#in addition to my Looking I have also been watching many a sewing video and thinking sadly on my lack of little medieval outfit

[chiropteracupola]

Morning rituals.

[maya-chirps]

Leonora

by Sugarcane

New translation! This time I just felt like translating and talking about this song because I genuinely love talking about the little nuances here. It's one of the more recent videos that really pulled me back into OPM. I explain a lot of the nuances and the historical background below + some personal stories related to it too.

Leonora

This serenade I'm offering, for the maiden with unparalleled beauty, with the scent of roses If tricky fate would wish it I won't let it disappear

This letter I'm hoping your eyes would read I'm ready to do everything, I'll even court your family I've only now felt such eternal awe All I wish for is

The two of us be together at the end and at the beginning Proving that first love does last

How many poems has it been, why is it getting unnoticed? My only wish, at the end you'll be with me If it's possible, until the end of time I will never let you go forever

Our sweet past relationship, where'd it go? (I keep looking for you, whoa) How come between us, I'm the only one left? (I wish I could still see you) Your beautiful voice, would I still hear it? Ready to go through life[1] even if you're not here anymore

Wherever you are, may you be happy now (let you go free, whoa) Even if we won't be together anymore (I still love you) Just please listen to my wish that you would take care Oh, Leonora my love, ah

Alternative Translations and Additional Context

Ready to go through - this is just the literal translation of the line but contextually it's closer to the lyric I used or something close to "Ready to go through everything".

The song is based on the real-life historical figure Leonor Rivera-Kipping, one of the many lovers of the Philippine National hero José Rizal. The two were childhood sweethearts, however, due to Rizal traveling to Europe to study and Leonor's mother Silvestra Bauzon not liking how political he was while favoring an Englishman named Henry Charles Kipping so Silvestra and Kipping kept the letters that Rizal sent to Leonor. This made her think that she was abandoned and later on married Kipping instead (Quirino, 2015).

On the night of her wedding, she found the letters and in her frustration tore them apart sewing some of them on the hem of her wedding dress and burnt the others. After her marriage to Kipping, she vowed to never play the piano again. She died at 26 in childbirth alongside her newborn daughter, after which Kipping abandoned their only living son and traveled back to England just to die three years later, no mention of Leonor ever being his wife (Quirino, 2015).

Her final wish before her death was to be buried with the silver box that contained the ashes of Rizal's letters (Martinez-Clemente, 2011). Sadly, her grave was a casualty during the war and her remains and her grave site has been lost forever (Quirino, 2015).

Leonor serves as the inspiration for the character of Maria Clara in Rizal's acclaimed novels that Filipinos are mandated to learn at school Noli Me Tangere and its sequel El Filibusterismo. Maria Clara is the female love interest of the series protagonist Crisostomo Ibarra and the two have a severely tragic love story due to the politics surrounding Ibarra and both of their relationships.

From my understanding of the books, Leonor may also have been the inspiration for the El Filibusterismo character Paulita Gomez who abandons her relationship with her lover, one of the leading characters named Isagani, after he was accused of being an insurrectionist despite being innocent. At the end of the story, Paulita marries someone else and Isagani watches the reception from outside her house.

Random Trivia

The place this music video was shot is actually a historical house of another one of Rizal's many lovers Segunda Katigbak! The place is called Casa Segunda and is located in Lipa City, Batangas. My classmates and I visited the place and rented it out for a project a couple of years back.

Another fun fact is that the group most likely didn't actually play the piano in the house because they weren't allowed to considering how old it is. It's an antique and it was already falling apart when we went there way before this video was probably shot. That's the reason for them keeping the camera away from the keys.

They're also not allowed to sit on the antique seat in front of the piano because of how fragile it was and it already was falling apart too when we went there. We ignored this for one of our shoots and did it quickly before anyone could notice, but they may have just positioned the camera so they don't have to show them sitting down on the chair.

We found a random kitten in the house? I don't know what happened to it. It wasn't outside either, it was like inside one of the bedrooms. I don't know if the staff or family owned it but it did look like a stray.

Some of my classmates still hasn't paid me back for the rent we were supposed to split. It isn't a fun fact, I'm just a little salty.

Original Lyrics

'Tong alay kong harana, para sa dalagang Walang kasingganda, amoy-rosas ang halimuyak Kung nanaisin ng tadhanang mapanlinlang 'Di hahayaang mawala pa

'Tong liham na umaasang mata mo ang makabasa Handang gawin lahat, maging pamilya'y liligawan Ngayon lang nakadama ng wagas na pagkamangha Hiling ko lang naman na

Tayo na sanang dalawa ang siyang huli at ang umpisa Papatunayang ang unang pag-ibig ay 'di mawawala

Nakailang tula na, ba't tila 'di napupuna? Ang tangi kong hiling, hanggang dulo ikaw ang kapiling Kung puwede lang, hanggang pangmagpakailanman Hinding-hindi na papakawalan kailanman

Ang dating tamis ng pagsasama, nasa'n na? (Hinahanap-hanap ka, whoa) Ba't sa 'ting dal'wa, ako na lang ang natira? (Sana'y magkita pa) Tinig mong kay ganda, maririnig pa ba? Handang tahaking mag-isa kahit wala ka na

Kung nasa'n ka man, nawa ay masaya ka na (palalayain ka, whoa) Kahit na 'di na tayo magsasama pa (mahal pa rin kita) Dinggin mo lang ang hiling na mag-iingat ka Oh, Leonora kong sinta, ah

References

Martinez-Clemente, J. (2011, June 20). Keeping up with legacy of Rizal’s ‘true love’. Inquirer.net. Retrieved on 5 September 2024, from https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/16626/keeping-up-with-legacy-of-rizal%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%98true-love%E2%80%99

Quirino, E. (2015, February 17). Leonor Rivera, a Hero’s Sweetheart. Positively Filipino. Retrieved on 5 September 2024, from https://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/leonor-rivera-a-heros-sweetheart

[solarpunkani]

Ani's Crochet Projects Right Now

It's Day 3 (well by the time this gets posted it'll probably be Day 4 in my timezone) of Solarpunk Aesthetic Week so I wanted to talk about the crochet projects I'm working on!

I started learning how to crochet literally a week ago, I'm by no means an expert, I literally have very little idea of what I'm doing. But I'm doing it!

My first project is a tote bag, inspired by the bag that Fennopunk is working on. This is quite literally the project that got me to make the leap into crocheting! It's not really together in any solid form, but I have many pieces.

Here's the granny squares I have so far! I used a video tutorial on how to make solid granny squares (and some written instructions kindly typed up by a friend) to make these! I still have to attach them together, but I wanted to wait until I had all the pieces ready to do that! Teeechnically, I made all the granny squares before Solarpunk Aesthetic Week started, but the project's not finished so I'm sharing them anyhow.

This is the strap! I made it yesterday (Tuesday) while watching Netflix with a homie. I wanted it to be wide so it didn't dig into my shoulder (though my mom thinks I made it too wide and not long enough) when I wore it, and I'm following a video tutorial to try and make it as not-stretchy as possible. I still have some other stuff to do to it (additional stitches, adding a cloth back, etc.) before it's 'done' but I'm kind of tired of looking at it so I moved on to something else and will be back later. (or so I claim).

This is my latest project, which I started earlier today (Wednesday) actually! It's currently a strip of double crochets, but with time and some 'what the fuck is going on here'-ing, it'll be a cool hooded scarf! Here's the written pattern, and here's a video on it! I am currently stuck on row 2--I'm supposed to be making the hood, and the first row was on both sides of the initial chain, but now I'm confused on how I'm supposed to do that... again??? I'll figure it out. I have to. I want a cool hooded scarf (and I also wanna someday make a cool cloak with this pattern) so I'm legally required to figure it out. Cross your fingers for me!

But yeah! This is probably the most tangible stuff I've been doing for Solarpunk Aesthetic Week so far! Until I figure out how to print a sewing pattern, at least. Excited to see what everyone else is up to!

[averbaldumpingground]

The branches on the window were a portent, much like the wind which mapped the features of his face in hoarfrost late into the night. Johannes shivered in his bedclothes, damp with sweat. His cough was only growing worse as winter howled for him outside. The courtyard was already thick with snow, and that was how the boy had understood. He wrapped his woolen blanket tighter while the candle burned. An owl screeched into the moonless twilight.

[stellahibernis]

Lan Wangji: the Model Student Edition

AKA Lan Wangji’s costumes in the Untamed, part 1/9 

I got it in my head to write about Lan Wangji’s costumes in the Untamed for a couple of reasons. One, they’re extremely beautiful and worth paying attention to (as are all the costumes in the series!) and two, they do an excellent job of reflecting his mental state and where he is on his journey as a character. Hence, I’ll always look at them from two points of view, what’s actually happening in the costume, and how the choices made tie to what’s going on while he wears it. Note that I’m not going to even attempt to touch on how they connect to actual historical clothing (you’ll need an expert for that, which I’m definitely not).

I decided to make separate posts for each outfit rather than try to cram all of them in one post (or a few posts). I suspect this’ll be long enough anyway, since I’ll cover some common elements in his outfits in this one, and the images also add to the length. I tried not to go too crazy with the number of the images, although I suspect there’ll be more in the latter posts that cover some of his more elaborate costumes. I had a bit of fun with my image choices as you’ll see (also several times I forgot I was meant to capture stuff and just kept watching, as one does 😂).

Without further ado, let’s start with the outfit Lan Wangji had on when he walked into Wei Wuxian’s life. This outfit was worn mainly in episodes 3-7, briefly in episode 8, and also in WWX’s memories in episode 1.

The Costume

In my head this goes in the simple-but-formal category of LWJ’s outfits, meaning he has the full amount of layers on, and the fabrics are of the usual high quality, but they have no particular texture, and there’s not much embroidery. This almost feels like the basic Lan disciple outfit upgraded to a higher level, which goes nicely with the fact that even though he is the Second Jade of Lan, he’s also a student among the rest of them.

First some basics about the robes the Lan Sect members wear, possibly obvious stuff, but I’ll cover it anyway. They are usually made of fairly lightweight fabrics (that move beautifully in action scenes, I might add), although those of higher rank also have robes made of fabrics with more texture and weight. They’re always white or shades of blue, again more blue for those of higher rank (if they so choose), and the cloud pattern is usually embroidered at least somewhere (significantly LWJ has two outfits with no cloud embroidery).

Innermost layer consists of the white pants and the undershirt that seems to be standard for everyone, we see LWJ (in episode 43), LQR (in episode 33), and WWX (in episodes 42-45) all wear similar shirts. The actors aren’t necessarily wearing all the layers due to heat, but we’re meant to believe they’re always there and that cultivators are just immune to the sun or something. (In that bts video where they bicker on the boat we actually see Wang Yibo wearing the undershirt when he pulls back his sleeves, meaning he’s in five layers and somehow looks cool as a cucumber, while Xiao Zhan is dying of heat 😂). Next come two or three sets of robes, possibly always meant to be three, since the Lans are formal like that, but we don’t see that many with every costume. Then comes a sash to keep the robes closed, and for those of higher rank optionally another robe on top (which LWJ and LXC don’t always wear).

Here’s another look at the costume, with a bonus WWX. This was obviously chosen solely because it shows the silhouette very well.

As I mentioned earlier, this outfit has all the elements listed above, including a robe worn over the sash, but there aren’t too many details. The fabric is certainly meant to be silk, and possibly even is. Whoever did the hemming of the robe definitely struggled enough for it to be silk (modern detail that one, btw, you wouldn’t sew it like that by hand. I’m a bit surprised they didn’t just do that, making an invisible hem isn’t actually that slow, but maybe it’s still significant when you need to make so many costumes). The sash is very basic, with no decoration at all, but he of course has the waist ornament with the jade pieces and tassel, which is one of the two things he always wears, in addition to his forehead ribbon. The white shoes are maybe the biggest flex from the Lan Sect, just imagine how much time would be needed to clean and replace all of them, especially since the climate at the Cloud Recesses is definitely rainy, and then there are the night hunts.

