Over On Nayu's Crochet Dreams #65 Ramadan 2022

 

Find out which anime I'm currently watching too!

 Check out what I'm up to this year from Ramadan on Nayu's Crochet Dreams

Nayu's News #248 I am a reluctant smart technology user

No idea who the artist is, but they really capture the cuteness of this girl!

When I was younger, I used to be the one in my family who had the latest gadgets & technology, both gaming and non-gaming items. These days I am the least technologically advanced person in my family. I've only just got a smart phone: I had one over 10 years ago when they first came out, but then didn't get on with them. I only have one now so I feel safer when I'm out and about for hospital appointments in London, when my family take the more fun option of going shopping while I wait for my appointment. If anything happened, I wouldn't know about it unless the hospital went in lockdown. Having BBC news on my new smart phone makes me a lot happier. 

I love some of the technology advancements. I like how when I forgot a password this morning, the software I was using instantly linked up with my phone to help verify my identity. That was impressive. I believe smart devices have their place in life, and are more useful to some people than others: being able to ask a device for info instead of having to search for it when you have sight loss is hugely important to a family member. I do not have a smart device like that, and I don't want one. The more advanced something is the more concern I have for it going wrong. I prefer simpler technology that I understand and can use without worry. 

Go check out this artist! 

I am talking about smart lights in particular. Saw an add on my Kindle Fire for some smart lights. Never heard of them so I clicked on the link to look at what they do (and their expense). Frankly I don't get why most people would need/want them. If you want lights to go on/off at certain times so the house looks occupied you can use simple timer plugs. You can't control those lights through an app in your phone, but bearing in mind I only use my phone for messaging/calling and Twitter, I am not the targeted market for a smart light that can be in a zillion and one colours/hues according to the blurb. 

A light is a light. I like switching them on with a switch myself. While I believe smart technology is appropriate and innovative for people who may struggle a bit without it, mostly I honestly don't see the point in it. Why pay well over £100 for 1 or sometimes 3 fancy light bulbs when all you actually need is one that gives you light to see? Even if you have the money I feel society expects people to welcome smart technology with open arms, and if you don't like it then you are weird. I am happy being weird! I am happy with my normal lighting, and with minimal apps on my phone. 

If I have already posted something similar to this, apologies, my memory is on the lousy side. Life's been a little crazier than normal.  I feel very blessed to live in the modern world with both advances in and access to medicine, which so many people in the world still don't have as a basic right. I will be doing a Ramadan post later in the week, and ask that you really count the blessings you do have, rather than focus on what you don't. If you read this post you are very blessed for access to the internet, at least one with uncensored speech, which again not all people have. It's ok, I am climbing off my soap box now!  The next post will be a fun one, I promise!

Quite an apt picture for this post: artist unknown. 

Belated Happy Eid 2018!

Super sorry it's late but a very happy Eid Mubarak! The month of Ramadan is over for another year. I'd had my mega strong meds before it ended hence why I haven't been online as I've been feeling properly rubbish-initially I'm very happy & floaty but it's safer if I stay offline during the entire process to save you from my ramblings. I hope everyone who celebrated had a great Ramadan, and may we all see the next one! My celebrations included lots of gaming especially with my friend Miku who I'd missed a lot ^u^ Love how one artist changed their clothes for something slightly more appropriate. 

So cute! This may be the wrong Eid & year, but it's still an Eid picture!

Over on Nayu's Crochet Dreams #42 Ramdan is here!

Head on over to Nayu's Crochet Dreams to learn about Ramadan, what I'm doing in this Islamic Holy month, and what it's all about!

Note: as usual apart from books I've already committed to I'm not reading romance stories during Ramadan. Due to life stuff including technology requiring several hours of update making it impossible to post up reviews before Ramadan I'm a little behind on my reviewing, so over the next few days there will be a lot of books with romance appearing, but that's something that needs to be done. Most of the reviews were written before Ramadan, it's simply a case of putting the posts together. Since God created the technology errors and a poor health body I'm fairly sure He will understand ^u^

On holiday!

