Still alive and kicking and moving back to the Hawthorne area at the end of the month. I fell off the grid for a while due to a few changes in my personal life, but have otherwise been fine. Got a new job that I really like at the moment and things are going well. I'll have more to post later today after a few more cups of coffee.

48 Things You Could Care Less About

1. FIRST NAME?
Mayumi

2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
No.

3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY?
On Tuesday, when I had a few too many drinks the night before my boyfriend went away on a trip.

4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
Not really, it is very inconsistent.

5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT?
turkey.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
Yes. I'm quite fun once I get used to people and I'm a VERY reliable drinking/shopping buddy.

7. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL?
Online and offline.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
Yes, and I hope I never have to have them removed. I'm afraid of having an operation.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
No, never. I'm deathly afraid of heights and suffer from mild vertigo.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
I haven't had cereal in a while, but I used to love Fruity Pebbles and Captain Crunch.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Sometimes, usually if they are new sneakers or boots.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?
When I need to be.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR?
Pistachio.

14. SHOE SIZE?
24.5cm in Japan, my Converse are size 5 1/2~6 men's in the US

5. RED OR PINK?
Both, but only if pink is paired with black and red is paired with black or white.

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
My lack of discipline in daily life and general inability to stay organized and on top of things like housework.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
My Grandfather.

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU?
huh?

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS, SHIRT AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
Black skinny jeans, black band t-shirt, black chucks. The shirt does have some yellow and white on it, though.

20. LAST THING YOU ATE?
A TV dinner last night. I have a strange fascination with TV dinners. I am obssessed with them because my mother never let me eat them when I was growing up and I also associate them with the 50's and 60's and astronauts. It's funny, I know, but the way the food is all compartmentalized just gives me a good feeling.

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
People in the office talking nonsense. Music-wise, Manu Chau.

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
blue-green.

23. FAVORITE SMELL?
Chinese food.

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
My boyfriend.

25. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO?
Their face, then their shoes.

26. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON you stole THIS from?
I don't know her personally but I LOVE her blog and she seems like an awesome girl.

27. FAVORITE DRINK?
beer/water/coffee.

28. FAVORITE SPORT?
Tennis.

29. EYE COLOR?
Black

30. HAT SIZE?
No idea.

31. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
No.

32. FAVORITE FOOD?
Any and all styles of seafood. Especially shellfish.

33. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
Whatever ending a good movie has.

35. SUMMER OR WINTER?
winter.

36. HUGS OR KISSES?
Both.

37. FAVORITE DESSERT?
Pound cake or custard.

38&39 deleted.

40. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING?
"Nietzsche in Turin" by Lesley Chamberlain.

41. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE Pad?
A picture of Pee Wee Herman.

42. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV?
The Office

43. FAVORITE SOUNDS?
Silence.

44. ROLLING STONE OR BEATLES?
Beatles.

45. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME?
Considering my home(s) are both the US and Japan, I would have to say Scotland.

46. WHAT'S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT?
I can contort my body into the shape of a perfect "O". I also absorb random information like a robot.

47. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
Funabashi-city, Japan (in Chiba Prefecture)

48. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?
I stole it from Pinku!

This is by far the best $35.00 I've spent on my face in a long time. I have oily skin that gets really dry and rough in spots, especially in the Winter but this stuff takes care of it without making my skin feel greasy... Don't mean to sound like an infomerical but I just had to post this.

Here is a list of reasons I've been away:

1. I've been fighting a respiratory infection for the past few weeks. I thank my co-workers in the next cubicle for that (yes, I'm talking about you, anonymous cougher guy who hacks up a lung every 5 minutes). Due to my company's very strict policy on attendance, I've only now worked up the nerve to take a couple of sick days which I spent in urgent care. I never usually go to see a doctor for something so trivial as a cough and a fever, but my company requires a Doctor's note to excuse any unscheduled absence, so I really had no choice. How lame...

2. Still preparing for my trip overseas. Cleaning the apartment, making sure my finances are in order, etc., etc...

3. Not much is going on that's worth writing about, I guess... Oh wait! I found a new fabric store on Alberta St. in NE Portland. It's called Bolt Fabrics Boutique. You can find alll sorts of adorable vintage fabrics and buttons and the like.

I'll be going back to Japan in late October for a few weeks with my Mother to visit relatives. I go back at least once every year, so this is an annual trip. The last time I went back, I brought Jon along and we had a blast. My family loves him.
Of course I'll be making the rounds to Shibuya and Harajuku and Shimokita, etc....but to tell the truth, I'm bored with those places. I grew up there. Spent every waking moment crawling those streets and I'm ready for a new area. Maybe I'm getting older, but I'm actually looking forward to spending some quality time with mom at the department stores in Ginza and exploring parts of Yokohama (believe it or not, I've never been to Chinatown). I'm also looking forward to hitting up the shitamachi museum and the parasite museum. Right now, I really don't have any itinerary set so I'm just winging it.

The past few weeks have been spent eating lots of sushi at my new favorite place, Mio Sushi on Hawthorne, a few blocks from my house. It's always packed which is a good sign for me. I've also been quite busy setting up swaps with a couple people - I'm so excited - which reminds me, I have to email Malin and Christine. It's always great to get things in the mail. I've also been writing lots of letters to my penpals and getting ready for my trip to Tokyo in October. I've been craving decent Ramen, so I'll be making a trip to the Ramen museum and also the Gyoza Stadium.

Last weekend I saw Thank You For Smoking starring Aaron Eckhart (so dreamy). The movie was awesome, very funny and Eckhart always plays smarmy characters well. I also saw the Protector with Tony Jaa of Ong Bak fame. I'm a fan of UFC and Pride fighting so I really appreciated the stunt work and also the fact that no wires were used. Not that I dislike wire work in Martial Arts films, but it's a refreshing change. The Protector is not a movie you'd watch for plot or acting, it's pure ass-kicking entertainment. I actually found myself laughing at the ridiculousness of many scenes. It was a good time, though. Can't wait for the new Jet Li film to come out.


http://miosushi.com/

3962E SE Hawthorne
Portland, OR 97214

I came across a great site called gimmeyourstuff. It's for people who want to exchange different goods with people all over the world.

I would be willing to swap any type of food (spices, sweets from the US, any non-perishable item), fashion and design magazines and books from the US, stationary, accessories, movies, music.
Also, I would be more than happy to send gifts when I travel abroad as well. (I'll be back in Tokyo in late October, so if anyone would like japanese goods, I can send that as well)

I'd like to recieve anything from another country. I love fashion and design magazines, small accessories, pictures, stationary, anything you can send. I'd love to swap with someone in Japan (I miss japanese sweets) and anyplace in Europe (I'd love to try some english tea).

This is a video from YouTube that I found of Brittney Spears stoned. I wasn't sure it was really her at first, I never knew the extent of her white trashy-ness until now. I know, I know, the whole running into a gas station bathroom with no shoes on thing should have tipped me off, but oh well. And if you've noticed the other videos from the previous post, allow me to explain them further: The first is pretty self-explanatory. It's a weird interview on japanese tv with Angelina Jolie. The show is called MechaIke. The second is footage from this year's bi-annual Tokyo Comic Market. If you want me to translate anything for you, just send me an email. Also, I will be going back to Tokyo for my annual visit in October so expect lots of photos.