Mood:
I love blueberries, and putting them in a pie makes the whole thing awesome!
(This was actually yesterday, but it can still be celebrated!) For some reason, I used to have a hard time thinking that you could make a pie with blueberries. Like it sounded too indulgent to me, and couldn't possibly be true.
More indulgent than cherry pie. It was a similar thing with mince meat pie. I guess it was with things I wouldn't expect in a pie...
I managed to get my 2 2-mile walks a day in for about a week. Towards the last few my shoes and socks essentially died on me.
My shoes lost their cushion, the heel part of the soles are making deep holes, they've become very loose, etc. Since I'm still losing quite a bit of weight, my socks that were stretched out to fit for what I was before (some I thought were pretty new, until I go through it in my head and realize they really aren't), have become very baggy and fall off easily. This is a weird combo.
So, my socks end up wadding down to the ball of both my feet. This leaves my heel open to the air, since the shoe has become loose. One of those walks was when it was very windy, and I could feel it go straight through to my bare heels.
The soles of my feet were a very dark red and looked extremely irritated after those few walks, too. I used some foot calming cream or 'remedy' when that happened. It felt much better after.
So, while trying to rack my brain about using different shoes, the only options I have are either my winter boots or summer-like shoes. I sometimes get blisters if I walk in my boots for too long, and they hurt after walking for a short time. So, that wouldn't have been a good choice. Most of my 'keds' and varying forms of them looked beaten up, and had some sand in them. (Why sand?
) I decided to use my nice and comfy sandals. Or, at least, they usually are. I went for a walk with them to test them out. It felt fine most of the way. About 3/4 of the way, my feet started to really hurt, and in my right leg the lower calf started to hurt too. When I got home, and looked at my feet, they didn't look as irritated. But, there were some red bumps that seemed to be about to turn into full-blown blisters.
A couple of them actually ended up on the side of my toes. I used the foot remedy again, they stung a bit, but felt better afterwards. So, the sandals were not good either.
The pain in my leg amplified the next day, which was Monday. It was like my leg was going to fall off, and someone was stabbing me with a hot poker and moving it around.
I noticed last night that there was some bruising around the area. I realized that I probably pulled or strained a muscle. I've had those before, and they're very painful. Most of the time they go away within a few days, though. Usually happens if I push myself too hard with things like walking too much at once. I don't want to 'ease' into it, though.
It feels so nice to do the whole thing! The pain has gradually been diminishing by today, but I'm still resting it.
On top of getting new shoes and socks, I also need to get jeans. The jeans I have currently have holes in the lower part of the butt area. Funny, because nothing rubs in that area.
The butt is actually made for someone bigger than me, so it slides down all the time, and I'm constantly pulling it back up. I think that movement has made it get holes over time. That's the only thing I can think of. It's a weird area. I've never filled it out. My butt's kind of like a pancake.
I think it was more so after my tailbone injury a while back. I also can't 'high step' or walk the way I used to. Had the injury during marching practice in college, and that was the end of marching for me, considering I couldn't do high steps afterwards. It'll probably never be the same. It's just slightly off, and usually no one notices it.
At least I can walk, run, etc. Anyways, the jeans were also made for someone that's slightly more 'curvy'. (Wider hips, more butt, etc.) Not necessarily bigger. Although, now since I've lost weight, it's really for people who are bigger than me. They were poorly made too. It started to fall apart about a week or 2 after I got them. But, there were no holes until pretty recently. Makes it hard to walk with. The holes aren't visible yet, but it still makes me feel self-conscious.
The holes are only slightly visible if I pull them up. But, they're saggy and way too baggy if I don't. Not really my kind of 'style'.
Dad made it back home safely last Thursday. She rested a bit over the weekend. She said she wasn't feeling much pain when she got home, but she's feeling it more now.
I hope things get better for her soon. I don't like when anyone's in pain, let alone my parent. She said she feels complete now, which is awesome.
