More Travel Advice

CNN just posted this article:

http://us.cnn.com/2013/08/02/travel/20-travel-mistakes/index.html?hpt=hp_c4

And I have to say, I agree with almost everything they say.

1.) Overpacking

Most people I know have no idea how to pack. When one packs a bag, one should follow a formula. First, consider how many days one will be gone. 5 days? A week? A month? I only ever pack enough undergarments and socks to last me the duration I'll be gone. The rest I wear multiple times - for a week long trip, I'd probably pack 3 shirts and 2 or 3 pairs of pants/legwear.

With some very notable exceptions (like returning from living abroad), my family has the "only what you can carry" rule. If it's too heavy for you to carry, you're doing it wrong.

2.) Not Buying Something You Like As Soon As You See It

For me, this is generally untrue. I can be a bit impulsive at times, but sometimes money is better spent elsewhere. As such, I don't collect nearly as much "junk" as most people I know. If I bought everything I thought was interesting, I'd be shipping a lot more stuff home.

3.) Not Checking Your Phone Plan Before Traveling Abroad

This...will definitely be true for most Americans. To me, it's common knowledge that Verizon is a douchebag that charges you out the ass for roaming. But a lot of people I know don't even think about whether they should bring their phone with them or not. Usually, my family doesn't. We just skype or e-mail those back home with this wonderful invention called the internet.

4.) Trusting "Near City Center" Descriptions

Hahaha, nope.

5.) Taking the "super" shuttle. 

I've never actually used one. My family and I usually just use public transit (trains, free hotel shuttles, buses and walking). We did take a taxi once in Rome and thought we would die. Never again.

6.) Not tightening shampoo caps all the way

I can see how this would be a problem - but that's why every liquid I pack goes in a ziplock bag. If it's too big for a ziplock, I'd say don't bring it - but when exceptions must be made, a tightly wound trashbag can help minimize the mess.

7.) Thinking You Know the Perfect Time to book that ticket

Yeah, don't. It's random. And that "3 months ahead" or "one week before" stuff isn't true either. I actually find that the 3-months rule is bullshit and that's when tickets are MOST expensive. Your best bet is to just check several times a week and just buy it when it hits something "reasonable".

8.) Trying too hard to chisel out a bargain

I've never done this because I'm not a haggler. I only argue when it's not the price on the item.

9.) Not changing money at the airport

I've never done this. I've never changed money, actually. I have this thing called a debit card and there are these things called ATMs...

But if I did, I'd probably change maybe $50 at the airport to get some cash on me.

10.) Underestimating the Hell that is Heathrow

Okay, it's common effing knowledge to arrive at least 3 hours before an international flight - so why don't people do it? I've been scolded by Japanese people who tell me it's fine to just arrive an hour before...The exception being the first flight or second flight of the day (8 am flight and security doesn't open until 7:30) - then the airport people rush you through.

11.) Buying cheap flip-flops

Haven't done this. I'm a sneakers girl.

12.) Fearing street food

Don't! Really, some of the most delicious Japanese food is their street food...takoyaki, yakisoba, kakigoori. If you don't think you'll like it, that's fine, but don't skip it simply because a street vendor is selling it.

13.) Buying a drum on the first day of a three month trip in Asia

Pfft. I'd say don't buy a drum unless you want to ship that bitch home via mail.

14.) Over-reliance on guidebooks

I've traveled to 9 countries and I've never used a guidebook. We live with this modern marvel called the internet where all those guides are posted for free. Great travel ideas on Lonely Planet's website, wiki travel and wikipedia itself. If you want a physical copy, print it out.

15.) Not buying the full insurance policy

I'm covered on dad's insurance anyway - but if I weren't, I doubt I'd buy one anyway. If I did, it'd likely be the full plan, though.

16.) Obsessive photography

For reasons mentioned, you may run out of space on your hard drive. Keep your camera close, of course, for those wonderful moments. But don't take pictures of EVERYTHING - not only do you look like a super tourist, but no one wants to look at them. I only upload the best of my photos or my favorites to facebook - not the whole bloody album.

17.) Not checking visa requirements before departure

I don't have as many problems as a Chinese citizen would (they need visas to visit just about everywhere), but there are countries where I would need a visa. If I wanted to stay in Japan for more than 90 days, I'd need a visa (I have one, actually). If I want to go to Australia or Brazil, I need a visa. It's usually not HARD, just time consuming.

18.) Attempting Berlin in a weekend

Or attempting any major city in a weekend. I shake my head at those who attempt Tokyo in a day. One can indeed get a feel for Tokyo city life in a weekend, but one will miss all of the other, better, things to do in Tokyo. Like visit the Ghibli museum. Or spend an hour or two in a Japanese arcade.

19.) Using a credit card to get cash

I know a guy who did this for a semester because he didn't bring a debit card and Japan is mostly a cash-only society. The fees you get hit with are phenomenal, but he came from a very wealthy family that could handle it. He told me he had no idea how much he spent when he studied abroad because his parents paid for it all.

20.) Not printing out reservation details

Not only does it make everything go faster, but it proves that you have a spot. Otherwise, the company could just say that your reservation doesn't exist (despite you already having paid in full). This includes everything from bus tickets to airline tickets to hotel reservations to those sports tickets.

