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In all probability, as soon as my recital is over, I'll fall into a coma of the cold/flu/exhaustion variety. I can taste it already...
Here are today's memes, in the interest of staying abreast of things.
Day 21 - Favourite and least favourite Japanese fashion trends.
So far, I think my least favourite one has been one that was going out when I came to Japan: knee-high black stockings (not socks, actual stockings) word with sandals. I was mightily puzzled by the concept. Sandals with socks, first of all, are still something I haven't completely come around on (if they're cute little ankle socks, it's not as bad), but the kind of stockings that are meant to be worn under pants, where you can see the elastic band at the top? Fugly. It was bad enough about twelve years ago in Canada, when those stockings were worn with shoes and short skirts!
Also, high-waisted skinny jeans. I don't think there's anyone on earth who can look good in them, unless you wear something to hide the high waist, and then what's the point? Thankfully, I never saw more than a few girls wearing them, though some stores did try to push them on us.
I don't have a favourite trend in particular, but I really like the mixing, matching and layering that goes into Japanese styles. Back home, it seemed that every new season brought a completely different look. Here, you can see the evolution of looks, which means that you can recycle pieces from one season to the next, pair them with something new, or change up your accessories, and they're still in. I also really like how colours and patterns are combined, and it's sweet, sweet vindication for me -- do you know how many times I got strange looks or comments like, "Wow, that's... colourful," back home? Perhaps it comes from the different concept the Japanese have of colour coordination, which you can see in how kimono and obi are matched. Whatever the reason, I really like it.
Day 01 - A picture of you "in Japan". (doing or wearing something "Japanese")
Day 02 - Describe your neighbourhood in Japan.
Day 03 - Most interesting person you've met.
Day 04 - What's your favourite place that's not in any of the guidebooks/lists of places to visit?
Day 05 - Which, if any, Japanese mannerisms or expressions have you adopted?
Day 06 - Food that you swore you would never eat but now love (or tolerate).
Day 07 - Which Japanese words do you use in English? (hanami, shinkansen, etc.)
Day 08 - What thing(s) or product(s) from your home country do you refuse to do without in Japan?
Day 09 - Favourite stores/shopping centers.
Day 10 - Something about Japan that sets it apart from anywhere else.
Day 11 - What did you find most overrated and underrated about Japan?
Day 12 - Describe a fail!gaijin moment. (Where you did something wrong or completely misunderstood because you couldn't ~read the air~ or just plain had no idea what you were supposed to do because you weren't born and raised here) Describe a gaijin!smash moment (Where your foreignness was to your benefit)
Day 13 - How is daily life in Japan different from how it was back in your home country?
Day 14 - What is the hardest thing about living in Japan versus your home country?
Day 15 - Weirdest food item you've seen, and weirdest food item you've actually eaten.
Day 16 - How you realised you'd acclimated to Japan. (if you have)
Day 17 - Your karaoke top 5, your sushi top 5, your conbini top 5.
Day 18 - Post some amusing/cute/faily purikura.
Day 19 - Your favourite Japanese character(s) and Gachapon/UFO Catcher toys
Day 20 - Favourite Japanese festival or folklore.
Day 21 - Favourite and least favorite Japanese fashion trends.
Day 22 - Your favourite Japanese saying or kotowaza (proverb).
Day 23 - What is something you have/do in Japan that you wish you had/could do in your home country?
Day 24 - Your favourite Japanese slang or borrow-word (外来語), e.g. セフレ "sex friend"
Day 25 - Most interesting vending machine find.
Day 26 - What's your favourite/least favourite train line?
Day 27 - Place you avoid going to if at all possible.
Day 28 - A picture of you looking like a weaboo/A picture of you trying to blend in and failing.
Day 29 - What's the thing you [will] miss the most about Japan when you leave (either on vacation, or move away)?
Day 30 - Did Japan meet your expectations, both good and bad? What has been the most surprising thing about Japan for you, or the thing you least expected?
Day 21 – Another moment
When I was nine years old, my family adopted a pair of kittens. I'd always wanted to have cats, so I was beyond excited about this. My parents talked to us about how having a pet meant responsibility, and how we had to be gentle and careful when handling them. Not that any of us were violent or cruel children, and we all took very good care of our toys and belongings, but it was the first time we'd have living, breathing creatures apart from ourselves to play with.
One evening, I was sitting on my bed, petting Fluffy. She was purring, rolling around and enjoying the attention, and I remember circling her little neck with my fingers. She didn't try to break free at all, just looked up at me contentedly. It was like a shot through the heart: She trusts me completely. I'd always known, in the abstract way that you know such things, that other people and creatures had feelings too, and that I had to be careful not to harm them, but it was the first time I'd realised how much power I could have over another living being, and how important it was not to abuse that power.
Day 01 - Introduce yourself
Day 02 - Your first love
Day 03 - Your parents
Day 04 - What you ate today
Day 05 - Your definition of love
Day 06 – Your day
Day 07 – Your best friend
Day 08 – A moment
Day 09 – Your beliefs
Day 10 – What you wore today
Day 11 – Your siblings
Day 12 – What's in your bag
Day 13 – This week
Day 14 – What you wore today
Day 15 – Your dreams
Day 16 – Your first kiss
Day 17 – Your favourite memory
Day 18 – Your favourite birthday
Day 19 – Something you regret
Day 20 – This month
Day 21 – Another moment
Day 22 – Something that upsets you
Day 23 – Something that makes you feel better
Day 24 – Something that makes you cry
Day 25 – A first
Day 26 – Your fears
Day 27 – Your favourite place
Day 28 – Something that you miss
Day 29 – Your aspirations
Day 30 – One last moment
Here are today's memes, in the interest of staying abreast of things.
