Series: 30 - December 2023

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

EVERYONE’S sick!!!  Jack, Grace, his parents, Liz, her parents, even Yuki.  Aww.  I guess that’s what happens, though.  I made a big ol’ pot of chicken soup (Sabby taught me) and took bowls to everyone.  They seemed to appreciate it.  I don’t really feel bad, though.  Sometimes people just get sick.  It’s part of life.

But Sabby, Beth, etc., haven’t.  I guess that makes sense too.

I’m not the best cook but I’m getting better.  Jack says it’s the best because I made it.  Aww.

They’re just sick, though, just like I was.  Nothing awful.  Just has to run its course.  Poor Grace, though.

Crystal and Diana came over yesterday, but Yuki and LIz didn’t, they’re busy resting up.  That’s fine.  It was good to spend a little time with them too.  They’re Beth’s best friends, but my sisters.  I gave Crystal some music theory lessons – she didn’t even know what she didn’t know, but I explained to her how chords work and why some work better with others.  It’s amazing how important that little “leading tone” is in music theory.  It’s like addition in math – nothing else makes sense without it.  Otherwise we just binged on Anime.  We basically plowed through the entire series of K-On.  It started slow, but we started bawling in episode 20, and when Azusa realized that they’d all be graduating in episode 24… Awww.  We took a break for sleeping but finished it this morning.

I won’t ever experience an actual graduation…  but going off to college and maybe leaving my friends behind?  That…. is coming up.  Soon.  I might react the same way.  Aww.  Sometimes growing up hurts.

Sharekoube!! Lycopene!!!

I’ve also been working on an itinerary for when Ai and the aidols come here in a few weeks.  Texas is a little more boring than Japan in some ways, but there are things they’re looking forward to seeing.

Oh well.  It was a nice day.  Tomorrow’s supposed to be a nice day too.  Maybe Dave will grill.  Dave put up the decorations today, and he managed to do it without hurting anyone or setting anything on fire.

Love you all!!! ❤️

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

We put up the tree today.  It’s really pretty.  We put lots of tinsel on and a star on top, and then we put lots of ornaments up.  Liz has her own, but we put it on for her because she’s still recovering.  We made one for Yuki too, but we’ll give it to her to put on next time she comes over (don’t tell her!).  Crystal and Diana will get some too, they’ve pretty much become part of the family now.  We got some for Emiko and family too, but we just send them pictures.  She seemed to appreciate it.

We haven’t seen Emiko much since we got back from Japan.  We’ll have to go visit when Ai and the aidols come here from Japan.  They seemed to get along pretty well, and Aika and Mika need to meet more Japanese people, I guess.  It’s a part of their heritage.

The little concert happened last night.  I wasn’t there but Sabby was, and David went to do lights and stuff.  It wasn’t amazing, I guess, but they were okay, and we had a few people coming in to watch them play, and they bought stuff too.  Sabby seems pretty happy with the idea of being a live house.  She had her reservations but it hasn’t been bad for business, and when it’s good for business, it’s really good.  The maid-girls were there too serving drinks and stuff and it they’re pretty popular too.  Sabby is considering getting a liquor license, but I’m part-owner, that could be challenging.

Maybe it’s not the best idea, tbh.

Sabby actually admitted I was right.  Wow!!  Well, not completely right, but right enough.  It’s a market no one else in the area is filling like we are.

Crystal and Diana came over this afternoon, and we had a bit of a jam session with Beth.  It’s not because we’re any good.  We’re not.  But I wanted two things to happen:  I wanted them to get used to playing as a group, and I wanted them to know just how bad they are.  Not because I wanted to rub it in their faces or anything, but because I want them to get better, and they can’t get better without first getting real.

Crystal is a bit discouraged, but I told her that practice will fix this, and we’re going to get together every week to just play together, even if we’re awful.

I can use some of that practice on the drums too.  It’s very different playing with other people.  I played with an orchestra before, I should have known that.

Crystal has started writing music though, and wrote some pretty good lyrics, though.  I was actually surprised, they were really good.  I think she’s got a lot of talent in that regard.  Maybe.. because she’s been through so much.  I guess it would make sense.  She takes her depression and rage, and then adds a little girliness and friendship on top of it, and…  they made me cry.  Awww.

She made one titled “I love you, you pink, frilly bitch”

Haha!!!

That’s Crystal.

I think she’ll go far.  Once we get her on the right path.

Anyway…  Christmas is coming up.  It’s such a… warm season.  I love it.

Love you all!!! ❤️

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

Hooray for Mondays?  NOT.

