I stopped by Boise Bicycle Project today. It was my first experience there.

I walked in expecting to run into my dream bike and walk out.

Unfortunately, there was only four bikes there and they were by far not even close to what I pictured in my mind before I left my house.

I was disapointed. I did a test ride with one of the options and it was a smooth ride, but still not "The one".

As I was about to lose all hope, the manager told me that I can take a look at some bikes that are about go on sale.

It was then and there, I met "The One". It was a Nishiki bike.

It had a slim body with beautiful tires. And the handle bars was just a give away.

It had a slick black color to it and it the handle bars had grip tape on it that looked like fruit roll ups.

I can't wait to go pick it up!

Three more days in Tokyo/Japan.

It has been five weeks since I haven't been home.

I am looking forward to eating some greasy pizza and burgers. Food is great here, but I could use some cheese.

See you in the States!

I made a trip to Kyoto yesterday.

We went to Ginkakuji and Kiyomizudera.

My two favorite temples in Kyoto.

I know I should have visited a temple I had never been to, but I really wanted to visit my two favorite temples when I had a chance.

We first went to Ginkakuji. Ginkakuji means "The silver temple" but it isn't made out of Silver.

There is a temple called Kinkakuji which is made out of gold and I heard it is a very beautiful temple but I was always more attracted to Ginkakuji.

I can't tell you why, but I always felt a connection with this temple.

I think there is a similarity to that feeling when you are dating.

Sometimes you are attracted to people that are not physically beautiful and you love someone because they connect with you.

(Don't get me wrong, Ginkakuji is really beautiful)

We walked through the tasteful landscape and enjoyed the luscious trees and moss that surrounded the temple.

I can confidently say that there was only 5% Japanese tourists in the area.

The rest were all foreigners.

Chinese, Korean, British and American were the majority.

My friend I was with said she had never been there even through she had lived in the area for 6 years.

Japanese people don't seem to appreciate what they have.

They don't realize what beauty they have.

I am Japanese as well, but maybe I wouldn't have realized how beautiful Japan was if I had never moved away.

I thanked the temple and Masayoshi Ashikaga for building such a beautiful temple and shared it with us for centuries.

I left the temple feeling cleansed and hot from the Bonchi madness.

Just got into Osaka.

I think the humidity is about 99% and the temperature is about 95 degrees.

I would hate to live in this everyday, but it feels really good. I missed the humidity.

You know it is humid outside when you can wave your arm and feel the air.


I haven't been here in seven years.

There is noise everywhere.

I didn't hear it when I lived here.

The train running by and people talking.

The electronics, cars and sirens.

The electronic voices talking to you on the street, bathroom, stores and train station.

This wasn't all noise to me when I lived in Tokyo.

I didn't hear it.

People adapt well.

When I first moved to Idaho I had a hard time falling asleep in the quite.

I was scared of the wide spaces.

I felt claustrophobic in the open field with no noise.

Now I feel claustrophobic in small places like I should be.

Two completely different cultures embedded in my mind.

Which am I? After years of contemplation, I still haven't figured it out.

I dream of being in Japan when I am in the States and I dream of being in America when

I am in Japan.

Two weeks till I go to Japan for a month.

I am not ready. I still have so much to do here.

Why am I hesitating? What is stopping me from being excited.

I am glad I made the decision to stay in the States and not go back to Japan.

I often question myself why I decided to stay after all.

Was it because my heart was broken?

Was it because I couldn't find myself there anymore?

I don't know but things happen for a reason and the Universe knows where to put you.

You just have to make sure take the opportunities when they come.

The Universe lays it out for you.

I used to ignore all the signs of success and the stop signs.

Just because they are intangible signs it doesn't mean that you should ignore them.

Some people might call those signs the "gut feeling".

I have a really good gut feeling right now.

It says "go" on it all over the place.

I can't wait to tell you about it.

The me I used to know

I was lying in bed last night listening to my own heart beat through my ear against the pillow.

When I was a little girl, I used to lie in bed wondering how could such thing be possible.

Logically thinking, my heart is down there and my ear is up here.

How can I hear my own heart beat through my ear against the pillow?

Wonders and questions that go through your mind when you are a child are no longer a mystery to you today.

I miss the days that I thought I could fly and I miss all the questions in life that just faded away unsolved.

My Father likes to tell me about the questions I would ask on our way to kindergarden.

"Daddy, how many flowers are there in the world?"

"Daddy, do the trees really sing and dance like that?"

"What happens when you die..."

Why don't I think about the dancing trees and matters in life that I have no answer to?

When did I stop caring. When did I give up. Suddenly, I had so many questions and regrets.

Rest in peace...

I will admit. I have been sad. I have been having sad dreams every night.
I have been thinking about a friend of mine a lot lately. I had been trying to find her on facebook for a while.
The last time I saw her was at her wedding.
She was my first friend that I made in America. We bonded instantly.
Her boyfriend was a quarter Japanese and I am half Japanese, so we found a tiny connection that brought us together.
I had just moved to McCall from Tokyo at the time and I was homesick and I felt like I had no friends.
She was kind to me. Since she just moved there too, she didn't have a lot of friends either.
We spent a lot of time together.
Her and her boyfriend broke up a few times while her and I were living in McCall.
He made me mad. I hated him. He made her cry.
I hated him because she loved him so dearly, but he would just do whatever he wanted to do.
But bottom story he loved her too.
When everything worked out great and happy I was really happy for them. I was really happy when I heard they got engaged.
She was LDS and he was not but, their love finally connected the two and they were ready to be together for the rest of their lives.
They had the love that I wanted. Strong and powerful. I had been there for their ups and downs, but their bond was stronger than anything I have ever witnessed.
I went to their wedding in Payette and it was the strangest wedding I had ever been to because half of it was a bunch of redneck Japanese descendants and half of it was from the LDS church. The two different cultures mingled and created a harmony.
My dearest friend Kinsee looked beautiful and my friend and beloved husband of Kinsee, Joel, also looked greater than ever.
They finally figured out where they wanted to be and everything fitted into place.
I hadn't heard from Kinsee in a long time, I was searching for her for a while until I realised that I had been spelling her last name wrong when she friend requested me on facebook. I was excited to hear from her again.

She sent me a message about Joel getting killed in an avalanche this past winter.
My heart has been broken since...
I am sad that a friend has passed away, but I am sad that my dearest friend Kindsee is devastated.
I was there for the whole relationship's up and down and I was a witness of a great love growing.
I got to witness a quality of love getting cultivated. I can't stand to think how she might be feeling right now.
The man made her cry all the time, I saw nothing but struggles the whole time they were together.

As soon as they were happy together I stopped hearing from them. No news is good news afterall.

I am sad. I am devastated. I wish I could see Joel and I am sad to even try to imagine what Kinsee is going through right now.
They were high school sweethearts. They have been together for eight years. He was only 24 when he passed away.
I am headed to Payette next weekend to go see her and him in his spirit. I still can't believe that happened already.

God bless them I am hope the best for my truly an dearest friend Kinsee Barrie.