Relaxing like an old Japanese woman

I usually don't sleep very well.

 

I have problems with my back, almost daily, and when I sleep it just gets worse. Or I have that sensation of 'OMG FINALLY YOU'RE LAYING DOWN', type tingling when I lay on my hard-ass futon. So I thought I would give in to those commercials I see so often.

'SALON PAS'

For chronic back pain, it literally helps make all the pain go away. I know we have them back in America but never has the jingle stuck with me like it does here. Also, Ryosuke likes to use these warm eye masks to help sore eyes.

 

Considering I hunch over a computer screen for at least a few hours each day---both completely worth looking into.

The warm eye masks have these wonderful scents inside the warming mechanism, so you can not only feel warm sensations on your tired eyeballs, but also smell something lovely too.

Ryosuke had originally given me one of the yuzu (Japanese lemon-like citrus) and I loved it. A bit pricey at about 498yen per box of five--but a usually decent investment.

 

I recently wanted to buy more and knew it would be too much a pain to ask him to drive all around the town looking for a drug store with the specifically yuzu scented ones, so I got the 'lavendar sage' ones instead--and I literally feel like I'm putting drugs on my eyeballs.

 

If you've ever smelled sage, you know what I'm talking about.

 

The leafy smell is a lot more potent than I would prefer, so Ryosuke gave me a few of his yuzu scented ones!

They come individually packed and last for about ten minutes.

 

 

 

You're really only supposed to use it BEFORE sleeping and then take it off and sleep, but real thugs leave that shit on and knock out. What it then does to me personally is causes me to (sometimes) wake up in the middle of the night to take it off...or the creepy, I wake up in the morning and somehow its neatly folded next to my face.

 

Either way the yuzu smell is sooo lovely, and even the lavender one has it's nice points. But for those days when you're eyes are just not having it--highly recommended.

 

SALON PAS!

 

Ryosuke one time gave me a muscle relaxer type sticker tape that is literally the strongest among the medicinal tape type relaxers, and I felt sick within minutes. So I was really weary about using any other kind/brand/strength. But one day I had had enough of my upper back pain and caved to get the small box of 40.

 

To my surprise there was no nausea this time around and even though the sensation was weird I did feel a difference in the pain level.

 

Considering most Japanese take an evening bath (and I don't because it's way too much water to waste on a person who can only sit in hot water for about 20 minutes before passing out), and after paste it on the painful areas and fall asleep.

 

So instead, right before bed, I contort my arms to a specific spot between my spine and back bone on each side and fall asleep.

 

The brand has recently come out with an updated version compared to the last it came with a cute little plastic bag and two pieces were usually stuck together.

 

This time it comes in silver bags that can you can simply fold over the edges and store, and each sticker is individual.

 

Ryosuke says it wreaks of old people...and I'm not an expert on old people...but I don't really mind the smell. It's a medicated sticker--thing, and I think that the benefit of not being in horrid pain far out ways the medicinal smell.

 

I may be an old lady when it comes to this stuff and always trying to be asleep before 10pm...but I think for those of us with chronic back pain who don't want to rely on painkillers all the time--this is much more worth it!

 

Here's to a more relaxing evening!

 

Thanks for reading!







Let's make candy donuts!

This is a penalty game.

(said Ryosuke)

 

 

**Picture heavy post**

 

So I really love these candy--Let's Make～ activities.

This past December I had sent over the bento set and my family and I made it 'together' and everyone was pleasantly surprised by the non-vile taste that it turned out to be.

There are only a few of these and only certain stores actually have them, so when I finally found the donut version, I insisted Ryosuke and I try to make it. I had failed miserably at making the sushi set by myself, so I really wanted him to be there.

 

I was really excited, and thankfully he had made similar things like this when he was little so--I'm pretty sure he was just letting me have my way (like always). It was definitely a team effort, as we both did our best to make these cute little donuts.

 

I was really happy that he actually enthusiastically helped and read off the instructions and we both really tried to make them not taste horrid... (not giving any spoilers).

 

 

 

So usually the instructions are fairly vague and written on the box or the plastic wrap it comes in.

 

Everything you will need is provided and all you need is water that you will use to mix everything together, so have a cup or small bowl with water on the ready.

 



 

 

And most of the time you can use the plastic as it's own little plate..after much fumbling and taking it from Ryosuke, I managed to make it..albeit not the prettiest.

 

 

 

We started to make the donut 'dough' and as always, unsure of how much of the powder to add. It is SUPER VAGUE and you are supposed to know how much to use, we used about half to make swirl donuts after.

 

The 'dough' varied in the texture but we made it work!

(I was very much participating, but was wearing a really chesty tank top and not looking very fly...so no pictures of me.)

After making the 'dough' we had to make the icing, and the colors were super cute! Ryosuke insisted on making the chocolate, which in turn looked like... yeah. You even get a little bag that helps with decorating!

I am clearly not made to be a baker, at least with icing that wild, because mine came out completely ruined...but I loved them, at least the look anyway.

 

 

 



 The final step to the process (before eating) is to add the sprinkles! Which of course, I needed to make a huge mess out of everything!!

 

 (Actually called 'crunch' but, it's basically sprinkles.)

 

The true final step was to actually eat them!

But, I knew from the beginning they would taste terrible, so to be honest I wasn't planning on trying it from the start, but I let Ryosuke try it since he tries anything at least once--and it was the sweetest worst taste every apparently.. thus

A penalty game.

 

Basically..disgusting.

