John and Laura got engaged on December 28, 2022, and for those curious, this is our engagement story. The tale begins with the finding of the ring (which was not made by Sauron).
Our friend, Lauren, works in a jewelry store in a local mall. John loves malls, so we thought this should be at least one location we looked into for our engagement ring, and it turned out to have the one we chose. Since John currently lives out of state, Laura went to scope out some ring options earlier in December. She had told Lauren to look out for anything with Celtic interlace designs, and Lauren had several rings ready for Laura to look at when she arrived. After looking at the different options, Laura returned to the first ring Lauren had showed her.
There are two interlace strands that symbolize our seemingly parallel lives crossing paths and intertwining, and three main diamonds symbolizing John, God, and Laura, and/or the Holy Trinity. The side of the ring also has some decorative elements and curves into what almost looks like a gothic arch, giving a pleasing spiritual connotation as well. Laura called John and showed him pictures of the ring, which he also liked, and we settled on selecting this one as our ring.
“That was the first one I chose for you,” Lauren told Laura later, “because it just looks like a Laura ring!”
John and Laura went to the jewelry store to pay for the ring on December 21 (John had arrived two days earlier than expected due to an impending snow storm), and it was sized and ready to be picked up by the next day. We’re very grateful to Lauren and her store, Rogers & Hollands, for the excellent service and for helping us find the perfect ring.
Over the next few days, December 24-28, John and Laura traveled to Iowa to spend Christmas with Laura’s family. Laura told John she’d be OK getting engaged “anytime after we get back from Iowa,” and John took that very literally.
Upon arrival back in Illinois, John slipped the ring box into his pocket, and Laura had a suspicion that the engagement would happen sometime soon, but didn’t know exactly when nor how.
On the evening of Wednesday, December 28, John and Laura got dressed up for a lovely Italian meal at Tony Spavone’s Ristorante. We had decided weeks previously to have at least one “fancy” meal out, so this just happened to be the day when the dinner was planned. Laura had said she didn’t want the proposal to happen in a public space, so dinner progressed without the ring box emerging.
There was a large group of Italian diners on one side of a central-pillar fireplace, and we were seated on the other side of the fireplace. It was nice to have some background conversation in the air, but still be in an area that felt private. We had freshly-baked rolls, salad, soup, and a rice ball appetizer, followed by lasagna for John and shrimp & broccoli linguini for Laura. John also had an espresso that really packed a punch despite its small size.
About an hour into the meal, when we were just about finished eating, an Italian gentleman got up and started singing songs at a microphone nearby. We stayed at the table a little longer and softly sang along to “Stand by Me” before leaving to head back home.
Upon arriving home, Laura freshened up and came back into the living room to find John standing waiting for her holding a Bible. He asked her to read a scripture verse that has become “our” verse, Proverbs 13:12.
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” (NIV)
This verse was on the whiteboard of a classroom in John’s old school that he and Laura toured back in November, and we took our picture by it.
The verse carries a lot of meaning for us because it took many years for us to find the right person, and we feel that God has brought us together.
After reading the verse, Laura read a wonderful note that John had handwritten on special stationery for her that had been tucked into the Bible to mark the verse spot. John had slipped the note into the Bible on the shelf before we had left for Iowa, and luckily Laura didn’t notice with all of the Christmas cards from friends set on the same shelf in front of the Bibles.
The end of the note said to look for “one more Christmas gift” beneath the tree, so John walked over to the Christmas tree, picked up the ring box, and then got down on one knee and asked Laura to marry him. She, of course, said “yes.” John also played the Owl City song from his phone “If My Heart was a House,” one of Laura’s favorites.
The story continues with a special surprise that Laura had prepared for John. She walked over to get a note she had written for him, and a separate ring box. She presented the note to John, which explained that the silver Celtic interlace ring she always wears on a necklace has a twin, golden ring.
Both rings were purchased at the same time in Ireland on a trip Laura took with Wheaton College in the summer of 2001. She had saved the golden ring to give to someone special, but had not had the opportunity to do so until now. The silver ring traveled Ireland with Laura and had been pressed against rose petals at Powerscourt Gardens, dipped into the Irish Sea, and been next to her as she studied at Oxford. It always symbolized being part of a pair, with two intertwining strands in the interlace pattern that don’t have a beginning or end in the circle of the ring. The golden ring had been worn only occasionally by Laura, and had otherwise been kept in a drawer for over 20 years waiting for the day when it was the right time to give it to someone. Laura is glad that day came . . .
. . . and the ring just happened to fit John’s ring finger perfectly. Another sign that God is the one who brought us together!
This will mainly be an “eye candy” Tea Tales post as I at last got to try out the Budding Jasmine white tea I received this past Christmas. Flowering teas offer an aesthetic tea brewing experience as you watch the tight-knit bundles unfold in hot water to reveal a botanical masterpiece. Best enjoyed in glass teapots or mugs, you get a full view of the show that occurs during the steeping process. Here is what mine looked like when I tried it a few days ago.
Bundle of Budding Jasmine before steeping – top viewBundle of Budding Jasmine before steeping – side viewHot water added – beginning to unfurl, floatingSide view of unfurling – floatingAs unfurling continues, the bulb begins to sinkSettled on the bottom of the mug with additional flowering beginning
Full bloom after steeping
With thanks to my high school senior orchestra mug for providing the excellent views of the show. 🙂 And the verdict: the tea tasted disappointingly very bland! Yes, it looked much better than it tasted, but white teas have a very subtle taste to begin with, so one can’t be too disappointed. Definitely worth the experience.
Note: I attempted to make this a spoiler-free post, with only general commentary about what happens in the show.
As a follow-up to my previous post, “10 Reasons How Finding a New Fandom is Like Falling in Love,” this post will delve into why I love the anime show, Hunter x Hunter, and how it became arguably my favorite anime of all-time. My post “Why I Love Japan” provided an overview of how I got into anime, and I now have around 11 years under my belt of dabbling in the anime world and watching a wide variety of shows and movies. I had heard of Hunter x Hunter before, but never started watching it. One has to be cautious of shows with large amounts of episodes, and personally prepared to make that kind of time commitment, and this one has 148 episodes. Each 20-odd minute episode may seem innocuous, but they add up very quickly and your free time evaporates.