Above is the top seen in detail, we have his first head ornament (which is very cute, IMO), and the forehead ribbon. Interestingly it’s pale blue rather than white (as I believe it’s in the book). Blue is slightly less stark against the skin, so that may have been the reason. Then there’s the embroidery on the lapels, the Lan Sect clouds done with white on white, basically the least extravagant you can get and still have them. We only see one more layer, I believe. There’s blue and white in the collar, but looking at how it overlaps I think it’s just one robe with two colors. But hey, a teeny tiny bit of color on him at least!

Another detail to note is that if he has narrow sleeves visible, there are always fabric bands wrapped around the wrists, yet another bit of complexity and formality to his outfits. He also has them with this costume, you don’t see them that many times because the big sleeves cover them pretty well, but we get a nice glimpse of them when LWJ and WWX are tied together with the forehead ribbon in the cave, see below. 

Yes, I capped the moment where they collapse to the ground after getting out of the cave. I have to get my amusement somehow, but it was actually the one where you can see the detail best. 😂 (I also tried the part where LWJ ties the ribbon but all the caps came out blurry, so this one it is). LWJ’s hand is the top one, obviously, and WWX has just a regular sleeve end there.

The Context

When LWJ first walks into the scene in episode 3, he’s at peace with himself in that his world makes sense, he has a clear understanding of who he is and what his responsibilities are. I’m not saying it has come without struggle considering everything to do with his mother (I bet LQR was just thrilled when he moved to the Jingshi, which all things considered probably hadn’t happened that long before the start of the story), but it looks like it’s something that’s been worked out. Also, when I say his world makes sense, I don’t mean that he’s completely happy about everything (if I had to define it, I’d go for comfortably neutral), just that there are no particular issues that he doesn’t know how to react to until WWX comes and turns everything upside down.

Much of the past timeline for LWJ is about his struggle between his loyalty to his sect and what he perceives as his duty, and his connection with WWX. This can be seen reflected in his costumes as well. Broadly speaking (obviously individual scenes can shift the focus for a time), when he wears predominantly white with wide sleeves (his more formal outfits) it signals that he’s particularly conscious of his duty and his upbringing, while his blue outfits with narrow sleeves (arguably more casual ones) come to play when he’s more forcefully pulled by his connection with WWX. Notably, he also wears one mostly white outfit with narrow sleeves, but we’ll get to that later.

At this point of the story, the real struggle hasn’t yet started for him, he’s (mostly) the perfect model student that he was taught to be literally from birth, and his outfit reflects that. He’s definitely thrown by the effect WWX has on him, as it’s most likely a completely new experience, but he also considers it nonsense that he intends to drop (or boring, as he has a tendency to say). When he sets out alone, I’d say it’s with the idea that he can just leave what happened in summer school behind and focus once more on his responsibilities. Clearly there’s some regret that he feels because of it, as we witnessed his undoubtedly warm feelings toward WWX when hearing his resolution in the lantern scene, but right after that moment he focuses on the Yin Iron once more and maybe chooses that road (only he doesn’t get to walk it alone, WWX is stubborn like that).

Next time, blue robes and the point of no return for LWJ just whooshes on its way behind them.

(You can find the rest of this series via “lwj costume series” tag below, or through my blog contents page. I’d link for ease of access but the links made it disappear from tags, so. 😒)

[inkofamethyst]

December 10, 2020

Alright first of all I think what I said a few days ago was kinda selfish.  Like, yeah, I’m happy my grandmother is no longer in pain, but maybe the way I said it was wrong.  Is it bad for me to think of death as an appropriate form of relief from pain?  I remember when Steven Hawking died, an advocate for disabled people warned able-bodied people not to think of his passing merely as a relief from pain, that all of his earthly problems were solved by his passing, or any such thoughts.  Idk.  Maybe the words I used yesterday were just inadequate.

On a second note, I’m in my last full week of this semester (not counting ~finals week~) which means that I only have one week of doing homework for my bio lab and I could literally, just, like,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, not do it.  I could not submit a single assignment this week for that class and still get an A+.  Of course, I’m probably not going to take that course of action because who knows whether I’ll encounter this professor again or something, but like.  There’s literally no pressure to do well.  Ain’t that a beautiful thing.

I have so many things to apply for within the next few weeks!  Unfortunately no internships because COVID is sucky, but I’ll be applying to change my major (twice) and possibly for a program that aims to help encourage underrepresented students to get into graduate schools.  I think I’m going to apply with the mentality of “I’d really like to get into this program because my field feels very small and it’s difficult to find networking and research opportunities” and so on.  I went to the information session, and the program seems awesome, but I might be too privileged lol.  I also need to ask my anthro prof this semester if she’d be willing to write me an academic recommendation.  I really regret not going to a single one of her office hours, but I need two recs and I want her to be my second one, I think.  I’ll email the program director to see if what I’m planning is okay.

Also, I impulse-bought a pattern at 4 am this morning lol.  I watched a video by Loepsie on YouTube where she sewed this coat that I’ve been interested in making, and so I decided to check online to see if JoAnn carried it and apparently it’s out of print or something??  So I frantically went searching on etsy and I only found ones that cost $20-35 which I definitely didn’t want to pay, and there were ones on ebay costing roughly the same amount until I came upon a suggested listing where the price for the pattern was $7 with free shipping, the lowest I’d seen online.  Since that video had only been posted a day before and I knew that it was possible that someone else might decide to look for the pattern after seeing the video as well (at least, I know that I always go searching for the vintage patterns used in videos that I’m interested in after watching the video), I bit the bullet and bought it :D.  I don’t have any fabric for it, nor do I have any plans to make it just yet, but it’s been on my pattern list for a while and would really be a cool addition to my wardrobe someday.  I don’t have any long coats, so it’d be nice to have something vintage-inspired for wintertime.  It’s M6800, and I’ll likely do the longer view (possibly even extending the panels) with the high collar neckline and attachable hood instead of the blazer-lookin neckline.  I’ll need to get good with buttonholes and sleeves, and I think I’ll make a muslin before making it out of wool, as some people have noted that it can be a bit larger than expected (wide back, low waistline).  I may even make the belt bit for a tad more accentuation of the waist, but that’s a project for sometime in the future.

Another thing, apparently there’s this trend going on around the white side of tik tok that has a whole bunch of men of color a bit upset for no good reason.  So these white girls are making tik toks to a sound where they smile in front of images of things that represent their dream guy.  Men of color (specifically Black men tbh) have really been harping on them for exclusively including features that only white guys would have (blue/green eyes, red hair, curly brown hair, etc.), as they feel as if they aren’t being desired by these teenaged girls.  And like ????  It feels like a situation where people are getting mad just to get mad (though, I will say that the girls who put BLM and ACAB in their posts but don’t have black features also in the posts are the closest to a good reason for people to be reasonably upset, but it still doesn’t warrant quite what people have been saying).  I will say that Black women have been dismissive toward Black men who are talking about this which I don’t think is fair, but I understand that it comes from a place of pain.  Apparently, Black women and Asian men are the least desirable on dating apps, and I’m sure that they’re also very fetishized (though Black men and Asian women are also heavily fetishized as well) by white people.  Black women in the dating scene are very used to feeling unwanted by the group(s) of people they desire most, specifically Black men.  They feel as if these men are getting a taste of how it feels, now that they see what it means for the people they want to not want them back.  Problem is, these are literal teenage girls.  They’re growing up in what they feel is the center of the universe as young white women (who are, in many cases, too young to date many of the guys who are complaining anyway~~).  Their schools and media are probably mostly white.  If they’re consuming content with POC, it’s probably filled with stereotypes, and POC aren’t at the center.  Their frame of reference is white, and I can’t be mad at them for that.  There are plenty of places besides the white side of tik tok where Black men can go to feel desired by the white women they want so badly.

tl;dr I don’t think the white girls are trying to say that they wouldn’t date black guys, I think they’re taking part in an internet trend.

Well, I’m off to get to my bio studies.  I only need an 83% (after the curve) on this next exam and I won’t need to take the final!  That’s totally doable, and it’s actually lower than my other two exam grades so far, so I’ve got a good feeling about it.  I just need to do a crash course review (not the Green brothers crash course, but a cram through my notes) and I should be set to go.

Today I’m thankful that I had to take a photo of myself.  I haven’t taken a selfie since... junior year of high school?  You know, it’s the single post on my instagram.  They make me feel incredibly self-conscious which is odd, because I tend not to feel that way in the mirror so much.  But my photo-friend is doing a mini yearbook of sorts and wanted us to send in pictures of ourselves so I did.  I don’t like taking pictures of myself.  I’ve looked the exact same since middle school (though maybe the areas beneath my eyes are darker), so I don’t see the point.  But I think I needed to take that picture.  I think I’ve been hiding that insecurity and it’s something I need to get over.

Sometimes I want to just start afresh with my instagram, but honestly there’d be no purpose to it.  It’s not like I post regularly and I definitely wouldn’t start if I made a new one.  I just become so overwhelmed by the thought of being perceived by other people, and I think being in isolation has exacerbated this in me, unfortunately.  Existing in the world is incredibly taxing.  I enjoy it, generally, but it makes me so tired.  So sometimes I think about starting a new instagram or a blog devoted to one of my hobbies or something and just making it for me.  Sort of like this, but a bit more public.

You know, I saw a tik tok 30 days ago of a girl saying that she was inspired by another tik tok where another girl had become more confident simply by pretending that she was the best thing on earth.  Yesterday I saw the update, and I literally didn’t recognize the girl!!  She went front not being able to keep a straight face while calling herself beautiful in front of her phone camera to having an entirely different body language and air about her.  I think that’s what I was going for with the cute campaign (to be continued post-Rona), just a slower, more gradual version, perhaps?  And I think it was working too, but I stopped only a hundred or so of the days in, and for about a third of the days I wasn’t really going all at it, so maybe next time I’ll be more intentional.  Hopefully next time a pandemic won’t interrupt me (and yes I recognize that I could have continued even in quarantine, and yes I recognize that the purpose of looking cute was to feel cute, but I just didn’t feel as motivated when I wasn’t going out, you know?  Like, the whole point was to go out dressed intentionally.  Maybe if I’d been more flexible with my rules, I could’ve been set, but alas.

Oh!  And I officially have one class a week on campus next semester :)  It’s my archaeology discussion, and I don’t know whether this in-person bit will be optional, but it should be cool to get back on campus.  Maybe I’ll hang out with my photo-friend on those days.  Socially-distant, of course.

[etraytin]

Quarantine, Day 54

Today's episode of Quarantine is titled "Thanksgiving in May: the Pandemic Edition." We got some quite good news about my husband's dad, he's doing well enough that he will probably be moved to a rehab facility for awhile because they are optimistic that he might be okay for a bit longer. His health is super-fragile in like seven different ways, but he's tough and he is hanging in there, so we'll just keep praying! In anticipation of that happy event, I took his phone and charger, which he did not have in the hospital because he's been sleeping almost all the time and also because of deeply arcane rules about fomites, and I wiped them both down with 70% isopropyl alcohol and then sealed them in a ziploc bag, which I marked with the date. The novel coronavirus appears to only live on hard plastic surfaces for a limited amount of time, so a phone that has been wiped down with alcohol, sealed in a baggie, and put in a sunny spot for a few days ought to be as close to safe as we can get. We really want to be able to Facetime with him! 

