#zen is super amazing and cool!

[lordterronus]

@shandycandy278 @zen-unknown @blossomtato

REBLOG if you have amazing, talented WRITER friends.

Because I certainly do, and I love every single one of them and their work.

[metalandmagi]

Romance Anime Starter List

I don’t know about you guys, but I’m sick and tired of seeing “Top ___ Best Anime of All Time” lists that are nothing but shounen. So, with "My Happy Marriage" getting a little attention from the anime community, I wanted to put together a list of some romance anime that I consider good “starters” for the genre. Because if I were just now becoming an anime fan, I’d think all there was to offer was shounen action series.

And by “starters” I mean basic stuff that’s not too…out there, and actually involves the characters getting together instead of just harems or using romance as a side plot (sorry Ouran High School Host Club and My Next Life as a Villainess). 

So if you’re new to anime and want stuff that’s not just guys beating the shit out of each other (which is also fun, don’t get me wrong), here are some basics.

Taisho Maiden Fairy Tale- When the pessimistic Tamahiko Shima loses all function in his right arm, his family sends him away to live in the mountains with the cheerful, hard working Yuzuki Tachibana…who was purchased by the Shima family to pay off her family’s debts and basically act as a caretaker/future bride for Tamahiko so they’d never have to deal with him again. It’s a more cheerful version of My Happy Marriage (without the supernatural stuff), except in this one, the guy is the one who has massive self-esteem issues and an abusive family. There are still very serious themes, but ultimately it’s not meant to make you cry every episode. I swear it’s so good, but nobody watched it!

Horimiya- A slice of life in which pretty and popular high school queen bee Hori, finds out her quiet, unassuming classmate Miyamura is hiding piercings and tattoos that could get him expelled. The two gradually find out more about each other and get together in the most realistic way I’ve seen depicted in an anime. It’s also fucking hysterical and genuinely emotional.

Recovery of an MMO Junkie- Another slice of life that focuses on two adults who meet in an MMO game without realizing they also know each other in real life. I don’t want to say much more than that. It’s adorable, and the main character is so relatable it hurts.

Love with Yamada-kun at Level 999- Speaking of MMOs, this is a newer series about Akane Kinoshita, a college first year who’s reeling from a bad break up. In an attempt to get back at her ex, she winds up meeting Akito Yamada, a popular gamer who happens to be in her guild in the MMO they both play at an IRL meetup. The two go from acquaintances to something more as they keep running into each other. Even more relatable main characters and just wholesome relationships all around.

Snow White With The Red Hair- A fantasy in which an apothecary named Shirayuki (meaning, you guessed it, “snow white”) runs away from her home in order to escape becoming the concubine of her town’s prince. While fleeing, she is rescued by Zen, the prince of a neighboring country, and she ends up becoming an herbalist to repay him. It's super cute with some genuinely swoon worthy moments and a couple that just works so well together. I have a habit of comparing this to Akatsuki no Yona, even though the two aren’t really that alike. This is more romance driven while Akatsuki no Yona is more of a serious historical fantasy with romance elements (Yona manga is amazing, but the anime barely scratches the surface, so that’s why I didn’t include it).

Sasaki to Miyano- When the shy, easily flustered Miyano meets Sasaki, a cool “delinquent” upperclassmen, the two end up bonding over manga…specifically BL manga. That’s right, Miyano is a fudanshi, but due to his small stature and somewhat feminine appearance, he’s constantly trying to convince others that he’s not interested in having his own love story where he’d be reduced to a stereotypical doe-eyed uke. But as Sasaki and Miyano spend more time together, they realize that what they have is more than friendship, and they have to come to terms with their own perception of gay relationships. This is my favorite romance of all time. It’s a slow burn, but boy is it worth it. Their relationship is so natural and realistic, just like Horimiya. Just two people hanging out and bonding over things the way people do in real life!

Given: The story of some boys in a band with trauma. Enough said. It's great. Go watch it.

Bloom Into You- Yuu Koito is a high school girl who’s been waiting her whole life for her own perfect romance to start…but when she receives a confession, she realizes she doesn’t know how to respond when she’s just not into the guy. And then she gets another confession…this time from the cool student council president Touko Nanami, who basically jumpstarts her lesbian awakening. Very cute story about how we perceive the concept of love vs actually feeling it. Also has a canonically aro/ace side character, so that’s a win for me. Another show like this is Adachi to Shimamura (but I honestly don’t remember much about it. It just didn’t stick with me as much).

Ore Monogatari- Takeo Gouda is a tall, bulky high school first year with a sensitive heart of gold. He wants nothing more than to find his own true love, but most girls are intimidated by his enormous stature, and they end up falling for his conventionally attractive friend instead. That is, until he meets the tiny, adorable Rinko Yamato. He falls in love instantly, but he’s sure she’s interested in his best friend like everyone else, so he vows to help get them together, even though his heart is breaking. Peak himbo behavior. Pure of heart, dumb of ass.

Yuri on Ice- Yes it’s the gay figure skating anime everyone knows. And yes it’s a fucking romance, okay? I will die on this hill. The romance between Viktor and Yuri is just as important as the plot!

Kaguya-sama Love Is War- Two insanely smart high school students both have a crush on the other, but since they’re…you know…high schoolers, neither of them wants to admit it first. So they come up with increasingly convoluted plans to get the other to confess first. This will go down as one of the best of all time. It’s a hilarious yet poignant modern classic.

Fruits Basket- I’ve talked about it before and I’ll talk about it again. A romance “comedy” that slowly morphs into a drama about a girl named Tohru who finds herself living with the mysterious Sohma family after her mother dies. Little does she know, the Sohmas are the victims of a  (somewhat silly, but ultimately tragic) curse that she must fight to break. Even though I’m more into it for the family drama, the romance is still top tier and plays an important role in the story. This is my second favorite anime of all time, and it’s a classic for a reason. If anyone hasn’t watched it yet, GO WATCH IT! IT WILL RIP YOU TO SHREDS!

