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January Favourites

January has not been a very eventful or exciting month, so I will just get into the main event, my favourites.

TV Show Japanology Plus | This show is produced by NHK (Japans National Broadcasting Organization). It is hosted by Peter Barakan and highlights a lot of different aspects of Japanese life and culture. Some examples of episodes are Monkeys, Tokyo Backstreets and Alleys, Moving Companies, Wood Culture, Onigiri, and Snow Removal. There are literally hundreds of episodes about a wide variety of topics and they have all been informative and interesting.

YouTube Channel Unus Annus  | This is a channel brought to us by two YouTubers, Ethan Nestor (CrankGameplays) and Mark Fischbach (Markiplier). The premise of the channel is they do random things every day and will delete the entire channel after it has existed for one year. They do a lot of silly things and I find it very entertaining to watch.

Book Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson | Words of Radiance is book two from The Stormlight Archive quartet. It is an high fantasy novel that follows multiple characters in an ever evolving story. I am not going to get into any specifics because, a) spoilers and b) combined these four books are about 5000 pages, so I don’t even know where to start. If you like fantasy I am sure you have heard of Brandon Sanderson, as he is such a prolific writer. Don’t let the page count deter you, I am a slow reader and found it intimidating at first, but you really get into the story and don’t even notice the length after a while.

Song BTS – Black Swan | BTS had their first comeback of the year on January 17th, with an upcoming album release on February 21st. The first single from the album is Black Swan; a song touching on what it is like for an artist, of any kind, to lose passion for their art.

Food Oven Roasted Cherry Tomatoes | I have been doing my best to eat healthier and what this means to me is eating more vegetables. I have been achieving this by making more salads. Salads can get boring and repetitive pretty quickly, so it is important to switch up the toppings. I have been roasting cherry tomatoes in the oven to use as a salad topping. They turn out really well and add a tasty savory & flavourful topping to my salads.

I cut the cherry tomatoes in half length wise, lay them cut side up on a Silpat lined baking sheet, drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt, roast them in a 350f oven for about 1 hour, turn the oven off, and leave the tray of tomatoes in the warm oven until I am ready to put them away (sometimes I leave them overnight). I store them in a container in the fridge.

  • Cherry Tomatoes – however many you want or have
  • Oil – whatever you have on had
  • Salt – a sprinkle

pain.

Sometimes I can live my life normally like anyone else. I can go days without remembering or thinking about it. Other days I can say out loud, “My Dad is dead.” I don’t feel anything because it is just a fact. Other days the pain that this thought causes me is too much. It feels like someone is squeezing my heart and they are never going to let go and it’s tighter and tighter and my heart might implode from the pain and I will have to live without a heart because it’s the only way I can go on. It’s the only way that I will never have to experience this pain again. But slowly, after the tears stop, after I am done sobbing for this countless time, the ache and pain in my heart becomes less intense. I can breathe again. Now I will have to complete this cycle once more. Forgetting, remembering, accepting, and then being torn apart again. As the years go by the stages of this cycle lengthen and being torn apart becomes less frequent. But it still comes and it still hurts. Whoever said ‘Time heals all wounds’ is wrong. It doesn’t. In my experience with such deep grief at the loss of losing a parent suddenly and much too early, time goes by and the cycle of pain comes less frequently. But it still comes and it is just as intense.

This year marks the sixteenth anniversary of my Dad dying from a catastrophic heart attack.

September favourites.

To quote Aaron, “September lasted about 10 seconds.”

September was a month full of new and exciting things, but that is for a future post.

TV Shows Chefs Table: Volume 5 | This was only released a couple of days ago, but it is the only show I watched in September. It is a Netflix original documentary series in which each episode profiles a single world-renowned chef. [Thank you Wikipedia for that description.]

YouTube Channel Paolo from Tokyo | Paolo makes videos about food, places to visit, travel tips, and things related to visiting Japan. I watched a lot of his videos in preparation for our trip earlier this month and I continue to watch them now even after our trip is over. He delivers his content in a fast and easy to understand manner. If you are interested in Japan or planning a trip there I would highly recommend his videos, especially his Top 10 things to DO in… series, where he highlights his top 10 things to do in various areas of Tokyo.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCixD9UbKvDxzGNiPC_fgHyA

Book Dresden Files: Brief Cases by Jim Butcher | I read all of the Dresden Files books from 2016-2017. This is a book of 11 short stories set in the Dresden universe. If you like the Dresden Files, this is a must read.