One Week Left

I have one week remaining in my study abroad and I've been having conflicted feelings. On the one hand, I'd really like to go home. On the other hand, I'm super excited to be going home.

As much as I love Japan, home will always be home, unfortunately.

Moving out has been a serious challenge. Most of my utility companies have been sympathetic to my plight of moving back in the middle of a bill period. The only one that has given me trouble is Yahoo BB (my ISP provider). They say they can't send my bill early and that I'll need to have someone else pay it for me. Uh, what? I even had a Japanese friend try to straighten it out for me and I still got this BS. I'm lucky in that I can leave money with a friend and use their home as a forwarding address, but what about all the other foreigners? Oh, right, all you're doing is encouraging us to get blacklisted the next time we come to Japan for rogue bills.

I haven't really been able to find people who want my stuff either. I've tried Criagslist and Gaijinpot, but seriously...not many people have responded and those who have all ask for the same four items (that have already been taken).

Luckily, the end is in sight - I need to be completely moved out of my apartment the morning of the 6th and my plane leaves around 4:30 from Narita on the 7th.

A Rant on "Friend-Zoning"

Before I start, I should mention that I've only ever been in one relationship and that we've been together for quite a long time - so some of my opinions on this matter might be a bit off, but I have experience in dealing with the "friend-zoned".

It should also be asserted that I may be slightly biased in my opinions. I am by no means a feminist, but as someone who has always been very uncomfortable with my gender, I occasionally feel the need to voice my frustrations at inaccurate stereotypes.

The whole concept of friend-zoning is rather depressing. For those who are unfamiliar, it's the notion that a individual, who has romantic interest in another, is kept at arm's distance because the other party isn't interested him or her romantically. It's a modern term for unrequited love. Usually, but not always, this term is used to refer to men who have been boxed into this "zone" by a woman.

I understand that the rejected party feels hurt. I truly do. I've had to give heartening pats on many occasions. But one must understand that, in most cases, it is not meant to be hurtful. The other party doesn't want to engage in a romantic relationship with the individual in question and there could be REASONS for the rejection.

Examples being:

• You smell funny. Maybe you forgot to brush your teeth. Maybe you're wearing too much deodorant or cologne. Maybe you forgot to change your socks. Or it could just be your MHC genes are different, making you smell funny just to that one person.
• You have nothing or little in common. If you're going to spend copious amounts of time together, don't you want to be able to have awesome conversations? If the only overlap is sports, the two of you would be doing very little talking...and that's nothing to base a relationship off of. Many people are okay with such physicalities, but in a long term (and satisfying) relationship, you need to have the same notions of spending time with one another. If she likes spending her free time at the gym and he likes playing video games all day, you may have some problems.
• You have viewpoints on certain topics that the other party STRONGLY disagrees with. Such as religion, whether or not to have children, treatment of said children, crazy conspiracy theories, the ability to talk to dead people (a friend once dated someone who claimed this...)
• You make the other person uncomfortable. If you come off as crazy desperate, most of the time you aren't going to find a date. If you constantly stare at the other person's body parts (breasts, crotch, etc), you will make the other party seriously uncomfortable. If you are overly insistent, you're probably going to have issues. I had a guy beg me to go off with him once - he grabbed my hand and refused to let go. That is NOT okay and it seriously makes people uncomfortable. 
• The other person might not find you attractive. No other way to put this. This applies to everyone. Watch this video to feel better: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYUtVsA-wi4 
• Some other quirk or habit that the other person finds off-putting. If you drink until you drop on the first date, there might not be another one. If you're constantly texting/browsing the interwebs during the meal, the other party might think that YOU think they're boring.

This next bit applies to everyone. When you try to become friends with someone you want to have a relationship with, especially if he/she is already in a relationship, try not to get disappointed when the person rejects you. That person didn't become friends with you for the same reason. That person saw something nice in you, but that doesn't mean s/he wants to get involved with you that way. S/he saw you as someone worthy of being friends with. That doesn't mean that s/he hates you, or even "friend-zoned" you. That person probably doesn't even know that you had ulterior motives. 

This seems MUCH more common among men than it is among women, but it really does apply to everyone. When you have ulterior motives in becoming friends with someone, that person can be just as hurt when s/he finds out you only wanted to get into his/her pants. Think about that.

As of today...

Today marks the start of my last month in Japan. Guess I should say something?

I have very mixed feelings. It's not that I don't want to go home...it's more that I don't think I'm ready to leave, especially since I've made so many wonderful friends. I've gotten used to this new "normal", this routine.

And to be honest, I'm really going to miss the freedom of living alone. It can be very, well, lonely at times, but I can choose what I want to do and when. I'm not limited by things like having to make sure someone knows where I am at all times or having to wait forever just to catch the bus/train. Hell, I'm going to have to re-establish my dominance over the car when I get back, especially if I have a job. If I'm too lazy to make dinner, I can just pick something up at the Aion or the 7-11 or the Lawson - and I don't get scolded when I want to eat junk.

I'm also afraid of all these moving-out procedures. It's VERY daunting - even more than moving in was. But I'll get through it.

Shingeki no Kyojin/Attack on Titan/進撃の巨人

So those who know me, probably have heard about how I'm literally obsessed with this series at the moment. It is very well crafted and causes the reader to question every piece of information they're given. After a second read-through of the manga, I came up with some theories and realizations on several different topics in the series.

