I'd start DIY otherwise now, but I am going to travel around Europe in May and June so it's not really possible yet. I just fear I'll be unlucky and masculinize even further during the next couple of months. I am 18 and therefore at the late stage of first puberty. Right now my beard growth is quite minimum and I don't have much more body hair than an average cis woman does. I guess it's not so likely that testosterone will mess up my body more before I get to start having the correct juice in my body, but it's hard to say.
What to do in the meantime to avail my transitioning? So far I have been thinking about focusing on my legs and butt more when working out, experimenting with makeup, getting some cute clothes and try to play with different styles to find out which one suits me the most. But what else? :)

PPFF (no notes) preferred. No trades, looking to reload the knife budget account. Know your local knife laws…let’s get started.
Timestamp https://imgur.com/a/dbv8Khd
CRKT Provoke 4040 model. This is one of their higher end versions, featuring D2 steel and black aluminum handle. Original owner, never used. Comes with box and papers. Takes a little while to learn how to open and close this unique piece, but once you do, it’s a lot of fun. SV $145.
Provoke https://imgur.com/a/wn0EKV6
Buck Paklite Duo. This combines a 3 7/8” blade skinner with 2.5” caper. Both are 420HC stainless and are oxide coated to improve grip.each comes with a nylon sheath. Purchased new, never used. SV $45
Buck https://imgur.com/a/kdYeLut
Carbon Bladeworks VK1. Pictures do not really do this one justice. The flamed titanium scales are impressive. I believe the blade steel to be S30V, but am not sure, as I am at least the second owner. Looks to be original edge, I have not used it, comes with generic pouch, no paperwork. Blade lockup looks to be about 15% (tried to show in the pictures) and could easily be tweaked by someone with more advanced knife skills than myself. SV $375.
VK1 https://imgur.com/a/e4WFbBF
Cavol Bucarto. LNIB. Believe I am the second owner - never been used by either of us. M390 black nessmuk style blade. Black titanium handle. Comes with original box, cloth and papers. Cool piece. Sells new for $268, letting this go for SV $175.
Cavol https://imgur.com/a/3mhDaOB
Kingdom Armory Rogue bench series. This is a collaboration between Dave Rydbom and Chad Nichols. Custom laser etched camo pattern titanium scales, dark wash XHP blade. Lightly used/carried by prior owner, not at all by myself - minor snails on the scales in the right light. I tried to capture them in the pictures, but they are a little difficult to see. Comes with generic pouch, no papers. Drop price was $875, not including the custom work on the scales, SV $550
Rogue https://imgur.com/a/i2rd61o
Bose Soundsport Free wireless earbuds. I purchased new and never used them. Water resistant. 5 hour battery life. Comes with hard charging storage case and usb connector. SV $150
Bose https://imgur.com/a/vn9WyY6
3 Dog Knife Amuk. This knife is a beast! Just over 12” overall with a 6” Elmax blade. Black micarta handle. 2nd or 3rd owner. I have never used it, not sure about the prior owner(s). Doesn’t look like it though, looks to be in good condition, original edge. Comes with custom leather sheath and zipper pouch. These are over $430 new. SV $350
Amuk https://imgur.com/a/AfJ9h7u
Thanks for taking a look!

DANCING WITH THE STARS: THE PROS' MOST ICONIC QUOTES ✨

Day	Pro Dancer	Quote
1	Karina Smirnoff	"Is there any reason why your head looks like a pigeon?"
2	Val Chmerkovskiy	"Bro, you're one big wrong already."
3	Witney Carson	"What do you need, a snack?"
4	Anna Trebunskaya	"Some people say I'm a tough teacher. And I am."
5	Brandon Armstrong	"I was born in '94..."
6	Cheryl Burke	"So the name of the song is 'Call Me Irresponsible', remind you of anybody? I think it's perfect for you!"
7	Edyta Śliwińska	"I'm wearing so much clothes that I got tangled in it!"
8	Artem Chigvintsev	"Fine! I watched 'Fifty Shades of Grey'!"
9	Corky Ballas	"Now we're doing the Mambo which originated in the '40s!"...
10	Chelsie Hightower	"South America speaks Spanish?"
11	Derek Hough	"I'm rough, I'm tough, I'm Derek Hough."
12	Charlotte Jørgensen	"Get your heel up on your back foot, or I'll kill you."
13	Allison Holker	"Team Rallison!!!"
14	Julianne Hough	"I felt like you just had to phone it in so you could get back with Meryl."
15	Alec Mazo	"Josie is deceptively unfit."
16	Alan Bersten	"It's a little shaky in here!"
17	Jenna Johnson	"ADAM! WE GOTTA QUICKSTEP!!!"
18	Ashly DelGrosso-Costa	"It needs to be equal teamwork, and I can't play a tug-of-war anymore."
19	Gleb Savchenko	"You look like a dancer when you're not moving. "
20	Kym Johnson-Herjavec
21	Maks Chmerkovskiy
22	Lacey Schwimmer
23	Mark Ballas
24	Lindsay Arnold
25	Louis Van Amstel
26	Koko Iwasaki
27	Keo Motsepe
28	Peta Murgatroyd
29	Pasha Pashkov
30	Sasha Farber
31	Jonathan Roberts
32	Daniella Karagach
33	Dmitry Chaplin
34	Sharna Burgess
35	Tristan MacManus
36	Britt Stewart
37	Rylee Arnold
38	Tony Dovolani
39	Emma Slater

