Archive for the ‘hobby’ Category

It has been a few years now since I last went for Japanese classes. Well, since my sensei moved away to another country that is. I do miss going to classes. Always made me feel like a student again. I can always look for another class to go to, but then a Japanese class in English is not easy to find. Not to mention the regular time that I do not have.

I just rounded up a few friends that are interested to check out the Zumba class. That too for once a week. But at least Zumba classes are easy to find, and it doesn’t matter if the instruction language is not in English. I’m not sure exactly when we will start but most probably when everyone is sure when they are able to join.

Well, other than sleeping, watching the occasional movie on weekends, and spend time with family, classes and learning new things are the few pleasures in life that I have. I’m thinking of doing some house decorating every weekend (or whenever I have time) – since I haven’t come about to decorate the flat much since we moved here and I work – nothing much, a few curtains, put up the few paintings and photo frames on the wall, change the switch plates to something cute or colourful, etc.

I use the internet for various things, learn new things from methyl 1-d side effects to the body, or how to bake banana cake, connect with friends or buy the latest novels. But so far I’ve never tried online lessons.

I’ve been contemplating to sign up on YesJapan or not to sign up. I used their books – Japanese from Zero series – and love them a lot. But they just stopped at book 3 so far. When I asked them a few years ago they say that the books will come out in 2010. But 2010 came and left, still no sign of the books. However, the good news is, the writer of the book mentioned in YesJapan forum that book 4 will be published latest in June this year.

If they only publish up to book 4 then for book 5 I may still have to sign up. That is for $20 a month. We will see though, I don’t even know whether I would have the energy to sit in front of my pc everyday for that later on when we have more kids at the daycare.

Sometimes, after a long day at work, the only thing I have enough energy to do before I go to bed is read a few mangas. I am not particularly a fan of those mangas that is more than 50 chapters due to my lack of time but there exceptions as well. If the manga is entertaining enough – Romance, comedy and not about school life – I don’t mind if it is more than 50 chapters. My current favourite on going manga at the moment is Kuragehime.

I just love this manga. It has also the anime version but only one season so far and no news yet of a second season coming out.

Talking about manga I remember a high school friend of mind who had and obsession for mangas and comics. I mean, I like reading them but it ends there. If someone who is obsessed with playing electric guitars, I can imagine the person would have posters of guitarist on the bedroom walls, guitar Budda Amps or wah effect pedals etc. For a manga lover like her, she would collect the figurines and have posters all over her wall of manga and comic characters. Mangas and figurines that would cost hundreds or perhaps thousands of dollars.

I’d love to be able to collect and afford to have a collection of things I love, but being obsessive of certain things can be a little expensive.

After a long break from watching animes or from watching anything else for that matter, for the past two days it was sort of a release. I watched all 26 episodes of ‘Busou Renkin’ and continued with ‘Witch Hunter Robin’. With all the cool anime websites around, at least I don’t have to figure out how to download youtube videos to watch for later this time.

I could catch Japanese phrases or words I understand. Feels good that at least there is some improvement even though my Japanese studies are going real slow as I am trying to learn in between work, home and family.

Now that I am the head teacher of a group of children, I do a lot of singing with them everyday. There are times when I think that I really should get back to learning how to play the guitar. My Fender cd 60 acoustic is up on the cupboard for such a long time. I’ve only played it for some months when I got it as a Christmas present four years ago. I asked for one because I really like the sound of the guitar, be it acoustic, classical or electric.

I was really happy with it when I received it and thought that if I get to learn how to play an acoustic I would eventually move on to an electric one – a rickenbacker perhaps. But then, without a teacher I started to slack in my practice routine and in the end stopped. That’s how most people end up I know. Sad isn’t it?

But as long as I have the guitar there and I still have the intention to learn, I know I can always pick it up and start back again. I can only wish that I have more time for work, family, rest, blogging, Japanese studies and guitar practice. I just started working for a few months at the new place. Once I feel stable at the new job, and I have a daily routine with my Japanese studies (I study minimum an hour everyday ) I would definitely include guitar practice in my schedule. The children would really love to sing accompanied by the mellifluous tone of the guitar.

