One Potato Two

A friend of mine got free tickets to go see "The Incredible Hulk," so I went along.
Even though I was on a deadline.
(By the way, I finished in time. Of course!)

I couldn't take any pictures of the ugly Hulk statue in the lobby because I was in a hurry to get home (because of the deadline).

The movie was okay, I guess.
I hardly watch superhero movies, and when I do half of the time it's for work.


I didn't get most of the comic references.
And I didn't understand that much-promoted last scene with Downey Jr.

Sigh.

I actually translated something Hulk-related before, but I guess I didn't do enough homework.
Oh well.

I thought the fighting sequence between the Hulk and that brown thing looked like a video game.
And Norton after the hair-cutting was ick.



Anyway.
Thanks for the free movie, Company T!

I have a zit on my face right now that reminds me of "Sen Masao."
He's an enka singer in Japan.

I only know about him because there was a "gag" manga I used to read and the main character used to make a joke about him.

The manga is "Moeru! Oniisan" by Tadashi Sato.

Gosh, I really wish I have an image of him doing the impression, but I did find an Amazon Japan link of the manga:



Okay, that didn't help.
I also found the link to the anime.


Aaaanyway, it reminded me of the "gag" manga I read as a girl.

There's "3-nen Kimengumi" (later continued to "High School! Kimengumi"):



"Tsuide ni Tonchinkan":



"Libero no Takeda"

(no image)


Sigh.
Now I want to go to a manga cafe and re-read them.

I wonder if anyone out there shares my taste.


In the end, I'll introduce some images.

This is Gai from "Moeru!"




Doesn't he look like Flazzard (sp?) from "Dai no Dai Bouken?"





Does anyone understand what I'm talking about?
Does anyone care?


Not really.


I'm just rambling.
I finished one deadline and I'm super hyper.

I will start on the novel tomorrow.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!
Happy Boys' Day!
Happy Children's Day!


There's various Happy (blanks)! but the only thing I did was sleep today.
And maybe work on a few pages of Shugo Chara #6.


The other day my mother brought me kashiwa mochi to eat.




I thought I explained it before, but I couldn't find it in my archives.

Kashiwa is Japanese Emperor Oak, and the kashiwa mochi is called so because the leaf is used to wrap the mochi.

The leaves of the kashiwa don't fall until new ones grow.
So eating kashiwa mochi is to wish for the family to stay healthy...and so the family line won't cease.



May 5 is now "boys' day" or "children's day," but originally it was an event for girls.
Before they started planting the rice in the old days, they would have the girls go to a shrine (or a temporary shed) to purify themselves for the gods of the fields.

It only changed to something for the boys during the Heian Period.
But it's a little complicated to explain now and I have work to do.

I finally got Kimi ni Todoke (AKA Kimi-Todo, which is a pretty ridiculous shortened term) #5.

Phew.
It's been on hold forever because it's really popular in Japan right now and the bookstores are stocking up.
I'm glad #5 came because #6 is on its way.

The story revolves around Sawako, who is misunderstood by her classmates because she looks gloomy (like Sadako from The Ring, which is her nickname).
She is often helped out by Kazehaya, a popular boy in school.
Through friendship and love she is able to resolve the misunderstandings around her (such as she can curse you, etc) and grow as a human being.

My favorite character is Pin, the comic relief teacher who thinks Sawako has exorcist powers.
Before the school sports festival, he told his students that if they suck in sports to not come to school that day.
Haha.

I also like Chizuru because she reads The Glass Mask.
And makes a reference in the story.

Kimi ni Todoke is serialized in Betsusatsu Margaret, which I used to read in high school and college (I think).
BetsuMa has a lot of good stuff...Ren'ai Catalogue, Itazura na Kiss, Bara-iro no Ashita, etc.
It's too bad I don't read it anymore.



The one in the red shirt is Pin.


It's so popular I think it'd come to the US sooner or later.
Hopefully it does.
It's a heart-warming story...and I usually don't like heart-warming stories.
It's that good!

I was bored (no, actually I was trying to get out of work) so I counted the number of deadlines I had last year by month.

Satsuki's 2007 Deadline Count!

January: 9 deadlines
February: 5 deadlines
March: 6 deadlines
April: 9 deadlines
May: 11 deadlines
June: 5 deadlines
July: 4 deadlines
August: 2 deadlines
September: 5 deadlines
October: 6 deadlines
November: 6 deadlines
December: 3 deadlines


So I guess I should look forward to August to get a vacation.

So I guess the part of Shio was chosen for the Pride movie.
I think Stephanie actually looks like Shio, so it's a good pick.
Ichijo's characters don't look Japanese at all.

Anyway, I think it's funny that Sony Music is involved, because the record company in the manga is Queen Records.
A parody on King Records, I think.

I wonder if they're going to change that in the movie.
Somy is a popular parodied Sony name.


I'm curious who's going to play Ranmaru.
No matter what the choice I'm sure I'm going to be disappointed.

Ranmaru's mom Natsuko...I would want Hitomi Kuroki or Reiko Takashima.

I had a gyoza night with my sister and a friend.

Usually I would make the inside of the gyoza and my sister will wrap them.
Then I cook.

