Dragon*Con Shirts

I need some opinions. I got a steampunk costume for Dragon*Con. It has a black underskirt with white lace, a blue taffeta bustle, and a black bodice with white lace and blue inserts, but I need a shirt. I have 3 that I picked out, thinking about the heat and humidity of Atlanta at the end of August, and that I will already be wearing several layers, plus I wanted something that I could possibly wear in the future.

Here are the links to each shirt, I would be purchasing the shirt in white, but which looks nicer?

I think this one would be the coolest in the heat, but as you can see you have to have something to wear underneath or cover up with (which I would be using the bodice) not something that could be worn on it's own:
http://www.fanplusfriend.com/servlet/the-1904/Classical-Gothic-Lolita-Embroidered/Detail

I like this one, but I wonder if it looks too stuffy when not paired with steampunk items:
http://www.fanplusfriend.com/servlet/the-847/Classical-Gothic-Lolita-cln-Short-Sleeves/Detail

This one has a blue ribbon that would match the bustle and inserts on the bodice (this is actually supposed to be an undershirt):
http://www.fanplusfriend.com/servlet/the-946/Gothic-Lolita-Shirring-Sleeping/Detail

I would love to hear comments and opinions!

Thanks!

Currently reading:
A Job From Hell (Ancient Legends Book 1) by Jayde Scott
I got this as a free kindle, it is another vampire book, not sure why I keep picking only vamp books out to read recently. It is holding my attention, but I did enjoy Blood Calling much more.

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California

We have been living in California for almost a week. Most of it has been hot and miserable. Where we are has been going through a heat wave.

In about a week Jasmine and I will be driving to Oklahoma. We will be making a few stops along the way to see some family and friends. We will be driving all of the things that we want to keep, but don't want to ship to England, to my Dad's home. He will store them for us while we are gone. It will probably be a four day drive, a week-long stay and a four day drive back.

After that we have about a two week rest and have to go see my mom for a week, fly back to Carson and celebrate Jasmine's birthday. We will drive back to California and wait a couple of days to drive back to Carson to drop Jasmine off with the mother-in-law. Then the husband and I will be flying to Dragon*Con in Atlanta... in August. Phew... I can already feel the heat and humidity.

About two weeks after that we will be off to Leeds. Our time in the USA is ending quickly, yet slowly at the same time.

July 9, 2013

AHHHHH! Never mind what I wrote about Oklahoma. Jasmine and I were in a car accident today. We are completely fine, but the car is not. I'm not sure how we are going to Oklahoma, but right now I am not driving the car.

I at least got to mail off the renewal of my passport, but that was really the only thing I accomplished today.

I better publish this post before something else happens.

Currently Reading:
Blood Calling (The Blood Calling Series Book 1) by Joshua Grover-David
I got this as a free kindle and read it. It is a pretty good story, good enough that I would pay to read the next book. It is about vampires, but has a re-imagining of their purpose in the world.

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Ripple blanket using Bernat Baby Coordinates

The next-door-neighbor lady is supposed to have a baby some time next month, but she looks like she will have it any time soon. This is her fourth child, but it has been five years since her last child.

I used Bernat Baby Coordinates in Buddy Blue and White for this blanket. Buddy Blue ranges from a dark, medium and light blues to a blue-green.






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And moving on

Well, we finally closed on the house on the 3rd of May. It is completely gone and sold. We are now at a friend's house, all of our stuff squished into one room. The husband is back from California.

A few plans have changed, we may be leaving in 3 to 6 weeks to go to California until the husband retires. The husband interviews tomorrow (okay, it has been long enough since I first started typing this that the interview occurred over a week ago and the husband did get the assistanceship!) to see if he will teach (well, be a TA), if he gets the job then we will leave some time after September 19th, he will start on the 24th. That doesn't give us a lot of time to get to England and settle in. If he doesn't get the job I think we will be going with our original plan and not leave until the end of November, but I don't know if we will stay the whole time in California.

