Sunday Afternoon at KMMA

This morning I woke up completely refreshed. I spent all of Saturday inside lounging. It was just what I needed. This past week was busy, busy, busy. It wasn't stressful though, which was nice for a change. 

Since it's the end of the year, a lot of the English lessons are focused on writing reports, opinion essays, and presentations. It's really fun for me to hear my students express their thoughts and opinions, but in order for them to do that, I first have to mark and correct their written English. It's a challenge. It's like playing Tetris, but with words. 

So after charade like conversations, a few edits with my red pen, and their own personality added in, a presentation like this comes together ...

Hello, everyone! My name is [insert common Japanese name like, たかひろ - Takahiro]. I live in Kitakyushu City. It's in the south of Japan. It's near the Kanmon Strait. It's famous for Mount Sarakura. There are many flowers and hiking trails. You can take a cable car to the top, or you can hike. You can enjoy seeing a beautiful view. It is about 622 meters tall. I'm proud of my city. It's a great city. Please visit it. Thank you for listening.

Now that they've written their presentations, they'll have about a week and a half to prepare for their oral presentation. I'm looking forward to hearing them! 

楽しみにして!

So after a lazy Saturday cooped up inside, I had big plans for my Sunday. 

I woke up, checked social media, got out of bed, stretched, said "Thanks", had a glass of water, made coffee, and then made some more. I also put on the WSJ What's News podcast so I could catch up on the current news headlines. 

This has been my morning routine since the start of this new year. And let me tell you, I'm loving it. The only part that I'm having difficulty with is checking social media right away. I need to break my habit of checking it first thing in the morning, but I wake up so excited to see how all of my American friends are living. Since I'm removed from that lifestyle, watching their stories and Snapchats is seriously like watching reality TV. 

After a few cups of coffee, I showered and got ready for my afternoon with Shoko-san. For my 25th brithday, Shoko-san got us tickets to see the Turner exhibit at the Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art, as well as made reservations for us to have lunch at the cafe. I've already said this multiple times, and I'll continue to say it, but I want to be like Shoko-san when I'm older.

This afternoon was absolutely perfect. Here's why . . .

1) We used public transportation. Not having a car in Japan is one of my most favorite things. It's unbelievably enjoyable for me to use public transportation. I like being a passenger. I like being able to look out the window and observe. It's easy to be a passenger in Japan because their public transportation is reliable, safe, and comfortable.

2) We both dressed in all black. I don't think I need to say anything more.

3) Our meal included a view and coffee. Most people eat out at restaurants for the food. I on the other hand, eat out for the atmosphere and aesthetic. Today's traditional Japanese meal of salad, vegetables, fish, soup, and rice, was not only delicious, but was set it the most pleasant space. From the blonde wood and white interior to the view and simple tableware, I didn't want to change a thing. If anything, I was trying my best to take mental notes of all the details because I wanted to recreate the design. 

4) We strolled through an art museum. Art museums are high on my list of favorite places to spend time. They succeed libraries because of their visual appeal and scale. When I walk into an art museum I feel at peace. All the noise in my head quiets down and I relax. 

5) Study of Waves by Joseph Mallord William Turner

6) We saw everything. Since coming to Japan I've learned to appreciate waiting. Waiting in lines is a common practice here. People form lines and wait in lines for everything. It seems to be a celebrated practice. And what I've come to find, is that by waiting for something I gain so much more than what I was expecting to. Today, I saw the whole Turner exhibit, as well as all of the other artwork displayed in the Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art. We saw everything. And because we took our time and waited, I was able to make connections and notice details that I most likely would have passed or dismissed if I was left to my own devices. 

Today was another outing that shaped me. I returned home with a different perspective and with an inspired style. I feel like I added another piece to my puzzle. 

Take a look at my afternoon at the Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art . . . 

XOXO,

M

Running Is Just The Beginning

I smiled today. I smiled big. I smiled while I was running because I actually felt that I was running. I was relaxed, but aware. I was moving forward and not panting. I was fully engaged.

Today's run just may be my best run yet. I set a PR --- 10k in 59:25. I know that to most people, that's a really slow time. To me though, it's a huge accomplishment. [My goal for the Mojiko 10k was to finish in under 1 hour and I didn't. I finished in an hour and 3 minutes.]

Running has never come easy to me. I like running and I can run, I've just always been slow and uncomfortable. 

I grew up playing tennis. Every time we had team workouts and group runs, guess where I was? Yep, I always seemed to finish towards the back and I hated it. But I didn't know how to fix myself. I didn't know how improve. And I never asked for help. I just accepted that running slow and uncomfortably was how I was meant to be.

