GatoCon Weekend!

So, I didn't upload a video on Friday of last week because I was both sick and hit with a lot of homework and tests for school, so I'm sorry. There will be one this weekend! But last weekend I went to GatoCon which was amazing! I went with 2 of my best friends and had the time of my life. I did have to leave during the rave because I got sick, but I'll get to that later. I suck at vlogging, I'll admit it. However, I took a lot of footage and pictures I'd like to show you. Think of this as a thank you for helping me reach 50 subscribers!

The first thing we did was go shopping. I bought a little Vaporeon necklace that I absolutely adore! My friend bought my friend, her, and I matching Pokeball necklaces as well for we can do good on the Pokemon trivia! Needless to say, we all failed. We kind of got last place, but it was still so much fun!

My Vaporeon Necklace.

After the Pokemon Trivia, we went back to shopping. I love shopping, especially if it's like anime shopping. Although, I bought an Inuyasha plush instead. I got my sister a kyo plush coin purse, and a manga since she couldn't make it because of work. We then went to go out to eat at the Pizza Parlor. I missed Premature Punchline, but I'm sure no one actually noticed I was gone lol. I went with Rachael, Mickayla, and Sierra. 

My friend and I. Can you guess which one?

Rachael, Mickayla, and I decided to go to the Rocky Horror Picture show since we had  hard time deciding what to sing for the Karaoke Contest. It was also fun, but there was a lady who kept talking and yelling throughout the whole thing it made us all very annoyed ^^;

Rachael and I taking a picture with our favorite cast member. 

This guys awesome XD 

I also took a picture with the best Joker ever XD 

Then afterwards, I took a picture with a random cosplayer 

Then I got sick, so I had to leave 20 minutes into the Rave T-T I still had a blast though! Those were all my favorite pictures from Saturday! Now onto Sunday!

Sunday, we were all broke, yet we still went to the Vendors and got really tempted...sadly. Sierra didn't go so that part sucked, but Rachael and Mickayla did. I wanted to spend all day in the anime viewing room, but sadly I didn't get into the movie so I decided to go to my friend's house to eat instead. We got back and literally did nothing all day except go to one panel "How to get into Character" and he's a pretty well known cosplayer in my area which I didn't know, but apparently everyone did, so he inspired me to make more content with my YouTube videos, learn how to do impressions, and Cosplay! Also draw for some reason and I have no idea how... We just talked about YouTube and our different views on our channels and stuff. Him, Rachael, Mickayla,  and I were the only ones in the room until he did a joker impression. then everyone decided to come in haha. It was a lot of fun! That was basically my weekend in a nutshell. I'll make more blogs soon!! :)

The real reason I'm going to live in Japan

Hey everyone, today I wanted to talk about the real reason why I want to live in Japan. Every time someone asks me why I want to live there, I always just say "I like the culture". Which is true. I love the culture. Truth is, I've always loved the country of Japan. I have since I was little. I can't really explain it. I admit, I love anime, but I wouldn't base it on changing my life and moving to a country because of it. I also, wouldn't go because of a guy. Sounds stupid, doesn't it? A lot of the people who know me and know my dreams, thinks that's the reason I want to go, without giving me a chance to explain why I truly want to go. Like I said, I love the culture. I looked up the country when I was in school, when I was supposed to be doing my work (in, I think, 7th or 8th grade). I knew I wanted to go to visit, but never live there. I always thought it was scary to leave a whole country and be in a completely new one. Until 9th grade, I decided to move there when my cousin told me his best friend was teaching English there, and me being stupid was like "You can do that!?" So I decided to teach English there. I told my family my new dream, and they told me it wasn't a good one. That I wouldn't like it, or I would feel so alone. They kept putting doubts in my head, and finally I decided "maybe it's not the best field." A year later, the earthquake happened. I woke up to the news, and I cried thinking about all those people of all ages who passed away. I had school that day, and while I was in my Computer class, instead of doing my work, I looked up all about the earthquake. I wanted to help in any way I could, but I didn't have money to donate, nor could I move there to personally help out. Of course, my family put more doubts in my head saying, "Why would you want to move to a country where this could happen?" Truth is, by this time, I stopped caring. All I was thinking about was going to Japan to help out in any way I could. Not just donating, but actually being there to help out. If only it wasn't so far away from Texas, right? No one seemed to understand. After wards, was when I got j-vloggers, talking about the earthquake, and their experiences. I heard various stories on the news as well. I decided then that next time something like that happens, I'll be there to help, or at the very least, be there to comfort the people that have been affected.When I go, my top choice is Nagoya. However, if another job that's in Japan comes along, I will happily take it. I believe fate has a say in everything. I have friends that live in Japan, but we can always visit each other. I won't be sad. I'll be thankful for just being there. I can't explain why I've always wanted to go, nor can I explain why I wanted to help out so badly. I hope you guys enjoyed this long blogpost! I'll see you guys next time.