Some things are settled, but a lot of things are still up in the air. It is a stressor, or at least for me it is.

I am taking a few courses with Coursera. They are free, taught through various universities, community style (videos and forums.) Right now I am taking "Crafting an Effective Writer: Tools of the Trade," to brush up on my English grammar, and "Introduction to Art: Concepts & Techniques," just for fun. As you can see some of the English homework has made its way here since the teachers wanted it to be hosted online, I don't know why.

There's also a class called "English Common Law: Structure and Principles," starting in a couple of days, figured I needed to brush up a little bit on English law before we moved. I am also enrolled in: "Archaeology's Dirty Little Secrets," sounded like fun and I have enjoyed the few archaeology (luckily I already spell that the British way) classes I have taken for college; "Fantasy and Science Fiction: The Human Mind, Our Modern World," I normally only read Fantasy or Science Fiction, although I am currently really into steampunk, I also enjoy writing and normally write in fantasy settings; "Art and Inquiry: Museum Teaching Strategies For Your Classroom," okay, I don't teach, so I don't know how useful this information would be, but I figured that it couldn't hurt to learn it; "From the Big Bang to Dark Energy," Astronomy! If I was better at math I would want to be an astronomer... or a chemist, probably a chemist, then I could blow stuff up; "From the Repertoire: Western Music History through Performance," music, not sure what else to say about this class beyond that I like music; "Live!: A History of Art for Artists, Animators and Gamers," another art class, not sure how useful this one will be either, but it sounded interesting; "Confronting The Big Questions: Highlights of Modern Astronomy," another astronomy class, yay!

Some of the universities hosting the classes are big, famous universities, like Brown University, and the classes aren't all at the same time, for example, the "Confronting The Big Questions: Highlights of Modern Astronomy" class isn't until next year. But if you complete the class you get a certificate of some kind, I don't know what kind yet because I am only on my first class.

The lovely Gail Carriger is have a contest for an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of Curtsies & Conspiracies, which is set to come out November 5th. Curtsies & Conspiracies is the second book of the Finishing School series. I have had Etiquette & Espionage in my Currently Reading section before, but it will show up there again, since I will need to refresh my memory to write the 60 word review. The contest ends June 10th, you can find the rest of the rules here.

Currently reading:
The Iron Butterfly (The Iron Butterfly Series Book 1) by Chanda Hahn
This is the book that my FB book reading group picked. It is a free kindle, I've had it for a week, but I've only managed to get to page 10. Hopefully things will settle down soon.

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Week 3 Journal 1 and 2

L and K are fighting again.
S and R are watching television.
They are ignoring the fighting kids.
The house is often noisy when L and K are here.
The house is especially noisy on Sundays when the whole family and neighbors are visiting.
I do not like loud sounds.

L and K race through the house when the get home.
They are often screaming at each other at the same time.
The noise rarely stops when they are home.

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Week 2 Journal 1 and 2

5-10 nouns from a scene:

Television
Couch
Living Room
People
Roommates
Jasmine

5-10 adjectives from a scene:
Large
Loud
Open
Dim
Clean

5-10 verbs from a scene:
Sleeping
Watching
Eating
Drinking
Reading

5-10 adverbs from a scene:
Often
Very
Also
Never
Soon

Every night my roommates fall asleep on their large couch in the living room.
Every night my roommates watch t.v. loudly in the living room.
My roommates never fall asleep in their bed.
I often read in dim light.
We will all go to bed soon.

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Assorted news

It has been busy here. We finally have a closing date on the house. The estate sale is this Saturday and then the close is the first week of May.

On April 27 we will be attending Nova Albion, a steampunk convention. I want to see Gail Carriger, and hopefully get a few books signed, and I would like to hear Ay-leen from Beyond Victoriana speak, hopefully specifically about Asians in the steampunk world, since I am half-Korean I know most people identify me as Asian only.

