shaft

 

piano

Two very different manga I've been enjoying:

On the wholesome side: Kaoru Hana wa Rin to Saku. A very heart warming high school romance, gives the very needed dose of warm fuzzies. There was a comment saying how the romance feels unrealistic, but I feel the exact opposite. It's not contrived, characters are straightforward in their actions and feelings while retaining a realistic amount of insecurities. 

On the darker side: Trash Belongs in the Trash Can. This is like Cheese in the Trap but like with working adults and darker. Very satisfying to peel back the layers of the male & female lead (and supporting characters to an extent) and get closer to discovering their true motivations. 

The Drowning Brand

 My retainer is slowly but surely going to bring me all the shadowless / ktiseos gear, I truly do not want to farm Hero's Gauntlet for the maiming body piece ;o; But first, yes another dnc glam with the hades weapon. Quite happy with how the buttons on the ishgardian thighboots match the yorha type-53 aiming body. 

odessa

I think my Max Mara coat will definitely be my favourite purchase of the year despite getting it in February, but the Nanushka trousers are very likely to be a close second. Been hearing good reviews of their faux leather quality and boy is the hype real. It's soft but like the inside is also soooo soft, feels great against bare skin, and somewhat temperature regulating (like it feels warm against skin when its cold out, but cool when it's warmer out). Quite happy with the cut of it, length is great for flats and heels, width is nicely loose throughout. I do wish the rise is higher so the elastic waist isn't sitting right on my stomach, long torso problems sigh.

ash

Some thoughts that ran through my head in week 2 of break:

I don't know what I expected to find when all the work stress is stripped away? Some intact part to build back up upon? It's like I've trudged the bottom of a pond expecting to find a nice solid concrete slab (or like bedrock at least) but its mud all the way down (as far as I can currently tell). 

Not sure what word to describe the unsettling feeling, maybe like this quotation on an One Piece wallpaper I've had for a long time: "the me sitting here and the image I have of me are out of sync"

Or maybe it feels like I'm holding myself back, to my benefit or detriment no idea. 

Still sorting through insurance stuff. Really not what I want to deal with despite the objectively not that complicated nor involved admin procedures. 

BECK's soundtrack is real comforting. I scrolled through a bunch of older posts to find where I previously posted about it (movie, manga 0 / 1 / 2 / 3) and this quotation from Before Sunrise is also super comforting (the nostalgia that comes with this is a mixed bag tho):

I believe if there's any kind of God it wouldn't be in any of us, not you or me but just this little space in between. If there's any kind of magic in this world it must be in the attempt of understanding someone sharing something. I know, it's almost impossible to succeed but who cares really? The answer must be in the attempt.

Beastars

I finaaaaally got around to reading this (while gathering from legendary nodes, so much materials needed for the full 6.3 set omg) and it does live up to its reputation. It's a very bold story, pretty much continuously throwing an aspect of human/beast nature and its conflict with peaceful coexistence at your face. That's not to say the pacing isn't good, its in fact phenomenal with a good mix of intimate moments and larger action. The characters are also great, love that Louis and most of the antagonists are so fleshed out. 

Surprised that there's so little fanart of the series on danbooru tho, but I still have many favourites haha. Sources: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 /  6 / 7 / 8

isolated plateau

It has also been a really long time since I played a single player rpg, think the last one was Bravely Second?

So far loving the shrine puzzles and background art style of Breath of the Wild. Boar hunting on the other hand, bane of my existence. 

tender

It has been a really long time since I took a photo of my cooking. But making my dad's meatball soup is always comforting. 

Here's hoping more flights to China gets restored so I can visit family this year with a redemption welp.

hanayashiki ukifune-en

Finally finished my very first design in my fc room. Motivated heavily by missing the time I stayed beside the Uji river and drank sencha by the open window with rain falling. 

lava tube

Finally managed to use this body piece in a glam after getting it at about when my whm was 50. 

Very happy with the sch relic step 2.

romaine

When I finally muster up the willpower to get chores done, they actually give me the perfect dose of satisfaction. 

...

Related, I've forgotten that stir fried lettuce with oyster sauce is sooo good, incredible taste to effort ratio. 

stormy

Plearn is my favourite cafe?? 

cabin of curiosity

Younger me would be soooo into dark academia, and enjoying it via ff is not bad either:

sejak

 A few days into my leave and I'm discovering the following challenges:

I have a brief list of things I want to spend time on (play Breath of the Wild, learn/practice French, some FF14 stuff like max melding the newest DoH/DoL gear, and start weights/strength training at some frequency) and I'm actively trying to not jump into those like its a to-do list to complete asap. Not doing things is hard welp. 

I don't know why I keep trying to not consume caffeine on days that I get "enough" sleep. The lack of energy / focus is still very apparent. Must I brew less strong tea welp.

In other news, starting drinking my green teas because I want spring to be here already. 

where the dry return

 Things I found doing fates:

Hell's Lid

Been a while since I did a gpose session for a glam, mostly because I am neglecting leveling jobs. Did just get SAM to 70 so I can access Hell's Lid on explorer mode ahaha, was stubborn about this location for this glam. It's also been a while since I kept battle effects on, the snow-y effect of yukikaze does a lot to balance the red/purple of the background. 

weld

 The one brief moment where I felt real good about work in recent memory, these are some fine redlines: