"GRADUATED!"

I'm graduated!

BA in Japanese (emphasis in translation)

from Brigham Young University.

I am so grateful Grandma Bowden-Sanders and Uncle Fred came out!

And Grandpa and Grandma Weiss!

{And thank you to everyone who sent cards and well wishes!}

Happy Sumo was an appropriate choice for celebrating a Japanese degree, methinks.

Delicious miso salmon.

And my favorite, mochi ice cream!

To repeat everyone's question: "What's next?"

Traveling, living everywhere, matriculating as much as I can from life. 

Just because the textbooks shut doesn't mean it's time to stop learning.

"Final Swing at the Books"

With all 7 of my autumn finals over (so NOT a holy number), 

I'm preparing for my last semester, here at BYU.
Yes. Already.
It's gonna pile up paloodles.

Once January hits, I'll climb back into my study hole
and lurk there until spring.
What business do I have taking SIX intense classes
and keeping my radio announcer job?!



I'll get breaks, though, by traveling during the semester:
Planning a trip to Hong Kong for fun-dles,
and Alabama {as a performer for Kami-Con}.



After tossing that graduation cap to the side,
I'll venture out and explore the world even more.
Paris, Munich, Chicago, Orlando...
Almost there!

{images © their respective owners}

"Radio Drama: My Old Man (うちの親爺)"

A radio drama my classmates and I recorded 

for our JAPAN 322 (short fiction) class.

My Old Man (うちの親爺) by ashleysmusic

Taylor: Narrator/Son
Noel: Father/Uncle
Me: Daughter

We translated the original Japanese story 

into (somewhat) coherent English.

I was editing this until 3am. @__@ #webettergetagoodgrade

"The Fox's Trick"

The Fox's Trick

キツネの技

~ Shimazaki Touson

Little fox hiding in the garden

In the evening when all are away, sneaks

Into the autumn shadows of the grape arbor

Secretly stealing a cluster of dew-tipped grapes

But my love is not a fox

Nor you the grapes, yet

In secret, with no one knowing,

My heart has stolen you

{images via WeHeartIt}

"Cherry Blossom Incense Burning"

Akemi-mama gave me 

cherry blossom incense sticks 

and a burning dish from her shoppe.

I wanted to use the first stick 

to welcome in the new semester.

( ｡⌒o⌒｡)人(｡⌒-⌒｡ )

Though sacred smoke 

is supposed to be applied to your body 

on Buddhist temple grounds, 

Kate & I had our own thurification event 

full of giggles and happy meditation.

Though we practice a different religion, 

learning about another's beliefs 

helps crack open their heart to you a little better.

{♪ "Sakura" is a traditional Japanese folk song.}

"Japanese Slip-Up of the Day"

Professor: 

"What are you trying to say?"

Me: 

"'kokoro ga ai de mera-mera shite mo', 
'Even if she's burning with love.'"

Professor: (laughing) 

"No, that's,
'Even if she explodes with combusting fire... in love.'"

Me: 

Japanese is HARD, friends.

"mera-mera" = "exploding in flames"
"mero-mero" = "falling in love"

Burn some incense for me.

{image via WeHeartIt; gif via Hetalia}

"Come At Me, Bro"

This summer, 

I have to finish the classes I began in Japan.

So I can like, graduate, or something.

First project:

Translate all my blog posts about life in Japan

into Japanese.

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.

{images via WeHeartIt}

"The Aftermath"

"The general who wins the battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who loses makes but few calculations beforehand." -Sun Tzu

To celebrate the end of finals,

Kami, Kate, Amy, Sam, Paul, and I

hiked the Y mountain.

What a perfect way to celebrate our winter semester victories.
The view was so rewarding.

Gorgeous Kate.

"Strike a pose, showing how you feel right now!" I said.
Kami immediately flopped down
and the others followed suit in their own way.

The head poking up between Kate's and my legs
belongs to Dominic, my Austrian friend from Biology class. Wie schön!
We happened upon him & his girlfriend
just as we reached the top of the Y.

Oh, and by the way...

Faced off at half past the fourteenth hour on the twentieth of April.

History of Theatre II VS Ashley

Ashley sallied forth with all her day-long group studying might.

History of Theatre II used define the vocabulary you studied least.

