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We picked one that had more yellow, and let it ripen a bit further on the counter.  I heard that if it over-ripens it actually reeks, so I think we caught this at just the right time.

The seeds reminds me a bit of passionfruit, while the flesh resembles cantaloupe.  The texture was also quite soft, maybe even softer than a muskmelon, and I scooped the flesh from the rind.  

Taste-wise, this fruit is pretty bland/mild, somewhere between a melon and a squash/pumpkin.  Floral notes were faintly detected in the after-taste.  At least my mum though it was tasty!

This time around the only thing that disappointed be was the hard, tasteless mango.  I’m also not wild about grapes.  When my parents asked me which fruit we should get, I was quick to tell them anything but the mango, because it was clearly unripe.  They settled on one of the many mixed fruits bags, shown at the top of the picture.  I had other plans.

I selected the most exotic (read: not readily grown/available where I live) fruit, one which possessed muted lime green and subtly spiked skin.  It reminded me of the uncommon tropical fruit find cherimoya, but with a more intimidating surface.

Smooth, creamy, pudding-like, sweet... I mean, what could possibly be better than a fruit that resembles custard? 🤷🏽‍♀️

Sapodilla, or Chico, is the little cousin that seems to be grown on Hawaii.  I found them on both Oahu (Foodland Farms) and Maui (Queen Ka’ahumanu Center Farmers’ Market).

Mamey Sapote can be found frozen in some Latino markets, while Black Sapote I haven’t seen outside of select growers online.  They can be grown in Florida or Cali, but I guess they don’t have as much demand or ship that well.

Quite inconspicuous on the outside.  The white stuff I read was chicle, present in less ripe fruit.  When my chico had a bit of give, I cut it open, chilled it, and ate half for dessert.

It’s soft enough to scoop with a spoon, and the texture most closely resembled a very ripe pear.  It was also sweet like pear, the flavor profile was a bit different.  I’ve heard it described as malty, which is true; I’d liken it to a persimmon.  Persimmons are much more common imports, so I get a craving for sapodilla I could opt for one of those.

Maybe. 😏

The other half for breakfast!  And the second sapodilla went into a cinnamon and yoghurt smoothie.  Chico pairs well with spices like canela.

In pole and aerial, we do a lot of upper body work, including shoulders, back, arms, and core.  I have some bloating issues that affect my stomach at night, and I thought defining my rectus abdominus would rectify (sorry not sorry) the situation.  To some extent, it has, though to be fair, I’ve had to lose quite a lot of belly fat for the definition you see here.

In fact, my mum’s been bugging me about my weight situation, and my solution was to develop or maintain more muscle.  In terms of diet, I have trouble with protein, though I’ve been working with chicken breast in various South Asian curries to keep it from drying out completely.  I tired my old lady’s protein powder and that was awful, so I might try the unflavored stuff they sell at the local Whole Foods.

Anyway, the real trouble started when I trained at the club gym with my mum.  Surprisingly, she was very compliant, as she was looking to shape up before our Hawaiian holiday.  Whilst I instructed her what machines to use and how, I was busy trying to work on my own muscles, focusing again on the upper body.  Among those exercises was the seated row, and that really did a number on my back because I tried too hard.  I also did the infamous “obliques” and hip machines, and I’m still feeling it.  I was slowly building up my ability to handstand, but that needs to go on hold now.

So, DOMS.  I’m approaching 72 hours at this point, and I’m really hoping the tenderness goes away.  I’m also wondering if I’m retaining water rapidly because I’m nearly 1lb/.5 kg heavier.  Also, I have a bruise from God knows what right below my left knee.  I’m a mess right now, haha.  Kids, don’t try this at home!

Aside from the acne scarring/hyper-pigmentation, and think my skin condition has improved substantially; not only does spironolactone reduce hormonal acne, but the hair follicles were potential reservoirs for pore-clogging!

For comparison, here is a before and after photo:

The left are the before photos, and the right were taken approximately three weeks after treatment.  In the upper photo, you can see that in three weeks, only some of the hair has returned.  The latter photo is actually of two separate sides of my face, though with very similar hair growth patterns.  Fortunately, none of the hair had returned!

