#sadly no more pottery for a while

[professor-mist]

(How did I forget to post these???)

Anyways, I was greatly inspired by legends/myths from different regions a while back. So inspired i created these to represent them. I’m quite proud of how they turned out, and I ended up giving one jar to each of my brothers and keeping the Johto one for myself.

#pokemon #pokemon ask blog #professor mist #pottery #pokemon pottery #mewtwo #lavender town ghost #ho oh #lugia #suicune #unown #kyogre #groudon #rayquaza #i think they’re neat #sadly no more pottery for a while #my schools pottery shop closes over the summer #a bit ooc

[12u3ie]

Hi I am NOT normal about pottery shards and I WILL talk about them

AKA: under the cut is me explaining all the pottery shard designs out in Minecraft 1.20 snapshots as of now (March 23, 2023) in alphabetical order, going over their design and their possible meaning in the lore. Pictures of each shard will be above the text of the listed shard. Now, let's get on with it shall we?

Angler. Starting off simple. A fishing rod with a fish at the end. The ancient society knew how to craft fishing rods and catch fish.

Archer. A drawn bow and arrow. They crafted bows and arrows and knew how to use them. Probably related to skeletons somehow. Maybe the skeletons are them? Maybe the skeletons just stole their technology once they were gone? Unsure.

In real life, bow-and-arrow technology was revolutionary in terms of human evolution. Some archeologists even theorize that bows were the tools that began the end for our cousins, Neanderthals. But in Minecraft... who knows?

Arms Up. A humanoid figure with their arms raised. The arms-up pose means something unknown. Perhaps a gesture of friendship, or peace? What we do know is that, for near certain, the ancient peoples were humanoid in nature, close if not near identical to modern players.

Blade. A sword. Very similar to the standard Minecraft sword model, with a slightly different hilt. Maybe a pixel art limitation, maybe not. The ancient peoples knew how to make swords.

Brewer. A bottle of some description. Seems like a mixed design between a glass bottle and a cauldron. Nevertheless, it has its origins in brewing. They knew how to brew potions. Did they have a different system of brewing to the modern day, or did they have access to the Nether for materials? Currently unknown.

Burn. A flame. They knew how to make fire, or at least knew of its existence. But drawing on the last point, perhaps it's not a fire, but a blaze powder instead. The textures are oddly similar to one another.

Danger. A creeper. Seems like these mobs have been around for a while, and have always been a pain in the backside to watch out for. Wonder if they replied to such a call of danger with "aw man."

Explorer. A map with an X, marking a specific spot. They hid treasures in the ground likely in the same way of IRL pirates - marking a spot on a map for later. Sadly, from modern treasure maps found in shipwrecks, it seems they weren't able to get back to all their spoils in time. Also indicates they knew how to make and use maps.

Friend. An iron golem face. The ancient peoples knew that iron golems existed and that they were protective and friendly towards them. Perhaps, building upon other, older theories, they made the iron golems themselves.

Heart. A standard heart shape. Possibly a visualization of love. Or perhaps they had hearts within them as humans do in the real world, and this is what they looked like.

Heartbreak. A heart broken in two down the vertical center. ...Let's go with the first assumption of the previous shard's imagery. A broken heart is often a symbol of a bad feeling over a lost relationship. The ancient society had intricate relationships between its peoples. They loved and fell out of love, in any and possibly every such meaning of the term.

Howl. A wolf. In the words of a dear friend of mine, "They had doggies!" Or, more likely, began the process of domesticating wolves into the tamable breed we know today. At the very least, they knew of the existence of wolves, regardless of whether the ancient people-wolf relations were good or not.

Miner. A pickaxe. The ancient peoples were able to craft tools like pickaxes to mine for resources. The pickaxe here, much like the sword, is slightly different in design to what we know today.

Mourner. A warden. Now this... this is a very interesting one. I have my own theories that would require a bit more explaining than this format will allow for. (Maybe I will express such thoughts at a later date, if readers wish to hear them...) Let your thoughts be known in the tags!

Plenty. An open chest. This proves that the ancient peoples had the ability to craft chests, and the need for extra storage beyond what could be carried (presumably in their inventories, if they had them).

Prize. A gem. This is an indicator that they were able to mine for resources. Now, some sources may indicate this as a diamond. However, the shape is very distinct from that of any diamonds ever in Minecraft. This may be a completely new - or rather, very old - and different gem than anything players have seen before.

Sheaf. A bundle of wheat. They had means of farming and collecting wheat, and perhaps other crops as well. Agriculture is a part of their culture.

Shelter. A tree. They were able to hide from the elements underneath trees, later emulating this with their own buildings.

Skull. A skull. This could either be the skull of a skeleton mob, from which the skull item drops today, or perhaps the skull of the deceased. They knew of skeletons and death in one form or another.

Snort. A sniffer. This proves that sniffers existed at the same time as this ancient civilization, and that these people were in some form of contact with sniffers.

-~-~-

Remember that anything listed here was important enough to the society of ancient peoples to be immortalized in the art of their pottery. Each one of these has some sort of significance.

-~-~-

Taglist: @darubyprincxx @nightshadeowl @eagle-warri

#i use the word 'golem' only because of its use in-game #i do not fully agree with the term and prefer construct #figured i should state that loll #twelves rambles #minecraft #mineblr #twelves theories #also another disclaimer: any one of these could be wrong #these are educated guesses here #can use for theories IF CREDITED #emphasis on the CREDITED

[kenphobia]

Hellooo, therapy is expensive but reading your stories about silly puppets it's free.

So, I was wondering if I could ask for some imagines of Wally Darling (yeah, again, sorry 😭) with a s/o whose love language is giving gifts? Like, they love to shower Wally (and their other friends) in all kind of gifts no matter the time or place.

I hope that wasn't too confusing and I hope both sides of your pillow are cold.

KINDERGARDEN GAMES!

"T-a-n-g-a ka talaga, Wally." "... What—"

summary. wally is a puppet who loves his neighbors equally and cherishes them in many ways. but when his lover does gift giving more than him, he gets a bit competitive. ( headcanons / 0.9k wc / read end notes )

contents. general fluff, straight up romantic dynamic, implied filipino!wally, bits of playful Wally slander ( nsfw blogs dni )

✦ It started simple, nothing too big or fancy. When you brough him those oil pastels Wally had been eying for a while, he couldn't help but feel flustered. It's not like he haven't received gifts before, few of his neighbors love to give him little presents too, but it was different when it comes to you.

✦ Of course, he accepts with a smile and a slightly flushed face.

"Thanks, (Name)! I really, really appreciate this." Wally paused, switching his gaze from the oil pastels to you in a nervous manner. "I, um, I'll make sure to make great use of it."

You smiled, patting his hair carefully as to not accidentally deform the pompadour he spent half an hour styling and 5 whole bottles of glue. "Well, I'm glad you liked it! I have to go now though, Sally needs me with setting up her stage for tomorrow's play. See you later, Walls!"

Wally waved you goodbye, watching you leave and your figure getting farther and farther, completely disappearing as you turned a corner. He finally focused his gaze to the box in his hands, a gentle smile caressed his face.