Pollen free flowers!

So the post pre-scheduling I hoped to do yesterday didn't happen - Wednesday ended up taking more of my energy than anticipated, so you'll have to wait until some time next week for reviews on books I've read recently (a few not so recently...) Really sorry, but heading to Devon tomorrow for a few days so this afternoon is set aside for resting. Have a super weekend, and thank you for being patient!

 Eid Mubarak! Happy Eid for this weekend!! May Allah swth bless us all.(Yes I'll be watching Azumanga Daioh very soon, which this artist gave all the characters modest & elegant dress)

Over On Nayu's Crochet Dreams #26 Ramadan 2017

Find out all about Ramadan on my craft blog, Nayu's Crochet Dreams!

Nayu's News #233 Cat company, reading and gaming lots!

Nyan!!! (Japanese word for mew)

First off hi if you've come over from my craft blog, Nayu's Crochet Dreams. When I do catch up posts I try to alternate where I post the original, and which blog I direct people to from the other blog. There is sense in that sentence somewhere...

My baby girl! (not a baby, but definitely a girl with Attitude!

The last few days I've seen a lot of my cat - I haven't been well and my cat often stays with me until I'm better. I'm on the mend from Wednesday afternoon's completely random & horrid being ill episode (sort of like flu but for a few hours only - my body is known to be weird), managed to tackle all emails today and hope to do some blog work in a few days. I need to go grocery shopping tomorrow and I've family over on Sunday so nothing will happen before Tuesday (Monday will be a rest day).

I switch to audiobooks when I'm tired.

I've been reading quite a bit lately, and almost finished all my review books! Since I'm reviewing less these days that's not as big of an achievement as it sounds, but it's nice to be on top o things. 

As usual if you want updates on how I'm doing I'm most active on Twitter under the name Nayuleska (with the @ in front of it). Those of you who follow me know I'm making steady progress on my current crochet project (I'm so used to speaking about it on Twitter I almost automatically adding a hashtag to the word crochet just now!) I don't know how big it will be, depends when I run out of yarn. It won't be huge, so more of a baby/lap blanket size. I love the colours and it's rather soft to the touch. 

Who could this be? Hint: it's a certain vocaloid I love...

Gaming wise I've been playing a lot of Love Live School Idol Festival - all updates are pretty much on hold until Ramadan is over as my focus in the day is less on how gorgeous the cards are and more on listening to the Quran/appropriate audibooks while I play with the sound on the game off (none of the songs are appropriate for Ramadan) & cute pop ups during the game turned off. I've yet to see any cute pictures where artists have given the girls hijab (headscarfs) & more modest clothing, like this one of Hatsune Miku which is so cute! Miku's on hiatus until after Ramadan (songs definitely not appropriate!) too. However, there are quite a few Aikatsu songs I can listen to, not that I have gamed much on it. Animal Crossing New Leaf has featured a lot in my gaming time - little beats shaking trees for fruit to be sold! 

There will be a Ramadan post next week (albeit copy and paste from previous years...), and several book reviews too. Thank you for being patient with my lack of posts - have a super weekend! 

No donuts for me but there will be cheesecake!!

Nayu's News #232 Annual Ramadan Review Policy Changes

It's that time of year!

As is normal every time we reach Ramadan (tomorrow = yay!) I'm changing my review policy for the holy month. Due to being under the weather a lot lately I haven't been able to post up romance themed reads in time, so I am pre-scheduling them today & they will technically be posted during appropriate hours over the next week or so. I will not be reading any romance reads until the end of June, except for any I've already commited to do a blog tour for already. 

I can read romance books outside of fasting hours, but they are times I'm usually tired and it's just easier to not read them until the month is over. That's all for this temporary review policy change!

Happy Eid!

Think the date is wrong but I love the image!