I went back to watching Ranma 1/2. One of the recent episodes I watched seemed to be the closest to a trans theme. (I've heard many trans people like the show for a variety of reasons. I could also see why some wouldn't like it now that I've watched a good chunk of the series...) More so than the rest of the time. Ranma was hit very hard over the head, and confessed that he always felt that he was a girl but was too scared to tell anyone. He said it felt like waking up, when he saw himself in his girl-form after being hit. I suppose normally there is a trans like theme in the way he mostly wants to stay a guy, but keeps changing into a girl. He feels horrible when he's stuck as a girl. (Although, he does seem to be getting used to it.) They attributed the feeling like he was a girl thing this time to him being hit over the head. But, he said things like he's always felt like a girl...It was very interesting, but a bit sad that they played it off so easily. I also think a lot of the family's reactions might be more 'real', but they don't hate him. They're just unsure as to how to go about stuff like that, so they try to make it humorous.
I also went back to watching Ansatsu Kyoushitsu or Assassination Classroom. I was going to take a break from it in order to try out some of the new shows, but a lot of the new ones seemed to be flops to me.
This show has gotten much better with every episode. It was starting to lag before I picked it up again, but now we're getting more into the action. I'm liking the characters a lot more, too. Karma is just an awesome character all around. I like the ones that are kickass and twisted. Nagisa's getting more interesting. They also answered what many viewers were wondering. Whether he's a guy or a girl. (Doesn't really matter that much?) Koro-sensei made a pool for the class, and they went swimming. When Nagisa showed up in his swim trunks topless some people were surprised. He does put his hair up in kind of a 'feminine' way, talks softly and calmly, is short, and looks kind of weak. And, apparently to some that equals girl, but nope they were wrong. They started the series off with the premise that he was the main character, too. But, then proceeded to focus on other characters. Kind of interesting. Nagisa also seems to be the most deadliest. You'd think Karma would be, considering how vicious, calculating, manipulative, etc. he can be. But, no one expects Nagisa to do anything. Kind of the nice and friendly quiet type. He's so good at keeping his cool, that his victim won't know what happened until it's too late. While smiling he can calmly walk up to them, then with a quick fluid motion wrap his body around them, then he attacks from behind. Kind of like what a snake might do. Their 'PE teacher' (he's really just there to help hone their assassin skills and train them in order to kill Koro) finds him the scariest and most likely to assassinate someone. Most of the time, Nagisa's constantly scribbling down weaknesses Koro might have. Some laugh at it, but it's come in handy numerous times.
Kekkai Sensen or Bloodline Battlefront has been awesome!
I didn't like the other new shows (that weren't sequels). It's kind of like a hidden gem. The first episode didn't seem all that great, and a lot of the story seemed to be shoved in our faces way too quickly. But, it got much better. It seems like it's a pretty complex anime overall, but I like the ones that make you think, keep you on your toes, etc. Plus, the animation is amazing! I'm still unsure if one of the characters, White, is really a ghost or not. She's probably pretending. Leo has sometimes told her that the nurses at the hospital are looking for her. She usually hangs out at a cemetery near that hospital. People can see her...I don't know. Not sure what's up with her yet. I like that one of the main characters, Zapp, is darker skinned. There aren't too many good characters like that in anime, and especially as a main character. (There are some, just not many.) Most are pretty light skinned. I like to see diversity in them too. There are other side characters who have darker skin tones as well in the show. Zapp is also voiced by the seiyuu or voice actor who voices Hijikata from Gintama. It's interesting to hear that voice come from Zapp, but it definitely fits him. I really like his character, although he seemed a little too abrasive at first. He has several cool abilities (most of which are based on his own blood), is Leo's partner (he acts kind of like a guardian, always watching over him. Although, sometimes he likes to mess with him), a kickass attitude, is very passionate, and more. Vampires were introduced last time. Libra thought for a while that at most there would be 13 in the city. Leo used his eyes and said there were hundreds of them towards the center of town underground. They were able to capture one, but 2 of their agents were severely wounded. They were able to help them because of Leo's eyes. The vampires don't show up on video or pics, and most can't see them when they're face to face. He can see people's auras, and vampires apparently have an intense red one. It'll be interesting to see what happens next with this anime.
Finished watching Ouroboros. It had a really sad and disturbing end.
It could have gone so much better. I kind of had a feeling it wouldn't end well from the beginning, but this was just crazy. It was really good until the end, though. Every episode was intense, they threw in some humor, the story had a lot of twists and turns, and more. I really feel like that was the worst way to end it...I won't say much about the ending, because I don't want to spoil it, and it was just too disturbing to go over.
