WRITER | TRAVELLER | AVID JOURNAL KEEPER

28 Japan

Journey with me through Japan in this visual and textual not-quite-journal of my 28-day trip through this enchanting, enigmatic and ultra-efficient country.

My first (self) published book, 28 Japan shares my personal travel tips, hopefully useful insights, moments of inspiration and the occasional frustration alongside many, many photographs I captured along the way. Use this book as a guide to help you plan a future trip to Japan, or indulge in a little wanderlust as I reminisce this memorably epic vacation through a country that charms me every single time.

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Writing helps me pay the bills. From food to finance, I believe in writing clear, easy-to-understand articles to reach wider audiences, without compromising quality or your unique voice.

I've included some of my favourite work below. Email me to find out how we can work together, or if you'd like an extra pair of eyes to polish your written work.

And no, I won't write your homework for you.

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Healthy You, Healthy Society: Why healthcare is vital for a stable, healthy, and happy society

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The Future Cannot Wait: Start Living Sustainably Now with Takaful!

The thing about sustainability is that it is not a concept for one’s own personal gain. In fact, sustainability is about ensuring everyone benefits without the detriment of others, or to put it simply: we only win if everyone wins.

A Rising Concern: An Increased Risk of Heart Disease Among Millennials

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Malaysia. According to the Statistics on Causes of Death, Malaysia, 2020, 17.3% of males in Malaysia died of ischaemic heart diseases in 2019.

Financial Planning: Helping You Face Economic Uncertainties

An economic downturn is a real possibility when considering the prolonged global effects of COVID-19 – the question is, are you financially ready to face these uncertainties?

All The Ns

Face masks, stickers, scrunchies, bowls, cards, tees and more.

All The Ns is my handmade side hustle that's been around since 2008 (and possibly earlier). We've evolved a lot by then, continuously experimenting and designing new things in our bid to make our little mark in the crafty world.

Shoppers in Malaysia, please head to Shopee to take a look at (and buy!) our items, while shoppers everywhere else can visit our Etsy store.

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Instagram

My Instagram posts feature mostly travel and journal-related content, with a smattering of everyday life in Stories. Thanks to being home-bound during the pandemic though, my content has largely been focused on my journals. You have been warned.

I sure have been reading a lot of murder mysteries recently… and I’m not sure if I am rediscovering an interest in the intrigue (I used to read a lot of Agatha Christie and of course Nancy Drew as a kid), or because the book covers are a lot more well designed nowadays. But I guess there’s something fun about murder mysteries solved by “regular” non-law enforcement folk, although a penchant for being nosy seems to be an important requirement 😄

CL Miller’s The Antique Hunter’s Guide to Murder was quite a decent read, although it’s a little more serious compared to my past few murder mysteries. Still, it was kinda fun to delve into an antiques-based twist to this genre, and it’s a bit like a soft core Indiana Jones or National Treasure or Dan Brown’s Robert Langdon novels (where’s he disappeared to, btw?). I liked that the protagonist was a middle aged divorcee, or am I gravitating towards characters more my age? (I’ve just got the female, middle aged part thing in common with Freya though). Plus, it looks like the adventures of Freya and her aunt will turn into a series, so that’s more books for me to read, so, yay!

Definitely recommended if you’re looking for an easy to read, not too stressful murder mystery.
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#book #books #bookstagram #booklover #bookworm #booknerd #bibliophile #read #reading #bookreview #nkreads #clmiller

I hope I meet lots of people with lovely eyes.
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Osamu Dazai, Schoolgirl
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13 days into May and I have finally finished my May layouts. Now I have to catch up with all the entries and hope I do better for June. I don’t think I’ll be recording a before-the-pen flipthrough though because I ain’t got time! So if you notice a gap between months in my reels posting sometime in the far future, this is why!

PS… I have no layout pictures left to post so… the waiting continues until I can go take some more… 😅 Not staying where all my things are is tough!
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Pen: Galen Leather x Narwhal Rose Gold, M nib
Ink: Diamine Cocoa Shimmer
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#journal #journaling #nkjournals #journallove #paperlove #planneraddictmalaysia #thedailywriting #planner #notebook #write #planneraddict #stationery #deardiary #diary #dailyjournaling #travelersnotebook #トラベラーズノート #washitape #journalspread #stickers #fpgeeks #handwriting #fountainpen #fountainpenaddict #narwhalfountainpen #diamine #diamineink

Hello, it’s me, sharing a reel that’s almost two months overdue 😅 Puasa happened then raya happened then life happened then death happened and then life happened again, but me being me I still have to post everything in order instead of skipping things and restarting with the here and now. So my posts have been pushed back, just with everything else. I’m even behind on my April entries and my May prep! When I’ll catch up I have no idea, so in the mean time, here’s our chilled Sunday Scibbles Puasa x Moreh edition back in 15 March at @kumars1969 and @momaku.my. Enjoy!