Secret Diary of a YouTuber

 Hey everyone, so like I said before I would like to start doing tags on my blog and leave my YouTube channel for fun stuff unless I get tagged by a YouTuber. If that's the case, I'll do a tag video on YouTube. I hope you guys enjoy this little tag!


TAG QUESTIONS:
1. How long have you been on YouTube?
I've been on YouTube for about 8 months I want to say. Best 8 months ever though!

2. At what point do you think you will stop?
I can't picture my life being without making YouTube videos. I enjoy it so much, and it helped me get through so much. Even when I move to Japan I'm going to still be making videos. Even hoping to vlog my first week when I go to Japan! Coming soon in 3-4 years :P

3. The best thing?
Definitely all the friends I made. A lot of the people I consider close friends are the ones I met through YouTube. It's pretty awesome. Also, being able to have a way to communicate with people from different countries.
4. The worst thing?
The negativity that comes with it. When I first started, a YouTuber I looked up to kind of decided to try and tear down the channel I started. I guess, when you start a YouTube channel you have to be prepared for negativity. Now, I have a much thicker skin about the words people say, or the things people do. Out of what happened, I made friends, and I love doing YouTube even more. All you have to do is think positive about the negativity people throw at you. It's may not be easy, but it's possible. Also, learn how to forgive. I'm still subscribed to her channel just because I forgave her. I'm just more cautious of the people I consider friends!
5. How many thumbnail options do you usually take?
Only one! I go on picmonkey and make my thumbnails. I just do what I picture the thumbnail being and do that. 
6. YouTuber crush?
Probably Hajime or Mahoto ssssshhhh don't tell them :P
 7. Who’s on your collab wish list?
Definitely all my "YouTube" friends like Connor, Pug-Chan, Jenny Silver and all my other friends who sadly live far away T-T One day I plan to though! Hopefully it's soon. By the way, you guys should totally go subscribe to them because their the awesomeness people ever :P
 8. What are you wearing on your bottom half?
 Pajama pants.
9. How long until you actually click “record”?
 Not long at all! Fun-fact: I attempt to wing it every time...and fail every time...so I usually have to do a lot of takes rather than wait to press record.
10. How do you feel about the YouTube community/culture?
I love it! Or the part I'm associated with. Most of the people I communicate with are people from the J-vlogging community. It's weird just because I rarely make a video about Japan. However, I'm not complaining. The J-vlogging community is honestly a group filled with the nicest people ever. I've never met a group that nice before, and a lot of them were there for me when I wanted to give up. I know they've been going through a lot of drama lately, but honestly it's not what it's all about. It's the only YouTube community I associate with. Honestly though, I love them all. I hope that answered your question haha.
11. What’s your secret to a successful channel?
Be yourself. Expect the negativity and be prepared for it. I wasn't prepared for it, and I wasn't prepared for the aftermath either. Expect things to go wrong. It won't be perfect, but everything will be worth it. But overall, don't focus on the bad. For every bad thing that has happened to me, something good has happened. Just remember to be yourself. Don't care what they say, because people don't define you. Good luck! If you make a YouTube channel, please send me the link to it. I'd love to see it!
12. Who do you tag?
Anyone who wishes to do it + my friends I mentioned. If you guys have a blog you should totally do it! And send me the link for I can see it.

