#but i do really love and enjoy many east asian teas

[ranilla-bean]

culture tips for writing asian settings: tea varieTEAs

atla's got major Tea Guy representation in iroh but let's be real, even non-tea guys are going to be drinking tea in an asian-inspired setting—you'd be served it instead of water most places. so, what kind of tea are you picking for them?

as an east asian reader, it can take me out of the setting to see the characters drink something like chamomile (from europe/west asia) or... most herbal teas, to be honest. ngl it was weird to see iroh in the show, characterised as a huuuuuuge tea snob, drink stuff like jasmine (it's fine it's just basic, is all! imo!) or like.... a random flower he encounters in the wild.

when we're talking tea, real asian tea, we're talking about the leaf of the camellia sinensis plant. the huge variety we have of tea is actually from the different ways of processing that exact same leaf. popular varieties include:

green: the leaf goes through minimal processing, can have a bright and even leafy/grassy flavour (examples: gunpowder, longjing aka dragon well, matcha, genmaicha)

white: also undergoes minimal processing, with a lighter flavour than even green (examples: silver needle, shou mei)

oolong: the leaf is semi-oxidised, curled, and twisted—can be characterised by a tanniny flavour with a bright aftertaste. my personal favourite! (examples: da hong pao, tieguanyin, dong ding, alishan)

dark (black): note this isn't the same as black tea as we think of it in english. the leaf is fermented to produce an earthy tea with a flavour like petrichor (examples: pu'er)

all the teas listed in the "examples" are fairly credible teas that i think a real tea snob like iroh would drink.

ok, but what about...

"black tea" as we know it in the west—assam and ceylon etc? this variety is actually called "red tea" in chinese. we don't drink it with milk but to be honest, i've just... never really heard of anyone drinking chinese red tea? which is why i've kept it off the list. (there's lapsang souchong, but i associate that with bri'ish people...) anyone who does drink it, let me know! on the other hand something like assam/ceylon, while extremely delicious and also asian, is a product of british colonialism and is consumed with milk. i think if you wanted to massage some of the traditions & have chai-drinking indian-influenced characters, though, that's cool!

do you actually not drink herbal tea? we do... but a lot of it is considered medicinal. we've got stuff like herbal "cooling tea" with ingredients like sour plum, mesona, or crysanthemum; tea that warms you up like ginseng or ginger. the whole concept of hot/cold in chinese medicine though... that deserves another culture post

camellia leaf murdered my family & i have a grudge against it; what else can my blorbos drink? there'a some good, tasty stuff made of wheat, barley, buckwheat, even soybean. wouldn't be egregious for the characters to drink that!

is milk sacriligeous? a real tea snob would think so, but a lot of asians nowadays are chill about milk in tea—usually in western-influenced red tea. hong kong, thailand, india, taiwan, and malaysia (among others) have their own cultures of milk tea, which has even become a democratic rallying point.

what do you think of iroh inventing bubble tea? my main issue with it is it's anachronistic! it was invented in taiwan in the late 20th century, but atla's set in the equivalent of the mid-19th century... you could also make arguments about whether iroh's too snobby about tea to invent it LOL

there's soooo much more i can say about all this so: keep your eyes peeled! i'll talk about medicine & tea ceremony in the near future <3

disclaimer | more tips

#atla #atla culture #atla meta #avatar the last airbender #iroh #asian culture tips #tea #so i'm making this post as not QUITE a certified Tea SnobTM the way iroh is #but i do really love and enjoy many east asian teas #and i start every day off with a cup of strong milk tea (probably reflecting my own cultural heritage tho ;) ) #and i do look down on white ppl tisanes. that shit aint good!!

[alectoperdita]

What creative hobbies does your interpretation of Joey and Kaiba (in general) have or do? Like for example, drawing, creative writing, 3D modelling, sculpting, woodworking, etc

I do remember reading one of your chapters from the gundam crossover series where joey did sketches lol

I don't think I really have a consistent view of creative hobbies for these two. In fact I don't seem to write a lot about them having creative hobbies unless it's directly plot relevant. Ironic, given 90% of my life outside of work revolves around my creative hobby.

Canonically in the manga, Jounouchi is mentioned as enjoying plamos. Which makes a lot of sense to me that he likes making stuff with your hand. It's also hard to have a lot of creative hobbies when growing up poor. So I can see Jounouchi wanting to make a lot of stuff like plamos and kits, but that shit gets expensive fast if you do the whole painting bit too. One of the pleasures of growing up and making your own money for Jounouchi will be getting to explore those hobbies he might have always wanted to but couldn't because of financial reason. That opens the door to related hobbies like painting/sculpting/woodworking.

(Related, I love making Jounouchi a carpenter. I think it's an excellent trade for him to pick up, giving him both room to grow and decent financial security).

Conversely, traditional sketch art/doodling is relatively inexpensive and a much lower barrier to entry re: tools. So that's why I think drawing/sketching is a nice hobby that Jounouchi could pick up and enjoy earlier on. In the Gundam crossover, that combination of a love for plamo and sketching definitely informed his career choice.

I think Jounouchi enjoys singing too, but he probably thinks of it less as a hobby than as a way to goof around. He's pretty good too when we take into account his Japanese VA's singing career.

Kaiba, on the other hand, lived a life of (relative) financial security. However, given how strict his education was, I dunno if he was ever given much of the mental space to explore creative hobbies. Art might have been seen a frivolous waste of time within his home schooled education. The one exception to that might be music. I can see Gozaburo insisting on Kaiba learning an instrument or two. But at that point it's more about developing a skill set to show off (and maybe me projecting the Asian experience of your parent forcing you to pick up an instrument because that's classically considered part of a well-rounded education in many East Asian cultures). Violin or piano are the most likely candidates here. Kaiba is good at them, because he has to be. He can't not learn it well if Gozaburo is invested in that part of his education.

How much he personally enjoys it is up for debate.

Definitely one of those things that I imagine falls quickly to the wayside once he's out from under Gozaburo's control. But that also offers opportunities for him to maybe rediscover it later in life, after his skill set had rusted a bit from lack of practice, and learn to enjoy the hobby for itself while relearning the ropes.

A lot of the creative hobbies I've written for Kaiba follow the same development model, including tea ceremony and calligraphy.

I guess that makes them both kinda comparable, because they've each lived a life of scarcity in their youths (more financial for Jounouchi, and emotional deprivation for Kaiba) that robbed them of opportunities to explore their creative sides. As they heal and grow, they can begin to explore those possibilities for themselves.

#replies #nanoseven #thanks for such a thought provoking ask #I originally thought I wouldn't have much to say but uhhh #this is longer than I first planned (like all my fics lol) #joukai asks

[fjorn-wanders]

Fjorn Returns

(I'm definitely not that cool...)

*ahem*

I've been wandering for a while, so I should probably reintroduce myself. If you're only here for pretty pictures, you can skip this post; but if you want to know more about me and what I'll be posting now that I'm back to this burrow, read on:

For starters, I joined Tumblr back in 2015 (though I started this particular blog in 2017). I go by Fjorn, but I'm (probably) better known as @fjorn-the-skald on Tumblr still. My priorities have shifted (a lot happened...), so I've 'retired' from academia. A part of me mourns that, but I still think my current course in life is for the best. Feel free to send an ask if you want to know more about why I stepped away from that path.

Even if I'm not an active academic anymore, though, you can still read my Master's thesis here: Weaponizing Ordinary Objects: Women, Masculine Performance, and the Anxieties of Men in Medieval Iceland. I'm biased, but it's not a bad read (hopefully).

So what is Fjorn now, if not a skald?

I'm actually still a storyteller, but instead of sharing educational content I'm focusing on my creative ambitions, namely a fantasy manga/graphic novel series. Here's a preview:

This post would get too long if I summarized that project here (but feel free to ask me about it). The world it takes place in, Älthren, is backed by roughly 500 pages of handwritten lore. If anything, that's where my 'academic' brain is dwelling these days. If you like northern-European and east-Asian cultures, you'll probably enjoy it. The prologue and 1st chapter will be free to read, so please give it a chance if you happen to see it later.

The rest of this post will just be a bullet-point summary of my interests, so feel free to skip it (but many thanks for reading this far!):

I'm not a Norse pagan anymore, but I'm still spiritual and revere nature. I kind of wander around with whatever feels right, but I'm particularly drawn to land-spirits. Even if I'm not a proper pagan, though, I don't mind being part of friendly, open communities.

I'm an otaku, which means I really enjoy reading manga, light novels, and watching anime. I'm currently obsessing over Vinland Saga. If you're on MAL (my anime list), you can find me here.

I've always been an artist, even longer than I was a historian. I used to paint with oils, but now I mostly work digitally using Procreate on my iPad Pro.

I have a very floofy cat (and she's gotten pretty needy lately).

I love tea, but I've recently started drinking coffee (I prefer it cold, though, so I usually drink cold brew).

I used to run a tea shop (The Northern Herbalist) on Etsy.

I studied Icelandic in Iceland (Ísajörður) for 3 weeks, but...I don't remember much of the language because I stopped practicing.

I'm trying to learn Japanese and may move there someday.

I proposed to my fiancée in Ireland. We've been together for 12 years this November.

My educational website didn't work out (thanks to burnout, priorities shifting, and harmful situations...), but I've been working on getting into the UI/UX field. It seems random, but considering my passion for art and that I used to run a website (where I enjoyed ensuring everything worked well and looked pretty), it's not too surprising. Sometimes it bothers me that I'm not doing history, but life is hard.

I think that's enough for this post. Probably more than anyone actually wants/needs to know, but I want to emphasize that I'm a messy person with conflicting interests. That means I won't only be posting/talking about Norse stuff. I will, but not always. It's a big part of me, but not all of me. Many thanks for accepting that!

#about fjorn

[moodywyrm]

OKAY these are from different ask games but I’m extremely nosy so :)

26. how’s your spice tolerance?

27. what’s your favorite or go-to outfit?

🔐 - something no one would guess about you

🖇️ - what are your favorite asks to answer

🌊 - a kink you would like to write but you think you’d be judged

Aaaaaaand some of my own:

Would you consider any of your anons friends, even if you’ve never actually talked to them off of anon?

Do you prefer tea, hot chocolate, or coffee?

Favorite constellation?

Talk about your crush (if you have one)

Sorry, I love seeing the answers to these. Makes me see the author as more of a person than just their fics (Not to sound weird, it’s just a lot of people think that about writers). They’re also super fun! Enjoy, Moony. <3

Omg you’re an Angel I love questions 💕💕

26. My spice tolerance is pretty good!! But specifically when it comes to Latin spices and cuisines, bc I’m Mexican and most of our food is spicy 😎 my favorite snack is xxtra hot Cheetos with Tapatio 💕 but something about East Asian and south Asian spices fucks me up??? I think it’s just bc it’s not a taste profile I grew up with :(

27. These are similar but not the same! My go-to outfit is usually comfy pants (typically flared leggings) with a band tee (probably metallica), my big cardigan, and my doc martens. My favorite is usually that outfit but with a miniskirt and tights, although I can’t always wear it bc sensory issues.

🔐. I’m not sure actually? If I had to guess, based on my blog alone, I don’t know if people would guess my love of musicals? Or my love of crime and mystery stories? My sister and I went on a rampage watching a bunch of murder mysteries 💕 idk I feel like I talk about a lot of my more hidden or less popular interests on here?

🖇️. Omg i love answering my nonnies life updates, sweet domestic asks, especially when they’re about the lil universes I’ve built around the characters (like college basketball Abby and her apartment). Idk, both of them make it feel like people are actually engaging with me and my work instead of me just screaming into the void 💕

🌊. I don’t know actually? I feel like I don’t have any kinks that are like really intense? Maybe somno?

Okay for yours!!

- i do consider my anons friends!! Maybe not as closely as the ones that have markers or ones I talk to off anon, every day, but they’re still my friends!!

- coffee all the way 💕 I’m very picky about tea, and I don’t like hot drinks or drinks that are too sweet

- i like scorpius!! Although I don’t know too much about the constellations 😭

-i do and some of y’all probably know who. they’re the sweetest girl in the world and I’m so happy I met them :( genuinely, I must have done something pretty good in a past life to have her in mine now. she’s absolutely gorgeous, in case y’all were wondering, but my favorite thing about her is how caring she is. I love watching them take care of their family, and how they take care of me. I’m gonna take care of her one day, in person. My strong girl, she makes me so giddy all the time, i love talking to her 💕

Thank you for asking so many questions baby!!! I love answering ‘em 💕 and k totally get it, I feel like sometimes readers forget we’re also humans with stories and feelings, and I’m so lucky to have met people like you and so many of my followers who are so kind 💕

#moodythoughts #anon #qna #got super gay at the end there oops

[tarangelagif]

Things that have preoccupied my mind in February

Always a big special month for me, new beginnings and celebrations.

