Meet my new sweetie!

Click if you want to zoom in to the mole*

Meet my new sweetie!  Almost all of my favorite members of AKB48 have graduated. Pretty much the whole team from the “golden era” are long gone. I still like the group, but it is hard for a casual fan to keep up with all the new faces.  AKS Management makes it hard to be an overseas fan at all, but that is another story for another day. I have a new favorite now! Her name is Yuka.

Yuka Ogino (Ogina Yuka 荻野由佳  ). She is sometimes called “Ogiyuka” as a fan nickname, or even “Ogi” by those who love her. Yuka-chan is a rising star in the AKB48 Family. She is the favorite of about a million fans, ranking at or near the top of most lists of favorite Idols.  Technically, she is in NGT48, but is also an AKB48 family member.

Let me share a few photos from the past couple of years, and tell you a little about her story.  It was not always so easy for her. Miss Ogino Yuka had a rocky road as an aspiring Idol. She had auditioned for several Idol groups for years, including AKB, but never passed any of them. After failing two recent AKB48 auditions, she was chosen as a “Baito” or temporary member in 2014, and was eventually drafted for NGT48 in 2015. How did she rank in the Senbatsu election you ask? During the 2016 AKB48 General Election, Ogino ranked 95^th . In 2017, she rocketed to 5^th!  She ranked 4^th in 2018!!! Many fans believe that she might be elected to #1 in next year’s election.

I know what you are thinking. She does not have that typical “fashion model” look. She is unique looking – I think that is why she is so popular. The young lady is everything an Idol should be.

(Denny mutters under his breath): Maybe everything a girl should be …

OgiYuka is PURE IDOL MAGIC — and she is riding a rocket right now.

There is a very interesting Music/Story video from NGT48 where Yuka plays a young girl who aspires to be an Idol. It is a nice story video, although the song itself is only about average-to-OK. I mainly like it for the acting. Fortunately, it has ENGLISH SUBTITLES. There is great scene with AKB48 members Yuki Kashiwagi and Rie Kitahara. Yuka meets the two older, experienced  idols, who warn the young lady that she would have to give up her youth to become an idol.

Ogiyuka acts SO CUTE in this … Oh … Oh … give me a minute will you … oh … I am so happy for her that she has become so popular. There is another YouTube story video from NGT48, which tells the story of a young Russian woman who aspires to become an idol. I like the song a lot more in this one, but the dialog is in Russian, and there are no English subtitles.

* I was a fan for a while when I noticed that Yuka-chan has a mole. I’m just glad that it is not Russian. Ha. There is a little bit of Slavic-Nippon hugging in the video though.

You know that you are in love with an Idol when you look for her in group performances. A good example is here in The AKB48 single “11gatsu no Anklet” (linked here) which is a Mayu Watanabe centered song, and one of the best recent AKB48 singles. (sighs) I have eyes mainly for Yuka’s dance though. Mayu who?

There she is … Oh … (Denny waves his light-sticks) … my sweetie … my sweetie pie … There she is … Oh … Oh … give me another minute OK?

What will 2019 have in store for the this rising star?  I hope AKB/NGT uses her in a variety of singing roles. There are going to be a lot more magazine covers and articles in the next few years. I hope she can handle it. I’m sure she can.

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Readers: Would you like to see more galleries of Yuka-chan in 2019?

Bye for now — wish all the nice people a “Merry Christmas” sweetie!

Starlight: Wait, do the math … will January 14, 2019 be Yuka-chan’s Seijin no Hi ?

Maple Forest Seeks Rice Paddy

My employment consists of processing purchase orders and maintaining the application records for an international agricultural chemical fertilizer company. Any writing I do at work is “technical writing” which must be very precise. It is not very creative, and there is no place for humor. Also, the science, journals, technical monographs and trade papers I am required to read are informative, but very dull. I seldom entertain myself at the computer. That’s why I like to occasionally be creative and post articles to WordPress! I also like to read YOUR blog during my lunch hour my dear reader. Your posts are a nice break from the otherwise beaten down day.

