Pokémon Nicknames: Drifloon and Drifblim

So if I grab then hold on — Drifloon will carry me away someplace?

Ahem. I have a lot of name suggestions and a lot of cosplay to share this week, so clear the hanger …

Drifloon and Drifblim were introduced in Generation IV (Diamond and Pearl.) These Sinnoh Region Pokémon are both Ghost-and-Flying types. From Bulbapedia:

Drifloon (in Japanese: フワンテ  “Fuwante”) is known as being one of the more “creepy” Pokémon because it supposedly captures unaware children.

From Pokémon HeartGold:  “It is whispered that any child who mistakes Drifloon for a balloon and holds on to it could wind up missing.”

From Pokémon Black 2: “These Pokémon are called the Signpost for Wandering Spirits. Children holding them sometimes vanish.”  

Drifloon evolves into Drifblim (in Japanese: フワライド “Fuwaride”) beginning at level 28.

I like to make my balloon a flying advertisement. I like to name a Drifloon “YOUR-AD-HERE” then send it out on the Wondertrade. Ha … because your fellow players want to know if they are missing out on advertising opportunities. ”Eat-At-Joes” is an old Looney Tunes running-joke reference.

Hey! You might even name your crazy balloon “Looney”!

Now some balloons are made of rubber. Some are made of latex. Go and have fun with those types of names. “Rubber Baby” is from the tongue twister:  “rubber baby buggy bumpers“.

Drifblim is more of a hot air balloon rather than a blimp, but I have used “blimp” type names such “Goodrich” or “NotAGoodyear”. Speaking of blimps, please enjoy this balloon cosplay:

My favorite name for Drifblim is “Zep Leddelin” as a play on the name of the famous rock band Led Zeppelin. Yes, zeppelins may be shaped differently than hot air balloons, but it is still fun.

“Hindenburg” might be another example. Maybe “Branson” after the Virgin Co. CEO who is always trying to set hot air ballooning records.

“PaperBalloon” might be a good historic reference to the Japanese Paper Balloon Bombs which were used in World War II. Japanese scientists figured out a way to launch a balloon  from Japan which would be carried by the westerly jet stream winds to North America. This resulted in the only civilian casualties on the mainland United States in WWII. A Sunday school teacher and his family were on an outing in the Oregon woods when his children – not knowing what it was –touched  it, and the explosion killed them all. In this case a balloon did take children away.

I also imagine that Drifloon may work as a weather balloon, so I name it “Radiosonde” after the instrument package carried aloft in a weather balloon. Of course, most UFO sightings are merely stray weather balloons.

I also suggest the names “Nadir” and “Nadar” as references in the history of remote sensing. Balloons were once used for military reconnaissance. In 1858, Gaspard Felix Tournachon (later dubbed “Nadar”) captured the first recorded aerial photograph from a manned balloon.

The word “nadir” is a photogrammetry term referring to the line to the ground directly below the remote sensing platform, and the center of the Earth. This term means that your balloon is right on top of things when you take your photo.

Drifblim trying to find the nadir point …

“Blim” and “loon” remind me of “Bloom“, so one name might be “Bloomers” as in … ahem …a ladies unmentionables. “Buys -Ballots” is another meteorology term (despite how it sounds, it does not have anything to do with George Soros).

Then I thought of “Bloomberg” after the former mayor of New York City who – I am not making this up — tried to ban 32-ounce sodas from being sold in NY. The idea there is that consumers suck up too much of the liquid candy. Thus they need a government nanny to stop New Yorkers from becoming a bunch of fat, lazy, government dependent, entitled welfare cheats. Really, drinking too much sugary soda can really make one balloon up – ha ha – balloon up! …get it?

You might us “99 Balloons” or some variation, after that German commie’s hit single from the 1980s: “99 Luft Balloons“. 

Others? How about “Blimpie” — as in the name of a submarine sandwich company. “Up and Away” is a reference to the famous song by “The Fifth Dimension”.

