natsukashii cafe | original art, manga, kawaii, lovely, everyday

Another drawing

2012-01-27T10:53:00.001-08:00

Here's some drawings from January 4-6th. You know the painting in the last post?

...

Well I really don't draw pink hair all that often to air on the side of natural colors--- so after thinking about the girl in the painting, something dawned and went *ping!* as to her story^____^

To try 'n make stories short, please let's go farther into the past-- to when Eddie was a little kid in gradeschool. There was a girl in class who often got picked on and he felt bad for her 'cause he knew just what that was like. Having three sisters himself, he was good at making friends with girls and they became after-school-friends to try and avoid more bullying. Turns out, the girl's dad went away some years ago and left her and her mom alone. The girl said that her dad promised to come back on Valentine's Day so she looks forward to that day every year, but he never shows up. It's one February 14th that they had started to be really good friends-- she even took Eddie to see her secret garden patch behind the old buildings where she and her mom lived in a tiny apartment. Then she told him the story..........

hehehe I began writing this probably a few Februarys ago^___^ I forget how the story was supposed to end but.....

Now this is the painting story: you can't see her, but the little girl is there in the rain with her mom. She's clinging to the bottom of her dress and tugging on it to walk faster so they don't get wet, but mummy is daydreaming. Suddenly they see a figure in the distance. The little girl gazes wide-eyed as her mom is still lost in raindrop thought. She runs toward the strong tall man in sea uniform and jumps up into his arms as he gladly bends down for her. She rides on his shoulder as they walk toward mummy and then she realizes-- and the three embrace in tearful reunion. Mummy and papa crying their eyes out in joy and the little girl with her hands outstretched on both of their heads trying to hug them both at the same time and not fall off^^

aww.... ヽ(；▽；)ノ soooooo sweet........ to think I was actually drawing a portrait of her, totally oblivious of that beforehand???! ... Nothing is new under the sun (so it is said)...... The L-rd knows the history and future of every single individual who ever lived, famous and unknown and everyone in-between ... I wonder if when He let me have this idea for a story-- was He thinking of a real story that happened before? Or will happen? Besides for super far-out scifi fantasy etc writers (and sometimes them too!), isn't every story and situation based a little off of real life? G-d must know some pretty cool and sentimental true stories .... right right???

I hope someday in Heaven I'll get to sit on Jesus' knee and He tell me stories^___^ like, allllll day long! And then I'll get sleepy and a cuddly lion will show up and I'll take a nap with my head leaning on its belly. hehehe♥♥ and then Sampson will show up eating fresh honeycomb and he'd drip some on my head *on accident* and I'd wake up with honey in my hair... yumm♥ etto....... how come there's always honey and lions in my little snippets of what Heaven might be like? .. and Sampson??? (guess I've always thought of him as a cool big bro type person^^)

Can't wait to see what it'll really be like, right right??? yaaaaaay

See ya in Heaven, minna-san^^///!

baibai

p.s. well.... prob'ly you'll hear from me again before then^^ hehe but who knows!

Drawing, painting, etc suteki-mono

2012-01-26T21:29:00.000-08:00

Good evening, minna-san. Let's go back in time to a splendid moment-- 'twas but two afternoons ago.

Ready?

Ok let's go!!!

Last Tuesday was day off again and I set off to to a watercolor^^ here's the photo story!

So I was gonna start painting early in the afternoon but felt a little hungry..... so I fixed some snacks^__^ there was some vanilla creme brulee flavor coffee still in the French press from the morning, so I put some milk in and ice, and then dried fruits and challie and pistachio and cashew in a little rice bowl. Challie is pet name for challah-- Jewish style braided sweet-ish egg-ish bread. This one's got poppy seed^___^ nihaha if you didn't know, just a little heritage cuisine. Have you heard of Moomin? Actually, I keep hearing about Moomin a lot... I bought a Moomin stationery set with pen case and pencils and ruler and sharpener and eraser at Goodwill one time 'cause it was cute and from China or someplace......... well that's the pencil case and my trusty kiddy watercolor set♥ Also I'm kinda short on actual chairs so PK was hanging out too--- sitting on my lap the whole time painting^^ wonder if I dripped any paint on his head.......

Well..... now all the snacks are gone.. not sure if it was finished then or almost......... that's a mirror attached to the lamp. Best way to draw anatomy-- especially if you're a girl drawing a girl-- mirrors!!! Hands are the most expressive part of the body, but also probably the most difficult to master. And much easier to pull off when you're *not* drawing a giganto hand.

-___-" .... after much trial and error and accidentally moving my hand a little and confusing myself-- etc etc quite a few times...

...

All done. It's springtime-- and a pretty warm day. Almost too warm for a sweater cardigan and especially to button it up. On the way walking to a cafe for breakfast, about a block away it started to drizzle big raindrops. But that's okay. It was really nice^___^ She got lost in thought as she remembered a spring day two years ago when it started to rain exactly the same way.... Then as she lifted up her hand to catch the raindrops, two more hands captured hers in their grasp. She gasped in surprise--- and looked up into the eyes of the other....... then they hugged ギュ♥ and walked off hand in hand to have their coffee and biscotti. uwaaaa suteki desuwa!!! Should it be her boyfriend and that's how they first met in the rain? Or her husband who, two years ago, had to go on a trip or something or military and they made a promise to meet again someday for lattes? Or....... hmm... ne, ne, out of all the mysteries we watch on tv and read... love is the greatest mystery of them all, huh? I don't really think about it much, but I was hanging out with my friend and she loves to talk about marriage and the boy she likes etc etc^^ she's so funny and cute hehe. And I can't wait to see how her wishes come true♥

This is my window-- and the kleenex used with watercolors. They're always kawaii and tie-dye looking! And that's my kawaii tako-fuurin from Matsushima gift shop!!! Love tako^^ one of my favorite animals!

That's all for now! baibai again!

oyasuminasai~~

Ranzuki 2012/1!

2012-01-26T17:53:00.001-08:00

Hi hi^___^

nihaha...... it's funny looking through Japanese teen fashion magazine with pop...

So so! Doug the employee brought me back a Ranzuki from his trip north! yaaaaaaay thank you----!

Here's some pics^^

Even for a magazine that's supposed to come out in December, the clothes are really bare.... brrrr....... last winter I wore shorts a lot but this time around I'm trying to be a little better protected from cold. So perhaps lots of the outfit ideas will be good for warmer springer weather, ne minna-san? But there were a lot of outfits with long jeans too so that's nice^___^

I wasn't as excited for the makeup tutorials 'cause lately I've been sticking to simple quick make. But they're still fun to look at^^ and the hair guides looked really tricky!!! I love the tea party setting in the one arrange guide^^

For a girl who's getting more and more into natural and mori style, at first it's a little difficult to see any application to everyday fashion-- but I wuv wuv cutoff loose style jeans shorts so that's my favorite part of Ranzuki! hehehe jeans girl♥♥ and everything and the models are sooooooo kawaii(⌒▽⌒) I always have fun finding any models that are as tall as me-- or as old as me hehe that's what I get for asking for a teen magazine^^;;

So! Next month pop, mum, big sis, big bro, and me are all going to San Francisco for a few days quick vacation. Need to write up shopping lists for Japantown! Maybe make a list of all the mori girl magazines to look for at Kinokuniya..... and some more kawaii baby silverware (love eating breakfast with mini spoon♥) from Ichiban Kan or Daiso. hmmm......... wonder what else? Maybe something bizarre from the grocery that you can't get here.. green tea latte mix? yum!

Hopefully my list won't be too big since onii-san doesn't like shopping >~<" but onee-chan does like shopping! Wonder how it's all gonna work out...... but I have a feeling there's gonna be lots of coffeeshop and pastries and ...... hehe whenever we travel it's seems like foodie vacation!

Anyways, that's all for now...

baibai!

p.s. vote!!! Should I take photo or video in SF? Or leave photography to another family member?

Drawing, manga, and inspiration

2012-01-24T13:30:00.001-08:00

Good Tuesday afternoon, minna-san!

I started drawing this on a big piece of white cardboard last night while halfway watching Time Bandits. There's one company we buy from at the shop that uses these cardboards for packing material. They're so nice to draw on^____^ this is the small size-- the big size is very big-- almost too big to carry around (learned that one hot summer Sunday walking to and from the park to draw). I was thinking about using acrylic to color it but....... I think watercolor will win♥ watercolor is better for illustration, ne^^? Oh yeah, and that's my pink guitar underneath it. Don't worry-- I wasn't using as a table >~<". We'll see how it turns out!

And....... Princess Knight! it's sooo exciting(￣◇￣;)... can't wait to find out what happens next... it's gonna be a total cliffhanger at the end huh? I'll haft go back to the comics shop very soon to see if he has the next book^___^

And--- inspiring! I'm discovering I have a love for craft paper (クラフトペーパー). This is a paper holder from the festival near Tokyo where I bought soft serve ice cream served in a cone-shaped hot bread roll. Sooo yummy^^...... I always forget what that kind of bread is called. Something like trumpet? Coronet?あ、そうだよ！！！コロネパン！That's it^^ "korone pan". Ice cream served in a hot roll-- I bet a cafe that specializes in that would do very very good here in America. *hint hint* please someone read this and do that! Somewhere in Southern Oregon so I can come and snack there^___^ おねがーい。

p.s. if you remember far back enough to when I was talking about finding out my personality type...... please disregard^^ I just found my real real personality and it's a bunch different hehe.

Well, the ticking of time tick tick ticks and I'd better get going if I wanna accomplish anything on day off day. You know I could potchker allllll day long if I allowed myself to^^

baibai!

p.s. 17:05: I finished painting it^^ but now it's dark out so hafta wait until morning to take a picture of it. The color is very pastel and light ~~ it's pwetty ... I'm happy for her.

Kokuriko zaka kara / From up on Poppy Hill

2012-01-23T18:00:00.000-08:00

Ne ne, minna-san^___^

I just remembered about the new new Studio Ghibli movie-- and I just found a trailer for it!

What do you think???

I wonder how it will be...... n___n?

Sounds cool that it's set in Japan 1960s-- I don't think I've ever watched any anime in that era! Totoro is in 1940s I think... Tetsujin 28 is in 1950s... no wait! There's a part of Millennium Actress that's in the '60s^^ right right?

So so-- today PK and I walked down to Ichigo Cakes for the first time since Christmastime to buy some cake. This time I bought from him a slice of souffle cheesecake and an apricot jam roll cake. Then he opens up the fridge and gives me a box of end pieces from the original ichigo roll cake 0__0!!! Yummm....... I wanted to save the cakes for after dinner for us tonight-- so when I got back to work, me and mum took a few bites out of the mass of end-cuttings. Sooooo yummy ^0^/// ... and Mochi had a little nibble too hehe.

Then we walked by Prize (favorite favorite shop downtown^^) but they're closed Mondays. I still have a bunch of money on my gift certificate from birthday ~~ but everything in there is so lovely and girly and wonderful that it's difficult to pick what to get!

That's all for now! An artist guy came in the shop today that goes to pop's Bible study and he was showing off pictures of his paintings that he paints. It was kinda inspiring! He paints "weird" (in his own words). It really made me wanna paint something beauty. suteki desu-----wa.

The re-arrange of my room is almost over so I can stop pretending to be an interior designer and get back to artist soon^^

Also praise report! Last night the area where my friend lives was filled with tornadoes and lightning and rain storms-- we chatted on facebook for a really long time into the early morning-- and I'm so glad too 'cause about one 'o clock (west coast time) she told me the storms had passed and they were okay! Thank you L-rd! And she was blessed even more today with a beautiful warm sunny day. That's the awesome thing about knowing Jesus-- even in the midst of super scary storms, we can have peace in knowing He will never leave us and always protect us in His perfect will. Even if our friends are a thousand miles away or more we always have very best friend forever with us all all the time^___^

baibai and good evening!

Laundry / せんたく

2012-01-23T10:24:00.000-08:00

Morning, minna-san!

I was trying to find a kawaii picture of Misuzu for today,

... and then I found a laundry picture instead! Please enjoy^____^ sentaku (laundry) from Air TV.

http://www.anime-screenshots.de/gallery/index.php?cat=53

nihaha^^...... isn't it wonderful to hang up laundry outside in the summer? This year I'm hoping for us to have a real laundry line out back-- maybe the kind with a pulley like our next-door neighbors have. Like in Arrietty^___^ a metal kind like this would be nice though.. probably strong enough to air out my futon, ne? You're supposed to do that with Japanese futon every once in a while but I never have anywhere to hang mine...... I've had to sew up so many splits in the seams on it too. Wonder how long people usually keep them for? Well, if I ever move away and it's too bulky to take with me, I'll just have to get another one, ne!

The sun has finally come out here-- after days of rain and wind. It's pretty^___^ it would be a wonderful day to prune the grape vines and plant starts in the ground (the soil here is clay, so you have to work with it right after it rains, or else it's hard as rock). But today is a day for regular working^^ maybe tomorrow it will be nice enough to do yard work, ne?

I'd better go now~~~ have a nice day minna!

p.s. have you watched my favorite anime yet?^___^

Paper and drawing

2012-01-22T19:13:00.001-08:00

Good evening, minna-san. How was your Sunday?

Today at the thrift shop, I found a ream of old school paper-- like we used to practice handwriting on^^ I couldn't resist getting it. Soooo natsukashii~~ ne! It's such a lovely natural colored paper, and the ink is so nice color it reminds me of airmail style stationery sets^____^

... don't ask me what I plan on using it all for....... although, if you write on each individual line it's kinda like college rule so that's nice^^

Here's today's drawing too. We came upon a "wasuremono" today so I got into a detective mood. It really reminded me of "The Blue Carbuncle" story. Sherlock onii-san sends out an ad to the newspapers about a lost hat and goose that fell into their possession--- of course, somehow it all having to do with a precious jewel synonymous with death. Yikes!!! 0___0||| ... so here's me invading the Endless Noir crew at Geo's house (he's my detective guy^___^). He doesn't trust me though T___T..... detectives sure are smart, huh?! But Darien likes me^__^ ....... probably.. Geo doesn't trust me because I secretly wanna borrow him into a mystery-style Pirate Cat Six story hehehe(⌒▽⌒) Back when George was a new character, he had the main part in his story-- then I put him in a secondary role to Darien in a different storyline. I think he still would like to be the star...... but he's kinda old. I like to give stories to the young people. I forget but he's something like 42 years old........ oh no! Any old people reading this, I don't mean to say you're pretty old too. Yipe(￣◇￣;)!!! It's just-- I mean----- ... that's just a lot older than seventeen (Darien's age). That's all -___-||| g-gao *embarrassed face*

ummm anyways...... I hope somebody claims the thing we found. It's kinda odd... it'd be cool if it turned into a real mystery, but it's okay if it doesn't^___^

That's all for now, ne! Mum is cooking up some yummy garlic-smelling pasta tonight. Pop is on the radio right now.... and I'm trying not to get the munchies^^;;

This morning at church, I found out how to be free. Remember before, talking about freedom and entrapment, and wings and the far ocean horizon..... well, the only way to be free, is to be set free by Jesus Christ.

I dunno if I could explain it-- but I love it. I love Jesus♥ and I love being set free into His love and grace and blessings and wonderfulness♪( ´▽｀) Free to not worry about the past or bad things I've done or if I'm good enough or smart enough or.... *gulp* skinny enough ~___~" (that's a tough one for me T___T) or whatever! No worries--- honto ne! Because G-d is gonna take care of me (and you too if you trust in His Son^^) for forever more! yaaaaay! Doesn't mean I get to slack off... -__- but He has my life in His hands so whatever happens, it's all okay. Good or bad, everything is for a reason and either way there's always awesome chances to bless Him back or bless others♥

baibai^^

Love and blessings your way!
( ^_^)/~~~

Drawing and onigiri

2012-01-21T10:39:00.000-08:00

Hi minna-san! ohayou, ne^^;;

Yesterday I drew a little drawing on my to-do and grocery list. She's supposed to be mori girl hehe♥

And here's the onigiri I made this morning for Ghibli movie night tonight^__^ One row is vegetable mix, and one row is seaweed + shiso + ... umeboshi? It sure tasted like umeboshi..... yumm. They're made from the packets of dried stuff for making musubi and such! The one I'm not sure about was a present from my friend Sushi-san when we visited Japan^^ then with some nori around the bottom and... finì!

Upon looking through and deciphering my new mori girl books, I'm noticing that a lot of the girls in them that have a little bio are illustrators. waa sugoi! I love how this fashion sense is so accepted by creative people♥♥ that's one reason why I like it so! ...... but... why are the clothes so expensive??!!!! It all looks like thrift shop finds but they're $100+ for like, every single item! Wow....... how do they afford that.......... and go to cute cafes and shops all the time too... hmmm.........

So I wanna practice not just ballpoint pen sketches-- but do some more watercolor and stuff that's suitable to put on my gallery/portfolio page. It really burns in my heart to want to draw manga, but I'm so lazy and get caught up in other stuff like work and tv and clothes and food and photo... maybe if perhaps someone would find my art and want me to draw something for them (no advertising.) it might break me out of the wandering minute-to-minute never really knowing what I'm doing. And I'm no steps closer to becoming a bartender either T___T... the world is too cluttered, isn't it, minna-san? Can't ever think except for when I'm writing on here. I wanna be more of a clearer thinker like Sherlock-onii-san♥ And actually do something after thinking about it!

Also by the way--- Princess Knight is getting really exciting! It's like a fairytale♥♥ a really really good fairytale too! It makes me wish all my fairy tale books were manga instead of words^___^ hehe the prince from Goldland ... I wonder if he will ever figure it out! Ah-- no spoilers! Go out and buy the first volume for yourself at your locally owned comics or books shop^___^, 'kay?

baibai for now~~

Random suteki lately photos

2012-01-19T23:17:00.000-08:00

Hallo, minna-san^^

Tonight I did something really unusual. I went to meet a bunch of anime people at a restaurant to eat dinner with them. At Hana Sushi on the plaza, you know? It was really different hanging out with a bunch of other young people. Usually it's just parent-age people ........ 'cause they're friends of mum and dad^^. I ....... I was never very good at being around kids my age except when I was really little. But they all seem nice and I'm gonna be able to share Arrietty with them soon for a movie night^___^

hehe.. etto? Short story, 'kay? So, they wanted to know what kind of anime I liked. etto...... anou....... what's left when I say I don't really like violent or scifi or romance or comedy...? So I told them I liked Air and King of Bandits Jing and Aria and Tetsujin 28..... that's why I'm not Otaku because I don't really watch anime. Or want to dress up like characters. Or buy lots of anime goods. I'm a lover of beauty♥

I remembered a day or so ago....... when I was just little na-chan, I was drawn to my Japanese animated vhs movies-- maybe I didn't realize it back then-- because they were so beautiful unlike any other cartoon I'd ever watched before. Anime and manga can be a wonderfully beautiful art form. When an artist's heart is fully represented in it. And I think it's cool that Japan itself is a place where beauty is very much appreciated and created. Think, the architecture, bonsai, zakka, boutique shops and cafe, the pocket-sized gardens, the fields upon fields of mass flower plantings, the ancient forests, the vast farmlands....... even the beauty represented in fashion and makeup and foods made especially to look cute. uwaaaa utsukushii~~~!!! I love Japanese style beautiful♥♥ it's such a different beauty than here in America. To see beauty here..... is to go to an art museum in a city and look at the lovely old-time paintings. Is the style of romantic and realistic-- is that renaissance? There's two really wonderful beautiful paintings I love like that... if only I could remember who the artist was or what the title was.........

ummmm anyways^___^

I wanted to show-and-tell to you some photos of lately.

Would you like to see?

... here goes^^

This was yesterday. It was raining. I pulled up a kitchen chair to the outside doors and me & PK sat and gazed at my new mori girl magazine. uwaaaaa suteki desuwa--! I like the part with "girlish" style and "boyish" style. I love both, but I love to wear pants (thankful to live in an era when girls can wear pants^___^) so I think I liked "boyish" more hehe. Shall I take some pictures of my magazine to show you sometime? Ah, so many things I wish to show you and not nearly enough time or good enough memory to remember. Oh well! ..... hmm I rewrote the ending to the story on the sidebar today (it's much better now). I think I dreamed I was Renè last night??? ........ I really do try my best to be girly.. why I gotta dream I'm a boy T___T...

Big Ben! (￣▽￣) kawaii..... I saw this at Goodwill thrift store in Ashland. I love it in movies and shows when it's set in London and they show Big Ben in the scenery. Then I'm all like, "kyaaa it's London♥♥!!!" Someday I wanna go there^___^ and walk down some old streets in the smog and pretend it's 1890s and I'm picking up clues for a fantastic jewel robbery or something. At least pretend the old days until we turn the corner and there's a Starbucks. hehe... one time I used google map street view to look down Baker Street and there was soooo many chain fast food places it was ridiculous >~<")) But I'd still wanna go there to the museum for fun^^

Look look! 見て見てよ！It's my new broom! I bought it at the Filipino market in Phoenix^___^ It's cute! And short! Gonna be fun sweeping with it! When I sweep at the shop's sidewalk, I pretend to be Cinderella. Now I can pretend Cinderella at home too hehe.

Rain on the car window. Did I say yet how much I love the rain? It's been really windy off and on too... but that's ok 'cause the rain makes everything so lovely and melancholic. Like........ it's like our little towns are imitating Paris when it rains. That's the most wonderful place in the world in the rain, right? Oh how big is the world... yet how small it's become. Still it is but for the person wealthy in gold to see it all for themselves. But where is the dream, what is the use in a wish, for one whose palms engulfs the world. ... Then again, how can I complain? Money and the ability to travel and see beauty in the far reaches of the globe may not be mine, but I have things precious that cannot be bought by earthly riches♥ grace, peace, and above all, love. All these and greater has my sweet savior Jesus blessed me with, and much more than I can imagine. He knows my dreams and wishes and sees which are true and which are passing fancy. Ah how I wish I could realize this all throughout the day and not just in my thoughtful times blogging on here^__^...... how awesome is our G-d.

bangohan desu^^ soba noodle soup! It was yummy... I wonder if I made a scene though.. I asked for wooden chopsticks 'cause the metal ones they give you are kinda strange to me... then I picked up the bowl and put it to my mouth to drink the broth. Nobody usually does that here...... but it's more fun to eat like that, ne? And they served the plum sake with wine glasses... hehe^^ you know you're not in Japan when, ne?

I guess that's all for now... oh oh! And Princess Knight is really cool so far^___^ It takes an amazing sort of person to be royalty, huh? Do you know that one Astro Boy show? From the 1980 series? With Astro and Uran and they go back into the past with .... the detective boy (forget his name-__- not Kenichi, is it?), and they go get Black Jack and Pinoko to go back to when the Princess Knight story is from and Black Jack operates on her and Astro gets rid of some scary monsters and they all save the day. It has a wonderful ending, but I won't tell you any more! ...... a few days ago I finished reading the very very last volume of Black Jack. I've been trying really hard not to give in and get sad because it ended.... someday... someday, perhaps I shall get an extremely rare medical condition and... Black Jack will be the only one able to operate on me. hehe^^ that seems to me to be the only way I'll ever get to meet him? Pop's myriad of strange diseases he kept getting diagnosed with over the last few years haven't even been strange enough. But I always kept my eye out when going to hospitals with him. And especially when I was in the hospital last time^^

But no luck^^

I wonder if there's any really cool people in the real world? Well... someday I will meet the coolest person ever to live on this earth♥♥ can't wait! Like Pastor John likes to tell everybody every Sunday...

I'm going to Heaven♥

baibai minna-san. Have a good night, okay? Shall I be seeing you too in Heaven one of these days? I do really hope so♥

Until then, see you next time!

Rain/雨

2012-01-18T07:57:00.001-08:00

ohayou, minna-san... yaaaaawn......

