Going Curly

A friend gave me this book to borrow...it's an interesting read.

I have curly hair, I think it's from my Portuguese side. Both my parents have straight hair and when I was growing up my mum had no idea about curly hair or how to deal with it, neither did I. Too many bad hair days to count...including curly bangs...i.e. a fluffy ball of hair at the front of my head. The hairdresser that allowed that to happen should be banned from the hairdressing profession.

I started straightening my hair when I was high school coz it was "prettier". I've been straightening ever since.

My current routine is full on wash, condition, deep treatment, blow dry & then flat iron straight maybe every three days. This whole process takes over an hour. And depending on if I've worked out extra hard at the gym and it's too sweaty or if I've been out and it smells of smoke - I'll do this whole process again.

So, I think I'm going to challenge myself to "go natural" and embrace my curls. I was talking with a colleague and she asked if I had dyed my hair, which I had, and my eyebrows and I was wearing colored contacts (for sight & cosmetic value) as well as my usual daily makeup. It make me think about how much I actually "change" my appearance. Food for thought totally.

So I'm gonna try it out and see how it goes...I'll keep you updated!!

ex.oh.ex.oh

Moi

This is what a Saturday night looks like when you're trying to save money and feeling anti-social.

Bath bomb from Lush, glitter on my body from aforementioned bath bomb and bamboo extract face mask from Korea from a beauty therapist friend, followed by drinking umeshu & watching Full House.

ex.oh.ex.oh

マイブーム

A few favourite pics from last week..

fun in special needs class

thoughts and starbucks

it was warm enough to wear short shorts!!

cute, he wasn't holding her hand but the cuff on her sleeve

gymming

treadmill sunset

getting my eyes done at the MAC counter..and then buying it all

ex.oh.ex.oh

がんばろう日本

Two weeks ago marked the 1st anniversary of the devastating earthquake and consequent tsunami that destroyed so much and claimed thousands for innocent lives in Northern Japan.

I can't even begin to imagine the loss and suffering that so many people went through and are still going through. Even though I live in relatively southern Japan and didn't physically feel the effects of the disaster, I felt the emotions - the sadness, shock and utter disbelief of what had happened.

The strength and resilience that the people of Tohoku and Northern Japan have is amazing and inspiring.

I want to express my deepest gratitude and condolences to those in the Tohoku area. Your strength and courage has humbled me and taught me so much.

E aroha mai Nihon.

日本大好き。
I ♥ Japan.

A week of emotions

And not the song by the bee gees...

Said goodbye to some of my favorite students, celebrated a friends birthday, got my domestic goddess on and baked muffins, caught up on sleep (that was much need!), painted a little, and gymed it.

An interesting week I have to say...full of unexpected (but nice) surprises. It's a little cliché but when one door closes another opens.

It's all about making it happen, go get what you want!

Ex.oh.ex.oh

Let's polka

Contrasting polka dots for a rainy Friday.

がんばろう

ex.oh.ex.oh

Frenemies.

This year I've been working on me. And so I should. Why not? I'm slowly learning to love myself and become confident I who I am NOW. No easy feat I tell you. I had a conversation in a semi non-sober state with a very non-sober man who said to me (this is translated from Japanese) "Ooohhh so you love yourself...scouf scouf" to which I replied "um yeah of course, why not? If I don't then why should anyone else?" well at least that's what I think I said..my Japanese isn't perfect...yet. He thought that it was extremely self indulgent & selfish to love myself, and in a way it is but that doesn't mean that I'm not a kind and compassionate person towards others. To my friends and family I am extremely loyal and caring. I can be a fairly demanding friend sometimes I think but I would do no less for any of them. Which brings me to frenemies.

Recently I've been feeling a little out of sorts lately with some friendships. I feel like I put in maximum effort and get nothing or barely anything at all. Within friendships and relationships there are some things I expect. Now I know that I shouldn't do things for a return but I'm not talking about physical objects but more like support for lack of better words. I have had the feeling recently of being used, perhaps.

So I'm now going through a process of elimination. If a relationship or friendship that I have isn't positive or mutually enjoyable and beneficial then it's not a friendship that I want or have time for in my life.

Here goes.

ex.oh.ex.oh

The eyes have it

You may (or may not) have noticed that I have a slight obsession with false eyelashes of late.

I feel pretty when I wear them, and I think they definitely add a certain amount of drama.

I'm on mission and wearing these eyelashes are all a part of my master plan! TBC...

ex.oh.ex.oh

By rule of thumb..

I need to instigate a few rules in my life. The biggest looser started today and I have no will power.

Rule #1 - I cannot text boys of past desires (or current) while under the influence of alcohol.

Rule #2 - I need to be in bed by 11pm on week nights & the computer needs to be off.

Rule #3 - no more red bull.

Rule #4 - snacking from the kombini is prohibited.

Rule #5 - read, craft, paint or do something productive that I enjoy, daily.

and remember to get my domestic goddess on.

It's already March! I'm on it like white on rice.

ex.oh.ex.oh

A fresh start...

Fresh starts are great. I've been trying so hard to forget things, not do certain things, and it's been draining. I've been trying to suppress feelings when instead maybe I feel like I should just let them all out?

So I'm starting new. Getting rid of the old, angry, sad and negative and making room for light, happiness, new things and positivity and I will embrace however and whatever I need to do to get where I want to be in my life and what I want. If that means crying in my room for a day (but I'm not a cryer so that's probably not going to happen) then so be it, because if at the end of it all I feel better and have made space for the new then that's what is most important. Embracing the journey as well as the destination. And remembering all the lessons learned along the way.

So I'm starting fresh with a new hair cut & freshly dyed eyebrows.

And the biggest loser starts tomorrow.

Things can only get better from here, and I'm looking forward to things to come.

Ex.oh.ex.oh