Day 21 - Favourite and least favourite Japanese fashion trends.
So far, I think my least favourite one has been one that was going out when I came to Japan: knee-high black stockings (not socks, actual stockings) word with sandals. I was mightily puzzled by the concept. Sandals with socks, first of all, are still something I haven't completely come around on (if they're cute little ankle socks, it's not as bad), but the kind of stockings that are meant to be worn under pants, where you can see the elastic band at the top? Fugly. It was bad enough about twelve years ago in Canada, when those stockings were worn with shoes and short skirts!
Also, high-waisted skinny jeans. I don't think there's anyone on earth who can look good in them, unless you wear something to hide the high waist, and then what's the point? Thankfully, I never saw more than a few girls wearing them, though some stores did try to push them on us.
I don't have a favourite trend in particular, but I really like the mixing, matching and layering that goes into Japanese styles. Back home, it seemed that every new season brought a completely different look. Here, you can see the evolution of looks, which means that you can recycle pieces from one season to the next, pair them with something new, or change up your accessories, and they're still in. I also really like how colours and patterns are combined, and it's sweet, sweet vindication for me -- do you know how many times I got strange looks or comments like, "Wow, that's... colourful," back home? Perhaps it comes from the different concept the Japanese have of colour coordination, which you can see in how kimono and obi are matched. Whatever the reason, I really like it.
Day 02 - Describe your neighbourhood in Japan.
Day 03 - Most interesting person you've met.
Day 04 - What's your favourite place that's not in any of the guidebooks/lists of places to visit?
Day 05 - Which, if any, Japanese mannerisms or expressions have you adopted?
Day 06 - Food that you swore you would never eat but now love (or tolerate).
Day 07 - Which Japanese words do you use in English? (hanami, shinkansen, etc.)
Day 08 - What thing(s) or product(s) from your home country do you refuse to do without in Japan?
Day 09 - Favourite stores/shopping centers.
Day 10 - Something about Japan that sets it apart from anywhere else.
Day 11 - What did you find most overrated and underrated about Japan?
Day 12 - Describe a fail!gaijin moment. (Where you did something wrong or completely misunderstood because you couldn't ~read the air~ or just plain had no idea what you were supposed to do because you weren't born and raised here) Describe a gaijin!smash moment (Where your foreignness was to your benefit)
Day 13 - How is daily life in Japan different from how it was back in your home country?
Day 14 - What is the hardest thing about living in Japan versus your home country?
Day 15 - Weirdest food item you've seen, and weirdest food item you've actually eaten.
Day 16 - How you realised you'd acclimated to Japan. (if you have)
Day 17 - Your karaoke top 5, your sushi top 5, your conbini top 5.
Day 18 - Post some amusing/cute/faily purikura.
Day 19 - Your favourite Japanese character(s) and Gachapon/UFO Catcher toys
Day 20 - Favourite Japanese festival or folklore.
Day 21 - Favourite and least favorite Japanese fashion trends.
Day 22 - Your favourite Japanese saying or kotowaza (proverb).
Day 23 - What is something you have/do in Japan that you wish you had/could do in your home country?
Day 24 - Your favourite Japanese slang or borrow-word (外来語), e.g. セフレ "sex friend"
Day 25 - Most interesting vending machine find.
Day 26 - What's your favourite/least favourite train line?
Day 27 - Place you avoid going to if at all possible.
Day 28 - A picture of you looking like a weaboo/A picture of you trying to blend in and failing.
Day 29 - What's the thing you [will] miss the most about Japan when you leave (either on vacation, or move away)?
Day 30 - Did Japan meet your expectations, both good and bad? What has been the most surprising thing about Japan for you, or the thing you least expected?
Day 21 – Another moment
When I was nine years old, my family adopted a pair of kittens. I'd always wanted to have cats, so I was beyond excited about this. My parents talked to us about how having a pet meant responsibility, and how we had to be gentle and careful when handling them. Not that any of us were violent or cruel children, and we all took very good care of our toys and belongings, but it was the first time we'd have living, breathing creatures apart from ourselves to play with.
One evening, I was sitting on my bed, petting Fluffy. She was purring, rolling around and enjoying the attention, and I remember circling her little neck with my fingers. She didn't try to break free at all, just looked up at me contentedly. It was like a shot through the heart: She trusts me completely. I'd always known, in the abstract way that you know such things, that other people and creatures had feelings too, and that I had to be careful not to harm them, but it was the first time I'd realised how much power I could have over another living being, and how important it was not to abuse that power.
Day 02 - Your first love
Day 03 - Your parents
Day 04 - What you ate today
Day 05 - Your definition of love
Day 06 – Your day
Day 07 – Your best friend
Day 08 – A moment
Day 09 – Your beliefs
Day 10 – What you wore today
Day 11 – Your siblings
Day 12 – What's in your bag
Day 13 – This week
Day 14 – What you wore today
Day 15 – Your dreams
Day 16 – Your first kiss
Day 17 – Your favourite memory
Day 18 – Your favourite birthday
Day 19 – Something you regret
Day 20 – This month
Day 21 – Another moment
Day 22 – Something that upsets you
Day 23 – Something that makes you feel better
Day 24 – Something that makes you cry
Day 25 – A first
Day 26 – Your fears
Day 27 – Your favourite place
Day 28 – Something that you miss
Day 29 – Your aspirations
Day 30 – One last moment