This morning I woke up to rain. At first it was too dark to tell so I played on my phone for a while and then I heard it against my window. Look out and everything is wet^____^

Isn't it nice, the streetlights in the morning?

Then the garbage truck came and made the rain sparkle even more.

Rain is really rare here-- so it's a very nice treat. For us and the gardens. Thank you for taking care of us just when we need something, L-rd Jesus♥♥

I'm thinking about getting rid of all the plants in my room... possibly save for my little ficus tree in the yogurt carton. Something weird nested in one of them.. -_-|||))and they really attract fruit flies. Maybe I'll just keep cut flowers up here instead^^ My carnation bouquet is starting to fade now though.... I took about half of it out to hang up to dry. sigh... plants should be outside, right? They're a little gross with the dirt and whatnot for inside, unless you can handle gross, right?

Can't wait til next summer to have cosmos bouquets in the house^^

Well, gonna go have some breakfast now. Coffee sounds nice^^ coffee in the French press rather than instant sounds really nice, but don't wanna bother mum this early♥

Have a nice morning, minna-san.

oh p.s. I think I forgot to add before, find me on Instagram by currythecat or natsukashii cafe^^ seems like more pictures are on there than show up here....

Mori girl book catch and farmer's market

2012-01-17T21:19:00.000-08:00

Hi again ~~

Pictures of my new book and magazine^^ hehe it was wrapped up so neat with Christmas deco tape. kawaii...... and Mori Girl Lesson 4 came with a bonus kawaii tote bag^___^

And here's a collage of going to Farmer's Market in Phoenix tonight. They close early, so it's kinda rare to go there when it's dark. It was pretty. And they sell my favorite brand of milk♥ I picked out a red delicious apple and some more brussel sprouts and a box of unsulphered dried pineapple. I forgot what mum bought... eggs.... etto.. anou.......... ?

Pop also brought home a loaf of Safeway French bread. It was yummy...... I tore off a couple pieces and munched on them while we watched Sherlock but now I feel kinda sick... I didn't feel well last time after eating a bagel from there either. ...... tomorrow we're gonna buy some fresh local bread from the real bakery across the street from our shop, 'cause I miss bread T___T real bread.

Now it's sleepy time tea time. yaawwn.... the chamomile in it is good for digestion. -sigh- why can't all foods be lovely and organic^___^ ... or at least all natural? hehe you should see me try to pick out non-natural foods at markets-- I stand there looking at ingredients and nutrition info for ages trying to reason with it. I used to not like going food shopping with my parents.. now mum especially gets bored when I go shopping doing that (￣▽￣)...

hehehehehe..... that's all silliness for tonight.

'Night, minna-san!!! Hey so about Renè? (more silliness ahead.. sumimasen desuwa) He doesn't make a good photographer, ne. He's too ...... etto.. timid? I wanna make him a detective ahahahaha^____^ and that was before tv time! But... I dunno where Lau-chan is gonna go with her side of the story. hmmm well something's gotta give 'cause his story's going nowhere -____- it's the point of the storyline where the main character is dumped into a new and incredible situation, right? Well if you got any ideas, the story is right over there >>> to the right on the sidebar^^ you can add comments directly to it. ayaya... maybe this is why I haven't made any artist characters before? Artists are too much trouble (￣へ￣;)

バイバイ

Fashion spotlight on ~~ mori, retro, etc

2012-01-17T18:27:00.000-08:00

Hello^^

Window shopping post for you all, minna-san^____^

Yesterday and the day before, mum and I went to the shopping mall. We were mostly looking for something new for her to wear, 'cause it's harder for her to find nice clothes than it is for me. But it's really difficult finding cute clothes here in America, much less here in the middle of nowhere T____T... Mum ended up with two tops and some black fuzzy earmuffs, and I ended up with an oatmeal/navy/and a little orange printed knit retro sweater (sooo comfy..... about $23.), furry furry poofy brown and natural earmuffs ($2.), and a kinda leopard print brown fox tail (really popular fashion a couple years ago in Japan...... is it still? hehe but I finally got one! and for $2.). Mostly at the mall it's easy to find kawaii accessories, too bad clothes are so difficult, ne^^. But it was still fun looking around at all the fashions the stores are carrying now. If you're depressed 'cause it's so cold and wintry, go to the mall now-- the spring fashions are displayed already! 0___0!! Wow, right???

Anyways, on to the first shop on our window shopping trip^^ Mori-girl theme-- shop Dearli/dear栗 http://dearli.taobao.com/

Taobao.com again ~~ Japan, China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan...... that's the center of top kawaii fashion. And I like Taobao, if only to dream, because the clothes are really inexpensive^___^

Enjoy!

I really like looking at these outfits.. but...... I can't really see myself wearing them T___T would you wear any of them, minna-san?

anyways, I picked these shops to show you today because of how their clothes and setting looks so nice together^___^

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Next! We're going to visit a shop we've window shopped at before...... i-NEKO! http://i-neko.taobao.com/

Their style seems a little mainstream, a little mori girl, and a little retro. Is that correct? Whatever it is, I really like the looks of the coordi. Please enjoy here too^^

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Having fun window shopping with me^^? Lately I've been drawn to warm colors like mustard, burnt orange, camel, beige, etc etc even a little red. There was plenty of mustard-colored items at the mall, but color isn't all that makes fashion. It has to look nice and fit good too! Something that I'm really bad at is picking out shoes T____T and I'm really digging the brown boots in the last few shoots, but ....... -____-.. I think I'm going to get some new converse sneakers^-^ .. there's a new color called frappe. What's frappe? o___o is it a kind of coffee.. right? It looks like a nice natural color. Couldn't they have just called it something simple like "royal milk tea"? hehe^^

Our next shop to look at is lovefish http://lovefish100.taobao.com/

This one is princess and retro girly^^ sooooooo cuuuuute, ne! Maybe to cute and girly for me 'cause I don't like it when people stare at me for being too cute and out-of-place in these little towns...... but there is a princess inside of me that loves these outfits.

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Now then, how come whenever I wanna dress all fashion-y, after thinking about it and trying to envision outfits, I go back to jeans. Actually, I have a pair of jeans that I wuv wuv the length and the fit-- they're from thrift store, too! But.... they're super high waist so can't wear something form fitting on top over it, and the zipper falls down absolutely immediately after getting them on. @__@!! But if I wear something super long on top, like my new sweater and that long white ribbed tank I got from Puffy (http://www.yesstyle.com/en/puffy/list.html/bpt.299_bid.308704) a bunch of years ago, it really makes a nice outfit. hehe^^;; I wonder if someday I'll have a nice fashion budget, or will I keep on the "starving artist" fashion budget. etto.. if it weren't for being born into a job at my parents shop, maybe I'd take the starving artist thing more seriously and not spend hours looking at kawaii clothes and create art instead....... hmm.... life is full of decisions.........

Next up is a shop that has Korean style things^^ it's really cute. Kinda mainstream fashion x a little retro and mori. I am so loving retro in fashion right now^___^ it's really my style! Let the future have the future, I will live in a past-filled present!

NANA/Goroke/I can't figure out what the real name of the shop is 'cause everything's Chinese http://shop58388043.taobao.com/

Ready? Let's go!

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I've run out of time now-- need to help mum with some roasted veg for dinner tonight yaaaaay! Potato, taro, brussel sprout, carrot...... I kinda wanted to put the taro in some curry rice, but since I have no curry sauce base... this will do just fine^___^ pop hasn't come home from the shop yet, but when he does, he's bringing with him a couple mori girl book/magazine I ordered earlier this month from ebay from Japan! They just came today-- can't wait^___^ maybe they'll help me to do clothes coordi better. etto..... the magazine one will.. I also ordered the mori girl interior book! yaaaaay! I've always liked finding pictures of that book online, now I will be able to look at all of it anytime!

baibai, minna-san!

Also, if you're into dieting like I am (.. hobby? ~___~)), I found out some foods 'n things that are super filling, so if you're really hungry but don't wanna eat, like, a whole box of crackers between meals then these might help^^. Water, apple, banana, soup, green leafy veg (like salad or greens), potato, almonds, oatmeal, green tea, coffee. What do you think? I also read celery is good too, but when I eat celery it makes me more hungry.. and wanna put peanut butter on it....... -___-'' drinking a glass of water before meals is good to get full faster-- and I heard the same thing about eating any kind of tree nuts before meals. And I also read that (in paraphrase) you gotta get used to feeling hungry sometimes. Sometimes when I drink diet tea I never feel hungry. And during traveling. My stomach is a little weird sometimes... lately I have been feeling hungry before it's time to eat and that seems cool to me^^ like the diet is actually working! Now if only it were warm enough to go bicycling......... etto.. but I'm not a dietitian or anything so consult somebody smarter than me about diet. Always remember, everything in moderation^___^.

Saturday night's drawings

2012-01-14T23:42:00.001-08:00

Hi hi minna-san^^

I'm shweepy........ forgot to make some tea tonight T___T .. but I had a few nice sips of chianti^^

So Lau-chan came to visit with me today^___^ we walked around downtown Ashland and I showed her some of my favorite alleys and we stopped at Bloomsbury Coffee House for a chai and a decaf americano, respectively. yummmm so good drinks from there!!! She really liked her chai^^

Then we watched anime and discussed our story endlessly and she told me what her character thought of my character. hehe it's such a new experience co-writing something^^ I have much respect for people who do that professionally. It seems really difficult but it is cool to be working with two completely different imaginations. It's like when I was little again^___^ when my friend came over to play stuffed animals or Barbie or just plain pretend we're cats or some other creature altogether. It's more interesting and unexpected to play with a friend than ひとりぼっち^^ ね。

These are some drawings from the end of tonight. Pwease enjoy a little, ne!

... etto... anou........ etto..... ♥♥♥ エディくーーーーーーーん！！！ ahahahaha I think Eddie-kun is getting a wee bit jealous of Leo ^//////^)) ... it must be a little annoying for a supporting cast member of a practically brand-new story to get center stage above my star. At least only for a little while anyways.... actually, I've never even met Leo in person before. I probably should, you know? I remember first meeting with Eddie^^ that was in my "cool" phase and I tried acting all mysterious 'n whatnot. I like acting like a silly girl any day now. It's too much pressure to be cool--- to just be true and try to be like Jesus wants me to be and shine my suteki light on the world------ that's how people should be. No more masks. Just be the little kid you once knew who was filled with wonder and unstoppable faith♥♥ わーっすごくすてきですねー！

hehe^^ and here's next drawing! We watched some more Ouran Host Club with my mum but the unending comedy was numbing my heart a little, so I hijacked the tv after the end of an episode and played Arrietty for Lau-chan♥ uwaaaa-- mo sugoku suteki desuwa! This was fourth time I've watched it and it's really really grown on me. I love love it. SUGOKU natsukashii ne~~ watching it makes me miss summer soooooooo much. And makes me wanna collect a bunch of miniature furniture and build a little house-- in case some borrowers ever move in our house^____^ I have two cushioned cafe chairs that would be perfect........ umm anou... and I've really enjoyed wearing my hair in bun lately up out of my face.. and here's me wearing a clippy hair clip, like Arrietty^^ It's kinda funny..... will you listen to something funny, minna-san? When I wore my hair in dango, (mum could see this too) the vision of little Nastassia came back. She saw little Nastassia from the rear-view mirror in the car yesterday when I was riding in back. And when I took some photos ... some days before I think, I could see little me in those too. When I was little, my hair was a curly knotted bush kinda like how it's becoming again 'cause I'm growing it out. So all the time mum tied it up with a shushu (scrunchie). Somehow having my hair up for a change made that happen......... ふしぎね。She didn't get to see the whole movie, so another time we must watch it again^^

Have you seen the newest Studio Ghibli film? I saw a trailer for it, but that's all^^ it's sure to be very wonderful too, ne. But forever my favorite is Totoro. tottemo natsukashii......♥♥ And then my next best natsukashii movie is a borrowed natsukashii from my big bro's childhood-- Time Bandits. nihaha can I borrow it from your memories, onii-san? I just have silly memories for that movie^^

Thank you for visiting Natsukashii Cafe and hope you come back again. We're closing up shop for the night, but we'll be open again in the morning^^ Tomorrow's menu will be ginger latte, royal milk tea, cafe americano, hot mugi-cha, and kinako latte. Each served with a freshly baked catnip biscotti. Bitter chocolate dipped or plain^____^ soon we will be able to make matcha latte too...... if we can buy a matcha whisk somewhere^^;; Please look forward to green tea latte on the menu soon!

oyasuminasai^^

Today's natsukashii

2012-01-13T11:32:00.000-08:00

Hi minna-san! Since changing from Curry-World to Natsukashii Cafe-- I don't think I've done a natsukashii post???

Well, here we go! .......

Picture 1: these are Barnum's Animal Crackers. They're very natsukashii for me. And really comforting when I have a bad day. Like Misuzu-chan and peach nectar drink ^___^ I wasn't allowed sugar when I was little but somehow some of these must have snuck in because I remember eating these since long long long ago♥

2: Who Framed Roger Rabbit. This movie came out about the time I was born and one of my first toys was a pull-string talking Roger Rabbit plushie♥♥ I found this vhs tape at thrift store last night for 99 cents and was so excited 'cause I haven't seen it in forever!!! (well... maybe a year or two) I loved watching it when I was little 'cause of all the cartoon characters hehe^^ I watched cartoons alllllll the time growing up-- no wonder I've always wanted to be cartoonist?

That's all for now^^

What's your natsukashii for today?

Good morning food post

2012-01-12T09:32:00.000-08:00

おはようございまーす。

How is your morning, minna-san? Everything was very white and frozen earlier, but now the sun is helping to melt it away. Can't believe how much it's been freezing this year! But I probably notice it more because of my poor camphor tree I planted last summer -____- ganbatte tree♥

Last night mum and I went shopping at Grocery Outlet for main reason: I wanted to get some healthy organic-style shampoo and conditioner and not hafta take a loan out to pay for them^____^ and I ended up with a bunch of goodies, edible and not^^.

So when we came home it was everyone for themselves for dinner. Mum put Sherlock Holmes on the tv and I set off to cook some soup. Oden!!!! Remember that oden mix I bought??? Finally I cooked some hehehe^^ I went all out and used three fish cakes (one had a strip of tako in the middle O__O!!), a block of mochi, a poached egg (yaaay first time I made one correctly), half a cake of konnyaku, and mix mini kawaii veg (carrots, corn, peas-- funny thing was, the mini fish cake ball had corn in the middle hehe so matching). Oh yeah and some bonito furikake on top. I eyed a recipe on cookpad (http://cookpad.com/recipe/1666023 ) to get the base soup right. At first I was gonna put instant dashi in and call it good, but ended up adding shoyu, mirin, sake, salt, and sugar to it. It came out sooooooo yummy......... and totally enough for two people but it's not like anybody else would want to eat any > v <"))

Choco bar on left!: I got this at Grocery Outlet last night. On the right is my Kinder Country bar. Notice anything similar.......? Yup! Whole grains! Wuv wuv whole grains... in chocolate. It's like breakfast for dessert hehe^^ and the big bar is organic! How cool is that? Since New Year's I've been only eating one sweet thing a day (not counting dried and fresh fruits or hot drinks), so who knows when I'll get to eat these. I've only broken this resolution once because of some unexpected delicious choco cake--- so, so far it's going okay^^ And now pop is going on a major switch of diet to no animal protein or cheese (aka vegetarian +fish, -dairy + yogurt hehe) or sugar. That's really gonna help me too^^ Now if only mum won't go on one of her delicious baking sprees..........

Anyways, speaking of stories.... I haven't drawn or hung out with Eddie-kun in a while... mostly giving all my attention to Leo's new story. ....... do you think he's getting jealous...? Maybe this'll be a heads up to tell him he's maybe not the most interesting boy to write about... after all, this new story, Leo's character doesn't have any special powers or fairytale enchantment or anything. It's almost a little refreshing to plan out a normal everyday story......... These past few days I've been spending time with a regular average boy 0__0! ..... maybe Eddie-kun will do something super crazy to try n get my attention. Here's to hoping^___^;; Then we could get back to brainstorming a beginning story for him. Don't know if he knows this, but Eddie is gonna go places. I just get the feeling^^ I think so many people will like him and hopefully be able to relate to him. He seems to have so many good points of being an awesome lead character.......... it's one of my greatest wishes that I be able to show him off to the world before I leave and go to my real home. Jesus knows this wish too...♥♥ He knows a ton of my miscellaneous wishes and mostly they're super silly spur of the moment wishes, but I've been asking for this one for a long time^___^

umm! Anyways..... I'd better get ready for work! yaaaay new lemon grass shampoo and lavender conditioner hehe^^ and prepare yourself for another taobao fashion post 'cause I may have found a couple more cute shops^___^

baibai

p.s. do you know Instagram app? I re-downloaded it to my phone this morning and found I already had an account 0__0; (if you use it too, find me^^ username is currythecat) .... I might use that for uploading photos to Natsukashii Cafe too^___^ so now our photo apps are: by Art&Mobile: ToyCamera, TiltShift Generator; and now Instagram. Photos are cool, but I like design most of all^___^ and what's more cool design than old camera look? ok really gotta go now.......

Odango day two!

2012-01-11T11:47:00.001-08:00

Last night Tanya-chan showed me a BUNCH of pictures of odango and items to make them with and I tried doing one last night using a fluffy shushu as base.

hehe got a lot of comments on fb on my photo^///^))

Then I found a page in an old Popteen from last year with hair guides and there were two odango!

So so??? How'd I do this morning?

p.s. are furry leg warmers still in fashion....? I'm kinda wearing my white with black tip ones today.........

It was really tricky making it look neat in front and getting right on top of my head (had to re-do it once 'cause it was too far back).

So, minna-san? Have you tried this hairstyle before? It's fun^____^ like having a giant anpan on top of your head-- or giant dango for that matter. hehehe...... hmmm........ one of these times I'll get it super big and fluffy like in photos^__^

baibai time to go to work!

Pinoko and Black Jack

2012-01-10T17:47:00.001-08:00

hehe... just have to share this one photo^^

Out of all my toys, none of them surprise and enchant me more than these two little figurines of Black Jack and Pinoko-chan. (they used to be cell phone charms but long since had their straps fall off. we ordered them wholesale to sell in the shop with the rest of the cell phone charms-- two sets of them plus Princess Knight. I bought a set for myself and the other is still waiting to be sold) I put Pinoko on a sweatshirt zipper .. the pink one with bear ears I think.... when we went to Japan in 2010. She fell off almost immediately from the strap in LA airport and kept doing so until I figured I was lucky to keep finding her and next time maybe I'd lose her forever, so removed her to keep her safe. Black Jack was hanging out on my phone about the same time and he fell off too (the little clasps at the end of the straps weren't the best quality...?-__-). One night after going to the street festival somewhere in Tokyo, I noticed back at the hotel he was missing!!!!! kyaaa and at a festival too with thousands of people everywhere!!!! Luckily and blessingly, he was inside of PK safe and sound the whole time. etto.... you do know PK has pockets and he hold lots of important things for me like wallet and castanets, right? After those events, I've kept them just as figurines.

Then one time, Black Jack was on the floor by the sofa rug and Pinoko was up on the tv stand on top of a speaker. It was really kinda odd...... they were so totally looking. straight. at. each other. (￣◇￣;)!!! After that, I kept them always together.

Right now, they share a plate with the jar of ink on my antique teacup holder that I use for art supplies. I moved it today to put the new tablecloth on and just this evening-- I noticed Pinoko really looks as though she's whispering to him-- or about to give him a big smooch. \(//∇//)\???!!! I don't know what to think hehe.

All these incidences were by no means fake set-ups. All of them were complete accidental curiosities. Kinda like that time I found Black Jack and Pinoko on resin spoon pendants in a street market in downtown San Francisco handmade by an old Chinese guy who had absolutely no idea who they were......? From my favorite manga in all of time in all the world, of course♥

Anyways, just a little snapshot worth a hundred curious words or so.

baibai again^^

Tuesday by ourselves

2012-01-10T17:12:00.001-08:00

Hallo minna-san^^

How are you today? I'm fine and a little sleepy from having a whole day off today.

Most of the time, PK and I have been watching the BBC The Silver Chair and I've been sitting here at the table halfway drawing. Do you think Disney will film this movie? Their Voyage of the Dawn Treader was nice^^ But if not it's okay, 'cause I love these old Narnia movies. Have you seen them?

Anyways, have you heard of dango hair? It's a kind of up-do that I first heard the name of from my Russian friend in Japan. mine isn't quite like dango..... mostly like regular bun but it's really comfy and out of the way^___^ If you notice on the sidebar to the right, I dressed my Poupe Girl in real dango hairstyle! yummmy..... dango tabeta----i. mitarashi dango hoshii---.

Lately, I haven't had time in the morning to put on lots of makeup or style my hair. It's a little freeing feeling ♪( ´▽｀) Sometimes it's super fun to put on lots of makeup and fake lashes and other times it's nice to be subtle and not wear a mask. Ne?

So that story that me and Laura are making up^^...... I'm trying to help get Leo into character for the main role in my half. But it's really no use because Leo is such an awesome actor to begin with (￣▽￣)! hehe.... normally he's so outspoken and bordering obnoxious (if it weren't for the marvelous way he tells stories and his speaking voice) but once he's in character, he's perfect^^

(this is a funny part of using characters from odd stories as actors...)

But it's such a good idea though isn't it??? This idea is from Tezuka-sensei^^ if you didn't know the actor thing before, and you know his work, it should click immediately. I mean, once you have a character you really like, why not stick him into another story too? Especially if the new story calls for a lead, when he was only supporting cast before......... right?

I just hope it won't turn into a romance story... T^T.. that's the main reason I picked an actor. He should know what to do..... all I know about romance is from watching tv. -___-.. but, a teenage boy and teenage girl who meet on the train and happen to go to the same high school...? But my friend mostly writes fantasy so who knows where it'll end up. I just wanna make sure she really gets to know "Renè" so she won't have him doing anything silly on her side of the story. That's a nice name, huh? It's the boy's version of Renee. It's probably pronounced with a shorter stop at the end, but it has a soft first syllable so it's pretty balanced. A website said the name meant "born again" ..... isn't that sooooo awesome???

etto......

Have we become really off-topic? I wanted to show you my profile pic of our character...... Renè!!! .... it's drawn on a piece of cut-up blank manga style paper I meant to make postcards with and colored in with .. screen tones. 0___0"! I'd actually forgotten the correct way to apply them but figured it out a little ways in. uwaaaaaa たのしいー！！！ I wuv doing things the difficult obsolete old-fashioned way^_____^! It's soooo fun. I love to see and do and feel... the ink and the tone has their own distinct feel to run your fingers over them. And the paper is soft and smooth like... kinda like ice, only not wet and cold. The tone feels very plastic and the ink is rough. In that old personality book I talked about before, one interesting thing shows a timeline of about when different personality traits kick in... 5, 12, 25, 55 years old.... (I think that's how it went). Funny thing was, at my 25 it said a development in being more sensory and appreciating the here and now. I think I'm a little early^___^. Though I cannot imagine writing an entire manga and doing tone all by hand.. who knows? Maybe it would be better appreciated. Now if only a good story beginning could come to me......

And finally (just when I think I have nothing much to say on a post >~<")), here's the view of the table from where I'm sitting. I put a piece of the "1912 cars" fabric over the white curtain I was using as a table cloth and it worked nicely^^ there's my little collection of Deleter tone, and singing Doraemon clock, and musical Totoro, and a little Van Gogh sunflower painting I printed off the computer for inspiration, and the picture of Vernazza, and my kawaii Pi-chan mimicking birdie, etc etc^^ It's really a mess. But it's a cozy mess and I'll clean it up soon.