Readers: This may be my last post for some time. I hope that I have provided something for everyone here!

What do you like to name your big purple balloons? Please comment!

When I see the amazing face of SKE48 member Nao Furuhata, I feel like I am about to EXPLODE …

That’s right … explode … explode with a fury of great scrapbooking and home craft-making ideas.

These are some sample pages I made for for my scrapbook. (Click on an image to start the scrapbook.) I have also been working on Nao-inspired greeting cards, decorative throw pillows, and new laundry room shelves. I can’t help myself … I just EXPLODE with unique project ideas when I think of young Miss Furuhata.

I hope that the intriguing face of Miss Furuhata will inspire your own explosion of creative hobby ideas!

Nao says: “Now get out there and get crafting!”

Please see more of Nao on my Pinterest board for her linked here. Also, watch the YT video clip below and it will leave you exploding with unique home craft ideas!

Kimonos on Monday: Wasa-hair on Instagram!

Look it up in an encyclopedia under “What a man most wants to nuzzle.”

Kimonos on Monday: Wasa-hair! I was very pleased to find Iwasa Misaki’s Instagram post. She has shared some nice photos of her kimono. Her site also features a good number of kimono accessories such as shoes and hairpin ornaments. Of course I also love all those pictures of her with her tied hair up in various ways. Click any to begin the slideshow. Any of these would make great computer wallpapers.

https://www.instagram.com/wasaminnn/

I love it when a pretty lady ties her hair up, so that the nape of her neck is exposed. Do women always know how incredibly beautiful they make themselves? Ladies make themselves extremely desirable in subtle ways. The exposed neck is one such example. The neck is not like looking at breasts or other (ahem) zones – but darn it – the neck nape has serious appeal in a unique way. I like how the wisps of  lady hair grow from out of the neck. The hair is like a beautiful flower, growing from a place which is source of all goodness, and then it diverges and matures into to a life-tree of extreme happiness. It looks so soft and EXTREMELY FEMININE. The visual is one phenom, but then there is the added dimensions of texture, aroma and taste of the nape.

I ramble of course …  you girls have no idea how wonderful your bodies truly are — or maybe you do. Perhaps the neck nape is yet another example of female superiority. What? No one told you? I was hoping you wouldn’t find out because I didn’t want you to start acting stuck-up.

Ladies, find a way tonight —  or make some type of excuse — to show the back of your neck to your fellow tonight (say “zip me up”, or “is my necklace crooked”, etc.). Act like you are not even trying to impress … then see what happens.  … and yes, I see that I have digressed from the topic of kimono fashions.

Ahem … indeed Wasamin looks striking in this dark kimono with floral pattern. I will share just a few now, but you will find many more on her Instagram. There are also some stand-alone photos of hair ornament (“Kanzashi”) types as well. Kimono sandals – or “Zori” are also shown. Her site is a treasure trove of beautiful kimonos, accessories and hairstyles!

The Iwasa Misaki Instagram page is linked here. It will be interesting to see what kimono fashion she will add in the coming weeks.

In other Misaki-Kimono news, Wasamin will be bringing her enka-singing show to the Japan Expo in Paris, France on July 7-10, 2016.  I hope she tweets, bookfaces and instagrams a lot of her photos from this event.  She will also be participating in signings at the Expo, thus — one can meet Iwasa Misaki if you are in Paris this week.

Mon dieu — e pas être sorti de l’auberge … I really don’t think I can make it to Gay Paree next month however as I will be stuck down on the hog farm all summer.

Starlight:  … Sorry my mind wandered again.

Yes, you might want to start keeping score, Miss Misaki. I have lost count of how many posts I have made about you.

https://www.instagram.com/wasaminnn/

Can you guess which Iwasa Misaki Twitter photo gave Denny a heart attack this morning?

