Happy B-Day to ME :)

Happy birthday to me :)

So today was my b-day! My mom has been asking me to go to down town of my prefecture

to see this modern art exhibition with her since yesterday, so when I woke up after having such peaceful sleep, I decided to go with her.
My mom and I quickly ate a bit of something to eat and got ready. Then my dad decided to come with us to down town, so all of us (including my grandma) were to go out together and have lunch out as well. After all, we had such spring like weather today!!

It took about 1.5 hrs to get to the restaurant, and on the way there, I took photos of Mt. Fuji, so here they are:

When my mom said that we were going out for lunch, I totally assumed that it would be something Italian or some sort, but it turned out to be one of the best Japanese restaurant experiences ever! So I took photos of all the dishes, so please enjoy the beauty of Japanese
cooking!!!

Japanese Restaurant: Suzuko

Appetizer:

Soup:

Sashimi:

Grilled Fish in white miso paste:

Egg Dish:

Red bean sticky rice & red miso soup:

Desert (fresh fruits and custard cream):

Fresh green tea and Japanese kusa mochi desert:

All of the dishes were delicious that we ate them ALL!! LOL the beauty of this course menu that we experienced is that each dish was prepared focusing on the flavour/color/texture of the ingredients that were used and there wasn't much heavy seasonings added. Thusly, everythingwas very healthy! By the time we left the restaurant, all of us werevery fulfilled, indeed!

Then we wen to the modern art exhibition. Here is my mom standing beside
a piece of work created by her flower arrangement teacher.

(mymom made the coat from the kimono fabric, btw)^^
Here is my dad telling me that he also is a piece of art work posing by the mirror, so I took a photo of him (lol):

Then we went to a department store and looked around at some stuff. I got a new pair of boots as a b-day gift from my dad! (wasn't expectingthis at all!!!) The actual color is a bit darker than the photo shows:

We then came back to our city, and went to a sports store where both my parents bought a new pair of running shoes as they are (more accurately speaking, it is only my dad and myself encouraging my mom) determined to go to the gym. We then went to a bakery store to buy some cakes, and I went to the gym to work out.

When I got home, there were parcels from my friends. I also received some greeting messages via tele/internet technology. I was very touched by the thoughtfulness of my friends and felt that I have not had such emotional b-day like this before. Well, to be honest, up until a few days ago, I was not really looking forward for my b-day to be honest, because I was confused as to for what purpose I shall make my commitment to focus on my b-day this year. But with great support from my close friend, I was able to welcome my b-day with refreshing and positive
mind set, which I needed. I also felt that my parents really cared for my b-day that I was very touched by all the people around me in my life. I felt very special, so I gathered some of the gifts in the center of living room able and took a photo of the gifts. Notice, the white figure, Tina (from the Napoleon Dynamite) is now my pet :) hahaha!!!! Oh, and the book on breasts is an educational material just so you know! lol

My mom also got a cake from her friend (she mistook her b-day with mine that she delivered it today), so here is the photo:

Well, thank you to all of you who have made my b-day very special! I will try my best to continue searching ways to become much stronger, fulfilling and inspirational human in this world :) I want to kick ass this year also! peace! :)

Just Another Reflection of My LIFE

Last nite, we had an earth quake (magnitude 5) that I felt as if my life would be erased away like the tsunami attack in a moment. But luckily, the shake settled down, so I could continue sleeping, but after that I could not get back to sleep. Speaking of sleeping, I have not had good sleep in the past few days. Somehow, when it becomes dark and when everyone in the house goes to their bedrooms, my honest feeling reveals within my mind that I start seeking some answers to resolve it: I am dealing with a fear.

I feel that I need to engage in a new challenge to gain some strength strong enough to defeat my negative emotions, but I have been asking myself what would help me in my current circumstance?

My dad bought me a new headphone as my old one was broken, so I was able to hear my music during my work out. When I exercise and my heart starts beating faster on its rhythm, it relaxes me. And if I am listening to music at the same time, the world that the music creates overtakes me, and that is one of my favorite moment/gift that I can give to myself as a treat. It also makes me feel as if I am re-connecting to my core of self, that it assures me that I am still *alive* and able to live life ideally, as long as I keep my optimism and creative mind to take actions...

I have re-started reading this book with buddhist perspectives again since last nite. I hope to read many books in the next few weeks to welcome different perspectives in my mind to stimulate my creativity.

On a rather happier tone of news, I received a parcel full of goodies from my very important friend today for my b-day tomorrow. Her deep consideration and thoughtfulness always surprise me. I have such great gratitude towards this friendship that she offers me. I feel very blessed to have her in my life!

During the day, I made spinach and chicken dumplings for my dad (as he was saying he wanted to eat some). My family enjoyed my home-made gyoza. So here is the pic of it:

My grandma got a phone from my cousin, so here is a photo of her holding her new phone:

Okay, that's it for now. I shall go to my room and burn my favoriate aveda candle and do yoga to sleep well tonite :) Peace!

