Week 13.

It's Wednesday let's write it.

It's week 13, it's two weeks exactly until Christmas and they want us to come in Christmas Eve Eve to take quizzes, and I just...... cue the meme from Paid in Full with Mekhi smoking a cigarette. lmao

WHY!! Imma be real with y'all, there's a lot I love about Japan, like LOVE. Tokyo though? No thankkkkkk yooouuuuu!! I wanna live in Kyoto, like... real bad. REAL BAD. This major city, with all of its pollution, pushing, and just... partying.. is...... a lot.. and I'm from a major metropolitan city, but I currently live in the largest city in the world... and it's showing me how much of a city girl I AM NOT lmao. And take that ALL the ways you will.. however I am forever a CHICAGO girl and LEGIT THE CITY OF CHICAGO, not the Chicagoland area, that's important to me. lol

Anywho, pulled a 4.0 in all my American classes again. Blessed. Currently getting S's (which is the equivalent to A's) in all of my Japanese classes, and I gotta finish strong. Fluency is getting there and I had to step up my study habits this week. They include daily listening to Japanese podcasts, daily vocabulary study, daily reading and Kanji practice, and swapping out grammar, speaking, and writing, every other day cuz I legit just... don't have the will to study 2.5 hours EVERYDAY.... mamas got shit to do... like what you ask?

Well, I'm putting out new music :) I'm also filming some visuals... I'm also connecting with family, I'm creating a lot here, and I'm also just investigating, renewing, and reinventing the depths of my soul and changing my lifestyle in a lot of ways so there's that.... lol... oh, and I'm doing my best to not be a hermit crab and never ever other talk to other people... and get enough sleep, and I cook almost every single meal I eat here... oh and look fly every time I step out. Jesus Lord be a fire.

All in all, even though it's hard, and some days I bitch and moan to my loved ones about Tokyo cuz I'm not crazy about this city, but I do appreciate and love a lot about this country, and I'm tired in 11 classes on two continents in two time zones, I miss my man, hugs, and family.. and sex with my husband... and Chicago food... and being spontaneous with others through outings and calls... and I honestly kinda wanna go home... I'm happy to be here, grateful, learning and unlearning, unblocking myself, CREATING, LIVING, and GROWING with courage... so mama's batting a thousand. I'm doing the damn thing. I'm living.

My skin is HAYWIRE, that's one thing I need Jesus on the mainline to please fix for me. It's not my diet and exercise, nor is it my regimen, it's the pollution in Tokyo, and the water. Although I wash my face with bottled water, I can't at the dorm so.. yikes... also standing to wash myself everyday when I'm a bath girl... feels a little torturous, but Imma chill and keep hitting the onsen that my fat papa treated me to :)

I'm currently in week two of the Artist Way, and if you don't know what that is and consider yourself an artist, or want to, or recognize that there's an art to any and everything, buy it and do it. She's no joke baby- and something to bitch and moan about for sure, and also to completely appreciate and love.

Otherwise, I'm kicking ass and taking names and become more and more astounded by what I accomplish in a 24 hour period here, and most of it is truly for myself, and myself only.. and I'm being gentle with myself as I learn to be okay with that.. with pouring into myself first, and right now... more than others... it's a weird feeling for adult me because it's a new practice... but inner little me IS REELING. like... having the time of her fucking life, and I truly can tell.

I took the day off today, something I haven't done the entire semester because she asked me to, and she'd be asking since last week.. I listened, and felt so guilty the first portion of the day that I had to sleep it in order to not do what I thought we "should" which was go to class... and lo and behold... it was a phenomenal day... we're about to hit our third meal, and shower, and watch a movie before we conclude our classes for the week tomorrow with one quick class.

All in all, I'm kicking ass and taking names... and the only name I'm concerned with is Jasmin, and although its an adjustment and so hard.. she's so fucking happy and ecstatic that she's finally getting my undivided attention.

Wishing you lots of love and the opportunities, although messy, to pay attention to yourself, lover.

With all of my love, until next time,

Mrs. Jasmin Dominique Taylor.