Important Update! That which concerns all my viewers.

So, I've thought long and hard about what to write.

Scratch that, I thought hard but not long.

It has come to my attention that I cannot write in this blog anymore. It's just not working. I tried a few articles, but it's just not the same anymore. I think it's time to move on.

Let me explain.

I have been focusing on a single topic: creative writing, but more specifically, my own writing life on my website "The Tiger Writer" and then I came back to this blog and realized something about it.

One,
I have no idea what this blog is about anymore.

Two,
because I was so inexperienced writing blog articles, most of these are just haphazardly put together in hopes that my "talking to the reader like we're at a cafe" style would work. Which, I don't think I succeeded many times.

Three,
I have no idea what to do with this blog anymore. Do I write new topics when I've kind of moved on from this phase of my life?

Four,
I cannot commit to writing about one topic if it has nothing to do with me. If it's just me looking up things and summarizing them into an article, what good is that? You can just find those things on Wikipedia! Why do you need me?

Five,
because I can't commit to this blog anymore, there is no more point in committing to this blog anymore... I just repeated myself.

Anyway, what I'm saying is, I'm not going to update this blog anymore. BUT, I'm not going to leave blogger either. Now I know how to write a good engaging article. Previously I NEVER used any of the text-changing features or article-writing features of blogger even though you can do all kinds of things.

I will create a new blog from scratch, because I can :P I'll post a link to the new blog in a new update post in this blog, and then that would be the last article in this blog.

Savvy? ;)

It will be about my thoughts, my views, and my opinions on things that may or may not be controversial without going into a lecture of "I found this on Wikipedia and I summarized it for you lot."

The reason for this topic is because I noticed a HECK TON OF VIEWS of my Asexual reveal article.

I feel I still have something to give to the blog community.

So we'll try again :)

Be on the look out for a new blog, a new style, and a more update me :P

I started this blog when I was around twenty and now I'm twenty-six. I think it's time for an upgrade ;)

As always,
see ya later alligators!

Of course, can't leave without a laugh ;)

I kinda DON'T believe in God

I grew up with a Catholic mother. She taught me the bible, the stories, songs, prayers, we went to church sometimes on Sundays.

As a kid, it was all just interesting and fun. Well, not church XD I was so bored and the only parts I enjoyed was getting a share of "the body of Christ" and singing songs and putting the little bit of money in the donation bags.

Do I believe in God?

That's a pretty big question. Let me break it down for you because it involves lots of little questions.

Do I believe in an entity that watches over us from above?
No.

I don't believe that is possible. I don't believe something can watch over the billions of humans that live on Earth all at the same time. Argue with me as much as you want "oh how can you say that when you don't even know?" I'll repeat your question right back at you. "How do YOU even know?"


Do I believe in an entity that is bigger than all of us?
Not really.

I'm a bit ambiguous with this because I can't prove that there is nothing and neither can YOU prove there is something.

Until there is proof, I'm willing to stay ambiguous on that.


Do I believe praying works?
No. Unless you do something about it.

If you are just praying and not doing anything, nothing is going to happen. You can pray, go ahead, but then do something about it yourself.

Surgery, and other medical things, you can't say "oh it's up to God". It's up the people who are treating the patient and the people who are researching the disease and the people who are coming up with medicines. Praying to God may give you strength, I believe that, but God will not do anything for you.

You need to do it yourself.


Do I believe God exists everywhere?
No. He can't possibly.

If there is a God, he can't possibly watch over all of us. Babies are being born every single day and people are dying every single day and people are suffering every single day and people are probably praying everywhere every single day.

God would have to transcend space and time and probably get a headache, that is, if he even has a head.

If you can't prove that he exists everywhere or that there is something out there (other than molecules) that does exist everywhere, I am not going to believe anything can exist everywhere at the same time.


Do I believe in the word of the bible?
Kinda.

I believe the bible teaches us important life lessons like accepting people with differences. But, I don't believe the miracles are all true. They are stories written by storytellers. Yes, I believe there was a man named Jesus. He was probably very smart and very wise and liked by many people. When people idolize someone, they can exaggerate stories.

