A brief look into my journey with fitness.

This is the story of how I eventually did bodybuilding for five years. I grew up with seizures, asthma, immune disorder, depression, physical developmental problems, and being in the hospital a lot. Growing up, I played sports like soccer and basketball, but always ended up sick with pneumonia. Eventually I gave up on sports and turned to music. Despite being very shy and having anxiety while on a stage, I have always loved singing and playing instruments. Because my physical abilities were cut short with being short a lot and motor skills being off, it was easier for me to turn to music. I sang for a couple of years when I was a kid, time went on to the point I got anxious singing in front of people. I turned to drum lessons after asking my parents if I could learn the violin. I really loved the drum lessons I took before moving to Texas. After I moved to Texas I took a break from music and focused on just school, I time went on I got back into sports with doing powerlifting. After school I was at 230lb, so I decided to lose weight. I started by walking every day to running, eventually doing bodyweight workouts to eventually working out 5 days a week with 3 days of cardio. I got to the point that I was 150lb and had 4% body fat on me. In 2015 after not being able to join the US army because of my health, I decided to get my personal trainer certification and certification to help people with disabilities. Eventually I got nerve damage that caused on of my muscles to stop functioning until 2021, with that I decided after a lot of thought and prayer to go to college to major in Japanese and minor in Korean. Even though my plans are to work in Japan after college and study music there, I still plan to eventually get both certifications eventually. Working out is different for everyone. My reason was originally to get girls attention, then changed to better myself and my health in areas that could. I’m always still open to giving advice. Always learn to cook, eat healthy, eat right, always read on fitness, and always keep in check with your diet. Fitness is my second favorite passion behind music. Picture is of me 5 years ago.

My ambition for college and living in Japan or South Korea.

So, this blog post is about why I decided to pursue college to get bachelors degrees in foreign studies in Japan and Korea. Going all the way back to when I was younger, I’ve been sick a lot since I was young with various things because of immune disorder and seizures. As I grew up, I didn’t know what I wanted to do growing up and it stayed that way to high school. I always thought I wouldn’t make through school growing up because I was sick a lot and always told by schools that I wouldn’t graduate high school. As time went on, I just became detached from the world because how people viewed me in a negative way. When I reached 7 I saw both Mobile Suit Gundam and Dragon Ball on cartoon network, after that I became interested in Japan. I knew anime came from Japan at the time based of the credits, and that led me to researching anything I could fine on Japan in libraries. I grew in love with Japan as time went on and started listening to Japanese music after hearing Utada Hikaru, eventually I got my first taste of Japanese rock with Uverworld in 2005. Skip forward to 2008, I by then listened to several Japanese bands and artists, along with making my first Japanese friend. During high school, I only had graduating high school and proving people wrong, luckily, I did. After high school I went straight to work not having any idea what I wanted to do with my life, as time went on I tried joining the army with coming of it because of my health. By then I started listening to Korean music, like Japanese music it is very amazing to me. Eventually because of several health problems(nerve damage, anxiety, depression, immune disorder, and seizures) and feeling like an failure, I decided to attempt suicide in 2016. With that I became homeless, tried getting several jobs and no one taking, plus being sick for a year with several different bacterial infections and seizures. Through this time being homeless, I made several amazing friends from Japan, South Korea, and China. I’m very grateful for them being in my life. Last year I met my mentor, who saw that I had a love for Japanese music. With that and learning Japanese, I decided to pursue a degree in foreign studies in Japan and Korea. Both are beautiful, amazing, and have great people. I plan to pursue college on my own despite being on my own, my health, and no support to attend college from family. Eventually work in Japan or South Korea as an ESL teacher ,do videography work, learn production and composing, eventually lead me to working in Japan’s music industry translating, teaching Japanese or English, and doing music production. Music, ESL, languages, cultures, and videography are passions of mine. If my passions are what keeping

me from giving up again, then I’ll let them grow. Rise Sakamoto, Sawano Hiroyuki, Yosh Morita, Aimer, LiSA, Eir Aoi, ASCA, Garnidelia, and my mentor are my inspirations for pursuing music production and composing after graduating college. Picture credits to owners.

Survive Said The Prophet, my new look on music.

