gotta do what you love and love what you do

when it is possible, Lisa.

I want to remind myself again that when I take pictures I am really happy, even when I only get a few "good ones" that I am okay with. Even if I only got one at the end of the day, I should be happy with that.

Last week I went to the first summer baseball game. It was my first time to see my students play at the stadium. If they can do well till the very end, they will represent Okinawa and compete with other prefectures. Besides teaching at the International department, I also work with 150+ students from the Athletic department. No, I don't teach them sports. I team teach English with another Japanese teacher. These students have regular classes in the morning, and in the afternoon they practice for 4, 5 hours and try to win as many games as possible. Hardworking kids that love sports and are always tired during class hours. The baseball and Judo team at school have always done very well at different tournaments. This year's tennis and golf team are also doing well and participating games up in mainland Japan.

Last week was very sunny and I got tan from supporting them! It was fun to cheer with them and tried to follow them. For the past few weeks, I would go see them during lunch when the 1st year and 2nd year baseball students practice 30+ songs/cheers. I would try to go as many times as possible, because it's interesting to see how they behave and interact with each other outside of class. I adore these students, even though most of them are too shy to talk to me in English. I believe that we try to understand each other and didn't mean to make the other person unhappy most of the time. Really though, I wish I could speak the language or I wish they were better at speaking English. hehehe.

treasure map

it is very easy to get lost on the internet. for me. also to lose track of time. but i'm getting better at walking away from the computer. because my wireless is not the best and I get frustrated.

but whether i am on flickr, tumblr, facebook, google, or imdb.com....it is too easy. i would open one link after another link, so it's not unusual that i found myself opening 12 taps in a window, like now.

i am grateful for the internet, my laptop, and my camera (and many other things), but because sometimes i want to be efficient and do things very quickly. it might have been too much for my internet. but my computer has been very helpful and patient with me.

anyways, getting lost on the internet, and finding different things about, for example a movie, or a photographer is fun. finding what kind projects they have done or what kind of quotes they had were interesting...these kind of findings are like a mini research project for myself.

the story of me finding my new favorite female photographer (after mika ninagawa) was that i found her photo book at a coffeeshop. i went online afterwards and googled her. and found out she has a sponsored blog with canon japan, and kept this blog with beautiful pictures.

i love that she wrote so much and i have so much details and information i can learn about her, and perhaps stories behind the pictures.

according to wikipedia, she has photographed for Uniqlo, McDonald's, was the cinematographer two movies.   

all photos by ichihashi orie 市橋おりえ

you, you, you and you.

Konnichiwa こんにちは! *Good afternoon*
Genki desu ka 元気ですか?? *How are you??

It’s already finals week for the students over here, so it will be pretty quiet for Lisa-the teaching-assistant this couple days. Their first day of exam is on December 1st. Excuse me, DECEMBER FIRST? Whaaat??? That means I have passed my 2-month mark in Okinawa!! SAFE!! *clap clap clap*

This semester of school will be done on 12/28. Before school ends there will be some more prepping for class days, hanging out with the kids days or off to different adventures on weekend days. (Sad FYI: I am working on Christmas. But I am hoping to wear my 100yen Rudolph hairband to work. Ho ho ho)

After the 28th, Lisa is off to Tokyo, Yokohama, Kamakura, and Hakone!!!!!! I was happy to fight for the tickets on Skymark (Japanese priceline?) last month with Hannah. The tickets are about the price of flying to NYC from MN. And for accommodations, Hannah and I are staying about half the time in hotel, half the time at my friend Nozomi’s grandparents place! Dividing the average costs of hotels, it was a pretty good deal. :]

I am very excited to see Tokyo again in a MONTH and meeting up with some of my old friends. I met Nozomi when I studied in Tokyo 2 years ago, and we have kept a good relationship since. On the other hand, most of my friends are traveling out of Tokyo with their families to other prefectures up north or FRANCE for their Christmas/New Year trips. So I will have to go back. (haha) My family will also be off to China with Grandma for a couple days. So I won’t be seeing them for New Years. But! I am going home for Chinese New Year, which I have missed for five years now. I can’t wait for it, and I am grateful Okinawa is so close to home and the job I have is so kind about letting me taking days off without too much hassle.

I cannot believe Christmas is coming so soon! Graduation, traveling with mom, summer at home, started working in Okinawa and BAM, it is Christmas already! BAM! Becky’s BABIES will be here!!! Ahem, I have distracted myself here. Oh yes, I am excited to see Shibuya crossing, the romantic red brick warehouses again. Seeing the Japanese big Buddha first time, visiting the Little Prince museum, going to hot springs, and visiting national parks overlooking the Mt Fuji!!! It will be a blast.

Back to reality real quick, what I am trying to say in this blog was that I have been enjoying the simple and quiet schedule I have here. It might be boring to some, but I like my simple life – eat, pray, work, travel and love.

My days usually go like this: Get up, go to work, two or three hours of classes in the morning, co-workers will share treats they got from trips to everyone (and sometimes that’ll be my breakfast) then yes! Lunch time! Go to the “Bento street” across the street for my lunch box or eat out somewhere, sometimes walk to the “Kon-bi-ni”, the convenient store, “Lawson” for a snack, or browse around magazines. Then coming back with usually just one class in the afternoon, so I correct student’s homework or prep for class materials. I should consider bringing my laptop in to edit the pictures when I have down time. But I probably shouldn’t.