Blue Box- A sports romance about an aspiring badminton player named Taiki Inomata who has a massive crush on the girls basketball team's star player Chinatsu Kano. Through a twist of fate, the two end up living together and having to hide it from the rest of their classmates, all while Taiki tries to work up the courage to ask Chinatsu out. It's so sweet and wholesome, and it's a great blend of sports anime and romance that can appeal to anyone who is more hesitant to get into the romance genre. The animation is also so freaking gorgeous!!!!

365 Days To The Wedding- A workplace romance between the two most awkward people you could possibly imagine! The story takes place at a travel company that is about to open a new branch in Alaska, but because our two main characters are...like I said...very awkward, they come up with a plan to avoid being sent to work at the new branch...by telling their boss they're getting married. Because they wouldn't want to split up a married couple by making one move away, right? As ridiculous as the premise sounds, hilarious shenanigans ensue, but there's also a surprising amount of serious discussions about romance and marriage. The main characters also have major autism coding, so if you're looking for a neurodivergent romance, this is it. (There's also an episode that involves a princess wanting to give up the throne to pursue a life with her girlfriend!)

And now for some honorable mentions that didn't quite fit into the regular list:

Ride Your Wave- A movie about a surfer who falls in love with a firefighter……and I’m not going to say any more than that. Go into it blind. If you like stuff like Your Name, this is a good one to watch.

Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun- A comedy about a high school girl who finds out the upperclassman she has a crush on is actually a shoujo manga artist, and no matter how she tries to confess to him, he just never gets it.

The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague- A slow burn slice of life that focuses on a guy with ice powers who has a crush on his coworker. That’s it. That’s the show. When I say slow, I mean SLOW. It’s perfectly cute and fluffy, but my god does it take forever to get anywhere with these two.

Skip to Loafer- A high strung, small town girl decides to go to high school in Tokyo, where she meets a variety of classmates, including the laid back Sousuke Shima. The unlikely pair become friends, and soon enough, she starts to feel something more than friendship. The only reason I didn’t include it in the main list is because they don’t get together by the end of the first season, but it’s still really cute (also canonically trans character for the win!?)

So that’s my starter list. And no, I didn’t include Toradora, even though it’s a classic. I know it’s blasphemous, but I like it more as a comedy than a romance. It kinda lost me with the ending. But anyway, maybe someone will find something they like. Or maybe you'll just want to roast me and my picks 😅

[introverted-scribblings]

The RFA w/ MC who loves sewing

What? A post? From me? You're crazy, there's no way that's happening.

I'm trying to get back into writing for this blog and recently started replaying Mystic Messenger because I want poor sleep 💕 Basically I'm letting my fixation fuel my writing because... the sentence ends there.

Enjoy these headcanons! I thought they turned out really cute~

(FYI: I used fem!MC for these headcanons; girlfriend/wife/etc.)

Yoosung:

He found out in the RFA chatroom when the two of you were talking about games and hobbies.

Yoosung had been excitedly telling you about the armor set he had gotten in his latest LOLOL binge, sending a picture and saying how he wishes he could wear cool armor in real life.

“I can make it for you”

“MC… what???”

And this is where he discovered your passion for sewing and your side-hobby of cosplay

He had a little experience with sewing, he could sew on a button and fix small tears thanks to his high school “home ec” classes, but you’re talking about making entire outfits and costumes from scratch.

THAT’S. SO. COOL.

He is amazed and thoroughly impressed by your talents, even moreso after you send some pictures of your completed works.

It’s amazing that you can make your own clothes, but he’s definitely super impressed with your cosplays. They’re insanely detailed, matching perfectly with the source material. He often says that your cosplays look better than the source material. They’re true works of art in his eyes.

Praises your talents nonstop.

Talks about it all the time to everyone. Every one of his friends knows how skilled his girlfriend is. And the other RFA members know tenfold.

After hearing you talk about your projects, Yoosung decided to join the sewing club at school in the hopes that he could help you with your amazing work! (Not that you need help, he really just wants to participate in something you love)

What ends up happening though is him sitting beside you at the sewing machine and getting lost in your working rhythm. (“Yoosung, are you paying attention? I thought you wanted me to give you tips?” “S-sorry, MC!! You’re just… really good at this… Like magic!”)

There’s no way he’ll be able to catch up with your skill anytime soon, so you compromise with him. You’ll make the costumes, but he has to cosplay with you~

(I have a short fic continuation of this! You can read it here)

Zen:

He found out just before one of his performances.

The costume he was wearing was a bit snug but worked fine in all the dress rehearsals, so he didn’t think much of it at the time.

You were backstage with him before opening night, ready to tell him to break a leg and give the audience a show to remember, when you saw the rip in his jacket.

It was a seam rip behind his left shoulder. Not the worst, but clearly noticeable.

Curtain was in ten minutes.

“Hyun, take off your costume.”

“Jagyia, I know I’m irresistible, but can you wait until after the show?”

“Not like that!!!” >////<

You pulled a flat black case from your purse and opened it, revealing a small sewing kit. You had everything you needed for a sewing emergency. Pins, buttons, snaps, scissors, an assortment of colored thread. And needles, of course.

You fixed the rip and strengthened the seam with four minutes to spare.

Zen asks you about it after the show (which went perfectly, thanks to you) and you explain your sewing hobby to him. Mentioning that you always have your little sewing kit with you for emergencies like tonight.

You show him pictures of the projects you’ve made and entire outfits you’ve designed and created from scratch. A good chunk of your wardrobe are pieces you’ve made yourself.

Of course he supports you! He’s so impressed and is constantly gushing about how talented you are in the chatroom.

Though nothing could prepare him for the moment you said you wanted to make something for him. Looking up at him with big hopeful eyes as you asked if he’d let you design him an outfit. His heart nearly burst.

You poured hours of time and effort into these pieces for him, determined to make this your best project yet. Your magnum opus. (You also sent concept sketches and fabric swatches to Jaehee for her “professional fan opinion”)

When he put it on for the first time, he was speechless. Everything fit perfectly, there wasn’t a part of the outfit that was uncomfortable in the slightest.

And he may be a bit of a narcissist, but he swore that the clothes you crafted made him more handsome than he thought possible. He looked good but never this good.

Your heart was filled with sunshine and warmth when he decided to wear it to an interview.