In recent years, I’ve enjoyed watching anime with friends so that the time spent is spent together, and the media watched can become a topic of shared discussion, and the occasional delectable in-joke. I’ll also have one or two shows I’m chipping away at personally on the side, but seldom do these fit the “binge-worthy” category, or capture my attention sufficiently to get a high ranking on my anime watch list. When browsing my local public library anime DVD section in fall 2021, I was intrigued by how many of the titles I’d seen before. I paced the aisle checking off titles I had seen, or had heard of but had no interest in watching (particularly those with high gore or horror elements to them). Then I paused in front of the Hunter x Hunter DVDs (2011 version, for those wondering, which is more manga-accurate). They had 2 DVD sets for episodes 1-13 and 14-26. Although I had heard of the show, I knew next to nothing about it, and the DVD box art, show description, and character design didn’t really inspire me much.
“I know it’s popular, so there must be something worthwhile about it,” I said to myself. “I’ll just take home the first few episodes and see what I think. If I don’t like it I’ll just not continue.”
Gon
The show opens with a cheerful, and arguably stereotypical, shounen protagonist named Gon who is incredibly sweet and has a lot of natural physical ability. His desire is to become a Hunter (the show’s version of an elitist group of explorers in various fields of expertise), and to meet his father, also a Hunter, who abandoned him when he was young. He departs home to take the “Hunter exam,” and meets the other show protagonists and antagonists along the way. The Hunter exam is full of challenges akin to some mixture of Survivor, Hunger Games, and Food Wars, but has an intriguing plot that keeps you wanting to know what happens next. I sped through the first 13 episodes, and liked them well enough to get the second DVD set from the library, with a week or two in-between viewings.
Reader, I began watching Hunter x Hunter on September 1, and had finished all 148 episodes by October 2. Beyond that I sought out the 2 spin-off movies (which were pretty awful, but I watched them anyway), the 2-chapter manga telling Kurapika’s background story, and read the manga from the point where the anime leaves off at chapter 338 through where the manga currently stands at chapter 390. This was all accomplished by early November. The manga, for those who don’t know, has been on indefinite hiatus for the past 3 years, with no indication on when its creator, Yoshihiro Togashi, will continue the story [until May 2022…see bottom of this post!]. I knew I’d hit a wall with no closure to the story, but I needed to get there in my relentless pursuit of knowing all the storylines this fandom has to offer, and what the characters I’d come to appreciate in the anime were “currently” up to when the manga went on hiatus.
So what happened between my dabbling in the DVDs and my speeding through the entire anime and manga with flames on my feet? I fell in love with the characters, and what I call the “moral compass” of the storyline. All 4 protagonists are likeable, but for me particularly Kurapika, Killua, and Gon (sorry, Leorio fans – I see and salute you). They all have significant backstories with struggles, and have made choices in spite of those challenges that are morally admirable, despite additional personal flaws they are continuing to work through. Watching them develop in ability and self-knowledge is a wonderful journey, and their relationships with each other tug at the viewer’s heart strings. You’re cheering for all of them, their respective goals, and their friendship. They’re supportive, sacrificial, courageous, and willing to go the extra mile for their friends. They’re also willing to call their friends out when they’re not being smart or are acting rashly. And there’s a lot of failure, frustration, and real risk in this story. There are plenty of wounds, and deaths. The protagonists don’t just hop from victory to victory, they have to earn each one, and fail just as often as they succeed. Solutions don’t just come from the saccharine “power of friendship.” Those struggles are engaging both for storytelling as well as for the character development. My most repeated phrase while watching the anime was: “Oh NO!” Worried both for the safety of the characters I cared about, and about the odds they were up against. There are plenty of comedic and heartwarming moments too.
Kurapika
The character I gravitated to in particular was Kurapika and he has subsequently become my favorite anime character of all-time. Maybe it’s because we’re both Enneagram Ones, or because his backstory is particularly tragic, or because he has such a high moral standard for himself despite the dark underbelly of society where his path has taken him to achieve his goals…I can’t fully say. But his journey has touched my heart like few others, and my respect for him as a character, despite his flaws – some of which I share, has outstripped any other character in anime that I’ve yet met. The fact that he’s extremely intelligent, strategic, has amazing physical (and special fighting) abilities, and is dedicated to his objectives doesn’t hurt either. I particularly appreciated these two videos which further examine his character, if you don’t mind spoilers:
He is a main character in the current manga arc that has been left hanging, and I’m once again fearful for what awaits him, but like all other HxH fans, I must wait to see when (and if) the story will continue.
Kurapika in the later manga chapters
Despite all that praise, there is one arc of the anime that I really don’t care for, and found it difficult to get through: the Chimera Ant arc. Many fans adore this arc and rate it as one of the highest in all of anime. That is an opinion I don’t take lightly, but personally just can’t agree with. The pacing was slow, deadly slow compared to earlier parts of the show. Part of what drew me into the show at the beginning was its fast pacing (always a treasure when found in anime), and to slow the pace down to this extent challenged my ability to keep watching despite my love for the main characters. It clocks in at 61 episodes, so that’s a long haul to get through. The action was centered around creatures I found grotesque, and antagonists that I absolutely detested. Main characters (one in particular) were led to drastic measures that stretched my believability, and other main characters were painfully absent and I missed them immensely. Of the few redeeming parts of this arc, I did appreciate the character development we witnessed Killua go through. That was definitely worthwhile. I realize some folks consider this arc a work of art, but the themes it presents (which may have been revolutionary at the time but are more trite in my opinion now), are not sufficient enough to make up for its deficiencies. This arc alone is the one reason I had hesitated in declaring Hunter x Hunter my favorite anime of all-time, but since I will watch any other part of the anime with anyone at any time, and have already begun re-watching all of it, I guess that suffices to kick it to the top of my list.
The main take-away themes from the show that won my heart over are as follows:
The characters (protagonists) value life, and the lives of others
The characters work hard to achieve their goals, and the goals require real struggle and sacrifice to achieve
The characters make decisions not only based on their own desires and well-being, but also take others into consideration, and the moral implications involved in the decisions
There’s a lot of humor to off-set the serious situations
The characters have great development arcs, and you see the tangible growth, as well as setbacks
The storyline was engaging, and unpredictable
And like other anime shows that I admire, I simply could NOT predict the plot nor how the story would proceed. I was fully on-board with how it developed, and the characters stayed true to their expected traits and personalities within the situations delivered by the plot (at least most of the time), but I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how situations would unfold or what would happen next. That is INCREDIBLY refreshing.