Even though I’ve been listening to Survive Said The Prophet for over a year now, they have become my favorite band. Members are Yosh Morita on vocals, Ivan Kwong on guitar, Tatsuya Kato on guitar, Yudai Kato on bass guitar, and Sho Okada on drums. Yosh is my favorite male lead singer and second favorite pianist, with his strong, powerful voice and awesome piano parts in songs, with Sho being my favorite drummer. The fact that they sing in English in all their songs, along with their amazing lyrics, talent as musicians, and always having great songs.  My favorite lyrics and vocals are in their song Network System, with Follow being one my songs with piano, and Spectrum having my favorite drumming in it. Their genres include rock, alternative rock, post hardcore, and emo. Going back to how I found out about Survive Said The Prophet, I found them while looking for an Japanese band that sang in English on YouTube, which lead me to do on Yosh. Finding out he had done several songs with Sawano Hiroyuki for animes. They never cease to amaze me as musicians and as a band, will always look forward to their music. My favorite album of theirs is Wabi Sabi, while Network System is my favorite music video. My favorite songs are Network System, Fool’s gold, Spectrum, When I, Follow, Listening, Again, Just so you know, Conscious, Lost in Time, I don’t care, Subtraction, 3 a.m., and If You Really Want To. Overall, Survive Said The Prophet is a great way into Japanese music while still listening to the English language. Picture credit to owner. Down below are links to some of their music videos. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaOFiJHKdGU, Network System music video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG8LbM01pq0, Fool’s gold music video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WJ8CJVVgl8, Spectrum music video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQNheQ4A7G0, Follow music video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIRP34yK92w, When I music video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nz1j_fs_1W0, Subtraction music video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC7K19rWL-k, If You Really Want To music video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wydhlJRxGnc, If You Really Want To acoustic video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EliTa6qiMlc, 3 a.m. acoustic video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2wjGVKAsi0, I Don’t Care acoustic video.

Aimer, An talanted artist and singer.

Aimer is overall my favorite artist and singer. From her beautiful husky singing voice, her vocal range, and her range of music genres (pop, pop rock, rock, and jazz). I was introduced to her music through her collaboration with Sawano Hiroyuki on the Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn soundtrack, with the songs Re: I Am and StarRingChild. I eventually moved into listening her original music, with the first song being Brave Shine and Last Stardust off of Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works, followed by AM2:00 on her first album Sleepless Nights. I honestly feel in love with her music when I got her album Dawn, with Brave Shine, Last Stardust, Believe Be:leave, and AM4:00 being my favorite songs off that album. The next album I came to own of hers is Daydream, with Closer, Insane Dream, Hz, Twoface, Us, and Higher Ground being my favorite songs off that album. I eventually went back and got her other album Cold Sun, followed by Best Selection Blanc and Best Selection Noir. I love her song trilogy AM2:00-AM4:00, which tell the story of a midnight stroll. My favorite collaboration of hers is with Sawano Hiroyuki and Takahiro Moriuchi of ONE OK ROCK. My favorite songs of hers are Brave Shine, Last Stardust, Hollow World(sings in English), Zero, One, After Rain -Scarlet Version-, Cold Sun, Believe Be:leave, Closer(Sings in English), Insane Dream, Twoface, Hz, Us, AM2:00, AM3:00, AM4:00, 凍えそうな季節から -extended ver.-, Open The Doors(Sings In English), My Sweetest One, Through My Blood <AM>(sings in English), Spica, Words, Falling Alone, Ref:rain, and Kataomoi. My favorite collaboration with Sawano Hiroyuki are Bloody F8 -Euc-(Sing in English and Japanese versions), StarRingChild(both English and Japanese versions), Re: I AM(both English and Japanese versions), Ninelie, S-AVE, and UnChild album. Image credit to owner Down bellow are links to some of her songs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeI8E20ZUE4, Brave Shine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN24W_psMpE, Ninelie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSOJk7ggJts, Kataomoi. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-t2-BOuPUg, Zero. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77ggV3wGL50, Insane Dream. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6lyX9pPf-o, Believe Be:leave. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOurhX0YAPQ, One live. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CodvMA1Qjf8, Spica live. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMiz7LnCFpI, AM2:00 live. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9hv7EOFGZY, Us live.

South Korea, my love is growing.

South Korea is my second favorite country behind Japan. I first heard about Korea around the same time I did Japan. Researched it through books, I fell in love with the countries language, culture, people, music, history, land, and food. Next to Japanese, Korean is my second favorite spoken and written language, hope to learn it after I’m done with Japanese and Kanji. I honestly love Koreans, very nice, kind, honorable, and welcoming. My first Korean friend I met during my junior year of high school, he was adopted from South Korea at a young age. My second Korean friend I met 3 years ago, he is an amazing friend, he was adopted when he was young from South Korea also. Have made several Korean friends through Facebook, great people. Along with Japanese music, Korean music has influenced my interest and love for music. My favorite Korean musicians are CNBLUE, FTISLAND, Royal Pirates, NELL, DAY6, GUYZ, TRAX, MARMELLO, AKMU, LUNA, 2PM, VAV, SEVENTEEN, BTS, Dreamcatcher, MAMAMOO, 9MUSES, BLACKPINK, and Red Velvet. I’m thankful that there was an international interest in K-pop, would have not found or listen to great musicians. My favorite places in South Korea are Seoul and Daegu. If you are ever in Daegu, check out the non-profit organization called Break The Sunglass, they are amazing helping international students with feeling at home in Daegu while studying at an university there, helping with language and culture exchanges, and throwing amazing parties. I’m glad to have met some of the members. Hope to travel to South Korea soon, try more of the food, explore, meet new people, make friends, learn more about its history and culture, and see some friends. Picture credit to owner. A few links to Korean musicians I listen to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k079kBwoKN8, Starting Over by CNBLUE. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsC0jG1M5jA, Take Me Now by FTISLAND. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ldI-oGzQQk, Run Away by Royal Pirates. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKtz96EnMF4, Broken by NELL. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAW0idSQ6Zs, Dance Dance by DAY6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Juh2Gl5DQM, New Stage by GUYZ. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXk9Th9gsjM, Oh!, My Goddess by TRAX. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-iPoUI47xs, Can’t Stop by MARMELLO. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST8O-AeY3Uo, RE-BYE by AKMU. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpwG8f9nt4s, Free Somebody by LUNA(Of MAMAMOO). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2pFB1dCSo4, My House by 2PM. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5H341LBApyM, She’s Mine by VAV. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-wFp43XOrA, Very Nice by SEVENTEEN. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBdVXkSdhwU, DNA by BTS. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_GcbZlDnns, Sleep-walking by Dreamcatcher. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FB2EoKTK_Q, Starry Night by MAMAMOO. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwN_Axs7pL4, Wild by 9MUSES. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Amq-qlqbjYA, As If It’s Your Last by BLACKPINK. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_CFBjAyPWE, Bad Boy by Red Velvet.

My dream Japanese tour.

I love Japanese music. Wanted to share my brief thoughts on a tour here in the US of Japanese musicians.

 

One of my dreams is to finally see Japanese artists, bands, and groups tour in the US. Dream roster includes Aimer, LiSA, Nano, Takanori Nishikawa(T.M.Revolution), Garnidelia, Survive Said The Prophet, NoisyCell, The Winking Owl, One OK Rock, and Coldrain. I would call it, Japan to the States Tour. All are great musicians and can speak/sing in English. Picture credits to owners. I’m glad the US is more open to Japanese musicians touring or having a concert here. https://youtu.be/M6lyX9pPf-o, Believe Be:leave by Aimer. https://youtu.be/IzhMzY5avLI, Rising Hope by LiSA. https://youtu.be/yPshMKAXZro, Bull’s Eye by Nano. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZvcagcUv4Y, Bright Burning Shout by Takanori  Nishikawa(T.M.Revolution). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74q5yvpZAos, Blazing by GARNiDELiA. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQNheQ4A7G0, Follow by Survive Said The Prophet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1LcXBcjWoY, Lily by NoisyCell. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0NUerGNIzA, Bloom by The Winking Owl. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU307tV32B0&pbjreload=10, We Are by ONE OK ROCK. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2teepAfDrXI, ENVY by Coldrain.

MAMAMOO, such amazing musical talent.

MAMAMOO has become one of my favorite Korean group in only a few months. Made up of Kim Yong-song(Solar), Moon Byul-yi(Moonbyul, favorite member), Jung Whee-in(Wheein), and Ahn Hye-jin(Hwasa). Love their mixture of pop, retro, jazz, and R&B. Such great beats, sound, instruments, rap, and vocals to their songs. My favorite instruments used in their songs are the guitar and drums. Solar is my favorite vocalist of the group, such an amazing voice with such power behind it. Love Moonbyul’s rap and voice, my favorite female rapper.  To me, MAMAMOO rap is used so well, with Moonbyul and Hwasa being the rappers of the group. I love their amazing work ethic, with them almost being done paying their dept from their record company investing into beginning their music career. I have fallen in love with their music within 3 months of listening to them. Decalomanie, You’re The Best, Starry Night, Paint Me, Rude Boy, New York, and Piano Man are my favorite songs of theirs. Yellow Flower is my favorite EP by MAMAMOO. Melting is their only album and I love it. Picture credit to owner. Down below are links to a few of their music videos. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2OFPvYxZuY&list=PLhIQLT67Gs_rm–EMV1qrC8V1V4x4EWOb, Decalomanie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FB2EoKTK_Q, Starry Night. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S10azlzvS_8&list=PLhIQLT67Gs_rm–EMV1qrC8V1V4x4EWOb&index=11, Paint Me.

