初ヨガ！

やっと初ヨガに行ってきましたー。年末から日本に帰っていて、おとといLAに戻ったので、こんなに遅い初ヨガとなってしまいました･･･ 日本でも一回ぐらいは、とか思っていたのですが、皆さんおっしゃる通り、なぜか日本に帰って限られた時間の中でヨガ！とはなかなかならないんですよねー。実家から歩いて行ける所にスタジオがあれば別でしょうが･･･

で、どのクラスに行ってきたかというと、もちろんブライアンのクラス！
彼は私の2005年のヨガ生活にもっとも大きな影響を与えたと言っても過言ではないでしょう。ブライアンに出会って自分が変わった！ 自分のヨガに対する姿勢が変わった。本当に心からそう思います。

私がブライアンのヨガにどっぷりハマるきっかけを作ってくれた雅代さん、トムさん、本当にありがとう！

しかし今日のクラスはきつかったー。年末も２３日がヨガ納めだったので、かれこれ２週間以上ヨガをやってなかったのです（いつも思いますが、私って相当なんちゃってyogini･･･）。また腰あたりがメキメキ言ってるような状態でした･･･ でもみんなやっぱり１月はホリデーも終わって、心を入れかえるのか、１２月はすごく空いてたスタジオが、今日はものすごく混んでました。

☆あけましておめでとうございます☆

昨年はこのブログを通してたくさんのステキな方に出会う事ができ、とてもうれしい一年でした。実際にオフ会などでお会いした皆様、そしてまだお会いできてない方々、今年もどうぞよろしくお願いします。

今年の目標：
1. BikramのTTを無事終える
2. 一週間に一度はブログを書く
3. いつでも平常心を保つ、Reactしない
4. 腹八分目を心がける

まあ４番めはまず無理でしょうが、一応入れてみました。

昨年の６月頃に、Yoga: Taking it to the next levelというポストを書きましたが、確かに自分のヨガプラクティスは成長したと思います。そして思わぬ展開で、思っていたよりも早くTeacher Trainingを受ける運びとなりました。TTが終わったら愛するLos Angelesを離れて東海岸に引越しです。2006年はいろいろな意味で大きなエネルギーシフトの年のような気がしています。「いつでも平常心を保つ」を心がけて、がんばっていきたいと思います。

Believe it or not, 7 years of my living in the City of Angeles is coming down to the last 2 days. This is it. I never thought I would be leaving this town. It's not that I'm moving that far away (at least not for another 7 months), but this is actually HUGE to me. I'm moving out of my beloved apartment in Miracle Mile and going to my friend's condo in Gardena (for those of you who are not familiar with the geography of LA, Gardena is about 30 mins south of LA). I loved living in the heart of the city and never thought I would be living in a suburb!! My neighborhood is perfect - it's got a lot of good restaurants and coffee shops, cool stores, great malls... I just love it here. Oh well.. Bill and I will probably be coming back here in a couple of years. Plus, I'll still be working in Miracle Mile, so I still have access to everything I enjoy here. :) Besides, good thing about living in Gardena is that there are a lot of Japanese stores and restaurants that I like, and I will be close to some of my friends (especially you, Yukiko-san!).

But this is actually just the beginning of the change.

So, what's in the store for 2006?
1. I'm leaving my job! (can you see me smiling!?)
2. I'm finally going to take the Bikram Yoga TT from April
3. Once I complete the Bikram Yoga TT (hopefully), I'm moving to... the East Coast! Where on the East Coast? Hmm.. it's got the best baseball team and the best clam chowder - can you guess??

There are a lot of people protesting the Bush administration on the corner of Wilshire and Fairfax (I work in a building that's on the corner of these streets) right now. My co-worker and I just went down to see what it was about. We were surprised to see a bunch of highschool kids protesting with adults!! It's great to see that the teenagers are interested in Politics. You go kids!!! United Against Error!!!

Welcome to Your Body

↑とはブライアンがよく、クラスで言う言葉だ。ウォームアップの終盤あたりで、ダウンドッグになってる時とかに言われると、自分の体を客観的に観察できて、すごく良い♪　あー、今日はここが硬いな、とかこないだから疲れてるな、と思ってた首の筋がやっぱり張ってるなー、とか自分の体をゆっくり観察できる。こういう時間ってとっても大切だと思う。日々の生活の中で、特に忙しい時や精神的に余裕がない時など、自分の体の事ってどうしても後回しになってしまう。体から発されてるサインに鈍感になり、疲れてる自分の体をほったらかしに･･･　そして次第に体が支障をきたす。でもヨガをやると、いやでも自分と直面する。表面的なものも、奥深いものも･･･　

ヨガの醍醐味とは、こういう事ではないだろうか？日頃の生活の中で向きあえてない自分と向きあう時間･･･

犬が欲しい！！！

ずーっと前から犬を飼いたいと思ってるのだが、今日お昼にとってもかわいい子犬（といってもかなり大きい）を見てしまい、その犬が忘れられない！しかもその犬がYellow Labrador Retrieverだったからもう大変（笑）！昼からず～～っとあの犬のことばっかり考えてます。

盲導犬になるトレーニングをしてる子犬で、とってもかわいくて、賢そうだった。トレーナーさんと一緒にCarl's Jr.に入ってきて、トレーナーさんが注文してる間も横にじっと座ってお利口さんにしていた。そしてトレーナーさんと一緒にテーブルの方に行くと、トレーナーさんが座ったテーブルの下に何やら食べ物のかけらが転がっていたらしく、興奮して匂いをかいで、ペロペロ舐めだした。そうすると、Sit!と言われ、一旦はおすわりするものの、３秒ぐらいするとまた立ちあがり、舐めだす。それでまたSit!のくり返し。３回ぐらいそれをすると、もう食べ物がなくなったのか、諦めたのか、その後はずっとお利口にフセをしていた。

帰り際に話しかけてみると、名前はレイダー、９ヶ月の子犬だよ、とのこと。こんなに大きいのにまだ９ヶ月なの？とちょっとビックリした。生後７週間でトレーナーさんの所にやってくるそうだ。２１週目ぐらいから外に連れて出て、いろんな場面に慣れさせるらしい。まずは手の匂いをかがせようと思い、手を鼻の前に持っていくと、私の手をペロペロと舐めだした！いや～、マジかわいい～～～！！！すごいフレンドリーで、しかも毛並最高！そのままウチに連れて帰りたい勢いだった（笑）。

つい一週間前もモールのペットショップで生後２ヶ月ぐらいのYellow Labの子犬を見たばっかりだった。It was like the cutest thing I've ever seen... でも買って連れて帰るわけにはいかないので、あきらめたが･･･　

そうそう、その日は運良く餌をやるところが見れた。さすが食欲旺盛で有名なLabrador Retriever、よく食べてた～。しかもすごい独り占めして、一緒のケージに入ってたBoxerの子犬に全然あげないんです（笑）。Labが水を飲みに行った隙に、Boxerが餌を食べだすと、水を飲み終わって帰ってきたLabがボールごと加えて盗んだ！これには大爆笑。あ～、ホントに犬が欲しいと思った瞬間でした。

でもあの大きさの活発な犬を飼うにはやっぱり広い家じゃないと、犬がかわいそうだから、今はあきらめてます。

Bryan Kest Power Yoga

先週に引き続いて、昨日も午後4時のブライアンのクラスに行ってきました。彼のクラス、先週が初めてだったのですが、常温の部屋でこんなに汗かいたの初めて！ってぐらいに汗かいて、すっごく気持ちよかった！（ハマる気持ちよさ）しかも２時間みっちり！ブライアンに２時間も教えてもらえてすごいお得です♪

ポーズ自体はそんなに高度なポーズはないけど、ホールド時間がハンパじゃなく長いので、すごいきく～～～。「ブライアン～、もうそろそろ勘弁して～！」って何度叫びたくなったことか･･･　でもそんな時でも結構ジョークを飛ばしてくれたりするので、seriousになりすぎなくて良い。

昨日は朝からアシュタンガにも行った上に、ブライアンのクラスも先週より内容がきつかったから、かな～りきました。最後のシャバサナで寝ました（笑）。気持ちよかった～。

Vinyasa Flowや、Power Yogaのクラスで周りについていけなくて、なんか途中で自分にイライラしてしまって、いやになってしまうことってありませんか？私はたまにそういう風になるのですが、ブライアンのクラスでは、出来ないポーズをやってる時に、うー、出来ないー！と思ってイヤになりかけた時にタイミング良く、ブライアンが「このポーズ出来たからって別にどうってことないよ。出来る人が出来ない人よりもすごいわけじゃないし、健康なわけでもない。これは単なるヨガのポーズさ。Don't worry about it!」とか言ってくれるのです。それとか、きついポーズを長くホールドしてて、みんなが顔をしかめてそうな時に、「はい、今、君達の下にポラロイドカメラを入れて顔の写真を撮って、それを君達のお母さんに送るよ。お母さんに心配をかけそうな顔してちゃダメだよ～」とか言ってくれるのです。笑えるでしょう？

あと、私は、先生のカウントと自分の呼吸が合わない時など（先生のほうが早い）ペースが合わなくて、苛立ってしまったりする事が結構あるのですが、ブライアンの場合はカウントがすごいゆっくりなので、呼吸が深～くできるのでとっても気持ち良いです。それもあって、最初のウォームアップあたりから、すごい汗！Surya Namaskaraしながら、汗がポタポタ床に落ちます。ブライアンのクラスを受けてみて、マイソールではなかなかそこまで自分をプッシュできてないんだな～、ということを実感しました。

そんなブライアンのクラス、実はかなり前から知ってたことは知ってたんですが、なかなか行くきっかけがありませんでした。ところが、Masayoさんが由紀子さんのところでブライアンについてコメントされてたのを読んで、是非行ってみたい！と思ったのです。Masayoさん、ありがとうございました！

今週末はブライアン、いないみたいだから休憩かな･･･　残念！
水曜日のクラスに行けたら行こうかな～。あ、でも水曜日はアシュタンガ行く予定が･･･　ますます忙しくなる私のヨガスケジュール（笑）。

皆様、またまたblogをほったらかしてしまいました。

最近、ブログ関係で知りあった方に会う度に、最近全然書いてないね～、と言われております（笑）。いや、これ私の悪い癖です。しばらく忙しくて書かないと、もう何から書いていいかわからなくなって、面倒くさくなってしまってほったらかしにしてしまうのです。Archiveを見ていただくとわかると思いますが、このブログ、結構飛び飛びになってるところがあります（汗）。やっぱり「これブログに書きたい！」と思った時に書かないとダメですね。

ということで、復活第一段のお題へいきましょう♪

昨日、DaysofWLAさんと、Masayoさんと一緒に、Sri B.K.S.Iyengarの本出版記念の講演会に行ってきました。UCLAで働いてらっしゃるDaysofWLAさんがチケットを取ってくださったので、とっても良いお席でした☆

Iyengar師、結構インド訛りがきつい上に、使われる言葉が難しいので、よく分からなかった部分がたくさんあったのですが、おっしゃてた事でいくつかとても心に響いたことがあったので、それをここで書きとめておきたいと思います。

☆　Pain is a Guru
「痛み」は自分のガイドになってくれる。「痛み」は私達にいろいろな事を教えてくれる。自分の体から発されてる声にどれだけ耳を傾けれるかが大切。でも「痛み」には２種類あって、良い痛みと、悪い痛み（"excruciating pain"と言っていた）があって、悪い方の痛みを耐えて自分をプッシュしてはいけない、というような事をおっしゃてた。これは私のAshtanga Yogaの先生、Johnも同じような事を言ってたな～。

☆　Body = Container
体は一言で言えば、容器。その容器がしっかりしてないと、中身（＝魂）を磨けない。まずは自分の体から世話しなさい。Always take care of your body, because the container has to be solid for the contents to flourish.