Anyway, as sort of a celebration and because my mother in law already had a turkey breast defrosting in the fridge, I made Thanksgiving dinner. Usually Thanksgiving is a roast turkey, but we did our turkey breast up in the crockpot so we would also get turkey stock and because it is extremely low effort. I tried to make my grandmother's stuffing, but with bougie ingredients because we would've had to make a special trip to the store for the very specific and extremely basic ingredients that stuffing requires. I learned to make stuffing from all the women in my family because every holiday somehow involves all the women crammed into the kitchen and socializing or cooking or both all at once, but mostly from my mom, whose recipe is my paternal grandmother's. To make the family stuffing, you must have the following ingredients: 

Cheap stale white bread in massive quantities 

Imperial brand margarine (yes, the brand is important)

Frozen chopped white onion 

Celery

Chicken Bouillon Cubes 

Spice Classic Poultry Seasoning (this is a compromise solution, as Grandma's original blend was discontinued a couple decades ago)

The problem here was twofold, we are in quarantine and can't just be going to the store all willy-nilly, and my in-laws have a somewhat different food sensibility than my family. I ended up using: 

One loaf of brand-name wheat bread, made stale in the oven

Butter 

Fresh chopped sweet onion 

Celery 

Chicken Bouillon Cubes (I bought these myself on a previous visit because sometimes broth or "Better Than Bouillon" will not do at all.)

McCormick Brand Poultry Seasoning

It was definitely not the same as my family recipe, and of course it loses something from not actually being stuffed inside a turkey and roasted all day, but it had two full sticks of butter in it so it couldn't help but be pretty good. The gravy helped too. It was Williams-Sonoma but escaped being bougie because we bought it for 70% off after the holidays and therefore it is by definition awesome, plus it meant I didn't have to try and make gravy. Same for the cranberry relish, which was amazing. Rounded out the meal with brown sugar carrots, pineapple (because we need a fruit for Thanksgiving, I guess) and apple juice all around. We ate till we were stuffed, it was pretty great. 

Today was the first day of school on the new points plan for my son. We've been pretty ad hoc for the past month in terms of getting school done, but we've got another month and a half to go (We start school suuuuper late because so many high school kids work at Busch Gardens), and fatigue is already setting in for both the kiddo and me. He is getting frustrated by not knowing exactly what he needs to do and by wanting more electronics time, I am frustrated by the whining about wanting more electronics time. So I went back and dusted off a system we have used before, one that we developed while we were homeschooling, and tuned it up. Basically it involves a point system and two lists: a list of things you can earn points by doing, and a list of things you can spend points on. The basic units of exchange are that one point can be redeemed for ten minutes of electronics usage, and six points can be exchanged for a dollar. Larger point values can be redeemed for things like fast food meals, late bedtimes, and other special treats. Special treats are kind of thin on the ground right now since standbys like lazer tag and trips to the trampoline park are not available, but the important part is the electronics time. It is what almost all accrued points are redeemed for. 

He earns points first and foremost by doing school. In normal times, a full day of school earns twelve points (two hours of screentime or two dollars). Since these times are abnormal, we've revamped the school day to be a list of educational things that must be done. Finishing the list earns twelve points. A school day looks like this now (because this is dotted list day on Quarantine Journal!): 

Online class session with teacher and the rest of his class

30 minutes math practice on Dreambox, (sub in coding 1x/week)

30 minutes reading a book that is mostly words

30 minutes watching science or social studies videos, TedEd or Brainpop or similar, or doing an experiment

30 minutes creative art time, drawing, painting, building, etc.

Write 100 words, fanfic or any subject, spellcheck with Mom

We both like having lists and he really likes getting points, so this went very well today. He knocked it out in a few hours, even the dreaded writing, and immediately spent all his points on the iPad. The plan also allows him to earn additional points, mostly by doing chores and helping around the house. Today was just things like carrying trash, scooping the litterbox and cleaning his room, but chores like "doing loads of laundry" and "folding clothes" are lucrative enough that he's chomping at the bit to learn. I'll get this kid ready for college yet! 

Most of my spare time today was devoted to binge-watching a YouTuber I just learned about this afternoon, a woman named Micarah Tewers whose work is in the oft-overlooked niche of "comedy sewing tutorials." She is very, very funny. I still have no idea how to sew, but I feel much better about it now, and that's a good start. 

[newstfionline]

Headlines

Dueling versions of reality define 1st week of fall campaign (AP) On the campaign trail with President Donald Trump, the pandemic is largely over, the economy is roaring back, and murderous mobs are infiltrating America’s suburbs. With Democrat Joe Biden, the pandemic is raging, the economy isn’t lifting the working class, and systemic racism threatens Black lives across America. The first week of the fall sprint to Election Day crystallized dizzyingly different versions of reality as the Republican incumbent and his Democratic challenger trekked from Washington and Delaware to Wisconsin and Pennsylvania and back, each man on an urgent mission to sell his particular message to anxious voters. All the conflicting messages carry at least a sliver of truth, some much more than others, as the candidates fight to navigate one of the most turbulent election seasons in modern history.

Love or hate them, pandemic learning pods are here to stay (Washington Post) Some love them. Some hate them. But nobody working in education today can escape pandemic learning pods: the increasingly popular phenomenon in which families band together and hire a private tutor to offer in-person learning to a small group of children. Teachers throughout the nation are sketching out schedules and pondering whether they can squeeze in pod tutoring after virtual school. They are weighing health risks, deciding on ground rules—should all pod students wear masks?—and asking parents how much they will pay. (A lot, it turns out.) Sometimes, they are quitting their jobs to lead pods instead. That is what Kendra Newton is doing: The 24-year-old first-grade teacher resigned from her job with Orange County Public Schools in Florida after learning she would have to teach in-person this fall. She is moving across the country to Oregon, where she will lead a pod of eight students—for a higher salary than she earned in Florida. “It gave me a way to feel safe working,” Newton said. “I will have guaranteed money coming in and a stable idea of what my life will be like because there won’t be a school district changing its mind every two seconds. For my mental health, it’s just a better option.”

Americans see skepticism of news media as healthy, say public trust in the institution can improve (Pew Research Center) Many Americans remain skeptical toward the news media, questioning not only the quality of journalists’ work but the intentions behind it. For instance, no more than half of U.S. adults have confidence in journalists to act in the best interests of the public, and Americans are more likely than not to say that news organizations do not care about the people they report on. Yet three-quarters also are open to the possibility that Americans’ trust in the media could improve.

With office life dormant, white-collar Washington is adrift (Washington Post) Greg Crist is a D.C. lobbyist who used to wear suits, and go to lunch, and spend his days taking meetings on the Hill, or in his nicely appointed office at 701 Pennsylvania Ave. Now that his office is closed because of the pandemic, Crist is a man who commutes a few hundred feet from his Alexandria, Va., home to his silver Audi, where he spends much of the day taking calls in the only place where the important people on the other end of the line cannot hear his toddler son scream. Much of white-collar Washington has accepted the reality that it may be a long time before it returns to the office, or the office-adjacent customs of the city’s glad-handing classes: the power lunches, the networking receptions, the comped sports tickets and day trips to New York on the Acela. “Initially I thought, ‘Well, I’ll be back at work by Easter,’ ” says Crist, the chief advocacy officer and head of external affairs at AdvaMed, a medical technology trade association. Easter turned into June, which turned into Labor Day, which turned into a big question mark. The politicos and super-connecters are achy, stuck at home, stranded on the other side of the work-life divide. The lobbyists are without their lobbies. The conference denizens haven’t donned a lanyard in months. That infamous D.C. conversation-starter, “What do you do?,” has a new answer: I sit at home, stare at my screen, fend off my kids, try to keep it together. You?

Mexico states run out of death certificates (AP) The coronavirus pandemic has hit Mexico so hard that the governments of several states ran out of death certificates. Officials said Friday the federal forms started running out about 15 to 20 days ago in at least three states—Baja California, the State of Mexico and Mexico City. Authorities say a million new forms have been printed and are being distributed. The certificates are printed with special characteristics because falsification has been a problem in the past. Mexico has suffered the fourth-highest level of COVID-19 deaths in the world.

Washington firm ran fake Facebook accounts in Venezuela, Bolivia and Mexico, report finds (Washington Post) When Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself the nation’s legitimate president in January 2019, an Instagram account, @FrenteLibreVzla, posted a video declaring him a “new leader” who would bring freedom to the embattled nation, according to a research report published Friday. Those watching the video had no way of knowing the account was based not in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, but downtown Washington, managed by a strategic communications firm with clients across Latin America. The firm, CLS Strategies, this week became the latest communications company to be chastised by Facebook for using fake accounts—including on Instagram, a Facebook subsidiary—to secretly manipulate politics in another country, in violation of Facebook’s prohibition on foreign interference. Facebook announced Tuesday it had closed 55 accounts, 42 pages and 36 Instagram accounts linked to CLS Strategies that targeted politics in Venezuela, Bolivia and Mexico. The effort spent $3.6 million in advertising across all three countries, a sum that Facebook executives said was notable for its size and reflective of what happens when actors with deep pockets mount a disinformation operation. The pages had amassed more than 500,000 followers. The operation by the public relations company is an example, the report says, of how Americans sow disinformation in foreign countries.

Coronavirus Crisis Shatters India’s Big Dreams (NYT) The hit that India’s dreams have taken from the coronavirus pandemic can be found in the hushed streets of Surat’s industrial zone. You can see it in textile mills that took generations to build but are now sputtering, eking out about a tenth of the fabric they used to make. You can see it in the lean faces of the families who used to sew the finishing touches on saris but, with so little business, are now cutting back on vegetables and milk. Not so long ago, India’s future looked entirely different. It boasted a sizzling economy that was lifting millions out of poverty, building modern megacities and amassing serious geopolitical firepower. It aimed to give its people a middle-class lifestyle, update its woefully vintage military and become a regional political and economic superpower that could someday rival China, Asia’s biggest success story. But the economic devastation in Surat and across the country is imperiling many of India’s aspirations. The Indian economy has shrunk faster than any other major nation’s. As many as 200 million people could slip back into poverty, according to some estimates. Many of its normally vibrant streets are empty, with people too frightened of the outbreak to venture far.

India and China agree to ease tension on border (Reuters) India and China said on Saturday they had agreed to work towards reducing tensions along their contested border, following a meeting of the defense ministers of the nuclear-armed Asian giants. Both sides deployed additional forces along the frontier running through the western Himalayas after a clash in June, during which 20 Indian soldiers were killed in hand-to-hand fighting. China has not released casualty figures for its troops. In the highest level face-to-face political contact between India and China since tensions first flared along the border in May, defense ministers Rajnath Singh of India and General Wei Fenghe of China met late on Friday on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting in Moscow. Both countries agreed that “neither side should take any further action that could either complicate the situation or escalate matters in the border areas,” India’s defense ministry said in a statement.

Super Typhoon Haishen aims for calamitous strike on Japan, S. Korea (Washington Post) Super Typhoon Haishen is roiling the unusually warm waters of the Western Pacific Ocean. The storm rapidly intensified on Thursday Eastern time, vaulting from Category 2 to super typhoon status with sustained winds of 150 mph or greater in about 24 hours. Super Typhoon Haishen is poised to strike the same areas as Typhoon Maysak, which hit South Korea early Thursday local time, to become the second typhoon to make landfall there and in southwestern Japan in just one week. The back-to-back typhoon strikes may worsen the damage, since infrastructure has been weakened by strong winds, heavy rains and storm-surge flooding, only to be hit again.