Happy Chinese New Year, the year of the dragon! Not that I am believer but I love reading it anyways. As a rooster, it will be a calmer year as last year was turbulent (accurate). “Use your sharp mind and laser-like focus to design the life you envision.” how exciting, 2024 I have big plans for you.

Musicality:

Courtesy, saw her at Fold and she did not disappoint. My favourite set is either her HOR or her Dekmantel set.

Olivia Dean, specifically the Hardest Part and Password Change. Sonically soothing my soul.

Yazmin Lacey, Voice Notes, really easy album to listen to. Throughly enjoyed Late Night People.

Cinematicity:

American Fiction, loved it. Cord Jefferson, directed this film wonderful. Excellent casting, Percival Everett readapting his novel into screenplay, excellent lines and word play. Was a really enjoyable film and left so much to think about representation, and responsibility. Side note, I hope Cord gets his flowers soon, his worked on Master of None, Watchman, Station Eleven. So I am excited to see what project he works on next.

The Colour Purple, it is a musical and will leave it at that. Not my cup of tea.

Curatorial Charm:

Julianknxx: Chorus in Rememory of Flight, any artists work that explores third culture I am 100% backing it. There is something so rich, difficult and exploratory on navigating through mainstream culture. My favourite line in the 45 minute film is: "If you do not unlearn racism, you might miss the love of your life"

Preoccupied:

I’ve long admired Margret Zhang - her career epitomizes what so many bloggers/influencers dream of. But I was disappointed when she assumed the role of Editor in Chief for China. Not at her for seizing such a rare opportunity. But, my disappointment lies in the perpetuation of a system (Anna Wintour *cough*) that failed to appoint a native Chinese individual for this rare position. Unsurprisingly, after three years, she steps down, rumours suggesting she wasn’t the preferred taste for Mainland China.

Overall thought, it continues to underscores the need for increased media representation and platforms that empower the Asian diaspora in the west, rather than appropriating spaces in the east. I hope her next role is equal or better but within the diaspora.

Love in abundance, Angela

[hikari-kaitou]

Capcom's Official AA Fanclub Surveys - DGS Edition

Many Western fans may be familiar with the Turnabout 4koma comics that get posted on the official AA fanclub site that Capcom runs, thanks to some lovely fans on tumblr and elsewhere who have shared their translations. What fewer people seem to know about is the character surveys.

Back in the old days, they used to hold a survey on Capcom's official AA fansite every few months where they'd write about the seasonal activities of a handful of characters and ask fans to vote for the funniest/most pleasant/strangest/etc answer.

They stopped doing them in like... 2016? 2017? The original text is lost for good as far as I can tell. Even the wayback machine couldn't help because the content was password locked and you can't get past the password wall while remaining in the archived version.

Fortunately, I saved some of my translations of them so I thought I’d share them.

Cut for length...

"February has begun, and the DGS cast is nearing the end of their journey aboard the RFS Alacrei. Which of them acted the most strangely?"

Ryuunosuke ~ Exhausted from his intensive study session, he decided to try some katana swinging practice as a change of pace and to combat his recent lack of exercise. But because he wasn't used to handling the katana, he swung it too hard and it went flying out of his hands and got stuck in the wall right next to Sherlock, who had just entered the room. Sherlock asked him, "aren't you supposed to be studying right now, Mr. Naruhodo?" and handcuffed him to his desk.

Susato- worked on developing a curriculum for Ryuunosuke. 'If we keep going at this pace, he won't be able to learn it all in time... It'll be hard on Naruhodo-sama, but we'll have to work hard through a couple of nights together.' With that thought, she created a harsh study schedule, and almost seemed to be looking forward to it for some reason.

Sherlock- Driven by excitement over the thought of returning to England after a long absence, he went up on deck to stare at the ocean. Being February, it was very cold out there and he ended up being chilled all the way to the tips of his fingers. He returned to the ship cabins and amused himself by putting his frozen hands on Ryuunosuke, who was stuck in his room studying.

Van Zieks- Upon hearing from Vortex that there was a Japanese exchange student coming to England to study law, he smashed a Lord's Bottle. He apparently also didn't care for the fact that that Japanese student wouldn't be alone, because he proceeded to shatter his chalice, too.

Hosonaga- in order to provide a respite from studying, he provided some hot chocolate. They enjoyed a pleasant tea time, marveling over how sweet and delicious the drink was until Sherlock piped up with some unnecessary trivia: 'Actually folks, chocolate has long been used in Europe as an aphrodisiac!' Everyone promptly spat it out."

"The long winter is nearly over and spring is on it's way, putting the DGS cast members in a celebratory mood. Who found the best way of enjoying spring?"

Ryuunosuke: the Yuumei University faculty members were holding a flower viewing event, and he joined the assistance committee. He exhausted himself keeping the blankets clean so the intense shower of flower petals wouldn't pile up too high on them, delivering sake and snacks, and mediating whatever pointless fights arose. To top it all off, for some reason his compensation was only a single piece of leftover candy. Talk about a sad result!

Susato- her father and the others living in his dormitory were  holding the flower viewing event, so she got up early to prepare the bentos. But her father carelessly forgot to tell her that they wanted tea cakes, so she had to go around the house and neighborhood collecting sweets. For some reason, she ended up being able to gather caramels, biscuits, candy sticks, basically everything but tea cakes, for the tea ceremony.

Sherlock- he disguised himself as a beat officer and infiltrated Scotland Yard to have some fun. There was a real beat officer napping on his feet in the spring sunshine, and while observing him, Sherlock ended up falling asleep too. Detective Gregson gave them a good scolding when he found them, but then Sherlock revealed his true identity with a "hey, it's me, folks!" "What the blazes do you think you're doing?!" Gregson shouted, his rage growing even more, and Sherlock ended up making a run for it.

Van Zieks- went to the vineyard to oversee the production of the contents of his Lord's Bottle. As he viewed the still unopened grape blossom buds, he thought about how they would someday grow up to fill his Lord's Bottle, and ended up going around to look at each one. But the farm hands couldn't stop wondering whether the bottle itself or its owner's heel might come flying at them and were quite uneasy.

Asougi: exhausted himself running around since early morning helping with the professors' flower viewing event. When it was over, he took a break, sharing his reward candy stick [the name of the candy literally translates to 1,000 year candy] with Ryuunosuke, who had also been helping out. 

"I wonder if the candy's effect is halved if you share it with someone."

"That still gives us 500 years."

They laughed and enjoyed looking at the flowers until dark. Then they parted ways with a handshake and a "see you later, best friend."

(This one was something about celebrating New Years. For some reason I didn't save the original question)

"Ryuunosuke ~ To celebrate New Years, he planned to pound mochi with everyone at the office. He somehow managed to get his hands on some mochi rice and he and Sherlock started pounding. Iris was having such fun watching them that she steamed a whole bunch more mochi rice so they could have some to share, and he and Sherlock spent the whole evening pounding mochi like crazy.

Asougi~ Because it's New Years, he went around to a bunch of shrines. When he drew his new year's fortune, he got a "horrible luck" result. "I'm not worried about it," he claimed, and headed up to the mountains early on New Years morning and work hard on a full training course of purification by water, meditation under a waterfall and wooden sword practice. It seems that he was working really hard to clear his mind of all earthly thoughts

Sherlock- Agreed to help Ryuunosuke pound mochi. As Ryuunosuke was flipping the mochi over, he carelessly dropped his badge into the bowl and Sherlock mixed it in without noticing, so they had to crack open both the hard and soft mochi to look for it. Fortunately they found it in the 4th one they checked, but apparently Sherlock got his hands and face covered in sticky white mochi in the process.

Susato- Wore a furisode and went with her father to do the first shrine visit of the year. The shrine was incredibly crowded and they had to wait in line for a long time, but she brought the Encyclopaedia of British Law and a copy of the Strand Magazine in her sleeves to secretly read as they waited so she actually ended up enjoying the wait.

Van Zieks- Ryuunosuke cheerfully gave him some mochi as a New Year’s (which at that time was celebrated at the same time as the Chinese New Year) gift, which he accepted confusedly, wondering “...Can the Japanese not even keep track of when the New Year is?” Because Ryuunosuke referred to it as a rice cake, he tried to eat it like a regular cake without softening it with heat first. It was so hard that he couldn’t imagine how it could possibly be food, and ended up misunderstanding the Japanese even more!

"Autumn has arrived, and the weather is starting to cool off, which means that everyone is becoming more active. Which character chose the most pleasant autumn activity to keep busy with?"

Iris was making bread but her hands are small and it’s difficult for her to knead the dough, so she asked for Ryuunosuke’s help. She wanted to make enough to hand out to Gina and all the other homeless children in the East End, so she made a massive amount and Ryuunosuke was stuck kneading this massive mountain of bread dough all day. Apparently he became such a expert at kneading that he could be a baker now.

Asougi was practicing with his sword, slicing autumn-colored ginko leaves as they fell from the tree. He cut so many leaves, though, that he ended up making a big mess on the ground, the number of fallen leaves now having increased, and it took him a long time to clean it all up.    

Sherlock: Ryuunosuke told him that he was making anpan (bread filled with sweet red bean paste, the bane of my Asian-dwelling existance) and asked Sherlock to help by being in charge of getting the poppy seeds they’d need to sprinkle on top, so Sherlock went out and gathered a ton of poppy seeds. In fact, he got so many of them that no one knew what to do with them all cuz they had a huge amount of leftovers. Sherlock said, “Well, they’re only the size of poppy seeds! Surely you two can deal with them somehow! Ahahaha!” and Iris scolded him.   

(I couldn’t capture it in English, but Sherlock’s line contained a pun, and a pretty stupid one at that, so that’s part of why he got scolded)

It’s grape harvesting season, so Van Zieks commutes to the winery regularly to direct the production of the contents for his “Lord’s Bottle.” He demands perfection in everything from the selection of the grapes to the way they’re squeezed, and the winery staff is terrified by the “grim reaper’s” gaze and heel swinging (i.e. the leg thing he does in court) so they grumble as they work. 

"Hearing that there’s a holiday in the West called Halloween, the people involved with the court in Japan decided to try it out themselves. Naturally Halloween is a big deal in England as well. So, which member of the DGS cast had the best celebration?"

Team Ryuunosuke and Asougi- Asougi got Naruhodo up on his shoulders and they draped a white sheet over themselves to make a ghost costume. They went out like that, but Naruhodo had such exaggerated reactions to the fear of the people who saw them and to bumping his head on tree branches that they ended up losing their balance and falling on top of each other?!   

Sherlock Holmes- went wearing a horse’s head mask. Iris used her skills to make it a fancy horse covered in stars, but the eye holes weren’t well made and he had to wander around blindly. Because of that he tripped hard over a pile of coal! He ended up getting so dirty that the stars on his costume were covered up!

Van Zieks- took inspiration from his nickname and dressed up as the grim reaper. He covered himself up with a skeleton mask and hood figuring no one would know it was him. Unfortunately he got angry when he saw Megundal (McGilded) pass by and started throwing bottles and glasses and ended up giving himself away.

"November has arrived, and autumn is nearing its end. However, the DGS cast is still keeping busy, even on their days off. Which character chose the most interesting way to spend their late autumn day?"

Ryuunosuke- Thinking that he’d better learn more about British culture if he was going to be a defense attorney in Britain, he went down to the East End with Gina for a little observation. However, because an Asian like him stood out so much, he got mobbed by the other children. On top of it all, his arm band got stolen from him and he had to send a replacement request to Yumei University on the other side of the ocean.

Asougi- He went for a meal at La Quantas. The customer at a nearby table got a persimmon for dessert and scarfed it down, saying “Mm! This is it! This sweetness makes it worthy of being called a treasure among foods!” Asougi tried to comment on this by saying, “The customer at that table sure is enjoying his pershim--gak!” but he may or may not have accidentally bitten his tongue in the process and been unable to finish his sentence.

Iris- She accepted Ryuunosuke’s request to learn more about British culture and prepared a bagpipe and kilt costume for him. “This outfit sure is breezy,” Ryuunosuke said shyly upon trying it on. With Ryuunosuke now dressed, he, Iris, and the others from their office headed over to Gregson’s place to get him to treat them to some fish and chips.   

Sherlock- He accepted Ryuunosuke’s request to learn more about British culture and cooked up some European style curry for dinner. Thanks to the fact that his secret ingredient was a large amount of Chinese herbal medicine style spice, it caused some strange side effects and Ryuunosuke, who’d eaten it, ended up passing out and falling over.

