L.A. Witt's Blog, page 30
February 14, 2011
Please to be voting, kthnx?
The Distance Between Us is up for Best Book of 2010 at Whipped Cream Reviews! If you enjoyed Distance, please stop by and vote!
The poll is here. The Whipped Cream poll is the one on the right, and Distance is about halfway down.
Also, as I mentioned in a previous blog entry, stay tuned for more news relating to this book. Those of you who liked Rhett, Ethan, and Kieran will probably like what I have to say. ;)
The poll is here. The Whipped Cream poll is the one on the right, and Distance is about halfway down.
Also, as I mentioned in a previous blog entry, stay tuned for more news relating to this book. Those of you who liked Rhett, Ethan, and Kieran will probably like what I have to say. ;)
February 13, 2011
Faces and Darkness and Caves, oh my!
Today's Okinawan adventure took us to Okinawa World, which is a combination cave, tourist trap, and snake park. Needless to say, plenty of opportunities to take pictures, spend money, and get into mischief.
Behold: Okinawa World.
First stop, the snake park. Naturally, you can't have a snake park on a mongoose-infested island without at least one mongoose...
A tree full of Habu:
At the entrance to the snake museum, we encountered this baffling sign:
It's not so much that I don't understand the meaning. But, is there an epidemic of marching bands descending on unsuspecting snake museums or something?
The museum contained numerous gigantic and awesome photos of Habu, so of course, we did what we do best. Acted like morons:
I was decidedly unimpressed with the snake show. It wasn't so much the language barrier -- though I didn't understand a word the guy said except "Habu" and "mongoose" -- but the fact that the guy was not very nice to the animals. Here he is being a reasonably decent human being with a Habu.
Quite frankly, if you're going to smack a cobra and make it faceplant on the stage, I think you deserve to be bitten. Just saying. However, the cobra displayed far more restraint than I would have in its position, and the douchebag handler finished the show uninjured. Kudos to you, my hooded friend.
And one last serpent, this being a corn snake that had made a cozy home out of snail shell.
After finishing up the snake shenanigans, it was time to descend into the awesome -- and humid -- depths of the caves:
And I swear, the more we looked at the stalagmites and stalactites, the more I was certain some of them looked like faces.
Freaking FACES, man.
I'm not crazy. Tell me you don't see any faces.
You're all liars. They're there. Just LOOK, dammit.
Anyway, there were also lots of stalactites hanging from the ceiling, which prompted Eddie to note how much it would suck if there was an earthquake.
Thank you, Eddie. I needed to think about that.
Yeah. Really needed to think about that.
An underground stream:
And an underground waterfall:
Apparently this is the cave where bats come to lay their eggs:
Or...something.
Now, being down in a cave with minimal lighting, getting pictures was difficult to say the least. Just for the hell of it, I decided to play around with some long shutter speeds, etc. And the results, while not exactly worthy of the cover of National Geographic, were kinda cool:
Because, really...why settle for this, taken with the on-camera flash...
...when you can set the shutter speed to two seconds and slowly zoom in while the shutter's open and get this:
Yes, I was having way too much fun.
We continued through the cave until we reached the glorious elevator that effortlessly whisked us back to the surface. Once there, we had to get through a gauntlet of gift stores and such. One of the highlights? Glass "healing sticks."
Interpret how you will.
So, there you have it. Another lovely day exploring Japanistan. We're planning more craziness in the near future, so check back often for more pictures.
Also, I have several books due to be released in the next 2-3 months, which means I'm going to be up to my ears in edits, etc., for a while. So, updates may be somewhat sporadic and quite possibly more writing-related, but Eddie and I will try to get out and take pictures, if only to preserve what's left of my sanity. (You'd be amazed what Microsoft Word Track Changes does to my fragile little brain) Expect to see some cover art and linkage soon, too.
That's all for now - stay tuned for more!
Behold: Okinawa World.
First stop, the snake park. Naturally, you can't have a snake park on a mongoose-infested island without at least one mongoose...