Guess which photo from Iwasa Misaki’s official Twitter account made me spill my coffee and landed me on the floor this morning:

Wasa Photo A

Wasa Photo B

Wasa Photo C

Wasa Photo D

Come on … It is MULTIPLE CHOICE … please take my Wasa-poll:

If you want to see more Wasamin selfies, her lunch, her friends and puppy videos, see Iwasa Misaki’s official Twitter linked here.

https://twitter.com/wasaminnn

Starlight: I only look at the Sun at Night.

Now I’m living in a black-and-white world.

What Sayaka Yamamoto looks like when I’m out of colorful ideas.

Sorry, Yamamoto-san, you can go home. You are doing everything right as usual, I just can’t get my imagination going now.

What happened to the COLOR options in the WordPress editor!?!? I used to be able to create color text. The button was there now it is gone … My signature “Starlight” sign-off is supposed to be written in RED. Otherwise, how would you know that I’m moving rapidly away from you, and not towards you? Now I am living in the “Black and White World”.

SING IT, Elvis (link here). My heart is not in this drab world, Sayanee. Here are the lyrics. You read them dear girl, while I sort this out.

Written by Elvis Costello: “Black and White World” 1980.

I was looking at the black and white world
It seemed so exciting
If you’d only put me back to back with that girl
When the night’s inviting

With just a little lighting
There’ll never be days like that again
When I was just a boy and men were men
You never go from moment to moment
You’re the living double of a single fiction
You’re very colourful with your compliments
As you feel the finger’s friction

It’s a freeze-frame
Still it’s real life
You don’t want to look
Cause you’ve seen the film and you’ve read the book
I was looking at the black and white world
Trying to name some pin-up
Those days she was just a beautiful girl
Now she’s framed and hung up

I thought she was young
Up until I saw her last night in close detail
Though they all fade away when you’re so pale
It’s more than just a physical attraction

It starts with a face and ends up a fixation
But you’re never gonna feel a fraction
Of the way it used to work on your imagination
When you were looking at the black and white world…

Starlight: I guess we can’t work in the 0.4 to 0.7 micrometer range anymore?

Jurina Matsui — “The Apple Of My Eye”

Attention SKE and AKB48 fans: Our fellow blogger MorningBerryz48 has a new post (linked below) which I would love to share with you:

Source: The Girl from Aichi.

(Don’t mind me, I ‘m still gasping a little …) Her post today contains a few images from the brand new Jurina Matsui photobook! If you like photography, Japanese pop stars, and/or photography OF Japanese pop stars — do yourself a favor and have a gander at the new photobook she previews there. If you like fashion or fruit salads you will not be disappointed.

You can also BUY your own copy the photobook from CD Japan. Link here. Here is the cover:

Starlight: Just came out this month. If you follow MorningBerryz48, then you will not have to wait light years for the good photobooks!

For more fashions, see my Jurina Matsui board on Pinterest!

KIMONOS ON MONDAY: I am still drawn to Yui Yokoyama!

… and who wouldn’t be? Actually this is a DRAWING of the lovely Yuihan wearing a kimono. The original drawing is by Rodolfo Cortez. You can view more of his drawings — AKB and otherwise — on his web page linked here. Yokoyama-san has very intense eyes. Do you think that he did a good job of capturing their intensity? I also like that little “48” clasp he drew on the kimono.

There are also some great paintings of Yui Yokoyama in kimono in her first photo book released earlier this year. The artist is Japanese painter  Yasunari Ikenaga. The photo books are mostly photographs, but there is this nice little part of about her making this kimono painting.

Here is Yui lying down on the kimono pattern, to see how it looks with her.

This is her kimono (yukata actually) that the painting is based on. Note the floral pattern and the obi-sash pattern below was used in the painting.

Guess what my favorite part of this photo is!

Here is the basic drawing before color painting.

I would have to say that the picture turned out well.

I sure would have to have this Yui panel in my tea room! It looks like Ms. Yokoyama also approves of the art …

I am probably even easier to please than Yuihan.

Even her painting is INTENSE!

The photobook is available from CD Japan linked here.

