2016-10-18 23:56 Our First Puzzles are Under Progress
Y (Kuma's owner)
I've been busy these days making puzzles. Making puzzles is not my hobby, it's my husband's and my business that was started in July 2016.
We are not puzzle collectors but love to make and play puzzles. When we were small, we both liked to make things.
My husband started making his original puzzles when he was small, and he acquired the knowledge of timber and how to use tools.
I was a child with a questioning mind and tried to make anything I was interested in. I like puzzles or something related to puzzles.
So that the business of making puzzles is a suitable job for the two of us, don't you think so?
We have decided that we are going to make and sell puzzles that were designed by my husband. We would like to run our business with our original puzzles. We have already started selling a polyhedral model called "Juno's Spinner" on eBay. Actually, that is not a puzzle, that is a kind of polyhedron but it's also one of the originals.
Our first puzzle products are under progress now. We have chosen beautiful white colored wood, Silver Ash and dark American Walnut wood for the first puzzles (See the pictures below). These two colours are a nice combination and make our first puzzles look beautiful.
Unfortunately, we are not able to show you a picture of the first puzzle yet. I can only say that we are making the puzzles which are connected with a polyhedron. I think it's a very difficult puzzle. If you are a kind of man who likes to challenge difficulties, you should try.
When they are ready for selling, I will let you know by this blog and my twitter account (https://twitter.com/pluredro_shop). I'm hoping that my puzzle friends will like our first puzzles.
2016-10-12 22:36 Kawaii Addict
Y (Kuma's owner)
Everybody has a favorite phrase. My habitual word is "Why?" I thought it's not a good idea to use the same word again and again. Instead of using the same words, it's better to use other words that have the same meaning. Trying to use different expressions makes me remember lots of words.
After I had been paying attention to my talking and writing, I noticed other Japanese people's habits. As it is commonly known, Japanese, especially women (of course, it's not every woman) love to say kawaii. It means pretty or cute.
I have no objection to people saying kawaii when they see something cute like a puppy or a kitten. What I want to say is some people use kawaii too often. They use the word kawaii for everything.
As I think of that, I have paid attention to a wide range of firms, fashion, TV programs, books and so on in Japan. Then I noticed that Japanese like pretty things. There are lots of kawaii in Japan. Even on city council's leaflets, there are pretty illustrations printed. I haven't seen cute illustrations on the leaflets of city councils or the government in Australia. I'm Japanese but even I feel some illustrations or design that I saw in Japan are too pretty, I mean they are childish. Is that because we have a different culture?
One day, I met a Japanese lady in Australia. She said she went shopping and couldn't find kawaii clothes. Aha, here came the word kawaii again. I was counting how many times she had used kawaii in my mind secretly. I was not going to make fun of her, I'm just tired of hearing the same word frequently and I was bored. In addition, I would like to know why some of them love to say kawaii so many times.
I wonder what the concept of kawaii is in Japan? Kawaii culture is common in Japan and it may be hard to understand why it was created.
2016-10-11 23:53 Japanese Ginger, Myoga
Y (Kuma's owner)
Have you ever heard of Japanese Ginger, Myoga?
I love Myoga very much. I didn't expect that I could get Myoga in Australia, but I can! I looked for some online shops of nurseries and I found it. It was a website of a membership nursery and it said that Myoga is only available to its members. I checked the membership fee and decided to join.
Yes, that's right. I became a member just to get Myoga. I really wanted the seedlings so there was no choice. I paid the one-year membership fee and became a member. So finally I've got the right to buy Myoga.
I bought three Myoga seedlings and they arrived yesterday. Myoga has peculiar fragrance that I love. However, it depends on the person. Some people love it but others don't. I think small children usually don't like Myoga.
Myoga can be used in Japanese food and in salads. I like salads with thinly sliced Myoga on the top. I keep thinking of lots of recipes despite only having small seedlings. I know it will take a long time to harvest them. I hope I can harvest some Myoga next year.