@reikotherainbowgirl
@littlethingsbykaz
@chushanscribbles
@bootsandberry
@___fromthesewords
@wani.journal
@sunday_scribbles_society
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#journal #journaling #nkjournals #journallove #planneraddictmalaysia #planner #notebook #planneraddict #stationery #deardiary #diary #travelersnotebook #sundayscribbles #sundayscribblesmy

People are afraid to pursue their most important dreams, because they teel that they don’t deserve them, or that they’ll be unable to achieve them.
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Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself.
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Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
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As expected the puasa month schedule tends to throw my regular routines off-balance. I am behind on my April prep and I only have pics for one more spread left! 😱 And even when I’m just at home my schedule still goes wonky somehow. That’s part of my Ramadan challenge I suppose, and I’m going to have to figure out how to get on top of everything again despite multiple scheduled buka sessions 😅
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Pen: Platinum Prefounte Graphite Blue, M nib
Ink: Kyoto Inks Aonibi
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#journal #journaling #nkjournals #journallove #paperlove #planneraddictmalaysia #thedailywriting #planner #notebook #write #planneraddict #stationery #deardiary #diary #dailyjournaling #travelersnotebook #トラベラーズノート #washitape #journalspread #stickers #fpgeeks #handwriting #fountainpen #fountainpenaddict #platinumpen #platinumfountainpen #kyotoink

He told himself that he would have to start reading tricker books: they lasted longer, and made more comfortable pillows.
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It’s the simple things in life that are the most extraordinary...
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Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own.
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Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
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I’m here! I’m here! This Ramadan sure has been busy doing don’t know what exactly. Plus that added activity of post-terawih pickleball 😅 It’s nice to have a physical activity to do during this month though because I’d usually be missing out on my walks and swims, even if it means sleeping at almost 3am after 🫠
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Pen: Kaweco Sport Demo, M nib
Ink: Platinum Sepia Black
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#journal #journaling #nkjournals #journallove #paperlove #planneraddictmalaysia #thedailywriting #planner #notebook #write #planneraddict #stationery #deardiary #diary #dailyjournaling #travelersnotebook #トラベラーズノート #washitape #journalspread #stickers #fpgeeks #handwriting #fountainpen #fountainpenaddict #kaweco #kawecosport #platinumink

The second Sunday Scribbles of 2025 (and the 24th of the reboot series!) was something else! An awesome collaboration with Shachihata Asia and Sumthings of Mine, with the venue and delicious zarusoba kindly provided by Gan-Nen-Do, the three hours we had felt like minutes!

I didn’t get to say hello to many people because I was just coughing my lungs out non-stop, but I did get to guide those seated near me on how to ear zarusoba 🤭🍜 it was great meeting the teams that came down all the way from Japan to be with us that day, and the stamping stations were very cool!

The Shachihata 100tj Anniversary exhibition will be in Gan-Nen-Do throughout March, so don’t forget to check it out and eat some soba too of course… for buka, perhaps?

Thank you to all the regulars and newbies who joined in, hopefully we’ll meet again in future, slightly saner Sunday Scribbles get-togethers 😆

@skybambi
@___fromthesewords
@littlethingsbykaz
@mirmirtn
@shelbybisou
@amiza012
@farahmexx
@bootsandberry
@unscrbld
@salmonandroe
@praveennareadsandquills
@yijing1108
@tartnanaz
@tresatd
@itsmeshind
@jkwrites
@szetooww
@hazukijournal
@aliazulasmin
@hey_lynnnnnnnn
@reikotherainbowgirl
paperealitea
@imquiteshushy
@lukisanjs
@nadhslibary
@secondfloorneko
@nini.senizen
liyanamustafa18
@fia.reads
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#journal #journaling #nkjournals #journallove #planneraddictmalaysia #planner #notebook #planneraddict #stationery #deardiary #diary #travelersnotebook #sundayscribbles #sundayscribblesmy

At my age, it’s not quite the whirlwind romance you’re imagining. It’s more about companionship - you know, someone I can share a cup of tea with.
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Hisashi Kashiwai, The Kamogawa Food Detectives
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Or coffee, hot chocolate, an ice cream, a meal, or a movie as you like 😬 I’m still recovering from yesterday’s Sunday Scribbles session plus the first terawih, and, of course, that phlegm that won’t go away. Hope everyone is having a blessed, good, safe, and healthy Ramadan!
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Pen: Pilot Kaküno, M nib
Ink: Dominant Industry November Leaves
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#journal #journaling #nkjournals #journallove #paperlove #planneraddictmalaysia #thedailywriting #planner #notebook #write #planneraddict #stationery #deardiary #diary #dailyjournaling #travelersnotebook #トラベラーズノート #washitape #journalspread #stickers #fpgeeks #handwriting #fountainpen #fountainpenaddict #pilotfountainpen #pilotkakuno #dominantindustry

I have to say that this was quite a fun read, and while it certainly does play to that Asian (Chinese in particular) elderly/busybody mother who loves to, collectively, act frail and guilt trip while also being fiercely independent (and is a whiz at cooking I might add) stereotype, it was still an endearing tale of friendship and family.

While the unsolicited advice for murderers bit is, well, somewhat non-existent, Vera does go on a quest to find out who is the murderer of the dead body she finds in her tea shop. It’s pretty easy to guess who it’s not and who it is, but Sutanto did a clever job of connecting the characters and the plot together.

If there’s anything I feel iffy about the novel is the age gap between Vera and her son, Tilly, whom she describes as Gen Z. Assuming he’s an older Gen Z (1997) and Vera is 60 (1964), that’s a 33 year age difference. Not unthinkable for sure, but considering how traditional Vera is she would probably have been married and popped Tilly out by her mid-20s. One could argue the book takes place in the future, but it doesn’t really feel like it. Also, Vera acts older for a woman her age in these current times.

But that’s me nitpicking. Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers was a good way to kick off the 2025 reading season, and I would definitely like to check out Sutanto’s other books.