“My outfit? It’s custom-made. My girlfriend is a very talented seamstress and this was a gift from her~”

Jaehee:

She found out when she called you to complain about the c-fur she was still cleaning up around her apartment.

“Ugh, I’m sorry, Jaehee. I know how bad that can get. I took care of my friend’s cat for a weekend once and I spent an entire month cleaning fur off all my fabric.”

Your fabric?? “What fabric, MC?”

The fabric for your projects of course! Once she got you started, you happily explained your passion to her and how you’ve been making your own clothes for a while now too.

She is also very impressed with your skill and also impressed with how handy it is. You very generously offered to mend her favorite blazer when one of the seams split. You also fixed the two loose buttons you found.

When you two open up the cafe together, you made Jaehee a custom apron to wear. Even going so far as to embroider her name on it along with some decorative coffee beans.

It’s her favorite apron and the one she wears the most while working. (until it has to be cleaned, but then it’s right back in the cafe for her to use)

It gets a lot of compliments too and you’ve actually had a few customers commission you from Jaehee’s (unintentional) promoting.

You since made more clothes for her, even an entire sundress similar to one she had been looking at while you both were out shopping. (You didn’t think the one sold was her color, so you made one yourself that would highlight her best~)

The only issue is the thread and fabric scraps that tend to scatter just as bad as the c-fur… but hey, at lease the end result is more useful! And she can always count on you to tidy your mess when you’re finished~

Jumin:

You mentioned it offhand. Simply mentioning the stitching quality on one of his ties and how you hadn’t made a tie before.

He followed up asking why you would want to make a tie, to which you explained that you often made your own clothes but would love to give yourself a little challenge with something you hadn’t done before.

Initially, he didn’t quite understand. He could easily have any outfit you desired tailored specifically for you, there wasn’t the need to go through all the hassle of making it.

You had to explain that it was your hobby. That, while time consuming and occasionally tedious, you truly enjoyed making your own clothes, and showed him some examples from your closet.

“I’m quite impressed, MC. I’ve only seen this kind of quality come out of trained professionals.”

“I’ll take that compliment. Thank you, love~”

He gives you an entire studio for your projects. While you insist that he doesn’t need to give you so many elaborate gifts, you have to admit that the space is very nice. Much better than working in cramped conditions or on the floor.

While Jumin doesn’t have an interest in joining your craftiness, your husband is more than willing to encourage your hobby monetarily with machine repairs and high quality materials.

Whatever you want, you can have. You’re his darling wife after all.

He even gifted you an antique sewing machine, a vintage 1902 Singer Treadle. You don’t “use” it, but you learned how to just for fun. It’s a lovely decoration of your hobby at the least.

And, yes, you did make a tie for him. Two actually, but you only gave him the second one, insisting that the first was practice only.

It quickly becomes his favorite and he always wears it to important meetings. It’s like having you right there with him for support.

It also becomes quite the talking piece at one of the RFA parties when a member of the Cultured Citizens asks about the brand and price.

“This tie was handmade by my wife and is certainly priceless.”

707:

He already knew because of course he did.

He would often send you (jokingly) ridiculous “orders” with impossible time frames, including:

An iridescent “Statue of Liberty” costume - 3 days

Twenty-seven onesies for ducks - 4 days

A prom dress made of pasta - 3 days

An overnight yeti costume

The two of you would banter about it in the chatroom until someone told you guys to knock it off, it was never not fun.

Whenever you finished a new piece or outfit for yourself, you would try it on and call him while standing in front of the camera in the apartment, asking for his opinion.

The cat-themed overall skirt was the one that broke him. You were just so cute with all the decorated pockets~! And the buttons looked like little cats too! You’re just too precious~

After the dust of the first party settled and Saeyoung had his brother back, you took it upon yourself to make Saeran some new clothes. He was going to be your brother-in-law, after all, you wanted to make him feel welcome.

Of course, it then turned into making both boys some new clothes as you kept thinking of new ideas. Not that you minded, this was your passion after all.

I think Saeyoung would also give you your own room/studio in the bunker. A place where you could spread out without worry. (Vanderwood was just grateful he didn’t have to keep cleaning up thread)

Saeyoung was also happy to help with any repairs your sewing machine needed, or he’d just make you a new one… or three… with some—interesting—added features.

“Saeyoung, dear, I don’t think my machine needs a Ph.D Pepper dispenser.”

“But what if my honey gets thirsty while she works?!”

“...But won’t the sewing shake up all the carbonation? It would explode on my pretty clothes T^T”

“OMG! I’m so sorry!! I’ll take it out right away!!”

This kind of conversation happens regularly.

Eventually, there was one top-secret project that you were working on… one that you made Saeyoung swear not to snoop through. Even going so far as to have Saeran keep an eye out to make sure his brother stayed true to his word. (He did but he whined about it)

The project took a long time and you had to have Saeran help you order the materials in secret.

Saeyoung didn’t like being kept in the dark, it made him uneasy. You assured him it was okay and that you just didn’t want the surprise to be ruined.

He was still uneasy, but he trusted you.

And it was all worth it in the end…

When you walked down the aisle in your handmade wedding dress, glittering and shining like stars in the night sky you both loved so much.

[lordterronus]

@scrubthings

@zen-unknown

Solomon and Mio.

my favorite fic trope 

[girlvasectomy]

Mystic Messenger, but everyone’s just the most average, bland person ever:

Jumin Han → Looks like a totally uninspiring, pale, Elon Musk-type guy. Bad haircut, lifeless eyes, maybe a little greasy. He still thinks he’s God’s gift to the corporate world and has that weird obsession with his cat. Wears expensive suits that don’t quite fit right.

Zen → Instead of a flawless K-drama pretty boy, he looks like Jim Carrey in his mid-40s. Still thinks he’s the most attractive guy alive, but he’s got deep laugh lines, a receding hairline, and overacts everything. Takes selfies in terrible lighting, convinced he looks amazing.

Yoosung → A pasty, acne-ridden college kid who eats instant ramen and barely showers. Has permanent dark circles from gaming all night. His hair is greasy and thinning because he’s stressed over LOLOL raids instead of studying.

Jaehee → A stressed, fat, middle-aged woman with messy hair constantly in a ponytail. Wears practical, wrinkled clothes and glasses that constantly slide down her nose. Overworked, always buried in paperwork, and her tired expression screams she hasn’t slept in days.

707 (Saeyoung Choi) → Instead of an effortlessly cool hacker with anime-red hair, imagine a lanky dude with Doritos stained sweatpants. His jokes don’t always land, but he laughs at them anyway. Smells like a mix of energy drinks and unwashed hoodie.

V → He’s still blind, but instead of being an ethereal, mysterious artist, he just looks like that one art professor who smells like paint thinner and keeps calling everything “avant-garde.” Wears clothes that he insists are stylish, but he simply look like a pompous jerkwad

Rika → Imagine a Karen who runs an essential oils pyramid scheme and insists she’s “spiritually enlightened” but is actually just super manipulative. Think a mix of Gwyneth Paltrow and a cult leader.

[jolikmc-thoughts]

I really need to do more reports regarding what I've been watching…

I recently finished watching Ultimate Spider-Man from 2012. It starts off kind of annoying, since it ditches the whole "Spider-Man doing his own thing" pretty early. It also kind of tanks in the middle of Season 3, but I'll get to that.

The initial premise is "what if S.H.I.E.L.D. made a team of teenage heroes and trained them to their 'ultimate' potential?" Well, Nick Fury does exactly that, tossing an eclectic team of Spider-Man, Nova, White Tiger, and Iron Fist head-first into training and being super. I wasn't on-board at first, since I kind of prefer how other series did Spider-Man and his day-to-day life, but it didn't take long for the other characters to grow on me.

Nova is a dork. White Tiger is pretty cool. But Iron Fist? He's simply the best of the team, aside from Spidey. He's the best of both a "surfer dude" and "zen martial artist" and is often the voice of neutrality when problems within the team pop up. He has his issues, of course, but he's just a joy to have around!

So, around the middle of Season 3, the series shifts dramatically and starts focusing almost exclusively on the "Web Warriors" of Iron Spider, Kid Arachnid, Agent Venom, and Scarlet Spider. And… the show quickly goes downhill from that point on. There are still a few good episodes here and there, but the shift to the "spider-clones" just makes for a really uninteresting and unappealing show, to me. Why they thought this was a good idea is beyond me. 'Cause it wasn't.

Anyway… while it's not as absolutely amazing as Spectacular Spider-Man or even Spider-Man (2016), it has its charms. For example, it absolutely loves… loves… to make shout-outs to Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends from the 1980s. I was kind of surprised Iceman and Firestar didn't show up at some point, even if just for a cameo. They did bring back the worst villain from that series: Swarm, but made it way more interesting, so there's that. Beetle is there, too, though I don't think he originated from Amazing Friends. I digress, though.

Flaws aside, it's a pretty decent watch and I'd recommend it. Just don't let this very strange interpretation of Dr. Octopus turn you away too hard. It's… unique.

[nokaru]

For the AnS asks: 13, 15, 16, 23, and 32 pleaseee.

(I'll answer yours too soon, I promise!!)

Lmao no worries hun I will be waiting patientally :) ty for the ask! I let my toxic side out 💀

13. Favorite scene or line

ohh definitely this Obi line when he was talking to Torou about Zen and Co.:

If we're talking scenes my favs are whenever the OT3 or OT5 are just vibing together and living their wholesome and silly slice of life all together (OT3 Lyrias date, OT5 sleepover before coronation ect ect...)

15. Your controversial take

Lyrias👏arc👏wasn't👏that👏good👏 it was quite boring in fact IM ENDING MY SILENCE

It will never be as good as the other arcs no matter how cool the winter aesthetic is and no matter how cute and fun the new characters are. The plot itself was ehhh and the pandemic and OT3 date was probably the most interesting thing that had happened there. It will never be Tanbarun or Bergatt arc and that's on that 💅

AND ANOTHER THING! omg I just remembered. Shirayuki leaving her patient in the Perfume arc just like that (girlie was traumatized and recovering still) and going with Obi and Eisetsu to rescue Ryuu and Kageya was quite pointless imo (and bit ooc for Shirayuki? Is it just me??) Like I understand it was about Ryuu so ofc she came but I don't think she played that crucial part in the rescuing (she noticed the secret msg from Ryuu and knew about the herbs effects so she was a good addition but I just can't get over 'leaving your sick and very traumatized patient moments after the accident' move) 🤷🏻‍♀️

16. Something that you had wished had happened

I wish we got to explore more of the characters pasts and backstories. AND BRING TOROU AND MIHAYA BACK! Torou could have been a great fuel for Obi and his character development....a missed opportunity man 😭 I think sensei makes the mistake of making interesting and appealing side characters just to forget about them later a lot (?), even when they are relevant to the plot or not. It's a shame, really. But I can't blame her I suppose.

Like you also mentioned before: wishing the separation arcs weren't as long. AMEN! OT5 should get more time to spend all together. That much of a separation was just ...??? uknow

23. Favorite fancontent that you've created

You guys should appreciate me for this masterpiece and I'm super proud of this one and this one from the early stages of my art :)

and this zenyuki cause I even suprised myself with that.

32. The best part of the fandom

yall my darlings <33 everyone in the discord server made my fandom experience so much more enjoyable so thanks yall for that <3

also ppl who are big fans of side characters are the real ones i know we've got quite lot of these. I also feel like we have so many talented writers, artists, editors and creators! and ppl who post ans news, manga panels and analysis are so amazing too!

Ohhh plus I think our fandom has a great attention to detail (just like sensei!) and just seeing ppl pinpoint stuff I otherwise wouldn't notice myself is pretty cool.

[lordterronus]

Big day incoming, people. Mark those calendars.

[charlesandmiranda]

Asakusa Adventures part one:

2/1 dinner with friends and 2/2 Senso-ji Temple

After leaving Ochanomizu, Charles and I took the train to Asakusa, our next stop in Tokyo. We had dinner plans to meet with a friend and her family that night, and we planned to explore the area the following day (which is yesterday, at the time of writing!)