Airships in Hunter x Hunter
You’ll notice I haven’t said much about the setting, and it is definitely of secondary importance to my enjoyment of the show / story. It has enough realism to keep it familiar (the characters are using computers and cell phones), but enough fantasy to make it whimsical, and at times humorous (most long-distance travel is by airship, and one of the main cities is named “Yorknew City” – maybe not the most creative choice). The magic system, called “Nen,” is incredibly well-developed and very cool to learn about. However some plot loopholes in who knows it, and the power structures within its user base and their inconsistencies, can lead to some head scratching at best, and huge gaps in believability at worst.
Those deficiencies are forgivable in my book, however, in comparison to the riches we are given through the story and characters. I am fully ensconced in this new fandom, and signs indicate that my passion for it won’t fade anytime quickly. Merchandise has been purchased, I’ve told everyone I know about it, I’m exploring all kinds of related online content about the show that I can find, I’ve coerced both friends and family members into watching it (to very good effect, I’m glad to report), discussed it with a cozy group of comrades, and have even cosplayed as Kurapika at Halloween. My friends, I think we’re on the path of a life-long romance, and I’m the richer for it.
My Kurapika cosplay – Halloween, 2021
So that, dear reader, is why I love Hunter x Hunter, and there’s just one last comment needed to close out this post:
Please come back, Togashi.
We miss you, and we need you.
Sincerely,
The HxH fandom xoxo
As of May 24, 2022 – Togashi heard our pleas. The Hunter x Hunter manga will continue! [And yes, I’m beyond excited…]
It’s been an interesting road for me with learning to notice, appreciate, and care for my physical body. In my earlier years, my body was merely the necessary vehicle to take my head places. Chronic pain from my desk job led me to seek out regular massage therapy, visit a chiropractor, and start practicing yoga. The practical and rational reasons for taking care of your body are numerous, but it wasn’t until I found an imaginative perspective for taking care of it that I really began to appreciate the inner workings of my body and tried to give them more support to be well. This revelation required the power of anime.
The anime Cells at Work (Hataraku Saibou) aired in 2018, based on the manga by the same name. I watched it in early 2019, and its later second season in 2021. The storyline focuses around one hard-working (but directionally-challenged) red blood cell (Sekkekkyuu AE3803) who cheerfully goes about her job delivering oxygen and nutrients to, and removing carbon dioxide from, the 37.2 trillion cells in the human body where they all live. She is often helped by a white blood cell (Hakkekkyuu U-1146) who patrols the body with his fellow colleagues protecting against rogue germs and infections, wielding their knives like bloodthirsty ninjas against any invaders there to do the body harm.
White Blood Cell and Red Blood Cell
Each episode shows some new situation where the viewer gets to see a part of the body working hard to keep all systems normal and at full health, and a new threat is introduced that the cells must conquer, like allergies, germs, the common cold, and wounds. In each scenario, new systems and parts of the immune system feature and show off their spectacular abilities to defeat the enemy and make the body well again. The adorable platelets (who all look like kindergarteners) organize themselves into efficient teams to cover up wounds, the Killer-T cells are the military elitists ready to destroy germs, outshone only by the NK (Natural Killer) cells who can detect hidden or disguised infected cells or viruses. From the brain command center to the lungs, spleen, stomach, and gut, every part of the body has a job to do and memorable embodied characters who work together to keep the human they inhabit in top shape.
Killer-T, NK, and White Blood Cells
From the reviews of the show by medical professionals I’ve seen, the anatomy functions seem accurately described as well. You’re learning anatomy and facts about the human body while you’re being entertained by anime! And when I don’t get enough rest, or am eating poorly, I’m not just injuring myself, but am hurting the trillions of little adorable (albeit imaginatively created) cells in my body doing their best to keep me healthy. I just need to give them the support and tools that they need to do so.
The exhausted Red and White Blood Cells of Cells at Work: Code Black
In a spin-off show that aired at the same time as the second season, Cells at Work: Code Black (Hataraku Saibou Black), you get a glimpse into a body that has several chronic conditions including smoking, stress, and alcoholism. The usually-cheerful and dedicated red blood cell character gets overworked and exhausted, the ranks of the white blood cells dwindle and those left to fight on their own are overwhelmed. Several organs become sick and unable to properly function, the lungs and arteries become filled with filth, and the body itself is at risk of completely shutting down. Watching these characters fight so hard to overcome the obstacles in their way makes you wish the human they inhabited was making wiser choices to help them out.
I really respect the creators who put this show (and manga) together with all of the imaginative ways to demonstrate how amazing the human body is, and encourage viewers to empathize with the characters. In turn, we’re motivated to take better care of ourselves for the sake of those characters. It’s unfortunate that the will to regularly exercise still escapes me, but at least I now am cheering on the legions of cells in my body as I try to give them the rest and food they need to keep doing their jobs well. Maybe an exercise anime will come along one day to help me tackle that next hurdle. Every step towards improvement is something to celebrate. 😉 Thanks, Cells at Work! I’m grateful.
In October 2021 I was able to check a big item off of my bucket list: finally visiting the Library of Congress for the first time. My previous 2 trips to Washington D.C. had unfortunately missed this important landmark. The first trip was with my family when I was eight years old, and we hit all the normal tourist destinations like the White House, Lincoln Memorial, Smithsonian, etc. My parents did a great job having us see the sights, and not knowing my future career as an archivist, its arguable if I would have fully appreciated seeing the grandeur of the LOC, despite my already well-established love of books by that age.
My second trip to D.C. was with a group of friends and the time allowance to see ONE destination for an afternoon trip down from Philadelphia. With that limitation, and as a fresh graduate school student with my archives degree, I had to see the National Archives and the original copies of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The movie National Treasure was pretty big at that time as well, so along with the refurbished rotunda, seeing the NARA “mothership” of my archival profession was a done deal, and a great delight.
But I had always regretted never seeing arguably one of the most marvelous icons of learning and knowledge: the Library of Congress. The LOC is many things. It’s a classification system used by libraries across the US and internationally, its name is in the front of published books telling us their classification, it’s a series of buildings, workers, and workflows organizing past and present knowledge, and it’s the world’s largest library with over 171 million items in myriad formats and 470+ languages, and over 40 million volumes spanning 530 miles of bookshelves. In October 2021, armed with a fellow librarian friend open to adventure, I finally got my chance to see this glorious place in-person.
Unsure of what COVID regulations would remove from the tourist experience (personal tours of the library were off the plate of offerings, for example), I had 2 goals when visiting the library:
Get to see the famed Reading Room
View at least a few books from the personal library of Thomas Jefferson, which formed the beginning of the library’s collections and helped establish its classification system.