“Another taxing trial for Ryuunosuke has finished and now it’s December. As the year draws to a close, which character acts the strangest?”

Ryuunosuke- he was recruited to help with snow removal around Yumei University and the courthouse and he enthusiastically began his task with the help of a large shovel. He got a little carried away, though, and ended up accidentally burying his umbrella, which he’d left propped up against the side of the building, in the snow he’d just finished shoveling.  He had no choice but to share Asougi’s umbrella on the way home.

Asougi- On the way home, he nods silently to Ryuunosuke’s question of whether he’d finished his travel preparations and changes the subject: “...Come to think of it, it seems that tomorrow is celebrated in the West as God’s birthday.” “I’ve heard that they eat chicken as part of the traditional celebration. Wanna try it?” Ryuunosuke asks invitingly. Asougi is strongly opposed to that particular menu item, however, and they end up going out for their usual beef stew that night instead.           

Susato- in addition to her year-end travel preparations, she also was busy with straightening up the book room in her home. She managed to get the law books in order when she suddenly stumbled upon some old issues of Strand Magazine! She hurried through the rest of her cleaning, then began flipping through the magazines she’d found, trying to decide which to take with her on her trip. She accidentally lost herself in her reading and didn’t realize it until it was already the middle of the night.

Sherlock- he was in the middle of a long ship voyage when Christmas night came. His mind on his partner in a far-off country, he made a toast alone on deck, when suddenly the crew began shooting off fireworks with a cry of “Merry Christmas!” Sherlock had to dart back and forth across the deck to prevent the fireworks from hitting him and setting off the explosive chemicals he carries with him.

Main series edition

#dai gyakuten saiban #tgaa #naruhodo ryuunosuke #asougi kazuma #mikotoba susato #dgs sherlock holmes #hosonaga satoru #barok van zieks #iris watson #gina lestrade #translations #official content #my translation #mikotoba yuujin #ryunosuke naruhodo #kazuma asogi #susato mikotoba #iris wilson

[isamijoo]

Lose

This is written for @gameofdrarry Exploding Snap 2021. My card is on ‘Fake Dating’:

Write a Drarry fic of 823-1149 words following this prompt: Harry agrees to pretend to date Draco to get Draco's father off his back.

Title: Lose

Author: isamijoo

Rating: T

Word Count: 1097

Tags: EWE, Post-Hogwarts, Auror Harry, Curse Breaker Draco

Thank you to @shigacajun for the beta!

READ ON AO3

When Harry reached the front door of Malfoy Manor and knocked, he expected to be greeted by a house-elf or, if he was lucky, Draco himself.

The last person he expected to open the door was Lucius Malfoy.

It had been seven years since the fall of Voldemort, but only six months since Lucius was released from Azkaban. His long hair fell like curtains around his face and his shoulders, his complexion sickly pallid. He glared at Harry like a hunter who is ready to pull the trigger on its prey, or cast the Killing Curse.

“Potter,” he drawled, skipping any meaningless greetings. “What intentions do you have with my son?”

Draco had foreseen this happening, so he had coached Harry on the fake backstory he had constructed, something ridiculous about them falling in love over cups of tea at the Ministry canteen. Harry found this story absurd for a number of reasons.

One, the Ministry canteen’s teas were shite.

Two, Harry had already been falling in love with Draco ever since they started working together — Harry as an Auror, Draco as a Curse-Breaker, for almost two years now. Nothing to do with tea.

Harry opened his mouth to answer, but stopped when Draco suddenly appeared behind Lucius. Draco greeted Harry with an excited “Hi!” and pushed through the narrow space between his father and the doorframe, forcing Lucius to step back with a grimace. Harry found that he enjoyed the look of scorn on the older man’s face.

Outside the manor gates and the wards, Draco smoothed back his short white-blond hair, glancing at the front door, where Lucius still stood, possibly glaring at them. "Where are we going?"

Harry shrugged. He wanted to touch Draco’s hair —it looked so silky— but he kept his hands in his jacket pockets. "Where do you want to go?"

Draco gaped, aghast. "You didn't make any reservations? Anywhere?"

"There are a couple of places I know where I don't require a reservation to get in. But I couldn't decide which one to take you."

"Is the Saviour going to flaunt his special privileges to get us a table?” said Draco incredulously, a hand over his chest. “For me?"

"Just for you, Malfoy,” Harry teased, holding out his arm.

Draco laughed as he linked his arm around Harry’s and they Disapparated.

///

Draco was indecisive, so Harry brought him to a fancy South East Asian Fusion restaurant, where they sat side-by-side in a booth filled with soft cushions.

"So,” Harry said in the middle of their meal, “what's up with your dad?"

"He wants to betroth me to Daphne's little sister," Draco answered while attempting to cut a piece of flatbread with a knife.

Harry vaguely remembered a Slytherin girl by that name in their year at Hogwarts.

"I told him I wasn't interested,” Draco continued, sighing. “But he wasn't having it. I… lost my temper and yelled that I'm a raging homosexual. That would be terribly unfair to the Greengrasses. When he asked whether I had a 'male lover', I knew if I had said no, he'd proceed with the engagement anyway. So I lied.”

Harry watched Draco closely, as he often did whenever they worked together. He couldn’t help himself; they were sitting so close together, the yellow lighting highlighting Draco’s sharp facial features, he looked stunning. “And I’m the first person that came to your mind?”

“I don’t know many people whose… inclinations,” Draco made a face, “align with mine. You’re the only openly bisexual wizard I know.”

“You don’t — I don’t know — go to gay clubs? Or something?”

Draco looked at him as though he couldn’t believe Harry could be so stupid. “No, Potter. I don’t frequent those kinds of establishments. I'm appalled that you would even suggest I partake in such activities.”

“Okay, I’m sorry!" Harry raised his left hand in surrender; he had been using his right hand to eat and he didn’t want drops of curry to fly around. “You’re posh. I get it. Old pureblood family and all that.”

“Yes,” Draco replied curtly, returning his attention to his meal. “I’m glad you understand.”

Harry watched in amusement as Draco, forehead creased in concentration, figured out how to eat roti canai using cutlery. He had refused to follow Harry’s example of using his hands and had declined his help. Harry could tell Draco enjoyed a puzzle, and this was another puzzle with which Draco had challenged himself.

“How long do we have to keep this up?” Harry asked later, when they were on their way back to the Apparition Point. “This fake dating?”

“I suppose until I find a real ‘male lover’.” Draco imitated Lucius when he said the last two words, unexpectedly making Harry laugh.

At Malfoy Manor’s front door, Draco thanked him for the meal. Before he could open the door, Harry took his hand and turned him around so that they faced each other.

“Do you think your dad is watching us right now?” Harry whispered.

Draco glanced around them. “Possibly. I wouldn’t put it past him to put surveillance charms around the manor. It’s definitely something he would do.”

Harry rubbed his thumb along Draco’s bony knuckles. “You want your dad off your back, right?”

“Yes,” Draco muttered, eyeing their clasped hands.

“Then I think we should kiss.”

Draco’s cheeks flushed adorably pink. “You think?”

“I want to,” Harry said clearly.

Draco had no witty comeback for that, only a slack jaw and wide eyes.

Harry stepped closer until their faces were only inches apart. “May I?”

Draco gazed at Harry’s lips, initially with longing, then with uncertainty and confusion. “This isn’t funny, Potter.”

“I’m being serious,” Harry countered gently, taking Draco’s other hand in his. “I would love to take you out on another date. A real one.”

“If we…” Draco left the words unspoken, licking his lips instead, “what would that make us?”

“Boyfriends? I don’t really care about labels, as long as—”

Harry had to swallow the rest of the sentence because Draco had lunged forwards and pressed his mouth against his. Pleasantly surprised, Harry quickly wrapped his arms around Draco’s waist while the blond held Harry's face. They tilted their heads so that they could deepen the kiss. Shivers shot down Harry’s spine when Draco moaned into his mouth.

They abruptly stopped when they heard a loud sound of glass breaking, followed by enraged screams.

“That sounds like my father.” Draco withdrew sheepishly. “I should get inside.”

Harry released him with great reluctance. “Good night, Draco.”

Draco smiled, effectively taking Harry’s breath away. “Good night, Harry.”

AO3

#game of drarry #exploding snap #drarry fanfic #draco x harry #isamijoo

[thefirsthogokage]

It's that time again: time for iCarly! ... Episode 11 (Probably with spoilers)

Carly having a car is good, but Carly having a dysfunctional car? *Chef's kiss*

Oh! Carly being attracted to tow truck guy? Just...adult. I love the grown up in this show, ok?

He is pretty aesthetically pleasing.

And he's funny.

(must not like fictional character must not like fictional character)

Omg, Harper is...very ADHD. Hence the extreme word association.

Oh look! Harper's cousin IN back.

OMG SEX TALK! like, holy crap! Like, I love this! I don't want to spoil this scene for anyone. How-how grown up this is compared to the original while having the same tone of the kids show is just do fantastic. I think I get what they mean by saying it's kind of like Friends. At least I think I heard that at somepoint.

Carly taking a class about cars? Love that for her.

"You know where class starts? Here." "That's you clavicle." Perfect.

WAIT I'M CALLING IT NOW, THE INSTRUCTOR GUY IS GOING TO BE HOT TOW TRUCK/MECHANIC GUY FROM EARLIER!

I WAS RIGHT!

I'm ok with this barely twist.

I liked that scream.

I love this actor!

Carly being painful. Miranda really is great at that.

"Least favorite cousin unless Maeve ever betrays me." I really love how they put that in there. Very nice call back to the first episode!

Poor Spencer.

Interesting how they have a lot of one-off female South East Asian characters. I am really happy that we get to see so many SE Asian actresses! This is probably the most SE Asian characters I've every seen in one show, tbh. She's phenomenal. I love this. SE Asian women don't get these kind of roles.

They bleeped out what was clearly "Son of a Biscuit." I wonder if that was what Miranda was supposed to say, of if she actually was supposed to say bitch.

I like that Milicent was bleeping them out on purpose. Clever. Like, that's kind of meta and I love it. ... But Carly didn't actually cuss.

I think this would have been a great moment for them to have Wes (mechanic guy) say, "Carly, I can't fix it." I know he says he's going to try, but I feel like it would have been been a great moment of a millennial hearing bad news and being confront with something they just have to let go of, and needing to grieve. I honestly hope he can't fix the car so we can still get that. ... Then again, this could also be one of those false hope moments that we experience too. Ok, if that's what happens, I will make piece with this scene.

Oh boy, "Spilled the Tea." Oh geeze. Pain incoming.

Oh, I like this this backstory with the car.

This guy has way too much charisma and is too animated and too good of an actor to be a one-off. I really hope this isn't the last we see of him. Or that he gets his own show soon. He fits this style well in a way that I know he would fit other styles of acting. I could definitely see him playing a lawyer.

Sorry, got sidetracked.

Impressive chug, there was a lot of liquid in that. I wonder how many takes that took.

That wasn't that hard to say, but I wonder how they did that. Did they do it live? Did it take multiple takes? Did they record themselves saying it and loop it?

Concluding thoughts: I did like this episode a lot. A couple of painful moments, but I really enj-why is my cat licking my elbow...I really enjoyed the guest actor they had and truly hope he comes back and they don't have him and Carly break up in between episodes. So, yeah, pretty good episode.