PS… I was so thrilled to read the word “astaga” in the book 😂
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#book #books #bookstagram #booklover #bookworm #booknerd #bibliophile #read #reading #bookreview #nkreads #jesseqsutanto

We take turns becoming the one who leaves.
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Not everything needs to be for public consumption; some things can be yours alone.
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I had always been incapable of letting go. lsn’t that true for pretty much all writers, trying to pin life down on a page with words?
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Love is... when we can make scrambled eggs to each other’s liking.
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Florentyna Leow, How Kyoto Breaks Your Heart
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Do you know how to make eggs to a specific person’s liking? What if they like their eggs in all sorts of ways??? Onsen, banjo, scrambled. Me, I like my yolks runny, my scrambled wet, and I only really like omelettes Asian style, especially fried with lots of onion 🥚🧅 But nasi lemak is best eaten with thoroughly boiled eggs 😬

Are you with me, or are you with me???
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Pen: TWSBI 580 AL Smoke Rose Gold, M nib
Ink: Pilot Iroshizuku Kiri-same
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#journal #journaling #nkjournals #journallove #paperlove #planneraddictmalaysia #thedailywriting #planner #notebook #write #planneraddict #stationery #deardiary #diary #dailyjournaling #travelersnotebook #トラベラーズノート #washitape #journalspread #stickers #fpgeeks #handwriting #fountainpen #fountainpenaddict #twsbi #twsbi580al #iroshizuku

November 2023 after the pen rolling in like it was just yesterday…

Anyone planning on taking their journals to their graves? 😆 I’m not. Maybe 400 years from now an anthropologist will read through my journals and wonder what the heck us humans did in the first 23 years of the 2000. They’ll learn that we stood up against g3noc1d3 in some of my pages that’s for sure!
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#journal #journaling #nkjournals #planneraddictmalaysia #thedailywriting #planner #notebook #write #planneraddict #stationery #deardiary #diary #travelersnotebook #トラベラーズノート #scrapbookjournal

…you’ll learn that as soon as you find anything that offers amazing possibilities for the improvement of the human condition it’s best to put the lid back on and pretend it never happened.
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Old men, that was the trouble.
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Your comments have been taken on board… And they will be thrown over the side as soon as we leave the harbour.
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Terry Pratchett, The Last Continent
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Day six of phlegm continues! This is certainly a lot longer than usual 🤔
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Pen: TWSBI 580 ALR Prussian Blue, M nib
Ink: Pilot Iroshizuku Syo-ro

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#journal #journaling #nkjournals #journallove #paperlove #planneraddictmalaysia #thedailywriting #planner #notebook #write #planneraddict #stationery #deardiary #diary #dailyjournaling #travelersnotebook #トラベラーズノート #washitape #journalspread #stickers #fpgeeks #handwriting #fountainpen #fountainpenaddict #twsbi #twsbi580al #pilotink #iroshizuku

My first completed read of 2024 was Terry Pratchett’s Jingo… and my last completed read was also another Pratchett. The Last Hero marks my 36th read of last year, hitting my usual target. It’s a comfortable one, so I’m not about to go changing it up any time soon. This is the first time I’m reading The Last Hero, mainly because it’s an illustrated novel and it has always been rather pricey to buy, but there was no putting it off any longer. Paul Kidby’s illustrations were fantastic, and although the story was fun, it was not as spectacular as the other Discworld novels. I felt Pratchett held back a little on his wit and words, perhaps to allow the illustrations to do more of the work. My personal favourites were Leonard of Quirm’s diagrammes, although that probably has 100% to do with the vintage vibes 😄.

The story itself is about flight, old heroes, venturing into the speculated but unknown, and saving the end of the world - a classic saga that doesn’t take too long to read. Plus, it’s got pictures!
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#book #books #bookstagram #booklover #bookworm #booknerd #bibliophile #read #reading #bookreview #nkreads #terrypratchett #discworld

Wasn’t it a basic principle never to let your employer know what it is you actually do all day?
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…indeed, many things are not possible until they have been tried.
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Knowledge is dangerous, which is why governments often clamp down on peple who can think above a certain calibre.
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Terry Pratchett, The Last Continent
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Considering the things that come out of the mouths of the people that get the most airtime, that last quote rings very true doesn’t it 🫣
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Pen: Kaweco Sport Grey, M nib
Ink: Diamine Sparkling Shadows
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#journal #journaling #nkjournals #journallove #paperlove #planneraddictmalaysia #thedailywriting #planner #notebook #write #planneraddict #stationery #deardiary #diary #dailyjournaling #travelersnotebook #トラベラーズノート #washitape #journalspread #stickers #fpgeeks #handwriting #fountainpen #fountainpenaddict #kaweco #kawecosport #diamine #diamineink #diaminesparklingshadows

Sights, bites, smells and things I didn’t buy at the iconic Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche, especially that insta famous escalator, which was, I’ll be honest, my main reason for visiting. It did not disappoint, especially with all those floating clouds! ☁️ It was also where I saw the beautiful Montblanc Meisterstück X Olympic Heritage Chamonix 1924 fountain pen which sadly did not come home with me due to budgetary constraints 😅
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#travel #wanderlust #travelgram #traveling #PassionPassport #Paris #nkxparis2024

Humans. For the most part, you are dull and blundering. But occasionally, you can be remarkably bright creatures.
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Shelby Van Pelt, Remarkable Bright Creatures
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So it seems I have caught a cold, probably from a combination of the haze, hot days 🥵, ice drinks, early morning walks, and playing pickleball twice in a day from 12-2 then 10-12 🫠, with insufficient rest in between #sendiricaripasal. My nose be leakin and my throat be sore-in, and I’m feeling all sorts of tired today!