Ultra-Orthodox Jews clash with secular Israeli officials over coronavirus measures (Washington Post) Israel’s rapidly escalating coronavirus crisis is aggravating a religious divide in the Jewish state, with ultra-Orthodox leaders accusing mostly secular health officials of discrimination and fostering anti-Semitism by focusing on outbreaks in highly observant communities. As the government struggles to contain the outbreak, ultra-Orthodox Jewish rabbis, cabinet ministers and parliament members have resisted attempts to curtail activities in ultra-Orthodox areas, including many that have emerged as covid-19 hot spots. Facing particular ire has been Ronni Gamzu, the pugnacious former hospital administrator appointed last month as the government’s “corona czar.” Gamzu has clashed with religious leaders over his efforts to impose targeted lockdowns on neighborhoods with high infection rates, block a yearly pilgrimage to the grave of a revered Hasidic rabbi in Ukraine and compel virus testing for thousands of foreign students who have recently arrived to attend religious schools, or yeshivas. Gamzu said last week that 80 percent of the most recent coronavirus cases occurred in ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods. The government expects to enact targeted restrictions Monday in 10 hot spot communities, many of them ultra-Orthodox. The tensions have riven Israel’s coronavirus cabinet, the government body that sets policy. On Friday, one day after Israel recorded 3,141 new cases—the largest single day per capita increase in any country since the pandemic began—cabinet discussions grew heated over proposed lockdowns during the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur later this month.

Sudan declares state of emergency over deadly floods (AP) Sudanese authorities declared their country a natural disaster area and imposed a three-month state of emergency across the country after rising floodwaters and heavy rainfall killed around 100 people and inundated over 100,000 houses since late July. Flooding caused by seasonal heavy rainfall, mostly in neighboring Ethiopia, led the Nile River to rise about 17.5 meters late in August, the highest level it has reached in about a century according to the Sudanese Irrigation Ministry.

[beedaleebjd]

Psssst do you happen to have any tips or beginners links for newbies who are interested in getting in to the BJD hobby? 👀

*SOFT SCREECH* ALICE COME DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE WITH ME... /CLAMBERS FOR

This is a very slap-dash tips post, because a full fledged crash-course would take me much longer than a day to assemble. I think this could get someone started, but I can always answer specific questions if you have them in the future. ❤️

BJD 101: For a rundown of definitions, terminology, and origins of the hobby, I highly recommend checking out the Wikipedia article. (Warning for old vaguely spooky doll photos) I honestly wish I just read this when I got started, haha. It’s not everything, but it’s definitely a start.

Study! Read as much as you possibly can!! Especially terminology and maintenance. I highly recommend watching a bunch of unboxing and review videos- it might seem silly, but they're really helpful to get an idea of scale, how they function/pose, and how they look and feel when handled by a human. I also recommend trying to find owner photos of dolls you’re interested in, because sometimes the store photos are limited!

Join a community! Consider joining a forum like den of angels or a facebook bjd group like BJD Addicts! Exposure to the hobby is really helpful and you learn way faster. It’s fine if you’re shy, you don’t have to interact if you don’t want to- I like lurking DoA for the valuable tutorials and threads on doll brands I'm interested in. Tip: You can view some of DoA’s threads without an account by searching "[subject/doll of choice] den of angels" in google, but i got tired of that pretty fast. Signing up takes a few weeks to get approved but it's worth it for all the knowledge, even old archived stuff.

Window-shop until you drop!! I think the number one regret in the hobby is 'too many dolls, not enough time to love any of them'. So I HIGHLY recommend making wish-lists. These help a lot with avoiding impulse purchases and buyer’s remorse. There are a loooot of dolls out there, so if you've seen a huge majority of them, you'll be more picky.

For me, wishlists include both dream/grail dolls, tentative desires i’m not sure about but want to remember the name of, dolls I could never afford but feel validated writing down somewhere, and also cataloging info- measurements, wig/eye/shoe sizes, resin colors, price, current availability, dealer websites, etc. it becomes such a godsend when you shop for them. you’ll thank me later!!

I spent a lot of time browsing dealer websites like Alice's Collections, Legenddoll, Denver Doll, DOLK Station, etc- I linked some of those here. This is to see what my tastes are. Not EVERY doll company will go through all or any dealers, but it’s a good start!

If you’re the social type, going to conventions or local bjd meetups can help with getting an idea of your preferences! I accidentally walked by one at sakuracon last year and got to hold an MSD and an 11cm tiny, and that was REALLY helpful for me to realize I DID like those sizes. If other doll owners will let you hold theirs, I totally recommend it! (Always ask first, of course! Not everyone is comfortable with it!)

Go!! Slow!!! if you think you're taking it easy, go even slower. i'm so serious. it's so easy to get dazzled, over-eager, or totally overwhelmed by this hobby. especially if you have a habit of hyper focus/special interest tenancies like i do. 

Patience is a virtue anyway: If you’re not buying second-hand or in-stock dolls, you will be waiting a while for your doll. Anywhere from a few months to a year, depending on the company and how backlogged they may be at any given point. Dolls are usually pre-order and take time to be made.

Some people like to just buy sculpts and let a character ‘come to them’, which is absolutely valid so if you wanna just go on a feeling that’s great!! i totally can’t afford that route most of the time, so I spend a lot of time mood-boarding for my potential dolls using pinterest and my own art to see just how in love with an idea i am and highly recommend it. I’ll ramble about this in another post soon.

Budget! They are not very cheap like 10-20$ fashion dolls at wal-mart, so those new to the hobby may be shocked.This hobby is an investment and an indulgence/luxury, as with most Nice Things. But don’t be discouraged! There are affordable dolls out there, a lot of Dealer websites offer layaway plans, and the second-hand market is always circulating things!

Here is a DoA list of dolls that are under 300$. 

Note: Size of dolls often scale with price, so the bigger it is, the more expensive (and HEAVY) it will be. Some videos on BJD sizing here and here, but Flickr is crawling with height comparisons as well.

Craft or Not To Craft: Are you team 'i'm gonna sew/craft stuff/do wigs/eyes/faceups for my doll' or team 'i'm gonna buy clothes/props/faceups/wigs/etc from other artists!'? I know most people end up being a little bit of both, but these things both cost time or money (or both) so you wanna think about that in the overall price when you're considering a doll. It seems intimidating, but really, it’s the responsible thing to do. I’d rather plan for it than have a naked sad doll to feel bad about. Some personal recommendations below helped me get started:

Wigs: Monique Gold Collection wigs are affordable in the 20 dollar range, and have incredibly soft fiber! (You can find a lot of these available through ebay sellers as well)

Eyes: Lemonjellyshoppe and CandyKittenEmporium have some incredible eyes and also do custom orders!

Sewing Patterns: DGRequim on etsy and SproutyDoll have both been very nice to use and easy understand and modify to fit your doll!

When you’re savvy on the sizing of your dolls and if you’re comfy with secondhand sales, Facebook groups like BJD Addicts Sales & Commissions, BJD Lovers Sales, and BJD Adoption has a lot of people selling BJDs and accessories, oftentimes discounted for de-stashing or collection overhauls!

In addition to the other dealer sites I linked before, Dollmore (which also has an ebay shop) has a lot of options on everything! 

Rec@sts and the community- This is a veeery hot button topic, but you’ll probably see a lot of it the more you get into the hobby. I don’t want to talk about it a lot because of the negativity it attracts, but to sum it up: BJDs are essentially commissioned art pieces. They are hand sculpted by an artist or small group of artists, and then cast in resin and refined and strung by hand. There are people that will cast copies of them and sell them for a very cheap profit. To put it simply, it’s theft, and it effects the livelihood of people that make a living of their art. A lot of companies stop making dolls because they can’t compete anymore. Most official doll/art related conventions (LDoll, Resin Rose, etc) ban rec@sted dolls, as well as DoA and several of the facebook groups. Be sure to read all the rules of groups/forums you join them.

A lot of people come into this hobby unaware of this and buy a bootleg doll on sites like Ebay or Aliexpress, and then get turned away from the community without understanding why. There are understandable circumstances that cause someone to end up with a bootleg doll, but it’s also important to respect the artists and creators that share their art with the public.

On that note: Sometimes people will resell 2nd hand dolls as legit when they are not. Be careful about who you buy second-hand dolls from. Also, keeping certificates of authenticity (CoAs), receipts, and original packaging is must if you ever plan to resell your doll!

I... think that’s everything major I can think of... at least enough to get someone started? I know a lot of it is a bit vague, but if you wanted my opinion on a certain brand or size of doll or budgeting tips if money is tight, I’d be happy to give my personal preferences on that separately!! But otherwise, good luck and happy treasure hunting! ヾ(＾-＾)ノ

[cam-the-orange-cat]

A Master-Guide for Overcoming Writer’s Block

Writer’s block is the woe that befalls every writer at some point. To overcome writer’s block, however, you must identify the source of the blockage. This guide will go over common reasons writers find themselves stuck and will offer some simple suggestions that can help. Although suggestions are catered to each problem, don’t hesitate to mix-and-match possible solutions; everyone is different.

The Common Blocks We’ll be Overviewing:

Problem vs. Solution

Fear & Doubt

Perfectionism

Boredom

You Have No Ideas

You're Easily Distracted

Procrastination

Problem vs. Solution

You’ve crafted an incredible conflict, a far-reaching problem that your protagonist must solve. Then you realize: you must solve it. Or you’re making progress in your first or second draft when you discover a plot hole. It’s not something easy you can cover over with a rug, it’s something you wonder you didn’t see sooner and are now overwhelmed with how to fix it and still preserve your progress. You have “painted yourself into a corner” and now you have to paint yourself out.

How do you overcome this block? 

Take a shower.

Take a nap

Go for a walk.

Or  — as Margaret Atwood recommends  — iron some clothes. 

Repetitive, mindless activites seem to work best for stimulating the mind. Most writers can testify that taking a shower is a magnet for interesting ideas. The more mindless, the better. 

Exercise gets new chemicals flowing through your brain; showering stimulates new senses; ironing is a hands-on-activity with a bit of danger involved — these are palate cleansers for your mind.

Sometimes this sort of block requires doing additional research for your story. 

Maybe there’s something in mankind’s military history that can help you solve how your protagonist’s army is to cross the uncrossable river. Maybe there’s a modern-day cure that would work against the disease you made up, and it has humble origins your protagonist can discover. Maybe your protagonist will lose this battle, but go on to win the war in a way you hadn’t considered before.

Fear & Doubt

The blank page mocks you. And the mockery hits a little too close to home. You’re afraid of criticism, you’re afraid of not doing the story justice, you’re afraid you’re not actually a good writer at all  — you’re afraid you’re a fraud.

The sucky part is, some of that is true. First drafts do tend to suck. There will be people who don’t like what you write. But what is absolutely, definitively not true is that you’re a fraud.

You’re a writer. 

You are a writer.

Say the words aloud. Say them again. Say them louder. 

You are a writer.

Now, how do you overcome this block?

Free write

Write stream of consciuosness

Brainstorm ideas in bullet points

Work on a writing-prompt for five minutes

Try your hand at a whole new genre or category

Whatever you do, write. Practice makes perfect, and practice is also the best way to conquer Fear and Doubt. Refuse to give Fear and Doubt power and soon Fear and Doubt will stop pestering you. 

Interestingly, the antidote for Fear and Doubt are similar to the antidotes for Perfectionism, writing’s most infamous villain. The next subheading, however, will go over this particular monster in more detail.

Perfectionism

You’ve been crippled by your own standards. Your story just doesn’t make sense. Your characters don’t feel right. Your writing sounds atrocious.

At least, that’s what you keep telling yourself.

Perfectionism is a choice. We choose to criticize ourselves until we’re beaten to a bloody pulp and have no will left to go on. We run ourselves through the consequences of this headspace and, despite how painfully frustrating it is, we don’t let ourselves escape.

Fear and Doubt grow from perceiving unrealistic expectations of perfection from others and being afraid of not measuring up to that standard. Whereas Perfectionism is not a fear of external criticism, but is a person imposing an unrealistic desire to be perfect unto themself. This is why Perfectionism is a cycle that cannot be broken by friends and family reassurances that you are, in fact, a great writer. You, and you alone, are holding yourself back.

In order to break free from Perfectionsim, you must accept that your writing will never be perfect. Let go of the ideal of perfection. There is no such thing as the perfect story. Writers are imperfect people as is everyone else — even the holy god of fantasy Tolkien was human. And because we are imperfect, so too is our writing.

Acceptance is not begrudging. Acceptance is contentment with the present. 

So, how do you find contentment in imperfection?

Read bad books. Make fun of them, laugh at them — enjoy them. See how beloved these awfully written books are and embrace the idea that you don’t have to be perfect. You, as you are, are more than enough.

Write badly. Do it purposefully. Research overused cliches and tropes and then write them as awfully as you can. 

Then, share how bad it is. Laugh with your friends and family over it. 

Most of all: don’t compare yourself with others. Admiring and learning from other creators and their work is healthy. Comparing yourself with them is never healthy. 

Now that you’ve faced your fear of imperfection and realized how fun it can be, writing won’t seem so daunting. Free flowing creativity relies on realistic expectations.

Boredom

You are no longer excited about writing. You’ve been working on this story for too long. You’ve been dragging yourself through it. You don’t want to give up, but this is becoming a chore. Or you love this story dearly, however writing in general has become a chore. You’re just plain bored, but that’s something you don’t want to admit because losing your passion for writing feels like your first death.

First: it’s entirely possible you have moved on from writing. That is not a bad thing. Far from it, in fact! If you’re bored, your feelings are telling you this isn’t the right fit for you right now — so try new things! Maybe, after a while, you’ll get that zeal for the written word back. Maybe not.

Don’t become discouraged, though; your time as a writer is not invalidated just because you’re not writing currently. You were a lovely writer. You have written much. Don’t be hard on yourself, but give yourself a pat on the back. You have enjoyed a very turbulent and difficult hobby for likely many years! That is something to smile fondly upon.

If, however, the above sentiments don’t settle in your stomach very well:

What can help you overcome this unending boredom?

Hands-on activities are good at jumpstarting the creative battery:

Play — play a board game with friends, play an RPG video game, build a lego house, mold with Play-Dough.

Apply your creativity to a different outlet — follow a Bob Ross tutorial, cook a new recipe or decorate a cake, crochet a scarf.

Change is a good stimulus for your mind:

Change your environment. Try going to the park and writing. Go to the library. Go to a room on the other side of your house.

Change your medium. If you often write on your computer, try handwriting; pick out a nice notebook and use a smooth-flowing pen. If you often handwrite, try typing; explore different word processesors, like Microsoft Word or Google Docs.

Listen to music or a podcast as you write. Or: if you often listen to classical, try rock. If you often listen to a podcast about true crime, try a comedy channel. Or listen to absolute silence.

You Have No Ideas

This is the essence of the blank page fear. It’s not self-bout, it’s not perfectionism, it’s not a plot hole you’re trying to fill. You simply have nothing to write. You are uninspired.

How to overcome this blockage:

Read good books. You could even study literature: follow along with Shmoop as you read Solaris; Sparknotes as you read Hamlet; or Cliffnotes as you read The Life of Pi.

Research writing: there are many books, websites, blogs, and services that offer advice and tips on writing. Whether you can afford the hefty $180/year subscription to MasterClass, or you’d prefer borrowing a book from your local library, learning something new about your craft could get your brain back to storming.

As a writer, it is your first and primary responsibility to live your life. Creating your own experiences is the best thing you can do for your writing. You write what you know — so try new things!

Spend time with friends: chat over the phone, play Jack-Box over zoom, or (when circumstances safely allow) get coffee at an obscure coffee shop.

Play with your pet; brush your dog’s teeth, or try giving your cat a bath (it will at least be entertaining for those around watching you).

Pick up a new hobby: painting, drawing, cooking, sewing, running, biking, hiking, gardening, dancing, guitar or piano, darts, soap-making, scrapbooking; here’s a list you can browse through.

Introduce yourself to a stranger (not online) — make friends with the person ahead of you in the grocery store line. Characters come from someplace real, so meet more people!

You’re Easily Distracted

It feels like there’s a toddler in your head, and the little devil is hell-bent on driving you absolutely mad. What’s that song on the radio? Let me look up the lyrics and follow along with them for an hour on loop. What’s a synonym for epitome? What’s a synonym for essence? — Extract is a movie? Let’s watch it.  

I personally feel for writers who struggle with this block. We hear time and time again: just limit your distractions! Or try this new web-browser or add-on!

But I don’t have the money to spend on a weird looking typewriter or a monthly subscription for a browser add-on. And far from it will either of those options save me from the toddler in my own mind! The typewriter doesn’t stop me from feeling like eating some ice cream. The browser add-on doesn’t keep me from scrolling through Instagram on my phone.

I have Good News, though: We’re not a hopeless case.

And no, this isn’t a self-discipline issue. As someone who grew up with an impulse-monkey of their very own running rampant inside their head, I’m still an industrious and ethical worker. 

So what’s the secret to overcoming this block?

Self-compassion. 

Instead of shaming and punishing yourself for falling down the YouTube rabbit-hole, take into consideration the toddler when you first approach a task. 

If the toddler often gets sidetracked by music with lyrics, try listening to classical music. There will be no chance then of wanting to sing along with the lyrics, and the toddler will be satisfied while you get some work done.

If the toddler often gets peckish, prepare some healthy snacks (like fruit salad, yogurt with granola, pretzels and peanut butter) ahead of time, get a large thermos of cold water, and the toddler will munch away happily while you work on your magnum opus. 

Set up a dedicated space for writing:

Maybe you don’t have a spare room — or even a desk. But you do have a soft lap pillow and a comfy chair you can move to a quiet corner. Drag your writing supplies over and dedicate this as your safe space for writing. Only write here. Don’t eat breakfast here, don’t do homework here, don’t chat with friends here. 

This may seem straightforward, but teaching the toddler is another story. To start, then, use this dedicated space only for a few minutes at a time. Spend fifteen focused minutes on a project while you sit here, then take a break. Overtime, you’ll find you can focus for longer and longer intervals in your writing space.

Procrastination

The Final Boss. The End-All Villain. Procrastination often doesn’t appear on its own. It’s inspired by something. Maybe it’s something we’ve already covered in this guide. The first thing you must do, therefore, is identify the source of your procrastination. Which may vary from project to project.

Once you identify what it is that’s deterring you from action, remember that you hold the power to break through this cycle. So when you put a plan into action, stick to it.

What are some ways you can beat procrastination?

“I’m overwhelmed by this big project.”

Prepare short-term goals: Long-term goals just about beg to be procrastinated. They’re far away and easily forgetable. Short-term goals, however, offer an opportunity to check something off a list. And boy — is that satisfying to do!

Make a list of what you’d like to get done. Prepare achievable goals; SMART goals are goals that are Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Relevant, and are set within a Time-frame. So, for instance, if you have a book you’d like to write, make it a goal to write five hundred words during the next hour.

“There is only one way to eat an elephant: one bite at a time” — Desmond Tutu

“This is boring.”

This kind of boredom which inspires procrastination is not necessarily the same as creative boredom. This kind of boredom exists because you do not feel challenged in your writing. Whereas the boredom we previously discussed is caused because you are not excited about your writing. So how do you challenge yourself? — Some previous suggestions can be applied:

Try your hand at a whole new genre. Do you write a lot of Fantasy? Try Science Fiction, Urban Fantasy, or go as far out of your comfort zone as you can, like Contemporary Romance. Or have you ever written NonFiction? Jog your mind with a memior prompt or an essay topic — just make sure it interests you!

Research writing: there are many books, websites, blogs, and services that offer advice and tips on writing. On Tumblr alone, some include: @writingwithcolor, @referenceforwriters, @ wordstuck.co.vu, @writing-problems​, @thewritershelpers​, @youreallwrite​, and @fuckyeahcharacterdevelopment​

Try throwing a monkey wrench into your story! You can try picking a random prompt to try and incorporate into a scene. You can kill a character. Add some spice into your writing to renew your writing zest!

If all else fails: archive this project. Don’t delete it — never delete what you write; put this project aside for now. Step away from it. You may be too close to it to see what about it isn’t working, or what about it is making it unattractive to you. Give it some time. When you feel ready to return to this project, it will be waiting for you. In the meantime, enjoy creating a new story.

[owlghost]

1-25 for the ask game, for 25 I choose Danny!

hot damn okay!

1) When did you first watch Danny Phantom?i watched it the day it premiered! i was eight years old wowie

2) What’s your favorite fic?OH SHIT idk man i have read and loved way to many to pick a fav uh i personally really love horror and angsty stuff, which is very easy to find lmao

3) If you could canonically rewrite any episode, which would you chose?obviously phantom planet. i like the concept of a crazy-ass asteroid thats going to destroy the earth unless ghosts and people join together to ~save the day~ but it couldve been done without all the other bullshit i probably dont need to explain

4) What’s your favorite ship (if any)?pitch pearl holds a special place in my heart since it was one of the first that i ever liked, otherwise im neutral on most of them

5) Thoughts about Amethyst Ocean?i hate it and i dont like sam either

6) Thoughts about Gray Ghost?im neutral on it

7) Thoughts about Swagger Bishie?i used to like it a lot, even now i enjoy the dynamic but otherwise neutral

8) Thoughts about Wes Weston?if written well he can be a really good addition, so yeah i enjoy his character

9) Thoughts about Vlad?couldve been a really good antagonist, but hes too rigid of a character in canon. theres a few fanon versions i really enjoy- one being where he’s still a bad guy for using his powers to get rich and blackmail people, but hes not out for murder (tho maybe still bitter) and doesnt want danny as his son. like hes a bad guy but not a Bad Guy if that makes sense

10) Would you rather wear the striped pants or ‘It’s not gay if he’s dead’ t-shirt?those pants are atrocious, give me the shirt. tho maybe confusing since im a lesbian lmao

11) Most underrated fic trope?nobody knows au, please give me more i am starving

12) Most overrated fic trope?field trip into dannys head/ghost zone, its just been written so many times that the dead horse is now ground meat

13) Which do you prefer more, ghost hunger or dissection fics?AW FUCK MAN dont make me choose both are so gross and horrific that i love them equally

14) Have you ever read a dissection fic and if so, do you remember your first one?ya obviously, and it was lab rat which was also the very first fic i read for the fandom and i was fuckin HOOKED

15) Who’s your favorite character?i mean danny bc im basic but other than him either frostbite of wulf

16) Would you rather Danny be an astronaut or the Ghost King?not to project but i’d rather him be an astronaut bc i personally know the pain of growing up and working so hard to do a specific thing, but then having something happen that completely destroys all that work. okay im 100% projecting but let him live out his dreams BLEASE, for me

17) Would you rather Danny expose his secret to his family or classmates?both are good but probably family so there could be some heavy duty hurt/comfort

18) What do you think ghost speak would sound like?like a recording of someone speaking but its played in reverse w an overlay of static and an echobut i also like where its just a jumble of letters so it looks and sounds like gibberish but theres obviously rules and grammar and whatnot

19) Thoughts about field trip fics?the horse is GROUND BEEF guys(write whatever u want idc, just have fun)

20) Thoughts about “season four” fics?i dont think ive read any so idk

21) Which two characters would you like to swap bodies for a day?MAN IDK i dont really like body swap stuff

22) Any headcanons about the Infinite Realms?its the opposite of space so anything and anyone could and does exist bc its truly infinite and ever expanding

23) Any headcanons about the A-Listers?kwan and star are actually pretty nicedash has a shitty home lifepaulina is middle class At Best but has amazing sewing skills so she can make any garment look expensive

24) Any headcanons about Dani?shes nomadic so she doesnt stay in place very longanonymously runs a very popular instagram where she takes pictures and videos of the places she visitschanges a lot of aspects of her appearance so she doesnt look like a danny clone anymore- basically becomes her own person physically

25) What song do you associate with Danny?enter shikari - airfield (thats also a link to the song)

[officialjessicajewett]

Short story (although I beg you to read the entire blog): I’m selling a drawing of the Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain house and donating the profits to preservation and restoration efforts.