Overall I am very pleased with my results.  It can take quite a few treatments (I must’ve had three or four so far, and that doesn’t include electrolysis on my cheeks!), but the results are well worth the cost.

Also, I recently updated my hair color

I’ve been through several multicolor eyeshadow palettes at the recommendation of beauty gurus, and when I discovered Ulta carried this palette, I went straight away!  Unfortunately my woefully clumsy ass couldn’t carry the bag properly (minutes after leaving the store, might I add!), and the palette fell out in the wind.  That is why the dark green on the bottom left corner is chipped.  I most certainly didn’t purchase it that way -.-.  

I paid full price, (approximately 18 USD) but I think it was worth it.  According to the packaging, three are considered “pressed pigments”.  Hell if I know!

The consistency (buttery vs chalky formula) and color payoff varied, but most colors were pigmented!  The swatches pictured above were swiped on a bare arm, using fingertips.  Most colors only needed two swipes, though the dark purple (8th from left) and light yellow (1st) needed three, and the royal blue (12th) and coral (6th) were a bit splotchy too.  The dark green was amongst the best, hence why it was the first to crumble.

Before

I hope the lighting doesn’t distort the colors; I tried to keep it consistent!  Anyway, you’re looking at my 3b/c hair, which has been highlighted since late March.  It’s looking particularly limp on this night because it didn’t set well the last time I washed it (humidity issues, methinks).  The base of my hair is about level 3, and the highlights are close to level 9.  The other lightened areas, like the ends, are a mix between 7-9, with the darkest areas pulling a lot more brass/copper than the lighter areas. 

I’ve been using purple to neutralize with virtually every wash, but it can only do so much, which is why I’ve experimented with toner.

The Process

I didn’t know much about toner prior to my most recent highlights other than it used typically to neutralize unwanted orange and yellow pigments from bleaching hair.  My go-to was a purple pigment that I used to make a custom conditioning treatment, and it helped slightly.  Real toner required processing time and developer to deposit more color.

From left to right:

Violet Creme Intensifier (Ion): extra boost to neutralize brass

Salon Care 10 volume Creme developer: developer works with hair color to help open the cuticle for deposition (contains peroxide).  The lower the number, less powerful for deposition and lift.  In general, darker hair needs more lift deposit lighter colors.  Ion recommends 10 or 20 volume developer with their toner.

Ion Bright White Toners in Ultra Blue and Natural Blonde: I deliberated over this, but decided on these two toners partly due to staff recommendation, as well as my limited color knowledge.  Blue complements orange, which is the base pigment for level 7/dark blond, while natural blond is basically just a neutral toner.

For 1 tsp of Violet intensifier, I added roughly 2 tbsp of Ultra Blue, and 1.5 tbsp of Natural Blonde.  After blending, I incorporated developer in roughly an equal amount to the total color, and this was sufficient to cover my highlighted hair, focusing on the ends.

After

The applied color processed on damp, shampooed hair between 35-40 minutes.  While not unbearable, I decided it best to shampoo again since the smell and texture weren’t desirable.  I followed up with deep conditioning and final lukewarm rinse, styling as I normally do!

To see how my hair looks dry, check out my instagram.  Even in the above photo, you should be able to tell that my ends look at less golden!  FYI, toners can eventually fade, and depending on the products you use, fading might accelerate.  I used citrus juice to help seal up and lighten my hair, but found that the toner I used prior faded, leaving my hair more golden afterward.

This is where I got lost!  I went through Little Italy and Chinatown before heading the right way.  Meanwhile, my wellies scraped a blister onto my ankle.

I love the city though.  This is what I bought:

From Topshop!  In fact, I bought a lot of things: check out my haul here.

“I’m just as important as you!”

The dream/memory sequence itself is a bit of a trip in terms of symbolism and literary analysis: there was a lot of ambiguity in terms of relationship dynamic (i.e., mother or mentor), and of course Pink Diamond’s size depiction (smaller here than in other depictions, and if this size is permanent).  However, I thought the circumstances of Pink’s status were quite clear based on the way she behaved.  