For a short moment, He remembered how your eyes twinkled and reflected the warm light. Wally's gaze softened, humming as he went inside his house. He has an idea what to do using the oil pastels you gave him.

✦ It was sweet, Wally would say, but he wouldn't admit how he had dreames of the whole thing several times. Or well, daydreamed since he doesn't sleep. Home had a couple of incidents and scolding Wally for letting his paintbrush go and getting paint on the carpet.

✦ Wally didn't think much of it though, but appreciated it finely. That is until he received some homemade mint chocolate cookies at his doorstep. Eddie had given it to him, informing him that it came from no other than the lovely you.

✦ (Wally doesn't miss Eddie side-eying though. Sadly, not everyone can appreciate mint chocolate like Wally does.)

✦ It didn't just stop there, no, why would it? From cookies to handcrafted beaded jewelry of his favorite colors to little letters and poems to cute little doodles of you and him being pinned on his fridge everyday— Your gifts were endless and Wally wonders how could you make so much in just a span of an hour.

✦ He doesn't have the right to judge you after making multiple portraits of you and sending some of them immediately to your home. It was a lot, but after all of you wonderous gifts that kept him awake and thinking at every hour, your front porch became bombarded with many paintings.

✦ Wally started doing art in other ways too. Pottery, watercolour, jewelries, etc. He even sent a whole basket of (definitely not stolen) apples to your door! The whole gift giving suddenly became a war between who could show their affection more than the other.

✦ Eddie had to intervene because he had been delivering gifts to both your houses every single day. Doesn't bother Wally though, it gives him the advantage of simply entering your home with a key he secretly copied and stuff all of his heartfelt gifts.

��� You did caught him one time in your room, hanging up pictures of you, some of them were mainly focused on your eyes. You aren't exactly sure how to feel about it, both the paintings and the crime he had just committed.

Arriving to your humble abode, you furrowed your brows upon finding the front door unlocked. You quickly entered inside, trying your best at staying quiet while you put your stuff down on the sofa and wanderes around your home for the intruder.

The neighborhood isn't exactly a crime-filled place, but you still can't shake off the feeling of dread bubbling in your stomach. You gripped the house keys in your hands so firmly that you swear the plastic could cut through your palm.

You neared your room, breath hitching at the sound of shuffling and murmuring. You squinted through the darkness, seeing your bedroom door wide open and the lights turned on. Quickly, you rushed closer and hoped that the intruder wouldn't hear your panicked steps.

"Oh... That wouldn't work at all. Let's try this position." A voice suddenly pierced through the silence. It was soft, warm and awfully familiar that it made bits of your dread disappear slowly.

You leaned against the wall, turning your head and peeking from the doorway. Immediately, you locked your eyes at a portrait of you sitting idly on your bed and then to the blue cardigan the stranger was wearing.

Wait a second, That's not a stranger. No, that's—!

"Wally? What are you doing here?" You voiced out, walking in as your boyfriend turned to face you. His eyes wide in surprise, nearly dropping the painting. You found yourself deadpanning at what was on the canvas, it was a painting of you and Wally unsurprisingly.

Wally smiled, albeit nervously. "O-Oh, *Mahal! You're home earlier than I expected."

You hardened your gaze, squinting at his form as you crossed your arms. "Wally, why are you in my house?"

"Well, you see, Mahal..." Wally began, putting down the painting and making it lean on the wall. "I— I will explain it to you tomorrow. Byee!"

You didn't have a chance to say anything before Wally ran up to your window and jumping out, breaking plastic glass and leaving your room in a state of disaster.

That noseless bastard.

notes. did i completely forgot abt the other neighbors? yes. do i regret it? no. sorry, howdy 😔 but yaya!!! another wally fic, turned out a bit shorter than I like and more crackshippy but that's fineee

i hope you like it tho!!! this was fun to make and i rlly tried racking my brain for any creative juice.

inbox is always open, so come on by again for more wally slander /lh

*mahal - love in tagalog

#writing log! #welcome home x reader #wally darling x reader

[prototypelq]

A bit late but Lucia for the ask game?

Ohoho, gladly!

Lucia, my underappreciated and beloved!)))

This one's sadly going to be short, cause, well. There is not much we have on Lucia at all.

favourite thing about them:

I admit, I am a sucker for her overall design and style. Of course, I also cherish her bravery, kindness and duty, but. Her visual design is just. So Good. and I am weak for redheads

To add to that, I love how her DT form pioneered the 'angelic' design and vision in DMC! It suits her perfectly, and I definitely love how dmc4 and Nero's DT in dmc5 doubled down on that foundation.

Also, we don't have that much of Lucia, which is good for female characters in Capcom games, they are safer than way.

least favourite thing about them:

We don't have that much of Lucia(((

(tho I am grateful for her small inclusion in the pre-dmc5 novel, it was very welcome and I love the idea of her keeping an eye out for Dante when she can)

favourite line

I'll be honest, besides the obvious 'Dante told me...Devils never cry!" I can't even FIND more quotes from her...this is tragic

bOTP

Her and Trish! I think them interacting might be therapeutic for both - both are afraid of losing themselves to their demonic nature, however their stories are inversed, so they can complementary support each other. I also just genuinely think they could hit it off nicely, and be besties power duo.

Though I can also see their similarities driving them away from each other, cause that's the mature thing every character in this fandom usually does.

Lucia would adore Patty and vice versa)

OTP

Dante/Lucia. They could be like, so unbelievably sweet. That stuff in entirely AU though, while I could envision a way Vergil/Lady might work out post DMC5, I can't see any way of Dante/Lucia happening in canon.

Outside of canon, I think they could be tooth-rottingly sweet. It's all very optional though.

nOTP thankfully she has no relatives to be shipped with, amiright?

random headcanon

She likes wine and trying out different kinds of it. Same as Vergil, for some reason I think she'd enjoy pottery. Also drawing, I think Matier tried her best to make Lucia interested in art and drawing lessons were part of that.

unpopular opinion none

song I associate with them

Like. I know they are very different, but it cannot be just coincidence that we have Two sidesweep redheads with tan skin and accent right???

anyway, they have nothing in common besides that (...or more like we don't have any canon info on either of them to find any similarities), buuuut I do really like Mistral's battle track, and some lines certainly could ring true for Lucia as well, so yeah.

favourite picture of them

Every picture of Lucia is my favourite picture of Lucia, However. This Fanart. It is somehow even more perfect than her original design. Which I never thought was possible.

#lucia my underppareciated #genuinely wish we got more of her #also her actions speak louder than words cause apparently she came to the agency a few times for a visit throughout the years #and i love that about her #i live in a simultanious state of 'oh good we don't have much of lucia so capcom has not ruined her yet' and 'damn i wish we had more lucia' #thank you for the question ember! #dmc lucia #dmc #dmc2 lucia #dmc2

[katiajewelbox]

Giving chocolates is a way to show your love on Valentines Day. Human beings have been in love with chocolate and the Cacao tree (Theobroma cacao) for thousands of years, and today we will learn about the romance of culture and chocolate.

