Labor Thanksgiving Day!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!! 

Much to give thanks for!

1. Thankful that I have an amazing family that loves me.

2. Thankful for my health.

3. Thankful for my everyday life in US & Japan.

4. Thankful for having many beloved one's around me.

5. All in all, I'm thankful for my life until this very day, this moment. 

I am truly blessed...thanks to everyone who has been a part of it. 

Have a nice Turkey weekend y'all! 

Dreams

私の夢。

知らないうちに、気づかないうち、しっかりと認識しないうちに
知らず知らずのうちに。

夢は叶っているんだ。

叶っていないことに目を向けるばかりじゃなくて、

叶っていることに目を向けてみる。

そうすると、気づく。

いくつもの夢が叶っている。
うん、たくさん。

とーっくのとうから。

家族がみんな心身ともに健康で、それぞれが好きなことをやりながら生き生きと充実した生活を送る
海外で暮らす
友達と幸せな時間を共有する
旅行にたくさん行く
大好きな人達が一同に集まる大きなパーティを開きたい
自分の好きなことを仕事にする
笑顔に溢れた日々を送る

考えてみれば、
ほとんどの夢が叶っているといっても過言ではない。

今までの自分が、自分の夢を叶えさせている。
そして何よりも自分の力だけじゃなくて
家族や近い友達が叶えてくれている。

なんだか夢ってとてつもなく大きなことで、
いつも先、未来にある気がしてしまうけど、
いま、まさに叶っているその最中なんだよね。
この瞬間に、叶っているんだ。

RIP...Steve Jobs

THE world has lost an incredible man.


I still can't believe Steve Jobs passed away today. 
I can't even say how many times his famous speech inspired me and encouraged me when I was facing difficult decisions... you will always be remembered. 


And of course, the products and services you have made.
I am literally an Apple freak.


RIP...


The links below are the actual speech by Steve Jobs. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc&feature=share
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1R-jKKp3NA

And this is a prepared text of the Commencement address delivered be Steve Jobs,

CEO of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, on June12, 2005.

http://news.stanford.edu/news/2005/june15/jobs-061505.html

Here are some phrases that inspire me.

↓↓↓↓↓

Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.


Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.


Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.


Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

The 3.11 / 9.11

6 months from 3.11 in Japan (Touhoku)


10 years from 9.11 in U.S (New York)


GOD BLESS...

San Francisco Marathon 2011

2011.7.31(Sun.)
Today, I ran the "San Francisco Marathon 2011"
http://www.thesfmarathon.com/


I participated in theHalf Marathon (2nd Half), 
which is my first time to run more than 10km!!!

Starts from Golden Gate Park,
and ends near AT&T Park.

YAAAAAAYYY!!!!! 
Finished the San Francisco 2nd Half Marathon :D :D 
I did it I did it I did it :)

I'm so glad I didn't retire during the marathon!! 
Passing the Finish Line is just GREAATTTT!!

I feel so proud of myself accomplishing the 13miles!
And...Thanks to everyone who supported me =P
I'd never been able to have done this without your cheers:)

Was such a incredible experience:)

Loved running through the city of San Francisco!!

As soon as I made the goal,
ahhhhhh, my legs are hurting like crazy...
wonder if I'll be able to stand up and walk tmrw


Anyways, my official time result was 2hr26min,
not too bad for my first challenge in a half marathon.


Here's my result↓↓↓↓↓

2nd Half Marathon

Runner Details	Race Results
Bib: 36876 Name: Taeko Morimura Gender: F Age: 27 Hometown: Japan,	Overall: 2992 out of 4216 Women: 1445 out of 2347 F 20-29: 528 out of 755 Age/Grade: 44.80% Place: 2956 Finish: 2:26:57 Pace: 11:13 Tag Time: 2:26:57 Gun Time: 2:34:27
Split Times
1.6 Mi: 16:30 Pace: 10:19 6.9 Mi: 1:14:06 Pace: 10:45

1 Day Trio to Sonoma Valley

Went to a GIRLS TRIP to SONOMA VALLEY!!!!!

NAPA VALLEY is probably more popular than SONOMA VALLEY,

but the BEST part of SONOMA is that... 

①there's less tourists

②wine/wine tasting is cheaper 

   (about half a price than NAPA's)

③there's many private wineries

Anyways, approximately 1.5〜2hour drive from SF takes you to SONOMA.