Last night I made knishes. Do you know those? Jewish potato things .. etto...... you'll have to try one sometime^^;; (recipe very very very very much thank you to burekaboy @ http://is-that-my-bureka.blogspot.com/2007/05/everybody-loves-knishes.html) I think I put too much sugar in the filling (hehe I was surprised it even called for 1+ teaspoons of sugar... and I can never resist the "+" when it comes to sugar -__-......). Pop really likes the super spiced ones in New York from Yonah Schimmel's, and I grew up with imitation west coast knishes from the freezer department (soooo yummy~~!!!! you can't buy them at all anymore...), but he said mine tasted a lot like Canter's. Yay! Canter's knishes are gigantic and awesome and creamy inside. Mine weren't nearly as almost as good as theirs, but next time I'll hafta add some nice dairy to the potatoes. Maybe cabbage. The ones I remember from when I was really really little had a little bit of green cabbage in them and that made it sooo yummy. Tonight we're gonna try them cooked in the microwave and see how they compare^^

Speaking of night, looks like the sun hid away behind the mountains already! Maybe it's time for a little coffee to warm up^^

At the end of The Silver chair, Aslan tells Eustace and Jill that they can know him in their world too, but he has a different name there. kyaaaa♥♥♥!!! It gives me a warm feeling^___^ I know Aslan in this world.........! Are you curious?.... His name is Jesus♥

baibai minna-san. Have a blessed rest of your day^___^, 'kay?

Sundayでdoodles

2012-01-09T00:45:00.001-08:00

oyasuminasai, minna-san -___-

etto...!

..

Here's some drawings from today when La-chan (nihaha shortened her name sounds kawaii ne^___^) came over to watch anime 'n draw 'n stuff. I made us mix veg fried rice for lunch! ummm anyways..... she writes and draws too (in manga style too though more like shonen^^) I had so many questions about her characters and stories that I hope it wasn't too many^^ I just don't get to hang around any creative people much. We doodled some and I tried to be good listener and we talked of fantasy and real life and it was really cool. She's most definitely a "real person"^^. Nice, ne!

I showed her Aria the Natural while I cooked us some fried rice and ate lunch and she showed me Ouran High School Host Club. uwaaaaaa Aria is the most suteki anime ever^___^! Wouldn't it be grand to be a part of a city that makes you fall in love with it♥ Real Venice is like that too, right? Ah Venezia............ and the anime Laura-chan showed me was.. etto...... funny and filled with... rich kids?

We then started creating a story and place and time and characters that we're gonna write back and forth little mini stories, hopefully^^ Leo (from the acting troupe Eddie met in Cinque Terre City) is taking the star role on my behalf, and it will be cool to find out when my friend is finished making up her girl character. So far we know it's set in two small fictional towns and one city someplace in France along the coastline. hehe^^ French is so difficult to pronounce.... ne? Italian seemed hard, but that is much more so. But we had fun naming our towns^^.

yaaaawn don't wanna let the day end T^T..... but it's past midnight so I suppose it must have ended already, huh?

baibai minna-san......

Tomorrow..... tomorrow.......... at lunch break I may read another Black Jack story, right? Can't wait♥ Try to be positive... try to keep a suteki goal to look forward to...... try to bring a little bit of love and goodness and light into this beautiful yet darkened world. It is beautiful, isn't it? Thank you Jesus for giving me eyes to see.... and ears to listen..... and hands to draw but crude renditions of the wonderful beauty You create.

Collage: New China Restaurant and chicken feet

2012-01-07T23:20:00.001-08:00

Hello, minna-san.

Somehow evening brought about something of a Twilight Zone feel. Anyways, there's a new Chinese restaurant in Medford and we ended up there for dinner. There is now a place to get chicken feet dim sum less than 500 miles from home O__O!!! Bizarre! They also serve three kinds of duck besides a half duck in a stone pot dish. And they say they can prepare stuff not on the menu too......

Next time....

May I ask for congee?...

Anyways, here's some pictures^___^

The menu was a delight to browse over compared to a lot of the regular Chinese-American restaurants out here in the middle of nowhere. I wasn't really hungry yet..... but mum and dad were and we ended up with spring rolls, mongolian chicken, szechwan spare ribs, and kung pao shrimp. Not to mention soup and the chicken feet and some of the most delicious rice ever! (lots of leftover rice I plan on transforming into chahan^^ yumm could eat that rice all day long)

For me, a memory of something rare I've only eaten before in Portland, Las Vegas, and New York, the chicken feet were delightful. It's mostly a texture thing that you either love or despise-- kinda like jello and mochi and.. well, chicken skin. I think the sauce was a sort of spicy black bean sort of thing. I dunno why, but ever since Andrew Zimmern ate some on his tv show, I'd wanted to try it and it was yummyness at first bite^^ And it's a real experience to finish dinner with a pile of bones on your plate. There's something so real about it. Like, you recognize how awesome chickens really are that their feet even taste good. Don't know about you, but in a dish that has perfectly sliced white-looking meat, I can kinda forget I'm eating a poor little animal. When you're actually eating something off the bone, it's easier to be more thankful for the life that was taken to sustain your body for another day.

...........

This is a big part of the natural lifestyle I like^^ for the most part, I don't like to eat animals and we stick to mostly vegetarian food at home (.. well, mostly pasta and tomato sauce anyways......) and sometimes fish. But when I do eat animals, I like them to be recognized as their former selves so we can be more thankful for our food^^ Does it make sense? (nevertheless, I am more a fan of meatballs and fish cake and dumplings and anything with mushed meat mixtures than actual fillets or steaks... but these things have their place too, right? all those leftover tidbits that can't be used any other way....?)

That being said, I don't believe in eating cows. This one is a little more difficult to explain -___-"

-sigh- maybe someday everyone will be vegetarian and we won't have to worry about this stuff anymore. That'll be an awesome day, right right? If it weren't for silly things like chicken feet it'd be so easy to be vegetarian...... oh well^^ it's just for special occasion. In 2010 I was a vegetarian (+fish) almost the whole year... except one time in SF I ate some suuuuper awesome chilled Chinese duck for lunch >~<"...... that was the year sis and I went to Japan. Lucky for me, she's pretty much vegetarian (+fish) too. Japan is a very very tough place to have a diet like that. (wait a sec.. what's the reasoning behind the "+fish"? kinda forgotten........?)

gao... I'm slowly talking myself into being vegetarian again....... better stop now.

Are you vegetarian, minna-san? Is it for health or do you feel bad for the animals too? Or maybe casual vegetarian like I am most of the time? Or some other unknown reason??? Or maybe you keep kosher? Or are you omnivore? hehe food is such a bother if you really think about it, isn't it?

oyasumi ne, minna-san. Sweet dreams（＾Ｏ＾）yawn.........

Just thank G-d for every meal no matter what it is... A very important thing my parents taught little na-chan long long ago^^

baibai

Saturday's blessing

2012-01-07T14:38:00.000-08:00

I'll be frank, minna-san. It's a blue day full of crying and trying to hold back the tears. The past-- my past was dug up a little and along with it, a deep crevice of hurting.

I love the past and romanticizing about it. Just not my past.

Mum asked me earlier what I'm thankful for. Now I know. Thankful for someday being able to know someone that will stand up for me and my values, and my amazing blessing/curse of being able to bury all my memories I'd rather never meet again. Perchance, maybe that is why I have bad memory for even every day stuff.

So instead of trying to keep on not crying when there's customers in the shop, I went out on lunch break to wander around town. Got some money from the atm machine and started toward the comics shop to buy another Astro Boy because today I'm tired of reality. Wanna read something fantastic.

Well, when I went up there to go look on the bookshelf, before I got over there, on display was......

Princess Knight.

Princess Knight O__O??? Then I looked behind me and the owner was placing a new Black Jack on the counter. へーっ! あたしゆめをみる？？？ Was I dreaming?????? Somehow he was able to order it for me even when he said last time it was impossible. He told me to try the regular book shop but I was too bummed to even think about it. Now look! He also had Yotsuba& waiting for me too! And next time I'll go back and get Princess Knight. etto.. and sorry to the boy who I accidentally pointed at behind me-- I meant to point at a book and I didn't know there was somebody standing right behind me T___T

But isn't it amazing? G-d gave me a special present. Now I could cry 'cause I'm happy. Such a sad sad day and I got wonderful wonderful new books that I wasn't at all expecting. Thank you Jesus. So much. You take care of me so good.

Then I went to Bento East and bought a sweet bean steam bun and munched on it along the deserted Guanajuato Way (the alley behind the plaza that runs along the creek. in good weather, it's full of restaurant tables and happy tourists talking over lunch. I'd never seen it so cold and empty before). I walked almost disbelieving of the new treasure I held in one hand in a black plastic bag. Now I'm sitting at a park bench by the duck pond. I also had a bag of pumpkin seeds and munched on those. A duck came over and tried to give him some too but I'm afraid they sunk to the bottom of the pond. I hope he comes back and eats the ones I dropped on the sidewalk..... the other ducks he was with were bullies. Hope he finds the seeds I left for him..... just him and not the bullies.

Well, my fingers are pretty frozen from typing on my phone. Black Jack, Yotsuba&, and my sketchbook are sitting beside us on the wooden bench. PK is sitting on my lap, but he's pretty cold now too. Guess I shall walk back to work now before they start to worry about us. And read read read all the way there.

Thank you so much again. And may You pour tons of blessings on the comics shop and the owner guy too for his part in making my day so totally blessed. Thank you Jesus. There isn't enough time to tell you enough "thank you"s in all the world. But please..... please help me survive. The manga is wonderful wonderful but it's only a band-aid and to help a terminal disease. Thank you so much in advance.

.......

p.s.

The first Black Jack story was scary and sad and so so so so so wonderful.

Fashion post: mori girl natural kawaii

2012-01-06T23:39:00.000-08:00

Hallo quick late-night fashion post^___^

Lately, I've been wandering through thrift store wonder what, if anything there, could be put together into a cute outfit. Well, if it's tough to picture, then it's time to research cute clothes a little!

Please enjoy, minna-san^^

These are pictures from Forever Kid, shop on Taobao (English = http://www.taobaoseek.com/index.php?main_page=products_list&seller_id=kid097168 Original Chinese = http://imkid.taobao.com/?spm=1103vTw5.1-1XvUQ.2-4ogO1v)

By the way, have you bought from taobaoseek.com before? It seems cool to find Taobao in English^^ I wonder....... if it could be a good place to shop? But anyways, I'm just window shopping for cute coordi ideas...

Guitar!! 0__0!

Illy coffee in the window-- love it^^ I found an empty tin yesterday in the cupboard just like those.

As much as I like these outfits, I like more how the outfits go with the backdrop and setting. Like before, I've said I really can't stand shopping for clothes on websites that there's no model or a blank studio background. Maybe it's a lack of imagination in the fashion department, but I wanna know where I need to wear it, you know^____^??? These outfits all seem to say, "Wear me when you wander around town and go to cafe and walk through park and be musical and artistic please!" ....

.....

That's what I like outfits to say^^ 'cause that's what I like to do! And that leopard print hat.... soooo kawaii~~~ hoshii~~~!

Very recommend this shop for inspiration. My only complaint would be so much skirts....... always when I wear a skirt a situation seems to pop up that I need to climb up high someplace .. ~___~'' or run really fast on an errand. I like skirts for sure 'cause they make any outfit super cute, but the atmosphere never seems right for me? Oh well, ne?

I hope you got some inspiration too^___^ so cuuuuuute, right???

Now it's really late. Hope you all have a good night and sweet dreams!

p.s. isn't the giganto red plastic Doraemon soooooo awesome ^0^//? hmmm... didn't do laundry today...... gonna be disappointed tomorrow morning when all my favorite tops are dirty again. 'Specially after doing this post. g-gao..... -___-

Peeking in sketchbook

2012-01-05T11:21:00.001-08:00

Good morning, minna-san^^

Gonna start with a movie thing! ..... Do you know the movie, "Murder By Death"? Well, see, it's a bunch of famous detectives given silly names and they're locked in a mansion for a weekend to solve a murder. I think my favorite is the parody on Poirot. But I wuv wuv lately talking like the parody of Charlie Chan. nihaha you have to see movie to get^___^

Anyways, I drew some sketchbook with my six-color pen minus black ('cause it ran out long time ago). お楽しみください。

First up a snapshot from Tuesday. I dreamed I was Eddie-kun last night for the first time in a long time. So I decided to share recent pictures of him^^

Also dreamt in Germany in a marvelous old-growth pine forest that looked like the forests in Japan with a summer house near the ocean 'n we were gonna go swimming but there was a thing with lots of people there so I took some photos with my phone knowing I'd probably not have them when I woke up. 0___0!! ...... I haven't checked yet......

But anyways anyways, here's Eddie-kun dressed up as the most awesomest ex-spy in history♥♥ Number Six (Patrick McGoohan)!!! From The Prisoner. hehe^___^ etto... there's shot from when he first wakes up in the Village and when he's wearing badge for running for Number Two and that one show where he gets the laser brain surgery to turn him into calm person. Also parts of other drawings snuck in like the wine cork still life and me dressed up in girly Link costume. Dreamed I was Link a few nights ago. My outfit came out shuuper short though -////- maybe somebody else, but I sure wouldn't wanna save the world in a mini skirt... etto unless I was forced to ah 'spose. Shorts please♥ Last night I found out why we hadn't continued watching The Prisoner lately.... 'cause we're nearing the last episodes when everything gets really crazy and pop and mum don't like those ones. aww....... but that just means me 'n PK can watch them sometime by ourselves! No matter what, no matter how crazy or sad or scary, you gotta finish a good series once you start it (reminds me I never watched the last episodes of Tetsujin 28 last time.... that one is so incredibly crying sad....).

And here from yesterday, Darien and I. Of us all, somehow Eddie is the second best in Japanese and knows a few words. PK knows some Korean from hanging with the South Korean fashion scene in the past. The rest? Jason probably knows some other languages a little from moving so many places so often. etto.......

Every day I keep thinking about an opening for Eddie-kun's first manga story. To start at the beginning ....... or maybe start from second or third day waking up in a strange place after a nightmare of the first day. This morning I got a funny anime clip in my head of Eddie clanging a metal cup on prison bars. He's always worried about running into police 'cause he kinda works as an outlaw (not by choice) and then the police contacting scientists to experiment on him.. but maybe before no one knew exactly who he was, he actually did get caught. aha!!! I wonder...... I'm also trying to figure out a "はつこい/初恋" for him 'cause it seems like all good characters have one that makes them out of reach in the future. Do you know what I mean^___^? Hatsukoi is "first love." Eddie is only twelve, but I don't want him to get in trouble with all the girls he's always running into and helping. nihaha (⌒v⌒#) Actually, it's a story from when he was seven or eight...... but I can't spoil it for you! And thus removes any necessity for romance in the series having to do with Eddie. Except if they ever find each other again.... but that would be a long ways off hopefully.... ayaya ~__~"

Good example of hatsukoi characters! Miyako from PPGZ, Sherlock Holmes, etto....... anou.... Black Jack..... I can't think of any more T____T... do you know of some, minna-san?

Anyways, but you're not really supposed to know that yet! Please don't tell Eddie I told you. It's only by super sneakiness that his sisters found out even (whom I first heard the story from). But someday it'll make for a nice story when I'm tired of drawing treasure hunting and fights and the cat crew eating tuna sandwiches.

One thing else--- you know the bicycle pictures in the post below? I don't think I mentioned it, but it was a pretty cloudy day. Actually, it was super miraculous that whenever I found a spot to take pictures, the sun was out shining in its brilliance. Before I went out, I spent about a half hour trying to find my helmet. Perhaps. Absolutely. I think that was Jesus blessing me with getting me to the exact right spots at the right time that day^___^ after I found my helmet I was wondering maybe it took so long 'cause He was stopping me from being out too soon and maybe avoiding an accident that maybe would have happened. We'll never know about that, but now to look back, it seems like it was because He had some spectacular sunny moments picked out just for me-- and I had to wait for the right time!♥♥ Thank you Jesus, I love you.

I believe every single minutest thing in the world is known to G-d, and nothing is accident of anyone's part. Every little thing is for a reason. So like, every time you smile to someone, every time you see a cute little plant, every time something awesome is on sale at the store........ everything is a blessing^^!! No matter how silly it seems. Jesus doesn't just do epic blessings-- He does bitty tiny ones too. All kinds of blessings for those who love Him♥ Blessings don't have to be good things either, sometimes it's tough like slamming your thumb in the door. Everything, good or bad, can be used to glorify His Name. Like, instead if cussing out the door and letting everybody in the neighborhood hear (it probably wasn't the poor door's fault anyways T^T), thanking G-d it's only a bruise you got and thinking how blessed you are to have all your fingers in good working order. It's hard to do something like that, but if Jesus in your heart, anything is possible.

Lately I haven't been writing as much about Jesus on here and I think that's why I got discouraged and didn't wanna post much anymore. Thank You for letting me see that♥ If all the world were to melt away, if all the food were gone and only crumbs remained, if everyone deserted and avoided me, if I were forced to wander endlessly over the earth, if all I owned was the clothes on my back and the sketchbook in my hand........ I would still be complete having Jesus with me. Nothing else matters. That's why every single thing we may take for granted most of the time, is a completely undeserved super awesome blessing from Him and Him alone. Because He loves us more than anybody can imagine.

Love love love♥

Jesus loves you more than you can imagine. Yes, you^____^ whoever you are, wherever you be. You're reading my blog? Then may it be a blessing to you. Any may you too find someday soon soon the wonderfulness of letting Jesus come into your heart^^

FMnatsukashii

2012-01-04T00:02:00.000-08:00

Just to let you know, our radio station is up and running again after much difficulty. It may be some of the last times you can listen to it^^ we'll see we'll see...

http://www.live365.com/stations/currythecat

You can listen for free~~ but there's ads once in a while. Or you can become a Live365 VIP member and listen ad-free^^ Live365.com is a website of thousands upon thousands of radio stations put together by people like you and me. Virtually any kind of music from anywhere in the world that you could possibly listen to!

FMnatsukashii used to be Curry's AnimeRadio, but I decided to switch formats to calming music that... may bring back some happy and suteki memories. It's classified under "Anime", "Japanese", and something new I just discovered, "Rainy Day Mix". I hope you will enjoy listening to it as much as I do^____^ so nice and relaxing......... lots of it is music box music of favorite songs. In Japan, they make up compilations of versions of songs done on music box that they sell for relaxation and healing. hehe kawaii........ I love it^^ and then there's background soundtrack music, and some anime op/ed songs and some jpop and some video game.

A mix of light, of upbeat, of sad, of nostalgic, of thoughtful, of lovely, of inspiring....... music is so amazing, isn't it, minna-san? Let me know how you like it^^

Bonus picture for you~~ PPGZ! I put on a dvd of this earlier for background noise 'cause the house is so quiet usually. Miyako~Rolling Bubbles is my favorite^____^ in middle school, Buttercup from American PPG was my favorite 'cause I wasn't into being girly at all. At first I really liked her in PPGZ (Kaoru) and really wanted to learn to skateboard, but...... and then I liked Momoko 'cause she eats snacks and sweets and cake all the time and likes manga, but she's too noisy. I think I'm most like Miyako^^ except that she's the most popular in school and all the boys like her. But I am quiet and sensitive and artistic like her.... and it's so awesome that her weapon is a giant bubble wand! shabon-dama! wuv wuv bubbles...... I used to blow bubbles a lot when I was little! ..... I think? ......... I think I have some happy bubbles memories^^;;

Which Powerpuff Girls Z are you most like, minna-san? hehe^___^

jyaa, well, oyasumi nasai. ish weally late now..... I didn't want my day off to end, but it's past midnight so it's really officially over.

p.s. I'll try not to write so many blog posts from now on. It's too silly to write so much^^ usually everything is kept bottled inside 'cause there's only so much mum and dad will listen to my silly blabbing....... that must be why I blogged so much today..... time to get things out, ne? I'm no better.... I don't listen as closely as I should when they talk T___T. sigh sigh...

No more words: bicycling a rural quiet town photos

2012-01-03T15:48:00.000-08:00

No more words, only pictures^^ well..... maybe a few more words -___-"

I'm very wiped out in a good way from riding around Talent. First time this year. My lungs are bathed in woodstove-laden air but the sun smiles down on me 'n Prince Kot in its last minutes of shining for today.

Collage #1: Alpine Lane

I..... think PK would have rather had the larger basket, but this one fit the bicycle perfectly.

Collage #2 also Alpine Lane

...

The new basket was especially for PK to ride in instead of the back baskets. Isn't mum's old Fuji bicycle the coolest? The vintage-look basket completes the look. I didn't get to use my new bell but it also fits nice. You flick the little knob down and it chimes against the bell. Way cooler than regular pull-lever bell. It's in the very center of the handle bar-- see it?

Collage #3 along side the building that used to showcase art and sculpture, downtown Talent.

Country and urban. Funny how there's both here, just a mile apart.

We're sitting on a park bench near our house in the sun while writing this. Our neighborhood is very unreal with giganto fancy new houses. Just beyond the little playground are mobile homes. Another great contrast. At least I'll give Talent that, it's a very contrasting place.

baibai better go home and eat a snack^^ kinda didn't eat lunch today oops......

なっちゃんの好きなスタイル

2012-01-03T14:06:00.000-08:00

This afternoon, spotlight on style.

I have for you, King of Bandits Jing! By Yuichi Kumakura.

Please enjoy^^

Collage #1

Collage #2

... it's kinda sad, I leant out my favorite Jing book to a boy who went off into the navy and is studying nuclear stuff. It had the story about the Eternal City of Revaiva. For some reason the storyline was really cool to me^^ But anyways..... next time he comes back to the area I'm totally getting all my manga back from him^____^!!

Jing is a boy who can steal anything. He's known as the King of Bandits. He travels around in a fantastical world with his buddy, Kir, a..... ((forgot what kind of bird^^;;)) and they seek out legends and cute girls to save from immediate peril (Kir more than anybody >~>..) and wrongs to turn right. Actually, I like the anime better^^ but the manga is a wonderful example of style. It's very very on the creepy side with all kinds of monsters and evil bad things, but there's always always kawaii girls♥ being a kawaii girl myself, I really appreciate that^^!

Recently I've been wondering what style I draw in. I tell people I like retro manga and they usually don't get it. Like Cyborg 009, Doraemon, Black Jack, Astro Boy, etc. I'm also really really drawn to the style like Jing. I had a Gothic & Lolita magazine (that I gave away 'cause it really creeped me out..) that had an awesome full-size manga chapter in it with a scary handsome victorian guy and a beautiful little loli style girl locked in a giant bird cage. (Maybe I shoulda cut it out before sending it away.......) I love how there's so much shadow and black/white contrast. It's just the themes in those sorts of manga that really scare me -__-|||.

I think my style is somewhere in-between retro and creepy. hehehe I wonder what the next person who asks me will say to that(⌒▽⌒).....

See, retro you don't have to worry about perfect heights and anatomy of people and it's usually not too realistic--- more "cartoony". And then creepy you can have fabulous costumes with Victorian influence, towns made like old European style, mega church steeples and amazing looking graveyards, autumn oak trees, black cats... etc.^^ But see, if I write it, it doesn't have to have super creepy stuff in the story. The setting and characters are enough to portray the style.

In Eddie and the Pirate Cat Six, Eddie-kun usually gets tangled up in an odd tale or another in a world not unlike our own (much less bizarre than Jing's world). But it leaves room for just about anything to happen since there's always pirates, delicious bakeries, somebody after Eddie's life, random girls or boys in trouble..... and a little farytale-like enchantment. That's why I love how Eddie's story has evolved into something where any kind of story is possible; pure fantasy, drama, slice-of-life, adventure, even sometimes there's a little romance^^

So, would you like to read a story?

......

