Bento Box Life

(I remembered what I was going to do)
So I said before how I was making bento boxes for lunch every Wednesday. Since however, I have lost a piece, I will put the pictures of my past bentos.
So the box I use is two tiered, with two compartments on the top one and a divider on the bottom that separates the rice from the main dish (This is the piece that went missing)
This is the second box I made. I'm having problems with the picture aligning so bear with me. Even though the lunch I have posted isn't the best, I did finish all of it and it's healthier than a slice of greasy pizza or God-knows-what the school lunches put together.

This is the top with the two compartments. The empty on held my bunny
apples (apple slices in the form of bunnies) with cinnamon, while the full
Compartment has cookies.

                                                      As you can see, I have the rice with the main course (Bread). The center of the rice is                actually a raisin. I know it sounds bad, but it's better then it sounds

Here is one picture and one video.

Looking through my past posts, I can't find which pictures I promised to put up, so I'll browse through my pictures and post them as I see fit.

Hey, it's a cool rose

This video was from the Beltaine concert during the summer. I had to clap so ignore the shaking.

Updated The Look of my blog

Since I was bored with just putting more songs on my iPod, I decided to mess with the look of my blog. I think it did work with no problems so far. Just to make things clear now, I did take the picture at the title. I took nearly 50 similar ones. It was one day after club sometime in December around 4:00.
That reminds me, I should get the other pictures I've been promising to put up. Yay, new post on the same day! Haven't had that for a while!

Spring Break!!!!!

Nya~ It's already almost half over too! I have had hours of just typing and I am finally controlling which way the story goes! And for once the story is listening! Except stories always go on much longer than you expect. *Sigh* Even my little precious, Traitor, if giving me trouble. UnWanted and Social Shut-In are slowly coming together as short stories, which makes me really proud of them. Except when I get an idea at 2 am and fall asleep before I can write it down. I will remember it though!
Lately though I have been distracted by a new anime I want to finish watching. I started watching it ages ago and decided to actually finish it. It's called Shugo Chara! and it's so shoujo! That means it's made for really little kids, or just girls. It's cutesy but, hey, It's got a good plot and it's good for lazy all day watching. It's long though. About 127 episodes. But I can read the manga afterwards since it's completed!
Anything else?.....
Oh, I went of to Ishy's house and we played Soul Caliber 5! Actually, Chia was supposed to be on to see if I could beat him with my button mashing technique. Except for the first time, he wasn't on the X-Box at all. So I made my own outfit for Leixia, who is the only character I play, and now she looks like a ninja! I liked making the outfit way to much, though. And arguing with Ishy on which colour works with the patterns (Remember he is slightly colour blind). I actually am getting the hang of doing the combo attacks without button mashing. Oh and throwing Ishy out of the ring. That's the most fun, especially when I'm about to lose and all of a sudden "Ring Out". Muahahaha~
I think that's about it. Tomorrow is our Goodwill Road-trip to find the Butler outfit that I swore I would get him in. I shall prevail!
So ciao for now! Or as my Hetalian namesake would say, Hasta la Pasta!

Got to Love My Friends!

