Wuxia and Xianxia Book Club

 

Hi, friends! Today I am trying to see who'd be interested in a little idea of mine. To start with, I love Chinese and Korean media. Novels, manhua and manhwa and live action TV series' and of course, anime. Traditional Chinese and Korean music is also beautiful and I like Chinese pop, as well. Anyway, moving on!

For years, I've loved the idea of being in a book club but never have found one that fits me. Whether it's trashy romance novels or deep romantic drama novels, I've just never been involved... Until I thought of starting my own for wuxia and xianxia.

Wuxia (武俠 [ù.ɕjǎ]), which literally means "martial heroes", is a genre of Chinese fiction concerning the adventures of martial artists in ancient China.

I like wuxia a lot, but even more so, I love xianxia...

Xianxia (simplified Chinese: 仙侠; traditional Chinese: 仙俠) is a genre of Chinese fantasy influenced by Chinese mythology, Taoism, Buddhism, Chinese martial arts, traditional Chinese medicine, Chinese folk religion and other traditional Chinese elements.

Let me give you an example or two or three or four.

This one, Nano Machine, is the manhwa I recently read and caught up on (and have now started the novel!) It's so wonderful and the MC (main character) is the morally grey, out for himself but still cares for those under him and his friends, that I really like. I also like villainous MCs. They aren't cartoony villains, either. They're hardcore and I love that. 

Summary:

After being held in disdain and having his life put in danger, an orphan from the Demonic Cult, Cheon Yeo-Woon, has an unexpected visit from his descendant from the future who inserts a nano machine into Cheon Yeo-Woon’s body, which drastically changes Cheon Yeo-Woon’s life after its activation. The story of Cheon Yeo-Woon’s journey of bypassing the Demonic Cult and rising to become the best martial artist has just begun. 

Now, I did say I don't like trashy romance novels, but... There is a harem romance novel that I absolutely love. In fact, it's my favorite Chinese novel. Yes, that's right, my favorite! Especially because of how badass the female characters are in the story. It's called Dual Cultivation.

Summary: 

Su Yang is a powerful Dual Cultivator who was imprisoned after he offended the Heavenly Emperor.

His crime?

He committed adultery with the Moon God’s wife, kidnapped the Dragon King’s younger sister, seduced the Divine Goddess, and he even tasted the forbidden fruit that is the Heavenly Emperor’s beloved daughter.

Inside the prison, Su Yang meets a mysterious old man who offers him a chance to leave this place, but that method requires him to experience reincarnation.

In his new life, Su Yang swears to reunite with his partners and hold them in his embrace once again, all the while finding new ones along the way.

Disclaimer: Dual Cultivation is a unique method of cultivation where a man and a woman cultivates together by having sex.

So whether you want to read about something in ancient China or Korea, something more modern, a romance or even a more feminine story, I really have found something for everyone and I even plan on writing my own one day! All this to say... If you want to be introduced to wuxia and xianxia or isekai novels, for that matter, you've come to the right place. Should I make a book club? Would you want to be part of one? Let me know below!

My Fitness Wishlist

I love writing wishlists and in this case, I'm writing My Fitness Wishlist! This year, I've been focusing on my health both physically and mentally so much more than years past. Right now I'm trying the Keto diet, which so far is going very well for me! I'm also exercising more, except for this week because I ended up with a swollen ankle and knee from - I believe - a new medication. Which terrified me! But it's getting better. I need to wait until it's fully healed to continue exercising though. .·´¯`(>▂<)´¯`·.

On Friday I am getting a yoga mat, so I guess I can at least try to do a little bit of VERY GENTLE yoga. But I'm going to start gearing up for the more hardcore exercises, so here's what I want!

Double Trouble • Jungle Soldier • Let's Gym Aqua Cool Top • Yoga Hipkini Sheered Yoga Legging

Gamen Venu Sq • PUMA Studio Metallic Women's Long Sleeve Top • PUMA Untamed Women's Mesh Training Hoodie • SuperHot Miracle Mesh Bra • MVP White Workout Sneakers • MVP Tie-Dye Watercolor Sneakers

I really want to get a little bit of muscle, so I think these pretty Pink 5 LB Dumbbells ($32.99) from Amazon would be a great way to do so! As you know, I love Brazil and I've noticed Brazilian women are all about being strong. Not body builder Hulk type strong, but strong and toned. I want my body to look like that!