☆　Yoga is not religion
ヨガは宗教じゃない。このポイント、本当に誤解されやすいけど、ヨガは宗教ではない。（この後、説明が上手く聞き取れず、何て言ってたのか？？？）

☆　Yoga is...
最後に、「ヨガとは・・・」とおっしゃってたんだけど、その肝心の・・・の部分がまた聞き取れなかった！２、３回言ってたけど、なんて言ってたのか不明。"Yoga is osten..." その後の...の部分がわからなかった。。帰ってきて辞書でいろいろ見てみたけど、それらしき言葉がまだ見つからない。聞いた事ない言葉でも、アメリカ人が言ってれば聞き取れるから、あとで辞書を見ればわかるけど、インド訛りには参った！これはもう本を買うしかない。

Iyengar師、笑顔が子供みたいで、すごく光ってました。気取ってないし、すっごく自然体なのに、とても存在感がある･･･　講演会自体は、もう少し段取りどうにかならない？というような所もあったけど、Iyengar師を生で見る（笑）だけでも行く価値は十分あったと思う。それに、最初と最後のchantingの声が、Royce Hallに響き渡るのを聞けたのも感動物だった。マントラは全然覚えてない（アシュタンガのマントラと違う）し、何行ってるのかさっぱり分からなかったけど、みんなの声がホールに響き渡って、会場が一つになるのを肌で感じた。本当に行ってよかった～♪ DaysofWLAさん、本当にありがとうございました。

Head Stand

アシュタンガを始めて６ヶ月ぐらい経った昨日、やっとヘッドスタンドができた（もちろん壁ありで）！！その前にも先生に手伝ってもらってやった事は何度かあったけど、自力で上がったのは昨日が初めて。頭で立ちながらニヤニヤしそうになるぐらいうれしかった～。子供の頃から逆立ちが超苦手で、体育の時間でも逆立ちなんか出来たことがなかったので、アシュタンガやりだした頃はヘッドスタンドなんて一生かかってもできない、と思ってました。それが、３週間ぐらい前に、Johnにみっちり教えてもらい、その時から急になんだかもうすぐ出来るかも！？という気になりました。でも先週ジムで練習した時は、お尻は壁に付くんだけど、足が全然上がらない状態で途方に暮れてました。やっぱりJohnのヘルプなしではまだまだ出来ないのかも・・なんて思いながら、昨日２週間ぶりにアシュタンガに行きました。いつものように壁に向かって手を組み、足を顔の方に一歩一歩近づけていって、蹴り上げてみるとなんとfirst tryで足がふわっと壁に向かって上がるではありませんか！ちょっと嘘みたいでした。しかも体が軽い、軽い！あんなに体が軽く感じたのは生まれて初めて！いや～、ビックリしました～。Never under-estimate yourselfというのを実感しました。

帰ってきてから、あれは夢だったのかも？と思いもう一度やってみたら出来た（今度は３回目のトライぐらいで）ので、夢ではなかったようです（笑）。

Bikram Yoga = Powerful Healing Yoga

実は最近ちょっとアシュタンガをサボり気味です。。アシュタンガ週３、ビクラム週３も、二週間続いたものの、その後ちょっと風邪をひいて何日かヨガできなかったので、もう完全にスケジュールが狂ってます（笑）。

火曜日の朝、今日こそは起きてマイソール行くぞ～と思ってたにもかかわらず、全く起きれなくて行けなかったので、その晩ジムでワークアウトした後、なんかヘッドスタンドを練習したくなり、壁を使って練習開始･･･　なかなか出来なくて、腕も疲れてきたな～と思いつつ、どうしても出来るようになりたい！と思って何回もチャレンジしてると、案の定、首の筋肉がピキーンときてしまいました。家に帰ってきてから色々してみるものの、全然良くならないどころか、さらに痛くなってしまいました･･･　前にも一度Matsyasanaに入る時（その時は無茶したわけではなく、普通にいつも通りやろうとしたら、ピキーンときたんです）に痛めたことにあるこの筋、結構私のweak pointなのかもしれません。

いやー、これじゃあ明日は絶対マイソール行けないわ･･･と思って、本当にバカな事をしたなぁー、と反省･･･　疲れてきたなー、と思った時にさっさとやめてれば怪我しなくてすんだハズ。

しかし、やってしまった事を後悔しても始まらないので、翌日は気を取り直してビクラムに行きました。最初のほうはやっぱり首あたりにテンションを感じるものの、クラスも後半になってくると、その辺もしっかりストレッチできて気持ちいいぐらいになりました。そして、クラスの後は、あれ？治ってる？というかんじ。はい、もう全然痛くありませんでした。いや～、おそるべしビクラムパワー。ビクラムがpowerful healing yogaと呼ぶだけのことはあります。今までも、私は痛いところがある時も、怪我してしまった時でもずっとビクラムを続けてたんですが、やっぱりじっとしてるより、あの暑い部屋で筋肉を温めながら、ストレッチした方が絶対治りが早いと思います。痛いところがある時こそ行ったほうがいい、というかんじ。今回も治るのにしばらく時間かかるかなー？と思ったものの、クラス一回で治っちゃたので、改めてビクラムパワーを感じております。

"While most of your friends are slugging it out at 9-to-5 entry-level jobs, you're still at college, having the time of your life. As they fill out Excel spreadsheets, type up memos, and figure out the optimal time to sneak onto instant messenger, you're entertaining guests, courting freshmen girls, and debating between Dominos and Papa John's. Life's good when you are a fifth-year senior."

This is so true!!! I was once there.. and it was pretty cool! ;)

Anyway, this paragraph was taken from an article about USC quarterback, Matt Leinart. If you're interested, read on!

Can't wait for the season to start!!!

久しぶりに友人の日記、Norwegian Woodに遊びに行ったら、面白いバトンをやってたので、勝手にもらってきた。たまにはヨガ意外の記事も書きたいな、と思ってたところだったから丁度いい♪

フェチバトン from Hell

1. あなたは何フェチ？
筋肉（笑）。
男は胸板が厚くて、腕がムキムキじゃなきゃ！
TroyやFight Clubのブラピを思い出して下さい☆

2. 異性を見る時、まず何処を見る？
全体の雰囲気かな。
それに、身長、体格、顔など、いやでも瞬時で見えてしまいます（笑）。なんでだ～？

3. 最近プッシュできる部位
Ashtangaで鍛えられた腕（笑）＆　日焼け、かな？

4. 異性の好きな部位５つ
目、肩、胸、背中、腕、尻（あ、一つオーバーしてる）

5. フェチを感じる衣装は？
ズバリ、制服！
Navyの白いセーラー服や、Marineの迷彩柄のやつ･･･

6. 回す５人
- バトン好きな、アザラシーズさん
- 同じブラピファンの、Kaorinさん
- またまたバトン好き？いや、人気者だからイヤでも回ってきてしまう？雅子さん
- 日本でお忙しそうだけど、おねーさまの意見は是非聞いておきたい、ということで由紀子さん
- ひそかに、絶対にwild sideがありそうな、sakuraさん
- 他に参加したい方がいらっしゃったら、もらっていってくださ～い☆　

A Weekend of Baseball

This weekend was dominated by the baseball games. The Red Sox were in Anaheim, playing against the Angels! Bill and I had tickets for the game on Friday night. We watched all other games on TV. All in all, the game on Friday was the best. It was a close game, went into an extra inning, and we got to see Curt Schilling pitch 2 solid innings. There were so many Red Sox fans at the stadium. I had so much fun!!

I really feel that the Red Sox are going to win the division this year. And it looks like the Yanks are going to struggle over the wild card race too.. hehee!

Budokon

前から一度行ってみたい！と思ってたCameron ShayneのBudokon、とうとう行ってきました～☆　思えば、初めてBudokonのことを知ったのは、１－２年ぐらい前にUs Weeklyというゴシップ雑誌を読んでた時のこと。。。Budokonとは、空手やTae Kwon DoなどのMartial ArtsとYogaを組み合わせた、Jennifer AnistonやCourtney Coxもやってる、ハリウッドで今一番新しいワークアウト、というように紹介されていました。その時はへ～、面白そう、と思ったものの、それっきりでした。ところがHappy Yoga from L.A.の由紀子さんに初めてお会いした時に、Budokonっていいよ～、と言われ、あ！そういえばそんな事雑誌で読んだことあったな～、と自分の中でクリックしたのでした。

スケジュールの都合でなかなか体験しに行けなくて、一ヶ月以上経った、先週の火曜日、仕事中に（笑）急にBudokonの事が気になりだし、今すぐにでも行きたい！！と思って、その場で由紀子さんに電話･･･　木曜日のクラスをCameronが教えるのか、すぐに聞いて下さり、運良くCameronが教えるとのこと♪　もぉ～、これは行くしかない！

ということで、事前にどんなワークアウトなのかとかそういうリサーチも全くせず、まぁ一回体験してみよ～♪と軽い気持ちで行ってきました（私っていつもそう）。感想？　も～、めちゃくちゃ楽しかったです！かなり私のツボにはまったかんじ。なんか出来ないポーズとかトライしてても、楽しいの。内容はきついのに、「きつい」と感じさせないCameronパワー☆　本当に魅了されました。

あまりに楽しかったので、家に帰ってきてからもカラスのポーズとか練習しまくっちゃいました。練習の成果があってか、ちょっとできるようになったものの、翌日は手首がかなり筋肉痛（笑）。

ご一緒したSakuraさんも書かれているとおり、Cameronがお手本を見せてくれる時なんて、も～、ホレボレ！つい自分がやるのも忘れて見まくり（笑）。このクラス、ホント彼のデモを見るだけでも行く価値アリです。まるでSpider Manのように動きまわる彼。ものすごい身軽！そして力強い！！いやいや、あんなに身軽で、次々とimpossibleな（そんな事本人に言ったら怒られそう。。出来ないって決め付けるな！と言って）ポーズを披露してくれる人は初めて見ました。で、そのホレボレするお手本を見せてくれた後に、「はい、君達もやってみて～」と言われるんですよ。なんかあまりにスゴすぎて、やってみて～、と言われると笑い出したくなっちゃう場面もいくつかありました。でも彼のすごいところは、そんな難易度高いポーズでも、「私にもいつかできるかも♪」と思わせてくれるところ。最後のSavasanaでもすご～く心に響く、いい事を言ってくれました。　

そしてクラスが終わってからのトークタイム。Cameronのとってもsweetな性格にまたまた惚れぼれしてしまいました～。クラス中の真剣な顔と全然違って、超お茶目！！日本の話などで延々と盛り上がりました。

いや～、久しぶりにハマった～～！というかんじでした。アシュタンガのマイソールに初めて行って、ハマった時以来かも、こういう感覚。これなら、Yogaはつまんない、とか言ってるBillでも楽しめるのではないか、と思って次回は連れて行く予定。

由紀子さん、ホントにありがとう☆

日本にお住まいの皆様、是非是非Budokon Workshopで、Cameronパワーを体感してきて下さい。Budokonの良さは口では語りきれません。体験していただくのが一番です☆　Don't miss out on this great opportunity!!!


クラスの後、Cameronと･･･　Budokonのウェブサイトで見るよりもかなりお茶目で、かわいいでしょ？


こちらもクラスの後、参加者のみんなで。

My Yoga Week

先々週にビクラムヨガのクラスが悲惨（暑くて暑くて、スタンディングでも休憩しまくりだし、フロアーに入ってからはスタジオの外に出て休憩する始末）だったことから、これはやっぱりビクラムは週３は通わないとダメだ！と思い、新たなヨガスケジュールを組んでみた。ビクラム週３、アシュタンガ週３、ヨガやらない日は週に１日だけ。あ、ちなみに私は、こういう風にスケジュールを立てて自分に厳しくしないと、クラスに行かない性格です。すぐ、ま、いっか～、明日行けば♪と思っちゃうので。。

今週の結果はまずまず･･･

Sun: 朝のマイソールに行く。その後どこにも行く所がないので、２時間た～っぷり練習。日曜日の朝のマイソールは、アシュタンガを始めて以来、日本に帰ってた時と、ムーンデー以外はミスったことがない。それぐらい毎週楽しみにしているのです☆　

Mon: Bikram ６時１５分のクラスに行く。この日の先生はJuan。思いっきり、これでもか！ってぐらいしごかれました～。実はこの日、５時ぐらいに同僚がクッキーを勧めてきて、あまりにもおいしそうだったので、ついパクリ･･･　半分ぐらいにしとこうと思ったけど、そんなの無理、全部食べました～。食べた後にやっぱりヨガで気持ち悪くなるよなー、コレじゃ･･･と思ってちょっと後悔。でもクラスが始まったら、最初の方はなんとなくお腹にまだ食べ物があるな～、という感じがしてたものの、Juanにビシビシしごかれてる間にそんなことも気にならなくなりました。というか、そんな事考えないぐらい集中してたのかも。彼のクラスはとってもハードだけど、ヨガに集中できるのでgood! でも彼、クラスが定時に終わらない事で有名（笑）。この日も９０分のクラスが、１０５分になってました～。

Tue: 早朝マイソールに行く筈が、目覚ましが鳴らずに起きれなくて断念･･･　起きたら７時半！（笑）

Wed: 今日こそ早朝マイソール。日曜日ぶりのマイソールだけど、悪くなかった。夕方からは友達とゴルフ（ショートコース）に行って、それから彼女の家でフィリピン料理＆ビールをご馳走になり、話に花が咲きすぎて、気づいたら１２時。家に帰ってそのままpass out...

