I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart. I am, I am, I am.

Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? (Mary Oliver)

Instructions for living a life. Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it. (Mary Oliver)



Listen–are you breathing just a little, and calling it a life? (Mary Oliver)

Sometimes I can hear my bones straining under the weight of all the lives I’m not living.(Jonathan Safran Foer, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close)


You must not ever stop being whimsical. And you must not, ever, give anyone else the responsibility for your life. (Mary Oliver)


You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough. (Mae West)

A Bride

“When it’s over, I want to say: all my life
I was a bride married to amazement.
I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.

When it is over, I don’t want to wonder
if I have made of my life something particular, and real.
I don’t want to find myself sighing and frightened,
or full of argument.

I don’t want to end up simply having visited this world.”
― Mary Oliver

The Age Of Pokemon Go

My mother snaps and Yasu’s mother plays Pokemon Go. I don’t think I need to say anything else.

A picture diary starting with my breakfast for the day, then our drive to the ocean (during which Yasu’s mother played Pokemon Go) then what we did at the ocean (draw) and later our dinner together (which I cooked) and last, a screenshot of the goodnight snap from my mom.
Smoothie recipe HERE
Curry recipe HERE

Ponyo Town

Tomonoura (鞆の浦) is a port town at the southern end of Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture. Situated at a bay facing the Seto Inland Sea, the picturesque port town features an endearing old-fashioned fishing townscape, with a calm and laid-back atmosphere. Tomonoura is part of the Setonaikai National Park.

In recent years, Tomonoura has been picked as a filming location for several international and local movies, such as “The Wolverine” starring Hugh Jackman and “Ponyo on the Cliff” by the popular Studio Ghibli. The port town portrayed in the beginning of “Ponyo on the Cliff” was modeled after Tomonoura (from Japan-guide.com).

I went to visit my friends Anees (the male version of my name) and his beautiful wife, Amy this weekend in Fukuyama (about 2.5 hours drive). They took me to Tomonoura the port-town that inspired Miyazaki’s Ponyo and it was unreal. Though I  wish you too could have been there. Or at least, been there for the road-trip. Though I am used to living and travelling alone, I am still human. I wish I could have been there on a romantic date. Speaking of dates, I took them raw truffles. For lunch, we had local snapper (not pictured). For dinner, soba (pictured). I stayed the night. For breakfast, homemade sourdough with natural yeast (made by Anees) and fresh vegetables and herb (basil – homegrown on their balcony).

I’ve Made Good Friends With the Sun

I’ve made good friends
with the sun and the rain
I’ve played
with the land and the sea
and I hope
when they gather
at the end of the day
each one
speaks kindly
of me.
(Dallas Clayton)