How I'm Learning Japanese!

It's no secret that I'm going to Japan after college, and I like to think of my blog as a journey to me going. I like telling you guys new things I've learned and over the years I've been trying to learn Japanese. Let's be real, learning a language can be very difficult. It can also be very easy depending on what you do. It's whatever works for you. Personally I have ADD so it's almost impossible for me to study out of a textbook. I'm a full time college student so when I'm not studying at school I'm studying my Japanese. Any language that you learn takes commitment. If you're not committed to learning, it won't be easy. Here's a few fun ways I'm learning Japanese.

• Memrise: This is possibly the best method I'm using just because you have different courses in anything you want to learn, including Japanese. It gives you the word, then you have seconds to answer the question based on that word. Here's an example. If it gives you the word 2 people here are the options you might get.  1.　にさい　2. ふたり　3. にじ　4. にふん　You're timed which makes it a challenge. Spoiler alert, the answer is number 2, which the kanji for that is 二人 which translates to 2 people. It's easy to master. My only advice is don't take on too much words, because you might forget what you learned. It's helping me read it and understand it. It's just your job to write it down and speak it. Also, pace yourself. Don't go too fast with learning.
•  Anime or J-dramas: I love anime, but I got into J-dramas well. It's best for learning casual Japanese. It helps you with understanding it a little better. It helps with listening skills. I know Sharla in Japan made a point in her video to write down any word you may not know which I agree with that. You should definitely write down whatever you may learn :)
• J-pop: I know what you're thinking. How can you learn japanese with J-pop. I just think it helps speaking fast if you sing along to it. At least for me. Look up the romaji or Japanese lyrics and sing along to your hearts desire! Also, write down words you don't know and look them up.
• Ameba: I admit, I'm 20 and I love ameba. It's so much fun to use, and best if you know some Japanese. If not, you might be confused. It's very easy to navigate, and so much fun when you make an account. My account name is kisa546 by the way. So come find me on the site and our virtual characters can hang out and talk and stuff! It helps a lot with reading Japanese. That and memrise is honestly the only thing I use to learn how to read. Along with the next tip I have.
• Social Media: Social media is honestly the best way to learn hirigana, katakana, and Kanji. I changed the twitter trends to Tokyo twitter trends and that's helping me read everyday subconsciously. Watch J-vlogger or Japanese YouTubers. Change the language setting with social media sites to Japanese. It helps so much I promise you. Also, get a penpal from Japan.  That way you can learn speech and pronunciation. I have one, and I teach him English and he teaches me pronunciation on Japanese words I may be having trouble with.

Obviously there are ore ways to learn, but this is how I'm learning right now. It's easy for me because I'm a full time student, job hunting, and making YouTube videos, so this is less time consuming since it's also a fun way. Always remember to keep on writing words you learn until it sticks with you. Use what you learn in sentences. (If you don't know the full sentence just substitute an English word with a Japanese word). Good luck learning!

Websites I mentioned or implied
www.memrise.com
http://www.ameba.jp/
www.interpals.net/

Good luck!

99 questions nobody asks! About me faq

 So, I don't really do tag blogs, and I just got my tripod today (yay!). So I decided not to do tag videos unless I actually get tagged by other YouTubers to do a tag, or unless you guys want to see one. Here's 100 questions no body asks so you can get to know me a little better!


1:Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed?
Usually I like keeping them closed, by my closet has a lot of stuff on the door knob (purses, an inspirational poster plaque thing, etc.) and sometimes it'll get caught, so it opens automatically.

2:Do you take the shampoos and conditioner bottles from hotels?
I've personally never done it.

3:Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in or out?
Definitely out.

4:Have you ever stolen a street sign before?  
No, but I've seen one stolen before. My friend and I could not stop laughing.

5:Do you like to use post-it notes?
Yes! I find them amusing sometimes. Also, it helps you remember.

6:Do you cut out coupons but then never use them?
Guilty.

7:Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of a bees?
Bear. Definitely bears. Bees freak me out so much. It's the one thing that made me terrifid to go to Japan because I heard of the bees and they kill you with one sting and stuff. Luckily Sharla (from Sharla in Japan) was telling me that it's not as bad as what people claim for it to be. (thank goodness!)

8:Do you have freckles?
I think I have light freckles where you can only see in sunlight. At least that's what people tell me.

9:Do you always smile for pictures?  
I love taking pictures, yet I never take one of my self...but if for some reason I'm in a picture I will smile. I want to capture my happiest memories so why not?

10:What is your biggest pet peeve?
When people think they know everything about me, people who judge, people who betray others, etc.

11:Do you ever count your steps when you walk? No, but I do avoid cracks in the sidewalk
When I'm extremely bored.

12:Have you ever peed in the woods?  
Nope. I've never even been camping. When I move though I plan to camp on Mt.Fuji! Which is why I exercise daily to get enough stamina to climb Mt. Fuji. I also plan on vlogging! (Yes, I get distracted. I have ADD so it happens a lot even with blogging)

13:What about pooped in the woods?
No

14:Do you ever dance even if there’s no music playing?  
A lot of people don't know this about me but although I can't dance, I love dancing so much. Even without music. I'm weird, but weird people have more fun. (I'll vlog at GatoCon and I'll show you what I mean at the rave)

15:Do you chew your pens and pencils?  
Nope haha

16:How many people have you slept with this week?
 None haha. I don't even have a boyfriend or a husband (personally I believe in sleeping with people after marriage but that's just me). Focusing on my dreams at the moment, then I'll focus on getting a boyfriend. What's the point if I'm moving across the world in a few years?

17:What size is your bed? 
Single.

18:What is your Song of the week?
Such a hard question....probably This Love by Taylor Swift. Also loving a new band (okay not "new" but it's new to me) called School Food Punishment I really want to find out how they came up with this band name. It's genius!

19:Is it okay for guys to wear pink?  
Of course! People can wear whatever they want. If they're confident about it I say go for it.

20:Do you still watch cartoons?  
I love anime! I'm kind of taking a break right now though and watching j-dramas. I'm on a really good one with Nissy in it called Ghost Friends. My favorite non anime cartoon is definitely Totally Spies, and I'll re-watch some of the old ones. I don't like stuff like adventure time, however, if I'm bored (and I mean really bored) I'll watch The amazing world of gumball.

21:Whats your least favorite movie?  
Piranha. I love horror films, but it was too over the top. I also hated the "scary movie" Jack Frost.

22:Where would you bury hidden treasure if you had some? 
Probably some place you'd never find it.

23:What do you drink with dinner?  
Usually water, but if I'm at my Grandma's house I drink milk. I don't like soda so I never drink that haha.

24:What do you dip a chicken nugget in?
Sweet n Sour sauce

25:What is your favorite food?   
S'mores. I could eat it all day if I knew I wouldn't get fat. If I had to pick "real food" I guess onigiri. My friend makes the best!!!

26:What movies could you watch over and over and still love? 
The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Now you see me, 13 Going on 30, Totally Spies movie, The Lion King 2 (best sequel to a Disney movie ever!!!)

27:Last person you kissed/kissed you?
Wouldn't you like to know?

28:Were you ever a boy/girl scout?  
When I was younger, I was a girl scout. It was a lot of fun!

29:Would you ever strip or pose nude in a magazine?  
Nope

30:When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper?
Recently. I love writing letters to people.

31:Can you change the oil on a car?  
Nope TwT

32:Ever gotten a speeding ticket?  
Nope

33:Ever ran out of gas?  
Nope :)

34:Favorite kind of sandwich?  
I love my sandwich with just lettuce, mayo, and turkey. I also love bacon sandwiches as well as chicken salad sandwiches.

35:Best thing to eat for breakfast?  
Ihop.... I love it even though I rarely go. I love the chocolate chocolate (double chocolate basically) chip pancakes, with hash-browns. It's delicious.

36:What is your usual bedtime?
I try to make it between 10-11 on school nights, but if I don't have school I'm probably stay up until 11:30-12:00. Nothing special.

