Accidental Hiatus Over!
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Accidental Hiatus Over!

Hello lovelies!

Sorry for the long hiatus. It has been an eventful 2016 and 2017. New job, new school, new stuff animals (say hi to Gregory), etc . . .

This is just a quick update on what has been going on in the life of one woman born in the year of the Dragon:

  1. Taking an editing course at the University of Washington.
  2. Started a new job at the Kinokuniya Bookstore in Seattle.
  3. Experienced snow for the first time in my life.
  4. Adjusting to new schedules and commutes.
  5. Preparing for a friend’s wedding in July.
  6. Preparing for a family trip to Hawaii.
  7. Trying to find time to write between a full time job and part time school.

… When I list it like that it feels more overwhelming somehow.

BUT with all the changes, my love of writing, books, and comics continues to grow.

Here are some photos of my weird adventures:

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TOP 100 Books Collected by a Dragon
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TOP 100 Books Collected by a Dragon

Welcome to Dragons Den’s 100th post!

To celebrate this monumental occasion, I have collected a list of my top 100 books. Each book on the list is a book that 1) I own, 2) has had a positive impact on my life, and 3) belongs in everyone’s den of books. This list is broken down into categories and is by no means the whole of my personal library. You can check out most of these books at your local bookstore or from the author’s websites.

Comics: 

Poetry

Fiction

Nonfiction

Misc. (I.E. I wanted to include these just because I love them so.)

Snoqualmie Falls
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Snoqualmie Falls

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Snowplow

On September 4, 2016, I went to see Snoqualmie Falls with a few friends. When we found a parking spot, which was its own adventure, we noticed this large snowplow.

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THE SNOWPLOW

Rusted and broken down, it stood as a testament to the ingenuity of man. This snowplow helped to clear of snow the tracks for lumber cars during Seattle’s youth. Still rather unfamiliar with snow, it amazes me that such a large plow would be needed.

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The beginning of the falls

After a bit of a hike, we reached the falls. There were many other pilgrims there, each wanting to take photos of the falls as the mist sprinkled our heads.

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The surrounding forest

I found myself wondering if the water droplets that flew in the air after the initial plunge down the falls kept the forest green.

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The Falls

The mist reminded me of dragon’s breath and I could have sworn a wyren lived behind the falls.

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The River

Such power followed by such calm.

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Mini Jet of Water underneath a Mountain

More proof of man’s hand.

The adventure was short but gave me plenty to think. How do hydroelectric plants provide us with electricity? Have the falls been negatively affected by tourists? If so, is there a way of reversing the damage? What stories do these falls hold? How many winters and springs have they seen?

I will return to them eventually, but for now I am enjoying the electric heat of my laptop and the sun beaming down from my window.

Where Trees Fall
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Where Trees Fall

Rich nutrients are locked away in fallen trees.
A treasure awaits release in fallen trees.

I harvest corpses: redwood, sycamore, pine, oak.
I cobble together tables from fallen trees.

Bay windows lined with birch watch the canopy wave.
An artificial forest without fallen trees.

Without coarse woody debris the cycle is halt-
edited out dried leaves, fungus spores, fallen trees.

Where trees fall, new growth, one life brings forth a thousand
a nebula, cradle, crafted from fallen trees.

Adventures In Edmonds, WA
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Adventures In Edmonds, WA

As mentioned in a previous post, you have to live to write and (for writers) write to live. The two are inseparable. So, I decided today was and exploration day. I picked a random park here my home and went for a mini-hike.

The park in question was…

My hike lasted on 30 minutes because the trail was pretty short and lead to residential areas. Also, I got hungry… But, there are many other trails to explore and I most definitely will be back soon.

The trees were huge and majestic. Some reached so high that I could barely make out the canopy. Others reminded me of the om, the idea of the continously echoing sound of the universe. Where one tree ends, another begins.

The local residents, however, reminded me that civilization and human impact have left their mark. This park was not as wild as I had hoped. There were sewer drains and manholes hidden under fallen pine needles. There were scattered pieces of trash here and there. But what was most disturbing to me was the ducks.

Animals, wild ones, usually run from me. I took it as part of their wildness and intellect. I would be afraid if a strange bipedal creature with large eyes and a light box came up to me to. But these ducks…

These cuterms guys followed me! Out of no where I heard the fluttering of ducks and the splash of their bodis hitting the pond. They must have heard me as I approached the pond. I took a look and saw 8 then 10 then 15 ducks heading my way. I started to back away as I realized that these ducks… have been unintentionally domesticated. So, I ran off but not before taking a quick pic of my duck chasers.

I then stumbled on an invasive species…

A bridge over a dry creek bed…

And the not-scary-at-all-tube-tunnel..

Nope not horror-movie-fuel at all. Nope…

And yes, I went through it. I held my phone out to light the path. The tunnel lead me to…

The street. I was so disappointed I didn’t bother to photograph this moment. I saw a Canada Dry can left by the other end of the tunnel and that was it.

All and all, my little hike did allow me to experience tempered nature in my new home town. I hope to explore more of Washington in the coming days.

Happy reading and happy writing my fellow dragons.

Book Review of To Love As Aswang
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Book Review of To Love As Aswang

On August 1, 2016, my review of To Love As Aswang appeared on the Halo-Halo Review.

To read that review, please click here.

To buy the book, please click here.

I adore this book. I am not saying this because I was asked to. To be honest, I asked to be a reviewer simply because I loved Diwata so much that I could not wait to read the next collection by Reyes.

By the by, I would like to announce that I am now taking book review requests. If there is a book you believe I or anyone should read, please provide a suggestion below. Thank you.