I haven't drawn any of mine yet.. so please go to your local comics shop and buy a volume of King of Bandits Jing!!! Rated T for teens and up please. Jing is so cool \^0^/ I think you'll like him too^___^ And Kir is so awesomely funny^^ Please also check out the anime series!

I wanna watch it now too^^

But time for bicycle ride!!! I got it a wicker basket to go on the front^___^ kawaii........

That's all for today's style and inspiration post. And sorry to get you interested in a story that's still only in my head and written out on odd steno notebooks here and there T___T someday a beginning will come to me..... when Jesus says I'm ready^^ I wanna glorify Him in my manga, subtly like in Narnia, or right out, I don't know yet^^ But it will be for everybody to read!!! etto... everybody maybe 12+^^ ... hmmm but main character is 12... usually 10-11 age kids like to read about a twelve-year-old too? ... ayaya T___T I'll try to keep it safe for younger too....... chotto matte yo!!! My Zelda manga is rated A for all ages!! I'll look at those and see what's ok to have in it. yay^___^! Awesome reminder! Thank you♥

baibai now! Gotta bicycle while it's still nice out! Let's go, PK!

Photo post: おいしいもの

2012-01-03T11:52:00.000-08:00

'Morning, minna-san.

This morning, I show you yummy things from Asia Grocery Market! Ready?

Let's go!!

Up first is Bojenmi tea^^ this was recommended to me by the owner one time when they were out of Ballerina Tea. It's also a diet tea, but is made up of mostly Chinese herbs for making you beautiful-- good for girls and guys. Ballerina Tea is just senna. Senna is a relaxant plant-- and pretty much, the tea makes you "go" and have shuuuuper bad tummy ache all the time. Good if you wanna be a moody upset dieter(*｀へ´*). Bojenmi tea, on the other hand, has very little senna and is 100x less harsh on your digestive system but still helps keep you regular and pretty. It has white tea in it, but I never feel any adverse affects to the caffeine, no matter how many times I've left it steeping and totally forgotten about it. It says to drink three cups daily, and if you can do that, good for you^^ I think when I first started drinking it and did try to make more than one cup a day, dad noticed that I was a little prettier than usual..... etto... or maybe around the same time I was learning to put makeup on correctly(￣◇￣;)...

Next another drink!!! I .... never saw this before. Feast your eyes. Honey ginger... latte!! Just like regular ginger instant drink, but milky and frothy and perfectly spicy! A perfect blend of east meets west^____^. And perfect for cold winter nights to warm you inside out. Anything eastern flavor + latte + instant in the title, I am allll over it. One time I got a fancy box of Japanese green tea latte and it was so yummy^^. But the portion was so small I had to use a mini Japanese coffee mug to drink it. kawaii....... but this ginger latte is very very big pouch and works fine in a regular size coffee mug^^ very very very recommended! And only 90 calories per packet so not much harm there^___^

Last, favorite favorite find. Oden soup mix♥ At first I only saw a packet that was $18. ..... O__Oそんな！！！But then right next door there was a smaller one on sale for $5.99^___^ mum and dad don't like it anyways, so it'll last forever just eatin' a little bit here and there. The package was way frozen so I couldn't really tell which kinds of fish cake were in it, but I wuv wuv every every fish cake so win win^^ and there's a konnyaku in the fridge to put in also. Win! Now just need boiled egg..... wonder if there's any tofu in there? I was drooling over the deep fried tofu in the market... maybe I shoulda got some........ also their selection of nattou made me wanna try eating it again^^ I think there's still some in our freezer from a few years ago hehe. Still good? Must be!

...

Bonus picture!

The flowers pop got us♥♥ きれいね。

I've been making subtle discoveries about myself too, etto.... yesterday. 1. really really don't like computers and computers don't like me. I mean, I'm super good at operating them and taking them apart, but we really clash and I don't want ever to use one unless really forced to in career. 2. that cancels out a career in animation or commercial manga. 3. that makes me really feel like to become mangaka, it's something I have to do purely on my own, against modern society, because I draw strictly pencil-ink pen-pencil erase-fill in blacks with more ink. no wacom tablet. hehehe manga outlaw^^ (though it'll be tricky to avoid computer work when it comes to tone... ish expensive to buy lots of toneT__T) 3. that means I really do need to learn a useful trade so I can work someplace other than the record shop. So today's bizarre idea is...... bartender!! nihaha kawaii bartender^___^ I wuv mixing things and experimenting with foods ever since I was little^^ and then I could hang around "real" people and artists and musicians and give good advice to total strangers ahaha.

Anyways, how are you today? Is the sun shining down on you? Please stay warm and cozy wherever you may be today^^ and blessings to you for reading the silly stuff the girl called na-chan writes! And may the L-rd watch over and keep all of us safe today-- I might go on a little bicycle ride^___^ how about you?

Views from the atm machine

2012-01-02T17:21:00.000-08:00

Hi, minna-san^^

Things seem to be looking up-- I didn't cry at all this afternoon at the shop^^;;

I went to the atm machine over at U.S. Bank and took a few pictures to show you.

Violins and guitars hanging in the music shop's back windows. I love how they have a door up there that leads out to nowhere. Like, every shop back here has one except ours. When I was little na-chan I had a friend named Kelly whose family had the jewelry store next to ours. One time I went over to play during the summer, they had their sky door open with a screen door in it to let the air in. It was raining and the smell of rain in pavement was flooding in. It made my tummy feel sick....... but now it's one of my favorite smells. natsukashiiwa~~.

The moon. There was a little star next to it, but I don't think my camera caught it? T__T ... wait.. wasn't it just full moon like, yesterday??? >~>.. see how Time-san plays tricks on me?

Waiting on curb holding bento bag pose. I put zaru soba in it. It was sooo cold lunch....... from now on, bring room temperature lunch to work. Not refrigerator lunch.

That's all!

Gonna go to thrift store and Asia market with mum now. Hoping for a frozen fish cake oden soup mix. yumm♥♥ maybe more golden curry.

Calendar pages

2012-01-02T10:21:00.001-08:00

Whew, minna-san. Yesterday was a tough long day. Very tough T___T I don't want to talk about it. Already Time-san is picking on me.

This morning, I show you January of Osamu Tezuka calendar!!! Isn't it great^___^ Astro and friends are always on the very first page.

And here's a page from mum's Italy calendar from last year that she let me keep. I didn't know this picture was in there^^ Vernazza!!! I hope they continue to do an awesome job cleaning and rebuilding so tourists can come back soon. I wanna go there too^^ but if other people can enjoy it, then that's perfect. I have memories of this place from writing that story in November. They're not my memories, but they'll do. They're much more fantastic than any of my memories could ever be^___^ .... I guess that's the reward for writing about an actual place rather than making up another generic town, ne? Then I can't wait to finish the story because then I'll have Eddie-kun's memories for Venice too!

Lately I've been fretting over possibilities of moving, getting job, going to school, etc etc. That accounts for most of my foul mood. (future= can't handle) If I were to do just what came natural to me, I'd probably find a quaint beach cottage with a driftwood stump outside of it in the tall sand grass and sit cross-legged atop it pondering the ocean all day long. ...... and then write and draw and pick up seashells and pretty rocks on the beach..... go into town and buy some fish and grill it outside and eat fish and rice for dinner. It sounds awfully boring, but if not forced to spend time with people, I'd probably become a recluse of some sort. Dreaming of distant shores....... this is the "money ain't a problem scenario". I'm not a fan of money, so of course, money, in reality, is always the problem.

-sigh-

So how are you doing today, minna-san? Second day of a new year, huh huh? I keep forgetting T__T that it's a new year.. hopefully my awesome calendar will help me through this year. I have to survive at least until July 'cause that's the page Black Jack-sensei and Pinoko-chan are on♥ thank you Jesus that you blessed me with such a cool thing. It's super silly in the long run, but it means so much to me.

To quote a silly robot from another great British tv show, "Life. Don't talk to me about life." (Marvin from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy)

Talk to me about dreams! Aspirations! Things we know are impossible, but why not try anyways! Let's inspire each other--- reach into the past and find a wonderful feeling-- look forward up into the sky, beyond the horizon. Let's sing songs, strum chords, clang a tambourine!

.......

If there's one profession I see daily around here that is very admirable in my eyes, is the performing musician. Ashland has a crazy amount of super talented musicians who play in different bands in different places. I'd..... really like to be like them^^.. but I don't know how to play anything useful. That's why I wanna try to practice my little pink guitar more. Wouldn't this be cool-- wake up around noon, wander into the local record shop and talk to the owner and tell them where you're playing tonight... and then play play play all night making music and making everybody feel better because music is amazing that way. Mostly it's in bars that people play here, but that's fine to me^^ Like, up at Alex's, there's an open mike night. Wouldn't it be cool to go there one time and I sing to everybody a pretty song in Japanese? I could wear loli clothes too if I wanted really to make a statement. Or look like average white girl and surprise everybody^____^

hehe... I think I just blogged away all the extra time we were gonna go do stuff before work. gomenne, mama......

baibai~~

あけましておめでとうございますね^^

2012-01-01T08:40:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year minna-san!

Did you see the sunrise this morning?

I am glad it's a brand-new year after all the holidays with so much sweets-- good time to go back on diet, ne?

This morning, it was too cloudy for the sun to show T___T but..... there was an awesome light show in the early 7:00-ish hour.

Pink! That means good weather today^___^ ... right? (or do I have that opposite... hmmm......) Also that could mean lots of pink.. stuff for me in this new year.It is my favowite color♥♥ sho kawaii.

And then there was lots more pink mixed with salmon mixed with orange!

yaaaaaay it was a good sunrise.

And here's the drawing I drew last night. It's Eddie-kun and the girl from the restaurant that captures people in the basement. ..... some of the people at mum and dad's party looked at it ... then I made the mistake of bringing down a Black Jack book to show off my favorite manga to them, and then I brought down an Astro Boy book to show them what Tezuka-San looks like.... but they ended up poking fun at Atomu T_____T they'd never heard of him! ACCHONBURIKE !!!!!!! So it meant absolutely super-duper nothing to them. And it made me feel foolish to share my enthusiasm with them. Know better next time, ne T__T)) ......... I wanna live in a city... maybe there, out of a million people, there'd be one person I have something in common with-- of the things I'm really truly passionate about.

So me 'n PK mostly hung out at the party and then we watched the ball drop in Times Square with the last remaining guest and mused how Cole Porter was a greater song writer than all of the people that performed there..... nihaha honto ne^____^

Oh yeah, while I was waiting to take photos at the right times, I finished winter scarf! yaaaay!!!!!! It's suuuuper long like Doctor Who's scarf was and it has pom poms! *pom pom pom* The grey yarn is some kind of wool blend and is realllllly soft. (from when I bought a bunch of nice yarn years ago to make an actual Doctor Who copy scarf^^) and the creme is.. polyester 'cause it's cheap. The creme crocheted better and stayed where it was supposed to, but the charcoal was tricky and more stretchy.... all in all we worked it out together^^

Pattern:

Crochet 22 chain (for 22 years old when I started it)

In front ch, dc 13 rows charcoal.

Then in front ch, dc 14-16 rows creme (to make it the same length as the charcoal)

Continue until there are 10 color blocks.

Trim: crochet 5" ch in first, 11th, and 22nd stitch on each end. Attach pompoms made from 5" diameter pompom circle with 3/4" diameter hole.

Voilà! kantan desuwa! It's really cozy too...... I suggest natural neutral colors for this scarf-- for a nice sense of calm while you wear it in the cold weather♥♥ Creme, beige, khaki, maroon, latte, chocolate..... etc your pick♥

Well, I'm getting hungry for breakfast, so I'll head downstairs now^^ church day! And day off! yay gonna hear some more good news about how awesome Jesus is^___^♥♥

baibai~~ have a sweet sweet sweet sweet sweet new year!!! And if that's not sweet enough, add a little honey! And pure maple syrup....... and organic raw cane sugar... yummmm...... oh no not good for diet talking about this (￣▽￣;)

2011 ~~ happy new year eve and drawings

2011-12-31T10:59:00.001-08:00

Hi minna-san! Are you ready for New Year's eve??? We be havin' a party tonight^____^ ..... well.. if anybody's showing up >~<.. mum and dad invited a lot of people and I invited one people. yay hope she comes!!! In that case we'll watch anime and draw and maybe have some kir royales made with Hello Kitty champagne too^^ KAWAII~~~♥ it's the cutest bottle of champagne in the world!

Anyways, anyways, I got this idea from Miko-chan over at her Mikodesu blog^___^ thank you!!

This is a year report of Eddie-kun! Beginning of the year, and end of the year.

January Eddie-kun drawings part I

January drawings part II

And now from now-ish. November-December drawings part I

Part II

Actually minna-san? It... doesn't seem too big of difference to me T___T Actually this year as a whole wasn't a very good year for drawings. The entire time I was searching searching for these pictures, I kept running across earlier years. Lots and lots of '09-'10. Last year and the year before I think there were more outside problems in life that I could only treat with drawing and escaping into another world. Especially when I had my own apartment-- and I was really really alone--- that was when the Endless Noir came to me. It continued when I moved back in with my parents. Now we're getting along better and surroundings are better, so it's more inner problems I have to deal with and usually looking at fashion or similar thing is easier of an escape. I've found that in greater adversity, comes greater inspiration. And greater need to escape the real world. In short, life is too easy right now so I haven't needed to escape???

hehe well...... I guess that's it^^;; We live too much the suburban American dream then, is it? ... Is this a wish to be plunged back into the harsh world? To pop my oasis bubble? I'm not strong enough to survive that alone... but....... if Jesus is with me, who can be against me? And if Jesus is with me, then all the friends He gave me are with me too-- Eddie-kun, Bit, Bat, Millo, Storie, Towe, Dinah, Poppie, PK, Natsuko, Darien, Lily, Geo, Curry, Kim, Jason, Margo......... all of them! Even the silly bad guys like Professor Kinako^___^ .. actually he's very kowai o__o|||

Have you noticed this with other artists too? I dunno much about art history.. but from watching Doctor Who I learned about Van Gogh and how nobody liked him or his art and he was pretty crazy 'n stuff..... but he had sooooo much inspiration and his art is sooo kakkoii! hehe I dunno how accurate the portrayal was of him in that show, but I thought it was great and totally made me a fan^____^

etto.......

And I think I've run across another New Year's resolution. Did you think of yours yet?

Ok, for the record, #1 is eat up all the food that's just been laying around the house since we moved in (eg. my whole wheat and rice pasta, instant ramen, various instant ethnic foods packets).

For second.....

I just wanna make people happy.

If I'm so unhappy so much-- and look at my blessed life-- then how much more is so many other people unhappy???
I don't know how to go about this yet...... I know that flowers make people really happy, and eating delicious food... vain things like makeovers and haircuts and new clothes only make for a short, fleeting happiness.......

Something warm... like a hug from somebody you really love..... something familiar that you've missed dearly.... something to remind you of running through a summer field with the hot wind in your face and a flying bug hitting your cheek and bouncing off and being thankful it didn't fly in your mouth......

Natsukashii, ne^___^

Something to remind you of the child you once were, who still lives somewhere deep inside of you-- that believed in happy endings and a one true love and that ice cream fixes everything. nihaha*^^* I dreamed about a food stand by a playground and they sold chocolate, coffee, and vanilla soft ice cream. yumm........ but then I lost my ice cream T__T .. it was chocolate. I also dreamed I was living in a mansion with a maid and I had a little brother and an older sister-- but she looked younger than me and had the most beautiful blonde hair. Outside the house was a big field-- and awesome buildings nearby that looked like Arabian with tall steeples and painted bright like the sun. Behind the house and lawn was an amazing cliff-- thousands of feet down you could see a town right on the ocean built just like the other buildings up above. After I woke up I was wondering if I could have flown down there to look at it-- but it was a dizzying height.

..... do you think that town under the cliff exists somewhere? I wanna go there. It looked so cool! And old and ethnic... I bet there are some wonderful bakeries there.

That's all! I'm running late as usual...
Have a super wonderful new year!!! My new year is gonna start off with a day off-- yay! 'Cause it's Sunday!

Today, I dunno if there'll be time for eating soba in a restaurant... maybe we should buy some and me make soup for us with it? Then I could put mochi mochi in mine^____^ we'll see! And like for Jewish new year, I hope you will eat something new and sweet the very first thing when the clock strikes twelve for a sweet year^___^ and don't forget to watch the sunrise for Oshogatsu (new year in Japan) 'cause the sunrise is supposed to be preview of a good year. (or something like that...? sorry if that's not it T__T)
baibai♥

Mochi mochi mochi mochi mochi

2011-12-30T15:05:00.000-08:00

Hi minna-sa~~~~n ...

I took pictures of Mochi-chan during restocking CDs at the shop today.

♥mochimochimochimochimochimochi♥

ニャー

roll roll

roll roll roll

じ～～～

*sleepy*

That's all Mochi for now.

...

I wanna eat rice mochi now.. the gooey roasted kind with seaweed!! nihaha たのしいだろうね、つくる。But it's at home T___T

Tomorrow, I might go to Hana Sushi on the plaza and eat soba noodles. Soup or zaru style though? Soup would be nice 'cause it'd be hot.... and it's cold out. Hot soba soup for Oshogatsu (#^.^#)!

baibaaaaaaiiiiiii

for now^^

..... got any New Year's resolutions yet, minna-san?

Happy birthday big brother♥

2011-12-29T16:49:00.000-08:00

I forgot earlier! Today is my big bro's birthday!

I drew a hug for him^____^ I don't really like hugging people, but I wuv my brother and I'd wuv to give him a big big hug.

hehe.... he's only an inch taller than me so it was a little tricky to not draw his head (for anonymousity perposes and I'm not good at drawing shaved-head people... don't think so anyways >~<) and to make him look taller. I had to cling on him like I used to sit on his foot and cling to his leg when I was little^^.

Mum helped me put a braid in my hair this morning.... but by this evening it had my neck hurting so bad T___T my hair was still braided when I drew the picture, but now it's in a high bun covered up by beret-san. Long hair sure is fun-- and hassle, ne minna-san? 'Specially when it's thick thick besides... -___-

So .......

シャヤおにいさん、おたんじょうびおめでとうごさいます！だいすきよ！！

Have a nice day whatever you're doing wherever you are~~!!! And eat somethin' sweet! Birthdays can't be all health food, right? Go get some vegan carrot cake 'r something^____^ hehehehe ... or Coldstone ice cream oooooooo yummy.

In other news, it's been raining all day. yaaaaay rain♥ And pop came back from lunch today with a tulip bouquet for mum and pink carnations for me♥♥ いいにおいー。

バイバイ

....

etto...

so much for keeping big bro's identity secret. hehe*^^*

PICTURES~!!!!!!! Photo tribute to my awesome brother!!!!

That's all!!! hehehehehe

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! ^___-♥

今日のインテリア

2011-12-29T10:45:00.001-08:00

Hallo^^

Yesterday is gone, today is hope. Old problems still remain but...... if there is no way to fix them by yourself, then there's really no point in getting upset, is there^^?

I've been looking up pictures of interior this morning. I try to keep to "ナチュラル" (natural) look, but then my room turns into really stark and empty. Which is nice for thinking space^___^ but not inviting.

So on the table, I spread out a curtain that I sewed in half one time for a tablecloth, and then inspired by looking at another girl's interior blog, brought out the wooden chair again and put stuff on it. An old lamp, plushies, and my mustachey marching band matroyshka. hehe they're so cool! ... etto...... but it's starting to look like primary colors theme and not natural T____T.. all I need is a Doremi plush and that look would be complete T^T... g-gao........

Anyways, what do you think? Look over to the blog reading list and click the see more button and find the one that starts with "raindrops"-- that's the one^^ I just noticed a picture of her room in my Cutie Interior book and super loved it. It was darker and more cluttered than usual natural style-- probably more like retro-- but there's lots of wood and very cute and pretty. What caught my eye was that she's a mangaka! Her manga drawings blog is also on the blog reading list^___^ find it, 'kay?

..... I think there should be something hanging on the wall above the right side of the table... and to have a nice slightly tilted wooden block to draw on would be nice too^^ Let's keep our eyes open to diy opportunities from Goodwill, ne! .... If I could find a block of wood-- maybe like an old cutting board-- stick some clothespins along the edge--- affix a short narrow piece of wood to the bottom of it in the back..... voilà!

Now it's time to go... remember I re-thinked my life yesterday? Well now, I only have three hobbies. Drawing, writing, and playing guitar. Though I have yet to do any of them yet. ...... etto.. and the new radio playlist is almost all picked out. I'm gonna listen to it now while I get dressed to see how it's doing. Theme: quiet, relaxing, suteki. There's not enough calm in the world, so Curry's AnimeRadio is going to change formats to Natsukashii Radio. Still all anime and jpop and video game, but this time it's all really nice. When we had the summer playlist playing at the shop, and a music box song would come on, we would get so much more compliments on the music. It always surprised me 'cause mum and dad don't really like sleepy stuff like that. Cool, ne ne???

Natsukashii Cafè -- to bring a little lovely and suteki feeling to all okyaku-sama^___^♥

p.s. I think it would be fun to have a little urban hole-in-the-wall narrow cafè serving homemade royal milk tea and .... anpan? And maybe catnip biscotti^___^ that's a space I could definitely decorate natural cute style♥

Because sometimes you hafta cry

2011-12-28T16:53:00.000-08:00

Hallo minna-san. How are you today? For reals?

Today......... I was feeling trapped again.

So I started re-thinking life and what was important and what I should stop wasting time on.

But before that I couldn't stop from crying......

picture source: http://www.anime-screenshots.de/gallery/displayimage.php?album=347&pos=166

Life is really tough, isn't it minna-san? And it's really tough to be so positive all the time like Misuzu-chan, huh?

Today all the little suteki things in life didn't seem to make my any happier. Time-san seemed to be teasing me the whole day through. Make me look back and see how many years I've been stuck in the same place unable to move, and how the future didn't look any better.

Annoying Time-san-- go pick on somebody your own size T____T....

sniff sniff..

But I have to wait. I have to have faith and wait for Jesus to fix things in His own perfect time. Ne? That's the best way, isn't it? But it doesn't help that I have no "go get 'em!!" for things and times like this....... and it makes me feel so alone.

But waiting for the perfect time! That's awesome, right??? It just means I'm not yet ready to do what Jesus wants me to, ne^____^. And I don't wanna do anything He doesn't want me to. Not at all!

It's tough, but if this is what Jesus wants me to do, He will help me through it.

Better wipe away the tears now and get back to watching the shop.......

baibai, minna-san

December 26 adventure

2011-12-26T23:00:00.000-08:00

Today it seems like we've left Christmas and are a thousand miles away. I had to ask pop tonight if it were still the 26th -___-

Anyways, the shop was open today, and Mizu and Mochi expected dinner early like they had yesterday hehe.

It was very cloudy and cool and moist again so that was wonderful^____^

After leaving work a little early since lots of people are still on holiday (so hoping we didn't miss too much business - -;;), pop and PK and I headed into the next town for dinner and a movie! yaaaaaay love going to the movies♥♥

We were gonna grab a snack at the mall, but then dad really wanted Kentucky Fried Chicken so we ended up there! It's been so long since we went to eat fast food it was kinda fun^^

I was hoping there were something nice and light on the menu but...... T____T just a bunch of fried stuff. Oh well, I didn't eat too much of the skin^^ Did you know it's tradition to eat chicken on Christmas in Japan? So KFC was actually kinda perfect for the day after Christmas! But still..... it's kinda scary what they put in their "honey sauce"..... o__O"

nihaha ...... I don't really like forks.. sporks really confuse me. I ended up stabbing the poor piece of chicken with it like a knife to hold it down and eating with my fingers. etto..... not that chopsticks woulda worked any better... thank you to the poor chicken who gave its life for our dinner. And thank you to our L-rd for always providing food for us♥

Our fine dinner-- I got baked beans for the first time. They were sweeeeet and yummy. Probably corn syrup in that too T^T.. and the coleslaw was just as good as I remember.

