Personal Note: My Weekend in California

I spent the last weekend back in California. This trip was not an easy one to make. I left on Friday morning—following a string midterms before—exhausted, sleepy, and worried about the unfinished paperwork that needed to be done already and that still came ahead. The flight stopped briefly in Hong Kong before completing its fifteen hours in the air. Fortunately, the ride was a comfortable one with both plenty of room and good companionship; it is not often I have conversations with another passenger on one side, or have an empty seat on the other. Customs, however, is as insufferable as ever.

Once I arrived in San Francisco, I was immediately greeted by the cold air and warm company. I spent the next few days snuggled up in sweaters and blankets. It was easy to push away any serious thoughts, and simply relax and bath in the ambience and Spanish, country-inspired decor of my sister’s home.

Saturday morning, I went with my brother to the farmer’s market in downtown Palo Alto, where we picked up some greens and some grapes, and where we stood under the chilly, sunny sky listening to a few quick tunes of a street band—an ensemble of guitar, violin, and accordion. We then sat down with a friend at a local café. We wrote out a menu and picked up a few more grocery items we needed before parting. That night, a delectable vegetarian four-course meal was had, and my family and I delighted in the presence of my brother’s special guest.

I slept through most of Sunday. I really needed that long, long rest. I also did some things and met some people.

On Monday, my sister drove my brother and me to get a few gifts for friends and family in Taiwan. After lunch, my brother went back to school, while my sister and I looked for a particular sensual massage oil and strawberry flavored cream. Then, I accompanied my sister to a luxurious salon in downtown Saratoga. The place is beautiful, and my sister’s hair, adorable. When the sunset, we spent the evening at a vibrant, lush shopping mall.

I missed the bay dearly—its European veneer, Bohemian moxie, and gorgeous streets. The weekend getaway was a much desired and subtly-necessary moment to unwind before diving back into the fast-paced lifestyle of Taipei and of a medical student.

A Short Discourse on Centaur Wardrobe

With a looming busy academic and traveling schedule—papers, exams, shopping, flying, and all that—let us just horse around a bit and have some light fun tonight.

My recent fascination with centaurs all started with an innocuous question from a friend, 2DT, “Do you prefer your centaur girls to wear skirts over their entire horse rumps, or just at the end of their human waists?” In a follow-up tweet, 2DT identifies the core of the question: whether centaur private parts ought to be treated with the same social decorum as human private parts.

When 2DT asked the question, I had just started reading this adorable manga, Centaur’s Worries. Centaur’s Worries goes into incredible depth of a mythical world populated by a hodgepodge of various “humans” ranging from centaurs to angels. The themes that arise and are discussed within each chapter are surprisingly intelligent, and can often be allegories for issues we face. Sexuality—and how young women deal with it—is one of those.

Below is my response, inspired by Centaur’s Worries, to the curious question of centaur wardrobe. The discourse assumes that the fantastic centaur culture is integrated into a global culture similar to our own.

K-On! (Movie) Review – The Denouement of Two Seasons

On  a quiet afternoon a fortnight or two ago, I watched the once much anticipated K-On! movie; once anticipated, because it has been over a year—ages for fans with fickle memories—since I last saw its parent series. Still, the watch is comfortable, and perhaps even a bit too comfortable. The movie, devoid of heavy emotive impact, prefers relaxing blandness to poignancy.

The unremarkable everyday is not boring per se. Indeed, I have always loved the lazy atmosphere K-On! evokes. A cup of tea, a few jokes, some cuteness—these are enough effort to put into these tough days. The subdued pacing is perfect the type of slice-of-life series K-On! is. The film version—Yui, Ritsu, Mio, and Mugi go on a pre-graduation trip to London—portrays this easiness of life beautifully. That the pristine animation and details are flawless help as well.

Last Exile: Fam, the Silver Wing

Back in the summer of 2006, right at the cusp of my growing anime interest—which is a fun tale in and of itself—I chanced upon Last Exile. The anime impressed. It soared at a scale above many of its peers. Several years later, a sequel was released—Last Exile: Fam, the Silver Wing. It played on the nostalgia and fond memories of the open skies, and I set out for the clouds.

Successful Dress: Joshiraku’s Personality Costuming

by AJtheFourth.

Joshiraku’s colorful five

Regardless of what one decides to wear, and regardless of whether one is actively aware of it or not, one projects an image to those who see them. Without ever speaking, one’s clothing informs passersby of one’s personality, likes, dislikes, and even most base of nature. In “real life” so to speak, one uses clothing as a signifier of personality; however, identifying another person relies on other visual cues, namely build, height, weight, facial features, etc. These connections happen instantly and without notice.