Nothing’s Carved In Stone, the band that made my love for music stronger.

Nothing’s Carved In Stone is my favorite band, hands down. Really love their music, how they play their instruments, and their lyrics. I didn’t realize this until several years later, that I had started listening to them back in high school. First song I heard of theirs was Isolation in 2009 followed by Sand of Time in 2010, it wasn’t until I listened to Out of Control, that I feel in love with their music. Silver Sun was the first album I owned of theirs back in 2014, with Spirit Inspiration being my favorite song off their album. Strangers In Heaven was the second album I got with Brotherhood and Idols being my favorite songs of the album. Maze was my fourth album to get, with Milestone, Maze, and Discover, You Have To were my favorite songs off that album. My first physical Japanese album and favorite album of theirs was Existence, with Like a Shooting Star, Sing, Morn, and Good-bye were my favorite songs off the album. Mirror Ocean is their current and it is awesome, with Directions We Know, Damage, and Mirror Ocean being my favorite songs off the Album. Out of Control, Spirit Inspiration, Assassin, Crying Skull, Tsubame Crimson, PUPA, Gravity, Like a Shooting Star, Sing, Our Morn, Milestone, Discover You have To, Brotherhood, Idols, Directions We Know, Damage, and Mirror Ocean being my favorite songs of theirs. My favorite album is Existence, while the music video for Out of Control is my favorite music video of all time alongside Bouquet by ChouCho. Nothing’s Carved In Stone is made up of Taku Muramatsu who is the main vocalist and guitarist, Shinichi Ubukata who is the lead guitarist and backup vocals, Hidekazu Hinata who is the bass guitarist, and Takanori Ohkita who is the drummer. Hidekazu Hinata is my favorite bass guitarist, he makes playing the bass guitar so beautiful and amazing. I love their lyrical writing skills, my favorite lyrics are from their song Idols. Picture credit to owner. I’m thankful to the members of Nothing’s Carved In Stone, for making my love for music and lyric writing stronger. Below are are some links to videos of their songs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FOw9dz84R4, Like A Shooting Star live. https://youtu.be/cyqPJNmWD9M, Overflowing live. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KteYKintWDg, Sing live. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4fs3uqc-B8, Milestone, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqIoZr8j9cU, Isolation. https://youtu.be/tIOqvC3-fJo, Out of Control live.

Anime, such great storytelling.

Love anime, to me you can tell way more and better fictional stories through anime than a live show. I was introduced to anime through Dragon Ball back when it was airing on Cartoon Network back in the 90’s when I was a kid. Started liking anime and then came my favorite anime franchise in the form of Gundam. Fell in love with Gundam Wing and the original Gundam a year after I started watching anime. As the years grew on and I got older, my interests in story telling changed, with that I started watching new anime, Fullmetal Alchemist was the show that got into the type of anime I watch today. A good story, good subjects, great action, and great emotion is what I look for in an anime. In 2009 brought me my favorite anime in the form of Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood A, while 2010 brought me my favorite Gundam show Gundam Unicorn. Anime has come wide stream epically here in the US while back then, no one heard of anime here in the US. My favorite animes are Legend of the Galactic Heroes, The Heroic Legend of Arsland, Ghost In The Shell franchise, Gundam franchise, Fate franchise, Irregular At Magical High School, Attack On Titan, Aldnoah Zero, Guilty Crown, The Seven Deadly Sins, Seraph of the End, Blue Exorcist, Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, Re:Creators, Songoku Basara, Your Lie In April, and a lot more anime. Picture credit to owner.

2PM, the Korean R&B and Pop group that introduced me to Korean music.

I was introduced to 2PM through the anime Blue Exorcist back in 2011. I did not realize I was listening to a Korean R&B group until a few months later I had decided to look them up. After that I started listening to their music more, they practically introduced me to Korean music. I really like their dynamic as a group, always having fun and doing great with their performances. They do very well harmonizing during singing and their performances, love their dance choreography, their singing voices, rapping, and the members solo work as musicians and singers.Following their recent contract renewals, 2PM members have now been appointed as directors of JYP Entertainment.  Number one music video of theirs is My House. My favorite songs of theirs are My House, Promise (I’ll Be), 어때?, 시도때도없이, 콧노래, 향수, My Last, Take Off, A.D.T.O.Y, Mayday, and WOW. Picture credit to owner. Links to three of their music videos and a cover of My House by MOMO, EUNSUH, and CHAEYEON of TWICE. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2pFB1dCSo4, My House. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfEyn_LikFU, Promise (I’ll Be). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFnV7Y6iwrA, A.D.T.O.Y. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0owTSwVLkqQ, My House cover by twice.