There will be a lot of spoilers, as I'm essentially analyzing Shingeki's plot.

First and foremost,

A lot of my speculation comes from the obvious answer that the people residing within the walls are NOT the last of mankind. We have a least four instances of this (Annie, Ymir, Reiner and Bertholdt). 

Ymir's Story vs Annie's Story

So, if you're caught up with the manga, you would have glimpsed pieces of both Ymir's and Annie's backstory. It seems that Annie was trained for infiltrating "mankind's territory", as is evident in her hand-to-hand combat training. She also seems to have a considerable amount of control over her titan form - which is very unique due to it's distinct female shape. I speculate that she is a human turned titan in a similar way to Eren.

With Ymir, however, it has been heavily implied that her story is very similar to that of Christa Renz/Historia Reiss and that she might be from a very powerful family outside of the wall. The evidence is in the backstory between Ymir and Historia (chapter 41). Ymir can also, like Annie, transform into a titan - but her form is not feminine in the least. It is, in fact, a "normal" titan in appearance. She has the ability to speak, however, leading me to believe she's a deviant class titan. (Refer to the deviant class titan section). Further evidence that she's like a human-turned-titan is in the small backstory flashback about her titan form, Reiner and Bertholdt.  Unlike Reiner and Bertholdt, Ymir seems to have no knowledge of the Ape Titan - this makes her a bit of a wild card. But both her and Reiner seem to be shooting for the protection of Historia -likely  making her an important figure to those outside the walls.

Reiner and Bertholdt

I am almost positive Reiner and Bertholdt are originally from the outside of the wall, as is evident when they ask Eren to return with them (and then kidnap him). They, along with Annie, were likely trained to infiltrate the walls of mankind. They are the Armored-Titan and Colossal Titan (respectively) and I speculate they were turned into titans in a way similar to Eren - which gives them their distinctive forms. I can only guess at their objectives, aside from that it is likely they were ordered to bring down the walls of mankind by a higher entity (which is likely the Ape Titan). 

Christa Renz

It is revealed in chapter 41 that her true name is Historia Reiss and she's the illegitimate daughter of a very important aristocratic family. According to the priest Hanji was talking with, she has the right to know all of the secrets of the wall and it is implied to that she has the right to other answers as well. Through her, we may learn just what happened 100 years ago and why there are titans in the wall.

Connie Springer's Village

I believe that all of the titans in the attack starting in chapter 35 are actually people from Connie's village. When all of the evidence is added together, it makes a lot of sense. There was no sign of a struggle with the titans, despite plenty of signs that they had destroyed the village. The stable remained full of horses. A titan unable to move was laying on Connie's house. This titan not only resembled his mother, but spoke the words "おかえり”, which means welcome home. In the first instance where Connie recalls what happened, Reiner dismisses it rather harshly. In the second instance, Ymir brushes it off with laughter and jokes in an effort to drop the subject. This indicates that it is likely possible for humans to be turned into titans.

Eren

Eren's ability to turn into a titan is likely due to the injection he received from his father shortly after the first wall fell. According to what memories he can recall, all of the answers to the current situation of mankind is in the basement of his old house - which was crushed by a giant rock. 

However, Eren's titan form seems to be the only one that only vaguely resembles him - with the exception being his eyes. 

The Walls

There are titans in the walls and it is very likely the walls are made with the hardened crystal skin of titans. In addition to the Ape Titan, this leads me to suspect that the "last of mankind' is not actually the last - but an experiment set up by titan "scientists". Furthermore, the author often used "birds in a cage" to describe Eren's opinion of the walls.

The Deviant-Class Titans vs Normal Titans

I am now reasonably certain that the reason titans differ is because most are humans-turned-titans that do not  have the ability to shift and deviant class titans might be ones that can return to their human forms. This has yet to be proven, but if one uses Ymir as a bit of a case study, she is definitely a deviant class in that she can talk and be reasonably well controlled when trying not to eat people. This seems fundamentally different from  Eren, Annie, Reiner and Bertholdt, who don't seem interested in eating humans at all.

The Ape Titan

The Ape Titan is very intelligent, but it's unlikely that he's an actually titan. It's more probably that he, and his colleagues, are crazy scientist-type creatures experimenting on the human race. This is evident in that he attempts to erase evidence that he was inside the wall (having Mike killed and throwing large rocks at Castle Utgard) and that he took Mike's 3-D maneuver gear saying it was interesting and he would take it back for analysis. 

There is speculation that the Ape Titan is Grisha Jager, Eren's father, but at this point, I'm going to say it's unlikely.

A Guide to Trains in Japan

I plan on eventually making a video to accompany this post, but a lot of people don't understand the train system in Japan (Tokyo in particular) due to the extensive network and variety of trains that stop. I'm going to try and simplify the craziness as much as I can.

I would like to say, first and foremost, that I LOVE the public transportation system here, even with it's complications. There is NO need to rent a car in Japan with all the trains and buses - unless you plan on visiting particularly rural areas or are in a large group. Even then, most buses and trains will get you in the ballpark of where you need to go. While many from Europe argue the expense of Japanese public transit, I've been told renting a car can be phenomenally expensive as well - between the rental fee, gasoline (petrol) and toll fees, you're looking at a hefty bill.

