I guess you can say my Thanksgiving break isn't/wasn't really normal. Well, normal for me to spend a break is being productive and doing some work. My entire break was the opposite of that. I spent my break, watching videos and painting and eating and listening to BTS' new album 'BE' and drinking two bottles of mixed fruit smoothies a day. Trust me, it hurts. But, my Thanksgiving weekend was/is really fun. Despite that my break is almost over, I'm glad that I had so much fun and had a good time. Especially Saturday. Saturday was a good day. But, before I explain the thrills of my weekend, I want to note that probably, about 70% of what I watch is useless/ won't really help me, but the other 30% actually ends up helping me and is informative. So, watching tv is important. 😂

Let's start on Thursday. Thursday was, Thanksgiving-as we all know- and, I burned my tongue. It's a wonderful memory to remember; that I burned my tastebuds just a while before the meal. I was in charge of making the cranberry sauce. And I did make the sauce. But, I was also in charge of cleaning my upstairs playroom with my dad, and getting rid of the toys that I don't play with anymore. So, after getting to the last step- stirring frequently- I rushed up and started to clean up. Then, I remembered, I needed to stir the sauce. So, I rushed downstairs and was eternally grateful that my mom handled the sauce as well as starting the potatoes. Thank you, Mumma. I was quite pleased with my sauce, and I wanted to try it. So, I got a spoon, scooped some up, and blew on it. Obviously, I was a little impatient and ended up...holding it in the middle of my tongue as an attempt to cool it down. I think you know the result. Anyway, I woke up this morning to feel the calming sensation of normal tastebuds. ( I was able to taste my food, seeing that only a few got burnt) I also ended up reminiscing my old punishments from when I was a kid while cleaning up my playroom. It's quite weird. 

I had a small plastic dress from a Tinkerbell figurine I had when I first moved here. ( After I moved) I was actually playing with the doll and set when I was punished. I'm not sure what I did, ( probably spoke to them in a way that wasn't very respectful)  but I remember that I had to call my parents Mister and Mrs. that day. It was horrible. They weren't my parents that day, and just remembering that made me emotional. So, yeah. I started tearing up after telling my dad where the plastic dress came from. Anyway, let's move to Friday.

Friday was regular. Black Friday shopping. I didn't find any new clothes, but I did find some new rings, and now, I have more rings. Yay! My new case for my new upgraded iPhone came- this time purple- and I miss my small, old phone that I had before. Yes, I am missing my small, used for a while before me, iPhone 7. Mainly because that was the first phone I've had, and I've become attached to it. It's also a handy phone, and perfect for me. I mean, both are about the same size but, it just looks weird. I still have to get used to it, but, I just think it looks weird. Anyway, I just spent the rest of the day like I did all the previous days before. Absolute nothing. Finally, Saturday.

Ahh, Saturday my most favorite day of the week and most anticipated. Usually, because it's the only day I get to watch videos, but, this time, it is because our day was going to be exciting. I started the day like I usually do, wake up, shower, eat breakfast quickly, and do some quick practicing to warm up before my violin lesson. I learned the notes for the doorbell noise and ambulance siren and started a new piece. Then, we watched My Spy- a really good movie- and planned out where we were going to eat lunch. I had planned this day weeks ago. We would spend a full day, in a really fun, all Asian cultured area, and it would be amazing. It was amazing. Especially the food. We all had been to the area before, all in groups and not with all 3 of us together, but we never got to eat there. I personally, had only been to the Japanese bookstore- Kinokuniya., Anyway, I was determined to eat Korean BBQ way before we planned out the day, and nothing was going to stop me. Well, besides the fact that most of the meat is pork and beef- two foods I am not yet allowed to eat, and mainly had to eat chicken or seafood. Nevertheless, I pulled up Google and found a Korean BBQ, which to my luck, was in that area we were to spend the day in. Aha! I was determined to eat Korean BBQ that day, and I did. 

