The Friday Five for June 3 & June 9 and other news
1. What kind of bugs do you see outside this time of year?
I've seen some ladybugs and been bitten already by some mosquitos. It is still cool enough that they are not out in force though. That reminds me of a conversation about blood types I had with my daughter. She is yet to find out what blood type she is and we are always guessing. She thinks she is B and I think she is AB according to her personality. I'm B, hubby is AB, so another possibility is for her to be A... but if she is, she doesn't fit the profile.
2. What's your favorite food to eat outside?
Rice balls! Although I am not eating very much rice at the moment, they are the quickest easiest lunch.
3. How much rain is too much rain?
A week straight. It happened one fall due to typhoons, and I was quite depressed by the end of it.
4. What are you celebrating this month?
It's our wedding anniversary, so I suppose we will do something for that. It's also Father's Day this weekend! I need to remind my kids so they can get something for him.
5. What's your favorite color combination?
For the clothes I wear, I like the blue and white combo the best, I think. My favorite color is magenta so I like to combine it with black or white as well, but I don't have many clothes in magenta. My daughter's randosel (elementary school bag) was brown with pink embroidery. I liked that combination too.
**************
1. What is the last book you read and what book(s), if any, are you currently reading?
I read Sitting Pretty by Rebekah Taussig and Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley.
I am now reading Poor Miss Finch By Wilkie Collins. It is a story about a young blind woman, twin brothers who come in contact with her, as well as a woman - the narrator - who was hired to be her companion. I started reading this book because the author of Sitting Pretty recommended it as writing in the true manner of a disabled person rather than the romantic view, plus I had read the Moonstone by the same author and remember having liked it. I am enjoying his writing style immensely and have been grinning and laughing through it. The characters are so interesting and well described.
The other book I mentioned above - The Firekeeper's Daughter - I finished the day before. It was a murder mystery story about a (half) Native American girl and her community. I thought it was very unique but also that more people in such unique positions should write stories based in their unique community or situation. The story was very well written and I enjoyed her viewpoint - the author is also Native American so it is real and I felt safe believing her and finding interest in the culture etc., y'know?
2. How about moving pictures? Are you a fan of any TV show or movie right now?
I'm just doing rewatches at the moment - which is why I've turned to books.
3. What's your favorite genre, and why?
Fiction about someone(s) with some sort of super power or ability and/or is different, unique. I need humor and prefer a bit of romance as well.
4. If we were all evacuating the planet, and you could only bring 3 unique works of entertainment for posterity, which would you pick? Let's just assume that we've coordinated it so there are no repeats.
OK, this question is a bit difficult to decypher but if "works" means one single game/song/book etc., and that we could share them with others and read/use theirs as well, and as notte0 mentioned there is a possibility of no extra electricity...
1) Score for Sound of Music - musical entertainment, theatre entertainment... I am assuming others will bring other good musicals along.
2) Game - trump cards -so many games can be played!
3) Books - Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series
Ultimately, these are not important, though. As long as we have imaginations, we will have stories. As long as we have instruments (including voice) we will have music. As long as there is any kind of extra tools, wood or paper like substance, there can be new games and even instruments. I think a lot of writers of apocalyptic stories forget that - or at least place less importance on it.
5. Do you make new works as well (fannish or original both count)? Or is that not your skillset/interest?
I have written fanfiction for Supernatural and Lucifer: I enjoy writing and would like to write a series about my life. I've started but am still unsure of whether to make it fictional or not. I have also written some readers for kids - still waiting on my son to finish the drawings. I've made a couple of songs for my own enjoyment. I've made a couple of card and board games for class.
