KANSAI★ガール

Hello..!
I hope everyone had a grand weekend. It was a holiday weekend in Japan (Obon), so I did what every other music lover in Japan did this weekend. I went to Summer Sonic..!!ヽ(°▽、°）ノ
This year was the 11th year I think, and the line-up was fantastic..! I only made it to the Sunday show, but I'm definitely planning on both days for next year. Already looking forward to it..!

Here's what I wore for the festival （●´－｀●）.
I kept it pretty light and easy, since I was going to be outside all day. I kept my make-up simple, mostly liner and shadow, and stacked on my leather accessories.
The shirt I cut up myself. I wanted it to resemble a tank top, but since it was already a pretty large shirt, it almost looking like a one piece(dress). Then I had denim shorts and Vans for extra comfort and mobility.(;´▽`)y-~~
The only bad part was I forgot sunscreen for my huge nose..! And no it's all red and sunburned. Lesson learned though (　´ⅴ｀).

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I wish I could come bearing exciting tales of summer adventures, but really I have almost none ヽ(=´Д`=)ノ. It's been super hot and ridiculously humid, and I've been working my butt off for most of it. Lot's of working and saving, a little spending (I can't go a month without buying SOMETHING゜゜(´□｀｡)°) and then saving again.

But I do have brief periods of respite from all the real world stuff. ヽ(´▽`)ノ

A few weekends back, my friend Evon and I met up for some all night fun. We started off at GANJA, which is a shot bar in Amemura, drinking and talking with new people, before we hopped over to Mcdonalds for some snacking. That's where this photo was taken (actually a couple hours later, when we returned to McDonalds again for a bathroom break LOL).

In Osaka, restaurants and stores just put their trash out in the front of the buildings to be picked up in the mornings, but this was easily the biggest pile of trash I've seen. This also leads to some smelly mornings(´＿｀｡)ｸﾞｽﾝ.



By the time we were ready to head out to a club, it was already 12:30, but we wanted to stop for some purikura before dancing and having our make-up melt off（´∀｀）.

We made it through our photos right before the arcade closed. Good timing..! And I was happy with how the photos came out. These were some of my favorite purikura I've taken in Osaka so far..! Evon is so gorgeous..! *jelly* （●´－｀●）

Afterwards, we searched in vain for a new club to go to. We used to go to Pure, since they have all you can drink, but recently the crowd there has gone bad ( really rude people and you end up with more drinks of your clothes than in your mouth), so we wanted to find something new. We wandered all thorugh Amemura and Shinsaibashi, and finally decided on Club Life. This was my first time at Life, so I wasn't sure what to expect.

It turned out that that Saturday was Korean night, so they only played K-pop, but unfortunately, that left the club pretty dead. That might've also been more the DJ than the music too (it sounded like they had just uploaded a playlist into WMP and just let it go.. a.k.a. not dj-ing). But we had already paid our 20 bucks to get in, so we didn't want to leave right away.

We did end up leaving about 30 minutes later though. (´Ａ｀) Life was pretty small, and it seemed like it was filled with people that already knew each other from outside events. That leaves a pretty stale atmosphere for a club..

I'm sure people know Japan is a pretty safe place, so we didn't mind just wandering the city at night. We're tiny girls, but we're tough, and I think we mean-mug pretty well (ﾉ｀ｍ´）ﾉ , so no one usually bothers us (we did get a "hey beyonce..!!" call, so that was funny). But every so often you get some guys who just want to try their luck...
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It's not even Monday but I'm totally feeling like it is right now. My body hurts, my brain hurts, I'm tired but still have lots of work to do. They say rest is for the weak, but damn that must mean they're a lot happier than the strong.

Anyway, the topic that's been buzzing around in my head recently is children. My main point of reference are the children I teach in my classes. I don't have children of my own and I've never taught American children, but I'm pretty sure it applies to any child who has a softee for a parent (not that that is necessarily bad but...).