It only costs $12 … Gulp … so why can’t I have one?. (There is also a DVD-Blu-Ray photobook if you have a Japanese player.)

Starlight: The photobook was released February 2015.

KIMONOS ON MONDAY: Japanese actress Mirei Kiritani

Mirei Kiranti is a Japanese actress. (My spell-checker always wants to change her name to “Marie” – the silly thing.) Kiritini-san has appeared in dozens of Japanese TV series and movies. Her 2105 films include Koisuru Vampire, Heroine Shikkaku and the live-action Assassination Classroom. (Some of those are upcoming.)

Gamers should note that in 2015 she was the voice of Mayoi Ayasato in Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. Her voice was also used in Dragon Quest Heroes: Yamiryuu to Sekaiju no Shiro.  She may be a voice-talent, and an in-demand actress, but she also dazzles here in summer kimono!

She has the right combination of cuteness, sexiness, humor and fashion smarts as you can see in this slide show:

Starlight: 桐谷 美玲  Kiritani Mire — born December 16th, 1989

Haruna Kojima: Finally, someone who can take a good “selfie”!

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Finally! Someone who can take a good “selfie”!!!

KojiHaru is great in this PeachJohn ad. HD is available (duh).

When will AKB48 member Haruna Kojima graduate?  2015 may be her year. She is one of the group’s founding members, and is now 28 years old. Kojima-san has always been an integral part of the group, and was great along with Takamina and Miichan in the “No Sleeves” sub-unit. (What with Takahashi-san announcing her graduation for later this year, we have to wonder how long Kojima-san will remain.)

She is a much more talented singer than she is gets credit for. She looks so good, that a lot of fans just admire her body. She is actually a darn good comedian, although she has always just “played herself” or at least what we think of as KojiHaru being herself.

I doubt if she will starve when she graduates. Haruna is already a successful underwear model for the “Peach John” women’s apparel company. Underwear model? … more like “underwear actress” because her 1 minute commercials are better than most Hollywood movies.

I will also include Part 2 and Part 3 of the PeachJohn “Selfies” contest there. Peach John has encouraged fans to post selfie pics in their latest campaign. (Sorry, you may have to sign in for the second one.)

The commercials, follow the Haruna and her friends Maggie and Kana on their daily selfie routine. I know you see the girls romping around in campy, lingerie poses, but the commercial actually encouraged customers to take simple and natural photos throughout the day. The last segement shows “real” customers in everyday Peach John attire.

No Doubt, Kojima-san has a smoking-hot body, but that is not why I like her. You can STOP laughing now, thank you! Have a look at this amazing white dress Kojima-sama wears in this live performance!

I am a little troubled hoever by news that Miss Kojima is to appear nude in the next issue of Anan Magazine.  My friends over at Nihongogo have posted an article here.

http://nihongogo.com/2014/09/akb48s-haruna-kojima-bares-all-in-newest-issue-of-anan-magazine/

I don’t think that Kojima-san should do nudes while she is a member of AKB48.  If she does them after graduation, then that would be her choice, but for the most part it is just something that the group does not do. Now I am not a prude … and no one would like to see KojiHaru naked more than I (only for a second, then I would look away).  I also do not want to be one of those people who CRITISIZE THINGS THEY HAVE NOT SEEN! I am against self-righteous censorship.  I have not “read” …er , I mean seen the photos, for all I know she might be “nude” but you might not “see anything” … if you know what I mean.  When a magazine says that a celebrity “bares all”, they often do not.  Nihongogo does attest that these photos show “the best breasts that Japan has to offer” …

Maybe this is a step to her graduation this year. Kojima! You made a liar out of me!

I do enjoy good landscape photography!

… and don’t try buying a copy at the newsstand.  I already bought them all.

 

“Trying … hard … not … to … love … her … so … much …”

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I hear you Captain Kirk.