Although Cacao is most famously associated with Mesoamerican cultures, genetic studies indicate that Cacao was domesticated by indigenous Americans around 5,300 years ago in the Upper Amazon region. From there, Cacao cultivation spread north to Mexico. The Cacao fruit pulp was more commonly consumed in South America in Pre Columbian times while the Mesoamericans invented the technique of fermentation and roasting to utilise the Cacao nibs.

Archaeological evidence, such as chemical residues on ancient pottery shards, pinpoints the first use of Cacao drinks in Mesoamerica around 1600 BCE. By the time of the Classical Mayan civilization (250-900 CE), ground cacao nibs were mixed with water and spices by careful pouring between vessels to make a nourishing and invigorating hot drink which was consumed by people of all social classes. In the later Mexica (Aztec) civilization, cold cacao drink or xocoatl (bitter water in Nahuatl) exquisitely flavoured with flowers, fruits, chillies, and spices was reserved for the elite and ceremonial occasions. Cacao seeds were used as a form of currency for trade and barter during the Mexica Empire.

After the conquest of the Mexica Empire by Spain in 1521, cacao was one of the many new plant-based foods brought to Europe. In Spain, the locals of Andalusia experimented with the spicy xocoatl by adding cane sugar and dairy ingredients. It is said that drinking chocolate was so universally popular from the 17th century to the late 19th century that it prevented coffee from becoming mainstream in Spanish culture. Drinking chocolate caught on in the rest of Europe in the 1600’s but it was not until the mid 19th century that innovation in processing and chemistry allowed the invention of solid chocolate candies. Cadbury chocolate company is credited with marketing chocolates as a token of love for Valentines Day in 1868.

Chocolate in the modern world is not always a sweet story. Today, approximately 70% of the world’s cacao is produced in West African countries like Ghana and the Ivory Coast. Sadly, exploitative practices like child labour and enslavement are still rife in these countries’ Cacao farms. Chocolate lovers can help by buying Fair Trade certified chocolate products and other responsibly grown cacao products. Fortunately, cacao can be grown in sustainable agroforestry alongside native rainforest trees especially in Latin America. Cacao’s sacred and medicinal properties are experiencing a renaissance among “chocolate shamans” around the world who drawn upon indigenous knowledge to make the ethical production and mindful consumption of cacao a healing spiritual experience.

Humanity and Cacao have a long-lasting love that continues to evolve over time, and has the potential to benefit plants, people, and the planet. Ponder the storied history of Cacao if you indulge in chocolate this Valentines Day.

Image credits to Mexicolore

#katia plant scientist #botany #plant biology #plants #plant science #cacao #cacao tree #trees #economic botany #culture #cultural history #chocolate #drinking chocolate #spanish history #native american #mesoamerica #aztecs #mayans #mesoamericans #mexico #ceremonial cacao #shamans #fair trade #chocolates #food history #west africa #cacao nibs #cacao beans #aztec history #colonialism

[best-underrated-anime]

Best Underrated Anime Group E Round 1: #E2 vs #E7

#E2: Psychic girl is adopted by Yakuza. Hijinks ensue.

While reveling in the successful clinching of a prized vase for his collection, Yoshifumi Nitta, a yakuza member, is rudely interrupted when a large, peculiar capsule suddenly materializes and falls on his head. He opens the capsule to reveal a young, blue-haired girl, who doesn't divulge anything about herself but her name—Hina—and the fact that she possesses immense powers. As if things couldn't get any worse, she loses control and unleashes an explosion if her powers remain unused. Faced with no other choice, Nitta finds himself becoming her caregiver.

#E7: Teenage boys use empathy to solve problems for youkai.

Without realizing it, a high schooler named Ashiya Hanae shows kindness to a youkai and is subsequently possessed by it on the first day of class. The spirit clings to his shoulder, making him progressively sicker each day. After a week of collapsing on his way into school, Ashiya notices a “Help Wanted” flyer for an exorcism service in the nurse’s office. Desperate, he calls the service, only to find that it is run by his grumpy classmate.

Abeno Haruitsuki prefers youkai to humans, sleeps through class, and is the master of a sentient tea room called the Mononokean, where youkai come for help with their problems. It turns out that they’re mostly benign, and exorcising them to the Underworld is safer for them. Ashiya convinces Abeno to exorcise the spirit possessing him, but Abeno demands he work part-time for the Mononokean as repayment. Abeno’s intimate knowledge of the spirit world and Ashiya’s empathetic nature form a great contrast as they work together.

Titles, propagandas, trailers, and poll under the cut!

#E2: Hinamatsuri

Propaganda 1:

Hinamatsuri is about…

Hina, who is a psychic metaphor for autism ala Mob but imo better. She’s not only a weirdgirl who’s friends are almost all other strange girls, but she’s also into stuff that is just so either unfitting for her age or she’s just really intense about.

Nitta, who deserves all the fangirls and husbando-ing that every other random guy in anime gets. He’s a bachelor who loves pottery and can cook so well that Hina convinces her friends they have a gourmet chef working for them. He’s also a yakuza and is beloved by the aniki for being incredibly tough and scary. (He is gentle as hell with Hina.)

A bunch of other weird girls (Admin: this part of the propaganda has been cut due to possible spoilers)

Propaganda 2:

Hinamatsuri is an absolutely hilarious anime with some of the best comic timing I’ve ever seen. It’s so funny, the various girls are such nonsense.

Hina starts as a violent blank slate and develops into a lazy greedy horrible little gremlin. Anzu starts as a prideful edgy rival but eventually becomes a wholesome overly grateful insecure mess. Hitomi is forced to become more and more competent, independent, and adult because she can't stand up for herself and say no to people asking her for favors.

Nitta is a fantastic viewpoint character because he outwardly takes so much in stride that it’s easy to forget how annoyed and stressed everything makes him until he snaps.

Trigger Warnings: There is child nudity, but only for a Terminator reference. There is some comedic child neglect and slapstick. There is a child who is homeless, but it’s treated very sensitively.

#E7: The Morose Mononokean (Fukigen na Mononokean)

[Admin: Submitter had linked the season 2 trailer—which also happens to be blocked in my country. I’m replacing it with the s1 trailer, but it sadly does not have any subs. But if you’ve read the summary, then the trailer is easy to understand.]

Propaganda:

The Morose Mononokean is a beautifully written and animated coming-of-age story— with youkai, which can only ever make a piece of media better. The characters, both human and youkai, are fully three-dimensional, and although there isn’t much of an overarching plot in the first season/early manga chapters, the episodic stories contribute to the growth of both Ashiya and Abeno; their juxtaposed methods of problem-solving, and the way they affect and learn from each other’s perspectives as they become closer, are very satisfying both to analyze and to experience on an emotional level. Beyond the writing, the art is outstanding as well. The designs for the youkai characters are frequently adorable, occasionally terrifying, and always quite original, brilliantly incorporating characteristics of existing creatures in novel ways. The occasional visits to the Underworld are always a visual treat, with vibrant colors and a unique animation style painting the backdrop. Both the art and the characters are delightful and moving, and the OP is a banger. As a connoisseur of urban fantasy, Fukigen na Mononokean’s focus on emotion over action has made it my all-time favorite anime in the genre.

