Let's keep it a blessing

Food [food]-noun 1. Any nourishing substance that is eaten, drunk, or otherwise taken into the body to sustain life, provide energy, promote growth, etc.

I seriously think that food is one of the greatest blessings we have been given. It's something that everyone needs and it brings happiness! Eating is one of my favorite hobbies and probably always will be :) Food is a blessing but for some people it's a curse. The other day in biology we were discussing obesity and my professor showed this extremely graphic video of an open heart surgery. The heart was covered in fat and the doctors pulled a three inch long strand of solid fat out of this guy's artery. I'm a little squeamish anyway but seeing that made me nauseous. Don't get me wrong, I love pizza, choclate, chicken nuggets, and the occasional trip to Wendy's but watching that grossed me out.

What has happened? I really am curious at how 2/3 of American adults became overweight. And I'm not trying to go on a soapbox rant but our reality is a little sad. In my biology lab class every week, we have a discussion question and after talking about obesity, our question was "Should the government regulate the sale of junk food?" Just the concept that government intervention is needed to help people eat healthier is slightly pathetic. What happened?

Heavenly Father gave us amazing bodies. We are told constantly to not deface our bodies with crazy piercings and tattoos. We are warned of the consequences that will follow if we don't obey the Word of Wisdom. All of these things are meant to keep our bodies pure. So why shouldn't eating healthy fall into that category?

Coming to college has made eating healthy a lot harder. Eating unhealthy is a lot cheaper and way more convenient sadly. But I think having my parents be really strict about food growing up has really helped me to try and maintain the same diet. Even though I missed out on trick or treating, candy, and desserts growing up, I don't feel like it was "loss." I'm glad my parents placed such an importance on eating healthy. And I'll most likely do the same with my own children (in the far future).

Just for fun: A couple years ago, I received an interesting email. It had pictures of the food eaten by different families from different countries. It blew my mind. So I'm posting it for everyone (my few followers haha) to see.




Italy




Egypt



Chad (Africa)



USA



Picha Lovin

Sometimes I get bored of doing homework.

Let me rephrase that.

I ALWAYS get bored doing homework.

So...this is what happens.

When I sent it out, this is what happened.

(Nat doesn't have a webcam but I still love her anyway)

I LOVE these girls :)

Getting old(er)

It's already the second week of my second semester and time is flying by. Sometimes I think I can't wait to graduate and not have to worry about homework and paying tuition. And then I realize that there will be bigger things I'll be worrying about: money, parenting, paying bills, money, jobs, fulfilling a calling, etc. So life isn't going to get any easier. 



The longer I'm here at college, the more I'm beginning to realize that life will never be the same again. I will never get to be the carefree kid I once was...how sad. I occasionally (...often) wish I could go back to being a kid. But then I remember everything I have learned and my newly aquired independence :)  And the many things I don't miss, like being super chubby and having crooked teeth.

 I'm trading in my childhood and carefree days, and in return I'm getting adulthood and responsibility. Is this fair? I haven't decided yet. I'm stuck between used to being a kid and becoming an adult. 

Going home/Coming home

Going home was a lot more different than I had expected. I’m not exactly sure what I expected but confused emotions weren’t one on the list. I think I assumed that life would be the way I left it and I would just slip right back in.

Don’t get me wrong, going home was great. I had missed my family and finally got to see them. I got to cuddle with my cats and hang out with friends I hadn’t seen in months. It was all good fun but something was different. I was a visitor in my own house. I stayed in the guest bedroom and lived out of a suitcase.

I’m not someone who likes change so this was really hard for me. Something that I thought would never change did and I didn’t really know how to handle it. But I tried my best and my family was patient with me, especially my mom. I’m so happy I went home to see my family and learn again the true meaning of Christmas. But what I really realized is that I have two homes now: Enumclaw and Provo. I went home to Enumclaw and then I came home to Provo.

Things I’ll miss about home:

·         My family

·         Delicious water

·         Taking naps with my cats by the fireplace

·         Asking my little brother to get me a glass of water and actually getting one. I feel bad asking my roommates. Plus Jessica won’t, I already tried

·         Fresh seafood

·         Real carpet

·         Being able to take a car and just drive somewhere

·         Seeing my favorite people from high school

·         Unlimited amount of Costco chicken nuggets

·         Not feeling the need to wear make up

·         Going to the gym regularly (ish)

·         The smell of Japanese food

·         My dad’s dumb puns that mix Japanese and English

Things I love about my Provo home:

·         My beautiful, inspiring roommates

·         The amazing 20^th Ward

·         The chance to get a great education

·         Meeting new people

·         The little nice things I see people do everyday

·         The fact that there is a Subway on almost every corner

·         Being independent

·         Getting to do all my own grocery shopping

·         So much more that I don’t even know yet!

あけましておめでとうございます。

Right now my family is playing risk and due to the lack of a good hand (not strategy) I was the first to get out. There’s techno music playing and my dad is getting ready for Sunday dinner tomorrow. And now is the time I decide to think about the end of a huge year.