Apart from them being as weird (or even weirder) then your's truly, they leave you with so many memorable moments.
Like what happened of Friday:
I was walking home since it has been a while, I needed the exercise and Ishymaru had invited me over to play Kingdom Hearts (Yay for Button mashing!). Because our dear friend Mary (Squirrel), who normally rides my bus, is claustrophobic, hates people (except her friends), and doesn't really like loud, annoying people on our bus, she decided to walk with us to keep us company. So we were having fun trying to avoid "becoming a pancake" (her favourite line when we are on the road with no sidewalk, she and I had noticed this bright orange flag on the roof of one house that was on the hill that basically looms over the whole valley. We stopped at a safe spot and made sure we were talking about the same flag-thing. Of course, we were determined that Ishymaru sees it too.
So both me and Squirrel kept giving Ishymaru directions to the flag ("See that tree right in front of us? Look just above it. It's bright orange!") Because of us being very stubborn, we wouldn't leave until he saw that flag-thing.
I forgot what the actual line was, but after a while I got so annoyed, I shouted out "How is that possible? It's a bloody bright orange flag!" I forgot what his response was, I think it was along the lines of "I just can't find it". Well he finally found the flag and as we were leaving I remembered something aloud. "Oh yeah, forgot you were colourblind."
Yeah, I do feel very blonde sometimes. But that doesn't compare to what happened half an hour or so later. We made it to the sidewalk area and were right at the middle of a long block. Course I was zoning out (I think I was thinking about how much I like walking in my boots) and I was brought back by the unmistakable sound of a Harley. Just as it roared past, I was saying something about how I miss riding on a motorcycle just as my foot got caught on a one inch difference from one block of concrete to the next.
You know that one thought that goes through your head as you're falling? Mine was "Oh crap. They're gonna tease me about tripping while paying attention to a Harley. Damn. This is gonna sting-" *THUMP*
All that in a split second! Squirrel had seen the whole trip and fall thing and was more worried than what I expected (She told me later that she breaks bones with a fall like that.) and Ishymaru made sure I rested just a bit before I continued the walk. My only injuries at the time was scrape on my knee and my left palm missing a lot of skin from the heel. Of course my right hand only sprained slightly due to the instinct of a writer to save the dominant hand.
But throughout the time, till Squirrel broke off to go to her house, made sure I was looking down while I was walking. She didn't trust me anymore to look up and walk. You know you have done well when one of your best friends doesn't trust you to walk without watching.
So just an update I forgot to mention yesterday. I had told both Squirrel and Ishymaru that I would post the flag story on here and I felt that I should also talk about my oh-so-wonderful coordination.
So Ciao for now, I want to finish another short story by the end of this week. It's a huge jump considering I just started a new short called HiKiKoMoRi SoCiAl ShUt-In. The caps are on purpose since it does play a role in the story. It's going to be longer than Song From A Music Box but hopefully shorter than UnWanted, again the italics and bolded is on purpose.
Ciao for Now!

Back from My corner Of Mourning

What is this? What is this round yellow thing in the sky? It gives off beautiful warmth, yet hurts to look at.
I am back from the abyss known as Sakura-con mourning. Sigh....Anyway, I should update....If I could....my cat is on my lap. Heavy cat!!!! He is on my lap/legs doing that kneading thing with his claws digging into my knees.
Ah! Sweet freedom! So what to write about other than school, since I did finish all projects (I feel like teachers actually call each other to make sure everything is due at once).
I talked with my cousin today! She messaged me and we chatted for a bit over me coming over in the summer. She's already 14! Enough to even make me feel old. Can't wait for this summer!! Need something to look forward to.
Oh! I got a penpal I write to. I need to send her letter off today. Promised to do it on Wednesday. She's from South Korea and asked if I wanted to send snail mail back and forth. Then the one from California. I like writing snail mail so much, except my hand is getting writer's cramp much more often. I hope they get their letter's soon. Makes me excited!
So what else? I still have two weeks till I see if I win a writing contest I entered in February. It's such an agonizing wait! I entered three poems and my first completed short story. This is the first time I actually entered in a writing contest so I'm really nervous and anxious. I want to know the results now!!
Anything else I should update everybody on....I could tell everybody the results of my lovely survey (Two bloody hours of walking) but I'm too lazy at the moment.
Besides, there are unguarded cookies downstairs and who knows who long it is until the next guard changes! Onward! Forwards to our goal! For The Cookies! Ciao for now!

Sad Tidings....Very Sad

I wish I posted this under better news, but alas, 'tis not so.
 I was staying at school for a sociology project (more news on that later)with Spain, Ishy, Ash, and (oh boy, a new name!) Carolina, the Italian exchange student. As Carolina and I just finished wrapping up our project results, I remembered that I needed to ask Spain on some info on our trip to Sakura-con (As I have been ranting on about for ages).
She had a weird look on her face and asked me if I was going to hurt her. Asking her why, but receiving no answer, I asked Ishy to hold me back and asked again. She said we may not be going to Seattle. Asking (very calming actually) why, she said it was because of grades. Here is now our conversation, paraphrased slightly.
Spain: It's because of grades.
Me: You're a freaking senior! How is it because of grades?
Spain: I get behind-
Me: Even I'm not that behind yet!
Spain: Well it's also due to money.
Me: Well you recently said you got a hundred so how much do you have?
Spain: About $200.
Me: And we need about $300...
Spain: Yeah...
Me: *sigh* Can't you take out a loan with or parents or something?
Spain: No...We're saving the money for college- Oh come one please don't cry!
Me: I'm not gonna cry.
Spain: Please don't cry, I'll feel really guilty!
Me: *Wipes eyes and looks up*
Spain: Now that face is really making me feel bad!
Me: Eehhh....