This article will be focusing on the Tokyo train system. If you're visiting Kyoto or Osaka, please click their respective links for information regarding travel in those areas. However, some of this information might be useful!

For the sake of convenience, I highly recommend getting a rechargeable fare card known as an IC Card. In Tokyo, there is the Pasmo card and the Suica card. These are interchangeable within Tokyo, but the Suica card can be used on all JR lines throughout the country - the Pasmo is limited to Tokyo. Other cities will have their own IC Cards. You can obtain either of these at Narita Airport. I highly recommend this for tourists - the Suica and N'EX deal.

Now for the trains themselves. There are types of trains one should be familiar with when looking to board any train in Japan. Keep in mind that terms will vary depending on the train line you take and again, do your research before leaving to ensure you get the cheapest/fastest compromise.

Shinkansen - the very fast bullet train. These will be quite expensive. It's more costly to go by train from Tokyo to Osaka than it is to fly, although it tends to be faster over all due to airport waiting times and hopping onto a train to the airport/city. Depending on the line, there are a variety of speeds (and prices) one can take - just like the trains mentioned below. This is because all Shinkansen run on their own tracks and most people are going to the major hubs (and not the "smaller" large stations). If you plan on using a Shinkansen, check this out, because it goes into way more detail than I plan to write down here.

Limited Express - the fastest-non bullet train. While these are cheaper than the might Shinkansen, there's usually a seating charge and it will only stop at the largest stations. If you can figure out which car doesn't have a seating charge, you may get lucky and snag a seat. However, keep in mind most people don't want to pay the fee either nor are there more than two or three per hour - it will be crowded during rush hour.

Liners - similar to the limited express train, but are most often used by commuters. There is usually a fee, but the seats are typically unreserved.

Express - Half-way between limited express and rapid.

Rapid - these are the fastest trains you can take without a surcharge and typically only stop at larger stations and transfer points. They can come in a variety of types, so it's important to do your research ahead of time to ensure the train will stop at the station you want. If you didn't, there's usually a chart on the platform showing what trains stop where, but this is usually in Japanese. Knowing the characters for your station might be helpful in this situation. As an example, these are the rapid trains on the Chuo line.

• Chuo Special Rapid - stops at major stations between Tokyo and Tachikawa, branches west to Takao
• Ome Special Rapid - stops at major stations between Tokyo and Tachikawa, branches north to Ome
• Commuter Rapid - only on weekday evenings between Tokyo and Tachikawa
• Commuter Special Rapid - morning service with two trains from Otsuki, two from Ome and one from Takao

Local - the train that stops at every single station, without exception. If you're visiting a small station, you'll likely have to transfer to the local line to get there. Most trains in the US count as local trains.

Overwhelmed yet? Don't let it daunt you. I prefer the Tokyo system for a reason. I'll use the Chuo line again as an example. From Shinjuku to Takao, there are a total of 19 stops (60 minutes), but the commuter rapid train only stops at 11 of those (55 minutes) and the special rapid stops at only 8 (41 minutes total).

While the time difference doesn't seem substantial, it adds up on train rides over an hour long. In addition, having a variety of trains helps alleviate some of the congestion. If you haven't see the "traffic" during the Tokyo rush hour, you should watch THIS. Please ignore their commentary. It's the Tokyo Metro Tozai line - and it just happens to be the line I ride every morning. This is going in the opposite direction, so I get a mostly empty train when I get on, but after it's just awful.

Now, you're probably wondering how people navigate the crazy maze that is the Tokyo public transit system. My favorite website is the Tokyo Metro Transfer Guide because it automatically edits out shinkansen and the most expensive options. However, it doesn't have a timetable built into it, so if you're looking for a train at a specific time, check out Hyperdia.

Navigating Stations in Tokyo can be a huge pain. Even Japanese people have problems and in large stations like Shinjuku or Tokyo, it's not uncommon to get lost. It is VERY important, particularly with these large stations, to make sure you know which exit to take. Most stations towards the center of Tokyo have four exits. Shinjuku station has over 200! These stations are usually designed to accommodate 10 car trains - meaning they are quite long and making a mistake can cause you to be late. If you need to, write the name down.

That's all for now. If you have questions, drop a comment down below.

A Post of Opinion

In the wake of the Texas stabbings and the Boston Marathon Bombings, a small part of me wonders - is this backlash from the gun crackdown?

Currently, I live in another country as a study abroad student. Many of the other students are from Asia or Europe - they think America's gun laws are stupid. They think that's why we have "high rates of crime".

My argument has always been that people that want to hurt someone, or a lot of someones, will always find a way. Putting a gun in someone's hand does not usually make him want to go on a murderous rampage. The people responsible are usually sick - any weapon they can get their hands on will aid their cause. In the Boston Marathon Bombings...it was two bombs.

My heart goes out to the victims of today's explosions. I am glad that so few people died - it is mostly injuries.

Game of Thrones Season 3 Impressions

This WILL contain some spoilers. If you're not familiar with the Game of Thrones series, stop here. Go find a way to watch the show OR read the books. Both if possible. It's a fantastic series and I honestly think that it should be read in senior year of high school - granted, all the sex and brutal violence might turn off most schools.

I am watching the series as it comes out and I'm reading the books. On to my impressions. Last warning for anyone who hasn't seen or read the series.

