The Problematic of the Unproblematic

Shuk: [dancing] "Signed Sealed Delivered, I'm Yours". Stevie Wonder is a genius! And I am soo ready for some up-close-and-personal interaction. Just in case, I bought a cooling stand for my laptop. Trotwood: I actually turned the fan on before watching this episode. Jaehyus: I wasn't that into these two eps, actually.  But anyway, on y va! JoAnne: I'm fairly distracted lately, so...I have no idea what's coming. So yes, on y va! Quirkstine: I had to google that but ditto.

Ah, there is love between the Ming siblings, and a great deal at that ... but that does not stop Ming Lou from using his siblings and foster siblings for the greater cause, and that chills me, because it cannot end well. As we are preparing for "Project Death", we get reminded that the stakes are very high ... in fact, this is about life and death. Every part of the way. Some secrets are shared, others not so much. As I watch the relationships unfold and develop in this drama between the Mings, I can't help but think that in the end the fallout isn't going to be pretty. At least for now though, I'll enjoy the relative lull and of course our beautiful man who looks so good with that blue tie! I just accepted going in that people would die. For me it's a foregone conclusion that Ming Lou will die. It could be all three men, and the sister left to mourn. Other than that, it's slightly better odds that Ming Tai would live versus Ah Cheng, and I like the s...

"If you have desires and feelings, you cannot be carefree", Mei Changsu tells Jingrui in this episode. It brings the end of illusions and first snow - and a sense of nostalgia, because after this? Nothing will ever be the same. The game has begun and we have yet to see who is a pawn and who is a king. dewaanifordrama: This drama handles pain and suffering so well. Beloved characters face hard things but still persevere. How can a drama hurt so good? JoAnne: I am suspicious of almost everyone. It prevents me from feeling this quiet as emotionally as you do, I think.

Mei Changsu's vulnerability when it comes to his old feelings for Nihuang threaten to expose his true identity, while his machinations as a strategist put him right in the eye of the gathering storm. Being too smart for one's own good is a dangerous thing, especially with enemies like the Marquis of Ning. Oh Mei Changsu. Sometimes I wonder if he should have just stayed hidden and never returned. But he's full of honour and a need to avenge the wrongs of the past.  He doesn't really do anything to protect his identity other than not say 'Hey, I'm Lin Shu.' It's a little bit funny, at times. Yeah, I guess that's part of his plan too .

One day, triumphant winner, the next, feeling lousy with a severe headache? Yes, that's Prince Yu! Mei Changsu's machinations are starting and it is possible that many people will get hurt in the process. Can he make sure it's only the right ones? JoAnne: Something has to go wrong along the way, right?  He's bound to hurt someone he cares about, or cause their death.  You just know it. dewaanifordrama: Oh Mei Changsu. If only we can keep the casualties to a minimum, I'll be happy. 

Time to kick some bear's ass ... and time to worry about Nihuang! Mei Changsu makes a (small) mistake with potentially large consequences and once again, we are reminded about how precarious this whole situation is. The pressure! It can't be good for his health. This health might not be so good, but the man still looks so fiiiiiinnnneeee!!! Also, his lips match the carpet with that filter. 

So, dear Squeeglets, I wanna try something new. We have many readers but only very few among you and some of those hardly at all. I have noticed something though: many of you are SUPER TALENTED! I.e. they draw great pictures or they crotchet and knit or they bake and cook or write, you name it. What I want to do, therefore, is give you a platform on this blog that you can use to make your (or a relative's) work known to some more people. Why? Cause I believe that sharing is caring. If you have something you want to share, be it your or somebody else's thing, email me at kakashisensei4444@gmail.com and I will see what I can do for you! If you become really famous, will you promise to think of me from time to time? And because I have a very talented husband who told me in a frank moment that he wouldn't mind finding a foreign language publisher (a very interested American publisher turned him down after he found out that there is a female devil with naked breasts in it!...

Nabi: Oh my...what?!?! JoAnne: You heard the man. Jaehyus: I'm a little out of it. Block B is this week and logisitics for that concert, travel, what to wear, what to carry, etc are taking up my brain. Also, maybe it's because of the concert, but I felt pretty bored by most dramas this week.   kakashi: Ohhhh, where are you going for that? And I'm totally out of it too. I'm on a Hu Ge rampage and I never want this to end - both Nirvana in Fire and The Disguiser are SO GOOD I don't even know what I will watch after them Chicago. It's not actually going to be that much different from going locally if I add up all the steps to go out: I'm just adding in a short flight.  Nirvana in Fire is the one drama that kind of held my interest lately other than SFD. What's with the new obsession with historical? chinese? taiwanese? dramas? I just read a blog post that claims the chinese govt was so upset that kdramas were more popular that they had meetings ...

Ming Tai spreads his wings in this episode, but not to fly away, but to go and settle in Shanghai to be what he was trained for: a spy. Before that happens, we're going through some intense psycho terror first, trademark Wang. What's UP with Wang? He is insane, really, and insanely emotional, too. Anyway, another super strong episode. Do we only get strong episodes?! Seems like it. JoAnne: I'm not going to complain. I loved this episode. It brought back a lot of memories for me and felt very real, so keep on bringing it, Disguiser team! dewaanifordrama: LOVE, LOVE, LOVED this episode. And that is the screenshot I was hoping you would choose to start the post Kakashi. You read my mind! You are amazing! 

Ohhhhh, what an episode! It's thrilling and touching and brilliant and sad and SO GOOD and sometimes, words are just not enough to do something like this justice. Ming Tai takes the final step (for the longest time, I prayed he wouldn't) and emerges as a different person at the end. There is no turning back and it won't be pretty, but he is blessed with a family that will be there for him if he needs them. JoAnne: What I mourn here is that some of his light will be dimmed by the ugliness. I wish he could have just gone on as the carefree soul he had been. It's a war, and men do terrible things that aren't necessarily evil things. I don't feel like he isn't a good person anymore...but he's lost his innocence . dewaanifordrama: Oh Ming Tai, how my heart aches for him. War is an ugly business, no matter what cause anyone is fighting for and his innocence is most definitely a casualty. Oh Ming Tai.