The husband is presenting a paper at Dragon*Con at the end of August, so we will be attending all four days of that. We are going to dress up, all the more reason to listen to Ay-leen, I would like to try to do Korean steampunk for one of the outfits, but I don't know how it will go.

Then at the end of November or the beginning of December we will be leaving and moving to Leeds, UK. The husband was officially accepted. We have a little bit over seven months left, we are renting out a room with some friends, I kind of want it all done. We will only be in Leeds for three years. Just enough time for Jasmine to pick up a British accent and then get put in Speech classes like I was.

Currently reading:
Etiquette & Espionage (Finishing School Book1) by Gail Carriger
This is the first book in a new series by Gail Carriger. I have read it before, but it is worth rereading, and refreshing the memory before seeing the illustrious author.

Currently watching:
Gu Family Book (구가의 서)
The synopsis from viki.com: Can a man born to a human mother and a mythical-creature father find a way to become a real human and live the life he desperately desires? Choi Kang Chi is a gumiho (a fox with nine tails) whose mother is Yoon Seo Hwa, a human, who fell in love with Gu Wal Ryung, the guardian god of the Jiri Mountains. Chased by their enemies, Seo Hwa sends Kang Chi in a basket down the river so that he will not be captured. The Choi family finds baby Kang Chi floating in the river and raise him. Kang Chi discovers his true identity by chance one day, and he becomes determined to become a real human. Can Dam Yeo Wool, a master martial artist and archer, help him in his quest? “Gu Family Book,” also known as “Ancient Medical Book,” “The Writings of Nine Houses” and “Book of the House of Gu,” is a 2013 South Korean historical drama series directed by Shin Woo Chul, an award-winning director who also directed “A Gentleman’s Dignity” (2012), “Secret Garden” (2010), and “City Hall” (2009).

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2PM One Point Hangul episodes 1-5

2PM is my favorite idol group from Korea. The guys are funny, so it makes watching almost everything they do enjoyable while I try to learn Korean.

This series is actually for Japanese people to learn Korean, but the guys speak Korean mostly during each episode, so it can be really useful if you are trying to learn Korean.

I have copied down the Korean that is to learn, but I did not translate these episodes, that was done by Wild2Day, I just wanted to make it easier to follow the lesson by not having to stop the video every few seconds. I didn't add any romanization because I just didn't know if I should, but I put the Korean in large font for easier reading. I am not an expert, I am learning Korean myself.

Edit: March 2, 2015 I was able to find all the videos for this page, except episode 1. I couldn't even find it without subs, so if you happen to find it please leave a comment with a link to the video, thanks. The translations on the new videos are from rikakotsu @JunkayStreet, my writing is from the original translations I got from Wild2Day, so they may not match rikakotsu's.

Here is episode 1:

??? I can't find the video.

반갑습니다.
Nice to meet you.

만나서 반갑습니다.
It is a pleasure to meet you.

반가워요.
Nice to meet you (less formal.)


Lesson 2:



괜찮아요.
That's/It's okay.

맛이 괜찮아요?
Does it taste okay?


Lesson 3:



이가주세요.
Please give me this.

그거주세요.
Please give me that.

저거주세요.
Please give me that (to an object that is far away.)


Lesson 4:



악수 해주세요.
Please shake my hand.

사인 해주세요.
Please give me your autograph/signature.

사인
Is short for signature.

제 이름 써주세요.
Please write my name.


Lesson 5:




일본어 팜플렛 있어요?
Do you have a Japanese pamphlet?

메뉴
Menu

일본어 메뉴 있어요?
Do you have a Japanese menu?

일본어 있어요?
Do you have a Japanese one?

일본어
Means Japanese language, so the 일본어 part of the sentence can be switched out for a different language and you can make new sentences easily.

English language = 영어

French language = 프랑스어

German language = 독일어

Spanish language = 스페인어

EDIT: March 30, 2014 Wild2Day has removed all of their videos. I will try to find new ones and link to them.