Welcome to DANCING WITH THE STARS: THE PROS' MOST ICONIC QUOTES ✨

A huge thank you to the lovely u/invader_holly who suggested the idea, and that I run this game here! 💕
How does it work?
Each day, I'll reshare this board. With each day is a new pro. Similarly to past games I've done like Dances of the Seasons, The Dancing with the Stars Alphabet, Favourite Dances Per Style, and The Pros' Most Memorable Dances, for every day, you can all comment a response. This time, the response would be a quote from the respective pro for that day! As with previous games, the comment with the most upvotes wins. At the end, I'll put together a video compilation together!
MAKE SURE THAT IF YOU WANT TO SUGGEST NUMEROUS QUOTES, DO THEM EACH IN A SEPERATE COMMENT. THE COMMENT WITH THE MOST UPVOTES WINS AND IS ADDED TO THE BOARD. IF POSSIBLE, PLEASE TRY AND ADD WHEN THE PRO SAYS THE QUOTE (SO I CAN FIND THE CLIP TO ADD TO THE VIDEO COMPILATION).
Yesterday's round was won by u/CoffeeAndCurls76 's suggestion!

DAY 20: Kym Herjavec

For mods: This is not a promotion post. Please don’t delete this.
Hey guys,
I’m Shashank, a developer turned fashion enthusiast, we are a team of 3 people and we are on a mission to preserve handloom industry of India. We have a very rich history in terms of hand crafted products. From Pashmina to Kanchipuram and from Gota to Chikankari. We have one of the oldest handloom industry. Currently we’re in Lucknow we are working with the local artisans and the art is dying here. These artisans are exploited heavily and hence we decided to do something for these people as well as we give something meaningful and valuable to the consumer. We’re planning to work directly with the artisans and we’re planning to launch the authentic Chikankari kurtis, lehngas and sarees as well as we’re working on blending this art form with western style. We’re curious to hear your thoughts:

1. Do you prefer handmade clothing over machine-made garments, especially when considering factors like uniqueness and craftsmanship? 2. How does the idea of blending Chikankari or any hand art form with Western styles resonate with you? 3. Since each handcrafted piece is unique, would owning an exclusive handmade garment appeal to you, even if it comes with a higher price tag? 

Your feedback would be invaluable as we strive to revitalize and celebrate India’s handloom legacy.
Thank you for being a part of this journey with us.

I'm starting college in the fall. i plan to get my associate's at another city's public college , and then transfer to the state university ( that college has a program for direct transfers as well) so i can pursue my bachelor's in anthropology( ideally, I'd like to attend grad school afterwards n get a doctorate)
I find the cultural and social aspects of human development to be incredibly interesting, and I think that my way of perceiving others would fit really well into that field. however, I had previously sought out art school( before realizing I CANNOT afford to go to the uni i was accepted into even with fafsa and scholarships😕😕) because I wanted to go into fashion editing- i am autistic, and fashion( clothing, its history, how different people develop their clothing styles, etc) is my special interest. I don't want to "give up" such an important aspect of my life, you know? the anthropology program I'm registering for is geared more towards archaeology and pure history, though. I'd like to know if there are any paths I could go down that would combine these aspects, before I commit fully. examples I've thought of are fashion archivists, museum curators, etc. please help!

Here goes my rant: I was shopping at Target today, looking at many pieces of clothing but especially swim suits because I’m going to Tampa this week. I looked at soooo many XL sets or one pieces, every single one looked like it would maybe fit a medium. I can fit in XL or 2XL usually. maybe with some chest showing. But these were absolutely a no go. The further I searched even in shorts and tanks, everything felt TINY. I was frustrated at this point but decided to look in the plus size or “out of style” section and everything was unflattering and looked extremely out dated. I’m 26f, just looking for cute and trendy clothing in normal freaking stores!!!! #struggle

I'd like to join a gym, preferably near the train station or in the College Hill area. I'm not very fit and scheduling is an issue, so I think a place in the right location would be helpful in getting me motivated to visit regularly. So far I've explored:
East Side YMCA: The closest to me. Might be geared towards families and kids, and I'm not sure how much support they offer in terms of someone getting started with weightlifting.
Various crossfit-style gyms on N. Main: Exactly what I'm looking for, as they offer personalized attention and modifications for beginners. But unfortunately, might be above my budget.
LA Fitness: smells like sweat upon first walking in. Also would require a car to get there and back.
Planet Fitness: much cleaner, and I really like some of the 'circuits' they have set up. Downside: distance. And they seem to make it easy to sign up but hard to quit.
VP Fitness: not sure if I like this place or not. It does have a sauna (yay!). But the workout areas seem very crowded. It is within walking distance of the train station.
Youtube videos in My Living Room: location is great and the price is right. Not as social or motivating as other options though.
Please let me know if there is anything I am missing. Thanks!

I want to start making cosplays. The most I’ve done so far is cosplays with stuff that I just happen to have in my wardrobe. The only cosplay I have rn is basically just a Halloween cloak and some random clothes for a Reapertale Sans cosplay. I’d like to know some sites to visit to get fabrics and wigs. I’ll probably start off with a cheap sewing kit from Walmart. It’ll probably be a while before I make a full fledged cosplay, because I don’t trust one of the people I’m living with not to steal my sewing stuff and fabrics. But I’d like to have info for when my family has moved out of the house I’m in. Also for wigs I’d prefer they be realatively easy to style, and come in many colors. Please give me advice, and thanks to anyone who at least reads this!

