Ohissaaaa~~~

Ohisashiburi! Long time no see! Well, in this case, long time no blog! I feel guilty for not posting. Please don't hate me...girl has a life! LOL.

I am slowly getting my life back on track. I work longer and I'm cramming lots of network diagrams and Cisco crap into my head. After moving back to my mom's in November, I've been an emotional wreck. I would cry in my (sister's) room, and stay home on my days off, unless I ran out to get Starbucks. I'm sure most of you guys have figured my situation out already. I'm sad, broken, but feeling much, much much better than I have the last two years. I'm slowly gaining the weight I lost, and I'm not always angry/frustrated/irritated/sad/lonely/jittery/
nervous/tired.

Yes, a nasty combination of these emotions can really get the best of you.....I am not proud to admit that a lot, if not most of the time, I brought it upon myself. The layman term to describe my 'condition' would be 'NEUROSIS', but I beg to differ...I was in a unfitting relationship at a bad time. Perhaps a few years down the line....or if my circumstances were different, the relationship would have worked out beautifully. But the past four years of my life have included tragic losses, legal battles to keep certain negative influences out of my life, and finding shorcuts to heal cuts and wounds that, as I've learned, only long-term self-love and forgiveness can truly settle.

I have mi madre back...We've forgiven each other. Now I'm trying to meet new people through the few that I actually trust. I have little to no small talk left in me. It seems as though my gift of gab drowned...now it's up to me to climb over the walls I built around myself. I felt safe when I built them, and even safer when my moody prince climbed over the walls, saying he loved me to death, and that I was a lucky woman.

I want to spend the next few years acting my age. I'm tired of having to answer to people's expectations of what Aya should do, feel, and be.

I don't want to be with anyone for a long time. I want to be alone. But I don't want to spend my time alone...does this make sense? I just don't want to feel alone! So in that spirit, I try to go out more and meet different kind of people. For example, a few weeks ago I visited the home of one of the Art Directors of Marvel Comics. 'Mosh' hails from Brooklyn, NY but now resides in Tokyo. His humble apartment was a pure reflection of his artistic repertoire...Every inch of his walls and ceilings were covered with colorful graffiti and comic book characters. He quietly promotes his own work and continues drawing for comics like the Hulk, Spiderman, Batman and Robin, etc. I want to surround myself with people like Mosh who are either living their dreams or grindin' everyday to get there! I don't need any more lazy, broke, complacent people in my life. And when I say 'broke', I don't mean people who aren't rich. I mean people who have a real job and a real paycheck, but lack the ability to save...people who are always leaning on their friends and loved ones to help pay their bills because they stupidly spent half their paycheck on car parts or alcohol!

So that's how I'm doing in a nutshell. I'll try to throw some reviews out there. I got my hands on several new foundations and eyeshadow palettes. I do read all your blogs on my list religiously...thanks for always giving me something interesting to read!

Have a lovely weekend!!!

Love, Aya

I Spy...Part deux

Hey beautifuls! Until I get myself a new camera and laptop, I won't be able to spit out too many quality FOTD's or picture-filled reviews. Soooooo to satisfy your cravings, I leave you more pics I took on one of my stealth missions....enjoooy!

I Spy...

I know how we all like Japanese drugstore cosmetics and products so I played detective and took a few sneaky pics of several displays with my iPhone. Actually I didn't have to be sneaky at all...it didn't really seem like I was taking pictures....I was just some psycho girl holding out her iPhone in the middle of a store at 10:00 a.m.

I will start doing this more often, not just at drugstores, but wherever I shop and think you guys might be interesting in taking a peek at.

Enjoy!!! (Click for larger view)

Canmake display x 4

With Love...your neighborhood cosmetic junkie and drugstore spy,

Aya

Tag!

I was tagged by the oh-so-adorable Amanda. This one is looooong!

