Dartboard

yuki and i needed some ice cream.

the haircut doesn't APPEAR to be a disaster in this picture because you can't see the bottom half. that's how deceiving the layer technique is!!!

is the last thing you want to hear after getting a new haircut. Unfortunately that’s all I’ve been hearing since my drunken decision to let a man in a bar take scissors to my head on Wednesday night.

(Actually, no one has told me, “Don't worry, it’ll grow out,” but I definitely hear that voice when I look in a mirror. Most people are being supportive—thanks Vicky, especially for the call last night.)

The full story….
Lori’s birthday party was Wednesday night at George’s.
Ippei, the island-stylist, showed up with his scissors.
Because he’s been telling me he wants to make me “more beautiful” for a quite some time (and I’m guilty of believing he could) I donned the cape right there in the middle of the bar and he layered like I’ve never seen layering before.
All that beautiful hair that I just paid so much to get straightened, came off so quickly.
Now I look Japanese—It’s the “feathered-everywhere” look.
My ponytail is a pathetic few hairs.
I would still be crying except Yuki keeps telling me, “You’re soooo beautiful and sexy. I LOVE IT!!”

I don’t know how anyone could love this haircut. I used to make fun of people with hair that was full on top and a ratty at the bottom. Now I’m ONE OF THEM!!! I’m trying to think of ways to fix it, but it’s passed the point of repair. I’m gonna have to wait this one out. It's depressing me.

It’s a good thing the only clothes I can buy in Japan are hats, so I have plenty of options when it comes to covering up the disaster area.

Speaking of clothes, Yuki ordered me some catalogues with “big people” clothes and they arrived yesterday. Last night we looked at them together. I didn’t decide to buy anything yet, but there are a lot of good things in there—both casual and work clothes. Although they’re really cute and not too expensive, it’s hard to buy clothes through a catalogue—but nearly impossible to buy clothes in any Japanese store so I’m going to order a few things soon. Did you know… the largest pants in Nagasaki’s GAP is size 10!?! Of course, I’m a 12.

We also looked at shoes. Yuki wants me to get those pointy, strappy, metallic-silver shoes. Besides making fun of Japanese women with severely layered hair, I also make fun of girls with pointy, strappy, metallic shoes. I told him “NO WAY! You got my hair, you don’t get my feet too.”

Congratulations Yuki!!! He made the cut!!! He and his brother are going to be on a televised singing competition on March 12th!!

This weekend Yuki and his little bro traveled to Iki Island and battled against 250 other hopefuls for one of the 20 coveted　spots. They made the Saturday tryouts and then filmed the show on Sunday. They didn’t win the whole competition (everyone said they should have) but they got to sing on TV for their father (He did the same competition a few years ago and passed away last November.) and dedicate this song to their mother.

This is a weekly competition, always filmed in a different location in Japan and with competitive tryouts. The show is broadcasted Sunday afternoons (noon, I think) so please watch him next month (if you live in Japan and can)!!

…I knew he was better-than-average at karaoke!!!

I've been dying to tell you about my fishing trip with Yuki. I played hooky last Tuesday—or was it two weeks ago now?—and Yuki and I went fishing. After two hours in the freezing winter, two different locations and only catching two small throwbacks, we finally decided to call it a day and were rolling up the rods for the last time. Yuki suddenly yells, "Look! I caught something!! Six shrimp!!!!" (referring to the fake shrimp attached to the six hooks). Then he started dancing around, whooping and hee-hawing (did I tell you he’s from Alerbama?!?) and I nearly peed my pants in laughter.

He makes me a laugh a lot. The rest the day we continuously joked about it. We spent all this money for gear and fish bait and stood out on the docks in the middle of winter—and for what…?!? To feed fish and stink up his car like shrimp!! I blame Yuki for our lack of success—the fish were all too full from the huge bag of shrimp he dumped into the ocean (to attract them) before we dropped in our lines. The worst part about it was that the water was so clear that we could see so many fish swimming around enjoying the real shrimp, but never being fooled by our hooks.

It doesn’t sound nearly as funny when you have to read it, but I was laughing hysterically as I wrote this post. In fact, I burst out in giggles so much that I couldn't finish writing until all the teachers left the staffroom. What a disturbance!!

Now we keep our poles in the back of his car and whenever we get a chance to drop our lines in the water, we have a mini fishing-trip. In this picture from last Saturday we were waiting for Dawn’s ferry to come in and made good use of our spare time. Again, nothing but one throwback!

Except this one shrimp I caught, I’ll keep him…

I wanna squeeze those little エビ cheeks!!

I have to post a few random pictures that I’ve had on my desktop for a couple, a few, or many months now.

Video-chatting with Alex (looks like he gave up shaving)!! Good luck with the new こいびと! And did you ever find out about that study abroad video your friend spotted me in?!? I didn't know I was famous!!

A photo taken by my mom’s Sugar Daddy. It's Canada.

Officially the latest picture EVER! I think I’ve been meaning to post this for about four months now. From Aokata’s Odori (Dance) Festival. These cuties are Melissa’s junior high school students dancing at the town competition--they did really well!!

Just got back from a weekend in Nagasaki with Dawn-sensei. Golly, that girl is fun to be with! We mostly did lots of shopping and eating and catching up on girl gossip. This whole “trying to save money” thing isn’t really working out for me… Neither is that New Year’s Diet!!! Just kidding, I didn’t start a New Year’s Diet, but I’m beginning to feel like I should have…

Oh! A picture of my new boyfriend!!!!! His name's Yuki and he's from Alerbama.

My mom jumping on her new trampoline in a wonderful pair of PJs!! I want pajamas like that!!!

Then, here we are video-chatting. ---Can you sort of see my straight perm in the picture?!? Okay, it's dark and my hand covers most of my head, but I love my new perm!!!--- Mama has a worried look because I had just sent her the pictures of my verruca!!!

Verruca Update: I had a couple Viral Experts (Dr. Wood and Dr. Coddington) over my house on Friday night and they fully explained to me the differences between corns, warts and “verrucas" (also called a plantar wart). Apparently that beast on my foot is a one of those and they are always stubborn and hard to get rid of. By their calculations I have another year and half before my body can win this battle.

Read all about verrucas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verruca