Im on Xbox one x… It keeps crashing but why it worked before the update only thing I added was fallout London releaser
Workshop framework Sim settlements 2 Fallout London standalone releaser Lut framework 2 - vanilla (All…) Lut Eight Zero Menacing and beautiful skies Out of this world & pilgrims Grasslands - A fallout 4 grass… Far harbor style commonwealth Illuminated Billboards - light Radioactive signs - Lighting Flyable personal vertibird Flyable personal vertibird Automatron Cross crit Gore - verhual Dismemberment overhaul (Original Any armour on any clothes - Legendary Cross IEX suit Cross jet pack Enhanced Morgan’s space suit Kellogg’s arm armor Xbox one Craftable children’s clothing Automatron style Tesla X01 Rwby weapons mod for Xbox one Everyone’s best friend dogmeat Girl meat - dog meat is a woman Nora companion wip Anti gage hatred nuka world Power armor autopilot First person camera see your body Msg aiming Reduced zoom for reflex sights Weapon drop standalone Take cover for Xbox one Simple hit marker and dot cross hair Synth sense Push away companions Tackle! Knockdown version Xbox Bullet deflection Xb1-add space lasers to laser weaponry Splinterz- breakable wooden doors Amazing follower tweaks fo4 edition

I dreamt I was in a large clothes store. I asked an older man, maybe late 50s, where the exit was. He told me it’s up the stairs at the back of the store. He seemed gruff, and didn’t even look at me. He was an employee and he was kind of a silver fox. But he gave me an icy impression. From a distance, the stairs were far and high.
I started walking that way, but then I saw a younger, hot employee mopping the floor. He had headphones in and looked lost in his own thoughts. I wanted to flirt with him so I asked him where the exit was. He told me it’s the door right beside us. I was still flirting so I giggled and said “I can’t believe that guy told me it’s all the way up those stairs! He’s crazy.”
The hot guy laughed and said “don’t mind him”. He opened the side door for me and when I went through it there were white wall and stairs with bright blue steps, going up and down. The hot guy comes up behind me and puts his hand over my mouth. I try to struggle from his grip, and I realise I should have listened to the old man. I just woke up because it seemed too scary.
Any idea what this means!?!
I need to stop dating young guys and date older lmao ?

For me it would be Saint Seiya but do each season like DW Gundam Reborn did so every character can be in it. The premise would be easy since you could do the Sanctuary arc, the Poisedon arc, the Hades Arc, Soul of Gold, Asgard Arc, Saintia Sho, Omega, Lost Canvas, and finally the movie characters.
They could also have thier own tied in story where they fight Ares and his plans are to bring everyone together to fight a war to bring him power.
There would be a free mode and a Create a saint mode where you could use the moveset of another character change the body type voice hair and face but wear the same clothe would be changed for girls. You could also choose not to wear it or wear only parts of it. With different clothing options.
2 player local and 4 player online coop and Vs.
Challenge mode a VS fighting arena Mode and a Infinite mode With rewards to equip that change gameplay.
They would have all protagonist and villian characters. With full movesets.
DLC would be new stages BGM and outfits for Character Creation as per usual with Koei.
I think specifically for Saint Seiya there should be a mechanic for 7th and 8th sense where you move at the speed of light to take down enemies this doesn't work without planning with officers that are Gold or higher or those that can reach 7th or 8th sense. For example bronze Saints Jabu included. All playable characters can use 7th and 8th sense.
Most saints will have hand to hand combat do it will be extremely varied in combat styles and powers.
Photo mode and custom BGM for all gameplay.

Hi! I'm looking for more crochet-centered channels to watch on youtube. I like vlog style content the most, especially to watch while I crochet myself. I don't mind content about amigurumi and plusieurs bit would really like to also see content about crochet accessories, clothing and stuff like that since that's what I enjoy making.
Here are the channels I like to watch for reference: Passionknit Kelsie, TL Yarn Crafts, Ikoxun, Comfort Loops Crochet, Shaiyeh
Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

