Sessions with Sue 34

This past Thursday's session was pretty similar to the last, since just like last week I've been brooding about entering the abyss of graduating-with-no-prospects-and-moving-back-home-with-my-mom-with-nothing-to-look-forward-to-and-feeling-pretty-ashamed-about-it-all. Even the excitement and hope spurred by my Phi Beta Kappa invitation faded within a day, as a dear high school friend's grad school acceptance announcement (along with many other similar "Hey! Look! I have a future!" announcements made by people around me) reminded me that at present, I'm still going nowhere in life:

•  Year-end academic award ceremonies; know you worked hard but don't feel like you deserve an award for it, given that you feel you're just going back to where you started at the end of the day. But that's your assessment of yourself, that's not how others see it; that's not how people who want to recognize you see it
• Sure, a high GPA with honors, Phi Beta Kappa, even two degrees won't buy you the future you want. But it does say something about how you've spent these four years.
• Not satisfied about what you haven't done, but maybe you can be someone who serves as an example and inspiration to others through what you have done academically
•  Always thinking about having something to prove, but maybe people are already looking up to you, and maybe even more would be able to learn from you if they saw you and  knew your story
• You have nothing to lose and everything to gain from asking for what you want
• Pride real hurt right now; you can be sad/disappointed about the way things turned out yet still be proud of what you've achieved at the same time
• Going home to spend time winding down and working on yourself probably makes the most sense considering the condition you're in right now; not ideal, but may actually be vital

ドラマ (Dorama) Time! 8

Below are the two dramas of the 2015 winter season that I watched at the same time as they aired in Japan. Things got a little hectic for me so I wasn't able to finish both series until last week, but that's beside the point. Here goes:

 問題のあるレストラン (Mondai no Aru Restaurant/Restaurant with Many Problems) - Fuji TV/2015
This drama is near and dear to my heart for two reasons. First, it's the first drama I've ever watched without English subtitles! Woo, go me! With the exception of one episode, I watched the entire series with Japanese subtitles. It took me about twice as long than normal to get through each episode, but improving my listening and reading comprehension was so worth it! I was impressed with how much I was able to understand. Second, this show tackles a relevant but taboo problem in Japanese society, which is sexism. Particularly in the form of workplace discrimination and sexual harassment against women.

Tanaka Tamako leads a team of a women in opening a restaurant on a rooftop. Each woman has her own story. Tamako left her corporate food industry job after being betrayed by her chef boyfriend, mistreated at work, and learning of her childhood friend's public humiliation by the CEO and sustained sexual harassment from co-workers. Tamako decides to open the restaurant Bistro Fou (literally "Crazy Bistro") to avenge her friend and rival the upscale restaurant "Symphonic" that's run by her former company. Joining her is a cast of unlikely heroes: Haiji (a transgender? pastry chef who was shunned from jobs because of her lifestyle), Nanami (a longtime friend of Tamako's with whom she used to run a food truck), Kyoko (a soon-to-be divorced single mom who's regaining her confidence and independence after being dogged as a housewife), Yumi (a Tokyo University grad who used to be Tamako's coworker and is struggling to find her footing in the corporate world), and Chika (a loner otaku who's also a brilliant chef and holds a hateful grudge against her father, the lecherous above-mentioned CEO). Rounding out the female cast is Airi, the girl who stole Tamako's chef boyfriend, but she isn't as dumb, conniving, or docile as meets the eye.

I love this drama because it really delves into the daily struggles and pressures that women (especially working women) have to face. To this day I think this is the only drama that has ever made me cry. It hits that hard. But it's also incredibly heartwarming (and hilarious!) in the way it displays women working together and uplifting each other. Undoubtedly one of the best dramas I've ever watched. Also, props are due to Maki Yoko, who plays Tamako and brought me to this drama. I first saw her in 'Saikou no Rikon', and I know last year she starred in two successful seasons of the detective drama 'MOZU', so it's refreshing to see her in a more lighthearted role for a change.

Ghostwriter - Fuji TV/2015

Much like 'Hirugao', here we have another instance of a naive, idealistic young woman being corrupted when an older woman takes her under her wing. Their relationship evolves from teacher-student, to perpetrator-accomplice, to sworn enemies, and back again.

Kawahara Yuki is a 20-something aspring novelist who's struggling to enter the publishing industry. By sheer luck, she ends up being hired as an assistant to Touna Risa, Japan's reigning literary queen. Her works have been consistent best-sellers for 10 years, with quite a few being produced as films. But somehow Risa has lost her thunder, and recently her work isn't garnering the same praise or sales that they used to. So, when she discovers Yuki's writing talent, her editor and lover gets her to persuade Yuki to be her ghostwriter. Yuki agrees, and these new novels by "Touna Risa" are a second wind for the washed-up novelist. Yuki is at first led to believe that this will be a partnership of sorts, and that Risa will help her to launch her own writing career. But she she realizes she's being used, she decides to fight back, and a bitter battle ensues between the two authoresses. I watched the drama largely for Mizukawa Asami, who gave a solid performance as second female lead in last winter's 'Shitsuren Chocolatier'. Also, as an avid reader who's not familiar with what ghostwriting entails, I was glad to get my first taste of a drama set in the book/publishing industry.

