This is the first time I hear/read about “kokuhaku”, the Japanese way of confessing your love, and asking to go out in a serious way. I remember that in my teenager years that had to be done in person. Love declarations were a truly elaborated performance that often took guts to carry out. So many broken hearts (mine included)!
➝ Via Tofugo.
japan viaThe New York Times “88 Temples, 750 Miles, Untold Gifts: Japan’s Shikoku Pilgrimage” is such a good read! It makes me want to do the pilgrimage myself.
➝ Via Hacker News.
japan viaWatching “See you in my 19th life” (★★★★★), a Korean series based on a webtoon. I like it! It is quite new, which means two episodes per week. Now I will have to wait for the next weekend. 😩
kdramas netflix seriesIf you have JavaScript enabled in your browser (who doesn’t these days?!), old anchor links will now work, instead of what I previously stated. I will not be creating anchor links anymore, but old ones in use elsewhere will work.
hugoFor his book “On the Meaning of Life”, Will Durant asked a number of people “What is the meaning of life?” Amongst the replies he got, one was from H.L. Mencken:
philosophy quotes“You ask me, in brief, what satisfaction I get out of life, and why I go on working. I go on working for the same reason that a hen goes on laying eggs. There is in every living creature an obscure but powerful impulse to active functioning. Life demands to be lived. Inaction, save as a measure of recuperation between bursts of activity, is painful and dangerous to the healthy organism—in fact, it is almost impossible. Only the dying can be really idle […]
When I die I shall be content to vanish into nothingness. No show, however good, could conceivably be good for ever.”
If you have an Apple device (iPhone, iPad, Watch, AppleTV, Mac), please update it as soon as possible. This, as with any other security updates, I stress, must be done as soon as you can.
For iPhone/iPad, go to “Settings → General → Software Update”, and choose to install. For WatchOS, go to “Settings → General → Software Update”, and follow the instructions to upgrade. Finally, for macOS go to “System Settings → General → Software Update” (on older versions is a bit different, but you get the general idea).
apple security techI cut half of the onion, and I was fine. It wasn’t until I cut the second half that the onion decided it had enough, and it make me cry.
humourA friend, and colleague asked me “How are you?”. In the US that is used often as a polite way to say hello. I replied “Could be better, but also could be worse. So I will not complain. I am how I am supposed to be.” It came to mind quickly, as I remembered Gandalf’s reply to Frodo’s “You are late!” — “A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins. Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to.”
quotes thoughtsPartner works from home today, so no gaming-during-lunch-hour for me. What am I going to do with these never ending 56 minutes?!
Update: 20 Feb 2026 @ 18:22:26
Ended up working during lunch, as I remembered I had a scheduled call at 13:00. Ugh, need to use my calendar much more! My mind is starting to accept as much help as it can get. 😅
games workI have managed to break links a bit further, and it is no longer possible—nor the old ones will work—to create anchor links within the paginated index. On the upside, I am not touching URIs ever again!
hugo techFiddled a bit more with Notes, because I can’t stay still. Hopefully still looks simple, and minimalist. That has always been my aim.
hugoThunderstorms have arrived early today. I imagine thunderstorms as mischievous children or, at the very least, youngsters, naughty and full of energy. Hopefully this one will leave without taking our power. The UPS that powers our router, and main WiFi access point, only lasts 1 hour maximum. I still have three more hours to go before I call it quits for the day.
weatherI did it again, I am breaking URIs here. After 100 notes, the main page will paginate, which will break internal references, and external links. Hopefully this is the last time I do this. Good thing there is only one incoming link, that I know off. I can now fix the internal ones, as there are not too many. 😅
hugoCool URIs don’t change, but I am starting to worry about the size (66.6KB as of this note) of this index page. Maybe my URIs are destined to be uncool. 😂
hugo techAlphabet (called just Google before) has a history of killing their apps and services. Their latest to impact me is Google Domains. Thus, I have moved all my domains to CloudFlare. I now use only one of their products, Google Search. Big change from having everything on Google, to having pretty much none.
Update: 22 Oct 2025 @ 08:23:36
CloudFlare registrar is also cheaper (to register and renew domains) than Google Domains (soon to be part of Squarespace). Very pleased with CloudFlare, so far.
googleAssuming there was a God, or gods, believers and worshippers would be the main reason that would keep me away from any religion. I am mostly exposed to Christianism, obviously. Bunch of malevolent cheats, and hypocrites.
philosophy rants religionThe Guardian is banning all advertising that relates to gambling. That is the right thing to do!
politics thoughtsThe Guardian has announced a global ban on gambling advertising, arguing it is unethical to take money from services that can lead to “addiction and financial ruin.”
Came across this YouTube this morning at Muan’s, and it truly resonated. I must remember it, and save it for that very special request, when I am asking my partner for that I so much desire. It will have to be a truly special time (certainly not to be abused), for that request I genuinely long.
me music youtube
These pair of scissors are, pretty much, all you will need in your kitchen. Build to last, they will sure be enjoyed during your life time, and passed down as inheritance. Truly an amazingly functional, long lasting, work of art.
art design foodOld people often state claims that are simply a repeat of generations before them, which are then taken as a true fact written in stone. Alcohol consumption, like “a glass of red wine each day is good for you” is one of them. The truth is, “no amount of alcohol is good for your health”.
“Our results show that the safest level of drinking is none,” the report states. “This level is in conflict with most health guidelines, which espouse health benefits associated with consuming up to two drinks per day.”
More on this, a bit more recent. Bottom line, don’t.
health thoughtsThose super long, spiky, fingers (and sometimes toes!) nails some girls are fashioning are ugly, and such a huge turn off. I thought I was getting to be too old, and grouchy, then asked the kids, and they agreed.
rantsA Bay woman on a crusade to prove Yelp reviews can’t be trusted. Or any other reviews, matter of fact.
tubesTried walking/running again yesterday, after a whole week of COVID. Dear lord, the temperatures are off the charts. I couldn’t do it for more than 20 minutes. Sun was so scorchingly hot! I am now changing plans, and doing all outside activities at dusk.
weatherI think—well, I am almost sure—that of all classes on Diablo IV I picked the worse. That, or I have bad luck on loot, or I don’t know how to masterfully play. Or all of the above!
gamesMike Pence declaring his presidential candidacy is a joke, just like Ron DeSantis, and Trump before them. But hey, look back at the four years we had to endure. Anything is possible. Yes, even that remotely unbelievable absurdity.
politics