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Korean Dramas and Movies

I love watching Korean dramas and movies. Some can be boring and repetitive, but mostly they are kind of funny and charming in their own way. Apparently I like the high school ones and arranged marriage ones. Here is a list of the dramas and movies I have seen. If you know of any good ones to watch let me know!

DRAMAS:
18 vs. 29 (열여덟 스물아홉) This was a good one, but a bit slow in some parts.
Air City (에어시티 ) unfortunately I could not get pass the first episdoe, it just didn't draw me in.
All My Love (몽땅 내사랑 ) I started it, but haven't finished it, 210 episdoes is a lot to watch. JoKwon is of course hilarious.
Arang and the Magistrate (아랑사또전) this was a really good one and it showed how Koreans view death and ghosts. Really interesting.
Assorted Gems (aka Jewel Bibimbap) (보석비빔밥) this is a 50 episode show, but it goes pretty fast. There aren't a lot of flashbacks like in Dae Jang Geum, which makes it a lot easier to watch. The characters are interesting and there is a bit to learn about Korean drama writers since one of the main characters is one. But the last episode I felt was horribly rushed and a bit was left unexplained.
Bad Man (나쁜 남자) I only got to episdoe 3. I really want to like it and watch more, mostly because of Kim Jae Wook, but I really don't like it.
Big (빅) this show was really good, but the ending was too vague for me.
Cheongdamdong Alice (청담동 앨리스) I am currently watching this, on episode 9! (EDIT:8/8/2013) The show started off well, but it really dragged towards the middle. The last four or five episodes were really hard for me to get through.
Cinderella's Sister (신데렐라 언니) I only got to episode 3, which is too bad since 2PM's Taecyeon doesn't appear until episode 5.
City Hunter (시티헌터) This was a great show. My husband didn't even complain too much, normally he whines the whole time I am watching a Korean show.
Coffee Prince (커피프린스 1호점) This one was fun, but I don't know why the main character Go Eun Chan, didn't come out and say she was a girl right away. There seems to be a genre of girls dressing as boys and have a boy fall in love with the girl while thinking that she is a he. Very strange.
Dae Jang Geum (aka Jewel in the Palace) (대장금) This is a very long show, 54 episdoes. The problem with watching Korean dramas all in a row is that that is not how they are viewed in Korea. They show one episode a day and you get maybe two episodes a week. So, with the longer running shows they will show flashbacks to make sure the audience hasn't forgotten things that happened in the beginning of the show. It happens more and more often towards the end of the show. So, watching them all in a row I had to fast forward a lot. But it was a really interesting show, I did like seeing all the cooking, since court cooking is extravagant. And really it is hard to believe there was ever a time when Korea didn't have red chili peppers to use in their cooking.
Delightful Girl Choon Hyang (쾌걸 춘향) This show is loosely based on the legend of Choon Hyang, but set in modern times. It is another high school show.
Dream High (드림하이) I really enjoyed this show and the cast is full of ideols (2PM's Taecyeon and Wooyoung, Miss A's Suzy, IU and even more have cameos throughout the episodes.) This show was very easy to watch.
Dream High 2 (드림하이 시즌2) This show had the same amount of idols, but it didn't have as good of a story line, it just fell kind of flat. I couldn't really root for any of the characters, they were mostly all shallow.
Faith (aka The Great Doctor) (신의) Loved this show! I was waiting very eagerly for this show to be subbed every time there was a new episode. Lee MinHo (이민호) is a great actor. I do wish there had been a bit more between the two main actors in the last scene, but it was a great show.
Flower Boy Ramen Shop (꽃미남 라면가게) I did watch this show, but for me it was a bit hard to get through. I really can't believe that any grown woman (25) would fall for a high schooler (I believe he is 17 at the beginning of the show.) It doesn't make sense to me.
Full House (풀하우스) I started watching this, but didn't finish it, because I went on vacation and when I came back I couldn't remember what website I was watching it on. I think it was hulu.com, but I'm not sure. I need to check. It has Rain (비) in it.
Goong (aka Princess Hours) (궁) This is the first Korean drama that I can ever remember watching. This is a show that I have watched over, a couple of times, and still enjoy it.
Goong S (aka Prince Hoo) (궁S) I think I only watched two or three episodes. I couldn't get into the show at all. It lacks the cuteness of the first Goong and the story line isn't related to the first Goong at all. The characters are all different.