Our friend, Penko, her husband As'maria, and two sons took us to Asakusa Ichimon, which is a super traditional restaurant. It was featured in the movie Shin Ultraman which came out in 2022, and Charles really wanted to visit it as a film location, but before we could even mention it to her, she was already suggesting that we should all go together, and so we did!

The interior was amazing, I wish we had taken more photos. Taking photos inside establishments can sometimes be difficult, privacy is much more significant of a cultural consideration than in the US and we don't want to take photos of other patrons. It was a lot of gorgeous, dark wood, short, low to the ground tables, tatami mats, and floor chairs. There was a super zen, indoor water feature too, which was pretty cool, to put it mildly.

I don't even begin to know how to describe how tasty the food was; there was a huge menu of sakes (Japanese style alcohol, think sort of like a "rice wine" even though that's not strictly accurate) and shochu (more like a liquor), almost all, if not all of which, we'd never seen before in the states. The entire meal was a like...5 course experience, starting with a small appetizer of fruit, tofu, fish egg and beans (in honor of the Setsubun holiday, which is today [2/3] at time of writing!) all the way to a hot pot of tuna, leek, mushrooms and more. Genuinely everything was like, beyond delicious, and it was sooooo much food, without ever making us feel like we were totally gonna pop (although it was close). There was also a beef dish mid meal that was the first beef Charles had eaten in close to two decades, and it was worth it.

It was also really really special to get to spend the time getting to know Penko and her family better; I first met her here on tumblr actually, maybe....gosh, I don't know, 8 years ago? give or take a year? through a mutual fandom (we were both fans of a specific pairing in a video game called Danganronpa, where she was a very popular fan-artist at the time). Since then, we've met her in Japan a few times on trips, and we've slowly gotten to know her family over the last few years. After our engagement, Penko actually drew some lovely art for us as a congratulations; if you were at our wedding, we had it displayed near our guestbook :P

The following day, we spent exploring around our Airbnb in Asakusa, as well as visiting Tokyo Skytree. Our stay was on the second floor, above a restaurant, right in the heart of the district.

We started the morning early at Cafe Royal, a super old-school Showa-era coffee shop built in the early 1960s. We had coffees and breakfast there, and their specialty Royal Coffee has to have been one of the best coffees I've ever had. It almost reminded me of dark chocolate in terms of its acidity and smoothness. It was truly awesome.

Afterwards, we spent some time shopping at Uniqlo, a Japanese clothing store (there are some in the states too, if you're curious!) My favorite pair of jeans ripped badly on the plane, and I wanted to replace them, so I bought a new pair at Uniqlo, as well as some of their warm layering clothing, which they're well known for, to stave off the February chill. Charles also got some warm winter wear, so we're both totally topped off for the rest of the trip with trendy heat-tech goodies.

We also wandered around the streets and streets and STREETS of Asakusa's extensive shopping and food district surrounding the massive, gorgeous Senso-ji temple. One thing I love about Japan is that these huge shopping districts often have covered roofs over the streets so even if it's raining or kinda crappy weather, you can still walk freely across blocks without too much trouble. We were mostly window shopping, but we definitely stopped for a few treats.

From there, we headed to Tokyo Skytree, stay tuned for our next post!

[bigwolfgums]

𝚆𝚎 𝙰𝚛𝚎 𝚆𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚑 𝙸𝚝- 707/Main Character

𝙷𝚎𝚛 𝚍𝚊𝚢 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚝, 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚘𝚌𝚔𝚜 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚎𝚝, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚍𝚘 𝚒𝚜 𝚕𝚊𝚢 𝚘𝚗 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚌𝚑- 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚘𝚝 𝚊 𝚝𝚎𝚡𝚝 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚄𝙽𝙺𝙽𝙾𝚆𝙽.

❥𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝙼𝙲 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝚞𝚙 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚂𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚒𝚕𝚢 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛.

𝚠𝚌:

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚂𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗

Rain. It was raining.

MC scoured the empty home for something to get comfortable with. This wouldn't be a difficult if she were home.

She normally has a whole rainy day schedule of cuddling up into her favorite blanket with her stuffed animals and slipping in and out of sleep while watching MeTube. AKA- The perfect day.

But now she wasn't home and seeing as it had been less than 48 hours since she arrived into this ghosttown of an apartment, she was not comfortable sharing stuffies with a dead woman.

“How in the hell am I supposed to get my clothes, or toothbrush, or laptop.”

As she listed the three most important concerns in her life at the moment her phone buzzed. . ZEN has entered the chatroom

Zen was alright to MC. She has talked to him maybe once? And from that he seemed to be okay, other than being a complete narcissist. He is handsome, sure, but really? Did he feel the need to bombard the chat with a selfie of everywhere he travels?

Gym? Selfie. Kitchen? Selfie. Bathroom? Hey look you guessed it, selfie.

‘Though Jaehee has never complained once,’ MC continued her thought while inputting her password to her phone with one hand and grabbing a fuzzy blanket from Rika’s room at the same time. It wasn't as comfortable as the one her Nona passed down to her, but it will do.

Maybe the rain gave MC enough good energy to deal with Zen’s selfie massacre, or maybe she was a secret lover of the narcissist? Who knows? All she DID know was that she was opening the chatroom and typing.

MC: Morning Zen

ZEN: … It is 3 PM?

MC: I do not understand your point??

MC: Anyways, the weather is nice, isn't it?

ZEN: I didn’t like today’s weather.

ZEN: It rains here…

ZEN: If your weather is different from where I am.

MC: I’m sorry,,, WHAT!

MC: How could anyone not like rain, it's God’s tears of joy!

MC: Or his piss, but I’m choosing optimism today.

ZEN: Wow… You are a … character.

ZEN: Lucky for you I like a big personality ;)

“Gross,” MC mumbled as she contemplated leaving the app, though she couldn’t think of a worthwhile excuse.

ZEN: We rehearsed in the basement today and it was so humid I thought I was going to die.

ZEN: Headache…

MC: Have you tried medicine? Advil works well.

ZEN: Yeah. I feel better after taking a shower too.

ZEN: I wish we could rehearse where there’s good ventilation.

ZEN: But I guess that’s too good to be true.

ZEN: Thanks for worrying.

MC: No problem bud, it’s part of my job as super, amazing, party coordinator!!

ZEN: How about SAPC for short?

MC blew air out of her nose as she snorted at Zen’s comment about her dumbass, made up name.

MC: Yes!! It will fit better on the T-Shirts.

ZEN: Oh hell yeah! The only merch I have are the DVDs of the past shows I’ve done.

MC: Speaking of your shows, what do you do exactly, O' good looking one?

MC definitely was told this before, but with her shit memory and short attention span, he might as well be talking to a wall.

ZEN: Well, I’m a musical actor, so I sing and act.

ZEN: I don't currently have a project though so I’ve just been practicing vocals for the past few days.

MC: Oh, that's cool. You seem to have a good following too?

ZEN: Haha, I wouldn’t say following, but a fair amount of people enjoy my work!

MC: Jaehee seems to enjoy your work *quite* a bit.

If there was one thing MC missed about high school, it was all the match-making. Oh, she couldn’t even count on two hands how many couples she got together! It was her true passion.

Whether or they stayed together is completely irrelevant.

Though, Jaehee and Zen, THAT was something she could work with. Just thinking about the fact she could match someone again made her beam from ear to ear.

‘Of course, this was for their sake’ she reminded herself, ‘Yes… for THEM.’

ZEN: Oh! Jaehee, yeah. I’m surprised she can find time for all my shows with all the work her jerk boss puts on her.

MC: Is that why you hate Jumin? The pressure he puts on Jaehee?

ZEN: No.. well yes. It's complicated.

MC smiled at him slowly getting flustered.

MC: How so?

ZEN: He is just a trust fund kid, he never had to work like I did. I was out of the house as a teen, he was sipping champagne with the president at that time in his life.

MC: Jumin knows the president?

ZEN: Might as well. He knows everyone apparently.

ZEN: and how he treats Jaehee is horrible, she’s a good person. She deserves a break.

She squeaked into the blanket that made its way up to her chin throughout Zen’s TedTalk on his hatred of Jumin.

MC realized she was wrong about Zen. Well, yes he was a narcissist, but he went through some shit. He isn’t just some star who gets everything handed to him, he worked for his living. Not just worked, but worked his ass off. She truly admired that aspect of him.

MC: Well, maybe one day you should take her out on a break or something.

ZEN: Be alone? With Jaehee? I don’t know… I wouldn’t want to make her uncomfortable…

MC: You two are friends right? Friends hang out. Plus, it looks like you need a break too Mr. Celebrity.

ZEN: Well, yeah. Maybe, I’ll have to think about it.

MC: Good, you should, Jaehee seems like she could have a fun side.

ZEN: I bet she does, she just needs someone to bring it out.

ZEN: Well... then I’ll get going.

ZEN: Let’s talk again.

ZEN: Oh, and also…

ZEN: This is a photo I took while I was at practice.

Yeah, Jaehee would appreciate this photo. Sweat soaked through his shirt in the mirror picture. He had a towel on his right shoulder which he didn’t seem to be using since his face was still drenched in sweat.

MC was so right.

'Gym? Selfie.'

ZEN: Then see you later ^^

ZEN has left the chatroom.

[fadeintolight]

hey - i'm not sure if i remember correctly and also no worries if you don't want to share details. did u study psychology? and do you have a job? (😭)

i'm starting my master's this year (not sure which one exactly but hmm).. and.. so, generally i never knew what i want to actually work as. and i tried out different things, then went for the psych degree but its SO theoretical that i'm realising i'm just still so lost now.. i'm pretty sure i don't want to go down the therapist route. and i'm SO aware (my prof just mentioned an unemployment of 3% or smth) that i will find A job. but um.. i've been so anxious (and depressed) that my brain is telling me i'm doing a really weird thing here? like as if it's not even a real field? and that i could've just as well done nothing instead?? having a bad brain time tbh

i'm so sorry, idk if you get me :/ just wondering, in case i remembered correctly,, what kind of job you're working if you feel like sharing 🥲

hi there!!!

im super sorry to disappoint but i did not study psychology :( i have two amazing friends who did though - and i used to live with one of them who was really struggling in the beginning specifically for the same reason you mentioned - the theoretical parts. and now she is a therapist and loves having her own little space to have her patients at plus she got so zen and in tune with her feelings its kind of creeping me out bahah.

my other friend did not choose the therapist route, she went corporate and works in hr - lot of people do this with a psych degree! and now she is considering doing a phd and getting into behavioral economics which to me sounds like cool stuff??

i work with a guy who has a psych degree and is now in experimental marketing and i envy him a lot bc its a super creative field and he basically gets paid for brainstorming fun ideas.

what im trying to show here is that the world is rigged in your favor if you have the right mindset and i wouldnt worry about not knowing what to do NOW - you have your whole life to figure it out as cliche as it sounds.

plus idk might just be the cynic in me, but nothing I studied in uni ever really made sense (business management), it was either bullshit or finance and number stuff that i wouldnt touch with a ten feet pole. still, the degree got me places, so I wouldn’t overthink the academic side too much or whether it all feels meaningful. i like finding meaning in my free time -she says as she rots another hour on tumblr.

[lordterronus]

I never post so here's a pretty oc as a treat

His name is Mal and he's dumb

[breathcoach]

Can a Bali Breathwork Retreat Truly Transform Your Mind and Body?

Imagine this; you're lying on a perfectly tranquil beach. The waves are making love to the shore, and the incessant thrum on your mind, the to-do list that will never be put aside finally hushes. But before you roll your eyes and start muttering, “Oh great, another one of those wellness -pitches.”, think about this for a moment – what if Bali did work its magic on you? All that mystical beauty and spiritual depth, with just a little extra sprinkle of silly charm, is more than just a hackneyed expression, but a transformation.

Not that one single downward dog will do, but have you ever had the chance to see what a whole Bali retreat could do? Going through it one breath at a time might be the rediscovery of peace that you had forgotten existed.

