#this made me want to come back to posting anime icons and stuff more HAHAHA

[allbeendonebefore]

I wasn't tagged by @judiejodia but i was mentioned in the post and encouraged to do this and tag her if i enjoy these kinds of things so I DID HA

[also me, still feels too shy to tag anyone else but you can say i tagged you if you want to do this too!]

1. Why did you choose your url?

two canadian hit songs that were influential when i was growing up in the early aughts. people can usually guess one of them but I don't think I've seen anyone guess both yet hehe.

2. Any side blogs?

@hyperboreanhapocanthosaurus - personal and political posts as well as general reblogs

@acetechne - art blog

@athensandspartaadventures - comic about ancient city state personifications

@battle-of-alberta - comic about modern canadian city personifications

@project-canada - i still admin this blog although i have zero plans to revive the project itself

@lazylacadaemon - studyblr although im no longer in school so there's not a whole lot there. If you want to talk about academics or ask for advice you can still shoot me a message there though.

3. How long have you been on tumblr?

uhhh 2010? 2011? something like that.

4. Do you have a queue tag?

Nope just assume 90% of what i post are queued lol

5. Why did you start this blog in the first place?

I wanted somewhere to post dumb comics about ancient history i started doodling in undergrad and people seemed to be migrating here from dA

6. Why did you choose your icon?

its a picture of me in crossplay as iamp alberta and thats as close as getting an icon with me on it as i will get lol

7. Why did you choose your header?

[checks what my header is] oh it's mama greece from hetalia, or at least how i imagined her before she had a canon-design. its my ancient/hetalia/history/whatever blog and i liked the drawing i did so i guess i kept it up haha

8. How many mutuals do you have?

UNKNOWN i mostly just talk to windex because quatsch is still waiting on her new computer/space to use it lol

i am notoriously bad at following people back partly because i am legit forgetful and also i think i make people nervous?? I'm also not a teenager anymore so I'm more cautious about following people I don't know in case they're not comfortable with it and idk their age.

Mostly i follow people who post stuff for fandoms i enjoy but i no longer use social media to keep up with what people are up to because It's Too Stressful to check up on everyone across every platform you have to write me a handwritten letter or bug me on discord if i need to know how you are at this point, i am both an irl and a digital hermit lol

9. How many followers do you have?

no clue, most of them probably aren't active anymore and a good handful are probably bots so i don't really feel i could give a Real estimate since i've been accumulating blogs for a decade

10. How many do you follow?

337 but probably over 90% are dead

11. Have you ever made a shitpost?

yes mostly about dead people and dead languages

12. How often do you use tumblr a day?

i check pretty frequently and if theres no news on the big tumblr i open the small tumblr on my phone and thats a problem

13. Did you have a fight/argument with another blog once?

not directly but some dude is going around arguing with people who post about herodotus and i don't have the patience to respond to him explaining my own shitposts to me after seeing him sealion other bloggers on tumblr.clown.edu so i do not engage

14. How do you feel about ‘you need to reblog this’ posts?

bad. i ignore every time. it's not as bad as it was ten years ago but it's still really annoying. (unless its like on a picture of a cute animal thats fine)

15. Do you like tag games?

yes i am just notorious about not tagging anyone in them

16. Do you like ask games?

yes and likewise lol although i think my answers are usually either quite boring or very sarcastic hahaha

17. Which mutuals do you think are tumblr famous?

I Do Not Know who are you guys

18. Do you have a crush on a mutual?

if we are mutuals come to my house i make you soup

[forthelalaland]

Ate Jessa 💗

I do not know how will I start this post. Actually having second thoughts if I should push through this or what. I feel pressured because I am posting something about my writer friend. Huhu, haha! I apologize for my amateur+ity. Pinapangunahan ko na kayo. Pero lablab kita, ate! Salamat sa araw na ‘to pati na rin sa susunod pa. 😂

I met this beautiful girl, Ate Jessamine, in my previous company. We were not in the same department but we are in one team. There are less than 20 people in the office, ewan ko lang kung mag-snoban pa kami. LOL! But my first impression? I see her as a rocker chic. With those full bangs and red plaid button downs, I feel like she was an anime person who jumped off the TV and came to life. Hahaha! As the days go by though, I get to know her better and realized she is more of a soft-hearted girl. Very different to my first impression! Hahaha! I am grateful that I met this ate of mine. Here is our story in the next paragraph. Chos! Hahahahaha.