Eid Mubarak to all who celebrate it! Ramadan is over for another year. I aim to be back to normal posting in a few days. Been a bit busy with life stuff. See you soon for more book and anime reviews!!!

Ramadan 2016 #2 This blessed month is almost over

Not for much longer!

I honestly had a few Ramadan posts in mind for this year, but life got in the way.  I managed 2 including this one and my first Ramadan post. Well, I guess God wanted me resting which is why I got ill. It sure made me appreciate food, for I can't fast due to health reasons, and while I thought that a slice of toast without butter was heavenly. 

And when I was finally brave enough to have butter, that was truly delicious! 

This sums up how good toast with butter tasted!

I discovered that while I still am not fond of bananas, I like baked banana. I've been asked the recipe, so here you go:  

Take 1 or more bananas. 

Mash them up with a fork (after unpeeling them) 

Got this pic from somewhere online - pretty bowl!

Zap in the microwave for a few seconds - I did 20 second intervals until it was hot enough. If you don't have a microwave I guess baking it would work.

Sprinkle on cinnamon if you like it (it added flavour for me) 

Eat! 

It will look a bit darker than this. Feel free to add other ingredients if you can handle them.

You'd have to look the next piece of info up, but given how good bananas are for poorly tummies I suspect it's a food that is good during suhr, the meal before Muslims start fasting for the day, because it has a lot of nutrients in. 

I wish all those taking part in Ramadan Eid Mubarak! for whenever you celebrate it next week (either Tuesday or Wednesday), and I pray God makes all your prayers come true. To those who don't take part have a good week and enjoy the countless blessings we have in life!

Someone took the anime Azumanga Daioh and dressed up all the characters as Muslims for an Eid picture! They look adorable!!!! Must start rewatching this show soon....

Ramadan 2016 #1 What it's all about!

Today I'm talking about Ramadan over on my Nayu's Crochet Dreams blog!  Come see what it's all about ^o^

Anime Round-up #1 Love Live School Idol Project, Kobato, Clannad

I love anime more than Madoka loves doing special appeals in Aikatsu!

For ages I've wanted to do an extended version of the Watching section of my weekly What AreYou Reading meme, which includes all categories of activities that I've done in the past week, but it's only now I figure out what to do. These posts will include why I'm watching certain anime (if there is a reason...) what I love about it and what I'm looking forward to. At least that's my current aim-anything can happen! Please note there will be some spoilers so that I can chat openly about the anime.

I think of the moon whenever I think of Ramadan because the month is a lunar month!

At the moment I'm trying to finish some anime by June, because Ramadan starts early June, and that's a time where I try and eliminate reading and watching stuff with romance in and anything that is slightly mature in content, and which has themes that are a bit dark. This is my personal choice, and it means I get to watch some anime which I specifically ignore until Ramadan. Naturally I can watch what I like after dusk, and I will be getting my Aikatsu dose before bed, but generally I find it easier not to watch certain shows for the entire month.

Love Live is a current favourite, and one I'm finishing  before June. Originally Honoka sets up an school idol unit to save her school from closing by encouraging more students to apply. The first season of 12 episodes focuses on that goal, with the group expanding to 9 very different girls. Once the group take off in popularity they strive to enter the music competition Love Live, but unfortunately events occur which stop them from competing. 

Happy Honoka!

I remember seeing this for the first time and being utterly devastated the girls couldn't achieve their goal. However, the second season of 13 episodes sees Honoka not only as student president (an unimaginable scenario given how different she is to the former student president Eli who is conscientious and dedicated) 

Eli serious before she joins up

A relaxed Eli!

but she reforms the group Muse as there is a 2nd Love Live show! There are laughs and tears as the girls go through various life events while reaching for their dreams. I adore the costumes for being cute, and the music of the songs (not always keen on the lyrics), and for Honoka's bubbly go get them personality, as well as so much else which I'll speak about another time. I'm starting the 2nd season very soon!  

