animemiz’s scribblings..

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Recently on Twitter I have been using some origami acronyms, something I picked up from my intervals of attending the local Origami meet up group. So if you ask me to define what an Artist Trading Cards (ATC’s) is then in the context of origami, I would just say it is trading card size trading card with a small origami affixed to a card. Otherwise an artist trading card is a papercraft card for people to exchange with. The image above is the origami ATC I have completed for OUSA 2011.  I hope to complete another one for Origami Heaven. ^_^ Read more…

All right. I should be writing something else, but found this and am really thinking about origami.. I kinda want to fold, but once again cursing out space, and wishing it was warmer.

Found these really cool tips from Marcela Brina’s blog entitled Origami P’s.

• Paper: Commercial origami paper is handy as it is already cut into squares, but you can also use copy paper, magazine papers, recycled paper, scrap paper, artist papers or any paper that can hold a crease reasonably well and it’s not too thick.
• Plain surface: Although you can fold in the air, it will be easier for beginners to fold on a plain (flat) surface.
• Perception: Learn the symbols. Be sure that you start with the right color side up or down and if you should be facing the edge (horizontal position) or the corner (diagonal position) of the  paper. Look carefully at the instructions. The written instructions will give you extra hints.
• Preview: When folding a step, it’s always helpful to look at how the model should look like in the next step.
• Prescience: Read ahead in diagrams to see what is coming up. It makes the current fold easier to understand.(Thanks to Breadbox).
• Precision: Fold as precisely as you can. Position edges and corners carefully before making your creases sharp.
• Practice: If you get stuck in the middle of the model or if it does not look as it is supposed to, try unfolding one or two steps and try again. If that does not work, leave it, do something else, and then start again with a new piece of paper.
• Perseverance: Don’t be discouraged if your first try isn’t perfect, it’ll surely be better the second try.
• People: Meet other people who likes origami. Origami is something to share, teach and learn. Join an origami group, go to conventions, participate in the origami email lists, blogs, sites, contests (Thanks to Breadbox).
• Pride Aside / Plead for help: Put Pride Aside and Plead for help if necessary. In other words, don’t be afraid to ask for help on blogs etc, people are always willing and eager to try to help (Thanks to Frances)
• Patience: Don’t rush through the fold. Take time to be precise (Thanks to Kathy Knapp).

Other than the search for a job and writing, I got this in the mail recently, and is at some points trying to tackle some folding project in it. Just really need to find a solid desk and a good light, since my bed and laptop desk is really not a conductive space for folding.

Creased Magazine is a subscription I began this year, and there are several options for subscriptions in this bi-monthly print subscription. Other than paying for the magazine, which is filled with various examples of letter folds, animals, and modulars, I also got a POP year’s subscription it it.

POP means that on top of the magazine, Creased will send me a featured packet of paper with every issue for a year. This month they had a insert of Korean paper, of which I got more paper at a later time. I am crossing fingers on them getting paper from Hong Kong sooner or later, since the shop I go to in Chinatown is seriously being depleted of its paper.

In the magazine itself, there is also a challenge to submit 12 step origami. Folding and creating a paper fold variation seem to be yet another step in developing a life long hobby of paper folding.

Some updates for my origami folding at the moment. I tried folding the GFF modular, but it falls apart, since it turns into mushy-gami. Still I look at a friend’s finished product and resolves to do a bit more. It probably is my skill so far… (sighs)

Oh another note, in the process of still going through with folding 20+ Estella’s with a origami stem for an ATC that I am delivering with Sok to trade at Netherlands for me.

A couple of years ago, when I was still in college, I did an school newspaper editorial write up of this issue before. Japanese variation toward Valentine’s Day is very much like an American version of Sadie Hawkins. At the time, I knew I had feedback on what an cute idea this is.

When in Japan and on Valentine’s Day females do give chocolate to significant others or friends. Then one month after that fact, on March 14, men give back white themed gifts on white day. Last year I had my taste of White Day in Japan. Now this year, my experience is going to be in the states.