#icarly #icarly spoilers #icarly revival #icarly 2021

[sortavibing]

hihi! may i have a hq!! matchup? i go by she/her and i'm pansexual with a pref for dudes! i'm an infp/intp, 5w4, and sagittarius. i love to draw, write, and code. in a partner, i'd def want someone with passion & intelligence! someone who i can look up to & hold intelligent conversations with. though, the most important would be trust & honesty. i like art history (french impressionism! my fav painting is "a bar at the folies-bergere" by eduoard manet), anything matcha flavoured, bubble tea, and i've recently had an obsession with koi fish. i think they're truly beautiful. i don't like idiots, but specifically narrow-minded/insensitive idiots. kindness > intellect, i will say. i kin bakugou (being a perfectionist & gifted kid syndrome & a strong pride) & momo (insecure about academic abilities) from bnha and dazai (trust issues... so many... and maintaining a persona) from bungou stray dogs. i also love puns!! i'm 5'3.5, asian, and have long dark hair. i wear glasses & my style differs, but is inspired by east asian street fashion! i like kpop.

thank you so much for taking the time to do this! 💖💜

hello! thank you for requesting! i haven’t had bubble tea in so long- ack it’s terrible. i really should try making it. anyways, here’s your matchup!

generating matchup...

matchup: complete

i match you up with akaashi!

what first drew akaashi to you was your maturity. since he spent most of his time having to deal with bokuto, it was a relief to be able to have an intelligent conversation with someone without having to explain what is going on every 5 minutes. akaashi really enjoyed talking with you, so he made sure to get your number so you guys could stay in touch, and then you and him became good friends, and then he asked you out.

one of the first dates you went on with him was to a local art museum, which was having a special french impressionism exhibit for a couple of days, and he knew that he had to go with you. while you were there, you were gushing about the paintings, and akaashi was agreeing with you, but he was more focused on how pretty you looked than the art, and he was sure to take many lowkey photos of you that day.

after he met you, akaashi started to enjoy the east asian street fashion style, and he will want to wear some matching outfits with you every once and a while. he will take you shopping, and then you guys will buy 2 outifts that look good together, and when you guys wear it, akaashi will be secretly super happy, and will go through the rest of  the day with a subtle blush on his cheeks.

every few weekends, you and akaashi spend a day trying to attempt one of those aesthetic matcha desserts that you can always see on tik tok, and most of them turn out pretty well, much to yours and akaashi’s surprise. if you guys make too much, you will always give it to your friends and family, and now everyone close to both of you guys looks forward to the desserts that you give to them.

if you ever draw or write something for him, he will become really flustered, though it won’t be that obvious. he will say thank you so many times, and in his head he’s just wondering how did he get such a talented girlfriend. he will try to repay you by drawing something for you as well, and his little sketches (usually of koi fish because he knows you like them), actually are pretty good.

if you ever are feeling like you aren’t smart enough, or if you are having trouble letting new people into your life, akaashi will always be there with some comforting words and helpful advice. he always is able to make you feel better, even by just a little bit, so he has been really helpful with changing your mindset when you start doubting yourself.

he is amazed that you know how to code, and he will ask you to teach him, because it’s such a useful skill to have for the future. with your lessons, he caught on pretty quickly and was able to actually figure out a couple of lines on python, and he still practices whenever he can, and if he ever sees you coding, he will be asking so many questions and just telling you how talented you are to be able to write code so easily.

akaashi has memorized your bubble tea order, so if you guys are going to a cafe on a date, he will order for the both of you without missing a beat, and you were pretty surprised that he memorized such a small detail about you, and he was silently proud about catching you off guard (in a good way) with that small action.

he will never even think about lying to you, because he knows the importance of trust in a relationship, so both of you guys always will ask the other for their honest opinion, because you guys will not try to sugarcoat anything. akaashi understands how much you value honesty, so he is sure to try to never stretch the truth or make things seem like something they aren’t.

overall, you guys are such an aesthetic couple, and all the dates you go on with akaashi are so cute and perfect. people envy you guys for the trust your relationship has, and how you guys can be yourselves around each other. akaashi cares about you so much, and he just wants you to know that, so he will show it through his actions, words, and so much more.

i hope you enjoyed!

#haikyuu #haikyu #haikyuu headcanons #akaashi keiji #akaashi #haikyu headcanons #haikyuu!! #haikyuu matchups #haikyu imagines #haikyuu imagines #akaashi x you #akaashi headcanons #akaashi imagines #akaashi scenarios #hq akaashi

[chsamuseum]

Quarantine Communities: My Foray into Twitch

My view of Twitch’s Homepage. (Courtesy of Kimberly Szeto) 

Some may see the COVID-19 quarantine era as one of the toughest times for them; I have too. I have definitely gone crazy from the quarantine anxiety at home over the past year. But instead of seeing this in a negative light, I have taken this year as a time for me to grow, since I have gotten the chance to finally sit back and think about what I want to do in the future, especially after graduating from college last June. 

In this digital age, people have been finding new ways to express themselves and to bring people together, and so have I. After years of watching other people create content on various platforms -- everything from YouTube, Facebook, Snapchat, etc.-- I finally made a Twitch, a streaming platform used by gamers and non-gamers alike. At first, it was to watch one of my favorite YouTubers, who had become a Twitch streamer to continue creating content in quarantine. Little did I know that I would stumble upon a wonderful community of study and co-work streamers after hitting it off with someone in my favorite streamer’s Twitch chat. 

I am normally a pretty extroverted, social person, so for me, these streamers and viewers were a source of the comfort and social interaction I was craving. I have found a home with this supportive community, and they really have helped me to cope during the craziness of quarantining and not being able to go out and go about my normal life. This community even motivated me to stream as a hobby to spread the same love, encouragement, and support I received to my viewers. 

Twitch has allowed me to connect with a network of an English-speaking Asian community around the globe. To me, this spans beyond the Chinese-American diaspora and brought me into a new world of connecting with people I never imagined I would meet. On Twitch, I was even able to find an ever-growing community of Cantonese speakers from around the world, from places like the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Hong Kong, which was a wonderful surprise and blessing. None of this would have been possible if not for the advances of technology and the extra time on my hands from quarantine.

Finding this community hit a particular chord in me because I have been trying to find ways to reach back to my own roots as a Chinese-American and an Asian-American. I grew up in a small town in New Jersey that did not have a large Asian community. Like many others in my shoes, I struggled with reconciling my Chinese and American identities when I was growing up. There was no safe space for me to explore my Chinese culture, and at times, I even pushed it away. I found myself having an identity crisis -- I genuinely enjoyed celebrating Chinese holidays, eating the food my grandmother cooked, and learning more about the famous Chinese dynasties. Yet, I was also embarrassed by my family at times when we were out in public, for fear of judgement from other people because we did not look or sound like them. 

In high school, my family moved across the country to the San Francisco Bay Area in California, where I noticed there were more people who looked like me and talked like me. Encouraged by familiarity, I embraced my heritage and culture. I put more time into learning Chinese, both Cantonese and Mandarin, and consumed much more popular culture content from Asia, such as music, dramas, TV shows, radio, etc. I particularly desired to know more about my family history, which led me to pursue a B.A. in History with a concentration in East Asia and the Islamic World. In college, not only was I able to learn about Chinese history,  I was able to learn more about Hong Kong and its people and culture; this is the very place my parents grew up and constantly reminisce about. And now, looking back to my childhood, I regret the times I struggled to interact and communicate with my grandparents with my limited Cantonese. I regret the times I told my parents I wanted to listen to Disney music instead of their 80s Hong Kong bops because now, those Cantopop songs are the exact tunes that get me through the day and put me to sleep at night. 

But now if you were to ask who I was, I would say that I am Hong Kongese-American. My Cantonese has improved a lot. My go-to foods are dim sum, a Hong Kong style milk tea, and a Portuguese egg tart. I have finally accepted and come to terms with my heritage and culture, and Twitch has only helped me explore that heritage with other people who know and love it.

Catch some of my cute Twitch emotes such as me: 1) fangirling with an “add oil” -- an expression of encouragement and support -- banner, 2) sipping on some Hong Kong style milk tea and 3) happily eating a Portuguese egg tart. (Courtesy of Kimberly Szeto).

Accidentally stumbling in this Twitch rabbit hole has helped me connect with other people who have similar identities, backgrounds, and interests. I am not an avid gamer, but I was still able to find a community on Twitch where I stream myself co-working, playing games, and just chatting. At the end of the day, instead of feeling disconnected like you would expect from quarantining, now more than ever, I feel more connected with people, as well as my own culture and heritage. 

Now, in light of recent events of the rise in attacks and hate crimes against the Asian community worldwide, it has been especially encouraging to see a community of Asian voices and supporters stand up to the racism and discrimination that has always been embedded in American society. These voices have grown stronger and stronger both in the wider community and on Twitch as well. The Asian American community on Twitch has spoken out about the violence and found ways to support the community, such as running charity streams where the donations will go to Asian American support funds.

In such a dark time, Twitch has become another place where we can stand up, break out of the model minority myth, and take the next step in engaging in uncomfortable discussions about racism. And for many of us, myself included, it has become our chance to rise up and stand with the community.

You may follow me and my Twitch adventures where I keep you company as I play some of my favorites jams, chat, co-work, and play some games...and maybe catch me singing. 

My Twitch Recommendations: 

JustHagan: Hong Kongese-Canadian variety streamer (mainly Kpop content and some games) -- the very YouTuber turned Twitch streamer who got me down the Twitch rabbit hole.

StudywithTiny: Chinese-Canadian variety streamer (mainly studies Korean and sings in English/Korean/French) -- the lovely madam I met in justhagan’s stream.

ahJingTries: Chinese-British study streamer (mainly studies Korean) -- whom I have gotten to know through StudyWithTiny.

camibasket: Chinese-American variety streamer (mainly plays Tetris).

jakuwwu: Chinese-American variety streamer (mainly games and chatting).

ckypiano_: Hong Konger who sings and plays nice light jams (music streamer).

vyctoryyy: Korean-American singing streamer.

seihyuni: Korean-American variety streamer (mainly coworking and singing streams).

HiJohnsies: Korean-American variety streamer (mainly singing streams).

cheap_vegetable: Filipino-American variety streamer (mainly singing streams).

horangsoon: Okinawan-Brazilian variety streamer (chill vibes study and chatting streams).

cynzyy: Chinese-Canadian variety streamer (mainly study streams)

Written by CHSA’s Education and Programs Intern Kimberly Szeto. Kimberly is a recent graduate of UC Santa Cruz with a bachelor’s in history and technology and information management with interests in journalism and international relations.

#CHSA #chsacomcon #community connections #twitch #online community #streaming #culture #heritage #quarantine

[kpoptimeout]

Top 10 Most Underrated K-pop Songs of 2019 (Artist Edition)

2019 has come and gone before we knew it.  

Continuing with the K-Pop Timeout Tradition (see 2018 Ver) of listing the Top 10 Most Underrated K-Pop Songs because all the other sites are just bothered with the Top 10 that pretty much everyone will have heard of/have fan wars over, below are our top 10 picks of songs that did not rank high (and with MVs just around or below 1 million views too) but deserves your attention! 

This is the list for artists’ tracks, so the Top 10 underrated non-idol tracks. Click here for the Top 10 underrated idol tracks of 2019. Unlike usual years where there is a separate post made for Top 10 underrated K-Drama OSTs, this year there is instead posts for the Top 20 most underrated K-Pop songs of the decade.

Some of the non-idol artists have escaped the list in recent years to stardom (for example DPR LIVE, CRUSH and MAD CLOWN) so hopefully, it happens again!

This is in alphabetic order NOT in the order of awesomeness because all of them are awesome. Also, all MVs are linked in the song titles because Tumblr won’t let me share that many videos in one post.

ADOY “Lemon”

It is strange that this song somehow did not make ADOY more well-known in South Korea and among K-Pop fans. They have such a laid-back and fresh sound perfect for CFs and fan edits but somehow this indie electronic rock band still only has 9609 likes on Facebook and their song “LEMON”, has less than 200K views at the point of writing this. “LEMON” is a refreshing and soothing indie rock track with an 80s synth melody loop. It is basically if ice lemon tea was a song and it was a great song. If you like chill 80s-inspired music, you would love ADOY’s “Lemon”!

Colde “Control Me”

One half of RnB duo offonoff and a member of DEAN, Crush and Punchnello and more’s artist collective Club Eskimo, Colde provides an amazing solo song in the form of “Control Me”. The song is a smooth RnB track that hits all the right spots - the somewhat conversational like singing building up to the chorus, and the chorus itself which is extremely catchy. Colde’s rapping is also just as fire as his singing. The MV only just surpassed 1 million views but it really deserves so much more since it complements the song so well, with everything filmed like it was done in one shot as different versions of Colde appear to serenade you on the screen. If you are already a fan of DEAN and Crush, you should also check out this amazing song by their friend Colde!

Crispy Chae “A letter from Wendy” ft. Gato Ray

With how popular lofi study playlists are, it is surprising how little love Crispy Chae’s “A letter from Wendy” received because it would fit perfectly in such a playlist. Maybe it is because this song does not even have a proper MV besides the video made by Mellowbeat Seeker. However, this does not stop this song from being an extremely underrated quality indie track. Crispy Chae has a beautiful voice that is both husky and child-like at the same time, making the transitions between skilled harmonies and the conversational chorus all the more memorable. Additionally, this song was sung predominantly in English and should really be making more rounds in the increasingly global K-Pop fanbase. If you love Suran’s music, you would really enjoy this song by Crispy Chae!

dosii “lovememore.”

City pop is definitely making its comeback in 2019, with Takeuchi Mariya’s “Plastic Love” finally getting its much deserved MV, western city pop acts like PREP gaining more popularity and veteran K-pop stars like Sunmi and Yubin trying out this sound. dosii, an R&B duo comprised of Choi Jonghyuk and Jeon Jihye, also dives into city pop in “lovememore.”, which is definitely one of the best and most underrated indie K-pop tracks of the year. The song sounded both like an authentic 80s city pop jam but also includes distortion effects and producing techniques used more often in current music. Honestly, it is an absolute masterpiece and the less than 800K views the MV has received since February is ridiculous.  If you loved Sunmi’s “Black Pearl”, you would fall in love with “lovememore.”!