BUY THE CHAMBERLAIN HOUSE ORIGINAL ART HERE. BUY THE CHAMBERLAIN HOUSE ART PRINTS HERE.

Now, let’s have the whole story. The links will be at the end of the blog again too. I don’t know if my efforts will be successful but my hope is you’ll feel my passion by the end of this blog.

We’re here to talk about something very near and dear to my heart – the Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain house in Brunswick, Maine. The porches that Chamberlain himself built on his home of over fifty years are in structural danger. Together, you and I are going to help. Buildings like this one belong to all of us.

Briefly, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was a Union general in the American Civil War who rose to that rank without formal military training (he was a professor before the war). He volunteered for service, and then later became a four-term governor of Maine, followed by president of Bowdoin College.

His wife, Fanny, was a rare example of an independent woman, having a career of her own as a music teacher and an artist before she decided to get married. The two of them were quite liberal in a lot of ways; believing women should be admitted to college wherever they chose, believing in the right to contraception and family planning, believing in racial equality, and so forth.

For a bit of context into the time and place the Chamberlain family lived, they knew Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, and attended church with her for years. Stowe sometimes held gatherings of Bowdoin College students in her home where she read chapters of Uncle Tom’s Cabin aloud. Chamberlain took Fanny to some of these readings while they were “dating” (dating wasn’t the term in those days).

National history largely forgot Chamberlain until Ken Burns heavily featured him throughout his documentary series, The Civil War. Then in the early 90s, Jeff Daniels actually played Chamberlain (seen in character on the left) in the film, Gettysburg, followed ten years later by playing him again in Gods and Generals.

His impact reaches far beyond Maine. Even I live in Atlanta and I’m just three miles from both Chamberlain Street and Oakland Cemetery where one of his best friends, General John B. Gordon, is buried.

You’re beginning to see why this family and this house matter to American history. We could sit here discussing Chamberlain’s fascinating life and undeniable affect on Maine history until we write a book. In fact, there are a lot of books about him, his military commands, and his family.

Not only did the family live in this house for over fifty years, but Henry Wadsworth Longfellow rented rooms in the same house before they bought it. Longfellow’s presence in the house is still felt today in the upstairs parlor where a portion of the wallpaper he put up is still there.

This is the house today. Originally, it was only one-and-a-half floors. Chamberlain had the entire structure moved to the corner of Potter and Maine, and then lifted about eleven feet off the ground to build an entirely new first floor addition. He designed most of the first floor himself, including a beautiful curved staircase that greeted guests upon walking through the ruby red foyer. It’s is one of the most architecturally important houses in the state of Maine due to the odd mixture of building and decorating styles blended together from different popular aesthetics in the nineteenth century – Cape Cod, Gothic Revival, and some Art Nouveau influences. Chamberlain wasn’t even a trained architect or interior designer.

The Pejepscot History Center (PHC) rescued the house from demolition in 1983 after decades of being rented out to Bowdoin College students. It had been chopped up into seven apartments and the interior was painted psychedelic colors when they acquired it. Almost 37 years under the careful stewardship of historians and volunteers has seen great strides toward preserving and restoring the home to the way it stood when Chamberlain lived there, but only partially so.

As of my last visit, renters still live in the upper portions of the house in, I believe, three apartments because renting brings in money for upkeep. Many of the unoccupied rooms upstairs haven’t yet been restored either, including all of the Chamberlain family bedrooms. The downstairs bathroom with original fittings and the master bedroom upstairs were being used for storage instead of teaching and tourism. It takes a lot of money to preserve and restore historical buildings. Brunswick is a small town and Maine is a small town state.

Why does the decay of an old house matter to me?

My family name is Jewett. That was, once upon a time, an influential name up in Maine, so much so that if you take a drive over to South Berwick, you can tour my ancestors’ home. I’m related to Sarah Orne Jewett and she left her home to Historic New England when she died. If you click on her name, it’ll take you to the website for that house. There, you’ll see the potential when important places have the resources for full, meticulous restoration and preservation. I have a vision for the Chamberlain home being just as preserved, studied, and restored as the Jewett house.

I’ve had the privilege of visiting the Chamberlain house twice. Tour guides were wonderful and well-informed, the gift shop was better than most battlefield gift shops, and there was a beautiful wheelchair ramp built onto the back porch – a rarity for historical landmarks. In the above photo, you’re looking at my first trip to the house twelve years ago when I was quite sick and underweight compared to now. Sick or not, historical preservation is my passion. So I went to Maine.

I’d like to show you more photos from my trips to the Chamberlain house. I quickly grabbed some from my collection so you can see how special this place is to many of us in the American history, women’s history, and Civil War fields.

In 2018 and 2019, the PHC raised $48,000 for serious restoration work on the exterior of the house. They even got the wheelchair ramp rebuilt on the back porch as a bonus. It was a really spectacular job and it all looks like it belonged on the house from the beginning, although General Chamberlain never had a ramp back there.

The old ramp and porch.

The new ramp and porch.

I’m showing you this because I want you to see what’s possible through the help of donations, foundations, and grants to not only restore historical landmarks but also to make them accessible to more people in the future. Places like this really depend on tourism for cash flow in addition to the few grants that are available. Tourism matters economically to small towns. It pays to have interesting landmarks, speaking in practical terms. We’re American. We understand that money talks.

Take a look at this photo of the house from the 1870s. Do you see the glass porch on the first floor, and then the open air porch above it? Pay attention to those.

I’m letting the Pejepscot History Center explain what happened. This is from their fundraiser page. I’m not sure if the fundraiser page is still open, but if it is, I’ll update this blog with a link.

Thanks to $48,000 raised from foundations and individuals over 2018-2019, we were able to undertake extensive exterior restoration work on the Joshua L. Chamberlain Museum starting in the spring of 2019.

Four faces of the building have now been lovingly restored, but in the process, considerable rot due to deferred maintenance in the past was found and corrected.

This led to fewer funds available for addressing the final part of this Phase I restoration effort: the two historic porches on the southeast corner of the building, which have some of the most interesting architecture on the building, and provide considerable structural support.

Unfortunately, they too have more deterioration than originally anticipated, necessitating additional funds to repair and rebuild the porches correctly.

Chamberlain raised the house 11 feet in the air in 1871 to add the lower story, thereby adding the first floor porch himself. He especially loved these porches. Over the years, he and the family enjoyed sitting on them and raising plants in the ample southern sunshine.

So I decided to make donations interesting. Individually, none of us can afford the $20,000 the PHC needs to raise to save Chamberlain’s porches from decaying and deteriorating. I know I can’t.

But what I can do is use my skills as an artist to draw attention to the house and make it worth your effort to help rescue the house. I’m a portrait artist most of the time, selling commissions of ordinary people as well as portraits set in highly researched historical scenes. To me, the Chamberlain house like all other historical houses are like living things with souls and sets of memories all their own.

The idea occurred to me that if people were willing to buy my portraits of people, perhaps they would be willing to buy a “portrait” of a house. I had already done a Christmas-themed piece of art showcasing the Chamberlain family’s church, First Parish, and I was interested in doing another piece anyway. If I could use my artistic drive to raise awareness for historical preservation, all the better.

So I got to work. Watch the video below to see me in action.

Yes, the manner in which I do my art is a bit different. We’ll go ahead and address the elephant in the room since many of you might be new to my website and my art. If you didn’t guess from my other photos, I’m physically disabled. I was born with a condition called Arthrogryposis and the nature of it means I need to do everything with the tools in my mouth, whether it’s writing, typing, chopping vegetables, sewing, or creating art. I’ve had about nineteen surgeries to date with a high probability of two more surgeries in 2020. Selling art is how I make extra money.

This time, however, I’m not making money from the art. I’ve decided to sell both the original and various sized prints made from the Chamberlain house piece for the benefit of the restoration project. When I sell this piece, I will make a donation from 80% of the profits (I need 20% for shipping, materials, etc.) to the Pejepscot History Center and I will make public all of the pertinent documents. That way everything is crystal clear and there are no questions.

This is the completed piece of art.

It took me about three weeks to complete it. I used a combination of Pentel mechanical pencils with .5 mm lead and Prismacolor Ebony pencils on 11×14-inch mixed media paper. Each detail of the house was researched and replicated to the best of my ability down to the placement of the trees, the curtains from the 1870s photographs, the wrought iron fence design, and the woodwork. If you look up top, you’ll see the famous chimney Chamberlain added after the war with the Maltese cross. He was a Fifth Corps officer and the Maltese cross was their insignia, a symbol found throughout the house.

You’ll be able to purchase this piece of art in my shop.

BUY THE CHAMBERLAIN HOUSE ORIGINAL ART HERE. BUY THE CHAMBERLAIN HOUSE ART PRINTS HERE.

The original, as in the actual piece of art I worked on, is 11×14 inches and costs $385.00 USD. Prints (5×7, 8×10, or 11×17) range in price from $12.00 USD to $24.00 USD and are made on high quality cardstock with a glossy finish.

Orders larger than 8×10 inches are shipped in a tube with the art rolled inside to protect it from rough postal workers. Orders 8×10 and smaller are shipped in flat bubble mailers reinforced with cardboard. All customers are given a tracking number so they can keep an eye on their packages with the postal service as well. Every order within the United States includes free shipping. Shipping for international orders will be calculated at the time of purchase.

Please consider purchasing this piece. It’s such a worthy cause. I realize there is a lot happening in the world, and I’m doing my part for those causes too, but we should care about American history too.  We need to be thinking about what kind of tangible legacy we’re going to leave our children and grandchildren. Wouldn’t you want to teach your descendants to celebrate and honor a man who believed in the qualities of a better world that we’re still fighting to create? What better way to honor him and his family than to help preserve the place they loved and called home for over half a century?

If you’re not interested in buying my art, that’s quite all right. There are choices.

One option is to let me collect the donations at PayPal.me/ArtByJessicaJewett and I’ll get it to the Pejepscot History Center for you. Please specify that you are donating to the Chamberlain house in the notes. I’ll send donations on the 15th of every month (when there are any) and I will give you copies of the receipts.

Or you can make a donation directly to the Pejepscot History Center, but please make sure you specify that your donation is for the Chamberlain house. They don’t have digital donations aside from the annual membership drives. The new 2020 membership drive hasn’t been created yet since they are closed until February 4.

To donate by mail:

Pejepscot History Center 159 Park Row Brunswick, ME 04011

By phone: Call (207) 729-6606 to provide a credit card number. They take all major cards.

In person: Drop by their offices at 159 Park Row during open hours.

The Pejepscot History Center is a non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. Your gift is tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law.

I’m not affiliated with the Pejepscot History Center in any way, nor do I work for them. My fundraising efforts are as a private citizen.

Donation

Please consider making a donation to help me keep up with the cost of art supplies, living expenses, equipment related to my disability, and so forth. The minimum is set at $10.00. Thank you for your generosity.

$10.00

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Buy a piece of art to help with restoration projects on the Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain house. Find out why it's important. Short story (although I beg you to read the entire blog): I'm selling a drawing of the Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain house and donating the profits to preservation and restoration efforts.

[iohourtime]

Semi Otoko (Cicada Man) - Story, Cast, and Comments

From the Official Website of the show  https://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/semio/#/?category=drama

Start Date: 2019.07.26 (Friday) 11:15 pm JST on TV Asahi

“What a Wonderful World!” - Semi

STORY

This is a miraculous love story between a beautiful cicada prince and a 30-ish woman

The story was set in an apartment building called “Utsusemi* Sou (Manor)” located just outside the city center. The old, but tasteful and elegant English-style building was home to a number of unique residents.