   At this point she hugged me and I cried just a little bit more. As Ishy was here for a backrest (since we only found a bench to do our work) he let me use his shoulder for a pillow for a little. After this, we raised our spirits by her saying that "Now you have to move to Austria!"
We are still going to make our "Boss Spain and Chibi-Romano Making Churros" video. So that is one thing to look forward to as is my Frankenstein monologue I'm doing for a school project.
So let me wallow in some of my sorrow as I try to recover some of my happy Usagi-ness. (Yes that is a word!)
So ciao for now....

Manga......Damnit....

As many of you out there may know by now, I really like manga and anime (I'm acting president of anime club, no duh!), so a large portion of my internet (and basically every other second of my) life is devoted to reading complete scanlations online.
So it seems that even after reading countless mangas, I still get so emotional over the story/character/drams plot-line. It seems that I will have to keep a box of tissues next to me at all times!
The manga that sparked this new post is called Koko ni Iru yo!. It's one of those I find by just going from one manga to the next (they sometimes turn out to be the best!) and it was completed (Huge plus when searching for a quick read. No tense waiting....Like Cage of Eden).
Koko ni Iru yo! drew me in quick fast since it's about this girl who is ignored in her school but has this blog where she has two good friends who comment all the time. I like how it's one of those Slice-of-Life stories that are really believable. I love cheering on the guy characters that the main girl is always caught between (yet I always cheer for the one the main character doesn't pick...Hm)
I really love how Koko ni Iru yo! shows a lot of panels with the blog. It makes me want to see if the manga I'm creating with Spain (update on that soon!) could incorporate stuff like that.
So if you want to read this manga (it has a long name), here is a link.  http://manga.animea.net/koko-ni-iru-yo-.html  And if you start thinking I'm sappy cause I start crying at something like this, I'll smack you! I really feel for the main characters. Let the Otaku have her moments, and she will seem normal again soon! So ciao for now, I want to finish it up and I only have twenty minutes now!

Life is all "pink and fluffy"

And the reason for that is that finals are finally over! And I passed every class (even if just barely). With new classes that I feel a lot more confidant in. Like computer animation (though the program crashed twice on me) and sociology (I made new friends! One is from Italy). I can now relax for about two days until it's back to work. Now on to the important stuff.
Tea!
I have been drinking tea every day at school. Those are mostly my normal green tea in those convenient little pouches (it's almost all gone). Due to a present I got from Teavana (new heaven on Earth) I have been drinking a white Ayurvedic Chai tea. Now I have learned that white chai has a very weak flavor after adding in the milk (which you add before pouring in the tea). It's not the milk's fault since the main flavor has a very high spice note and it overwhelms the main flavor (plus, I like sweet tea and having the sweetness compete with the spice is not very pleasant). I have solved this problem by steeping the tea for longer and for using around 2.4 teaspoons instead of 1.5. About two to three teaspoons of sugar and a good dollop of milk and the white tea is good! (Remember to have hot water at around the temperature as stated in directions.)
The Samurai Mate Chai hasn't been used as much do to the fact the water needs to be hotter and that there is caffeine in that one. Needs more suger than the Ayurvedic but good when doing last minute finals (Real last minute....).
That's all for the Tea Update for today! I hope to get more tea (that isn't chai) soon like the Moroccan Mint or Sakura Allure. The Sakura Allure brews a cool red colour!
Extra Note: Sorry if I ever type in chia instead of chai. I try to be careful with that.
Ciao for now!

I know, I know but here are some other updates!

I've been such a terrible blogger since I've been really busy lately. The second part of Debate With Myself will be up as soon as I have time because those posts take longer to type out for me. For now, here's an update on what's been going on!

