dolari

I have the cheapest photo stand with infinity curve that one can imagine – a sheet of white paper curled onto a folding TV table. I use the stand for everything, like the Aria Blu-ray photo and the Alabaster Bibles photo.

Over time, the paper acquires marks. Once one side gets stained with marks, I turn the paper over and use the other side. Eventually, both sides become unusable. I don’t remember the last time I had to replace the background. It’s been several years. I’ve replaced the background at most one time since I went to the large sheet of paper back in 2013.

Last month I bought a replacement sheet of paper during a sale at Blick Art Materials, but it turned out to be the wrong size – only 26" x 40". I tried to use it, but the size difference was noticeable. Today the store was having a 20% off everything sale for members, and I took advantage to get the correct paper: Legion Stonehenge White 120# 30"x44" Paper. Since 2013 the list price has gone from $5.80 to $12.29. Still, it’s a really cheap infinity curve. I’d considered getting a roll of white paper, 36" wide, but the weight and texture of the Stonehenge paper is really nice. The paper is not shiny (i.e., no glare), and the paper thickness is a nice base for objects – no wrinkling or creases.

I considered buying two sheets – but then realized I didn’t have a good place to store the backup sheet while preventing it from bending or getting dirty.

Photo Stand with Infinity Curve

Home System Map • April 2019 Click above picture for larger image

I was reading some old posts today – and I realized I did not update my home system map after acquiring Hinata. So I’ve fixed that today.

A Plant in My Yard April 14, 2019

An overcast, drizzly weekend... not uncommon for April in Oregon. Days like this are good for doing work inside the house, and I’ve been tending to the chaos here in lots of little ways, one box or pile of stuff at a time. Baby steps.

The days continue to get longer. It’s not completely dark when I go to work at 6:30 am. The evenings are longer, of course. It’s the time of year when I have to think about what I’m going to get accomplished on spring and summer evenings. Mostly it will be work on the house, including the disaster in the garage – a consequence of the kitchen remodel. But there will be other projects, including photography projects, that need attention with the longer days.

The intensity at work continues to be a drain on my energy, and there are many evenings – sunlight or no – that I can’t really do more than collapse and do nothing. I’ll have to keep that in consideration while I’m planning. For now, the weekends are an important time for me to catch up on sleep, drive away the headaches, and recharge in general.

Nanako Yukishiro Senryū Shōjo, Episode 1

At the beginning of each anime season, I try to sample all the new shows (excluding sequels of series I haven’t watched) at Crunchyroll and Amazon Prime. Here are the shows that I watched…

Yatogame-chan Kansatsu Nikki: Episode 1
I don’t know if this is picking on or honoring Nagoya... and I’m sure regional dialect comedy is going to go over my head... but the dialog here is not funny to me. The episodes are only three minutes long, but I’m afraid I don’t have the patience for this one. Dropped.

Dororo (Amazon Prime): Episode 13
Standalone story with substantial changes from the original. This series does an excellent job adding focus and depth while expanding the story. The second cour continues with strong art, animation, and direction – and there’s a new OP & ED song+animation.

Double Decker! Doug & Kirill: Episode EX03
This was the final OVA. Nice way to wrap things up was an onsen trip. Nothing these guys do follows a standard trope, so the trip was entertaining. Sure, Kay was wrong in overscheduling the weekend – but we hardly ever get to see Kay do anything – and her motive was touching. (A nod to my girl, Yuri!) And they did manage to throw in a mystery. Seeing the gang again was fun, and I liked the photo montage at the ED song. Pleasant filler.

Tate no Yūsha no Nariagari (The Rising of the Shield Hero): Episode 14
Naofumi’s party remains on the run and did get safe refuge, until Idol Rabier showed up. The torturer from Raphtalia’s past has our heroine in a fierce stance. We’re starting to get Raphtalia’s backstory.