I teach children as young as 7 months old. Some might say that's too young to be learning a new language in addition to your native one, but you'd be surprised at what they can pick up by their first birthday. And don't get me started on my three-year-old that can read (he's toooooo smart). But some classes, I really have to wonder what the hell the parents are thinking. This baby doesn't listen to you when you talk to him in his narive tongue, what chance do I have of teaching him English??

Needless to say, for those classes I just want to leave, but I do have a job to do and damnit I'm gonna do it even if your child is trying to kamen rider kick me in the face.

My first example of these unstable children is actually from a class I had today. This little guy seems like he wants to learn; he always shows up early and refuses to wait outside until it's time for his lesson. He must enter NOOOW.

So he bursts in, all smiles and whatnot, then proceeds to prevent his mother from getting by sliding the door in her face. Over and over and over and over again.

After he's tired of this game, it's time to play the get-the-contact-note-from-my-hands-while-i-cover-it-with-stickers game (the contact note is an attendance book where students mark their attendance with a sticker. One per lesson). His book is covered in stickers and he's only been at the school for a couple months. So after wrestling that from tiny but surprisingly strong hands, it's time for the lesson.

I won't take you through the whole lesson because it would just take way too long, but I'll give you the gist.

He doesn't listen to us (the teachers), but thats not where the problem. The problem is he just does what he wants and when his mother tries to stop him, he throws a tantrum and then his mother justs lets him do what he wants anyway. He flings flash cards (dangerous), climbs the tables (dangerous) jumps off the tables like he's some super hero (dangerous), kicks and punches at everyone (teachers included and also dangerous) and is just an all-round brat.

As teachers, we are powerless. We can't touch this kid because if he starts crying and throwing a fit, his mother will look at us like we did something wrong. And then if she decides to quit, the higher ups look down at us like we really did something wrong, which will most likely result in some kimd of formal apologize to the family. Why should we apologize for trying to protect ourselves and our classroom for your uncontrollable child?

No matter what, the teacher loses.

And the mother does nothing. Absolutely nothing. Aside from the ocassional call or very mild threat, she is all smiles and laughs. What is so funny about your son trying to kick you in the face (he did that today)??? Sometimes I just stop because I don't know what to do.

And that's not just the way children are. I've had many a crazy student easily reigned in, it just takes work from the mother. I think too many are content to just let the child run around the class because they do it at home too.

I can't see this lack of discipline going well for this kid and his future. I also think the world could do with a few less grown up brats and princesses.

I really hope someone helps these children. Just knock some sense into them once, and they might be set for life..!

It makes me wonder. Why are these parents not teaching these children discipline?? Do they feel like it's not their job? And if they don't do it, who the hell is supposed to??

I feel sorry for that person beause it most assuredly isn't me.

Posted via LjBeetle

It's summer!
Like summer came up in this bitch and made people sweat their clothes offヽ(°▽、°）ノ.
Shota and I tried to go without using the A/C and just keep the windows open...
Yea, that lasted all of 2 or 3 days. I'm going to regret not being more patient once the bill comes(・＿・。)

Anyway, I'm here to share some summer bargain buys! I wish we did summer bargains in the U.S. because who doesn't love a sale? Especially a sale for summer clothes right as we're getting into summer. Nice （●´－｀●）v!

This picture actually has nothing to do with summer bargains. I went out to a cafe with some of my lady friends and we tried some Absinthe. I've never seen it prepared this way, so it was pretty cool. But the waiters were all adorable guys with accents (Japanese and European... don't know which country （；´∀｀）) so that was the real highlight. Great for a girls night out!!

Anyway, on to the clothes!!

Day 1!
Shota and I went out to Shinsaibashi's OPA shopping center for some summer bargaining. It was pretty crowded, but I was pretty prepared for that. What I wasn't prepared for was not fitting into Glad News' jeans.. I really, really wanted to get them, but there is like no ass space. And apparently I have a lot of ass, so it was not working. But I was so depressed afterwards that I hardly looked at anything else (´д｀).

