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The obligatory and unceremonious konbini run after leaving the port, where I had to check out my stuff in bad Japanese 💀 (The FamiChiki was indeed juicy!)

Family Mart FamiChiki, shrimp mayo onigiri, and crepe

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 4h

(Snoop Dog voice) “That right there? That’s the Japan you’ve been dreaming about.”

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 14h

Made it to the port of Busan earlier this evening where the port officials watched me chug my McDonald’s drink because they ban disposable drink cups, the security screeners addressed me in Japanese while dealing with my stuff (…plus my five different drinks) and I left my smol pen at customs.

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 29/09/2026

During our visit to Gamcheon Village, we dropped by DUF Coffee, a duck cafe ran by a North Korean defector.

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 29/09/2026

Some of the treats from Dunkin’ and Paris Croissant (Paris Baguette’s upscale cousin) for today’s train ride to Busan.

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 28/09/2026

We went to Costco earlier this afternoon to compare/contrast all the products and food court items. (Yes, a foreign Costco card works at the Korean Costcos; it’ll show up as “international” when you scan your card at the front)

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GeraldAWO @geraldawo.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Forgotten Island was pretty great, excellent even. Would love to know more about the Filipino culture it showed so much of.

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 28/09/2026

My colour consultant clued me into Neungdong Minari, where my partner and I had some delicious gomtang with a crapload of water parsley.

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 28/09/2026

Korean kid: Mom, can we go to Nara Deer Park? Korean mom: No, we have Nara Deer Park at home. The Nara Deer Park at home:

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 27/09/2026

We dropped by Myeongdong Kyoja for their juicy mandu and kalgaksu (knife cut noodles). The broth is rich, and we met a Seattlite seated next to us who knows what Sakura-Con is (…and is also a Trader Joe’s fan).

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 27/09/2026

Taken yesterday, but I rented a hanbok from Daehan Hanbok and wore it at Gyeongbokgung Palace. I also met the infamous Daehan Hanbok guy behind the shop’s silly reels and TikToks, who also picked out a blouse for me to go with the skirt that I chose.

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 26/09/2026

In which I passed as a Korean in front of our Changdeokgung Secret Garden guide (an American of Korean heritage), because I have good skin.

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 26/09/2026

While waiting for our Changdeokgung Palace Secret Garden timed entry, we dropped by Tim Hortons for their country-exclusive novelties (including their Winnie the Pooh collab).

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 25/09/2026

Partner and I tried Korean McDonalds while in Myeongdong - that being the bulgogi burger (delightsome), the mozza sticks, the orange Fanta, and the Jeju Green Mandarin McFizz (not pictured but it tastes like a continental European orange Fanta). Will have to try the strawberry Oreo McFlurry!

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 25/09/2026

We’re still in the smart entry service registration that would let us leave the airport, but we made it to Korea!

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 24/09/2026

2000's Disney Channel songs and last-minute Korea-Japan packing.

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 21/09/2026

Total was $6.71 after tax and tip (IYKYK)

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 21/09/2026

It just happens that Cineplex has an early screening of The Forgotten Island, so I snapped up a ticket this morning as it’ll be out when I’m in Korea (and don’t want to deal with the spoilers during the rest of my trip).

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 20/09/2026

MFW writing my "see you soon" letter to a volunteer org that I've been part of for sixteen months, before leaving their Discord server and removing myself from the Google Drive folder.

static.klipy.com

That's All Folks!

ALT: That's All Folks!

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 20/09/2026

🎵 I found a place where I'm not alone Tore down the gates, took all my pain and made a weapon 🎵 (Release the song already, SEGA!)

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 20/09/2026

Saw some kids running a lemonade (...and popsicle) stand outside of my place, where I picked up a drink and two popsicles from them. I'm very impressed that they make the lemonade to order, instead of premade stuff. It's also not too sweet!

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Dilek Sayedahmed @dileksayedahmed.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

I truly, deeply, sincerely do think the guy flipping burgers at McDonalds should be able to afford rent, bills, and groceries with his paycheck alone. That's kind of the whole point of having a job and I can't believe this is considered a radical position.🤷🏽‍♀️

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 14/09/2026

After two disappointing stroopwafel (McDonald’s World Menu Heist) McFlurries where one only had the caramel sauce and the other only had the cinnamon cookie mix-in, I finally had a proper stroopwafel McFlurry with both toppings yesterday. It’s so good and I’ll miss it dearly once it sells out!

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 13/09/2026

I still wonder what the Canadian area will look like at Europa-Park if Carney does get us that associate membership, but this membership smells like the EFTA (not EEA).

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 13/09/2026

The r/AskVan user and I finally met not just for the figures, but also for the networking - I learned that he’s part of our local convention scene and that he’s friends with two people in my life!

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Tsun. All Tsun. @alltsunnodere.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

If you see this, could you please reskeet it? I want to test something.

Maya rolled over on the back of the couch

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 11/09/2026

Finally a way to deal with the Areen spam bots.

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 11/09/2026

Caught Buddy earlier this evening thanks to a friend of mine. The Barney references are 💯.