Trigger Warnings: None.

If you’re reblogging and adding your own propaganda, please tag me @best-underrated-anime so that I’ll be sure to see it.

#anime #best underrated anime #polls #poll tournament #tournament #anime tournament #animation #animated show #group stage #group stage round 1 #tournament polls #hinamatsuri #the morose mononokean #fukigen na mononokean #group e

[sylvinuk-turkey]

We arrived at 1a to our hotel, in the rain. It is a room in a cave which is cool. But we didn’t spend much time enjoying the room, as we were tired and also knew we would need to wake up at 7:30a the next day.

Our guide and taxi driver (two separate people) met us at 9a at the hotel. Due to Gokay’s dad being famous in the tourism industry here, somehow his mom and dad convinced the dean of the local tourism school to have one of the grad students give us a two-day personal tour of the area.

He was very knowledgeable, speaks both Turkish and English, and was all around a lovely 30-year-old who’s getting married in 24 days! Had to share his “meet-cute.” His fiancé was on one of his tours, they connected on social media because he thought she was cute. After 2 years of conversing on social media, he asked her on a date… they live 12 hours (driving) apart from each other!

Luckily, it was cloudy but not raining this morning. So, we started at Devrent, a rock formation on the side of the road, which the guide called “imagination valley” because you can see a variety of shapes (e.g. camel and Virgin Mary) in the rock formations aka “fairy chimneys.”

Then we went to two sites, Zelve and Pasabaglari which were both government protected, so we paid to get in. But they were incredible! This area was covered in ash by 3 volcanoes at least 9 million years ago, which created this easy to carve, sandstone. Hence the cave hotels, and also these amazing sites of formations formed by air, water and change in temperature as well as caves dug into the rocks. If you’ve ever been to the indigenous sites near Sedona, it’s similar.

After that we went to a local pottery workshop (Alaaddin), where learned about the pottery of the region and the two types of clay they use. First red terracotta, from the river bottom. And the second was a white clay they mixed with quartz to make it strong. We got to try using their foot powered pottery wheel, with a pottery master, to make terracotta bowls. This was Gokay’s first time doing pottery!

We took a nice walk down the river walk, and then headed to lunch, at an old “kervansaray” (Caravan Palace for the music fans out there). An old inn to bring animals to and stay as a stop during a long journey. We had a fixed menu of soup, borek/appetizers, an entre with meat and rice, and then a fruit dessert. Can’t forget to mention the local wine. Due to the ash this region is great for growing wine grapes.

During lunch it started pouring but somehow the rest of the afternoon we were lucky because we were inside or in caves while it was raining and walking outside when it wasn’t.

We spent the afternoon seeing more caves and rock formations. We saw an old church built into a hill side with old frescos. This church was not government protected, so it was not in great shape. It was under someone’s current cave house that was also a cafe we had tea at as it poured rain.

Next we saw the famous “love valley” which has the most phalic shaped fairy chimneys. It was amazing because it cleared up enough for us to see one of the younger volcanoes of the region covered in snow.

We finished our day at Ortahisar looking out on the large fairy chimney has previously been a castle, because it’s so easily guarded. Sadly, a lot of it has collapsed.

We needed a nap at the end of this long day, but we went out to the local town of Urgup near our hotel and had a local dinner at “Cappadocia restaurant.” It was recommended by the guide and it was yummy.

We were going to do a balloon ride early tomorrow but with the possible rain, it got moved to Wednesday morning, so we have a chill night and tomorrow morning before we go around again.

#turkey #travel #cappadocia #vacation #guided tours

[lunathekahuna]

I got Around to making Miles's Door!!

Remember, His power is the gift of memory.

It could a Good or bad memory, even Long-term or short-term. Sometimes. He asked the visitor to remember a small piece memory by a certain smell, taste, feeling, touch or sound. He would also suggest the visitor to bring something that means alot to them,like a heirloom or keepsake to make the memory more clear.

At a young age, Miles would only hold down four memories for the entire day. If He went over his limit, He would had to endure painful headaches & a bloody nose. Even when he holds a spoon or piece of his clothing, he would start making a memory. His mama made sure he stayed to his limit by requesting him to wear gloves until he gotten more of a handle of his gift.

After leaving Casita, Miles stopped using gift, only limiting to involuntary memories, & ignored any passerby who wanted a memory. He still wore gloves when he's not working, just only his palms were covered.

(Part )Over the pass year after Bruno Disappeared, Miles sadly sat by his papa's door to see if he could come back home. But his mama had help him keep busy by letting him play with his cousins. Then He was overworked by Alma, sweetly pushing him to give out more memories than his limit to keep the Miracle strong. That didn't sit well for Sonia, She intervened every time, arguing with Alma.

Miles was Sonia's first priority, so the only thing to keep her son happy & safe was to leave la Casita madrigal. They would move back to her old home with her papa, She would get her room back while Miles moved to her brother's old room. Miles had always been scared of his Abuela. He would miss his tíos, tías, & cousins, especially Luisa, Mirabel & Dolores but He didn't feel at home anymore. Abuela only loved him because of his gift & his likeness of Abuelo Pedro.

Not long after a week, They said their farewells-for-now & moved in to the Méndez household. Sonia kicked out anyone who tried to get a memory from Miles, It took a while but They finally stopped, He got to be a kid & a regular teenager while helping his mama in the pottery workshop.

#encanto oc #encanto #fypage #fyp #disney encanto #my art #encanto fanart #encanto miles #milesoc #miles madrigal #miles josé madrigal #papa bruno #bruno oc child #encanto au #encanto original character #encanto oc fanart #encanto oc au #encanto art #encanto door #miles Mendéz-Madrigal

[poupeesdecirque]

Travel Blog Polaris Hamburg! - 14. October 2023

As another rather local-ish convention I decided to check out the Polaris in Hamburg this year. It's a travel of 2 hours by train but a rather convienent route with only changing trains once and I was in Hamburg quite often, therefore Ticket was booked for a day quickly even though I was going there alone with not knowing anyone there. I had some brief contacts who were supposed to be there but didn't end up meeting.

For the full day:

It started super early for me as - like mentioned - the travel time by train was 2 hours and I wanted to get there quite early as autumn break just started and I feared the trains would be filled to the brim (which would be turn out to be true later on). The overall ride was quite relaxing, I had time to read further into the book I started earlier this year. I went into the train in full cosplay as I didn't want to change later on, I didn't want to travel with a wig head and all that.

As I arrived in Hamburg gladly the dear mahein.design (insta) had spotted me in the train before and asked if we would go to the Convention location together, I was full on lost Allen mode and agreed. We took another train and walked a bit. Lost each other then though as he had to change into his cosplay attire and go through the weapony check, I just had Timcampy with me.

The first (of two) Halls I went to was the one with Muchi Markt - the food theme was all over here, you had different food vendors like Bubble Tea, Japanese Crepe etc, also the fitting stage to go with different workshops/events.

