My internet connection has been abysmal...

...and that's why I've not posted anything for the past few days.
I spent awhile on the phone with a tech support guy yesterday, and the only thing he ended up suggesting was unplugging and plugging things back in, which has seemed to work so far.  Whoopee.

Why I got glutinous rice flour:

Dango!
The colours intensified when I boiled them... I intended for the more pastel palette that goes with hanami dango.

Happy Mother's Day

Because Tesla is infinitely better than Edison...

You know that scene in the live-action remake of "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" where the protagonist begins wooing his childhood sweetheart by playing a song she previously played on the radio... on a ton of Tesla coils?
I wrote that off as bunk.
Turns out, it's possble.

Chinatown/Downtown Results

So, I found most of what I was looking for when I went downtown, plus a few extras.
It was a drizzly day, and I forgot my umbrella (read: I lent it to my boyfriend and it's at his house now), so I got a little wet... and today my cold is coming back.  Oh well.
But, as a result of it, I've got this little tip for you: if you're going out for a longish excursion (say, 2-3 hours) that involves walking, and you want to tone your legs, wear some heels.  I haven't worn heels for a long time, and this morning my calves were a little sore... the sore you get after going to the gym or working out at home.

Things to search for in Chinatown:

Baskets
Glutinous rice flour
Purple sweet potato (I have no idea where else to look for it!)
White rabbit candy
Bamboo curtains (note to self: measure bedroom windows)

Afterwards... go get bubble tea as a reward for a day of shopping well done!

Projects for the nebulous future:

Make candles out of old teacups that I buy at a second-hand store (perfect little gifts).

Fashion lighting out of glass globes and mini-Christmas lights.

String up origami cranes in my bedroom and possibly make a mobile.

Make a sun jar.

Find an old, beat-up Breyer horse model at a second-hand store, sand it down, and then paint it with chalkboard paint and give it to my childhood best friend who I don't see much anymore.

Unusual things I do to my face:

I use my fingers to apply pressed-powder eyeshadow, as it tends to adhere better as well as blend better.  My explanation for this is that I have oils on my fingertips.

I stick a Q-tip into apple cider vinegar and dab it on any blemishes I might have.

I use a moisturizer that smells like campfire/incense (St Ive's Renewal Cream, which has a picture of apples on the front... though it smells nothing like them.)

I sit with my face toward tea that's just brewed to steam it.

Unusual things I do with my hair:

I use moisturizing body wash (such as Dove or Olay body washes) as shampoo, because my hair is super-curly and if I use shampoo too regularly it will resemble a hay maze in both texture and appearance.

I use talc dusting powders as dry shampoo if I don't have time for a shower and my hair feels a little too oily in spots (though this only is necessary when I straighten my hair OR accidentally use a glut of product).

I rub body butter or whatever heavy moisturizer I can find into the ends of my hair before I go to bed to prevent split ends.

I have a big bottle of chamomile tea in the back of my fridge.  I hate chamomile tea - but, it's a good treatment for an itchy scalp.  Plus, if you're blonde (which I'm not), it'll help naturally lighten your colour.

I forgot my camera!

Today, I voted for the first time.  My polling station was quite close to my house, so I decided to walk.  It's a drizzly day, and on the way I noticed lots of tiny slugs on the path.  I wish I'd had my camera in my bag to take pictures of them!
If you're a Canadian citizen eighteen years or older and haven't voted yet... hop to it!  There was a reported 34% increase in advanced polls this year, and I'm going to hope there's a 34% or more increase at the regular polls, too.