Sarazanmai: Episode 1
I expect no less than this wild, surreal, insanity from director Kunihiko Ikuhara (Revolutionary Girl Utena and Mawaru Penguindrum). Sarazanmai feels a lot like Penguindrum, although I like the aesthetics of Penguindrum better. There’s absolutely no way of knowing where this series is headed. Buckle up.

Bungō Stray Dogs: Episode 26
Sooooo nice to see Dazai back in action! Or inaction, as the case may be. I’ve missed this series. The season kicks off is a flashback to when young Dazai and Chūya first became partners in the Port Mafia. Dramatic direction and great action. Very nicely done episode.

Senryū Shōjo: Episodes 1–2
Competent, cute high school romantic comedy. Half-length (12 minute) episodes – 10 minutes if you exclude the 1 minute OP and ED songs. I like the characters, and this seems like a harmless way to spend time. Bonus: shy protagonist Nanako is voiced by HanaKana. Sweet! Added to the watchlist.

Midara na Ao-chan wa Benkyō ga Dekinai (Ao-chan Can’t Study): Episodes 1-2
Another half-length episode high school romantic comedy. This one has a lot of ecchi overtones and misunderstandings. And this mess puts the show behind Senryu Shoujo, even though the art and animation are better. Ao’s assumptions and misunderstandings are annoying. What saves the show is that Takumi is a genuinely innocent and nice person. Deduct points for Hanasaki Horie, Ao’s lecherous, invasive, and insensitive father. I’m on the fence with this one. I’ll probably keep going until I get ticked off by something.

Namu Amida Butsu!: Rendai Utena: Episode 1
I couldn’t get even halfway through episode 1. 13 pretty boy Buddha/gods doing mundane things in today’s world. The show teased us with early action – but then went stupid on us. Also, the animation looks to be CG or something very close. Plus there’s klunky comedy background music. There’s nothing worth watching here. Dropped.

Nande koko ni sensei ga!? (Why the Hell are You Here, Teacher?): Episode 1
Another half-length episode high school comedy. I’ve refrained from calling it a romantic comedy as it seems to be made of awkward ecchi situations. I don’t think this sort of stuff is funny, so there’s no point in me watching this “comedy.”

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: Episode 2
An encounter with a demon... and the initial meeting between the Kamado siblings and the trainer, Sakonji Urokodaki, was handled well. It was the standard mentor assessment of a candidate pupil; we’ve seen this many times before in shonen manga. I’m still trying to figure out how much control Nezuko has over her demon side. And while last week I noted the essential absence of Kalafina, this week I saw that the ED song ("from the edge") is sung by FictionJunction, which is the next best thing to Kalafina. I suppose this performance is from FictionJunction LiSA. It’s good that Yuki Kajiura is a musical contributor to this series.

Bokutachi wa Benkyou ga Dekinai, a.k.a. Bokuben: Episode 2
The arrival of the third pupil, Uruka Takemoto, a childhood friend of Nariyuki. I think the triangle of pupils is reasonably balanced. Uruka is the most annoying of the three, but I think some of her loudness can be toned down. Nariyuki is surprisingly patient with all three of them. And each of the pupils does try. This was a decent episode.

Mayonaka no Occult Koumuin (Midnight Occult Civil Servants): Episode 2
As with most occult series where the protagonist is new to the scene, Arata is a clueless dolt, easily stumbling into trouble. Let’s hope he starts being more sensible and aware as the series progresses. It does help that Arata’s seiyuu is the versatle and popular Jun Fukuyama (Souta in Working!!, Lelouch in Code Geass, and Shinra in Durarara!!). Yuki, the white nekomata, is a nice addition. The story is currently ramping up into an interesting occult mystery.

Hyakkimaru and Dororo Dororo, Episode 13

Time Permitting
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations (caught up through episode 102)
Fruits Basket (caught up through episode 2)(Sweet OP song/animation BTW)
Hachigatsu no Cinderella Nine (caught up through episode 2)