briinjapan

[briinjapan]

I’ve been in Japan for a decade. And it’s changed my life in many, many ways. None of these will be interesting for Japanophiles, but I need to vent.

I’m not really a part of my home family anymore. And the fact that I’m the eldest and we have large age gaps means that the family I remember doesn’t remember me.

My father died and nobody seemed to remember how shitty our relationship was. Nobody remembers the abuse… The yelling, the constant insults and berating. And since he’s dead, I can’t really bring it up. I’d be attacking their dad, and from what I hear, they had a good dad.

Meanwhile I wrote a letter to a version of “Dear Abby” asking how to live up to his expectations and got a response explaining verbal and emotional abuse. I didn’t imagine it. But nobody but I can remember it.

My mother tells two stories of my childhood. The first is me jumping on a bed. Dad says he’ll spank me if I don’t get down. I say “You’ll just forget!” and he spanks me right then and there. This is a funny story, or so I am told.

The other story is me telling a preschool teacher that my parents hit me. My mother explains that I am very lucky that the teacher knew my parents personally. That this teacher knew my parents would never hit me. This story is supposed to be one of a lying little girl.

It often feels like my entire childhood is just being framed as lies. And I’m too far away to correct them. I don’t know the people my family has become, and they don’t know me. The ones who actually remember me only remember a young woman going through hell. They remember me when I was sick, both mentally and physically, but my illnesses were ignored. When I would cry and scream and vomit every morning, as if those were all normal things to do as a daily routine.

The woman is gone. But so is her family. So is her entire country. The US in 2013 is long gone.

So I don’t think I can ever go back.

[briinjapan]

I just want what trees have.

[briinjapan]

Nailed it.

[briinjapan]

This shattered my heart

[briinjapan]

Me, looking at baby pictures: Oh my god, babies are amazing. I want one.

Period: *is one hour late*

Me: Wait, NO.

[briinjapan]

FYI: Japan reeeeeaallly botched the Coco release

Not only did they give it, a movie set in Mexico, the incredibly bland katakana English title of "Remember Me." (Because, hey, aren’t ALL foreign languages English?) But they are releasing it in March. And it's packaged with a Frozen Christmas special. Who the hell wants to see a Christmas special in March? 

[briinjapan]

Hey @blizzard please consider this skin

[briinjapan]

I love this movie, and the art is ridiculously true to life. I actually live two stops up from Iwafune (the station that the girl waits at), and I’ve been to every station in this movie, and they just nail it. They even have the right trains on the tracks (The push-button/hand operated doors are something I’ve rarely seen outside the Ryomo line). It’s astounding the amount of research that must have gone into this.  But homeboy took a really roundabout route, yo. Shinjuku -> Oyama -> Iwafune is all you gotta do, kid. Why you goin’ to Kuki? They have a nice Starbucks, but there’s one in Oyama, too. 

Favorite sceneries (no particular order) [1/10] » 5 centimeters per second - Episode 1

[briinjapan]

Look at this picture. It’s me and my fiance, yo. He’s hella sweet and interesting. And adorable. Aw yeeeah. 

This has been my gratuitous post of happiness and gushing. 

[briinjapan]

While hunting for Jew food in Tokyo

Me: This is the biggest international grocery in town. But even they don't have matso. This is hopeless

Masa: Hmm... Is Israel Jewish?

Me: ...Yes?

Masa: There's an Israeli restaurant a few minutes from here!

Me: ...I feel like this search would have been quicker if I explained better.

[briinjapan]

It’s a good thing that The Little Mermaid took place at a time before the Internet. Imagine Ariel’s vlog. 

“My Husband is Human” 

Eric’s just sitting in the bag nodding along while she talks about how humans all get married very quickly and live in palaces. 

[briinjapan]

Principal: Hey, Bri, do you like Donald Trump?

Me: Oh, no way.

Principal (to Secretary): See? Americans who leave America don't like him. He's only popular inside America.

[briinjapan]

Me(jokingly): I know, let's do the Confucius sayings in English class.

Teacher: Good idea! Everyone, take out the Analects of Confucius.

Students: WHAT!?

[briinjapan]

Yo, Japan is fine. It doesn't need any prayers and whoever made up that bullshit about 18,000 dead or missing from the earthquake is an asshole. The earthquake last night was nothing out of the ordinary, and no major damage was reported. Go read some Japanese news sources if you want proof. Tomorrow, the headlines will feature Paris. So, pray for them or for a country that actually needs it, okay?

[briinjapan]

REAL EYES

OMG, that's perfect for a blue-eyed girl in Japan.

KNUCK-TAT GENERATOR

Use your birthday to figure out your own personal knuckle tattoos!

January: DRUG February: HATE March: DICK April: REAL May: DIRT June: THUG July: CASH August: GIRL September: FIST October: SHIT November: BUTT December: KILL 1st: CITY 2nd: RIOT 3rd: FACE 4th: FEAR 5th: GRIN 6th: WOLF 7th: PISS 8th: RASH 9th: DOGS 10th: TITS 11th: LUBE 12th: SAND 13th: FIRE 14th: KIDS 15th: BIRD 16th: NERD 17th: BOYS 18th: MOMS 19th: DADS 20th: VEIN 21st: WURM 22nd: FART 23rd: TRAP 24th: MOAN 25th: HOLE 26th: KING 27th: FUCK 28th: EYES 29th: LIFE 30th: LOVE 31st: STAB

[briinjapan]

[briinjapan]

At lunch

Students: *rock paper scissors*

Boy: Oh no, I lost.

Girl: HA! Now you have to choose.

Boy: *looks at me* She won't let me.

Girl: Sensei, is hug okay?

Me: Uhhh... Ok?

Girl: SEE? Now choose, hug me or Sensei!

Boy: *slowly dying inside*

Girl: It's too long! *hugs boy*