I achieved both goals, and a lot more. We lined up with eager anticipation under the main stairway to the Jefferson building where guards monitored the line, then let us in for our 10am reservation with the customary metal detector and bag search that most attractions in D.C. have now implemented. The entrance fee was blessedly free, as are so many fabulous D.C. museums. What a gift!
I was wildly unprepared for the lobby of the library, however, and when I stepped into it and looked up for the first time, my jaw dropped and I had that “Belle being shown Beast’s castle library” moment. Utter. Stunned. Awe. The marble columns, the sweeping staircases, the intricate carvings, surrounded by murals and quotes celebrating books, learning, knowledge, and the written word, with a golden glowing ceiling above everything, illuminated with expertly-placed lighting…it was so much to take in that it required an hour wandering around appreciating it all before I even felt ready to look at adjoining wings and galleries. Cheerful volunteers circulated on foot, ready to answer all of our questions and tell us more about the library’s collections and building architecture. And they even had LOC librarians on large TV screens around the lobby areas ready to do a virtual chat with anyone who walked up to the TV and, via webcam, ask them questions. What a fantastic idea! Evidently this main building was meant to show Europe back in the day that the US was a rival for architecture and our share of culture, beauty, and aesthetics. In my opinion: “mission accomplished.”
Once the initial ogling and photo-taking frenzy had died down, we began to explore a few side-rooms with early maps of the Americas that would easily have made cartographers cry with delight and been the prize of any collection. After that, I gathered myself to climb the stairs to the second-floor viewing gallery of the Reading Room and look down on that much-anticipated sight. I was almost giddy with joy. The Reading Room was indeed beautiful, and I did not see Nicholas Cage lurking around anywhere near the central reference desk. I looked at the assembled readers, spread out across the curved desks, each with its own antique-looking lamp, and wondered what brought each one there on a Saturday morning to read and study. The reference collections scattered on open shelves about the room on various levels were lovely to behold, and the carved historic figures celebrating different fields of study glanced down from the vaulted dome ceiling with approval.
After that, we wandered back into the main lobby to head to a different wing that held the complete library of Thomas Jefferson on display for public viewing. The shelves were arranged in a large spiral with glass fronts and backs allowing you to see the books from different angles. Jefferson stored his books in a circle so that it was easier to find whatever titles he needed. We read about Jefferson’s unique categorization system by topic / subject rather than author or title, that led to the current LOC classification system, and how the sale of Jefferson’s own 6,487 books in 1815 replaced the previous congressional library that had been burned by British troops during the War of 1812. A second fire on Christmas Eve in 1851 tragically destroyed about two thirds of those volumes, but since they had been cataloged, replacements were sought, and many found, some of which were already in the LOC’s collections. Today, 2,000 volumes from Jefferson’s original library are in the LOC, along with 3,000 or so matching replacement editions of those lost in the fire. Several hundred other missing works have been purchased as well since the year 2000. The origins of the volumes are designated by different colored ribbons: green for original Jefferson library book, gold for recently purchased replacements, no ribbon for books that are identical to the editions owned by Jefferson that were taken from the LOC’s collections, and book boxes to designate missing titles the LOC is still trying to track down as replacements. There were several gaps on the shelves as well to show book sections that had been removed for digitization.
Thomas Jefferson’s library books
*so happy*
Did the young Meriwether Lewis hold and read any of these titles??
We were able to ask one of the “virtual librarians” (Librarian Deb) more about Jefferson’s library and his annotation habits. Evidently he did not annotate his books extensively, but did wager guesses at who authored each of the Federalist Papers that came out while he was abroad in France (and his guesses weren’t always correct). He also had the habit of writing his initials “T” and “J” on the “i” (Greek for “J”) and “t” gatherings of the books, which is another helpful way to establish the provenance of a volume.
Virtual librarians online and ready to answer your questions. Such a great service.
I also asked our helpful virtual Librarian Deb about the collection priorities and differences between the LOC, the National Archives, and the Smithsonian since it wasn’t clear to me where the collection development for one ended and the other began. She said the three collections have the following distinctions:
Smithsonian: More focused on science, innovation, and future discoveries. Moved away from the collecting focuses of the other 2 institutions.
National Archives: Focused on American history authoritative records and “official” record keeping. So the final version of something, or its authoritative or “official” legal format, will be here. Some but not all presidential papers are in NARA’s care. Some of the earlier presidents’ records still reside at LOC or were sold to other institutions before the official retention policies were established. NARA came into existence after the LOC.
Library of Congress: All of American history in various formats not collected by the other institutions, hence the widest “net” of the three. Includes archives, books, and various other media.
One of the greatest surprises of the day also happened while standing next to Jefferson’s library. A “chance encounter” as Gandalf may have called it. A former Wade Center student worker, who lives in Tennessee, spotted me and we shared a huge hug and a quick catch-up moment with time to grab a couple photos. She was in town showing college friends around D.C., and what are the chances that we should bump into each other next to Thomas Jefferson’s library?! Appropriate that Wade colleagues should meet up next to a batch of historic books.
A chance meeting of Wade colleagues!
After spending some time and money in the LOC gift shop, my friend and I wandered out to the front terrace of the library to eat our sack lunches and enjoy the sunshine and 70-80F degree weather (in October!). We then headed off to a few other adventures that day. Our quick trip to D.C. took us to a lot of spots, and we charted 25 miles of walking, but for me the Library of Congress was a huge highlight since it had been such a long-anticipated visit. It was definitely worth the trip, and gave me some wonderful memories to take home.
When one of my fellow Japan-loving friends told me that he was “giving up on the dream of living and working in Japan” along with his enjoyment of the culture and related accoutrements, I was flabbergasted. I asked him to reconsider and reflect on what made him fall in love with Japan in the first place. He’s since rekindled his interest, much to my relief, but my supplication to him made me ponder my own passion for Japan. When did it begin, and how did a midwestern girl become intrigued with an Asian country in the far east?
I’m not a stranger to various fandoms and passions, and travel and exploring other countries definitely falls into a similar category for me. Up until early adulthood, I was uniformly an Anglophile with a decided taste for all things UK. I also liked the food, culture, history, and art of European countries. In college, my roommate introduced me to the fabulous Chinese cuisine of Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada, and my willingness to try new foods greatly expanded along with my travels and new friendships.
