Pictures Thread 2.22: You Can (Not) Advance

[Catamari]

If I ever visit my birthtown (Houston) again, I'll have to drop you guys a message. Grab lunch or something. Whether or not you actually want to meet me is, however, another matter.

[Nuclear Lunchbox]

So I was chilling at Comic Con and I ran into Adam Lusk from Teens React. We talked for around ten minutes before I had to bolt, but he was a really fun guy-- he comes off exactly as he does in the webseries. He's a pretty genuine guy.

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[Reichu]

Met up and hung out with Nuclear Lunchbox at Anime Expo yesterday, and afterward we went to this awesome ramen house. Overall, it was a great time! And to prove it actually happened, take this:

DAMN you got a Kaworu Giraffe Neck, Sachi.

[MAGI_01]

Well Saturday was a very fun and much needed trip to Seattle. Not only for the fantastic Distant Worlds concert, but just experiencing part of the city in general.

First off, the wonderful Seattle skyline as seen from the ferry approaching downtown. Fun fact: the Washington State Ferry system is the largest in the US and the fourth largest in the world.

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After making our way to Benaroya Hall, home of the Seattle Symphony we bought our T-shirts to mark the occasion, but sadly missed out on the limited artbook for the tour as the last one was sold to the person in front of us. We both had a "Megalixer" (Mixed drink, named after the potion from Final Fantasy of course, consisting of Vodka, Raspberry Lemonade and Soda Water, made up just for the concert of course.) Was delicious, and we ordered one more each to pick up during the intermission later. There was another drink called Chocobo Kisses, but I can't remember what it contained, but it sounded great too. The prices were in Gil, which was fantastic. We finally got to our seats when they opened the Hall around 7:30.

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As you can see, the place was packed. It was a sold out show, as was the night before it.

Here is the evenings score list.

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Lots of fantastic scores. Hard to pick favorites, but if I had to, the rendition of the Opera "Maria and Draco" from 6 has to be the top. The version they played was different. Extended from the one on the first Distant Worlds album as well as bringing the choir in at parts. Had to be at least a 15 if not 20 minute piece all together. Absolutely brought the house down with one of the nights many standing ovations. The Opera singers were amazing and the Seattle Symphony nailed it, as they did with every other score of the night. But yes, other than that major standout, they were all equally fantastic. Of course the encore was only one of the most famous boss themes in the entire series. "One Winged Angel" which quite a few of us were shouting Sephiroth, along with the choir


All in all a magical experience, and I hope it does not take them another 6 years to come back as I definitely will be going again.

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A decent shot of the Space needle and Ferris wheel as we embarked on the ferry to head back across the Puget Sound after fetching some dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe, Seattle.

[Spud]

About two months ago I took a small vacation to Hiroshima. It was only a few days but was some of the most fun I've had while in Japan. Here are some pictures we took.

Note: Sarah took better ones then me but it's still on here camera in Zama.

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The deer at Miyajima. I like to compare them to homeless people. Once they figure out you aren't going to feed them, they walk away.


The giant "Floating torii gate" One of my favorite pictures of the trip.


Obviously since we are in Hiroshima we have to visit the museum and epicenter. A truly harrowing place. While I really enjoyed it we definitely needed a walk afterwards.


But have no fear, these guys where always there to cheer us up! I love the little finches. No matter where I am, the never seem to pay any mind to humans.


Before I left we stopped by Tokyo!


Hands down, my favorite photograph I have taken to date.

And finally a few funny things from the trip.

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I've heard of box wine before but Japan found a way to make it even trashier.


I love these. If they weren't $15 a pop I would have bought them.

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[Sachi]

DAMN you got a Kaworu Giraffe Neck, Sachi.

And the soft, fair voice to go along with it. Hopefully my neck doesn't meet the same severed fate that his did.

[Ray]

I've heard of box wine before but Japan found a way to make it even trashier.

My dad has a friend who is a total wine connoisseur who would cry at this mistreatment of his favorite beverage.

[Ornette]

What do you think is inside the box? A bag. Around here they just package it in a box so it's easier to carry and dispense. It's ideal for cheap wines like that because air never interacts with the wine inside the bladder so you can keep it for a while, unlike when you uncork a bottle.

[Bagheera]

What do you think is inside the box? A bag. Around here they just package it in a box so it's easier to carry and dispense. It's ideal for cheap wines like that because air never interacts with the wine inside the bladder so you can keep it for a while, unlike when you uncork a bottle.

While it's hardly top shelf stuff some of the box wines are pretty good. I've had some I'd rate with middle-of-the-road bottled wines any day of the week.

[Nuclear Lunchbox]

It may not look as classy, but I'm told that the box also helps to cut down on the damage that light can do to the wine.

[Catamari]

What do you think is inside the box? A bag. Around here they just package it in a box so it's easier to carry and dispense. It's ideal for cheap wines like that because air never interacts with the wine inside the bladder so you can keep it for a while, unlike when you uncork a bottle.

I've always wanted to see wine packaged in juice boxes.

EDIT: Holy crap! It exists!

[Ornette]

While it's hardly top shelf stuff some of the box wines are pretty good. I've had some I'd rate with middle-of-the-road bottled wines any day of the week.

Oh, I agree. By "cheap", I didn't mean low quality, but inexpensive. They're generally on the lower end of the pricing spectrum but it's not to say that it's bad wine, necessarily. It's ultimately up to the producers and distributors. You're not going to see a box of Chateaneuf because the people who make the wine in that part of France won't hear of it. It's also appellation and on the higher end of the pricing spectrum. You're more likely to find producers who already bottle $10-20 wines because that's the right price point. People will pay $40 or so for a box of a $15 equivalent California pinot. People won't pay $400 for an $80 equivalent bottle of Bordeaux.

[r1cepurin]

I usually mess up pancakes, but not this time. I'm really glad as to how these turned out

They were for my sister, and as expected, she loved them.

[Catamari]

Pygmy Marmoset getting brushies

[Bagheera]

Pygmy Marmoset getting brushies

Ooh, someone's happy!

[The Eva Monkey]

So I went on some reconnaissance while I was in Pittsburgh:

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— twitter-user (@username) date

[Nuclear Lunchbox]

Does it have a DDR machine?

[The Eva Monkey]

Does it have a DDR machine?

Can't say. Obviously, I didn't go inside. It was a Sunday, and even if it was a weekday, I wouldn't just roll up on them and knock on the front door. I would love to visit sometime and meet Mark and Derek.

[pwhodges]

Grandchildren visiting from Germany -   SPOILER: Show

[Sailor Star Dust]

I've really been around for 9 years?! Hot damn.