37:Are you lazy?
I try not to be, but I will occasionally have the lazy day.

38:When you were a kid, what did you dress up as for Halloween?
I don't remember all of them, but there was this on time I was the Pink Power Ranger.

39:What is your Chinese astrological sign?  
Dog

40:How many languages can you speak?  
English and some Japanese. By some I mean I can speak a little of it and can read hirigana and some
kanji. I feel pretty accomplished every time I learn a new word. (Post on how I'm learning coming soon!)

41:Do you have any magazine subscriptions?
I'm subscribed to Seventeen Magazine.

42:Which are better: legos or lincoln logs?
Legos

43:Are you stubborn?
I can be.

44:Who is better...Leno or Letterman?  
Leno

45:Ever watch soap operas?
 Nope.

46:Are you afraid of heights?  
Yes. I hate heights so much...

47:Do you sing in the car?
If it's for a long car ride and I'm with friends. It makes it much more fun.

48:Do you sing in the shower?
Sometimes. It's rare that I do though.

49:Do you dance in the car? 
No haha. I should start though.

50:Ever used a gun?  
Nope

51:Last time you got a portrait taken by a photographer?
Prom
 
52:Do you think musicals are cheesy?
 Sometimes, but I absolutely love watching them

53:Is Christmas stressful?
Not really. I love Christmas way too much to be stressed out about it.

54:Ever eat a pierogi?
What's that?

55:Favorite type of fruit pie?
Apple!

56:Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid?
An actress, singer, and a spy for WHOOP (don't ask...totally spies was my favorite show)

57:Do you believe in ghosts?
Yes.

58:Ever have a Deja-vu feeling?  
Quite frequently.

59:Take a vitamin daily?
Nope

60:Wear slippers?
Nope

61:Wear a bath robe?
Nope

62:What do you wear to bed? 
 Pajama pants and a shirt

63:First concert?
Shawn Groves. It was so awesome I saw him live like 3 times haha.

64:Wal-Mart, Target or Kmart?
My town only has a Wal-Mart, but I love Target. My town needs a target!

65:Nike or Adidas?
 Neither.

66:Cheetos Or Fritos?  
You can't make me choose >.>
 
67:Peanuts or Sunflower seeds?
Sunflower seeds are an addiction of mine.

68:Ever hear of the group Tres Bien?
It sounds familiar.

69:Ever take dance lessons?
Yes. I got kicked out for being too hyper. (I was like 5-8)

70:Is there a profession you picture your future spouse doing?  
Anything that makes him happy will be fine with me.

71:Can you curl your tongue?
Nope

72:Ever won a spelling bee?
  No :(

73:Have you ever cried because you were so happy?  
I tend to do that a lot.

74:Own any record albums?
No, but my mom does.

75:Own a record player? 
My mom does haha

76:Regularly burn incense?  
No.

77:Ever been in love?
 Yes. It's a long story.

78:Who would you like to see in concert?
Gackt, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Taylor Swift, KANA-BOON, Baby Metal. I would love to see newsBoys again. Best day of my life!

79:What was the last concert you saw? 
On Halloween I saw NewsBoys. Best concert ever, got to meet the band (accidently), and didn't get an autograph. I don't need an autograph because I don't get starstruck easily (except if it's like Johnny Depp), but it is a memory that'll last for a lifetime.

80:Hot tea or cold tea?
Cold

81:Tea or coffee?  
Tea. I hate coffee. Maybe one day I'll grow to like it.

82:Sugar or snickerdoodles?
Snickerdoodles. My mom has a friend who makes the best. I miss those so much.

83:Can you swim well?
Nope. I sink like a rock... 

84:Can you hold your breath without holding your nose? 
Yeah :)

85:Are you patient?  
 Depends on who I'm dealing with.

86:DJ or band, at a wedding? 
Definitely a band.

87:Ever won a contest?
Yes, but not a very big contest. It was more of a raffle.

88:Ever have plastic surgery?
 Nope, and I don't plan on it.

89:Which are better black or green olives?
 Black olives. Those are the best!

90:Can you knit or crochet?
Sadly no, but I do want to learn!

