japan: more snapshots

Here's a little something different to break up all the makeup posts: a continuation of my photos from Japan, this time with a little more focus on Osaka and Kyoto, where a great deal of my family lives!

Cute dog from when I visited my family in Osaka

Kyoto nature shots - such a beautiful place

祇園祭 - the famous Gion Festival

Pretty flowers from an arboretum in Nagoya

some real talk

 

We'll start this post off with a nice little pep-talk that I got last night from my Yogi Tea bag as it was steeping and as dumb as it sounds, it was nice to read because I really needed to hear it. Interestingly, the inspo-tea (as it were) wasn't telling me that life has to be amazing every single moment of every single day - instead it says to enjoy every moment. A moment doesn't become enjoyable necessarily because something great is happening, you can find ways to make yourself shift your perspective in order to find a way to enjoy a moment...even if they are not great.

I'm just about done with my Master's degree and while I am so glad that I was able to have the opportunity (not only to go to graduate school but also to go to such an amazing institution) I will be real with you and say that a good chunk of this year - especially the last two terms - have sucked.The program is great, but what they attempt to make us do in a year is insane especially at the level of the University of Chicago where you (as a MA student) have to do more work than the PhD students. To put it in perspective, PhD students take 5 classes per year and are fully funded + given a stipend for the first 5 years. Thus, the majority of the PhDs I spoke to here do not do teaching nor do they have a significant job on the side. Plus, they can put off their term papers indefinitely, so I know a few PhD students who still have papers left over from there first year here. 

On the flip side, the people in my program take 9 classes per year, while writing their thesis on top of their usual class load (most courses in English lit have 20 page papers due at the end of each term so 20pgs x 3 classes per term + your 30+ page thesis + 100+ pages of readings per week = a lot of stuff) and most of us have a job in order to make ends meet, because we have zero funding.

All that was to say that it has been rigorous and although I do not regret coming here at all, I now know that there is no way I could ever do a PhD here - mostly because the average PhD takes 7+ years to complete at UChicago. Imagining being in this environment for 7+ years makes me cringe. But if I hadn't done this program, I would never know what type of environment I would like or need to survive, I wouldn't know for sure if I even wanted to go to grad school, and I wouldn't have the language through which to talk about my field in a way that makes me sound like I actually know stuff. That is how I'm forcing myself to enjoy my last moments here, even though I have literally been counting down the days until I graduate. 

Another amazing blessing that came out of this program, on a non-academic level, are three phenomenal girls who became some of my best friends. If I hadn't done this I would never have met them and I honestly can't imagine not having them in my life (how did I survive before??). They have been there for me when I needed to gripe about how ridiculous the systems are at UChicago but they also were there to celebrate how beautiful Chicago is (FRIDAY FUNDAYS!).

So at the end of the day, it's really about perspective and I have been noticing myself inching more towards being a downer, which is something I'm not usually. So I got a nice slap in the face from my Yogi Tea and decided to change my act.

This post was not sponsored by Yogi Tea ;P

what's in my: mini makeup bag

Like I said in my travel makeup bag post, I really enjoy these types of "what's in my" posts for some reason - maybe because I'm secretly really nosy? - so I decided to make another quick one with what I keep with me everyday. I use the same little makeup bag (it's actually a pencil case but I use it for makeup) everyday and move it between bags depending on what I'm doing.

 

The bag I currently use is a little Rilakkuma case that I bought a few years ago when I was back in Japan. I really like this character because a) relaxing is something I forget to do, b) it's a cute little bear!, and c) the motifs are usually somewhat subdued so you can get away with being mid-twenties and having a cute little bear bag with fewer people judging you ;) 

Here's a little peek inside - the bag has sweet little phrases and such on the lining and as you can see, it has quite a bit of space...as long as you don't over pack! And also, another Rilakkuma item.

Here is everything laid out neatly. This is all I ever bring with me for the day unless I think I might need something extra for some reason or other.

-Refresh Contacts contact solution: I wear contacts and they tend to get dry and itchy after about 9 hrs so I bring this along to make sure I won't be caught with scary red eyes.

-Burt's Bees Lip Balm: everyone needs some Burt's Bees!

-Rilakkuma mirror: my mother bought me this as a gift one year when she was back in Japan - she said she didn't want to buy worthless cute things but she would buy cute useful things :) She'll be happy to know that this little guy has come in handy both for myself and for some of my friends.

-Bobby pins

-Julep Lipgloss in Charming: looks more magenta in this light but it's actually a nice pinky-nude color that is easy to toss on when you're in a hurry but still want to seem like you are really put-together.

