Grass Bath

Good morning everyone. It's time for spring! Who wants to take a bath in the grass?

Dough bed

If I had a million dollars, I would buy a gigantic vat (even bigger than this one.. maybe big enough for a couple of people), fill it with rising bread dough, and take a nap in it. God, can you imagine how incredible that would be? Soft and warm and good smelling dough bed.
And when I woke up, I could bake the dough and have some bread...

Slug Attack!

Last weekend, I came home from a great Golden Week vacation to find my house taken over by slugs. Oh my god. They were everywhere. Thus, I've begun my slug extermination campaign. In English Club today, I drew this little scene to illustrate the my current position in the war on slugs. On one side you have slimyness, rain, and general unhappiness. On my side, I only have a salt shaker and a tendency to freak out.

At times, the problem at hand appears unsurmountable. They can hide in tiny cracks that I can't see. They are slimy and icky. When I kill them, they dissolve into a sticky pool I have to clean up. But take heed, slimy ones! You may be constantly lurking in the moisty places waiting to strike, but I have dogged determination and LOTS of salt (and don't forget slug poison).

Obaa-chan

Japan is full of old people! I saw this tiny old woman on the corner the other day. She was pushing what looked like a baby stroller (probably full of groceries) and had really fuzzy white hair. She looked like the kind of lady who would go into her vegetable garden at midnight to pluck slugs off the plants using chopsticks.
...
I think I just saw into my future.

Relakkuma

So recently, I bought a Relakkuma pencil case. I don't really need another pencil case, but I've seen some of my students and even my supervisor with one, and it's so fucking adorable that I simply had to have it. Relakkuma, if you don't know, is a hugely popular Sanrio character; the name means "relax bear." I've fallen so in love with it, that I drew myself emerging from its plushy insides. Maybe I woke from a nap. Maybe I'm being born!

"... and on the third day, Jesus was all, 'Surprise!'"

I ate the worst-tasting piece of Easter candy today, from a bag of Lifesavers Gummies Bunnies & Eggs. It was like eating a grapefruit rind and a Sharpie. What would Jesus think! Then again, he probably wouldn't approve of the candy industry's encouragement of our downward spiral into the sticky jaws of diabetes, either.

Caption: Vegan

Hey everyone! I'm finally back from a very busy month that didn't allow for any updates. I guess I forgot to mention in my last post that in addition to the boyfriend visiting, I'd also be going on a 10 day trip to Thailand. Oops. Anyways, I was touched by your various concerned messages of "New drawings?" "Gyah! More drawings!" and "You haven't updated in a month." Needy ingrates. I love you all. And now, on with the show!

What's this vegan complaining about?

The good folks at Splash

A quick sketch of a couple of the characters at the gym I go to. From left to right: Lady who teaches aerobics with mesmerizing abs. Old dude who always smiles at me. Tall guy with freaky blue eyes, also teaches aerobics and MAY or MAY NOT be gay (I'm just speculating here). Next, Kobayashi Senior, who speaks English and has thighs like tree trunks. Last, Kobayashi Jr (not related) who speaks English and wants to be a fireman.

And you shall know us by the trail of drool

An all too familiar site for ALTs across Japan. Just because you're still holding your pen, doesn't mean you're very convincing.

Nope. Nothing creepy about this at all.

I recently saw a video for this. They always play this hyper carnival-esque song at my grocery store, but I never knew it was so popular. In addition to a full length music video, there's apparently a CD. The "tarako" they are singing about is the word for fish eggs, and it's a pasta sauce made by Kewpie (maker of mayonnaise). However, anything with twins and the circus and baby dolls just doesn't sit well with me...

Not a skull, not yet a mullet

So Ms. Brit has shaved her damn head. When I saw these disturbing photos of her in the act, I was filled with remorse. Remorse for what could have been. If only she'd stopped halfway, she could have brought back the skullet. Or maybe not. Or maybe the skullet was never "in" to bring back in the first place. In any case, she lost a golden opportunity to get back in touch with her trailer park roots (ooh punned!). Maybe she can still get a rat tail extension...

PS- I was drawing Britney at school, and a passing teacher looked over my shoulder and said "Kowai!" (Scary!)

You've Been Warned.

Dear Loudspeaker-Truck-That-Continually-Drives-Round-My-Neighborhood:

Shove this up your pie-hole.

Oh you think I'm kidding, don't you? Think you're safe, you little steel box on wheels, eh? Well think again. Next time you come rolling down my block, ruining my morning/afternoon/evening with that incessant, obnoxiously cheerful high pitched voice of yours, I am going to take you DOWN. You watch. Once I've got the bloodlust, I will get so "Naomi Campbell" on your ass.

Foooood!

Food pervades everything in Japan, especially television. Think of Iron Chef, and then think of every tv show as Iron Chef. Food's in your face all the freaking time. If there is no food, then it's not entertainment. Tonight I saw a show on the top ten conveyor belt sushi restaurants in the country. It was insane; there was a nigiri sushi with a 26cm long piece of toro. 26cm. That's my shoe size.

Anyway, I'm always awed/repulsed by everyone on tv stuffing their faces with food, usually in one bite (even the 26cm sushi). They just... stuff the entire thing in there. It's basically food porn.

PS: Sorry for my bad hiragana... It's supposed to say Umai! but I guess the "i" looks more like "ri"....

Numasho

Here's your typical Numasho student--one of the genki-er ones, that is. No really, they look like this. On a typical Japanese highschool morning, as you nudge your bicycle up the ramp/hill/stairs leading to school, it wouldn't be complete without the echoes of: "AYA/RIE/YUKA/MOMO-CHAAAAN! OhaYO~OO!"

OOIOO

I really liked their hair.

How to draw Britney Spears

I love Britney Spears, as much as anyone who loves a train wreck. She's become a constant source of amusement for everybody lately. It's sad too (to an extent) because girlfriend used to be cute. As I often do when I'm bored, I doodle pictures of celebrities du jour, and recently I've discovered that even though many of my drawings of ol' Brit-Brit start off pretty mediocre, a few special touches always hit it right on the mark. I'll share this secret with you today. Look closely:


Do you see the similarity? Basically, by adding ridiculous sunglasses and a double chin, you can turn virtually anything into Britney Spears. My teacup, a bag of Cheetohs, and just for kicks, Justin Timberlake. That last one's pretty scary, ne? Originally I was going to include cheap extensions, but that just makes my job way too easy.

The Beckhams are coming!

Bringing her fabulousness to this side of the pond.