A lot of us geeks really dig Japanese culture. I am lucky enough to live in an area that is really saturated by this culture, and I love it. I love that I can go to the market and get yummy Japanese foodstuffs, get Japanese products at a local department store, and get pick up quick sushi, ramen or curry as easily as picking up McDonald's (or comparable fast food chain). pharmaciesreview.com
You too can get Japanese products, in the comfort of your own home. First off, try J-List for all sorts of products, including snacks, magazines & books, toys, t-shirts and some wacky stuff mixed in! You don't need to tell me why you're buying this item.
For good snackage, keep an eye on JapaneseSnacks.com... the site is revamping for 2002 and looks very promising!
I also like to buy Asian pop culture products from the Giant Robot Store (and they make a great magazine, as featured in my "Picks"), as well as the YOLKshop (another good mag). Filipino(a)s can find some great stuff at PinoyMall.com.
Some great fun can be found at Engrish.com where they feature Japanese products/signs using their mangled version of the English language. Funny, funny stuff. This phenomenon is also known in lesser circles as "Japlish".
I can go on and on. I'm not EVEN going to venture into Anime and pop culture... at least not yet. :)
Sayonara!
I hope everyone had a fun three day weekend. I know mine went way too fast, but then again, I'm not surprised. We were very busy, with Kevin's parents in town and all. Top that with normal weekend chores and you got a doozy of a weekend! ^_^
We got to play tourist on Monday, taking a jaunt up to the Polynesian Cultural Center on the North Shore. PCC was founded by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the 1960's, and is employer to hundreds of students from the neighboring Brigham Young University of Hawaii. The last time I visited there, I was maybe 12 years old and didn't even realize the history of this place. Interesting.
So anyhoo, playing tourist was interesting. Since I hadn't done it in a while, I was actually quite interested in some of the behaviors I observed. Call it a sociological observation of sorts. Amongst the salty kalua pork and poke, silk leis, and scent of suntan lotion, is what keeps this island alive. As expected, most of Hawai'i's economy relies on tourism. I never really get to observe this machine in motion, although I work for a tourist magazine publisher. It's all ink on paper to me until I actually get my butt out there and see these places. Sadly, I will have to say that I haven't done much travelling around. Guess that'll change, since we're about to move!
We also went down to Waikiki this weekend. That's always a fun place to go to people watch. High-priced fashion stores that attract Japanese tourists like moths to flame. Sunburnt northwestern tourists with farmer tans and squeaky new rubber slippers bought from the ABC store on the corner. Lanky teenagers lugging longboards along the beachwalk to learn to surf for the first time. It's all a part of the experience.
The prepackaged version of Hawai'i is fun, but not really the full, real experience of the islands. I'm glad I got to know it well over these past couple of years... or else I wouldn't have known it at all. The plate lunches that made me gain 10+ pounds (luckily taken off since then). The heaps of fresh pikake leis I receiived for my birthday. The shave ice at the little store down the street. The volcanic mountain range I get to see on my commute everyday (and the waterfalls that sometime grace it!). The warm and friendly people quaintly muttering in pidgin english. It's all wonderful. And I know I'll miss it.
I figured I should make a quick entry since I haven't in over a week. Eek!
I'm looking into a new web host, so that is a behind the scenes change that will affect the site in the near future. I figure with moving and all, I should make the changes I've been meaning to make, overall. I think I'm going to go with PHP Web Hosting, thanks to Albert's suggestion.
Site changes...
Well, I've added an archive of my Picks from the left frame. (I know, I haven't been updating them on a consistent basis).
I want to add a FAQ section in the About CP area. So please, anyone out there (yes, even you lurkers), post a question in the comments (or if you really need to, ). It could be anything from the inane to the insane. Ask me whatever you want, and I'll post it (within reason, hee).
Back to RL, Kevin's parents are visiting for the next two weeks. Unfortunately, we are both still working all day every day (except this upcoming Monday, of course). But it's nice to see them again. This is the last time they'll get to visit us here in Hawaii! Anyhoo, I'm now off to dinner with them!
So, many of you have heard the news. Yep, Square Pictures is closing its doors on March 29th. This means Kevin is looking for a new job, and it's most likely going to be back on the mainland. I've spent almost two years on the island of Oahu, and Kevin's been here about three and a half years. Time to say Aloha to Kailua, but we're not exactly sure when and where just yet. We need to get out butts out there and see there and see the rest of the islands, if we can, before we go. There's just so much to do in the meantime.
Everyone at the office seems pretty bummed about the whole thing. Since I do the work of like 4 people (okay, I may be exaggerating), it'll be hard to find someone to take my position. That, and I've made a lot of good friends here. Hey, anyone looking for a job in Hawaii for a large publishing company? ::grin:: And no, they won't pay for relocation, so much for dreams.
Click MORE below if you're really bored and want to poke around my brain a little more about my current situation.
Kevin and I have been engaged for over a year and we haven't done much after that. I guess we should start to plan a wedding instead of just talking about ideas. I guess we've been too busy to think about these things, but ya gotta just bear down and do it! Kevin feels like this is a good time to plan, since we are moving. We're trying to have the wedding in the Bay Area, since that is where I grew up and that is where my family is. Besides, we met and lived together there as well. :) The only thing I know for sure is that my chickie Toni is my Matron of Honor. No, Toni, I haven't forgotten. ;) Love you!
We are most likely going to move somewhere around Southern California, since that's where most of the prospective jobs are in the moviemaking biz. I'd really love to be living back in the Bay Area, and this possibility is not ruled out. I'm thinking I may not get another nine-to-five job unless it's really really appealing and pays well. I am considering going back to school, and definitely looking into at least refining my skills and learning more in New Media. I am even considering culinary school, maybe learn to be a pastry chef since I have earned a love of cooking and baking. So maybe I'll freelance design part or full time while trying to figure this out. I also want to be able to be home for the stepkids as well as (*ulp*) have a baby in the future. So yeah, a lot on my mind!
The bottom line is, I hope Kevin finds something challenging and creative. I'm pretty sure I can find something good to do for myself wherever we go. It's his career that is a little limiting in terms of geography. I can do graphic design anywhere. You can't make full length CG Features in Vancouver, Washington (unfortunately... not yet, at least). ;) I also want what's best for the family. So, wish us luck!
I finally sat down and made my geek code. It really doesn't tell a whole lot. But here.