ELO, PENOMECO “LOVE?” ft. GRAY

While this song did only come out in early November, I am still confused why such a great hip-hop collaboration has less than 500K views. Like all GRAY involved works, this is classy and catchy. What makes this song stand out from a lot of great K-Hip Hop collaborations is the way ELO, PENOMECO and GRAY’s voices work together. They have three very distinctive vocal colours - ELO has an extremely melodic voice, PENOMECO has a breathy and high-pitched way of singing and rapping while GRAY’s tone is deep and relaxed. This makes for a very colourful and fun song. If you like a strong K-Hip Hop collaboration, “LOVE?” by ELO, PENOMECO and GRAY is the song for you!

Jung Jinwoo “Nowhere”

Ever since K-Pop Star Season 5, Jung Jinwoo has proven to be a phenomenal RnB singer-songwriter and have continued to improve after his signing to Planetarium Records. It is shocking that he and the other PLT boys are still relatively unknown, even though they have only dropped bops. His newest song “Nowhere” is arguably one of the best Korean RnB tracks of 2019 and showcases his further honed production and singing skills - his voice is super light, clear and smooth with a mild tinge of huskiness. Just 71K views for such a superb song makes no sense. If you are a fan of DEAN and Crush, you would be obsessed with this song!

LEEBADA “ㅎㅇ (High)” ft. PENOMECO

This is another K-RnB masterpiece that seemed to have completely flew under the radar to K-Pop fans. Playing on the Korean internet abbreviation for Hi (ㅎㅇ) and High, this song has classy drinks lounge music vibes but is also playful at the same time, fully showcasing LEEBADA’s high-pitched and airy vocals. PENOMECO’s addition in the song is perfect, as his voice and LEEBADA’s work together so well, like the male and female counterparts of the same singing style. If you are a huge fan of HEIZE’s music, you would really enjoy LEEBADA’s “ㅎㅇ (High)”! 

LIM KIM “YELLOW”

Back in 2015, every K-Pop fan knew Lim Kim for her quirky electro-pop sound as she dominated charts and was Mystic Entertainment’s it girl. However, her return after 4 years received little to no attention for unknown reasons. Not only is Lim Kim back but she returned stronger than ever, taking on a much more aggressive and edgy persona while singing and rapping about female empowerment and fighting against the objectification of Asian women. “YELLOW” combines traditional East Asian orchestral instrumentals with electronic beats and Lim Kim’s unique mixture of chanting, singing and rapping, creating a powerful anthem in the process. If you are a fan of Lim Kim from before or is a fan of artsy and experimental music in general with a strong message, you would love Lim Kim’s “YELLOW”!

PRIMARY “Bad High” ft. Jade

PRIMARY is definitely one of the best producers in K-Pop, with ground-breaking and beautiful collaborations with Zion.T, Hyukoh, Beenzino etc., oftentimes before the acts are even known in the mainstream. PRIMARY continues this in “Bad High”, working with Jade, the main vocalist of virtual girl band XGirls. This song is phenomenal not only because it sounds good, but also because it goes in directions you never expect it to go. Starting off, the song sounds like the emotional and slow-paced folk-pop/rock works of Lucid Fall and Hyukoh, then it switches up to a satisfying drop in the chorus, where the aggressive use of hi-hat loops changes the slow-paced song to an exciting ethereal art-pop sound of the likes of Grimes. The MV is also beautiful and unsettling simultaneously. Why this masterpiece has only 97K views at the time of writing this is beyond me when PRIMARY has so clearly outdone himself yet again. If you enjoy PRIMARY’s past works and also experimental art-pop, you would love “Bad High”!

RAD MUSEUM “Dancing In The Rain” ft. Jusén

After Hyukoh and Jannabi’s rise to the mainstream, one would expect more attention to be given to indie artists with unique vocals. However, RAD MUSEUM seemed to have flown under the radar even though the vocalist is all sorts of unique with his piercing and emotional vocals which seems to combine soul, alternative RnB, and indie rock all in one. Maybe it is the lack of an MV and big label promotions but this live performance video would show you the charms of this phenomenal artist who is also a part of Club Eskimo and his amazing song “Dancing In The Rain”. This song is simply art - it feels pop-rock like Sting’s “Shape of My Heart” but the way it is delivered also feels like soul and RnB. If you want to be blown away by talent, you should check out RAD MUSEUM’s “Dancing In The Rain”!

Which non-idol songs do you think were underrated this year? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below and let the song sharing begin!!!

#kpop #k-pop #kpop 2019 #k-pop 2019 #kpop underrated #k-pop underrated #k indie #k-indie #adoy #adoy lemon #colde #colde control me #crispy chae #crispy chae a letter from wendy #dosii #dosii lovememore. #elo #penomeco #gray #jung jinwoo #jung jinwoo nowhere #leebada #leebada high #lim kim #lim kim yellow #primary #primary bad high #rad museum #rad museum dancing in the rain #club eskimo

[rainy-rose]

Hello and happy STS! I want to know about presents and gifts! What is the best present your OCs ever got? What is the worst? What is the best gift your OCs gave (in their opinion)? What gift are they least proud of giving?

Hullo and happy STS! I know I’ve discusses the Silver Serpent gang with you on this one, so I will try to see what the youngling of Scales and Petals have to say.

Angela 

- best present - probably a spa day and her current fancy cane both from Axel 

- worst - a gym appointment from a random classmate during her B.A. The dude got to meet angry Angela and got a stern lecture

- best gift she gave - every toy she buys for Casper :)) there are many other gifts she is proud of, but she loves seeing that doggo all happy and excited with a new toy

- gift she is not proud of - while doing her M.A dissertation with Gail, she had given him a book by an archeologist she liked, but did not realise that the dude had used some of Gail’s reaserch without crediting his work. Gail kept his anger in check especially since it was not addressed to her, but she still feels guilty as that specific profesor is, to this day, one of Gail’s biggest rivals in the field

Axel 

- best present - a Iolight compact, portable fluorescence microscope from his parents, Angela and Sabinne after he became Niall’s reaserch assistant and PHD student 

- worst - a bible... which ended a friendship, not fun. He came out as bi to his friends and one of them, of whom Axel knew was religious, was aparently also homophobic, ufff

- best gift he gave - he paid for Sabinne’s medusa and septum piercings

- gift he is not proud off - years ago when he tried making friends with Bolin he wanted to give him a practical gift that could also remind him of China, so he went for a teapot and tea. He got the tea right, but not the teapot. Bolin did not mind that much and actually uses it, but he did explain to him the differences between the two coutries and the way they prepare and enjoy tea. Axel still feels a bit embarssed, although Bolin did not seem that affected by it and he did tell Axel that he does not expect people to be experts in his culture and how it differes from other east asian cultures

Sabinne 

- best present - books on phonetics for English based languages from the twins, and on the differences between Mandarin and Cantonese pronunciations from Bolin + Casper from Gail and Niall 

- worst - a hot pink, frilly, short dance skirt. It was a prank gift which wa squickly replaced with a sturdy pair of black, lace up boots, but still :)) now the skirt sits in Casper’s toy crate

- best gift she gave - a short, meerschaum pipe and accesories  to Angela, Axel contributed

- gift she is not proud of - dispite her dislike towards Gail, she feels a bit guilty for giving him a sex toy a few years ago

Bolin 

- best present - tickets to see a performace of The Book of Mountains and Sea by chinese celebrity choreographer Wang Yuanyuan

- worst - expensive, but very bad quality stage make up. He realised how unusable it actually was while putting it on for a performance. The rest of his crew saved him and that ended up in the closest bin

- best gift he gave - a painting to his mother by a Japanese contemporary artist she really likes

- gift he is not proud of - not sure he has any... even the ones he gave as pranks he feels like he put tought and care in them so he doesn’t have any 

#storyteller saturday #sts #answered asks #my ocs #writeblr #scales and petals #sabinne duval #angela burton #axel burton #lu bolin

[buri-art]

If you don't mind me asking, how come you're able to live and work in Japan (and China?)? Where did it al begin? I'm just really curious! Thanks!

I don’t mind, thanks for asking! Turns out I’ve been doing some advising on this topic lately. (Scroll to the bottom for specific advice!)It all began with Digimon…

I’ve always had a history of moving from one obsession to another, starting back with Barney the Dinosaur. Then when I was 11-years-old I found myself very curious about that weird Japanese show on Fox Kids, which looked so different from the Western cartoons I was so fond of. What I caught of it kept me surprised–my stereotypes about it were wrong, the characters and their situations were complicated, and plot had depth? What was this and why did it make me care so much??Well, once I decided I was hooked, I was hooked. Obsessed overnight. I needed to know everything there was to know about it, including the country it came from. Guess I better learn Japanese, I thought. 

That thought didn’t go away. I generally got obsessed with anime and Japanese culture, anything I could get my weeby little hands on. Wanting to know everything about Japan led to curiosity about China too, because if you’re going to stretch far back in the origins of Japanese culture, eventually you’re going to get interested in the big collection of nations and time periods known as Ancient China. (Stuff like Fushigi Yuugi and the anime rendition of Condor Hero sure helped drive that interest.)I stayed obsessed with Japan all through my teen years (and started Japanese study in earnest when I was 16) and I chose a college where I could start studying Chinese. It seemed like the natural progression in my studies by that point, but I guess other people thought it was surprising. Or they called me a traitor. (I can tell you now that lots and lots of people wind up studying both.)