Sakura-con planning: Slow yet steady is the plan for now. Since we couldn't find a third person, Spain is looking for cheaper hotels nearby with just us two. Our main costumes are almost done, mine just needs some tailoring on the shirt. There is a masquerade ball at Sakura-con (I may have mentioned that), and Spain said she had some ideas for it.

About my Clubs: Haven't talked about them for a while since it's been mostly smooth sailing. Self Defense Club is getting easier to remember all the moves yet I still seem to suck at backwards tumbles.... Fail.... Anime Club is a hell of a lot more reigned in than last year and my Freshie does up my hair in a new style each time while watching Blue Exorcist. International Club has changed the most. Since I miss a lot of days due to appointments, I haven't really been to a lot of them, but the idea we had was to make bracelets and stuff like that for Christmas to raise money, but so many other clubs and fundraisers were going on. {Some background you may need for the next section: Last year's President was my ex-boyfriend and because he didn't want me to be president, he left a different person in charge who has only been in the club for a few months while I have been at club when it was still German club. I was supposed to have been Vice-president, as that was my role for two years, but because of play practice, a friend of the now President's was chosen who has only been in the club for a month or two. The president was the one who had the idea to raise money for Love Inc. Back to normal line} The President had to move to a new city and left her VP in charge. But after the President of club left, the VP also left because she had no interest in our club and didn't really care if we raised any money for anything. The one day I had come back, I had brought my whole group of friends with me to help make bracelets when I learned that we no longer had any leader. While working on printing my Aerobics final as Freshie is hated by all computers at the school, I talking it over with Frau and after gathering all that we needed for selling the bracelets, she had put my name on the form since it seemed I was really apt at getting people to stop playing around (Experience for anime club). So now I'm the President after 3 years of being VP! Yay!

Bento Box Diary!!!!: After getting my blue bunny bento box for Christmas, I have been working on the art of making bentos each Wednesday. (For those who don't know: Bentos are Japanese lunch boxes. Google it. Pretty impressive) Since I kinda suck at cooking, it'll be very basic and I will post pictures and ideas. I have a slightly small bento box though so it'll be hard to come up with new ideas on food I can make in a hour and that I don't have to microwave (Box isn't microwave safe).

Tea Making Diary!!: My sis got me a bunch of lose leaf tea and since I am already a tea maniac, what better to do than make a journal about my learning about tea!

Long post but covered a lot as well. I better go now as I just got whipped cream on my bracelet. Chocolate cake and whipped cream! For the win!! Ciao for now!

A Debate With Myself

Those who are very observant will see that this post has the label of "World Issues". That is because I think it is time to post my own opinion of something you see a lot now, and if it may offend some people, I am sorry. This is my blog where I post what is on my mind, and this issue is on my mind a lot now.
The issue of my rant is when children (I'm talking "tweens" and younger) are being shown in ads and very relieving clothes and make-up being targeted directly at them. Is kind of like the "How young is too young?" issue.
What brought this to my attention is I website I subscribed to called Care2.com. It's a website with stories like "Six New Panda Cubs Released Into Wild" or the issue with pit bulls. The website is also a place to sign petitions which will go to the right government senator when is has enough signatures. I read it for heartwarming stories of pets returning to owners after 6 years, wildlife news, pro-life vs pro-choice debates, the whole Occupy stuff now, and about LGBT info (My friend is very into LGBT rights. [If you don't know what LGBT is it: Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender] I am in the Gay-Straight Alliance in school but I can't show-up to the meeting because they are on the same day as Self Defense).
Lately some stories that pop up are of Child Brides in Afghanistan/Middle East and some Stories that have to do with Child Right/Issues (Ex: "10-year old in Mexico gives birth", "Child Bride Tortured" [True titles of stories read]).
I clicked on the story which read "Nappy Barbie To Promote Self Esteem" http://www.care2.com/causes/nappy-barbie-to-promote-self-esteem.html because I like those kind of stories which are heartwarming. On the bottom of the page there were links to other related pages but one kind of stuck out which was "French Designer Releases Sexy “Loungerie” For Young Girls"

http://www.care2.com/causes/french-designer-releases-sexy-loungerie-for-young-girls.html (I'm keeping the links in case anyone want to read the stories that made me think)

Now I'm a feminist, sure, maybe not as severe as most, as I can take "blonde" and "brunette" joke and I probably like fighting video games (when I win) as much as I like Animal Crossing. I am like most girls my age who joke around, but, also like my friends, think certain rules should be made for huge corporate companies and the whole idea they use really young models to sell to really young kids. But I don't care who or where you are. This http://www.cnn.com/2011/LIVING/08/18/young.girls.lingerie/index.html?hpt=hp_c2 is just, for me, sick and wrong. 