Thu: Bikram ６時１５分のクラス。先生はCynthia。彼女のクラスはすっごく良い☆でもだいたいいつも朝９時のクラスを教えてるから、夕方教えてるのは結構レア。Juanと同じように、Cynthiaもすごいパワーなので、いつも彼女のクラスでは元気をもらえる。でもJuanのように普通１０秒のポーズを２０秒にしたり、とかはあんまりしない（笑）。この日は自分でもすごい良いプラクティスだったな～、と思って、Cynthiaにありがとう！と言うと、「あなたのプラクティスすごい進歩してるわよ～、最近教えてなかったから（←私を）久しぶりに見たけど、すごい上達してるよ」と言われ、うれしかった～☆　

Fri: 木曜日の晩、ビクラムのクラスで元気になり過ぎて全然寝れなかった（２時ごろまで）から、朝起きれませんでした。マイソール行く予定だったのに･･･　でも、前からsakuraさんに勧められてた、Yoga WorksのKaraのクラスに仕事の後sakuraさんと一緒に行ってきました。常温（爆）の部屋であんなに汗かくと思いませんでした～。もうホント男性陣なみに汗だく（笑）。恐るべしVinyasa Flow... ウワサ通り、なかなか良いクラスだったけど、私はどちらかと言うとマイソールの方が好きかも。でも多分このクラスも朝だったらもっと良いハズ。

Sat: 先週記事にした、エミーのクラスにsakuraさんと一緒に行って来ました。やっぱりエミーのクラスは最高！先週と同じぐらい気持ち良いSpinal Seriesができました☆　今日はStanding Bow Pullingも良かったな～。毎回調子が良いポーズが変わるから不思議。やっぱり体は毎日変化してるんだなー、という事を再確認しました。そして今日はありえないぐらい汗かきました。

Sun: 明日はもちろんお決まりのマイソール。

↑こうして見るとやっぱり週３ビクラムすると、調子が良い！

College Days

I was just browsing the Bed Bath & Beyond website and something caught my eye: "Shop For College." Those three words made me feel all sentimental. I shopped there with my mom to prepare for my college dorm room (well, more like college apartment) 7 years ago. I was 18 and filled with excitement for what's to come. I still remember the very early days of my college life. Everything was so new to me, the city, the campus, the language, the classes, and of course the roommates and the friends.

I really had the time of my life at USC. Looking back, those five years just flew by. I partied hard for 3 years and studied hard for 2 years. I want to go back so badly. I wonder if my life is ever going to be better than those days. The last 2 years have been pretty uneventful, except for the fact that Bill and I are tighter than ever, and my yoga practice is progressing.

Where is my life going? And more importantly, where do I wanna take it to? I'm on a journey to find myself, find my soul...

今日は朝からビクラムに行ってきました。先生はビクラムヨガ暦３１年（！）のEmmy Cleaves。この先生、Bikram's Yoga College of Indiaの校長先生で、アドバンスドクラスをいつも教えてる大ベテラン。しかもビクラム本人が「ビクラムヨガが一番上手いのはEmmy」といつも言います。彼女のクラスをずっと受けてみたかったんですが、今までTT以外のクラスを教えてるのを見たことなかったんです。だから今日は本当にラッキー☆

Emmyが教えると聞きつけて集まってきたのか、土曜日の朝はいつも混んでるのか、皆さんビクラムが教えると思っていらしたのか、クラスはすっごく混んでました。私は前日の晩に辛いカレーを食べたからか、前半はなんかお腹が痛くて集中できませんでした。でもTriangle Poseあたりから調子が良くなり、Toe Stand（これ最近すごい調子が良いポーズの一つ）もうまくできて、その後のfloor seriesが最高に良かったです。いつもはfloorよりもstandingのほうが調子が良い私。でも昨日は苦手なSpinal Seriesがすごい良かった！Cobra Poseで、あれ？なんか今日はすごい上がるな～、と思ったら、次のLocustも調子がいい。いつも全然出来なくて苦しいから途中であきらめることも多い両足上げるポーズも最後までホールド出来たし、結構（私にしては）高く上がった！そして次のFull Locust Pose。これが今までで最高の出来だった。初めてあんなに高く上がったし、何より、このポーズが気持ちがいいと思った。いつもは「まだ～？」ってかんじなのに今日は「え？もう終わり？」というかんじ。これはもうEmmyパワー以外、何ものでもない！

で、今日のSpinal Series、何が違ったかと言うと、ポーズに入る前にinhale、入る（上げる）時にexhaleと言われたので、そういう風に意識してやってみると、これが全然違うんです！今までそこまで細かく指導してもらったことってなかったような気がします。こんなちょっとした事で全然違うなんて、やっぱりヨガって奥深い～。そして今日再確認したのは、入り方が良いと、ポーズに入ってからさらに上げる力とかも全然違うんだな、という事。

ポーズとポーズの間のSavasanaの時にいろいろためになる話もしてくれたし、Emmyのクラスは本当に最高でした！もっと頻繁にレギュラークラス教えてくれたらいいのにな～。。。

I'm just trying to kill a few minutes till 5:30...

What Age Do You Act?
My answer is...

You Are 27 Years Old

27 Under 12: You are a kid at heart. You still have an optimistic life view - and you look at the world with awe. 13-19: You are a teenager at heart. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world. 20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences. 30-39: You are a thirtysomething at heart. You've had a taste of success and true love, but you want more! 40+: You are a mature adult. You've been through most of the ups and downs of life already. Now you get to sit back and relax.

Click on the link below if you want to find out your inner age!

What Age Do You Act?

Ashtanga + Ashtanga

由紀子さんのブログ、Happy Yoga from L.A.のコメントで宣言したとおり、Ashtanga/Mysore一日に二回やってきました！昨日はSummer Fridayで休みを取っていたので、朝はいつものJohnのクラス、夕方にCharlesのクラスに行きました。Charlesのクラスに行ったら、Johnもプラクティスしてたので、ダブルでしに来た私を見てちょっとビックリという顔をしていました（笑）。

ダブルでやってみた感想は、すっごく良い！の一言。朝のクラスではJohnにショルダースタンドで意識する背中のポイントみたいな所を教えてもらい、そうすると今までとは比べ物にならないぐらい脚も背中もスッと上に伸びて、初めてショルダースタンドって気持ちいい♪と思いました。夕方のクラスでは、さすがに二回目だから途中でエナジー切れしちゃうかな？したらゆっくりやろう、と思ってたんですが、そんな事は全然ありませんでした。朝よりもさらにパワーが出て、さらに体も朝に比べてやわらかくなってるから、いつもよりも深い所にポーズを持っていけたような気がしました。特にUpward Dogで体の前面がすごく伸びて、気持ちよかったです。ショルダースタンドもまた気持ちよかった～☆

アシュタンガのクラスをダブルでやること自体は全然疲れなかったんですが、行き帰りの車の運転で疲れました～。朝のクラスへ行く時は早朝だから全然渋滞してないんですが、帰りは通勤車ですごい渋滞。そして夕方のクラスは４時からなので、行きも少し混んでて、帰りはものすごい渋滞に巻きこまれ、結局往復一時間半かかりました。朝と合わせると、軽く２時間半は運転してましたね～。距離にするとそんなに大したことないんですが、L.A.の渋滞はホント疲れます～～。やっぱりサンタモニカまで行くのは一日一回でいいかも。

Here are some of the funny pictures that were forwarded to me at work... Can't you tell we are all motivated here?


It'd be even better if it was Sapporo...



Although I don't own one of those stamps, I do think that about a lot of the projects I work on.. haha.

Bikram Rocks!

昨日、今日と二日続けて、ここの所サボってたビクラムヨガのクラスに行ってきました。

昨日のクラスは、ビックリするほど不調でした。２ヶ月もサボっていた事が一番の原因かと思われますが、昼ごはんに韓国料理を食べた私もアホ。途中でかなり気持ち悪くなってしまい、スタンディングの半分は座りこんでいたような･･･　情けない！しかも、今まで感じたことのない痛みを感じました。まず、Half Moonで脇の下の筋肉が痛くなり（こんなところ今まで意識したこともなかった！）、Standing Head to Kneeで肘を曲げると、また脇の下が引っぱられて痛い！そして、Standing Bow Pullingでは、肩の筋肉が引っぱられてすごい痛くなってしまいました。で、そこで気が付いたのですが、これは絶対アシュタンガのChatarungaのやりすぎ。アシュタンガのシークエンスでも、肩をストレッチできるポーズたくさんあるようなのですが（周りを見てるとできてそう）多分私はまだそこまでレベル到達してなくて（プライマリーシリーズ全部やってるわけではないので）、肩や腕の筋肉を使うわりには、その辺をちゃんとストレッチできてないのでは？と思いました。その点、ビクラムは本当に体のすみずみまで伸ばしてくれるので、ばっちりです。

ご一緒したsakuraさんは、ビクラムヨガ初めてだというのに、私のように座りこむこともなく、元気で最後まで全部なさってたので、ビックリ！sakuraさん、凄すぎます。いや、ホント。

で、今日は４時半のクラスをビクラムが教えるというので、二日連続で行ってきました。ビクラムパワーのおかげか、昨日のクラスとは天と地の差！！今日は今までビクラムやってきた中でも、one of the best classと言っても過言ではないほど、良いプラクティスができました。そして、今までできなかったポーズが一気に２個もできるように！

☆　Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee Pose
今までは、あとちょっとで、おでこを膝に付けた状態で、膝の後がまっすぐ伸びるという状態だったのが、今日は膝の後がまっすぐに伸びた！

☆　Half Tortoise Pose
私は股関節がかなり硬いので、今までこのポーズでお尻がかかとに付いた事はなかったんです。３センチぐらいのギャップだったとは思うけど、それでも頑張っても左の脚の付け根の前あたりが痛くて、全然付かない！しかし今日は意識してお尻下げたわけじゃなくて、気づいたら、あれ？今日は付いてる？というかんじ（笑）2nd setでも付いたので、ただのミラクルではなかったようです。

やっぱりこれもビクラムパワーなのでしょうか？いやー、今日は本当に良いクラスでした♪
こうなるとまた楽しくなってどんどんビクラムやりたくなる私はかなりゲンキン･･･

「山猫の缶詰。」のアザラシーズさまが企画なさって、雅子さんのところで、まぜていただく事になった「映画で古今東西」、ルールがイマイチよくわかってない（古今東西ってどういうゲームだったっけ？とかそういうレベルですから･･･）んですが、映画は結構好き（でも詳しいわけではない）なので、早速答えさせていただきたいと思います！

お題２：　「自分が映画好きになるきっかけをつくった映画！」

絶対これだわ！と一つに決められないので、二つご紹介したいと思います。


「フライドグリーントマト」というちょっと変わった名前の映画なのですが、その変わったタイトルに惹かれて、どんな話なのかも知らないままビデオ屋さんで借りてきて、一人で見て、すっごく感動！ハートがとても温まりました。そして、すごい感動して涙、涙～！今までに見た映画の中で、一番泣いたのは多分これ。


「フィールド・オブ・ドリームス」
こういう夢のある話が大好きです。これもエンディングですご～い感動しました。

こうして見てみると、どうも私、感動して泣ける系が好きみたいですね。恋愛物よりも人間ドラマのほうが好きです。でも、これらは「映画が好きになるきっかけを作った映画達」ですから、今のMy #1 Favorite!というわけではないような･･･