Stop, reader. 

Stahp.

You're spoiling the greatest series ever.

Okay. Hopefully that deterred any wayward individuals.

Now. Where do I begin?

Only two episodes are out so far for this season (episode 3 will air 10:00 am JST), but I'm already in love. Jojen and Meera are fantastic and exactly as I imagined. Actually, they're even more attractive than I thought. Jojen's actor, though he plays a 13 year old in the book (if I recall correctly), is actually 22 years old. It DID mention, many times, that he appears much older due to all he has Seen.

The show is already working on making you pity Theon Greyjoy. Those first glimpses are essentially what his life has become. Although, unlike in the book, he seems to have kept all his fingers. And they don't seem to be flaying him. 

Despite some added scenes, the show has introduced Margery in an entirely different light. Unlike Sansa, SHE plays the game. And she plays to win. It's already getting under Cersei's skin. 

They have added a lot more depth to Shae than was in the book, but this will add clarification for events later. I will say the same about Gendry. Both turn out to be more minor characters in the book, but they focus on their relationships with the two bigger players (Arya and Tyrion).

I'm getting disappointed with the slow progression of the series. Both of the actors for Arya and Bran are growing a bit too fast. In the book series, I believe Bran started out as 8 and Arya was 9 years old. If I recall correctly, Bran is 10 and Arya is 11 in the show. 

Hopefully, GoT will amend the aging problem by totally doubling production. But...that'll never happen.

Working toward Fitness

While keeping track of the calories I'm eating is pretty annoying, it IS helping. I am a visual person and it enables me to see the calories I'm eating (for better or worse). I will say I get antsy about it - a prime example will be days I'm bored. Like most humans, I have a tendency toward boredom eating. It is my own speculation, but boredom eating makes sense from a biological stand-point.

Back when nutrition was poor, the people who sought out food in their free time would gain nutrients and calories - both of which were not easy to come by. In today's food age, I can just grab a bag of junk and much on that. Twenty minutes ago, I devoured several fistfuls of Cheez-its while reading a book.

However, I see that in the record and I adjust my activity for the day. I do some calisthenics or walk briskly around the block.

I'm no where close to my goal of loosing a pound of fat a week, but I think increasing the speed and distance I can walk is pretty beneficial.

Rice Cooker Buying Guide

My rice cooker arrived today! I bought the Zojirushi NP-VC10 and it seems pretty nifty. It was pretty well reviewed on Amazon, but I haven't cooked with it yet - that'll be later this week.

In my quest, I couldn't help but notice the lack of buying guides in English for rice cookers. So, I decided to make a small one to help those looking for such a fantastic invention.

First and foremost, knowing a bit of Japanese will definitely come in handy when buying a rice cooker from Japan. Because the manual and buttons will all be in Japanese, unless you somehow get one specially made. It also helps to ask questions when at the store.

The first thing you need to think about is if you want a macron heating element, an induction heating element or a pressure cooker. The cheapest rice cookers have a macron heating element, but I was told it heats rather unevenly because it's essentially just like heating over a stove. The middle range rice cookers tend to use the induction heating method. The pot and the element are both metal and it heats pretty evenly. Pressure cookers tend to be the most expensive and cook the rice using steam.

I opted for an IH (induction heating) rice cooker, because I was able to find a really good deal.

The next thing you need to look at is pot thickness. It will usually be advertised in millimeters (mm), so you should be able to spot it even if you can't read Japanese. I didn't place heavy value in this, but the thicker the pot, the longer the rice will stay warm and moist (so I was told). In my quest, the thickest pots (3.5-4.0) were always considerably more expensive than the ones that measured 1.5-2.0 mm thick.

If I remember correctly, my pot is 1.7 mm thick.

Those are the important points I was told at the two places I asked. Other things you might want to consider when looking for rice cookers are:

- What functions are you looking for? Plenty of rice cookers can make other things as well. Boiling eggs, baking bread/cake, and making soup are just some of the functions I've seen.

- How much rice do I need to make? (usually made for 3, 5 or 10 servings)

- How much electricity does it use?

- How big is it/how heavy is it?

New Gun Laws in the State of Maryland

I will start this lengthy rant by saying that I do not personally own any firearms, but I grew up in a household with people who do. We store our weapons and ammunition in a gun-safe. I know the location, but I can probably count the times I've seen the safe on two hands. To my knowledge, I do not know anyone who has shot and killed a person - even by accident (the only exception being a family member in the military).  I do not mind some restricting of gun ownership (for instance, a *child* should not have access to a firearm without parental supervision), but these new laws are over the top.

First, the law changes the legal age to purchase/own firearms and ammunition from the age of adulthood (18) to 21 years of age. In addition to this being very unfair to our soldiers (they can go to war at 18, but they can't OWN their guns until they're 21?), I don't think this will make any difference, especially due to the fact that most gun related violence is caused by people who don't actually own guns themselves. They obtain them from family or friends - or steal them. According to these websites ( http://www.dontlie.org/faq.cfm and http://gunvictimsaction.org/fact-sheet/fact-sheet-illegal-gun-trafficking-arms-criminals-and-youth/), 40% of criminals obtain their guns from family or friends through **straw purchasing** and another 40% of criminals obtain their guns through illegal vendors.