When Stevonnie recognizes “their” (Connie’s) now ginormous mother, they crawl to her shoulder and call out to ask what she’s doing.  Dr. Maheswaran’s eyes take on a familiar golden hue and tetragonal pupils, and she says:

“Honey, please, give me a moment.”

Then the scene shifts from the Maheswaran residence to a starkly lit glass dome atop an unfamiliar planet, with a view of several yellow space crafts en route to a nearby, semi-lush planet.  After resolving some confusion, Stevonnie gasps in awe at the scene before them, and seeks Dr. Maheswaran, who now appears to be in a Yellow Diamond suit.

“Yellow!  Hey, Yellow!” “Oh, you’re still here.”

Yellow looks barely fazed and interested.

Stevonnie continues to inquire about what “Yellow” is doing, and they are enthralled by the other’s daily grind.

“I wanna command a dropship!” “Well, when you have your own colony you can command whatever you want.” “I want a colony!  I want one now!”

Suddenly the pattern on the projection screen piques their interest, and Yellow tells them she’s contacting the leader of the aforementioned fleet.

“Let me do it!”

Stevonnie smacks the screen like they’re playing bongo drums, and the yellow giant grabs them by the arm, scolding them for touching without permission.

“Why not?!  You have so many world and I don’t even have one!  It’s not fair!  I. Want.  One!”

“I want my own army!  I want my own planet!  I deserve it!  I’m just as important as you!” “Then why don’t you act like it, Pink?!”

And of course, Pink trudges off with more than a sore arm, angrily punching one of the glass panes in front of her and shattering her reflection and part of Yellow’s moon base.  

One of these things is not like the others

Now that I’ve summarized the sequence of events, I will discuss a conclusion and interpretation that others have proposed.  

“Pink Diamond isn't a child, but she was certainly acting like a child with Yellow Diamond. Demanding to command a dropship and doing other things that the other Diamonds do, is pretty much her wanting to prove herself to the other Diamonds. Pink Diamond is a runt, and considering how the Diamonds treats those who aren't perfect, it would make sense for Pink Diamond to feel inferior and Yellew Diamond look down on her.”

First, I do agree that Pink Diamond isn’t a child and was acting childish.  For reference, I mentioned that Pink Diamond was not a child in response to the motivation for the tantrum, which I will address.  I also completely agree with Pink Diamond wanting to prove herself to the other Diamonds.  However, I do take issue with the premise about Yellow and her feelings toward Pink Diamond.

“Pink Diamond is already quite small for a Diamond, so showing more flaws might give reason for Yellow Diamond to want her shattered.”

Hold the phone.  We know the Diamonds show contempt for Gems that are flawed (defective) or Off Colored in one way or another, but her reaction to Pink Diamond was different.  How?

“Well, when you have your own colony you can command whatever you want.”

Keyword here is when.  That, means, it’s a question of time, in Yellow’s opinion, of Pink gaining a colony.  If she didn’t think Pink deserved one, a more appropriate term would be “if”.  If Pink Diamond was truly overcooked/defective and Yellow faulted her for this, then she could never become more “worthy” of colony rule in Yellow’s eyes.  So then what might be a different reason as to why Yellow was not particularly obliging to Pink?

“Then why don’t you act like it, Pink?!”

“Yellow didn't respect Pink and treated her like a child”

Hm.  I wonder why.  Let’s review Pink’s behavior during the memory/dream sequence:

Pink asked a nonchalant Yellow about her activities

She continued to implore and prod Yellow to participate

When Yellow did not oblige, Pink helped herself by jabbing buttons in an incoherent manner, aggravating her golden counterpart

Pink threw a tantrum, foot stomping and all, to which Yellow criticized Pink for her behavior: “Then why don’t you act like it, Pink?!”