しかし、振り返ってみると、高校生の時はよ～くビデオ借りてきて、一日に２本も３本も映画見てました。実は、こういう、人に夢を与える職業に就きたい！と真剣に思い、ロスに留学してきたわけです（笑）。しかも選んだ学校が映画で有名な学校。しかし、入ってみると、さすが有名なだけに、私なんか足元にも及ばない程、映画好きな人がたくさん･･･しかも、映画の授業を取ってみても、う～ん？私にはちょっとついていけない世界かも？というかんじで、じゃ専攻何にしよう？と思ってた時に出会ったのが、Communication (Entertainment, Communication and Cultureというemphasis）でした。

さて、次のお題に行きましょう。

お題３：　「スクリーンの向こうの人だけど、本気で恋心を抱いてしまった俳優。女優は？」　

おっ！雅子さん、これは私のためにあるようなお題ですね～（笑）
答えは・・・　もちろんブラッド・ピットです！！！　He's soooo hot!! こんなに顔が整ってて、セクシーで、身体もいけてて、それでいて超チャーミングな男はこの人以外にいません！しかも彼、年を取れば取っていくほど、かっこよくなっていく気がします。ちょっとだけCollin Farellに心移りしてた時もあったけど、やっぱりBrad Pitt一番♪

いや～、もうThelma & Louiseの頃から、彼が出てる映画は全部見ましたが、どれを見ても、ほれぼれしちゃいます（あ、でもMeet Joe Black以外）。今までに特にシビれた役（爆）は、Legends of the FallのTristan、Fight ClubのTyler、TroyのAchilles、あと今日見たMr. & Mrs. SmithのJohn Smith役もかな～～～りハマってて、かっこよかったです。BradもAngelinaも、とってもnice castingだと思いました！（←映画自体についてはまた今度）





あ、それとね、実は私、ブラピと誕生日同じなんです☆

では、そろそろ第４のお題に行きましょう♪
古今東西〜☆「今一番気に入ってる映画は？」
All-Time Favoriteでもいいし、最近ハマってる映画でも結構です。「今」自分が一番好きな映画！ということで・・・

私は、City of God


内容は衝撃的すぎるぐらいなのですが、editing、テンポ、音楽が特に素晴らしい、ここ最近見たものの中ではダントツ一番。何回見ても全然飽きません！

それではこのお題は、こんな楽しい企画を考えて下さった、アザラシーズさまのところへ！よろしくお願いしま～す☆

~Another Yogic Weekend~

昨日は先週も行ったYoga WorksのHatha Blendに、ブログを通して知り合ったsakuraさんと由紀子さん、そして由紀子さんのお友達のGO2さんと一緒に行ってきました。クラスは先週よりも呼吸法に重点が置かれてて、動くの大好き（笑）な私にはちょっと物足りなかったような気もしましたが、日頃意識できてないところまで意識して呼吸の練習ができたので、よかったかな？でも次はもう少し身体ストレッチしたい～。。

クラスの後は、Wilshire Blvd.のAmandine Patissiereに行きました。そこで由紀子さんのお友達のすずこさんと合流。おいしいランチを食べながら話に花が咲き、その後ケーキとコーヒーまで食べ、さらに話は盛り上がる、盛り上がる！これだけヨガ好きが集まるとおしゃべりもとどまる所知らず。特に最近由紀子さんのブログで話題になってる、ビクラムの話で盛り上がりは絶好調に♪　GO2さんの熱い希望で（←そんな日本語あるっけ？）来週の土曜日のビクラム本人が教えるクラスにみんなで行くことに･･･　テーマはビクラムのクラスで思いっきり7 Chakrasを開こうというもの。彼は本当にすごいエナジーを持ってるので、ビクラムのクラスはいつ行っても最高にいい♪

由紀子さんに昨日私の7 Chakrasをクリスタルストーンを使って見ていただいたところ、下の方は開いてるけど、上の方が開いてない！ということが分かり、これからは上の方も開くように修行？しないとな～、と思っているところです。こういうのって、私は人に開いてもらえる物ではなく、自分でしかどうしようもないものだ（その過程で人に助けてもらっても、最終的には自分しかない）と思うのですが、どうなんでしょうね･･･？　ビクラム曰く、Only you can help yourself, even your mama can't help you!だそうです。由紀子さん、見て下さってありがとうございました♪

そして今日は朝から定番のAshtanga/Mysoreへ行ってきました☆　

Yoga Days

連休はヨガ三昧でした。金曜日は仕事が早く終わったので、夕方のAshtanga/Mysore。その後のRestorativeも出ようか迷ったけど、あまりにお腹がすいたから、家に帰って晩御飯食べることに･･･ 土曜日はsakuraさんと一緒にHatha Blendのクラスへ。日曜日はいつも通り朝のAshtanga/Mysore、月曜日の朝もマイソール、今朝もマイソール･･･　気が付いたら３日連続行ってた！今まで、２日連続で行ったことはあったけど、３日連続は初めて。今朝行く前はしんどいな～、眠た～、と思ってたけど、やっぱり行ってよかった～！夕方ぐらいはちょっと疲れが出てきてたけど（いや、ただ会社にいるのがイヤだっただけかも）、今はかなりエナジー有り余ってて、明日はMoon Dayでクラスがないのがとっても残念！あったら絶対行くのにな～。次は目指せ４日連続早朝マイソール！

あ、ちなみに私、宅ヨガは絶対できないんです。アパートの床が全部カーペットでヨガやるには柔らかすぎるのと、家でやってもなんか集中できなくて･･･　やっぱりヨガはスタジオでみんなと一緒に、がいいです。と言っても、マイソールだし、みんなバラバラな事やってるんですけど、皆さんのエナジーを感じながら一緒にヨガできるのが最高に気持ち良いんですよね～。

明日は最近ちょっとご無沙汰してるビクラムに行くか、休憩するか迷ってるところです。でも朝はこの意気込みでは起きれなさそうだから、行くとしたら夕方だなー。

What's Your Birthday Color?

Check out Colorstrology

The color for the month December was Pagoda Blue and my birthday color was Blue Sapphire. When I read about this site at What I like about L.A., I thought my birthday color would be Red, but I was so wrong! My favorite color is Pink, so I don't own too many things that are Blue (I guess, except for my endless collection of denim), but maybe this explains why I love the ocean so much. I love driving along the coast on a sunny day, hanging out at the beach, listening to the sound of waves... soooo relaxing!!

3 words to describe people who are born on my birthday are: Adventurous, Appealing, and Creative. It also gives you a short description of your personality. I don't know if it's true, but it definitely said really nice things! :)

daidaiさ～ん、面白いサイトを紹介して下さってありがとうございま～す☆

今日は朝から、ロサンゼルス生活ヨガ日記のsakuraさんと一緒にYoga WorksのHatha Blend 1というクラスに行ってきました。sakuraさんは想像以上に、すごい感じの良い、さわやかな、小柄でかわいらしい方でした。（かわいらしいなんて言っちゃって、失礼だったらごめんなさい！）でも、私は見かけによらず結構人見知りするほうなので、かなり緊張してしまって、会話がスムーズにできなくて･･･　ごめんなさいsakuraさん！

Hatha Blendは、先生もいいかんじで、その上今までに意識したこともないような筋肉までストレッチできて、すごく良いクラスでした。また来週もたのしみ♪昼過ぎに家に帰ってきてから、天気がいいので屋上で日焼け☆　しかしちょっと調子にのりすぎて、思った以上に焼けてたみたいで、ちょっと赤くなっている・・・

夕方からBillと一緒にMr and Mrs Smithを見ようと、Groveに行ってみるものの、売り切れ！仕方がないので晩御飯だけ食べて帰ってきました。

Celebrity Starbucks?

I saw Dave Navarro at a Starbucks near my house yesterday. He was driving a black Hummer and came into Starbucks with another guy. I wish he was with Carmen Electra. I've seen Ron Perlman (Hellboy) there too. It's just kinda weird, because it's just a regular Starbucks in a not-so-star-studded neighborhood.

今日は朝からJohnのAshtanga/Mysoreへ･･･
やっぱりAshtangaは朝からの方が良い、というのを再確認しました。ここ２、３週間、午後のMichaelのクラスの方が圧倒的に空いてるので、そっちに出てたんですが、やっぱり朝からやるほうが断然調子が良い♪

でもMichaelのクラスも好きなので、いっそのことダブルで出てしまおうかな？一日に２回プラクティスするの、Bikramでは勧めてるけど、アシュタンガはどうなんだろう？

I have been reading a lot of blogs in Japanese lately (I've added some to the Yoga Related Links to your right), so my thoughts are starting to come to me in Japanese! This is good, because when I first started this blog, I was losing my Japanese skills and writing in English was so much easier... I tested to see if this blog can support Japanese characters and it works! So I think I'm going to make this blog bi-lingual from now. Sometimes I'll write in English and some other times I'll write in Japanese... I'm probably not going to write everything in both languages, but we'll see how it goes..

最近日本語のブログを読む機会が多くなってきたので、段々自分でも日本語で考えが浮かぶようになってきました。このブログを始めた頃は、英語でばっかり物を考えてたので、日本語書くのが億劫で・・・　それで、さっき日本語でエントリーできるのかどうか実験してみたら、できたのでこれからはバイリンガルでいこうかと思います。全ての記事をバイリンガルにするのは無理だと思うので、時には英語、また時には日本語というかんじになるかと思います･･･　

Anyway, I went to a Restoratives/Pranayama class with Chris Stein (@Yoga Works Montana) yesterday. She's a Iyengar teacher and it was my first time taking her class. I wasn't particularly interested in the class before I went, but it turned out to be a pretty good class. The class started with Savasana, so that surprised me. But as I lay on my mat listening to the teacher, I started to really relax and feel good. The class was very slow paced and we only did several postures in the 100 minute class. We must have been holding each posture for 5-10 minutes. All postures except for the last one (hip opener) was easy for me and it was very relaxing, so I dozed off towards the end of every pose. I think I will be going back to this class, mainly because I liked Chris' teaching style and energy. She also teaches Iyegar classes at Yoga Works, so I'll definitely be checking that out too. This was one of those classes that reminded me that the key to good yoga practice is finding a good teacher.

It is such a nice day out today (81 degrees, Sunny). I went home for lunch and I didn't want to come back to work!

Yesterday's Ashtanga class was great. There were only 5 other students in the class, so Michael adjusted me in a lot of the postures. I learned a lot and sweated even more! I like practicing Ashtanga in the morning, but I do like the fact that this Sunday afternoon class is not crowded. After the class, I walked over to the Border's near the studio and got a cup of coffee and checked out some CD's.

Well, as I'm writing this post, 2 people went home because they weren't *feeling well*... Riiiiight!!

Taking it to the Next Level

Last summer, since I was unemployed for 3 months, all I did was yoga. I practiced Bikram 6 times a week. I think I was able to take my practice to the next level. But just when I was starting to feel the improvements, I went to Japan for a month and after I got back, I started working, so I lost it. Well, I didn't quite lose it, but when I came back from Japan, I wasn't as good as when I left. I wonder where my practice would have been if I had kept up the 5-6 classes/week schedule.

Well, the summer is here again and with my new fascination with Ashtanga yoga, I have decided I'm going to dedicate my summer to yoga again. In March, I went to Ashtanga/Mysore class 2-3 times a week and did Bikram 3-4 times a week, so I just need to get back to that.

Just thought I'd post this so I have something to look back to when I'm feelin' lazy...

Moving to Hawaii...

Well, not me (I wish!). My Ashtanga yoga teacher, Chuck is. I went to his Mysore class on Sunday, and found out that he was selling the studio and moving to Hawaii with his wife. Dammit!!! I am so bummed that he won't be teaching at Yoga Works anymore... I loved his class and that's why I have been practicing Ashtanga. I am beyond bummed. I was really grateful that my first Ashtanga teacher happened to be one of the most recognized yogis in the Ashtanga world. And it turns out that a lot of people knew about it! Being a new student at Yoga Works, I don't really know anyone, so no one told me about it till Sunday. If I had known, I would have attended his class more frequently... It's really sad.. I'm in denial!

But I should be thankful that he was my first Ashtanga teacher and I was introduced to the practice by him. I just wish there were more time to practice with him. There are so much more to learn. Hopefully he starts a studio in Hawaii, so when I go to Hawaii, I can take his class again.

10 Things I like about Bikram Yoga:

1. Heat - the room is heated to about 105 degrees. Crazy? Yeah, I thought so at first, but actually, heat is the key.

2. Sweating - I drink plenty of water and a glass of Kumazasa before going to the class, and during the class, I usually finish a big bottle of water. Before doing Bikram yoga, I never knew how good it feels to just sweat your ass off! It's excellent for your skin too! It gives you that inner-glow you always wanted.

