Day 24

Day 24- Share a story about your past that you are ashamed of.

When I was younger, we moved homes and I started at a new school.  The whole time I was there I had a hard time fitting in.  I never really felt accepted and tried very hard to be friends with a group of girls.  In that process of just wanting to fit in, I didn't stand up for a friend when the others picked on her.  I felt so badly, but I just wanted to have friends.  Looking at myself then, I see that I should have stood up for the other girl.  The funny thing is that the girl that they picked on is one of my best friends now.  I'm glad that she forgave my cowardice.  I am glad I was able to redeem myself and I'm happy to call her one of my best friends.  But I still feel ashamed that the old me was such a sad person who would do anything to feel like I had friends.  I am glad that I am not the same person as I was then.  Self-confidence does wonderful things for you.  :)

only a few more days left!  Thanks for sticking with me for so long.  :)


Day 25- What would you find in your bag?
Day 26- Places you want to visit before you die
Day 27- Why are you doing this 30 day challenge?
Day 28- A picture of you last year and now.  How have you changed since then?
Day 29- In the past month what have you learned?
Day 30- A picture of you today and 20 goals you want to accomplish

Day 23

Day 23- What is something you crave?

Time with friends.  It's always tough when everyone is so busy with growing up.  I've noticed that the older I get, the harder it is to get a big bunch together.  I try and visit all of my friends when I go back home and keep in contact with the ones I can't see.  My friends are a huge support system and I don't know what I would do without them.  :)

Day 22

Day 22- What makes you different from everyone else?

I am a Japanese American girl from northern California who is studying to be a photographer.  I have friends in many places.  I took Japanese and practice kendo.  There's a lot of things that add up together to make my life what it is.

Day 21

Day 21- Share a picture from your day

I got to see Pogo live in SF.  IT WAS AMAZING.  He mixed new songs and had movies such as Casablanca, Pulp Fiction, Star Wars and a lot of other Disney ones.  I loved the live and was so happy to be at the front of the stage.  The picture is INCREDIBLY noisy, due to the fact that the only thing lighting his face was the laptop and soundboard.  They kept the lights low the entire show since half of Pogo's show is all about the video.  :)

Day 20

Day 20- If you had three wishes, what would they be?


1) To be immune to diabetes.  haha, I think it might run in my family.  XD

2) To have clear skin 24/7.  I've been plagued with it since I was in 5th grade.  It's left scars and is always active.

3) I would wish to be a successful, editorial-type celebrity photographer in Japan.  I would love to photograph the movie stars and musicians that I love so much.

I will be in San Francisco for the weekend, so Day 20 might not be posted until Sunday, but I will definitely be keeping the picture from tomorrow.  :D  Hope this doesn't count as missing a day!  lol

Day 19

Day 19- Nicknames you have; how and why you have them.

My first nickname was Pucca.  I had a group of friends in high school that were in band together and we wanted cute names for ourselves.  I used to wear puka shell necklaces a lot my freshman year, so they named me Puka.  Then I stopped wearing them, so I asked to change the spelling to Pucca like the little asian character that was floating around the internet.  The name is still with me today.

My middle name, Chiemi, is used to my Japanese class friends from Delta and started with my friend from Tokay.  I gave him a Japanese nickname that was similar to his real name and he would call me Chiemi.  This is also morphed into Emi-chan or Chi-chan depending on who is talking to me.  :)  I used to hate my first name, since it was so common, so most of my friends call me by my Japanese name (plus it's easier for Asians to pronounce Chiemi then it is to pronounce Lauren)

My last nickname comes from one of my best friends here in Santa Barbara.  Kiana used to give nicknames to everyone she met and of course, me being her roommate, I was no exception.  For some reason she called me Babycakes.  And it has stuck.  Don't know why she picked the name, but it's just my name.  haha.  At one point, her boyfriend knew me for a year as only Babycakes so he had no clue what my real name was.  XD  I found a clothing brand called Babycakes and Kiana is determined to by any future boyfriend I have a pair of Babycakes underwear.  lol.  She even advertised for me on Facebook once because she was so excited to buy a pair.  hahaha

Those are my few nicknames.  Specific groups of people call me certain names, but majority of my friends just call me Lauren.  :)  Either way, I will answer to any of these!

Day 18

Day 18- Plans/Dreams/Goals you have

• I want to be a successful editorial-type photographer (people in general, advertising/portraits/anything)
• I want to be able to get all my school loans paid quickly
• I want to play guitar proficiently 
• I want to speak Japanese fluently
• I want to stay friends with all of the great ones I have now
• I want to be me through it all