So, I really like pink, okay?! My favorite colors are blue, pink, red and black. Anyway, moving on! I want these Fit Simplify Resistance Bands ($10.95), because I need a better butt.

And finally, for now...

This ICEWATER 3-in-1 Smart Water Bottle ($19.99) ! I'm SO bad with drinking water and I know it's very good for you and also that it's important when exercising. Ástrid has been thinking of getting me this and I am hoping she does, because I really need one!

Alright, everyone, that's all for now! I'll probably have another Fitness Wishlist in the future, because it's something I'm really passionate about. Even though I'm a total chair potato right now. But, I had an excuse! (￣ω￣) Tell me what's on YOUR Fitness Wishlist below and also, if you don't mind, let me know if you like the style of the magazine type spreads or if you prefer individual pictures? Thank you!

May Goals

 

It's a brand new month and it's starting out wonderfully. Well, minus a panic attack. I made my bullet journal May calendar spread and my May habit trackers last night, wished Ástrid and Koji a happy May at midnight, wished my co-workers a happy May at the start of my shift and went outside to take pretty pictures of flowers this afternoon. Flores, in Português!

I love making little goal lists, so I thought I'd do one for May. I'm curious about something, what kind of blog layouts do you prefer to see? Pictures that are solo for easy pinning or group pictures that are a layout as if they're in a magazine? I love both, so I'm torn on which to do for my blog. Give me your thoughts!

Here are my goals... 

🌸 Blog a LOT more! I miss blogging so much. So, how do I fix that? Blog more, of course! I took my bullet journal and just started writing down post inspiration and SO much came to me. 

🌸 Do more light exercise! I say light because my ankle is still swollen, but my Doctor even told me to try working for about an hour, so I can finally get exercise in again. I'm putting together my fitness wishlist, so expect that soon!

🌸 Participate in Mermay! My drawing isn't anything special, but I feel like I can do so much more after watching Koji draw. Of course, he's a professional artist and he does make drawing look SO easy, but still! The fact is, whether my skill is good or bad, I love being creative and that's what counts!

🌸 Clean... a LOT! Okay, so this is often on my goal list. I'm messy, okay? I also have ADHD and have an incredibly hard time getting started cleaning, focusing on cleaning and finishing this and pretty much anything else. Mix that with OCD and cleaning is hard. 

🌸 Take better care of my skin! I have rosacea and right now it's manageable, but there's times when I get a flare up and I really struggle. So, this month, I want to take the best care of my skin that I can!

🌸 Be more spiritual! I haven't connected very well with my spiritual side lately, until recently when I found a new matron Goddess, who I'll definitely talk about here soon! But I want to do that and so much more. I want to read my tarot, write in my grimoire, have Ástrid do a pendulum reading on me and so much more.

🌸 And as always, be the best wife, mommy and friend that I can be and help my little family be happy and healthy! They are truly my everything! 

Alright friends, tell me, what are your May goals?! I can't wait to hear them! 

Meu Português - My Portuguese

 

Bom dia! Good morning! This post will be a mix of English and Português, but don't worry, I'll translate! Meu nome é Angela. Eu falo muito pouco Português mas estou aprendendo! My name is Angela. I speak very little Portuguese but I am learning! Eu estarei me mudando para o Brasil em 2022... Eu espero. I will be moving to Brazil in 2022... I hope. 

So, why Brazil? Well, Koji has family there and even lived there himself in the past. He told me all about Southern Brazil and it's beautiful and homey. It's also very open-minded! There are so many LGBTQ+ people there, those who accept polyamory and metaphysical acceptance. Which is so different from where I am originally from, which is Utah.

