omg

Another #pastebinmonday! Well, it's Tuesday for me over here in Japan but I guess this is just in time for all of you waking up on the other side of the world. A lot has happened with me recently in terms of various Life Changing decisions, so I thought I would take some time out of my Japanese exam studies to fill you all in.

First off, tomorrow is my last official day of school at my university here in Japan. That being said, I am definitely looking forward to a break away from studying just so I don't burn it. I can always tell when study stress is getting to me...and it's getting to me. I find my fuse gets shorter and shorter the longer I have huge tests/have to study/put in 110% effort for 11 months straight. I find myself getting really irritable when even small things don't go my way, which I don't like but can't really help. I always try to keep an upbeat attitude and always try to look at the positive side, but when your mind is fried after intensive studies for a whole year, it's kinda difficult. Other than that, I'm in good shape, I keep exercising which reduces a lot of that negative stress and it's probably the only thing keeping me at the "haven't killed anyone yet" line.

Recently, I have been presented with another option for school but may need some outside opinions before I make a decision.
Decision 1: I can start school in Japan yet again in January 2017, thereby giving me a sweet 4 month break in Canada where I'll guaranteed by able to stream, chill, work a part-time job, raise some money and then go back
Decision 2: (new decision) I can start school again in October 2016, move to Tokyo, with little to no break, but job hunt can start immediately, I'm already in Japan so it's more convenient, but no guarantee on streaming whatsoever...
Fuck, I hate decisions but this one is a doozy. I don't wanna let my viewers down if I decide to stay in Japan and I was looking forward to a bit of a break, but man, it's so convenient with the second decision... Gonna have to give it some serious thought in the meantime.

My job at the international center I work for at my school has also officially come to an end and our weekly group meetings have also come to an end. It's sad that I won't be able to work with an amazing group of people anymore, but I'm not crying because it's over, I'm smiling because it happened.

That being said; because my job has ended and my Japanese bank account was literally full of cash that I had saved up, I went on a trip this past weekend to a lovely place called Kabukicho in Tokyo. Now this trip also needs a bit more explaining so I'll try my best.

As you all maaaay know, I have had a relatively big love interest in a famous cosplay here, who I will refer to as "cosplay girl". On and off, I get a bit of time off here and there due to a high amount of holidays Japan has made for itself lmao. Every holiday I usually ask cosplay girl if she wants to hang out, but she's pretty popular so it's very difficult to actually meet with her. However, she announced about a month ago that she was making her own birthday event within her organisation and that people would be able to sign up and attend. As soon as I saw the ad, I wanted to attend, but my Japanese level is mediocre to say the least and I literally don't know any of the people she hangs out with... so I decided to write it of completely. A few weeks after this, about a week and a half before her party, I asked if she wanted to get together before the party so I could give her some presents from Canada, Minneapolis when I went to SGDQ, and some things I bought from where I live currently. After asking if she'd have time before her party, she asked, "Oh, you're not coming to the party?" I explained that my Japanese wasn't all that good and I didn't know anyone else, but she complimented my Japanese and said I could make new friends...

and that she'd be "really happy if [I] came to the party."

Now I don't usually squeal like a school girl but I must confess I did just that. After that, I asked her if she wanted to go out to eat the next day if she had time, and she said yes!!!! (which I outlined in my last #pastebinmonday) So, as a reward for myself for doing a great job in my first actual work endeavour here in Japan, I took roughly all of the money I saved in my Japanese account and invested it into this trip. And it was fantastic. Took the shinkansen to Tokyo, train to Kabukicho, went straight to the hotel, and got straight into my cosplay (Ignis - FFXV) in time for the birthday party. Walked roughly 10 minutes to get there, got a little lost, but eventually found it. The event itself was rather small, had around 8 tables which sat about 6 people each, and a stage for cosplay girl. Eventually she came out on stage in her awesome original birthday cosplay, played games with the guests, did prize draws, and even sang her own original song on stage with backup dancers, lights, the whole nine yards, like holy shit. Everything she does is literally magic to me.

