Keitai Shousetsu （携帯小説）Cellphone Novel

We all realized that in every manga or Japanese dorama, especially those that relates with high schoolers life, it will show the kids updating some novels or reading some novels using their phone. Adults included too, but they read mostly instead of writing them. This trend began for quite sometime already and it is indeed very popular among the Japanese and it has began to spread to the Americans, South Africans, and even Germans as well, I think.

As mostly can't read Japanese but liked the idea of having their novels published or read by others, regardless it's nice or not, those Americans have given talks, educated their people and even made a page and further developed a mobile application, similar to maybe what the Japanese have, of this 'Cellphone Novel'. Being the blogger that I am, after a little researching, this phenomena is indeed a wonderful one. I mean again, who don't like to have their works reaching out to many? In real life, being a novelist is not easy. You write hundreds of pages and try your luck in various publishing house. If you're lucky, you'd hit jackpot of being a famous writer. If not, you'd just end up hitting walls. 

Cellphone novels are just 70-100 words per chapters in Japanese sites, but then again, some may go up to lengthy ones per chapter, just like your normal novels. People download their favorite novels and read them up and they can even communicate with the author by commenting or maybe drop them a private message. 

This website, called Textnovel.com which is further developed into an Apple Store only app, eMobo, is in English and meant for those who'd want to do the same with the Japanese. From what  I gather, it's an American site as its carrier is all American carrier. AT&T, Verizon, Virgin and etc. Irregardless, you still can create an account and write your own stuff to publish in this website or even via the app. Interesting, isn't? This method of literacy is indeed a good way to spark students interest in reading and writing and I personally, loved this and am following quite some writers in textnovel.com as well as thinking of my own novel to write :)

This whole thing, in its own way, is no different than an e-book. Only difference, it comes in various genre and you don't know the author and some may be silly. 

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For people who reads, which I doubt much will even do so. Just a little imagination running in my mind so I decided to unwind it into a little story.

A little story of a girl who's constantly being that brave little one, no matter who is the bully or how big is their size, she'd stand up against them, protecting the bullied ones. This resulted in people looking at her in a weird way, girls not wanting to hang out with her since they figured she is boyish, I mean, she's strong in her own way. Guys hang out with her since they think she can fight like a guy too. Then again, in this little girl mind, all she want is just to protect people who she can call, "Friends."

As she grows, she kept on doing the same, irregardless who was bullied. She's everyone's protector in school and all the way until college. But life takes a turn when she felt that she's being left out, unable to love since hey, all guys treated her like a "brother". Girls feared her and stayed away from her since she's kinda too vulgar for them to be able to accept. So who is "friends"? This question keeps popping into her mind every now and then. 

Finally, when one day a group of people who accepts her for who she is appears, one by one, forming a big family for her, so she thinks. Blending into it for years, she had never felt happier than before, I mean, come on, she finally finds someone who she can love properly, "friends" that she can rely on, call on, talk to, have fun with, love at and protect. Little did she know, it's all just her. 

So one fine day, this kid just had to go and make a stupid little mistake. A little mistake that costs her the "family" that she built. Choosing the wrong path of life I would say. Again, this kid comes to think of the same question again after so many years (sigh* aren't you bored at the least?), "Who is friends?"

Strong as she may be on the outside, she never fail to break down every now and then when she is alone especially in the shower. Think about it, who could tell why is your eyes all puffed up after shower? You can always give the excuse of, "Oh, shampoo got into my eyes bad." 

So technically, when I thought of it, I laughed at the kid that is in my imagination, then again, I truly did pitied her. I still hadn't been able to come up with an ending for her, seems like it's too early, something like that. Maybe I can elaborate it into a long story? I don't know. 

Festive Eats !

I know it's kinda late in blogging about this but heck, I always believed in better late than never right? Enough said, in my country, Malaysia, last week was a week of fun, eats and play as we have a time called Hari Raya for the Muslims in my country. It's a time where family get together, eat together, and other wonderful things after a month of fasting. The best thing about these two month is that, FOODS!! Never ending of wonderful mouthwatering foods!! 

Most of the foods are without doubt, very sinful, and very delicious. I would say it is all a must have. It's undeniably fattening, but hell, which awesome food is not? That's the reason why they are awesome right? The top picture is what we have, called Lemang. It's sticky rice cooked in bamboo and believe me, together with the curry, it's fabulous! I'd never have enough of that.

 This one, I believe most knows it. The infamous satay ! Depending on your choice, you may have various type of meat to cook. My personal favorite, beef and chicken! Some even comes with rabbit meat or camel meat. Ohhhh, ostrich meat are delicious too. Juicy and tender! Together with the curry that's mixed with nuts, it's an awesome treat that one can have for dinner and yes, just by eating this alone, you can be actually very full. Price vary but cheapest of chicken meat it cost about RM0.30 per stick. Totally worth it. 

The lovely darling here, is the traditional nasi lemak ! The name itself mean fats. But then again, it's delicious!So, who cares! Really, when it comes to this one, it's also another must have during this wonderful season. It's a must have, cannot be missed, MUST EAT meal. I do so insist. You can practically find it everywhere and I personally like those that is served like this. Brings out the tradition in it and yeah, for some reason, it taste better served on banana leaves. 

This is like an extra, but also one of my favorite. It's called Ayam Percik. Not sure how to translate this into english but it's chicken meat with some awesome marinated sauce. Seeing it with the sticks, yes, it's meant to be grilled. It's definitely a huge piece, with each stick enough for a person, especially if you're a small eater. Mostly, during the fasting month, this is sold in the market and the aroma of this would overwhelm most ! :D I do miss this the most as I can only find awesome ones during the fasting month. Other than that, it's not so nice. 

Of course, another perks of having these sort of festive season here in this country is that, in town, it's usually empty and there's no traffic or whatsoever. We always look forward to such festive seasons as it gives great foods, smooth as white tofu traffic, family gatherings and of course, away from work and classes. It's a get fat and lazy moment, but, everyone loves it.