surely you want to study Japanese?

I still have a box full of books for studying Japanese. There's a mix of beginning-level texts, intermediate-level materials, and Proficiency Test Level 2 materials.

If you check back in the archives to April 2006 (!), you can see what I have. I'll re-post the specifics again so it's easier for you if you're looking, but for now, I just wanted to let everyone know that I still have them!

Happy New Year! ... Make your own homemade cellulite-busting seaweed and salt scrub!

The beginning of the year is a good time to get your circulation going.

When it's pretty cold here (we had a surprise snow last night/this morning), it's important to do things to increase circulation so the cold doesn't leave you feeling stiff and cranky.

You can make your own circulation-boosting cellulite-busting scrub at home.

I got this recipe from the Always-full-of-surprises-HiroshimaGal :)

WAKAME SALT CELLULITE-BUSTING SCRUB

1. Prepare

• a sealable bottle (like a jam jar)
• 30g dried wakame seaweed (that's a lot of wakame, btw)
• 150 ml white liquor (i.e. Shouchuu)
• 50g sea salt, preferably organic
  

2. Soak wakame in the shouchuu for at least 2 hours

• the liquid is now a wakame extract
  

(according to the book HiroshimaGal read, this extract lasts up to 6 months)

• you can leave the wakame in the shochu/white liquor
  

3. Add 1 or 2 Tablespoons of wakame extract to the 50g salt

• mix well, then it's ready to use
  

You can use this scrub in the shower or bath.

If you're really serious about getting rid of cellulite or improving your general health, I have some other advice as well:

• Make some changes to your diet (zero hydrogenated oils/trans-fats)
• Do a de-tox
  

(I recommend The Master Cleanser by Stanley Burroughs)

• Dry brush before every shower/bath. Here's how.

Good luck and let me know what you think.