divided stairways

[nnozomi]

・In general I love the weird high school where I volunteer for its determined stance of “everyone here is a little weird and that’s okay,” which makes it a refreshing change from, well, most schools in general. The 11th-graders in particular are adorable. (Whether it’s a result of Japan’s particular school system or worldwide I can’t say, but I have noticed at multiple schools and classes a huge jump in maturity from 10th to 11th grades, or roughly ages 15+ to 16+. Rebellious wild kids calm down and get responsible, tense shy kids relax and get comfortable, the class as a whole is suddenly a bunch of reasonable semi-grownups instead of large kids.)
・I mentioned Chinese dramas in passing and two of the girls got !!! eyes all of a sudden, so after class I went over to chat with Saki and Chieri—they confessed to being fans of “Chinjorei,” which I was able to parse after a moment as 陳情令, CQL/Untamed. Curious to hear if they also use Japanese readings for the character names—the story of Gi Musen (the wifi joke works in Japanese too) and Ran Boki? (Fortunately for him it’s not Ran Bokki...). (While I would be glad to introduce the baby cdrama fans to Guardian as well, I feel like somehow it’s not really for...it hits harder if you’re older? I don’t know.)

・I got the not!lime thing I’d ordered online, a cute little tree, and managed to repot it without pricking my fingers on any of its numerous thorns (hopefully Y would have been able to awaken me from enchanted sleep when he got home from work that day, but why take the risk). I did end up spilling soil and fertilizer all over the tatami, though, making me glad I don’t live in a DWJ novel, in which I would probably have found a little bamboo forest growing by the next day.

・Liu Chang, who has no shame (and why should he), recorded himself singing a very silly Japanese pop tune, and I realized that the chorus invariably transmutes into this in my head. Well, we all know Bach was ahead of his time.

・Looking for some staircase vocabulary, I found a site describing staircase styles with reference to various New York buildings, including a sentence I particularly liked: “The divided stairway shown above is at Carnegie Hall in New York City. People bend the stairway path rules for various reasons including oblivion, patience, and the presence of obstructions.”

Photos: Some atmospheric buildings of various kinds, a very predatory flower and a more maidenly one, and my best (failed) attempt to photograph the sparklingly colorful raindrops on the wires during 狐の嫁入り, a sunshower.



Be safe and well.

Comments

[naye]

The attempt is not failed at all - those power lines look like they're dripping in jewels! Love the different kinds of architecture, and the atmospheric bath chimney.

[nnozomi]

Thank you! The raindrops really did look jeweled, it was lovely.

[trobadora]

Curious to hear if they also use Japanese readings for the character names—the story of Gi Musen (the wifi joke works in Japanese too) and Ran Boki?

That sounds so weird, OMG. I'd love to know that too!

While I would be glad to introduce the baby cdrama fans to Guardian as well, I feel like somehow it’s not really for...it hits harder if you’re older? I don’t know.

I think you're right about that, but I would have loved Guardian at that age.

[nnozomi]

Will let you know what I find out about the Japanese name readings!

I think you're right about that, but I would have loved Guardian at that age.
Oh, so would I, it's definitely accessible regardless. I feel like one of the elements that makes it special for me, though, is that it's about adults in the sense that Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan are both old enough (in their thirties ±10,000 years) to have complex personal and professional responsibilities and relationships, requiring a lot of balance and compromise and being aware of the effects of whatever they do on the people around them; it's not as simple as going out and being lone heroes, and I think this particular aspect has more of an emotional effect when you're older. (I'm not expressing myself very well but you already know what I mean, I think. Also one of the many ways Zhu Yilong and Bai Yu did amazing work, making that come across while still in their twenties.)

[trobadora]

Yeah, I totally know what you mean. Honestly, it's that complexity that makes Guardian have such a strong effect on me, more than other canons I also love that are certainly complex in their own way, but don't hit me where I live in the same way.

And agreed, it's so impressive how well Zhu Yilong and Bai Yu managed all the layers of their characters and relationships!

[nnozomi]

it's that complexity that makes Guardian have such a strong effect on me, more than other canons I also love that are certainly complex in their own way, but don't hit me where I live in the same way.
Yes, this exactly!

[elenothar]

I think you could probably watch Guardian at most ages and enjoy it, but I agree that there's quite a bit of subtlety that might be lost on a younger audience.

I'm giggling happily about the Bach thing.

[nnozomi]

I think you could probably watch Guardian at most ages and enjoy it, but I agree that there's quite a bit of subtlety that might be lost on a younger audience.
Agree on both counts! I was saying in another comment that one thing I like about it is the way Shen Wei's and Zhao Yunlan's lives are more complex because they're older, with larger and more complex responsibilities and relationships, and I think that comes across better after hitting that age...

I'm giggling happily about the Bach thing.
LOL I know, it's really just a coincidence of syncopation but I find it delightful. :)

[clevermanka]

everyone here is a little weird and that’s okay
Your school sounds great! What lucky students. Those two girls must've been so excited to meet a real! live! adult! into the same thing as them.

I am in love with the architecture of that white building and oh oh oh those water drops on the lines!!!

[nnozomi]

Those two girls must've been so excited to meet a real! live! adult! into the same thing as them.
I always try to play it cool in these situations because I never know when they're likely to be pleased and when they'll look askance at a grownup getting excited about their thing, but hopefully there will be more discussions to come!
(It is a nice school. Not perfect, but dealing sensibly with a lot of day-to-day stuff in a way that a lot of schools around here don't.)

and I'm glad you liked the photos! The white apartment house is such a nice understated design.

[laireshi]

my best (failed) attempt to photograph the sparklingly colorful raindrops on the wires during 狐の嫁入り, a sunshower
Not failed at all--that's a great picture!

[nnozomi]

Thank you <3 You should have seen me leaning over the balcony railing waving my phone at the raindrops ;)

[chestnut_pod]

Oh, so what is it if not a lime?

Love those diametrically opposed azaleas, too!

[nnozomi]

Oh, so what is it if not a lime?
A sensible question! It's something called a finger lime? that's supposed to have little sweet-tart globules inside instead of the usual segments. I have never tried growing even normal citrus before and I don't know if it'll work, but I got curious. Watch this space.

and thanks :)

[chestnut_pod]

Fascinating! I am excited to follow its adventures.

[tinny]

Hehee, you're not someone they consider a "real teacher", though, right? (I have teachers on my flist who would immediately run the other way before admitting they like the same cdramas as their students. :D - otoh I also have professors on my flist who supervise Kpop-themed theses. :D)

Aww, gorgeous flowers! And I love the raindrops, even though I'm sure they were much prettier IRL. Some things are pretty much impossible to capture on film.

[nnozomi]

Definitely not a "real teacher"! (Whether, as such, I'd talk about fannish stuff to students depends a lot on the school, class, and context. Would NOT want my students reading my fic, even though I don't even write on the explicit side, just out of privacy issues; I'd feel the same about coworkers. Generally sharing interest works okay for me, though...).

Some things are pretty much impossible to capture on film.
Yes, too true. Maybe a real photographer with a real camera, but not me and my phone. Still, it's fun trying! <3