Pink stormed off and defaced Yellow’s moon base

Nothing from this exchange suggests that Yellow Diamond discriminated against or derided Pink for her size.  It’s certainly possible that Pink felt she needed to compensate for her smaller stature, assuming she was overcooked, but Yellow’s statements do not indicate this trait as being a fault or reason for Pink to not have any colonies.  Instead, she’s upset about Pink Diamond’s behavior, namely how juvenile it is.  While Yellow tapped a careful pattern to contact the fleet, Pink overzealously jabbed at buttons, only ceasing when Yellow pulled her from the screen.  Pink Diamond then began ranting about her situation and how she deserves to have what Yellow has, to which Yellow basically tells her to earn it. Punching the wall certainly won’t help her image.

Pink Diamond’s Future

“…It's possible that there was infighting between her and them over how to manage the war, and this, coupled with a stewing resentment over the fact that they never treated her as a full equal ("I'm just as important as you!" is not something she would have needed to say aloud if it had actually been true)”

Aside from “never” perhaps not being the most accurate word, as we don’t know what happened after Jungle Moon other than Pink getting Earth at some point, the use of “they” is also questionable.  Who “they” is in this context: Yellow and Blue Diamond.  But Blue was neither present nor mentioned in Jungle Moon, so how can we remark on whether or not Blue treated Pink as a full equal? The former conclusion, coupled with: 

“…Yellew Diamond look down on her”, and “…showing more flaws might give reason for Yellow Diamond to want her shattered.”

Suggests to me that these fans see Yellow Diamond as a bully.  As I’ve stated before, I’m not sure why some are so quick to vilify Yellow Diamond and even White Diamond, who we know next to nothing about, but promote more favorable views of Pink Diamond and sometimes Blue Diamond.  

Yellow Diamond’s criticisms were legitimate: she denied Pink Diamond her demands because she was acting like someone who makes poor decisions.  Having a colony entitles Pink to become a leader, and being a leader entails making many important decisions.  Judging Pink as unfit to control a colony does not suggest motivation for wanting her shattered; if anything, it suggests that she feared the rookie Diamond would get shattered, as a worst possible scenario.  Besides, Yellow’s reluctance was even more appropriate since Pink was [allegedly] shattered before completing her first colony.

Instead of portraying Pink Diamond as a victim of prejudice and discrimination by her fellow Diamonds, I believe Jungle Moon paints a picture of a zealous being with a chip on her shoulder, similar to that of an early Steven or Amethyst’s relationship amongst the Crystal Gems.  Amethyst is overcooked, and Steven is only half Gem, both of which are considered setbacks by their respective possessors that they try to overcompensate for.  Despite how they feel about these traits, their companions never fault them for it; rather Garnet and Pearl are sometimes wary of how these two make decisions.  

Steven is most certainly a minor, though he continues to mature throughout the series.  Contrarily, Amethyst is physically mature, but she behaves like a minor, leaving her in a similar situation as Steven.  In Tiger Millionaire, Amethyst argues with Pearl over her behavior during a mission:

“You're always putting us in danger with your little outbursts! (Amethyst puts fingers in ears and sticks out tongue.) Ugh, you are just... so... CHILDISH!” “Yeah, yeah. And don't forget reckless, vulgar, "loud mouth".  And that's just what makes me so awesome! RIGHT, GARNET?! “Amethyst, you are a Crystal Gem. You need to act like it.”

You need to act like it.   Then why don’t you act like it, Pink?!  

Am I the only one seeing the common thread here?  None of the Crystal Gems begrudge Amethyst her circumstances despite her belief otherwise in On the Run.  Pearl and Amethyst clash even more than Garnet and Amethyst, but how many fans believe Pearl doesn’t care about Amethyst, or that she has any disdain toward her as a being?  Could this relationship mirror how Yellow Diamond sees Pink Diamond?

I like to think so.  Perhaps, though, Yellow Diamond wasn’t as open about her affection toward Pink Diamond as Pearl is with Amethyst.  Priyanka seems to be more of an authoritarian in Connie’s life, which would explain why her presence fused with Yellow Diamond’s.  Maybe Yellow had less patience with Pink than Pearl does with Amethyst, though that’s not to say Priyanka doesn’t care about Connie’s welfare.   In one respect Yellow’s austerity is justified, as Pink’s decisions would impact the Homeworld Empire at large, whereas Amethyst’s decisions are generally limited to the Crystal Gems, Beach City and its citizens.