So, now I'm not watching any Jdramas at the moment...Kind of sad, considering that's how mediocre this drama season is.
Not that many great sounding new shows out there. So this season for both new anime and drama is kind of lame. Although for the season as a whole, Gintama came back even better than before. But, that's a continuation of an anime, not a new one...
Started watching One Piece last week. I was really reluctant to try this one. Mainly because there's so much hype about it, it's a really long series, the art is a bit off-putting at first (xxxHolic's art gives off a similar feel, but turns out to be awesome. It's not the same style, but also takes a while to get used to), and various other things. I can already see some similarities to Fairy Tail. Fairy Tail's art, at least in the manga, is kind of similar too. One Piece's manga is about 2 years older than Naruto's. (That's saying a lot...) Starting in 1997, and is still going. The anime started in 1999 and is still going, too. As of right now, there's 692 episodes, plus several films and specials. So, this is probably the oldest series of the big 5 anime. Naruto, Bleach, One Piece, Hitman Reborn, and Fairy Tail. They're long-running series that usually rank at the top on anime rankings. Bleach and Reborn have ended. So, maybe it's just the big 3 instead now. Although, Gintama is rising through the ranks, as well. Maybe that's added to the list now? It's not older than One Piece, though. It's the top best-selling manga in history. It's popular around the world, and has won several awards. It follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy, whose body gains the properties of rubber after unintentionally eating a Devil Fruit. Also, about his diverse crew of pirates called The Straw Hat Pirates. Luffy explores the ocean in search of the world's ultimate treasure known as 'One Piece' in order to become the next Pirate King. It's ok so far, and better than I expected. I guess I'll have to watch more in order to get more of a feel for it.
Started reading Tegami Bachi or Letter Bee last week. I've watched both seasons of the Tegami Bachi anime, and some of its specials a while ago. I remember reading that the manga was quite different. For one thing, apparently allies were actually villains in the manga. So far, it seems to be going like it did in the anime. Although, I think I read that the manga's and anime's plot diverge from each other early on. The last season of the anime ended in 2011. The manga is still going. It started in 2006. So there's at least a lot more to it than what was in the anime. The chapters seem to be pretty long so far, too. Letter Bees are couriers that deliver important letters and packages (which carry a part of the sender's heart) throughout the land of eternal dusk, Amberground. Gaichuu are giant insects that feed on the hearts or feelings of humans. The story revolves around Lag Seeing, who was born on the Day of Flicker, when the man-made sun went momentarily dark for unknown reasons. It follows his ambition to become a Letter Bee, to find Gauche Suede (he was the Letter Bee that was in charge of 'delivering' him to his aunt. Lag ended up looking up to him) who disappeared, and to find his mother. Letter Bees usually bring Dingos to fight/protect alongside them. They're usually dogs or cats. Niche insisted that she'd be his Dingo, so he agreed to it. Niche is kind of animal-like. Her hair's famously known as the 'Golden Sword', and she can manipulate it like powerful blade-like tentacles, which are also capable of lifting things several times her size. She has bear-like forearms that are usually covered up. She can sniff the air for any signs of danger. She hates wearing pants or even underwear. But, when Lag makes her wear a new pair of his underwear, she ends up never wanting to take them off. Saying she wears them for Lag's sake, and that he's the first male to make her wear pants. They end up looking huge on her, and kind of like baggy shorts, but at least she agreed to wear something to cover herself up. She also has a 'pet' named Steak. He was also from a circus that Niche was about to be forced into participating in. It was full of exotic animals, which later escaped when Niche broke herself free. Steak likes to sit on her head. He's a bit of an odd animal. She also calls him her emergency food supply. The world itself is pretty unique.