Valentine’s Day has become a pretty commercial holidays, where the price of chocolate, and significance of not being alone on one particular day pressures, and is represented in very obvious ways in advertisements or entertainment. I read this as a single male perspective, and definitely am going to go celebrating this commercial holiday my own way.

Of course I just read recently that there is a trend of girls in Japan not giving out chocolates to boys, and instead giving it to their female friends instead. This is what is known as tomo choco. Now the opposite of when a girl gives a guy friend who is not their significant other chocolate, that is called giri choco. Since I am single and not at all mindful of being single, I have gotten in the mindset of giving tomo choco and giri choco to my friends.

Just thinking that it is a thought to not be so blue on Valentine’s Day, not get so caught up in the idea of Valentine’s Day as being a couple holiday and just celebrate it as a day of giving, and maybe receiving chocolate from friends.

Of course you can ignore the day and I do know that there is going to be friendship day one of these days, but all the same. I hope that Valentine’s Day won’t be as blue for a lot of people as I imagine.

Just this past Friday, I made my way to 17 Frost, amidst the incredibly snowed covered parts of Williamsburg and attended a performance to the movie screening of Zipperhead. This is my third time seeing the show, and I definitely enjoyed myself with every time I see this multimedia show. I wrote about this show way back when it was initially shown at Monkeytown.

The movie is going to be made into a DVD, with more commentary. Settling into the cushy black seats, I found myself back in Andrew Sarchus’s tormented journey again.

Prior to the video clip staring, heard some opening remarks from Steven Pacia, on the movement for 17 Frost to having more multimedia show experiences. Personally I definitely would love to hear more from Sineparade. I like Demon a lot from Zipperhead, but here’s a Here’s a movie clip shown during the presentation of Zipperhead: “Closer Now”

So yes winter is banking pretty much in New York City, and what else can I do, other than think about warmer weather. Job hunting is certainly something that is done on a flurry of on/off moments. Rather several things this week as I have my errands to run.

1. Get to the library to pick up some manga.
2. Post something for Manga Movable Feast this week.. Karakuri Odette (no this is not related to Swan Princess)

Somethings has happen though, I have been slowly getting back into reading my Google Reader.. very slowly though. My blog reading count is still in the 1000′s but what else to do. I have been on and off Twitter. I think I can control my tweeting to only doing it with my cell phone at some points.

Another is something I find myself going nuts for. Folding paper aka Origami, and for this I happened to get something in the mail on Saturday.

Granted it is the book that is by the organizer of a weekly origami group that I join last fall, but I still find that it is anifty thing to get into. With practice and and a little pocket change one can indeed fold something of interest.

Crease + Fold has origami projects that is not organized by level of origami folding. Rather it is organized by how big the finished product would be.

For a person like me, who is still learning how to read diagrams to fold more projects.  I find that I like the folding explanations toward the beginning. It is not lost in technical jargon, and very layman speech for some parts.

Also another nifty thing about this book, is that every page is in color. So as a visual appreciator, folding can be a bit more tempting to do.

A majority of the projects in this book are explaining about folding animals, but there are some that I find myself wanting to do in the future. Sweetheart Dress, Subway Map Wallet  or a Sakura Blossom. Reading this book does take some time. I am experimenting, and the diagrams does pose some issue, but origami is a rewarding craft in the end.

Drawn by Mel-vivi at Deviantart

I have not been as regular as updates on this blog, but once again.. let’s try it again for the year. I have become more of an observer, but if you do read Anime Diet or Anime.com, JLHLS my writings do appear there, more or less as a regular contributor. I have in my time of watching anime, turned more and more to reading manga….. so I am following that trend.

I have been finding myself more on is on Twitter, so I’ll probably be writing more of my quick thoughts there. This blog will probably suffer some lack of updates, but will try to keep it going, since there are some ideas I still want to share.

Personally for this blog:

• I want to be able to be more on top of sharing/linking/updating my photos…
• I want to be able to gain more experience in reading manga, even though that is limiting my reading time for other materials.
• I actually want to continue this blog on writing about impressions that is not on forefront ideas for Anime Diet.

So may all have a great new year!