Attending a “Music of the Legend of Zelda” symphony concert in Chicago, 2017
I can trace my early interest in Japan back to my encounter with two media influences: Final Fantasy, and Studio Ghibli films. I saw a cut scene of Yuna’s “sending” dance from the video game Final Fantasy X sometime around 2010 (date largely questionable as I just can’t remember…), and it immediately appealed to my aesthetic sense of beauty. I had to know where it was from, and ended up watching a complete FFX game walkthrough on YouTube. I had enjoyed watching my cousin play Legend of Zelda games on Nintendo growing up as well, and only later did I realize that both of these game franchises come from Japan.
Hosting a Ghibli movie party with Wheaton College Students in 2012. We watched Whisper of the Heart and The Cat Returns.
My first Studio Ghibli movie was Spirited Away with the Wheaton College anime club. It was charming, but I was a bit put off by the mysteries of the spirit world, and some grotesque elements (like disembodied bouncing heads). It started a thirst to watch similar films, though, and I began to check off every Studio Ghibli film, and anything else I could find that Hayao Miyazaki had created, from my viewing list. I’m probably one of the few US folks to have watched every episode of Sherlock Hound. 😉 Howl’s Moving Castle (and the related 3 books by Diana Wynne Jones) and Whisper of the Heart remain my 2 favorite Ghibli films.
Studio Ghibli films led me to other films like The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Summer Wars, Your Name, Wolf Children, etc. Naturally, anime shows followed along with the movies. I tore through Death Note, watched Full Metal Alchemist with a friend who also showed me other anime shows (and other FF game cut scenes), I asked for recommendations from other friends, and the list of “viewed titles” continued to grow in a variety of genres. I loved the diverse storytelling in anime, plots that I often couldn’t predict or knew how they would end, and fantastical settings. I loved “slice of life” anime that showed me what going to school in Japan was like, what kinds of foods are eaten, and views into the culture and customs (granted some shows were better at realism than others). The pacing of storytelling varied from western shows as well, and slower moments and scenes of beauty took a lot more screentime. I really appreciated that. I enjoyed meeting new characters, and saw a lot of “villains” or antagonists in the anime shows get a shot at redemption and reconciliation, something else I was also not used to seeing in western productions. I enjoyed a few anime well enough that I picked up their manga counterparts and continued reading the stories there.
Making friends with Tortoro at Mitsuwa, 2018
Anime led to food. I wanted to try the foods I had seen in the media, and found a few things in Chicago’s Chinatown (where I tried my first mochi and tasted matcha for the first time). I browsed the international food sections in local grocery stores, and discovered the amazing Japanese grocery store, Mitsuwa, in the western suburbs of Chicago. I went to ramen and sushi restaurants, started cooking a few dishes at home, and got to try variations like Hiroshima vs. Osaka okonomiyaki, and different varieties of milk tea.
Laura’s first bottle of Ramune, 2015
Hiroshima style okonomiyaki with yakisoba noodles / River Valley mushrooms / egg / yuba / shio-kombu. At Gaijin, Chicago, 2019
Excited about trying new foods at Mitsuwa, 2018
Likewise I discovered a host of YouTube channels with English-speaking vloggers from Australia, the UK, the US, and Canada who are living in Japan and show regular scenes from their everyday lives and post tons of interesting facts about Japanese culture, history, travels around the country, etc. I probably have close to 20 Japanese-related YouTube channels now that I’ve subscribed to and watch at least one Japan-related video per day. These vloggers intensified my desire to visit the country someday, and start a long list of places I’d like to go, food I’d like to try, and things I’d like to experience. Given the current travel restrictions, that dream has been delayed since 2018, but I do hope to go sometime in the not too-distant future. Meanwhile I’ll haunt Japanese gardens in the US, and keep looking for new food experiences and all-you-can eat sushi.
At Anderson Japanese Garden with friends, Rockford, IL, 2021
Trying out coveyor belt sushi in Washington D.C., 2021
The one main category I’m lacking in, and probably won’t delve too deeply into, is the Japanese language. I think languages are fascinating, but lack a lot of the discipline and motivation required to study and learn them. Other than a few polite phrases and lines from anime, I still have a pretty big blank in my Japanese language knowledge. I’ll still gladly watch anime with English subtitles, though! 😊 Oh, and I’m not really into Japanese music either, outside of what I hear through anime and the occasional taiko drum performance. J-POP hasn’t been an area I’ve investigated much, although who knows…that could change in the future!
Enjoying a taiko drum performance at the Asian Festival, Morton Arboretum, 2017 – taikolegacy.com
So to sum things up, WHY do I love Japan? There isn’t one simple answer to that question. I love the beauty of the country and its created art through various forms of media. I love the sense of peace and stillness that comes with a lot of its traditions and cultural sensibilities. I love the variety of food and amazing flavor combinations I’ve experienced. I love its respect for life, harmony, and for the greater sense of community it embodies. The richness of its cultural tapestry always leaves more to discover, and I love each new revelation as it adds to my own foundation of delight and admiration. It’s a joy to experience personally, and particularly when shared with friends. I look forward to more Japan-related adventures now and into the future.
Kimono history and fashion show event, Japanese Cultural Center, Chicago, 2018
Japanese tea ceremony, Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, MI, 2018
Karaoke with Wheaton College students, 2019
Boku no Hero Academia movie “Heroes Rising” with friends, February 2020
Preliminary note: For anyone worried about my mental health, this post is just for fun! No need to call the psychiatrist…yet. 😉
There are a lot of fandoms in my life. My first one came around the age of three, and from there I’ve just kept acquiring more. As one of my friends told me: “You don’t really give up fandoms, you just add more as time goes by.” This is a lot of passion to manage, and there are definitely seasons when some fandoms are more at the forefront than others. Perhaps a well-loved childhood show gets a reboot, or you find new merch available for purchase, or you meet someone who is just as excited about a particular fandom; then that fandom from the past comes rushing to your attention again with full energy and excitement.
Ben: We don’t need someone crazy. But one step sort of crazy, what do you get? Riley: Obsessed. Ben: Passionate.
– National Treasure, 2004
Finding a new fandom can be life changing. You experience something so fresh, new, and enticing that you don’t know how you lived without it. Eras of life can be defined by which fandoms you’re “into” at that time, or which you had and hadn’t yet discovered. Having been through this experience many times, I know how special it is when a new fandom enters your life, and you know it’s serious, and probably a new lifelong passion. Reader, I just had this happen in the fall of 2021 when I encountered the anime show Hunter x Hunter.
