Michael Jackson

He inspired generation after generation...
He inspired every type of person...
He made the world dance...or at least tap their foot...
There are not many people in this world that can do that
for such a large population of people...
His personal life is not our business...
When it comes to celebrities... people in this world get so invasive...
Remember the good..remember all the positives he did for you...
the rest is the media not Michaels energy of dance and song...
rest in piece ...u r an inspiration...

The Art of Being a Woman

Life tends to hand us so much at times...our society forces us to be robotic in our daily lives....wake up..go to work..take care of the children...cook dinner...etc...correct? for most of us at least...
In the mess of societies ways a women tends to lose her true essence at times...Since moving to Japan not only have I lost myself in translation, I have lost my femininity...I lost love for me...I had a baby and lost my fly figure...I started working part-time as an english teacher..(which is so NOT what I want to be doing)...I lost the reason I fell in love with my husband...and I constantly ignore the mirrors around my house...I lost love..and if you don't love yourself how do you expect to love other's or have other's love and respect you? impossible!
So, I decided to take a women's workshop in Oyama today...it was taught by a wonderful woman named Sarah-Shivani you can go to her website and find so much to be inspired about...and join her workshops because they are blissful...the website is
www.livingshizen.com
Before I strolled into the Lotus Yoga Studio (which is also totally beautiful and inspiring) I felt like a stranger to myself..I was so depressed about who I am ...the things that I do in Japan are so not me (well not all things) but I am more than a wife and a mother I am an artist I am a dancer I am who I am...
After Sarah's class I felt so strong...I stared into my eyes for what seemed to be an eternity for me today...I never take that much time to look inside my eyes to see the beauty that reflects back at me...I noticed how beautiful my eyes are...how important I am in this society...Perhaps I even found my calling so to speak in Japan, since I want to do so much here but can never pinpoint what I really want to do...but today was different.
I have to take the time to love this body..this mind..this spirit that the great spirit has blessed me with...I have much to do on this planet...no time to waste..but always time to stop and look in the mirror to touch myself with love...to feel my womanly arts...to see my goddessness..To realize that not only am I a painter...a installation artist...one who draws other people or objects ..that I am the art...I am a woman and being a woman is all about art...we are complex like a color wheel..we can not be judged...why would anyone judge art? art is an expression and women are an expression of love..we are like the sea we are calm ...we are strong..we create waves..we flow with the moon cycles...why would anyone want to mess with us? why would anyone want to suppress our womenly arts? such nonsense! we must be strong like the ocean..like the earth...we must find our grounding center and take the time to be with ourselves to love ourselves...this is the greatest art form alive...

Maldives

I have been away for awhile with the blogging...
AAAHHHH the Maldives..There is so much to tell you,but
the truth is ..is that you should just try to go and
experience it for yourself..it is total paradise..I have
never in my life seen so much clear blue ocean...white sand..
heat that won't quit..every part of our journey was amazing...

I am working on a new blog coming soon....it will be
pure art....stay in touch and see...
I have a big art showing coming up in October so I am
busy creating these days...

love love

Shedding Darkness

It is that time of year when the light in the sky shines a little bit longer each and everyday...
Shedding the darkness...darkness...
Looking back into the darkest moments of time
Understanding the now...the reason you have stepped
into this life with me...fully understood...probably
never...I do not know...
How can one know another if they do not even know themselves...
At times only music and art can express the moments...
Flowing like a river with many river rocks at this moment
Soon the river will flow faster and more fiercely the rocks
will turn to pebbles...the sky will stay brighter for longer..
the break will come and the shedding will be complete...
the darkness will become warm and brighter...each day...
step by step

Drawing till she Moves

I started a new series of drawings...
I will draw my daughter while she is sleeping ...
When she moves I will finish..
This is the first one

What I see changing...

In my life...36yrs...I have seen alot of things change

I don't remember seeing a Starbucks on every corner.. I
only remember the
McDonalds and Burger Kings...they seemed to dominate the
factory food...

I don't remember recycling...until I was in high school...
I do not remember seeing strip malls on every corner until
college...

I DO REMEMBER SWIMMING IN FAIRLY CLEAN LAKES IN WISCONSIN
WHEN I WAS SMALL..

(TAKE NOTE) THE ONLY REASON I AM WRITING IN CAPS RIGHT NOW
IS BECAUSE I ACCIDENTLY PRESSED SOME BUTTON ON MY JAPANESE
COMPUTER AND CAN NOT FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET IT BACK TO
NORMAL..

OK...

I DO REMEMBER OPEN FIELDS LOTS OF THEM IN THE NORTHWEST AREA
OF CHICAGOLAND...

I REMEMBER DRINKING TAP WATER EVERYDAY WHEN I WAS A CHILD

I REMEMBER WHEN FOOD WAS NOT LABELED "ORGANIC"
I ALSO REMEMBER LOCAL FARMERS IN THE NORTHWEST AREA OF
CHICAGOLAND...