2010 was definitely a crazy ride. So far, it’s been the biggest year of my life. I had my first serious boyfriend, I graduated, I worked all summer instead of being carefree, I went to college, and I officially became an adult. But no matter what my birth certificate says, I still don’t feel like an adult. I’m still the girl that wants to have sleepovers and secretly go TPing. I still throw tantrums and I like having my mom pay for stuff.

But this year also taught me to love being independent. My parents weren’t really strict in high school so I pretty much had free reign and did what I wanted to (within reason of course). But I like not having to report to my mom where I’m going. I love going grocery shopping. I love the politeness in my dorm (my mom just told my brothers she was going for the jugular; she wants to win haha).

Just like Christmas, bringing in the New Year was different than our normal family tradition. New Years always reminds me of Japan because normally, we would be in there. On New Year’s Eve, we would go to the Buddhist temple down the street and gong the gong 108 times. The belief behind this is that there are 108 sins and by hitting the gong 108 times, you are getting rid of those sins for the new year. And then in the morning, we wake up really early and climb a neighboring mountain. It’s an intense hike but watching the first sunrise of the new year is so worth it. However, staying up until 3 o’clock this year didn’t really make me excited to wake up early and watch it as great as it is. Maybe next year.

(Risk update: Mom has Asia, Australia, half of North and South America, and half of Europe).

I haven’t gone through last year’s resolutions yet but I’ve been crossing them off throughout the year. This year has been the most successful so far! I’ve been trying to think of this year’s but I keep coming up with the typical ones: be nice, be more grateful, read my scriptures, etc. As great as those are, I’ve been trying to think of some that will help other people as well as myself. I found this quote that I really like.

         "It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself."  -Ralph Waldo Emerson

So my main theme this year is to help others. Somehow I will try and incorporate that into all of my resolutions.  Hopefully. But I’m ready for a clean start, a new beginning, another door---a new year.



Sunrise of last time I was in Japan.



Fujie
Oh how I miss you






There's always a new day.

 

今年もよろしくお願いします。

100

I wrote 100 things about me about a year ago and it was really interesting to go back and compare how things have or haven't changed. Here's the new one!

1.      I am Elizabeth and Mei. Elizabeth is my English name and Mei is my Japanese name. But mostly I just answer to whatever people call me.

2.      I love the Gospel.

3.      I am a colorful socks kind of person. As well as a don’t match my socks kind of person.

4.      I used to love children but now I just like seeing them at church and on Saturday nights from around 5ish to bedtime.

5.      Cats are better.

6.      I love taking pictures and wish I was good at taking them.

7.      I drink out of a water bottle constantly. It reminds me to stay hydrated. One of the things I miss most at college is Washington water.

8.      I love quality quotes. They inspire me.

9.      I also love alliterations. And short sentences.

10.  I can crack almost every joint in my body. And do so frequently.

11.  I have lived on (in?) 3 continents.

12.  I love to laugh…loudly.

13.  But I love making people laugh even more.

14.  Reading is very relaxing when I choose the book and have time.

15.  I own way too many blue and green clothes.

16.  I loved high school but I love college more.

17.  Not a fan of waking up early but if I sleep in, I feel like my day has been wasted.

18.  I wish I was creative and artistic.

19.  I love being tan.

20.  My favorite season is constantly changing. Sometimes it’s fall, sometimes it’s summer or spring. But it’s never winter.

21.  According to Jessica and my mother, I am slightly OCD about my grades.

22.  I don’t believe in soul mates.

23.  I love the smell of clean babies.

24.  I think it’s hilarious that my parents rock out to Lady Gaga. And kind of weird.

25.  I’ve been dancing since I was four. I love it. And now that I’m not dancing I miss it more than I could have ever imagined.

26.  I’m a germ freak about certain things. Like I don’t mind sharing a fork, but I don’t like sharing my water. But I am getting “better.”

27.  27 is Aubrey’s favorite/lucky number and always points out if something is 27. So thanks to her constant reminders, I think of her every time I hear/see the number 27 haha.

28.  I hate being asked the question what do you want to be when you grow up because I don’t know!

29.  I used to be obsessed with Hello Kitty. Hello Kitty shoes, sheets, stuffed animals, boom box, pencil case, pens, erasers, colored pencils, purse, you get the picture.

30.  I love zebra print but would never actually wear real zebra skin (fur?).

31.  Wal-Mart’s tropical trail mix helps me get through homework.

32.  Apple Juice=delicious. There was this shirt I found onetime and it said, “Drink apple juice.

OJ kills.”

33.  Quoting movies is a common pastime. And it’s an epic fail when you make a reference to a movie quote and no one knows what you’re talking about.

