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forever_wanderingIndependence Day was pretty fun. We had free tickets, so we decided to go to Busch Gardens to see their fireworks display. In the end they were canceled due to horrible weather, but I got to spend time with my family (minus my sister, who is still living in Hawaii). My brother left for Alaska yesterday morning and won't be coming back to Florida until December. Depending on when he comes, I might already be back in Japan, so who knows when we'll get the chance to take another 4-family member photo.
Since my brother is gone now, I can go back to following a routine. Most people don't believe me when I say this but I actually have really low self-esteem. There isn't a single thing I would change in the way I've lived my life. I have no regrets when it comes to that. But there are many things I want to change in myself and I always try to do so much at once that I burn out.
So this is it. This is a clean slate. I'm focusing on two and only two goals for the next year (Today - July 5, 2013).
1. LOSE 10KG & PRACTICE
NATURAL BEAUTY
The trouble with being short is that it shows. Short people just can't hide their weight. Tall people are so lucky! I was advised against losing more than 5kg by my doctor but I want to try to lose 10kg in a healthy fashion.
The last time I was only around 2kg away from meeting my goal, everyone told me I looked like a corpse. Obviously, I don't want to look like that. I want to lose weight but maintain a feminine body.
In order to achieve my goal, I need an effective work out regimen. I want to work harder, not longer, so I plan on creating a plan around my strengths and weaknesses.
On top of that, I want to improve my natural appearance. I depend a lot on things like make up, hair irons, heels and cute outfits to make me feel pretty. I want to have that same confidence when I'm not wearing make up or dressing up in nice clothes.
2. STUDY SERIOUSLY AND
TAKE A JLPT.
I study Japanese a lot. However, I do it by watching dramas, listening to music and talking to friends. My Japanese is incredibly casual, but I get by just fine on my own in Japan. However, I've always felt inferior to those who have had the opportunity to take and learn through formal classes. I always say that I'm going to take the JLPT just to see where I am compared to other students, but I always chicken out. I'm not going to do that any more.
Next year, I will definitely take the JLPT. Until then, I will study as much as possible. If I can, I'll update my Japanese blog daily. I'm also thinking it would be a good idea to find a study partner who is also learning Japanese, so that we can study together via voice chat or cam.
Lets see if I can maintain these goals =)
I chose to write about this today because it's Tanabata! While I was cleaning out my parent's book shelf, I came across a wish I had sent them my first year abroad, which was more than two years ago. My wish was to have more confidence in myself. This year will be four years since that day and I still have the same wish.
Ladies and gentlemen, please inspire me with your wishes and dreams!
Since my brother is gone now, I can go back to following a routine. Most people don't believe me when I say this but I actually have really low self-esteem. There isn't a single thing I would change in the way I've lived my life. I have no regrets when it comes to that. But there are many things I want to change in myself and I always try to do so much at once that I burn out.
So this is it. This is a clean slate. I'm focusing on two and only two goals for the next year (Today - July 5, 2013).
1. LOSE 10KG & PRACTICENATURAL BEAUTY
The trouble with being short is that it shows. Short people just can't hide their weight. Tall people are so lucky! I was advised against losing more than 5kg by my doctor but I want to try to lose 10kg in a healthy fashion.
The last time I was only around 2kg away from meeting my goal, everyone told me I looked like a corpse. Obviously, I don't want to look like that. I want to lose weight but maintain a feminine body.
In order to achieve my goal, I need an effective work out regimen. I want to work harder, not longer, so I plan on creating a plan around my strengths and weaknesses.
On top of that, I want to improve my natural appearance. I depend a lot on things like make up, hair irons, heels and cute outfits to make me feel pretty. I want to have that same confidence when I'm not wearing make up or dressing up in nice clothes.
2. STUDY SERIOUSLY AND
TAKE A JLPT.
I study Japanese a lot. However, I do it by watching dramas, listening to music and talking to friends. My Japanese is incredibly casual, but I get by just fine on my own in Japan. However, I've always felt inferior to those who have had the opportunity to take and learn through formal classes. I always say that I'm going to take the JLPT just to see where I am compared to other students, but I always chicken out. I'm not going to do that any more.
Next year, I will definitely take the JLPT. Until then, I will study as much as possible. If I can, I'll update my Japanese blog daily. I'm also thinking it would be a good idea to find a study partner who is also learning Japanese, so that we can study together via voice chat or cam.
Lets see if I can maintain these goals =)
I chose to write about this today because it's Tanabata! While I was cleaning out my parent's book shelf, I came across a wish I had sent them my first year abroad, which was more than two years ago. My wish was to have more confidence in myself. This year will be four years since that day and I still have the same wish.
Ladies and gentlemen, please inspire me with your wishes and dreams!
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Date: 2012-07-06 04:37 pm (UTC)Have a good Tanabata!
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Date: 2012-07-06 08:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-06 06:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-06 06:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-06 06:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-06 06:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-06 07:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-06 07:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-06 07:12 pm (UTC)And about weight... I also dream to be slim, but... for me it's just a dream, I like yummy food, lol.
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Date: 2012-07-06 08:51 pm (UTC)Oh I know! I love food! It's my biggest weakness!
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Date: 2012-07-06 07:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-06 08:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-06 07:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-06 08:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-06 09:41 pm (UTC)Let's hope this year will be good for us!
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Date: 2012-07-06 09:49 pm (UTC)For instance, today a friend on FB told me I haven't changed a lot. The thing is I'm almost 40 pounds lighter than when she last saw me. It's a little thing,but it made me feel horrible. I don't know if she intended to do that, by my mind took it as something bad.