For one night we tossed away our health ethics and enjoyed^^ and my tummy seems fine. yokatta wa......

Then we went to the theater. There were sooooooo many people on line to buy tickets!!! We never seem to go to the movies when there's so many people! We went to go see Tintin.

...

It was so cool. Tintin is soo cool! Snowy is cuter in the comics.. hehe and Captain Haddock was awesome as usual^^! ahaha~~~ I kept being amazed they found actors that look JUST like in the comics and then I realize again it's animation >~<" But Professor Calculus wasn't it it T___T!!! They'd better make a second movie with him in it and real soon! I wanna see wanna see^___^!

... Haven't I told you about Tintin before? Tintin is another one of my heroes! My big bro had the entire set of big-size original books when he was little, so then when I was little I got to read them too and to this day they occupy a nice spot on my bookshelf^^ the ones I like to read lots are The Blue Lotus and Cigars of the Pharaohs. But...... I really don't like the moon ones >~<".. and Flight 714 really freaks me out 0__0||... I adore all the times Tintin has to travel places by boat. Guess since seeing that, I've wanted to travel by boat too^^ not cruise!! Real boat! uwaaaa that would be so suteki~~! Sigh. It's the wrong time for that anymore though..... unless you're rich... and invite me on a trans-Atlantic Star Clippers voyage? Pretty please hehehe *dream*

Oh and tonight is number seven night of Hanukkah! Tomorrow we should have latkas again^^ Gotta eat as much as we can of those 'cause Hanukkah only comes once a year! (but at least it lasts a while^^)

So so, will you be watching the Red/White music show this New Year's? Eating soba noodles? Eating that mochi cake in soup that's super chokable? Watching the first sunrise of the year??? These are a few traditions from Japan^____^ Staying up 'til midnight and champagne is good too.. and streamers and confetti and silly sparkly hats....... I wonder if we'll do anything special or do I hafta make my own special New Year's again? -____-

Someday....... I want someone else to drag me out of bed January first in the dark morning and take me to a spectacular hill to watch the sunrise from. Rub my sleepy eyes... and then open them wide as pink and orange and yellow flood the sky outwards from the horizon and then ..... the first warmth of the sun hitting my frozen face only partially peeking out of a thick knit pompom hat and scarf. uwaaaa suteki~~ and then-- noticing that the person I'm with wasn't watching the sunrise...... he was watching me the whole time and smiling at my silly happy agape bedazzled face. .. Then I'd totally slap repeatedly his poofy coated arm and be upset that he didn't watch the first year's sunrise after all that(*｀へ´*)

hehe that's all for stories tonight! gao it's so late........ I get half the day off tomorrow though^^ but only half so don't expect the usual barrage of silly posts like on normal Tuesdays. That's a relief, right???

p.s. there's some new blogs on the reading list to the right-- can you find them?

baibai oyasumi

Christmas Dayで写真

2011-12-25T19:53:00.000-08:00

Hi there minna-san, how was/is your Christmas?

.......

You know how I said earlier we try bot to get each other very many presents? Well... turns out we got lots of presents on Jesus' birthday^^;; But isn't that cool-- what if, at your next birthday party, you gave presents to all the people invited??? Instead of getting presents yourself^____^ that sounds awesome, huh?

So here's our little Christmas in pictures. Mostly taken by me, some borrowed from mum's phone, and some mum took on my phone^^

Our fireplace with my drawing, and the Tezuka-san calendar pages^^ and the unopened presents! They're under the coffee table hehe. And on the garland on the fireplace, mum hung up the trump shape cookies I decorated last year. Only there weren't any of the clubs.. just heart, diamond, and, spade. hmmm >~<" ... I don't really play card games, just solitaire a little, but I love card tricks^^ it's so amazing the people who do those, huh??? And there seems to be a lot of trump decal in lolita clothing too. So it's real cool, ne?

Unwrapped presents and present mess^^. PK is totally wiped out from me holding him and squeezing him too much probably. hehe the one with me in my new pj's holding a teapot kitchen timer-- yeah that's his head I'm scrunching there^___^ hehehe and that's his present to me^^ it kinda..... doesn't ding where it's supposed to though.. and sounds really like time bomb 0__0|||

Oh oh so, do you open your presents in your pajamas, or do you get dressed and makeup so you look nice for the camera??? Pop got dressed all the way, and mum halfway.. etto...... I think? She was wearing makeup? hehehe halfway meaning pj's and makeup. I just realized that sounded kinda funny^///^

And then we went to the community dinner and the pics of mum and dad were taken there. It was sooo yummy and sooooo much food! I ate too much! Maybe getting back on diet will be a New Year's resolution. hmm but it kinda clashes with the "eat all the food in the cupboard that got lost or forgotten the previous year" resolution.

.....

Well I'm not gonna eat it all at one time, don't be absurd^___^!

Afterwards I felt like Akihabara with all the loud and people and eating too much, so me 'n PK walked alone to the shop from the armory. Downtown was really quiet. And people were so chill-- just walkin' for walking^^. It was nice compared to the frantic shopping atmosphere. And AND!!! It drizzled rain! We haven't had rain in f o r e v e r. The air felt so fresh. It felt like the coast! So nice.... these are some deserted grey sky pictures too.

So so! There's a story connected with this last collage(!) << they do exclamation mark enclosed in parentheses a lot in the closed caption for The Prisoner hehe.

Anyways!

Earlier pop noticed that I only had two years of Tezuka calendar Christmas pictures hanging up this morning and I told him I looked on jbox.com and they only had one in stock a few weeks ago -___-.. then I said I could check eBay.... Then pop said, "oh well there's always 2013," so then like it was okay^^ 2013 would be awesome! 13's one of my favorite numbers^^ (I felt bad for it 'cause people think it's unlucky. like black cats! black cats'r wonderful, ne?)

ummm.... where was I?

Oh yeah, so like, after we fed the kitties a bunch of tuna and treats (hehe they like to pig out for Christmas too^^) and played with their new catnip tennis balls (lost one under the front counter.. ~__~"), I remembered mum said somethin' about some presents she saw in the bedroom. So then I was all like, what were those??? Then outta nowhere, mum brings out a present shaped like a giant party cracker. Doug the employee got one just like it a few days earlier and there was an Ultraman calendar in it. I thought they probably were only able to get him a calendar so it was okay. I got plenty of other awesome stuff. But then when I saw one for me---- it was like WAAAAAA NO WAY NO WAY!!! \\\^O^///!!!!

It is it is!!!!! ほんとよ！！！

Osamu Tezuka calendar 2012!!!!!! yaaaaaay! My favorite my favorite!!! hehehe it's soooo wonderful wonderful!!!

This year's theme is 「日本がんばろう！！！」 "Hope for Japan!". I love it^^ it goes through the months and shows wonderful things all over Japan. It really makes me wanna take a train trip from the tippy top of Japan to the very south^____^

Japan got hit hard by disaster and economic stuff this past year. Next year, ganbarou, ne! You can do it! My favorite place on earth! The last calendar I had was festivals and holidays around the world. It was wonderful, but I love love the idea for this year^___^ Japan is great, and it's great to see all the wonderful characters enjoying it. It's so nice to see them all happy and smiling^^ like I like to see my characters happy too^^

Gotta go! baibai!

We're gonna watch Jeremy Brett Christmas Sherlock Holmes: The Blue Carbuncle! yaaaaay he's so cool! Right right? Best Sherlock Holmes there ever will be♥♥

ne, minna-san, what are you doing New Year's Eve?

Merry Christmas!メリークリスマス！！！

2011-12-25T09:30:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas, minna-saaaaaaaaan!!!!!!!

Here's Anpanman and Baikinman wishing you a Merry Christmas too!!! uwaaaa Christmas is amazing! They're both getting along enough to be in a picture together^____^???! I wuv Anpanman anime^^! While we still got TV Japan, I saw one cartoon with Soft Cream (soft ice cream) Man in it. He was shoo cool hehe^^.

Candy canes and Santa hats are fun 'n all... and presents and pfeffernusse O___O!! oishii....

But don't forget!

Happy Birthday Jesus!!! I looooooove you the most^____^! Thank you for presents and family and friends and helping me find kawaii Anpanman picture, and and!! Everything!

イエス、ぜんぶぜんぶ、とってもありがとうございます！！！

Thank you for loving us and caring for us and never leaving us and carrying us through all the tough times and fun times always. We'll never forget the day you were born on earth as a little baby, only to grow up and die on the cross-- and it was all for us. To take away our sins for all time so we can be pure of heart for the first time. Pure enough to be accepted into your perfect heavenly kingdom that one special day, when it's our last breath here, and our first breath in your midst. uwaaaaaa suteki~~! I can't wait!!!!!!

Have a wonderful day! Please remember the real reason for today while you're gobbling down turkey dinner and playing with all your new toys^____^ It's Jesus! yaaaaaaaay!!!

baibai!

French press time^____^!! (thank you for our French press too^^)

KIIIIIIR ROYAL!!!!!!!

2011-12-24T21:12:00.001-08:00

nihaha o^^o getting in a jolly Christmas mood, how about you minna-san?

Tonight, mum and dad are having a little Christmas Eve party. Me, pop, and PK are enjoying some tunes, ancient cartoons (like Felix and Old King Cole♥♥) and some vodka punch (PK loves vodka hehe) and just now, we opened up the prosecco champagne and I made myself a Kir Royale^____^ Pop got me some crème de cassis from France for Hanukkah present! yaaaaaay thank you^____^!!!

Kir Royale is a French drink and "Kir Royal" is an awesome fight-ending duo move by my heroes Jing the King of Bandits and Kir from anime^^ ever since I watched that for the first time and learned it was a yummy drink I couldn't wait to be 21 years old to try one. So far.... I think I've had it once before last New Year's Eve^^ Sooo yummy~~~! I put way too much of the black currant liquor in it though^^ still yummy but wrong color! I'll know better next time.

etto... please minna-san drink responsibly and only for old people 21+ (or 20 if you're in Japan^^). And have fun! If you're sad, eat sweets instead T___T sweets are better to cheer you up.

uh oh looks like we're playing a board game now?

baibai^^//!

Happy Christmas Eve! And fifth night of Hanukkah!

Winter theme おふろ

2011-12-24T09:44:00.001-08:00

I know it's more of an all-year thing to take baths, but being brought up half cat-like, I don't really like unnecessarily getting wet, so baths only seem nice when I'm freeeeeezing in winter^^;;

Actually, I have no idea how one bathes on a pirate ship >~<... but seems like old rum barrels should do, right? hehe^^ (they're actually probably tuna barrels...) And where does the water come from O__O?! The hot comes from the steam engine ... hmm....... those use water too, don't they? Besides coal.. gao it's so tricky T^T

My drawing from last night!

It was c-c-cold yesterday at work...... speaking of which, I really need to finish up making my scarf!! I think it's about long enough...

In other news, today is Christmas Eve^^ Christmas Day in Japan! hope you all have a nice day, minna-san! I'll be at work again! ... and try to dress warmer -___-...

p.s. do any of you like Ranzuki? I have an issue from last November that me and sis bought in Kakunodate konbini^____^ super kawaii fashion! And they like to wear jeans shorts way more than Popteen^^ I was looking through it last night and ... think I'm gonna order a new one from ebay^^ soon! And some mouth masks for cold weather and colds♥ There's a bunch more newer cuter ones on there now^^

baibai I'm late late!!! No bus running today so gotta hurry!

Purple taro bubble tea adventure

2011-12-22T19:15:00.001-08:00

I went on a wander today^^ don't you like to wander, minna-san?

About a week ago, some Hawaiian guys were in the shop with boba drinks. Ever since then I've been wanting to get one myself so today me 'n PK went and got one! It's taro flavor^^ taro reminds me of Hawaii and when I put some in curry rice (it was goopy yummy). It's rich and perfume-y in this drink. Good flavor for winter^^ did you know it was winter already? I can't believe it! I have a punch card for bubble tea there and next one is free! I think maybe almond flavor next, ne? I also picked up some cookie treats at Ichigo Cakes for Doug the employee and his wife^^ they had pretty gift boxes for Christmas~~ just what I needed! And their desserts case looked awesome...... so full of yummy things... Mrs. Ichigo Chef and the Little Ichigo Boy were minding the bakery today. Then another Japanese lady came in and they started talking in Japanese and it was so cool! Now that we don't have TV Japan I don't get to listen to the language much anymore. It was sooo suteki♥♥ I really wanted to say something but I couldn't^^ it was just a pleasure to hear them chatting.

So I had an idea on the way home tonight: I wanna make a film. So I got distracted and played around with the violin I borrowed.. and then commenced to rip out used pages of a notebook a girl gave me in middle school. I just now tried to look her up on facebook but to no avail. Breanna Thornton, you out there someplace? Did I spell your name wrong? Gomenne it's been too long since I saw you T___T I still have that notebook you stuck clever little label-gun words all over^___^ gonna use it now to write down a screenplay hehe. I have a little casette-tape film camera that I was gonna try to sell. It's not HD or anything, but it's real analog..... but as long as it's still sitting around with all its parts in one place... why not make a little indie film? I want it to be about PK and how he doesn't have eyes to see or a mouth to speak and can't walk around by himself. And how he is forced to either be blind, or see the world through my eyes. hehe... it's a pact we have^^ I let him see through my eyes since he hasn't got any♥ and then I wanted to interview kids at a park and ask them something to do with plushie toys etc etc...... I grew up with real friends all the time. But my toys were always always my friends when nobody else was around. I dunno if it would have any reason or purpose, or rather a suteki insight on what it's like to be a plushie who needs a human to be able to experience the world. I picture lots of shots looking up at trees with the sun shining through and the wind blowing the leaves to make a rustling sound. Lots of silly shots of beauty in a raw urban environment (well.. Ashland anyways). I have a tripod hanging out someplace and the camera came with a remote...... now all I need is one of those things to write in chalk the scene we're shooting..........
This is just silliness I know^^ but art-- art wants to escape out of me and it wants to come out in every form possible! And I love love movies. And beauty. And G-d's creation. I want to show people the beauty I see everywhere I go! And in winter. A solitary film like this needs to be in winter. Perfect timing^^ and maybe I could throw in a little hand drawn animation thing for fun^^ don't know what to do about soundtrack though... the violin really won't do..

Hope your day was good. Lots of people were out shopping today. Buying lots of presents, no doubt. Ah there is too much to say and so little time to release it via my finger tapping on my phone keyboard. So I shall bid thee, minna-san, adieu.

baibai

oyasumi photo

2011-12-22T00:14:00.001-08:00

みんなさん、おやすみなさい^^

Tonight was the second night of Hanukkah. Pop came home after his radio show and I made some easy latkas^^ they really liked them too! よかったわ。Then they let me eat all the ones at the end^____^ They weren't as good as mums were in years past, but still a delicious familiar taste. All it was was one pound of yellow potato, one egg, a little flour, and safflower (I think?) oil. It was the oil I bought to make pon de ring donuts^^ so very nice to fry with.

Afterwards, mum lit the candles this time and we watched......

Borrower Arrietty^^

sooo beautiful......... きれいですわ。so so pretty. Japan, a rural house, and the hot and rainy summer... it was so sweet..... I miss summer. Don't you, minna-san? Summer is the best. Wouldn't it be so cool to spend summer at a family country house? A plan I had a while ago.. it was about teaching in Japan. I would live in the city, but with money that I saved up from somewhere, buy an old house in the country. And go there in the summer! And let the children run and play and have adventures all their own^___^ it was a suteki daydream. And the fields would be covered in wildflowers just like in the movie. まあ、now I'm really natsukashii T__T

Do you know the drawing I posted earlier? Well..... I couldn't find my scribbling of when the idea first came to me. That's not what the girl looked like at all-- I couldn't remember. Gonna pray to be able to find it. It was a little sheet of paper...... it must be around here someplace.......

oyasumi^^ baibai

... etto...

anou.......

You don't suppose a borrower took the paper I'm looking for? o__o?

Hanukkah and drawing

2011-12-21T17:52:00.001-08:00

Hi hi^^

It's really starting to feel like Christmas! We're playing Cristmas music allll day long in the shop^___^

This is from last night after we cane home from seeing Hugo. Happy Hanukkah first night! We were actually an hour early (oops..... sorry pop^^;;) so we went to Sears and I found some really needed pj's! They're pink with leopard hehe -- you can see them behind the menorah. When we came home, don't know if it was just from seeing a shuuuuper cool movie or from the sugar from eating a bunch of Raisinettes --- I was really excited^^ So so! Hugo was awesome! This is the second movie that took place in Paris that we've watched within the span of a week. It looked like it was filmed too much for 3d... all those "flying" shots like in video games.... but the story and everything else was good. That's what matters^___^ And for some reason I've never grown out of liking movies that star kids hehe *young at heart itsumademo* Hugo reminded me a little of Eddie-kun too. The blue eyes and messy dark hair... also it was cool all the posters and signs and books-- the words were in French! ahaha but they were speaking English >~<" (I'm silly yup yup, I know) And I loved how so many people were wearing berets! I was too^^. The fashion were also cool and retro^^ We figured the movie took place in late-30s? And yet another movie that makes my heart leap at the thought of being in show business(*^◯^*)♥

Anyways, one more sugoi blessing before the drawing! So some friends customers came in the shop this afternoon and to make stories short, they wanted some colored jewel cases for cd, so there's a stash in the back room-- when I went to fetch them, I found the Fahrenheit 451 soundtrack pop recorded for me, like, yeeeeaaars ago. O___O ほんと？？！Do you know that movie, minna-san? I'm really wakuwaku~~ wuv wuv that movie! And the music ain't half bad neither^^ It's about the future where writing and reading has been totally abolished. Yikes, right??? So now firemen are used to start fires--- start fires when they find secret stashes of books and they burn them all!!! Super yikes, huh??! But no matter what, there's always more people who won't give in and still keep books ... in spite of the dire consequences. Pop really likes this movie too, but mum can't stand it. hehe^^ Really recommend this movie too. It might be boring for kids, but I don't think there's anything very bad in it. It's very cool scifi drama from 1960s or 70s-ish? Another British film^^ it really makes you think think. hmmm....... *thinking*

Ok! Time is running out! Here's my drawing. I went in the basement to fetch something else today and remembered how I wanted to finish writing another Pirate Cat Six story that starts with a girl who works in a busy restaurant fetching things for people and gets trapped one day in the scary basement-- even after telling her coworkers she hears creepy sounds coming from down there. Turns out, she wakes up tied to a chair -- back to back with Eddie, who got trapped there earlier. Our basement is really gross and eerie...... very inspiring for a chilling circumstance.

baibai minna-san! g-gao! hayaku hayaku~~!!!!!!!!

Hello from movie theater^^

2011-12-20T18:48:00.000-08:00

UWAAA!!!!!

...

At the movies-- there was a GIGANTO Borrower Arrietty cardboard poster!!! Me 'n PK posed in front of it for a picture ~~ thank you pop♥ hehe and totally wearing holey jeans >~<" had I known, I'd a worn something nice like leggings^^;; It's so coooooool! I wanna go to the theater to see it, but can't wait to watch it in Japanese..... ^____^ did you know? When sis and I and tour people were in Tokyo staying in Shinagawa, the hotel we stayed at had a movie theater, and Arrietty was playing there--- while we were there! But it was the last day there by the time we found out...... and we didn't really have time anyways^^. Sis is really really looking forward to seeing this. I wish we could watch it together♥

Ok better go!!!

baibai Hugo is about to start-- etto.. the coming attractions anyways.

Snow and girl

2011-12-20T17:37:00.000-08:00

Hallo minna-san^^

Pop is taking me to the movies. On recommendation we're gonna see Hugo. Have you seen it yet? He really likes 3d so that's an extra sleeve-tugger for me to get him to take me^___^

Tonight I tried out all the inks I have besides my favorite Deleter ink. One of them was brownish and the black stuff was stuck to the bottom of the bottle, one bled on the paper ~___~ and the last one stinks bad but works good but clogs up my pen nib >~<" ... so I used the last one and drew.....

this. It's a princess style loli girl .... in snow. And vague shapes on a wall behind her with cat heads. And paw prints on the sidewalk. And an impatient shadow looking at his watch. But the blur kinda blurred out the shadow so take my word for it - -;;)) I was trying to be a little surreal hehe.

Anyways, it was all just a doodle^^ I would have rather written something about Eddie-kun but the time allotted .... etto.. was ........ insufficient.

baibai^^ and happy first night of Hanukkah! hmm can you buy latkas at the movie theater..... I wish!

Because sitting on the floor and reading is fun^^

2011-12-20T10:48:00.000-08:00

Hello, minna-san^^ today is Tuesday again. It's also really really close to Christmas 0___0!!

Today for us, is a picture from Clannad. Where I find screenshots from Air they also have Clannad (http://www.anime-screenshots.de/gallery/index.php?cat=56) ~~ cool, ne?

This is Kotomi-chan. (hehe being older is good for once 'cause I can call highschoolers -chan^^) She's super smart-- so smart that she doesn't go to classes, just studies in an ... unused library? (right?) One episode she served tea in her library it was cute^^ etto....... anyways... one more pic-- this time you get to see her hairdo!

Cute hair style, ne? I wore my hair like this last summer, I think... but 'course my hair was suuuuuper short then^___^

Oh so the reason for the pictures 'cause that book I mentioned earlier-- about finding a career? Well, I did experiment yesterday at work to push the boundaries of my personality and be outspoken and commanding and stuff--- well, it made me turn into a horrible monster T____T I felt soooo terrible after work all the yelling and getting after I did that if it weren't for asking Jesus to forgive me and take that person away that I was, I would have been depressed and sorry for myself all night. Feeling sorry for yourself-- that's what the bad guy wants you to do. 'Cause then everything's about you and how you did wrong and how it'll be super difficult for you to put things right for yourself. That's why Jesus is awesome 'cause if I leave everything for Him to do, He takes care of it and cleanses my mind and soul so I can be sweet and sticky like honey once more^____^ uwaaaaaaa suteki!!! So then after being someone I really really wasn't all day, I was more clear on my real personality and went through the book again and found that I really matched their description in the new type I found! yaaaaay thank you Jesus for that too^^.

Wanna hear what they said would be good careers for me? hehe..... first off, the ones I drew a heart next to:

♥Cartoonist and Animator (hehehehehe^^ already knew that, silly book), ♥Archaeologist (uhuhu probably like this from watching the Mummy movie and that Poirot show, Death on the Nile.. they doesn't really make archaeology look like a good career but it seems exciting), ♥Florist (flower shops have always enchanted me^^ so lovely and romantic, and the year I sold single red roses on the street for Festa del Boccolo was an amazing experience-- people are so different and loving when they're buying flowers. it's like flowers soften out the tough things of the day for the buyer 'cause they make the person receiving them so happy^^ it's a gift of fading beauty-- because they're already dying once they're cut-- but still gorgeous and fighting on to stay beautiful for as long as possible. it's like the beauty of humans in that way^^ most (I hope) people want to be pretty and handsome for somebody special until the very end. and by that time, they have the vision of how they've seen each other since the very beginning and they will always be beautiful to one another! uwaa second suteki thing today!!!). Next up: runners up! Fashion designer, gardener, potter, painter, dancer, interior design, chef, artist, musical instrument maker (can you picture me carving castanets?), mechanic (now picture me in super awesome overalls and artistically placed grease marks on my face popping out from underneath a car I'm working on^^), storekeeper (don't tell my dad-- he'd want me to take over the family shop O__O||), waitress, beautician (specializing in gyaru!!, ne?), preschool teacher, translator/interpreter (for manga? anime?), locomotive engineer (I sooo totally just heard a train whistle a minute ago! for reals!! is it a sign??? there's a train track less than a mile from here-- they used to be about ten feet away from our old house^^. are they running the trains here again??! I WUV trains^0^), and horticultural specialty grower. There was tons of other stuff too I just picked out the most interesting things and crossed out everything not good. Looking through this book was actually really fun and interesting. I recommend it (Do What You Are by Paul D. Tieger and Barbara Barron-Tieger). One of our friends actually recommended it to me when she saw it in the church library of "borrowing" books (where pop teaches Bible study). Guess now that I've found this all out, we should take it back. And see where life goes from here! I actually ended up in a category that didn't have anything to do with acting (closest thing was TV camera operator and that I crossed out). That's ok^^ I got cartoonist!