91:Best room for a fireplace?
A parlor.

92:Do you want to get married?
One day. I want to get married after I achieve all my dreams though. I need to focus on one thing at a time.

93:If married, how long have you been married?
 N/A

94:Who was your HS crush?
I had a crush on a few people so I can't give you a name. mwahahahahahaha >:D

95:Do you cry and throw a fit until you get your own way?
No, I'm not five. If I don't get my way I just deal with it. It's not a big deal

96:Do you have kids?
No.

97:Do you want kids? 
 Absolutely. I just want one though, but 2 is my max.

98:Whats your favorite color?  
Anything light blue and I'll absolutely adore it.

99:Do you miss anyone right now?
 My friends that live in Japan. I'll see you guys one day T-T

And there you go! I hope you all learned a little something about me and I'll see you guys real soon.

-Amber

Finally a new blogpost! Update on where and how I've been

Long time no see! What? I'm actually updating my blog?? Yes, I am. I want to find a more personal way of getting in touch with you guys. If I want to say something, I find it best to just write it down. It's what I do if I've been through a lot. It's how I write music (which you guys probably won't see) but overall, I love writing blogs. I hope you guys like them too. Here's what I've been through lately.

Tripod: Yes, I lost my tripod because I'm a scatterbrained person, I'll be the first person to admit it. I ended up buying another one, and it should be in town as soon as possible, which means more fun videos for you guys to see. I also got new editing software, which I'm so excited to start using when I get my tripod in. I really hope you guys like them! Let me know what kind of videos you guys want to see!

Dreams: I have decided to teach English in Japan. I know I keep going back and forth, but in reality I can't picture myself doing anything else. I'm planning on writing a post on how I'm learning Japanese as well as why I want to go to Japan. I hope you guys stay tuned for that.

Lost Friendships: I lost a friend while I've been away from blogging as well. I've been silenced about it, but since someone's bound to ask me why she won't be appearing in anymore vlogs or videos, I thought I should let you know. My friend and I aren't friends anymore, so that's why. I have nothing mean to say about her, but as people get older people tend to change. We were both changing who we were and sometimes that change can have an affect on the other person without it meaning to. Sometimes you have no choice but to go your separate ways. It's all apart of growing up.

New videos on all three channels: I know. I suck at vlogging. I also suck at my gaming channel. A lot has happened, but starting February I hope that can change. It depends, because I'm also starting school tomorrow (January 12th). If I'm not too busy, it'll be difficult, but I'll try! I promise to keep on writing on this blog to update you all!

That's all the updates I have for you guys. Kind of boring, isn't it? That's the life of a YouTuber for you. I'm also looking for a job, so I can save up to go to Japan, so please pray for me or if you're not religious send me good vibes. I'm really excited for 2015 to be the best year ever. Have a good new year. I'll see you guys soon.

Vlogmas is tomorrow!

Hey guys, just want you all to know starting in December I will be doing Vlogmas. What is Vlogmas? It's where you vlog everyday until either Christmas or New Years, but I haven't decided yet when I'll stop. I was going to do it last year, but I didn't want to look dumb vlogging, but now I just don't care since they call me the "YouTube girl" at school. After everyone found out, I pretty much stopped caring. I will, however, not film in a few places just for out of respect or it's not exactly "YouTube friendly".

I will not film in my classes, because I don't think class is YouTube friendly, and I don't want to be disrespectful to the teachers and put that part on YouTube, because some people might just not want to be on YouTube, and I have to respect that for privacy reasons.

I will not film in church, because it's disrespectful to film in church, I would assume.

And I will not film with my friends who do not wish to be on YouTube. A lot of my friends are lenient with it, because they know I make videos, so a lot of them don't mind. Some of them might not want to be on the internet, so I have to respect that. Like I said, a lot of friends don't really mind, and I already have a couple that make videos as well, so they won't mind. You know what I mean.

Anywhere else, I don't mind filming at, unless there's a rule that the area I'm at can't be filmed. I just thought I should clarify so I don't get tons of questions. I really hope you guys love my vlogs since it's something new.

-Amber Nicole