A tree full of Habu:
At the entrance to the snake museum, we encountered this baffling sign:
It's not so much that I don't understand the meaning. But, is there an epidemic of marching bands descending on unsuspecting snake museums or something?The museum contained numerous gigantic and awesome photos of Habu, so of course, we did what we do best. Acted like morons:
I was decidedly unimpressed with the snake show. It wasn't so much the language barrier -- though I didn't understand a word the guy said except "Habu" and "mongoose" -- but the fact that the guy was not very nice to the animals. Here he is being a reasonably decent human being with a Habu.
Quite frankly, if you're going to smack a cobra and make it faceplant on the stage, I think you deserve to be bitten. Just saying. However, the cobra displayed far more restraint than I would have in its position, and the douchebag handler finished the show uninjured. Kudos to you, my hooded friend.
And one last serpent, this being a corn snake that had made a cozy home out of snail shell.
After finishing up the snake shenanigans, it was time to descend into the awesome -- and humid -- depths of the caves:
And I swear, the more we looked at the stalagmites and stalactites, the more I was certain some of them looked like faces.
Freaking FACES, man.
I'm not crazy. Tell me you don't see any faces.
You're all liars. They're there. Just LOOK, dammit.
Anyway, there were also lots of stalactites hanging from the ceiling, which prompted Eddie to note how much it would suck if there was an earthquake.
Thank you, Eddie. I needed to think about that.
Yeah. Really needed to think about that.
An underground stream:
And an underground waterfall:
Apparently this is the cave where bats come to lay their eggs:
Or...something.Now, being down in a cave with minimal lighting, getting pictures was difficult to say the least. Just for the hell of it, I decided to play around with some long shutter speeds, etc. And the results, while not exactly worthy of the cover of National Geographic, were kinda cool:
Because, really...why settle for this, taken with the on-camera flash...
...when you can set the shutter speed to two seconds and slowly zoom in while the shutter's open and get this:
Yes, I was having way too much fun.
We continued through the cave until we reached the glorious elevator that effortlessly whisked us back to the surface. Once there, we had to get through a gauntlet of gift stores and such. One of the highlights? Glass "healing sticks."
Interpret how you will.So, there you have it. Another lovely day exploring Japanistan. We're planning more craziness in the near future, so check back often for more pictures.
Also, I have several books due to be released in the next 2-3 months, which means I'm going to be up to my ears in edits, etc., for a while. So, updates may be somewhat sporadic and quite possibly more writing-related, but Eddie and I will try to get out and take pictures, if only to preserve what's left of my sanity. (You'd be amazed what Microsoft Word Track Changes does to my fragile little brain) Expect to see some cover art and linkage soon, too.
That's all for now - stay tuned for more!
February 10, 2011
Friday Mancandy - Denim Shirts & Jackets
Yes, I like denim shirts and jackets. Sue me. So, here's a Friday Mancandy entry devoted entirely to shirts and jackets made of denim and denim-like material. Just because.
Since a friend has recently gotten me hooked on Southland, it seems only appropriate to include the NOM NOM NOM-worthy Kevin Alejandro...
...even if (SPOILER) he isn't on the show anymore. (/SPOILER)
And speaking of the beautiful men of Southland...
I loves me some Ben McKenzie.
Moving right along, here's a more familiar face for my loyal blog minions. I don't care if the jacket needs to be teleported back to the 1980s. It's on Joaquin, and therefore it's on this blog.
James McAvoy also likes some denim on the top half...
As does Colin Farrell...
I don't even know if this is actually denim, but it's an excuse to post a pic of Gerard Butler:
Another might-be-denim-might-not-but-who-really-cares shirt, this time on Jared Leto:
How about another look, this time without the sunglasses?
Speaking of Letos...
WANT.
And the following picture contains absolutely no denim at all, but it serves two purposes:
1. To give my loyal blog minions a sneak peek at the next installment of Friday Mancandy.
2. To make Misa's head explode.
Stay tuned for more mancandy, Japanistan pictures, and updates of the writerly variety.