*****************
Yesterday, I went to immigration to renew my residence card. I am a permanent resident, thanks to my dad, who applied for all of us before we left Japan when I went to college. I thought it would take the whole day so I took the day off from classes and asked another teacher to sub. I left home at around 9:20 after taking Hana for her walk. The first thing I did was get into a picture booth near the station and get my picture for the card. I then went straight to the office via train. It took around an hour in all because I had to ride a bus from the station. The bus was filled with people all going to the immigration office. There were a couple of women in front of me talking in English. One who was talking so I could hear her voice sounded French or Spanish. The other was Asian. Maybe a Japanese woman helping her friend. We all piled off at the stop.
Once I got to the office, I filled out the form and then picked a number - should have picked the number first. And, waited an hour and a half or so to be called. Once I was called, I gave in my form, passport and present residence card, and waited another 30 min or so. The worker had a question about my address, since we have our own condo address and also the address we live at. I explained, and I waited a few more minutes. Voila. My card was ready.
While I waited on the uncomfortable government office bench, I mostly read my book Poor Miss Finch mentioned above. There was a cute little girl with her dad that I watched for a little bit and imagined why her dad would be bringing her to an office, what sort of job he might have etc. They spoke English, and the girl didn't look half Japanese either, so he must be here on business. And there was a big screen TV that I watched for a few minutes as well. There is a long continuing show about boxed lunches made by various people all over Japan. They showed one young guy who works for a fish processing(?) company and has his own Youtube channel introducing interesting/rare fish. I laughed when the show commented he only had 34 subscribers :D but kudos to him for trying to increase interest in fish. Recent trend is straying away from traditional foods using fish. Young people often don't like fish at all, especially those where they have to pick the bones. Alex, my son, loves fish and often watches shows on Youtube - fishing and fish carving and the like. When he goes fishing, he always carves and cleans and cooks his own fish.
My business was finished at around 12:30, and I was starving, but I had no plans for what to do for lunch. I really hate going to a restaurant by myself for some reason and had a feeling that if I let myself, I would give up the challenge and go home directly. But thinking about my hunger and how it would increase as I put off eating, I stopped at Tachikawa station - the station closest to the immigration office, to find a restaurant that would hopefully have something I would be happy with eating. Remember, I am off rice and bread, mainly and get most of my nutrition from veges and meat/protein. So I needed a place that had a meat platter, or a big salad. There was one store that had meat platters, but they had an all-you-can-eat bread bar, which I thought might be too tempting. Then there was an Okinawa/Hawaiian style bar with taco rice bowls. I didn't know they were rice bowls at first. The salad and avocado on top looked perfect. I went in and found that the bar didn't have paper menues. They had QR codes to access the menue on your phone. A first time for me. As I checked the menue, I found that there was no salad and no meat platter either of course. I decided to ask if they could just give me the top of the taco rice bowl. They were very accomodating. The salad amount was not enough to satisfy me, though, and by this time it was 2 o'clock. Time for my after-lunch snack in my usual schedule. I had my snack with me so, as soon as I finished the "salad," I ate the pecan bars that I had brought, along with the coffee in my set menue.
Tachikawa is full of fashionable clothing stores and if I had the energy, I would have done some shopping. As it was, I was really tired and decided to go home. I did some grocery shopping at my own station before trudging home. When I got there, it was around 3 and I could have taught my classes myself, but I decided to have a rest instead. I lay down in my daughter's bed since hubby was listening to Youtube in our room, and slept. I taught one double class at 6:30 and then ate way too much dinner because of the unsatisfactory/stressful lunch. Also, my eyes had been bothering me since the day before. Something happened when I put my contacts in at that time, and my right eye had been smarting all day. I forced my contacts in that day as well, and by the end of the day it really pained me to take them out. I went to bed early because I was still tired and out of sorts.
Today, I came to work without my contacts in and am now huddled over my computer trying to see what I have written LOL I don't know how the classes are going to be. I have my contacts just in case and would put one or two in if I can't do it well enough without. Yeah, thinking about it, I will probably have to because I won't be able to see the numbers on my CD player. I really need to buy some glasses. I need someone to be my fashion advisor, but hubby can't find the time.