1. Where is your cell phone? in front of the keyboard at work.

2. Where is your significant other? Not going to answer this.

3. Your hair color? Black (natural)

4. Your mother? Is awesome

5. Your father? A renown graphic designer who left a lasting impression on dozens.

6. Your favorite thing? My iPhone

7. Your dream last night? I didn't dream, I was in a drunken coma...LOL.

8. Your dream/goal? Writer at a magazine

9. The room you're in? the Global Network Operations Center at the NTT building in Tokyo. My least favorite room in the whole world.

10. Your hobby? Reading magazines, biographies, non-fiction novels.

11. Your fear? Death

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? BA-wielding writer at a hot magazine.

13. Where were you last night? At home with my mother, watching countdown comedy shows on TV and drinking beeeeer.

14. What you're not? Emotionally numb.

15. One of your wish-list items? Black Jimmy Choo pointed stilletos.

16. Where you grew up? Zushi, Yokohama and Tokyo.

17. The last thing you did? Troubleshoot an outage in China...remotely.

18. What are you wearing? Panties and white socks, among other things.

19. Your TV? We have three antiquated ones at home. I should buy my mom a flat-screen...

20. Your pet? Ran away almost three years ago...I miss you Rocky...

21. Your computer? An old HP laptop.

22. Your mood? Dim...like I just want to sleep until morning...

23. Missing someone? Maybe. I miss a lot of people, most of my close friends are not in Japan.

24. Your car? I don't drive...yet.

25. Something you're not wearing? Lots of eyeshadow...!

6. Favorite store? H&M, American Apparel, and the gyaru stores at 109 in Shibuya.

27. Your summer? Full of regrets...

28. Love someone? Of course :)

29. Your favorite color? Gray, purple and pink.

30. When is the last time you laughed? like belly-laughed? I can't remember...

31. Last time you cried? A few days ago. I am so tired of crying.

32. Are you a bitch? YES. But a well-rounded one.

33. Favorite Position? Managing director, CEO...wait, did you mean something else?

34. Favorite Past Time? Eating cheesecake before bed.

35. Are you a hater or a lover? In-the-Closet lover.

New Year's Eve FOTN

How's everyone's New Year's Eve going? I'm chillaxin' at home with my mother. We're drinking beer and watching Japanese owarai (comedy)...Ten minutes to go until 2009!

I wanted to share a very special FOTN with everyone...

Let me introduce my cute youngest sister! I did her makeup before she left for a party at her friend's downtown. Her tunic was a satin, eggplant number so I did a gold and purple look for her eyes. Hope you like!

Face:

Olay Oil-Free Moisturizer

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer

Christian Dior Hydraction Tinted Moisturizer in 02

M.A.C Studio Perfect Powder Foundation

Eyes:

Ulta Eye shadow base

M.A.C e/s in Naked Lunch (from lash line to brow bone)

M.A.C e/s in All That Glitters (all over lid and crease)

Milani e/s in Golden Bronze (from lash line to crease)

M.A.C e/s in Goldmine (on inner third)

NYX e/s in Eggplant (on lash line and outer third)

M.A.C Fluidline in Black

Katie B. Faux Lash Mascara

Cheeks:

M.A.C blush in Well Dressed

Lips:

Smith's Rosebud Salve

Update!

Hi beautifuls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Didja didja miss me? I know I missed you guys!
I haven't really been able to update because I don't have my own camera with me....I STILL have to move my crap to my mom's and the camera hasn't made it here yet...actually I hate the one I have. It's an Olympus. I might just buy myself a new Sony digicam, since I'm used to using Sony and it takes better closeup photos in my opinion. Well a new camera will be out of the question until I save a substansial amount of money...I haven't decided where I want to go to school yet, but I'm still looking into schools in Ontario, Canada, New Brunswick, California, Arizona and Alabama. I'm scared I won't find a job if I go to school in the U.S. I would most definitely NEED to work (definitely will have to be under-the-table type of deal) to pay rent every month. I really want to live in California again. I'm thinking San Bernardino is cheaper than living in L.A. and if I want to go cheaper, I could go to school in Bakersfield...I don't hear too many good things about Bakersfield...what do you guys think? Do any of you guys live there? Please let me know what you think. I know I want to study journalism and I also know that most Cal State schools offer it as a major. Also a perk of graduating from a school in the U.S.; I can stay for ONE year and intern/work in a field related to my degree. If the company likes me and wants to hire me full-time and IF they're a big enough company, they can sponsor a working visa. That's my ultimate goal. To live and work in the U.S. on my own terms and money. Hopefully I'll be there in under ten years!