Since a friend has recently gotten me hooked on Southland, it seems only appropriate to include the NOM NOM NOM-worthy Kevin Alejandro...
...even if (SPOILER) he isn't on the show anymore. (/SPOILER)And speaking of the beautiful men of Southland...
I loves me some Ben McKenzie.Moving right along, here's a more familiar face for my loyal blog minions. I don't care if the jacket needs to be teleported back to the 1980s. It's on Joaquin, and therefore it's on this blog.
James McAvoy also likes some denim on the top half...
As does Colin Farrell...
I don't even know if this is actually denim, but it's an excuse to post a pic of Gerard Butler:
Another might-be-denim-might-not-but-who-really-cares shirt, this time on Jared Leto:
How about another look, this time without the sunglasses?
Speaking of Letos...
WANT.And the following picture contains absolutely no denim at all, but it serves two purposes:
1. To give my loyal blog minions a sneak peek at the next installment of Friday Mancandy.
2. To make Misa's head explode.
Stay tuned for more mancandy, Japanistan pictures, and updates of the writerly variety.
February 7, 2011
Up on the Soapbox: Gay Marriage
I don't usually wax political here. Politics and religion just tend to piss people off, and that's not what I'm trying to do with this blog. However, there is the occasional issue that just makes me gnash my teeth until I need to say something.
Lately, gay marriage has been a hot topic in a lot of the circles I frequent, and I feel the need to give my two cents on it. Some of you may remember My Unpopular Opinion on Gay Marriage from 2008. I stand by everything I said in that post. I'm just adding the following...
I'm generally pretty open to differing opinions. This is one of the few issues, though, where as far as I'm concerned, the opposition can go sit on a tack. Is their opinion invalid, you might ask? No. They are more than entitled to their opinions, beliefs, etc. However, I have a serious problem with this particular set of opinions and beliefs being legislated because of how different people are impacted by this issue.
Here's how it breaks down.
If gay marriage is made legal, those who oppose it will be impacted thusly:
They'll have to live with the fact that gays can get married.
If gay marriage is made legal, those who are gay will be impacted thusly:
Upon death or divorce of spouse, surviving/divorced spouse gets custody, child support, and/or visitation of biological or adopted children.Joint adoptions.
Option to be added to spouse's employer's health insurance plan. (*cough*which would have been a moot point if healthcare reform had gone through*cough*)
Visitation access during hospital stays.Ability to make medical decisions for an incapacitated spouse without having to make special power-of-attorney arrangements beforehand. (in other words, next-of-kin status)
For active duty military dependents, access to base housing and other benefits, including being moved when the service member is transferred to another duty station, notification of death/injury of the service member, etc. Also, when a wounded service member is being treated overseas (i.e., medically evacuated from Iraq to Germany), it's not unusual for spouses to be flown to be with them.Automatic inheritance of estate, pension, etc., upon death of spouse.etc. etc. etc.See what I'm getting at? Gay marriage impacts gay couples far more than it impacts those who oppose gay marriage. Marriage is a right, not a privilege, and quite frankly, I don't give a damn if it bugs you or squicks you out that two men or two women wish to be married. You do not have the right to not be offended or not be made uncomfortable, particularly not when the trade-off is another person's right to have the same rights and benefits you and I take for granted. When we live in a society that puts so much stock in marriage, on every level from social to legal, it simply isn't fair to deny marriage to someone whose choice of spouse doesn't jive with our own.
Also, I'm tired of the "sanctity of marriage" and "redefining marriage" arguments. Seriously. All it takes is a flip through a history book to see that marriage has been defined and redefined countless times over the centuries. I don't think any of us want to go back to the days when the bride was collateral in a business agreement between her father and groom, do we? Those days are much more recent than a lot of people would like to think. Marrying for love is a relatively new concept, but I don't see anyone trying to stop people from marrying for love...as long as the person they love is of the opposite sex, anyway.