And how many centuries ago are we talking here?

Things that can be explained easily today, were miracles back then. Like the man who was crippled and Jesus said "Walk." And then he wasn't crippled. What could have really happened? And how crippled was this man anyway? I'm not saying Jesus is a fraud. I'm saying that he was probably a very smart man who knew what to do to help people that most thought could not be cured of their diseases.

Who knows? I can't prove my theory and neither can you.


Do I believe in the resurrection of Jesus?
Erm...no?

Scientifically speaking, it is possible for someone to seem dead, their heart actually stopping, but then actually not be and "come back to life". How do we know for certain that Jesus actually died on the cross? We don't know. He could have well been alive.

So, if Jesus was alive, he didn't resurrect. He just came out of the tomb. People don't understand such things back then because they didn't have medical technology. So, they believe he's been resurrected from the dead.

Jesus after that? He probably wandered off somewhere to live out his life in a quiet little village.

I can't prove that though. But neither can you prove that he was resurrected from the dead.


Do I believe in the afterlife?
Kinda.

I like to think that there is something after death. A nice, warm, sunny, happy place. Yes, sure it's fun to think that Heaven has it's own city and you can eat and do anything you want, but that can't possibly be true.

I do like to think that there is SOMETHING after death. I like to call that place heaven. But it's not the same heaven as the one in the bible where there are angels and God. Jesus might be there because he's human, too.


On a side note: Do I believe in a previous life?
No.

It's fun to think about, but I do NOT believe you can have previously existed in another era. That's just crazy.


So,
Do I believe in God?
Kinda no.

I don't believe there is some large entity watching over us, listening to all our billions of prayers, and who helped a man create miracles. I believe there is something after death, and I believe the bible (the New Testament in particular) can teach us important life lessons. I also do believe Jesus was a real person.


So there you have it.

My beliefs.

Don't argue with me or try to "convert" me or try to "pray for her because she's got the devil inside" or whatever. These are just my beliefs and opinions. Please respect that as I will also respect your opinions :)

See ya later, alligator ;)

MY SMILE IS WEIRD. (inspired by Malinda Kathleen Reese)

Inspired by Malinda Kathleen Reese's video (which you can watch here or click this link), I decided to write this article.

I do NOT like seeing my reflection.

I only look at myself in the mirror when I'm brushing my teeth or washing my face or tying up my hair...or making faces because, let's FACE it, we all do that ;)

Why do I not like seeing my reflection? I don't like to have my picture taken either and I was once told that "There is NO WAY someone can NOT LIKE having their picture taken."

Duh.

I'm a walking, talking example among many others.

It was an idiot guy who thought he knew me better than I did.

Here are the reasons:

1. I don't like seeing myself smile.

It's not because I think I look ugly or I have low self-este...actually it might be a little bit of low self-esteem...but because I just think I look weird when I smile. I don't hate my smile. I just think it looks weird. Nothing negative about it. My smile doesn't make me gag or anything. But, I don't want to stare at myself smiling.

2. Why fuss over my face?

I don't wear makeup. I'm not worried about a zit here or there. This is my face. Here it is with all its raw glory. That's the reality. Okay, moving on. Not important. I don't see value in worrying about what my face looks like. If you don't like my face, I don't care. Maybe I don't like yours' either.

3. I don't like having my pic taken because I can't smile for a pic.

I can never plan a facial expression. I'm just not a very expressive person on my face. If you knew my thoughts, well, that's a different story ;) You'd be surprised with the contrast (which I do show in my YouTube vids).

4. Why YouTube?

You might be surprised, or maybe not, that when I record myself, I can see myself. It doesn't bother me AT ALL. Actually, it used to a little bit until I was able to look at myself objectively.

I'm a person on YouTube. How would I want to see a person on YouTube? How would I want them to express themselves?

A TON of facial expressions? Alright. We'll do that.