Anyway, I went in to college with a pretty wide knowledge of East Asia, but studying it from all sorts of angles, getting good advising in school from nerdy professors, and studying abroad certainly made my understanding more nuanced. Going to a small school where it was easy to stick out also helped me get a good handful of work-study experiences and special attention for my particular passions. (It helps that a couple teachers were enamored with traditional Chinese culture, another loved Heian aesthetics, another wrote a dissertation about the production of shoujo manga, and another loved to give students free food. Now those are my people.)What most people find surprising was that even though I had a heavier course load in Asian studies, my major was Economics. I was concerned about finding work with only nerdy Asian studies, and I felt like I needed to save the world by working at an NGO and sacrificing my personal happiness for the sake of the poor and underprivileged. (I still feel like that, but thankfully there are more ways to support NGOs than only by working in them.) In my research topics I usually had a special focus on developing nations in Asia, and I made sure to get a good understanding of the whole region, not just, like, Edo period gay samurai fanfiction (yeah, that was totally a thing).Well, anyway, I never worked at an NGO. I went to grad school to keep working on my Chinese while keeping up independent Japanese study  (including the JLPT), then I worked for the one international company in my hometown doing stuff for their Asian side of business. It was cool if you had any interest in engineering, but I didn’t. I like culture. The weeb shit, as it’s known. All according to keikaku, I became a Coordinator for International Relations on the JET Program (it’s not all English teachers!), and had the time of my life in Matsue (my love for that place is seeeeerious). That’s when I took my wide knowledge of Japan and started getting deeper knowledge, by doing anything and everything, especially practicing naginata, tea ceremony, and competitive kimono dressing. (I like to say I broke the weeb scale a long time ago.) Even among CIRs, who all speak Japanese fairly fluently, I guess I was noteworthy for my nerdy knowledge of obscure pieces of local culture, and my enthusiasm for sharing it. That’s just me being my obsessive self, folks. But yeah, lots of JET Program participants are obsessive and eager to go out and experience things. Aaaahhh, my people. After that, I felt I needed more experience in China, so I got a teaching job (which is relatively easy to do, if you’re a native English speaker). Due to my work schedule and living in Shanghai as opposed to like, Wuyishan or even Hangzhou, I didn’t devote as much as to cultural classes as I originally planned on, but I did practice tea and martial arts throughout my time there, and I continued to work on my Mandarin and gaining obscure cultural knowledge, but especially gaining experience melding with society there. Although it was more overwhelming, I do feel much more competent with my Chinese skills now, and I still love a lot of the culture and have so much more traveling I want to do there. I can still nerd out so hard for so much there.Moving back to Japan felt like a very natural course of things. I know a lot of people who have been happy to be Japan-nerds from a distance, or do the JET Program for a while and then just go back to visit, but at least for now, I don’t see myself happy with only visiting. I have personality flaws, like being very inflexible, that make me work very well in a rigid society like Japan. I’m too used to good convenience stores to live happily without them. I enjoy speaking Japanese all the time instead of taking occasional opportunities. Also, my niche skill set is kind of useless in my part of the US. I did try to find work here, really. That being said, having niche skills means that when I’m useful, I’m super useful. Job searching from outside of Japan was a lot more challenging than applying for the JET Program (which any JET applicant can tell you is not a simple process, but once you’re in, you really appreciate how much they handle for you in matters of moving abroad). It was really, really nerve-wracking to turn down two very good corporate job offers in favor of a somewhat new hotel chain. I really wanted to enter the tourism industry because this feels like the only place (outside of academia) where I can use all my obsessive studies of mainstream and obscure but especially traditional culture, and where my gushing about how much I love stuff is actually useful. Plus, it’ll make use of all three of my languages, not just one or two at a time. I hope this will work out for at least the next few years, if not forever. I also hope that if I live in the US in the future to be closer to family*, then I’ll have enough industry experience to work in hotels here or start a tour company targeted at Asian clients. (*Family is the primary reason I still consider long-term life in America, and it’s a big one, and worrying about them is the hardest part about living abroad. Excessive humidity in a lot of Asia is another reason I might choose to live in the Western US.)But like, now my hobbies are my job. While it won’t be the bulk of it, wearing kimono and performing tea ceremonies is no longer something that makes me cool and special and unexpectedly useful, it’s going to be what I need to be professionally competent in (eeeeeeep). This is the kind of stuff that obsessive teenage Buri would have swooned to know, but also totally expected. Career-Buri is a little more level-headed about it and also very grateful to have these opportunities. So anyway, advice!!—If you think you want to do anything in China or Japan, START STUDYING THE LANGUAGES NOW. Yes, I know they’re difficult. No, there’s no perfect program. Whatever you’re going to use, just do it consistently. Fluency is not actually required for a lot of jobs, but hot damn, some language skills will help. (For reference, I passed N1 of the JLPT before starting JET, and passed HSK5 while I was in grad school. I studied for HSK6 while I was in China and would have had a 50/50 chance of passing, but chose not to because it’s not actually that useful for the price I’d pay for it.)–To get a work visa in either country, 99 times out of a 100, you’re going to need a Bachelor’s degree. Your major is not usually as important as simple proof of graduation. Many places will care about your grades, though, so try to keep them up. –Teaching is still the easiest way to get there. There’s a wealth of programs to recruit you, but I suggest trying to steer clear of places that only provide a stipend instead of a salary, or small dispatch companies with questionable reputations. The JET Program is probably the best way to teach in Japan because of the level of support you get, but I’ve known people who had good experiences on the larger dispatch companies like Altia or Interac as well. For more direct hires, there are English tutoring companies (like English First (EF) or Coco Juku) where you might have students of all ages, as well as companies that focus on very small children (where you’ll basically be a glorified preschool teacher). On that note, many kindergartens and other for-profit education companies (like what I did in China) will hire directly, but your experience can vary widely. Finally, you can also look into international schools, but your teaching credentials will be much more important. Any background in teaching, or TESOL certification, will be a boon to your application (and at some places, your paycheck). –All of these places will want to see that you are a dependable, flexible person. Getting experience abroad, being able to speak frankly about challenges you’ve dealt with, and showing a willingness to go anywhere and do whatever is needed will look really good on your interviews. I say this a JET Program interviewer; the people who displayed the most patience and maturity were the people we felt best about giving a high score to. Those are the people we like to send out into the communities. –As we like to say in the JET Program, every situation is different (ESID for short). That applies to every teaching situation you might yourself in abroad.–You don’t have to be a teacher (after all, I only did JET because of the CIR position, I loved it!!). But you’re going to have to be really competent in whatever else it is you’re doing. Headhunters, such as at Pasona Global (which has branches in many Asian countries), are really, really good to work with, but they are most likely to hook you up with corporate jobs in big cities. If that’s what you want, awesome. (I wound up finding my hotel through a Japanese job searching site specifically for tourism related work. Other industry-specific fields may have their own job hunting sites, possibly in English, possibly not.) Language competency will be a lot more important if you take this route. –If at all possible, STUDY ABROAD!!! Many people will get the experience they want doing this instead of dealing with the frustrations of working and residing abroad. It’s a good way to see how much you love it and decide if the frustrations are worth it. Plus, it really helps your job applications. –Even if you can’t work abroad due to your personal situation, PLEASE TRY TO TRAVEL THERE!!!! When you’re interested in another culture or a foreign language, it means so, sooooo much to be there, even if it’s temporary. I don’t just say this as someone who has chosen tourism as my calling (though I am more than happy to give travel advice), I say this as a passionate nerd. I feel you. I get you. You need this. –Back to studies and stuff though, if you’re going to major in some form of area studies or foreign language, it is difficult to get jobs with that alone. Consider double-majoring in something that will play into that, or which will open other career options. Money is kind of important, especially if you’re going to have to pay for flights across the Pacific. 

–That being said, study what you care about too. You know how oddly useful my elective class about Non-Western Theater has been!?!? And if something in anime catches your attention, for goodness sake, you’re on THE INTERNET. If you liked Jubei-chan, go study samurai, if you like Fruits Basket, go learn to make onigiri, if you like Mob Psycho 100, then go—well—um—go work out, being physically healthy is also important!!

Well, anyway, that’s long enough. Good luck to all you nerds out there!! KEN TANAKA LOVES YOU and all that good stuff!! 

#wow this got long #tl:dr #I'm a nerd and that might help you too

[purplesurveys]

429

England Do you like to drink tea? I only drink iced tea and only the artificial kind, so I don’t think that even counts as tea. My tongue never did adapt well to traditional ones. Do you like to put sugar in your tea? I like my iced tea super sweet if that counts. Have you ever explored an ancient castle? No but it would be interesting to enter one! If you're a Christian, are you Catholic or Protestant? I was baptized and still legally Catholic. Philippines is predominantly Catholic, with 80% of the population; I don’t how the % of Protestants, but it’s definitely a much smaller bit of the pie since the rest of the religions are divided into different Christian denominations, then Islam. Do you live in a big house? It’s definitely bigger than my childhood home, so that’s more than enough.

Are there a lot of seagulls where you live? I don’t think seagulls fly over to this side of the world? Correct me if I’m wrong though. Do you have a garden? Only a very small one. Name something you own with the British flag on it. Probs an old UK-themed notebook lying around, but I’m not sure if I still even have those or if they already got thrown out. What's your favorite part of London? I dunno. London always seemed like such a hectic city for me and I’ve never really had an idea about its identity. If you've been to England, what was your favorite city you've visited? If applicable, what is/was your favorite store in London? I’m not sure I know any London-based stores. Have you ever been lost in London? Nope. Would you say your personality is British? Do you think you'd fit in there? I’d say my personality is the furthest thing from that since I’ve never been submerged in their local culture. I don’t know if I would fit in; a lot of them seem pretty short-tempered lmao. Do you have English ancestors, or are you from England? I’m positively -60% English. Ireland What is one of your favorite celtic songs? I don’t know anything about Irish history/culture other than Becky Lynch, Sheamus, and Niall Horan. I’m laying that out this early. Do you have red hair? Absolutely not. Are you Irish? No Irish blood in my system at all.

Name 5 redheads that you know. Becky Lynch x2.5, Sheamus x2.5 lmao. Who in your family is/was a redhead? Nobody. If you've been to Ireland, what was your favorite city you visited? I haven’t been to Ireland but I would rather take a trip there than to London definitely. Did you have any bad experiences in Ireland? Do you celebrate St. Patrick's Day? No but Western social media shoves it in my face every year. I have no idea what it’s about other than they turn the Chicago River green. Do you like Irish food? I don’t know much about their food actually :o I don’t think there are places that serve it. What's one thing you like about ancient cathedrals? The fact that millions of lives with different experiences, all in different contexts have come and gone within them. Do you like rolling hills of green? ...I don’t know what you’re talking about. Are you just talking about hills? Because yes, hills are fine with me lmao. Do you like bagpipes? No. All this question gave me was the image of Ross Geller playing them on a Friends episode because he wanted to surprise Chandler and Monica on their wedding. If you're Irish, what part of Ireland is your family from? Do you like English accents or Irish accents better? I like both but I find English ones a wee bit more satisfying to listen to. China What is your Chinese zodiac sign? Tiger. ^Do you like it? Do you feel it fits your personality? I don’t give a shit about it. Do you like your American zodiac sign or Chinese zodiac sign better? I don’t give a shit about either, either. Do you like Chinese food? LOOOOOOOVE good ol’ family-style Chinese food. None of that fake Chinese takeout. List three of your favorite Chinese foods. Minced pork with eggplant, century eggs, spring rolls. Are you familiar with the topic of footbinding? I do. We were taught about it from very early on. What are your favorite books about the Chinese? I don’t really read books about the Chinese. I’ve read readings on Chinese history in high school and college–which I all enjoyed–but I’m not passionate about them enough to pick a favorite. Do you know anyone Chinese? I know a lot of them. Philippines has a very large Chinese Filipino/Filipino Chinese community thanks to their mass migrations way way back–they’ve since heavily integrated their native culture to the country, so we have a lot of Chinese restaurants and Filipinos typically love Chinese food, and we also (by law) celebrate Chinese New Year. There are also a lot of private schools established for kids of Chinese descent. Who is your favorite Chinese youtuber? I don’t have any. Have you ever cooked Chinese food at home? Not me because I don’t cook. My grandma and my dad have. Are you familiar with the Great Chinese Famine? Only a bit. Do you wish your school would teach you about other countries' history? It already does! UP’s very fortunate to have a very well-endowed history department: there are courses for West, East, Southeast, and South Asian, Latin American, United States, European, Spanish, and African history. We ain’t the top school in the country for nothing. Would you ever want to go to China? I already have. The old people there are SO rude and their sense of hygiene and manners is so different from what we have :( I’d still want to go back just for shits and giggles but their people are generally meh. Do you have any Chinese in your family? We do but they aren’t related to us anymore. The relatives who are Chinese are those who married into our family, but my family per se isn’t Chinese. Japan Do you like sushi? I’m fucking craaaaaaaazy about sushi. And sashimi.  ^If so, what are your favorite kinds? Any kind as long as the main part is tuna, unagi (eel), or uni (sea urchin).  What is your favorite manga series? I don’t read manga. Do you love Japanese street fashion? I appreciate it, but it’s too...hip for me hahaha. I’d stick to my preppy wardrobe. What color hair would you have as an anime character? Light pink maybe. Are you aware of the struggles of Japanese Americans during World War 2? Admittedly, not so sure about the situation of Japanese-Americans; but in general, the Japanese were unnecessarily big fucking bullies throughout WWII. They don’t even have the balls to say sorry completely until today. As a Filipino (PH was one of the countries it essentially raped head to toe), this continues to make me angry today. What is your favorite Japanese name? I don’t have. Do you like bonsai trees? They’re cool but I’m not like gaga over them. What's one thing you think Americans should adopt from the Japanese? Intelligence? Have you ever listened to Jpop? No. Do you like Hello Kitty? No. But my sister loves everything Sanrio. What is something you want to know about the Japanese? Why they can’t seem to apologize for their war crimes and criminals and and sex slavery and using of comfort women and cases of rape, torture, and abuse in my country. Do you know anyone who's Japanese? Yeah, I had a classmate from last sem whose last name was Mizushima and looked Japanese. Would you ever want to go to Japan? I already have. The people were very nice. Australia Do you have blonde hair? No trace of blonde anywhere on me.

Do you live near a beach? I live in an archipelago, so technically yes. The nearest beaches are still 3 hours away though. Do you surf? Nah. We’ve been to so many beach resorts that offer basic surfing lessons, but ultimately it’s only my dad, mom, and sister who try it out. I have bad balance so I was always too scared to try. Who is your favorite Australian youtuber? I like Jamie Zhu, but only the videos of him pranking his dad. I haven’t seen any of his other material. Do you watch The Norris Nuts? Never even heard of it. Who is your favorite Australian fictional character? I don’t know a lot of Australian characters other than Hi-5!!! Lmao. What is your favorite song by Hillsong? Fuck no. Have you ever tried to surf? See a few questions above. Do you skateboard? Nope. I can’t balance well other than on the ice skating rink. Have you ever been on an island? I live on an island. Do you live on an island? Yes. A country with 7,641 islands. Do you like Australian accents or British accents better? British ones. Have you ever heard the term, "Crikey, mate!" No...I’ve only ever heard of it stereotyped in the media, too. Is there any Australian here who can confirm if people say this everyday lol Have you ever met anyone from Australia? I probably have but my memory is rusty at the moment. Africa Do you know anyone from Africa? Yeah, I have a mutual friend who’s Nigerian.