Anyway, gotta go and rest my eyes before class.
I've seen some ladybugs and been bitten already by some mosquitos. It is still cool enough that they are not out in force though. That reminds me of a conversation about blood types I had with my daughter. She is yet to find out what blood type she is and we are always guessing. She thinks she is B and I think she is AB according to her personality. I'm B, hubby is AB, so another possibility is for her to be A... but if she is, she doesn't fit the profile.
2. What's your favorite food to eat outside?
Rice balls! Although I am not eating very much rice at the moment, they are the quickest easiest lunch.
3. How much rain is too much rain?
A week straight. It happened one fall due to typhoons, and I was quite depressed by the end of it.
4. What are you celebrating this month?
It's our wedding anniversary, so I suppose we will do something for that. It's also Father's Day this weekend! I need to remind my kids so they can get something for him.
5. What's your favorite color combination?
For the clothes I wear, I like the blue and white combo the best, I think. My favorite color is magenta so I like to combine it with black or white as well, but I don't have many clothes in magenta. My daughter's randosel (elementary school bag) was brown with pink embroidery. I liked that combination too.
**************
1. What is the last book you read and what book(s), if any, are you currently reading?
I read Sitting Pretty by Rebekah Taussig and Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley.
I am now reading Poor Miss Finch By Wilkie Collins. It is a story about a young blind woman, twin brothers who come in contact with her, as well as a woman - the narrator - who was hired to be her companion. I started reading this book because the author of Sitting Pretty recommended it as writing in the true manner of a disabled person rather than the romantic view, plus I had read the Moonstone by the same author and remember having liked it. I am enjoying his writing style immensely and have been grinning and laughing through it. The characters are so interesting and well described.
The other book I mentioned above - The Firekeeper's Daughter - I finished the day before. It was a murder mystery story about a (half) Native American girl and her community. I thought it was very unique but also that more people in such unique positions should write stories based in their unique community or situation. The story was very well written and I enjoyed her viewpoint - the author is also Native American so it is real and I felt safe believing her and finding interest in the culture etc., y'know?
2. How about moving pictures? Are you a fan of any TV show or movie right now?
I'm just doing rewatches at the moment - which is why I've turned to books.
3. What's your favorite genre, and why?
Fiction about someone(s) with some sort of super power or ability and/or is different, unique. I need humor and prefer a bit of romance as well.
4. If we were all evacuating the planet, and you could only bring 3 unique works of entertainment for posterity, which would you pick? Let's just assume that we've coordinated it so there are no repeats.
OK, this question is a bit difficult to decypher but if "works" means one single game/song/book etc., and that we could share them with others and read/use theirs as well, and as notte0 mentioned there is a possibility of no extra electricity...
1) Score for Sound of Music - musical entertainment, theatre entertainment... I am assuming others will bring other good musicals along.
2) Game - trump cards -so many games can be played!
3) Books - Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series
Ultimately, these are not important, though. As long as we have imaginations, we will have stories. As long as we have instruments (including voice) we will have music. As long as there is any kind of extra tools, wood or paper like substance, there can be new games and even instruments. I think a lot of writers of apocalyptic stories forget that - or at least place less importance on it.
5. Do you make new works as well (fannish or original both count)? Or is that not your skillset/interest?
I have written fanfiction for Supernatural and Lucifer: I enjoy writing and would like to write a series about my life. I've started but am still unsure of whether to make it fictional or not. I have also written some readers for kids - still waiting on my son to finish the drawings. I've made a couple of songs for my own enjoyment. I've made a couple of card and board games for class.
*****************
Yesterday, I went to immigration to renew my residence card. I am a permanent resident, thanks to my dad, who applied for all of us before we left Japan when I went to college. I thought it would take the whole day so I took the day off from classes and asked another teacher to sub. I left home at around 9:20 after taking Hana for her walk. The first thing I did was get into a picture booth near the station and get my picture for the card. I then went straight to the office via train. It took around an hour in all because I had to ride a bus from the station. The bus was filled with people all going to the immigration office. There were a couple of women in front of me talking in English. One who was talking so I could hear her voice sounded French or Spanish. The other was Asian. Maybe a Japanese woman helping her friend. We all piled off at the stop.
