Starting my summer in Hyrule

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I haven't been updating because over a few weeks ago, mainly because I've been in a semi-hibernation mode playing Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Usually Animal Crossing & Dragon Quest are my go-to-games for the past pandemic years, BUT not as much as Tears of the Kingdom.  I feel like I could get lost for hours unlocking temples and getting in touch with physics in the most intuitive way. I believe I will be spending most of my summer wandering in Hyrule. I'll have to remember to set my schedule accordingly to not exclude my essential activities.

Besides these  TOTK gaming weeks, a lot has happened for sure: phone convos with a couple of difficult family members, wisdom tooth extraction, Netflix series binges & 60 degrees weather cloudy day strolls (very unusual for LA County). 

I finished the Netflix series featuring Margaret Qualley and her mother, Andie MacDowell, in Maid. Apparently, it is based on Stephanie Land's book, Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and A Mother's Will To Survive. I think the series did a decent job showing the difficulties our system (and our societal attitudes) has made for those trying to survive & escape the cycle of domestic violence. 
Luckily, I've always had supportive parents/grandparents who were (and currently still for my parents who are very much alive) pretty stable in their marriage life, certain scenes hits home for me. I'm familiar with the feeling of living in a nice home for a few  years and not having a home the next day. Like I said, I was lucky...they were by no means perfect, but I had my grandparents( AND cool aunt & uncles teenagers )who helped my parents raised me while they worked full-time to start from scratch.  I'll probably have to check out Land's books. 

Since I do enjoy cooking for Bern and friends, I got into The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House series. It's very wholesome! Loads of scrumptious food scenes, satisfying senses, and happy non verbal moments... but not in a way that would make you want to escape reality, instead, the drama encourages to wear your heart on your sleeve and appreciate the connection you've made with your friends in a tight knit community. 

Speaking about connections with friends, significant others and all.... I'm happy to have Bern by my side!  If you're a grown ass person like me and you need your other half for medical appointments (this is the week where I got my wisdom tooth out) and such, please please do not hesitate to bring someone you love and trust to help you take notes. Especially if you need a friend to help you articulate things better (I get spacey af). Two brains are better than one! This is something I've learned within these past thirteen years... it's okay to not do certain things alone if you are able to. 

Since I do have life outside of Hyrule, here are some pictures from my anniversary stroll with Bern at the Arboretum in Arcadia:

 

 

  

We ended up having Ike's Sandwiches that day. It was delightful as usual. There has never been a day where I've been dissatisfied with an Ike's sandwich: halal chicken, avocado, lettuce, pepper jack cheese, and honey mustard in Dutch crust bread!