And if people are so hellbent on preserving the sanctity of marriage, why is it impossible for two men in a loving, committed, decades-long relationship to get married when heterosexuals have the luxury of multiple divorces and/or marrying just for the hell of it only to annul it days or hours later? Of course not all gay marriages will be healthy or will last til death, but since when do all straight marriages turn out that way?
It's the twenty-first century, people. Marriage has been redefined countless times. Heterosexuals have already done a bang-up job on the sanctity of marriage. Gay marriage impacts the denied FAR more than it impacts the deniers.
If you don't want to marry someone of the same sex, then don't. It's really that simple.
Lately, gay marriage has been a hot topic in a lot of the circles I frequent, and I feel the need to give my two cents on it. Some of you may remember My Unpopular Opinion on Gay Marriage from 2008. I stand by everything I said in that post. I'm just adding the following...
I'm generally pretty open to differing opinions. This is one of the few issues, though, where as far as I'm concerned, the opposition can go sit on a tack. Is their opinion invalid, you might ask? No. They are more than entitled to their opinions, beliefs, etc. However, I have a serious problem with this particular set of opinions and beliefs being legislated because of how different people are impacted by this issue.
Here's how it breaks down.
If gay marriage is made legal, those who oppose it will be impacted thusly:
They'll have to live with the fact that gays can get married.
If gay marriage is made legal, those who are gay will be impacted thusly:
Upon death or divorce of spouse, surviving/divorced spouse gets custody, child support, and/or visitation of biological or adopted children.Joint adoptions.
Option to be added to spouse's employer's health insurance plan. (*cough*which would have been a moot point if healthcare reform had gone through*cough*)
Visitation access during hospital stays.Ability to make medical decisions for an incapacitated spouse without having to make special power-of-attorney arrangements beforehand. (in other words, next-of-kin status)
For active duty military dependents, access to base housing and other benefits, including being moved when the service member is transferred to another duty station, notification of death/injury of the service member, etc. Also, when a wounded service member is being treated overseas (i.e., medically evacuated from Iraq to Germany), it's not unusual for spouses to be flown to be with them.Automatic inheritance of estate, pension, etc., upon death of spouse.etc. etc. etc.See what I'm getting at? Gay marriage impacts gay couples far more than it impacts those who oppose gay marriage. Marriage is a right, not a privilege, and quite frankly, I don't give a damn if it bugs you or squicks you out that two men or two women wish to be married. You do not have the right to not be offended or not be made uncomfortable, particularly not when the trade-off is another person's right to have the same rights and benefits you and I take for granted. When we live in a society that puts so much stock in marriage, on every level from social to legal, it simply isn't fair to deny marriage to someone whose choice of spouse doesn't jive with our own.
Also, I'm tired of the "sanctity of marriage" and "redefining marriage" arguments. Seriously. All it takes is a flip through a history book to see that marriage has been defined and redefined countless times over the centuries. I don't think any of us want to go back to the days when the bride was collateral in a business agreement between her father and groom, do we? Those days are much more recent than a lot of people would like to think. Marrying for love is a relatively new concept, but I don't see anyone trying to stop people from marrying for love...as long as the person they love is of the opposite sex, anyway.
And if people are so hellbent on preserving the sanctity of marriage, why is it impossible for two men in a loving, committed, decades-long relationship to get married when heterosexuals have the luxury of multiple divorces and/or marrying just for the hell of it only to annul it days or hours later? Of course not all gay marriages will be healthy or will last til death, but since when do all straight marriages turn out that way?
It's the twenty-first century, people. Marriage has been redefined countless times. Heterosexuals have already done a bang-up job on the sanctity of marriage. Gay marriage impacts the denied FAR more than it impacts the deniers.
If you don't want to marry someone of the same sex, then don't. It's really that simple.
February 6, 2011
Whales!!
Since my friend Meghan had never been to Cape Hedo, we drove up there today. It was a bit hazy, but I figured we could still get some good pictures. Nice warm day, shorts weather instead of being freaking cold like it's been lately, etc. Now, I've been to Cape Hedo several times, but we were in for a treat today: a pod of humpback whales!