My mom's B-day

Today was my mom's b-day, so my dad took her to Nagano to snowboard. I woke up and watched the daily mrs. theatre (drama tv show) from 10:30am as my daily routine. Then my grandma called me saying that she was about to leave to return here at home (she was visiting her other kids outside of the city), so I quickly cleaned the living room and did all the laundry etc. Then I did 1 session of my yoga program and decided to put on my regular cloth to welcome my grandma. She came back around 2pm with my uncle. He wanted to bring some water back to his home (see, the spring water we get here at home is the best water ever!!!), so I helped him bottle some water to last his family for about 2 months. haha Then we went inside the house for a cup of tea and chat. After my uncle left, my grandma and I chatted for about 2 hrs. Then time was clicking, reaching closer to my parents's return, so I had to hurry up and start preparing the dinner. It took so much time to prepare, but we were abe to have supper by 8:30pm, so I think it turned out okay. What I cooked is posted on my cooking page, but since I want to put some comments here, I am going to post the same photos here too

Marinated Squid with Onion Soup and Parmesan Cheese

The onion soup turned out well. The black spots on the squid is its ink, which I purposely dried and added in the cooking oil, which I deep fried it. The brown triangle chip is made with onion. The recipe recommended to use Olive oil, but I want to use salad oil to have more crispy taste next time. If added a little more flour in the onion dough, it may turn out more crispy too.

Shrimp & Potato Cake

I was a little disappointed with how this dish turned out. No wonder. I was too focused on preparing the dish. I totally forgot that the recipe asked for sweet potatoes and not regular potatoes. I felt that the ingredients killed the beauty (texture/flavour/color) of shrimp that I minced and added in the patties. I hope to pick something more cheerful dish for my dad's b-day that is coming in a week! lol

Chocolate Mousse B-day Cake for my mom

For me to prepare two dishes and then Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Mousse, Creme Anglais and Chocolate Sauce in less than 4 hrs definitely was challenging (since the onion soup required a lot of preparation (low heat cooking for 2-3 hrs)). Anyway, when I realized that the chocolate cake did not turn well, my parents also came home. I was very disappointed as the rest turned out fine. To serve the rest of creamy flavour only would have been too rich, so I really wanted to have some sponge cake and a bit of brandy soaked in the cake with them. So after we finished dinner, I asked my dad to take me to a nearest grocery store, where I bought a sponge cake/snack bakery. I used it as a sponge cake and made a b-day cake for my mom quickly. I wanted her to blow off the candles just like a kid, you know? Anyway, my mom looked joyful and happy. So it made my day :) As for her, it seemed as though a b-day card from her English speaking friend brought her such surprise and immense joy, today! I still remember her reactions coming to show me in the kitchen all surprised: "oh wow, how did *** know how to write Japanese perfectly well like this??" LOL Well, thank you for your sweetness, my friend :)

I hope all of you have sweet happy Valentine's day!

Yakubarai

In this buddhist culture based country, Japan, we have a saying that we have an unlucky year based on the age you become in the year. For example, women who turn 18 this year may have misfortune in the year (there are few age groups separately for both women and men).

February 13th is the day when we can exorcise the damons that could bring misfortunes to one's life, and today was the day to break such jinx. My youngest sister is turning 18, so we went to a local shrine to break the jinx on her behalf. So my mom made some dumplings and wrapped each of them in a paper. We say that by making the dumplings, we seal the evil spirits in them. In our case, my mom (as an example) sealed the evil spirit that could bring misfortunes to my youngest sister's life.

Here is a photo of an area around the shrine. Notice, you see all these food stalls.

Below food stand sells octopus balls.

At the shrine,my mom gave the home made dumplings to the people at the shrine, gave some offerings to request them to exorcise the evil spirits and give her a wooden lucky charm, and prayed along with my dad. Here is aphoto of my parents praying for my youngest sister.

We requested them to make a wooden lucky charm for my youngest sister (with her name on it), and since it would take a few minutes, we decided to check out some of the food stands. As a kid, I used to love festival
like this, as I got to buy stuff from the food stands, and it was full of FUN!

We got the lucky charm for my youngest sister, so we went back to the car and went to a nearest sports/auto parts shop, where my dad started having a lecture to a shop employee, who appeared to be his friend. LOL I find my dad enjoy talking whole a lot for a guy, and it canbe quite amusing sometime. Sometime, when he starts talking at the dinner table, I feel that I shall listen to him patiently, as he does not get to give lessons to his daughters as frequently as he may desire. But it has becoming clear to me at this age that he simply enjoys talking. LOL I got quite bored and tried so hard to kill the heated discussion atmosphere, but all of my trials ended with failures. SoI got a car key from him finally and then decided to chill and wait for my parents in the car. I was bored, so I took photos of myself. LOL

Tomorrow is my mom's b-day. I plan on making a dinner for her. I also think of making a b-day desert as well. Hopefully it will turn out great. I will post some photos for you guys to view :) Okay, I better try to go and sleep now. good nite.

Feelings Sick But Peaceful

Recently, I made a neckrace for my friend's b-day, and since she has already received it, I would like to post a photo of my completed work on this site:

I am currently making a neckrace for myself using 15 minutes of my pre-bedtime. I would like to show how it turns out eventually as well. Today, I am feeling a little better, but my headache annoys the hell out of me (with the napoleon like accent). I think I need to drink loads of water. Hopefully I feel better so that I can go to the gym and do what I look forward the most in my daily activities..hehe :) I got a b-day card from my friend, Sabina today! She is very caring and always sends me cards. I feel very blessed to have such thoughtful friend as she is, and her down to earth personality inspires me to be much giving to my friends in my life. I shall make a list of things that I want to do for my friends and start working on it TODAY!!

Later:

I have finally completed the neckrace that I was working on, so I made a page showing it along with a few other accessories that I made. I have a few others that I have created, but since I do not have the photos of them yet, I would like to post them once I take some photos. Meanwhile, please enjoy the available photos: Spirit.html