-Real Purity Lipstick in Passion: my daily color - I'll be doing a post on this brand because the only lipsticks I own (three!) are from them and I have been really happy with the product. Plus it's organic!

-Bird Pill Box: for medicine on the go.

-Bandaid sleeve: because I always get blisters on my feet!

Not too many exciting things, but this is what I always have with me when I'm out and about. I like to keep it simple so I am able to move this little pouch from my big work/school bag to a small going-out bag without having to take anything out or anything, it's really convenient!

weekend fun: natsume soseki 夏目漱石 conference

A few weeks ago a friend and I made a split decision to attend a conference on Natsume Soseki - we both wanted to go really badly but for some reason the bus/train tickets for that particular weekend were so expensive! There was no way I was paying $80 for a bus ride that was only 4 hours. However, my boyfriend saw how disappointed I was that I couldn't go so he offered to pick my friend and I up and drive us back with him to the conference (which was luckily being held where he is studying). So thankful for such a sweet boyfriend! Entirely because of that single act of sweetness, my friend and I could attend the conference.

Alan Tansman of UC Berkley in the corner!

The conference itself was only over a single weekend but they managed to pack in so many panels during that time. It was a great learning experience because a lot of the big names in Japan studies were present, but also because there were a few panels that included graduate students. It was interesting to see how they structured their talks and to see what they are researching. The key themes over this weekend was a huge focus on 「心」(Kokoro) - which I wasn't too surprised about - but also on his more journalistic writing, especially 「満韓ところどころ」（Mankan tokorodokoro). I wasn't expecting there to be as much of a focus on the second piece but I believe that much of Japanese literature studies (focusing around the time of Soseki and through WWII) have to acknowledge Manchuria/Manchyuko, so a lot of scholarship is being done on that.

Another highlight of the conference was having Yoko Tawada (多和田葉子) as one of the keynote speakers - her talk was titled「漱石ってどんな石？自分ではないものになる方法」and it was an amazing talk. She is such a talented speaker and although I think some of her fiction writing is a little too surreal for me, I love her poetry. So glad I was able to hear her speak! Another speaker-highlight was of course seeing one of my very own professors present a paper and I continue to be amazed at how amazingly intelligent some people are in this world.

Otherwise, I was able to spend quite a bit of time with my friend and we had a few great heart-to-hearts :) I'm so glad I could attend the conference, even though I wasn't able to spend much time with my boyfriend since he was busy finishing up his work for graduation (which happened a few days ago!) and I was at the conference. 

 

japan: some snapshots

As I've mentioned elsewhere I am half-Japanese and was born in Japan, lived there for many years, moved to the USA, and was able to go back to Japan every year to see family. Due to the sheer number of trips I have taken over my lifetime, I have a huge pool of photos sitting in my hard drive. I thought it would be fun to feature of few Japan pictures since I know that Japan is a hot topic online! I will try to keep the images cohesive to year or location but, like I said, this is only a tiny sampling and I'll keep posting more if people enjoy seeing my take on Japan.

名古屋城 - Nagoya Castle (from afar)

Although my family is from Osaka, Japan (where I was born!) in later years they fanned out to other cities as well, such as Nagoya. Thus, I have spent the most time in Osaka and Nagoya, though I do have family in Tokyo who I visit on a regular basis.

There was a bonsai competition being held one year and I have to say, it was a stunning exhibition to walk through!

I am a huge fan of architecture in general - so happy to be dividing my time between two of the most architecturally gorgeous locations.

My grandparents live directly across from Nagoya University (名古屋大学) - as in, I can look out over campus from the room I stay in at their condo. There is a large clock on the campus building closest to us that is solar powered, which is how I always checked the time.

These were on the way to Mie Prefecture I believe? It has been a while so I am struggling to remember.

japan: my grandfather

I thought I'd post a little something different today and get a little more personal since this is a personal blog. I always enjoy when other bloggers talk about the elements that make up who they are as people, so I thought I'd start with some Japan posts, beginning with my family. People often ask who my inspirations in life are and I'll be the first to admit that my inspirations don't go far beyond the bounds of family but since I have found myself needing more and more inspiration these days, I thought I'd write about one: my grandfather. 

