Deanne Love

Sushi Zume started way back in January of 2005 as a way of keeping track of my Tokyo fascinations and in touch with my family and friends. We have come a long way together but it is with much pleasure and love that I unveil a new phase. Deanne Love, including all the posts from the past Sushi Zume, will be an adventure of love, life and all that is in between.

A work in progress, always. Deanne Love is me, open and real.

It’s All a Dream

PRETEND

Pretend
On this side
There’s a monkey
Makin’ bass
In a jug
With’is tongue

Pretend
On this side
There’s a pitch black woman
Dressed in a slow
tornado
Who looks so much like the night time
She almost turns blue in the sun
She’s gonna carry us through this tune
With
Huntsville, Texas
And The
Soul-Lifters Gospel Choir.
That’s my back-up diva.

Pretend
Behind me
There’s just one
Big
Bang.

Now it’s you.
Pretend yer just bein’ yerselves.
Pretend ya live for a living.
Pretend
Inside yer skin
You’ve got a friend
Who’s willing to give you
everything you ever wanted
In exchange for all you’ve ever been.

Pretend you’re more obsessed with this moment
Less with the way it ends.

And
For a moment
Pretend
This is a plywood lemonade stand
With a sign on the front
It reads:
I got no more lemons
Just my OPINIONS
yours, for a DIME-A-DOZEN today
And they’ll always be on the table
But only some gonna set ya free.

Now here’s where I’ll needya to believe
Please
Believe that here stands a man who pretends not to fall apart
Who gets so mad
His lips peel back
When we give out slack to the dark
Who gets so God-solid nervous
Yer gonnawannatalkabouttomorrowagain
That he’ll pretend to stand and listen
With a sharp look on’is face
While a monkey plays BASS
BASS
With a back-up diva
Pullin’ back-up faith
For this one-man
Cross-universe
Relay race
To try and be more than
human
Beginning and ending
Moment by moment
Rolled over
Re-birthing again
Because history is repeating itself in record time, y’all,
And we gotta stop actin’ like nothin’s happenin’
When we’ve got 6-billion dawning truths setting 6-billion different suns on
you
But we 6-billion gods are all still up-in-arms over what it will cost to
follow through
So that YOU can be ME forever
My friend
At the same time I get to be YOU
So ya can rock me, Brother Rock
And you can soothe me, Sister Soothe
Like one
Big
Bang -
Because I don’t believe the big bang really happened yet.
I think a small bang mighta went pffft.
But the big bang
Is just on its mark
Gettin’ set
And is REALLY
Ready
To go
Kinda like a slow tornado
Growin’
Larger than 6-billion words
Movin’ faster than a sky that flies farther away
From every square inch of
us racing birds -

It looks a lot like it would if just
One brain
In the heart of this
place
Rose up
To the actual size
Of the actual voice
It actually contained
Into just 1 head
Singing just 1 song
With a word
And 6-billion looks on its face -
To see a monkey play BASS
BASS
To feel a back-up diva
And’er back-up faith
Goin’ off
Like one
Big

bang.

© Buddy Wakefield

Fabulous and Fun Updates

So many exciting things going on around here. Huge new (hoop related) projects in the works, less than a week til my beautiful family gets here and only a few more sleeps and we will be partying the weekend away with our sparkling Tokyo family and friends celebrating LOVE!

We have been creating like mad…with injections of coffee

and trying on some drastic self control methods…hilarious!


Check out the festivities

Busy Getting Married

Woah! We are doing fun things…like getting married! After many blissful and giggly years together we have decided to throw our family and friends a huge party and we will be the main attraction. How truly amazing.

All the details on Deanne and Masao

A weekend of celebration to dance and play in the name of love!

We spent a fabulous day being styled and photographed by our dear friend and creative genius Kike Yamakawa

Made you a few videos to explain the whole extravaganza…

For the story on how Masao and I met...In Love With a Japanese Guy

HOOPLOVERS Instructors Wanted!

The Hoop Love is growing here in Japan and around the world and so we are in need of movement activists interested in compassionate sharing. Become a HOOPLOVERS Hoop Dance Instructor and share the joys and benefits of Hoop Dance all over the globe.

Interested? Your job description would look a little something like this…

Title: HOOPLOVERS Hoop Dance Instructor/Leader/Performer/Entrepreneur

Duties: Share the life changing benefits that hoop dance brings, surround yourself with color, beauty and positivity, lead by positive example, share in the joys of giving and receiving, heal through movement and play.

Responsibilities: Inspire yourself and others to move more, laugh longer and love the life that they live.

