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Wednesday, September 29, 2010
10:08 AM
Hello friends,
I am now blogging from my blog, Haramaki Love. It's a business that I started upon my return to Canada, inspired by Japan, of course. But the blog is not just business, far from it. It's about my life as a newlywed here in Montreal, the people I love, and things that I enjoy too, like movies, love letters, fashion and coming soon... a little bit of advice.
Hope to see you there!
xo
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Saturday, August 29, 2009
2:08 AM
Check out Marie-Eve of Lake Jane's gorgeous affair here.
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Wednesday, February 04, 2009
1:01 PM
Things that go Bling: Keep yer belly warm... with Haramaki Love
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Tuesday, May 13, 2008
10:29 AM
i think i might come back.
just testing the waters..
not sure yet,
its important to remember who i am writing for..
and why!?
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Saturday, October 27, 2007
6:42 AM
but things are good.
much has happened since the last post, and i wonder if this blog has seen its end, or if it needs to be restarted somehow.
i lost a teacher of mine about a month ago. his name was ernie nelson and he was one of the gentlest, loveliest instructors i have ever known. he taught me singing years ago, and i have fond memories of him sitting at the piano smiling up at me as i struggled with my scales. now that he's gone, i really miss him.
as i lost ernie, i got a new life in mine. yet to be named husky mix, who was abandoned by his previous family. i adore him.
all for now, but more to come.
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Friday, May 18, 2007
9:53 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1USZQBebXV4
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9:35 PM
A friend told me about a documentary she watched that was filmed here
in Japan, about a young woman who had advanced cancer that had spread
through her body. Her family was told that she had one month to live,
but they chose not to let her know. They simply couldn't bear to. They
decided to celebrate her and her partner in a mock-wedding: dress,
hair, makeup, dancing and all- in a fancy hotel. The documentary
showed all of the family members balling their eyes out at the
ceremony, as they knew how close the end was. Her condition quickly
deteriorated and she passed away a few weeks later.
My mouth hung wide-open as Azusa recounted this story to me. We were
eating dinner, and I practically lost my appetite. I found it
absolutely insane that that girl was not told that she had a month to
live. If it was known that I only had a month to live, I would want to
be the first to know. Actually, I'd probably rather keep it from other
people around me, but if someone were to know, it would damn well be
me that ought to before anyone else.
I suppose this illustrates something interesting that occurs in Japan,
that of protecting your loved ones by assuming the family pressures as
a group, and attempting to protect your loved ones as much as
possible, even if that means witholding what would seem to be very
important information.
From there, the discussion progressed to our own lives and to what we
would all do if we knew today that we had one month to live. All three
of us had very different versions. Mine was that if I found out today,
I would be on a plane tomorrow to Canada, with my passport, all my
money and whatever really mattered. Everything else I would just
leave. And I would spend the rest of my time with my family and loved
ones. And that's all. Azusa, having a child and also with baby number
two on the way, had a different story. So did Kazumi. But for all of
us, it was about tying up loose ends, coming to peace, taking care of
our loved ones, and saying everything that had to be said.
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Tuesday, May 15, 2007
8:49 PM
Sigmund Freud on love and work:
"Love and work are the cornerstones of our humanness."
"Love and work... work and love, that's all there is."
"One is very crazy when in love."
"How bold one gets when one is sure of being loved!"
"We are never so defensless against suffering as when we love."
simple, but true.
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8:09 PM
6. my shower room. its so fun to have a small room to shower in that you can kind of walk around it, with a nice big mirror and a stainless steel cube bath.
7. mochi. i love mochi. its just so good.
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8:00 PM
i realise that there needs to be another category. things that i am going to simultaneously miss and not miss. there are a few of such things.
1. the kids in my building. ok, again not things, but whatever. they are really cute, and they make me smile. but they are also incredibly irritating, and have scared the shit out of me on numerous occasions. either by throwing dead cockroaches at me, or by literally jumping in front of my car as i attempted to enter or exit the parking lot. (thank goodness for quick reflexes). at the same time though, they are pretty strange and pretty hilarious. and they let me pet their tiny kittens and puppies that seem to pop out of nowhere.
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7:59 PM
2. My ridiculously high monthly cell phone bill.
3. The office. Small, cramped, loaded with desks and people and chairs
and students and noise and dust and tons of other useless crap.
4. School bathrooms. One word: unsanitary.
5. Mosquitoes and other creatures that abound on the island.
6. Oppressive humidity
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7:53 PM
2. I guess they are not really things, but despite them being annoying at times, I am for damn sure going to miss my students. They always make me laugh, even when they are simultaneously pissing me off. And the fact that they seem to like me makes liking them pretty easy..
3. This kick-ass 24-inch screen iMac that I convinced my school to buy and that sits in my office and that I am typing on right now. Love it.
4. Handkerchiefs, that Japanese ladies (plus me) use to dry their hands with after washing. Its environmentally friendly, and just plain enjoyable.
5. Family Mart. I am going to miss this place with a passion. Its one of my favorite places in Japan. If I could choose to export just one Japanese business to Canada, it would be this one by far.
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Sunday, May 13, 2007
9:40 PM
there's always a balance.
1. random people knocking on my door at random times for random reasons. frankly, its annoying. and also a tad on the stalker-ish side. though not intentionally. like when the post man insists on hand-delivering an ordinary letter or an ordinary small package that requires no signature and that could very easily fit into my mailbox, simply because there is a foreign name on it, and ohhhhh, isn't it fun to annoy the foreigner and peek into their apartment!
