I experienced it once already, when I learned from my first piano teacher. The more I focused on one piece, the more frustrated I got and my fingers wouldn't move at all after a time (or worse, they'd move too much).
Now I am still practicing every day of course, but I think last week I was at my best. I kind of climbed the mountain, went to the top, and instead of resting there, I just kept on walking which ended in walking down the mountain.
Damn!
Should have just rested for a week or so, but no, I went to Piano Presto (see last entry) every single day for a whole hour.
I know, music instruments are all about practicing every single day for I don't know how many hours, but maybe it isn't the right thing for me?? I know my friends Eri (she is playing the oboe) and Akiko (piano) practice for 8 (!) hours every day and become better with each time, but I simply can't.
I actually wanted to go to Piano Presto again today, but I decided not to. Anyway, I have the piano lesson today so DON'T EXAGGERATE IT!
Have a yummy lunch instead :)
Ikura/Salmon-don from Don Mar's in Yotsuya. Only 500Yen! Delicious!
Or... 300Yen Soba from the Sankus... Now I'll say it officially: I do not like hot soba. Don't get me that one. Please buy the cold one instead. Thank you!
At least I could enjoy a red wine and PVs from Hairspray with it :) (Yes, I'm in the hot tub...)
What else is new:
I got contact lenses from Ella! She bought 100 dailies for only 6000Yen in Korea :) How great is that!
They come with four cases and two liquids for free!
Also Ella, thank you for providing me with vitamins.
Every day at least one. Don't drink everything at once or you'll pee out the vitamins!
That's all so far... More news will follow soon.
At last I will show you a very nice song which is on TV all the time:
Last week was almost the same every day: Work, gym, piano practice, work, gym, piano practice, ...
But it was a short week actually! Or... unfortunately, because it was Pia's last week at work :((( We tried to see each other as often as possible but of all weeks she had to work her last days as a substitute with the most horrible schedule. I was so sad... On Friday then, we had a small Farewell-Party for her. At first we went to Wataminchi and enjoyed lots of food with 2 hours of Nomihodai. We were eight people at first but after the dinner Kerstin and Ella left so the remaining six of us went to Karaoke. Karakan was so expensive that evening! Maybe coz it was Friday night and it was Shinjuku, but still... 2000Yen for one hour? They had to be kidding us!
So we decided to go to Karaoke 747 which is the very cheap alternative. We drank more inside the room, sang the Beatles, Disney and what not, drank, sang, drank... That's how our party ended.
The boys singing Bohemian Rhapsody
That next day Jerry asked me to help him out in the office and since it was Pia's last day of Saturday work, too, I agreed. But unfortunately again, we didn't see each other much that day.
Later that day I met up with Shun T. who returned from Germany. I got a cute Omiyage from Hamburg(apparently his favorite German city): a bag full with candy.
Kuddelmuddel (jumble/mess) candy with chocolate filling
After that I went to practice the piano again. There is this really nice place in Myogadani, which is called Piano Presto. I am going there almost every day since mid December.
You can use Piano Presto in three ways:
Either you are teaching, taking a lesson or renting a little room (with or without music instrument).
I am only using the rental services.
Well, the rooms are tiny (exactly 2.73m²)!!!
And every time I step inside I need to make sure my eyedrops are with me otherwise my contacts will stick to my eyeballs like superglue. The air is really dry and there are no windows of course. (There is a heater/air conditioner though. I really don't know who would turn on a heater in that tiny claustrophobic room, are they suicidal??)
Anywho, I usually use the upright piano, which is only 1080Yen for one hour. There is a grand piano, too (1620Yen), but it doesn't really make a huge difference on which to practice (I know, I'm not a real musician, DUH!).
Hello eye-drops!
After practice I went to my piano lesson (which is in Todaimae). Finally got the programs for the recital on the 24th! I am very scared, anxious and want to throw up when thinking about it. I am really looking forward to being through with Beethoven though (for now)!
Also, I already got my new projects starting from February. I had the choice between Mozart - Turkish March and Chopin - Waltz in D flat major(also called Little Dog Waltz or Minute Waltz). Well, since I adore dogs... no just kidding, I chose Chopin because I really love this waltz! I know, I will never master this piece fully, but I will try my best and this time without any pressure!
I am actually even thinking about having my nails done again. I haven't done it since I've started practicing like a crazy person. But yesterday I was browsing the web and found this adorable design!
And it's my favorite color, too! It's fate for sure
Anyway, which one do you guys prefer??
Frederic Chopin
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
That same Saturday, Kei and me had a date and because I needed to wait for him for 30 more minutes, I went to Karaoke Ban Ban in Yotsuya. I love love love going to Karaoke by myself because then I can just sing whatever I like without taking care of anyone's feelings and song preferences. Lol, sorry my friends...
I forgot to tell the receptionist that I want to sing using the DAM machine so I got the Joysound one instead. Which was stroke of luck! Why? Because I found the favorite of all favorites, my absolutely favorite song of Bon Jovi "The Hardest Part Is The Night". I think I was singing with tears of joy (-sound) in my eyes.
So 80s... so good
After the Karaoke, Kei and me went to the Wara Wara close by. He hates it but I love it and since I'm a good girl I'm getting to choose! The food was delicious and the Nomihodai was long!
Why do I suddenly have the urge to drink Umeshu soda?? It's 3pm!!
For the now fourth time in exactly four months I got a huge goodie bag from Sanrio...
