Gotta Keep Up To Date

I'm hardly aware of what's going on in the anime/manga community these days. I feel like I'm just drifting further and further away from my place of rest and relaxation. For the past few years, I've been a proofreader for a few different scanlation groups...this was my attempt to remain grounded in the manga community as I began medical school and realised that it sort of took over my social life. I tend to spend a lot of time on my computer and I have no other skills to offer so I figured...I'll help proofread and give back to the wonderful manga community! As for anime...I could live without it and if I wanted, I'll do what I can to make provisions to watch the great series people will constantly badger me about.

I'm still a proofreader for manga/manhwa/manhua translations...I almost retired from it but decided I'd stick with it despite the drastic decrease in free time. I'm really continuing for one particular series which I managed to grow particularly fond of and, for some reason, just don't really want to detach myself from. =) I help out with random chapters of other series but, for now, that's what's keeping me rooted to the community. Since I'm doing a poorer job of keeping up to date, I was checking out Wordpress for some cool anime bloggers and found these great reads so far:

• Rail Tracing Anime Blog
• Everyone Has An Anime

Sure, I could always stay up-to-date with AnimeNewsNetwork but I like to read blogs and see what people think of things...see what's popular these days.

For super quick anime/manga news, there's Twitter! I get a lot of good stuff in my Twitter stream since I started following @BreakingAnime.

What about you? Any recommended blogs or websites?

Manga Artists Cheer Japan On!

A few days ago, Takehiko Inoue (creator of Vagabond and Slam Dunk) showed his support for the rescue efforts of the recent magnitude 8.9 earthquake in Japan. These were inspirational sketches to cheer up the people who suffered great losses and cheer on the efforts made for each prefecture to recover. These images were drawn for inspiration and encouragement with an iPad/iPhone app called Zen Brush. 

 

These are some of the prefectures that have been hit the hardest by the earthquake and tsunami (the shirt names are the prefecture names).

A semi-annual art exhibition held in Japan was postponed due to the recent disasters but the chairman of the exhibition suggested that artists post some art in support of the hardships Japan is now facing. If you search for the hashtag #newday_GEISAI, you'll these submissions on Twitter.

Japan In My Prayers

 "But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first but the end will not come immediately.” Then He said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famine and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven." ~ Luke 21:9-11 NKJV ~

Many things are happening in the world these days. More and more chaos breaks out among the people of various countries and the earth itself is becoming a bit chaotic. Things within the atmosphere and beneath the surface have been going a bit crazy since last year...snow in Miami...increasing heat globally...earthquakes over magnitude 9...earthquakes creating monstrous tsunamis...

Everything that's happening in Japan is heartbreaking. I've been watching the footage online and on the news and it's all so incredibly devastating! People are doing their part in donating and helping out in whatever way they can for those suffering the most.
Here are some places you can donate to: 

• AMERICAN RED CROSS
• GLOBALGIVING
• SAVE THE CHILDREN
• SALVATION ARMY
• CONVOY OF HOPE
• INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS
• SHELTER BOX

People are so great to show their support in whatever way they can, whether it be by music...

Or by honking a car horn...

Those are some of my favourite videos from people I'm subscribed to. If you have any great heartwarming ones to share, please do so in the comments! =]

Japan and its people are in my heart and prayers. I wish the country a speedy recovery and hopefully no radiation exposure.

I'm In Control

I'm sick! I think I caught one of those little viruses floating around the hospital. No big deal though. It'll be gone by tomorrow because I'm just healthy like that. I'm not one to get sick very often...it's a bit of a rare event to occur. I'd like to think that I should congratulate myself on taking such great care of the health of my body...or at least the immune system. I've got a butt-kicking immune system. No denying that. =]

People often say that you can't help getting sick sometimes but that's such fobey. I take all the supplements I need and I'm as healthy as a pickle. I'm totally in control of my health. And you are too. Always remember that! You're in control of your health and your life. Never think differently =) I must be using strange words and phrases because I'm sick. My head feels funny. Well, I'll have a lovely cup of herbal tea today with my lunch which I'll be eating at Novel Teas!

Speaking of which, I took a visit to Novel Teas for the first time yesterday. I've been curious to know what it's like in there and it turns out...I love it! It's a new addition to my short list of places I love in Barbados. It's got a great atmosphere that I find relaxing. I felt like I wasn't really in Barbados anymore...it's got that sort of environment...that's the kind of environment that I like...places at home that don't really feel like home. Strange, I know.

The people there are so friendly and nice and the owner was quite talkative. He was pleasant. =) It's a great place to go to when you want a change of environment and a choice of what seems like almost a hundred different types of teas...herbal and normal from all over the world. Today, I think I'll have an herbal tea from China. Yum. I'm so happy to have found a healthier place to have some lunch now.