3. Hard Work - The class makes you work harder than you ever thought you could. As a beginner, I suffered. Well, I still suffer. Sometimes the heat drives me nuts. But as long as you work hard and do your best, you feel like a million dollar baby after you get out of the 90-minute torture chaimber (I didn't name that, that's from Bikram himself!). Believe it or not, the class makes me feel better than an hour massage session does.

4. Effort Counts - The most important thing is doing your best. It's not Yoga Perfect, it's called Yoga Practice.

5. Extreme Stretching - I wasn't always flexible. In fact, I couldn't even touch my toes with my legs extended. But through practicing Bikram yoga, I got soooo flexible and it feels so good to stretch!

I love Ashtanga yoga too, but it doesn't make me stretch like the Bikram series can. So when I'm feeling stiff, I definitely go to a Bikram class. In my pre-Bikram days, I was often bothered by lower back and shoudler/neck pain, but it's gone. GONE!

6. Energy - Bikram yoga class works like a gas station. You go to the class empty and leave the class with full of energy. Seriously, after the class, my body feels 10 pounds lighter and I always feel like jumping around because I have so much energy!

7. Detox - You sweat all the toxins out. At first, you can literally smell your body detoxify. But I think with a regular, continuous practice, your body gets cleaner inside. I don't stink like I used to during the class.

8. Weight Control - Regular practice definitely keeps you in a great shape. You actually gain a lot of muscle doing yoga. My legs and arms are buff!

9. Inner Peace - Through practicing this yoga, you learn how not to stress yourself out in a stressful situation. I think now I'm able to handle myself better.

10. Ageless - They say yogis are ageless. It's true! I've met so many yogis who look way younger than their age. Hopefully I age well too!

This list is not in any sort of order, it's just a random list I came up with.

Next post is going to be the Benefits of Ashtanga Yoga. Stay tuned.

Ashtanga Yoga

Thanks to my yoga buddy Kyoko, I have been introduced to a whole new experience - Ashtanga Yoga. Kyoko came to visit in February when she competed in the International Yoga Asana Championship. After the event, her teacher and other students went back to Japan, but she stuck around for another week. So we decided to go to an Ashtanga class together. Kyoko had been doing Ashtanga in Tokyo for over a year and she wanted me to try it. We went to Yoga Works in Santa Monica. It was so different from what I was used to (Bikram yoga classes). There was no mirror, no carpet on the floor, and the room wasn't 100 degrees! But there was something about it. By the end of the class, I was feeling incredibly good and got completely hooked. I will talk more about why I like Ashtanga Yoga in my next post.

I also fell in love with Chuck's teaching style and energy. For yogis, energy is a weird, complex thing. Your energy and the teacher's energy have to sync up for you to have a good practice. Well, it's been about 2 months since, and I'm still loving it! I've even bought a book on Ashtanga Yoga, so I can study the sequence. But most of all, I'm just amazed that I'm actually getting up at 6:30am to go to an Ashtanga class 2-3 times a week.

Sweet Deal-

Last Thursday, Bill and I went to a Lakers game at the Staples Center. Overture, one of my agency's vendors, has a suite there and they were treating their clients. My boss was supposed to go, but her baby got sick, so she gave me the tickets. Those suites are awesome! We went in/out from the VIP entrance (no waiting in line) and the suite was complete with food and drinks. I'm not really a basketball fan, but I had a lot of fun.

Now another vendor is working on my Red Sox - Angels tickets. If he can get me good seats for those games, I'll be soooooo happy!

So, the occasional free lunches and invitations to events are the only highlight of my job. I hate everything else, but I'm sticking around at least till I get those Red Sox tickets!

Happy Birthday, Bill!!

Wow, this is the 5th year that we celebrate his birthday together... Let's see, what did we do every year??

1st year - Got drunk at Rajat's house in Troy Hall and then went to 29.
2nd year - Lots of Sushi/drinks at Miyagi's and more drinks at Yamashiro.
3rd year - ...?
4th year - Had great Yakiniku at Gyu-kaku.

My god, I just can't remember what we did 2 years ago! You don't understand how hard I'm trying to remember right now... Is my brain that damaged?? I hope not.. Maybe Bill can fill in on this later tonight. I even remember what I got him for the 1st, 2nd and 4th year, but the 3rd year is just like a blind spot for me. April of 2003... What was I doing? It was just a month before my graduation.. I may have gotten him a Shiatsu gift certificate and a book that year. I definitely need to figure this out - it's bugging me like crazy!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

As a retreat to myself, I went to the 7am Yoga class this morning. My body was pretty stiff at first, but I could feel my body waking up as the class went on. What a good feeling that was! I had never been to the 7am class before. The hardest part was forcing myself out of the bed at 6:15am, but hell, it was worth it! I'm gonna try to do this as often as I can.

There have been a few celebrity citings lately. First, I saw Penny Johnson (Sherry Palmer on 24) at Buddha's Belly, when I was eating dinner with Chisa a few weeks ago. Although she's not a big shot, I was pretty psyched because I'm a huge fan of 24. It seems like I see someone famous when I hang out with Chisa. We also saw Nicole Richie at a Japanese restaurant in Brent Wood a while back.

Anyway, my brother was visiting me from 1/28, so we went to O'Brien's in Santa Monica to watch the Super Bowl. Bill spotted Evan Handler (Charlotte's husband on Sex and the City) at the bar. He was actually standing right next to me and I heard a few women go up to him and tell him how they loved his character on Sex and the City etc. One of them actually was hitting on him hardcore.

Then when I took my brother to the airport next day, I saw Shigeki Maruyama, a very famous/popular Japanese golf player, standing right next to us at the check-in counter. My brother went up to him and they shook hands. After that, I walked him to the security check point, and just when I was saying bye to him, I saw Gabe Kapler going into the security check point. I happened to be wearing my Red Sox hat that day, so he looked at my hat and that's when I recognized him. I assume he was on his way to Tokyo. He looked damn good!! I think he's one of the hottest baseball players now.

Well, I'm not done yet. I was having lunch in Pasadena with my co-worker and a few Overture guys today. Then there goes Kyle MacLachlan. He actually looked better than he does on screen.

My friends from Japan always ask me if I have seen any celebrities, so I guess I have added a few to my short list. I swear, for someone who has lived in Los Angeles for 7 years, I haven't seen that many celebrities.

Ocean's 12

Tonight, Bill and I went to the Grove to see Meet the Fockers. But unfortunatelly the movie was sold out, so we decided to see Ocean's 12 instead... a big mistake! It was a classic example of "sequel gone BAD." I mean horrible. This was probably one of the worst movies I've seen in a theater. If Brad Pitt wasn't starring in the film, there was absolutely no entertainment in this film. Don't waste your money! This movie can wait till it comes on HBO or Starz.. well, even then it might be waste of your time to watch.

Interesting...

I tuned into some local news tonight (I'll talk about the reason for that later, when the time is more appropriate), and saw a story about a girl being accused of cheating at USC. I wasn't paying too much attention at first, but the name sounded familiar and the face looked familiar... Paige Laurie... Yes! She was in my class! It was Sarah Banet-Weiser's Children and Media. She was the typical Mercedez-driving, Louis Vuitton-loving, dumb USC blond sorostitute (sorority + prostitute), but I didn't know she was the heiress to Wal-Mart, and she had some sports arena named after her in Missouri. She paid her freshman roommate $20,000 in 4 years to have her papers written and other projects completed. And she graduated with a 3.5 GPA. It's funny that some professor commented on Paige's paper that her paper was much better than her in-class work.. No shit! I hope she gets what she deserves.

Never say never...

This week, I did something that I thought I would never do. I joined a gym. It's not that I'm a lazy fat ass who hates working out. I'm quite the opposite. I have been practicing Bikram Yoga religiously for two years. The first time my friend Chisa took me to a Bikram class, I got hooked. I felt something different, something that I never felt before. Since then, I never looked back. Let me tell you - I'm not the type to stick to something for a long time. But I have been regularly doing this yoga for the last 2 years, and I do not see myself quitting. And the results are just amazing. I have become so flexible (I could not even touch my toes when I first started!), lost some weight, said good-bye to chronic back/shoulder pain, have a lot more energy, better circulation of blood, and less headache! Nothing had given me this kind of results before (I used to work out at the gym), so I thought screw the gym, I'm only going to do yoga from now.. Plus gym work-out is so boring, compared to 90-minute Bikram class.

So what changed my mind? Well, Bill joined LA Fitness and got me a 2 week trial pass. I went to work out a few times during the first week of the trial, and thought it wasn't too bad. I still think all those cardio machines are boring, but it's fun to lift weights, especially when you can see yourself building some muscle. Plus as much as I love Bikram Yoga, it is kind of a pain in the ass to prepare myself for the class. I absolutely cannot eat any food for 2-3 hours before the class (you get really sick if you do), so I have to plan my whole day around the class, especially on the weekend. And it's not like I can start a class whenever I want to. There is a set schedule. Also, even though the class is only 90 minutes, I like getting there a little early to stretch and get situated in the classroom, and I have to take a shower there after the class (you get drenched in sweat), so it is pretty time consuming.

So, the LA Fitness, which is 5 minutes away from my house and does not require all that preparing comes in pretty handy. That's why I decided to join. It's really convenient actually - like tonight, I got home from work, and I was doing stuff online, and got bored. It was too late for the last yoga class, so I just went to work out at the gym.

I'm liking it so far... We'll see.

When I first saw this a few days ago, I thought it was a joke.. like someone made it up. But it's so cool that Britain can actually publish something like this. Very nicely put...

America: The Rationals and the Irrationals

Does separation of the state and church exist in America? This presidential election was yet another reminder that it does not. And I think that's exactly why this country is split in half. When you bring religious beliefs into politics, it just doesn't work. That's precisely where the disagreements arise. You cannot expect a nation to be united when you make the nation's policies based on one religion.

I come from a country where there is a complete separation of the two. No religious beliefs affects my country's policies. In fact, if a political candidate starts talking about how great his God is etc., he will NEVER be elected in Japan. Everbody would be too creeped out to vote for that person. I'm not gonna say Japanese people are smarter than Americans, but at least, we can think rationally. We value science more than faith, and progress more than regression.

I'm not suggesting that everybody should drop their faith. But it should never be mixed with your politics. Honestly, I don't care what you worship or believe in, I really don't. But don't bring it out of your house. Don't try to force that belief on others. And most importantly, the government should always be neutral. I'm so sick and tired of all those extreme right-wing wackos (aka the Irrationals) running this country. And who suffers? The smart, rational people.

Why Faith and Beliefs are Bullshit

I love it when people say "I believe in God," because that just proves my point. They say "I believe...," because they are not 100% sure if God exists. If they actually know that God indeed exists, and therefore they can prove it, then that becomes knowledge, not a belief or faith. This applies to anything. You use the word belief only when you are not sure if a subject matter is 100% true. In other words, if you have to believe in something, you don't know if it's true or not. For example, I believed John Kerry would win this election, because I, in fact, did not know whether he was going to get elected. So beliefs can be wrong a lot of times.

For all those Bible lovers: Prove me wrong. Take one story in the Bible and prove to me that it is logical and true. Until then, Bible continues to be a book of fantasies.

What Freedom?

For someone who loves to say the word "freedom" over and over, George W. Bush takes away people's freedom too much. What happened to freedom of choice for Gays and Lesbians? What about freedom of choice for women? And where is our freedom of speech??? I want to listen to Howard Stern every morning, not Rush Limbaugh.

And now he claims to be the preacher of freedom for the Iraqis??? Something is wrong.

If someone loves "freedom" so much that he is willing to go through all the troubles to bring it to another country, you would think that person would give more freedom to his own people. Oh, but wait a minute, you can't think rationally when trying to understand Christians.

Disappointment, Disbelief, and Disgust

I still can't believe George Bush has been re-elected. Still too pissed off to do anything at work. What the fuck is wrong with those red-necks? To All the idiots who prioritized the moral values over the country's economy and jobs: I hope you lose your god damn job because your company shipped your job to overseas to get tax breaks. I hope your employer slashes your health care benefit so you and your family can't get decent health care. Then let's see if you made a right decision - voting for the arrogant, stupid hick who doesn't get foreign relations, economy, or anything that requires intelligence.