My grandfather worked for the Toyota company when it first began decades ago and was the first person from the company to go to New York in 1957 and open up shop, as it were. The first person. Ever. In the years after WWII, Japan’s economy was in shambles - like the rest of the country - so the only way to salvage it was to get foreign currency circulating within it. In this case, the US dollar. Problem was, basically no one on the international scene even wanted anything Japan had to offer (which, to be honest, wasn’t much). My grandfather described these early exports as primitive - ceramic plates, bowls, silk stockings, etc. So Toyota scraped up adequate funds, sent my grandfather over for six months with a few traveler’s checks and ordered him to try and get the Americans interested in Japanese exports. But this was a whole lot easier said than done because everything about Japanese exports was wrong. When my grandfather would bring samples to potential customers, they’d find something to pick at: the color was wrong, the shape was wrong and (in the case of fabrics) even the weave was wrong. All this time my grandfather was sending back reports to Toyota stating what the issues were and, over a good deal of time, the quality of Japanese goods improved to the point that Americas were buying. Thus, the Toyota Trading Company was born.

My grandfather worked with the international trade branch within the Toyota company, which includes the automobile branch but extends far beyond it. I always forget to distinguish between the two since, growing up, Toyota was always more or less a single entity in my mind consisting of both branches. However, I began realizing that to most people Toyota is merely the name of an automobile maker. So to clarify: my grandfather was the vice-president of Toyota North-America, but presided over international trade which naturally included cars but also fabrics, foodstuffs, etc etc etc. He is currently retired and has been for years though he is still marginally involved in the company. He is part of the Toyota Society, a group of retirees who meet a few times a month for business affairs as well as chummy fun - golf, ma-jung and luncheons. He also is the auditor for his friend’s engineering company, which keeps him busy. Sometimes I think he should take it easy, not to take on so much and to relax more. A big part of me is afraid of when my grandfather passes away and I don’t really want him to rush that day, though it will come when it wants to, I suppose. I don’t know, I can hear the voices of my mom and some friends telling me not to worry about it, about my grandfather’s inevitable death. And I don’t think about it often, obviously, just when I am reminded that he is getting old and that no one lives forever. I will admit that when he passes away, I will be crushed for a very long time.

My grandmother always called him katsuo, a kind of fish that is constantly moving because were it to stop moving it would die. There is a legend in Japan about the katsuo who constantly swim around the world, not because it was afraid it would die were it to stop - it kept swimming simply because it loved movement and didn’t want to stop. That describes my grandfather perfectly, he is always on the go, not egged on by a fear of death. He is always in a suit, no matter where we’re going, be it a quick run to the grocery store or to an orchestra concert in an upscale concert hall. In fact, I have never seen him not wearing a suit in public. A few years ago we went shopping together and came across the men’s jeans section of the store. He paused for a moment, hands clasped behind his back, dressed in a grey pin-stripe suit, black shoes polished and suddenly looks over at me and said, “Maybe I should start wearing jeans, wouldn’t that be different!” with a laugh. I laughed right along with him, trying to picture him in a pair of jeans. And you know what? I couldn’t do it. I am so used to seeing him in his suits, looking perfectly comfortable and casual just as I feel in my jeans and cardigans, that to picture him any other way was nigh impossible. Needless to say, he’s still sticking to the suits. He is a businessman at heart but also a businessman with a heart. Growing up as a teenager during WWII and the years following, he was confronted with the jarring reality of life in a country on the losing side of war (never a fun place to be). For years people were starving to death around him and there was never enough of anything. One thing I always admired about my grandfather was how human he is, how conscientious of others around him whether it was people he came across in business circles, societal circles or someone he passed in the grocery store. He was a very successful businessman, but the money never got to his head. Instead, the images of starvation and struggle remain firmly imbedded within him; his greatest joy comes from making other people happy. We were eating at a very fancy, delicious sushi shop one night and as I ate (with ‘child-like bliss’ my uncle later informed me) my grandfather watched me with such joy in his eyes. My uncle looks over and says with a grin, “Grandpa grew up in a time when everyone starved to death so his greatest joy is watching the people he loves eat good food”.

The war taught my grandfather and those in his generation to persevere and work themselves to the bone because there was no other alternative. He helped build one of the largest and most successful companies in the world, yet still remains incredibly down-to-earth. It’s insane. He is accepting, he is loving, he is understanding and compassionate. I wish that everyone had someone in their life like him, someone to look you square in the eye lovingly but firmly tell you to keep going, to keep on chugging away at life. Someone to whom you can look at and realize that yes, love does in fact cover a multitude of sins - including those that were inflicted upon you.

I hope that someday I can be like him. I don’t know how realistic that is, but there’s nothing wrong with having lofty goals, yes?

travel: what's in my make-up bag

I am about to head out on a week long trip (for spring break woo hoo!) and since I personally love any sort of "what's in my bag" type posts, I thought I would make my own. I'm going to focus on what's in my travel make-up bag!