Am also running low on spreads to post. Hopefully I’ll be able to squeeze in some photo taking time this week!
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Pen: TWSBI 580 AL Smoke Rose Gold, M nib
Ink: Pilot Iroshizuku Kiri-same
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#journal #journaling #nkjournals #journallove #paperlove #planneraddictmalaysia #thedailywriting #planner #notebook #write #planneraddict #stationery #deardiary #diary #dailyjournaling #travelersnotebook #トラベラーズノート #washitape #journalspread #stickers #fpgeeks #handwriting #fountainpen #fountainpenaddict #twsbi #twsbi580al #iroshizuku

Julie Otsuka’s The Swimmers was a difficult book to read, not so much in terms of the writing but because of the storyline that hits close to home.

First, there is the swimming, that special world inside the swimming pool that is yours and yours alone - alone with your thoughts, the continuous strokes, the obsession with counting your laps… The first 40% of the book is all about swimming, that underground pool, that mysterious crack…

And then the pool is inevitably closed and we are left with Alice, one of the pool regulars who is diagnosed with dementia, the rest of her story unfolding through the eyes of her daughter (mostly) as we watch Alice deteriorate from what could possibly be one of the world’s cruelest diseases, not so much on the patient, but on everyone else, the loved ones who have to watch them disappear. And this is where it hits close to home, and Otsuka captures that grief and anguish perfectly.

And the daughter - the unmarried, pushing 50s, author - well, I’m only a self-published author and sometimes wonder if I could be a proper one, but I am certainly unmarried and pushing 50 in a few years. And her grandfather came over from Japan on a boat, while my grandmother did the same, although technically she was born on the way to Malaysia from Japan, but yes, in a boat.

But even without these personal coincidences, The Swimmers is certainly worth reading, especially if you have a loved one with dementia or Alzheimer’s, regardless of the stage of their journey, or if you would like to understand what it feels like to be someone with a loved one going through that, because we’ll never really know what it’s like for the patient themselves, at least, not for the time being.
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#book #books #bookstagram #booklover #bookworm #booknerd #bibliophile #read #reading #bookreview #nkreads #julieotsuka

Such nonsensical thinking must stop.
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Shelby Van Pelt, Remarkably Bright Creatures
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Swapped my multifocals with my older specs for pickleball this time around and I played so much better 😅 I guess it does make a difference! I still missed some balls though but I hit most of them this time around. I still suck 🤣
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Pen: YStudio Revolve Copper, M nib
Ink: Laban Demeter Brown
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#journal #journaling #nkjournals #journallove #paperlove #planneraddictmalaysia #thedailywriting #planner #notebook #write #planneraddict #stationery #deardiary #diary #dailyjournaling #travelersnotebook #トラベラーズノート #washitape #journalspread #stickers #fpgeeks #handwriting #fountainpen #fountainpenaddict #ystudio #labanink

Sometimes I wonder how I managed to afford spending 28 days in Japan, but keeping an accommodation budget of RM5000 x 2 pax helped a lot. Truthfully, most of the places came up to about RM300 per room per night, except for Hakone and Tokyo. Of course we didn’t splurge on fancy hotel rooms and mainly stuck to standard Japanese-style business hotels, which didn’t provide much room for lounging around. But heck, we spent most of our time outside anyway! As long as I had a clean room and a decent attached bathroom, I was happy 😄

PS… I share more info in my book, so if you’re heading to Japan for the first time or tenth or 50th, don’t forget to get a copy!
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#nkxnippon2018 #28japan #selfpublished #selfpublish #travelbook #japantravelbook #japantravel #photobook

Why can’t humans not use their millions of words to simply tell one another what they desire?
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Shelby Van Pelt, Remarkably Bright Creatures
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Hope everyone is having a blessed Thaipusam and a good Tuesday break!
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Pen: TWSBI Eco Blue, M nib
Ink: Ferris Wheel Press, Jelly Bean Blue
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#journal #journaling #nkjournals #journallove #paperlove #planneraddictmalaysia #thedailywriting #planner #notebook #write #planneraddict #stationery #deardiary #diary #dailyjournaling #travelersnotebook #トラベラーズノート #washitape #journalspread #stickers #fpgeeks #handwriting #fountainpen #fountainpenaddict #twsbi #twsbieco #ferriswheelpress #ferriswheelpressink

So I bought Midsummer Nights for two main reasons - 1) Jeanette Winterson and 2) I’m a sucker for retellings. The fact that the stories were based on operas though meant they didn’t have that usual retelling impact for me, as I pretty much didn’t recognise 95% of them 😅. And the ones I did, it was only by the title or the creator, and not the actual opera.

Yup, I admit, I’m not big on opera. Yes, I’ve been to one before a long time ago, but I wasn’t really feeling it. I managed to enjoy this collection of short stories nonetheless, though they did not make me feel the need to go out and watch one. It did make me curious about the Glyndebourne Festival though.