So I moped around 6 floors before wandering over to the Kirei-kan, which is part of OPA but a separate building (mostly salons except for the basement and first floor). That's where the brand JSG (Japan Super Girl) is located and it's one of my favorite shops! I always spend to much money there, but I can't help it. They sell exactly what I like: bright, funky, and punky.

This is one of the items I walked out with it! It totally plays into my geeky-gamer-comics-and-animation side while also being sexy and girl-y. How often do those two come in contact with each other!?(≡ﾟ∀ﾟ≡) Never. That's how often..!

Anyway, the fabric it a little heavy, it's polyester and cotton, but it feels nice against the skin. I'm looking forward to sporting this at the park/movies/beach/where ever. I just got my studded wedges back too..! It's on like Donkey Kong...




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Finally!! It's here!（●´－｀●）
I've been so tired/sick/busy this past week-plus, only time for ranting apparently. But after an exhausting week, riding home on my husband's bike in a typhoon, eating dinner at 12am, I'm ready to reminisce on the good times!

Already this trip feels so far away. I keep telling my friends back home I'm going to drag them here, because I will(;´▽`)y-~

Anyway, this was our second day in the Disney Resort, so we went to Disneyland. Luckily, the weather cleared up over breakfast, so aside from a few rainclouds, it was a relatively dry and sunny day, especially compared to the previous day(´＿｀｡)

As you can see from the banner, they were still doing their Easter Wonderland event even though it was the end of May.. maybe they didn't know Easter was already finished..?ヽ(°▽、°）ノ

As you can see, I threw on my Minnie ears for this trip. I thought it was cool that the leopard print matched stockings.
Nice coordinating!( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ I love that picture next to the Disney statue. It's still one of my not-so-secret dreams to work for Disney's animation studios. Maybe if I keep working hard, I can do it. Blogging certainly won't help（´Д｀；） But I like blogging.. Lol

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It's been a couple Mondays since I did a little ranting, so I thought it might be time for another :)

Todays topic is beauty, I guess. I've been reading some things online about black women and beauty (Jskool had a fantastic post about some faulted proto-scientist who made up some facts for a study on why black women are the ugliest race on earth. Yeah.) that seemed to underscore my annoyance with this skin whitening obsession that exists in Japan.

Now I take no issue with people who want to whiten their skin. If looking like Casper is your aim then by all means, be my guest. My problem comes with the underlying connotation that having dark skin is bad or, at least, not as good as white skin.

If you spend any amount of time in Japan, you'll notice the abundance of lighter/white skin in the advertisements. On TV and billboards, magazine ads, posters, et cetera. And that's fine since the target of these ads are a homogenous and mostly fair-skinned group. But when people of color are used, its only for the purpose of fulfilling some preexisting Japanese stereotype. Rappers and gangster on club ads, wrestlers or dumb guys on TV (yea Bobby, I'm talkin bout you). And thats just men. The only ad I've seen with a colored girl (I'm not including Crystal Kay since she is Japanese) had her laid out on a couch in a dress that was none too flattering . What's with this? I would love to see more guys like the one from the Softbank commercial, behaving like a normal person like everyone else (though maybe he's being used in "ohhh, we got something different" kind of way by Softbank.) No stereotypes, no extra act, just normal. (But then I suppose normality varies person to person ;) )

But maybe we should just get in where we fit in? Stereotypes still haven't changed much back home, why should it be any different anywhere else?

No, that's a terrible idea.

On the note with dark skin having a negative connotation, sometimes I don't like people who tan. Because they tan, then run around acting jerks, sluts, and morons and I don't want that shit associated with me. Of course it's not everyone. Some people just want a little more of that sunkissed color and that's fine. But I hate when skin color is worn as some accessory to fit a mode of fashion.

Also, I want to know what the Japanese are teaching children about black people, as in the descendants of the African diaspora. There's been more than one occasion when I've had a student say that I can't possibly be from America since only white people live there. Like, really?? I know they're children, so they're exempt from bouts of ignorance on account of naivete, but they had to have gotten that idea from someone or somewhere. And if that's the things children grow up believing, I just feel so disappointed. Also, to reinforce this misguided perception, my husband's idea of an American lifestyle was basically drawn from 90210. So when he came to study in DC, he was shocked by how many black people lived there. Um, what??? How could you not know? The DC area has one of the highest concentrations of black people and is bordered by the richest black county (meh, maybe most Americans don't even know that...).