Song BTS – Trivia 轉: Seesaw | BTS released the finale of their Love Yourself albums in August and this is Sugas solo song. Upon first listen, this was one of my top songs off the album because of the melody and the fact that Suga sings in this song (he is 1 of the 3 rappers of the group and very rarely sings).

Food Mochi | As I mentioned, we visited Japan for the first time earlier this month. I already knew that I would love mochi because I have had those ice creams covered in mochi while at home. As I am sure you could guess, mochi from Japan is much tastier. Whether it is savory or sweet. I especially like it because of the texture.

Experience BTS Concert | This is a tough one, since, as previously stated, September was a month full of new and exciting things. But I have to pick attending the BTS concert in Hamilton at the end of the month. They are amazing live! It sounds like you are listening to a recording, in the best way, not in an “are they lip syncing?”  kind of way. If I have the opportunity to see them live again, I will do my best to get a ticket and travel wherever I need to.

August Favourites.

Another month has come and gone, with it another favourites list appears.

TV Shows Japanese Style Originator| We have been watching this for some time, but are now just getting around to finishing all of the episodes. An edited version is available on Netflix, which is the one we have been watching. The best way I can describe it is it’s a variety talk show that teaches the audience various aspects are Japanese life; proper chopstick etiquette, traditional snacks sold at summer festivals, Tsukiji fish market workers, best side dishes for rice, & various craftsmen. If you are at all interested in Japanese culture, I highly recommend this show.

YouTube Channel Simon and Martina | This channel was previously called Eat Your Kimchi. A Canadian couple currently living in Japan, who used to live in South Korea. They make food related videos, travel vlogs, some recipe videos, and eat out Mukbang.

https://www.youtube.com/user/simonandmartina

Book Percy Jackson & the Olympians series by Rick Riordan (again) | I finished reading this series this month. It follows Percy Jackson, who is the son of a Greek god, and follows the adventures he goes on with his friends.

Song BTS – Idol | BTS released their final installment of the Love Yourself Trilogy. Answer is a compilation album featuring songs from Tear and Her, as well as a few new tracks. Idol is the first single and music video from Answer.

Food Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa | We made tilapia tacos several times this month. We marinade the fish & then bake it in the oven. Heat up some corn tortillas, crumble some Cotija cheese, and top with mango salsa. The marinade & salsa recipe are as follows;

Marinade

  • Olive Oil – ¼ Cup
  • Vinegar – 2 Tbsp
  • Lime Juice – 2 Tbsp
  • Honey – 1.5 tsp
  • Garlic – about 1 tsp
  • Cumin – ½ tsp
  • Old Bay – 1 tsp
  • Black Pepper – ½ tsp
  • Chili Sauce – 1 tsp (I use Tuong Ot Toi Viet-Nam from Huy Fong Foods Chili Garlic Sauce)

Combine all ingredients and pour over fish. Let marinate anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. If you let it marinate on the longer side, it will begin to ‘cook’ the fish because of the vinegar & lime juice.

                Mango Salsa

  • Ataulfo Mango, diced – 1
  • Roma Tomato, diced – 1
  • Jalapeno, diced – 1
  • Small Red Onion, diced – ½
  • Lime Juice – 1 to 2 Tbsp
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to use.

July Favourites.

TV Show Please Take Care of My Refrigerator | It is a South Korean cooking-variety program starring various chefs and celebrity guests. Each episode two guests have their refrigerator brought in, the guests request two dishes they would like to have made for them, and two of the eight chefs battle in a 15 minute cook off using ingredients from the guests fridge. This show is incredibly entertaining and I have always had a great love for cooking shows. Netflix has 46 episodes available (it is called Chef & My Fridge on there) and there are various places to find more online.

YouTube Channel RemLife | This is Remi Cruz’s vlog channel. Up until a few weeks ago I have never watched anything by Remi nor even heard of her, but I somehow stumbled across her vlog channel. She comes across as very likable, fun, hardworking, and positive. Her smile and laugh are infectious.

https://www.youtube.com/user/RemLife

Book Percy Jackson & the Olympians series by Rick Riordan | I started reading this series at the beginning of the month and already on book 3. It is a set of 5 fantasy adventure novels that revolve around the character Percy Jackson. I don’t want to give too much away, but he is the son of a Greek god and goes off from there. These are great light reads and are entertaining.