Then Valdhaym a roleplay/tabletop based part of the hall, merging with Neo Taki which had also a bigger stage for Quiz and Anime themed presentations. All over you had TONS of artists showcasing their work, no matter which themes, Anime, Manga, Series, Comic, Cute etc. you had different other Content Creators and Photographers, even a Stage for Just Dance performances, vendors with merchandise and pottery. it surely was a lot. Also there was the possibility to book Meet&Greets with bigger names of the german YouTube/Twich Community.

What I really loved was that you had SPACE to walk around even when a lot of people were around, the artists had space to move around, you always were able to navigate around.

The other hall had the Sandbox and the Cyberdome.

The Sandbox was all about gaming, they had vendors like Nintendo and Capcom, an exhibition about consoles and games, a fleamarket for games and more photo corners.

The Cyberdome was all about PCs, from Modding to anything else. They also had a Parcour you could use to show off your skills and a huge stage for the program. As you can see it was a lot of room.

The only downside I saw here truly was: there was only two (three if you counted outside) sanitary spots and ... you basically had to decide 30 minutes prior if you had to pee :') some more toilets set up outside would help greatly, especially if the day is sold out.

I mentioned photo spots! There were some set up like in the first pic here but also bit pop up spots and some were set in containers with differend themed to take photos at, that's a super cool idea! Sadly I didn't have a photographer with me therefore I skipped on taking pics there.

I was able to make some people smile with my Allen Cosplay and even able to talk a bit about the fact that the series is indeed still on going!

Also I'm very proud of myself to ask every cosplayer of DGM I came across for photos. You might now I suffer from severe social anxiety and usually need a safe person to push me forward. That's why I was a bit nervous in regards of attending the whole convention alone. Usually I get to a point in which I space out and then am overstimulated and it's just dead end for me, either mental breakdown or braindead.

But I managed super well. I went slow through the con, over and over again, taking breaks here and there. And I actually bought things I was eyeing for a while, commissioned a drawing and even bought food (yes that has been an issue too, like actually talking to people and ordering food, like a normal human? Gasp nope.).

My personal highlight and the first thing I got was this japanese crepe by Mimi's Crepe, a store I wanted to visit for a while and just had learned they would vendor at the con! What a great coincidence, they even had a convention special, with Matcha and Azuki Bean Paste.

The little foodie that I am I decided to try more later on, I am still super proud I ordered so much and just went for it. One is a falafel bowl with salad, sweet potato fries and Mango Chutney, as the serving was super small I got a Matcha Latte Bubble Tea as Desser, never had one with Tapioca, super chewy and fun.

With another 2 hour ride upon me I decided to head back to the train around 5 in the evening and said good bye to the convention, it was getting a bit empty anyways.

This time going back to the train station all by myself. Adventure underground here. Hah. but I remebered that line from a doll meet years ago luckily. It was easier than before as I arrived directly at the main station this time.

I had a few minutes left at the main station before boarding my train and wanted another little something .. I got a yogurt with berries but look at those pretty donuts. German Donuts are expensive af though and I felt like I only lived off sugar the day, therefore i only snatched a photo.

The train back was incredibly full... the security personell even dared to evacute the train if people wouldn't remove their bags from the seats (wtf why is that still a thing?) - I got a single seat at my first train.

Also we had another announcement which was "It's nice to know none of you likes to move but there is plenty of seats in wagon 5, 6 and 6! You know this is a train, it's hollow from the inside, you can walk through it" .. I had to laugh.

Drew a bit and enjoyed my little snack. Later as I had to change trains I stood next to a non german speaking family and their kid pointed fingers at me and laughed, I was seriously too tired to begin a fight against a full family but please teach your children some manners. Also kid: at least be brave enough to insult me in the native language of the country you are in. I have the courage to live my life to its fullest and walk around in a costume in a train full of people, I don't hide behind a full family to be an asshole about not understanding why people dress differently like you are used to see. No I tell people they should move aside and stick to the rules, even with severe social anxiety. Suck it up.

As I then changed trains I .. met Mahein.Design again and we shared the space in the other train, chatting along a bit until I had to get off. Thank you for the nice hour it was a pleasure to meet you! I also read and sketched a bit more.

#convention #travel blog #polaris #polaris hamburg #dgm

[beebfreeb]

7, 8, and 9! teehee

7. A medium of art you don’t work in but appreciate: Ohh there are so many types of art out there it is awesome. LIKE, really intricate paper crafts/cut out stuff is SO fun to see. I could not do that <3 AND very realistic sculptures... And pottery... Pottery seems so fun. I'd love to make a bowl <3 Not to mention knitting/crochet/similar!!!! So many things on earth...

8. What’s an old project idea that you’ve lost interest in: I have so many projects that it may be a disease... While a lot of my projects I want to return to eventually, one I have less interest in is My Old Sci-Fi Setting:

(^ various character designs from it) While it's fun to work on when I need a break from more Fantasy-ish settings... it's more of a worldbuilding project than something with a cohesive plot + not something I am too willing to share without a LOTT of work.

Another project that I don't know if I'll return to or not is TerriByte (link is to my tag of it), this is because I have NO clue what I'll do with it. I love it so so so so much I love my 5000 robot/AI characters in a setting that I can just put whatever in. BUT SADLY, it also needs a HUGE overhaul. Overhyped it to myself </3

After DIDL, my highest priority projects would be my Wizards Setting (⌛ part II lives in my head rent free) and then an untitled fantasy setting.

9. What are your file name conventions: This:

Topic and the date of whenever I drew/saved the image, however for the canvases that I draw on themselves.... sometimes the OG file name is not descriptive of the contents (for example: dreamland_worldbuilding_1_07282022 has just become random DL related doodles, mostly.)

#funny talking tag #as someone who thinks of characters as Pieces Of A Setting #i generally feel Bad just posting a character w/o context... especially if there's no Narrative Going On #bc. like. i LOVE extensive worldbuilding projects but its so hard to present just Worldbuilding in an interesting way to me #without the context of characters/narratives worldbuilding is just as boring to me as characters without the context of narratives #long post #HOWEVER i may be being strange abt this

[liminal-storage]

Pour One Out

Prompt 27: Hail

Characters: Okuni Tomioka, mentions of Kaetherlin Weisser, whose player sadly no longer plays ffxiv.

---------------

At the base of a massive redwood tree outside of the Great Gubal Library sits a grave. 

It doesn’t belong to anyone she knew personally, but knowing what she does of the man who rests here, she cannot think of a more fitting spot for his burial. It’s beautiful here in the Hinterlands, lush grass cushioning her while she sits next to this grave marker and unpacks a small wicker basket. The white stone of the library nearby contrasts beautifully with the surrounding green and the rich redwoods. 

She doesn’t know the name of the man buried here, but she intends to honor him all the same.

After all, if not for him, she’d probably be dead. 

This man saved the life of someone she does know very well. 

