okawim travels►

I've structured my life--my very being on my ability to remain emotionally unattached; my ability to lie to myself and force myself to think different things that are not necessarily true at all. For my whole life, I've relied heavily on never having to do things the hard way: the emotional way. I'd never understood, in all of my life as a human being on this planet, why people insisted on doing the things they did. Why they insisted on loving when they knew, when I knew, they would only be hurt in the end.

Why they insisted on trying.

So I veered my life away from it--our society's crazy notion of relationships. God knows that I've watched my share of teen movies/TV shows. Everybody always ends up hurt, wishing they'd never gotten themselves involved, or pregnant. None of it ever seemed fair, so I vowed to myself that I would never be that stupid. I would never let somebody hold so much influence over me that I allowed myself to lose...well...myself.

My own thoughts of what I should do have always been infected with my parents' rules and ideas, my friends' opinions, and of course--the general public's expectations and hopes. Sometimes, I wish it could all stop. I wish I could shut myself up in a very small room with padded walls and just think.

Maybe then I could actually understand my own emotions and feelings. Maybe then I could start figuring out what it is that I want out of my own life. What it is that I need.

I've decided that I hate finals. I mean really--I've been studying for about...a day and I'm very close to accepting that 1) I will and never will understand biology and that 2) I'm going to fail math. I've never felt so nervous about taking finals. I've always been one of those "it's just a dumb test, what will be will be" kind of people.

But not today. No sirree, today I'm nervous and scared and on the verge of some kind of breakdown. Dear God: I need a happy place and I need it fast. (Wait, what...DRUGS?)

Okay, I'll admit: this post is probably not going to go anywhere since I'm currently crazy and tired. I decided that I'll make this post about how to deal with stress for finals.

When you're sitting in your computer chair, staring at your math notebook and your heart starts to beat faster and faster...you're getting stress. And in an effort to avoid a break down, you should try some of my tips. (They work...I was the experiment.)

1. Take a break
This is the simplest thing and as long as your break isn't too long, it can do wonders for you and your attention too! Close the books, go on Facebook, talk to some friends, watch a cartoon--but do not get carried away and make sure you do eventually go back to the studying...after a while.

2. Cut things
This sounds really strange, but I started today and it helps a lot with the stress. And no, I don't mean start cutting your wrists. What I mean is: start cutting up random things. I suggest paperclips. But paper also works...especially if it's paper from the school (paper you don't need of course). This helps you release your anger at the school.

3. Talk to somebody
I've noticed that the one thing that has saved me so many times is talking to somebody--more like ranting to somebody. I know that AIM is a distraction, but when I study for finals, I like to sign in as invisible and talk to only a few people who I know won't mind if I start having a mini-breakdown.

4. Breathe in, then remind yourself that it's only 10% of your grade
All that matters in the end is that you tried. Sure, your parents might be mad if you get a bad grade, but it's really not that big of a deal, right? In 10 years you'll laugh at this and think back to all the paperclips and important paperwork you destroyed.

Yesterday marked an epoch in my life of 16 years. It marked the day that I went to my very first high school dance. It also marked the day when I realized that I really wished things were still the same as they were in the 1950's (or the way they were in the 80's, which fits better with the theme of the dance).

I walked in to the Clark High School cafeteria, prepared for the worst (since I knew how kids "danced"), but at the same time I was excited for this new experience to add to the book I call "life." You see, I have this strange, almost irrational, fear of dances--and whenever I'm at an event that has a dance after, I tend to sit alone (or with other like-minded individuals) somewhere far away from the mob of moving bodies.

But this time I vowed I'd be different. I'd take a chance. I'd conquer my fear.

I made it on to the dance floor and I survived a few rounds of jumping around, looking like an idiot (at least, I think that's what the dance is called), but then I was done. I wanted to sit on the sidelines and watch the rest of the people make fools of themselves, but I was out.

After I realized how much I detested what we call "dancing" these days--basically, tons of body to body contact and other things that should not be allowed on school property.

I remember watching films that were set in high school and I never saw this kind of...strange dancing. I guess I always figured that a dance would have more normal stuff, like waltzing and ballroom dancing. (I'm thinking Cinderella. She certainly didn't "get down" on the prince or anything like that.)

For anybody time traveling from the 50's--or even the 80's (so basically: parents), they'd probably be surprised with what they would see at a dance.

