(Re)learning concentration

Hello my Dears,

I have finally found the will to post something again. I still have a hard time realizing I actually passed. I don't think I will actually realize it until I have my first day of school as a Ninensei (second year student).

Even if I'm still in a bit of a cloud, finally having some peace and time for myself, I try to keep going with my studies. I need to keep repeating my Japanese (all of it) in order to not forget it during this summer holiday (I know I will) and to improve it (I really need to). But, I noticed I have a really hard time concentrating on one thing at a time!

Lately there are a lot of articles on how the internet screws and changes our brain. Articles like this one is an example of those articles. The point is: internet is shortening our attention span. The first time I read about this (about 2 years ago) I didn't believe it. I mean, why should I? I read the whole twilight serie, and the last harry potter book, in one week. But this year I started noticing, I could not concentrate on my homework, or my studies, for much longer then 30 minuts (and even that was stretching it). I get bored by long blog posts, when I'm reading fanfiction I switch from fanfiction to facebook to twitter to tumblr and back to my fanfiction. I've gotten so used to quick information, short messages and changing screens, that I have a hard time keeping to one thing at a time!

Within a year time I've shortened my attention span AND become a social media addict!

I'm sort of at a loss on what to do about this! And internet stop would be an idea, but everything I have is on the internet! e-mail (both personal and for school), msn (with my family), facebook (for friends AND school), school information, bank account, moving to a new room, we need the internet!!! Sure I still have my cellphone, but none of my friends call anymore! They use smartphones, so we use facebook and msn for that! I could send out letters, but as cute and fashionable old fashion it is, I will most likely get my very late response through mail, facebook or msn.

Being online less is an option, an option I'm trying, but what to do in the meantime?

So I have gone back to reading books. I've started reading books again before going to sleep, and I'm trying to read about an hour per day for now. Which I noticed already isn't quite as easy as it was a year or so ago. I keep wanting to check facebook and twitter and my e-mail.

But what else to do? So besides reading books I have started to do write in my dairy. I just start writing and continue writing until I have nothing to write about anymore, or until I feel content. I use it to release the thoughts in my head, and to concentrate on something! It is actually quite funny to do. I realize a lot of things while being busy with free writing. One of those things? My head is a complete and utter mess! One more reason to (re)learn to focus on one thing at a time.

The last thing on my list of "ways to (re)learn concentration" is a list of things I need to do for Japanese homework each day. 1 whole A4 page of kanji per day, and when I can do that without to much distractions, 1 hole A4 page of words per day, and so on. This way I keep busy with my studies and maybe expand my attention span again.

I want to (re)learn to concentrate for a longer time period, like I could do before I became a social media addict. If you have the same problem, if you have any tips, or just a comment, please leave a message!

Love you,

Chibi Ohimesama

(picture source: Tumblr.com)

Need for study....

Hello my Dears,

I want to start with a happy note: I PASSED MY JAPANESE SPEAKING RETAKE (and I seriously have no idea how). I'm super happy :D because this means I still have a chance. I'm on my way to my 4th blok period tests now. So I got 4 more Japanese tests to go. Which means that I have to study like hell!!

There are a lot of things I need to do: I need to study English, I need to study Japanese cultural knowledge and I need to study every aspect of the Japanese language we have had up until now. So that means I have to study Japanese grammar, Japanese Kanji, Japanese listening, and Japanese speaking. Thats a lot of studying, believe me on that.
I only have a few more days for everything, and I'm kinda freaking out. Okay, I'm really freaking out. I'm really glad I have my Japanese speaking test 2 weeks from now, instead of coming week. So I have more time for that. But I really just want to pass it all.

I really want to become a second year student. I want to have cute little kohai (students of a lower grade then me), and just really get to my goal! I want to stay and have fun with everybody, and feel like I'm finally doing what I like! Which is this study!!

But sadly, I get distracted really fast -I am, after all, typing this blog entry instead of studying, aren't I?- so I have to get rid of my distractions. How am I going to do this??? I'm going to cancel my number one distraction: The Internet.

After I finished this post, I'm going to exit my browser. So that means:
- No more facebook
- No more tumblr
- No more twitter
- No more blogging (after this one)
- Lots and lots of studying
- Small little fun breaks in between, but only when I finished a subject. And no longer then 10 to 20 minutes
- 2 or 3 big breaks of 30 to 60 minutes MAX

And I am going to try my absolute best!! I WILL become a second year student of the Japanese language!!

Please with me luck, cheer me on, and I will come back to you after my tests are over to update you on the end results!

Love you guys!!

Until next time

Another Quick update!

Hello my Dears,

Just a quick update today!
I bought a curl iron for my new haircut. I saw all these cute messy curl hairdo's for short hair, and I wanted to try it out. But I needed a curl iron for that, and I didn't have one yet. A curl iron has been on my want-list for ages, so this week I finally got one!
This is the end result:

I know all my facebook followers already saw it, but... It's so super cute I just wanted to show it in my blog, as well!

Lets see. One more week until I have to do my retake on Japanese speaking. I'm super nervous about it. I really don't know if I can make it, but I'm going to do my best!! Really I am!
I have been listening to our Japanese listening CD every moment I'm pretty much doing nothing. I'm even listening at it as I'm typing this! I'm listening to the grammar and I'm trying to translate it, sort of.