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Date: 2012-07-06 08:10 pm (UTC)And actually, as many posittives being tall has it still has a few bad qualities to it. I'm about 175 cm, I used to grow about 10 cm each year until I was 16 yrs old - thanks to that I'm missing calcium and other important stuff for my bones, thanks to which I have scoliosis since I was very young. I was always way taller then the rest of my playmates and classmates in kindergarden and later in school thanks to which I've been called names and have been bullied. At the age of 14 I've been taller then most of my teachers and the 1st - 4th grades always greeted me in the halls as a teacher (all my life I've been feeling old!) and even now, when I finally stoped growing, I'm still taller than most of the guys of my age (or any other age, for that matter!) - the only guys that I pretty much feel that "oh yeah, he's tall!" are those 2 m long dudes...
So, don't feel sad for being short if your only trouble is that you're weight is more seen. It's not worth the trouble ;)
And my wishes and dreams? Hmmm... I'd like to learn Latin when I'll have the money to buy the book for self-learners and a huge bunch of other stuff. :D
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Date: 2012-07-06 08:57 pm (UTC)Wow. 175cm? I want to say you're lucky. I think tall women are so beautiful. However, I can see how it was difficult for you growing up and I'm sorry people teased you that way >.<
Latin? Interesting! I don't know many people who study it because it's a dead language.
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Date: 2012-07-06 09:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-06 10:06 pm (UTC)The book I'm studying on and off now is the 2-kyuu. I do pretty okay in most sections aside from the listening, but I think that's more because I zone out than my simply not understanding. Those conversations are seriously so boring.
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Date: 2012-07-06 10:17 pm (UTC)Why not just try for the N2? You only need 60% to pass anyways, so don't stress about it.
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Date: 2012-07-06 10:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-07 07:33 am (UTC)Thanks! I have to say I love make up and all that stuff but lately I feel like I've been using it to make myself pretty instead of just to enhance the beauty I already have. And I think a lot of girls do this same thing.
I saw that you did one! =D
I read it! I had written a comment from my phone but it ate it, so I have to write it ><
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Date: 2012-07-07 03:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-07 07:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-07 03:22 am (UTC)It doesn't help if your super skinny, but unhealthy!
JLPT: What level do you want to take?
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Date: 2012-07-07 07:51 am (UTC)Sometimes it doesn't show in all my pictures but I'm definitely over weight T_T.
As for the JLPT, I don't really know. Since I've never taken any formal Japanese classes, I've never taken a test to see at around what level I am. Right now, I'm working my way through an N2 book but there's quite a bit I still have trouble with (mostly kanji!) so I don't think I'm 100% ready for that but when I looked at samples for N3 it looked too easy.
I mean I can do most things on my own. Going to banks, reservations, shopping, all the daily stuff...except for cooking lol. I can not write a recipe in Japanese to save my life.
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Date: 2012-07-09 04:32 pm (UTC)I hope you'll get to a healthy weight that you'll feel comfortable with! :D
I cannot do anything that has to do with cooking in ANY language! *laughs* ^-^;;; ....
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Date: 2012-07-09 07:16 pm (UTC)Oh really? Cooking terms in Japaneses scares me. So many words for cutting and slicing and dicing and grating depending on what you're doing...I just can't! Haha.
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Date: 2012-07-07 10:54 am (UTC)I also want to lose weight. I have been trying to eat less, and I have been trying to pick healthier options when I have a choice. But sometimes, I don't have a choice, for example, school lunch...
I wish you the best of luck with your workouts! Marcel and I have just discovered a gym in our city where you pay 150 yen each time you go rather than having a membership. It's not a great quality gym by the looks but it sounds better than nothing.
I'm tall and I show that I'm overweight :P
Good luck with the JLPT! Do you know which level you're going to take? It's still early now but if you have time you might try to find a practice test online to see about where your level is and focus on what you need for improvement. I took JLPT 2 three times to pass it. But at least failing it showed me where I needed improvement. And last time I was quite close to passing level 1 so I'm hoping I can pass next time. Keep in mind they send you the test scores for each section so you can see exactly where you are... it's very helpful even if you don't pass. Just give it a shot!
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Date: 2012-07-07 07:12 pm (UTC)There was a gym near my university that wasn't too expensive but I got paranoid because the treadmill was right in front of the windows and high school students always walked by and stared.
I'm not sure what level I want to take. Right now, I'm working my way through a review for the N2. Once I finish that, I'll take a practice test online. I was thinking of taking the 3-kyuu as I'm horrible with cooking terms, for instance, but I don't want to spend money on something too easy for me. With the N2, there are quite a bit of Kanji I don't get but that seems to be only weakness.
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Date: 2012-07-07 07:07 pm (UTC)Wish you best of best dear and may you achieve all your goals soon as possible.
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Date: 2012-07-08 05:49 pm (UTC)But now I wonder....
Thanks! Good luck to you too!
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Date: 2012-07-08 07:02 pm (UTC)I believe that you will achieve your goals ;)! Specially because resolutions are crucial just to take the first step ;)!
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Date: 2012-07-09 07:17 pm (UTC)Thanks for your support!
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Date: 2012-07-09 05:37 pm (UTC)Sounds like you had fun for July 4th - I was chatting to an American guy on the 5th over in London and it sounded like he hadn't really celebrated much.
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Date: 2012-07-09 07:15 pm (UTC)Maybe because he was in London? Are there a lot of Americans there? I'd imagine celebrating alone isn't so fun.
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Date: 2012-07-10 01:36 pm (UTC)I'm trying to lose weight, I set 2 phases and I made it to phase 1 and now it's getting really hard to proceed to phase 2. -___-
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Date: 2012-07-10 02:30 pm (UTC)Oh it looks that way? Thanks a lot. I'll keep working hard to make more changes =)
What is your second phase?
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Date: 2012-07-13 08:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-13 04:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-11 12:19 am (UTC)