Gu Family Book (구가의 서) Great! Great! The story was so good, I don't know why k-netizens were complaining about Suzy's acting. Choi Jin Hyuk had a great voice and presence as Gu Wol Ryeong.
Iljimae (일지매) I haven't been able to finish this one yet, only on episode five, because the rest of the episodes haven't been subtitled. But so far the store is interesting. It is a historical drama, but it doesn't have just nobility characters.
In-Soon is Pretty (인순이는 예쁘다) I cannot remember how far I got into this series, maybe episode three or four.  It was too depressing, I couldn't finish it.  Nothing ever goes right for the main character.
Marry Stayed out all Night (매리는 외박중) This was a cute show with Moon Geun Young, Jang Geun Suk and Kim Jae Wook.  It was a bit slow in some parts, but rather easy to watch.
My Girlfriend is a Gumiho (내 여자친구는 구미호) This was a bit fun, a bit sad, and some times a bit tedious.  No Min Woo was great in it though, and I wish they would have explained a bit more on the background of his character.
Obsetrics and Gynecology Doctors (산부인과 여의사)  Song Joong Ki was really cute in this drama.  It is too bad that his character is so ruled by his parents, he dumps his girlfriend because of his parents and then tries to get back together with her once his parents find out that her family won the lottery (but his parents don't know that it is the same girl.
Pasta (파스타) Another show where I am not quite sure how the main female and male character end up together.  The male character played by Lee Sun Gyun treats the female character, played by Gong Hyo Jin, horribly.  He fires her several times and is always in a bad mood around her, but some how she falls for him and his bad temper means he likes her?  This seems to happen a lot in Korean dramas.  Any way, No Min Woo is in this show too, as a minor character, but he plays a drums only cover of 2PM's Heartbeat (you can see it here, be forewarned he is topless, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJNU1omNUdQ&list=PLDA2B6260380210A0&index=21 .) Ah, I kind of miss him dressing up as a girl.
Playful Kiss (장난스런 키스) I thought that this was a really cute show.  It is based on the manga Itazura na Kiss (イタズラな Kiss) and stars Kim Hyun Joong of SS501 fame.  Kim Hyun Joong's character is supposed to be a super nerd, althetic and cute.  Oh Ha Ni is the character that likes him, but she is rather dumb (and kind of annoying at times), clumsy and supposed to be plain.  I don't know why this show didn't do well in Korea, but I know it was very popular with international fans.
Sunkyunkwan Scandal (성균관 스캔들) This show was interesting at times, it shows what women were allowed and not allowed to due during the Joseon Dynasty.  It could be slow at times, but it had Soong Joong Ki and of course he was cute.
Tamra the Island (탐나는 도다) Set in what is in modern times Jejudo. (Jeju Special Self-governing Province) (제주특별자치도) For me this was a hard series to watch.  I don't understand why they had Pierre Deporte portray an English man instead of a French man, since he is duh! a French man, even if his Korean is really good.  I don't know if it is because the show had an archic dialect, but I could not get into it at all.  I think I stopped after the third or fifth episode.
The Moon that Embraces the Sun (해를 품은 달)  I only watched the parts that had the main characters as kids, they were really cute, the rest of the show hadn't been subtitled at that point.  I am sure if I go back now they will be done, just have to find the time.
Tree with Deep Roots (뿌리깊은 나무) I started this on viki.com, but I didn't finish. Not because I didn't like it, but because the rest of the episodes didn't have subtitles yet. I will have to go back and see if any more of it is done. It is about King Sejong, the credited inventor of the Korean writing system and about the conspiracy surrounding the king at that time.
You're Beautiful (미남이시네요) I think this is the first drama I watched that had Jang Geun Suk and/or Park Shin Hye in it.  I liked the show and enjoyed it, but I didn't understand Shin Hye's character at all.  Geun Suk's character is such a grump.  I think if Shin Woo, Jung Young Hwa's character, had actually gotten so real nerve up sooner that she would have ended up with him, and probably been happier in the long run.
Who Are You (후아유) I think this is Taecyeon's third drama, not sure. It is the third drama I've seen with So Yi Hyun, she was my favorite sister in Assorted Gems. Kim Jae Wook is also in it, hasn't appeared very much yet, only the 4th episode has been released.