Let’s face it there are days when all of us feel like we are on the verge of an eternal breath-holding exercise because of the sheer efforts of juggling work, family, and the never-ending to-do list. We breathe fast and forget that one single deep breath can be so high in power. But what if you could reset and teach yourself to breathe as you have never done before? Welcome to your Bali breathwork retreat in a magical surreal world almost indescribable.

What’s the Deal with Breathwork Anyway?

Before we dive into the stunning sunsets, Let us first talk about breathing before beautiful sunsets, beautiful rice paddies, and that calm vibe of Bali. Breathwork is gaining control over the breath to benefit your mind, emotions, and body. A kind of lung exercise, minus the sweating and weightlifting (thank god!). You’re focusing on deep, conscious breathing to help release stress, clear mental fog, and even release some emotional baggage you didn’t know you were carrying.

Think of it like giving your soul a little “spa day” – and no, you don’t have to be a yoga guru or spiritual expert to reap the benefits. Breathwork is for everyone, from the super zen to the chronically stressed.

Bali: The Ultimate Zen Destination

It is now time to get to know the grand star: Bali. Bali is a tropical paradise with palm-fringed beaches, animated rice terraces, and a cultural context that softly whispers, "Breathe deep and relax." It is the perfect site for fierce breathing work. This place will be recognized as a person who steadily stays calm, never too much hurrying, and has much to unfold with you being the best you can be. The silence is far from the chaos of life: to hear yourself think.

Regarding Bali, the splendor does not consist only of the scenery: it is the energy. It is a spiritual sanctuary over the centuries, attracting spiritual seekers from all corners of the globe. Whether a person is meditating near the ocean or breathing deeply in the middle of a dense jungle, Bali gives very peaceful vibes that elevate anyone's experience to self-discovery.

What Can a Bali Breathwork Retreat Do for You?

At this point, you might be wondering, “Okay, but is it worth it?” Well, let’s take a look at how a Bali breathwork retreat could change your life (and maybe even make you feel like you’re breathing in the air of a brand-new you).

Stress? What Stress?

When you have breathed intentionally for a few sessions, you will feel amazed at how quickly this stress seems to drain away. The big deadline coming up will not worry you, nor will all those dirty clothes staring back at you. Practicing breathwork does not require anything fancy. It stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the chill-out button in your body, making you calm, cool, and collected.

Emotional Release

We are all carrying tiny emotional baggage: bizarre conversations last week and old, old things. It’s not that very heart-wrenching work-it’s a little word here and there, without bothering anyone. With nothing coming between oneself and the emotional nurturing of old belief systems. One might even be found crying for one night only some don’t even care to let themselves go anymore.

Clearer Mind, Better Focus

Say goodbye to that mental fog. By intentionally focusing on your breath, you’re essentially giving your brain a much-needed tune-up. After a few days, you’ll notice an increased ability to focus, think more clearly, and maybe even make better decisions about what to eat for lunch (no more “what’s quick and easy?” choices).

More Energy (Yes, Really)

It may sound a little counterintuitive – how can breathing more give you energy? But trust me, it works. By oxygenating your body with each deep breath, you’ll feel more energized and ready to take on the day. Who knew your lungs were holding all that untapped power?

Spiritual Clarity

This might sound a little "woo-woo" but just trust me on this. When you sit in a beautiful, quiet place, like Bali, or do your breathwork, you can almost always bet that someone will feel some alignment or a spiritual insight. Realizations or connections that define spiritual "moments" can be as simple as knowing when you've been pushing yourself too hard or as complicated as making you realize your deeper purpose.

Better Sleep (Finally!)

You know those nights when your mind just won’t shut off? Breathwork can help calm your racing thoughts and relax your body, making it easier to fall into a deep, peaceful sleep. Plus, you’ll wake up feeling like you’ve tested – imagine that!

Is a Bali Breathwork Retreat Right for You?

Exhausted with life always in fast-forward mode? Maybe you should consider having breathwork in Bali and have a refreshing retreat at just the right time to heal. This could be your rest and tuning to take a deep breath. Stressed or seeking clarity, a retreat might just be what the doctor ordered for that "me-time" privacy.

One thing is for sure: If you are going to put a pause on everything for the sole purpose of regenerating oneself, it is going to be pretty hard to do better than Bali. Bali is such a place that tells you to put your foot on the brake, make slow, deep breathing, and try to get connected with what matters.

The Path to Inner Peace Begins with a Breath

A holiday in Bali is not like any other vacation - it is a chance to do something different, to experience change in your physical body or mental soul in a way not possible on the usual vacation. Through conscious breathing control, supported by the beautiful landscapes of Bali, the whole organization, and the knowledge sharing by experts, you would walk out lighter and more centered ready to attack life from a new angle.

If you're intrigued by the idea of combining breathtaking views with transformational inner work, don’t miss my next blog where I reveal the 5 life-changing benefits of attending a breathwork retreat in Bali. Trust me, it’s a journey worth exploring!

So, take a deep breath (don’t worry, you’re already one step closer to inner peace), and consider whether a Bali breathwork retreat is your ticket to a more balanced, calm, and rejuvenated you. You never know – it might just be the best decision you make this year!

[josiahiswrite]

Retro Release Was Radical!

Last Saturday we hosted a book launch at our home. We wanted to do something to celebrate the release of The Paper Boy (buy your copy here) and knew it needed to center on our friends who have supported us throughout the years.

With the novel being set in the 90s and our garage being itself kind or set in the 90s we decide to host the party there. I hanks my good buddy Paul, we have three Arcade 1Ups, Terminator 2, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Final Fight. The walls are full of art on the theme and l added a bit more and of course the toys and collectibles everywhere.

For lunch we had Pizza Hut and the snacks included Gushers and Fruit By the Foot (thanks Costco!). We also had Yoo-Hoo, a favorite of mine after my paper route. Even the coolers were labeled in a 90s way, with Captain Planet on the cooler for water (probably ironically). Zen: Intergalactic Ninja protected the trash, by the way I made feature length documentary about Zen.

The event was an all day celebration, from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM with friends coming at their convenience. Frankly had everyone come at once, we could not have handled the rush of people and would not have been able to spend quality time with everyone, including friends we haven't seen in several years.