Winterson’s Goldrush Girl was definitely one of the standout stories in this collection, and I also enjoyed Julie Myerson’s The Growler, and The Albanians by Alexander McCall Smith. Jackie Kay’s First Lady of Song was a fascinating tale of a female singer who lived for (almost) forever, always renaming herself with the initials EF, one of them a popular blues singer called Ella… There were a few other tales I also enjoyed, but I can’t for the life of me connect the story to the title right now 😅. Oh well, if you enjoy short stories, whether or not you enjoy the opera, this is still quite an interesting read.
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#book #books #bookstagram #booklover #bookworm #booknerd #bibliophile #read #reading #bookreview #nkreads #jeanettewinterson

Even at my age, you change. And practical experience keeps you changing. - Seiji Ozawa
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Haruki Murakami & Seiji Ozawa, Absolutely on Music
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We’re always changing, and we’re always staying the same.
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Pen: Kaweco Sport Demo, M nib
Ink: Platinum Sepia Black
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#journal #journaling #nkjournals #journallove #paperlove #planneraddictmalaysia #thedailywriting #planner #notebook #write #planneraddict #stationery #deardiary #diary #dailyjournaling #travelersnotebook #トラベラーズノート #washitape #journalspread #stickers #fpgeeks #handwriting #fountainpen #fountainpenaddict #kaweco #kawecosport #platinumink

Sharing some pictures from the Scribo Grigio unboxing since the ink looks pretty good in still life too 😬 Must bring it along to one of the Sunday Scribbles sessions to share!
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Pen: TWSBI ECO Pastel Blue, M nib
Ink: Scribo Grigio
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#inkswatches #nkjournals #planneraddictmalaysia #planneraddict #stationery #fpgeeks #handwriting #fountainpen #fountainpenaddict #twsbi #twsbieco #scribo #scribogrigio #scriboink

I cannot engage with a grown-up who seems not to possess the ability to use basic Erglih, even in text.
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I can’t bear the way we, as a society, have been tricked by those with everything into chasing impossible
gains, just so that big corporations can make mor off their labour.
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... modern life is 75 per cent cancelling plans and both parties feeling relieved...
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Breezing through January 2024 posts. February’s coming up soon!
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Pen: Pelikan 400 PIF (vintage), Flex nib
Ink: Pelikan Edelstein Moonstone
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#journal #journaling #nkjournals #journallove #paperlove #planneraddictmalaysia #thedailywriting #planner #notebook #write #planneraddict #stationery #deardiary #diary #dailyjournaling #travelersnotebook #トラベラーズノート #washitape #journalspread #stickers #fpgeeks #handwriting #fountainpen #fountainpenaddict #pelikanink #pelikanedelstein

It was hard to resist picking up this book with a title like that!

Richard is a mid-50s English man hoping to lead a quiet life running his B&B in rural France. He has a complicated relationship with his estranged wife, and a not-quite relationship with Valerie, who seems oblivious to his affections, perhaps purposely so.

Michelin-starred chef Grosmallard comes to town in a bid to resurrect his career, but a key ingredient in his dessert gets swapped for *gasp* vegan goat cheese. His reputation is tarnished, but could it be linked to the death/murder of the goat cheese maker?

Is this book brilliant? No. But was it fun to read? Yes. And sometimes that’s all you really need. Plus, as I get a little older, it’s nice to read books with characters who are closer to my age range compared to those annoying 20-somethings, even if I used to be one of them. Moore makes liberal use of well-placed movie references, there’s a good dose of humour, several different characters, and for a novel that is quite foodie, the main protagonist prefers much simpler fare. If I had a gripe with it, it would be with the ending, which could have been a bit more impactful after all that fun rompy drama.

Also, this book is apparently the second in a series… I guess I’ll have to go and buy the first one now…
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#book #books #bookstagram #booklover #bookworm #booknerd #bibliophile #read #reading #bookreview #nkreads #ianmoore

The way through life is not always smooth, and it is good for a boy to have his troubles.
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Junichirō Tanizaki, Some Prefer Nettles
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Did my annual medical check-up today and alhamdulillah my cholesterol numbers went from 5.5 in December 2023 to 4.4 today! I think I deserve an award or something 😂🏆 And I did it by doing just this one thing - significantly reduce my intake of fatty parts of meat and poultry skin! I still have them once in awhile of course, I just make sure not to do it too often 😬 I wasn’t willing to give up uni or dairy so I’m glad this tactic worked 🤣
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Pen: Galen Leather x Narwhal Rose Gold, M nib
Ink: Diamine Cocoa Shimmer
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#journal #journaling #nkjournals #journallove #paperlove #planneraddictmalaysia #thedailywriting #planner #notebook #write #planneraddict #stationery #deardiary #diary #dailyjournaling #travelersnotebook #トラベラーズノート #washitape #journalspread #stickers #fpgeeks #handwriting #fountainpen #fountainpenaddict #narwhalfountainpen #diamine #diamineink

Some non-sports sports-related pics that I took last year and liked enough to share it here 😬
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#travel #wanderlust #travelgram #traveling #PassionPassport #Paris #nkxparis2024

That’s why you have to be careful with children - some day they grow up.
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Junichirō Tanizaki, Some Prefer Nettles
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Feelin a little red…
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Pen: Faber Castell Ambition, M nib
Ink: Callifolio Gris de Payne

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#journal #journaling #nkjournals #journallove #paperlove #planneraddictmalaysia #thedailywriting #planner #notebook #write #planneraddict #stationery #deardiary #diary #dailyjournaling #travelersnotebook #トラベラーズノート #washitape #journalspread #journallayout #stickers #fpgeeks #handwriting #fountainpen #fountainpenaddict #fabercastell #fabercastellfountainpen

Writing as Rebecca F. Kuang, Yellowface is a contemporary take on racism, reverse-racism, cultural appropriation, cancel culture, internet trolls and so-called critics, and the manipulative practices of the publishing industry, which makes this a terrible read if you’re ever thinking about becoming a writer 😅, especially after coming off from Haruki Murakami’s Novelist as a Vocation, which set the tone for the kind of writer I’d like to be. And then to read Yellowface… it’s like oh no no no no… I do not want to expose myself to all of that crap!