After that, there was Q+A, cake, the purchasing of goods ($100+ later), and finally we were able to give her birthday gifts. Of course I bought one of everything she was selling, and even gave her gifts I wrapped myself (which I'm absolutely horrible at doing). In fact, she had quite a time getting the Minneapolis snow globe I bought her unwrapped, and through my laughter and her laughter, she asked if it was a bomb, to which I quickly protested, "No, it is, in fact, not an explosive." All in all, the gifts I got her included
-A Minneapolis snow globe
-A Tokyo Disneyland bracelet
-A Gaku Yaotome pillow
-Trigger CD with key chains
-and a picture I drew of her in her original birthday cosplay (I'll post pics later)

Now I didn't win anything in prize draw section of the party, but cosplay girl was giving away 5 autographed polaroid photos of herself to 5 lucky people. The girl who was sitting right beside me, also a member of the same organisation as cosplay girl, won one of these photos. After the party when people were giving cosplay girl her presents, this girl, whom I had talked to throughout the entire party, came up to me and said, "I see [cosplay girl] quite a bit and I don't really need this photo, do you want it?" Me, being a typical Canadian could only say, "omg, are you sure that's okay?" to which she responded with,

"yes of course, and I also hear from some of the people around here that you are one of her favourite people. so please, take it."

uefiouabwefipbwaefinefinweiufn

WHAT?!?!?!?! DON'T BE FOOLIN ME
MY HEART CANNOT TAKE THIS

so I took the photo c: It's awesome~

I talked with cosplay girl a bit more at the present table and then decided to head back to the hotel. Kabukicho was actually extremely scary in that, there are SO many people walking around at one time that anything could happen. I was approached by several shady people all wanting me to go to their establishments, like pushy, creepy people... it was definitely a little stressful. But, since the big festival was happening this weekend, everything was well monitored in the event areas, which happened to be right outside my hotel, so it was okay there. But all of these specifically go after foreigners simply because they make easier targets. Be wary.

(Also found many of the same places featured in the Yakuza games in Kabukicho, it was a dream come true. I thought some street punks would definitely try to cause trouble, but thankfully, no one unleashed the beast)

Next day, I went to the restaurant that myself and cosplay girl were supposed to meet at, but she ended up being around an hour later than she was supposed to. She apologised a lot but it was definitely alright with me, seeing as she was taking time out of her schedule to see me~~~ like c'mon, you could be a day late and I wouldn't mind, I'm Canadian hahaha
Finally, she arrived. This time, she came without the usual Japanese face mask on, so I got to see her real face the entire time. We ate at Ichiran Ramen, a damn good ramen shop that I've had the pleasure of going to in Osaka once before. The entire time we talked about life, school, languages, and video games. We must have talked about video games for two hours, all about our favourite horror games and which games we were looking forward to. Of course, Final Fantasy 15 was on our list. We also talked about E3, Death Stranding, P.T., and the new Resident Evil.

Now here comes the best part literally fucking ever.

She pulls out her phone and reminds me that Tokyo Gameshow is coming up in September (she had mentioned this to me several times before) and that she wanted to go...except she wanted to go with cosplay girl 2 (her partner in cosplay I guess you could say)

and myself

in Final Fantasy 15 cosplay

together

Tokyo Gameshow

ho. ly. FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK

ummmm... YES HOLY SHIT YES

She said "yea, cosplay girl 2 and I are going as Noctis and Prompto but we need an Ignis"
aflkjaefileunfilewnf holy omfg yes I'll go sign me up chief

(NOTE: picking decision 2 and starting classes in October does in fact let me stay at Tokyo Gameshow for the entire duration~ making the decision that much more difficult. Any insight or opinions on decision making would be greatly appreciated because I hate being an adult)

So that was literally the highlight of my whole entire life. Unfortunately, cosplay girl couldn't stay for too long, so we had to cut it a bit short. I walked her to the train station and said goodbye to her and walked back to my hotel. I also had to get up at 6 to get on a subway to get on a shinkansen to travel 200 miles back home to take an exam.

But it was fucking worth it.

Unfortunately, my VISA only allows me to stay until September 16th, which is up until day 2 of Tokyo Gameshow. Kinda sucks, but hot damn, I will be there for day one only and that's all I need. goddamn, what a great weekend, I just had to write it all down I'm literally bursting at the seams here. Sorry it's like 1am, I'm exhausted, I have a test tomorrow, going to bed.

Sometimes, amazing things do happen.