And I've held that mindset up until just recently. For most of my life I've been uncomfortable in my skin. Any situation that required dressing up in a specific way panged me. 

First day of school outfits that have to look just so --- dreaded them. Dresses for gradation, awards ceremonies, sorority formals --- made me cringe. Themed party outfits, shirts that needed to be tucked in, jeans, even my tennis uniforms --- tried my best to avoid them. 

But in most of my pictures you'll see me dressed in exactly what I couldn't stand.

I've spent years being uncomfortable because I didn't know how to change my feelings. Part of me didn't even know how to admit my discomfort because I thought that it was normal, something I had to learn how to live with. And for the most part, I've been living with the discomfort comfortably. I've even written how, I'm trying to become comfortable with being uncomfortable.

But there are plenty of moments and times in my life where I haven't handled it well, and those are the moments that I remember the most. They are the flashbacks that happen when I stop distracting myself. They're the moments that I'm not proud of, but that I can't deny happened.

And as my time in Japan is coming to an end, I knew that if I didn't begin to honestly address my discomfort now, I'd be letting an ideal opportunity pass. I can only handle things for so long. Inevitably, I'd have to face my discomfort at some point. So I decided to stop being afraid, procrastinating, and making excuses for my myself. It was, and is, time for me to get real honest.

[Honesty is my theme for 2018.]

So over the winter holiday I began to question myself. I started to ask the tough questions, the questions I've been good at avoiding. 

I kept asking myself "Why?", until I got to the honest answers. I did this over and over again with different aspects of my life: well being, health, passions/dreams, ... etc. And I'm going to continue to do it. There's still so much more I want to figure out.

By asking "Why?", and examining areas of myself that I usually write off as, "It is what it is", I'm giving myself the opportunity to change. I'm giving myself the chance to find comfort in myself.

And tonight I experienced my first recorded success. I showed myself that my weaknesses can be improved upon. By no means am I where I want to be as a runner, but now I can see myself getting there. I believe in myself to make the changes, not only with running, but with every other aspect of my life.

Running is just the beginning.

After my run, I walked to Starbucks and ordered a tall soy caramel macchiato. I sat outside on the patio and began writing this blog post. Everything started to spill out of me. The last thought I was left with was this . . . 

Maybe when you do the things you actually want to, life is easy. It's when you try or force yourself to do the things you think you should be doing that makes life hard.

I'll be processing this thought for a while. I've got to decide how I feel about it.

XOXO,

M 

Running at Ohorikoen

Holly Golightly had Tiffany's. 

I have Ohorikoen.

XOXO,

M

Winter Holiday Snapshot

Last year, I went to Tokyo for my winter holiday. This year I did something different. I chose to stay local and had myself a staycation. 

The first half of my winter holiday was spent with friends, co-workers, and new acquaintances. For the second half, I kept to myself and stayed in. It was blissful. 

My staycation consisted of: sleeping in, cooking, cleaning, binging Netflix; waking up before the sunrise for a morning walk; drinking coffee --- lots of coffee; trips to the gym; stretching, journal-ing, planning, and packing; organizing and purging; mid-day naps; long runs at Ohorikoen; local adventures; and streaming countless romantic comedies. 

Take a look . . . 

I have less than two months before I'm returning stateside. I'm starting to get really sentimental about it. That's why this staycation was perfect. It gave me time to enjoy my apartment, my local area, and the everyday lifestyle I have here in Kyushu. I absolutely loved it.

XOXO,

M 

Kanmon Pedestrian Tunnel

Today I walked.

I walked to Orio Station and boarded a train bound for Mojiko.

I walked around Mojiko Retro.

I walked from Mojiko Retro to Mekari Park. 

I walked around Mekari Park.

I walked from Kyushu, Japan's southern island, to Honshu, Japan's main island.

I used the Kanmon Pedestrian Tunnel to cross the Kanmon Strait. 

I walked to the entrance on the Kyushu side; took an elevator down 60 meters; walked 780 meters underwater; took an elevator up 60 meters; and stepped onto Honshu.

I walked around Mimosusogawa Park.

I walked to a Shinto Shrine.

I walked through the tunnel and back to Kyushu.

I walked back to Mojiko Retro and boarded a train back to Orio.

I walked home from Orio Station.

Today I walked.

I walked fast. I walked slow. I walked without headphones. I walked tall. I walked with a sense of adventure. I walked on the sidewalk; the street; the track; paved paths; and trails. I walked looking forward. I walked looking back. I walked to walk. Today I walked.

Take a look . . . 

Today was a full day. 

XOXO,

M