Eating for a Cause

Monday, May 26, 2008

Parsley really is a funny plant. It was all wilted and kind of limp this afternoon from not being watered for more than three days. I drowned(ed) it right as the sun was setting and now suddenly it's alive and healthy again.

Huh...go figure.

So recently, I've been noticing that I've continued to lose weight. Others have noticed too. I'm again accused of having an eating disorder. Though no one would flat out say it to my face. Instead I catch it through hearsay and Freuden slips.

The truth is though that I haven't been eating very healthily recently. In fact, I haven't been eating much of anything. The end result is that now, I am under 100lbs. And remember those pants I was so happy I could fit into again? Well, they don't fit anymore. They're too big.

But the worst came last Wednesday what I was sitting at my desk really trying hard to work on a 500 word essay for the PA position which I am applying for. I was staring at my computer screen and just wanted to fall asleep. I could barely read what was on the screen. I couldn't think clearly. The mind felt like sludge.

And so I decided I needed some drastic changes. My life has now gone into full on eat mode. No meals will be skipped. High carbs are what's on the menu. I've started (as of Thursday) waking up early before work and riding my bike to help wake myself up enough to not feel sick when I eat breakfast. Because now I'm eating breakfast! Haven't done that since 9th grade.

On top of that, I've joined a soccer team.

What? Nina? Playing sports?

Yeah. It's true. But it's only for 3 weeks. ;)

Still, the exercise gives me an appetite like a horse and I really pack it in after a good 2 hours of sweating it out in the park.

But now, thanks to the carbs and the exercise, I suddenly had crap tons of energy! Which means that midnight rolls around and I'm still wide awake! What do I do with this time?! I blog of course :D

Let's hope that I keep this regime up. But most importantly, let's hope I get the weight up too!

Kyushu

Saturday, May 24, 2008

For once I have a single morning free to do as I please and you can thank your lucky stars I'm finally writing about something interesting!

Golden week - a time when there are so many national holidays all at once, the week turns into a golden vacation of one day off after another. I took 3 vacation days and took an 11 day trip! I love it (^^)v

This year I took some friends as we camped all over the beautiful island of Kyushu. We drove my tiny K-car all the way there and back and didn't kill ourselves on the way!

The navigator

The driver

The innocent bystandard

The fake hot springs in Beppu! They're naturally hot but not naturally blue. It cost $4 just to look at this place and we couldn't even go in! Granted, it probably would have naturally burned all of our skin leaving us stripped and tinted blue.

So we decided to get our money's worth in pictures.

Our second night camping! It was a beautiful place to pop tent and the weather was always on our side the entire trip! It rained for only two days both of which we had made no plans to go hiking or site seeing. The first day we stayed inside a museum all day and the second was the last day of our trip which consisted of us driving home! Score :)

Helicopter ride to see the inside of a magnificent LIVE crater in the mountains of Aso.

Said crater. We later hiked up an inactive one which was probably one of the best hikes I've ever been on. And it was amazingly beautiful. Something right out of Lord of the Rings. Pictures could never come close to describing it's beauty.

Kumamoto Castle or something such thing. I can't ever remember names :P But it was a magnificent castle anyway.

Then as we were driving through the mountains, we saw REAL volcanic activity. This was just on the side of the road! We couldn't believe our eyes. It was smoking all over and it smelled like rotten eggs. That's a sure sign that there is a hot spring near by. Directly in front of us is a tiny rest stop that had park benches to relax on (in the middle of nowhere) but it was all roped off. The entire thing was corroded and rotting. Turns out, the hot volcanic spring waters got a little out of control and bubbled over making the entire place unsafe. It was awesome!

Heat rash: 0 Nina: 1
I was driving so much and the sun was so intense at times that I started developing heat rash. I decided to break down and buy these expensive gloves that I see lot's of women wearing here in Japan. They look kinda weird, huh! But I LOVE them! I didn't really want to wear them but I wanted heat rash even less. Once I put them on, I didn't stop wearing them for the rest of the trip. They are so damn cool!!!

One of the many waterfalls on one of the many hikes we went on. Worth every moment of exhaustion :)

We later made it to the southern island of Yakushima. Not too many people make it that far. It was pretty isolated but one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. The trees were lush and green.

Something straight out of a movie. Oh wait, what does this sign say? Mononoke no hime no mori? The Princess Mononoke Forest? That's right folks. I was there. And it was awesome.

We later got to soak in this $1 onsen. Natural. Unmanned. Throw your coin in a box and get naked on the beach. Bathe in all the glory of naturally heated water right on the edge of the Pacific Ocean as the sun sets to create the perfect end to the most perfect trip I've taken.

Soul Searching in Tokushima

Monday, May 19, 2008


In the beginning of May I went out on a solitary journey to Tokushima. The only prefecture in Shikoku that I hadn't visited yet. (Iya doesn't count. It's a valley all on it's own)

I went with the purpose of finding myself.

Really?
Yes really.
Did I find me?

Truth be told, I don't think I was really lost in the first place. I just needed the time to get the hell outta dodge! After the Genki performance and the chaos that ensued both during and after was enough to drive me to have a psychotic episode!

The chaos is still around, btw, just in easier to manage bites and now that I've "found myself" it's all the more fun ;)

And by chaos I mean I'm busier than anything! One party after the next until it all comes crashing down in a giant explosion known as the Sayonara party! People are leaving and that means party party party party.

I just want to curl up in a ball and read book...


Anyway, I went and saw the very underwhelming Naruto Whirlpools. They were cute but let's thank my luck stars I didn't go there for the soul purpose of seeing them....pun maybe intended. You be the judge.


Basically, my greatest accomplishment for this weekend was that I did everything myself. I booked the hotel myself. I made the plans for myself and I went by myself. And I enjoyed myself. I've truly grown as a person since being here. It only took me a year and a half of living in Japan to finally be OK with doing things alone. For the first time in my life I enjoy my alone time!!!

Back with my soul intact

Thursday, May 15, 2008

There is sooooo very much to write about. There's no way I could even attempt to do it all here. It's just like the combined mess of the dirty dishes in my sink, the winter and summer clothes all over my floor from a poor attempt to switch over and the mess that is currently my car after having taken a 10 day camping trip with it!

I have to write about:
My trip to Tokushima
My trip to Kyushu
The new school year
Tea picking!!!


So let's start with the easiest and most recent (^^)v

TEA PICKING WITH MY STUDENTS FROM THE MOUNTAIN SCHOOL


Yup. That's right. I skipped out on a day of work and went into the mountains of Oodochi to pick some tea! It was surprisingly exhausting.


Half the English club! Let's go boys!

 
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