Towards the end of my daily bike ride, I got caught in a sunshower! It was brief, but wonderful. The drops cooled my flushed skin and the petrichor scent was very calming. Riding my bike every day has been a huge help in maintaining mental stability. I hope the weather doesn't get too hot to ride too rapidly, but at least I have DDR to fall back on!

I feel like I'm stuck in a state of limbo right now, waiting for something to change. Not for anything in particular, and not really anything that could be a result of what I'm doing just yet, because I keep hitting roadblocks any time I try to make actual life plans. I don't really know what I want anymore to be honest, except to be content and at least try to build a better life for us. I need more capital, but I also hate working...

My grandpa has always been a packrat who brings back home all kinds of useless junk, but every once in a while he'll bring back a gem of an item! This cast iron box is one of them, isn't it so cool? Just as I was about to ask him if he wanted it, the next day he put his plant on top of it... So, no then! I sent it to a friend who appreciates it much more than us! One of my favorite childhood memories is all the time I spent in his garage, surrounded by the things he had collected... He had his own junkyard right inside it!

My Creamy Mami wand came in!! It's the new Special Memorize wand by Bandai. Just as I feared, it really is smaller than the Seidensha Creamy Stick, which is true 1/1 scale, BUT I love that you can spin the heart with a switch on the back, and it glows and plays the full transformation song when you press the button! Some fans are disappointed we didn't get this Proplica which ended up never releasing, but that kind of gold detailing always gives me the image of it being scratched or flaking down the line, so I'm personally happy with what we got even if it looks more cartoonish.

Oh, and I got a package from a friend!! It's my Christmas package from her, she got me my first Maison de FLEUR bag, can you believe it?! She is so, so sweet. I can't wait to use it! She knows me so well... She also got me some Pompompurin stationary and Korilakkuma stickers!

Why can I easily remember panpuru pinpuru pamupoppun, pinpuru panpuru pamupoppun but not pirika pirilala popolina peperuto?

A wig for Iris came in!! She looks SO cute even with it straight out of the bag, but I need to trim and style it. Isn't she precious? My daughter!! I live for you, Iris! I have sealant now, but I still need a respirator and sunny, dry weather to do her faceup. I'm nervous!! I know I can always do it over if I mess it up too badly, so that helps me a little bit. I need to touch up Travis' faceplate too... And speaking of Travis...

Travis got a toilet! I always go crazy while window shopping the Calico Critter sets at Barnes and Noble but this time I finally bought a couple, and shockingly no animals! I was going to wait on the toilet, but Bear talked me into it. Now Travis has his throne!! I'll have to buy a tiny plunger, he's going to need it.

Finally, some gifts from Bear! He bought a Ladybug squishy blind bag and said I could have it, if it ended up being Plagg or Sass. Welcome home, Sass!! What a cool power he has too, a little OP even? No wonder Ladybug entrusted her power to Luka. Then, last night Bear surprised me with the big gator plush and matching Rilakkuma cups since he went to the arcade with some co-workers to see off their manager before she moves on to her new job. He is sooo soft, I slept very well with him. I don't know what to name him, I just keep calling him "my wani" so maybe just Wani it is.

It's already been one year of maintaining my personal site and having an online diary! It's kind of hard to believe, and it may have happened during an unfortunate time in my life, but I'm still glad I decided to make one. I love having my own little space here, "hidden" away but also easy to find if you know where to look. I love the connections and new friends I've made, and seeing the creative, thoughtful sites others have made, and having the privilege of taking a peek into someone else's world. Thank you, everyone who has taken the time to look at my site, and to everyone who has ever reached out to me. I didn't really have any goal to my site other than it being a diary and a dumping ground for my yume art, so it means a lot to know even one person has enjoyed seeing it!

Dreaded Spring break is here. This is around the time of year my mood always takes a drastic nosedive if I'm not careful. Originally when I was drafting this entry out on a notepad at work, it was all just complaining about how my jaw problems have caused me incessant pain and anxiety since they started nine months ago, and how much more withdrawn I feel as a result. But today and yesterday, my symptoms have been very managable. I'm trying to hold out hope that my facial muscles will fully recover eventually, but I don't know. There are much worse fates to have, so I'll try to count my blessings. I have a lot to be thankful for!

We went to our monthly show again last week, sad to see our favorite actor gone but excited to see how it'll develop from here! Afterwards, we weren't ready to knock out and go to bed for once so we got shared quick meal consisting of takoyaki, fried chicken, and french fries and went to the arcade again! Bear managed to win one prize for the three of us, and we didn't even have to top up our card!! In fact, he won his prize last, with the remainder of our credits. Lucky lucky!!

On Miku day, we had a dinner date and then to another arcade to play some rhythm games, the worst Mario Kart I've ever had the displeasure of trying even if you were able to play as Mametchi, and Bear taught me the ropes on Lucky Chloe!! Please bring her back... I will buy Tekken 8 and actually learn how to play her if she returns. Onegai. ;_; Fightan games have always intimidated me. It's not that I can't learn combos, but learning how and when to utilize them is so difficult! I freeze up and forget everything in the moment. Maybe I just don't have the dedication? I can't get good at fighters if I never give myself a chance.