Gramado in Southern Brazil

I also love the greenery! Okay, so I am originally originally from Illinois and my suburb was VERY green. Utah, as beautiful as the state is, was... More yellow and orange and not in an Autumn-y way. 

So, yes, I am learning Brazilian Portuguese! How, you ask? Well, I started with Duolingo which did help me with some words... But I was lost on speaking sentences.  Until I joined HelloTalk!

HelloTalk is an app where people can join from all over the world and list what language they're learning and which they are fluent in and will help others with. It's SO nice. You only see those posts, called moments, in your feed. It's like Twitter, but much less busy. 

I've made quite a few friends there and even made a WhatsApp to talk to them, as it's popular in Brazil!

Messaging someone on HelloTalk

Outside of Duolingo and HelloTalk, I also have help from Koji and his friends and I keep a journal of all the words and sentences I use often. It's very helpful!

Now... I just need to work on my accent.（＾＿－）

Bom dia! 04/14/2021

おはよう! Bom dia! Good morning! It's been a while... (＃⌒∇⌒＃)ゞ Life's been busy. TWO new jobs (two different companies, but the same parent company.) Searching for a third. Our new place! Learning Portuguese. Bullet journaling. Running our Conan server and moooore. 

But I miss my little space here. I miss my bloggy friends. Do I still have any? (๑•﹏•) I hope so!

We're also planning our move to Brasil. But... That's expensive. I don't even have my visa yet. We'll also have to move all of our babies. Most likely, we won't be there until the middle of next year but I'm hoping for sooner. Really depends on fate! Though I am putting in the hard work too. 

I love helping my friends, so if anyone is looking for a legit work from home job, let me know and I'll send you my company's info! I'm getting my first paycheck tomorrow! It's going to be small though, as they only pay once a month and I started very late in March. I do work 60 hours a week though, which is GREAT. However the minimum requirement is about 10-15, so it's also useful for people looking for a side job.

Come on, let's manifest $$$!

Oh and my darling husband opened a commissions page on Ko-fi! If you want a DnD, video game or other OC or even a portrait of your real life self or family, pets included, read more here! 

I found a new Matron Goddess, her name is Yemoja and she's from the Yoruba religion. I'll share more about her in a second post! 

My sister-friend Sam has come back and I missed her dearly. We've been talking a lot, doing purikura with each other and just being big and lil sis. I'm the big sis! (*•̀ᴗ•́*)و ̑̑ 

I've also been trying gyaru more. I followed my first tutorial via a TikTok video, as Sam somehow managed to get me into TikTok... Anyway, I didn't do great but a lot of gals told me it's a good first attempt so I'LL TAKE IT!

Oh, and, I dyed my hair blonde! Kind of... It's NOT as good looking as the picture would suggest. So I plan on going in and getting a professional dye job and style. I really want a rokku style. Rokku kind of is like... Rock and Roll. Imagine something cool. 

I know this post is all over the place, but one of my biggest blogging goals is for people to feel like they're reading a letter from a friend. (＾ω＾) I'll make more themed posts soon!

Oh yes, also, we HAVE A VR HEADSET NOW! Well, Ástrid does and I just borrow hers all the time... Especially for VRChat where I spend most of my time in Japanese and Brasil worlds. If you have VRChat, let's party!

And most of all, I've been loving Koji, Ástrid, our babies and our friends. ♥ I hope you're all doing well and please comment, if you'd like, so I can catch up with you! I'll be going through Bloglovin' and reading everyone's posts to catch up as well!

Until next time, which will be SOON, I promise!

~ Angie

Today

 

こんにちは, oi and hello! Today is, so far, an absolutely lovely day... For the most part. Our stimulus came in and I'm using that for self-care and self-love, along with a few little gifts here and there and hopefully fixing my Switch. My poor Nintendo Switch died on me, RIGHT after I started working on my island. sigh I was so excited to see my bamboo grow and now it's a gamble, because my Animal Crossing island is saved on the Switch itself and not a card. :| Wish me luck!

