Hey gang ♡
You know the drill, long time no see and all that. Basically, I'm back in the UK. I hope you all had a great xmas/ new year! I did- it was sooo lovely to be back home for a 'proper' Christmas in the UK <3
So I thought I'd do my usual New Years Resolutions post, and sort of reflect on last year's
Japan Goals ver 2- did I achieve them? (no. no I didn't) Are you guys up for a long rambly post?
My Goals for last year//
Make friends!// yeah I did, kind of. I worked shifts so hours were a bit antisocial, and my new friends all kept leaving Shizuoka... I had fun, but I also spent a lot of the year being pretty lonely.
Get involved with the community in some way// I did indeed go to the shrine at New Years, saw bon odori at my teeny tiny local shrine, and I even was in the Shizuoka Matsuri! So I did get involved but, as I said, I was vvv lonely.
Take the JLPT N1/ Done :^) Very pleased I've got it done. (N1 is the top level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, and having it will look banging on my CV)
Carry on cooking and baking// This one was definitely a fail. I did cook sometimes, but I ate waaay too much conbini food, and my health definitely suffered. It was a case of being too tired from work to look after myself, which then made me more tired... definitely a vicious cycle.
Start saving money// Nope. My phone died (on New Years Eve!! What an inauspicious start to 2019!!!) So that was a lot of money right at the start, and I also spent a lot of what I did save on the shokihiyou moving in costs to my flat, and after that it was sort of pay cheque to pay cheque.... minimum wage life... at least I didn't *lose* money....
Take photos every day/ Well I did do this- apart from some sad periods in summer when it was too hot and I refused to go outside unless I reallllly had to (Japanese summer is a hot sticky nightmare of sadness). I definitely failed at posting them to instagram or my blog though... am going to restart my Japanese Streets series soon though, so look forward to many pictures of ugly Shizuoka side streets!
Japanese youtube channel// Another huge fail. Ok, my excuse for this is that my laptop is on its way out and will barely operate chrome or word, so definitely won't edit video, but I need to actually buy a laptop or start shooting on my phone instead of my nice camera. I definitely want to do a couple of Japanese language Youtube videos this year- introducing Britain and British things! I think there's a market :^) but also it would be good to get better at editing and also try and use it to keep up my Japanese!
Walk/ cycle to work every day/ This I achieved, because the apartment I ended up renting was about 5 minutes walk from work. <3 So convenient, especially in summer!
Have a v aesthetic apartment/ It was pretty aesthetic. I went for a minimalist muji vibe, and I doooo have some footage of it, so I'm going to edit that together and chuck it on Youtube one of these days (my sister said she'd lend me her computer <3)
Travel/ Big no accompanied by a big sigh. Unfortunately as it was shift work and we were pretty understaffed at points, taking enough holiday to go anywhere was a bit of a struggle. I will go to Taiwan and Korea ONE DAY I SWEAR
Plan my future!// another huge fail on this- I did apply for a few jobs while I was in Japan, but ultimately decided to come back to the UK. Although I definitely seemed to be getting more offers there.... we'll see. Anyway enough of my flailing, I'm applying for jobs for now and hopefully I'll get something soon! I've got through to the last stages a few times, so I'm hopeful!
SO yeah a bit of a mixed bag on my goals for last year- honestly I sort of fell apart in the last bit and I'm disappointed that I didn't make more of my time there......... but I survived and I'm home and hopefully I can put myself back together and make 2020 a good one! I'm sure you guys will too!
Here are my goals for 2020!
Get a job// this one is pretty self explanatory...
Play guitar more// I didn't get a guitar this time in Japan so obviously I'm back at 0 again. I was never great buuut playing guitar is fun so I want to make it a habit. I also am toying with the idea of trying to do an open mike/ play in front of people again bc I haven't played for anyone at allllll in maybe 5 years?
Start some proper savings// Obvs this one is for when I've got a job but I reeeally want some savings. Even just like £50 for emergencies would be rad.
Sort out my sleep// I am working on this one- I was in a 12-8 pattern and I need to get back there- I'm not usually that productive in the evenings and tend to just start worrying about stuff if I go to bed too late. Also my skin needs the sleep a lot.
Film photography// I have some of my dad and granddad's film cameras that I need to sort out and start using. I was soo into film last year, but I used throwaway cameras which, while super easy and fun, aren't great for the environment as it's single use plastic. Seeing as I have the proper film cameras anyway, I thought I'd get my hipster on!
Go somewhere new in Europe// I've actually achieved this already, as my extended family went to Italy together, yesssss
Actually make some Japanese youtube// I have the free time now, so in between applications I need to just get a wiggle on
Make my room nicer// I'm back at home, and it's lovely but my bedroom is crammed full of stuff. I need to have a sort and try and make things a bit calmer to be in. I feel like I just need to get some plain boxes that I can shove stuff in and then I'm sorted....
Get a new laptop// my baby has done so well, but it's 6 years old and hardly runs any more... :'(
Be more sorted// I am usually pretty organised, but as mentioned earlier, I sort of fell apart and am still kind of picking up the pieces from that. A bigger goal is that I really want to be a more calm person- I'm not very confident and get flustered really easily and I want to feel sorted, you know?
Get another piercing// I only have two holes in each ear and I've been dying for another one for so long but always put it off because £££
Get another haircut// ditto. I had a really nice haircut in Tokyo in May last year, almost exactly one year after
the big chop when I got a bob, but I really want another because cutting shortish hair by yourself is annoying and I've got kind of a mullet situation going on at the moment....
Make a zine// I really want to print some of the pictures I took of Baesaka (Osaka) and make a cool zine! For funzies
Read 1 book/ month// I love reading! And I always forget I love it! But also, I'm slightly worried that spending all my free time in Youtube (and half of that in Japanese too) is making me less articulate. I'm reading Caitlin Moran atm and it's the best decision I've made in a while. I also have some *hard* books to re read from uni.
Post one OOTD a month// I love a good old school #OOTD- I get soo much fashion inspiration from blogs and instagram, but somehow I've got out of the habit of sharing stuff on here (my poor neglected blog...)
And finally, this one might be a little obvious but
Go back and visit LEEDS!!!//
What are your goals for 2020? And who can believe we're almost finished with January?? aaahhhhhh
Thanks for reading and for sticking with me <3 Love you guys!
-Amy xoxo
My bleached hair care routine in Japan (updated) //
Snapshots from Shizuoka city part 1//
Updated makeup collection- I got too much makeup free with magazines//