Semi was a cicada born in the garden behind the apartment complex. After spending a long time underground, he was finally ready to emerge in the summer. "Finally I can go to the world I so longed for!” --- with high expectations and exuberant spirits, he popped out of the ground, but in that moment, he felt a woman about to land on his head…! “I went into the world as determined but I am going to die before I even take flight…” Just as he was ready to accept his unavoidable death, the woman managed to swerve and fell just a little off to his side. Semi cheated death this time.

The woman was Yuka, who lived in “Utsusemi Manor”. She was a 30-ish (arasa) woman who worked in a food company and spent most of her days not doing much.  Semi, seeing Yuka’s lonely and dispirited face, decided to become human to thank her for saving his life, promising to fulfill Yuka’s wish!

Without knowing why, Semi and Yuka spent 7 days living together. Although she was often shocked and bewildered by Semi’s weird and otherworldly behaviour, she started falling in love with this semi prince who was doing everything he can to try to make her happy.

The emerged Semi can only live for 7 days above ground - don’t you all want to see how the miraculous love story between the beautiful, personified Semi and the sullen, 30-ish Yuka?

* I looked up Utsusemi in the dictionary.  Utsusemi apparently means “man of the world”, “”the real world”, or “temporal things”.  It also could refer to a “cicada shell” or “cast-off”. So I guess it is a double entendre.

CAST

Semi (Yamada Ryosuke - Hey! Say! JUMP)*

This summer, Semi emerged from the ground (as a human).

In the moment he emerged from the ground, Yuka was about to fall on him, ending this chapter of the story… as he thought about that, Yuka brilliant "avoidance" saved his life.

He became concerned about Yuka, who is kind, but also a bit sad. “Can I do anything for this person?”, “I want to make her smile.”, he started thinking…

With that, he transformed into human form (very beautiful), and started living with Yuka at “Utsusemi Manor” in his limited, 7-days lifespan. To Semi, everything in the world is glorious, a place he yearned for. That’s why his catchphrase is “What a wonderful world!” His favourite food is maple syrup.

Since he is a cicada, he is not familiar with normal human behaviour, so he frequently act in weird, other-worldly ways.

* Weird. I thought Yamada stopped being credited with the group’s name since a few years ago. I guess we’ll have to see the credits on the episode itself.

Okawa Yuka (Kinami Haruka)

A 30-ish woman who lived in "Utsusemi Manor". She worked in a food factory and was really bad at communicating with people (not a smooth-talker). Anyway, she did not have much of a life.

Both her parents were hardcore gansters (Yankee). Her brother was The Legendary Yankee. One day, she unknowingly reported her brother’s crimes to the police, and everyone around her blamed her for this. As a result, she found it hard to live in her hometown and moved to Tokyo.

Since Semi was furiously expressing his thanks for saving his life, and before she knew it, she started living with him for the next 7 days...

Kumada Minako (Imada Mio)

A resident of “Utsusemi “Manor”. She dreamed of becoming a designer, so she went from Fukuoka to Tokyo. She attended a school of fashion and asked Yuka for help on many of her sewing projects. She made clothes for Kugiko, Nejiko, and Haru, and the residents wore those clothes a lot.

She was the type who would say whatever is on her mind and she’s also very fashionable.

Okawa Kenta (Miyake Ken)

Yuka's older brother. He is famous in his hometown as the "legendary Yankee". He’s a legend is not only because he’s strong, but he may also be a legendary idiot... He was too stupid, so he unknowingly participated in breaking and entering; his younger sister, Yuka, reported him to [the police], leading to his arrest.

Iwamoto Haru (Yamazaki Shizuyo)

A picture book writer who lived in "Utsusemi Manor". She went around wearing a beret and unusual clothes. She was a very strong and kind-hearted woman who was loved by all the residents. She used to be part of a comedy duo with her husband, Masa.

Iwamoto Masa (Yatsui Ichiro)

A resident of “Utsusemi Manor”. He was Haru’s husband and used to be part of a comedy duo with her.  Because he loved Haru so much, he became too sweet as the straight-man in the duo, so he had to give up being a comic. He currently worked in a company [as a regular employee].

Ogawa Kunio (Kitamura Yukiya)

A resident of “Utsusemi Manor”. He worked in an unspecified job and often stayed in his apartment. He kept saying “his body is weak" and "his will die soon", but it had been many years since [he started saying that]. Anyway, he was a man of mysteries.

Shouno Nejiko (Agawa Sawako)

One of the landlords of “Utsusemi Manor”. She was the younger sister of the so-called "Kokubunji Sisters". In contrast to her impatient sister, she was very easygoing and a little slow.

Shono Kugiko (Dan Fumi)

One of the landlords of “Utsusemi Manor”. She was the older sister of the so-called "Kokubunji Sisters". She was very impatient, who always complained about her dumb sister. Although they argue all the time, the sisters actually got along very well.

Comments from the Cast, Writer, and Producer

Semi - Yamada Ryosuke

This is my first appearance in a TV Asahi drama! And I am playing “Semi”! A semi that goes “min, min” (laughs).

When I first heard about it, I thought it was a type of drama that I have never seen before. Since Okada Yoshikazu-san worked on the script, and it is very interesting! It depicted the importance of human connections, and my character has a lot of lines that will move people’s hearts, so it’ll be nice if it resonates with the audience. The story also unfolds in a very interesting way and I hope all of us will have fun making this drama.

Today, we went to take photos and videos for the press release and promotional segment, but it was very surreal! (Laughs) I was filming at a certain park in Tokyo, but the way people looked at me… (Laughs). While I was doing various things like clinging to trees and pretending to fly, a child who was watching said "What is that Onii-chan doing?" I so was embarrassed (laughs). However, I think I want to act well in the drama from the surreal parts to the touching parts.

Actually, this is the second time I played the role of "Semi." Last time, I was a contract killer called “Semi” in the movie "Glasshopper", which is completely different from the “Semi” this time. I think I might be the only one in this industry that had played "Semi" twice (laughs)?

I have never thought I needed to "understand the feeling of a cicada" in my life, but I guess I have to study hard on its ecology this summer! Since nobody had tried to personify a cicada before, so I'll try to prepare for this challenge!

It’s my first appearance in a TV Asahi drama and I am really excited. Since I have only gone on “Music Station” before, I think it is nice and a bit stressful to see myself in other timeslots.

"Semi Otoko" is definitely going to be the drama that will make you laugh and cry this summer! Please look forward to it.

Ozawa Yuka - Kinami Haruka*

* The official site have not updated the other cast’s comments yet. I got this from the article announcing the additional cast.

When I heard that it is a love story with a cicada, I already thought it sounded interesting. I am very excited and look forward to how this story develops. I want to throw myself into the role and show the changes in the relationships, not just with Semi-Otoko, but also with the various characters as written by Okada-san.

(Yamada, who plays Semi, looks forward to meeting Kinami. "Kinami-san really likes bread ... and so do I! I think I can get a lot of detailed information [about bread] from her while we are filming!”)

Ozawa Kenta - Miyake Ken

This time I'm playing the older brother of Yuka, played by Kinami Haruka-san; the character is said to be “the legendary Yankee,” but he's just an idiot (laughs). However, I want to be a lovable idiot, so I want everyone who watch the drama to feel that way about my older brother character.

I worked with Yamada Ryosuke-kun when V6 and Hey! Say! JUMP were the main personalities in the “24 Hour TV” special, and at that time, we worked on “Stomp” together. My impression is that he was serious and stoic about practicing and he is very responsible. This time, I will do my best to spice up this drama starring Yamada-kun.

This story is a wonderful fantasy in which Semi gradually gains a place in Yuka’s heart. Yuka is a woman whose family is very unhelpful, meets Semi, who wants to properly thank her and fulfil her wish; the little blessings in life gradually become important things - I think that I want to see this Yuka appear.

When you see a beautiful, cute, and pale young man like Yamada-kun in a drama on Friday night, I hope you will feel healed from the tiredness of work and study. Immerse yourself in the elixir that is Yamada-kun’s “Semi Otoko", and I think you can have a pleasant weekend and be ready to face Monday again.

Screenplay - Okada Yoshikazu

It’s been 20 years since I last wrote a drama for TV Asahi, and it is for the “Friday Night Drama” slot, which had been the home of many interesting works before, so I am having a great time [working on this project].

This time, I have indulgently used Yamada Ryosuke-san as my muse for this original project. I was very happy when he accepted the offer to act as the titular character. This is an ambitious project, but at the same time, I am very confident about it. It is at once funny and sad, it will move your heart, and while you may cry, it is not tears of sadness. That’s the type of drama. Yamada-san’s Semi Otoko will surely wash away your tiredness every Friday night. It is “very cute”.

It is not only Yamada-san. The heroine of the story is also someone I really love. There are also a lot of other interesting actors in the show. It is quite fun to write.

You will cry your heart out in the last episode; I probably cried the most as I wrote it.

I hope you can look forward to it.

TV Asahi - Producer Hattori Nobuyuki

These days, you cannot go a day without someone being shamed on SNS.

Someone tried to bring someone else down a peg and take a little pleasure, and [somehow] it spread like wildfire .... It is a difficult world to live in. That’s why I want to make a warm drama that can give people a [virtual] hug and gentle encouragement them in these times.

The gentle yet sad story woven by Okada Yoshikaz-san… This is a "fully affirmative drama" that reinforces everyone's way of life.

Who would you want to give you that gentle hug and encouragement?

For the role of the Semi Prince, I cannot think of anyone other than Yamada Ryosuke-san. He is Japan’s number one “affectionate” and “gentle” actor.  How will Yamada-san be like in the slightly surreal world created by Okada-san…, I am happily looking forward to it.

I hope “Yamada-san is Semi!” will not get dragged on SNS...

Photos and First Teaser

There is no photos or teasers from the show yet since they haven’t started shooting as far as we know. The first teaser is actually a homage to the long running docuseries “Jonetsu Dairoku” featuring actor Yamada Ryosuke and has nothing to do with the actual show.

The video is also geo-blocked to Japan only.

[nanoka12]

Exclusive photos and long interview in Kiss & Cry--Yuzuru Hanyu: Be Myself

The open practice in Toronto, Canada at which many journalists also gathered this year. Hanyu, speaking about his new programmes, had a cheerful and calm expression. Half a year after his great feat of defending his Olympic title, what are the things he thinks of?

The FS which is a return to his own origins

The open practice which took place at the end of August at the Cricket Club in Toronto. On the first day, the music that played during his practice run through was Hungarian violinist Edvin Marton’s Art on Ice. Hanyu gave the programme set to the musical arrangement the name Origin. “It was a piece of music that made me begin to be engrossed in skating. I want to skate this programme while feeling the enjoyment of skating, the beginning of my skating life.”

Although Art on Ice is a piece of music that has been used by many skaters to date, among them the best known is probably the legendary programme Tribute to Nijinsky in the 2003-2004 season by Evgeni Plushenko, whom Hanyu loves and respects. 

“There is a very strong impression that Plushenko-san had skated to this piece of music. As it is one of his signature programmes, I had some slight feelings like not measuring up to it. During Continues~with Wings~ (13-15 April), I conveyed to Plushenko-san “Allow me to use this song”, and I received the words “Do your best” from him. The wonderful programme that Tribute to Nijinsky is, is also something that is extremely important to me. Therefore, I think it would be wonderful if I am able to complete Origin as my own programme which differs from that (Tribute to Nijinsky).”

The SP which is another of his origins

His SP is to Argentine pianist Raul di Blasio’s Otoñal. Likewise, it is music which had been used by a skater Hanyu admires--Johnny Weir’s FS for the 2004-2006 seasons had been to this piece. 