So, I was okay with the Abercrombie Kids bikinis that were released a while back which I saw on the news. I mean, I'm not one for wearing bikinis, but children don't have to wear certain items just because they are in a certain store and (even though I don't watch a lot of tv) I didn't see any commercials of them. I don't remember if they pulled said item off the shelves or not, but it would be wise to do so.

I will continue this debate with myself tomorrow because I got distracted and school is back so no more blogging until the wee hours of the morning.

Ciao for now!

How I was Sick for the last bit of School, a few weeks ago

So this story is making me laugh now, but it didn't back then.
Basically, for the last two weeks before break, my throat was kinda sore and I was coughing and sick. I'm not even going to go into the tea I had everyday. I thought I had the same thing as Tiffany (Not Tiff, who I mention a lot in the past. This Tiffany is my senior friend) because she was coughing and miserable and sick, just like me!
Anyway, fast forward a few weeks to Spain's party with Shortie, Tiffany, Em (Yay new friend introduced!), and.....(Who else was there?).....Oh, Mary-Squirrel person, Ash, and one other who I can't remember her name right now.
So Shortie (as her mom is a nurse) had deduced a few days ago, that my sickness was just a Post-nasal drip (I kinda know what it is, but I haven't Googled it yet.) and I'll get over it soon (She gets sick a lot so she knows). I had asked Spain if I can make some tea for my throat because all our laughing and talking was making it sore. She found one that was made for helping Throat health and such. After waiting for it to brew (Ten bloody minutes)[Second day with a cup of hot chocolate with whipped cream next to me] I sat down with the tea next to Tiffany, Shortie, and Spain as they were trying to figure out this Disney Lyrics thing (You get a song [And you don't know the song or movie] and have to guess what all the lyrics were). After helping out with "I'll make a Man Out Of You" (Yay for Ishy who knows Mulan by heart and randomly start singing one of the songs), I noticed my voice was starting to feel really weird and that it was getting harder to talk normally without coughing or my voice completely failing. By the next twenty minutes, my voice was completely gone, I was using a notebook and my very basic knowledge of sign language to comminucate, and I was glaring daggers at Spain every chance I got, though it was her party.
By now of course I am completely better! Spain's tea is still referred as the evil tea as Shortie is still laughing each time I mention it.
So that's how I felt miserable for the most part but it disappeared completely on the 16th last month (December).
So a *kampai* to the New Years and hoping you continue to read all about my very random life in the year to come!
Ciao for now!

My Characters! Woo!

So all these pictures are mostly just for the costumes because there weren't a lot of model choices. And I also had to imagine how they would look as adults because of the models. I'll try not to give too much of the plot away but also give good details on the characters on their costumes.
Note: I use the term pre-modern here lightly. For me, pre-modern is before cars, steam engine, guns are still not used often and jam easily, medicine is various herbs, and clothing is much cooler than today. I would say just around the time way before Industrial Revolution in Britain. Maybe....before the Enlightenment (Woo History). Wow, I forgot about this post for a few hours...Sorry.

This is Lisia (Always Travelling Series: Book 2 and 4: Revenge
and War At Sea) At first you only see her as a child but in book 4
she is eighteen. 

Lisia has the power of controlling water, so lots of blue tones. The Always Travelling Series is set in a fantasy world in pre-modern times, so no real modern stuff like jeans or t-shirts, but I allow the girls to wear pants and such.