That said, I also do not feel as though fingerprinting people will keep guns out of the wrong hands, nor will  mental health restrictions.

I am willing to compromise with the clip restrictions. I don't agree with it, but I'm not going to put up much of a fight over it.

I am perfectly fine with training required to own firearms. In fact, I believe such classes should be a part of mandatory schooling or, at the very least, offered for free. These classes are NOT focused on how to use a gun, but how to operate one safely and how to clean one properly. For instance, plenty of people don't understand they can loose or seriously damage their hearing when near someone firing a weapon. Proper hearing protection is important. They also probably don't know that cleaning a firearm regularly will help prevent misfires, which can cause serious injuries.


*child* - In this instance, I am defining a child as someone who is not mentally capable of understanding proper gun safety and who is not mentally capable of handling dangerous situations seriously. There is no set age for this, but it will vary depending on the mental capacity and maturity of the individual.

**Straw purchasing** -  is akin to telling your 21 year old friends what liquor you want, handing them the money, and them buying it for you.

MyPlate

I am not one for diets. I am not one for fads. However, I have decided to alter my current diet (which consists largely of junk) and eat healthier. I also plan to consume roughly 1500 calories per day. I burn about 2000 calories in a day from my activity levels and 1500 calories is what I need each day to function. I plan on supplementing this with vitamins, and so far I've been on track. I backtracked yesterday because a friend pointed out that it's not a good idea to cut back on food when I'm sick (battling an epic sinus infection at the moment).

So, this said, I can already say it's going to be a problem for me. Not due to hunger (summer is coming up and I eat significantly less), but knowing what food has how many calories. So, I took NerdFitness's advice and I signed up to MyPlate on Livestrong. It's free and they have most of the foods I eat. The trick is to remember to put in drinks too. I overestimate on beverages, because I drink mostly juice.

The key here is I just want to eat a bit healthier, while decreasing my calorie intake. So, even though I'm devouring a Reese's Cup while I write this, I've been eating more health-oriented foods. Three days this week, my lunch was fresh fruit.

I wonder if I can keep these changes. D:

7 Down, 4 More.

This is a blog about life and stuff in general. Today, I have been living in Japan for seven months. I have four months of my study abroad remaining.

And I'm not sure how I feel about that. I don't relate all that well with people my age, so most of my Japanese friends are in their mid-twenties to early thirties. Many are shocked when I mention my age - I'm guessing because I seem more mature? My point is I wish I had made more friends my age, but unfortunately, my program didn't give me the chance to meet many Japanese students. 

I've grown used to not seeing my family. I've grown used to not seeing my boyfriend, my friends in America. I miss them, truly I do. But I'm not sure I want to go home. I've grown used to living alone. I enjoy the language practice. I enjoy just walking out the door and exploring. I enjoy just walking out the door and going to the convenience store. I enjoy having everything I could possibly need within 30 minutes of me. I could make 1000 excuses, but they wouldn't even amount to the feeling of freedom I get just being in a different world.

I've had a lot of firsts here. Having a job (if you can count unpaid excessive manual labor as a job). Finding an apartment. Paying rent. Paying real bills. Checking my own mail. Having to call and talk in a foreign language when something goes wrong. 

My weight has been all over the place since I've gotten here. I'm going to try hard to get it down in these next four months through a much healthier diet. I'm, GASP, limiting myself to 1500 calories a day, but I can eat whatever I want. I'm also exercising a lot more (not in the past few days, due to a two-day downpour and being sick as a dog). Hopefully, I'll look reasonable when I get back to the States.

My tentative return date is August 5th - in time for Otakon. Hopefully, all will go well.

Dreamworks Rant

Dear Dreamworks,

Why do you make such adorable male characters? D: I'm not really complaining, but it's embarrassing to only have animated fictional heartthrobs. First Hiccup the Horrendous Haddock, then it was Jack Frost and now it's Guy.

I suppose you do a good job attracting a teenage female audience (or early 20s, as I am).

That is all.

Hakone Trip

This past weekend, I went to Hakone with a friend for her birthday. Hakone is a really nice place, especially amazing after living and traveling through large cities.

The water really is mineral rich and wonderful. My friend and I stayed at a hotel with its own private baths and the two of us pretty much had them to ourselves. The hotel seemed to cater mostly to businessmen, though, so there were a lot more men than there were women. There is a nice river running near Hakone-Yumoto station and our hotel was right on the water.

I will also recommend a restaurant. I cannot remember the name, but it's right in front of the Suimeisou Hotel (our hotel). The food was very reasonably priced and you get a LOT of meat. I had a bowl of chashu ramen and it was literally half meat.

However, due to the very touristy nature of Hakone, I can tell you the trip will get expensive pretty quickly. The goods and food aren't entirely outrageous, but traveling around is what adds up. I DEFINITELY recommend getting the free pass. My friend and I didn't think we needed it, but it would have saved some money (especially if you have a travel intensive itinerary).

Oops, Trip Review

Oops, I totally forgot about this. Three hours after I posted my previous entry, I realized that I was leaving that night (with an hour and a half to throw my shit into bags, clean my apartment and run to the station in time for the bus). I was so horrified with myself - I don't typically make mistakes like that.

Anyway, onto the more interesting information!