I want to go back to the 50's--back to the time when dances meant more than 100 sweaty teenagers all jumping around together, giving each other 0 personal space. Back to the time when girls wore poodle skirts and guys wore long socks and calf length pants. Back to when they played songs that people could actually dance normally to.

Unfortunately, we can't time travel and this is how our culture is changing. I guess I'll have to learn how to dance--or at least how to ignore it.

In an effort to actually talk about something travel related (turns out I'm very bad at this whole crazy "staying on one topic" thing), I'm going to talk about Scotland in today's blog entry.

Scotland is a beautiful region in the United Kingdom (just like England, Wales, and North Ireland). The country has become, to me, synonymous with the word green. When I think of Scotland I think of rolling hills, ancient stone castles, bagpipes, and of course: men in skirts.

Here are some random facts...The capital of Scotland is Edinburgh. The largest city Glasgow. Scotland has a constitutional monarchy and its current monarch is Queen Elizabeth II. (It is the same as England, since they are basically the same "country.") Traditionally, Scotland's economy has been dominated by heavy industry, specifically with ship building, as it is on an island surrounded by water on either side. There are about 5 million people living in this region of the UK.

Music is very popular in Scotland and their regional/national instrument is the Grand Highland Bagpipe. If you don't know what it is, the bagpipe is a wind instrument that basically has a bag and a pipe attached to it. Thus, the name "bagpipe."

Men in Scotland are often depicted as wearing kilts, which look like plaid skirts. It's one of the traditional clothings for males in Scotland. Women also wear kilts.

Well, now you know a bit more about Scotland, so I guess I will be taking my leave.

When I was little I watched a beautiful girl in a checkered dress float away in a house and land in a land far away. Her name was Dorothy and this place was...Munchkin Land. [Or was it Oz? I never really understood the story very well, I guess.] I always wished that I could be as beautiful as her and that my house could also land way up high--somewhere over the rainbow.

Sometimes I wonder about the concept of "other dimensions" or "alternate universes." I mean, what if there's somebody over there in some other space-time-continuum who looks and acts just like me...but their circumstances are different? Or maybe they live during a different time than I do?

I'm not an avid sci-fi reader, but I do know a thing or two about...alternative universes. So, I think it'd be highly likely that in some other place 5 kabillion light years away, there is another Miwako--with a different (possibly better) life than the Miwako here on this earth that is not 5 kabillion light years away.

Maybe someday I'll understand what's over the rainbow. Most likely, this will never happen. And this brings me to my next point. (Wait, I had a point?!?) Life is such a weird wacky thing--it's so important and fragile, yet at the same time: not at all. We think we're this hotshot big deal thing, because we're human, but really: we're not at all.

Life is so full of uncertainties, people are so complicated, everything is so ever changing--we're scared to do stuff because we're afraid of consequences. But, really, in the grand scheme of things: how much do we matter?

Probably not a lot.

If that's the case...why does it matter what we do?

If that's the case...why does everybody work so hard trying to make life complicated?

If that's the case...why did Dorothy ever want to come back home from over the rainbow?

Chopsticks and raw fish, rice and seaweed, sake and curry: The world of Asian cuisine is large and for the most part well known, but not well understood. Today I shall be talking about cuisine from East Asia: Korea, China, and Japan.

So, let's start with Korea, shall we? Koreans eat rice (well...duh) and use it to make flour and rice cakes called tteok as well. A famous Korean dish is kimchi--which is basically pickled vegetables, especially cabbage and raddish. To give you a mental image: it's all weird and red, it's spicy, and it has a very pugnent smell. It smells...not very pleasing to the nose. (Unless you're Korean and you practically sleep in kimchi.) Koreans also eat lots of noodles and seafood and various types of meat (including dog and beef and pork, etc.).

As for the Chinese, they'll eat almost anything it seems. Rice is, of course, very prevelent in this culture as well. Chinese people also drink tea, but then again: This is Asia, people. Chinese people eat a lot of noodles as well.

In Japan, raw fish is common. Noodles, like soba and udon and ramen are also common. Again, rice and tea are common. Sake is basically rice wine and is the common alcoholic beverage. (I've realized that I used the word "common" too many times in this paragraph.)

You should all go eat Asian food.

My sister needs to stop watching Desperate Housewives. It's as simple as that. She's been watching it every day for the past...week or so. And then of course, I make my way over to where she sits, staring at the computer screen and join with her...staring at the computer screen.