Well, the good news is, the weather’s really nice now.  A little chilly but not too much, and sunny… perfect.  Remember back in summer when I was complaining about it being hot?  Well, this is why we stick around.  Everyone up north is shivering and getting dumped on with snow, and we’re not.

Everyone’s feeling better now, mostly.  I guess I was “patient zero”, but what are you gonna do?  No one’s really blaming me either, that kinda stuff just happens.  I stopped over to see Jack on my way back from school today, and Yuki came over to visit too, so…  back to normal, I guess.  Yuki had another tourist come and want a little “Yuki time”, so she put on some nice clothes and went over and did her thing.  This time she didn’t exchange contact info.  Everything was pleasant and he was polite enough… but she got some bad vibes so after he left, she just said “well, he’s not a keeper.”

I guess I can see it.  He seemed a bit too obsessed.  We’re not really worried, though.  He’s going back to Japan, and no one really knows anything about where to find her except the shop.  She’s not worried either.  Obsessed otaku apparently comes with the territory.

He had her sign a body pillow, though.  Eww.  In other news, apparently they made Yuki body pillows.  She was a bit embarrassed when he pulled it out.  Aww.

She’s still not upset or anything.  She says that the occasional tourist who comes around and buys merch and all she has to do is spend a few minutes with them isn’t a big deal.  It’s the having thousands of people dogging your every move, etc., that she gets really annoyed with.  And she knows that if she wants to stop, we won’t push.  That’s what’s really important to her.

We’re setting up a Christmas event with her.  She’ll perform some of her idol songs and dance around on stage, and we’ll pay her a percentage of the take for that night.  Apparently some folks from Japan are watching pretty closely, because the minute it went up on our webpage it was already making the rounds on LINE and Japanese Twitter.  Tickets aren’t selling out, but they’re selling briskly, and I hear a couple of people are making a special trip.  I kind of wish they wouldn’t…  but it’s their time and money I guess.

She’ll hold a meet and greet at that event too… kind of like a handshake event but a little more personal.  She gets a take of whatever she sells, too.  She’s actually kind of amazed that we’re being so generous… those idol companies must be awful.  We’re just taking care of her.  She is the talent, after all.

Apparently a couple of people are going just to see cat-girl.  Yuki’s oddly happy about that.  She’s not the only “celebrity”.

It’s not a lot of tickets either.  Frankly, we don’t have enough room for a huge event.  We can safely sell fifty or so.  But if demand is that high, we’ll probably talk to her about doing a second one.

Anyway… it’s really up to her.  We don’t pressure.  She actually likes being an idol, it’s just…  a lot of pressure when it’s what you do for a living.

Her parents are sending one of her old idol costumes from Japan.  That should be cute.

Anyway… that’s a lot of talk to say that Yuki’s having a pretty good time.  I think her parents are coming to visit her too.  I hope we get to meet them.

David’s getting really good at the sound stuff too!  Maybe he’s found a skill.

Yuki’s here now, along with Liz.  She wants to go to sleep, and I’m a little tired too.  She’s not sick anymore, but she’s still a bit weak, same with Liz.  Maybe some cuddling will help.

Love you all!!! ❤️

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

And I have NEWS!!!

Okay, so remember that thing I did this spring, where I played a piano concerto with a high school orchestra?

Well, a real orchestra wants me to do a concert with them!!!!

HUUHHHHHH?????

So I guess someone saw me playing on YouTube, and then found out my story – you know, lost memories, all that – and thought that would make a really great pull for their orchestra.  You know, girl with no memories before 14 plays concert-level piano… 

I had a talk with the conductor earlier today, he even came over and listened to me play a little.  He wants to do it, and I have a few months to practice.  OMG.  We’re going to talk about what piece to perform and all that.  It can’t be anything too difficult because, well, I’m not really a pro, but we have a few doable ideas to toss around.  Not every piece is horrifically complex.  It pays too, but honestly, it’s not a lot of money, and I have plenty, so I’ll find a good unselfish use to put it to.  No way could I command the salary of a real pro.  But that’s alright.  I know how this works.  It’s partly my story they’re selling, I just have to not suck.

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

And that kind of experience can’t hurt me getting into a good college too, right???

It won’t hurt, anyway, I guess.

So I guess it’s back to practice, practice, practice.  Sabby’s already facepalming, but she knows I need to do it.  And maybe it’ll be a good example for Crystal, too.

I told Liz and Yuki… Liz isn’t at all surprised, but Yuki…  she really seems to look up to me.  She started calling me senpai.  I had to put a stop to that, but, still…  a famous Japanese idol… looking up to me.  Not gonna lie, it makes me feel pretty good.

