daily slice-of-life photo blog of a Gen-X dad
I’m so in love with my ʻOli ukulele. It’s an absolute joy to play, and the quality and craftsmanship are far beyond my other ukuleles. Even my beloved Mele can’t hold a candle to it. Honestly, it’s shaping up to be one of the best purchases I’ve ever made.
My hairstylist recommended Badly in Love on Netflix, and it ended up being such a fun watch. It’s a Japanese reality dating show, a genre I already love. It feels similar to Love Village, but instead of older participants, the cast is made up of former yankii and rebellious youth.
The whole series was really entertaining, and I ended up finishing all ten episodes in just a week. I’m especially happy to hear that a second season is already on the way!
I’ve been getting some quality screen time in while staying at my folks’ house. I just finished Chihayafuru: Full Circle, and it was excellent. I really enjoyed the two live action movies, and this 10 episode Netflix series does a great job continuing the story. Almost all of the original cast makes appearances, which was such a fun surprise, but the main focus is on an entirely new team. I loved it!
I’m also making steady progress on Who Rules the World. I’m around episode 23 out of 40 now, so there is still plenty more to enjoy. Not a bad way to spend some downtime at all!
I spent a luxurious hour wandering around Kinokuniya today, just happily browsing every corner. To my surprise, they had printed copies of two of my all-time favorite manga, Kino’s Journey and Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou. I was very tempted to bring them home, but I decided to behave and stick with the Kindle versions for now. Still, just seeing them on the shelf made me smile. Those stories are so special.
I also stumbled across a vinyl of Ghibli Jazz. I have been listening to Ghibli Jazz on Spotify for years, and it never gets old. Smooth, cozy, and perfect for any mood. This album was such a satisfying little discovery, and it made the whole browsing trip even better.
Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/60 sec, ISO800
I finally pulled the trigger on an ʻOli ukulele that I had been eyeing for a few months, and today it arrived. It is a beautiful cedar top acacia ukulele, and it is absolutely perfect. I bought it from The Ukulele Site in Hawaiʻi and asked them to do a full setup. I also asked if they could send a photo of my ukulele being worked on, and they said, “Can do.” A couple of days later, I received a really cool setup video instead. How awesome is that.
Fast forward to today and the ukulele showed up at my door. Just like I hoped, it is perfect. The action is nice and low, exactly as I requested, and the low G string sounds great. It came strung with Koʻolau Aho fluorocarbon strings. I usually prefer nylon, but these are highly regarded, so I decided to leave them on for now. They actually sound really good. I will probably swap them out eventually, but for the moment I am enjoying them.
This is my first ukulele with a gloss finish, although the neck is satin, and it is absolutely gorgeous. I love the wood grain of the cedar and the soft blonde color. I spent about $800 on this ukulele, which is the most I have ever spent on one, but it is completely worth it. My other ukuleles honestly pale in comparison when it comes to sound, comfort, and overall fit and finish. The ʻOli is definitely a keeper.
Bonus photo of Yuzu enjoying the shipping box:
Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/20 sec, ISO640