Anyway, moving on to makeup. I said I wouldn't buy anymore unecessary makeup anymore, but knowing myself, it was an impossible feat to accomplish. I ended up giving my money away to Smashbox, NARS, MAC, Dior, and lots of other places...waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! >__<
Revlon's liquid foundie is good, but Smashbox is AMAZING!!! It feels really light, and one push covers the entire face. I don't even have to wear concealer! It's filled with good-for-you vitamins too. Today I paired it with the Dior Hydraction tinted moisturizer (for undereye circles and redness) and my skin actually looked healthy!

Here are several craptastic pics I took with my iPhone. As soon as I get my hands on my camera (or a new one), I will do reviews and FOTD's again. So for now, this'll have to do....Also, a lovely friend sent me some MAC pigments as a gift with the Dior tinted moisturizer and Iconic mascara I asked her to pick up for me...I can't wait to try all the colors!!!

For my LOTN, I used the Smasbox liquid foundation and Dior Hydraction TM (under the eyes and on red spots). For the eyes I used Ulta's eyeshadow primer first, which is the shiiieett! I used Wet n Wild's Wink eyeshadow (a soft shimmery rose) on the lids and smoked it out with a sparkly black shadow from NARS. I can't remember the name now, so when I do I'll edit this post...LOL. Then I finished the look with Laura Mercier's Lip Glace in Champagne....it's a shimmery cafe au lait color.

I dunno if you can see my braces, but they're there! I'm still kind of self-conscious about them, but my teeth are definitely shifting already :)

I hope everyone's having a nice time off work and school. I have to work on the 1st of January...also the 2nd AND 3rd! I'm a little peeved, but oh well, c'est la vie, right? Love you guys, and please let me know how you're all doing!

I'm back...sorta!

Hi friends....I am back for now! I'd like to thank each and every one of you who read my last post and left comments. It's nice to know people read my personal ramblings and give a damn! I am very touched to say the least! All of you help me get through my 'mean red' days...(read Breakfast at Tiffany's!)

I am still considering University of Prince Edward Island as an option...but also found that St. Thomas Univerisity in Fredericton, New Brunswick is affordable too. I would love to attend Concordia or U. Windsor as well. I'm also reading up on U.S. schools. So far Oklahoma University, U. Arizona, Cal State Bakersfield and Cal State Fresno are on my list. I am in love with the U. Arizona campus! From the pictures on their website the campus looks BEAUTIFUL!

And thank you to all who recommended the McLean's guide. A coworker of mine went back to Calgary for a week or so and picked me up their annual review.

Many of you shared opinions, that pursuing a journalism degree is not a requisite to work in the field. I absoloutely agree. I have heard this from many a professor in my past. I did take journalism during the last two years of high school, and wrote for my High School newspaper, the Hanabi. I was also published once in an English magazine in Japan. The reason why I want to study journalism or take a course or two is because I also want to learn the technical aspects of the field, i.e. compiling layouts and editing photographs. I did do some layout editing back in the day but my skills are antiquated...I can't believe it's almost been TEN years since I graduated HS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Where has all my time gone?

Anyway here's my new 'workstation'. I clear up this mess every freakin' day since the desk I'm using doesn't belong to me. I am STILL moving my crap from my bf's to my Momma's.

Dontcha just love craptastic iPhone pics??? LOL. Many thanks to Ms. Kimberly Tia for sending me a lovely care package, including the Medicated Ly-Na cream (green and gold jar).
Can you spot Buzz Lightyear?????


'Till next time lovies!!! Have a wonderful Friday!