Sorry babe... THANKS FOR MAKING IT WITH ME THO!

 

Next time we will tackle the hamburger one, which you microwave and everything.

 

 

Thanks for reading!

My patient man♡

How the hell does he deal with my crazy?

 

 

 

This is my boyfriend. His name is Ryosuke.

こちらは私の彼氏です。良介といいます。

 

We have been together for a little over a year.

一年ちょっと付き会っています。

 

 

 

I am completely in love with him.

恋に落ちています。

 

He is the most patient man on earth.

彼はこの世界で一番我慢のできる人。

 

 

 

I am borderline insane.

私はマジでクレイジーだと思います。

 

And despite the year of crazy ups and downs, and the many, many times I've had break downs were I full on want to break things and hurt myself...he stays by my side and helps me through it all.

一年の間でいろんなアップとダウンがあったのに、いつも私のそばにいてくれます。たまにやばいほど心壊れてしまいますが、優しくしてくれて、落ち着くことができます。

 

He tells me I'm beautiful even though I haven't the shred of confidence.

自分のこと全く自信がないのに彼はいつも、ビューティフルと言ってくれます。

 

He makes me laugh till my ribs hurt.

筋肉になるほど笑わせます。

 

I can't go a day without wanting to talk to him.

毎日おしゃべりしたいです。

 

  

I am happy just to have him near me, and makes me feel whole.

彼はただそばにいるだけで幸せになり、彼のおかげで心がいっぱいです。

 

He lets me complain till I'm red in the face.

落ち着くまで文句いっぱい言わせる。

 

He compliments my cooking and eats every bite.

うちが作った料理を褒めて、全部を食べてくれる。

 

He showers me with gifts even though he's tight on funding.

お金がなくてもプレゼントいっぱいくれる！

 

He tells me that I make him a better person.

彼は私がいるので、もっといい人になれると言ってくれる。

 

He is just as picky about food as I am.

彼も私みたいに食べ物にうるさい。

 

He likes jam sandwiches. I like peanut butter sandwiches.

We make the perfect pair.

完璧なペアです。

 

 I am so lucky to have this many in my life.

この男はうちの人生に入ってくれて、神様に感謝しています。

 

 

 

 

Thanks for letting me gush for a bit. :) <3 ILY BBY!

 

 



気分転換～A change of pace.

Let's learn some Japanese.

 

★気分転換★

A change of pace/mood/environment.

 

I stress... a lot. Like to the point were I get sick and end up screwing up my hormonal track and get into this horrid depressed state of mind that's terribly negative and makes me miss home like crazy and I wanna quit my job and give up on everything I've worked for.

 

Lately, this has been happening a lot more recently for reasons I don't really want to discuss.

My love life is going perfectly well, we argue semi-often because of my mood to go in a horrid turn for the worst at really bad times. But I am lucky that Ryosuke has pretty much gotten used to this and supports me and loves me either way.

 

I spoke with a woman who is like a mother figure and she told me that to be honest, there was nothing to be done about my situation and that it was basically 'しょうがない' (shou ga nai) which means that it can't be helped. I knew that there probably wouldn't be much she or I could do but, at least a bit of confirmation was helpful.

She did tell me what I would need was a bit of 気分転換 which means a change of pace/mood.

 

In a country where people can take sick leave specifically related to clinical depression, I feel like this is something most Japanese people not only understand completely, but seriously endorse and this is a good hint at why there is usually at least one national holiday during every month (except June and August, which I heard in the month of August they were trying to add in a day). I must admit, I am lucky to work in a public school as I get all of these holiday days off (but of course with no pay). This also explains why most Japanese really take advantage of these and go out and crowd up the tourist spots. There is a real need to get out of your daily routine and change things up every so often so as not to become a complete nut as I have been.

 

I am a bit to blame for this, as I try to avoid actually leaving too far because I can't handle crowds and lines and I would rather save up my money (since I plan to move into a nice big apartment which will need all new appliances) and recluse in my house most of the time.

 

My change of pace/mood/environment provided by Ryosuke★

 

Either way, Ryosuke understood my need to get the heck out of our town and go adventure a bit on our mutual day off (Showa Day) so he took me into the mountains!

 

I'd just found a really yummy black forest ham type ham in the nearby grocery store and decided it would be the perfect time to have a picnic! But the place we decided on wasn't really a place to lay out a blue sheet and relax in the grass, so the bench nearby had to do.

It was a beautiful view on a day that could have been clearer, but probably best it wasn't or I'd be a lobster today.

 

 

 

We had a simple sandwich picnic/lunch and due to my overheating decided to move on to another location. This time, super confused, we picked a place we both had never been to but always saw a sign for and finally took the trip up the mountain! To 名犬牧場, or PUPPY FARM!

It's a puppy mill or something wild, it's literally a big open space where people can bring their dogs (for a small entry fee, same as children and adults pay a bit more) and there are plenty of other dogs that you can see and pet and even take for walks or give treats! They also have a separate area for puppies to buy/adopt which were born there!

 

 

 

There were a bit too many children roughly holding the dogs which upset me a bit, and a woman who was training a dog to fetch a frisbee was a bit rough so we decided the next time we go will be when we finally plan to get a puppy of our own! It was still a really nice time to play with dogs which made me really, really happy and I must say I do honestly feel like I was able to be more positive today as a result!

 

Any time you feel too stressed or over worked or even just a bit down.

Take the time to change up your pace/mood/environment.

 

Thanks for reading!