Dreams

When I was a little girl, I often had dreams of becoming someone, or doing something with my life. More often I would imagine I was a superhero, like many other young ones and was impenetrable and impervious to anything and everything.

I also remember that when I was a little girl I found my fascination for anime and manga. I fell in love with Sailor Moon, Dragonball, and everything that came from Japan.

But I did not know that those fascinating cartoons of big eyes and colorful imagination began in the Asian islands. So I dedicated a promise that one day, any day, I would visit the birthing place of anime.

Some very many years later, I have achieved that dream. And even though I have been here for half a year, it seems like a unachievable dream.

I guess, what I am trying to get to in this submission, is that dreams are actually coming true. And now, that I have had this dream come true, I must venture out to achieving a new dream.

But none still comes to mind.

I would say come up with my own anime, but that would require that I possess drawing skills. sadly I lack that. But maybe a novel in itself.

A novel idea... yes, pun was intended.

Once, I had a great schedule planned out for me. I would wake up and read a bit while enjoying a ham and egg Muffin sandwhich with powder style tea. Or I would watch a few Youtube videos to get my fill of news from back home.

Then I invested in a Playstation, and it all went to hell.

Damn you Playstation, for being so god damn awesome. For filling my nights with multiplayer sessions, and for pointing out how bad I have become at shooting games. To point out my rustyness and fill me with nostalgia from all the ps one classics I purchased.

And also, thanks for being able to let my External Hard Drive work on you so that I can watch television shows and movies on a much bigger screen than the one on my computer.

I need to get off that thing. And start hopping on here more often.

I do have something written, so hopefully, the next time I log on it will be with more time.

One of the things that many people don't tell you is that when you have a lot of free time, and I mean a lot, you don't really want to do anything. Or maybe that's just my point of view.

I have been dedicated to reading 50 books in 52 weeks, but I am a bit behind, but three books are notched down, and I have 47 more to go. One of the books on my list is to read all of the Game of Thrones, and some classical novels I say I have read, but truthfully have not.

Another is the learning Japanese aspect. They say when in Japan, you'll catch on quick, but it still hasn't stuck that well. That could also be from this apparent ADD that I have acquired.

Just anything in general that involves typing something onto something else, or reading or studying, has left me.

And it's time to pick it up again.

God, even a game to keep me entertained is that too much to ask for brain!?

I was trying really hard to avoid the whole sickness thing. But when you work with nothing but children with snot rolling down their cute button noses, I had the feeling that I was going to be plagued as well as they are. But how can I ask for medicine when I am sick? Hence the dilemma.

Well, the sickness has invaded, and the other bad thing? I need groceries, and it's raining, outside.

This is a no bueno dia. So I am just gonna roll back into my blankets and pray the rain goes away to come another day.

Four Months Already?

Four months in Japan. Yes, today marks four months that I left from LAX and came to the land of rice and neon signs. Seriously, so many neon signs. None near me thank God.

Well, a reflection of the four months that I have spent here? I thought you would never ask. Especially since I haven't written in a while. But slowly starting back up and being reprogrammed. And once I start, I will try to continue.

To begin with, Happy New Year! Wow 2013. We have survived another end of the world scenario. I don't really know how many is that now, but I kind of lost interest the minute we survived Y2K. Well, maybe a bit after.

For the 10 days that I had of vacation, it was in a word, glorious. No work for one week and spending 4 days in Tokyo, can be something that the doctor ordered.

I will say for the record that Tokyo is huge. like Huge. And to make matters weirder, there is a ton of Americans in Tokyo. Like, when I go to Nagoya and see another American or something I stay surprised for a second because it's crazy rare to see them. But going to Tokyo, seeing all of them made me second guess whether or not I was still in Japan. It was nice not to feel alienated for a while. But not much could have been said for it.

We visited many places in Tokyo, Roppongi and Wendy's where we spent New Years Day, Shibuya and Shibuya crossing and their poochy mascot, Shinjuku and the hotels we found to stay the night, Harajuku and the nostalgic feeling of the callejones from Los Angeles (and a churro for a snack!), and Akihabara and the maid cafe that my friends were called masters and I was called princess.