Are you familiar with the War on Sudan? A little. I got most of my knowledge of it from my international relations class. Do you own an Invisible Children shirt? I don’t. Have you been to Africa? No, but I want to pay a visit so bad. What's your favorite wild animal? Elephants. Do you prefer dancing or drumming? Neither, but if I absolutely had to pick: drumming. Do you have good rhythm? Not at all. Would you ever want to go to Africa? Yes. What is a great African song? I don’t know any. Have you ever tried African dancing? Nope. Do you own any African jewelry? I don’t. Ever danced to "Waka Waka"? I never did like that song. No. What's the furthest you've ever walked in one day? Probably that time we were in Bali and felt like we walked for 7 days. It was soooooooo humid that day so I was really cranky after. Do you live in a mud hut? No. Mexico List 3 of your favorite Mexican foods. I’m not big on Mexican food that much so I’m sorry if my picks are a little basic haha. I like chimichangas, burritos, and nachos. List 3 Mexican names you like. Ines, Luis, Antonio. List 3 people you know who are Mexican. I only know wrestlers...Eddie Guerrero, Chavo Guerrero, Gory Guerrero? Aka members of the best Mexican wrestling family there ever is, was, and ever will be. Have you ever been to Mexico? I haven’t. Would you ever want to go to Mexico? I would love to go to every possible spot in the world at least once, so it’s a yes for me.   Do you think you could handle being around people all the time? ...How is this related to Mexico lmao? Anyway no I don’t think I can. I’m a huge introvert so I’m bound to get tired some time. Do you like spicy food? I love it but only when the spicy factor is integral to the food, like in curries or in spicy dips. I can always tell if spiciness is artificial. How do you do with crowds? I’m alright with crowds as long as people are not screaming all at the same time and if it’s not super compressed. Is it hot where you live? Very hot at the moment. There are places in the country with actual heat indices of 65ºC. HOW IS THAT REAL LIFE????? Do you like bright colors? I hate them so much. Can you speak Spanish? No but I can understand the contexts of some sentences and have what I’d say is an extensive Spanish vocabulary. Makes sense if you consider the fact that the Philippine was under Spain for 333 years. The effects, especially language- and religion-wise, are still very very strong today. Have you ever been to a fiesta? Yup. I was once part of a parade. Ever smacked a pinata? Nah we never used those for my birthdays. What's your favorite thing to order at Taco Bell? I don’t get Taco Ball because the branches that do exist are sooooo faaaaar away from where I live and from where I study. The Middle East Are you Muslim? Nope. Do you know any Muslims? I don’t know anyone personally but it’s not unusual to see Muslims around here.   Do you know anyone who wears hijab? Again, not personally. What are some of your favorite books about Muslims? Ever been to a desert? I wish the Philippines could count as a desert lmao but no I haven’t. Would you want to ride a camel? Is that ethical? I gotta make sure it’s a green-lit thing first. Did you watch the show Legends of the Hidden Temple? I was obsessed with it when I was younger. It was on every 5:30 AM, so it was the program I watched everyday while preparing for school. Korea Have you read To All the Boys I've Loved Before? Please don’t mention that stupid book/movie. ^Have you seen the movie? Did you know that North Korea is closed? I mean, it’s not literally closed; you can still book trips there but they’re still definitely super strict about what you can and can’t get away with. Would you ever want to visit South Korea? I already have. In terms of people’s niceness, they’re in the middle of Chinese (the shits) and Japanese (absolute angels). Most of the Koreans I dealt with were nice save for this one woman who shooed me away when I was taking a photo of something from her little bazaar. Have you ever had Korean food? YESSSSS I love Korean food so much, it’s so underrated. People gotta go deeper than sushi and Chinese fried rice cos there’s another East Asian with food that slaps as fuuuuuuuck. South America Have you read The Spirit of the Rainforest? I have not. Name one fact you know about Venezuela. I know nothing about Venezuela other than they also seem to be favorites in Miss Universe pageants every year along with PH. Do you know anyone who lives in Peru? I do not. That’s very far from where I’m at. Have you ever tried Peruvian food or drink? Nope. I definitely would if there were places that served such here. Have you ever been to South America? No. Do you know anyone from Brazil? I don’t think so. Would you ever want to visit South America? Yes. Name someone you know who owns llamas. Nobody. Do you like llamas? I like all animals except for cockroaches and other weird insects, so yes. Have you ever sewn on a loom? I haven’t had the chance to. Do you own a skirt from Guetamala? This is...specific. No. Do you ever wonder why we don't hear much about South America? Probs because people and media play a hand in painting it in such a bad light, e.g. poverty, drugs, crime and otherwise glorify its big brother North America as a place of freedom and diversity and liberty when it’s just as big of a shithole as anywhere else. But I’m glad social media exposes issues in countries that often go unignored, South American ones included. Thailand Do you like elephants? I LOVE elephants, they’re my favorite creatures. Would you ever be brave enough to try walking on stilts? I’d be so scared but wouldn’t be opposed to trying. Do you know about sex trafficking in Thailand? I’ve heard enough to be actively aware of it, but I don’t know specifics. Do you like Thai food? Obsessed.

Do you know anyone who's Thai? I don’t think so. United States If you live in the US, which state do you live in? Which states have you visited? Which states have you lived in? Have you ever been to Washington D.C? No. What is your favorite American food? I don’t know...I’m genuinely not sure what counts as American food because the ones I know were influenced one way or another from other cuisines. Maybe burgers? I love me a juicy burger with brioche buns, caramelized onions, and a mayo-based sauce. Do you listen to popular music? Hahahaha, guilty pleasure. Do you dream of having two kids and maybe a dog? Yesssss. ...and living in a two-story house with a white picket fence? House yes; not so much on the fence. Fences aren’t the norm here; people have big-ass gates instead. ...and having a good job and saving for retirement? Why is this just an American thing? Isn’t this like a people thing? ....where you can retire to Florida and live on the beach? Florida was never my ideal home. Did you go to college? If so, what was your major? I’m in college atm. Journalism. Were you abused by your parents? Emotionally/mentally/verbally. Do you know any nice people? ???????? I do, but I’m starting to dislike how general life questions were all clumped into the American category as if the whole world lives an American-centric life. Anyway IT’S NOT THAT SERIOUS ROBYN MOVE ON How often do you bbq? What's your favorite ride at Cedar Point? Other What's the best family vacation you've been on? Palawan was amazing. It was a local vacation but it was so much good fun. What countries have you visited? My own; Japan, China, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia. What countries do you want to visit? Morocco, South Africa, Egypt, Canada, Peru, Malta, India, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia. Have you ever been to NYC? No. Do you live in a big city, small town, or other? Big city, but I live in the quiet, more suburban part of it so it feels small.

Do you live in the city or country? City. What is your favorite country besides your own? I never claimed that the Philippines was my favorite country hahahaha um I don’t have one. What country do you live in? The Philippines. What is your ancestry? Filipino, Malay, Austronesian, possibility of Spanish. Are you happy with the American government? Right now? It sucks. I only recognize and like AOC. What currency do you use? Philippine peso. Do you think you have an accent? Everyone has an accent. I don’t know why this is a question. Have you ever been told you have an accent? Sure.

#survey #surveys

[realtalk-princeton]

@Faun maybe the question wasn't submitted? just wanted to know more about life in Japan, especially culture (food, people) and language barrier

@faunJapan hey Faun, could you describe your experience in Japan? especially about the culture and people (and maybe safety)? thanks in advance :-)

Response from Faun:

Hey, sorry I’ve been away for a bit! Thanks for your question; I’ll do my best to answer it however I can. Just want to say in advance, all of this is based on my personal experience, so it could definitely vary for other people who have lived in/traveled to Japan. I am by no means an expert on Japanese culture, which in and of itself is hardly monolithic, so I’ll strive to avoid making uninformed, overgeneralized assertions about anything from my (outsider) perspective.

That being said, I think one general broad perception many people will have of Japan(ese culture) upon first arriving is the high emphasis on civility and order. Compared to countries such as the United States, Japan has a lot more organization and structure in nearly every facet of everyday life: buses always arrive on time, commuters queue up in perfect lines for the train, city streets are kept spotless and litter-free, etc. Furthermore, most people whom you meet (especially those who work in hospitality) will be extremely polite, from taxi drivers to restaurant servers to department store clerks—it’s very rare that you would encounter someone in Japan who is outwardly discourteous to you. A lot of this is derived from a sense of collectivism, which promotes group harmony and the good of the community above that of any one single person, that distinguishes Japan (as well as many other Asian countries) from some of the individualist cultures of the West. Nevertheless, I don’t think you can make any sweeping assumptions about how your interpersonal interactions with people in Japan will turn out before you actually get there.

For example, the first time I went to Japan, I lived in a fairly rural farming city in Fukuoka, which is located on the southernmost island of Kyushu, with an older couple without any children. They lived a pretty “traditional” Japanese lifestyle: their house had tatami mat flooring and sliding doors, they both took a bath after dinner every day, and we slept in futons on the ground in lieu of beds. I was only fifteen at the time, so being still a child I wasn’t really allowed to venture out too much on my own, but I remember enjoying the slow pace of summer life and the beautiful scenery of the Japanese countryside. I spent a lot of time with my host family and grew quite close to them, especially my host mother; we would pick vegetables from the garden and cook meals together, go on evening walks around the neighborhood after dinner, and sit in front of the television watching afternoon programs, me doing my homework while she folded the laundry. My host parents introduced me to a lot of local culture, bringing me to visit their family’s tea fields and taking me to various historical landmarks in the region. They weren’t super talkative, but in a way that was a plus, since it allowed me to slowly develop my comfort with the basics of the language as I lived with them. Overall, they demonstrated a lot of care for me, and I cherished them as if they were my own relatives.

In contrast, I had a somewhat harder time with my host family last year, when I participated in PII. I lived in the suburbs of Kanazawa, which is a moderately large coastal city, with a family of two parents and their two children, around my age. They had a much more “modern” lifestyle: their house was Western in style, located in a fairly new housing complex, both the father and the mother worked, and the family would take meals separately, depending on when they each came home from school or work. However, I had a more difficult time connecting with the individual members of the household; the children were usually out and about doing their own thing, and the father often came home rather late from work. I spent the most time with my host mother, but at first I had trouble adjusting to some of her stringent expectations of me—she would instruct me to put up my hair if I had it down, for example, or tell me to sit up straighter at the dinner table, and I wasn’t comfortable with such a familiar level of “parenting” in my relationship with a host family. Additionally, I struggled more with the language barrier this time around, even though I was much more advanced in Japanese at this point, likely because my host family thought I would be able to handle more complex grammar structures or vocabulary than I actually could given my current level. It wasn’t as if the family was rude or cold or anything like that; they were always kind and courteous to me, and we would also sometimes go on outings to restaurants or local cultural sites, which were pretty fun. Altogether, I just didn’t click as well with them as I did with my other host family (though in their defense, I was also severely depressed last summer so that probably played a part lol).

With regard to food, I feel like it varies so much depending on where you are, but there are a few staples that you can expect to find anywhere. In Kanazawa last year, my friends and I often ate soba, ramen, curry, etc. as well as boxed lunches (e.g. with rice, pork cutlet, etc.) that you can pick up from any convenience store. At home with my host family, my host mother would alternate between traditional Japanese breakfasts (with rice, miso soup, and some other side dishes) and more Western breakfasts (usually toast with jam and a cup of yogurt), and for dinner she’d either make something simple (like steamed fish or vegetables) or order some takeout. A lot of the foods you’d “typically” associate with Japan, like sushi or sukiyaki, are not commonly eaten on an everyday basis, and they might be different from what you’ve had outside of the country (Japanese sushi is a lot smaller and less convoluted than American sushi, for example!). Similarly, some Western chains in Japan will have different localized menus than what you might be used to, such as teriyaki burgers at McDonald’s or cherry blossom lattes at Starbucks. ALSO, the snacks and bottled beverages in Japan slap so hard—my favorites are definitely honey butter chips, kinoko no yama (lil choco mushrooms), oi ocha green tea, and c.c. lemon soft drink. All in all, some of my recommendations for food experiences in Japan include getting soba at a noodle stand (where you eat standing up), getting yakitori (chicken skewers) at an izakaya (a barlike setting where you can get late night snacks and drinks), and getting okonomiyaki (super delicious savory pancake, often cooked on a steel hotplate right in front of you) anywhere in Osaka (where it originated!).