Remember when I was assigned to be the van leader in our outing? In my first work, yup! Well... Ate Jessa belonged to my group. She was new then. Like just a week or two I guess? And this was the only time I, we, talked to her. Actually, that was the chance to make chikahan to each other because pure work in the office! The 36 hours with them totally made a big difference because I had different moments to each one of them. Oh, I miss my Eat Girls! Hello guys, Starbucks soon, please? Huehue. Also to my ates and kuyas! Huehuehue. So back to Ate Jessa! I do not know too but there was just a time where both of us bonded. In a click! Literally and figuratively. During our free time, we became partners because it is the two of us who love taking photos. We did it with the rest of the group pero mas kami, alam mo yun? She has an Olympus mirrorless cam and we take turns in taking pictures. At laaast, found a friend who can capture the way I want! Funny because she said that too. LOL! And you will know it is pure. Not using each other and just being happy with the output pictures. I love that it is not toxic. Wew, trust issues til now. Hahahu. So thanky G for letting us cross each other's life. Hahaha, hihi. Basta yun! That is the start of our friendship. Until it continued after the outing and still ongoing until now. :)

Since I am a curious person, I searched ate in the virtual world. I can't see her. But a fishy info appeared. Ayun, I asked her implicitly and investigated a little further. The next thing was just OMG! The info I saw is a post with her name with a quote. I had this agam-agam so I then asked, "Ate, nagsusulat ka ba?" She had no escape. Ate admitted it was her. Yuuuuuz, she is a Wattpad writer! Heavy 'di ba? I never knew my photographer in the beach was an icon! Amazeballs! It is a pleasure po. Hahahahaha. Wala lang! I just feel like telling it. Nakakaproud eh? She has published books and that is w-o-w 100%!!!!!

After almost three months, Ate Jessa and I saw each other again. Finally! The first plan with the group and the writers' convention became a drawing. This almost did too! But we made it. FO if not! I set my mind into it eh. Buryong-buryo na kaya ako sa bahay. Huehue. My September weekends are free because Dada is reviewing for boards while my parents are preparing for some stuff. I can choose to date myself if I want to but isn't happiness gets doubled when shared? So Ate Jessa's timing was just perfect. At least, I had something to look up at the end of the week. Felt like a human because of that excitement again. Srsly. Haha! So supposedly, we will see each other in Mega Mall. That will be our meeting place since I am scared to go to MOA alone. We are going there because an event for bookworms are happening that day. Plus! The most important thing: she is meeting her readers. Wooh, famous! Keri lang mag-PA sige. Hahahahaha! But then that morning, she was not replying. I thought she just slept in the van or so. Guess what though? I waited for five hours and my heart was starting to get sad. Huhu. I am right she overslept. Instead of going to MIBF, we just had our main plan: photoshoot at BGC! Grabe ang tagal ni ate! Yet all are worth it. I have nothing to say. Yahooooo!

Ate and I met in the place already. I just read some synopsis of the books in the first floor since I was in Fullybooked. But before everything, huuuuug! I missed this redhead. Hihihi. Ate so qt when she told me that we must start our agenda agad-agad! Well, we did tho. Felt like nothing changed. And I like this feeling. Yasss! Ate Jessa loves wall arts. She did enjoy. I am glad with that feedback. What are our secret? We exchanged cameras so I shoot with hers and she shoots with mine. Ooh, buena mano! My first photoshoot ever with my baby. Hihihi. I was not that prepared for this because I was worried all day. I thought this will not happen. Also, I worked for my offset. I got few favorites to be used as my pre-makeover. Can't wait to let you guys see it!!!

But you know, what I liked the most this day was our going to deep conversations. Dada arrived so it got cut. He needs to send me home since it was a little late already. Hehe. At last, Dada met the friend I have been boasting about. I am so proud of Ate Jessamine eh. Seems like they had a good impression to each other. Ate said Dada and I are cute. But his words are so super! Swerte mo may kaibigan kang ganyan na sumusuporta sa'yo. Yiee, she passed to be my friend from boyfie's view! Because some does not. Yup! Not kidding. LOL.

I learned a lot today! First, not everything you plan happens the way you want to be. Cliché as it may sound but really, that is it. Because there will be other people who can bring that change in you. No man is an island! And, I am blessed I met the best people here in the universe! TYG! Hihihi. I also reflected that indeed, everything falls in accordance with God's will. Sometimes, no matter how disciplined you think you are, you have to accept that there are a lot of factors why you sometimes feel like a failure even if you give your best shot. I know that now. God wanted me to trust Him. He and His plans for me. Besides, G will always give it! Kahit kailan eh hindi niya ipagdaramot ang mga biyayang ito. Just need to wait, to practice patience, and to believe in Him. Yuh yuh, I will live now. Like, I will make my move and hope G and I are on the same page. If not? Izzokay! I will just pray for it until it comes true. I shall never waste my time here on earth worrying about nonsense things. Gotta live for real! Love life for real. Ohhh, thank you so much Lord! 💖

[kokoronopikuseru]

NPF2017

I took a leap of faith 3 months back to get an air ticket to Japan.