-Chris says they don't own: A cemetery A crematorium A private plane A yacht -Chris says Terry and Cathy went on the trip to Alaska for 2 weeks on a business trip -PI Chloe Dxm sent a message on March 17th introducing herself. She asked if Chris came home on the weekends Sebastian was at Seth's house or did Katie come to him. She wanted to know his day to day compared to Sebastians schedule basically. -PI Heather said Chris and him have talked and she would like to have access to them -Chris said he's not drunk or belligerent, he is just "a pissed off dad" when he saw a comment on the live. -Chris goes off about Seth opening his mouth about Sebastians bathroom habits. It is said Seth won't be saying things like that anymore -Vigil conversation was a good convo Chris said, but 3 hours later Seth is blaming Katie in a interview, in Chris's angry words "my wife" and the PI says don't focus on things others have done that makes him angry -Chris got Seth the job he has and Seth thanked him, Chris says he's been a supporter and cheerleader this whole time. He encouraged him to complete the requirements to get the job for Sebastian -Chris did not take flyers down, nobody has seen proof of that -Chris said tips coming in weeks later are terrible for the investigation and know you won't get a call back when you call in a tip so just call in and send it to the PIs -Chris is not upset with any agencies involved and they've thrown everything they have at this. The number of assets makes this a huge search for TN and Sumner County and he thinks they're doing everything they can -PI says everyone in this case has been ripped to shreds and it doesn't help find Sebastian -Chris wants Seth to agree to stay off YT but the PIs agreed they would -Chriss reaction to what happened was sebastian walked out the house and walked off the porch and vanished into thin air bc he doesn't know what happened -Chris says every door in the house was locked. Keypad on front door. Key to unlock every other door. There's a backdoor. The only realistic possibility in his mind is he walked out the front door. -Chris says he doesn't know if he was running and was scared of something -Chris and Katie said the clothes he was wearing that night at Texas Roadhouse are accounted for and is in the possession of law enforcement -Chris says to be more specific he was wearing Adidas stripe on the side style black plants, a long sleeve shirt with a picture on the front of it -Gray Hughes says from what he's seen Chris has been trying to figure things out to him and he has felt his emotions and said he would feel the way he does if the community hated him -Chris says the spanking him one time on his butt outside of his clothes years ago. While it's not morally correct, he says it's not abuse. -The CPS incident is not related to the belt. Sebastian went to school one day and told a teacher something, cps comes to the house and it had nothing to do with sebastian being spanked. That incident was because sebastian didn't like being in trouble. The incidents with the spanking and the CPS coming is two separate incidents allegedly. Says difference between discipline and abuse. FYI I DISAGREE ON THIS. Gray says it used to be normal to spank your children. -Chris says no violence in the home as far as Sebastian is concerned -Thud story is the same. It was between the time they got on the phone and the time they got off the phone. -It was so dark that you couldn't see anything on the cameras Sebastian wouldve went by possibly in Chris's opinion -Chris says he has sleeping issues and that's been his whole life. -Chris said he's never seen Sebastian hide under a neighbors car -Chris said Sebastian is one way at their house and another at their father's house which is normal -Chris says Sebastian was NOT excited to go live with Seth bc he would be doing online schooling instead of an in person school. He was excited at first -Chris says "sure" when asked if it's common for him and Katie to talk that long on the phone at night -Chris said he is willing to work with him, Seth has asked questions about the dogs, a PR person, etc. Chris said he's dug into people, he said if you think I wouldn't dig into ppl when you give me a name -Chris said there were 13-18 dogs total in and outside the house. Day 1 there was only 5 dogs, on day 1 one of them hit. A total of 3 different dogs took off towards the construction site to the retention pond. Same trail same path. Rest of the dogs went in different directions, and it's all unreliable. -Chris says they are searching and putting up flyers, he said all 3 parents were told not to search at the beginning. Chris said they aren't doing public searches -Chris says they've been getting death threats and reports everything to TBI -Chris is back working -Chris said he will get back to the spokesperson -Chris says he had a great day and was in a good mood from what he has seen on video footage. He doesn't look upset as far as they all know. Seth doesn't interject -Chris says the weekend was a normal time for them to go out and do things there wasn't a special occasion. He doesn't think sebastian was overstimulated -Chris says if Seth thinks his parents have something to do with Sebastian he can call them he has Cathy's number and Seth said he wants to hear from Chris -Seth was at Chris's house for 3 days at the beginning -Chris has an issue with Seth making accusations. He says Law enforcement has talked to his parents and his whole family. He says he knows Seth his parents weren't with Katie Sunday night. -Chris threatens to get TBI agents Bobby and Carter involved in the conversation about his parents whereabouts -Chris says Seth put a lot of things out there he shouldn't have and encouraged rumors -Chris didn't say Seth would actually find his son at church, he meant go to church and find him through God, told him to go pray about it
Interview link: https://www.youtube.com/live/gkXORj3H9aw?si=JSBmd0dQBhiX9Uma

I (M29) have been with my girlfriend (28, who I'll call Lucy) for about 5 years now. Other than a few minor ups and downs, we've had a great relationship and I intend on proposing soon.
She has a corporate job that requires a fair amount of travel. It's annoying in the sense that it means I spend less time with her, but we earn a healthy income from it so can't really have too many complaints. When she goes on these trips, she's typically away for two days or so, so the packing is usually quite light.
She was preparing to go away for a trip the other day and while she was cooking downstairs, I put a few of her favorite chocolates into her bag as a treat (which I usually do). When I was doing this, I noticed something lacy and red amongst her clothes. When I opened the suitcase to have a look, I noticed she'd packed a lacy matching red bra and thong and then a black bra and thong. I'll preface this by saying this isn't something she usually wears. She typically wears plain cotton brief style underwear and even a plain thong is a once a year (if that) occasion. It immediately set alarm bells off in my head because she was going on a work trip and I didn't see why she would be packing this unless she intended to show it off to other people.
As I didn't want this hanging over me the two days she was away, I decided to confront her. I brought her upstairs with the lingerie in hand and asked why it was packed in her things. Before asking why I was going through her things (which I explained was to put the chocolates there) she said that it was a new set she bought and she was trying it out, that's all there is to it. I didn't buy it and straight up accused her of cheating.
She started to cry, then got angry and asked how I could accuse her of such a thing based on seeing underwear in a bag after 5 years. I started to feel bad but it just didn't feel right; why would someone who wears cotton briefs suddenly pack lingerie for a work trip? Within her hysterics, she told me that she just wanted to feel confident on the trip and if I'm so insecure about underwear, that's my concern. She then told me she was going early as couldn't believe I'd accused her of cheating.
As I wasn't in the mood, I let her go and we haven't had any correspondence since. It's been two days which is the longest we haven't spoken. Part of me feels I may have jumped the gun but then again, this has to be a good sign she's cheating because suddenly buying lingerie to "feel confident on a work trip", which isn't like something she's worn before, doesn't add up.
AITAH?

It honestly sucks when you find a piece of clothing that is exactly your style but ends up having the worst texture imaginable, and it's worse when you forget to check the texture on the inside since fabrics can be different wether it's on the inside and outside.
I was bringing this up because today I went clothes shopping and I found so many awesome clothes that I would've loved to wear if it wasn't that the texture just felt horrendous when I put it on.
But the clothes I did get were still pretty awesome, and on the positive end of this, if all the clothes I saw were the perfect texture, I probably would have spent way more than intended.