Activities included the afore mentioned games, Barbies (because of the Dream House was moved to a different place so it was now interesting), the Frozen Power Wheel, a small fan inflated fort, visiting neighbor dogs, and best of all a craft your own bookmark section. The kids made amazing stuff as did my friend and former roommate (twice over) Ian. Ian is a brilliant artist and created a super cool bookmark that is perfect for me and The Paper Boy.

Those are the details (well, the broad strokes) I'm humbled by my friends and neighbors, and the support they showed. It was beautiful. I'm grateful.

We were deeply hurt by someone we trusted, someone we love, with the purchase of this home. Strangely I held that against the house. Until the last few months. Saturday was a big part of why I love where we live. Why I know we were meant to be in this home, in this neighborhood at this time.

One final reminder, buy the book here. If you did, leave a review on Amazon. Also leave a review on Goodreads. Each of those help just as much, if not more than a purchase.

[localcryptidinspo]

This explains it really well. I went to school for illustration. After school I was super burnt out. I suddenly didn't have boundaries i could make whatever I wanted and I had forgotten how to do that. I also had forgotten what parts of the process were "fun". Which sounds ridiculous but I spent a while having lots of ideas and not being able to fully execute them etc and having to re-learn stuff i knew so well when I was 13.

Fast forward to now bc time is a circle and I have to rediscover stuff constantly; I've been doodling so much more bc I re figured out (again!!) that I like drawing for the sake of. The act of putting pen or pencil to paper is fun. I love it. Letting myself doodle like it's a boring class and the margins of my worksheet must be filled is amazing.

And making time to do this INSTANTLY meant I was drawing more other things and writing ideas down, little stories etc.

Anyway. Drawing and making things is so much fun and I hope you get to do it. "I can't draw" actually false. A 4 year old can draw. Get a pack of crayons. Draw what you see, make shapes. Look up zen drawing or i think zentangle which is when you just do shapes and then trace around those shapes and it can look cool when done and also you're focused on it so it can Feel really satisfying too!

"No I want to learn how to draw."

Cool! Go to your local library and get some books that look interesting, find a class or go to a life drawing session near you.

Check out drawabox.com they have free step by step intensive (but simple) exercises in case you really wanted to learn how to draw a straight line or just add really solid warm up exercises to your routine.

To be human is to create. To create is to constantly find a way forward, to find solutions and a refusal to remain stagnant. It doesn't have to be high pressure or perfect or even GOOD. But I hope you make something

Unpopular opinion but if you don't enjoy the process you should find a different thing to do.

And I think this is true in general but now I'm talking about it in the context of AI.

If you don't enjoy making art and only care about the end piece and how it'll look and how much traction it"lol get online then making art is not something for you, find something you enjoy from start to finish.

Same goes for writing: if you do not enjoy writing and rewriting and then some more and instead want AI to write for you, being a writer is not something you should pursue.

Sure, not every part of creative process is going to be equally enjoyable but you should get satisfaction from solving the problems along the way and you should get a sense of accomplishment on your way of "making the piece yours" and you should have a sense of ownership once you are done.

None of these things will come from typing in a prompt into chatGPT. And I am sad to see so many people are missing on the opportunity to experience the joy of making something with their own hands and brains.

[eienoah]

May 24 - Kinkakuji

Today was an even shorter day compared to two days ago. We woke up kind of early. I think I can’t even remember all that well to be honest. I ended up taking a nap at around four till about eight thirty so I’m already forgetting some of the stuff we did today. Anyways, we visited Kinkakuji this morning on our first full bus expedition of the trip and probably our last. Taking a bus is actually a lot more convenient than trains in my opinion just because of the flat fare and how little people were actually on them. Anyways, we got to Kinkakuji relatively early but it still had plenty of people walking all around. There were so many tourists gathered to see it that the whole corridor for walking was pretty much full. The temple was cool but it felt almost more yellow than gold. I was talking to our guide who was explaining to me about how there was a different temple called Ginkakuji or the silver pavilion. I honestly would rather go see that just because I like places with less people and the sheer amount of tourists was crazy today. I stopped midway through the walk to buy a hello kitty charm and by the time I looked up everyone was gone. I had to essentially run through the place to catch up to everyone but it took a good ten minutes to find someone. Me and our guide got stuck talking to some foreigners about the ice cream vending machines but I think they thought I lived in Japan my whole life because they were asking me what Japan was like pre covid. After Kinkakuji was Daitokuji which was only a 20 minute walk away. It was complete opposites to Kinkakuji in the amount of people. I saw about 6 tourists throughout the whole thing and it was amazing. We got an explanation on some of the sekitei or rock gardens and got to sit and meditate for a while. It was amazing. I just wish I wasn’t coughing as much as I was today otherwise I would’ve had a better time. After we broke for the day the usual group headed to a place called The Burger which gave us all a little taste of home. I got an Oklahoma style burger which I’ve been craving for the past week. The whole restaurant was Texas/Vegas themed which was really funny to see in Japan but it was pretty good so I was super content. After getting back to the hotel via bus I promptly took a quick shower and passed out for one of the best naps I have taken in a long while and I’m about to go right back to bed now.

Academic connection

Learning about the burning and restoration of Kinkakuji had my expectations more gravitated towards a more slightly broken image in my head. In all reality the restoration was seamless and looked amazing. I would have never been able to tell the building had burned down had I not read about it. It was kind of astounding thinking of the context that the building had as a preface. It really did seem to draw people in with its lustrous golden figure which was a sight to behold on its own. I could see how it could even go to drive some crazy. Past that we see Daitokuji which is known for its sekitei and elements of zen buddhism. The sekitei were wonderful to see and the guide lady told us what each little garden was trying to express. My favorite was a piece that she completely skipped over which was a little rock fashioned almost in the shape of a bowl that was holding water. There were bugs that would occasionally pass by and land for a sip of water or something but it was interesting to say the least. The gardens felt incredibly peaceful especially in the time when everyone was just not speaking. There was also a little part of the tour where the guide was explaining what I think was a poem to us which expressed kanji in a way I have never seen before. Buddhist teachings really can be clever with their expressions.