I just finished writing Year of the Dog ! It had a massive plot hole that I had to fix which turned out to be more work than I expected. Here’s a snippet: “Hey, Auntie Nell.” He wrapped his arms around her, bussing her on the cheek and breathing in pikake flowers and shortbread cookies. And suddenly he was nine years old again, and her solid presence had made his chaotic world stable once more. “What are you doing here?” He usually took her to dinner on Wednesday nights, but today was Tuesday. The edges of her smile faltered a little before brightening right back up again. “What, I can’t visit my nephew?” She angled around him to enter his home. “Is this your new house? Looks lovely.” Which was a blatant lie, because the fixer-upper was barely livable, much less acceptable to a neat-freak like his aunt. She also left four matching pink and purple floral suitcases on the stoop behind her. Only then did Ashwin notice the cab driver standing slightly to the side of the walkway. “Can ...
Captain's Log, Stardate 04.27.2006
TMI:
Todai:
Todai is a Japanese buffet restaurant that serves sushi and other Asian-y dishes. I hadn't gone in a long time, but a friend suggested we eat there last night.
Now before Robin goes off on how I'm supposed to be writing, I was interviewing my friend for my book. She has worked with female professional video gamers. Yeah, way cool. One of my characters is a professional gamer.
Back to Todai. It's not bad, for the price. The raw fish isn't slimy or smelly. But you are talking to someone who grew up in Hawaii--read: surrounded by water--and who is Japanese American.
I try to visit Hawaii at least once a year partly because of the food. Mom and Dad take me (and my husband, when he can take off work to travel with me) to Kabuki, a Japanese restaurant in Pearl City.
We've been going there since I was in high school. Mom and Dad know the sushi chefs so well that they joke and laugh with them (and give them big tips--remember to tip your sushi chef generously).
The fish is super fresh. Firm, tender, clean-smelling. And as in authentic sushi restaurants, the slice of fish on the nigiri sushi is about the length and width of an iPod Nano or maybe a cell phone, and the thickness of a Sharpie marker. The rice under it is the size of your thumb. I'm not kidding, your thumb from tip to joint. That's it.
Okay, back to Todai. Since it's a buffet, the fish and rice are not the sizes I'm used to. But they are soft and not fishy smelling, so I'm okay with a few pieces.
Then I look at myself. When did I become such a snob? I mean, there are lots other Asian people in this restaurant, so it's obviously passed some kind of Asian test. Is there such a thing as an Asian test? I'm not sure. But it's kind of like how I know a sushi bar is good when I see Japanese businessmen (from Japan) sitting at the bar and drinking.
So I ate my okay-sushi and got great info for my book, and I'm counting the days for when I can go back to Hawaii.
Last day at PT: Well, yesterday was my last day at physical therapy for my knee (for those of you who don't know, I had ACL surgery on November 23rd, 2005). Now I'll need the discipline to exercise on my own. Good thing we bought that exercise bike from Goodwill--best $30 we ever spent.
TMI:
Todai:
Todai is a Japanese buffet restaurant that serves sushi and other Asian-y dishes. I hadn't gone in a long time, but a friend suggested we eat there last night.
Now before Robin goes off on how I'm supposed to be writing, I was interviewing my friend for my book. She has worked with female professional video gamers. Yeah, way cool. One of my characters is a professional gamer.
Back to Todai. It's not bad, for the price. The raw fish isn't slimy or smelly. But you are talking to someone who grew up in Hawaii--read: surrounded by water--and who is Japanese American.
I try to visit Hawaii at least once a year partly because of the food. Mom and Dad take me (and my husband, when he can take off work to travel with me) to Kabuki, a Japanese restaurant in Pearl City.
We've been going there since I was in high school. Mom and Dad know the sushi chefs so well that they joke and laugh with them (and give them big tips--remember to tip your sushi chef generously).
The fish is super fresh. Firm, tender, clean-smelling. And as in authentic sushi restaurants, the slice of fish on the nigiri sushi is about the length and width of an iPod Nano or maybe a cell phone, and the thickness of a Sharpie marker. The rice under it is the size of your thumb. I'm not kidding, your thumb from tip to joint. That's it.
Okay, back to Todai. Since it's a buffet, the fish and rice are not the sizes I'm used to. But they are soft and not fishy smelling, so I'm okay with a few pieces.
Then I look at myself. When did I become such a snob? I mean, there are lots other Asian people in this restaurant, so it's obviously passed some kind of Asian test. Is there such a thing as an Asian test? I'm not sure. But it's kind of like how I know a sushi bar is good when I see Japanese businessmen (from Japan) sitting at the bar and drinking.
So I ate my okay-sushi and got great info for my book, and I'm counting the days for when I can go back to Hawaii.
Last day at PT: Well, yesterday was my last day at physical therapy for my knee (for those of you who don't know, I had ACL surgery on November 23rd, 2005). Now I'll need the discipline to exercise on my own. Good thing we bought that exercise bike from Goodwill--best $30 we ever spent.