Ok ok.. now for another thing for you to imagine-- imagine in cloudy city of San Francisco-- well, it's partly cloudy with a nice cool breeze blowing from the bay. You're walking down the street lined with tall pastel colored three-story Victorian row houses, all the parking spots are taken up. You're actually in search of something yummy to eat for lunch-- maybe a coffeeshop-- and decide to wander for a while and if you don't find one, you'll head back to where you know is a good place for lunch. But for now, you're exploring. As you walk under a leafy evergreen tree, the sun peeks through and spots of sunlight hit your shoulders and it feels so nice. But a minute later, the clouds cover again and you tug at your scarf to wrap it closer around you. You come upon a corner and have a "don't walk" signal. You look to your left down the street and notice the street signs are now written in English and some other angled script belonging to another language. Nevertheless, you keep walking on. Then turn some streets, walk by a Walgreens, a fancy clothing store (please don't try this walk in real life, I'm getting confused and lost by now^___^), and then! Then!! The smell of something warm and delicious! Only it can be the smell of French Pastries! But almost as you get there, you happen to walk in front of a short shop. It catches your eye. It's a flower shop. But what really caught your eye was above the light pink and beige awning, you saw a roof overhanging with bright and colorful flowers, blooming away! You utter a, "Huh," and make a mental note to come back there for an occasion that needs a bouquet of flowers. Then you notice in the window next to the door, there was a cute anime-looking character drawn onto the window bidding customers to come in. Then you try the door, but it's locked and it's dark inside. You raise your eyebrows in "oh well," and continue on your way to the French bakery. It was about 11:00 in the morning when you were out looking for lunch. I slept in that morning too much from finishing up some inking on a few comic pages last night and forgot that I'm supposed to open shop at 10. oops^^;; please come back and try again!! hehehe funny story^^. But wouldn't it be grand to have a rooftop flower garden? And near my favorite favorite La Boulange bakery! And it's only like, two or three blocks from Japantown. hmmm brie and pear baguette sandwich or curry rice for lunch...... that would be my dilemma^___^

That's all for now! Have a good day, okay? I'd better get ready now 'cause I might have a friend over later^^ if she comes, we're gonna watch Aria^____^ oh dear.. then I'll be wanting to live in Venice again ~____~........ ah, it's a bother having a constant dreaming imagination, but I wouldn't want it any other way.

あさでfashion drawing

2011-12-19T10:15:00.001-08:00

Last night while reading through a book called "Do What You Are" I got a sudden burst of inspiration and an I-need-a-piece-of-paper moment. So I scrambled upstairs into the dark night of my room and grabbed the sketchbook from my carousel loli kawaii fabric tote bag♥ and rushed back downstairs and plopped back down on the overstuffed sofa. And drew this^^

(giganto ribbon bow tie, button shirt, cut-offs, grey over knee socks, hiking-type lace up boots... and .. what kind of jacket would be good?) This is an outfit! An outfit of inspiration. This is the outfit to wear while job searching in Hollywood. hehehe ....... etto... after reading through the book a little, I weally weally wanna work in showbiz hehe (so much for becoming useful > <) See, the book goes through personality types and what careers could be good for each one, and I landed in one that, under the "Creative" heading, listed artist, playwright, novelist, poet, interior designer... film editor, etc etc. ... Don't know if that personality fit quite right for me, but I definitely wasn't in the types for hairdresser or retail store owner or chef. (I was curious so I looked at all the job suggestions for each type just to see if they were in there.

On the plus side, Ashland is awesome for learning stuff about theater 'n stuff. Negative side, it's shuper expensive to take classes at the university T___T ... but maybe I could afford one class? I think you can take one or two classes without actually enrolling (since that didn't work out). At least then when I go job searching in movie land I could have a little bit of experience^^;;? sigh.... I really like San Francisco, but now Los Angeles is sounding like a more opportune place. I like how you can walk places in SF-- LA isn't really like that, is it? Well.. unless you're walking from cousin's house to Canter's Deli. YUUMMM!!! But that doesn't count!

In other news, six days 'til Cristmas! Other other news, we've been watching The Prisoner in hd. I think I've watched the whole series two times before (and mum and dad more no doubt) but it's so different in blu-ray! So cool! Before watching this, I was skeptical of old movies and shows being transformed into high definition, but it works works. Very recommend this show. etto..... probably ages 12+ for violence and it probably wouldn't be interesting to anybody younger. Please watch it! Starring Patrick McGoohan-- I think it's my favorite English tv show♥♥ Also in very other other news, me and pop watched a Morrissey live performance last night too. o___o so cool. His voice is just so awesome. Sometimes I'm glad I can't understand the lyrics though(￣◇￣;) hehe I wonder if everything in life can be judged on cool and cute scale^^? hmm to balance it, I think there should be a suteki scale too. Either suteki or lovely. hai hai^^ Have you wondered which scales you use to see the world by?

baibai!

motto motto drawings

2011-12-18T17:24:00.001-08:00

Hallo again today minna-san. Here's some more drawings for you^^

This one I drew on an old song sheet in my Bible during break time at church. I sat near the coffee and sweets counter so it was really crowded during that time when people go back there for chatting so I figured drawing would be okay ... etto.. the reasoning doesn't really make sense -__- ne? It's Eddie-kun trying to get along with Dinah for once. Anyways, church was awesome♥ and the couple I sat down next to wished me Merry Christmas at the end^___^ "You too, thanks ^///^." hehe Christmas time is so lovely 'cause strangers are even so friendly. (￣▽￣) ....... it'd be amazing to be so friendly-- and actually have people hear me if I said Happy Christmas to them... like, not just during work. Do you know the girl in Clannad who tries to give the other students carved wooden starfish...?

And here's one I purikura'd on my phone^^ it's a mini drawing from a Christmas card we're sending to a very good friend. We turned out so cute and wintery so I had to take a snapshot before we sent it^^

This afternoon, we just returned from a funeral-life celebration thing for our next door neighbor from the apartments. It was held at the presbyterian church they went to-- a lot lot different from my church o__o. They had these huuuuuge organ pipes sticking outta the wall and giganto stage. It really reminded me of the private school I went to in middle school. The service was really sweet and we learned way lots about his life 'n sang hymns 'n there was a biiig choir in robes singing. Afterwards we said hi to his wife and mum dragged me over to say hi to their granddaughter who I met in our shop one time. She was wearing a hat too ~whew~ mum thought I shouldn't be wearing shorts there 'cause it might be improper so I kept my coat on the whole time (it's long). But I hadn't really thought about my hat 'cause I wear it all the time. Beret♥ Nobody yelled at me so I guess that's okay ~__~" The whole family practically is musical geniuses starting with him. I couldn't believe all the musical stuff people talked about about him. That was his legacy he wanted to carry on^^ ...

So when they had us stand to sing the hymn, it was his favorite (I held PK up so he could sing too if he wanted), so that got me thinkin' ......... my favorite hymn-- well, I didn't grow up with hymns. At church we always sang those songs you play a guitar to^^ But I was sooo moved when I first saw Night On the Galactic Railroad the part with the Blind Wireless Operator. Giovanni is writing down what's coming in over the wire and the operator says it's always the same thing over and over--- Giovanni and Campanella return to their seats and they're trying to figure out what it means. Then there's an old lady sitting behind them and tells them. I forget the number... something like 306 or 603? (are there that many hymns?) So she started singing it in a creaky old voice. "Nearer my G-d to thee, nearer to thee......" Since then that's been my favorite favorite hymn. In that movie, there's so much Christian stuff. The guy who wrote the story ... I think he was a mangaka too? gao... forget forget T__T. It would be awesome if he had found Jesus. But if I recall right, he was into some scary stuff. Anyways anyways, I really ought not talk about stuff I don't know^^ Have I told you how good that movie is? hehe^^ wakaruyo! Have you watched it yet? Please do! It's a good movie for everyone. Last night in the bath I found my voice was like Zanelli's. hehe

そうだ！ Last night we all watched Midnight in Paris for the first time at home. uwaaaa so suteki~~! I wanna hang out with somebody who likes to wander city streets at night or in the rain. At the beginning of the movie, you feel so bad for Gil, huh? But sometimes you have to be around people who don't really love you in order to appreciate the ones who actually do later on, ne? I wonder if there's a street in London that a horse carriage comes around at midnight and takes people to Sherlock Holmes-time........ I wanna go there^^ However fun that would be for a few nights I think I'd rather stay in my own time after all. It's more fun to look back upon a golden era with reminiscence ... 'cause then if you live there it won't have as much nostalgia as it did when you were in the future, ne? Before seeing this movie the first time, I'd heard of maybe five of the famous people Gil met in the 1920s. But even not knowing who they were was fun to see how excited he was to meet them^^ I would've totally like to crowd around the piano with the other girls as Cole Porter sang and played though^___^ Woody Allen has good taste, huh minna-san!

In other news, I'm not any step further to learning to become useful T___T But beside that, Jesus is good. He's shooo asweshome^_____^!!! I haven't asked Him yet if I should go take a class for useful diploma of some sort-- probably should, ne? Paris looked like such an awesome enchanting art kind of place. I'd love to live someplace so inspiring^^ In my opinion, Venice is more that than Paris-- and I'm sure lots of people would argue their other city. I'm in the middle of cleaning out all my clutter and things I don't need, just in case the L-rd has in mind to move me to an awesome city someplace. hehehe^^;; Speaking of which, gotta go! Gotta sort through things and do some corresponding.

baibai hope your Sunday was okay too.

Fashion time: jeans jeans ジーンズ

2011-12-18T09:56:00.000-08:00

Hi minna-san! Welcome Sunday^___^

Here's something we haven't done in a while-- fashion post!

Today's theme is: jeans jeans jeans. I guess it's second nature to being from America to LOVE jeans, ne? They were originally invented here for miners, right? Pants that don't wear out too fast! (if I got my history wrong, gomenne--;;) I just love how they have so many pockets^^ and so comfortable, ne! Yesterday I was gonna wear my diy cut-off shorts that I made to look like my friend's super cute cut-offs, but the top for my outfit was crazy static-y. We talked about this yesterday, huh? So I wore a dress that my friend gave me and it's shuuuper pretty but I really missed pockets. So here's a post for jeans! Not just jeans, but my all-time favorite, the unending styles of, and to wear, jeans shorts!

I'm going to a handful of different websites, so I'll write down the direct address for you^^ have fun!

http://fashion4us.com/wholesale-fashion-detail.action?id=438101

http://fashion4us.com/wholesale-fashion-detail.action?id=438402

http://www.yesstyle.com/en/lulus-inset-hoodie-drawstring-hem-jacket-army-green-one-size/info.html/pid.1025630764 << really really love this brand's photo shoot along the road^^ please check out their other items too maybe you'll find something you like!

http://fashion4us.com/wholesale-fashion-detail.action?id=438496

http://www.yesstyle.com/en/koo-knit-trim-washed-denim-shorts/info.html/pid.1027258359

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=13221843842&cm_cat=50015514

http://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=12578674394&cm_cat=50015514 hehe so cute the last coordi^^

ok that's all for this morning^^ gotta get ready for church now! Maybe I'll try to wear shorts again today^^ this has been really inspiring finding these pictures. Maybe for you too?

baibai

nachan no manga

2011-12-17T13:46:00.000-08:00

Hallo minna-san. How is your morning so far? Here are some drawings just for you^___^

Van Gogh star tribute^^ I started being a fan of his since the Doctor Who episode where they go back in time and meet him and get rid of a scary monster. etto... guess it was an alien... ? We have a poster of the cafe street painting in the back room of the shop and we see it every day. The stars look so cool^^ So here's Eddie-kun stargazing up at Van Gogh stars with one of those telescope-y things^^ And I drew the moon with a rabbit making mochi in mind hehe. Storie is hanging out also but he's not into stars too much anymore. Bat is the one who tries to teach Eddie about stars and navigating 'n such. But most of the time he takes lessons for granted until he wishes he woulda listened....... gao.. isn't that so like us?

This is the two page renshū (practice) manga from a little while ago. I just re-found it this morning^^ the pirate cat crew is hoarding cheese flavor crackers. And Dinah likes how she has an excuse to yell at Eddie first thing in the morning. - -;;) ...... Eddie's pajamas are cute, ne^^? I need some pajamas..... the kind with a button-down collar shirt and long baggy pants♥ in pink pattern and cotton! Lately all my clothes that aren't all cotton have been sooo static-y T___T uhuhu not that that has to do with anything.

Ah it's always so nice and peaceful on my blog -___- ... today at work it's opposite. I've been trying to write this off and on since 11:00 and now it's past 1:30. If Christmas really was just about Santa and shopping and eating too much I wouldn't like it one bit. Especially from working in retail ... But that's not what Christmas is about, huh! A little presents and sweets to brighten a loved one's day is nice but--- it's all for Jesus! That's the real reason^____^♥♥

p.s. nachan is going to maybe become useful soon! Take a class or something of sorts so I can move away to big city and find a useful job^^ (how would you like it if, instead of "Ashland life" posts, you could see pics and read about someplace awesome like... San Francisco!) What do you think? Nail art, auto mechanic, hair stylist..... etto^^;; still need to research everything there's programs for before deciding. There's not much work for dreamers these days. And I don't do art for commercial perposes ~___~ my nightmare....

That's all the news and my sitting-down break must be up by now. Yay! We finished the post! おめでとう～！ウフフ(o^^o)

Astro Boy Christmas!

2011-12-16T10:07:00.001-08:00

ne ne, minna-san! Do you know something super amazing? Last time I bought an Astro Boy book I had absolutely no idea--- I just hoped it wasn't one I already had^^ it has a story with Christmas in it! Such a cool surprise blessing for this time of year!

Astro Boy #11, "The Man Who Returned From Mars" ... it was actually a scary story and lots of people and animals and robots died T____T But good won over evil in the end^^ It proves that people aren't evil-- it's the evil influence over people that makes them act bad (even if they think they're just plain evil). At any moment, a spark of good may come out of a bad person^^. And even, to take it a step more, no matter what a person has done in their life, nothing they have done is so greatly bad that they can't be redeemed. There's only one way to clean a bad soul-- and that's with the blood of Jesus. Then we can we white as snow♥♥ if the bad guy in the story would have repented before it was too late, he still would have gone to jail for life or worse. But with the L-rd there is mercy and love♥ He will forgive everything and forget it as far as east is from the west!

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:11, 12 NIV)

It's such a relief of burden to know that（＾v＾）I hope some of the bad guys in my stories will come to realize that and find Jesus. hehe^^ I dunno if I could actually say this stuff with my mouth in real life. Sometimes I wish I could! But G-d gives us all different kinds of opportunities to share His love with people-- I think right now He's given me courage enough to do that here on my blog^^ Thank you~~~!

On to the pictures!

uwaaa isn't that cool! Artificial snow for Christmas Eve!!! The future is cool in that way^___^

And a party at school^^ this is Uran-chan's class but I don't see her in the picture..... ? So sweet^^# It'd be nice if there weren't so many x's around Christmastime..... you know? It's Christ's birthday-- let's say and write it like it is and spread Jesus around, right right?^____^ Happy Christmas!

ok ok time to go! hehe I wonder what Tezuka-san would think if he heard I was using pages of a manga he drew to tell people about the L-rd...^___^ I didn't mean to and wasn't planning on it... but it just came out!

baibai!

クリスマスでdoodle

2011-12-15T18:39:00.001-08:00

What are your wishes for Christmas this year, minna-san? Eddie-kun wished to see his sisters and mum. Curry ...... wished for lots and lots of dinner on Christmas day. Kim wished for lots and lots of dinner and a doll from her favorite cartoon. I wished... etto.. didn't make a wish yet^^ I don't really need anything. (well 'cept for silly stuff like more makeup remover) Life is tough, but as long as I have Jesus, everything is great♥♥ I love you Jesus! Bunches and bunches#^____^#

Oh yeah-- I drew some^^ it's Kim and Curry and Eddie and Me. We got lots of stripes goin' on ~~ aweshome^^. It's like, one of those photo props and we're posing for a cameraperson. We've never done that before in real life..... I'm always surprised when I see people's family pictures and they have professional photos taken like that. hehe something in modern culture that eludes me^^ But it's really cool, ne?

baibai~~ gonna go to a restaurant tonight^^ yaaaaaaaay !!! Really wanted to make an Irish style baked potato thing but that can wait for another dinner^___^

Christmas scrapbook

2011-12-15T09:28:00.000-08:00

hehe more Christmas!

These are the caroling sheets I made up a few years ago! I had a big big plan to have a club and go caroling in English and Japanese all around downtown but...... whenever I do something like that it never works out T___T. That's why I don't act like Haruhi (citing today's first post^^) anymore and don't try to start anything that needs people to join. I'm more like Mikuru anyways^^ though sometimes I wish I could go myself and pick someone to be friends with and not people picking me... but..... oh well^^ ... g-gao that was really off-topic, wasn't it?

If you want to sing Japanese Christmas carols too, check out the carols page^^ feel free to print them out too for sharing!

And this is some Christmas wrapping paper from Japan! I got it in a bag full of misc. stuff at a garage sale from some people that had hosted a Japanese exchange student. Amazing the things they got rid of-- two super cute complete yukatas for instance! Wonder why.......

Gotta go now^^ matane

Christmas coming part ii

2011-12-15T09:10:00.001-08:00

Minna-san! I just remembered these!

Please enjoy^^ Christmastime with Tezuka-san characters! hehe tanoshii ne~~?

They're from Christmas presents of years past. Calendar pages from '08 and '10. This calendar is my very favorite in the world and I wish I could have one every year, but only every few years makes it more special^____^ I wonder if mum would let me hang these up downstairs someplace........

hmm. Something. Something...... something about the second one in particular really warms my heart. Tezuka-san had some really wonderful characters, ne? I love how so many of them can be in one place at one time and just enjoy. hehe^^ Someday. Someday....... I want to have just as many of my characters spend Christmas together too. Just like this! Wouldn't it be wonderful if when I no longer live in this world, that somebody could take over drawing and writing for me so they could live on? Just like Tezuka-san's work is continuing on. suteki desuwa~~~ n__n♥ hehe guess I'd better work on getting famous first, ne?

baibai again♥

Soon it will be Christmas^^

2011-12-15T08:50:00.000-08:00

oyayou, minna-san......

I'm still really shweepy so I won't write too much. Lucky you^^

Here are some shuper kawaii anime Christmas pictures for you! uwaaa kawaiii~~~~

From Clannad^^

From Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. I watched the very first episode about Mikuru's adventure last night in the bath. yaaaaaay for winter and taking baths with Japanese bath salts again! But I made the water sooo hot I gave up scared I would fall asleep seven minutes from the end of the show and got out (and missed the endingT____T). The bath salts didn't really smell like much (just a little perfume) not like the regular hotsprings style packets. But it was milky color (my favorite!!!) and supposed to be really good for girls' beauty. Here, this website actually tells about it^^ I bought it from imomoko.com probably because it was pink and cute. hehe ^^ but it reminded me of going to the hotspring in Japan sooo much and how it was sooooooo hot and couldn't hardly breath 'cause so much moisture inside. Someday on another trip in Japan, I want to go to a hotspring with outdoor baths surrounded in snow! Wouldn't that be sooo nice....

....... ?

Watching anime in the bath? etto.. well..... why not? I have the Crunchyroll app on my phone so it's really convenient. I just lean my phone against the soap dish to hold it up and voila! And shows are usually about a half hour long, so it's perfect timer too^^

And from Air! etto..... I wonder if whoever drew this meant to make Misuzu-chan's eyes brown??? She has blue eyes, right? Well it matches the boots^___^ maybe they're contacts?

If you can figure out how to view these in original resolution, they all make good computer desktop backgrounds^^ I made mum's desktop have these and some others on it. But I'm only posting these 'cause I know who they all are^^ pictures courtesy of google image search. sankyuu~~!

ok baibai for now...... I'll try to find more Christmas pictures and maybe some with boys in them too for next time hehe^^ and I wanna draw one!

おはよう motto sketch

2011-12-14T09:40:00.001-08:00

nihaha *Misuzu-chan laugh*

^____^

Yesterday's drawings other than before. Minna-san, how are you doing this morning? I'm writing blog instead of lifting weights (￣▽￣)... hopefully there will be enough time for both - -;;)) How do you keep fit? A little weights, a little diet, a little pushup and crunch..... and hula hoop^^ hmmm need something for cardio.... ah! AKB48 video on youtube! I wanna start dancing along with youtube jpop videos again^^

What have we here...? トップ！: a little Christmas story I started writing last night-- it's set in a European looking town on an island in the tropics. It really makes Eddie-kun not wanna celebrate. It's soooo hot and muggy......... need snow.. or at least a sandy beach to go swimming. He knows Christmas isn't about all these silly things, but the cat crew expect presents and Santa. What to do ... gao
ミギ！: some wittle drawing of Manxmouse^^ Nippon Animation has a really distinct style. It was really difficult to remember it to draw. But I love how their mouths are all so big when they talk^____^ and the faces on people are so long instead of squished cute like a lot of anime. Someday...... I really wanna watch Manxmouse in Japanese. Wouldn't it be cool if my favorite Japanese voice actor did the voice for ghost? He would be perfect^^ if I ever get an anime, I want him to do a voice in it. etto........ but who...
ヒダリ！: It's Eddie-kun in the middle of Guardian Angel-san and shadow-san. They're probably arguing over something Eddie should or shouldn't do. Problem is, they're both visible and can be annoying. T^T I was hoping he'd get on better with the guardian angel...... but oh well^^ at least he's gettin' watched over. I wonder if I can meet my guardian angel someday when I get to Heaven^____^

Oh hey hey! I had this funny though before and just now remembered it--- so, G-d is the Creator of everything. And He created me to be creative too. So what if...... characters that we create with all our hearts.... what if they're actually real people that lived before, like, the look and personality? What if G-d put the idea into our heads when we make up new characters to make up somebody that actually lived on earth in the past??? Anything is possible, ne(^_−) hehe I think this is along the lines of pets going to Heaven ..... but that's just me n silly thoughts I think all this time alone^___^..... I wonder if Mizu and Mochi will get to Heaven.... I'd better tell them more about how awesome Jesus is, and fast!♥ But I wanna have a dinosaur for pet there. hnn... do you think there'll be dinosaurs in Heaven? soo many questions... I wanna get my ticket and go there already!

baibai minna-san. If you don't hear back from me soon, then that means they don't have internet in Heaven hehe^____^

ok ok baibai for reals this time. Love love love to you~~ Jesus loves you all♥♥ so much!

Drawing drawing manga manga curls curls

2011-12-13T15:52:00.000-08:00

Hi minna-san^^

I did laundry and garbage and get dressed and then draw! Day off hehe^^ I re-arranged my room so that futon is by the window, and table is next to the bookshelf and sofa and rug is in the middle next to the tv again. Much cozier for daytime doing things and better for if friends come over (living area is separate from sleeping area^^). I took almost everything off the walls so there's a stark serene natural feeling goin' on right now^___^ it still needs work, but it will be nice for winter.