But I was so tired on Friday I didn't do much. I did cook until I was full.

Anyway.

Here are some pictures.
Mmm.







I had to watch TV, so I didn't cook it over gas.
Cooking over gas is better for almost anything...but oh well.

My mom brought over some snacks for Hina Festival.
Hina Festival, or Girls' Day, is March 3.
So I'm a little late posting this...
They were sent over from a family friend in Japan.



I really don't know what this is.
Yawaraka Yaki.
The dolls do not look too happy.




Fuwamaru.
It melts in your mouth so fast, it's like ninja!




Hello Kitty is always promoted on holidays.
I don't like Hello Kitty that much...




Kokeshi rice crackers.
These are cute!




The origin of Hina dolls are katashiro, made of grasses and twigs in the old days (because paper was valuable back then) to substitute for our pain and misfortunes.
You would take the katashiro and rub it against your body to transfer impurities, and then wash it down a river or the ocean.
Then it evolved many times...but too long to list here.
I should get back to work!

I found a news article about "the best shojo manga guy you would want as a boyfriend."

#1: Rui Hanazawa from Hana Yori Dango
#2: Shinichi Chiaki from Nodame Cantabile
#3: Shun Makabe from Tokimeki Tonight
#4: Shinobu Ijuin from Haikara-san ga Toru
#5: Tsukasa Domoji from Hana Yori Dango

I'm writing about this because I agree with #3.
Makabe-kun!

I haven't read Haikara-san or Nodame, so I can't comment on #2 and #4.
But the Hana Yori Dango guys!?
F4 guys?

Nononononono.


I personally think they are selfish, spoiled brats who can't take care of themselves.
Ick.
I think the vote was swayed by the drama series.


I was trying to think of any guys in the manga I worked on...to see if they were good.

Daichi from Kitchen Princess?
I actually like Seiya better.

Ren from Kon Kon Kokon?
No monster otakus!

Lelouch from Code Geass?
Well, I think he's hot but he seriously has issues.


I like someone like Major Eberbach (From Eroica with Love).

February 22 is Cat Day in Japan.
The 2-22 is "nyan nyan nyan" or something.
Ridiculous?
Well, that's Japanese for you.

So to celebrate Cat Day I thought I'd introduce some cat manga.
Cat manga are VERY popular in Japan.
Well, sort of.

I think my favorite cat manga is Shippo ga Tomodachi by Erika Sakurazawa.



My favorite cat in here is Kacchi, a black cat with an injured eye.
He's a scaredy-cat and very adorable!
Akemi-chan is a queen, and Ben is...fearless.

All the cats in the story remind me of a cat I know, so it's easy to relate to the experiences depicted in the manga.


A recent popular cat manga is Chee's Sweet Home by Kanata Konami.
I haven't read it, but my sister likes it.
It's going to be an anime this spring.
I bought a bunch of merchandise at Animate in the fall for my sister, but she hasn't used them.




Other than cat manga, you'll notice many artists writing about their cats in the side panels of their tankobon.
Setona Mizushiro (Kanojotachi no X-Day and Houkago Hokenshitsu) has two cats, Jam and Nene.
Marimo Ragawa (Akachan to Boku and Shanimuni Go) has three now, I think.
Mel and Cain (named after her characters in NY, NY) and Luna.
The funniest "side manga" about cats has to be from Hiroyuki Eto (Mahojin Guru Guru).
The cat's name is never revealed. He calls it "kudoi kao no neko."

Anyway, if you have a cat you should give it a special treat today.

Sorry for the tennis post again.


Kei won the Delray Beach Tournament. It's only like his 8th ATP match and he wins!

He was playing my favorite American player, James Blake, so it was a hard match to watch.


It was a very tennis-filled weekend.
I hit for about 2 hours on Friday night...
Slept 5 hours and went to go play womens doubles...
(We lost 4-6, 3-6)
Then watched a bit of Kei's semifinal match before going to my next match.
We won 6-1, 7-5.

Then I spent all morning watching the scores for Kei.

It's a nice day to go play tennis...
Should I go or should I stay home and finish work?

...We'll see.

Sorry, this is a tennis-related post.


As I go off to play two tennis matches today (luckily both are doubles...one womens' and one mixed), Kei Nishikori will be playing his first ever ATP semifinals!!

Woooooooooot!!!!


He will be playing Sam Querrey, who is pretty local to me.
(Somewhere Southern California).


Also playing is my favorite American player, James Blake, and Robby Ginepri.

I actually cheer for all of them, so I guess I don't care who wins this tournament...

Well, maybe I want James to win and Kei to come in second.


I will probably not get any work done today.

I got a letter from the IRS saying that I owed them money.
The amount?
It's like a year's worth of salary for a clerical assistant.

I was like, "wth?" (not wtf because I am a lady!)

It turns out that one of my clients from 2006 turned in paperwork and added two extra zeros to my compensation.
TWO. EXTRA. ZEROS.
That's a lot.

Ugh.
Although it's as simple as checking a few boxes and returning a letter with evidence, this is one extra thing I don't have time to deal with.


Thanks, IRS!
Sending you lots of love too...