Almost....a Happy New Year

I can't believe that we are about to say bye

to 2009.

Then again,

I say this every year.



I traveled to a lot more places in 2009.

Shanghai (China)
Nara (Japan)
San Fransisco, California (US)
Missoula, Montana (US)
Kyoto (Japan)
BKK (Thailand)
Koh Chang (Thailand)
Korat (Thailand)
Phitsanolouk (Thailand)

...and now in
Chiang Mai (Thailand)


...and I hope I will see many more different places

in 2010.

...oh, and I hope I find a job too!


In addition to the bottle-vases

I have been making,

I have also been making postcards lately.

I think I want to make my living

by making something.

I know making postcards won't

let me earn enough

but I want to keep on making something.





Well, I think my goal for 2010 is

to be a better person.


A person who I can be proud of,

a person who I want to be friends with,

and maybe a person who I can love.


I want to be a more confident person,


.....I meant


I AM going to be a more confident person!

(without being arrogant.)





I will probably be too lazy to update a blog

tomorrow, so.....

See you in 2010.

JINGLE BELLS

It doesn't feel like

Christmas at all here

but I would like to wish you all

a very merry Christmas.



Our Christmas morning consisted of

ugly-looking chocolate covered banana

that I made last night,

and a cup of coffee.



Oh and this morning

we found out that cilantro seeds

germinated.

well, we found one or two germinating

yesterday and we found more today.




When I have my own family,

I wonder if I would celebrate this day.

I have plenty of good memories

but the more I think about

religions and hallmark holidays,

the more I question about

the entire culture about

giving and getting gifts

and such.

Maybe I feel it stronger because I grew up in Japan

and seeing Japanese people celebrating

a Christian holiday

always made me feel silly.




I think if I were a mom,

I will make me my family's

own holiday.

Like giving something

but maybe only handmade things

or maybe spend a day doing something together


....I don't know exactly

but something that doesn't have to be about

material.


Well, we will see....

Purple Pearl

I have been reading a lot

(compare to how I was before)

I don't think I've enjoyed reading this much

when I was in college.

I think my brain is craving stimulus

and knowledge

and since I am not in school anymore,

I guess I naturally pick up some books to

satisfy the craving.


The sad thing is,

books in Thailand are so expensive.

tsk tsk.

Another thing that I've been enjoying:

to create things with bottles and wires

and other random things that inspire me.

Right now, I am mainly making

wall-hanging bases for plants

but I think I need to think of other things

since our hanging space is so limited.

Or, if I become good enough

maybe I can start a business.

How about 20 baht for each base?

(...that is about 80 cents)

So guess who came to visit us in Chiang Mai?

tada.

(... Leonardo!)

and more tada.

(...April!!)

...and I also got to meet her older brother too.

Really, really

such a good timing.

I wish both of you could stay longer

but I won't complain.

I got to see you.

On the way to Doi Suthep.

I think Chiang Mai needs to rain,

or I need to go to Doi Suthep

once a week to have fresh air....

I have been also enjoying growing greens

and veggies.

(....no harvest yet.)

And me enjoying gardenless-gardening is

a good excuse for me to have fresh coconut treat

since the shell of a coconut is

a perfect pot for plants.

I am growing a ring...

well, not really

but have you ever seen the seeds of cilantro?

Yes, the pearly purple beads are the seeds.

Aren't they pretty?

I think that was my favorite discovery of the day,


Another surprise was that

the beaded ring Leonardo brought back for me

from Indonesia had the same color as the seed.

It made me smile.

I can't wait to have fresh cilantro.

I'm crossing my fingers though,

since I don't have a green thumb.

We are also growing bird peppers.

If they grow well,

they are supposed to look like

colorful birds.

....and also some Holly Basil.

(I know I spelled "Holly Bazil" on the tag.)



...Okay, this place is closing down

so I will say bye for now.

a Loveletter

I think for the very first time,

I am a little bit homesicky.

But "home" meaning Seattle.



Homesick isn't a bad thing, though.

It makes me realize

how lucky I was to meet

so many great friends.



Don't worry,

I am not being weepie-weepie.

It's just that, once in a while,

I get a feeling like

somebody squeezing my heart.



So, this is a love letter from me to you.

This isn't a blog entry

that tells you how homesicky I am.

It's just me, telling you

how thankful I am

that I have a place that I can miss,

besides Japan.