She doesn’t think she’ll ever forget the first time she really spoke to Kaetherlin Weisser. How could she? With the way that the woman had thundered down two flights of stairs in full armor to level a glare and an accusation in her face, how can she possibly even consider blocking such a memory? Someone had pulled a cruel prank, tossed a few books into the fountain and said it had been her doing. It took her time to gather her courage enough to look Kaetherlin in the eye and explain the situation, but that marked the start of a solid friendship. 

More than that, she’d find herself learning so much more than she’d anticipated under the woman’s tutelage. How to disarm an opponent, how to strike to your advantage. How to topple a foe twice your height so that you might live to fight another day. Beyond fighting, the pair shared a mutual love and respect for history and, through Kaetherlin’s teachings, Okuni came to understand the importance of archaeology and the balance in learning about the past while showing it proper respect.

If something was too fragile or too sacred to be moved, you left it be. If there were still those among the living who could tell you a place’s stories instead of relying on its relics, you got it directly from their mouths instead. Learning was something to be shared with others, not kept secret for personal gain. She always found herself utterly fascinated by Kaetherlin’s combination of endless passion for knowledge while upholding the ideals of a stalwart protector. All of that passionate pursuit hidden by layers of heavy padding and armor. Okuni had been one of the first to bother to get to know her as the person and not the armor, she’d said. Okuni told her it was an honor and she, in turn, told her of how special her own passion for stories was. 

It’s funny, looking back. She can see reminders of the woman when she sees Silvaineaux, sometimes. Perhaps not in the same ways…she doubts that she’d ever catch the knight digging in old ruins for precious and delicate pottery fragments, for instance. There’s just something about the sight of a neat braid against polished armor that reminds her, she supposes. Or perhaps it’s in the little glimpses of his personality that she gleans here and there that remind her, that combination of discipline and passion.

(Either way, she considers that an honor too.) 

Her eyes come to rest on the bottle in her hands, a fine and expensive whiskey she intends to leave as an offering to the man who’d died here to protect Kaetherlin from a bear’s hungry jaws.

She even paid for this one, a rare feat to those who know her. It’s not her drink of choice, something she’ll sip at given few other options, perhaps. But it is proper to share a drink with an old soul, she thinks. Even if she has not seen Kaetherlin in years at this point, she would be greatly changed if not for her. Hells, she wouldn't even have the building she calls home if not for the studious devotee.

And Kaetherlin, in turn, would have died if not for her own mentor.

So Okuni pours a bit of the whiskey out into the little metal canteen cup within the basket, sets the rest of the bottle against the tree’s mighty trunk, and looks out at the fiery sunset painting the landscape, offering silent gratitude to the man she never knew. 

#ffxivwrite2022 #my writing #this one was mehhh #i got nothin #Kuni Muinvel

[rederiswrites]

We know a couple locally that is the perfect combination of organized, level-headed businessperson and wacky artist. They’ve made a very full life of becoming a local artistic fixture with his pottery and her sense. Perfect couple dynamic frankly. (Not the ONLY perfect dynamic, but sure one of them.) 

Jacob and I are not so convenient. We’re currently running ourselves into the ground trying to launch both of our artistic careers at once (while also living what most would count as complete, stressful lives already). It’d be really stupid if we had any choice, but that’s called being true to yourself. BUT, the fun part of this is hyping each other to everyone.

Jacob goes to a blacksmithing event: “Oh this person would like to see more of your work; I was bragging about my spouse.” Someone comments a question on his FB post, and I jump in with a “If you sign up on his contacts page you’ll be the first to know when classes are offered.” We love talking business plans, and giving each other ideas for social media efforts. (You’ll be happy to know that none of those involve Tumblr,  because nobody caint sell nuthin on tumblr).

So yeah, sadly, neither of us has a business manager. But we have really great hype men.

Oh! And it’s a family affair. My daughter always makes sure we’re both wearing my work before we go anywhere significant, and checks to see if I have business cards.

[mygainyear2024]

Day 16 I found my garlic limit!

I had a restless sleep, I imagine from the late coffee yesterday.  I was dreaming I was narrating the Netflix movie Scoop (Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell were in my head!) and I woke with a fright when I heard “head north east on Rua do Oceano Índico”, out of my iPhone. For some reason google maps went off, it was 11.30pm! WTF 😂

Today I booked the train to Albufeira, excited to see this party town!  I wasn’t sure if a bus was an option to Old Town.  The staff member at the station said "outside" but on looking at the times and route I wasn’t hopeful, so I ordered a Bolt.  I noticed a couple of young women looking at the timetable and walking away so I offered them a lift.  I said "I’m going to a coffee roaster first and I’m not sure how close it is to Old Town but you’re welcome to join me".  They looked a bit tentative at first and then decided to jump in 😂 We headed to Al-Gharb, I did say there was no obligation to have coffee together, but they wanted to and then paid for mine, and their “famous” banana bread while I was in the WC.  So kind of them.  Delightful young women, Julie and Rike, studying to be teachers, living 3 hours from Hamburg.  I’m sure they thought I’d taken speed, I couldn’t stop talking 😹 We discussed travel, teaching, my kids, Julie’s siblings, Rike’s job in a public paying school, creepy men at their Airbnb in Lagos, living in a post Covid world. I set them free and had a second coffee and then headed to some earmarked pottery and cork shops, lunch and gelato.

I purchased a lovely cork necklace, discounted to €10, from a baby/kids store that had a small table of jewellery. I managed to discern that it was indeed handmade locally by a woman who no longer makes jewellery as she has arthritis. I also purchased a locally made ceramic bowl that I'll use to eat my granola while I'm holidaying and beyond. I could have bought so much more, but on this trip I don't want to worry about breaking things over a longer period of time!

I’d pre-booked lunch using The Fork app and was a tad disappointed after sitting down to hear the waitress telling me the three octopus dishes were not available (no catch for that day). I looked at the menu and used google translate, saw there was squid (so I could eat that), I already knew the cod was frozen (as I'd asked at another restaurant) and I could have carapaus (mackerel) and even though I don't eat beef, pork or lamb, if I had to I could have the pica-pau (woodpecker!). I thought this must be a mistake and I assumed quail or similar. On her return the carapaus was not an option either, it was going to take too long to make, que?  I told her I had time! "Would an hour be enough?" She walked away, came back and said “it’s not possible”.  I asked about the woodpecker and she laughed, no it was some beef dish, sounded like dried or carpaccio* (after sleeping on this, maybe it’s smoked 🤔). I ended up with squid, in loads of oil and garlic and I asked for sweet potato.  The waitress said “don’t you like cheese?” Of course I like cheese, so thinking what I ordered was not enough I got cheese and the usual slightly dry bread (no wonder there's oil, it's to make the dry bread edible! Sadly when it came out it looked like a heart attack waiting to happen, melted with more oil and garlic.  The rosé was good, the sweet potato never came, but a salad was on my bill. I should have asked for the salad 😂 I did say there was way too much oil and garlic and the waitress said "this is the way in Portugal"...OK!

I didn’t need it, but after some more wandering in the heat, I had it anyway...gelato, from Georgina Gelato - pistachio, salted caramel and snickers! 