Ashley flung a javelin of best guesses.

History of Theatre II fell to its death.

Faced off at midday on the twenty-first of April.

Family Finance VS Ashley

Ashley ax kicked with study group knowledge.

Family Finance caught her leg with trick questions.

Ashley was flipped on her back, swinging her legs with logical guesses.

Family Finance jumped with intimidating story problems.

Family Finance landed on her stomach.

Ashley passed out from lack of air.

May have lost a few battles on the way,

but I won this war.
 

Let's all climb our mountains
and win our personal wars!

{♪ "Twisted Tales" © Brand X Music}

"2011 War of the Winter Semester"

"Fall seven times, get up eight." -Japanese Proverb

The epic battles of the 2011 War of Winter Semester are underway.

We will win this war, folks. I have faith in us all.

My progress on the battlefield:

New Testament: The Epistles VS. Ashley

Faced off at midday on the sixteenth of April.

Ashley slashed with a blade of religious upbringing.

New Testament: The Epistles ducked and rolled.

Ashley shot an arrow of symbol knowledge.

New Testament: The Epistles fell to its knees.

New Testament: The Epistles swung upwards with a timeline attack.

Ashley fell on her back.

New Testament: The Epistles stabbed with a sword of which prophet said this?

Ashley was K.O.d.

Human Development VS. Ashley

Faced off at the nineteenth hour on the sixteenth of April.
Ashley attacked with hours of studying.
Human Development's knees wobbled.
Ashley tornado kicked with I actually know this stuff.
Human Development collapsed.

Biology VS. Ashley

Faced off at the seventh hour on the eighteenth of April.
Ashley swung a mace of 3 study sessions.
Biology faltered to the edge.
Biology pounced with trick questions.
Ashley flew away on her glider of No, I really DO know this.
Biology fell to its certain death.

Japanese Linguistics VS. Ashley

Faced off at the seventh hour on the nineteenth of April.
Ashley shot a volley of study session fireballs.
Japanese Linguistics stumbled, but continued to charge.
Japanese Linguistics rammed with earlier in the semester questions.
Ashley swung wildly.
Japanese Linguistics whipped a syntax structure chain around her wrists.
Ashley struggled, pulling Japanese Linguistics over the edge with her.

Two more battles to go,
and this war will be decided.

{images via WeHeartIt}

{gifs via their respective owners}

"The Improv Sisters of Stratford Court"

 "A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs:It's jolted by every pebble on the road." -Henry Ward Beecher 

We are all, in our little Court of Stratford,
very talented jesters women.
But, rather than a vocal piece or piano concerto,
we chose to do something altogether:
an improv game.

To play "Late for Work", you need:

one late person

one boss

one or two (or more) prompters/employees.

The "late" person leaves the room

{or, in my case, deafens themselves with music}

while everyone else decides THREE reasons why they're late.

The late person then returns,

and tries to explain to the boss why they're late

guessing the reasons from the prompters.

Basically, it's a repackaged game of Charades.

I chose to be the late person, 'cuz Kate & Amy rock at prompting,

and Kami's a fun boss to play off.

I do so love my little Stratford Court.

{Photos courtesy of Kevin Cangelosi, video by Jacob Adamson}

"Evening Gowns n' Teacups"

"I can't explain myself, I'm afraid, Sir, because I'm not myself, you see." -Alice

We had ourselves a little trip into the RABBIT HOLE,

and danced the entire fall down.

We went together,
8 people,
4 dates,
1 big smile,
at BYU's Alice in Wonderland Preference Ball.

Oh yes, our feet hurt,
but dancing away our stresses
was so very worth it
{even when our abdomens were being squeezed by unrelenting fabric}.

Our tea was hot cider,
devilishly sugared.

And yet,
the drinks were definitely not
the sweetest things there.

Never, a frown was found.

And what would an Alice in Wonderland ball be
without a heated croquet match?

The Queen was in agreement.

A lovely appearance by
the Hatter and Alice
delighted us all.

why am I so ridiculously short

The gowns, the teacups, the dancing,
'twas all so brillig.

{♪ "Touch" via Natasha Bedingfield, remix by The Dirty Tees}
{♪ "Hoedown Throwdown" via Miley Cyrus}
{Some photos and videos courtesy of Kevin Cangelosi}