Now that we have entered the month of November, Christmas is indeed a lot nearer and it is never too soon to prepare for the Christmas gifts if you are not a last minute person type. This year as we are trying to cut our budget for holiday gifts we decided to at least make some home-made gifts ourselves. House deco, cards, home-made video cd duplication etc.

I just bought some Fimo clay yesterday to try my hands on clay modeling. In case if you don’t know what Fimo clays are, they are polymer clay that you can mold into anything you want then you can bake it in the oven for a few minutes and it will harden into polymer plastic. Perfect for making your own diy keychain, phone charm, fridge magnet and the list goes on according to your creativity.

Blocks of 56g of Fimo clays.

Sample of a fimo clay cat.

First, I’d try to make phone charms and later on will move on to something else perhaps if my first few experiments is successful.

Perhaps, just like most animals, human beings have the tendency to collect things be it food or items that makes us happy. Be it antiques, collectible sports memorabilia or even rock collections. At the moment, I find much happiness in collecting Pez dispensers. Currently I only have about 20 over dispensers but my collection is growing somewhat.

Sample pic.

People who collects sports memorabillia like, sport helmets, jerseys or equipments from their favourite sports teams,collect the items for the love of the sport. As for me, I love pez dispensers not because I love Pez candies – I don’t really have a sweet tooth – but just for the cuteness. Yes, I really do think they are cute. So most of the time I give away the candies to the two family members with sweet tooth, and I keep the dispenser. They are so interesting that even my little daughter is helping with the collection.

At the moment I just keep them in a drawer, but as soon as it grows bigger, I would like to build a few shelves for display. Well, what’s the point of collecting when you can’t share them right?

With work, and all the changes going on in my life, I simply didn’t have the time to really concerntrate on Japanese studies. It is indeed unfortunate. It is just one of those times when I wish that we have more than 24 hours a day and 3 times more energy. Japanese books in the drawers waiting patiently for me to take them out for review and study.

But what to do? Work and saving money for rainy days is much more important at the moment. Money for living everyday life, money for savings, money for pension and soon perhaps money for senior life insurance if need to work in old age even.  Nothing left in the end for Japanese classes. Well, for now at least. However, once many things are settled and work has become a lot like routine and stable, perhaps I can start back doing the things I really like – studying Japanese language.

It’s middle of July and I’m at home relaxing the days away. Well, most days at least. There were changes at the Kindergarten and I was told only 4 people will be working for Summer camp. So I had my holiday a bit earlier. I don’t mind so much though.

I managed to read 3 books last week only and currently reading 2 books. In the day, I’d read ‘Mr. Darcy’s diary’ and in the evening before bed I’d read, ‘The civil contract’. I’m hoping to be able to squeeze in at least 12-15 books in four weeks. I’m in a reading frenzy.

Although I have a few more unread books on my shelves, I still go online to look around for more books to buy. For my birthday, I told myself. Some girls would rather have a pair of Black diamond earrings but I don’t mind having more and more good books as gifts. Well, at least that is how I feel at the moment as I’m in the mood for chain reading.

I was invited to a Belly dance class by an acquaintance. The class will be on every Tuesday evening for an hour. I said, YES, right away when she asked whether I would be interested or not. I’m doing Belly dancing by myself with the help of videos. To go to a class would be a wonderful change. I’m a little nervous but looking forward to it.

Despite what some say about belly dancing help reduce belly fat, the dance do not really do that. Well, perhaps a little. But you actually need to have a little ‘belly’ to do the belly dance. That’s what gives it the appeal. When you shimmy, a little fat must jiggle. LOL Well, funny when I imagine my fat going all jiggly. One thing for sure it won’t create bigger muscles like lifting weights would. I need my muscles to be leaner. I wish, just like bodybuilding supplements to help increase muscle mass, there’s some sort of supplement to help make musle leaner. Years of lifting heavy things, I have quite big arm muscles.*sigh*

If nothing comes up that needs the class to be canceled, then I’d be going for the first class next week. Yippie!