Arigato, go go gadget arm.

I'm back! I took extensive notes and many a picture - so I hope to be updating soon in installments. I had a wonderful and incredible trip to Japan, and I can't wait to tell you all about it!

For now, I have to beat my jetlag and get writing when my brain is not melting from exhaustion. Here's me in Tokyo's Shibuya area!

Stay tuned...!

Picking up what's left of me to sing together.

There's a foot of snow outside...and I'm at work!

My commute to the subway this morning:

Yes, they also left a dumpster in my way to make this morning even more fun! It's better than the slush of yesterday, however. And there was a lot less people on the train, considering that most people got a snow day!

I'm looking forward to my final weekend home before Japan. Tonight I plan on near-completing my packing. Tomorrow I'm getting a mani/pedi with Amber & Erica at our fave place in order to prepare my "jet-setter" look for next week (could Mint Candy Apple make another appearance?!) and then I'm seeing Shutter Island! I love a good suspense thriller - they seem rare these days (too much shock horror) and Scorcese is a master!

On Sunday, I plan to celebrate the birth of one of my best friends, Kells, and eat a lot. Then any last-minute errands I need for the trip! I am a checklist maniac. CHECK! CHECK! CHECK!

Before I leave I will be posting my thoughts on the Academy Awards nominations - who will win/who should win and whatnot. Since I'll be out of the country! Wakuwaku suru!

Jesse's in Adelaide today (or should I say tomorrow?) and we got to video chat this morning before work (and before his sleep!). What's so weird is that Adelaide is half an hour off from each time zone - I didn't know such places existed. Right now it's 11am. In Adelaide it's 2:30am (tomorrow!). Anyway, the world is mysterious and I feel rather lucky to be able to talk to him so often when he's literally on the other side of the earth. In a few more days, we'll be reunited again. It will have been a MONTH since we saw each other last on February 3rd. A MONTH. Holy majoly.

So what's up with your weekend?

It's just such a trip how you're still my speed racer.

The day has arrived! I received my lovely LAMB ultraviolet absinthe wristlette! I am happy:

But....but what is this....?!

IS THAT A LAMB NIKOLA HOBO?!

YES THAT IS.

Here's how THAT happened. As you know, I posted a GILT invite on my blog and twitter. A few people signed up, a few people bought LAMB bags for themselves, and when those bags shipped, my account was credited $25 for each referral! On Sunday I found out that I could buy this lovely, lovely bag...which retails for $375, was being sold on GILT for $189...and I purchased for $41 after all the credit went through. And so, I did it. 

AND SO - I MUST SAY THANK YOU. 

Because if it hadn't been for you awesome fashionista friends & readers, I would not have this gorgeous LAMB bag to go with my wristlette! I was ecstatic on Sunday. I was ecstatic to have a few people be as crazy in love with LAMB purses as myself. I mean, REALLY CRAZY IN LOVE:

I am feeling quite great and quite wakuwaku suru to carry my new hobo around Japan! Domo arigato!

I'm a lot like you so please, hello, I'm here, I'm waiting.

In less than a week, I will be in JAPAN. I leave next Tuesday, March 2nd!!!!!!!!! I am excited. In Japanese, apparently, that translates to "wakuwaku suru!" I have been saying this to everyone, regardless if they understand.

Jesse is still in Australia, and it's a little tough when he's out of the country. It's harder to coordinate times to talk to each other, and he's not simply a call away, really. We've been doing well, though! The time difference is funny because as I'm getting up to go to the gym and head to work, he's usually just finished a show and heading to bed. When I'm eating dinner, he's waking up. I say "sweet dreams" as he says "have a great day."

With the help of Skype (and specifically the iPhone application!) we can talk on the phone on different halves of the world for free. We e-mail, chat, and video chat whenever he has an internet signal. Just yesterday morning as I got back from the gym, Jesse was online from a venue in Sydney where they had just finished playing (with freakin' Rx Bandits, Glassjaw, Sunny Day Real Estate and Jimmy Eat World!). I got to "hang out" backstage via webcam and catch up with him. He also brought his computer out in some area above/behind the stage and I got to see Jimmy Eat World perform "Bleed American."

As I sat in my bathrobe in New York. Oh, technology!!!

In Japanese - oh, kagaku gijutsu!!!

I'm not sure about much of anything in Japan in terms of internet connections and time available to update, but I'll try to! I'll be traveling with Motion City for their three shows from Tokyo to Nagoya to Osaka. I'll obviously be taking lots of pictures, notes, etc. for a full report upon my return. One other thing's for certain: I won't have to videochat with my husband once I'm there!

She only took me for ten-thousand yen.

Hey oh! Check out my new blog layout!

Jiscilla came over this weekend and with her expert styling, make-up, and photography skills, came up with some great pictures of yours truly! I know I look a bit pensive above, but I really loved the photo. And the books! Obviously! What do you think?

There are many photos where that came from - I plan on changing up the header later in the year! Here's a couple of fun shots that aren't header material...outtakes, if you will:

I think you can tell that Jiscilla and I had a grand weekend, starting off with vegan burritos and Friday night photo shoots! We then stayed up and watched Zombieland, which was a laugh riot. On Saturday morning we decided to wake up in time for the special $6 Saturday morning deal at a movie theater showing A Single Man. Let me tell you: A Single Man was a beautiful film, a wonderful turn by one of my favourites Colin Firth, and all the men looked impeccable - both in their tailored suits and out of them!

We then spent the rest of the day preparing for my upcoming trip in March. I've failed to mention exactly where I'm going, but I've decided today is the day to break it to you:

I'M GOING TO JAPAN!!!!!!!!

Can you believe it? I can't believe it.

Jesse and I have been planning this for a few months, as Motion City is playing some shows there for a week in March, it's one of Jesse's favourite places in the world, and a destination I've always wanted to go to! Seriously, I believe one of our first conversations centered around our mutual love for Japan. And later we would speak of visiting the country together.

And now! On March 2nd, I head to Tokyo! We'll also be visiting Nagoya and Osaka! I can't help but type all these sentences with exclamation points! I studied Japanese culture in college, and have been dreaming about visiting ever since. It's been the number one place I'd like to visit in the world for a long time. And I get to go with Jesse!

I've been bummed since the last time I saw Jesse, knowing I wouldn't see him for a month. However, we've both been relishing in the fact that the next time we see each other we'll be in JAPAN! On the other side of the world! On Saturday, I bought a suitcase and some new headphones. I've been carrying around a Japanese phrasebook, and whispering to myself on the subways. You'll probably be hearing much more of my preparation for the trip in the coming weeks - stay tuned!

Oh, and lest I forget to mention my Valentine's Day: I received a lovely bouquet from Jesse, who was in LA, and we videochatted twice for maximum FACETIME. Otherwise, I watched figure skating with Pee Wee (he's a real fan, I'm not kidding), and did some cleaning around the house. Plus, I decided to buy myself a Crumbs cupcake and indulge in my quiet Sunday night!

Now to prepare for the week ahead...and Japan!