Iroha -chi-

iroha

is 

back

if you would like to see the other iroha-'s on my blog

please click the above photo

We've finished the first line...

now on the second...

starting from "chi"

chi

"Chi" is not to be confused with the Chinese "chi"(energy) which is "ki" 「気」in Japanese.

"Ki" is the symbol/character I will talk about....30 characters from now...

So, back to "chi".

Coincidentally, I found two makeup related brands that start with chi.

The first is Chikuhodo, a makeup brush brand based in Hiroshima  (try saying that sentence 3 times in a row!) which is well known for their brushes.You can find the English information about the company here:  Chikkuhodo

The below travel size makeup brushes are from a set that I received using my frequent flyer points (JAL).

I couldn't find the exact same set on their website but their brushes are anywhere from US$50 and....up...

The next makeup brand is a LOT more affordable.

Chifure

They are a relatively eco friendly company, very clear on the ingredients of their products and don't rely on lots of advertising.  They are super affordable...you can find out about the company in English here: Chifure

Their face cleansers and creams are anywhere from 5 to 8 US$.  The lipsticks are 300yen, less than US$3!!!

You buy the lipsticks in the little tube with the white cap you see above.  You purchase separate lipstick cases which are reusable...the plastic ones are 100 yen (less than $1 and the metallic ones are about  $3!)

I put the Revlon (matte lipstick in Heavenly Mauve no. 01) just to show you the shade similarities.

(The Chifure lipsticks are more similar to the Revlon Lip Butter textures than the matte ones...just in case you are interested in that sort of thing.)

Other words that start with "chi" are....

chikyu (Earth)
chikyu-gi (globe)
the "gi" is pronounced like the "gui" in guitar

My mom bought me the above globe about 10 years ago for my birthday... it was a "feng-shui" thing.
Supposedly if you put a globe in the eastern side of your office, your work will go global....or something to that effect.

It is actually kind of ...funny...?... because now I do get to travel a lot in Japan with at least one chance a year to travel abroad.

Globe power...

Chiheisen (chi-hay-sen) is horizon.  Specifically land horizon.  There is another word for the horizon you see when you are at sea..."suiheisen"..."sui" meaning "water".

There aren't very many places where you can see a "land horizon" in Japan especially if you live in the city.  This photo I took from the airplane will have to do for now...

Somewhere above the Kyushu island in south western Japan (2012)

...

 An adjective that starts with chi...chiisai (chee-sigh):

small

chiisa na ki
the small tree

I will talk more about the book someday, perhaps when I get to ki= tree.

Chi means:

blood, earth/land, knowledge 

all have different kanji (Japanese characters) but sound the same

....

a pretty important sound, "chi" is

I hope you have a great day/night wherever you are on this Chikyu!

Filing Stuff and Favorite Stationery from 2012

Top 3 stationery favorites starting from
Number 3: Files

My Power Productivity Program folder (find out more about the program here http://www.alejandra.tv)
that also contains magazine articles etc that inspire me to stay organized!

I have always been and always will be a "FILER".

When I don't have papers in a file it stresses me out.

My favorite folder that I can find in Japan at the moment is the Muji one above.

I like it because the rings are not attached to the spine, which makes opening and moving the papers around much easier....if that makes sense...

I have also started filing my "point cards"(Japanese "alphabet" order) in a business card holder. This one holds up to 60 cards.  

I got this idea from:

Number 2: sticky notes and tabs

                                             

Sticky notes for to-do-lists and tabs for notebooks and files!

Before we get to Number 1...here's an honorable mention:

Last year I started using the Franklin Planner Organizer 2012.4~

I couldn't find a cover that I liked from the same company so I am using one from Ashford.

It has pockets in the front and back that store extra business cards (that I store in a mini ziplock bag so they don't get cruddy), a mini notebook (Moleskine) my favorite tabs from Avery and other sticky notes like the Green Marker (they look like grass blades)!

 I like how the days are divided into two columns with a "to-do list" on the left and the timeline on the right...with extra space for notes on the bottom of each day.  The only thing I don't like about the daily planner is the fact that it is thick!  I don't carry it around on my day offs, this is only for work.

Number 1: Bags of all sorts! (Mostly Ziplock type bags)

the above bag holds the following office supplies that I carry with me mostly when I am working

stamps, tabs, pens, Muji case that holds paper clips and staples (underneath that is y Muji portable stapler)
a red ink pad, my date stamp, my name stamp, a ruler I received from a friend,  mini cards and post cards, glue tape

 I use ziplock bags to store many things now... clothes when I'm on the go, receipts, snacks....

Now, for what I am looking forward to using this year!

Last year I went through so many different kinds of notebooks that it got soooo confusing.
(for work and studying  I still like the Cornell style notebooks but I am mixing things up a bit now.)
I am going to use the Moleskine Star Wars edition for my private journal and a regular Moleskine for my private notes.

In the back pocket of my Moleskine notebook I have some sticky note tabs.  I made a cover with a small greeting card for extra protection...I'm a bit obsessive in that way!

above: my brand new R2D2 earphones!
below: stickers that i got from the stationery store for free and 

It doesn't matter where you live and what brand you use...but it is a nice thing, I think, to stay organized and feel less stressed.  I hope the year 2013 is filled with fun projects and joyful journal entries for all of us! May the force be with you!!!
...
What is your favorite stationery item?

Bye Bye Dragon, Hello Year of the Snake

Happy New Year!

I hope you had a lovely holiday season.

I took a rather long (two weeks) vacation this year.  I wanted to step away from my desk/home office and do.....NOTHING.

I am now very confident in my ability to do NOTHING. 

;)

Last year we moved to the South Western part of Japan, closer to my mother and mother-in-law.

The move was time consuming but good since we did a lot of un-cluttering...or shedding...

Speaking of shedding, 2013 is the year of the Snake.

Here's a look at 2 different types of Snake decorations!

Upper left: MIL's entranceway decorations (the snake is that green thing in the lower left hand corner
Lower left: My new Snake decoration
Right: Osechi*

(* for a better look at Osechi, and what it is please see my post from last year here:
http://theartoflivinginjapan.blogspot.jp/2012/01/wow.html)

2013 we will continue to "shed"... living simply-surrounded only by things we like is our goal.
Stocking up on necessities is one thing but hoarding things you do not need duplicates of is another.

My vanity has been cleaned out.  Old/expired things tossed.  Memories on display.

Hooks are awesome, by the way!

Origami boxes come in handy for storing small objects like hair pins.

I think I've got this part of my home under control.  

No buying makeup that is just going to gather dust and expire!

This year, I am going to lighten my load of books and keep my home office organized. 

I've also made a non-work related schedule to manage my goals... no "resolutions" for 2013,  

just  dreams and goals!

I wish you all the best in the year 2013!  May your wishes and dreams come true!

Do or do not, there is no try. -Yoda