To be fair, at the end of the book, Kuang does say that this is a publishing industry horror story. Perhaps all that she wrote about doesn’t occur in real life, at least, not to these extremes, but I’m sure elements of it does.

Yellowface is quite a vicious read though, and not for the faint-hearted. Kuang plays up both that Karen-privilege perspective and the reverse-racism that occurs among Asians towards white people. In Juniper she also depicts the mental anguish of one who becomes the victim of extremely harsh cyber-bullying, yet in turn also gleefully enjoys it when it is being done unto others. And in Athena Liu, the dead, exotically beautiful and highly acclaimed Asian author who is both admired but also extremely hated at the same time.

(Cont. in comments)

... he wanted there to be conspirators. It was much better to imagine men in some smoky room somewhere, made mad and cynical by privilege and power, plotting over the brandy. You had to cling to this sort of image, because if you didn’t then you might have to face the fact that bad things happened because ordinary people, the kind who brushed the dog and told their children bedtime stories, were capable of then going out and doing horrible things to other ordinary people.
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Terry Pratchett, Jingo
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And this is what we have seen, and continue to see, isn’t it
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On another note: while I am quite slack at unboxings and editing those unboxing videos, at least I have been quite on top of editing my layout posts.
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Pen: Pilot Justus 95
Ink: Pilot Iroshizuku Ina-ho
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#journal #journaling #nkjournals #journallove #paperlove #planneraddictmalaysia #thedailywriting #planner #notebook #write #planneraddict #stationery #deardiary #diary #dailyjournaling #travelersnotebook #トラベラーズノート #washitape #journalspread #stickers #fpgeeks #handwriting #fountainpen #fountainpenaddict #pilotfountainpen #pilotjustus #pilotiroshizuku

Well, we certainly cannot be held responsible for the ramblings of idiots...
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One of the universal rules of happiness is : always be wary of any helpful item that weighs less than its operating manual.
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It was amazing how many people were prepared to do business with a man they'd met in a pub.
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Terry Pratchett, Jingo
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Oops, posted this before I could include the caption. No one noticed, right?
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Pen: Pilot Kaküno, M nib
Ink: Dominant Industry November Leaves
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#journal #journaling #nkjournals #journallove #paperlove #planneraddictmalaysia #thedailywriting #planner #notebook #write #planneraddict #stationery #deardiary #diary #dailyjournaling #travelersnotebook #トラベラーズノート #washitape #journalspread #stickers #fpgeeks #handwriting #fountainpen #fountainpenaddict #pilotfountainpen #pilotkakuno #dominantindustry

Haruki Murakami’s Novelist as a Vocation is one of those books that is best read by:
1. Murakami fans who enjoy reading anything and everything he has written, whether or not they end up enjoying that particular piece of work.
2. Those who are interested in becoming novelists.

I’m definitely number one, and sometimes entertain the idea of being number two, so this was a good book for me to read. It’s not the best thing Murakami has ever written, but it’s certainly useful and insightful, and, as it turns out, Murakami points out it’s possible to be the kind of writer I picture myself to be - systematic, and one who doesn’t have to do interviews, book signings and tours, appear on radio or tv, promotions, and suchlike - although he does do this occasionally when he’s abroad as he feels the need to represent himself as a Japanese author. I mean, I’d like to write and not be famous - that totally makes sense, right?

Of course I’d actually have to start (or rather, continue) writing fiction, and Novelist as a Vocation includes some good tips, purely from Murakami’s own personal experience and preferences. If there’s anything I found that could be better about this book is that it started off as a series of essays, so there’s quite a bit of repetition across one topic to another. I definitely think it would have been a little better had that kink be reworked so the book flows better as a collective whole instead of individual parts. That’s it!
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#book #books #bookstagram #booklover #bookworm #booknerd #bibliophile #read #reading #bookreview #nkreads #harukimurakami

It’s odd, the things that other people think are exciting.
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Of course that is not the whole story, but that is the way with stories; we make them what we will.
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But not all dark places need light, I have to remember that.
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Jeanette Winterson, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit
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With the year of the snake approaching in a couple of days, I have finally wrapped up my 2023 journals post with this, well, post.

May my 2024 journal posts be significantly more frequent!
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Pen: YStudio Revolve Copper, M nib
Ink: Laban Demeter Brown
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#journal #journaling #nkjournals #journallove #paperlove #planneraddictmalaysia #thedailywriting #planner #notebook #write #planneraddict #stationery #deardiary #diary #dailyjournaling #travelersnotebook #トラベラーズノート #washitape #journalspread #stickers #fpgeeks #handwriting #fountainpen #fountainpenaddict #ystudio #labanink

Window things.
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#travel #wanderlust #travelgram #traveling #PassionPassport #Paris #nkxparis2024

What is the point of being a fiction writer if you can’t make things up?
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Part fact part fiction is what life is.
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Very often history is a means of denying the past.
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Jeanette Winterson, Oranges are Not the Only Fruit
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Took some pictures of January 2024 spreads today, so hopefully that means I’ll just be a year behind soon 🤪Also feeling extra sleepy after today’s morning walk. Now let’s see what else I can get done on this Saturday since it’s just me!
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Pen: Pilot Prera, M nib
Ink: Robert Oster Australian Sky Blue
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#journal #journaling #nkjournals #journallove #paperlove #planneraddictmalaysia #thedailywriting #planner #notebook #write #planneraddict #stationery #deardiary #diary #dailyjournaling #travelersnotebook #トラベラーズノート #washitape #journalspread #stickers #fpgeeks #handwriting #fountainpen #fountainpenaddict #pilotpen #pilotfountainpen #pilotprera #robertoster

There are many important lessons inside Terry Pratchett’s Thief of Time, like:

1. Don’t underestimate smiling, harmless-looking old men.
2. Sometimes life gives you nougat.
3. And, chocolate really is the answer.