In the pen spinning world, cross community interaction is really limited, mainly dude to the lack of sponsored trips or offline events. I’m really fortunate enough to be able to travel to korea, china, hong kong and taiwan, to meet spinners in real life. The face to face interaction made me learn so much about each and every community’s culture.

I was really lucky that my llul period in army matches the date of NPF. I have been watching JEB pen spinning for years, and it meant a lot to me to be able to meet the spinners that have been inspiring since I started. It was worth it. And it was insane.

Day 1 (Levi’s Gathering)

After settling at tigres’ place, we went out to pick up i.suk and vampire which were both somewhere around shinjuku. It was kinda funny how we both betted that I.suk was spinning a pen mod when we meet up with him. Vampire was really cool. Our conversations didn't have much depth, but we spent most of the time laughing about shit we see. Trying to see the upskirt of the anime girl in the train poster. Amazing guy.

We crashed the saizerya meet up where a few spinners got together before the actual event. I was still on adrenaline because of my lack of sleep. I “hajime-mashita" all of them. There were pretty shocked since, well, it's seldom you’ll see such an act in a really reserved japanese culture. I'm glad to hear that it was positively received later on. And yes, isuk is 24 years old. 本当に？？

We had time. I mentioned about how my friend bought me a tenga egg the last time they came to Japan. I, too, was pretty interested to know how it is like to visit a sex shop. So, uh, yeah we went. I thought we were going to enter a dedicated shop. NOPE. They brought me to don quijote which is a huge shop selling everything under the sun. We strolled to the section. There's a cool selection, and it isn't too expensive either. After quite a bit of laughter, I chose two. It's amazing to see how shopping for such products were really normal. Cute girls just pass by and take them off the shelves as if they were just shopping for groceries. The cashier didn't react to the fact that borderline legal kids were buying a couple of onaholes. Wow, Japan is great. Was really nice that vampire paid for it, as a gift for me. One of those were supposed to be isuk’s but well, he vehemently rejected the offer. Haha. It was golden.

We arrived at the venue. It was a small place at the 4th or 5th floor of a shop house. Everyone was waiting by the streets before entering. I was a lil intimidated, since, I do recognise a number of them, and also there was quite a number of them. I had a brief exchange with beige. Interesting. As usual, the language barrier hindered the depth of our conversation. Ehven arrived afterwards, and I was really glad that he told me that he liked my spinning and was supporting me as a PWT judge. I love that dude, easy to talk with too. Don't think he knows I recall him for the guy that posts weird half naked clips in a number of vacation CV videos. Hahaha.

The room was small for 55 people. But it's still cozy. There were many cushion chairs. We settled down, and mixed with everyone. It's hard to talk at first, because everyone's kinda in groups already. After finding my way around, it's nice to know a number of spinners still remember my spinning, really honoured to be acknowledged.

And then the bingo happened. Towards the end, they hosted this activity to give out some prizes donated by +spin and Tez. When a person had bingo, they could play the lucky dip to get a prize. Initially I had pretty bad luck with the numbers. I had only one punched in after maybe the 6th call? Vampire, laku and tigres were helping me with the number especially when my numbers were pretty bad and I can’t interpret the names read out in japanese that easily. The crowd was really entertaining. They were all cheering for the “monami pens” as it represented that they still had a chance for the grand prize. Ponkotu had the worst luck x)

And in the end, I won it. The grand prize was like the first JEB pen case created. I felt really embarrassed since they lost the most prized possession to a 外人. Even so, they made me feel I deserved it. 嬉しい.

As the day come to an end, we got vacated and we ended up moving to the streets. Reminds me quite a lot about most gatherings I go where all the dedicated people who love pen spinning have difficulty leaving. I chatted with coco_A and cseo. They're a big inspiration to me, to be so active in the community even after their time has passed. They opened up to me and we had a good talk.

Laluteskal had a good laugh when I told him I remembered him for being the leader of All Highlights. What a friendly dude :DD

Day 2 (NPF)

I honestly did not expect that many spinners. I recognise a number of spinners since (I secretly study every NPF baton CV).

It was really weird at first because I was on my own with mango to roam around the place. Tigres was with some of his friends, and vampire was preparing for the competition. Subsequently, I went around tried really hard to open up to them, with whatever broken japanese I have at my disposal. I MET TOO MANY SPINNERS. I didn’t even eat lunch that day, and could barely even go around talking to everyone of them and getting their signatures.

I spent quite a bit of time just sitting down learning linkages from spinners - laluteskal, slofis, rhetoric, ponkotu, etc. They all had their own speciality link or trick. I’m certain its way harder than how it looks, especially ponkotu’s ones.