Although my trade journal reading is usually mundane, I am sometimes surprised by some of the advertisements and listings in such publications. (The embellishments that a seed drill manufacturer will make for the power of their brand of planter are often highly amusing.)

Last week, I was looking through the “personal interest” section of a periodical and I saw a personal ad that read “Maple Forest seeks Rice Paddy”.

It reads:

Lonely middle-latitude temperate mixed forest, dominantly sugar maple, with minor mixed oak, beech and birch species. Prosperous and stable broadleaf-deciduous biome, but open to new growth patterns. Seeks intimate relationship with recently cultivated tropical or sub-tropical Rice Paddy. Intensive land use relationship is desired. Interested in long-term lowland staple crop production. Possibility of supplemental vegetable growth a plus, but not required. Aerial infrared imagery of my peak vegetation production index is available upon request. Serious inquires only.

(Ahem.) Yes. I think there are some logistics and some harsh climatic realities which must be addressed for such a relationship. I think that if the Maple Forest does find the right Rice Paddy it would probably be a lasting relationship, perhaps because of the forces working against them. Monocots and dicots often make a nice flowering biome, and their pairing may work well.  Maple Forest might feel that he does not have a lot in common with some of the local needle-leaf evergreen forests.

Too many woodland biomes are not long-term compatible, and land cover disruptions are very common. The system seems to be set up against a Maple Forest.  I do so sympathize with the Maple Forest. It is hard for a mixed hardwood forest to find a nice land cover to enjoy biomass production with. He is correct to hold out for an angiosperm environment, even if such environment is from a different climate. Monocots and dicots often make a nice mixed biome, and the pairing might work well.  Some of the regional needle-leaf evergreens complain about it.

Timber land relationships are tough in the modern world, even with the use of the latest Forestry apps and websites. Yes, you have those forests who say they are broad-leaf deciduous, but it turns out they have way too many coniferous species mixed in. The truth is – I don’t care for the cones and needles myself — so I can see why the Maple Forest would be looking elsewhere for biomass. Too often, a woodland will claim to be “upland forest” but will turn out be prone to flooding.  Some of these older woods have serious issues. Many cannot overcome their history of being dominated by some lower-value swamp oaks. Many of these single woodlands are “second growth” who have been clear-cut way too many times. Plus, no one wants to have to put up with the invasive species left from all the previous biomes.

I can see why he would love a Rice Paddy. Their lush dark greens. earthen dams, and irrigation sluices balanced. A softer, welcoming surface. Welcoming, and permeable to depth. The shoots of growth tease her ample production. The power and intensity of her grain.  She is fertile alright. The Maple Forest will wonder: How does she produce so much biomass calories per acre? To the Maple Forest, she puts all those other companion environments from his past to shame. Other forests might tease, and say that he has “paddy fever” but Maple Forest should just shrug that off.

The stillness of her floodplain when at the peak of production is a thing of beauty.  And best of all – she can be double cropped. Oh yeah. Sometimes triple-cropped in a warm year. Wait until the Maple Forest finds out she can support some supplementary aquaculture. The high carbohydrate grain, the mixed vegetables and tubers between fields, and the protein of aquaculture.  God, they are the best. Can a land use be more fantastic than a subtropical Rice Paddy?

That Maple Forest will wonder where Rice Paddy has been all of his century-long growth.  The Rice Paddy is everything that the Maple Forest has ever wanted … and all that he never knew that he wanted. She has awoken xylem flows within his tree trunks that he thought would never flow again.

The Rice Paddy may have to adjust to some of the Maple Forest’s seasonal changes however. They probably first met in early or mid-summer when the Maple Forest is at his most lush and full,  open leaf condition. I will bet that a Rice Paddy has never seen a Maple Forest release its “whirly seeds” on a blustery summer’s day.

His fall color exuberance is followed by the long dormant period, with no leaf production. She might misunderstand. This may be difficult for a subtropical land use to adjust to at first. But don’t worry dear Rice Paddy. This is just the type of cold climate he is adapted to. Your Maple Forest is just taking some down time to harden, and sweeten. He will be back in spring with a gush of syrup production. You just be ready for that, when his sap starts to flow.