The bag I use to store ALL my makeup in is an old freebie bag that I got from Clinique years ago, but it's still in perfect shape and I absolutely love the print on it! This one is pretty big so I like to use it to consolidate my toiletries and my makeup into one handy little bag.

And here are my travel makeup essentials! This isn't the whole collection, just what I have to bring with me on trips. I do have quite a bit of Physicians Formula because a) I live right across the street from a CVS (they ALWAYS have good deals on their PF makeup) and b) I have super sensitive, break-out prone skin. I just find that American cosmetics are usually harsh on my skin, so I stick to PF, though I have been more and more tempted to try out bare Minerals and tarte. I'm especially drawn to tarte's adorable packaging.

- Chifure Liquid Foundation UV SPF33 PA++ in ピンク (pink): as someone who is mixed, I have a hard time finding foundations that suit my skin tone in the United States. Fortunately, I found a great match for me in Japan! I have been using this Chifure foundation for years and have yet to have any complaints. I would say it is a light-coverage foundation but it is buildable and works well with any concealers or powders on top.

- Organic Wear Jumbo Lash Mascara: I grew up with a mother who was always really conscious about bad chemicals in everything, so I have always been wary about putting harsh chemically things near my eyes. I also wear contacts, so I want to make sure that nothing irritates my eyes. At the same time I do want to have mascara because I like how my lashes look when curled + marscara-ed. I also love this mascara because it has never smudged on me and I have a very smudge-prone eye area. I usually schedule my classes and seminars all on one day so I need something that stays on for 10-12 hrs and this definitely delivers for me!

-Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Face Powder in Translucent Light: I was using a Covergirl pressed powder before this one but wanted to try something different. I find it goes on well with a fluffy brush and mattifies the skin well. I tested its staying power on a day I had to go downtown for an interview; I put on my makeup at around 8:30am and rode the bus, walked around downtown for a few hours, had an interview, walked around more, rode the bus back, and when I checked in the mirror my makeup was still looking good! I was glad that the powder didn't cake or break apart like my other powders have done in the past.

- Conceal Rx Physicians Strength Concealer in Light: I think most people are familiar with the Physicians Formula concealers, because a lot of people have raved about them. I have to throw in my own praise because every time I put it on I can't believe how well it covers up blemishes - and as someone who is prone to problem spots on the skin, I approve!

-hair clips to get my bangs out of my face when I do my makeup or wash my face: pretty self explanatory, I think.

-Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer in Radiant: I've talked about this product before and I'm still using it! Great concealer and after switching between two colors a few times, I've settled on 'Radiant' as my color. My only complaint about this product is that the brush tip leaks sometimes and although it has yet to leak out of the plastic cap, I always travel with it in its own plastic baggie just to be safe.

- Physicians Formula Happy Booster Glow & Mood Boosting Blush in Natural: How cute is this? I love the packaging and it's a great blush to boot! I decided to bring this blush along because it is a little more compact than my NudeWear blush and is easier to slip into your handbag if you decide to bring it along. And also, did I say it has super cute packaging?

- Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips for Brown Eyes: Who is getting sick of Physicians Formula? Clearly not me! This is a great go-to small palette for travel and has all my favorite shades, including a gorgeous deep plum color that I use in lieu of an eyeliner. It has all shimmer shades as well because I am a huge fan of shimmer eyeshadow - shimmer all day, every day, please!

-Physicians Formula Matte Collection Quad Eye Shadow in Canyon Classic: But since shimmer isn't always the best option, I have a matte quad as well. The colors are incredibly pigmented and smooth - when I first got it I was a little heavy handed and got way too much of the cream color on my brush and ended up with a white brow bone. Oops. I also use the darkest shade in this palette to fill in my brows when I want my already fairly defined brows to be an even bigger statement.

- Japanese drugstore makeup brand in brown: I can't find the brand name anywhere and it was also a gift from my mother after a trip, so I have no idea where it's from! That being said it's a pretty standard Japanese eyeshadow palette with neutral colors that are incredibly sparkly. Personally, I love it and I use it almost everyday, which is why I am getting close to hitting pan on the two lightest shades!

I also carry two sets of lip products (which didn't get pictured) to switch up my look:

-Julep Lipgloss in Charming and Enchanted
-Revlon's Just Been Bitten Kisseable Balm Stain in Honey and Rendezvous

Phew that was a lengthy post, but hope it was enjoyable! Let me know your travel essentials as well :)