After vacation it was nothing but sleeping and resting and playing video games, all the while fearing stepping outside because it was outside. I just didn't want to okay? I'm broke at the moment so the only thing I can afford is food and drinks. Which I don't mind.

So for now, I will remain in bed while the cheese nan I have leftover cooks in the toaster oven I almost burned down, along with my apartment. That's what I get for sticking in a tortilla and not watching over it.

Mmmmm peppers.

So there is this place by my house that I have been coming to frequently. It's not just because their food is delicious. But it's also because their food is awesome.

Peppers is as close to a Mexican restaurant with a side of George the Greek I can get (George is a delicious burger place by my old high school).

Peppers has an amazing rice and chicken combo, an amazing chili cheese fries (with actual chili in the chili! None of that Del Taco chili), and awesome fajitas wrapped in a tortilla.

My mission while in Japan, other than learning the language and holding a conversation in Japanese with a Japanese native, is to try everything once in Peppers menu.

Yes, my wallet is gonna go broke (not really, their combos are as much as a Carl's Jr. combo) but my stomach is going to be ecstatic to have Mexican wannabe dishes.

That's all for now. じゃね

Where are you from?

I normally get asked this question back in the States because I often have people confuse me with being of an Asian decent due to a last name dubbed "Zinzun." I always end up telling them the whole history of my last name. Now, granted, I have never heard the story myself, this was something that I looked up in the good ol' internet. According to Google, I have Mexican Indian blood in me because my father's father (which is just my grandpa) was a Mexican Indian from a tribe called TzinTzunTzan. I suppose they got bored with the long last name and deleted the T's because they were just place holders and dubbed the new last name Zinzun. Now, there are some cousins (Very distant cousins) that still have that T, but I will be going on a tangent if I get into that side of the family.

Well, now that I am in Japan, I don't get into the whole speel about my family's last name. Yes, one of the reasons is because I don't speak fluent Japanese, but the other reason is because I don't speak fluent Japanese. Yup, both in the same ball park. Keeps it frustrating because I want to tell people that no, although I look Asian I am one hundred percent Mexican.

I suppose the reason that I am instilled with Mexican pride is because I am the only Mexican in Okazaki, unless someone out there wants to prove me wrong and come outside and play... because seeing another Mexican out here would be peachy. I'm not joking.

Well, the reason that I am talking about my last names and Mexican innuendo is because I recently went to a culture festival that had Indians, Philippines, Brazilians, and of course Japanese. I went walking through the food section, which all looked as good as the next, and stumbled on the Brazilian food cart. They had premium sausage (actual sausage not a sex reference) and this pulled pork sandwich. I pointed with my index finger and asked how much.

"Hyaku go ju en," she said. One hundred and fifty yen, which is like a dollar fifty, depending on the exchange rate.

I grabbed my change and she knew that I wasn't Japanese, so she asked if I was Brazilian. I have the tan skin, a little bit of a pointed nose, bigger eyes than she does, so I could have passed as a Brazilian girl, with a sexy Portuguese accent.

"No, Mexican," I said.

I have been saying that a lot. I don't say I'm American. I say I am Mexican.

Not only that, but I have around 5,000 songs, some of which I did not pay for. I will not say the other way, lets just say I have found ways of finding old CDs around the house. Anyways, so 5,000 songs, and the majority of the time I am listening to Adan Chalino Sanchez, Alejandro Fernandez, Jesse y Joy, and much more beaner and Spanish songs.

I think one of the reasons that I do this is because I miss Mexico, but this place does remind me a lot of Mexico. It's foreign ground to me, it holds that essence of translucent objectivity that brings me back to when I was a little girl walking down my street corners and visiting my cousins who were just a walk away. The houses are the same, just the colors are not as extravagant or garishly eye appealing, like you are forced to look at them. The drivers here are just as ballsy, but the cars look small as if they already crashed and that is why they have no front or back.

But more than that I do miss home. I miss my family and such, but I wouldn't trade this experience for the world, honestly. I do believe that a year will pass like a loop over my head. As if I woke up in my futon one day and close my eyes and wake up in my bed back in Riverside.

That's all I can say for now. Before I start getting nostalgic of home.