Like all humans, I sometimes struggle with worrying about what other people think of me.

Doubts, shyness, all that good stuff.

To get over this, I take after my love and life coach, Rei.

For example, this one time, in Bangkok, we had a sudden hospital trip (long story), and afterwards Rei had to wear her hospital gown on the way home:

So I'm thinking, she has no clothes but this hospital gown. That sucks.

And I was like, Want me to go buy you some clothes to go home in?

Her answer?

No, let's go to lunch!

And we went out to get down on some Mexican food, in Bangkok--Rei in her hospital gown.

Because who cares?

Someone's like, "Why are you wearing that?"

"Because I am."

Anyways...

I asked Rei: What are some Japanese phrases that you say every single day?

Here's the list she gave me:

お腹空いた！
onaka suita!
I'm hungry!
(Literally: "stomach + is empty.")

ニコのせいだよ。
niko no sei da yo
It's your fault.
(Literally: "It's Niko's fault.")
(Super Literally: "Niko + の + fault + is + よ.")

(Note: Because everything is the guy's fault. For example, it's probably my fault that she's hungry, because I was working while she was waiting to go to lunch or something.)

ニコが悪いんだよ。
niko ga warui n da yo.
It's your fault.
(Literally: "niko + が + bad + んだよ.")
(Note: Yeah, just a different way to say that last sentence, really.)

今日ジム（行くの）無理！
kyou jimu (iku no) muri!
There's no way I can go to the gym today.
(Literally: "today + gym + (to go + の) + impossible.")

(Note: The part in parentheses is optional. You can honestly just say "today + gym + impossible." I love the simplicity of casual Japanese.)
(Double Note: Rei told me that this phrase will usually be followed by a logical reason. I think of logical reasons to do/not do stuff all the time, too.

Logic is why I'm drinking a delicious Sapporo as I write this:

Mmm... logic.

Maybe this is the longest translation note I've ever written.)

There you have it, my friends.

Normally I'd get lost in these words and phrases, then spend 2-3 hours expanding on this lesson and boring 73% of you to email-deletion.

But today, I'll stop here.

Go enjoy the sun. Or the rain. Or the snow.

There are miracles all around you. ^_^