If you've never eaten Korean BBQ, then I recommend you do. Especially at Gen Korean BBQ House- where we went- because then you get to look around at the area it is in. Plus, they have good food. It's a really cool concept, where they serve you the raw meat, already marinated with sauce, and you get to cook it yourself in a pit that sits in the middle of your table. You get Kimchi, sauces, rice, and lettuce for wraps, and obviously, delicious meat to eat it with. This was our first time eating Korean BBQ, so it was a new experience, but, me being the kid who devotes themselves to watching videos on their most anticipated day, I sorta knew how it was supposed to be eaten. It was a video where these two guys were doing a live cooking video- Korean BBQ- and they were making wraps with the lettuce and meat and rice. I had also seen a Lego cooking stop motion on Korean BBQ and learned a bit. So, like I said at the very beginning, about 30% of what I watch is useful. Anyway, the food was amazing. It was very well done and very good. I felt that I would never get full- yet I eventually did- and really enjoyed the experience. Plus, Kimchi is delicious. 

Next, we went to Kinokuniya, to spend some time before getting something at the 85-degree cafe next to it. I originally wanted to go to the area because the next book of my series- Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card- had recently been published in English. Unfortunately, they had sold out, so next week, we are going to go pick up a copy. We walked around a bit, and we looked at the pens. We spent like, 20 minutes at the pens because my parents really loved the fountain pen that you could test, and we're trying to find it for 10 minutes, and then looking for the right ink for it. Anyway, we also ended up getting a notebook- for my dad to use- and square, wooden pencils that I can use while learning Japanese with the new book we also bought at the store. I had also spotted some BT21 merch- which is similar to the messaging stickers I have on my phone. 

Later, we went to the 85- degree cafe, got some pastries and buns along with coffee and Boba Milk Tea before it started to lightly sprinkle. We went to 99 Ranch- a market I was visiting for the first time- and finished up the day with a  trip to a restaurant that has the best Mutton, before heading back. It was a really fun day. I really enjoyed it and had a blast. I think this will now be our thanksgiving weekend tradition- visiting the area- and I look forward to next year. Hopefully, the experience will be better, without COVID, and I'm just really happy that I got to get out of the house. 

I think that I really enjoyed Saturday because I got to experience a lot of different cultures that day- yesterday- and got to eat a lot of cultural food. The best way of experiencing other cultures is by food, and I definitely, ate a lot of food yesterday. Hopefully, next year I get to try some more, but I am definitely going to go eat at the Korean BBQ place again. It was a good experience, and once again, I encourage you to try it. Anyway, I have got to go, and I hope you also had an amazing Thanksgiving break. Below, I have a picture of my first painting of t\he break, and some pictures from teh Gen Korean BBQ House. Bye!

Here's one of my paintings from the break ( I messed up with the ombre and leaves)

 Hello, and welcome back to my blog! This is part...part...ummmmm, I honestly don't remember what part we're on. 😂 I've written so many election day posts I lost track of how many parts we're in! Hopefully, I remember it and can add the title by the end of this post. Anyway, I am back! Our topic for today is actually, different than what I write about. Politics is pretty much, most of what I write these days... Anyway, the topic is about facts and history. It sounds weird at the moment, but, when we get into it, it won't. Today, I'm writing from my heart, and what else do I like to explore and have an interest in than facts and history? 

I've mentioned this in, about 2-3 posts, but I've never clarified WHAT I like about history. ( To be more specific, ANCIENT history) History is fascinating to me because it is our past, and shows/is what life was like without all these new gadgets in our modern-day world. It's fascinating to learn about how civilizations thrived in a world with limited supplies and with tools more basic than what we use in our everyday lives. It's amazing how they created the most amazing things- Pyramids of Giza, ancient temples, ancient vaults, beautiful sculptures- by hand and without complex machines and equipment. I want to share some - 3 - of my most favorite ancient sites with you, to share how creative and innovative they were. 

#1, Angkor Wat

I actually, first learned about Angkor Wat from Kumon. One of the passages was a document on an explorer who discovered this temple, and out of curiosity, I googled it and, found out, that it is a very real place, and is very beautiful. Angkor Wat is a temple complex, located in northern Cambodia, in the Khmer region.