Recently got back from an incredible 19 days in Japan. I’m really feeling the post-Japan blues now, but writing about the trip and sharing what I learned feels like a nice way to honour the memories I made.
I (35M) travelled to Japan with my partner (41M) from Canada. We were there from March 26 to April 13 - these dates were “chosen” for us because we were attending a wedding in Tokyo. We got to wear hakamas, walk in the procession at Meiji Jingu, and observe a Shinto wedding ceremony first-hand.
We did the Golden Route + Kanazawa, however, many travelers have already written about this route so I’ll try to offer new stories to interested readers instead.

About us and high-level trip summary:

• Our entire itinerary consisted of: Tokyo (+ trip to Kawaguchiko), Hakone, Osaka (+ trips to Himeji and Nara), Kyoto (+ trip to Hiroshima), Kanazawa (+ trip to Shirakawa-go), and then Tokyo again for the final night in Kichijoji.
• Stayed at a total of 7 hotels and made good use of the luggage delivery service. Usually took 1 day, but sometimes 2, so plan ahead.
• We got the JR West All Area Pass, which let us go to Hiroshima, Himeji, and Kanazawa from Osaka/Kyoto (plus a few other small trips). Not only was this worth it for us in terms of monetary value, but the built-in flexibility came in clutch i.e taking the train at our leisure and feeling much less stress over seat reservations or waiting in line. I used this website to help me determine which pass to get: https://www.japan-guide.com/railpass/
• As mentioned earlier, we attended our close friends’ wedding in Tokyo, which took place at Meiji Jingu and Meiji Kinenkan. It was a truly special and once-in-a-lifetime event. Being photographed by the sightseers at Meiji Jingu was also an interesting experience!
• We went out on weekend nights and checked out the popular places in Shinjuku Nichome (i.e the gay village). While they were fun, you need to dig deeper to find the places that make Nichome stand out from other gaybourhoods around the world.
• Did not make a lot of food reservations because we read how easy it was to find good food around every corner. We found this to be largely true and ate well on our trip (including many konbini meals and bento boxes on the train), but we look forward to diving deeper into the culinary world on trip #2.
• One of my favourite phrases was: Nani ga oishii desu ka? It means ‘What is tasty here?’ and is like asking the restaurant for their recommendation. I never got a bad result with this question.
• The ryokan, onsen, and kaiseki from our 1 night stay in Hakone were all amazing. It was probably our favourite room and meal on the trip. We would certainly return to Hakone and stay 2 nights next time.
• Saw a geisha performance in Kanazawa that was geared towards visitors and it was so fun and fascinating. My partner got to play taiko drums with a geisha!
• The big tourist must-sees were nice, but I’ll fondly remember all the times we just wandered the streets, witnessing small slices of other people’s lives.
• Kichijoji ended up being our favourite area of Tokyo.
• I planned this trip meticulously, but many items still ended up falling through or needed to be re-arranged due to various reasons (fatigue, sickness, timing mistakes). I think you will need to make peace with this and be prepared to be flexible with your plans, outside of pre-booked reservations.

Detailed report:

Before the flight

There were a few things we did before the trip began to help us out:

• Picked up a Wise card, allowing us to withdraw cash without paying extra fees. The fees can really add up.
• Reserved a pocket wifi router for pick-up at Narita.
• Made reservations for popular activities, namely the Ghibli Museum and USJ Express Pass.
• Adjusted our bodies to the new timezone a few days before our flight using an app called Timeshifter.
• Installed the Japan Travel by NAVITIME app, which I preferred over Google Maps when it came to anything involving the shinkansen.
• Watched Perfect Days, a meditative film that follows a toilet cleaner in Tokyo. It got us even more excited for Japan, plus the washrooms featured in this film are real and inspired us to look out for them in real life!

Landing in Japan

• After passing through customs, we picked up the pocket wifi router we had reserved. There are multiple drop-off locations, so you can pick up at one location and drop off at another. We chose the plan that gave us unlimited data for 3 weeks and it was worth it.
• I wanted to get our IC cards, but the line at the JR ticket office was so long that we just opted to buy individual tickets to take the Keisei Access Express. If you are going to be staying near any major metro stations (Ueno, Tokyo, Shinjuku, a few others), you can go there for your tickets because the lines seem to be shorter and you’ll ideally be rested by then.
  • I got my IC card at Ueno Station. On the ground floor, at the JR travel centre, you can line up for the Suica. However, I really wanted the cute Pasmo Passport instead. It took some asking around, but we eventually found the ticket office in the metro station, which is underground and had no line at all. We showed our passports and picked up our Pasmo cards without issue. It’s cash only.
• I also purchased an eSIM from Airalo. It was my first time doing so and I found the process fairly straightforward. I only got 3 gigabytes of data, which was for situations where I might find myself separated from my partner (who held onto the pocket wifi). Ended the trip with over 1gb remaining.
• On our first night, we wandered and found some restaurants in the alleyways behind our train station; we ate delicious ramen for around ¥800. It’s true what they say about your first night being a write-off, however, so don’t expect to do much else.

A note about the trains and ticketing system

I loved taking the shinkansen, they were so comfortable and predictable. The ticketing system, however... that’s a different story entirely. I think everyone just has to go through it like a rite of passage. I also couldn’t get SmartEx to work, which would’ve saved us a lot of hassle.
Regarding the JR West pass, I learned that you can’t make online seat reservations with it after you pick up the physical pass. You must use a specific machine or visit a ticket desk. To use the machines, find the ones with the green head boards and then select the option that mentions using a ‘discount ticket’ or something like that. Insert your pass and choose the destination and train you want to take. You’ll then get your pass back along with the printed tickets. Fortunately, there’s usually an attendant there to help you out.
I will miss having bento on the train while watching the scenery pass by (and listening to Fujii Kaze, haha).

