New Year....New Resolutions....Why?

kagami mochi (left) and Hello Kitty 巳 (right)

少し遅れたの...新年明けましておめでとうございます！(Just a little late....Happy New Year!)

2012 what happened to you?! It's already 2013! Time flies when you're having....fun? I don't know how much fun 2012 was. In my last blog, I put how much of a disappointment 2012. With 2012 done and 2 days into 2013, hopefully things turn around this time!

First of all, I changed the title of the blog. There's NO WAY I can keep a somewhat daily blog. I just have too much $#!+ going on to find the time to write a blog a day. Plus nobody wants to read my blog. So why do I do it? Why not write in a journal and not publicly publish things of my life?....I have no clue why I do this. Maybe it's just to rant and maybe someone out there thinks the same as me...or maybe they think the opposite and would like to argue and make a comment (hint hint).

So...美ちゃん's randomness. Yes, there's a lot of randomness in my life. I have my job, dance, running, sewing, baking, crafting....and whatever I can fit in my schedule. Hey you only live once....unless you believe in reincarnation and then you can live many many lifetimes.

With the new year, comes new year's resolutions. Why do we torture ourselves and come up with things we KNOW we won't do? I mean at first it seems like a good idea and then a month goes by and you realize you've been slacking. Then another month and another month...soon it's the end of the year and you start making another list of unaccomplished things. But I'm just being cynical. I put myself through this torture EVERY year.

So here we go!.....2013 resolutions!

1. Lose the 10 lbs. I gained in 2012! (what the....that's right I gained that much weight....and proud of it!...not really)
2. Finish a marathon in under 5 hours....or just have a P.R. (personal record)
3. Learn to speak Korean well. (I am only learning basics for February, but I would like to be able to be as proficient as my Japanese)
4. Be a better Japanese speaker. (Even though I can read, write and understand Japanese, my speaking skills suck! Plus I want to be good enough to pass the JLPT N1)
5. Spend more time with family. (Last year, I kinda dropped the ball on that one)
6. Start studying for my CPA. (I keep telling myself every year....and nothing happens!)

I think that's enough resolutions for a year....maybe a little too much! But if I think about it if I accomplish #1, then #2 would be attainable. Losing weight will definitely improve my running (as long as I don't lose too much muscle mass). #5 may be a challenge. Work, dance and running take up majority of my time that it only leaves Saturday and Sunday (during my slow season) to spend time with my grandma (my last grandparent...she's fighter!).

As long as I keep a positive perspective on this whole resolution idea, most of my list may be accomplished this time! We shall see in the coming months. I know January will fly by in no time with all the work that's in store for me!

Enough about resolutions....time to change subjects....New Years!

How was everyone's new year? Mine....it was....tiring but enjoyable!

Every year I slave away in the kitchen baking new year's treats for work, home and friends. It's become almost a tradition for many. Isn't that what the holidays are for....tradition (I'll get more into the subject of tradition later). So what do I make....乳団子(chichidango...look it up if you don't know) and 振り掛け(furikake) mix.

Chichidango

With 13 coworkers, it's a little more difficult making enough for everyone. So I had to cheat a little. Instead of giving the usual amount I give to my coworkers in previous years, I had to give a little less. I don't think they mind. The only way they'd mind is if I DON'T make anything....hey that's an idea. That would throw everyone off!

In the end, I made 5 batches of chichidango which is 240 pieces!

The kids getting in on the tradition...Rock Band

Does anyone have New Year's traditions? Well for me every New Year's Eve, Scott and I go to his uncle's house for some food, fireworks and Rock Band. This year Scott made the comment (pointing at the Xbox hard drive) "You know this is the only thing I'm good for." I got confused when he said it. He tells me that his cousin actually texted him an invite to the party only to ask to bring the Xbox hard drive. I guess you could see it that way. But in his family's eyes it's tradition to know when and where the New Year's Eve party is going to be. Still, it'll be nice if someone would invite you and not assume you know.

andagi

Because we're Okinawan or part Okinawan, usually I am the one that makes サタアンダギ(sata andagi) for his family. I guess no one else wants to try and make it. For me, it's not that hard (maybe it's because I've been making it for 7 years now...I guess you can say I've had some practice).

