Monday Things

It was a busy weekend for me, I worked at the North Saint Paul Library for a couple of hours on Saturday, and then, on Sunday, I spent an inordinate amount of time at the Mall of America being "out of the way" while Mason and his lady friend went on a date to the Nickelodeon Universe amusement park.  It was, as you can imagine, all kinds of adorable.  Mason is fond of this young lady because she reads.  She's also in his math club and he has a terrible crush on her, but he has admonished me that they are just doing things together AS FRIENDS, not girlfriend/boyfriend.  

I fully support this.  He's in 6th Grade, there's no hurry for girlfriend/boyfriend stuff, and frankly, the best part of having a relationship (regardless of what sort) is the getting to do things with someone you like.  

He did, however, buy the wristbands for them.  He also took his role as 'host' so seriously that now apparently they have an inside joke between them about Mason being "too" chivalrous.  

To which I say: Parenting For the Win!

I accidentally saw them when they were having lunch (they went Dutch on food) and I noticed that, despite having brought a book along, Mason was chatting with her.  This is serious for Mason, he'd pretty much rather read than to almost anything else (besides LEGOing and video gaming.)  So, even if she's only just a VERY GOOD friend, I would say that this one is important to him. 

It should also be noted that, according to Mason, she was still wearing her wristband today at school.  So, you know, the feeling might be mutual.

SO PROUD.

Meanwhile, some pictures were posted of the reading I did last Sunday at Acadia Cafe.  These were taken by Terry Faust.





As you can see I was up to my usual dorkiness.  :-)  At some point, with luck, there will also be video evidence of this event, should you be interested in it.  

While I was at the Mall, I bought some candy from the Japanese import store there because tomorrow is my birthday and I thought it might be nice to share some with my Japanese class (it's also our last class together.)  Unfortunately, the store really didn't have the kinds of things that I think really represent the weirdness that is Japan's taste in candies.  There was, for instance, nothing green tea flavored or octopus-flavored or even "ice-cream-flavored" Kit-Kats.  I've had everything but the "taco aisu" (octopus ice cream), and I have to say that green tea flavor should really make a US debut.  And, if I really wanted to, I can get the octopus flavored ice cream locally.  (Because Mpls/St. Paul is really that awesome.)

The other thing I did as a pre-birthday treat was buy the three-pack of the Attack on Titan spin-offs.  As I explained to Mason, this was really the only way I could justify ATTACK ON TITAN JUNIOR HIGH to myself.  Because an officially sanctioned junior high school AU is both incredibly awesome and very, very frightening.  

Today, I also came across what looks to be an official Avengers/Attack on Titan x-over.

Yep.  It's a apparently a real thing. Right-o, I might have to add this one to my purchase list, especially since the mangaka is actually involved personally.  (Honestly, though, could the mangaka spend a little more time making SnK/Attack on Titans itself more awesome?  Last time it was bondage with bondage sauce.  Yeah, I like those things, but could we have story too?)  

Speaking of anime/manga things that kind of bend my mind, here's four words for you: Death Note the Musical.  www.otakuusamagazine.com/LatestNews/News1/Death-Note-Musical-Stars-Warm-Up-Their-Vocal-Cords-6050.aspx  What is especially intriguing to me is that they seem to have an evil Light and a good Light, played by two different people.  

Okay, well, that's all the news I've got for now.  See you tomorrow!