Also, started reading Midori no Ou (lit. Green King) or Verdant Lord. It's interesting so far. It's set in the near future when Mother Nature has decided to fight back against all of human encroachment. Vines and foliage entangle cities around the world, and large wooden creatures called Arethusa rampage through them. The main character is Shin Souma, who came from Japan to New York City to visit his twin brother Ken. Ken is a scientist that was experimenting on little kids. He felt they had a higher understanding or were in-tune with nature, and that somehow they might be able to control what was happening with their findings. He also sent for a 'delivery' by plane of one of those Arethusa creatures in order to observe it. It busted out of the plane, and began wreaking havoc throughout the city, but is able to communicate with the kids. Shin got mixed up in everything when he tried to save the kids. He suffered injuries that were lethal. Ken showed up and injected him with something, and he woke up alone and with not much pain. Apparently he injected him with something that encourages the growth of plants in his body. Half his face looks like the Arethusa's did from before. His arm has changed, too. He ended up saving the kids in the forest that was near the compound, but people chased after him hoping to capture, kill or experiment on him. Ken is just watching everything unfold from a helicopter at the moment. One of the kids saved him, and called the Arethusa that was delivered earlier over. The next thing he knows, he's waking up in a hospital bed with restraints. The doctor that was there said at most he might have a year left to live. The 'plants' have become essentially capillaries throughout his body. There's no way to get rid of them. They're just going to continue to grow, and the doctor doesn't know what will really happen if it does. The doctor seems ok, and he didn't do anything to the kid that saved Shin.
Went over and edited the 5th short story to my nightmare anthology. This is probably one of the most gruesome, and hard to sit through.
The weird thing is with the original version of this nightmare, it felt so real. Only 7 more stories left.
Played my clarinet. Did some jazz and Irish tunes. Messed up a bit at the beginning, but the rest was great.
日本語
I studied the kanji: 協. It's usually not used by itself. Just in compounds. It's most commonly pronounced as きょう (kyou), but on rare occasions it's かなう (kanau). It means: co-, cooperation. 協会 or きょうかい (kyoukai): association, society, organization. 協議 or きょうぎ (kyougi): conference, consultation, discussion, negotiation. 協賛 or きょうさん (kyousan): support, mutual aid, cooperation, approval, authorization. 協奏曲 or きょうそうきょく (kyousoukyoku): concerto. 協定 or きょうてい (kyoutei): arrangement, pact, agreement. 協力 or きょうりょく (kyouryoku): cooperation, collaberation. 協和 or きょうわ (kyouwa): concord, harmony, concert. Did some of the practice and chapter quizzes on JapaneseClass. Was pretty good. Translated another sentence from that You Maga article. Read a couple of articles in Japanese on the original RocketNews24. There was also a new compilation of Japanese commercials on Youtube. I like that the person behind that account compiles current ones every 2 weeks, and then posts a vid of them. They end up being 7 to 10 minutes long. Most of them are without subtitles, which is great for me. It gives me a chance to see it being used as is, and to use the knowledge I already have. It's a bit more of a challenge with ads, because they tend to talk really fast. Sometimes the text that comes up in certain ads doesn't stay on for very long. Those 7 to 10 minutes can be quite a workout for my brain. Their ads are pretty entertaining, too. Some are really bizarre, but not as many as most people would expect.
First time modifying it since I started it.
Really needed it. When I started, I didn't know what it would turn into. Didn't expect much, and was somewhat unsure how long it would be active. 
Plus, I could share some of the songs I found. For the holidays part, I thought it'd be fun to learn about food related ones, about my religious holidays, etc. I still like these ideas for titles. Doing the quotes made the title too long, that's why I stopped doing them.
So, I applied a new one. It's made in such a way I can add my own pics to the background in the future. Totally different color scheme, too. I made it a lot wider than it was before. I had one column on the right side for 'gadgets', now there are two. With one, things started to get crowded and long. With two, it seems more even and not nearly as lengthy to me. They have the option of adding a third column, but I think that would be overkill.
So, I made a new 'fave links' list using a text gadget. If the link doesn't have the 's' in https and someone clicks it, it will now look for the link within the blog. They think http isn't as secure. People can still go to those links after being redirected to searching the blog for it. Just take out the url for this blog at the beginning and search. You'll still get to it. You can also search by the name of each link I posted. It's only a few that are like that. Blogger has also changed the 'search' feature to only search within this blog. I kind of like that, though. 
So, it's not active. One day, I might go back to it. It was about exploring Japan. Its culture, music, language, food, movies, and more. It was a lot more extensive than I remembered, when I briefly checked yesterday. The idea of it is still interesting. 
He was the first yokai or demon they exorcised, but he came back to basically be Ashiya's pet. He really cared for him. 
I think I only have 2 more books of the series. 
Right now, I've been using some from dA. Getting kind of tired of them, though...We'll see. Might not be for a while.