Recently I've been designated to make it for my own family. I guess my mom is handing over the reigns to me.....not sure if I would like that responsibility but I haven't gotten any complaints about my andagi (only from my mom...but that's expected).

What is New Year's Eve without fireworks? (I'm not making a joke...it's just a segue) At the Kina house (Scott's uncle), majority of the night is actually building the midnight show (mostly firecrackers and magic whips). As a kid, I loved playing with fireworks but now I just think of it as burning your money (figuratively and literally). I guess since Longs Drugs had a fire sale on fireworks, Scott's uncle bought enough to make not 1, not 2, but 4 sets of firecrackers!

New Year's has also become a tradition for some friends of mine. Last year we went to Haleakala Crater to watch the first sunrise of the year. Because of that, we made plans to do it every year. Last year it was just my cousin Mitchell and Nadine. This year we added one more to the party....Mel.

So with just 2, 1 hour-ish power naps in my system, the 4 of us head to the crater. We left the same time as last year 3:30 AM (craziness!), but for some reason there quite a few people driving up the mountain at the same time (Gah! I guess it's a trendy thing to do....gotta think of new thing to do). There were even people claiming their spot at the viewpoint when we got there at 4:30 AM! We still got a primo spot for our pictures. Only 2 and half more hours until sunrise!

silhouettes of the brave ones to hike up there 

When you're freezing your butt off during a time when you usually are sleeping, time moves at a snails pace....well that's how it felt for me. Not much pictures can be taken when there's NO light! Slowly by slowly people start to migrate from their cars, buses and even motorcycles when some light starts to shine.

sun starting its way to the horizon

Now I'm stuck by a girl that keeps fidgeting. As I take some test shots, she keeps bumping into me. At least she apologized once to me. Can't say the same for my friend Mel who had a Korean girl hovering over her until they moved by me.

6:55 AM....where's the sun? It's having trouble breaking through the layer of vog. So I guess it did rise at 6:55 AM but we couldn't see it. I think the sun just likes to make a dramatic entrance! This year's sunrise was much better than last year's. The difference....clouds! Clouds make the scenery more beautiful. It's kinda dull when the sky is clear. I think the vog aided with the colors we got to see during the sunrise. 2013 seems to be looking good!

here comes the sun!

Last year we didn't get to do it...so we went for a little hike...you know since we're up here anyway....Here's some pics from the hike.

Nadine checking out the homeless.
Not really she's actually looking up.

Yay got a pic of the bird!

ozoni made by my cousin! いただきます！

Another tradition for the Japanese is to eat お雑煮(ozoni). No one in my family actually makes this (maybe I will try and learn how). My cousin Mitchell volunteered himself to make some for us! Everything was prepared (except for the chicken that didn't want to defrost in the refrigerator when we were at the crater). For some reason I had another burst of adrenaline and was wide awake (maybe from the 10 minute power nap in the car).

After freezing my butt off this was something we all needed to revive ourselves!

another tradition...dad passed out after dinner

My family and many Japanese families in Hawaii have a tradition to watch 紅白歌合戦(Red & White Song Festival) on Kiku TV on New Year's Day....or you can be lucky and have NGN and watch it live during New Year's Eve....or you can be crazy and watch the NGN and Kiku TV broadcasts. This year's line up didn't impress me since I have been neglecting a lot of J-pop and been focused on K-pop artists. This year the K-pop artists weren't at 紅白 because SM Entertainment had their own New Year's Celebration. At least my fave band SMAP performed, but of course they are the ending act.

So however you may celebrate the New Year, I hope you enjoyed it!

2013....the year of....accomplishments?....we'll see!