I had heard about the show before, but with 148 episodes I wasn’t sure I had the time or willingness to invest in it. Having watched a lot of anime to this point, I’m always hoping to find a show that makes me want to keep watching, takes me to wonderful new places, introduces me to great characters, has an intriguing and clever story, and if I’m lucky, moves my heart. After a few episodes of Hunter x Hunter, I knew I’d found this kind of show. After the first 50+ episodes, I knew I’d arguably found my favorite anime character of all-time, and by the end of the show, despite one arc that was less to my liking, I knew that this show might easily become my favorite anime of all-time.
The reasons for liking Hunter x Hunter specifically are left for another blog post, but observing how my interest in this show evolved was a fascinating process, since by now I know the signs of fandom infatuation. I thought it would be an amusing exercise to see how well fandom obsession matched up with “falling in love,” and came up with a pretty comparable list. I guess when it comes to affairs of the heart, romance and fandom have a shared language. I hope any other fellow dyed-in-the-wool “nerds” reading this post can find some similarities with their own experiences, and have a good laugh.
1. Makes You Happy Whenever the Fandom Comes into Your Thoughts or Conversation
A lot of “good” shows, books, movies, games, etc. can do this, and the enjoyment after-glow of the first encounter can last a few days or even a couple weeks. You experience something and say: “wow, that was a lot better than I’d expected!” You think about it and enjoy the residual reflections or conversations relating to it, along with those you may have shared or experienced it with. Perhaps a movie had a really cool plot that took unexpected turns and the storytelling really impressed you. Or you finished a show that had a really likeable character, and keep thinking about the enjoyable moments watching that character. The difference between passing interest and long-term infatuation comes when these “after glow” reflections don’t leave quickly, and the more you consider them, the more you think, “I want to watch or experience that again,” and go back to it. You realize new depths or insights into why you appreciated the experience, and the art and creativity that went into it. And you keep that investigation, thinking, and conversation going for what turns into months, and then into years, bringing delight whenever you return to it. And you get a stupid grin on your face whenever you hear it mentioned or catch yourself thinking about it.
Have I told you about my new fandom??
2. You Need to Tell EVERYONE About It
A very good sign that you’ve found a life-changing fandom is that you simply won’t shut up about it. Everyone must know of this new discovery, and how much it means to you, similar to a new-found love. You see how you can weave it into your conversations, and you’re always on the lookout for other fans of the same fandom. If others haven’t heard of the fandom, you get to work convincing them to try it out, preferably with you getting to watch them experience it, and eagerly awaiting their impressions. I recall running into an acquaintance while shopping a few months ago, and I was just waiting for them to ask me “how I’d been” so I could tell them I’d found a great new show to watch! Haha
3. You Meet New People Through the Fandom
Just as you meet new friends and relatives through a loved one’s network, you also start meeting new people through the shared ties of fandom. A stranger who shares your fandom passions can quickly become as dear as a long-lost brother. You begin skimming online forums, getting referrals from others who know someone else who likes the same thing you do, and perhaps even going to conventions and connecting with people in the same fandom wheelhouses. A shared fandom is a wonderful way to break the ice and start building new relationships.
College students at a fandom Halloween party dressed as characters from Legend of Zelda, Lord of the Rings, Doctor Who, and Avatar: The Last Airbender
4. You want to Know Everything About it, and Spend as Much Time Together as Possible
Once you’ve fallen hard for a fandom, you want to learn more about it and invest time in doing so. Who are the creative minds behind it? How did they get their ideas? How did the story evolve in the writing process, and what were its key influences? What is its impact in other avenues, and its reception over time? Are there additional character backstories you need to know about? In-world facts and lore that didn’t make it into the main narrative storyline? Different adaptations? And the ever-important question: what’s the meme culture like in this fandom? You read news articles, cast and creator interviews, go back and re-watch or re-read key story segments for re-evaluation, seek out secondary and scholarly literature…the hunt goes on. Each bit of knowledge gained is worth the hours of investment, and brings insight and joy. You’re getting to know the focus of your affection better.
5. Your Wallet gets Lighter, and You’re Happy About It
Along with time investment comes financial investment. If you don’t have a personal copy of your new fandom in its original medium, that’s one of the first things on the list to acquire so you can dip into it whenever you wish. Purchases continue as you want to make this new intoxicating entity more and more a part of your life. You drape it on your body in the form of a t-shirt, you find the best pics for your cell phone and desktop wallpapers, plushies become appealing, themed board games are tantalizing (provided one can wrangle others to play), stickers, jewelry, and more. Big ticket items might also appear, like models and replicas, clothing items for cosplay, and perhaps even plane tickets for conventions, theme parks, or location tours. I’m looking at you, Universal Studios and New Zealand. 😉 Somehow these purchases, these physical embodiments of the fandom, bring joy and value to fans who feel like they are more deeply connected to the object of their affection through that physicality. We are beings who need these physical manifestations of passion. It’s almost sacramental.
Me looking what one might consider “over-excited” about a gifted glass Burger King Lord of the Rings goblet in 2012…
6. You Feel Guilty if Other Fandoms Vie for Attention
I can’t say this is a usual experience for me, as all fandoms are welcome in my life at almost any time, but I did laugh this past fall when I felt guilty about Hunter x Hunter occupying my thoughts during Tolkien Week and during an Avatar-themed birthday party. The other two long-standing fandoms deserved my full attention during those events. What was this new upstart fandom doing invading my thoughts and drawing my attention away from these well-loved and long-serving companions? Since I started watching Hunter x Hunter in early September, I could only blame it on the honeymoon period and breathed an apology to Tolkien and Avatar the Last Airbender.
7. Begins Influencing your Habits, Words, and Gestures
With deep fandom passion comes in-jokes, recited lines, new vocabulary, and possibly even certain adopted gestures. The influence may be conscious or subconscious, but it’s similar to the impact a friend or loved one may have on you when their habits become your own. From oft-quoted Monty Python lines, to a gif or emoji that goes on regular rotation, these add-ons bring delight to everyday interactions, particularly within shared fandom groups. They are nerd “calling cards,” and also a private language of shared understanding. So if you have an Avatar-loving friend who is having a bad day, cheer them up with your best Zuko voice and say: “that’s rough, buddy.” It brings a smile and makes a difference.
Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory
8. You become Protective
No one needs proof that fans are passionate about their fandoms, and will leap to their defense if they sense a threat of attack or malignment. Twitter wars, commenting threads that end in flames, and even broken relationships can come when others have varying opinions or openly attack cherished aspects of fandom. The aggression becomes as intense as a personal insult. Fans associate so closely with their fandoms that they are willing to not only defend the fandom, but disassociate with others whose views can’t be reconciled with their own. It’s passion as fierce as sports rivalries, and as ruthless as politics. This aspect of fandom actually makes me really sad. Even within a fandom family, there can be different segments of contention and a lot of in-fighting. Star Wars has been one of the more drastic examples of this as the franchise has passed through different creator and corporate hands and taken a lot of new directions. The passion and protectiveness is laudable, but the relationship carnage and ugliest traits of humanity that emerge are regrettable. A “greedy love” that bypasses relationship reconciliation is never attractive regardless of the area in which it is manifest.
9. You become Devastated with Poor Adaptations or “Betrayals”
I would assume everyone in fandom has experienced the excitement and anticipation of a promised adaptation, reboot, or dramatic retelling of your beloved story and/or characters, and then the disappointment (and at times, utter devastation) that comes with the resulting poor execution. The writers may be to blame, or the executives who pushed the production too fast and left creativity and respect of the original work by the wayside, or the medium itself was unsuitable, or the vision just did not match your own personal expectations and how you envisioned the story. Whatever the case, it was a poor embodiment of your beloved fandom, and feels almost like a betrayal. The fans all ask: “What went wrong, and how could they do this to us?” Perhaps the situation is even more complex when some fans enjoy the adaptation, others don’t, and others may be apathetic about it. A poor adaptation is, luckily, seldom a reason to abandon the fandom, though. The original medium is still uncorrupted, even if its current manifestation was less than perfect.
On the more positive side, whenever there’s a great adaptation you are the first one to stand up and cheer: “that’s MY fandom!” You are first in line at the box office, and the ultimate cheerleader and promoter.
10. Break-ups are Gut-Wrenching, but You Never Forget the First Infatuation
The wound can be even deeper when the fandom is itself tied to the medium, such as a movie franchise or television show that gathers a large following, but then the future installments or ending episodes fail to live up to expectations. “Don’t bother with the last 2 seasons, they’re trash,” someone might say. Sometimes fans can separate their affections and remain attached to the earlier eras of the fandom, but other times the later failures can cause emotions to cool, and at worst, lead fans to abandon the fandom altogether. These “break-ups” can include sadness and regret, but fans move on. Likewise, fans sometimes say they “grow out” of a fandom, or “liked it at an earlier stage of life, but no longer like it now.” The reasons for this are myriad, but fandom attachments can come and go, just like relationships. Even for the rare fandom that I have “moved on from” (and there are few of those), I still like to remember the reasons why I first engaged with and enjoyed it. Those reflections help me understand myself better as a person, and how I’m growing and developing. I can acknowledge that past attachment as a valid chapter of life, and the reasons why it was an important step on the journey.
For anyone who engages with fandom more casually, or can’t relate to the passions described above (or think it might be cause for certifiable insanity), that’s quite alright. Story impacts people differently, and that is part of its mystery and its beauty. I’m a firm believer in different passions leading us to different life callings, relationships, and opportunities. For me, fandom led me to my full-time career and a host of friendships my life would be bereft without. It’s worth celebrating.
And for those moments of mild insanity, well, there’s a group of fellow fans ready to embrace you with the phrase “one of us” ready on their lips. You belong.
The Wheaton College Tolkien Society end of year picnic, 2018
On July 11, 2021, I was in Boston, MA right at the opening time for the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, located where the Boston Tea Party took place on December 16, 1773. They offer a tour and interactive experience boarding replica historic vessels, and they also own the only known tea chest from the 1773 event, but I passed on the $30 entrance fee for all of that and headed straight for Abigail’s Tea Room.
Named in honor of Abigail Adams, the tea room offers food and beverages, and of course: TEA! The friend I was traveling with got Abigail’s blend, a light afternoon black tea, shown here:
Abigail’s Blend
As for myself, I got a bottomless cup of tea to try the 5 historic teas thrown into Boston Harbor. They were freshly brewed and ready for tasting!
The five teas thrown in to Boston Harbor: 2 greens and 3 blacks, left to right in intensity.
The cashier had advised me to start at the left and work to the right in order of tea strength. There were 2 greens and 3 blacks. I’ll describe each in order, along with the printed descriptions provided in the tea room.
1. Singlo
This tea had a lighter flavor, and a slightly roasted or even smoky taste that reminded me of the rice teas I’ve tried before. I wasn’t a huge fan of this one.
2. Young Hyson
This tea had a grassy taste and was more pleasant than the previous green tea. It also had a light taste. Evidently it has prestigious fans among whom are Thomas Jefferson and George Washington!
3. Bohea
This black tea had a robust taste, and perhaps a hint of anise or licorice (which I don’t care for). Made me think it was the Lipton of its time, and was not my favorite. It did taste better with the cinnamon scone I had to balance the palate a bit.
My cinnamon scone aided the tea tasting
4. Congou
Another black tea, and my favorite of the 5 that I tried. It had a sweeter taste (maybe the apple, although I couldn’t taste apple), but was very unique with a flavor I found hard to describe. A robust black tea, but not a flavor you could place or compare with many others.
5. Souchong
I was so distracted by the smell and taste of this tea I forgot to take a picture of the cup! Reader, it smells AND tastes like charcoal. I’ve tried this tea once before during a tea tasting long ago at Serene Teaz, and wanted to steer clear of it ever since. If you like a tea that tastes like you just cleaned a charcoal grill with the water, or that smell on your clothing after sitting by a campfire all evening, this is for you, but it was definitely my least favorite tea of the day with its strong smoky taste and smell.
Before leaving the tea room, I took a look at the corner china cabinet and was interested to see some “Boston Tea Party” memorabilia from the 1873 centennial.
Boston Tea Party Centennial Memorabilia from 1873
Next stop, the GIFT SHOP, which was incredibly dangerous territory for me and my wallet.
The gift shop at the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum
I found some gifts for friends, got started on family birthday presents for later in the year, and found a few fun things for myself too.
Took home my favorite of the 5 historic teas I had tried, and got some teapot earrings. 🙂
In addition to some teapot earrings and Congou loose leaf, I got a little teapot magnet with the museum name on it to remember the day. I was wondering if they had any boxes with all 5 teas in them, which they did not. Upon reflection, this is wise since the Souchong is so strong it probably would have overwhelmed and corrupted all the other teas in the box next to it! I took some other photos of interesting merchandise that I didn’t purchase as well.
Wide variety of t-shirt options!