Since it was Jannelle's Birthday, we went on a Limousine:D

isn' it gorgeous?!

First we went to "MAYO"!!!

http://www.mayofamilywinery.com/

tasted 7 kinds of wine(reds/whites/ice wine) with 7 kinds of best matched food & desert. 

※note that you need reservation to do this kind of wine tasting  (I mean...with delicious food and a table for only you and your friends)

I loved the ice wine and decided to buy it:)

it was sooooooooooo tasty!!!!

ummm delicious!!!!

Then, we moved on to "Jacuzzi"!!!

http://www.jacuzziwines.com/

Of course they have good wine...

...and a beautiful view outside! 

good for taking pictures!

especially in Sunny Sonoma:)

※it seems that you can do parties here.

 Oh and look!! I found a grape;-P

Then we moved on to the third winery, which was last winery we visited this day.
about 30 min. drive, you can't see such views if it weren't near wineries.

Arrived at "FREEMAN"!!! 

http://www.freemanwinery.com/

at this time I was sort of getting dizzy...LOL

The trip was SUPER FUN!!!

Was a GREAT experience too!!!

Trip to "Shasta Region" 〜1st Day (July 9)〜

Palo Altoから車で走ること、約５時間。

そこはNorthern California、

アメリカの大自然に触れることができる。

今回の旅は、Shasta Regionへの1泊2日の旅。

今年、転機を迎える（迎えた）たえにとって、

どうしても今、行かなきゃと思う場所であり、

幸いにもCaliforniaにあり、更にSFOからは意外にも近かったので、

念願叶っての実現となった。


最初に到着したのは、Mount Shasta City.
既に車から見えるMt.Shastaに感動。
静かで力強い山という印象。

Downtownでお昼ご飯を食べ、
まず向かったのは、Pluto's Cave.


位置する場所は、middle of nowhere!
中に入るのも、すごくドキドキするくらい、
外から見ると真っ暗。

まだ昼なので、姿は見当たらなかったけれど、
コウモリが住んでいる模様。
（ネイティブアメリカンの言い伝えによると、
コウモリは「再生 Rebirth」をあらわす動物だそう）

勇気を出して中に降りてみると、
とてもとても大きな洞窟であることに気付く。
そして、中に入ってしまえば、
日差しが洞窟の入り口と出口から差し込んでいて、いい眺め。


ここは観光客も少なく、辿り着くまでの道も
比較的ガタガタだけど、
作られた感じがしない場所で、ここから見るMt.Shastaも素敵。

Pluto's Caveの次に向かったのは、
Lavender Farm.

そこは、目の前いっぱいに広がるラベンダー畑。
とにかく綺麗！綺麗！綺麗！
気持ちが豊かになっていく感覚を味わった。

そしてここで飲んだラベンダーレモネード？が
とても美味しかった。

やっぱり空気と水が良いのかな。


綺麗すぎて去るのが名残惜しかったけれど、
まだまだ見たいところがたくさん。


向かったのは、Headwaters of Sacramento River.

ここはシャスタから流れるサクラメント川の源泉。
優しく温かい森、大きな木、そしてたくさんの緑に囲まれた長いながーい川。

そこをキラキラと流れているのは、透き通った純・天然水。
大量に流れるCRYSTAL GEYSER!!

冷たくて、クセもなくて、ナチュラルで、それはそれは美味しかった。
こんなにも美味しい水はこれまで飲んだことがなかったから、
飲むたびに身体の内側が浄化されていくようだった。
聖水とはこのこと。
ボトルいっぱい汲んで帰った。
地元の人は、いくつも容器を持って来て水を汲んでいた。

続いては、Mt.Shastaの中腹であるBunny Flatへ。
登山をしない限り、一番Mt.Shastaに近づける場所。

パンサーメドウへのゲートは、まだかなりの雪に覆われていた。

登山をする人、Campをする人、Meditation（瞑想）する人、
自然と一体化をしたい人がたくさん訪れていた。

そして、本日の観光の〆は、Lake Siskiyou. 

夕食を食べて、Mt. Shastaと夕焼けのコントラストを眺めに行った。
空を見て、湖を見て、ボートを見て、、、
何時間でもいれる、peacefulな心地よい時間。

ピンク色の空がとても綺麗だった。

あーたえ最高に幸せだわ！


Life is soooooo beautiful♪


Taexx ♥