It HELPS for me to see myself when recording videos.

Okay, you got me. I'm probably a walking, talking contradiction.

BUT I'M NOT.

The times I CAN look at myself in the mirror and smile without feeling weird is when I'm looking at my reflection as though it belongs to someone else. As though I'm looking at a video of someone else who changes their expressions when I do.

Weird?

Maybe.

But I've solved a lot of my mental mysteries on my own BECAUSE I can look at myself or the situation objectively.

Hmm.

Maybe, if I can figure out how I do it, I can teach people who to view themselves objectively...although if they go to a therapist, they might learn that.

Hmm, bummer. Thought I could make good business off of it XD

See ya later, alligators :)

On the Abe Administration: A Japanese Person Speaks Her Mind

I bet a lot of you read up on Japanese politics.
Why? Simple, we change Prime Minister's every few years...almost :P
In the U.S. and maybe other countries, you can probably name your Presidents mostly in order.

Japan is like, meh, forget it.

Anyway, ever since the BIG election in the U.S., and the BIG election for the FEMALE Governess of Tokyo (Ms. Koike), I started to pay even more attention to politics. And if you know me, I am half-Japanese and half-American and I've spent almost all my years in Japan except for the two-and-a-half years of my childhood in the States. And if you know me, I'm in my 20s (at the point of this post). And if you know me, on my blog I don't talk about politics...at all or very little.

But this time I have to. I think it's important for other people to know what some Japanese think of PM Abe. Now, I'm not speaking for everyone and I certainly do know that a bunch of Japanese of all ages support PM Abe.

I for one am not for PM Abe anymore.

Wait, anymore? Yes. Anymore. Here are my reasons:

The GREAT REVEAL

I am human.

Wow.

doge

Seriously now,

What If...I was WRONG? (Debunking My Theories and Thoughts)

Exactly a month has passed since my last post...but of course, if you're new you won't know that. Well, now you do :P

I'd like to address some theories and philosophical thoughts of mine I had years back.

Here are the stuffs I claimed:

1. John Titor is a real person AND a real time traveler.


2. The idea that something = nothing.


3. I'm a realist.


4. Wanting and Needing are two separate things. You can want something but you may not need it.


5. Galligator: Her Royal Randomness is NOT N. J. Folettia.

The last one is probably a conspiracy theory about myself that I created for myself or rather, I tried to.

Let's address that first and get it out of the way, shall we? :)

Should YouTube Animators do a "Face Reveal"?

Inspired by Jaiden Animations, especially this video, I've come to wonder why people are so intrigued to see who the Wizard is behind the curtain.

If good things are coming out, then why should we even bother knowing who is behind the curtain? WHY DOES IT MATTER SO MUCH?

Misheard Lyrics: Kid Me

When I was a little kid I often sang songs after listening to them over and over. So most of the time I didn't get the lyrics right. Here are some I remember. See if you can guess where some of them are from. A lot of the lyrics don't make sense because when you're little, you don't care whether it makes sense or not because the singing is fun.


You're off to see the wizard
The wonderful Wizard of Oz
And merely he's the wizard of
the wizzy wizzy was
and there-idly go
because because because because
because because because because
because because
BECAUSE!
Because of the wonderful things he does
(music)
You're off to see the wizard
The wonderful Wizard of Oz!


Now this next one I have to confess, I just recently learned the true lyrics. Like 2017. This year, guys. THAT recent.
Here is what I thought it was for a loooong time:

I'm an Incomplete Package: Being a Japanese-American in Japan

This article is all about me, people like me, people, and er, culture.

Yup.

If you've read any of my previous articles, I probably mentioned I live in Japan. I also probably mentioned that my Mom's American and my Dad's Japanese. Maybe I haven't but now I have.

While I have lived in Japan since I was two-and-a-half years old, I'm not completely utterly Japanese...as you can tell. I write in English, perfectly and I speak English, obviously. Well, if you've seen Galligator's vids er, my vids, er, well, anyway.