These pictures aren't exactly going to be gracing the cover of National Geographic any time soon, but it should be enough to convince the "pictures or it didn't happen" crowd. That, and they make me squeeeee because seeing whales is awesome.
It all started with some "OMG, did you see that?" and some frantic pointing out at the water:
Why yes, they are whales.
Go go gadget zoom lens!
SQUEEEEEEEEE...
How freaking cool is that? Seriously.
I could watch these things all day long.
Whale tail!
Always wanted to see a humpback whale breach, and...
...yaaaaaay!
Coolest. Thing. Ever.
Whales are awesome. I could've sat there all damn day.
So that was my excitement for the day. Kind of glad I decided to go with Meghan instead of watching the Super Bowl this year, because...damn.
These pictures aren't exactly going to be gracing the cover of National Geographic any time soon, but it should be enough to convince the "pictures or it didn't happen" crowd. That, and they make me squeeeee because seeing whales is awesome.
It all started with some "OMG, did you see that?" and some frantic pointing out at the water:
Why yes, they are whales.
Go go gadget zoom lens!
SQUEEEEEEEEE...
How freaking cool is that? Seriously.
I could watch these things all day long.
Whale tail!
Always wanted to see a humpback whale breach, and...
...yaaaaaay!
Coolest. Thing. Ever.
Whales are awesome. I could've sat there all damn day.
So that was my excitement for the day. Kind of glad I decided to go with Meghan instead of watching the Super Bowl this year, because...damn.
Gallagher at White Beach
Today, I finally got to see Gallagher live. He was doing a free show down at White Beach, and since no one likes to drive alllllll the way out to White Beach (roughly 20 minutes from Kadena), there weren't a lot of people there. Win!
Anyway, it was a hilarious show, combining his usual standup with his usual...
Well...
Come on. It's Gallagher. What do you expect?
Behold! The Sledge-o-matic!
I believe this was about 3 nanoseconds before I ended up with Spaghetti-Os in my hair and in my purse.
Seeing as we share a last name (my maiden name is Gallagher), there's a minute chance we're distantly related.
I fail to see the resemblance, though:
Anyway, it was a hilarious show, combining his usual standup with his usual...
Well...
Come on. It's Gallagher. What do you expect?
Behold! The Sledge-o-matic!
I believe this was about 3 nanoseconds before I ended up with Spaghetti-Os in my hair and in my purse.
Seeing as we share a last name (my maiden name is Gallagher), there's a minute chance we're distantly related.
I fail to see the resemblance, though:
February 5, 2011
Spending the day on Kokusai Street
Today we went with some friends to Naha, one of the two major cities on the island. There's a particular street in Naha, Kokusai Street, that is pretty much THE place to shop. Lots of touristy stuff, lots of restaurants, and plenty of farmer's markets, junk shops, and things like that.
It's also home of the one restaurant on the island that serves one of my guilty pleasures:
That stuff is pho king awesome. Srsly. They also had a wickedly awesome business card holder, which I photographed because I'm easily amused:
Then we went out walking, checking out the various sights and shops on Kokusai.
And the farmer's market.
And the meat market...
Of course, we behaved like respectable Americans, being ambassadors of our country and...
Um. Anyway.
Seeing this was almost like being back home, minus the palm tree:
And I suspect this establishment will be getting some of my money in the future...
It's a Seattle thing, you wouldn't understand.
Onward. This is something I've been meaning to photograph, and finally remembered today. Space is scarce here, and electricity is expensive as hell, which makes drying clothing a bit of a catch-22. The Japanese, however, have no difficulty conserving both space and electricity while drying their clothes:
And while I have ADD, here's a passenger on the back of someone's bicycle:
Speaking of the cute and the random...
Here's some Ryukyu glass, which is very popular here.
There are lots of Shi Shi dogs to be found on Kokusai Street.
LOTS of Shi Shi dogs...
Shi Shis, the Cubist phase:
Finally, one tasty treat we've been introduced to since we've lived here is dragonfruit. On the outside, they're best described as the bastard lovechild of a mango and an artichoke, and on the inside, it's either white or purple (depending on the type) fruit that tastes like kiwi. They are AWESOME.