I think that anyone would fall for her, Jim. Fanboy that I am — I will share some postings from YouTube that feature the Milky one — Miyuki Watanabe. 2014 was a big year for Watanabe-san, what with winning the Janken and getting her shot at solo work. The sound is a little flat here on this particular live TV performance, but I do not care. YouTube keeps removing all her recent performances, but I keep finding new ones! (They must be good because YouTube keeps removing them!) I’m loving this retro-style 80s-themed song Mr. Akimoto arranged for her. Enjoy this Milky heaven!

I’m so happy she has had a chance to shine solo recently.  She is one of my favorite members. I have always thought that she takes a good photo … However — pity the poor life of the professional photographer! What if you had this job of taking magazine photos of Miyuki Watanabe? Dull, boring, tedious!!! What would be more excruciating than watching Milky make all those poses … taking photos — over and over again. Feel free to waste eight minutes of your coffee break on her photo shoot. My favorite is the “frame” which begins at time 5:24.

On the subject of photos, this is a very cute photography video with SUBTITLES IN ENGLISH!  Here some of the other 48 family members are in a competition to take the best “Gravure” photo. See  the contest amongst between Team Nemousu (Yukirin) VS Team AKB48 Group Alliance (Oya, Kizaki, Kimoto, Shibata and Furuhata of SKE48).  I think that you will find it to be a cute and funny little photo shoot to watch … and, er …

and … oh … (Denny feels weak suddenly, has to sit down on park bench)

Oh … (Denny pauses), oh … (with slightly different vocal inflection).

Oh … Miyuki… (Denny takes off cap, exhales, stares at horizon)

Miyuki Watanabe … or some type of illusion?

Oh … (Denny takes off glasses, slumps slightly into bench, considers landscape.)

(Exhales again) …Watanabe … (Denny sits back up and continues.)

As one can see, the other members do a good job at their amateur-gravure.  There were 468 great shots from many different angles. (I was pulling for Yukirin to win.) I love this clip, because it not only shows how physically beautiful Miss Watanabe is, but this clip also captures the high quality of her character.  Her positive and friendly attitude is very attractive. She is a lovely young woman — inside as well as out.

With so many great photos, it was hard for Milky to choose!  Do you agree with the winning choice?

Please enjoy another Watanabe slide show (captions by Denny).

Don’t worry Milky, I will not leave you “Home Alone”

Photo just before my chicken exploded.

After my chicken exploded.

Thank you for reminding me about my auto insurance updates Miyuki!

Two can keep a secret if one of them is Milky!

Wasted 3 hours this morning deciding which view I liked.

I thought I caught all the shiny ones?

Yes, they do provide two beds for some reason …

So talented she is — Yoda

Beachy sand? Where?

One last treat for Milky fans: This is a Panasonic commercial which includes a few old photos of Watanabe-san as a little girl! So adorable!

Starlight: varying lengths from the outer arm of the Milky Way.

PS: Inside joke aimed directly at you Bob!

UPDATE: 01/07/2015: I added the following to this post yesterday. Some bloggers had already commented, so I want to be forthcoming that I have added content here:

Perhaps I could explain my “She is beautiful both inside and out” observation. If you view that clip of the other girls taking the photos, it strikes me how NICE they are to each other. Milky is humble, and respectful. The Japanese girls respect and encourage each other.

What if a similar thing were on an American TV show? The people involved would probably not be so nice. I flip through channels sometimes and see these vulgar American “reality” TV shows (Mtv, E!, etc). You can fill-in the names. These shows always have the chicks giving us — and each other — a lot of “attitude” and they would “dis” each other. There would be no sweetness. On these American shows, the ladies might look hot on the surface, but I estimate that their emotional juices would be very sour. Very nasty. Perhaps good looking on the outside, but very ugly on the inside.*

Not so with Milky and the others. Much more feminine, and full of goodness.

I have this problem where sometimes I have to put something else down (ex. American pop culture) in order to build up something that I like (ex. Japan pop culture). I don’t want to do that. Sorry about that, but I see no comparison (although I know that this is just one example).

*Just another reason why I have given up on American pop culture.