Once I got to the office, I filled out the form and then picked a number - should have picked the number first. And, waited an hour and a half or so to be called. Once I was called, I gave in my form, passport and present residence card, and waited another 30 min or so. The worker had a question about my address, since we have our own condo address and also the address we live at. I explained, and I waited a few more minutes. Voila. My card was ready.
While I waited on the uncomfortable government office bench, I mostly read my book Poor Miss Finch mentioned above. There was a cute little girl with her dad that I watched for a little bit and imagined why her dad would be bringing her to an office, what sort of job he might have etc. They spoke English, and the girl didn't look half Japanese either, so he must be here on business. And there was a big screen TV that I watched for a few minutes as well. There is a long continuing show about boxed lunches made by various people all over Japan. They showed one young guy who works for a fish processing(?) company and has his own Youtube channel introducing interesting/rare fish. I laughed when the show commented he only had 34 subscribers :D but kudos to him for trying to increase interest in fish. Recent trend is straying away from traditional foods using fish. Young people often don't like fish at all, especially those where they have to pick the bones. Alex, my son, loves fish and often watches shows on Youtube - fishing and fish carving and the like. When he goes fishing, he always carves and cleans and cooks his own fish.
My business was finished at around 12:30, and I was starving, but I had no plans for what to do for lunch. I really hate going to a restaurant by myself for some reason and had a feeling that if I let myself, I would give up the challenge and go home directly. But thinking about my hunger and how it would increase as I put off eating, I stopped at Tachikawa station - the station closest to the immigration office, to find a restaurant that would hopefully have something I would be happy with eating. Remember, I am off rice and bread, mainly and get most of my nutrition from veges and meat/protein. So I needed a place that had a meat platter, or a big salad. There was one store that had meat platters, but they had an all-you-can-eat bread bar, which I thought might be too tempting. Then there was an Okinawa/Hawaiian style bar with taco rice bowls. I didn't know they were rice bowls at first. The salad and avocado on top looked perfect. I went in and found that the bar didn't have paper menues. They had QR codes to access the menue on your phone. A first time for me. As I checked the menue, I found that there was no salad and no meat platter either of course. I decided to ask if they could just give me the top of the taco rice bowl. They were very accomodating. The salad amount was not enough to satisfy me, though, and by this time it was 2 o'clock. Time for my after-lunch snack in my usual schedule. I had my snack with me so, as soon as I finished the "salad," I ate the pecan bars that I had brought, along with the coffee in my set menue.
Tachikawa is full of fashionable clothing stores and if I had the energy, I would have done some shopping. As it was, I was really tired and decided to go home. I did some grocery shopping at my own station before trudging home. When I got there, it was around 3 and I could have taught my classes myself, but I decided to have a rest instead. I lay down in my daughter's bed since hubby was listening to Youtube in our room, and slept. I taught one double class at 6:30 and then ate way too much dinner because of the unsatisfactory/stressful lunch. Also, my eyes had been bothering me since the day before. Something happened when I put my contacts in at that time, and my right eye had been smarting all day. I forced my contacts in that day as well, and by the end of the day it really pained me to take them out. I went to bed early because I was still tired and out of sorts.
Today, I came to work without my contacts in and am now huddled over my computer trying to see what I have written LOL I don't know how the classes are going to be. I have my contacts just in case and would put one or two in if I can't do it well enough without. Yeah, thinking about it, I will probably have to because I won't be able to see the numbers on my CD player. I really need to buy some glasses. I need someone to be my fashion advisor, but hubby can't find the time.
Anyway, gotta go and rest my eyes before class.