Key Roles: Share the hoop love via classes, workshops, playshops, gatherings, performances, hoop sales, community events, private lessons, traveling shows, classroom gatherings, school assemblies, hoop jams, tranquil retreats, beach dance parties, TV performances, rooftop hoop ups, outdoor festivals, corporate meetings, garden parties, kid’s parties, group fitness programs, lifestyle channels, interactive groups, collaborative partnering, team work…

Qualities required: Creativity, initiative, playfulness, sassiness, openness

Salary and Benefits: Unlimited earning potential. Abundance, community, joy, health, fitness and the most stunning array of hoops!

It is with much joy and excitement that I announce the new HOOPLOVERS Instructor Training modules and the HOOPLOVERS Instructor Circle.

A choose your own adventure style of training, the HOOPLOVERS Instructor Training takes you on a path from the Beginners & Beyond module as your first step you can then go on to choose the modules that compliment your focus – fitness? performance? kids? advanced students?

The next HOOPLOVERS Beginners & Beyond Instructor Training will be held in Tokyo on June 27. Reserve your space now to join the hoop loving team!

Hoop Jam in Yoyogi Park

Hoopers from all around celebrated the coming of the first real Spring sun in Tokyo by spinning at the 4th Sunday Spin in Yoyogi Park today. Felt so good to be together under the brilliant blue sky spinning.

Made me recall the “old days”. I spent the Summer of 07 and 08 in Tokyo parks with my hoop dreaming of a day when I would be surrounded by other hoopers. Now look at em’!! Dreams come true, I keep telling you!

Sharing the Love – April 24, 2010

Sharing so much juicy goodness with you today! Have spent this week kind of trawling the internet for inspiration and really just falling in love with so much!

Including her…

I am having some hair change hankerings and as always I head to my fave site fuckyeahdykes (oh the hair!!) p.s. This site is probably NSFW but is filled with the most amazing beauties on the planet.

So I am thinking to go the shave or perhaps dark! Hmmm

If only I could flip it like Chris!

All things pink. Total and absolute love going on here!

A different kind of sushi.

Need these babies for a show I have coming up! HOT!

Getting my nails done on Monday. Might go for this look!

Completely in love with this look on Rihanna’s new (to me) video clip – Hard. Love the red lips too!

Wishing I looked like this for Kike’s Birthday party – the theme is Pimps and Hos.

Loving taking The Artist’s Way program at my own pace. The Morning Pages are a wonderful revival to my stream writing.

I had a brilliant idea this afternoon and I am going to see it through right now! I am going to eat these in the bath – right now!

Oyasumi!

Lady Gaga in Tokyo

Lady Gaga performed a high energy, white lit, 3 song show at TABLOID in Tokyo for MAC Viva Glam and the MAC Global Aids Fund and we were on the guest list. Too fabulous, she is a goddess!

“When you’re vibrating purely, you get only what’s a match to that. It’s your ambivalence: “I like that but I don’t like that… I like that but I don’t like that…” that keeps what you like and what you don’t like coming at you all the time. You don’t have to “turn the other cheek” when you are in vibrational harmony only with what you want. Then, only what you want comes.” Abraham


Lady Gaga performs at TABLOID in Tokyo. A private live show for MAC Viva Glam

Getting only what we want seems like a very luscious trend of late and I say that only in the most love filled, joyous, light beaming way. I simply cannot express how grateful I am for all of the dazzling brightness and wonder that fills our lives.

Two nights ago we journeyed in style, as a fabulous family to a private Lady Gaga performance at TABLOID in Tokyo. The night was a whirlwind of color and excitement for all but the preparation with our beautiful Tokyo family was just as precious!

We kicked off the night by getting ready at the disco light lit FAB Dance Academy. Lapping up make up tips from two of Tokyo’s most fabulous make up artists and designers – Kike Yamakawa and Anthony Moynihan. Blessed to have their guidance. The studio was a whirl with costumes, colors, creativity and our big, bright family of stars. Such a fun process to get ready together, with Gaga remixes rocking on the sound system and glitter spraying everywhere. A few bottles of bubbly helped as well!

The Tokyo skies opened up as we stepped out onto the streets of Roppongi and into the huge, white limousine. Kike, thought it would be extra special if we rode in style to the party, he was right! The ride began, we cruised around Tokyo dancing to Lady Gaga and just enjoying time together. Everyone looked and felt fabulous.

Arriving at the venue, we stepped out of our white party vehicle to be greeted by a huge crowd of invited guests, video cameras and photographers. Fun times! Things got a little squishy but we were ushered in quickly to a venue filled with many celebrity faces and friends that I recognized. I was most excited to see other costumes, make up and the newly created venue!

The white walls of TABLOID made the colorful crowd stand out even more. We whisked our way through what seemed like tunnels to various rooms. Gorgeous boys with trays filled and ready kept the party flowing. We made our way into the main room where a small, circular stage was set up. Crowds hung from the balcony and we enjoyed the music and people around us while waiting for the lady herself. A great time to catch up with friends, take some cool pics and enjoy the spirit of the atmosphere, although Lady Gaga was later than expected.