I'm also not completely utterly Japanese because I was exposed to a lot of American culture through videos taped by my grandmother (who I call Nana). So I've watched Arthur, Magic School Bus, Pink Panther, Cartoon Network, Hamtaro (in English),

movies in English, Disney, Pixar, Teletubbies,

Yup, that weird as ish show with the baby sun thing.

Lizzie McGuire Show,

oh my gosh, the memories...
The TV show that had a very
intimate kissing scene.
oh my gosh.

Hannah Montana, Tom and Jerry, Bugs Bunny, etc., etc., etc.

I knew what the American culture was like. I knew that. BUT, I also didn't know it. Let me explain.

Asexuality: What it is and How I found out that I was Ace

January 22, 2017
I am not ashamed in anyway or uncomfortable in anyway to tell you all, on the internet, for goodness gracious, that I am Ace. And this is my story. I am sharing this here for two reasons:

1. Cuz lots of Ace people feel isolated or frustrated and I wanna tell them they are not alone.

2. Cuz one day my Mom might read this.

So, without further ado, here we go...

Ace = Asexual

It means I don't feel sexual attractions toward others like I don't see a guy as hot (sexy) but I can tell why he would be because I follow pop culture.

It does not mean I practice celibacy. That's a choice. Mine, I have no choice. I was born with this.

I KNOW you will say, "You haven't found the right guy yet."

Or, "You haven't experienced sex yet."

Or, "You haven't dated anyone, how the heck would you know?"

But I do know.

PAGE BREAK!! Continue reading by clicking the article :D

7 Types of Dreams Based on Personal Experience

Inspired by Lilly Singh! Types of Dreams

Oh Lilly you make me laugh so hard XD

The peeing dream though...so real.

Anyway, if you know about me and dreams (which you don't so let me tell you) I have a pretty good memory of dreams. Maybe it's because I write stories and my imagination can grab hold of a story and never let it go (no we will not sing "Let It Go". I am not letting it go.)

Or maybe it's because I write down my dreams sometimes...especially if it's epic.

So here are some types of dreams I've had and you can tell me if you've experienced similar dreams or not.

1. Recurring Theme Dreams (all in a short span of time)

One week for 3 days (right after another) I had dreams that were about

The Funny Thing About University: Friends Change

I never talk about my personal, like, really really really personal life that is school.

Even though I'm a realist, I don't talk about the most real thing in my life: SCHOOL

I added the words. Ain't that font cool? :D
It's not my font but it's cool as ish.

Yeah.

The funny thing about university...and I hate to sound real and ish but...you don't get to keep the same friends you had in your freshman year, first semester.

So let's break it down and let me reassure you that it's going to be okay:

10 No-nos in Japan

I'm half-Japanese and I've lived in Japan basically my whole life so I think I'm qualified to tell you some no-nos in Japan. These aren't in any particular order.

1. Trying your Japanese on a Japanese person and they might try their English on you.

Japanese want to please. They want to please you English-speaking foreigners. They might try to speak to you in English even if you insist that you want to speak Japanese. Just suck it up, is all I can say.



2. Can't get

I'm a Child of U.S-Japan Reconciliation

Well, obviously the title is click-bait...or is it? If you already know me, N.J., I'm half Japanese and half American. When you think about it, it's not unusual but it is kinda interesting considering during World War II, Japan and the US were enemies.

It's a touchy subject, the War Era, but these days when you talk about controversial things people say "GIMME MORE!" so, here it is:

The mindset (some) teachers in Japan said the US military had when they dropped the bomb on Hiroshima.

Hiroshima is up in Debateland, guys. The recent news of President Obama visiting Hiroshima and stuff...you know, that stuff.

Have you wondered how Japan reasons the bombing? Let me tell you about one incident I had with this topic in elementary school...

Are you a fan of *insert artist name here*?

Are you a fan of Owl City? (for example)

No, I'm not a fan.
Translation: I'm not a fanatic.

It is said that the word "fan" is derived from "fanatic".