And I secretly hope Texas would get bombed the shit out of them by Bin Laden in his next attack. I'm so sick of all the modern, Blue states being targeted by the terrorists. We don't want that guy in the White House either!!!!

Why are the democrats being so nice about this again??? If Bush/Cheney were in the same position as Kerry/Edwards right now, they would be fighting to tip the balance in their favor like a maniac.

Here is Bill receiving numerous calls minutes after the Red Sox won the Game 7 of ALCS. Doesn't he look so happy? 

I have been so excited about Red Sox beating the Yankees and going to the World Series that I completely forgot to post something here! Was it unbelievable or what? To be honest, I didn't think they would come back from 3-0 deficit. I was in a sad, depressed, pissed off mood after Game 3. But somewhere in my mind, I was thinking "maybe they are just setting up a stage for a great come back..." But I told myself, "nah, that's a wishful thinking!" I'm just happy that they beat the Yanks!!!! It totally made up for the last year's mysery. I loved seeing the devastated look on A-Fraud's face. Well, it's starting again tomorrow - GO SOX!!!!

Here goes A-Fraud and Derek Cheater in Game 6 of ALCS! Yankees suck!! 

Somewhere in the October baseball frenzy, I have lost in touch with politics. To tell you the truth, I have been way more focused on ALDS and ALCS than on presidential debates. The only one I seriously watched was the first Kerry-Bush debate and Edwards-Cheney debate. I saw some of the second Kerry-Bush debate, but didn't even tune into the third one. But I was just looking at the polls right now, and Bush has a slight lead??? I mean come on, what more evidences do Americans need to wake up!?!? There is no weapons of mass destruction, no tie between Sadam and Qaida members, Osama is nowhere to be found... What more do you need to know to disapprove Bush's job? I'm so sick of thinking about this. Are American people that dumb???

I have a feeling this blog will soon turn into I-hate-my-job blog. I've started this job about 3 weeks ago, but I'm already thinking about how I really don't give a shit about my job. I just can't get interested in anything that goes on in the office. I'm always day-dreaming. But as much as I'm disinterested in what I do, I don't know what I want to do... One thing I know is I hate working as a team. I hate working with people. I spend good 3-4 hours everyday calling/emailing people. I'd be so productive if I can work on my own. I want a job which doesn't require me to interact with a lot of people... I mean, I like meeting people if it's for fun, but not in business occasions. The less talking and explaining I have to do, the happier I'd be.

And what the fuck is wrong with the Red Sox???

Ugh! I'm just having a bad day.

Sweet Sweep

Yesterday's Game 3 of ALDS was beyond exciting. I have been watching a replay of Ortiz's homerun, but just can't get enough of it! Bill and I were at a sports bar in Santa Monica watching the game yesterday. I called sayonara game (means walk-off in Japanese)!! There were so many Boston fans at the bar, so everybody went nuts.

At Johnnie "foot-fetish" Walker's request... hehehe 

A Grrreeaat Bill Maher Moment

Real Time with Bill Maher came back on air tonight - it was such a long, painful wait!! I have been a huge fan of the show since its debut. But tonight was the night. It was the best Bill Maher moment to see Michael Moore refute a Republican congressman (David Dreir). Maher had two Republican guests and when they were questioned about Bush sitting in an elementary classroom for 7 minutes after being informed "America is under attack," both of them gave the exact same bullshit answer. I wonder if the Republican party provides its members with the *excuses* to everything and they just practice it before they get interviewed? It's hard to believe that they actually believe in what they say.. After watching the show, I was all fired up about things, but now I think I have calmed down and am ready to go to bed.

Why men don't listen & women can't read maps

That's the title of a book I recently read. This book is not one of those "Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus" type bullshit reading. It is packed with scientific facts that explain how men and women are biologically different from each other. After reading this book, I am amazed that men and women still get along! That's how different we are. I've never been a feminist and I never will be, because I believe they make things more difficult for women. Being equal is one thing, but assuming the two sexes are same is quite another. Men and women are fundamentally different, and that is not to argue that one sex is superior to the other. We are just different. Life would be much easier once you can accept that fact.

The authors argue that there are a "male brain" and a "female brain." All fetuses have female body and brain to start with. You can't tell the fetus' sex for the first 6-8 week. Around the 6th - 8th week of pregnancy, if the fetus has a XY chromosome, it starts to secrete lots of male hormones (like Testosterone) and its brain starts to get wired into a "male brain." If the fetus has a XX chromosome, it gives out lots of female hormones and its brain develops into a "female brain."

However, if for some reason, a male fetus doesn't secrete enough Testosterone, its penis gets formed but its brain cannot fully develop into a Male brain. When that happens, the person is likely to be gay (this is the most clever, complete explanation I've read about homosexuality, but I won't go into too much details about it now - maybe next time).

On the other hand, when a female fetus gets exposed to too much Testosterone, its brain becomes manly.

There was a test in the book to see if your brain is male or female. The test consisted of 30 multiple questions. I wasn't really surprised to see the result of the test. Most men's score fall within the range of 0 to 180, and most women score between 150 and 300. My score was 115. I know I'm not a lesbian, but I guess I think more like a guy than a girl. I get along better with guys. I like talking about politics and sports than someone's stupid boyfriend. But I love shoes and teddy bears, and I love to cook. My most favorite activity is yoga, but I also love golf.

Anyway, enough about me. Go read this book. I recommend it to anybody who wants to learn more about the opposite sex.

I have been watching the Democratic National Convention on TV. I've never thought Politics can be this exciting. I've never cared about politics so much. But I guess when things are going as wrong as they are now, one is forced to pay attention. Seeing Clinton and Gore speak on the first day of the convention reminded me of sane, stable America that we used to have. Gone are those days. Now we have a stupid, incapable man who prioritalize right-wing ideologies over what's best for the country, and send other people's kids to Iraq to help his friends make money. I'm sick and tired of watching the president give a speach and think "oh god, what the hell does this moron have to say now..." I just cant take him seriously anymore. I don't believe anything that comes out of his mouth. I'm so fucking sick and tired of having a mis-leader. We were so better off when Clinton/Gore were in the office. It's about time everybody realizes that and brings the nation back to normal. Let's hope: Hope Is On The Way!

Bill and I at a Red Sox - Angeles game on 7/15. Had tons of fun!! The stadium looks empty because we got there really early. It was actually a sell-out game. 

Yesterday on Tom Leykis Show, he was talking about how hot 14, 15 year old girls are and guys secretly look at them and have some dirty thoughts. I didn't get to hear the whole segment of the show, but as soon as I tune in, I hear a crazy, bitter, old woman arguing that anybody who checks out underage girls is a perverted loser who needs Jesus' help. I wanted to shoot her. She claimed that she has a wonderful life with her husband and kids, and she is HOT (rrrright!). She was a total nut case (so is anybody who says "you need Jesus' help"). What's the friggin' big deal about guys looking at teenage girls? I so wanted to call Tom and tell him that American women are CRAZY! It's like expected that all men look at teenage girls (especially the ones in school uniform) and fantasize about them in Japan. Everyone knows, but no one panics about it. I'm so sick of all those right-wing, Christian ideologies.

The old lady also suggested that the reason guys fantasize about 14, 15 year olds is because they can't handle "Real" women. I wonder what she means by "Real" women? For some reason, I can't help but think that being "Real" is about being fat, homely, bitter, bitchy, lazy, and demanding. Of course, those "Real" women would argue that they are curvy, confident, independent.. blah blah blah... But let's face it. No one wants big fat cow who complains all the time. And I bet you, deep down, they know it too.

My life is rated NC-17.
What is your life rated?

Like I really needed to take this test to figure that out...
My current life is not so NC-17, but I guess my past behaviors and language preference make it so explicit.

This Land--
Click here to see a really funny cartoon starring George W. Bush and John Kerry! Very clever.. It will surely make you laugh!!  *It might take a while to load.. apparently the site is experiencing very heavy traffic. But keep trying, it's worth it!!

My New Addiction #2: Red Sox  
 
When you live with a hardcore Red Sox fan, it's hard to resist. There is no day where Bill doesn't talk about the Red Sox. So I have been slowly influenced into liking the Sox over the last 3 years, and now I am a serious fan. Bill and I went to see a Red Sox - Angels game last week, and I had so much fun. I read articles about the Red Sox online, and I watch games on online gamecast or TV whenever it's on. Growing up, I've always liked baseball, since that's the only exciting pro sports in Japan. There is no pro football (American) or basketball league. And soccer just sucks. I wouldn't be surprised if the J-league (professional soccer league in Japan) was doing shittier than WNBA. But anyway, my favorite team in Japan was Hanshin Tigers, a team that's kinda similar to the Red Sox. Tigers fans are always crazy about the Tigers (and also very loyal) even when they are playing really crappy. The Red Sox is definitely a better team than the Tigers, but the fan's sentiment is exactly the same. 

Curb Your Enthusiasm: My New Addiction
 
Bill and I have been watching Season 1 and 2 of Curb Your Enthusiasm on DVD lately, and it has become my new addiction. The show is beyond funny. I just want to see more!! I had seen several of the episodes on HBO, but I was never really hooked. But I don't know.. the Curb Your Enthusiasm marathon has turned me into a huge fan of the show. The more I watch it, the worse my addiction gets. I mean, an episode of TV show doesn't really get funnier than the episode #8 "Beloved Aunt," where Cheryl's aunt dies and Larry offers to use his connections to place an obituary in the newspaper. But when the paper comes out, it says "devoted sister, beloved cunt..." What a typo!! And the funny thing is that Cheryl's parents think that Larry did it on purpose and Larry gets kicked out of the house for the night. There are plenty of other jokes that stand out in my mind, but I think Beloved Cunt wins the first place. I'm still laughing as I write this...  

Yoga has improved my golf game! I've heard people say this before, but I was kind of skeptical about it. Well, yesterday, I hit the range for the first time in 6 months. Even though I had not touched my clubs since January, I had a great day. I was driving balls way further than I used to. Considering the lack of swing practice, I must give full credit to yoga. While I have totally been slacking on golf, I have been practicing yoga at least 4 times a week. I feel like I have much more lower body strength and more flexibility in my shoulders. I'm hooked once again. I can see myself frequenting the range this summer. 

Finally saw Fahrenheit 911 a few days ago! I must say, the film was better than I expected it to be. It was very informing, yet absolutely hilarious!! I laughed my ass off. GWB is such a moron. But towards the end, when the film's focus shifted to the American soldiers in Iraq, it made me teary. It was so emotional to see a mother speak about her lost son. How could Haliburton and other giant corporations get together and discuss how much profits they can make off of this war when other people's sons and daughters are falling on the field?? Have they totally lost touch with conscience? How dare they lie to us and drag young soldiers of America to Iraq for oil!

The film also had the best war footage I've ever seen. It was so real. No TV stations would dare to show such footage. It was very bloody and very hard to watch. I wonder, do those chickenhawks in the White House ever see such images from Iraq? Do they even care? I loved how Michael Moore tried to recruit congressmen's kids to join the Army and nobody gave a shit. Such chickenhawks.

I know I've been saying this a lot, but I really wish networks got some balls to show what's really going on in Iraq. How can GWB say that Iraqi people have been liberated because of his actions when thousands are dying? Republicans are just a bunch of hypocritical dicks - well, GWB is just a jesus-loving, freedom-worshipping stupid country boy, but Cheney and Rumsfeld look like real shady assholes. We must fire them in November. This is nothing but a disaster. It must be stopped.

Chickenhawks:
A person enthusiastic about war, provided someone else fights it; particularly when that enthusiasm is undimmed by personal experience with war; most emphatically when that lack of experience came in spite of ample opportunity in that person’s youth.

I was just at Michael Moore's website and I must say, it was one of the funniest website I've ever visited (in a clever way). I laughed my ass off - my stomach hurts! He has nicknames for all the key-players in this administration and my favorite is: Dick "Dick" Cheney.

Bill and I went to the Grove to see Fahrenheit 911 today, but it was sold out. The movie was from 4:20, and we got there at 3:30, but the tickets were gone. Damn! I can't wait to see the film!!! I just hope people who aren't really interested in politics would go see this film - so hopefully they can get involved. I know Michael Moore's films tend to be one-sided, but if he can get people talk or even care about politics and thereby empower the people of America, then who cares? And if you want to talk about being one-sided, watch Fox News Channel. Besides, if Republican fuck heads are trying so hard to can this film, it must be really good. It must contain a lot of truth that they don't want us to know.