First off, I should mention that I took 3 overnight buses. One to Kyoto, one from Osaka to Hiroshima and then the final one was from Hiroshima back to Tokyo. My worst experience was on the bus to Kyoto - they do design the seats with a Japanese body frame in mind. I was too broad in the hips and shoulders for the first bus ride, but the other two I was fine. I felt like the fat person on the airplane and I'm relatively normal sized for a white person.

Kyoto was amazing. I'm happy I get to go back for a day in March with my father and brother. I definitely recommend spending at least 3 or 4 days there. The city is rich with places to see and I'm sad I didn't get to see them all. I only visited the JR Kyoto Station area, Kiyomizudera, Fushimi Inari, Kinkakuji, Ginkakuji and Gion (in that order).

I recommend K's House Kyoto! They were fantastic. I had a four person female dormitory. The beds were standard futon mattresses over wooden slats, but the super fluffy and soft comforter made up for it. The bunks were fairly easy to use, although I had a little difficulty making my bed. They have you make it yourself so you know the sheets are clean. The bathrooms are clean and there is a large common area with a decent kitchen. They even had a bath, although I didn't use it. I would say that aside from shared rooms with bunks that this was seriously hotel quality. I'll definitely stay with K's again!

After Kyoto, I took a train to Nara. Nara was very easy to navigate, even from the JR line. As long as you're in moderately decent shape (like myself), you'll have no problem walking the park. There is even a rest station between Koufuku-ji and Toudai-ji. The rest station has awesome bathrooms and you can check out the free earthquake simulator. The deer are actually quite annoying and no, I did not feed any. But I saw many people get head-butted, have their clothing/bags chewed, etc.

I spent half a day there before heading to Osaka station to wait for my bus. Osaka station isn't really good for the budget tourist, as it's mostly a high-dollar area. I saw ice cream that was $8 for a small. I made several loops around the station and saw a variety of singers and performers, which made up most of my entertainment.

After that, it was on to Hiroshima! First I went to the island of Miyajima and spent the larger part of my day there. For those who don't know, Miyajima is one of the most famous places in Japan and is almost always featured in a travel guide or on a picture vaguely titled "Japan". There is are two ferries that one can take from JR Miyajima station and both are reasonably priced. Miyajima also has deer, but they don't seem as annoying as the ones in Nara. Unfortunately, the cable car was down when I visited and I was too exhausted from the night bus ride to climb to the top, so I'll save that for another trip.

My last day was spent at the Genpaku Dome (nuclear dome), the A-Bomb Museum (entry is 50 yen and no, that's not a typo) and then Hiroshima Castle. The Genpaku Dome takes about 10 minutes, but I spent about 3 hours or so in the A-bomb Museum. It is really information intensive and the second half is a tear-jerker. Most people were sniffling. After that, I spent the rest of the evening meandering along the shopping streets of Hondori.

K's House Hiroshima is also fantastic. It's much smaller and seems to be quieter than K's House Kyoto, but it's still very clean and has the same feel of quality.

Kyoto, Nara and Hiroshima

Tomorrow night, I take a night bus from Shinjuku Station down to Kyoto - this will begin my second trip across Japan. I'll make sure to review my bus company and the hostels I'll be staying at. I did my laundry today and I start packing in the morning. :D

There will be a 24 hour period where I technically will not have accommodations - I'll be checking out early one morning, hauling all of my stuff to Nara, spending the day there, hauling it to Osaka and then taking a bus from Osaka to Hiroshima. I'm a light packer though, so it's all good.

Jimmyz Backpackers Review

Jimmyz seems to be a wonderful little hostel in Sapporo. It's about a 5 minute walk from Hosui Susukino station on the Toho subway line. It's within a 15 minute walk from Odori Park/Sapporo TV Tower and roughly 8 minutes from Susukino. I've been here for a day and a half. The building is a little old, but he cleans daily. There are separate showers and toilets for men and women. The shared space has a tatami section and a regularly floored section.The female dormitory is for 4 women and is quite large. The bunks and a mirror are the only furniture, but the down blankets are nice and warm. He also heats the building rather generously.

So far, I think the only downside is that the building isn't weatherproofed. Windows in Japan aren't double-paned because they would shatter easily in an earthquake, so the windows and doors are quite cold to touch.

I highly recommend Jimmyz Backpackers for a stay in Sapporo. For the price, it's phenomenal!

Sapporo

In less than two hours, I'll be on my way to the airport. It's currently snowing heavily in Tokyo, so it'll be annoying until I get to the closest station (about 10 minutes ). After that, I don't have to go outside, so I'm safe from the weather.

This is a good time to mention that packing light can be a great help. By only packing what I can physically carry, I can deal with situations like this where it's likely I'll have to carry my rolling suitcase in my hands to prevent my clothes inside from being soaked.

I'll update once I arrive in Sapporo.

-------- Update

First off, Sapporo isn't nearly as cold as everyone makes it out to be. It's about as cold as DC is at night, maybe a little bit colder because the wind seems to blow.

Secondly, the sidewalks are about a foot higher than they should be because rather than remove the snow, people just trample it down into an ice walkway. Interesting, huh?

Oops and Sapporo

Well, by now, anyone following my blog probably knows that I'm a terrible blogger. I forget these sorts of things rather easily - but I'd like to become a better blogger, one day. Just like I'd like to become a healthy person. Some day.