One aspect that I found quite intriguing about this drama is the theme of living a double life. Once the deal has been made, neither Yuki nor Risa can really do anything without each other. Yuki wants her work to finally be read, and Risa wants to keep her good name, and in order to do that they both have to lie to their readership, their loved ones, and even themselves to some extent. In this way the show reminds me of the film Big Eyes. A real artist has talent but doesn't have the connections or guts to be noticed on her own, so she's manipulated into producing masterpieces behind a facade, eventually becoming complicit in the scam.  But one could argue that both Risa and Yuki are being used in this way. Risa is pushed by her lover/publisher to commit deplorable acts to protect her legacy (read: make sure the publisher gets paid), and Yuki is used as the pawn to make sure this plan goes over without a hitch.

I doubt that it's possible to compare the two shows, seeing as how they're so different (apart from the fact that they're about women). I was surprised by how thoroughly I enjoyed both of these dramas. But if I had to choose the one I liked the most, I'd have to go with 'Mondai no Aru Restaurant'. It deals with a very controversial and complex topic in a mindful way, and for me it came with the added challenge/reward of watching without English subtitles. But again, as usual, I would highly recommend both!

On Repeat: "carmen"

When I was in Paris last summer my host mom told me that Stromae is a genius, and this song and video are only further proof of this fact!

Whether we saw it coming or not, whether we like it or not, social media has become part of everyone's lives. This goes even for people who aren't on any social media sites, because many still spend time ridiculing people who are, and many find themselves having to explain or defend their choice not to get involved in this dizzying non-stop world of online vices and distraction.

And because this is now a part of everyone's lives, Stromae confronts us with his vision of possible consequences.



Now of course, we won't literally die from social media use. Our bodies won't shut down from, say, tweeting too much. But what does often happen is that people spend so much of their time scrolling, viewing, sharing, and amassing likes, friends, and followers that they no longer go out and have real experiences or form in-person relationships apart from all that. They let social media monopolize their attention and consume their every being. (Hence, the humongous man-eating Twitter bird and its minions delivering unsuspecting social media addicts as sacrifices.) In that sense, such people do stop living.

But what's Stromae without a little genius AND irony? Even with his criticism of consumerism and social media use, this video is reaching millions of eyes through what? YouTube. And he's also been promoting the single through illustrations posted on what? His new Instagram page, where his character in the music video continues to craft his make-believe life before our very eyes (meta, anyone?). And talk of this song, this video, and Stromae's message is going to blow up where? All over the Internet. I mean, just look at what I'm doing right now! I'm writing about this on my blog, and then I'll share this post on Facebook when I'm done... so along with all the other netizens around the world, I'm also proving his point!  And this doesn't get past Stromae either. He's well aware that this is the world we live in today; we can no longer escape technology, neither its good nor its bad. But to what extent do we allow it to alter how we live our lives? I've written about this question before, and it's almost frightening to be reminded that we don't know where this virtual reverie is taking us.

Having said all that, I encourage you to enjoy this work of art! But don't let the message go over your head (I don't see how it could, but still). This is a grand opportunity for all of us to reflect on our habits. Thank you and well done, Stromae!

Sharpei Sisters!

They had two Sharpei mixes at the shelter today! Big, brown, wrinkly, droopy-looking, squishable, beautiful ever-lovin' Sharpeis! Until today I'd never interacted with this breed before, so I could hardly contain my delight when I saw these lovelies!

Coco

This pair of two-year-old sisters are very much alike but their personalities differ slightly. Coco (pink collar) is very chill and sweet, while Brownie (brown harness) is more energetic and is a bit of an attention hog. In a mixture of excitement and probably stress, Brownie kept prancing around trying to nibble at my hands and my jacket, while Coco enjoyed being petted but was content just to nap in peace. That is, when Brownie wasn't challenging her to a duel of course. They were happy to have company in their kennel, but both of them were fighting sleep toward the end.

As a bonded pair, the shelter would love to see these girls adopted together (adopt one, get the other free!), but it's not a requirement. Anyone interested in Brownie, Coco, or both of these beauties can find their info through the links in their names.

**(UPDATE 4/7)** Both of these beauties got adopted yesterday! No word on if they went to the same home or not. Hopefully they got to stay together, but if not it's still great that they have new homes!

Brownie

Outings: HopCat

HopCat - East Lansing (2 April)

That one time after rehearsal last night when Hilena talked me into going to chill at a bar. She ordered Lindeman's Framboise and I ordered Positive Contact, but we ended up switching. The Framboise was like a spiked fruity fizzy pop. Easy to drink but bordering on too sweet. Then we had conversation over Hopcat's famous "Crack Fries". We started with our dream lives and ended with kiddie leashes. How, you ask?

See if you can follow:

If you could be anything in life what would you be→would you ever want to change your race→the amazingly beautiful honor that is being black→what would you say to mixed kids→what I would say to my Blorean kids if I were to marry and have babies with David So→how Hilena would be my wingwoman if we were to ever meet David So→what dating culture is like today→asking people "What's your favorite color?" as a more interesting and effective convo-starter than the typical where are you from/what do you study/what do you do→if we'd be friends with someone we're interested in→can't imagine ourselves in relationships→can't imagine ourselves as moms→would we use those ridiculous kiddie leashes

And this is a normal conversation for us! Ha!

Outings: World Languages Day

World Languages Day - MSU Business Complex building (28 March)

That one time last Friday when I volunteered 9am-5pm at a world language event for high school students. My last session of the day was French napkin folding led by, coincidentally, my current French linguistics professor. Burgundy candle (bougie), green croissant/frog (grenouille), red maple leaf (feuille d'érable).... all a success. Failed yellow butterfly (papillon) not pictured. 

Purpose over popularity

"Live to be light, not to be liked."


─paraphrased from "Don't let opinions control your life", a video by motivational speaker Trent Shelton