Heading back in the Bolt the temperature gauge showed 31°.  The lovely Bolt driver said summer temperatures are usually around 32°, and it’s only Spring 🥵 We had a fantastic conversation about ice cream after I asked him how long he’d been living in the Algarve (I've noticed all of the Bolt/Uber drivers aren't locals). He’d been in Albufeira for nearly four years, coming to help his mum make and sell ice cream. She’d studied the art in Italy.  They only sell to a shop called Sailor. I did see that shop, but it didn’t feature as highly as Georgina on the google ratings. I should have got that guys number. I wonder can I track him down on the Bolt app, or maybe that will get me banned and that wouldn't be good, as I now have 15% discount on my next five trips.

I got on the right train to come "home", I triple checked!

Tomorrow I collect my tiles 🤩

*It got the better of me so I googled it, sounds delicious for those who eat beef. Pica pau is a traditional Portuguese dish consisting of small pieces of fried beef in a light gravy made with beer, garlic, oil, chili, and mustard. The dish is usually consumed as a snack, accompanied by a few glasses of cold beer and bread for mopping up the sauce. When served, pica pau is traditionally topped with olives and pickled carrots and cauliflowers. The name of the dish means woodpecker, because you pick at the beef with a wooden toothpick. Pica pau is a staple of the Portuguese tascas – tiny little restaurants.

[crazyblondelife]

Valentine's Day 2024 - Outfit Ideas, Recipes & More

Fashion

I’ll have to say that January has been kind of blah and I’m ready to welcome February! Valentine’s Day seems like a bright spot in the month and something to look forward to and spring is right around the corner!

What could be better than a day celebrating love by dressing in pink and red, giving and receiving flowers and eating delicious food? Chocolate anyone? Today, I’m sharing some casual Valentine’s Day looks, a pink table scape that I’m swooning over and ideas for snacks and charcuterie that you’ll love!

When it comes to Valentine’s Day fashion, I like to be understated and not too crazy! I’m sharing a few ideas below that I think are fun for casual day/night. I don’t love to go out to dinner on Valentine’s Day because restaurants are usually crowded with pre-fix menus. I much prefer to make something easy and stay home with a nice bottle of Champagne and a few chocolate covered strawberries.

Today, I’m teaming up with my friends Darcy Vandenberg of Dear Darcy and Dawn Parsons of Party Till Dawn to bring you the best of Valentine’s Day! Be sure to check out their blogs and follow them and keep scrolling for all the V-Day inspiration!

My first look is made up mostly of pieces that have been in my closet for a while…a red sweater paired with a pair of wide leg cropped jeans with a scarf and my Gucci low heel pumps. The sweater is newer from Vince, but sadly sold out, but I found an almost identical one from Alice Walk! The scarf is from Cabi and very old, but I’ve linked a fun Kate Spade heart scarf below that so cute that I ordered it myself! The jeans are several years old and my shoes (almost identical here) were purchased in Paris when I visited my daughter last year! I’ve worn them so often…they are forever shoes…classic and so comfortable!

This next look (again with jeans) features my new pair of Madison Maison gold cowboy boots and I’m obsessed! If you don’t know this brand, be sure to check it out because the shoes are fabulous (loving this pair of jeweled green heeled loafers)! I’m wearing the same red sweater with an older faux fur coat from Abercrombie and a pair of straight leg, cropped Veronica Beard jeans! I added some bling with my necklaces (see below).

Why not add a little bling…after all, it’s Valentine’s Day! I’ve combined two necklaces to get my layered look…a long strand of pearls from Julie Miles and a shorter medallion necklace from French Kande!

I have pieces from Cabi in my closet that I’ll never let go of because they’re just too good and this coat is one of them! It’s such a classic piece and I pull it out every year! I found one on Poshmark and linked several others that would work with this look including a pink one from Sam Edelman. The bag is one that I also pull out every year, but I probably should wear it more often…why not? The jeans are the same ones Veronica Beard…I have loved these because of the length and the fit. My gold shoes are favorites from Bells & Becks.

The next look isn’t red or pink, but I think still good for Valentine’s Day. The coat and blouse are from Sea and two of my favorite pieces. I wish I had taken the coat off and photographed the blouse because it’s so cute but it was a cold day and taking off my coat never entered my mind…it’s linked below so be sure to take a closer look. It’s made from black eyelet, has some sparkly sequins and will go right into spring with white jeans. I paired these pieces with cropped, cuffed jeans and my Stuart Weitzman booties that I wear so often! My bag was a Christmas gift from Baldy (here’s a similar one from Tory Burch!

Tablescape…

I had so much fun creating this fun table scape with vintage pieces and pink pieces from Haand Pottery! This is a perfect way to entertain friends for Galentine’s Day and it’s so simple to put together! I created this table very spur of the moment and didn’t have time to make anything homemade, but I think it still turned out great! I topped a small table with a vintage white tablecloth and started layering. I used vintage Depression Glass along with milk glass pieces and a few other odds and ends combined with pink Haand pieces to create a fabulous and interesting table. Don’t be afraid to sprinkle jelly beans and conversation hearts everywhere and throw in a few rose petals for good measure! You could use cheese and crackers along with chocolates or really anything you like! I think the key is in the interesting combination of pottery and vintage.

It may not surprise you to find out that I have a collection of espresso cups and anytime I see them in an antique or vintage shop, I buy them. Sometimes, it’s just a single like the one pictured above, but I always find a way to use them…they’re just so cute and add a pop of color or pattern to a table. I also like to make a tray of different cups with similar colors and serve espresso in them!

As always, you can use my code CRAZYBLONDELIFE to receive 15% off your purchase from Haand. These pieces mix and match so beautifully are it’s nice to add a handmade touch to your table! This pink set, which was created for Vivian Howard’s Charleston restaurant, will be perfect for summer entertaining

Valentine’s Day Goodies

Last year I made Valentine’s Day Chex Mix with my grandsons and they are asking to make it again this year! It’s such a good gift for them to give their friends or teachers…they can make it (for the most part) and everyone loves it!

As you know, I love to create Charcuterie Boards and Valentine’s Day or Galentine’s Day is a great time to make one. Get the details on this fun Valentine’s Day Charcuterie Board!

Last year, I did a post on combining cheese and chocolate! It’s a surprisingly good combination and makes for a beautiful display! Learn more about pairing Cheese & Chocolate!

I hope you have a wonderful last day of January and I hope you’ve enjoyed this post…I would love to know your Valentine’s Day traditions as well! Do you get dressed up and go out to dinner or do you prefer to stay home? Leave a comment and let me know!

#Valentine's Day 2024 #Valentine's Day Ideas #Valentine's Day

[naomi-in-japan]

5月31日 - Ueno Park | Akihabara

Today we went to Ueno Park and Akihabara. I'll admit I wasn't too enthusiastic when looking at the itinerary for today. Still, I was pleasantly surprised at all the beautiful sites and little things that made today a very educational and informative trip.

