LOL, picture courtesy of the lovely M-ko. ^.~ Somehow, we accidentally ended up at some kind of a festival, and I couldn't resist the candied mandarin oranges on a stick. XD (not very good!)

I've been so busy recently... and I discovered something about myself-- I love it!! I love being busy! Sure, I need a little bit of down time in the end, but I love having things to do! I love being called on, being needed (lol), and just in general not having a lot of idle time where I just sit around. It makes me really, really want to get into acting, actually. I wonder if it's at all possible. I mean, acting in dramas, not just as myself. But then again, being myself is like an exension of the truth. I might be getting off track here...

I got out of the studio a few days ago and it's been nonstop since then! On Thursday night, I solicited Eda's help to haul huge boxes of chocolates home (it helps working on an ikkemen manga, I tell you!), and to my utter happiness, was able to steal a few second of phone time with T, who is ever-elusive. Happy =^__^= But I had trouble sleeping for some reason. On Friday, I had some errands to take care of, and then exhausted and fighting the snow/drizzling rain of doom that fell over Tokyo over the weekend (I thought it was spring already-- what happened to those 75+ degree days? Global warming is frightening badly named), I had dinner with Erin, whom I haven't chatted with in a while. I got home super late and tried to take care of chores around the house, since I am the only one home at the moment, but I conked out around 4 am.

On came Saturday, and I got to see M-ko after a long absence! We trekked around Shibuya, met some nice people from Australia who needed sightseeing advice, and hit up some awesome temples which will be the subject of my next Asahi Weekly article. I'll talk more about them after the article is out. ^_^ After that, I had a meeting with Kyodo TV/ overseas NHK, who wanted to film me and some friends on Sunday (today).. it was again a late night, but a nice one! By the time I finally got home, I was exhausted, and even though things are piling up, I only had the energy to run a bath and get in and read..

Then today, I got up, ran some errands on the way to a meeting with another TV studio concerning something really awesome! I can't talk about it yet, but I will after it's over! It's really cool! I'm going to put a lot of energy and effort into this project, and hopefully it will lead great places!! (though I am nervous as hell!!) After that, I did the filming in Akihabara with NHK. More details on that to come in.. April? My interviewee was really sweet, and we exchanged contact information... I hope that we have some time to hang out in the future! =^__^=

And now.... I read a little bit more-- thanks to everyone who recommended some good Haruki Murakami books. Especially blushingblood, who linked me to "On seeing the 100% Perfect Girl". Easily that's one of my favorite short stories of all time now. I am such a sucker for romantic fate! (even if it's tragic). From that, I bought The Elephant Vanishes and am enjoying it far more thoroughly than I've ever enjoyed another of his books. Based on this, I would definitely continue reading others. Thanks to everyone who gave me suggestions!!

Well, there's not much else to say at the moment, unless you count the obligatory I'M SO TIRED!!! I'm also full of optimism, moving in good directions (I hope!), working my hardest ever, learning a lot, and finally starting to unwrap the coils that have been protecting my tired, tired heart. Now things to work on are:
+ EXERCISE! Since I am in the studio or busy a lot, I don't have time. It's also cold outside, and playing sports or riding bikes are my favorite ways to be aerobic... spring cooooooome please!
+ Volunteering!! I signed up with a few places, now I just need to find the time to do it! GANBARU!
+ I looked into capoeira! I've been wanting to try it for years, and I have the motivation. I also found what seems like the perfect classes, which are also CLOSE! (since Ihaven't moved YET.... need money!) Just need to find the time, again. I was going to go tonight because I finished work in time, but my knee was hurting so I decided to rest. I should have gone, though!
+ Love life. Hahaaaaaa, what love life? Seriously. I say this a lot. But there's a reason. =)

Dreams... I've been having nightmares pretty much every night. It's also hard to fall asleep, which is rare. I suppose that this has something to do with a) moving into so many unexplored places so quickly, and b) trying to unfreeze my heart. Oh, I've been so emotional recently. But I think that I'd rather have it this way. Even if it brings on the sadness sometimes, and the intense emotions. It just makes me appreciate the happiness more. And bad dreams... well, hey it's nice when you wake up and realize that it's not real, at least!

And one last thing: THANK YOU!!! THANK EVERYONE!! ♥♥♥♥♥ I really, really appreciate it. I think what gave me the courage to push myself and keep going was the first time that someone commented to my journal with something along the line of, "even if you stop working for Konomi-sensei, I want to read your manga!!" And other comments of the like. So much support, from not just friends that I know well, but people that have never even met me or talked to me. It's the best.. I really, really love all of you! Without so much support (and especially in the form of comments... it's such a great confidence-booster), I wouldn't be able to keep pushing! Now I know that what a lot of people in media will say-- that to them, the most important thing is their fans. It's true that the have loved ones in their lives. And those loved ones will support them of course. But it's the ones that love your work for what it is, or love you without having to, that can really pick you up when nobody else can. I kind of feel like I'm on my way to understanding....

So just, thank you ♥