Oh, and speaking of Liz… she has a recital coming up too, her last one before college, and she wants me to accompany her too.  And I promised to accompany Beth…  it’s gonna be a busy few months.  But I don’t have to do any more practice than usual until we all decide which pieces we’re going to play.  Liz is looking at something pretty difficult, so…  oh well.  We’ll deal.

And most of that can wait till after Christmas.

OMG the aidols are hilarious.  They are so looking forward to coming to Texas, we were all on a video call and they started trying to speak Japanese with a Texan accent, and, well… it didn’t work.  But it didn’t last too long either, they only got out a few sentences before they collapsed in giggles.  My Japanese isn’t fluent, but it’s good enough we can talk fairly well.  Their English isn’t great… but then most Japanese peoples’ English isn’t good at all.  Even though they get years of lessons.  Go fig.

Am… I going to be a professional musician?

This keeps up, and maybe whether I want to or not.

I’m taking all the girls Christmas shopping this weekend.  That should be lots of fun.  Of course they’re paying for their own stuff, but I’ll be the taxi.  I don’t mind.  I love shopping with them.

Love you all!!! ❤️

Sharekoube…

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

And it was a pretty quiet day.

I like quiet days.

There are some days when all sorts of fun stuff happens, and some days when all sorts of not fun stuff happens, and then days like this, where not too much happens.  And that’s fine.  We need those kinds of days.  It was really nice outside today, so there’s that.

You know, I don’t really understand it when people get jealous of me.  I know I’ve said it before.  Yes, a lot of good things happened to me, I guess.  I don’t need to worry about how to pay for college, at least.  I have some skills that have gained me a little…  I don’t know what to call it.  Notoriety?  I’ve got all the friends and family a girl could possibly want, and I keep finding more.  My stomach is full, my mind is full, my heart is full.

And all at the low, low cost of all of my memories and apparently personality from before the age of fourteen.

And I still don’t know if it was worth the price.

So don’t be jealous of me.  I don’t like it when people are jealous of me.  Heck, I should be jealous of them!  They have something I’m like 99.999 percent sure I’ll never get back and it’s gone forever.  Was it a good trade?  Maybe it even was.  But that’s not important.  It doesn’t matter if it was a good trade.

So here I am.  I’m playing all the cards I’m dealt.  I’ve been dealt some good cards over the past four years.  And before that?  Ummm…

I’m going to the concert hall in the next couple of days to take a tour and have a conversation with the conductor.  He gave me a few pieces to listen to, and there’s one that really struck me.  I think I’ll choose that one.  But I’ll tell you which one it is later.  It’s beautiful and not awful technically.  Musically, it’s really hard, but I think I’m up for it.  And I have to learn how to use the sostenuto pedal.  Awww.

I think he would have let me choose whatever, but I really like this one.

I wish I could play Rachmaninoff’s third concerto, but that one’s going to be beyond my reach for a very long time.  I’m good.  I’m not anywhere near that good.

I’ll give you a hint.  It’s a well-known composer, but not a famous one.

Love you all!!! ❤️

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

I like Friday nights!!!

Yesterday I went over to the concert hall to talk to the conductor.  We talked about what piece to play, and I decided on Saint-Saens’ concerto #2.  He thought it was a good choice – it’s difficult but not so difficult I can’t play it, or at least learn it. He showed me a couple of the stickier spots.  I came home and found the sheet music online, and then I practiced so much I lost track of time.  I guess it’s back to all sorts of practice!  Aww.  Though I’ll need to take a break around Christmas time.

But I didn’t write because by the time Sabby told me to stop and go to bed, it was late, so I went to bed.

Anyway, most of the girls are over tonight.  We had lots of pizza and chocolate, and we’re about to brush each others’ hair.  Not a whole lot to talk about, everything’s pretty normal right now.  For once.

Ai’s break starts Dec. 18th, so she’ll be coming here with her friends around that day.  It’s in about a week!  Yay!!!  They’ll be staying until after New Years, so lots of fun will be had!!!  Yuki’s really looking forward to spending some time with the Aidols, they seem to get along well in video chats.

Love you all!!! ❤️

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

I spent the day with Jack today.  Yesterday was a girl’s night, and tomorrow the “band” is coming over and we’re going to “practice” – though as bad as we are, it might end up being more of a K-on style tea party, but we’ll try anyway.