Anyways, this is my water cup! It was pretty with ink swirls, even cooler looking than this before, but the camera was slow. Drawing with real ink seems so much more real than anything else. Drawings always seem to come out cooler too^^

Today's drawing is doodles. I need to update the picture at the top of the blog 'cause right now it's too much about me and not enough about Curry. And who's the wing guy?? What's that all about, right?! So perhaps some of these doodles may show up there soon. It's mostly Curry faces but then I drew some of the rest of us. Then I wrote some things, then some more of us characters. Then I got a headache... maybe my face was too close to the paper...... PK needs to yell at me for that like Yukito scolded Misuzu-chan^^ I'm just afraid when the spell IS broken and PK turns back into human, he will hafta go back to his home and be a real prince again and marry the princess he was betrothed to before. But...... if you really love someone, you will let them go. (｡-_-｡) I learned that from Manxmouse^^ That's why we're strictly friends hehe. I'm gonna have my very own different prince someday^^

Ne, ne, have you heard of Manxmouse? The movie? It's a video I've had since I was little tiny nachan. The beginning of it isn't even on the tape anymore ~__~!! Must've set it by the speakers one time and got erased....... it's really sweet story and has mice and ghosts (- -;; s-scary.. but the star ghost has an awesome voice. the actor has played in other anime too.... I think maybe One Piece? probably tons others^^ but I watch every other anime in Japanese so I couldn't know off-hand...) and a girl and manx cats♥ and police dogs and a circus and a tiger and a bad bad pet shop guy and...... an old man who crafts clay mice and bakes them in a kiln^_____^ if you use the search bar at the very very tippy top of the page and search for Manxmouse, more info will show up in older posts on here. yay! I know what we're watching during lunch now!

Oh yeah and I put curlers in my hair last night (pink foam large curlers from the dollar store) 'cause I felt like having my hair up and still maybe look okay tomorrow. This morning-- etto..... afternoon-- when I took them out my hair was SUUUUUPER curls!!!! uwaaaaa suteki desuwa. The curlers haven't worked this good ever before. Gonna be a habit, for sure^^ I only took a picture last night because it looked so funny-- but it actually works, ne?

hmmm guess it's time to go.

baibai matane

p.s.:^___^

I named this post drawing drawing manga manga etc. etc. to make people searching for manga blogs find me hehehe...... I'm looking for people who have manga drawing blogs! and speak engrish^^ sometimes I feel like I'm the only one out there who draws really really like real manga style T___T.. I want you to find me! pwease♥ thank you and leave a comment below introducing yourself and your blog address♥♥

Tuesdayモーニング

2011-12-13T10:54:00.000-08:00

O__O|||　… I just forgot how to say Tuesday in Japanese.... lessee..... nichiyoubi, getsuyoubi, ... suiyoubi, mokuyoubi, kinyoubi, doyoubi...... waaaaaahhh bad bad T_____T....

ok ok, google translate... kayoubi. ayaya..... I forgot today is fire day - -;;

It's kinda funny the days of the week in kanji. Some are the same meanings in English, ne? Let's start with Sunday and go on! Sun-day, moon-day, fire-day, water-day, tree-day, gold-day, earth-day. These are some of the first kanji to learn usually. 日、月、火、水、木、金、土。And they're not too hard to learn how to write. In Japanese class at the community college, Akiko sensei had us learn these with fun worksheets^^

Umm anyways! Getting off topic^___^ I've been going through youtube all morning since pop got me excited to pick some more Christmas music for Curry's ChristmasRadio. Then I got sidetracked and worked on my music box playlist some more hehe. Some are songs I know, some are just shuper pwetty. Please try playing my new playlist and begin to enter a calm wonderful world of オルゴール。It's a neighbor to Curry World, do you know? hehe^^

I hope you begin to love music box music too. It's something of a sound of a remnant of the age of fairytales and true love, don't you think? In a natsukashii way too........ even songs that aren't meant to sound like a fairytale. Then start to daydream about something うれしい…

Sunday lunch

2011-12-11T18:24:00.001-08:00

Whew! The afternoon finally ended, huh? How was your Sunday, minna-san?

Here's lunch from after church^^ church was really good today. Me n PK came late T^T and sat in the coffeehouse (it's pretty much a side room) and watched the teaching from the tv back there. That's what we usually do^^ it takes a lot of get-up-and-go to try to get a seat in the crowded main church. It's fine sitting back there though! The teaching ... was about love... and Jesus♥... and stuff 'n stuff^^ we're in the middle of Galatians 2 and it's really good.

So after church, sadly I was in a bad mood and yelled at mum in the grocery market T____T what's with that? So then I stayed calm and polite and quiet the rest of the way home. On the way, we stopped at a bakery and bought a loaf of cranberry hazelnut sourdough bread. It's really expensive, but we haven't had any like it in a while. That's what I ate^^ that, a slice of muenster cheese, and hot mugi-cha.

I just finished with the things I got at the market. It was oatmeal soap, borax, and a pumice stone. Put all together in a tricky fashion, it made a birthday gift for my big brother♥ just in case he ever looks at my blog, I won't give any more details to spoil the surprise entirely. I was gonna make a shopping list to hand-make something for dad for Christmas, but then I remembered something better to just buy. Easier hehe^^ and it supports Japan economy! So hmmmm...... just one more person to buy a present for... or make? But it makes me nervous to craft things 'cause it makes big messes in the end. Don't like mess...... what to do what to do.

Huh! I was wondering why pop wasn't home yet... he's at the local community radio station (￣◇￣)... he's doing a messianic Bible study over the air like he does Friday nights over at the church he goes to. If you wanna listen, it's KSKQ 89.5 -- http://www.kskq.org

Well well it's time of night to get shweepy, ne? yaaaaaaawn...... maybe time to read some Astro Boy^^ can't wait to eat more bread soon!

CANDY II !!!

2011-12-10T18:35:00.000-08:00

Hey there^^

It's time for more candy! One is my favorite choco bar and one is something new I just bought tonight to share. Please enjoy and find these things yourself to try them!

Kinder Country!!! This is my faaaaavorite Kinder candy^____^ and I think most favorite chocolate bar too. It's super yummy milk choco outer and milky milk filling--- and inside with the milk is a bunch of kinds of toasted crunchy grains! Wheat, rice, buckwheat..... barley and spelt! It's kinda like eating breakfast cereal and milk hehe. You know I love love whole grain stuff, and love x 3 milk, so yeah~~ perfect choco bar♥♥

And this! It's a packet of three wrapped salted caramel pops I got at Prize this evening. I was feeling better than yesterday and went out Christmas shopping downtown. Didn't really find much in the way of presents..... but I got another new Astro Boy manga and these candies! Mum doesn't eat sugar much, so when I got back to the shop, Doug ate one and I ate one^^ then we talked about A Christmas Carol with lollipops in our mouths. hehehehe candy talk^///^)) and the third one is for ??? It was really super delicious and sweeeeet-- just the thing I needed to wake up 'cause it gets so dark so early these days! Then Doug went on and on about eating at this buffet tomorrow and Taco Bell and such and I got really hungry T^T how come the thought of junk food makes you so hungry? Oh well, it's almost dinner time now^^

So the Kinder bar is from Germany (bought at Market of Choice) and the lollipops are from France. A whole world of candy! People just love sugar in one form or other pretty much everywhere, huh? It's kinda cool how candy is so universal. Even in our little town, if you're clever^^, you can find alllll sorts of candy from lots of places. I think, if there were to be a marvelous candy shop with all these and more, it would be too much!

...

Or maybe not^^ but perhaps I'd have some bad tooth cavities if that were the case hehe ~~ but anyway, I wouldn't trade either place to have a candy shop instead^___^

That's all for tonight. minna-san, please don't eat too much sugar and candy at one time. Even though it's all around you, it's best saved for special treats. Especially this time of year 'cause sugar makes your immune system lazier than it should be. Always eat balanced diet of whole grain, veg, fruits, some protein, and some dairy^^ and lots and lots of water! Unsweetened herb tea is good too^^

baibai♥

Drawing afternoon

2011-12-10T13:44:00.001-08:00

Hi hi^^

Don't know why but I felt a little dizzy today. This is me being dizzy. But I didn't remember the right sound effect for dizzy...... is that okay -___-?

And this is Eddie-kun drinking something hot to try n get warm. What do you think the drink should be? Chocolate is poisonous for cats, so I don't think they have hot choco on board. It's probably coffee, ne? That seems even more likely that tea to be on a ship. And that would explain Eddie's ungrateful expression. I didn't like coffee either when I was his age. But if you gotta drink it, you get used to the taste. ...... especially with milk and lots of sugar hehe^____^ Back when Mizu and Mochi were kittens about six years ago, I heard coffee was good for allergies so that's when I started drinking it. It didn't really help..... too much. But now I love love the taste of coffee--- black, milky, sugary, or whatever-- but only drink it for special treat^^ Someday maybe Eddie will be coffee connoisseur too!

Oh oh so I just noticed something from the Astro Boy book I bought a while ago--- Tezuka-san wears a beret too???? (hehehe the "too"^^) Wonder why I never saw that before? Maybe 'cause he wears doctor clothes a lot in Black Jack? Or maybe 'cause I just started wearing mine again this fall? So isn't that cooooooooool??? We have the same hat^^ ....... but I suppose lots of artists wear berets? But I don't know of any others so it's way cool.

Also another cool snapshot^^ the moon has been shining on my floor the past couple days when we come home. Moonlight on the floor is nice, ne? And the moon has been so big and bright! Sad thing is though..... none of us has been stargazing since it got cold. I miss the milky way! And the teapot! And the scorpion! I was getting reallllly good at finding constellations...... do you know if Orion is out yet? I missed him all summer^^ Maybe it's time to face the cold and bundle bundle up and go look up at the sky! The scarf I'm working on is about halfway done, it's going to be perfect for bundling up^^

Oh well, lunch time is up now. baibai, minna-san.

Walk walk walk......

2011-12-09T15:23:00.001-08:00

A dose of fresh outside is good, ne minna-san? For no particular reason I'm having a sad day so a walk...... was good?

Today's walk around downtown was theme: the most probable deserted path, but with a little foot traffic here and there for obvious reason. Obviously I can't tell you a map of this tour because then people'll start walking it more and I won't have anywhere to walk when I wanna be alone.

Alone with my best buddy anyway^^ PK came too. It didn't start out to be deserted tour, at first I wanted to go by shop windows to spy if there were anyplace to buy a Christmas present. But the atmosphere around so many people was too heavy and I didn't wanna start crying walking down the road...... so we turned off suddenly to a stair down to an alley. Relief (｡-_-｡) Anyways, there's a back entrance to Lithia Park so we took that, and walked by a lady by the Shakespeare theater sitting all by herself in a row of benches. It's a good day to go off alone-- the sun came out so it's nice.

When we arrived down in the park, I stood atop a walkway for a minute trying to judge the best route from there. Then....... I saw something strange about the duck pond. It's frozen o__o)!!

Frozen frozen...... and our feet. There was an old guy taking photos too with a real camera.

Sitting on a rock by the pond and glowing... there weren't any ducks though. But the glimpse of sun was nice. Be it as it were--- just a break from work-- we couldn't stop for long.

Then adjacent from the duck pond, where the sun was pouring through the trees, you could see the bugs flying around all glowy like in Kokiri Village...... and there was a little cute girl running.

That's pretty much it, 'cept I thought of a scenario of me fitting into the story of Night on the Galactic Railroad and it made me sad too.......

And I brought my new castanet in my pocket, but it wasn't yet dark enough to play it along the way. Next time, ne.... when there's more wonder and mystery in the air.

Gotta go now ..... work some more I guess.

Ne, question: do you believe the story of The Velveteen Rabbit?

baibai

Today and yesterday and the day before

2011-12-08T20:16:00.000-08:00

Hallo minna-san!

The day before...

I watched lots of Powerpuff Girls Z with PK, and Momoko-chan is always eating sweets and cakes and it made me sooo hungry for cake. So mum and dad brought me home a piece of cake from the market! It was yummmmmy....... but it just wasn't the same as Japanese cake, so the next day we went to Ichigo Cakes and I got an ichigo roll cake^_____^ deeeeeeeelicious!!!!! The best cake ever! He let me try an earl grey cookie and he gave me a financier cookie with dried papaya and hazelnut on top. UWAA I've never eaten one before! Soooooo delicious too!!! If you're ever in Ashland, you must must go buy some things at Ichigo Cakes. hehe and say I sent you^____^

Today...

My friend and her brother stopped by the shop today really quick^^ and she gave me a birthday present!!! I think I gave her a late birthday present this year too hehe. She was on her way traveling so we just had a quick hello but it was really nice. So the present??? It was a suuuuper cute white hat with button and lace and kinda bronze colored embroidered tree outline on the side (no pic 'cause it didn't turn out too good inside in the dark). It soo matches my outfit and my new locket necklace♥♥ funny thing was, she inspected the off white beret I was wearing all the way 'round when they first came in. But the hat she gave me is so cozy and handmade and fits perfect! Even on my big head hehe^^ or maybe it's just my poof poof hair that makes it seem big....... oh oh!!! And clack clack clack! Castanet!!!! hehehehe already walking outside in the dark after post office with pop-- and to the car with mum and Doug I got to hop skip and sing "Zuntaka pokoten"♥♥♥

Please watch the first episode of Aria the Natural to see the zuntaka pokoten scene with Cait Sith dressed up like Casanova-san^^

It's so fun to go clack clack with^____^ whatever happened to the blue plastic one I had when I was little, who knows, but finally my hands have met a new castanet-- and this time it's a pretty dark wood and... fish shaped! Is it supposed to look like fish? Eddie-kun should have a fish shaped castanet too^^ You know? There's castanets in another favorite anime. King of Bandits Jing the episode of the musical town of Coco Oco! It's really calm episode ... unlike the rest of the series. And it has a sweet love story and there's lots of Kir in it and not so much Jing until the end^^ If the first episode puts you off the series, please continue watching 'cause Jing is sooooo cool and Kir has my favorite voice actor, and the band Scudelia Electro that does all the music for it is really good! It's a little creepy... and Jing is a bandit after all, and it's not good to look up to people who steal things but....... he's a good kid deep down^^ hehe. And the characters are named after liqueurs. Fun ne^^

Yay! I found the real Japanese version of the show^____^ two parts! Please enjoy. But if you enjoy a bunch, please go out and buy the dvd set from your local shop like the one I work at, 'kay?

This castanet she gave me actually came on a stick so all you have to do is wave it around to get sound, but it also detaches like how it is in the pics^^. Two in one, ne! Thank you so much♥♥ It was a very surprising wonderful blessing today.

Now, yesterday and today...

I took makeup shots both days. Well, I was planning on showing just yesterday, but there was a makeup error due to forgetfulness ~___~" the inside eye line on the bottom right was missing eyeliner.. ummm but anyways enough of that! Today (on the right) is how my hair and look usually is. Yesterday I had to do part up hair 'cause it was being a menace. Looks real different, ne? hmmmm...

Lately I've been remembering stuff. Like, how yummy fresh takoyaki is. I hope it doesn't stay long. There's too many things I'd rather leave alone in the lost memories vault. And most of them are tastes of things I can't eat here. Go 'way memories! Come back some other time, okay?

Another funny thing-- since we got rid of satellite tv and since dad is recovering from operation and staying in bed more when we're at home and since winter came and it's too cold to open windows, there's been lots of absence of noise in the house. I can't live without noise. This winter silence is the worst ever T____T the most perfect noise there could be is the sort of noise a person would experience in a busy cafe in Paris, I imagine. That's the kind of noise I love-- traffic, incoherent talking, etc city noises♥ but the constant lull of the freeway here is okay too....... so instead of regular noise, I've been playing radio stations on the computer from Japan. It's good 'specially the talking parts.

http://tunein.com/radio/Japan-r101255/ << list of Japan stations

That's all for tonight. Sleepy and should eat dinner soon. hmmmm what to eat......... by the way, there was moonlight on the floor in my room tonight^^ is it full moon?

baibai

This Christmas

2011-12-06T14:28:00.001-08:00

This afternoon I was puzzled with a very puzzling puzzle. .........

See, it's Christmastime now, right? Every year my family vows to not buy very many presents 'cause it's always a tough time of year to have any spare change in your pocket. But inevitably, we three always scrounge up presents from who knows where. This year dad especially doesn't want a Christmas tree. He thought the idea of a giant menorah would be cool, but seriously now! So that left me with a puzzle that wrenched at my problem-solving detective department of my mind until I had to find a solution. Where do we put the presents??????

Et Voilà!

Our new little centerpiece on the coffee table^____^

An ornament tree pop bought one year for sparkle sparkle kira kira. A cat-shaped red glass wine bottle vase with dried carnations for pretty. A big Hanukkah menorah to remind us of the amazing miracle G-d performed for the Macabees loooooong long ago. A mini menorah for kawaii. And my yogurt container ficus tree to hang a few ornaments on for fun and...... to remind us of the tree--- the cross that Jesus died upon to save us all from sin and death so that we can live♥♥ I never really thought about associating Christmas trees with Christ like that before. But Pastor John at church told us that^____^ "Don't forget while you're decorating the tree-- about THE tree. The cross!" something like that, I'm terrible at remembering exact words^^

For most people, trees are a tradition thing. And for others it's an evil pagan thing to be avoided. Be it what it may, I'm gonna remember Jesus and His super amazing love when I see our little kawaii tree. yaaaaaaaaaay Happy Birthday Jesus!!!!! Love love Christmas it's the best best best!

If all Christmas is is presents, family, decorations, eating candy canes and fruit cake (yumm♥)--- well, those things bring joy to bunches of people. But what about the people who look on sad or bitter at these things? Do they get Christmas too? Or do they not want anything to do with it T___T? It's really tough to be an on-looker this time of year...... even for the parade a few weekends ago in Ashland-- all these cute young couples walking arm in arm trying to stay warm and groups of friends laughing together and families enjoying time together even with runny noses... I felt left out 'cause I didn't have any of those. I was in the shop standing at the till the whole time. Had no excuse to go out and join, and didn't really wanna go out alone. Being in a crowd alone is one of the toughest things there is. BUT!!! I fought the loneliness away and looked on and was happy for them. I have Jesus. He stays with me always so I don't have to be lonely. If everyone knew Jesus was the really real reason for Christmas, everyone could be so much happier^^ wouldn't hafta worry about presents or the big party or making sure the kids think Santa ate their cookies and milk--- Jesus is our present and our party and who we believe in! Nothing else matters! etto... sure I'd be a liar if I said I didn't want any presents... 2012 Osamu Tezuka calendar pwease^____^? hehe if any of us get any presents, it's just gonna be icing on the cake. Right right? All this extra stuff is just little blessings G-d blesses us with^^.

So so? What's with all the Hanukkah menorahs then? hehehe^^# well, 'cause me and my family is Jewish besides believing in Jesus, we also celebrate Jewish holidays! And no.... kids who celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah don't get twice as many presents. That's a silly myth^^. When I was little, my parents would let me open a little tiny Christmas present on a few nights of Hanukkah if I had to. To me, Jewish holidays are a wonderful tradition that I hope to pass on someday to my kids too (if I ever have any). I love how you get to light candles and sing prayers and songs in Hebrew-- I'd love for us to be able to do Sabbath too or even just light candles like Grandma and Grandpa do back east! But we don't have to follow the law of Moses anymore, so it's not imperative to do any of this (that's a relief, right?). Jesus came and fulfilled it with His grace^^ So now it seems like we should do Jewish things to keep our heritage alive, ne! Jesus celebrated the holidays 'n stuff when He was on earth. Wonder if the same things are celebrated in Heaven......? Wonder if they eat latkes in Heaven? With applesauce or sour cream? (applesauce please....) hehe ok just being silly^^

Anyways, getting shweepy now^^. Oh and the sun is back! Since today! The fog rolled on^^ And I discovered a website to listen to radio stations around the world and there are a bunch from Japan. We've been listening to a Christian music station like, all day long it's really cool^^ here, Christian music on the radio sounds a lot like country music. On this radio station, it just sounds like regular praise music like you hear in church, sometimes like jpop!

Also in the news, way off topic, finally I finished reading The Sign of Four. I never wished more for a Sherlock Holmes story to end already T___T But at least the ending was nice for Dr. Watson. Congrats Watson o(^▽^)o!!!

Gotta go now baibai

CANDY !!!

2011-12-06T10:36:00.000-08:00

This morning...

...

etto! Good morning minna-san!

Anyway, this morning I opened up a box of Botan Rice Candy and I found a SHUUUUUPER kawaii sticker!!! Nezumi-family bath time!かわいいねー。I love how in Japan families take baths together^_____^ It's so sweet. like in Totoro! nahaha sooo cuuuute. Thank you soooooo much, Laura-chan^^

And here's my new choco bar! I wanted one from another country so it's really made in Switzerland^^ The other Lindt bars were made here. ??? And the packaging is so pretty, ne! Mum and I tried a square each last night and we both thought it was yummy. Just right between sweet and bitter. Guess that's why they call it bittersweet? hehe

Also, last night I drew two pages of manga in the pages of that sketchbook with the guidelines marked in it ... ne, ne, remember? Maybe I'll show you later. It's just practice so nothing too great to speak of -___- but this time I tried keeping everything inside the boxes --- instead of like lots of manga these days with stuff all over the page that sometimes you get lost trying to figure out what you're supposed to read next. I really really like how those manga look..... all collage-y looking... but for practice I'm gonna keep everything neat 'n in line. Maybe just for now^^ I dunno we'll see, ne?

Have a good day! Stay warm, okay? All right!

Frost frost frost

2011-12-05T11:54:00.000-08:00

You know that fog we've been having? Well it's not just fog-- everything's been covered in frost too. I hope my little camphor tree survives....... been trying to keep an eye on the temperature to make sure it doesn't get below 20 degrees. Even this morning it was snowing a little bit of powdered sugar.

The cold came on suddenly, as usual, this year-- and caught the roses by surprise. Here's some rosy frosty pictures for you from this morning!

My iphone camera doesn't really capture how frozen everything else is down the street, but you can tell with the rosebush^^;;

brrr.....

Frozen rose hips O__O"

Very pretty little ice topped rose flower.

Still frozen coming into Ashland. But in town it's so sunny and the frost is melting! Wouldn't be surprised if this was the coldest it got this cold season. And it's still autumn^____^... g-gao

ne, minna-san! How do you keep warm in cold weather???

I try not to stay outside too long... and wear a scarf and hat. Sometimes when I'm really chilled, drink lots of hot tea.

How about you?

baibai

Today's manga

2011-12-04T16:10:00.001-08:00

... didn't go so well T^T ... sorry for dark pic too. I must've spent an hour just trying to draw this one page. とてもわるいことだ！

..... anou..............

I think for the rest of free afternoon I'll write instead of trying to go on. The best that could happen is I run out of nice manga paper. Then I'd hafta go to Beaverton or San Francisco to buy more T_____T... maybe save drawing for another day. But one practice sheet was pretty good.

oooooooooo minna-san!!!! I just thought of something! In my new sketchbook I should trace the manga paper ruling into it so I can practice anytime anywhere! Then if something good happens, I can trace it to real paper! waaaaaai good idea! ..... also I forgot to ask G-d to help me draw before I started... but I think that idea just now was a present from Him! サンキュー！！！ hehe^^;; practice practice, ne?

ohayou de nichiyoubi^^

2011-12-04T12:22:00.000-08:00

'morning, minna-san!

When the sun came up this morning it looked like the deep fog that's been smothering the valley was gonna go away, but no such luck yet. I have a treat of photo blog for you today! Please enjoy^^

Mum dragged me from a sullen gloom out to the library yesterday. I found this picture of a steam and sail ship, kinda just like the Pirate Cat Six's. I didn't know they actually existed hehe I just thought it'd be really convenient for them ^^;; this ship looks really nice-- I wonder how it'd do for pirates?

