I got my first haircut in Japan this weekend. I was afraid of my first haircut in Japan, I have to tell you. I was afraid of ending up with a girl-mullet, which seems to be a popular haircut here. I wouldn't look good with a girl-mullet. I would, I think, look like Janet from Three's Company if I had a girl-mullet. But luckily, I had no reason to be afraid. For only slightly more than I used to pay for my impersonally-hip turn in a vintage barber's chair at Rudy's, I got the BEST shampoo I've ever had (it was like 15 minutes long! with lots of head massaging!), a non-mullet haircut, a blow-drying and straightening, and a lovely conversation with the stylist, a woman who spent a year cutting hair in Los Angeles. She almost convinced me to get a straight perm, which is nearly as popular as the girl-mullet here, but now that my hair is back to its non-straightened, wavy-crazy self, I'm happy I kept it that way. (Here's a picture of it in its temporary stick-straight state.)

In pursuit of my resolutions, I've been cooking and crafting more. I used the holiday on Monday (Coming of Age Day, kind of a big birthday for everyone who did or will turn twenty in this school year) to finally tackle something major with my sewing machine: my own version of the hip (as in the body part) bag, which is Japan's cute answer to the fanny pack. I've seen them everywhere here and have wanted to buy one, but they seemed ridiculously expensive. This one is made of turquoise velveteen, lined with cotton and decorated with a wood button from the 100-yen store. It took nearly all day to make and the straightness of the seams -- much like the straightness of my hair -- leaves something to be desired, but as with my wonky hair, I love it anyway.