March 26 - 28: A gentle introduction to Japan.

Places: Asakusa, Akihabara, Ueno, Ginza, and Chiyoda
Hotel: Route-Inn Grand Tokyo Asakusabashi
We chose this area because it was budget-friendly and gave us easy access to all the places we planned on visiting. A lot of people recommend staying in Asakusa, but we found Asakusabashi to be even quieter and cheaper.
Highlights:

• Itoya Ginza is a stationary lover’s paradise. Each of the ten floors is immacuately curated, filled with beautiful things to look at and use. If that wasn’t enough, a nature-inspired soundtrack plays the entire time to really put you in the mood. I picked up a Shupatto bag and liked it so much (great design and durability) that I went back and bought a few more as gifts.
• I found a place called the Okuno Building and it felt like a hidden gem for anyone who’s into art and architecture. Try to time your visit with when Room 306 is open: https://room306project.tokyo/about-en/
• Stepping outside of Tokyo Station, you feel small and the grandeur of Tokyo really hits you. Across the station in the building with the Beams store, there’s an observation deck that offers a gorgeous nighttime view of the area. There’s also a food hall with a great energy and vibe.
• About 10-15 minutes walk north of Akihabara station is an artisanal market tucked away beneath the train tracks. It was quiet and cute with a lot of interesting shops. Many handmade giftable items to be found: https://www.cntraveler.com/shops/tokyo/aki-oka-artisan
• I had a reservation for the Final Fantasy Eorzea Cafe in Akihabara - it was something I had wanted to do for a long time, though it felt underwhelming in the end. The food and drinks were photogenic, but forgettable. There are a number of cafes like these around and I imagine the gimmick is similar in each (at least, the ones run by Pasela Resorts). Still, no regrets!

Notes:

• Most of the hotels we stayed at did not allow use of stairs except in emergencies. This was usually fine, but during one busy morning rush we waited a ludicrously long time to get down from the 4th floor! We became acquainted with a charming Japanese woman as a result of waiting for the elevator, so there was a silver lining.

March 29 - April 3: Unforgettable memories made over a weekend.

Places: Shinjuku, Shibuya, teamLab, Kawaguchiko, and the wedding
Hotel: Yuen Shinjuku
Atmospheric hotel. Situated on a quiet street in Shinjuku while remaining within walking distance to all the fun places. Onsen on the top floor with amazing city views.
Highlight: The wedding

• To prepare for the wedding, we had a fitting at a kimono rental shop (Vasara) along with some friends. The men in the group wore hakamas, which are like trousers reserved for very formal occasions. Wearing a kimono and hakama was interesting - there’s a lot of tucking and wrapping under those robes, forcing you to stand straight while also having your organs squeezed in. But damn did we feel and look good in them, haha.
• The wedding itself was one of the most gorgeous and well-organized weddings I’ve ever been to and I’m still in a bit of awe. It began in the early morning with a Shinto ceremony at Meiji Jingu. The ritualistic garments worn by the bride and groom as well as the attendants were beautiful. After conducting the tea ceremony in a semi-private reception area, we gathered into a two-column procession and slowly walked to the main ceremonial site deeper within Meiji Jingu, led by a priest and two shrine maidens. Everything was solemn and immaculate. You can read about what these ceremonies are like online, but there were a lot of rituals, rules, and even audience participation e.g. standing, sitting, clapping, and drinking sake. Being photographed by hundreds of people while walking to and from the ceremonial site was also something I didn’t think I’d ever get to experience - I imagine this is what a celebrity feels like!
• The reception afterwards was at Meiji Kinenkan and followed a more familiar Western reception format, with an MC, music, multi-course meal, and live performances (including mochi pounding and spectacular Japanese Bollywood dancers) - but no dancing for the participants, haha. There was also an after-party at an Indian restaurant in Shibuya and it was a much more casual and colourful affair.

Highlight: Nichome

• Nichome - one could easily miss this entire neighbourhood during the day, but boy does it come alive at night. We visited most of the major bars: Eagle, Eagle Blue, Dragon Men, Arty Farty, etc. What immediately struck me about those places was how similar they felt to bars back home i.e Toronto. There were lots of foreigners and the vibe and music reminded me of our own bars. It’s still a fun time and you can meet other travellers if you put yourself out there.
• When I said that one needs to dig deeper to find what makes Nichome stand out from other gaybourhoods, I was referring to the hundreds of tiny bars in the basements and upper levels of the buildings all around Nichome. To really get something out of this experience though, you need to either: i) speak Japanese, or ii) be accompanied by someone who can speak Japanese. I was lucky to fall into the latter group and had a few nights of uproarious karaoke, bantering with drag queens, and intimate conversations with bar staff.

Other highlights:

• teamLab Planets was mind-blowing and I highly recommend anyone go at least once. The less you know about it, the better. The area around teamLab Planets (which includes the famous Toyosu Market) was also pleasant to walk around. In fact, we had a picnic by the water with a clear view of the Tokyo skyline.
• I find malls in Asia to be on another level and the one we visited - Shibuya Parco - was no exception. There was a large terrace on the top floor with expansive views of the city and the basement housed an impressive food hall with a wide range of cuisines. The floors in-between had many unique offerings as well, even if only to window shop.
• We found one of the washrooms from the film Perfect Days, the one in Nabeshima Shoto Park. The exterior was incredibly designed, though the interiors were just fine. The park also houses a tranquil pond that was nice for a stroll around and the neighbourhood itself was enjoyable to walk through.
• Got my hair cut at a place called Assort Tokyo with English-speaking hair stylists - shout out to Yutsuki who gave me one of the best cuts I’ve ever had!
• Karaoke Manekineko is prevalent in Japan and we had the fortune of going to one with our Japanese friends. It was fun, affordable, and equipped with all our favourite songs (both Japanese and English). Indulge in the bottomless drink machines - their corn soup is a best seller and after trying it myself, I can see why!
• Seeing Mt. Fuji in person is an out-of-this-world experience - pictures don’t do it justice. However, the popular places we visited (Chureito Pagoda, northern shore of the lake) were extremely busy despite the lack of cherry blossoms e.g. the queue to access the observation deck at Chureito was 1 hour long. Getting around Kawaguchiko also wasn’t easy or cheap - the buses were packed and unpredictable and taking a taxi across town cost us a pretty penny. If I were to return, I’d get a private tour guide or just stick to the not-famous places and aim to be there in the early morning.