Anyway, my point is this: I was already insecure about the way I looked before I came to Japan, and I fear living here may make those insecurities even worse. But those things shouldn't effect me. So I'm just gonna have to step up on the self-confidence and show people that having a skin color other than milk white is wonderful too. That people of color are just as stylish and well educated. Doesn't sound like too much right...? Right...

Leeeet the sun shiiiine!
Leeet the sunshin in!
The suuuunshine in!

Isn't the age of aquarius supposed to be soon?? Lol

Posted via LjBeetle

Guess who spent the past weekend running around like their old 7-year-old self??（●´－｀●）
I finally made it over to Tokyo Disneyland and Disney Sea!! It was my first time at a Disney park since I was seven and took a family trip down to Florida.

Even though the entire time we were at Disney Sea, there was a typhoon... But not many can say they've been to a theme park during a typhoon, let alone Disney Sea. That must be some kind of distinguishable honour～(´ー｀～)

We spent one day at each park, and tried to get on all the serious attractions, though I was disappointed at the roller coasters. Even Tower of Terror wasn't that frightening, more like funny..?ヽ(；´Д｀)ノ I should've known though since my time at Yomiuri Land..

The staff were really great though. They totally made me feel the Disney atmosphere, even if everything was in Japanese (I don't dig on the Japanese versions of Disney so much LOL I sound like an ass~~(´＿｀｡)ｸﾞｽﾝ). I'm definitely looking forward to our next trip. Unfortunately for USJ in Osaka, there's a lot to live up to now..!


We started our adventures in Disney Sea, during the typhoon on Sunday. How appropriateヽ(°▽、°）ノ

I forced Shota into matching ponchos, and then we commenced in the photo-taking and  being goofy. Despite the terrible weather, we had such an awesome time..!ヽ(´▽`)ノ
















( Adventrures AHOY! Clicky Click )

LOOK! There's me! Getting ready to embrace life and all the troubles it has to offer. I have a funny expression I think, like I almost don't want to, but ain't that true of all of us sometimes? ヽ(°▽、°）ノ

This was taken down in the harbor area of Osaka. It's only one of the many harbor areas, so I'm looking forward to seeing the others.

Anyway, life has been moving along. Mother nature has been kind of enough to grant some nice weather for me before jumping into the rainy season and then sweltering summer after that. Thanks mom!(;´▽`)y

I don't have any plans for my summer other than working and saving some money. I'd like to head out to the theme park with my friends once or twice, but no splurging on anything I'm afraid (as much as I'd like to). Instead I'm just gonna try to see how much money I can force myself to save. This might get ugly...



















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I dont think I'm annoyed easily. But sometimes, I just get soo splenetic! (New word I learned ;D)

I realize that I'm in Japan, so certain things I'm accustomed to back home do not exist here. But sometimes I just want to yell at people "Haven't you heard of ladies first??" or "Let the old lady off the train first JESUS!!!"
As much as the Japanese are taught to respect their elders, they can't be patient enough to let the old ladies off first?
I don't know if I will ever get used to that.

Also, if I exit a door, I'm not holding it open so you and the next ten people can slip through. I just didn't want it to slam shut in your face. Is it really so much time to hold the door for yourself??

And I don't want to adopt the Japanese way. I like ladies first and I don't mind waiting for old people to get off the train. So what's my option??

I guess I'm gonna have to teach people, one person at a time.(￣∇￣*)ゞ

... Nah.
I will probably just go back homeヽ(*´▽)ノ♪

/end rant

I really don't like bitching (you know it causes premature aging??). But damn it feels good to just let it out sometimes o(*⌒O⌒)ｂ

I'll share some coords and random purchases next post.

P.S. This area of old men smells like piss( →_→) *is on the train*

Posted via LjBeetle