••• Ueno Park 🌸🌳

It wasn't until we walked there today that I realized how close Ueno was to the Ryokan we are currently staying at in Tokyo. My host family took me to Ueno Park in 2019 around wintertime, so I wasn't really able to see the beauty of nature in the park. I want to return during cherry blossom season to enjoy the beautiful sites and relax in the park. We also visited the Ueno Toshogu shrine, where the intricate designs and decorative gold architecture reveal the importance of Ieyasu in Japanese history.

Tokyo National Museum 🏛️🖼️

We also went to the Tokyo National Museum, where we got to wander around and take in the various national treasures and historical pieces that contributed to the history, arts, and culture of Japan from ancient Japan into the modern era. A bit off-topic, but I see the inspiration of how the museum in Animal Crossing New Horizons is designed based on the architecture and layout of the Tokyo National Museum.

For class, we needed to take a picture of a piece that stood out and describe why it stood out. While moseying through, multiple art pieces struck me, so I'll share a few and explain what aspect I found fascinating about each piece.

—----------

The first was a replica doll of a crying baby. It's a very well and realistically crafted doll. And while I do absolutely love babies and find them quite adorable–that doll is terrifying. Seeing such a doll displayed like that scared me and caught me entirely off guard. Especially a crying one, nonetheless. But I have to acknowledge that my opinions might be based on my Western perspective of being used to baby dolls either having docile or happy expressions on their face. (even if it's marketed as a "crybaby" dolly).

Next would have to be this tea bowl used in tea ceremony. The wabi-sabi element of imperfection in the unevenness of the bowl is very aesthetically pleasing to me as a student who has taken many years of art classes, ceramics/pottery has always been my least favorite medium. The emphasis on properly using the potter's wheel and your hand in tandem to effectively create a uniform, even shape, makes the bowl more beautiful for breaking such artistic rules. Also, as you all should know by now, anything to do with matcha I love.

Thirdly, it would have to be the entire collection of oil paintings in the museum. I couldn't stay long enough to remember the artist or read the context of each piece, but it was truly captivating. My favorite kind of artistic medium is oil paintings, specifically portraits. I never quite see many minorities painted with oil, so whenever I do, it never fails to enrapture my attention.

Lastly, I saw this Venus figure in the gift shop on my way out of the museum. Venus figures were prominent in various cultures during ancient times. They represented and promoted the idea of fertility by exaggerating the female figure. It caught my eye because of how different the figure was compared to modern Japanese beauty standards in terms of body type; it's fascinating to see a Venus figure erected in the area.

Ameyokocho 🍭🍣

After the museum, we made our way across the street to Ameyokocho. My host parents took me there briefly in 2019, but we had some free time to have lunch this time. A couple of classmates and I decided to eat at this Okinawan restaurant (which I sadly did not catch the name of), where I got this sweet potato croquette that was really delicious. I'm happy I could practice more Japanese with our server, who was very friendly in conversing with me. Opportunities like those when I get to have extended conversations where the other party can understand my Japanese make me realize that I may know something about the language after all and that majoring in it has produced some fruits.

Akihabara 🏬🎮

Our last stop for the day was Akihabara, where I only stayed very briefly. Though I am not into anime too much, I found Fire Emblem Three Houses figurines which were super cool (which I did not buy for obvious $ $ $ reasons)—definitely an iconic spot in itself.

•••

Today was an eventful day. I came to realize more about myself throughout this class outing. It truly is bittersweet that our first week in Tokyo is halfway over, but I'm excited about all the other exciting plans yet to come.

—————— 📚 Academic Reflection 📚

The Haniwa & Kofun Wikipedia pages cover the Haniwa burial clay figures used during the Kofun period to go in burial mounds. These Kofun graves are unique in shape and, like Haniwa figures, have a lot of theorized and unknown elements to them because of their age before written recorded history. Some of these Haniwa figures could be seen in the museum we visited earlier today, along with educational descriptions and writings of the Kofun period.

"Beautiful Fighting Girl" discusses the psychology of the otaku. In visiting Akihabara, we could see examples of anime consumption by the otaku market throughout the city. From figurine stores to manga cafes, the amount of capitalism and consumerism from Akihabara alone proves the highly profitable market of otakus both domestically and internationally.

[dealanddistrictstrokegroup]

Deal &    District Strokes Newsletter SEPTEMBER 2022

  2022

     Hello to all

So happy we have had some rain but still having the lovely weather in between makes it feel great to get up in the morning.                                                                                      

SEPTEMBER

FRIDAY, 2nd – The lovely lady from RNLI proved such a good speaker, making their work at the Walmer RNLI Station very interesting with much community input.  The bingo run by Pete and Bruce was also very popular.  Its amazing what a bit of luck in winning money can help.

Sadly, the outing to Betteshanger Mining Museum on 20th had to be cancelled for various reasons. However, Janet has kindly arranged a meal at the Courtyard in Deal, see below.

FRIDAY, 16TH – Meal at the Courtyard, Sondes Street to commence at 12.00 for 12.30pm.  Janet will have rung everyone down for the Betteshanger Trip and as this meal is at the end of this week all has now been finalised.

OCTOBER

FRIDAY, 7th – We have the lovely Curtis Ferris providing many interesting items from the world of Pantomime Theatre.  He will be bringing lots of magical things.  This is a very busy time of year for Curtis so we are very lucky that he is taking time to come to show us a small part of his fascinating world.  The AGM will need to take a short time at the end of the meeting with the current committee happy to carry on, if agreeable to the members.  Apologies for advising you so late in the day but time has just flown by.

As the members have not been on an activity trip for a while, it has been suggested that an outing to the pottery painting studio would be great fun.  The last jug that I came away with is still being used and Norm and I look forward to having another go, there are many different pottery pieces to choose from.  This was Diane’s suggestion and she has kindly agreed to arrange this and she is in the process of organising it with the studio, the date we are hoping for is Friday, 21st October and this will be confirmed asap.  More details given at the October meeting so please let her know if you are interested in going. Diane’s number is: 07834 389001.

                                                                                                                                                           PTO…

 The pier walks are carrying on every Thursday and it is especially pleasant at the moment; rain has only stopped us going once recently and a drink at Aspendos is so nice.

 The seated exercise classes are going very well and most people seem to gain a lot from it.  Julie is happy to talk to anyone individually following the class to answer any questions they may have.   This will carry on every Wednesday between 1.00pm - 2.00pm

 As usual Rebecca will contact people to arrange their appointments for reflexology but should you wish to speak to her personally her mobile number is: 07970 416504 .

 Birthdays for September are Diane Riordan’s on the 15th and Diane Ferris’s on the 24th.  Wishing you both have a very Happy Birthday.

Birthdays for October are Linda Scott’s on 1st, Duncan Forrester’s on 11th, Chris Hudson’s on 16th, Claire Manning’s on 29th and Louise Wilmhurst’s on 30th.

  With best wishes from all the committee members

 Dorthe – (H) 373880 or (Mob) 07929 028016, Ann – (H) 360653 or (Mob) 07760 246543,    Janet (Mob) 07707 684548,  Liz – (H) 612448 or (Mob) 07958 779577, Pete – 07747 715998 and Wendy’s (Mob) 07542 448884 or email: [email protected]