Sweet. Yeah, she is going to receive the sweet. So much she might not know what hit her.

Maple Forests and Rice Paddies are just made for each other! Their differences compliment rather than contradict each other. Some of the other biomes will be bitter and jealous of course. Some will laugh at Maple Forest, insult him, and say that he has a subtropical land-use “fetish”. Some landscapes will be envious of Rice Paddy and say she is only after the creation of a new ecotone. Don’t listen to the jealous regions you two. Make the world right for yourselves.

Just keep loving each other kids. Er .. I mean environments.

Starlight: Jesus – look at the time. I have to get back to work … and how did these web pages crop up?

Evil corporation locks Denny out of his account.

I am sorry to report that I am locked out of Google and YouTube for a while.

Please email me at dennysinnoh@mail.com

NOT dennysinnoh@gmail.com . GMail is what I use for my WordPress account, among others. If WP wants to send me any type of email on my account, I can’t verify the change from gmail.  

My crime? I would not give them a phone/text number. It does not matter if I give them my password, or answer security questions. The evil monolith wants a phone number.

Stalin’s buddy: He helped created The Evil Empire. No, not the one in Bay Area California, you silly. But, yes it is the same mindset.

That, and I am a thought criminal.

Hanako Oku and how it is so difficult to shop for some people.

Merry Christmas! Hey everyone – I have not posted in weeks due to being sunk in a swampland.  However, I want to pull myself up from the disgusting mire long enough to wish all my readers and WP friends a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

“Ya got all your Christmas shopping done yet?” Ha Ha. Kindly old people who are trying to make conversation often say that to me. Ahem … but perhaps I can provide a little shopping inspiration today. Here is The Little Great One’s Christmas Video released last month:

I think it is a very nice music video. I sometimes joke that “nothing really happens” in most Hanako Oku music videos. That may be what I like about them. She usually just walks around, in most of her music videos. It makes the listener concentrate on the music perhaps.

Great also songs inspire great covers. Here is one just released by the lovely and talented Hitomi Sano.

This got me into the shopping spirit alright! I wanted to send her something nice. Oh! — Her new song is the background music in this new commercial for SNOW.

Uh. although I’m not really sure what the lovely young woman is selling. Ideas for smartphone apps? Maybe. I though maybe Ms. Oku-san might enjoy these pantaloon-type puffy pants. They might be something she could wear around the studio.  She might find these useful for yoga, or for lounging at home and  of course — songwriting. Of course, one could wear these, relax at home, eat yogurt, and watch one of the Star-Wars movies that features Yoda … but I digress.

I chose this “Royal Blue” color. Might you suggest a different color choice?  I know that they are not Christmas colors – but I was thinking the hue might brighten up January. It would take a while to ship the pants to Chiba, so I thought that this color might brighten up a dreary day sometime next month for her. Much as the same way that her records cheer me up whenever I have to commute back and forth from the swamp.

https://www.amazon.com/HOEREV-Super-Modal-Spandex-Pilates/dp/B00J6WDFSW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1545238940&sr=8-1&keywords=women%27s%2Bpuffy%2Bpants&th=1

I am also hoping that she will release a new album soon.

Ms. Oku-san will have one final singing engagement this year! There will be a free concert held on Sunday, December 23 at  4:00 in the afternoon at Yokohama Landmark Plaza 1st floor Sakata no Garden Square. Maybe a fan will film a little bit.

There will be CDs on sale of course, and there will even be a handshake opportunity!

(Denny choking up … yes, free open concert … to be able to shake those little hands … )

You can find more information more info on TLGO’s Twitter or her website. 

Starlight: I figure it would take me less than a day to get to Cleveland. Then from there it is a 16 hour direct flight to Yokohama. Assuming I am not going to stop in Hokkaido. Of course you waste half a day on both ends of the flight due to airport waiting, etc. Then I would need some time to check into a hotel.  Plus, Japan is “12 hours ahead” in the Japan time zone …Yep — I can be there by the 23rd!

Oh, wait — now I see what the app does.