Life is good, work wise…I am not freaking out as much anymore, and I am getting better at being punctual. Also I have been eating (haha), occasionally I bring lunchboxes I made the night before. And maybe 80% the kids I teach like me and smile when I talk to them. (5 of them are my new BFFs…haha).

I consider that a big SUCCESS.

Living wise, I am also visiting different places each weekend, discovering new places to walk around and I have not seen other spider yesterday. (haha) Also, I am glad to use the down time as my study time this week. I am taking a Japanese Language Proficiency Test on Sunday. I am failing it, but I just might have the luck to pass it. If I really pass it, I would truly believe I can do whatever I want.

Remember that blog about me losing it during that monthly work meeting? I am still scared of it... because last month’s meeting I was able to skip it. 2 hours of listening to Japanese is not the worst, 2 hours of listening and sitting and doing nothing else make me nervous. I am too used multitasking since college and have million things going on. It’s hard to just sit and do one thing for me now. Hehehe.

love, Lisa

p.s. I will put up pictures soon. I was able to get some good ones because it stopped raining and it is not cloudy so much anymore. Yay. Lunch time!

pictures for the day

http://okinawa.polaroids.jp/

Check out some Polaroids from all over Japan.

It's graduation tomorrow!

*tears*

*yay*

being happy.

This picture was taken last semester in December 2009. 

And Mary, my beautiful sister left me a comment like this:

. 

. 

5 months later

. 

.

that hasn't changed yet. :D

photobook

Prelude | BOOK INFO

Everywhere

I meant to write earlier....

I wish there are 5 Lisa(s) so I am able to finish everything all at once.

But here is my everywhere blog for you.

The above picture is me wearing my friend's glasses last month at Buffalo Wild Wings, the girl sitting next to me is Virginia, my fun and awesome roommate. English + Education major, she loves to sing.

This above picture is taken at a concert I went a while ago here at school. Keri Noble's music is sweet and makes me think singing everything out loud is fun. This one and the concert one were taken with my phone.

The person with the red shirt on is Uncle Matt. We are BFFs now. Over break we went to Sam's club once, Menard's once, Cub foods once...all in one afternoon. By the way, the nacho he made was goooood.

It rained over the Easter weekend I stayed at Matt's. Quite dreamy. I love it when it rains and not too cold. It was too chili today. This was taken yesterday around 8pm,

I was taking the bus over to SJU for a friend's painting reception. It took up my evening and I couldn't concentrate afterwards...but it's my fault.... And yes, if you haven't heard yet.....

I will be working for a high school in Okinawa for a year! Getting paid, 6 days a week, as a teaching assistant. helping with Chinese + English. :)

April 8th, exactly one month till I graduate!

i'm glad i met you, camera.

you make me a better. braver person.

I can't say I am good at this, but definitely I am getting along well with my camera .

It must be because of the internship, I get to use my camera almost weekly, if not every other day. Just yesterday, I went into the backstage of a play the arts programming csb|sju is having these two weeks --- Macbeth.

It was an experience I looked forward to almost all semester. I knew the pictures from the play would help my portfolio and the project I am working on. It's something I didn't want to miss.

For couple months now I emailed the actor who is playing Macbeth on and off. I emailed him again last week asking about rehearsals. He told me, "since the play already opened, we don't do rehearsals anymore."

Ok.

So I contacted the stage manager last week and  the assistant director as soon as I could.

No response.

Finally I emailed the director and she suggested me visiting the crew on Thursday.

I couldn't go on Thursday. 

So I went in and tried to find the dressing room anyways last night. Just me and my camera. First thing as I opened the door, I got questioned by one of the casts if I was from the Record. 

 "No, but your director knows I am coming." 

She was Lady Macbeth later I found out. 

"Well, you better find her first."

I tried to find the director, but no luck, she wasn't in her office.

I stood at the hallway for couple minutes and went inside .

"Do you mind if I take you guys pictures?"

"No!" "Not at all" "Go ahead!"

"Sure, I guess." Lady Macbeth said. 

I'm just happy I went in and didn't let Lady Macbeth stop me.

time, could you slow down a bit?

(taken in february by a friend)

Doesn't the color of the picture make you feel like it's taken by film? It's not.

Click here to see more of me and what I've been seeing.

xoxo

cheese!

the pictures turned out a lot better when dr. axel was smiling...
when he does not smile, he looks very serious and quite scary.
(especially with the poor stage lighting)

he is from austria.
he conducts the chamber choir and the men's choir.
and not to worry, the pictures i am sending him are not pink.

Snapshots.

Since classes are canceled today because of the snow storm....
here are some more pictures I have taken recently :) Enjoy!

i didn't know you are secretly deleting me..

flickr flickr, you shouldn't have
let me add any more pictures.

now my older pictures are hidden
in your flickr world...silly me just realized....
how can i find them back?
getting a pro account?

i think i should start find another place
to put my pictures...perhaps, a new website

a new place.

truly disappointed
(in you or myself, i am not sure),

lisa

(i was able to find some in the hidden flickr,
only if someone had faved/commented on them)

well, they should all been backed up in a CD or
a hard drive of some sort at my house.

Not to worry. Good day!