Notes:

• We switched hotels from Asakusabashi to Shinjuku and it was worthwhile to do so. We valued being able to walk to and from the bars, especially at night after the trains close
• I made the mistake of thinking we could get tickets on the express/direct train to Kawaguchiko the day before - nope. You should book these early. We took the shinkansen to Otsuki and then from there took a local train the rest of the way.

April 3 - 7: Embracing the calm after Tokyo.

Places: Hakone, Osaka, Himeji
Hotels: Mount View Hakone and Onyado Nono Osaka Yodoyabashi
The hotel in Hakone was itself the highlight. This one was a bit higher up in the mountains, but still easily accessible by bus. Top-notch hospitality and amenities. Our Osaka hotel was also comfortable and had an onsen and was located in a convenient area - not in the thick of things, but close to the important metro lines.
Highlights:

• I wish we stayed longer at our Hakone ryokan. Their kaiseki dinner and breakfast were exquisite. The private onsen consisted of two large basins for our exclusive use with a view of an illuminated bamboo grove. That said, I think you could choose any 3+ star ryokan in Hakone and have a stellar time. The town was calm and charming; it was especially haunting with the light rain and mist when we were there.
• We took a bus that went directly from our hotel all the way to Odawara, where we caught the shinkansen to Osaka. Unlike at home, where riding the bus feels like a chore, I felt that taking the various transport options in Japan was an experience unto itself - always something to see and admire outside the window.
• Osaka’s nightlife was vibrant, though we preferred Shinsekai over Dotonbori if only because the former was way less crowded. I also went out to Doyamacho (Osaka’s gay district) on my own, which seemed tiny in comparison to Nichome. I visited the newly opened Eagle Osaka and met a Canadian expat; it was fun to hear stories about being gay in Japan from people who’ve lived there for a long time.
• Sunset at Osaka Castle with all the sakura was magical. The crowds were minimal here. My favourite shot to take was a close-up of the flowers with the castle in the background.
• My partner was very keen on visiting USJ and getting the Express Pass - I’m glad we did that because we got to experience (almost) everything we wanted to. Super Nintendo World was the absolute gem of USJ: going there felt like going to another dimension.
• Right outside USJ is a large shopping and restaurant complex. There’s a place on the fourth floor called TAKOPA Takoyaki Park and what a joy it was - pick any of the restaurants here, order a combo meal, and let your taste buds soar.
• Himeji is an easy day trip from Osaka and the famous castle is a straight walk down from the station. It was very picturesque - definitely visit the gardens while you’re there.

Notes:

• My partner started to feel unwell at this point of the trip, so we had to slow down our pace and also reshuffle a few itinerary items.

April 7 - 10: Sakura, temples, and museums.

Places: Nara, Kyoto, Hiroshima
Hotel: TUNESTAY Kyoto
A modern hotel that also feels like a hostel with its communal amenities and young vibe. Rest assured, the rooms are private and include your own bathroom. Minutes away from Kyoto Station and situated on the same street as the sightseeing buses.
Highlights:

• The sakura were now in full bloom and made for magnificent strolls around Kyoto’s famous districts, but like all other famous sites, they are best enjoyed early. We got up early for Philosopher’s Path and it was breathtaking and tranquil, just as we imagined it to be. It started to get crowded i.e noisier after 9am.
• The 10th floor of the Isetan building at Kyoto Station is a dedicated food hall, with one side being just ramen shops. Very yummy and very short lines!
• I read about how emotional the Hiroshima Peace Museum made people feel, but I still wasn’t prepared for the sheer gravity of it once we were there. I can only describe the experience as powerful and poignant. Certainly take your time to go through and read the cards on the exhibits. It was one of the rare places we visited that was both busy and quiet.
• Visit Okonomi-mura for delicious Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki and good vibes. It’s another food hall, but one that feels much more down to earth and gritty.
• We happened to stumble upon a night market at Murayama Park in Kyoto. The cherry blossoms were at their peak; they looked especially splendid under the glow of the lanterns. There were food stalls aplenty and we ate to our heart’s content: grilled fish, fried yam rolls, bamboo on a stick, and barbequed meats. Several restaurants and tables were set up in the middle of the park so you could sit down for a meal and some drinks while partaking in hanami. People were in very good spirits and we ended up chatting to a young couple sat next to us, where we bonded over our shared love for Howl’s Moving Castle and all things Ghibli. I’ll remember this particular night very fondly.

Notes:

• It’s possible to visit Nara on route from Osaka to Kyoto or vice versa. That’s what we did and we just stored our luggage at the station in Nara.
• It makes more sense to go to Hiroshima from Osaka - not only is it closer, but our JR West Pass did not include shinkansen travel between Osaka and Kyoto (even if we were riding on the same train going from Osaka to Hiroshima). We only did it this way because our original plans were changed due to my partner’s change in health status.