Song BTS – ddaeng | BTS celebrated 5 years since their debut this June. Every year they put on a smaller concert in Korea to celebrate their debut, in which they prepare various special stages and collaborations with each other. This year their rap line; RM, Suga, and J-Hope; collaborated on a new rap track. It is very catchy and has a unique sound.

Cider | The cider portion of my favourites has been either suspended or discontinued, I have yet to decide which. About 2 weeks ago I gave up casually drinking. It has never been in line with my goals, but up until now I have been unable to give it up.

Food Strawberry & Yogurt Smoothie | I have been making a specific smoothie for the majority of the month. It is not much different from what I would normally make, but I have been finding it extra delicious and very refreshing on these hot Summer days. In my NutriBullet I combine;

  • Frozen Whole Strawberries | 150g
  • Plain or Vanilla Greek Yogurt | 100-150g
  • Vanilla Protein Powder | ~25g (if desired)
  • Water

July Life Updates.

It has been over three months since I wrote my last post, I would say it is time for a life update.

On May 29th I turned 30. I never do much for my birthday and this year was no exception. My day consisted of taking my first spin class at BPM, which I loved! Once Aaron arrived hom from work we walked downtown to Kid Sister ice cream, after which watched Deadpool 2.

Fitness | Since that first class I have been attending spin pretty regularly. I have taken 17 classes so far and by the end of the Summer I will have attended at least 40. I have been doing my best to keep up with my lifts, but some weeks have been better than others. I had to reset my weights since I was being pretty sporadic and now I am working my way back up.

Health | 17 days ago I finally quit drinking. Not for good, but I will now only drink socially and responsibly. No more binge drinking! As a result I have been eating healthier and I have lost 3 pounds.

2018 Goals | Most of my goals have seen little to no progress. The only goal I have been working on every day is my Learn Japanese goal. I believe what is driving me to focus on this goal is our upcoming trip to Japan in 41 days. The other goal that has been carried over every year is my Learn to Drive goal. The only progress that has been made on this one is as follows; my Learners license expired 4 days ago and I went to ICBC to re-take the test today. An updated version of Learn to Drive is now Learn to Drive before my Learners License expires again in 2 years.

There you have it. Finally another update.

(The photo is the first of our Stargazer Lilies to bloom this year.)

Goals for 2018: One Month Check-in.

It is time to check-in and see how I am doing with my 2018 goals.

Visit Japan. This goal is not going to come to fruition until September, but it is going to happen. As previously stated, we have purchased our plane tickets & accommodations, we are going. The end.

Escape Room. Nope, not yet.

Climb Mount Finlayson. Also, not yet.

Fly a Kite. We have yet to buy a kite, but is on our list. I feel like this one will happen within the next month or two.

Pickle Boat Pub Crawl. The Pickle Boat Pub Crawl season starts April 30th, so there is no way to accomplish this before then. We don’t have a day set, yet.

Meet my Goal Weight. This is always ‘in progress’. I weighed myself a couple of days ago and found out that I had gained 2 pounds. Let’s just say progress is slow. I need to plan my food and stay focused if I am going to meet this goal.

Learn Japanese.  I feel like I am doing well in this. I have been doing my Memrise every day. I have been quizzing myself in Kanji, Katakana, and Hiragana daily. I just need to keep doing what I am doing and then incorporate conversational Japanese.

Learn to Drive. This goal has not gone anywhere. I am going to pull out all of the excuses. Aaron and I have both been very busy with work. I have been working full time +. I need to make a plan for this goal and stick to the plan.

Be the Strongest I have ever been. This goal is going well. For future updates and now, I will just update my current weight and reiterate my goal weights;

Bench: 94 lbs Goal: 100 lbs

Dead Lift: 205 Goal: 250 lbs

Squat: 180 Goal: 200 lbs

Drink Less. Yeah, I better keep working on this.

March Favourites.

TV Shows Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood | Aaron and I started watching this series at the end of February and barreled through the 5 seasons in the month of March. An amazing show with epic fights, interesting lore, and loveable characters.

YouTube Channel Tabieats | I was introduced to this channel by a coworker. It features Shinichi and his partner Satoshi; they eat and make various Japanese and International snacks and foods, along with some vlogs.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Je3-ZV_x38NqQAxKiCCyQ

Book Heartless by Marissa Meyer | I have been incredibly lax in my reading this year and have not even finished a single book. I started reading this book a couple of months ago and once I finally got into it, it has been a fast read. I have enjoyed many of Marissa Meyers books and this is no exception. Set in an Alice in Wonderland themed world, but with a dystopian twist & featuring a love story.

