Mexican dinner night with two Americans, a Brazillan, an Italian, and an Australian in Japan.

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I enjoy going to clubs, tearing up the dance floor (pretending to at least), and getting obnoxiously drunk with friends, but that scene gets old veryverrrrrrrrrry quickly. Maybe it's a sign that I'm getting older, but I much prefer total chill and laid-back dinner parties over rowdy bars and clubs. I think having a conservative 41 year-old roommate for the past 7 months is starting to rub off on me. Next week I'm going to discover I have an affinity for making doilies and crepe flower arrangements.

Last Saturday night Mary had Mexican dinner night at her apartment. Roberto, Ronnie, Justin, Mary, and I enjoyed Taco Bell seasoned tacos (I made homemade tortillas!), cheese cake, and two bottles of wine. It was a fabulous, fun-filled night of chatting, picture-snapping, and stuffing our faces with tacos. We already booked a date for our next dinner party. I hope to have these more often, but I'm always up for dancing any night of the week...

St. Patty's Day at Ell's Ditch

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Belinda, Mary and I went to Tokuyama's popular Irish pub, Ell's Ditch, tonight for their St. Patrick's Day party. Cheap beer and entertainment was provided by a live Japanese bagpipe player! Cheers to that mate!





Top 10

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There's a blog-tag going on in the Xanga blog world (where I keep my other blog) that tells us to list 10 attributes of our ideal man/woman. Here is my take:

The ten attributes to my ideal man are:

1. Funny as hell. Dry wit is the preferred choice of humor, but he's a definite keeper if he can keep me rollin'. He has to make me laugh on my good days, my fat days, my bad hair days, my shitty work days, and on days when my world feels upside down.
2. Is a balance between book smart and street smart.
3. Has goals, ambitions, and plans. Even if some of his goals are a bit far-fetched, at least he knows what he wants out of life. I don't want to waste time with a guy who just dilly-dally's with his life. Or else, where would I fit in the picture?
4. Outgoing and extremely social. Gets along with my friends, my family, his family, his friends, the neighborhood grocery store clerk, and his work colleagues. A guy who is well-rounded, wholesome, and down-to-earth is mm-mmmm sexxxxxxxxy.
5. He has to find me attractive even on the days when I'm too lazy to shave my pits or my legs. Or when I let one rip, because, damnit, everybody farts. Basically, I just want somebody who knows how to make me feel wanted regardless of what I'm wearing, how I'm feeling, or how much weight I've gained.
6. Has substance, character, opinions, and a functioning brain. I've met some guys who....don't.....really....have....much....to...say about anything. I don't like awkward silences.
7. Makes me feel protected. I hate fucking pansies or guys who can't walk the talk.
8. Takes care of his body. Any guy who flosses is always a plus on my book because that means he actually pays attention to the minor details of his health. He has to eat healthy, exercise regularly, drink in moderation, and practice good hygeine. But I'll pass on the metrosexuals, thankyouverymuch.
9. Knows how to please a woman in more ways than one [wink].
10. Has the uncanny ability to make me swoon, giggle, blush all at the same time with the right choice of words, actions, or touch.



Uh, tag, you're (whoever is reading this) it!

bitter cold = bitter mood

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While all of my university friends back at home are enjoying the warmth of the sun during their spring break, I'm all the way here in Japan trying to defrost in front of my kerosene heater.

It's March for crissakes and it's still snowwwwing! Spring, where art thou?

Stay 10ft. away.

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I'm in a pissy mood right now.

I want to hit something.

!!FASHION FAUX PAS ALERT!!

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Hot pink polka-dot Hello Kitty boxers for men. WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG. BurrrRRRRrrnnn every last pair.

Hi. My name is Karen Grace, but you can call me FATSO.

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I think the last time I ate something relatively healthy was about three weeks ago. Lately I've been gorging on anything that's fast, convenient, and just enough to hold me down for a few hours. Basically that's anything small enough to be shrink-wrapped and sold at 7-11. Before Christmas, I was on track with my diet. I actually ate a balanced meal that included all the necessary daily intakes of protein, greens, vitamins, fruits, and carbs. But after two weeks of feasting on massive portions of food from my favorite restaurants at home, I've had much difficulty shaking off my holiday appetite. I am living proof that it is possible to gain weight in Japan.

So far today I've eaten a granola bar, two fruit smoothies, an apple danish, fries from McDonald's, 4 gyoza/potstickers, and naan from the supermarket. And it's only 4:30 in the afternoon. I am the queen of carbs, bioooooooooootch.

Tomorrow I'm signing up for the gym.


(And I have less than two months before I have to wear that horrid bikini. Golden Week. Philippines. Two months. Fuck.)

Better than Costco

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Free samples of beer at Grand Fuji. o_O

A survey

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9 lasts:
1. cigarette: Um, 7th grade?
2. beverage: UCC Gold Special coffee
3. kiss: Last week
4. hug: Today
5. movie seen at the theatre: Casanova in January back when I was in the States
6. cd played: Amos Lee
8. bubble bath: Not a bubble bath, but a relaxing lavender soak. 4 months ago.
9. time you cried: January on the plane heading back to Japan

8 have you ever:
1. dated one of your best friends: no
2. skinny dipped: no, but I'd like to do it in the ocean someday. Wait, does going to the hot spring count?
3. kissed somebody and regretted it: oh hell yes. [shudder]
4. fallen in love: yes
5. lost someone you loved: yes
6. been depressed: yes, especially on my fat PMS days
8. ran away from where you are now? No, although I flirted with the idea of just going MIA after Christmas break during my shitty lonely times here back in August/September.
7. been drunk and threw up: yes. I hatehatehate that feeling. I also think I have a lower tolerance for alcohol than most normal folk.
8. wheres 8?

7 states you've been to:
1. Texas
2. California
3. Colorado
4. New York
5. Louisiana
6. Arkansas
7. Nevada

6 things you did today
1. Went to Iwakuni to look at the famous Kintai bridge w/ Marc
2. Made Japanese gyoza/potstickers
3. Sliced a big chunk of skin on my right index finger with a vegetable peeler
4. Successfully made a damn good breakfast
5. Ate too much cherry-blossom flavored mochi
6. Made a mess in the kitchen

5 favorite things in no order
1. Travelling and experiencing new cultures
2. Shopping and finding great bargains
3. Men. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm
4. Socializing and the company of good friends.
5. Coffee!

4 things you ate today
1. German potato pancakes
2. Mos Burger's Kinpira rice burger
3. MOCHI MOCHI MOCHI
4. Dole's Tropical Fruit Mix
5. Calbee vegetable potato sticks


3 people you can tell [pretty much] anything to in no order
1.
2.
3.


2 things you want to be when you grow up
1. a multi-billionaire's wife. Hah hah.
2. HAPPY and content with a loving husband, 2.5 kids, a golden retriever, a mini-van and a white picket fence.

1 thing you regret
1. High school. All of it.

Three strikes

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In the past 24 hours:
1. I said "eto ne" outloud inbetween thoughts during class.*
2. I bowed "thank you" to my friend Tamar on the phone.
3. I threw up a peace sign while posing for a picture for the first time without even thinking about it. First I used to do it to playfully mock the Japanese. Then I did it out of habit, but with at least an ounce of conscious effort. Today I realized that it has become an instant reflex.

*"eto ne" is the Japanese equivalent to "umm" or "uhh" in English.