Thank you so much to Shiori's Mom's Brother (?) who is the CEO.
I mentioned to her once, that I love Gudetama and now she got me this package with mostly Gudetama goods.
The funny thing is, that I totally wanted to get that Gudetama trash can from Apita mall during Fukubukuro sale on January 1st, but when we got there it was already sold out. I can't believe I actually still got it...
And though I am not a fan of Hello Kitty, I still feel very honored getting all those (limited)HK things, too. Maybe one day I can make somebody else happy with it.
Actually, rather than getting presents I would really love to meet Shiori's uncle once and talk about how he could become that big starting with just one simple character...
Gudetama stuffed toys, towels, a fan, keystrap; Hello Kitty kitchen utensils, hand cream, glasses, mask, porch, hair accessory, ring; My Melody soap; Pompompurin iPhone case; Little Twin Stars lunch mat; Kirimi-chan phone strap
We actually wanted to head back to Tokyo around Saturday noon, but during our Sushi dinner Shun and Atsumi asked us whether we would like to go to Gifu with them to visit Grandma's family. We agreed quickly and ten hours later we were on the highway.
No worries, we were six people in total
I've been to Gifu two times already, but we never actually stayed at Grandma's house, only used the cottage nearby for barbecue and shooting games...
The family (grandma, auntie, uncle, cousin, cousin's wife, their baby and toddler) welcomed us in a heartwarming manner. We drank a very delicious Nihonshu and crazy amounts of beer. Everyone payed lots of attention to our beer glasses and poured as soon as we finished taking one sip. We found a name for it: "the heranai biiru" (beer that doesn't decrease).
Sakuto-kun with Kei
The food was simply delicious! Osetchi, shrimps, squid, homemade rice, meet...
lychees and strawberries with whip cream
Osetchi
Osetchi
Mayo-shrimps
Squid carpaccio
After start drinking at 2pm (we even got served Shochu), we all were pretty drunk and even started making plans to go to Germany altogether. It was hilarious!
Anywho, around 6pm we decided to head back to Nagoya Station since our train tickets were printed for today and the last Shinkansen to Tokyo was leaving at 10pm. But we had so much fun that we decided to stay until at least 7.
We left happily and drunk (with our pregnant driver) from the pitch-dark countryside and noticed, that we had no gasoline left at all. It took us half an hour to find a gasoline stand in the mountains. By then, it was almost 9pm and we were still miles and miles away from Aichi Prefecture.
I was out from the car sickness-medicine and slept almost all the way through. Then and when I heard Kei talking on the phone with the JR company and Shun talking with his mom to tell her, we would come back for one more night. It was all such a hassle... We needed to go to Chikusa Station first to get the tickets refunded and that took a long time again. By the time we arrived back at the parents' house, we were exhausted. I think I slept for 10 hours straight!
And of course on our way back to Tokyo we could not sit down since all seats were occupied. We were standing for almost two hours (well, me sitting on the suitcase) and I read more than half of my book.
Mt. Fuji
Back in Yotsuya we ate at Hidakaya and then went back home... Finally... To watch LOST Season 6 DVD 1 & 2.
Tomorrow back to work. The vacation was way too short this year. But I think I was still able to relax.
The day before yesterday Kei and me went to Nagoya to visit his Mom and Stepdad.
I really love coming here! The house is cozy, the parents are nice and funny and there is always lots of food and drinks!
But I guess I enjoy it the most because I don't need to do anything and can relax to the fullest.
The first evening Kei's younger brother Shun and his newlywed wife Atsumi (who is pregnant in her 6th month) came to have delicious Nabe-dinner with us.
After that Kei's friends came over and we went to Shidax which is very close by. It was a great evening with lots of drinks.
The next day we relaxed at home until I decided to go to the eye clinic. I couldn't get a tiny hair out and it scratched my eyeball so badly it was red up to the iris. And although it was the last day of the year, luckily the eye clinic at Apita mall right across the street was open. So we hurried there, I got my eye fixed and then we enjoyed our yearly toy lottery(some 300Yen blowing machine where you catch a paper with a number on it, 1 is highest 5 is lowest). I got a little squeeze hammer which I will use in class I guess!
We went home, relaxed more, went to the video store, watched LOST, ate delicious homemade Sukiyaki-dinner and then went to Kei's friends' house by car. We spent our New Years Eve there last year, too, so it was nothing special! I was the only one drinking since everybody came by car.
Sukiyaki beef and pork
No oil needed!
veggies of course
Tofu
We headed back before 1am, went to bed and watched the end of LOST Season 5 until 3 or 4 in the morning. (I can't believe they let Juliet die! The last scenes were very dramatic...)
This morning Mom prepared traditional Osetchi and Ozoni. I love japanese traditional foods but these two you can get only once a year, so I stuffed myself.
Homemade Osetchi
Kurikinton (sweet potatoes with walnuts), kuromame (red beans), date maki (rolled omelet), tazukuri (dried sardine), kazunoko (herring roe), kohakukamaboko (red and white fish paste)
Nimono (boiled veggies and meat)
Ebi (Shrimp), broccoli, ham, fish
Ozoni
We relaxed more and then went to the Nagakute Keikotennosha-Shrine by car. It was more crowded than last year but it was less cold! So we waited, said our prayers and bought omikuji. Kei's Mom and me had the same while Kei and his Stepdad had another same one. The boys were luckier this time... I guess that's what you get when you are so laid-back and don't care about anything.