Then on Mario day, we went on a journey to a mall we haven't visited in years to get Bear a wallet to go with his new Slowpoke bag I forgot to take a picture of. It's so cute!! He finally has a place to attach his Slowpoke tail keychain to. Would you eat a Slowpoke tail? I always thought they looked so tasty... I got my beloved kimchi jigae and Bear got a pork cutlet dinner which I am still drooling over now.

I've made a few purchases the other day. First, a wig and dress for Iris! I still need to buy sealant and a respirator to do her faceup, but I'll wait until after my (hopefully last for a while!) dentist appointment coming up. Next, I bought another doll body like the ones I use for Travis and Chris because... I'm going to make one of myself to interact with them, LOL.

This faceplate popped up on Amiami and I asked Bear to add it to his May order. It's so cute!! I was convinced I was going to just have to make my own faceplate, and I will still need to someday, but this will be a good start. I had been eyeing Chibi Chop Shop and other places to search for spare parts to use, but I'm so picky! I have the body and faceplate on the way, my friends have already gifted me some clothing for tiny me as well. So now I just need hair and eyes. I haven't looked for eyes yet, but I hope my shade of red won't be too difficult to find. It's an uncommon color but not impossible. But the hair! It's been really difficult to pick out a hair piece. I'm not too overly fussed about back hairstyle, but there's only so many pieces that have a proper hime cut. Plus, I'll have to paint it too. Much to think about!!

I've been working on some Iris related drawings lately, both for her unfinished page which I am hoping to finally complete and publish before this site's anniversary. Looking back at old chats, it looks like I first started working on this site on March 21st, 2023 despite hoarding the URL 6 months prior. I really should have expanded on her page sooner, I just had been too lazy? Intimidated? To draw an official reference for her when I'm so inconsistent on how I draw her. My daughter... I love her with all of my heart. Looking at her reference WIP that I'll hopefully finish tonight, I wonder now if I should give her some neck fluff to match her wrist pompoms? That might get too annoying to draw all the time though, maybe for certain illustrations instead!

My Travis commission arrived in the mail!! Truth be told, I had forgotten about it, hahaha! I was so happy to see he was in a blank toploader and went to work on decorating him quickly... My sticker hoard always comes in handy! In fact, I really need to restock it. After finishing his deco, I was hit with the realization that wait, I have an unused photo card holder!! He's perfect... and now dangling at my desk until I can fix my ita bag for him. Maybe I should go back to the strawberry? I don't know if I like the bag I picked out after all. Now if only those charms that are stuck in the mail would get here... I submitted a missing mail inquiry so I hope they get back to me soon, especially because I had bought one for Bear too.

My favorite part besides the big cat sticker is the "kiss me" cookie!

It turns out the landlord is selling the house. I can't say I'm surprised since we've never even met him in person and he always sends his errand boy to pick up our rent late, but it was unbelievable that he didn't even tell us. The online listing was full of lies like claiming we pay $200 more in rent than we actually do and fluffing up or straight up lying about features of the house. He also put up pictures of inside the house with our personal belongings without permission which is definitely not legal, but most likely isn't worth making a case about. Now we have random people coming over for showings, and of course no one wants it. It's tiny, not very attractive, and he wants too much for it! If he's successful in selling it, this will be the fourth time this house has changed hands in the seven years we've been here. That's not normal, right? I don't know what will happen but there's nothing we can do about it either. Oh well.

Goodbye Winter... I'm really not looking forward to another Summer, but at least even in Summer there are things to look forward to. My sister surprised me last night, she needed to do laundry so she came and did it here. Then my mom picked us up to have dinner together! Finally got that cheesy potato soup I've been craving.

I did my taxes yesterday and my return is going to be half of what I got last year. I was counting on it to be half of my budget for my new computer, but I'm going to have to save for a bit longer now. At least it'll be a decent boost.

Bear and I went to a con recently, just for a day because for once I didn't have a table. I made a quick Vash bag and was so happy to get my sunglasses case signed!! My gift was accepted too, I was so nervous about it. I honestly wanted to stay the whole day, but Bear ended up coming down with a stomach bug. As soon as we got home, I got a message that my Travis commission was ready to be picked up! What unfortunate timing, but hopefully I get it in the mail soon. Poor Bear is still sick too, but he should be over it by tomorrow. I miss him!

My coordinate for the day, I'm really happy with this one!! I hadn't worn Telephone since my birthday last year and it was my first time wearing the hat since I bought it. I was so sure my first time using it would be when wearing Melty Berry Princess or Strawberry Letters but I surprised myself I suppose.

I didn't buy a lot at the con, just the commission and a single sticker sheet. Bear got me a Cat Noir charm to match with his Ladybug one. And the reason I hardly bought anything is...

Big, BIG thank you to Hat for telling me Powder was restocked!! I looked at the listing and told myself I would make a decision once there was only one left. The same day, someone had already bought one of the two. And I pulled the trigger. Welcome home, Iris!!! Powder's sculpt is even cuter in person and I can't wait to slowly transform her into Iris. Next paycheck I'll be getting her wig and supplies for her faceup! February 21st is the perfect date for her birthday. Speaking of birthdays, the 1st year of Virtual Dreamland is coming up! I should really finish that page I made for Iris by then... It'll be my project for the month.