Where do I want to go?

I think for me, Japan is the single country I need to visit before I die.  I'm fifth generation American of Japanese ancestry, so it has always been weird living such an American life, but being boxed in to my ancestral homeland.

For the longest time I denied my ethnic heritage, mainly because as a kid, who wants to be different?  It sucks when people mispronounce the food you eat or your name (it's phonetic!), but I took me a long time to embrace the generations-removed ethnic mark left upon me.

Part of what has shaped my identity was the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.  Really studying the history and the socio-political roots of the tragedy (and finding out that my grandparents and family were all interned) has definitely shaped my identity as distinctly American of Japanese Ancestry - I'm not Japanese at all, I'm very American, yet my ancestors all came from Japan at one point.

For a long time I also tried to distance myself from Japanese culture, just because I always viewed myself as more American than Japanese.  I basically tried to avoid anime and manga, and would only pull out my knowledge of Japanese culture or history or mythology if it was convenient.

But after a long while, I realized that most people are going to see me as Japanese before American, and until we become a more globalized culture, nothing is going to change that.  So, I've decided not to reject things that I might like just because they're Japanese, and have found an incredible love of anime and manga and J-dramas and also super cute stickers.  Damn those stickers.

Anyway, thus, I want to go to Japan to finally come to terms with this ancestral homeland of mine and I think it'll help me continue on my path to fully understanding myself and the way people perceive me.

In terms of getting there, to make sure that I make it I've got to start to travel fund.  Maybe a dollar a month or so (while I'm broke) and then I'll scale it up as the bare necessities (food, shelter, art supplies) gets taken care of more and more.  Not the most revolutionary plan, but one I can tackle.

Not everyone wants to travel the world, but most people can identify at least one place in the world they’d like to visit before they die. Where is that place for you, and what will you do to make sure you get there?

(Author: Chris Guillebeau)

Lameness with lack of travel

It saddens me a bit to think that I'm practically the only one out of my group of friends from college that hasn't visited any of my other friends who have been sprinkled throughout (although a bit generously in New York) around the country.

I'm also one of the few friends (Eve being the other) that hasn't made it out to visit my old roommate who is now living in Shanghai.

Granted, we're probably the only ones in school who are still working retail to barely pay for rent, food, and art supplies, but it does raise the question of where my priorities in life are.

I have been incredibly lucky to have a group of friends who understand how hard it is for me to find time to get out and visit/hang out (especially when it involves a trip that lasts more than a few hours). Whether I was running a theater group or going to school/working 7 days a week, they've understood that I don't have the luxury of taking a few days off and flying out someplace.

I'm trying to start up a business (multiple businesses, actually) and it sucks, but it seems to take up all my time. So, basically, I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who is still my friend even after the years (holy crap!) of not seeing each other, or me not hanging out with people even in the Bay for months on end.

It does make me wonder if I'll ever really "have time" though. If it's not acting, then it's art, or writing, or organizing a craft fair, or working on a design project, or illustrating, or redesigning a website or (eventually) having book signings and gallery openings. I guess I just have to make time, then.


Anyway, on a bit more cheerful note, I finally picked up Issue 18 of Hyphen, where my illustration stands happily (if not totally proudly) on page 16. Woo!!!