There you have it...another day on Okinawa. We're heading out again next weekend, so expect more pictures soon. ;)
Also just a quick note to say...Infinity Pools is sold! More info to come, but it'll be out this spring from Amber Quill. Stay tuned for details.
It's also home of the one restaurant on the island that serves one of my guilty pleasures:
That stuff is pho king awesome. Srsly. They also had a wickedly awesome business card holder, which I photographed because I'm easily amused:
Then we went out walking, checking out the various sights and shops on Kokusai.
And the farmer's market.
And the meat market...
Of course, we behaved like respectable Americans, being ambassadors of our country and...
Um. Anyway.Seeing this was almost like being back home, minus the palm tree:
And I suspect this establishment will be getting some of my money in the future...
It's a Seattle thing, you wouldn't understand.Onward. This is something I've been meaning to photograph, and finally remembered today. Space is scarce here, and electricity is expensive as hell, which makes drying clothing a bit of a catch-22. The Japanese, however, have no difficulty conserving both space and electricity while drying their clothes:
And while I have ADD, here's a passenger on the back of someone's bicycle:
Speaking of the cute and the random...
Here's some Ryukyu glass, which is very popular here.
There are lots of Shi Shi dogs to be found on Kokusai Street.
LOTS of Shi Shi dogs...
Shi Shis, the Cubist phase:
Finally, one tasty treat we've been introduced to since we've lived here is dragonfruit. On the outside, they're best described as the bastard lovechild of a mango and an artichoke, and on the inside, it's either white or purple (depending on the type) fruit that tastes like kiwi. They are AWESOME.
There you have it...another day on Okinawa. We're heading out again next weekend, so expect more pictures soon. ;)Also just a quick note to say...Infinity Pools is sold! More info to come, but it'll be out this spring from Amber Quill. Stay tuned for details.
February 3, 2011
Friday Mancandy - Boys in the Sun
This morning, I submitted the sequel to Getting off the Ground, Infinity Pools. Since both stories are vacation-themed, I took Aislinn's advice and made the them of today's Friday Mancandy edition "Boys in the Sun." Because seriously...boys? Beaches? Sun? Hell yeah.
So...enjoy!
Some George Clooney in a pool...
Hugh Jackman on the beach...
Joaquin...(and I would love to credit this photo, so if anyone knows the name of the photographer, please let me know)
Colin "chillin' in the sun" Farrell...
Some more Colin...
Guess who???
Jared, of course. And here he is on a beach in South Africa. Yes, beaches do get cold in the winter...
I'm told there's a beach in this picture. I...haven't noticed, to be honest...
I...this...it's...
Ink. One of the most gorgeous sets of shoulders on the planet. A beach. Really, what more is there to day?
There you have it, loyal blog minions. Boys in the sun. More mancandy and other fun and frivolity to come.
For now, back to work...
So...enjoy!
Some George Clooney in a pool...
Hugh Jackman on the beach...
Joaquin...(and I would love to credit this photo, so if anyone knows the name of the photographer, please let me know)
Colin "chillin' in the sun" Farrell...
Some more Colin...
Guess who???
Jared, of course. And here he is on a beach in South Africa. Yes, beaches do get cold in the winter...
I'm told there's a beach in this picture. I...haven't noticed, to be honest...
I...this...it's...Ink. One of the most gorgeous sets of shoulders on the planet. A beach. Really, what more is there to day?
There you have it, loyal blog minions. Boys in the sun. More mancandy and other fun and frivolity to come.For now, back to work...
January 31, 2011
The Cherry Blossom Festival: Stairs, Squid, and Strawberries on Sticks.
After over two years on Okinawa, my husband and I have been shamefully remiss when it comes to the annual Cherry Blossom festival. Actually, I was off-island the first year, and if I recall, I was sick last year. Whatever the case, no excuses this year because it's our last chance to go.