I'm almost embarrassed to say that it's true, but yes...I actually enjoy watching this really messed up show where all the characters lead really messed up lives. This is Wisteria Lane. Now, let me just say that I'd probably shoot myself if I had to live on this street. They're all crazy lunatics.

But, it makes for a good story. (I'm forgetting what my point was...I need to start having one of those. Also, this has nothing to do with travel...again! I really do kick myself for choosing that niche.)

I wonder what place is like Wisteria Lane, with no morals or values what so ever--where neighbors burn down other people's houses and neighbors kill their neighbors. Wow. When you put it that way, it sure is one jacked up show.

Is Wisteria Lane a correct summary of what America is like? Is there a place like it?

I don't know, but I guess I'll have to watch the next episode to find out.

So just now I was on the wonderful tool that we know as Facebook (a very addicting tool, but we'll get to that at a later date). Anyways, my friend posted a status thing that talked about Wonder Girls being on the radio station 104.3.

Now, in case you were wondering: Wonder Girls is a famous Korean pop girl band that has some songs I get tired of very easily. (Let me scan the area for crazy K-pop fans before I continue on.) Anyways, the point that I'm trying to make is that it's kind of strange for this Korean girl band to have a song playing on the radio in America. (A song that was originally in Korean and now sounds very, very Asian when sung in English.) Especially on a non-Asian pretty popular radio station like FM 104.3.

I guess this just shows how small the world really is. (Another thing Facebook is good at doing.)

I know that a few months back, a Japanese/Korean singer named BoA was playing on the FM radio station 98.9 or whatever it is.

Asian influences really surprises me. I mean, I'm Asian, but sometimes I feel the Asian take over, all the time. I mean, there are so many white people who listen to Asian music and watch Asian TV shows. (Just ask the anime-freaks.)

I'm not saying that this meshing is bad in any way. It's good to get to know and respect cultural aspects from other countries.

All I'm saying is that it's weird.

I rarely say that life stresses me out. But, I'll say it now: Life does stress me out sometimes (believe it or not) and there are times that I wish I had a happy place to go to. And by happy place, I don't mean "John, give me some dead plants to inhale so that we can talk about world peace and ways to stop war."

No. I mean a real place in this physical place that I can go to and just be happy about life while I'm there. I know this place probably doesn't exist, since problems will always fill this world and we might be able to run, but we can't hide from reality.

Where would it be, in this world, if such a place were to exist? Maybe in Paris, the city of lights and love, of champagne and sight seeing. Or maybe in Australia, where the kangaroos run around and the Great Barrier Reef is. Or maybe still, the place is right here in Las Vegas, where sin plays its games and people can get drunk 24 hours a day.

No, that last place definitely isn't an option. But then again, is Paris or Australia or Rome or even Disneyland (the happiest place on Earth) an option?

My point (wait...there was a point?!) is that no matter where you go, life is gonna kick you hard in the butt, giving you a reality check.

I guess you can't run, you just have to deal with stuff the right way.

One place that has always held a special candle in my heart that no other place (save for maybe, Japan) can illuminate as strongly as, is England. Yes, I'm talking about the used to be country that America gained its independence from that drinks too much tea and gave birth to Harry Potter. Yes. The Harry Potter. I have always been enraptured by its beauty, its size (very small), the stark contrasts between the green, rolling hill countryside and the gray, smoky cities, and its history.

The area of land that we call England has been settled by people for about 35,000 years. In 927 AD, or BCE (whichever one floats your boat), England officially became a unified state and ever since the 1400's (around the Renaissance time), it started having a pretty big impact on the rest of the world--politically, economically, culturally, and socially.

England has had a long, long, long history of kings and was very strictly a monarchy for the longest time. It wasn't until recently that England became a constitutional monarchy, so that the royal family was merely a cultural symbol head.

The largest city in England is its capital: London. Some interesting things to see in London (besides watching the rain) are the London Skyline, Buckingham Palace, the Palace of Westminster, and the Royal College of Music.

Another great thing to do (if you're a huge dork, like myself) is to go and take the Harry Potter tour. Basically what you would do is go to places like King Cross Station and where they shot some Harry Potter scenes.

Very exciting stuff, I know.

So, if you're ever in England, be sure to take lots of pictures and buy me a souvenir.