Anime

I found a whole new world today. Sometimes, we find there's a parallel universe out there, and we're just not in it. Anyhow, I volunteered to help out at the Library this morning with something called Anime. I had NO idea what this was, except that it involved sewing and kids in some way. I guess I was expecting a bunch of "tweeny", giggling girls doing something. Well, that wasn't it, for sure.

In the Library's auditorium, laid out on tables, were t-shirts, fabric paints, transfers, books on costumes, irons, sewing machines, and lots of fabric remnants. When I asked just what Anime was, I was told that it was about Japanese animation films. The organizer ran a film called "Millineum Actress" as the kids were coming in. It was Japanese with English subtitles, something about a teenage unknown actress.

Imagine my surprise when the first one to show up was a teenage boy, then three more boys came in. There were ultimately about 14 kids, mid to late teens (I guess), and 9 of them were boys. They were there to make costumes for what is obviously a role-playing-type thing. This was another new word for me - "cosplay" - short for "costume play". Several of the kids had carefully done drawings of the outfit they wanted to make. These were serious, creative youngsters.

My role consisted mainly of getting the sewing machines ready for them, and showing them how to work the machines. Then, they were good to do. It was fun to see when working so hard and with such intensity.

We watched a neat romantic comedy tonight - A Good Year (2006), with Russell Crowe and Marion Cotillard (La Vie en Rose). It's a nice little movie, and well worth an evening's watching. I've put La Vie en Rose next on our Netflix list - Cotillard is gorgeous, and it'll be interesting to see how she does in that Oscar-nominated performance.

Today's photo is a reflection in the River Clyde in Glasgow.