For those wanting their own replica ship to take home
These buttons were fun 🙂
If you like tea and American history, this is definitely a recommended stop the next time you’re in Boston! I wasn’t sure about going at first, but it actually turned out to be my favorite Boston activity that I did (including the entire Freedom Trail). Had a wonderful time and wouldn’t mind returning again in the future if my path takes me back there.
Stories hold a special ability to deeply impact their readers. Those who enjoy reading imaginative fiction like The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings by the Wade Center’s authors already know the truth of that statement. From the page to the screen, from the parables Jesus used for the spiritual benefit of his audiences to the trials of two small hobbits struggling up the slopes of Mount Doom, stories engage the heart in ways that other forms of expression cannot accomplish. We yearn for that kind of engagement and feel nourished once we find it, like taking a breath of fresh spring air or a drink of water after a long thirst.
J.R.R. Tolkien calls this nourishment “recovery” in his essay “On Fairy-Stories,” explaining that stories can help us see life afresh and reawaken or illuminate spiritual truths:
Summer 2012 wandering the streets of Owatonna, MN, the hometown of Owl City.
Since The Fangirl Fulfilled kindly invited a response to her post about #HootOwlDay2021 (for Owl City fans), I thought I’d make a belated post. 🙂 First off, I had no idea there was a “Hoot Owl Day” observance, and upon Googling wasn’t able to find much, but guess it takes place on January 18 each year? Not sure why that date in particular. Since that day this year was MLK Jr. Day, probably better that I didn’t know until afterwards, because #priorities. Well, maybe “Hoot Owl Day” will catch on in later years. I have hope after seeing how well Hobbit Day has done on September 22 thanks to Peter Jackson. 😉
Any reason to unite Owl City fans and celebrate Owl City music is cool with me! 😉 So here we go:
1. When did you discover Owl City?
I honestly can’t remember, but it had to be before 2011 when I went to my first Owl City concert. Maybe around 2009-2010 shortly after the release of Ocean Eyes?
2. What is your favorite album?
Probably Midsummer Station just because of the number of favorite songs on it, and all the light imagery, which I love. But really, this is a hard question! 🙂
3. What Owl City song makes you the most happy/sad/relaxed? (different from a favorite song 😜)
Happy: “Good Time” because you hear it everywhere, and it makes EVERYONE happy! 🙂
Sad: “Meteor Shower” because I played it as encouragement before doing one of the hardest and saddest things I’ve ever done, and it reminds me of that moment whenever I hear the song, but I still love it.
Relaxed: “If My Heart was a House” because it’s just so darn sweet! ❤
And I’m adding a category, the “Best Start to the Day” song: “House Wren,” which always puts me in a good mood driving to work, especially if the sun is shining.
4. Which are your top 5 (or more, I won’t judge) favorite Owl City songs?
Galaxies
Hot Air Balloon
I’m Coming After You
Thunderstruck
Unbelievable
I’m certain about the first two, the rest are toss-ups because it’s impossible to limit my favorite song list to just five!!
5. Any Owl City memes or famous social media moments to share?
I thought the thread of posts about mushrooms that Adam did on Instagram was pretty funny (I love mushrooms b/c: hobbits). I was shocked with the rest of fandom when he camped outdoors overnight during the 2019 Polar Vortex to break his record for lowest temp while camping (please don’t die, Adam). And I read his entire blog waaaay back in the day before he took it down (probably because it was too personal and his fame was growing). I really appreciated getting to know more about him as a person, his faith, and his life experiences through those posts. It’s a level of respect I maintain to this day.
6. How many concerts have you been to?
Four, and they’ve all been great! Here are pics from each:
2011 – MINNEAPOLIS, ROY WILKINS AUDITORIUM
My only complaint about this one is that the acoustics in what is normally (if I remember correctly) a hockey arena were awful, so Adam’s singing didn’t sound that great. But it was still really fun, and a great treat to see Adam live for the first time!
2011 concert poster
My ticket!
2011 stage
2012 – CHICAGO
This was the same year I *might* have had a kind Minnesota friend drive me around Owatonna to check out some local haunts in Adam’s hometown for my birthday. 😉 I don’t recall the name of the concert venue, but it was something like “Vine” or “Vineyard” and not directly in downtown Chicago.
2012 stage, Midsummer Station tour
2012 concert venue
2015 – CHICAGO, HOUSE OF BLUES
This was my first time at the House of Blues, and I really don’t like this venue. The floor is standing room only, and good luck trying to leave your spot to use the bathroom and get back anywhere close to where you were. The amenities are expensive, the space is cramped, standing for concerts is the worst, and the views from the balcony are obscured and horrible. Still, we made due and had a good time.
2015 stage – view from balcony (a great stretch to get this shot)
2018 – CHICAGO, HOUSE OF BLUES
Back to this not great venue, but went with a fantastic group of people, and we had a blast despite being forced to stand with no room to move for 3 hours.
2018 stage
Chicago on a beautiful October night
7. Do you own any Owl City merch?
Sadly, no. The retro styles and muted colors typically used in the merch are just not my style, but I do keep looking to see if there’s anything that I’d love having! Perhaps one day…
8. Which song/album is your least favorite?
I’ll not say any album is my least favorite, but his earlier music before Ocean Eyes is not listened to as frequently as the rest of his music, but everything does get reasonable play time as I have all his music in my car on infinite repeat as I’m driving around town. Least favorite songs are “Bombshell Blonde” and “Deer in the Headlights” as I always skip them when they come on. But I have a special loathing for the regular version of “All My Friends” (the alt version is much better, and I like that one just fine). When the regular version was first released as a single for Cinematic, I just couldn’t believe how bad it sounded, and wondered if something had gone horribly wrong when Adam left his label, but then the rest of the album came out and all was well. 🙂 Haha!
9. What memories do you associate with Owl City’s music?
Reliving memories from the concerts with the friends who went with me to each one is fun. I have great memories of singing Owl City songs with friends in the car. I also have a lot of visual imagery associated with the songs that my imagination conjured up all on its own, so that’s probably what I think about the most when I hear the music, in addition to appreciating the lyrics and thinking about their meanings.
10. If he were to come out with a new album, what do you think it should be about?
He’s done instrumentals on the moments of history he’s admired, and a bio album, so an album with a song for each book that he loves would be pretty cool! It would certainly encourage me to check out the books if I hadn’t read them already. 😉 We’d probably get that sooner than a collaboration album with Enya, my other favorite artist. But there’s always hope…!
Sunlit Fields 