So, it was up early, off to Kadena to meet up with some friends, and up to Nago.
Now, the festival is divided up into three parts. There's the hike up to the shrine, the street fair, and the parade. Since it wasn't terribly crowded and we all still had some energy, we figured it would be best to do the hike first. That, and it was cold as hell, so a nice brisk walk would warm us up.
The hike involved stairs.
Lots of stairs.
Even more stairs.
And it wasn't just humans making the haul to the top:
Did I mention stairs?
For those of us with the odd knee problem, not to mention being woefully out of shape, it was a challenging ascent, but it was worth it. At the top was a shrine:
And the the view was...
Yeah. Always worth a hike to a higher elevation in these parts. Here are the cherry blossoms with Nago in the background:
As you can see, the blossoms are a little sparse this year. Part of this is due to the unusually cold winter, which can be blamed on global warming and the Freemasons. The surviving cherry blossoms are a hardy, cannibalistic type that made it through the winter by attacking and eating smaller, weaker blossoms. What you see before you is a ferocious, predatory strain of cherry blossoms. This festival isn't to celebrate them, it's to appease them and beg them not to hurt us.
They look so docile and unassuming.
Even when they hunt in packs:
They're pink and pretty, and everyone goes, "Awww, cherry blossoms!"
Yeah. Shortly after this picture was taken...
...the second blossom from the left launched itself from the branch and attacked a passerby. It wasn't pretty, my loyal blog minions. It wasn't pretty.
We managed to sneak through the gauntlet of ravenous, vicious cherry blossoms, and make it down the mountain in time for the street fair. Street fairs in Japan are quite similar to those in the States. Food, games, overpriced trinkets, etc.
The food is a bit different, though. These are gummy little pastries with strawberries in them:
And these are candied strawberries on sticks, which I'm told were quite good once you got past the teeth-shattering candy force field:
My husband, getting closely acquainted with some angry street food:
And, oh look! They're making little fruit-filled pancakes! WANT!
Wait. Those ARE fruit-filled, right? I mean, that purple thing in the center...it's...tell me it...
Oh, God. No. It's not fruit.
Eww.
And what have we here? Please tell me those aren't...
Yes. They are. *shudder*
Then it was on to the parade.
The first group came through carrying the Ark of the Covenant, which I'm told they took up to the top of the mountain for an elaborate ceremony. I wish I could have gone. I heard they were going to open it, and that would have been coooool...
Then there was this...thing...
I have no idea what this guy is...
Japanese parades mean lots and lots of dancers...
Lots of dancers...
I understand the guy leading this group was like 90 years old...
This is the ninja float...
...it's hard to see, but it's there.
Then came the dancing drummers, which are really fun to watch:
And with the dancing drummers came Shi Shi dogs.
What happens to children who misbehave during Japanese parades? Well...
Shi Shis 'bout to throw down in the 'hood...
Haters gonna hate...
Once the parade was over, we took our shivering carcasses back to the car. For lunch, we drove up to Pizza in the Sky, home of the most awesome pizza on the face of the freaking earth. Of course, it also had an hour wait, which meant standing outside in the freezing cold, so we ended up going back into Nago for curry. But we will be back to Pizza in the Sky, because it is made of awesome.
And finally, this spot always amuses me. Apparently when there's a dispute between a road and a tomb, the tomb wins:
So, it was up early, off to Kadena to meet up with some friends, and up to Nago.
Now, the festival is divided up into three parts. There's the hike up to the shrine, the street fair, and the parade. Since it wasn't terribly crowded and we all still had some energy, we figured it would be best to do the hike first. That, and it was cold as hell, so a nice brisk walk would warm us up.
The hike involved stairs.
Lots of stairs.
Even more stairs.
And it wasn't just humans making the haul to the top:
Did I mention stairs?
For those of us with the odd knee problem, not to mention being woefully out of shape, it was a challenging ascent, but it was worth it. At the top was a shrine:
And the the view was...