I really did appreciate how he took care of me on our camping trip.  I… really don’t know how to tell him how much I appreciate it.  Even spending some, umm, special time with him doesn’t really seem like enough.  It’s not like I didn’t think he loved me before that, I thought that he did, but this time he showed me and… honestly, I’m not sure what to do with it.  When I was out with him today, I was actually kind of giggly and blushy, to the point that he asked what was wrong with me.  I…  what could I say?  “I’m really in love with you right now?”

Well… that’s about all I could say, so I did.

It’s funny.  When you really like someone, you want to be around them, you want to make them happy… but when you really love someone, you’ll do almost anything to make them happy.  It’s actually scary how much power someone has over you when you feel that way about them.  There are limits to what I’d do, of course…  but those limits… sometimes they just feel like suggestions and I want to toss them out the window if it just means he’ll look at me that way.  It’s not that I didn’t feel that way before, but…  it’s different now.  It’s scary how different it is.

But he won’t take advantage of it.  He never has.  I don’t think it’d even occur to him.

Sometimes I wish he would.  But I’m glad he doesn’t.

Anyway, it was a really nice day, so we just went for a walk, and then we went for dinner.  He doesn’t really find all these really adventurous things to do anymore, and I don’t really mind.  There’s only so many fun places we can go, and it’s just nice spending some time with him.  This time we didn’t take Grace.  I love Grace.  Everyone loves Grace.  But I wanted some Jack time.  We didn’t go back to his place.  I really wanted to, but we both thought in my state of mind I might… take it too far.   So we didn’t.  I miss him that way, but…  maybe it’s for the best.

We haven’t gone to the waterpark in a while, though.  Maybe we can swing it when Ai and friends are over.  I told them to bring their swimsuits, just in case.  I asked them if they had those school swimsuits like in anime.  They said not exactly, but something close.  I said bring real swimsuits.  They laughed.

I also asked Ai to make sure they know about our customs regarding showers, etc.  I don’t really want a repeat of what happened last time Ai visited, where David got an eyeful and ended up asking some really awkward questions.  Now there will be five girls, and David’s, well…  getting a bit ramped up.  He knows better, but still, I’d rather avoid accidents.  In Japan girls will bathe together and all that stuff.  That would just be awkward here.  I know we make girl-piles but at least we’re all clothed!!!

Turns out that school uniforms are a little like the ones in anime, but not exactly.  The skirts are longer and more conservative in real life.  The colors are more drab and less flashy.  They don’t get as much accessorizing.  Japanese school admins are strict.  But anime?  Lie?  Never!!!

Anyway…  I’m kind of not looking forward to tomorrow.  I’m a little afraid of what we’re going to sound like.  It’s not going to be pretty.

Oh!  Sabby’s birthday is tomorrow too!  We’ll just have a little party after dinner.  She doesn’t really like it when we make a huge deal out of it, but she’s not getting away without anything.  Especially after that stunt they pulled for me…

Love you all!!! ❤️

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

Well, first thing’s first.  We did have a practice today.  It didn’t really go well.  But I didn’t expect it to.  I was trying to keep a good rhythm going, Crystal is very much not used to playing with other people and still has to think about the chords, Beth was trying to sing and ended up, well, not, and well, you know how they say in church “Make a joyful noise?”  We ended up dialing the amps way down because the neighbor dogs were starting to howl, and Marie wasn’t all that happy either.

Crystal was really discouraged after, but I told her that this is part of a band, getting to know how the other plays, and sometimes you’re just not as good together as you think you are alone.  I told her to keep practicing.

Beth was a little discouraged too for other reasons.  She’s not a bad singer, but she doesn’t know how to listen.  But she doesn’t really know how to listen in everyday life too, so it’s a skill she needs to learn.  As for me, it was interesting.  I have experience accompanying, so I kind of want to follow, but as a drummer, my job is to keep things on an even keel and provide a solid rhythm for them to follow.  I have to get used to that.  I don’t really drive the melody or harmony or anything, but I keep the rhythm going.  If they lag or lead, I can’t try to adapt to them, I just have to keep whaling at a good beat and let them recover themselves.

So there’s that.

We’ll get together again next week.  Maybe Ai and friends will be there to give us an audience.  They’re Japanese, so they probably won’t tell us directly we suck.  Probably something like “well, you’re trying your best”.

Liz came over and played her violin too.  I’m not sure if she really wants to be a member, but she seemed to have fun, and she’s about as professional as I am, and maybe the band needs that.

Crystal really didn’t do too badly for as long as she’s been playing, though.  She really does have potential.  And a lot of drive, too.