34.  I sing in the shower (who doesn’t?)

35.  I always wear rings.

36.  I have tiny ears.

37.  Jessica Decker is my smoglum/2^nd cousin/best friend/roommate/wife. We suffer from T.O.

38.  A good game of truth or dare is a great way to bond.

39.  A runner’s high is my favorite (and only) kind of high.

40.  Aubrey Flintoff and I have danced together and been friends since I was 5 and I miss her more than she knows now that I’m at college.

41.  I have never broken a bone.

42.  I don’t like the rain but I will probably end up living in Western Washington when I grow up.

43.  I love working out.

44.  Eating is one of my hobbies.

45.   Chiropractors are miracle workers.

46.  Sleep is one of the greatest gifts to humankind.

47.  I am not witty like Jillian Koontz or Carissa Gwerder.

48.  I find humor in funny faces and weird noises.

49.  My roommates are the best roommates in this world. Truly. I’m not quite sure how I got so lucky.

50.  I love having my nails painted black. Black just goes with everything.

51.  I love chapstick.

52.  I don’t know how to act around people who text completely different than they act.

53.  I don’t really like candy or desserts. There are exceptions of course (chocolate!).

54.  I own way too many pairs of Converse. But it’s just so fun to own lots of colors!

55.  I have a difficult time following a recipe. I like to create my own recipes.

56.  I don’t look like either of my parents. I look like both of my grandmas.

57.  Out of everything I’ve read, Harry Potter is by far the best book series. However, I prefer the books to the movies. Movies don’t do them justice.

58.  If I could, I would live in sweats every day.

59.  I like drinking out of Mason jars. Apparently that’s a weird thing to do.

60.  I am Japanese, Native America, and Caucasian (white).

61.  I dislike gardening but I love having fresh homegrown fruits and veggies.

62.  You know how some people sleep so peacefully and cute? I don’t. I’m not an attractive sleeper and I roll around. Constantly.

63.  I didn’t grow up watching TV, but I love watching movies.

64.  I have an unladylike habit of burping I am trying to break.

65.  I love hugs from anyone! They just make life so much better.

66.  I have a hard time accepting change. But since change is the only thing constant in life, I’m learning to accept it.

67.  I’m not too picky about music. I have a difficult time with jazz and country but give me a good beat and I’m happy.

68.  I’ve been on an airplane over 40 times.

69.  I don’t like popcorn or peanut butter.

70.  I have an amazing pair of multicolored spandex tights that were my grandma’s from the 80s. As well as way too many colored tights.

71.  I’m not a fan of facial hair but some guys can definitely pull it off.

72.  Hot showers put me in a good mood.

73.  There are some fantastic inventions. Some of my personal favorites: heated toilet seats, jump drives, and hairspray.

74.  I love telling and embellishing a great story.

75.  Yet I have a really hard time talking in front of large groups of people. I get nervous and my voice and hands shake.

76.  I eat rice every day.

77.  I want to travel Europe one day.

78.  I’d rather eat with chopsticks than a fork.

79.  I’m on Facebook every day but I’d like to think I’m not addicted.

80.  I’m Jackie Chan’s second biggest fan. His number one fan is my mom.

81.  I sadly fall into the dumb girl category when it comes to cars.

82.  I love to cook. Sadly can’t say the same for baking.

83.  I think going green and recycling is great. We should all try and help preserve Mother Nature. Except when I told someone this, they just said the second coming would take care of all of that. So I guess it depends on your perspective on life haha.

84.  I have a new love for plaid flannel shirts. They are so comfy!

85.  Everything about summer is great. Going to the lake, beach hair, laying in the sun, etc.

86.  I’m obsessed with zumba and would someday like to teach it.

87.  I have different types of sneezes. I have a certain sneeze for when there’s food in my mouth and a regular sneeze.

88.  I am currently majoring in indecision.

89.  I love having a messy bun on top of my head but I also love it when it’s down and someone is playing with it.

90.  I am super ticklish and my brothers use this to their full advantage.

91.  If I could, I would make it fashionable for everyone to be bald so I wouldn’t have to do my hair every day.

92.  I’m not good at sports. I feel awkward and uncoordinated. And I am usually picked last for teams.

93.  I like massaging people (but not in a creepy way).

94.  Sometimes I wish I didn’t have to get dressed after getting out of the shower. But I think my roommates appreciate that I do.

95.  Sometimes I tell people more than they want to know.

96.  I’m grateful for genuinely nice people in this world. I keep thinking there are fewer and fewer of them until I see a stranger perform an act of kindness and then my faith in the world is rekindled.

97.  Leonardo da Vinci said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” I completely agree!

98.  I can fall asleep anywhere. I’ve slept on the kitchen floor, stairs, etc.

99.  I think it’s refreshing when guys show their emotions sometimes rather than put on an act of bravado.

And last but definitely not least!

100. As much as I love my family, I didn’t realize how important they were until I went off to college. And even though I learned a lot more than just that this semester, if I had only learned that, this semester still would’ve been worth it. Love them all.