Happiness Thus Far

It's good to be home. :)

Adventure with An Yang! (Part 1)

Our lovely and brave heroine looks quite smart with her tidily packed, light-weight suitcase! But perhaps she packed a bit too light for upon arrival at the airport she realizes her trip will be quite quiet without her iPod charger! Oh no! 

However that disappointment can't last long as check in goes smoothly and she and her trusty side kick whisk smilingly through security.

They decide immediately to toast the first leg of their journey with the mermaid's sweet elixir. They place their orders and request a sweet snack and travel mug as well. Starbucks bags in hand they proceed merrily on their way to gate 24. Suddenly our heroine stops! Raising one elegant hand to her mouth she gasps, "But my drink!"

After dashing back to claim her neglected beverage she sheepishly but sweetly takes her place to await departure. 

As boarding time arrives, another realization begins to dawn: ketai! She frantically searches her pockets, her bags, her memory for her missing cell phone, but it's nowhere to be found! What to do??

You Get What You Pay For (Sometimes)

100 yen stores are miraculous. For the equivalent of $1, you can buy a whole variety of useful and interesting things. I bought most of my Halloween costume, my thanksgiving decorations, my christmas decorations, and my car decorations at 100 yen stores. They are far superior to dollar stores in the U.S. Far. 

You have to be careful, however, because sometimes you get what you pay for. This is the tale of two recent (ish) bargains.

 Do you remember the green nail polish I bought for my Halloween costume? I was so thrilled with it at the time, but when I removed it a few days later, I saw that it had turned my nails a creepy yellow color. Not cool. Well, it's been nearly a month and a half since Halloween and my nails? Still half-yellow. 

Though it's difficult to tell in this photo. 

On the other hand, when I was Christmas shopping the other day, I needed a pen to mark my list. So, I grabbed this blue one at the same 100 yen store. Not expecting much, I ripped open the package and discovered the BEST Pen I've Ever Owned. It's perfect. It is incredibly sharp which makes my handwriting look super neat, it's a great color, the ink flows at the perfect rate, and the grip is so... grippy. This pen is so fantastic that it makes me want to write real letters and put them in the mail. Seriously.

So, send me your mailing address. You're getting a letter! Really, do it. I mean it.

And that is the tale of the 100 yen stores. They are a must, but shop with caution.
The end. :P