After next week I also have my new exams. Once again I have Japanese speaking, Japanese Listening, Japanese writing and Japanese reading. I'm not as confident about these exams as I have been about the last ones. I feel like I didn't do enough to be able to pas them. Even though I actually have been doing quite a bit if I think really hard on it. But I'm going to study super hard! I already decided to put even more time in my studies. Maybe even get a little less sleep every other day or so, and drink coffee. Well, drinking coffee is something I actually like, but normally don't do because it keeps me awake if I drink it after 2 PM or so.

I really really really hope I pass my exams. I really want to stay and learn more, to become a PR person in a Japanese fashion magazine or brand. That would be so cool!

aah. Did I mention I bough sneakers? I don't think I did. Here they are!

I know it isn't the prettiest picture but, these are my new babies. They are a bit hot for summer weather but they are so pretty! And comfi! I'm planning on getting new summer shoes as well. But I haven't found my perfect pair yet. I will keep looking, when I have time, besides studying, haha.

I think that is my update for now. I will keep my dear readers (you) updated about my exams the coming period, and the results, of course! Please wish me luck!!

Until next time, my dears!

My current addiction: Takarazuka

Hello my dear readers,

It has been a while since I posted. I'm working on a "Do it my way" post but I wanted to post about something different first: Takarazuka.

I posted a little about Takarazuka in This post. Takarazuka is a theater form in Japan where all the roles are played by girls!! And~ It is my current addiction. I want to go to the Takarazuka theater in Japan someday and watch a show, for real. I already got to see Hamlet!! (a rock opera)(youtube), Elizabeth (a sort of side story of Sisi)(youtube)(youtube), The phantom of the opera (youtube) and my sweet sensei (thank you!!) lend me the DVD of the Takarazuka play The scarlet Pimpernel (youtube).

Takarazuka is a special theater style. Ichizo Kobayashi formed an all female theater group. Ichizo was the owner of Hankyu Railways, in Takarazuka, Japan in 1913. And thats where the Takarazuka Theater group got there name from! Western songs and shows were becoming populair in Japan, and Ichizo wanted to have an attraction to boost the ticket sales. And thus Takarazuka was born! (source: wikipedia)

I could tell you all about takarazuka here, but since I'm not really good in telling things I'll give you (once again) the wiki link so you can read all about it if you want! There is also a special Wikipedia on Takarazuka called Taki wiki with information about shows, the troupes and actresses.

Why do I think Takarazuka is cool? Well, for one because it is played by girls only. I think the Otokoyaku (the male role players) are super awesome. They look great, and even though you can see they are female from time to time, I tend to forget they are when I'm watching the play. The Musumeyaku (the female role players) are really beautiful and they remind me a bit of flowers when they are on stage. And then you have the costumes *dreams away*. I need to watch things with huge/fancy costumes in it at least 3 times. The Takarazuke costumes are so...so... they fit the entire image of the performance. And the best thing? You can go to Salon de Takarazuka and FIT THEM~ and get your PHOTO TAKEN *squeel*.

Please take a look at the youtube links, the wiki links and enjoy <3 And please let me know what you think!!! Maybe we could even someday organize a get together to watch Takarazuka together!!

Untill next time~

Ohanami~!

Hello my dear readers~

For you who don't understand the titel of this blog piece: Ohanami is a Japanese word that means Flower blossom viewing. Which is what we did today~!


Aren't they beautiful? It was my first time going to an Ohanami. I went there with my friends, my Japanese teachers and they're friends and some other people from school.

I had a lot of fun. Sometimes I really wonder how old we are because we tend to act like little kids, doing stuff like trowing chocolate easter eggs to each other, playing ball, doing "Darumasan ga koronda" and lots of other fun stuff.

I'd like to say I feel happy now, but I feel kind of lonely after having a gathering like todays. Maybe because I'm afraid it won't last forever? Because I'm afraid I'll forget? I don't know, but I do look forward to the next time.

I won't bother you with more ranting on being lonely and blah and stuff and I'll just show you some pretty pictures. I hope you'll enjoy the pictures, and untill next time~!


Onigiri
Under the Sakura tree


Hope you enjoyed~ Untill next time~

Weird things

Hello~

Today I have some weird happy things to post about. Weirder then normal? Well, yes, to some of you it might be weird.

I'm at the moment completely happy about my first time making~ *drum sounds* ~ Sprouts!
Yes, sprouts <3 Those greene little vegtebles so many people hate. I love them. And my very first time making them turned out great <3 they were yummy.

I felt good about making homework. I actuarly understood what the book said, which was great.

O and we had our first Kanji lesson today. Asusa-sensei is a great teacher. She teaches in a really fun way that makes you remember things way easier then the boring book stuff. I gave her muffins yesterday, as a thank you because she borrowed me her NaNa magazine. Which was a really great magazine. I love the Japanese fashion.

And~ I aparently gave a HUGE compliment to one of my clasmates. I was looking at the pictures in my Kera (June 2010) magazine and there was this one model that reminded me of that clasmate. So today I took the magazine with me and told that clasmate that model reminded me of her. She was totally hounered by it. Really cute <3. After that we started squeeling about all the cute cloths and hot/sexy/cute models in the magazine, haha.
It was fun.

And I should really be doing homework right now, haha...
Well I'll be off to do homework now.

*waves* Bai Bai

ChibiOhimeSama