But saying I'm not a fan seems to put people off. They look at me like "WHAT ARE YOU??? Some kind of alien???? What do you mean you're not a fan???"

But, I tell them,

The Big Profile Pic Change: I need to document this

For six years since the moment I joined, my Figment: Write Yourself In profile has looked like this:

SIX YEARS, guys. Most Figment users have changed their profile AT LEAST once.

Today is the day that it changes.

Goodbye old me, the cat that looks like a mushroom.

Hello new me! My new profile features my good friend, a magic fox! Not just that, I designed it myself, a completely legal profile.

See ya later, alligators! :D

P.S.
If you want more legal designs and such, check out my other blog Magic Cover Shop: Art Corner.

Imaginary Friends: Twin Brothers and My Double

SPOILER ALERT!
If you've seen Inside Out, the Pixar film, you might remember Bing Bong. He was Riley's imaginary friend and he was still hidden inside her head even as she grew up.

I think most of us have imaginary friends. I was thinking it might be a culturally American thing because idk if any of my Japanese or Chinese friends had imaginary friends or even know what an imaginary friend is.

Most of my culture is Japanese, yet the other half is American. Did I have an imaginary friend? And if I did, where is it today?

The answer is

Social Media is EXHAUSTING sometimes

If you're like me and you have just recently invested yourself into Social Media Land then you might find at first you kinda might enjoy this.

Blogger
linked to Google Plus
Twitter 2 accounts
Facebook (well, not so much updates but more like contacting friends)
YouTube (Galligator isn't doing all that on her own, you know. N. J. is keeping it grounded so it doesn't get out of hand)
Figment: Write Yourself In (community writing site)

I suppose I didn't understand really what it was like to invest in Social Media. I mean, I see Grace Helbig, Hannah Hart, Jenna Marbles, Jacksfilms, Superwoman, GMM, Pewdiepie, Tyler Oakley, and many many many other YouTubers just seemingly keeping up with everything AND going about their daily lives.

Somehow they manage it. And what we see is just a sliver of a part of their life. Just 10 minutes, or 20 minutes. We don't see the tremendous effort that goes into this. Well, sometimes we do but not EVERY day.

So I arrive at Social Media Station a COMPLETE newbie to everything and it all seems like happy land and fun and happy and fun until...

Poultry: To Eat or Not to Eat?

Yes, to eat or not to eat, that is the question (Shakespeare reference).

I like meat. Fried chicken, hamburgers, turkey during Thanksgiving...mmm, yummy *licks lips*

And I don't plan on stopping from eating meat.

One of my aunts is a vegetarian. Her husband and son are not. I have wondered about this. I mean, how can it be okay for a vegetarian to live with meat-eaters...idk. Maybe I'll ask her someday.

Anyway, I have sometimes, when I eat meat,

Rebellious Me: Shy people, be yourselves!

Radio Rebel is the best movie ever.

The reason I like it is because it's about that shy girl who has a crush on a guy who isn't completely in her league. I've never been to high school in the States but for some reason it gives me that warm cozy feeling inside. I've always always always been that shy girl. That girl who couldn't speak up for herself. School surely wasn't like Tara's but it did have some elements...like having a crush on a guy who didn't really knew you existed or had a voice.

Radio Rebel should be played more today. I mean, there should be re-runs of re-runs. Differences should be celebrated. Just because you're this or that, doesn't mean you are not good as a person.

Watching Radio Rebel makes me want to know what it's like to go to school in the states. You've got the cafeterias and the personalized lockers and the classrooms where you move depending on the class. In Japan we only have cafeterias in college and university. We had lockers but we never personalized them. And, we never moved classrooms. We always stayed in the same classroom and the teachers would come to us. So, we were stuck with the same group of people for a whole year. So if you had a crush on someone from high school year one, chances were you wouldn't see them hardly at all the next year cuz they mixed us up.

Anyway, the point of this post is about celebrating differences and Radio Rebel. I, personally, like to celebrate differences. I'm not afraid of telling people the real me. I used to be.

I used to