Kawaii

  Happiness Is... Enjoying Little Things

Today you are You, that is truer than true.

There is no one alive who’s You’er than You. – Dr. Seuss

Kawaii (Japanese: かわいい or 可愛い, [kawaiꜜi]; 'cute' or 'adorable') is a Japanese cultural phenomenon which emphasizes cuteness, childlike innocence, charm, and simplicity.

As a child, I never liked dolls. In my senior years, however, I’ve discovered that I do have a soft spot for the mundane cuteness of little things. Growing old is mandatory, but aging is optional.

Welcome to my happy place of trinkets and stuffies! 

Hands down, Sanrio’s CINNAMOROLL, that lovable, fluffy white puppy with a tail resembling a cinnamon roll, is my favorite.

You make my heart smile.

Leftmost: Cinnamoroll keychain. Duke’s Lane, Waikiki

Left: Cinnamoroll pillow. Five Below, Columbus

For sure, Sanrio’s other iconic cuties follow suit. 

 

HELLO KITTY is a white cat with a red bow and no visible mouth (gifted by Favorite Grand/D from Japan).

 

Above right: Charming and sporty, POCHACCO is a cute little puppy loved by fans.

Top left: Mickey Mouse print-slippers, acrylic pouches, fan, Kuromi pouch. Daiso, Waikiki

Top right: Kuromi bag. Edmonton, Canada. KUROMI is a female rabbit white fur, a black jester hat with a pink skull design, a pink nose, and a devil tail.

Bottom left: Geisha doll umbrella (gifted by First Daughter). Japan

Bottom right: Cat canister. Kroger, Columbus

I'm not aging. I'm marinating.

Left to right: 

Labubu bag charm. LABUBU is a doll monster with sharp teeth, large ears and a scruffy appearance. Five Below: Columbus. 

Keroppi stuffie (hand-me-down from Fav Granddaughter). KEROPPI, a Japanese frog character, is typically dressed in a green or red-striped shirt. He has large eyes and a V-shaped mouth.

 Minion tee. Five Below, Columbus. MINION, a small, yellow, capsule shaped male creature with one or two eyes, is a character in the Despicable Me franchise.

Besties for the resties.

 Top left: DOG pencil holder. Dollar Tree: Columbus. LLAMA vase. Aldi’s, Columbus

Top right: LLAMA (gifted by Second Daughter). Peru

My desk is not just a location, but a state of mind.

 PANDA trash. Five Below, Columbus

There’s no place like bed, with cuteness overload by my side.

 At my age, I’ve earned the right to act like a child.

And this time, I’m not sharing toys.

Umm… Cuties, step aside. I'm making an exception for this borrowed adorable giant, furry BEAR.

Posing with Favorite Granddaughter’s prize in school fair. Punahou School, Honolulu

Until then, I’m back to my happy place. Tata!