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9:28 PM
there are so many things that keep popping into my mind. thought i'd start to make a list.
1. juicy juicy kinkans: these tiny, bite-sized citrus fruits that look like minature oranges. only in japan, sour, and delicious. eaten whole, peel and all. loaded with vitamin C and great for colds. actually, they have natural enzymes that work as a cough suppressant. last night i went to my favorite hangout, to order my favorite drink- vodka, soda, halved kinkans, lemon liqueur and a dash of sweetness of some sort, complete with a tiny fork to nibble on the kinkans between sips. my friend the restaurant owner/bartender fumio-san lowered his eyes at my request. "juli-chan, the kinkans are finished. out of season. no more kinkans." SHOCK. devastation. disbelief. a tad dramatic you say? its just that i am in love with this fruit. and they don't exist anywhere else. i like the little things so much that i smuggled two bags first into the states, then into canada when i went in march. and we all know how the americans are serious sticklers when it comes to bringing fresh fruit into the country.
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Thursday, May 10, 2007
7:22 PM
according to this article, the above was a slogan used in world war II to prevent soldiers and US army officials from spilling the beans about whatever it was that they were getting up to.
and we all know they were getting up to no good at all..
recent news is that they are buckling down on current US troops' blogging and e-mail habits, with the newest restriction being that superiors must review all outgoing e-mails and new blog posts before they get sent and published. and its not only for the soldiers, but this also applies to their families, as well as everyone working for the military.
its sad, really. the need to voice the human experience, especially in times of war, is so important. perhaps not to the world through a blog, but monitoring e-mails in my opinion is a breach not only of the right of freedom of speech, but of personal communication.
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Monday, May 07, 2007
9:12 PM
had the most amazing kimono experience
felt like a princess,
was treated like true royalty..
gorgeous silks,
tight-fitting obis,
toe socks and special shoes.
people gawked,
stared,
but it was ok this time.
my dear friend kaoru said i was like the most beautiful flower on the highest mountain.
i think that is one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me.
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Saturday, May 05, 2007
2:37 AM
ok, i have clearly been having fun with these blogthings lately. they are so silly, but somehow, through the waves of the internet and with their broad, one-size-fits-all questions, there appears to be some truth behind it. i mean, aren't you interested in knowing what kind of weather you represent? (bright and sunny) or, what kind of sandwich you are? (good ol' grilled cheese). its riveting stuff. but how about that truth? such a powerful word. i have a new necklace from a beautiful jeweler here in miyako, made with lots of stones, mainly lapis. lapis is so beautiful, a dark purple blue with flecks of gold in it. its also quite a powerful stone, said to be the stone of truth and friendship.
about the stone: "the romans believed it to be a powerful aphrodisiac. in the Middle Ages, it was thought to keep the limbs healthy and free the soul from error, envy and fear. Attributed with great healing, purifying and curative properties, Lapis Lazuli points the way to enlightenment, and aids in the opening of the Third Eye. Popular with ancient alchemists (who knew it as sapphirus), it was used in medicine, cosmetics and paintings. It was also believed to confer ability, success, divine favor, ancient wisdom and cure sore throats. This stone is for Understanding, Higher guidance, intuition, connection to higher self, overview, decisions for good of all. Organizes, quiets mind. Self-expression, writing, creativity, dream insight...Anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, autism, shyness, nervous system; , speech, hearing, pituitary, lymph, inflammation, pain (especially head), protection."
ouuu... i like it. i like it a lot. something about this stone, its properties. seems to fit into the never-ending puzzle that is my life at the moment. it may be just what i need, in fact.
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2:36 AM
| The Keys to Your Heart | 
You are attracted to those who are unbridled, untrammeled, and free.
In love, you feel the most alive when your lover is creative and never lets you feel bored.
You'd like to your lover to think you are loyal and faithful... that you'll never change.
You would be forced to break up with someone who was insecure and in constant need of reassurance.
Your ideal relationship is lasting. You want a relationship that looks to the future... one you can grow with.
Your risk of cheating is zero. You care about society and morality. You would never break a commitment.
You think of marriage something you've always wanted... though you haven't really thought about it.
In this moment, you think of love as something you thirst for. You'll do anything for love, but you won't fall for it easily. |
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Friday, May 04, 2007
4:50 PM
| Your Birthdate: August 13 | 
You're dominant and powerful. You always need to be in charge.
While others respect your competence, you can be a bit of a dictator.
Hard working and serious, you never let yourself down.
You are exact and accurate - and you expect others to be the same way.
Your strength: You always get the job done
Your weakness: You're a perfectionist to a fault
Your power color: Gray
Your power symbol: Checkmark
Your power month: April |
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Thursday, May 03, 2007
10:45 AM
is officially here in miyako, and its quite simply- delightful.
it is golden week in japan, which means five days off, yatta!
yesterday was spent driving around, on the hunt for secret beaches. i found some, and also a beautiful path filled with butterflies.. amazing. then my first swim in the ocean this season. heaven..
four more days of holiday for me. detoxing, studying, running, cleaning, going to the beach, massage, a few dinners planned, a few coffee dates.. and best of all, on sunday, a kimono day for me! ritsuko-sensei, one of the top japanese dance teachers of japan (!), has invited me to her home to dress me formally in kimono, and to have lunch.. which is incredibly exciting, as well as quite an honnor. i have worn a yukata before, which is simply a light summer-style kimono, but not the real thing.
happy working, playing, and most importantly,
happy spring
xjuliax
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