A Cat Person or a Dog Person?

I've always been a cat person, but Bill has influenced me into liking dogs more than cats (just big dogs though) lately. But I saw the cutest cat today when I was jogging. I saw the cat sitting on a front yard, so I started meowing to the cat. I do this often as I like cats and I do a good impression of cat's meow. But today's cat was different. The cat actually came up to me and started rubbing herself against my legs!! She had the softest hair.. it felt so good! I would love to have a cat like that...

So I read Japanese fashion magazine every once in a while. It's a lot cooler than American fashion magazines, because it actually features 100 times more photos than the American ones. It also seems like the Japanese trend is a little ahead of the American trend. For example, white purses and shoes are hot this year in America, but they have been all over the place (literally!) since last year in Japan. But, with that said, sometimes I have to laugh at what some of the Japanese girls wear. I found 2 particularly interesting T-shirts in the current issue of JJ.

1. "I LIKE TO BARY MYSELF IN YOUR BREASTS" - Not only they have misspelled the word "Bury," but also they must not know what this means. How could they? I just hope she doesn't wear this shirt outside of Japan.

2. "She Were Leopardskin And Her Tits Were Big" - What!?!? "She Were"? Maybe "She Wore"? And Leopardskin is not a one-word! On top of that, her TITS?! No one with the right mind would make this shirt or wear it. I just think people should be banned from making a t-shirt with English phrases/logos, unless they can speak the language.

Today, I took a trial Tae Kwon Do class with Bill at this martial arts school by our house. It was so much fun!! I had more fun than I expected. Everyone was so nice and polite that I felt like I was back in Asia for a moment. Tae Kwon Do is a Korean martial art, but all the bowing we did in the class made me want to speak in Japanese. It was a good workout too - I was sweating my ass off. The instructor was holding a piece of hard paper for me to kick, and I guess he expected me to be weaker.. When I kicked, the paper went flying! hahaha. Ya, I don't look so athletic, but I'm strong. Growing up, I was kind of a slow kid in the class, but I could kick most of the classmates' ass, including the boys. It's called the size advantage. I remember a day where one of the boys picked on me and really pissed me off, so I beat the crap out of him. Of course, the teacher called my mom. But in any case, I'm definitely looking forward to my next class. I hope the tuition won't be too expensive, I want to continue doing it after the trail period.

Just saw Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine for the second time. I saw it in a theater when it first came out, but thought it was a good enough film to watch twice. Plus, I wanted to see the special features on DVD. I must say I liked the film even more this time. The first time I saw it, I thought the film was more about gun control and violence. But after seeing it twice, I realized that it goes much deeper than that. I think the main message of the film is that we Americans live in a culuture of FEAR. I couldn't agree with Marilyn Manson, who was interviewed in the film, more. We are constantly put in a state of fear by the government and the media, we are so scared that it has become vague as to what exactly we are afraid of. Local news is always filled with violence and stupid stories like "What you don't know could kill you... stay tuned to find out the truth about low-carb diet." Watching those local news channels doesn't educate you on anything. Absolute crap! I wonder why. But what pisses me off the most is that none of them has the balls to criticize the Bush administration. All they do is show how horrible things are in Iraq, praise our troops and justify the war in Iraq. I believe, if any of those news stations started covering things I read in Worse Than Watergate: The Secret Presidency of George W. Bush or even something as mainstream as New York Times or Newsweek, nobody would be supporting Bush by now. It's just that people don't have the unbiased, correct information to make judgements on. And I think it's the local news stations' responsibility to provide people with such information, because afterall, we live in a country where even the President doesn't read.

I just can't wait to see Michael Moore's new film - which apparently Disney has canned. How long are we going to tolerate such institutional censorship? I'll do anything to kick Bush-Cheney out of the White House this November. Whatever it takes.

By the way, am I the only one who is sick of hearing Bush say empty phrases like "War on Terror"?

Thanks to Mike and Bill, I have something funny to post today!
Read on.. My favorite is No. 6.

To be a Republican in 2004
Somehow, you have to believe that:

1. Jesus loves you, and shares your hatred of homosexuals and Hillary Clinton.

2. The United States should get out of the United Nations, and our highest national priority is enforcing U. N. resolutions against Iraq.

3. "Standing Tall for America" means firing your workers and moving their jobs to India.

4. A woman can't be trusted with decisions about her own body, but multinational corporations can make decisions affecting all mankind without regulation.

5. Being a drug addict is a moral failing and a crime, unless you're a conservative radio host. Then it's an illness and you need our prayers for your recovery.

6. The best way to improve military morale is to praise the troops in speeches while slashing veterans' benefits and combat pay.

7. Group sex and drug use are degenerate sins unless you someday run for governor of California as a Republican.

8. If condoms are kept out of schools, adolescents won't have sex.

9. A good way to fight terrorism is to belittle our longtime allies, then demand their cooperation and money.

10. HMOs and insurance companies have the interest of the public at heart.

11. Providing health care to all Iraqis is sound policy. Providing health care to all Americans is socialism.

12. Global warming and tobacco's link to cancer are junk science, but creationism should be taught in schools.

13. It is okay that the Bush family has done $millions of business with the Bin Laden family.

14. Saddam was a good guy when Reagan armed him, a bad guy when Bush's daddy made war on him, a good guy when Cheney did business with him and a bad guy when Bush needed a "we can't find Bin Laden" diversion.

15. A president lying about an extramarital affair is an impeachable offense. A president lying to enlist support for a war in which thousands die is solid defense policy.

16. Government should limit itself to the powers named in the Constitution, which include banning gay marriages and censoring the Internet.

17. The public has a right to know about Hillary's cattle trades, but George Bush's Harken Oil stock trade is none of our business.

18. You support states' rights, which means Attorney General John Ashcroft can tell states what local voter initiatives they have a right to adopt.

19. What Bill Clinton did in the 1960s is of vital national interest, but what Bush did in the '80s is irrelevant.

20. Trade with Cuba is wrong because the country is communist, but trade with China and Vietnam is vital to a spirit of international harmony.

21. Affirmative Action is wrong but that it is ok for your Daddy and his friends to get you into Yale, the Texas Air National Guard, Harvard Business School, part ownership of Harken Oil, part ownership of the Texas Rangers, the Governorship of Texas and then have the Supreme Court Appoint you President of the USA.

Interesting License Plate...
There is a BMW M3 parked in the parking lot next to the building I work in. Its license plate reads: 5EXT001. One morning I was walking to the elevator from my car and saw the car parked next to the elevator. I thought it read SEXTool! I wonder if it's intentional.

The Weekend
was a lot of fun - Bill and I went to LACMA on Saturday to see Diane Arbus "Revelation." It was my first time there, so I was gonna see Diane's exhibit and then check out the permanent collection. I loved some of Arbus' work, but there were some pictures that I didn't really get. My favorite was the inadvertent double exposure she took on the street of NYC. I also liked the Castle in Disneyland, the lighting in the photo was perfect. Another thing I enjoyed was looking at the pictures of movie theaters in the 50s - they looked more like an opera theater, so different from what we are used to now. I'm not an expert in Art, but I usually like pictures that captured people when they were not expecting it or when they know they are being photographed but not looking at the camera. So, for that reason, there were only a few pictures that I really liked in this exhibit.

Then we moved on to the Japanese Art building. I was impressed to see that they had a separate building solely devoted to Japanese art. It was very nice to re-visit Japanese tradition. It had been a while. I have to admit that I didn't really appreciate my own culture (traditional Japanese culture, that is) until I lived outside of Japan. I guess sometimes you have to get out of it to realize how good something is. Or maybe it's just that I'm getting old.

In any case, it was nice to do something different from our usual.

So I need to speculate more on how hot Brad Pitt looked in Troy. That man just can't look bad whatever he does, well, except that "Passion of the Pitt" look. But I think he looks better when he is wearing close to nothing (like the armor he was wearing in Troy), his hair undone, and some grease/dirt on his skin than when he is all dressed-up in nice suit like in Ocean's 11. I like that "rough" look. He's definitely the sexiest man alive.

Went to see Troy last night. I liked the movie overall, although there were some cheesy parts to it. But hey, I don't care - that $11 is well worth seeing Brad Pitt's ass on a big screen. He is soooo ffiiiiine!!! Eric Bana looked really good too. In fact, I thought Hector was more likable than Achilles. But seriously, I have been wanting to go to Greece for a long time and seeing this movie just made me wanna go there even more!!

I've noticed that I've been talking about politics a lot in my blog. Well, let's talk about something else I've been doing. Yoga!! I've been spending a lot of time at the Bikram's yoga studio lately. The more I do it, the more I get into the practice. I just love it. I have been practicing Bikram yoga for a little more than a year now, but I am amazed to see how much my health has improved. Not only I am 1000 times more flexible than I ever was, but also my backache is gone! That's right, GONE. Right now, I think my physical health is in the best condition ever, thanks to Bikram.

It's been a sad day. A bunch of people got laid off today. It is so quiet and awkward in the office. It just sucks! When I first came to this agency, there were about 40 people including the freelancers, but now the agency is half that size. Some people think that there will be more lay-offs coming. It seems like the agency is gonna disappear soon.

Bush's news conference last night was just another reminder that this guy should not be in the White House. He did not sound like a leader of a country, he sounded more like a missionary. America was chosen by God to spread freedom in the Middle East? Give me a break. He always gives optimistic speeches that are full of Christian ideologies and tries to shift attention from more important issues that he doesn't have any answers to. By the way, why is he advocating freedom in the Middle East, when he is trying to take that away from us in his own country?

Bad American President - this is so hilarious!! Listen to it if you haven't already heard it on Howard Stern Show. Click here and look for the sound file called "Bad American Presidents: George W. Bush" It's worth it!

Boycott Clear Channel

Leave Howard Stern show alone! Clear Channel is the biggest cocksucker who kisses up to Bush! Those corporate fuckers have taken Dixie Chicks off air and stopped promoting their events, all because of their negative comments on Bush. Now they are after Howard Stern cuz he badmouthes Bush. They can make up all the excuses they want (like Howard is obscene), but come on, this is very politically motivated. If Howard Stern was a Bush supporter, he wouldn't be in that position. I know average people don't really care until it's too late, but something needs to be done. It's all because of those religious fuckers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hate religious institutions. They cause nothing but problems, hate and violence.

Every time I hear a free-speech debate, I think of Larry Flynt's statement in Bob Scheer's class. He said, "you don't have to like my work (Hustler magazine), but if you want the freedom to express yourself or enjoy the entertainment you enjoy, then you also have to recognize my right to express myself." Obviously, these are not his exact words, and when I say it, it sounds so cheesy, but when Larry Flynt was sitting in front of us in that Annenberg auditorium, it was phenomenal. Thank you, Professor Scheer for bringing in such a good speaker.

Well, in short, I just want Bush out of the White House. That's all I want. No more fucking Christian bullshit.

FUCK BUSH

Seriously, we cannot let him fuck this country up any more than he has already. Kerry MUST win this election. No time in my life I cared so much about politics. But this has got to stop! I'm seriously fed up with the decency in media arguments and gay marriage issues. Since when we let Christian values be this country's policy??

Decency in Broadcasting: This is nothing but censorship. FCC and all the right wing wackos are taking full advantage of Janet Jackson's boob incident and changing the media in the way they want. Janet's boob was all they needed. Now they have a perfect excuse to "clean up" the media. Howard Stern show may be going off air sometime soon. If we let this go on, there will be nothing funny or entertaining on TV or radio before we even know it. And when we realize it, it'll be too late. This needs to stop NOW.

Gay Marriage: Come on, give me one legitimate, reasonable reason why this shouldn't be legalized. None of that God-did-not-make-men-to-be-with-men bullshit. Again, not everyone is a Christian. Here is a really good article on this issue. It shows just how this country is divided into two groups of people. It also tells you why I want absolutely nothing to do with churches, Bible, and Christians. They are the most hateful, ignorant, idiotic pricks.

