Sunshine Blogger Award 2.0

Happy Saturday lovelies! I hope you are enjoying the weekend whenever you are: either enjoying fun in the sun or bundling up from the cold weather.

I was awarded the Sunshine Blogger Award twice recently, once in December and once this month. I got nominated by Tammy from Midlife Milestones and then again by the lovely Women with Gifts International. Thank you lovelies for nominating me. Please visit Midlife Milestones and Women with Gifts International as they are both interesting blogs that feature amazing content.

The Rules!

Here are the rules for receiving the Sunshine Blogger Award:

1. Once nominated you must like and RT the blogger who nominated you and read their post and answers.
2. Like and retweet the post and follow their blog.
3. Then it’s time to write your own post and answer the questions you have been given.
4. Choose 11 bloggers to nominate and create 11 questions for them to answer.

Questions from Tammy of Midlife Milestones

Why did you start blogging?

I started blogging in 2008 after I received about 100 CDs from Japan. It was an array of CDs from different parts of the world, different genres, and artists that I never heard of before. So, to share the joy of my discoveries of finding unheard music, I first wrote my first blog in 2008 about a Japanese singer. I did write some more but took a break a few months later as I was really busy with school. I came back in 2015 with more contents, more new artists, and live reports about events I attended in Nagoya.

What is your favorite color and why?

I love blue, mostly ocean blue. At first, I liked blue because of Sailor Mercury from the anime Sailor Moon. Sailor Mercury’s name in the original US dub was Amy, same as mine! I thought, cool, I want to be like Sailor Mercury.

But as I grew up, I love blue because it is peaceful and calming. And also, I like swimming and the ocean.

Is there a form of travel you prefer and why?

I am so used to airplanes because that is how I get from Japan to the US to see family. But, I love ferries as they connect you from a popular city to a smaller island. I went to Okinawa for the first time in 2018 and I loved how I could use the ferries to get from Okinawa island to the lesser-known, countryside islands.

Have you set goals for December and what are they?

December is over but I have goals for the new years. You can read them here in this post: “Happy New Years 2019“.

What is your go-to for relaxing?

Recently, playing Sudoku on my iPhone. Also, reading in Japanese or English books.

Is there something specific you find challenging about blogging?

Promotion! And, time! I work a full-time job while going to Tae Kwon Do, being chair of an organization, taking Japanese classes, looking for a new job, living by myself, and involved in a theatre group. I never have time really to fully commit myself to blogging like others can.

Also, with promotion, I live in Japan but most everyone on social media in the English-speaking world is awake when I am asleep. So, I have limited engagement with bloggers and try to juggle my life schedule to fit in writing for my blog, interaction with other bloggers, and promote my blog. Whew!

Do you have a preferred social media platform? Which one and why?

I prefer Twitter because I feel like I can interact with others easier. I like Facebook too but that is because the engagement groups are more organized over there. But, for interaction, I think Twitter is the best!

If you could change one thing about your life what would it be and why?

Today was that day where I thought “I wish I can change everything in my life.” Yes, today was a Debbie Downer day as I was depressed about life. I won’t try to talk about my problems here because it is a long story.

But, if I could change something about my life, it would be more self-love towards myself. This is hard because I am so hard on myself. I need to practice self-love more, especially in the morning, even if my life is basically crap right now.

What has been the best gift you have ever received?

Drawings and letters from my students. I have a board of drawings, cards, and photos from students over the years. I can’t show it you hear due to privacy reasons. But, I enjoy getting something so simple yet precious from my students.

If money was no option where would you go and how long would you stay?

I would live on a Pacific Island, maybe one of the isolated islands in the Okinawa island chain. As long as I got the basics (internet, phone, water, electricity, food, and a boat ride), I am good to go. Would love to spend my time outside and on the beach.

What is the best thing about you?

Hehehe, this hard because of what I said earlier about being hard on myself. I guess what the best thing about myself is that I am hardworking and passionate about what I believe in. I give my 110% to everything that I am involved in.

Questions from Women with Gifts International

What do you feel the one thing that makes you different from any other writer?