A couple of boys walking by stopped and looked.  That was funny.  Crystal got flustered.  She, umm… really needs to lose the rocker attitude and keep that finger down…

Crystal’s lyrics are really good though.  We all kind of gushed over them, and Beth really likes singing them.  Even the ones that are a little edgy.

So, after all that, we had a birthday party for Sabby tonight.  All the girls from the shop came over too, even Katie and cat-girl.  Baker made a nice and very decadent cake (she used company resources and we paid for her time but I approved that and told Sabby to shut up when she protested – it’s part my company too and she deserves it).  There weren’t any letters or professions of love, but we got her nice presents and all told her how much she means to us.  Even cat-girl who said that she’s put up with far more from her than she probably should have, and bowed Japanese-style.  I wonder where she picked that up.

Aftewards she went up to take a bath but not in the “Sabby’s pissed” way but in the “someone got me a nice bath product and darn well I’m gonna use it” kinda way.  Dave followed her up, and the rest of us finished the cake and played party games.  Katie brought her kid, too, so everyone was cooing over her.  Katie’s coming back to work soon but we have to figure out child care.

Eventually everyone left and, well, here I am.  It was a pretty good night, and it’s nice to have something to do on Sunday that’s not listening to someone talk about things I don’t understand.

Okay!

Love you all!!! ❤️

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

The aidols are really looking forward to coming to Texas!!!  They bought their swimsuits and sent me a pic. All I can say is… Rebecca would think they’re really conservative, David will probably blow a gasket, and for me, that’s about right.  They’re cute!!!  About the level of a rom-com anime beach scene, which… I guess, makes sense!!!  They all have Japanese builds – you know, pretty slender, narrow hips, not a large bust…  so there’s not a lot to work with, but Japanese swimsuit manufacturers know that, so they work with what they have.

Well, that’s probably too much talk about their swimsuits.  Hah!  I might go buy another one for myself.  Sabby would kill me if I bought one like Rebecca wears, but I think I’d like one that shows just a little more skin.  Just a little, eensy, bit…

Hey, I’m 18 now!  I can if I want! …  but Sabby will still yell at me.

Maybe I should buy a Japanese school one just for a joke… if they actually make one in my size.  I’ve been thinking about buying some of those color-coded indoor slippers like they have in anime… if they make them.  I never know what’s true and what isn’t in anime.

Otherwise… a pretty cool, but nice, day.  Dave’s been talking about getting a new car but we’re trying to talk him out of it, the interest rates are really high right now and they’re far too expensive.  We think we’ve succeeded, but you know Dave…  if he does, maybe I’ll get his old one.  I mean, I like my car, but his is nice too.  Oh, speaking of which, I have to change the oil soon.  Glad I know how to do that.

I haven’t heard much from that Texan Tinkerer guy since he moved up north.  He even deleted most of his YouTube videos.  I wonder why.  Maybe I should send him a message.

Anyway…  guess I should go to bed.

Love you all!!! ❤️

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

Today was boring.  Not just boring, but boringly boring.  Soooo boring.

But boring is good, I suppose.  The alternative can be worse.  Right?

I’m kinda missing Japan today.  I don’t know why.  It’s weird because I don’t have too many memories of it, but I kinda wish I was there right now.  It’d be nice to see Tokyo on Christmas.  Maybe someday I’ll be able to.  I have to submit my application for Meiji University at some point.  I’ve been putting it off, but I should do it soon.  I wonder if I’ll have to take entrance exams.  I know Japanese students do.  In some ways that doesn’t seem fair, but it beats our system where they take anyone with money and a pulse, and sometimes the money and pulse are optional.

Maybe have some KFC..

That’s kinda weird.  But Japan doesn’t always make sense.  Nor should it.

I asked David what he thought of Japan.  He said it had some fun places and the girls are cute, but it was too hot.  I… can’t really argue with that.  It was pretty hot when we went there.  Awww.  Maybe next year will be better.  He did like the food, though.  Japan does have some pretty tasty food, though it’s not very rich by western standards.  They seem to prefer light.  ichi ni san shi go ha n!!!  Hahaha!!!

Rice is a side dish!!!

Okay, umm… nothing going on I guess.  The aidols hop their flight on Saturday!  We’ll pick them up from the airport in the morning!!!

I asked how they could afford it, and basically they said their parents weren’t going to turn down a chance to send them to America for a few weeks.  Wonder what that means.  Haha!!!  They can be a bit rowdy… for Japanese girls, anyway.

I should say “sharekoube” one night and see if anyone gets a giggle fit.  Haha!!!

Love you all!!! ❤️