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 10/09/2026

Partner told me this morning that they were able to get a Kirby Cafe reservation for our Japan trip. It’s for Fukuoka which isn’t as cutthroat compared to Tokyo and possibly Osaka, but we’re looking forward to visiting that cafe thanks to @jbetteridge.bsky.social cluing us in.

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 09/09/2026

Here within my mom‘s side of the family, filial piety primarily involves finding specific knick knacks for the elders, such as the McDonald’s SpongeBob x One toys that are missing in my mom‘s collection. We just SpongeBob!

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 08/09/2026

I’m back at the night market with my partner and my mom, where a good chunk of the food stalls rely on AI slop for their stuff. Bao Buns is not one of those stalls; the owner explicitly told his designer to not use AI slop in his branding.

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 07/09/2026

I also discovered that Avery, Jones, and Maltese (the cartoon injury firm in Coyote vs. Acme) has their own Google Maps/Reviews page. So it made sense for me to leave them a 5-star review after ACME's Instant Tunnel Paint nearly isekaied me. maps.app.goo.gl/JfYkHwwWxpH2...

I used the ACME Instant Tunnel Paint to paint a realistic shortcut on a city wall. The physics sadly backfired where a truck materialized out of my own painting and hit me. It thankfully didn't send me to another world (if you know what I mean) like I feared, but it did flatten me into a paper-thin pancake. Thankfully by calling Avery, Jones, and Maltese, I was able to get a $234 settlement (barely enough for a bicycle pump to re-inflate myself), while my Canadian government covered the rest of my medical bills. Thank you Paige for your hospitality towards international clients such as myself!

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 07/09/2026

Caught Coyote vs. Acme thanks to @siraxxelgh2010.bsky.social encouraging me to watch it over the past couple days (and @miketoole.com indirectly backing him up) It’s hilarious, and I love the running gag of Will Forte‘s cars being destroyed plus the “lots of motel clients pee on the carpet!” joke!

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 05/09/2026

Update: I did in-refund my Last Blossom tickets, but I will be seeing Coyote vs. Acme tomorrow!

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 05/09/2026

The longest piece of literature is a Loud House fanfic.

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 04/09/2026

It’s very unlikely that I’m running panels at Harvest Haunt Fest and will have to resurrect Donghua at Akimatsuri, but I will still be involved with the con. Stay tuned 😛

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 02/09/2026

LRS: There‘s a guy in my local con circuit who often brings up his gameshows (in a way that sounds like a marketing ploy) within seconds of meeting a new panelist. He’d talk to them even when they’re busy, and even joined an invite-only artist alley Discord server to promote his gameshows there.

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John Scalzi @scalzi.com · 02/09/2026

1. So, at the Worldcon this year there was a person who was going from panel to panel, bothering panelists by trying to get them to "collaborate" with them on a project and sliding the proposed project to them on a piece of paper. Folks, I cannot stress to you how obnoxious this sort of thing is.

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Samantha Ferreira Is Back On Her Book Bullshit @sam-animeherald.northsky.social · 02/09/2026

You can't be a fan of something without accepting that good-faith criticism exists, and is a generally good a thing. You can like Macross and think some of it is gross. You can enjoy You're Under Arrest but point out that it has some wildly offensive shit in the Mini Specials. No work is perfect.

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 02/09/2026

Knocked out all the accommodation for Korea-Japan, along with getting express passes for USJ. It's just figuring out HSR and the other non-USJ pre-planned attractions from here.

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 01/09/2026

I remember this discussion making it to the FB foodie group, where a guy went “small businesses owners prefer you keep your opinion to yourself”. I reminded him that if my go-to cafe can write their specials using a sharpie on printer paper, so can those owners.

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 01/09/2026

I rebought my ticket. Will I show up to those fixed-up subtitles or will we still see this OG drift? Only time will tell…

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 31/08/2026

Just discovered some blursed knowledge while refining Anime in the Philippines: While it makes sense since the voicing seems to be done in BC, almost everyone in the cast of the Superbook 2011 reboot (still an anime abomination) voiced at least one MLP: FiM character.

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 29/08/2026

On my way to SFU Summer Fest post-haircut to confuse people with my French first name, HK Cantonese surname, Canadian passport, autism-American accent, Japanese/Korean features, and panel about the history of anime in the Philippines.

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 29/08/2026

My client sent me meal vouchers for working last weekend‘s production calls, so I went all in and got Korean fried chicken for my partner and I!

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 27/08/2026

One of the servers clued me into ChaTraMue, after I learned that she’s Thai and I asked her about the best Thai tea place. I dropped by their physical location earlier this afternoon for a hit of (weekday) caffeine and sugar to celebrate those work production calls winding down for me 😌

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 27/08/2026

Speaking of Anime in the Philippines at SFU Summer Fest: come see it this Saturday at 2 PM in SFSS SUB Room 4200~!

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 27/08/2026

Considering that my 2026-2027 year started weeks ago, let's talk about what's cooking on the panel side of things for this year. (This year's vision is "Return to Otakon")

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Joel @itsjoels.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

This is the letter kids got at the end of Dolly’s Imagination Library. I defy you to read this and not cry.

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Mich Chan @togarashimayo.com · 25/08/2026

Voltes V’s English (Telesuccess) dub. Discotek did get the license to the OG Japanese version, but not this dub specifically!

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