Arise, the top school idol group who Honoka & friends compete against

Not sure if this scene is from the anime or just artwork, but I adore Kobato's frilly dress & matching parasol!

Another anime I'm hoping to finish is Kobato. Full & accurate summary is here from Wikipedia.

 Kobato is a sweet, perky, cute yet naïve girl who has a contract: to go to a certain place, she must fill a mysterious bottle with people's "healed hearts" to do so. However, the restriction is that she must finish before the four seasons end. As Kobato attempts to fulfill her mission, she is accompanied by Ioryogi, a spirit in the form of a dog plushie. Because Ioryogi is responsible for a punishment that has been applied to him and his friends from the spiritual world, he must guide Kobato and ensure that she succeeds her mission, so that he and his friends might return to their true forms.

Kobato with the other main characters

I absolutely adore the cute style of this anime-I'm hoping to start collecting the manga in a few months too! While there are many light moments as sweet, often naive Kobato does her best to help others with their problems, there is a dark undertone that explores the less happy side of life. 

Sometimes I can only watch 1 episode in a day because I get so emotionally caught up in the story that there is only so much darkness that I can handle. I hope this anime has a happy ending!!! 

Kobato is best when she is happy!

The main girls in Clannad

The other anime I'm talking about today is Clannad (including season 2 Clannad After Story). I am addicted to this 24 episode (each season) anime which pulls all my heart strings. It is full of mega cute lovable moe characters with gorgeous hair and such compassionate personalities (some are well hidden). It is a love story, but the sweetest one ever. 

Nagisa getting a dango toy present from Tomoya

Nagisa and Tomoya go from being at school to being married. They never kiss! Their romance is sweet because thy are so shy. They eventually hold hands, and anything else is off screen. 

This is once they are married - they don't share the same room to sleep before then (yay!)

There is nothing inappropriate, there is no innuendo, it is a clean romance. It is so sweet because all the characters go through insanely tough times. Nagisa has a mysterious long term illness which is nice to see in anime because it's something I can relate too all too easily. 

She doesn't complain, pushes herself to her absolute limit and then collapse. Not a good pacing strategy, Nagisa!

You get to see her frustration when not being able to graduate, and the kindness of her friends who prepare a special graduation just for her. Be warned here is lots of heartbreak which makes me cry my heart out, that's despite knowing what happens at the end of the second season!

I get teary whenever she is sick and has to rest in bed.

I love how much Nagisa's parents make me smile, with continuous events that are funny becaude they are done so often (such as Akio forcing down Sinai's terrible bread creations that noone else can or will willingly eat). 

I love the link to Kanon, an anime by the same company with similar cute characters and complex plot, as is is explained as being in another town. I was going to read the manga this month, but being the Japanese version it will take a while, and I'm fangirling over Nagisa and her passion for the super cute Dangos, so I'm going to watch both seasons by the end of the month somehow. This has fast become an anime I have to watch regularly, and alongside Aikatsu (more on that in another post) is my top anime of all time! 

Nagisa's dango family!

I hope you enjoyed learning about the anime I'm currently watching! I hope to do the next one very soon! 

Nagisa and Tamoya with their little girl Ushio

Happy Eid!

I love how the characters from a funny anime show, Azumanga Daioh, are given a Muslim makeover

Eid Mubarak! Ramadan is now officially over. I've spent the day watching anime including my beloved Aikatsu,  

I a

snuggled up on the sofa reading a brilliant book,  

and tonight I'm starting an Amish audiobook while I crochet, which makes me happy. 

It has been a blessed month, I've achieved the personal goals which I set myself which can be found in the linked post above, and setting the attainment bar lower made Ramadan even more enjoyable than it normally is. I'm already looking forward to Ramadan 2016! I hope that regardless what you believe you've had some time for personal reflection over the past few weeks, as it can really help stabilise the chaos of this thing called life. Take care and smile!