The Auditors are back! And they want to stop time so the Discworld will be neat and organised and not littered with the shenanigans of the living beings who are constantly messing things up. Death needs his grandchild, Susan, to look into things because he needs to gather the four men of the apocalypse so they can get ready ride out.

And then there’s Lu-Tze, the sweeper, his apprentice, Lobsang, who are on a mission to make sure time doesn’t stop (again). And, not to forget, the far too sane Jeremy, who has been tasked by the Auditors to build the perfect clock.

Oh, and a character named Rambut. I just thought that was worth mentioning 😬.

This was a fun read! Plus, did you know there was a fifth man of the apocalypse? He quit the band to do his own thing 😄.
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#book #books #bookstagram #booklover #bookworm #booknerd #bibliophile #read #reading #bookreview #nkreads #terrypratchett #discworld

Though perhaps what has changed are the eyes that see it.
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Anthony Doerr, All the Light We Cannot See
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I think the past one year and a quarter has changed many eyes, mostly for the better.
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Pen: Lamy LX Rose Gold, M nib
Ink: Jacques Herbin Terre d’Ombre
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#journal #journaling #nkjournals #journallove #paperlove #planneraddictmalaysia #thedailywriting #planner #notebook #write #planneraddict #stationery #deardiary #diary #dailyjournaling #travelersnotebook #トラベラーズノート #washitape #journalspread #stickers #fpgeeks #handwriting #fountainpen #fountainpenaddict #lamy #lamyfountainpen #lamylxrosegold #jacquesherbin

Marking the start of the 2025 Sunday Scribbles season with a return visit to @23.5coffeeroastery! I brought my giant bottle of ink to share but there’s still so much left over 😅 I managed to complete a few tasks, meet new faces, and catch up with a few I didn’t get to see at the final SS of 2024 because I was down with the 🦠 It was good to be out and journaling again! 📚🖋️

Missing @skybambi and @littlethingsbykaz. And thank you for the dessert @my.favorite_pastime!
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#journal #journaling #nkjournals #journallove #planneraddictmalaysia #planner #notebook #planneraddict #stationery #deardiary #diary #travelersnotebook #sundayscribbles #sundayscribblesmy

Stones are just stones and rain is just rain and misfortune is just bad luck. Some things are simply more rare than others, and that’s why there are locks.
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Anthony Doerr, All the Light We Cannot See
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A journal outside kind of Sunday… but more on that tomorrow, hopefully 😬
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Pen: Lamy Safari Blue, M nib
Ink: Lamy Blue
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#journal #journaling #nkjournals #journallove #paperlove #planneraddictmalaysia #thedailywriting #planner #notebook #write #planneraddict #stationery #deardiary #diary #dailyjournaling #travelersnotebook #トラベラーズノート #washitape #journalspread #stickers #fpgeeks #handwriting #fountainpen #fountainpenaddict #lamy #lamysafari #lamyink

This is my second read by Gabrielle Zevin, and even though this is an earlier work and much simpler in terms of storyline, I have to say that I enjoyed this a lot more.

A.J. Fikry is the proprietor of Island Books, the only bookshop on Alice Island. He is an almost middle-aged grumpy widower, bent on drinking himself to death, when he loses his prized copy of Tamerlane and one day finds a toddler abandoned in his bookstore.

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry is sweet, and warm, and sad, and complete, and who can resist books set in charming independent bookshops? Sure, some things are predictable, but there were some nice surprises along the way too.

There is, however, one blemish to this book which is quite jarring - and it is the ease of which a bald brown (Indian) man is said to look like a terrorist, by a loved one. It’s a few short words that didn’t need to be in the book at all - it didn’t affect the storyline in any way - but its inclusion is a good example of how racism is so normalized, and I wonder how many people who read it noticed that it was racist at all.

Note: I recently found this author on a list of pro-1sr4*l supporters - that explains things.

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#book #books #bookstagram #booklover #bookworm #booknerd #bibliophile #read #reading #bookreview #nkreads

You know the greatest lesson of history? lt’s that history is whatever the victors say it is.
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Anthony Doerr, All the Light We Cannot See
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Or whoever has the most money (after they’ve pillaged the country that “lost”) or the biggest propaganda machine 😏
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Pen: Pilot Justus 95
Ink: Pilot Iroshizuku Ina-ho
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#journal #journaling #nkjournals #journallove #paperlove #planneraddictmalaysia #thedailywriting #planner #notebook #write #planneraddict #stationery #deardiary #diary #dailyjournaling #travelersnotebook #トラベラーズノート #washitape #journalspread #stickers #fpgeeks #handwriting #fountainpen #fountainpenaddict #pilotfountainpen #pilotjustus #pilotiroshizuku

Rolling through January 2025 like it’s October 2023…
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#journal #journaling #nkjournals #planneraddictmalaysia #thedailywriting #planner #notebook #write #planneraddict #stationery #deardiary #diary #travelersnotebook #トラベラーズノート #scrapbookjournal