Greeting each other were fun. I’m honestly surprised how some spinners actually knew who I was. I’m just a small fry from and unknown community and have more shit videos than good videos. Thank god for PWT. I wanted to just say hi to miyana, didn’t expect him to be like wooaaaaaaaaaaaah pixels san. I was probably more excited to see him. IM A JEB FANBOY. Noel too. Most of my interactions were really just expressing that we were glad to meet each other. Nonetheless, its humbling to be able to see my idols in the flesh.

I managed to meet FouR and Malimo. I’m a huge fan of those two. Glad that me and FouR were both motivations for each other to spin. Great that he did enjoy participating in all my CVs. Lotus told me about he watched liked my calligraphy and how pixelophobia was really cool. For a CV editor as great as him, it meant the world to me to receive those compliments.

Siva attached wheels to his pen case. LOL that was hella fun. Thinking of doing it to one of my unused ones too hahahaha. That guy has endless creativity.

Ponkotu showed me his f3000 pen. Jesus Christ. The paint on the pen is fully scraped off. THE BODY HAS SOME CONCAVE AREAS BECAUSE HE DID TOO MANY TAPS. That’s some hardcore pen spinning dedication in one pen.

I also managed to see Ease’ Dr Grip. Oh man. I thought that fading a dr grip pen to white was terrifying. His pen is yellowing, the tip has many little spots from the countless drops, the grip is really soft and fully opaque. I’m honoured to be given the opportunity to try these spinners’ weapon of choice. Fuckin’ terrifying. Para was pretty amused with my expression towards seeing them.

I.suk’s tournament combo was insane. They told him to do a short warm up. He did tons of SS and FL shit, the crowd was cheering even before the video camera started recording. He’s such a crowd pleaser haha.

The 3 sec trick showcase was really fun. JEB spinners do have such a psychotic sense of humour. Kicoviola fuckin swallowed an anyball grip on his mx, and washed it down with ocha. Ehven reenacted his vacation video, landed the pen in his pants on the first try. Rhetoric was supposed to do penspinning, but spun himself instead. His halos were clean af.

Too many things happened in a single day.  Craziest day of my life. I wished I could explain everything in detail.

Day 3

I woke up late since tigres and me went to send vampire off really early in the morning. I previously contacted mey that I wanted to meet since he was only able to come to Tokyo after NPF. He messaged me to say he was at the naranja juggling shop. I quickly packed my stuff and rushed off to itabashi.

Luckily, there was a YouTube video with the instructions to walk to the naranja shop, Otherwise, I will probably never find it.

He was with other spinners too - Julia, Altema, airi, CeNti, Akiza, Merry, Watto. I have met most of them the previous day, but since I was really busy going around, I didn't manage to spend too much time with this bunch. Mannnnn. They are a fun bunch to be with.

Julia was rocking the SPSF shirt he bought from me. Made it instantly much cooler. For some reason, his green rushon feels amazing to spin. Why is mine so crap???? Found out he's the editor for Japen13th. Probably really stressed out, but i’m sure he’ll do a great job.

Watto. I can’t help but notice that he really looks quite similar to takeru satoh. Maybe thats why his twitter icon is battosai.

I didn't manage to talk to Merry much for the past two days. He was pretty approachable that day. He even rennacted ryo’s TV clip and laughed at the くるくるですわ and the すごいkid.

Altema really looked like the quiet ones. But dang, this dude always gave me a mischievous smile and tells me something weird :’). Taught me how to play with the spinning plate.

Spent quite a while talking to airi. His pink mx is pretty tattered. If I did wipers with it, the grip would definitely snap. やばい. He shared his perspective and knowledge about the community. “Simplicity is the best”. I kinda wished that more spinners could think like him. He's looks pretty huggable too.

CeNti is great at diablo. Fingers look even more beautiful in real life. Really nice dude too. He showed me the pet bottle fake double and some of his personal linkages. Much harder than it looks :’)

Akiza has a fukin’ insane style. The speed and everything. I tried his g3 mod, it was actually pretty damn good. AND HE TOLD ME HE LIKED MY KT. YEBOOIIIIII. He was gave me a yellow hyperjell, pretty sweet dude.

And wow, mey’s hands are like really buff? I thought I had thick fingers. I was really happy to meet him. He’s one of the rare japanese spinners that would talk to me when I created twitter for the first time. His english is pretty good too. I gave him my PWT R3 mod (Baton), he was really happy to receive it. And I was really happy that he would treasure it probably much more than I would. All of them were pretty happy to receive some of my personal SPSF prints and get their name written by me. \(^^

End

I loved everything about that place. I didn’t do much sightseeing as I originally planned. But it felt so great just being able to roam around the city with locals and just being able to “live” here for a couple of days. I really hope that there will be a chance for me to go back. Maybe NPF2018.