Anyway, Lisia in the first book runs around a lot so a long skirt is easy to move around in, and a blouse with a vest is pretty normal garb (even seen in Book 1). She wears to hat to hide who she is sometimes and the shoes would normally be boots but these are close enough. Every pre-modern heroine needs a bag to hold *cough cough* weapons *cough cough* and other essentials. Notebook in hand and her mother's necklace and she is perfect.
Note: Lisia has black hair and one grey and one brown eye. Her skin is also very fair.


 

Really bad quality. But this is Marina (Always Travelling Series:
Book 2 and 4: Revenge and War at Sea, In case you forgot). She
is seen as child at first and in Book 4 she doesn't appear as often.

So this is Marina! Also has power to control water and why wouldn't she? Marina is Lisia's unborn twin (Yes, I know I used a different model). As a spirit, Marina ages herself to look like how she would if she had lived. She likes to float above Lisia and bug her.
Outfit: As a spirit, normally I imagined her with a flowing white skirt and shirt, but again, the website has limits. So flow-y skirt (blue shade) and a flow-y shirt. I though the shirt is too modern but it kinda works with the skirt. Left arm (our right) has same bracelet at Lisia but a different bracelet on the right and her own anklet (Spirits don't wear shoes). Reading book and other papers she carries as a spirit and good.
Note: Marina has black hair and also has two colored eyes, but opposite as Lisia. Fair skinned as well.

This is Renna (Academic Studies/Mischief). Seen as a
teenager about twelve to fourteen, I'm too lazy to go find the
paper to double check. She is the main character.

 Renna's story is set in the same world as Always Travelling but starts in different country and you see a whole different social circle. She is basically a scholar and is one of the few new females students in a once all male academy. 

This is not the outfit she wears in school but her formal wear/musician garb. Yes, she does play the violin and very beautifully in fact. The dress is made of a heavy silk for winter but still easy to move around in when playing. The belt is used to separate the single piece and I wanted a belt (There were about 1000 different belts on the site). Boots were hard because of the slit up the side, so black and long. Renna doesn't like showing skin, as she was a noble. A nice cape from her sister to keep her warm and her violin at her side with her music notes.

Note: Renna has medium length, light brown hair. I just went with this model cause the way she ties back her hair.

I'll be making a part two soon. I'm just losing focus. Ciao for now.

Wow really?

So a website that Survivorgrrrl (Now called JuneDecember) uses to make all the pictures for her fashion blog is shutting down so I decided it might be fun to dress up some of my characters for newer ideas. I was creating Medusa, a character whom I love to bits because she is awesome, when I realized I forgot what I would always imagine her in. I tried to bring all the character ideas back into my head but they kinda all vanished!
Why is that?! I now Realized I never really imagined out the costumes for characters unless it is a short story or the dress in described in the story. So in FDTR, where the story is more modern and I never really thought about the outfits past the school uniform, everything just vanished!.....*sigh* I really hate my mind sometimes...I'll try to at least bring back Medusa and the school uniforms back. Please hold while I smack my head.
Pictures will be up shortly.
Oh and another thing. When I click the jeans button, I'm looking for normal, comfy to wear jeans. Not skinny jeans, or ripped jeans, or jeans that had God-knows-what happen to them. Just normal jeans. Is that too much to ask? Didn't think so!

~Nehhhhhhh~ Sakura-con envy!!!!!!

Because of me being in my very lethargic state lately, I've been surfing the internet much more than normal because I'm getting far more bored with thing. So while looking through the Sakura-con website (for the....100th time), I found out about the Masquerade Ball. Cue me squealing in joy. (New fact about me: I love masquerade balls and big fuffy [yes spelled correctly. Fuffy.] dresses from the Victorian age and beyond). So after discovering oil paints are the new bane of the world, I'll be making a new mask. This time: With acrylics!! I'm so glad I have artist friends who trust me enough that they let me borrow paints at the drop of a hat.
I'm a little over halfway to my Sakura-con goal money thanks to Christmas presents (I know you're reading this and you know who you are). My sis did some basic math a few days ago while waiting outside Barnes and Nobles and said that all together (with the price Spain gave me for hotel and ticket) so I know how much I need with food costs and spending money.
So I found more manga so now I leave ya. And by the by, if anyone who is reading this is also heading to Sakura-con, you get extra points if you can find me when I'm over there!