Things that you put off saying until tomorrow are sometimes never said.
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Toshikazu Kawaguchi, Before Your Memory Fades
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Say it. Unless it’s something untrue or mean or said with the intent to hurt or damage, then don’t say it at all.
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Yassss, starting on the last few daily inserts of 2023! Can’t wait to start posting last year’s stuff 😂
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Pen: YStudio Revolve Copper, M nib
Ink: Laban Demeter Brown
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#journal #journaling #nkjournals #journallove #paperlove #planneraddictmalaysia #thedailywriting #planner #notebook #write #planneraddict #stationery #deardiary #diary #dailyjournaling #travelersnotebook #トラベラーズノート #washitape #journalspread #stickers #fpgeeks #handwriting #fountainpen #fountainpenaddict #ystudio #labanink

I often get asked when I’m going to publish my next book, and my usual answer is: once I recuperate my printing costs for this one 😅 So help me out and buy by book please! 😬 And if you already have a copy, it makes a great gift too!

Although if I meet a publisher who’s interested in taking me on, that’s another way of getting my second book out there I suppose. Do I have ideas? Oh yes. I think my past pre-covid trip to Yangon would make quite a nice book too - especially with the million or so pictures I took!

Want to get yourself a copy? Just DM me or check out my 28 Japan highlights for listings on where you can get yourself one!
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#nkxnippon2018 #28japan #selfpublished #selfpublish #travelbook #japantravelbook #japantravel #photobook

At a certain age... life largely consists of having meals with old friends who are passing through town.
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Gabrielle Zevin, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
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I’m about to do just that this evening 😄
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Pen: Platinum Prefounte Graphite Blue, M nib
Ink: Kyoto Inks Aonibi
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#journal #journaling #nkjournals #journallove #paperlove #planneraddictmalaysia #thedailywriting #planner #notebook #write #planneraddict #stationery #deardiary #diary #dailyjournaling #travelersnotebook #トラベラーズノート #washitape #journalspread #stickers #fpgeeks #handwriting #fountainpen #fountainpenaddict #platinumpen #platinumfountainpen #kyotoink

Yomi Adegoke’s debut novel, The List, is quite a popularly acclaimed book, and while I would agree that it is well written and developed, my Gen grouping and personal preference, perhaps, makes me find some significant parts of it quite annoying.

1. I am not a fan of stories - books, tv shows, movies, etc - where a lot of the issues stem from the main cast just not communicating properly, especially in this day and age where there are so many different ways to communicate.
2. Ola and Michael, Ola especially, clearly has trust issues and is ready to think the worst of Michael. She demands proof of his innocence, and when he gives it to her, she is not happy about it either. She feels bad she doesn’t trust him, but that’s just it, she doesn’t trust him.
3. In which case, why did she even go through with the wedding? 💆🏻‍♀️
4. Ola says she doesn’t do it for the gram - yet she works for a place that does, and she self-professes that she spent pretty much all her savings on a wedding that would be perfect for the gram - probably the main reason she decided to go through with it.
5. And when her hashtag gets ambushed by cyber warriors, she just flees, albeit, her bridesmaids got her out of her wedding reception.

However, I find that Adegoke’s novel also does a few important things.

(Cont. in comments)

I think I just won’t try catching up anymore and just post whatever whenever 😆 Of course, it still has to be in the right order though because some things have to be that way! Just think of it as time travel 😆
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#journal #journaling #nkjournals #planneraddictmalaysia #thedailywriting #planner #notebook #write #planneraddict #stationery #deardiary #diary #travelersnotebook #トラベラーズノート #scrapbookjournal #beforethepen

.. This is what time travel is. It’s looking at person, and seeing them in the present and the past, concurrently.
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Gabrielle Zevin, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow and Tomorrow
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This layout is looking kind of subtle, kind of nice.
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Pen: Pilot Kaküno, M nib
Ink: Dominant Industry November Leaves
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#journal #journaling #nkjournals #journallove #paperlove #planneraddictmalaysia #thedailywriting #planner #notebook #write #planneraddict #stationery #deardiary #diary #dailyjournaling #travelersnotebook #トラベラーズノート #washitape #journalspread #stickers #fpgeeks #handwriting #fountainpen #fountainpenaddict #pilotfountainpen #pilotkakuno #dominantindustry

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@nadiahkimie

YouTube

Since I was taking videos for IGTV, I thought I'd make them do double duty and upload them to YouTube as well.

My videos are mostly flipthroughs of my travel journals and before-the-pen monthly inserts, "silent fountain pen" and ink reviews, and other stationery and journaling-related content. I have a growing list of videos I want to do, I just need to find the time to get around to it.

In the mean time, I am still far away from the eventual goal of monetising my channel, so do give me a follow!

Watch

Travel Journal: Chiang Mai 2019

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Hello

I'm Nadiah. I'm a 40-something year old writer, editor, avid journal keeper, reader, foodie, on-hold-traveller, maker, sometimes photographer, music lover, neat freak; sometimes all at the same time, sometimes more or less one or the other, and sometimes something else altogether.

I am a one-person show most of the time, but I also enjoy being part of a team. And while I am quite set in my ways, I am also versatile and look forward to new challenges and discoveries.

I don't have a personal favourite quote, but Green Day's "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life" is the closest thing to a personal mantra. I can't wait to travel again, to Japan in particular. In the mean time, I'm using this homebound time to catch up on significantly overdue travel journals.

Contact

Life is short, get in touch.

me@nadiahkimie.com