Thirty and a Half.
Another St. Patrick’s Day has passed, which means another reminder that I’m about halfway to my next birthday. Last year I was rather apprehensive about turning 30, but also hopeful for the future and the opportunities that my situation at the time presented me with. A year later, I’ve reached what I had resolved for myself as I am entirely off of diabetes meds and am so far maintaining a fairly healthy lifestyle. ( Yeah, you’re probably sick of hearing about it by now.) It’s feeling more and more like March 17th is my day to make resolutions, as opposed to doing it on New Year’s Day. My following through on my resolution could very well have been a fluke, but I guess it couldn’t hurt to try it again.
A Good Cry in the Morning
Back in January I caught a showing of Departures (aka「おくりびと」) at Kahala Theatres, curious as to why it was playing for so long and why it had been so popular. I’m not a big movie buff, as most movies I watch turn out to be disappointing. My friend just mentioned that he wanted to see it and I just tagged along for the ride, going in with little expectation. I had no idea that I would encounter a movie with such a beautiful and moving story that would bring me to tears like no other movie had before.
The DVD came out and though it was a bit pricey, I bought it. I watched it several times and loaded it on my iPhone, with my face flowing with tears every time I watched it. As soon as I heard that music, my eyes started to well up as I thought of the sadness and closure that the protagonist faced at the end of the movie — something that personally moved me. I knew I had to get the soundtrack just because that music was so beautiful and so moving. Because I had an Amazon gift card, I ordered it from there and finally got it a month afterward. I don’t usually collect instrumental music, but this was such a great CD to add to my collection.
This morning, the title theme “おくりびと” started to play in my car’s stereo during my commute to work, and I just started crying uncontrollably. Even after watching the movie so many times and listening to the song so often, I still had been so affected by this beautiful song and movie. Coming into work this morning, I looked like a wreck. I felt exhausted from all the crying, but somehow it felt good to let it all out.
Ode To Green Tea
Green Tea is the best thing there is as far as the simple pleasures go. As a drink, it doesn’t have any calories nor sugar in it but it still provides an adequate amount of caffeine to get me through my day. Its taste is amazing in its subtlety as it is not loaded with overwhelming sweetness or bitterness. I would very well call it the perfect drink.
Several weeks ago, I saw a Tokidoki shirt with Adios and his pink counterpart gf (Ciao Ciao?) enjoying Green Tea and Sushi. I am not a big Tokidoki fan, but I got the shirt anyway because it was a cute way to celebrate one of my most favorite things. Whenever I wear it, I have the urge to enjoy some green tea or a green tea flavored treat. Today: Green Tea Gelato (alongside Macadamia Nut Gelato, Hunny’s choice) from Nordstrom’s Gelato Bar.
Rainbow Running
Another Wednesday, another Wednesday hike at Diamond Head. I think I enjoy this more than I do running because I can go at a nice slow pace, more so because I finish work at 3 instead of 4. Today was a little different because of the rain clouds visible over the Kaimuki area from the summit. When I spotted the rainbow within the Diamond Head crater going down, I made a run for the bottom. I definitely did not want to get caught in the rain, especially with the wind blowing hard and the fact that I only had on a tank top and shorts. Well, when I got to the bottom, the clouds had cleared and the sky was blue. Bah, how come I could not have predicted this better?? Oh well, at least I got a run out of my usually leisure hike today. In addition to that, I managed to do the 99 stairs 10x once again. Hopefully I won’t be too sore tomorrow. I think I am getting myself used to it slowly but surely.
Eff This, I’m Walking
Tuesday has been my running day for quite some time now and with the changes to my schedule recently, I have had to do my running in town after work. It’s been interesting having new scenery and to actually run in the daylight as opposed to the nighttime in my neighborhood. Last week, I had a phenomenal run of going 5 and half times around the perimeter of Kapiolani Park and I thought that maybe I could try it once again and hope to keep pace.
Well, the weather has been rather cold and windy (at least for Hawaii) and though I had been encouraged by the patches of blue in the sky, I could not contend with the weather for today’s run. I found that the strong wind was more than enough to exhaust me and discourage me from jogging. I ended up speed walking a lot of the 3 laps I took. By the end of the 3rd lap, I stopped my Nike+ workout and decided to just walk the last lap. It had me pretty bummed.
What was most distressing was that my right knee is starting to get sore. When I started to take up running, my reasoning was that my joints were eventually going to go to hell because of my arthritis, so I might as well make use of them while I can. Perhaps I half joked about that, because the thought of not being able to utilize my knees is now scaring me. I am willing to endure whatever treatments they prescribe me to spare the rest of my joints. It may turn out that I just can’t run anymore, and that would be a real bummer.
Anniversary.
Today marks my one year anniversary since being diagnosed with Type II Diabetes. Upon reading a journal that I kept at the time, I seemed hopeful that I would be able to manage my blood sugar and mitigate complications. As hopeful as I was, I have to say that I have exceeded my expectations as far as my progress goes. The fact that I was able to get off of meds and lose as much fat and gain as much muscle as I have is quite remarkable. What’s even more remarkable is that I didn’t deprive myself of much; I just made sure that if I wanted something good to eat, I’d just have to earn it with exercise and that I would always have to be cautious of not overdoing it. And even though it’s been one year, I know this not the “end of the road” — it has to be a continuing journey…
Continue Reading →
Alma Mater Dear
Hunny and I were looking for a spot to take a panoramic picture and somehow we ended up at Pearl City High School, my old Alma Mater. It was so weird to be back here. It’s been almost 13 years since I graduated from high school. I had absolutely NO business being here, but at least we took some nice pictures that I can load into my Aperture when I get home. (This pic was taken with my iPhone.)
Out of the ‘Fan Closet’ for this guy
“Hot N Cold” by Katy Perry is an AWESOME karaoke song, but this guy just adds his own flavor of awesome to it.
I just subscribed to this guy’s YouTube Channel. His Karaoke renditions would always so show up in my YouTube searches for 90s J-Rock Video — and of course, there a LOT of Karaoke videos out there. I guess it was seeing that in addition to doing songs from X-Japan, GLAY and RK from LUNA SEA, he had done a version of Lady Gaga’s Poker Face — I had to watch it and have been hooked since. I know people would say that he sounds silly (even with Japanese songs) but I definitely applaud anyone who gets into the spirit of Karaoke. And yes, I have videos of myself out there, too…lol.
RK Has Arrived!
My order from YesAsia arrived in my mailbox. I do not follow Japanese music anymore (Or any new music for that matter. A sign that I’m getting old?)…BUT you just can’t take the fangirl out of me when it comes to Ryuichi Kawamura (河村隆一) . I got his new album Sora (First Press with DVD!) and his latest single “抱きしめて.” Like with anything I bought of his in the last 10 years, I didn’t even listen to it; I just bought it. We all know what Bloo’s iPod will be playing for the commute to and from work.
Love/Hate
For the past year now, I felt I was pretty good about avoiding Starbucks. And really, everyone should find at least one reason to avoid Starbucks. 1) It’s a hassle because the line is long. After all, everyone else is doing it. 2) It may not worth the hassle when they screw up your order (and they do it WAY to often to me) 3) It’s expensive. We all know it but it bears repeating and 4) We shouldn’t be dependent on some pricey drink every morning.
So why this entry? I have found myself giving in more and more to the Starbucks machine. It certainly doesn’t help that I work near one (Okay, who doesn’t?) In the past two months, I have been ordering a doppio just because I think I need ‘something.’ I figured it would be okay to have once in a while, but now it’s happening way too often. Heaven help me if it gets to the point when the barista tells me my name and my order before I utter it.