MOVIES:
200 Pounds Beauty (미녀는 괴로워)  This movie is a bit disturbing, I think mainly because it shows how Korean people deal with idol culture and plastic surgery culture.
Baby and Me (아기와 나) A cute movie with Jang Geun Suk (You're Beautiful) as a teenager.  A baby is dropped off at his house with a note saying that he is the baby's dad.  Fun to watch, not serious at all.
Il Mare (시월애)  Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock started in the 2006 remake called The Lake House.  I watched the full move of The Lake House, but I honestly cannot remember if I watched all of Il Mare.  I might have to go back later and watch it again.
Mr Idol (Mr. 아이돌 ) About and idol group's reunion.  The only actor in the movie who is actually is an idol is Jay Park, he was in the idol group 2PM before he dropped out.  A enjoyable movie, but there are a tone of things the actors do to "train" that I don't believe idols do.
My Little Bride (어린 신부)  This movie is kind of cute, but at times it is just really creepy.  Also, my husband thinks that Moon Geun Young's face is really messed up.  I have to admit some times I think she is either cross-eyed or wall-eyed.  Sorry "Korean nation's little sister."

There are a ton of new shows coming out, or have already started that I want to watch, but I think I need to finish some of the ones I have already started before adding anything new.

Currently Reading:
The Eye of the World (The Wheel of Time, Book 1) by Robert Jordan

I tried reading this book once before, but I really couldn't get into reading it.  I am trying again with my book club, we'll see how it goes.

P.S. I can't find my camera, so mad.  It has all the pictures I have taken on how to make various Korean recipes.  I might have to start over if I don't find it soon.

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Moving along

February 20, 2013
I really had planned on posting so much more often this year, but it just isn't working out.

Our house is on the market right now, you can buy it if you want to.  We are in the process of moving the things that we want to keep to the place that we will live temporary, and trying to sell the things that we don't want to keep.  There were 3 showings Saturday, 2 yesterday and there is one later today, but there are already 4 bids in on the house.  Which is great I guess, but we won't see any of the money, so I'm not sure if I really care.  We need to see about selling the things that we aren't going to keep and I am worried we won't have enough time for that.

We cancelled Jasmine's taekwondo classes, the drive would just be too much, but we might see if we can put her in ballet classes instead.  I don't think she will miss the taekwondo classes.  It isn't that she hated them or didn't like them, she just likes other things better.

We will live in Dayton temporarily with some friends while we find out where we are going next.

February 27, 2013
As you can see I got distracted again.  Well, we have signed to sell our house.

March 19, 2013
OMG.  I might as well give up on this and just post it.

We have been busy.  We spent a week in Charleston, SC, and a weekend in San Ramon, CA.

So, we signed on selling the house, the bank finally approved it, now we have sixty days to move out.  I am not sure if the sixty days started from when we first signed to sell or if it is from today.

Since we are moving all of my books nowadays are either ebooks or from the library.

Currently reading:
UnEnchanted (An Unfortunate Fairy Tale Book 1) by Chanda Hahn
Got this book as a free kindle book, but there is the paperback edition. It is a quick and fun read, there are a few, minor, personal issues with the book, but overall enjoyable and I do like a good retelling of fairy tales.

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