What makes me different from other writers is my passion for music. A lot of blogs I come upon is about traveling, moms, kids, cooking, and so forth. But, there isn’t a lot of blogs dedicated about music.

Music will always be the first love in my life. I can never get enough of it as it inspires me during the day and soothes me during the night. I literally can listen to music anywhere and at any time during the day; from the moment I wake up to the moment when I am winding down.

What inspires your writing?

Well, I talked about why I started to blog in the previous set of questions. But, the reason I continue to write is to talk about what I am passionate about.

I also write because I want to challenge myself to become a better writer. When I was growing up, I felt like I was a terrible writer because my dad was an excellent writer — he won a lot of awards for his writing. He would always nitpick at my essays when I asked for proofreading. I also briefly joined a writing group last year in the city I live in. I quit because I felt I couldn’t relate to their works and also that they enjoyed ripping me apart because I wasn’t confident and just became their target.

Grammar will always be my adversary. But, I strive every day to be a better writer.

Besides gender, what do you feel is the difference between male and female writers?

I really don’t know. I never really pay attention to the difference between male and female writers. I always read things for what they are and never really ponder on the authors.

What makes you and your writing unique?

I think what makes my writing unique is my passion for music. Like I said above, I LOVE music. And, you can see that in writings, I hope. Even though I can write essays on artists and songs, I try to make it interesting for my writers like how I am interested.

How do you express yourself through your writing or your blog?

Experiences. I add any memories and experiences into my writings to make the song relatable to my life. But also, I just write from the heart and try not to hold back.

Name a female author that inspires you?

Probably J.K. Rowlings because of her incredible life story. Everyone knows the story of how she went from being a homeless single mother to the best selling author of a beloved series in a few years. You can do anything possible if you believe in it! And also, persist!

Name your favorite female artist?

This is a haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaard one. I love so many artists. I love Janet Jackson, Aaliyah, Jane Child, Namie Amuro, Hikaru Utada, Morning Musume, Hiromi Kohse, Misato Watanabe, NOKKO, Bananarama, Spice Girls, Miwa Yoshida from DREAMS COME TRUE, Blaque, Wink, Seiko Matsuda, SWV, Beyonce, TLC, Celine Dion, Ringo Shiina, 3LW, Whitney Houston, BoA, E. G. Daily, Debbie Harry, Eternal, Mel & Kim, Chaka Khan, Brownstone, and others.

As a writer, what is one thing that you feel you lack?

Confidence. Like I said before, I really thought for a long time that I suck at writing because others would tell me so. I am not much confident as a person overall and I would like to gain more in the future.

If you make any changes to make women’s lives better, what would it be?

I would continue to fight for equal rights for women in the workplace. Equal rights, equal leave, equal pay. We might be physically different than men but we are capable of so much. We don’t need people to also dictate our life’s goals because that is the norm too. Women can do what they want to do.

Why do you think women have the rumor of having a hard time getting along?

I never heard this before. Hmmmm, I don’t know. Because everyone is different than each other? I don’t really know?

If you could create a writing category that doesn’t exist what would it be?

Ooooh, I don’t really know as this is hard. There is already a lot of wonderful genres that are already out there.

I Nominate…

These are the 11 bloggers that I nominate!

🌸 My Everyday Challenge
🌼 Grand Fash Life
🌻 The Girl Who Writes
🌹 Lovely Audiobooks
🌺 Blueberry Creative Designs
🌷 Undoubtedly Young
⚜️ Bailey Leah
💐 Riveries Review
💮 She Writes Her Words
🍀 The Coffeed Up Mom
🍁 Amayszing Blogs

11 Questions to Answer

For the eleven bloggers that I nominated for the Sunshine Blogger Award, here are your questions to answer:

1. What song has inspired you as a person?
2. What is your advice to new bloggers?
3. What does your morning routine look like?
4. How did you get into blogging?
5. What are the joys of blogging? What are the downsides of it?
6. Tell me about an embarrassing moment that makes you laugh now.
7. Where you would like to go in 2019?
8. What word do you associate with 2019 and why?
9. Which famous person have you met?
10. What brings you joy in life?
11. What piece of advice would you give to someone?

Thank You!