On Wednesday, I head out to Sapporo for one week (I'll be back in Tokyo on the 13th). I'll be taking plenty of pictures, so if you're friends with me on the facebook, watch out for those. I'll also be going to Kyoto, Nara and maybe Hiroshima sometime later this month.

Japan VS America

This is going to be a relatively short post, but a Japanese friend mentioned that she was shocked at how scandalous American stars could be. It's one thing for the paparazzi to swarm stars on when they're dating or for rumors to go around about possible affairs.

But.

In Japan, usually if there is reasonable proof of the scandal, your contract is TERMINATED. This is especially true if you're a young star.

For instance, if there is a member of AKB48 (a famous pop group) and a sex tape with one of the members was found, shit would get real. If someone captured a picture of her without panties in public, shit would get real. Her contract would be terminated and because she was a famous individual, she would have serious issues finding a job.

This is, in part, because actors/actresses and pop stars/idols here are considered to be role models. If you're being a poor role model, you loose your job.

To some extent, I think America should adopt this policy. I'm tired of hearing shit about Paris Hilton, Lindsey  Lohan, Miley Cyrus....

Body Image

I don't mean to be critical (we've all been trained to), but today, I noticed something about Shakira. Most people hold Shakira up to a certain level of fitness and attraction. As I watched the Hips Don't Lie MV today, I noticed several things.

1.) The clips of her back have rolls when she moves her hips. They are not pronounced (like mine ><), but still there.

2.) Her stomach is not flat - it has a strip of muscle running down the center that causes it to bulge a bit, especially when she does abdominal ripples.

3.) When she leans forward while sitting, her tummy gets that roll like the rest of us.

That said...Why do magazine companies photoshop models to the extent that they do? I don't blame my self-image issues entirely on the media, but when SOCIETY believes that those women look like that in real life...I had to explain to my dad that it wasn't real and he was shocked. Now he points to every attractive woman on the cover of a magazine and asks me, "is she real?" And I'm forced to say no. When MODELS, our society's "standard" for women, say that they don't look that way in real life...something is wrong. What's wrong with a bit of body fat?

All this said, I have (personally) found that how I look in the mirror depends on how I am standing. My posture and the tilt of my hips are big factors in how a tight shirt look on me.

It's been nearly 5 years since my body felt this good. I feel powerful and I can walk briskly for over a mile and hardly get winded. I discovered if I start walking slow, then brisk and then start jogging over the course of a mile, I hardly get winded. I am 5'4" (162 cm) and 165 pounds (75 kg). By every standard, I am overweight/borderline obese.

And yet I am slimmer. In four months, I've been able to take my belt in 2 holes. My size 11 pants have become baggy when I could hardly fit in them - I bought two pairs of size 13 pants before I left the States. Stupid mistake. My tight shirts are all a bit baggy on me because I stretched them out.

Yet when I look in the mirror, I still see the rolls of fat. I see the cellulite on my posterior and my thighs. I have whale arms. I see how disgustingly fat I am and it makes me want to change.

And yet, aside from getting physically healthy, I don't want to change. You shouldn't either. If you are happy with who you are, eat whatever the fuck you want. I do. I've never dieted in my life (unless you count financially restrained dieting?) Hell, I'm eating potato chips, M&Ms and ramen for dinner.

My advice is simple. Walk. If you live in Japan, walk to the next station over instead of taking the train. Walk  home from school on nice days. On average, I walk 3-5 miles a day.

First blog of the New Year

Japan doesn’t seem to have proper insulation codes, so my apartment tends to get cold pretty quick, especially if it’s windy. If you know me, you’ll know I’m pretty sturdy against the cold, so it’s a bit of a problem.

That said, I’m going to take you through the process of winterproofing your apartment. I live in a cheap studio in Nakano-ku, Tokyo, so my prices will probably be cheap compared to larger apartments.

For bubble wrap specially designed for winter insulation on windows, I paid around 580 yen per roll (90 cm X 180 cm). They had much more expensive ones, but I went with the cheapest. Two rolls were roughly able to cover my massive window, my small loft window and most of my door.

Hours later, I can feel the difference. Those areas aren’t quite so drafty anymore – especially my door.

I will say that putting the wrap onto the windows is a bit annoying, as it’s designed to use static and water or something to create a seal. I’m bad at that, so it never works out right. XD I used tape just for good measure. I’ll update in a few days with how this method is holding up. 

If all else fails, I'll get reflective sheets. They're designed to keep heat in and the cold out, but I'm sure it'll work for the summer time too. 

Still need other ways to stay warm? If you haven’t bought a heater, you probably should. February is the coldest month here, so it’s only going to get colder. When using your heater, try to get it as close to your space as possible. My panel heater is boxing me in between my desk and the wall, effectively creating my own little cubicle of warmth.

Still cold? Learn to layer. If you’re a lady, buy camisoles and avoid bras with no lining – you lose a lot of heat through your boobs. Leggings and knee socks under loose pajama pants (or any pants) will also create an insulating layer of air between you and the chill. Skin tight clothing only works well if you have a baggy layer over top. Warmth of the sake of fashion, I say!

If it’s late in the evening and you haven’t showered yet, take a very hot shower and avoid turning the water back down, even if it’s too hot. Get in bed as soon as you can afterward. It’ll provide a temporary solution that chases the chill away.