Back from Maya & Steve's wedding.. I had a friggin' blast!!! I'm so glad I went. I didn't think I'd be doing much of drinking while I'm there (except for the wedding night), but hanging out with Jared, Joel, and Tsuyoshi changed everything. My 3-day stay was in fact, all about drinking. If Takako was able to get drunk with us, it would have been much much better. But I'm sure lil' Raychell enjoyed her first taste of red wine! haha. On the wedding night, everyone went to a club after the reception, and since we got there so late, we chugged our drinks. By the time they stopped serving alcohol, I was so wasted that I didn't even feel the chill in the air (remind you, this is Michigan we are talking about!). Anyway.. Steve and Maya: Congratulations!!! You guys are so cute together.

This has got to stop. I learned this morning that Howard Stern show was taken off air in 6 cities.

Drug Free America

Have you heard of their radio ad lately? They have one on Ecstasy and it goes something like: "Find out why Ecstasy isn't right for you.. It's not right for anyone... A recent study shows Ecstasy is toxic to your body..." Well, No Shit! Does anyone need to be reminded that?

I have been thinking about this for a long time, but I must say I'm neither a Democrat nor a Republican. I believe any woman should be able to have an abortion if she wishes, and religions and politics should be completely separated. I think the sodomy laws are pure bullshit. You should be able to marry whoever you want - a male or female. Just because some people are Christians, it shouldn't have any influence on other people's lives. So in that sense, I am a Democrat. But I don't agree with Democrats when it comes to money/tax issue.

John Kerry: "What's on the table is whether people earning $200,000 and up ought to be getting a tax cut at the expense of the average American and the priorities of our country," he said. "If George Bush wants to stand there and defend people who earn more than $200,000 a year getting a tax cut, instead of giving health care to Americans and instead of investing in education and job training, that is the debate I want to have (New York Times, Feb. 10, 2004)."

Some people make $200,000 plus, so what? They probably work hard to earn it. Sure, there are people who inherit fortunes, but for every heir, there is a hard-working person who worked his/her way up. So why punish rich people by taxing them more? It's almost like a bad thing to be rich and successful. Everyone should provide for themselves. For instance, no steady job, no health insurance. It's not my problem that some people pop out more kids than they can afford. I shouldn't have to pay for other people's mistakes. If I make more than $200,000 one day, I wouldn't want to pay more than I should to help out other people. I don't work in the social service. Just because I can afford to pay more tax, it doesn't necessary mean I should. If I earn it, it's mine. Period.

Aside from money/tax issue, we shouldn't give any special immigration benefits to Latinos. All immigrants should be treated equally, no matter where they come from! When you find undocumented immigrants, you deport them. No exceptions!!

I'm finally back to my yoga routine. It is so hard to get back into it after a long break. The room seems hotter and the postures seem crazier... Yesterday was my third class after the 1-month break, and I finally felt "good" doing the postures. Once it feels good, it's easy from there.. cuz you just wanna keep going back for more!

Noticed any change here? I changed the title of this blog.. I'm not so lost in life anymore.

I'm dying to go to Hawaii... I've always wanted to live there. People tell me that I'd be bored if I lived there, but I disagree. I think it's the place to be!

Today was my Bro's 21st Birthday! Happy Birthday, Kai!! I know turning 21 doesn't mean a thing in Japan, but still, you won't face any difficulty getting alcohol next time you come visit me.

Super Bowl: Was a really good game, I'm happy that Patriots won, and there was also a great half-time show. At first, Bill and I were like, this is the most boring Superbowl game we've ever seen... and then the game started going. Half time comes around, and we were making fun of the show cuz we thought it couldn't get any cheezier... haha. But it was worth watching till the end. Janet flashed the audience, and that was cool, I mean at least entertaining. But what made it better was those uptight, jesus-loving fuckers calling CBS to complain. I don't really care about her tits (although I thought her nipple ring was cool), but I love it when those conservatives go mad over the stupidest shit. So for that reason, I praise Janet. By the way, who the fuck has time to call a TV station during an exciting football game??? Your kids saw her breast, so what? It's not like they've never seen breasts before. Let's not pretend like your kids are all virgins. We all know.

By the way, I love what Dean said about this incident. As much as I want him to be the next President, he probably won't be.. cuz he's too honest!! But I like the guy anyway.

Oh my god, where the hell have I been since my last post? I don't know... One thing that's for sure is I was quite motivated to keep up my Japan chronicle, but I got really busy towards the end of my stay in Japan. Ever since I went to the reunion in December, I got in touch with a lot of old friends that I had not seen for nearly 6 years. So I took full advantage of my time in Japan, and I hanged out with as many people as possible. It was tons of fun, but I was tired towards the end, due to food and alcohol coma...

And the last few days were all about this translation job (Japanese to English) my mom gave me. I had this assignment sittin' on my desk since around Christmas, but I procrastinated big time, of course. And then I realized, the document was so fucking long that it was impossible to finish before I left Japan. So I brought it back with me, and I'm still working on it! It's just never ending. But I absolutely have to finish it by the end of this month. I have been going to Insomnia every fucking night lately, trying to finish the damn thing!!!! I can't believe someone wants to do this for a living. I don't mind doing it once in a while, but this is definitely not something I want as a career... It's so tiring, trying to simultaneously think in 2 absolutely different lauguages.

Just visited Peter's blog... After I compeletely agreed with him on the Presidential election issues, I discovered that he was in Maui!! Lucky bastard!!!! That's one place I really want to go NOW. There is something about that island, I never get sick of it no matter how many times I go there. If I can play a round of golf at Kapalua in the morning, and spend my entire afternoon by the pool sipping Pina Colada, I wouldn't mind dying the next day.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I hope this year will be better than the last one. I have tons of motivation to make efforts right now - I hope I don't lose it too soon!! Please everyone, discipline my lazy ass whenever you sense my laziness. I cannot waste any more time!!! I am posting this now, so I have something to look back and motivate myself when I get *laaazzzyy* in the future.

By the way, as I am eating what is supposed to be the biggest feast of the year in Japan, I am dying to eat chicken soft taco from Del Taco and drink Boba... I've been missing those two for quite a while, actually.

So.. Monday night was a lot of fun! I met up with a bounch of people from my highschool. It was supposed to be a small get-together at first, but each of us called up a few people and the crowd got bigger. Lots of boozing and talking - and then singing (karaoke). Most of us had not seen each other since we graduated (which is like 6 years ago!), so I suppose the anticipation was high. The crowd was pretty diverse - some were still students, some had a steady job, some were still trying to make it (like myself). As I listened to those who were still trying to reach their dreams, I got inspired. I need to make more efforts. I gotta get off my lazy ass and do something. Thanks, especially to Yoshio and Satoshi. I hope I'll be doing something more interesting next year! I want to love what I do, I want to be proud of what I do... Anyway, it was really a nice reunion. I had tons of fun!! Let's keep in touch, everyone.

Wear G-Strings, please.

I don't mean to make fun of Japan/Japanese people everyday, but I have to say this. Ok, so as you know, Japanese girls are really into Fashion. They spend tons of time getting ready everyday. It amazes me because, not only they dress nice, but their hair and make-up are really done. There is no way I can look like that everyday. I mean, I love getting dressed up, but not when I go to work - I don't give a shit. But what I don't get is that so many Japanese girls wear tight jeans, pants, and skirts with freaking panty lines!!! I think panty lines are the ugliest thing in the world... I cannot help but notice it when I'm riding a train or just walking around in town. Please girls, if you spend that much time getting ready, why not take another minute and check out your ass in a mirror before you go out?

Engrish.com Contribution #2

I noticed today that there are so many cars in Japan that display this sign: "Baby In Car" or "Dog In Car." I know there is no equivalent of "the" in Japanese, but please. Japanese people love to use the English phrases that they can't properly use. What amazes me is that there are companies who produce those things. Doesn't anyone check the grammar before they print something? Aside from the grammatical issue, what the fuck is the point of advertising to the whole world that there is a baby or a dog in your car?? No one cares!

Ok, so I found something that I can contribute to Engrish.com (it's a collection of fucked-up English signs mainly from Asia). After I got my teeth fixed, I was walking to a train station, and saw a huge sign that reads: "Public Bar CLUB RUDE." First, what the hell is a public bar?? I assume they meant that it is open to everybody. But I wonder what they had in their mind when they named the place "Club Rude." I have no idea. We're only serving rude people? Come in, if you want to be treated like shit? Out of curiosity and pure boredom, I looked up the dictionary to see what the word "rude" means (other than inconsiderate, lack of delicacy, or offensive). According to the dictionary "rude" also means unfinished, primitive, raw, elemental etc. I didn't know. But it doesn't matter, because when you hear the word "rude," don't you think of an inconsiderate asshole? At least, it's not a very inviting name! Oh ya, and later on, I also saw a sign that said "Pet Shop Fobby."

I turned 24 today! Since Bill is in Boston, one of my good friends in Japan celebrated with me. I loved the restaurant we went to! I wish I could post a picture here.. We also went to our highschool and talked with some of the teachers. It was cool. Everyone thought I haven't changed much - I wonder if that's good or bad.

I finally got my cell phone reactivated today. Japan is a cell phone paradise. My bro's phone is so cool - it works as a video cam recorder and the resolution of photos are amazing. But don't be surprised yet - the newest model right now is equipped with a MP3 walkman and a freaking TV!!! Phones with a digital camera have become a standard here.. I don't think it's possible to buy a phone with no camera right now. Damn!!! I want a phone with a TV!

This is my first post from Japan. It was such a long journey. Well, not quite, but still. I had to transit in Narita (Tokyo) this time, so it was longer than my usual non-stop LAX to Kansai (Osaka) flight. I sat next to a married old couple. The wife was a loud-mouthed bitch who nagged the husband the whole time. If I was the husband, I would have killed her long time ago. Anyway, after about a few hours, it was unbearable. I couldn't take it anymore (not so much the volume of the voice, but the shit they were, well, she was saying). So I asked them to keep it down. The funny thing was, the husband looked happy that I intervened the bitch fest. 11 hours later, we landed in Narita. I forgot about it, but Narita sucks! There were much more people there than I normally see in Kansai, so the lines for immigration and customs were longer. Plus, Kansai airport is newer, so it's cleaner and the architecture is more modern. In fact, I think Kaisai is one of my favorite airports. The least favorite-- LAX. Anyway... it's cold as fuck in Japan, but it'll be fun. I can't wait to get my cool cell phone activated!

I'm gonna be in Japan in a little less than 30 hours from now. I'm so excited to go home!! Going home is always lots of fun, but the process of it is such a pain in the ass. First, let's start with packing. I hate packing and so I always put it off for as long as I can. I am such a perfectionist that my suitcase has to be really neat. It doesn't matter how late I start packing, it always has to be perfect. So I usually end up staying up till like 5am. If only I can start packing like a day in advance.. I don't have to stay up all night - but it's just not gonna happen. Then I have to go through the whole chaotic LAX scene every time I fly. Just the thought of that ridiculously long line for security check makes me not wanna go there tomorrow. And after all these shit, I get to sit in the plane for 11 hours. How fantastic!

Things I'm gonna miss:
1. Bikram Yoga class
2. Tom Leykis Show
3. Warm weather
4. Del Taco
5. Boba

Hotmail has changed its appearances. I like it a lot.

Finally got DSL hooked up at my new apartment!! It was a slow, painful wait. I missed having the luxury of checking my email or looking up something while I talk on the phone. To tell the truth, I am easily distracted when I'm on the phone. It's probably not a good idea to tell me a long story over the phone, because most likely, my mind is not really there. I don't know why... I've always had relatively short attention span, but I think the internet has definitely made it worse. I used to love long phone chats. My mom used to always get pissed at me because my phone bill was really expensive. But now, I prefer face-to-face interactions to phone conversations.

Damn, it's December already! That means I'm turning 24 soon.. very soon.

Thanksgiving was nice. I went to eat Thanksgiving dinner at The Warehouse Restaurant in Marina del Rey with Bill, Takeshi, and Tomo chan. The food was great. The weather was even greater. We sat on the outside patio and joked, this must be one of the few places where you can eat the Thanksgiving dinner outside, under the sun. In fact, I wished I had brought my sunglasses because it was so sunny out. Viva LA! After the dinner, we all went back to my house where Bill and Takeshi had the Tekken Showdown. Despite Takeshi's confidence, Bill is still the champion.

I don't really remember how I spent Friday and Saturday... didn't really do much... just sat around and watched TV. It's amazing how one can be so lazy. I finally got off my ass on Sunday and went to practice golf and then to the yoga studio. My god, the room was HOT!