But before too long the curtains rose and Gaga appeared in a full white lace body suit, with an intense yellow hair piece and her signature black lined eyes. As the stage rotated she sat at a white piano and sang Speechless. Next my favorite, Alejandro. The boys came to assist her as the beats kicked in the choreography amped up the performance. The crowd then went wild for Bad Romance. As glitter and white powered snow fell from the sky and covered the entire stage, Terence Koh melded into the performance with his voice and cape covered head. He was strapped to Lady Gaga and they made a cross with fluorescent lighting. The curtains descended and sakura petals fell. A short but as always magical Gaga performance by the unique and inspiring star.

Lady Gaga and entourage left the stage and the Dex Pistols kicked in. Time to party in the petal covered arena. I hooped it up and dance with friends. Photo shoot was a fabulous must, as we basked in the awesomeness that Lady Gaga offered and the joy that our colorful family brings to life!

Thank you so much to everyone who contributed to such a spectacular night. A huge thank you to Kike for creating the most fabulous hoop costume for me. He had a dream about me as a Cyber Hoop Warrior and crafted the hot pink outfit for me. The man is a master of style and creativity, I am forever thankful.

Partying it up on Changefashion.net – awesome photos from the night!

Check out all the shots that we took here on my flickr account

The FABily – Kike, Diana and Shizuka on Elle Online

Tink Tears it up in Tokyo

Hoop Lovers is launching a new range of hula hoops and to celebrate I have dedicated the range to hoopers in Tokyo who excite and inspire! Each of the hoopers that I adore have had a hoop named after them (or their alter ego), they have chosen the colors and we are shooting fun filled and fabulous photos of them and their hoops. The full range will be revealed soon.

Here is Tink’s tale of adventure on the streets of Tokyo with her new hoop in hand, hot pink hair and a snarl that would scare off any salary man!

by Tink

When I saw Melissa’s photos from the Trixie Maru session, I was sooo excited to do a dress-up photoshoot with D. And then she told me she was thinking “punk” as my theme and I was even happier.

We convened at FAB Academy, dumped the contents of our luggage on the dance floor and picked through pieces until we had an outfit that worked. Then Kike, FAB’s chief of fabulousness, came in and made me take things off. I was a lot more naked when he left the room – but with his crazy brand of encouragement, I felt great about it.

Makeup transformed me completely. I let D do her thing on me, and except for getting orange paint in my eye and purple tears running down my cheek, it was 40 minutes of awesome and just kept getting more outlandish and crazy. Then Kike came in and restyled things a bit with black eyeliner and a different lip design. We emptied half a can of hairspray into my pink hair to get it to stand up, and then it was out into the world for the photos.

Roppongi is grotty and the perfect location for tough, urban backgrounds. We shot seven locations in less than a block. D provided pro direction – look up, make shapes with your arms, go crazy – and that made the posing fast and fun. She’s a natural behind the camera, able to see the best shots and get what she wants without much fuss. The hardest part of the shoot was making sure I wasn’t flashing panties at passersby; that skirt was really short.

After we finished, I put on street clothes but decided to wear the makeup, complete with feather lashes, for the rest of the day. I shopped, went out to dinner, and of course took my new Tink hoop for a spin in the park before finally heading home.

Thanks Tink, it was such a fun filled afternoon roaming the Roppongi streets together!!

The Trixie Maru Transformation From Average Girl to Cyber-Geisha

Hoop Lovers is launching a new range of hula hoops and to celebrate I have dedicated the range to hoopers in Tokyo who excite and inspire! Each of the hoopers that I adore have had a hoop named after them (or their alter ego), they have chosen the colors and we are shooting fun filled and fabulous photos of them and their hoops. The full range will be revealed soon.

I asked Melissa (Trixie Maru) to write a little something about the process. When I received this today, I tried to read it out load to Masao and got so choked up that I couldn’t even see the words on the screen. I am so over joyed that this creative explosion is as empowering for the models as it is for me.

by Trixie Maru

I recently celebrated a major milestone in my life. No, I didn’t get engaged, I’m not pregnant, and my birthday isn’t until December, so I still have more than half a year until I turn “21” again. This milestone was one that I didn’t even know was possible until very recently. It may not be widely celebrated or acknowledged by the world at large, but I would certainly put it up there with some of the happiest moments in my life. D, my hoop guru and all-around source of light in my life, decided to create a line of hoops named after Tokyo hoopers, and invited me to choose my colors and do a photo shoot under the cherry blossoms. Here is a little account of the entire experience.

Saturday, 1pm: Take a lunch break (I’m teaching English on a sunny Saturday when the cherry blossoms are at their peak – the universe hates me). There’s a message from D. She wants to name a hoop after me?!!?? She wants me to be the model for it, too?!??! And she wants to do it under the cherry blossoms?!??! The universe loves me!!