“The arm positions during spins, the softness of expressions, the way to pick up nuances and move to music, landing positions and so on, it was the music of the programme that led me to perform with attention to each of these details.”

Were there other possible choices he considered? 

“No. (He said this decisively). It was a situation in which I made an almost instantaneous decision. I started thinking about various things the instance it was decided I was unable to compete at the World Championships in March, and I had already made up my mind before Continues~with Wings~. To skate to my favourite pieces of music. Just that, after I made the decision, I thought “I must seek permission from both of them” (laughs). Also, as the reason for choosing this programme was just my feelings that “Because I like it I want to do it”, I considered with my whole being as to what meaning these two programmes hold, and how I can complete them as my own programmes while also respecting (the skaters and their programmes).”

The ice show and 24H TV programme that reflected his “roots”

At the ice show he personally produced for the first time, Continues~, skaters who had connections with Hanyu were gathered. 

“I think Continues~ was a show that reflected my “roots”. As there was the injury to my right ankle, although I was not able to show a proper skate, I really feel that with the performances of the great skaters who agreed to grace the show, it became a wonderful show. Also, I respect them and they also gave me their respect. The receiving and acceptance of those thoughts and feelings have become one of the driving forces for me to continue to work hard from this point onward.”

The “roots” that were reflected in the ice show. Are these the same as the “origins” of his new programmes?

“For me “origins” and “roots” are slightly different, roots have the image akin to  “scenes of my own heart, my own thoughts”. Receiving various influences from different people, leading to the me that is here right now, that is something I feel very much recently...I cannot be cognizant of the existence known as myself without the gaze of other people. It was a show that made me feel such things and view the existence known as myself objectively.”

About 4 months after that, for the TV programme 24H TV 41 Love Saves the World~Person Who Changes Lives~ which was broadcast in August, he revisited the sewing classroom in Narahamachi, Fukushima, which he had visited 3 years ago, to report back on winning the Olympic gold medal.

“If I was not personally in the position of a victim of the Great East Japan Earthquake, perhaps they would not be able to draw close to me from their hearts. And, perhaps they would not watch my performances with their hearts drawn to my performances to this degree. Therefore, from now on also I must properly accept that I was affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Sendai, Miyagi and live on properly. Although the experience of the earthquake and tsunami was really painful, precisely because I experienced that, I want to do the things I can do, this is what I thought anew.”

Also in the same TV programme, he collaborated with Disney on Ice at the place of his starting point, Ice Rink Sendai, where he had begun skating at the age of four.

“Although it would have been nice if I could have also performed together with Pooh-san, but even Pooh-san has circumstances...(wry smile) It seems that without the forest Pooh-san will not come.(laughs)”

Becoming greedy and enjoying life more

On changes to his state of mind after the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, Hanyu describes it as such:

“Until now there has been tremendous pressure to “do my own skating”, “meet expectations”, “produce results”...But right now all that is disappearing, from now on perhaps it is alright to skate for myself, this is what I am thinking. The reason I began skating was because it was enjoyable. Together with this emotion, looking back at the difficult path I have walked until now, perhaps it can be described as repaying myself or they have become the emotion of wanting to do something that would be like a personal reward for myself.”

After the Olympics, he had also declared his intention to challenge the 4A.

“Within myself there is the desire of wanting to jump it this season. When I was in the lower grades of elementary school, I would spend 45 minutes of 1 hour practice sessions on practicing the axel. (laughs) The sense of achievement when I landed the axel is one of the key reasons I came to love skating.” 

Then, are there perhaps other things he wants to do outside of skating?

“...From now on I think I will be more greedy and I will go and do various things. Before the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, I cut away various things, my consideration was to make everything work for the sake of success at the Olympics. Right now my mindset is becoming slightly different from that time. Of course even from now on before competitions, or in order to land the 4A I think there will be various things I will cut away, but now I think I want to properly receive this happiness, and in addition to that also complete my own happiness.”

In specific terms how does the happiness he pictures look like?

“Playing video games, listening to music...and also earphones. (laughs) Right now I am playing games such as Fire Emblem, and Power Pros. I also want to play Super Smash Bros. ...and, though this has become about personal matters (laughs), I think it would be wonderful if I can accept completely the thoughts of many different people in the form of their “congratulations” and connect it to my own happiness.”

Hanyu who smiled while describing the leisure activities that young men of his generation enjoy as a matter of course as something that is “greedy”. With consecutive Olympic victories, for him who has become the best skater in the world in both name and fact, this time he will skate “for himself” to the music of his favourite skaters.

Original article by editorial team of Kiss & Cry, published in  KISS & CRY 氷上の美しき勇者たち　 2018-2019シーズン開幕号～Road to GOLD!!!

[throwing-roses-into-the-abyss]

1, 2, 5, 9, 15, 16, 37 and one of your choosing! enjoy! :D

thank you viki!! :D 1. Describe your comfort zone—a typical you-ficOh goodness. My writing is all over the place, so I’m not actually sure?? I know I write a lot of short, silly stuff, so I think that’s my comfort zone. I find it easier to write when I’m not taking it too seriously and I just get to be dumb about it. 2. Is there a trope you’ve yet to try your hand at, but really want to?I was going to say “mutual pining + bed sharing” but APPARENTLY I’ve already done that but just forgot I did so now...I don’t know. Maybe something with vampires or ghosts. Do those count as tropes? 5. share one of your strengths I’ve been told I’m very good at packing a lot of story into very few words 9. Which fic has been the hardest to write?I’m going to name two, which is: This is Gospel, my Good Omens multichapter WIP that I just got so stuck with, it’s been months and I still haven’t finished writing the last chapter. I know roughly where it’s going and how it’s ending, but for some reason the words just aren’t happening and everytime I open the file I feel like I’ve just run headfirst against a wall. and Cross-pollination, a phan/star trek combo. idk why, but this fic took a LOT of concerted effort to write. I’m happy with it! But I’m also happy it’s just done and out there lmao. 15. If you could choose one of your fics to be filmed, which would you choose?The first one to come to mind is Something so magic about you. I just love this fic a lot, I’m really proud of it, and I think it could be great as a movie (or, you know. a 5-season bbc series with Bradley James and Colin Morgan. For example. Just a suggestion.)16. If you only could write one pairing for the rest of your life, which pairing would it be?First of all, that would be a nightmare. Secondly, probably Kirk/Spock? There’s just so many possibilities there, and I haven’t written enough of them yet. 

37. Talk about your current wips.Ok I have a whole bunch, SO: This is Gospel - I’m sorry I still haven’t finished this. Somewhere in space hangs my heart - again, I’m sorry I still haven’t finished this. One day, ONE DAY, I will continue writing this. This one was just some bad luck - it was my nanowrimo project, but I burned myself out a little, which was then followed by: a concussion, a lot of family drama, a really bad flu, writers block. I do already have an idea for an extra short story as a kind of sequel/addition/bonus fic that involves McCoy and how he becomes part of the triumvirate, and I have part of that written, too. But first, I’m working on getting over that writers block. phan femslash - I’ve sloooowly been working on a femslash idea where dan is a fashion designer. This one’s just blatant ‘I’ve been watching too many sewing videos’ indulgence, but hey, that’s what fanfiction is for, right. It’s (hopefully) going to be a oneshot, but it looks like it’s going to be a long one. some phan drabbles - I have a file with some drabbles in the works, all for the sake of getting over this writers block. One of them is already posted (mating calls), and another one is in the works and I even have a beta for it. +bonus question (of my own choosing): What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever come across?I think it’s “Put one word after another. Find the right word, put it down.” (by Neil Gaiman) which sounds simple! But we all know how hard this is. But it’s true: you can’t edit an empty page, so you need words to fill it up, so the best thing to do is just to put one word after another and then start working with that. Usually, the words start flowing more easily once you’ve put a couple down. (Sometimes, this doesn’t happen, and I will stop for the day, but at least I’ll have more words than before.)send me questions about writing!

[herdustisverypretty]

15 questions, 15 mutuals - tagged by @humanitys-shortest-soldier ♡♡

1. Are you named after anyone?

I'm named after Nicole Kidman, because my parents couldn't agree on a name and finally decided they both liked the actress. My sister's name also starts with N so they thought it was charming that we both have the same initials. 

2. When was the last time you cried?

Probably the past couple of days but probably from laughing not sadness. I've been watching a lot of Call Me Kevin and UpIsNotJump on yt at like 4am, and everything's utterly hilarious at that time of day, more than usual.

3. Do you have kids?

No and I never will :) My sister has said that I am "not allowed" to babysit her future children. Bold of her to assume I want to go near them in the first place.

4. Do you use sarcasm a lot?

Yes but it's fairly subtle. More what I would call saltiness than sarcasm perhaps. I've been watching Gopher for too long.

5. What’s the first thing you notice about people?

Usually what's the most visually striking thing about them. I'm gonna be a douchebag and say most people are plain and I in fact barely notice them at all, even if I'm talking to them directly, so unless someone particularly stands out visually, they're background noise that I don't register. I generally don't talk to new people anyway. I lead a sheltered social life.

6. What’s your eye color?

Brown usually. They can appear a muddy looking green colour in sunlight.

7. Scary movie or happy ending?

I would usually say happy ending but I've recently been more interested in horror genre media. Only took me 22 years to stop being a wimp 👍

8. Any special talents?

Being annoying and useless? I can sew pretty well. I can sew by machine or by hand. Sewing by hand is really relaxing actually. It's like knitting. Except not.

9. Where were you born?

The Manley area of Sydney's northern beaches. No wonder I'm such a hippie. My sister and I used to have Manley beach t-shirts when we were kids. It was kinda weird.

10. What are your hobbies?

Lately it's trying to decide what video game to play and spending so long being indecisive that I don't play any and end up watching YouTube all day and then going to bed feeling unproductive and unsatisfied with my life 👍

11. Do you have any pets?

I have custody of two psycho cats, though my sister also has a very old cat who lives here. Mr Old Man Whikky (Whiskers) as we call him is a scruffy 16 year old immortal tabby. I swear he's gonna outlive all of us. Then my cats are Kooty (Little Koot - think little cat) who was a stray turned up on our doorstep with a broken tail at 4am on a school night. She's about 12 now. And finally the new addition, 2 year old Lola, a stray kitten from out in the countryside where my dad lives. Took her on a nice 6 hour car ride home to my city when she was about 2 months old, and she had diarrhoea because we weren't aware she didn't handle wet food or milk well yet. That was a fun time...

I used to have a little dog, a Chihuahua and Maltese mix named Sammy, but he passed in 2015. He and Whikky were raised together since birth and were best friends (and also in somewhat of a gay interspecies relationship), and since he died Whikky has been a bit funny. He's rlly taken to Lola since her arrival and he's sort of adopted her. I credit him for her learning how to be a cat. When she first got here she couldn't even clean herself. She still doesn't know how to use a litter box, but Whikky has taught her pretty well.

12. What sports do you play/have you played?

I played tennis and netball as a youngen. I was actually rlly good at tennis too, but I’ve had too many broken wrists and ankles, so Wii Sports for me it is now. I'm better at virtual tennis anyway...

13. How tall are you?

157cm. My family are freakish giants and I was malnourished as a kid so I don’t even reach the chests of a lot of my cousins. 

14. Favorite subject in school?

History. In year 7 I photocopied my history textbook because we wouldn't be studying every topic in it and I wanted to read the rest later.

15. Dream job?

When I was a kid I wanted to be a psychologist. how tragic my life has been that at 8 I wanted to help other people to not feel like I did all the time. 👍👍👍

This was very awkward to type because I'm doing this on mobile and the Tumblr app is infamously shite and does not function

@6ubble-gum @uncle-connor @apathetic-roombas @kelandry5 @suachun1 @angryblueberries @gaytrashboat @the-chibi-sempai @luheichou13 @hobi-wan-kenobii