April 10 - 12: Winding down and enjoying small city life.

Places: Kanazawa, Shirakawa-go
Hotel: Hotel Kanazawa Zoushi
Our second favourite hotel of the trip. We had the warmest reception here, with complimentary tea and dango provided at check-in. The room was very comfortable, while the bathrooms were surprisingly spacious.
Highlights:

• Everyone comes here for Kenrokuen and... yeah, it’s an absolutely stunning garden, dressed in wide swathes of pink thanks to the pretty cherry blossoms. Having said that, we noticed other areas of the garden weren’t as lively because the plants had not yet flowered. I think coming here when you know certain flora will be in season will make for a more memorable experience.
• Right next to the gardens are the Kanazawa Castle Ruins, also home to some gorgeous blossom-lined paths. It was way less busy here, as if people didn’t realize they could walk another few minutes to this beautiful location.
• On the surface, Higashi Chaya looked similar to the historic districts in Kyoto. We primarily went there for the Geisha Evenings in Kanazawa performance held at Kaikaro Tea House and it ended up being one of our favourite highlights of the entire trip. Lady Baba is a fabulous host and storyteller; the two hours we spent here flew by, filled with laughter, music, and cultural learnings.
• Omicho Market feels a lot more like a real food market than Nishiki and smells like the sea. We enjoyed some huge oysters here and grilled scallop and octopus skewers.
• We dined at Gen-zae-mon on the recommendation of a local who worked at Kaikaro. It’s a cozy izakaya in downtown Kanazawa serving plenty of scrumptious regional specialties. Try asking the service staff for their recommendations if you’re overwhelmed by the menu options.
• Shirakawa-go was quaint, almost like being transported to a different era. The entire village is easily traversable by foot and it’s worthwhile to visit at least one of the historic houses that have been converted into a museum. If you can climb to the top of the observation deck, you’ll be rewarded with a serene lookout of the entire village. That said, I don’t think spring is the optimal season for Shirakawa-go to shine; I think any other season would colour it better, because it was still grey and barren when we went.

Notes:

• I mistakenly thought we could get tickets for the highway express bus from Kanazawa to Shirakawa-go last minute... nope. Thankfully, our JR West pass let us ride the shinkansen at no additional cost to Toyama, where we caught the bus there - and that bus was mostly empty. It only added about 30 minutes more to our travel time.

April 12 - 13: One more outing in Tokyo’s most desirable neighbourhood.

Places: Kichijoji, departure
Hotel: Tokyu REI Kichijoji
Standard hotel with few frills, but great price and location. We chose it because it was a last minute decision to switch from Akihabara to Kichijoji for our last night.
Highlights:

• I’m glad we stayed in Kichijoji for the last day of our visit. Walking the streets of this neighbourhood was exactly what we envisioned a peaceful Tokyo to be like and there was much to please the senses. It just felt like the whole package - picturesque, relaxed, easy to get lost in, and bustling to a degree that felt exciting without being overwhelming. The Internet claims that Kichijoji is the most desirable neighbourhood in Tokyo; I definitely believe that now.
• Ghibli Museum was delightful and I’m a big fan of the “no indoor photography” rule. The attention to detail was incredible. Treat yourself to a walk in Inokashira Park before or after your visit. It was late afternoon when we went and the park was filled with young families and students playing after-school sports. It just felt like a pinnacle “slice of life” moment.
• My very fashionable friend (the one who got married) said Kichijoji is her favourite place for consignment shopping and we saw plenty of those stores here. A bit deeper into the residential parts of Kichijoji is an artisanal market and cafe called Sippo: it was filled with one-of-a-kind goods at reasonable prices and everything was made in Japan. I know there are a lot of great shops in Tokyo, but this one stood out to us and we would certainly return on future trips.
• We hopped on an airport shuttle bus from Kichijoji Station to Haneda. No reservations, but the bus was only a quarter full. We gave ourselves three hours at Haneda and still felt like we ran out of time - lots of great shops for last minute gifts (including an Itoya outpost!) Take note that the higher rated restaurants are located outside of the security gates.

Now that some time has passed since departing Japan, the emotions that swept over me in that country have left a deep mark. Like a reminder of what I’m chasing after in this life, Japan excited me, fulfilled me, and left me wanting more. I know that being Japanese in Japan is an entirely different experience, but I still yearn to experience even just a sliver of that life.
Thanks for reading and I hope you got something out of this trip report. If you’re interested in seeing some of the photos I took on this trip, I’ve shared them on my Instagram account, which is the same handle as my Reddit username.

Hey, I'm 18, currently playing football (soccer) as a goalkeeper, and know how important flexibility is. My main concerns during seasons is knee pain - on days after games or hard practices, my knees are consistently stiff or painful.
As a goalkeeper, I'm constantly required to be in a knees-bent, mobile position, and can easily rack up over a hundred explosive jumps from these knees-bent position. Usually, it involves moving bodyweight over one leg, and pushing off of the balls of my feet.
I also do weight training for strength and hypertrophy, and I've noticed my squat depth isn't as good as I can't get my knees completely over my toes in an ass-to-grass style squat.
I'm thinking of starting an actual mobility routine, not just my normal pre-practice stretches. This would involve isometric holds, plyometric routines, etc. However, I'm concerned on if it'll help my knee health.
I'd like to be at a point where, in my 50s, my mobility is akin to 20s/30s. I know many players have knee issues in middle-old age. If this is the case, it is a sacrifice I am willing to make.
My main focus heirarchy is:

1. squat depth
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3. mobility/flexion into old age

I've checked out the beginner routine, and it seems to help, however, as I am young, I would like to request a more aggressive routine.
Thank you.

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