Saturday, 1:10pm: This is too much information to write with my thumb. Send a quick message to say, “OMG, yes, yes, yes!! Tomorrow is perfect.”

Saturday, 1:40pm-4pm: Yes, students, you are talking to me, but no, I’m not listening, because I’m just daydreaming about what the Trixie Maru hoop will look like and what costume I’ll be wearing tomorrow.

Saturday, 10pm: Call D. Yes, it’s on for tomorrow. We decide it makes the most sense to meet at her place since that’s where all the costumes are. We’re not sure how the weather is going to be, so we make plans to catch up in the morning to finalize.

Saturday, wee hours of the morning: Can. Not. Sleep. Too. Friggin’. Excited.

Sunday, 9:30am: Awake, buzzing with excitement, head to computer. What?! D is awake?? I thought she always slept until at least noon!!

Although it’s cloudy and cold, we decide that we’re on.

Sunday 9:30am–11am: Where does the time go? I speed things along by not putting on any makeup, but use up about 20 minutes making raw vegan cookie dough balls, figuring I can’t show up empty handed to such an important event.

Sunday, 12:30pm: We’re at D’s place, and the real fun begins. She shows me the hoop. It’s gorgeous and has me thinking of She-Ra, one of my childhood idols. The kitchen counter is littered with makeup, smoothies, and raw cookie dough balls. The heated floor (love!) is covered with tutus, eyelashes, and sequined halter tops. D invites me to look through everything and put together a look.

Sunday, 12:40pm: Wow. In my childhood I always loved playing dress-up and this brings back memories of many afternoons spent imagining I was a glamorous adult. It’s amazing, but also a lot of pressure. I want to find the perfect look…

Sunday, 12:50pm: Inspiration is coming from so many different places – Cyber chic, geisha hair accessories, hot pink and bright purple, cascading cherry blossoms…

Sunday, 1pm: Okay, I think I’ve found it. White Dracula-esque shirt from Cyberdog, black tutu, pink cherry blossom patterned obi, diamond-patterned lace tights layered over purple, hot pink furries. Now it’s time for makeup.

Sunday, 1pm-2:30pm: Makeup is intense. I notice D’s Hoop Star makeup has a funny German name. We laugh about this for a few minutes. I start by applying a normal layer of foundation and powder, plus my usual purple eye makeup. I let D take the driver’s seat and sit back while my eyes and lips get covered up by Hoop Star hot pink, glitter, and teeny tiny sakura. My adorable honey, mister Surfing Chef, arrives somewhere in the midst of all this. D asks him to videotape and he kindly obliges.

Sunday, 2:40pm: Look in the mirror. Before doing so, D warns me, “Now don’t be alarmed.” Ummmm….. OMG!! That’s me?! For some reason the part that surprises me the most is the lips. I’m not used to seeing them quite so… plump. So this is what Angelina Jolie must feel like. Quickly put my hair up into buns and add the geisha hair accessories. I feel my look is almost complete.

Sunday, 2:40-2:50pm: Last-minute faffing about with costumes, shoes, shimmery makeup, and final touches (including a “hat” that is actually intended for an entirely different part of the body – hey, the tassles look cute!). We’re ready to go mobile.

Sunday, 3pm: We head to the canal behind D’s house where a few weeping cherry trees are bursting with pink and get the party started. Mr. SC is filming the entire process with intensity. Just call him the next Martin Scorsese.

Sunday, 3:15pm: Oh, um, that small building behind us? That would be a toilet. And that tinkling sound? Yeah, a man attending to his “business.” Oh dear. Uncontrollable laughter ensues. Is this caught on videotape? I sure hope so!

Sunday, 3:30pm: We move a bit further down the canal (away from the toilets, thankfully), try out some other poses and angles. Try to remember any of the lessons I’ve learned from religiously watching America’s Next Top Model. Other than “find the light” nothing comes to mind. Oh well. Also, it is intensely cold, but that’s okay, because I’m a model, dahhhhling.

Sunday, 3:45pm: Move to third and final location, in front of some vending machines. D asks me to give her “big eyes, big mouth.” These turn out to be some of my favorite photos.

Sunday, 3:50pm: Return to D’s place, photo shoot over. Feeling both exhilarated and exhausted. Have to scrub several layers of makeup off my face. This takes a good 20 minutes. Intense.

Sunday, 4pm: Ladies and Gentlemen, Trixie Maru has now left the building. What a day it’s been. I’m totally drained, but I’d do it all again in a heartbeat.

Thanks Trixie, I absolutely love the photos (you can check the whole series out here)! After taking them I simply could not stop looking at them – half in shock that I actually did a pretty good point and click job and half because I think Trixie is the spitting image of the stunning Kylie in many of these pics.

Thanks also to the SC for his handy camera work!