Yeah. Always worth a hike to a higher elevation in these parts. Here are the cherry blossoms with Nago in the background:
As you can see, the blossoms are a little sparse this year. Part of this is due to the unusually cold winter, which can be blamed on global warming and the Freemasons. The surviving cherry blossoms are a hardy, cannibalistic type that made it through the winter by attacking and eating smaller, weaker blossoms. What you see before you is a ferocious, predatory strain of cherry blossoms. This festival isn't to celebrate them, it's to appease them and beg them not to hurt us.
They look so docile and unassuming. 
Even when they hunt in packs:
They're pink and pretty, and everyone goes, "Awww, cherry blossoms!"Yeah. Shortly after this picture was taken...
...the second blossom from the left launched itself from the branch and attacked a passerby. It wasn't pretty, my loyal blog minions. It wasn't pretty.We managed to sneak through the gauntlet of ravenous, vicious cherry blossoms, and make it down the mountain in time for the street fair. Street fairs in Japan are quite similar to those in the States. Food, games, overpriced trinkets, etc.
The food is a bit different, though. These are gummy little pastries with strawberries in them:
And these are candied strawberries on sticks, which I'm told were quite good once you got past the teeth-shattering candy force field:
My husband, getting closely acquainted with some angry street food:
And, oh look! They're making little fruit-filled pancakes! WANT!
Wait. Those ARE fruit-filled, right? I mean, that purple thing in the center...it's...tell me it...Oh, God. No. It's not fruit.
Eww.And what have we here? Please tell me those aren't...
Yes. They are. *shudder*
Then it was on to the parade.The first group came through carrying the Ark of the Covenant, which I'm told they took up to the top of the mountain for an elaborate ceremony. I wish I could have gone. I heard they were going to open it, and that would have been coooool...
Then there was this...thing...
I have no idea what this guy is...
Japanese parades mean lots and lots of dancers...
Lots of dancers...
I understand the guy leading this group was like 90 years old...
This is the ninja float...
...it's hard to see, but it's there.Then came the dancing drummers, which are really fun to watch:
And with the dancing drummers came Shi Shi dogs.
What happens to children who misbehave during Japanese parades? Well...
Shi Shis 'bout to throw down in the 'hood...
Haters gonna hate...
Once the parade was over, we took our shivering carcasses back to the car. For lunch, we drove up to Pizza in the Sky, home of the most awesome pizza on the face of the freaking earth. Of course, it also had an hour wait, which meant standing outside in the freezing cold, so we ended up going back into Nago for curry. But we will be back to Pizza in the Sky, because it is made of awesome.
And finally, this spot always amuses me. Apparently when there's a dispute between a road and a tomb, the tomb wins:
January 30, 2011
Reviews: Rain & Rules of Engagement
Yes, I'm keeping most of the writing stuff over on the other blog, but there will still be writing-related posts here at times, since that's what occupies most of my time. (That said, I'm sorting pics from our trip to the Cherry Blossom Festival yesterday, and those will be going up soon)
But I got an e-mail this morning with a couple of reviews, and they made me squee, so I had to share them. Both are from Dark Divas Reviews.
For Rules of Engagement, 5 Divas out of 5:
The sequel, Rain, received 4.5 Divas out of 5.
But I got an e-mail this morning with a couple of reviews, and they made me squee, so I had to share them. Both are from Dark Divas Reviews.
For Rules of Engagement, 5 Divas out of 5:
This isn't an action / adventure novel, nor is it a suspense novel, but truly I found all three elements in what, at first, appeared to be merely a hot and steamy romance. And I do mean appeared, because there was so much more to Dustin and Brandon's story than I ever expected. Honestly to say that I was stunned by the emotional currents and depth of character is like saying I liked the story. [...] I expect that other stories that I read by this most compelling storyteller will keep me as enthralled—and yes I do mean that—as did Dustin and Brandon's story.The complete review is here.
The sequel, Rain, received 4.5 Divas out of 5.
"Ms. Witt has once again pulled out all stops and sent us off on a journey of discovery and love and again, all I can say is Wow."Read the entire review of Rain here.