Song J-Hope  – Daydream | J-Hope finally released his mix-tape this past month, along with a couple of music videos. The first single being Daydream. What a fun and upbeat song and great way to kick off the month of March!

Cider The Naramata Cider Company – Dry Apple Cider | A very easy to drink cider that is perfectly dry. Over the month of March I have drank about 8 – 355mL bottles, I am sure there will be more to come in the month of April.

Food Assi Brand – Vegetable Dumpling  | These dumplings are delicious! They are fairly low calorie; about 30 per dumpling; very easy to prepare if you have a steamer, and inexpensive; 4.99$ per 5 serving bag.

Hello.

Finally! The first day of Spring is almost upon us, but in Victoria it feels like it is already here. The sun is shining, the sky is clear, and at 1700h it is 13°. With the sight of a bright and sunny day I feel a sense of happiness. When the first sunny day appears I realize that I am coming out of my seasonal depression. I finally feel motivated again. Right now feels like my ‘new year’. I can make my resolutions and goals. I feel confident that I can accomplish these goals. So, here they are.

My Goals for 2018

Visit Japan. This, perhaps, is one of the largest goals, but it is already in the works. We have already picked the dates we will go, chosen the cities we will visit, purchased our plane tickets, reserved our accommodation for the entire trip, acquired new carry-on size suitcases specifically for this trip, and done a lot of research. We have not been on a major vacation for over 5 years and now that Aaron is almost done school it feels like the perfect time.

Escape Room. In December of last year I did an escape room with my husband and 4 of our friends, it was an amazing time. After which, we all adamantly declared we would do another one together. My husband and I offered to treat the next time, since our dear friend Mike so kindly paid for us all this first time.

Climb Mount Finlayson. This is something that I have done a few times before in the past five or so years. I want to do it again because I am striving to be my fittest and healthiest yet. This hike is one I have not enjoyed in the past, but accomplishing it again will help me reach my goals.

Fly a Kite. I have never flown a kite. I grew up in a valley, not much wind there. I have lived in Victoria for over 10 years now and still have not done it. So, there is no better time than now.

Pickle Boat Pub Crawl. My husband and I were looking at this to do last year, but we did not make a plan, so it did not happen. We love to have fun, we love to have & host parties, and this looks like a lot of fun.

Meet my Goal Weight. I have been overweight for almost all of my adult life life. I had a year or two where I was so close to my goal, but I picked up a less than desirable habit and it all went to shit. This is the year. I feel like I am finally ready to get there and stay there. This is especially important to me because I want a family and I want to pass on positive eating and exercise habits to my children.

Learn Japanese. I have been slowly learning several languages for the past year or so, but this one has an end goal in mind. This is obviously pertinent to my trip to Japan. I want to be literate & have basic conversation down by the time our trip comes. This is going to take diligence with learning and studying. I need to completely learn Hiragana, Katakana, and common Kanji, as well as Japanese words. I have made a good start, but I will need to put in even more effort to accomplish this goal.

Learn to Drive. At a few months shy of 30 years old, I have still not learned to drive. It is past time. I need to learn to drive and acquire my license before I have a family. I do not want to endure the inconvenience of public transportation as someone with children. Or worse, not have access to decent public transportation at all when we relocate out of Victoria.

Be the Strongest I have ever been. I enjoy weight lifting and I use it as my primary form of exercise. I have been lifting off and on for the past, about, 5 years. What this goal means to me is making my goal weights for my big 3 lifts and meeting them. My mid-year (June) goals for bench, dead lift, and squats are as follows;

Bench: 100 lbs

Dead Lift: 250 lbs

Squat: 200 lbs

My current weights for this lifts are;

Bench: 89 lbs

Dead Lift: 195 lbs

Squat: 165 lbs

Drink less. My less than desirable habit I picked up a few years ago was drinking. I personally felt I was on the verge to a serious problem, as I have been very close to that place before. But that sure did not stop me then and it did not stop me this time. If I want to achieve my other goals, I need to achieve this goal. My health and happiness depend on my self-control when it comes to alcohol.

So, there you have it. My 10 goals for 2018 and my first blog post in a long, long time.