(https://www.history.com/topics/landmarks/angkor-wat - I had to do some quick research)

#2, Machu Picchu

Ah yes, the all-time famous Machu Picchu which everyone knows about. I didn't choose this site because it’s popular- I think it is well known- but rather because of how it is built. 

I actually learned about Machu Picchu last year, in 6th grade, when learning about Peru. Anyway, Machu Picchu is located in Peru, as I mentioned before, high up in the Andes mountains. It is a famous and mystical city of the Incans. It is believed to have been built in the 1450s, by a young Incan ruler. Machu Picchu is also known as, City in the Clouds. It was discovered by Henry Bingham III in 1911, and in April of 1913, Machu Picchu was revealed to the world by National Geographic. The most remarkable thing about the construction of Machu Picchu is that it lies on two fault lines, and yet can withstand resulting quakes. 

This is mainly because the stone rocks making up Machu Picchu fit together perfectly. The Incans used the Ashlar masonry technique to build and stabilize the buildings of Machu Picchu. Ashlar Masonry is a type of stone construction where all the stones are "dressed or cut" to a uniform shape. Another remarkable fact about Machu Picchu is that about 60% of the city is located UNDERGROUND. The purpose and use of Machu Picchu are of many scenarios. From a bustling city center of many cultures to a scared convent for worshippers of the sun god to a resort for the Incan ruler and his family. 

#3, Ajanta Caves

To be honest, I know very little about the Ajanta caves, but I have visited them when I was a few years old. Despite that I know very little about them, they are still one of my favorite ancient sites. ( I actually found less info than I was expecting, so, sorry about that!) 

The Ajanta Caves are located in the Aurangabad region in the Maharashtra region, of India. They date back to the 2nd century BCE to about 480 CE. The Ajanta consists of about 30 caves and is not numbered chronologically. They are instead, numbered by their location. The Ajanta Caves consist of many paintings and hand-carved sculptures and constitute ancient monasteries and worship-halls carved into a 75-meter wall of rock. One amazing thing about these caves, which I learned from my parents and not the web which has very limited answers to my endless questions, is that they were carved from the top to bottom. They were cared from actual caves, starting from the top, all the way to the bottom. They never started in the middle to mark out the proportions, and just started carving. Cool, right? Another surprising fact about these caves is that they are engulfed in darkness. The caves remain in their original state, as the majority of the caves remain in darkness, without the help of artificial lighting. 

 I want to share a short fact about the sculptures. I actually have two photos, of me as a little kid, sitting next to the elephant sculpture you see in the picture above, and on the lap of a Vishnu sculpture. When you see the pictures, you see how big these sculptures are. It's really cool.

So, those were my top 3, most favorite ancient historical sites, and I hope you enjoyed learning about them, a much as I did, writing about them. As you see from the title, it says, " Facts AND History". So, that means, we still have facts to cover. Yes, I gave you a list of facts on those 3 historical sites, but I'm not talking about those facts. I'm talking about everyday facts. Really cool facts. I mainly watch Great Big Story on Youtube, and I recommend you check out their channel and some of their videos. They are a company/channel that shares some of the many stories around us to the world. I watch Great Big Story for fun, when I have nothing else to watch or when I'm in the mood to watch something interesting and learn something. It's not like school where you have to sit down and study Algebra or read about the Mexican-American war for about an hour, but instead short 5 minute videos on the world's stories. Here are some of my most favorite stories.

Ever heard of a 100-year-old egg? In China, this strange-sounding egg is quite popular. It is a preserved egg, that is a delicacy in China. Only a few people continue to make it the traditional way. The process is something I will leave a surprise, but I want to hint that the eggs only are called century eggs, because of their appearance. Check out the 100-year-old egg Great Big Story to learn more!

Learn about a Turkish ice cream that never melts, but is stretchy and delicious, or even how ramen was invented, or even about the loneliest tree on earth. There are so many stories about so many things you might not even have known existed, or even about how your most favorite foods were made. I encourage you to check out their videos, you'll learn a thing or two about the smallest things,  and will want to know more!