And well, the other downside is our card is locked for fraud. Nothing even happened, but I guess the bank panicked because we were doing a lot of shopping and now everything is being reversed. ;.; I called them, was on hold for an hour, fixed the situation only to find out... It's not fixed yet. Ahhhh! 

But enough about that.

Let me talk more about this self-care and self-love journey I am on. I was browsing Etsy and came across Blessing Manifesting by Dominee. Now, Dominee doesn't even know me, so I'm not being paid to write this or anything like that. I'd love if she knew I existed, because even a few pages in and I am loving her rainbow aesthetic with bold colors and her writing style. But anyway! I may... have spent about $50 in her store. 

Here's what I bought! Magical Housekeeping & Decluttering because I reallyyyy have to do this and I feel so refreshed when we have a wonderful clean house! Self-Care Planner Witch Version, because I miss my Witchy self. I used to be so in-tune with myself. Self-care is also so very important. Self-Love Workbook because, just like self-care, self-love is deeply important and something I don't really struggle with but I do find it hard to find the time to "focus on it" and that's gotta stop! To be honest, a lot probably has to do with my ADHD. >.< But this will help me! Journey Through Journaling is next because I am finally keeping a bullet journal! I won't lie, it's very bare, haha. But I'm doing well and feel really inspired by Dominee's book. I just started reading and so far am just so impressed. I can't wait to read more and follow her prompts! 

Next we have Itty Bitty Hygge Workbook! I got this because I LOVE hygge and it's something that while I don't really need to "learn" more about, I love reading about and watching videos about. I find that, itself, hygge. So, I also got Body Love Gym Week One! I've been realllly inspired to exercise and eat better, but am still struggling with DOING that. This will help! If I manage to do week one, I'll get the rest of the weeks! I've been finding a lot of fitness and healthy living YouTubers, most if not all of them very down to Earth and treating their audience like friends. I love those kinds of bloggers and vloggers most. As for the last two, I got two add-ons for the Self-Love Workbook! Fitness and Blogging! I dearly miss my blog, but I've been having a hard time coming up with ideas and Dominee helps with that - a lot. I also want to keep track of my stats more! 

All of Dominee's workbooks and more are soooo affordable, most being between $5-$10 and you get them as PDFs, so for certain stuff or everything you can print and work on, put them in your journal or read them on your computer and get inspired. I'm actually buying a printer (...once the card is taken care of) so I can do so! I'm so excited!

Finally for this post... I GOT A JOB! I got an AMAZING work from home job for a huge gaming company. I don't need to be on the phones, either! It's something I can be proud of and do for long-term. It's a contract position, so if it's not long-term, it's at least my foot in the door for working for more gaming companies which is what I've wanted since 2004. Woo! Go me!

Thank you for reading friends! Tell me how you're doing! ^_^ 

A Very Busy Month

Hello, my friends, it's been a while! This month brought a BIG new change... I started my new job! It's telemarketing, which isn't my favorite thing in the world (I thought I'd be doing marketing not telemarketing.) It's work from home though, so I don't have to leave Koji, Ástrid and the babies behind every morning. ♡ My goals are still being either a community manager for an MMO, a social media manager for an awesome company or a chat support agent. I don't really want to receive or make calls, to be honest. I also would love to be a streamer and professional blogger. I even made Everything So Kawaii, a blog about... Well... Everything So Kawaii! I hope you'll read. It's just starting, so it's going a little slow but I have SO much inspiration for what to write.

I'm also going to make a Kawaii Discord Community, which I'll link here as well once it's made.

So, why am I working now, you might ask? Welllll... Koji, Ástrid and I want to move to Massachusetts and we want a house instead of an apartment! So OBVIOUSLY that's... A lot of money that we need. But, we need the room for ourselves and all of our babies. The babies being the main reason. Especially considering I really really want a doggo and Koji promised me one when we get a house. 😁

Also I have kind of a second job, which is being an Admin for our Conan server and Discord server. SO much goes into that and it's so rewarding. If being my Admin-y self could be my day job, I'd be one happy gamer girl.

I think that's all that's been going on, for the most part! Catch me up on what's going on in YOUR life! Let's talk!