my boyfriend, we couldn't see all of it... Besides the size, it was pretty hot that day. AND I was stupid enough to wear heels (low but new, which makes it even worse!)…

Anyway, what I was going to say was I really like this zoo. I used to go to zoos in Japan when I was young, and of course I had a lot of fun. But after going to this zoo, my whole perspective of the zoo has changed greatly. This one is, well probably zoos in the States in general are, pretty different from the ones in Japan (if not they'd changed). This zoo itself is like a forest, and animals are not trapped in cages; they're put in the environment much more similar to their natural habitat. For the same reason, it’s refreshing to just walk around the zoo. A lot of trees and flowers also entertain your eyes :)

Here are a couple pictures I took at the zoo:

Giraffes looking for food (?)

A hippo wandering in the water


My favorite, jaguar, taking a nap in the shade
This zoo isn't only for kids; I honestly think adults (without kids) can also have a great time. Just don't wear heels, Ladies.. I know it's probably just me ;p

P.S.
To my boyfriend,
I'm really sorry for being cranky pants that day.. I just want you to know that I DID enjoy this date!

Thank You - Cont'd

My parents are very traditional Japanese people. I'm not saying that's bad or anything, but I'd say it was NOT easy for me to persuade them to let me come to the States. It wasn't money that they were worried about (maybe a little..); it was me and my safety. Although it's true that they were being a little overprotective and conservative, they still had good reasons to say "no" to my plans. In spite of how they really felt, however, they did approve my plan to study in the States. What I really appreciate is the fact that they've been supporting me in every way, not just financially.

Moving away from my parents has made me realize how important they are in my life and how much they care about me. I wouldn't have realized it if I'd stayed with them in Japan, and I'm glad that I came to know it before it's too late. I'm still not sure what I can do for them in return...They probably don't expect anything special from me, but I still want to show my appreciation somehow.


Mom and Dad,
--Thank you for supporting a stupid, immature girl who failed to think of any realistic problems because she was just too excited about going to the States
--Thank you for listening to my complaints and still telling me to do what I can/want to do
--Thank you for telling me it's always OK to come home but not forcing me to do so
--Thank you for caring about my happiness more than anything


When I have a kid or two in the future, I want to be just like my parents.

Thank You

Even if I say these two words a billion times
It wouldn't be enough

Doesn't matter if you don't like it or not
You always support and respect my decisions

You accept who I am and value what I want
I know this as a fact

And that's love

That's why I feel so lucky
To have you as my parents


Photo: My hometown (it made me realize I should take more pictures of my hometown)

British English

I like British accent. I think it's sexy; to me, it has the same effect as "guys in a business suit" (meaning they look sexier). It's kinda funny that it all started after I came to the States. I think it's because I didn't know or/and couldn't hear the difference between British and American English when I was in Japan. Make sense, right?

Well, it's not like I want to be able to talk with British accent (it would be cool if I could, but it's not likely to happen..). I just like listening to people with British accent. I seriously thought of applying for an exchange program to go to England. Yes, from a university in America. I don't know what I was thinking...I guess it was just me wanting something I didn't (and still don't) have. Or I was that into British accent ;p

Now here's my question: How does American English sound to British English speaking people (both native and non-native)? Cool or funny? Difficult to understand?? To be honest, I find it a little difficult to understand when people talk with British accent. On the other hand, I'm so used to American English that I can understand what people say even when I'm half asleep. So I'm really curious about how other people perceive or rather hear it. Maybe some of you can tell me??

Even though I sometimes have hard time understanding what they're saying, I still enjoy watching Sherlock Holmes TV series. Yup, the combination of two things I like; mystery and British accent :)

Love That You Once Had

It's funny how it is
How you feel about the love you've lost

Thinking of all the good memories
You wish you could go back in time

Forgetting all the bad memories
You think it was the happiest time in your life

Love lost in the past
It looks so beautiful because you can't touch it again
You want it so badly because you know you'll never get it back

Nothing is more beautiful than this kind of love

Sushi is Good!

Hi there,

Tonight, I had dinner at a Kaiten Sushi place, called "Sushiland Marinepolis." It's relatively cheap just like the ones in Japan (plates are from $1 to $3) ! And their quality of sushi is good, considering how much you pay. If you are in Seattle area and like sushi, you should totally go try their sushi!!

The funny thing is that I eat sushi more often than I did in Japan. I don't know exactly why... People here think the Japanese eat sushi everyday, so maybe I'm just trying to fit in that stereotype ;p Whatever the reason is, I enjoy having a lot of sushi! Besides, the fact that I can probably eat sushi everyday without getting sick of it proves I'm a Japanese person :)
Sushiland Website↓

http://sushilandusa.com/

The Thing about Where I Live

1. Seattle, the biggest city in WA, isn't that big compared to other major cities.
2. Many businesses were born in Seattle, such as Starbucks and Microsoft, yet there isn't much to go/see for tourists.
3. The weather isn't that great; it usually rains for half a year, and the summer is like 2-month long (I'm dead serious!).
4. Professional sports teams suck in general. I mean, look at the Mariners...*sigh*
5. Sonics, our professional Basketball team and the only team that was doing ok, is gone now (and what are we going to do with Key Arena?!).

Wow, sounds like a not-so-much-fun city, huh? Despite all the negative aspects, I love Seattle. Why? ..Hey no, it's not because the weather has been nice recently...well, it's helping a little bit, of course ;p Anyway, there are 2 big reasons.

One is that after spending all these years here, it feels like this is my second hometown. IT IS depressing and no fun to have so much rain throughout the year, but that makes you appreciate the sunshine more in the summer time :) Besides, the summer in Seattle is the best thing ever! The city is clean, and people are nice; it might not be a great place to visit for sightseeing, but it's a good place to live.

The other reason is for all the memories I have, both good and bad. It's not like everything has been perfect during these years. I've experienced a lot of hurtful moments, and I was in so much pain that I thought I'd die at times. Friendships and relationships. They're always complicated and confusing, right? But in the end, they taught me great lessons and helped me grow up. Most importantly, they taught me what love truly meant...but that's another story :)

I LOVE YOU, SEATTLE <3 <3

Hello World,

Well, this is the very first blog entry in my whole life, so I'm actually pretty nervous (yeah, you can laugh at me). Anyway, let me introduce myself.

My name is Nite. I've been living in Washington State, USA for...let’s say, long enough to graduate from a university here. I decided to start this blog ①because I love writing in English, and ②because I’ve wanted a place where I could write down all the things I don’t want to forget, such as what I do, think, and feel in my life. On top of that, I think it would be awesome if I could share my thoughts and experience with people out there :)

I’m not 100% sure where this blog is going, but that, we just have to wait and see ;p

Anyway, welcome to my blog!