I also just research random facts online. Did you know, a celebrity learned English just by watching the TV sitcom, "Friends"? Guess who, it's Kim Namjoon-RM- the leader of the 7-member South Korean boy band, BTS! He has a 148 IQ and taught himself English just by watching the show. 

Did you know, Harry Potter/Daniel Radcliff wore out about 60-70 wands during the making of the Harry Potter films? He had a habit of drumming on his lap with his wand- which you can see in many Harry Potter behind the scenes clips- and constantly had to have the wand replaced. 

Anyway, I hope you had as much fun as I did, learning about all these facts about Angkor Wat and about the 100-year-old egg. These two topics are my most favorite to learn about/research, and I feel so happy I got to are them with you. Anyway, that was it for today, I hope you all have an amazing day, bye!

 Mr. Biden just won the U.S. Presidency with 284 electoral votes. He flipped Pennsylvania, a while ago- I’m just publishing this-and just won. This is unbelievable.  I have to admit, I actually thought President Trump would win, but after seeing the results get updated over time, it was slightly obvious that our next President was going to be Mr. Biden. Plus, Vp-elect Harris has made history. Not only is she the very FIRST FEMALE VP ( or VP-elect at the moment) but she is also Indian and African American. This means, that our first female VP is an Indian, African American,  amazing and inspiring woman. President- elect Biden has a total of 290 electoral votes- as per the recent updates of winning Nevada- and despite that he is leading in Georgia, I think that it is too close to call whether he will get 306 votes in total or whether it will go to President Trump. Before a President-elect actually becomes President, he has to get approved by the current President. In this case, I think that President Trump may sue all of Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Michigan, and Wisconsin, before actually agreeing. President Trump has been continuously claiming that there is major voter fraud. I can't help but say, he's been claiming this over and over again without even TELLING US or even actually PROVING that there is voter fraud. I don't really believe him when he is saying this but, maybe he is actually right, and there is a voter fraud that we just don't realize. But, in order for us to realize, Mr. President, we need you to please prove it.

Live Blogging is one of the greatest things I've ever done. I'm really proud of myself. I had so much fun- on the actual Election Day, not the days after- and I loved following the news so much. Every morning after that, when I woke up, I had to pull up the news. I had to know what was happening, what states turned blue or red, or something. I had to know. It’s too bad that I’ll have to wait another 4 years to do this again. But, until then I will research and be more ready for 2024. I hope that next term I will be able to write better and post better. Anyway, this is the last blog for the 2020 election, and if there are any more updates, I’ll post. Signing off for the actual, last time, bye!

Georgia is 99% into reporting, and I have just checked where each candidate stands. President Trump is ONLY 0.2% AHEAD of Mr. Biden. In votes, he is only 9,000 votes ahead of Mr. Biden.  I know that it may not be possible, but seeing how long Georgia has been 99% in reporting, and close of a race it is, Georgia may be another key state Mr. Biden needs for winning. He might not even need Nevada if he gets Georgia. Georgia has 16 electoral votes,  and if Mr. Biden wins them, he can have a total of 280 electoral votes. So, the two states we should count on, even though one is less likely, is Nevada, and Georgia. ( And possibly Arizona, if it is still, is unannounced.)

 Hi! Sorry about the late post. I am currently in school- online school- and have just finished enough of my work to get a few minutes of break. So far, there aren't any new updates on Nevada, Georgia, North Carolina, or Pennsylvania. One thing, though, is that, apparently, Arizona hasn't been called yet. Fox announced it was for Mr. Biden first and CNN as well. This is because the AP had announced it. I am actually not very sure if Mr. Biden has gotten Arizona yet, or not. I am really confused about what is right and wrong for the electoral votes, and who has gotten it or not. But, if that is the case, Mr. Biden has only 253 votes, not 264. Most LIKELY, Arizona will be a flip state, like I may have said before without knowing it may be false and will get Mr. Biden up to 264 electoral votes.