I REMEMBER WHEN EVERY RESTAURANT HAD A SMOKING SECTION

I REMEMBER WHEN SHOOTINGS WERE NOT A COMMON THING...

I REMEMBER WHEN "GLOBAL WARMING" WAS NEVER TALKED ABOUT..

I REMEMBER WHEN MY COMPUTER SCREEN WAS JUST BLACK AND GREEN...

THERE IS ALOT MORE TO MENTION..BUT NOT AT THE MOMENT

I change U change

If I don't change...how will anything else change?

I have a question for my readers...

What is your definition of Change?

Re-la-tion-ship

n.1. a connection, association, or involvement. 2. connection between persons by blood or marriage; kinship. 3. an emotional or other connection between people. 4. a romantic or sexual involvement.

Really what is a relationship? the definition above is just words...how can one really truly understand a relationship without having one?...perhaps there are many words in the dictionary that give me this feeling...

Words...

Relationship...

No matter what kind of relationship you are in..there are always many emotions..for me its like being in a boat in the sea...at times it's smooth sailing..other times make me seasick...

In the beginning it really feels magical...like no matter what...nothing will ruin a day for you...then time passes....can you keep that feeling?
my answer is ...no

What happens?

Forgive me ...I am still working on some sort of answer to this question...

One day I may have an answer blog...

All are welcome to comment on my blogs

Year at a Glace...Stars above..Love below..

Simply...I am not done blogging tonight...

A few decisions I have made for the new year ahead..

I will spend time with people that really value me...
I will spend time with women and men where conversations
generate brilliance...
I will walk away from the negative humans...
I will embrace the beauty of the positive..inspiring humans...
I will work on my patience..my love in my relationship with the
man I have chosen to live with in this new environment...
I have opened my eyes and my mind to new and great opportunities that surround me...
I am a teacher and a student everyday of my life...
I will shed the old skin and grow the new skin...
I will become the strength I have gained...I can handle anything ...
I will live my truth...
I will see beauty in things that may not be beauty to others...
I will photograph the light that catches my eyes and keep it inside until
it is meant to blossom...
I will love
I will live love and power..
I will use my power with love...
I will live in confidence...
I will dance more...
I will make the changes that are needed to become who I truly am...

Don't bother if you intend on bringing drama or negativity into my world..
Im not interested...

Focused

I am really focused these days...hence the reason
I am not always up on blogging...due to being super
busy with everything that is surrounding me...
My darling daughter is becoming more and more aware
every moment of the day..She is soooo much fun..we
accomplished blowing kisses today...can't beat that
kind of fun...

What else ...I am working 4 nights/days a week now, teaching
english...this is super good for me..it gets me out of the house
and back into the world of communication...that may sound funny to
some of you..but seriously my first year here I didn't communicate
with people everyday...it was tough...moving on here and now all is
becoming real to me..here I am in Japan doing it..."it" being living
life...this is my home now..tho it will never feel like "home" for now
this is home...so moving on...

I have a few new things I am working on...you can click on them off to the
side of this blog at the top right...I am selling things from Japan and
I am making small affordable paintings..all the money I make will help
get Nina and I to the United States for a month every year...so buy something
and I will come see ya! hahhaha...

Recently my husband Katsunori and I booked our dream vacation..I mean our honeymoon
that hasn't happened yet...we will be going to the Maldives in March ...if you
don't know about the Maldives..google it..

So for now thats my update on the life of me...focused I am ...

PLUR

Currently

Here I am...

Life has taken me to places unimaginable lately...

I am learning so much about this culture...so much about my country in contrast... so much about myself wrapped up between the 2 countries...not to mention my beautiful daughter whom is teaching me to be a mama in Japan ...its a challenge to believe the fact that in March I left America 2yrs ago...how time flys...how far I have come...how much further I have to go...

Literally everyday I am meeting somebody new...I am watching what I say..how I feel..being more conscious than maybe I feel I've ever been in my lifetime..

As we slowly make this new shift into 2009...the Sun currently slides into Capricorn (my birth sign) I slip into being 36 yrs of age in 2009...The 2nd New Moon from the Winter Solstice brings us into the year of the OX according to the Chinese New Year Calendar...which is my year in the Chinese Zodiac..if we are paying attention to such things...

The year of the OX brings us into a time of Hard Work...pay attention...dont complain..just work..and deal with it...we are facing alot of new changes within the coming year...we are moving forth with a new President of the United States ...feel it..live it...and have Gamen (patience in Japanese culture) ....

These words I speak...these words I write are only words...my test is to live them everyday...and this is a true test...

Ninas 1st Birthday

Ninas first bite of cake!