Actually, this morning's sunrise was kinda funny looking. You can't really tell in this photo, but the shadow of the moon was there too. A little bit to the right. Maybe they were saying see ya later until next time they met^^

My new candle!!! It smells gooooood. It says vanilla cinnamon brûlée but it smells like something I've smelled before...... pop is so sensitive to perfumes and smells that growing up, I remember mum only had one teeny tiny vial of perfume. And smelly candles were out of the question. So now sometimes I like to find things that have really awesome scents to make up for it! Haven't been there in a while, but I love going to Bath and Body Works 'cause of their delicious smelling things^^ Twilight Woods is my favorite. And Country Chic-- and sweet pea! Wonder if they still have all those flavors.......

..... and from the mail I got a bunch of travel brochures from Star Clippers^^ all the trips look sooooo awesome! But the transatlantic one looked the best! How cool would that be... ne!

And last we have a messy pile of Pirate Cat Six drawings from '08-'09-ish. I'm so used to hanging out with Eddie from now, that I kinda forgot what he was like then and if I might wanna start some manga stories then...... 'spose it'd be good to sort of start at the beginning? Not like the really really beginning maybe... you know how some storylines start by skipping the very beginning so the main character is more mysterious and intriguing? Or in the very least, a little interesting so you wanna find out where they're coming from^^

That's all for now! Have a nice Sunday. Hope it's sunny sunny by you!

Oyasumi baibai

2011-12-01T23:34:00.001-08:00

minna-san, oyasuminasai.

This is the paper cut-out lampshade I made for the lamp that I broke it's pretty glass shade. Its twin still has its original shade^^ but I've been using this one a bunch lately.

Tonight mum got a wrong number on her phone. It was a guy asking for PK. etto....... do you think the evil fashion spies finally found out PK's hideout? Or was it really a missed call meant for somebody else? ... It wouldn't keep bothering me but, we just watched The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya. And sometimes strange stuff really does come true. g-gao......

Also, life is really short. The past seems like an eternity, but the present goes by so fast. I hope I get to spend time again with some certain people^^ And meet some new people to spend time with. I mean, spending time alone is good too--- But lemme tell you a story! It's about little nachan many many years ago......... I spent a lot lot of time in my parents shop my whole life and especially when I was little. So I had a lot of toys there-- and for a little while I had a wonderful comfy beanbag chair-- and we used to sell toys so I'd play with those too. One of my favorites were all my plastic mini animals. Mum would take me down the block to a real toy store and buy me them once in a while. uwaaaa natsukashii*^^* ... one time they had a contest to draw their little mascot animal (a hedgehog maybe? wearing an apron and glasses) and I got first place in it^___^ ummm but anyways, one day I had a friend over and we played with my animals. Then she had to leave. Then I started picking up where we left off but it wasn't fun anymore 'cause I knew what was gonna happen next. When my friend was there, she added in new personalities and possibilities into the little animals. Now that she was gone--- the poor little animals had to go back to being regular plastic toys.

That's a little like writing. There's only so many personalities I can give my characters before I run out. But being around other real people, even just observing them from afar, you can see so much more beyond one's imagination. Imagine actually interacting with the other people-- the interesting traits you can discover! It's my job to interact with people, in a way. But I'm no Sherlock Holmes, so I can't usually tell what somebody's like by saying, "Hello!--- If you need help finding something, let me know!--- All ready?--- $21.98--- Here's the one to sign--- Would you like a bag today?--- All right. Thank you very much!"

nahaha^^;;

Oh, that's right! I went to the comics shop again today but he still didn't have either thing I wanted, so I bought an Astro Boy! The very first page had Tezuka-san going on and on about silly stuff mangaka talk about and then introduced the story. suteki desuwa~~. I wish they had printed the English version right-to-left though T^T but it's okay^^ they had to accommodate the people who used to watch Tetsuwan Atomu in English in b/w on tv back in the day. I just love love how Tezuka-san tells the stories^^ he passed away about a year after I was born. I've probably been scribbling one thing or another since then^^ I wish to be able to draw stories like him! That draw you in and make you feel emotion like the characters feel. Like you're not just some random person reading pictures in black and white-- but you're in the story too, cheering for the hero, and weeping with unfortunate supporting characters, and laughing at silly comedic inserts to lighten up the story. hehe like the "At yer service" guy^___^#

maa maa, I hadn't thought I'd be writing this much! Guess my new manga is prize for getting through NaNo, huh! p.s. if a girl wants to be friends with a boy, how do you do that anymore? I grew up with a big brother so when I was little one of my best friends was a boy. I never got why the other girls thought boys were not good for friends. We would play basketball with his little brother in their driveway, and play in his treehouse, and ..... when we had to move away, his family threw me the most awesome farewell party with all the neighborhood kids. After we moved across town, I wasn't in a normal school anymore and I didn't have any friends. Then I started going to a school in a different town altogether and I didn't have any friends, girl or boy. What I'm getting at is, do boys my age still like video games and building with Legos and shooting hoops? Or are they like on tv and no good for being regular friends anymore? I wonder ....... maybe it's best to avoid such circumstances.

Do you ever wonder what age we're gonna look like in our new bodies in Heaven? I hope to look like seven-year-old little nacchan^^ Then in Heaven I'll have soooo many more "nii-san"s (big brothers) I could go up to Sampson and ask him, "ne! niisan, did you really eat honey out of that lion's gut?" Then he'd pat me on the head and a lion would walk over and hand me a piece of honeycomb to munch on , then Jesus would come over and sit down on the ground and I'd sit on His knee and get sticky honey all over my face and then the lion would bring Him some honey too and we'd both be a super sticky sweet mess.

yummmmm I want some honey now! Oh well save it for tomorrow^^

oyasumi baibai!

Fashion switch! & national novel writing month afterthoughts

2011-11-30T23:47:00.000-08:00

こんばんは、みんなさん！

Good evening, dear people~~

Tonight I bring to you a coordi sketch photo because I haven't had the time to take a more interesting photo lately. It's my clothes plan 'cause for a while I haven't really thought much about what I'm wearing, so here it is! And the new blue theme illustrated^^ Wearing pink is too easy to be cute-- blue presents a challenge in kawaii! (but it'll be an even more challenge because I don't actually own anything blue except jeans..) As usual, I drew in a few pieces I already own (and in the process of crocheting), and then some that can probably only be found in big city or Asia fashion shops ~___~ heheheh... but after checking Goodwill I found a shuuuper cute lovely light blue roll-up boyfriend style jeans pants!!! $4.99, and $3.99 for a cute beige braided pleather belt to keep them from falling down. ....... and mum ended up buying them for me after all -/////-... I'll hafta buy her something next!!

haihai! That's all for clothes!

Today was the last day for NaNoWriMo to finish up on time. Actually, by some major super awesome blessing, I was able to get past 50,000 words and end off in a suitable break between a first and second half of the story a little past midnight or one in the morning last night (thank you Jesus!). WHEW O__O!!! Now that I'm done it's a way burden off my back. But...... it was a very very enjoyable burden as it turned out. And ...... I kind of miss it! It's not even December first and I'm missing it already! I miss forcing myself to follow around, and stalk, and watch around corners, as I narrate Eddie's adventures. This was also the first time I found him in a place based on a real factual place in Italy. ayaya it was soooo tough! But thanks to it being someplace very touristy in real life too, I was able to find lots and lots of photos to help^____^ thanks to everyone who's travel photos of Vernazza and Cinque Terre helped so much! You have no idea what a mess the story would have been if not for all the wonderful photographers and travelers out there♥♥

Anyway, now that I'm not forced to write on the computer to keep track of word count, I wonder...... what do you think? Do I dare attempt trying to draw manga story again? Or shall I write freestyle in notebooks to get ideas out quicker? hehe not that I have any ideas yet^___^# .... besides that we need to go to Venice and finish up the story we started in NaNo. I kinda feel bad using up nice ruled manga paper if it doesn't go well but...... I wanna be mangaka already!!!!! And sail the seven seas♥♥ Off topic-- notice there's a new link to the right for the Star Clippers Blog??? Look look look at it onegaishimasuuuu! Dream come true ........ I wanna sail with them! We got a little flyer in the mail a few years ago advertising a trip to Tahiti on one of their ships. That memory of the picture of the brochure popped up in my head one night when I was jealous of Eddie and his travels (hehe -__-")) and feeling the need to get a better job, so I was looking up jobs on cruise ships. And then I found the Star Clippers and daydreamed about it the whole night........... Where is my place in the world anyways? I forever have the feeling deep inside of me, of a heart-wrenching tugging call of the ocean.... when we go visit Grandma and get the chance to go to the jetty, it's always a wonderful wonderful natsukashii experience. I go run up to the wet sand and search for seashells and glimmering sea glass-- then draw pictures with a stick of driftwood between foot tracks and puppy paw prints, then stare out to the horizon and wish I could be there forever. Then take some photos so I don't forget-- knowing that's completely impossible anyways. The mountains here are majestic, and the valleys are full of fruit... and yet... I long to look out across the blue-green expanse and see forever-- that unending landscape-- as if looking over the edge of the world itself. uwaaaa suteki~~! The only thing better than that I can think of is to fly on wings unhindered by gravity and look out into the beautiful sky and sea below. All your troubles seem so small from way up there........

ara ara! Before the thought is finished, though, two tv recommendations for you! Air the animation series-- about another girl who loves to look out over the sea and spread her arms like flying, and a legend of winged people of old. And the movie, Brazil. It's rated R so only grown ups can watch this, okay? Okay! About a dark and overly-paperworked future and about a guy who longs to fly with wings of pure white and armor of shining gold and dreams of it every night-- and of meeting the most beautiful girl in the world up there in the sky. Both these films are initially about freedom. Freedom to love and escape an age-old curse disguised as an untreatable deadly illness, and freedom to love and escape the crooked system to peace and quiet. Freedom is a funny thing, really.... is there really such a thing as being truly free? I don't think so... BUT!!!

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. (Romans 6:22 NIV)

If there's a choice between being enslaved by the law and sin and darkness of the world, or serving under the master, G-d Himself..... well would I choose anything but being a bond-servant of Christ Jesus??? (bond-servant means you're a slave for life, out of your own choice^^) In Jesus there is grace. When I realize I did something bad, He forgives it farther than eternity. And He loves me a million times more than I can fathom. He wants to bless me and see me happy and prosperous. What did I do to deserve the wonderfulness of this??? I'm a flawed human, dying more and more everyday, not doing much good works to amount to anything.

And yet.... all G-d asks us to do is believe in His one and only Son. And in this is life. Though my body be mortal and grow old and break, my soul will live. Live live live! Jesus has vanquished death once and for all by dying on the cross, and carrying the weight of all past, present, and future sins upon Himself. Sin is the only thing that stands in the way of life and freedom from this world, in Jesus. If you ask Jesus to come into your heart, He will clean you up and make you pure again. Then if you let Him, He will take away all your sorrows and things that drag you down and make you worry and grieve. You don't have to be burdened and broken anymore♥♥ Jesus is calling to you-- to let Him take care of you. He loves you so much..... He wants you to love and trust Him. And He will provide all your needs.

In the physical realm I long to feel freedom and not be trapped in this valley I pretend to call home. But spiritually I'm free and light as a flying winged person, protected under the magnificent wings of my L-rd. My real home is not of this world, I'm just passing through here on earth on my way back home. yaaaaaaay! Can't wait^_____^ Can't wait to get there. Can we go already ... ??? hehe^^

I'm still not gonna give up on that ocean thing, though. It might be some time before I get to go to Heaven, right? In the meantime I'm gonna ask Jesus! He might chuckle lovingly and pat me on the head and tell me I have too many new ideas all the time ..... or maybe some time from now, I'll be blogging from a ship's cabin in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and look back on this post and see what a blessed life I had even now. Then I'd open my little round window and breath deep the fresh sea air. Then snack on some teriyaki seaweed. Then run out and search my snack drawer and pull out some kinako candy. etto...... I'm making myself hungry - -;;))

That's all for tonight! Soo shweepy.... but so high on Jesus! But so shweepy... awe, G-d is so good♥

p.s. please listen to new Curry's AnimeChristmas playlist!!!!! Updated tonight!!! Alllllll Japan Christmas music!

http://www.live365.com/stations/currythecat

Happy December! おやすみ^^ I feel too excited after that big pep Jesus awesomeness talk! Don't wanna stop! ayaya kinda lightheaded... probably should say goodnight already^^

baibai minna-san! I missed writing to you. I'll try to take more pictures and draw more drawings for you to look at 'n stuff♥ Soon soon! *falls asleep and starts drooling contentedly like a kitty cat♥*

Late Thanksgiving

2011-11-27T16:54:00.001-08:00

Hallo there, minna-san!

There are only three more days left in November--- it sure went by fast,ね? Yesterday I was invited to my dear friend's house for Thanksgiving feast. I made an apple crisp that morning, just so I could bring them anything at all in appreciation. Pictures!

Recipe: http://www.yummly.com/recipe/oatmeal-apple-crisp-Recipe-Chow-48708

As you maybe guess-- I hardly ever follow recipes straight. But for this, I stuck to the crisp top recipe only adding in a few fresh cracked crumbled mixed nuts and a little more oats at the end to make the top look nice. As for the filling, I come from a line of family members that complain if there's any crunch left whatsoever in the apples pertaining to any sort of apple pie or crisp or baked apple. Even though I wasn't baking it for them, I cooked the apples on the stove top first, with lots of spices (subbing more cinnamon for allspice 'cause we didn't have any) and probably more honey than it called for. We didn't have any lemon juice, and I kinda forgot about that -___- or else I would have thrown in a dash of salt to make the flavor have more harmony. As it was, I made the mistake of baking in front of my parents and got yelled at for doing stuff wrong by both of them when I peeled the apples with my Chinese cleaver. T____T ... hey Chinese chefs use those for everything! It's my favorite knife ever.... it's not like we have another suitable knife I feel comfortable with to do even delicate work with. ummm but anyways.... I brought home leftovers and mum got to eat some and she liked it. うれしい。あたしもスキ。Actually, I like it so much I had seconds at breakfast. hnn... it's pretty healthy n__n;; right? My tummy really appreciates spices too.

Here's the whole thing! It's cute baked in a tart pan, right^^?

It was a very nice afternoon and evening spending time at my friend's house^^ We ate tons of good natural food made by her and her dad and brother. On real Thanksgiving Day, dad, mum, and I went to a restaurant and it tasted good but we all felt really gross afterwards. But this dinner was so good and heartfelt and delicious that almost everyone had seconds around nine that night^____^ Thank you so much!
Oh so if you might notice at the top of the blog posts here, there's something new that says "newest update♥". I actually signed back up to Twitter for this. See, I never saw the use in Twitter for social stuff, and nobody I know uses it so it was pretty useless and I got rid of it. But today I was wishing I could post little mini updates when I don't feel like or don't have time to write a whole lot for the Curry World blog, and this seemed the best way! Do you think? It blends in pretty nicely too. Thusly, since the "recent posts" was kinda redundant after all, it's left to go onto bigger and better things. baibai~~~!

Something came up once pertaining to where I learned to write. えっと… I sure hope I'm a better writer than I think... but who knows^^? I never really liked to read when I was little unless the books had tons of pictures. Or nothing but pictures was good too hehe. I am amazed if anyone reads through long posts like this, 'cause I probably wouldn't. Sometimes nowadays I can read a real book for grownups with only a picture on the cover (or please some illustrations inside?) ... if the main character is likable and the story is exciting. Or it doesn't even have to be the main character. Or it's too out there that I have to hear the end of it or it'll never stop bugging me (the latter happened twice to two H.G. Wells books in a set dad bought me). And even if I happen to read a real book, it's most likely to be about 100 years old 'cause I'm of the school of thought that there's too many good old books to read first before anything new. Thus said, I owe my writing style to, not books or schooling..... but to growing up playing video games with storylines that make you read to get places. hehehehe^^# So really I should owe my writing to my onii-san 'cause he was the one with all the videogames that he sometimes let me play too. I don't know if this is entirely correct, but one time pop said my writing sounds like video game so since then, that's that. I don't play anymore if only for a silly memory, so since then the influence might have evolved a little. Well, whatever! When it all comes down to it, G-d could tell you where I got writing from^____^ from Him of course!

This afternoon has been a day off from work. The tv has been helping me with background noise while we begin to wrap up the Pirate Cat Six story. First TV-kun played Night On the Galactic Railroad for me (the best for writing to so far♥) and now Mononoke-hime. It's easier to watch when you only look up every few minutes for a sec 0__0|||. And it's nice to listen to Japanese language (no subtitles allowed during writing). And the soundtrack is very pretty in places.

Ok! I'm getting too too antsy to get back to the story! Eddie is going to a secret meeting with the bad guys at Santa Margherita D'Antiochia church this evening before they leave port. etto.... why do bad guys like to use churches like that? And in anime some bad characters wear cross emblems. I don't get it T___T but I hope somehow by somebody seeing something like that, they can be lead to the real cross. Jesus' cross♥♥

That's all for now! And now you can stayed tuned with the mini updates too! It's really dark in here gotta turn on some lights ~~~

matane, minna-san!

Mini work manga

2011-11-23T14:43:00.001-08:00

I drew this today at the shop. For about the first hour of work, I was there alone -- a little nervous but I sold some stuff to people and said hi to even more people^____^ There must be people in town for Thanksgiving weekend, ne? Christmas parade tomorrow too! This is a major major pig-out holiday (or at least that's what it has turned into over the years^^;;) And lots and lots of turkeys and piggies are served as the main course. So many cute animals are eaten on Thanksgiving without the eater giving a second thought to it.... I'm not a vegetarian any more like Jason (in this comic), but I don't eat meat much and not any beef if I can help it. But I still get excited to eat a turkey leg around this time of year. ..... ne, minna-san, this year let's be extra thankful and say thank you prayer to G-d especially for the animals that had to give up their lives for our dinner, 'kay?

So! Imitation yon-koma manga! Let me introduce Jason Valenta from the Curry the Cat story! I haven't drawn any of them in a while^^ Curry the Cat is a regular-life story about a talking cat named Curry, a little blonde girl named Kim, and Jason. Those three make up the Valentin family! Kim goes to elementary school and has a cute friend named Vivian there. And Kim's teacher has a major crush on Jason, but he's too dense to notice hehe. As far as anybody knows, Curry is the only talking cat in the world, and as such, the Valentin family has to move around, country to country, to escape all the commotion and publicity that Curry attracts everywhere. They just moved to a cute old-fashioned coastal town with a bunch of superstitious people who don't really welcome them too much. Oh well, that's better than being too popular? Jason, a man of all trades, got the only available job in town, butcher. Kim and curry are omnivores and fishyvores, respectively, so they like that Jason works there and brings home fresh fish and ham sandwiches all the time, but it's an occupation totally against his morals. *sigh* What can ya do?

I like to write adventure and out-of-this-world stuff mostly so Curry has been sitting on the back burner for a long time. But still, he was my very first cartoon character I ever really named^^♥ he's a shuper special kitty!

Bye for now! Lunchtime's over! Work work work work work........ *pretends to be super busy* hehehe

The print shop

2011-11-22T23:45:00.000-08:00

Print making and paper items are fascinating, ne, minna-san?

Today I pretended print shop and made thank you cards with the giganto light box pop found me a few years ago from a garage sale. It's actually hand made^^ my treasure!!!

I drew a design on notebook paper at the shop yesterday. It's nice thin paper so light shows through good. And then I used Neopiko-2 manga illustrating markers to trace over. They really bleed through if you don't have the proper paper, but it's ok^^ makes it look more handmade, right? This design was really complicated and tedious to keep tracing though -___-" but the result is cute♥

I did every one in a different fall theme color. All I really needed was nine cards, I think, but the way the paper was cut I ended up with twelve. Maybe this can be the start to my etsy shop? I signed up for etsy a while ago with the name Natsukashii Cafe^____^ but I haven't actually tried selling anything yet T____T ..... 'cause I don't like and have an aversion to creating things for only money... but since maybe there's some leftovers....?

All done! It probably took between a half hour and an hour to make a whole dozen. The colors look so pretty together, ne ne! Do you think other people make greeting cards in such a way? At the Prize boutique they sell handmade looking cards that are sooooo cute and cool. Some are gold foil animal shapes, some look like hand printed, some are paper cut-outs...... I always want to buy one for occasions but they're like, all $6 o___o ... how come pretty things hafta cost so much? uwaaaa but soooo pretty~~♥♥♥

ummm so anyways..... an old friend from middle school came over to hang out today. She's doing Nanowrimo too! So fun^^ we actually have stuff in common these days too.

And in other news, Eddie and Jeanine and Alec found themselves in the dark reaches of the castle in Vernazza (the name escapes me again T^T) today. I couldn't find out anything about what the inside of it is really like besides the tower, so I made a sketch of the structure and kinda improvised -___- hope nobody minds... It's cloudy and windy and rainy there just like the weather has been here. It's not really too cold but it's chilling to the bone. ayaya ~___~ it's probly cause it's been so wet, huh?

Oh! Other other news-- I read some Sherlock Holmes this morning again. It was cool! And it made me a little queasy.... do you think eating spicy hummus and under cooked brussel sprouts for dinner late last night wasn't a very good idea...? Tomorrow morning will be better! I hope the police inspector will listen to Holmes so he can stop him from arresting poor Mr. Sholto...... Last night in a dream I was hanging out with Misuzu and Yukito. Then I told them I was gonna go hang out with Eddie-kun unless they stopped being uninteresting. I felt like a third wheel..... also dreamed about Japan and a shopping center I remembered going to (but in reality never did) and a shop I remembered buying fuurin in. Kinda was looking for a teruteru fuurin but they didn't have one. Funny how one has a memory in dreams too, and not only real life? hehe teruteru fuurin is sooo kawaii^^

That's all for today! Good night^____^ Try to stay warm, everybody!

Tofu containerでプランター

2011-11-21T19:40:00.001-08:00

Grandma brought me some plants from her house^____^ check it out! I just finished transplanting one and ...... poking myself with cactus bits.

Ever since I started starting seeds in yogurt cups, I've been keeping various recyclable plastic containers from food stuff. Finally I got to plant something in the tofu containers! tada---------! I love how they're so white! And so natural looking! You know I'm a huge fan of ナチュラル (natural) style fashion and home deco and stuff^____^ I think this qualifies, right? I have two Japanese natural books-- one sewing and one home interior. They're so wonderful to look through-- so much whites and beige and baskets and hard wood and light and bright! I let Cinderella, in my Nano story, have a flat that's completely natural style (it really matches her nice calm personality). Eddie described it as a beige oasis^___^ hehe

I have no idea what the stick plant is, but grandma has had one hanging in her kitchen since forever. it gets roots in the branches o____o" .... do you think it can grow without soil like the air plants from Hawaii?

And this little cactus garden came from a plastic snack baggie of cactus bits and pieces. I'd never seen anything like that before. But grandma seemed to think they'd sprout. Hope I put them all right side up...

So if you're curious about Japanese natural style, please stroll through these pics and enjoy. The look is so relaxed and casual. Maybe a little cold at times, but really quite all the time lovely.

I think most of these book/magazine scans came from ebay, Pomadour's Craft Cafe. Sometimes I look through their listings and save pictures I love so I can find them later^^ they show you a great deal of pages only to whet your appetite and wish you could buy the whole book! oh no.. I just found an adorable KAWAII knit crochet book on there...... so cuuuuute ^0^/ *save picture* hehe^^ please take a minute or ten to look through their books. And maybe buy something! I just ran across a paper mobile making book. Maybe I could try that! Fabric and I don't get along well-- and yarn and crochet is iffy, but me and paper is like pancakes and maple syrup! etto..... anou......... that wasn't a very good analogy T____T too sticky.. but maybe you get the point?

Bye for now^^