In terms of safety, I’d say it also depends on where you go, but generally I found Japan to be a lot safer than the average city in the United States. When I was in Ishikawa last year, I would often go out on my own or with a group of friends, and very rarely did I feel any sense of unease while roaming the city of Kanazawa. I absolutely loved the freedom of wandering the streets late at night, something I never really got to experience growing up in the United States. One factor that helped was the accessibility of the public transportation in the area: there were tons of buses and trains whose maps and schedules were not difficult to follow, and in the worst case scenario I could always hail a taxi to reroute me to my destination. The language barrier wasn’t necessarily a hindrance at this stage of my time in Japan, but I would say that it’d probably be a lot harder to do some of the things I had to do, like reload a bus pass or buy bullet train tickets, if you didn’t understand/speak some degree of survival Japanese. However, I do want to acknowledge some of the privilege I have as an individual of East Asian descent traveling around Japan; because I often “passed” for a Japanese native (as long as I kept my mouth shut lmao), I rarely got any looks or stood out when I was making my way through my daily routine. I will say though, there was one time that I genuinely did feel unsafe in Japan, which took place not in Kanazawa but in Osaka, a much larger city that I had visited for vacation with a group of friends: I had gone out late on my own (while wearing a nice dress), and an older man had come up to me and tried to follow me back to where I was staying, but I eventually lost him by ducking into a restaurant bathroom. So in general, I don’t consider Japan to be dangerous for the most part, though again it never hurts to be vigilant, especially in a big city.

Wow that was a lot—I hope that was able to address at least some of the things you were asking about! I want to stress once again that my thoughts are by no means the final say on all things Japanese, and also emphasize that Japan and its culture cannot be simply boiled down into one homogenous description. Please feel free to reach out if there’s anything else more specific you would like to hear about (especially with such a broad topic as culture, there’s so much more to talk about, e.g. activities, etiquette, traditions, holidays, etc.)—I’d be happy to answer whatever I can given my own body of knowledge. Ultimately, I’m hoping that this helped to provide you with an initial sketch of Japan, and that you’ll be able to fill in the picture with your own travels there someday! :)

[sakurar0se]

My Monthly Favorites - March/April 2020 Favorite Products

by Rosy Day Blog

I've added some new and old products to my routine between March and April so I've decided to combine my favorites from those two months. Sometimes you don't realize how much you like a product until you give it a second chance (or re-introduce it back into your routine). My point is a favorite is still a favorite whether old or new.

Disclosure:

I bought all of these products with my own money from various websites. I was not given anything in exchange for reviewing any of these products. I enjoy doing product reviews to share my own experiences with the product and hope someone finds it useful. I do not work for any of the brands featured here or any of the online stores I bought them from. » View All Monthly Favorites

All-in-One Pads

Peach & Lily Lazy Day Moisture Pads

This isn't a new favorite (it was my favorite exactly a year ago in 2019), however with COVID-19 lockdowns/restrictions going on all over the world right now - I crave a more simple routine. Especially since there's no point in piling on so many products on your face when you're just going to cover it up with a face mask anyway. And those face masks can be hard to breathe sometimes if you wear them for a prolonged period of time. A couple times I've gotten a pimple around the area where my face mask is rubbing against. These moisture pads make it feel like you had a refreshing sheet mask or a multi-step routine without necessarily using an actual sheet mask or having a multi-step routine. Also, even though we have more time during quarantine life, sometimes we still get lazy and want "the quickest way to a complete routine" - and for my oily/combo skin, this is pretty much it. Now more dry types might feel a bit naked so they might want to top it off with moisturizer, but oilier types (especially now that the weather is warming up) can get away with using just this product during the day after cleansing. These Peach & Lily pads are a lot more moisturizing than I expected. It’s not like it’s only a few pads that are soaking wet - every single pad seems evenly wetted down. Also, the pads never dry out while I’m wiping my face. Sometimes when you use a cheap quality pad product, it seems to dry out faster than you can get to the rest of your face. After one round on my face, the pad is still moist enough for me to do a second round (if I wanted to LOL). These are also perfect for using prior to makeup application. Interesting ingredients include spinach (antioxidants), carrot (sun damage protection & anti-aging), broccoli (detoxify & anti-inflammatory), cabbage (anti-oxidant & anti-inflammatory), kale (reduce dark circles & tighten skin), pomegranate (anti-aging & strengthens skin), peach (fatty acids & firming), and prickly pear (hydrating & fatty acids). Final Rating = 5/5 (For those who are into all-in-one products these are quite possibly one of the best). » Buy Product

Brightening + Smoothing Serum

Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum

This was actually one of my favorite products of 2018 (the year this product was released). However this serum was so popular at the time of its release, that it kept getting sold out and I never had the chance to repurchase. While I did give it a 4/5 back then, because I couldn't repurchase, naturally I started using other serums and completely forgot about this. I recently overdid it with vitamin C and 10% niacinamide (don't combine the two unless you know your skin doesn't react to the combination). I wanted a serum that brightened my skin as well as have some soothing properties. Now that this serum isn't constantly selling out, I've decided to go back to this and you know what? I think I love this even more now than I did back then. You probably won't appreciate this product as much if you're already hitting it hard with actives but as someone who is pretty much omitting a dedicated vitamin c serum and high percentage (10%) niacinamide from her routine, this still gently and effectively brightens my skin with 2% niacinamide. A high percentage is not everything if it's going to irritate your face in the long run. This also helps with redness and irritation to a certain extent. Overall my skin looks nice and healthy again. I do wish this had stronger firming and redness reducing properties, but overall this is a great serum that really tackles a bunch of different issues. Not everyone will be impressed but if you have similar skin issues like me, this is definitely worth a try. With the Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum, I feel like I get that “freshly exfoliated” look every day. This serum contains Peach & Lily’s properietary hyaluronic acid complex which according to them a “…blend of short-chain, medium-chain and long-chain hyaluronic acid molecules helps provide hydration at every level of skin; short-chain molecules sink into the deeper layers, while medium-chain molecules fill in the layers closer to the surface of the skin, and long-chain molecules lock in moisture on the skin’s surface so that skin is plumped up from within while the outer layer becomes radiant.” Other interesting ingredients include niacinamide (brightening & balancing), peach extract (fatty acids & firming), East Asian mountain yam (fighting collagen loss & reducing skin flakiness), madecassoide/beta-glucan (anti-inflammatory & collagen synthesis), and peptides (firming). Final Rating = 4.75/5 (This might not be for you if you're already using actives but it's a great alternative for similar effects at a slower pace for sensitive skin) » Read My Full Review (originally posted in 2018) » Buy Product

Anti-Aging/Retinol Treatment

The INKEY List Retinol Anti-Aging Serum

As part of incorporating more gentle products into my routine, this is probably the gentlest retinol product I've ever used (without necessarily using the retinol alternative bakuchiol). This time released retinol combined with squalane, really makes you not notice that you've been using retinol on your face. By that I mean I don't have to deal with irritation or extreme dryness and peeling, often associated with using retinol every night. I've never really been able to use retinol every night for these reasons, but with this product, I easily can. Glow Recipe also makes a good retinol product but sometimes I feel like the retinol and PHA combo makes it a tad strong for me to use everyday (I can probably use it every other day without issues). The only bad thing I have to say about this product is that for some, it might be "too gentle" in that you might question if it's really working. I only really use retinol for preventative measures so aside from all the irritation and dryness, I actually never really see that much anti-aging effects. It's more like something that exfoliates and keeps my acne away, LOL. So I can't really say that "stronger" retinol products necessarily have a better effect for me - they're just more irritating if anything. This is also probably the cheapest retinol you can buy, making it a great starter to retinol as well. Final Rating = 4/5 (Unless you like your retinol on the stronger side of course). » Buy Product

Antioxidant Moisturizer

Peach & Lily Matcha Pudding Antioxidant Cream

I have to admit, I didn't think that much of this moisturizer when I first used it since there was another similar moisturizer that I enjoyed using more at the time. However this actually has quite a bit going for it. Yes it is a bit basic in that it doesn't really have any strong brightening or firming/anti-wrinkle properties. It does have matcha green tea (a great antioxidant and for protecting your skin). It's also a nice medium weight pudding-like texture. It might not be ideal for oily skin, but it's good for normal to dry (drier types might still want something heavier for night though). What I love about this lately is that it plays nicely with the rest of my routine and even though it's medium weight, it doesn't make my combo skin breakout (though with the weather warming up I might have to use this at night). For me, it provides sufficient enough moisture that my face (around the eye area and smile lines) don't look all sunken in by the end of the day. The older that I get, the more that I look for moisturizers to plump and firm my face even if they're just temporarily flooding it with moisture (still a good thing). Lots of moisturizers aren't hydrating enough for aging skin that you actually do look a bit crepey at the end of the day. Final Rating = 3.5/5 (It might not "do much" but it's gentle and sufficiently hydrates while providing antioxidant protection). » Buy Product

Multi-Tasking Lip Product

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Lip Pop

At first this does seem like an expensive lip product. However if you're like me who can't use the majority of (often cheaper) lip products without just as, if not having drier than before - Glow Recipe has created like the perfect product for you and me. I want a good lip scrub, lip balm, and tinted color and this product does all 3 making it perfect for traveling and even lazy days when you just want to consolidate your lip routine (if you have other lip products you still use). I never use lip scrub anymore because this does a great job at keeping my lips hydrated. My lip lines are even less noticeable the longer I wear this. I do try to only wear this during the day because of the tint, however when I'm too lazy to scoop out product from my Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, just a few quick swipes of this is sufficient before I go to sleep. I mostly sleep on my back by the way, so I never worry about getting product on my pillow/blanket. I think that if you use this every day, this product should last you at least 2 months. It's been about 2 months since I first got this product and I still have some left. If you use this sometimes, then it should definitely last 3 months or so. It's a good value and despite the price, it lasts pretty long and can replace multiple products. You barely notice that it's exfoliating your lips, who wants to go back to a messy lip scrub? Final Rating = 5/5 (Glow Recipe put a lot of thought into this - I've never thought of a 3-in-1 lip product before). » Buy Product

Scented Hand Soap

Raw Sugar Liquid Hand Soap Watermelon + Mint

If you're looking for a cruelty free and vegan hand soap (and also love the smell of watermelon), look no further than this one from Raw Sugar. Normally I don't spend much on hand soap nor do I look at more "fancy" hand soap brands. However since COVID-19, there has been a shortage on all the cheaper hand soaps so I've started looking elsewhere. I love anything watermelon (thanks to Glow Recipe and their watermelon line). This was no exception - it's smells like watermelon with hints of mint and it smells so good. It makes me look forward to washing my hands, LOL. While I didn't think this was super moisturizing at first, I think it is working because overtime, I noticed my hands weren't as dry from the constant washing. Right now as I'm typing this, I haven't even applied any moisturizer or hand cream to my hands and they're still not dry or crepey looking. According to Raw Sugar, they use cold pressed plant-based nutrients and organic aloe vera, olive fruit, shea butter, and jojoba oils to hydrate. The mint is anti-inflammatory while the watermelon adds antioxidants. This hand soap sounds about a good as a nourishing face wash. I will definitely repurchase this as soon as it runs out. Also important to note, Raw Sugar donates a bar of soap to a family in need for every product purchased. I can definitely get behind beauty brands that make thoughtful products while also performing thoughtful acts. Final Rating = 5/5 (If you don't mind paying for "bougie" hand soap - this is definitely quality). » Buy Product

Dry Wash Spray

Love Home & Planet Rose Petal & Murumuru Re-Wear Dry Wash Spray

I've never heard of a dry wash spray before, but I quickly found multiple uses for this product. This is basically a product to quickly refresh clothing or accessories that are not quite ready to be thrown in the washer just yet. This is definitely useful for things you might wear more than once in a week, such as jackets or accessories. Or if you want to quickly refresh a piece of clothing that you haven't worn in awhile. With its anti-odor technology, it does smell like fresh roses but isn't powering. It also really helps get the wrinkles out of clothes. I haven't tried this on a work/dress shirt, but I had a sweater that was super wrinkled after I took it out of the dryer. I sprayed this all over, smoothed the sweater down a bit and then hung it to air dry. When I checked it later, the wrinkles were all gone. Definitely a life saver when you're constantly battling with wrinkly clothes. Sometimes my clothes start wrinkling faster out of the dryer than I can hang them all up back in my closet. I will always keep this product around! Final Rating = 5/5 (Worth it if you plan to use it like I do above - plus it will last a long time if you just only use it as needed). » Buy Product If you have any questions about any of the products above, please let me know. Photo Credits: Peach & Lily/Sephora/Target

#monthly favorites #skincare reviews #peach & lily #peach & lily collection #lazy day moisture pads #glass skin refining serum #the inkey list #retinol anti-aging serum #matcha pudding antioxidant cream #glow recipe #watermelon glow lip pop #raw sugar #liquid hand soap watermelon + mint #love home & planet #hair body care #brightening #firming #hydration #oily pores #redness irritation