Well Nina is 1 year old now! its totally amazing how fast it goes...
I remember when everyone told me that she will grow so fast! and its
true....
I had a birthday party for her and it was soooo much fun..ill post a few
more pics of it all...we had games and tons of food...its a lasting memory
for sure

Wine Festival in Japan

So I woke up at about 7am Sunday November 16th for the Annual Coco Farm Wine Festival. This is something I had been planning to go to for a year now...it was raining out! what to do what to do...hmmmmmm
So texting my friend back and forth trying to decide what to do..what time we should hop on the train..or if we should go at all...hmmmm OK! plan set we are getting on the train at 9:30am...arriving in Ashiga Japan at 11am with my friends Tawny and Maki...it was a beautiful ride out to the Vineyard...amazing!
You pay a total of 26.00 for a roundtrip bus ride to the vineyard from the train station and back....you get a wine glass with the name of the winery on it...a bottle of really good wine..your choice..red..white or blush...we ended up tryin all of them...they were all fantastic! you get a little pin that has the name of the winery on it and when you were there and a corkscrew with the name of the winery on it as well...we happen to be there for their 25th anniversary wine festival...we walked thru alot of mud....alot of beautiful forest...to come to an open Vineyard with great music...great people...and a whole lot of fun in the rain....we put our tarp on the ground...we made a tent with the second tarp...we sat ....we Kampaii! Cheers! and we drank...starting at 12 noon exactly...and then we drank and drank...soon Maki was quite drunk..I was off taking photos and shopping while Tawny sat and watched it all happen around her...as she drank...by the end we had 5 empty bottles..mind you we did share with our neighbors...we ate some good food..(that I made) hehehe...by 3pm it was time to go....and try getting 3 drunk girls in the rain..muddy...to organize themselves with 2 tarps and a bunch of what nots that we or maybe "I" collected thru the afternoon on a bus and to a train and home....oh dear this was a mess...I wont go into detail...but lets just say it all took alot longer than needed...in the end it was a blast!!!! Im ready for next year...but now I know what to do and what not to do...hehhee...so next year November 16th..is a great time to come visit me in Japan...experience something yummy..and beautiful...with great people in Japan....

America Lets Focus

I woke this morning wondering ...what will happen today..its November 5th here in Japan..but in America it is November 4th 2008 and on this day the people of America have elected a new man for president and the man that won is a strong man...an inspiring man...a smart man...and in the history of America we have never had an African American elected for President...so yes history has been made today...

At times I feel that the fact that a black man has been elected is the focus ...but its not...I would have voted for this man no matter what color..purple..pink..blue..green..the truth is ..is that Obama is real...he is real...

I have never felt so strongly for any election...I was and I will admit it ...giving up on America in the last 8 yrs...its been terrible..I mean the current administration has ruined our beautiful country and today we stood tall and took it back!

Some people I know are not so pleased with todays results...but really now look at the landslide that occured today...its totally insane ( in a good way)...history has been made in so many ways...people that have not voted EVER...or in a VERY long time...got up and VOTED! WHY??? because we care...we love our country..and we have watched it go to the shits ......

Now lets be clear...Obama is not our saviour..he is a step in the right direction...why do I feel this because for one..he has inspired so many people all over this world...watch the tv...this is not just America people..its worldly! The energy that I have felt today has never happened to me thru any presidential election..Obama has many many strong people supporting him..

He can not make these CHANGES by himself people..its all of us...so wake up...its time to change that person you look at every morning in the mirror YOU!

You took your first baby step by getting out of bed this morning and Voting! so now...lets do it people...

how....

put the guns down....stop buying video games for your children and start creating a library of books in your house for those little ones you chose to have...love the people around you...stop supporting the war ( i mean really its not going anywhere) ...start supporting small businesses...start believing that you can have an affordable healthcare and get out there and speak your mind...I really feel that OBAMA will listen to us...he is real...he is a new generation in the office...he has inspired every generation today...

Lets see what we can do as the people...just look and see what we did today...it was pretty powerful...i mean really it really was...

I am so far...but so close to all of you today and will be...Yes this makes me wanna get on a plane and move back home today...but lets be clear ....Obama has a mess to clean up...this will take a looooooooooonnnnnggggg time....but at least we are going in the right direction..I am relieved...I feel like I can breathe again...I can believe again...

Peace....Love....Unity....Respect

Hair

I went to my hair salon yesterday...I dont have any photos of my hair yet...but it looks great...
I have a really great hairdresser...which is hard to come by in any country but I had the task in finding someone that has cut nonjapanese hair...
I found my hairdresser over a year ago and he rocks!

My experience at my salon is perfect...I love a few little things they do that I never experienced in the states..
Like when they wash my hair they let me pick out an aromashampoo..i always pick invigorating mint...Now when they are about to wash my hair they put a tissue over my face so I dont have to look up the guys nose...oh I am so happy for this! I always hated to get my hair washed at a salon cuz I always had to look up at them or their armpit was in my face and well...you know...
They always serve me kohii(coffee) or ocha(tea) I can watch a movie on my own dvd player while my highlights are lightening...
And they always give me a fantastic neck and shoulder massage...

I am trying to come up with another reason as to why I want my husband to send me to the salon...like tomorrow ...but since he is paying for it I feel I should take it easy on him:)

Well soon new hair pics!