I woke up to a white, fluffy morning today. It hasn't stopped either. Plus, when I looked in the mirror, my hair matched the weather: fluffy. >.> I think I'm going to have to swear off Japanese shampoo.

So, I've made a few adjustments to my goals this year. I've set aside some of my hobbies (like Warcraft) to devote time to my art. When I look at my time in college, at all of the hours spent in the art room, I was very happy there. Immersing myself in the details of a painting always calmed me down, no matter what the deadline was. It was a constant flow of creativity. The themes suggested by the teachers weren't always the most entertaining, but I always enjoyed what I learned when I pushed myself to paint something I wasn't interested in.

Now, I feel the lack of that creative drive, and I miss it... a lot. I've found that I have many ideas for art, but don't feel talented enough to convey them. That's very frustrating for me and there's only one way to remedy it: Practice.

Fall in Japan is incredible. There is so much color and the weather is mostly always perfect with just the right amount of sunshine and breeze. But now it's finally settling down into winter. We got our first snow this morning. It was a cross between snow and rain and the snow didn't stick to the ground. I finally get to wear my hats and my red scarf. :) The winters here are an endurance test of boredom. It is incredibly beautiful, but it is so isolated here that finding things to do becomes an imagination challenge. Plus waking up in a non-insulated apartment makes it hard to get to work on time.

So I've dropped off the grid, which is my usual pattern. But now I'm back for a little while. This year is going much quicker than the last year. Mostly because I'm happier and I actually know what I'm doing. I feel much more confident with people and with the language. I feel like I've grown up quite a bit. Today I turn 26 and I'm on the down slope to 30. That's such a weird thought. I haven't decided if it's a good thought of not, but most people say your 30s are the best years. Lets hope that's true. Cheers.

I've decided to participate in the NaNoWriMo. Who knows if I can actually find the time to write a book or if I'm even imaginative enough.

I have also joined Twitter and I actually update that quite frequently. Much more than here or Facebook. So follow me so I can keep up with what you're up to. :) Twitter