Twelve Jinhao 82s I had to stop at 12. Too addictive.

I use a Hobonichi techo planner and grid notebooks. I also use Midori grid notebooks. No feathering on both, not too glossy so my nib doesn't "skate" on top. I like Rhodia pads (some of the notebooks feather). Clairfontaine is lovely smooth paper but my pens usually "skate" on it and I can't control my handwriting on it, but YMMV.

Testing federation with Mastodon.

Sailor and Platinum converters are easily disassembled/reassembled.Try it :)

I was checking the sidebar of one of my other magazine subscriptions (@magASEAN, for Southeast Asian posts), and saw that they had a TAGS portion. This made a number of hashtagged posts appear on the microblog section of the magazine. I wonder if that's possible here, or if #BTS and related tags are just too huge to access.

Oh, federation with Mastodon works, 12 November 2023! I managed to see the notification with the photo in my timeline. Very good.

Oh, man! This should be interesting.

Now the Calckey posts show up! But why is my pfp marked +18 and blurred?

My Curidas dries out faster than my Vanishing Point or my Majohn A1. I think the plastic trap door sometimes doesn't close fully, which I think is a design flaw. Too bad, because the EF nib is really great.

Jungkook's latest video, Standing Next To You, is a retro funk opus that evokes Michael Jackson. The video seems to be inspired by Baz Luhrmann's 1996 film Romeo and Juliet. Jungkook also performed this live a few days ago at TSX on Times Square.

Popcrush lists D-Day, FACE and Golden in its Best Pop Albums list of 2023 (in alphabetical order).

D-Day, Agust D
To many, Agust D is best known as Suga — the pensive and producing powerhouse of BTS who doesn't necessarily like to dance. However, he shows ARMY and just about everyone else that he can do so much more than craft a catchy pop song with D-Day, an amalgamation of his growth as an artist, songwriter and producer that captures his journey into adulthood. While two previous mixtapes, Agust D and D-2, expressed his insecurities, Agust D shares his thoughts about life and views on the world on D-Day. "Haegeum" digs deep into society's need to consume endless digital media, while the artist processes trauma and moves past it in "Amygdala." Though rooted in hip-hop, Agust D shows his sonic range and musical genius by bringing on late composer Ryuichi Sakamoto on the hypnotizing, yet soothing track, "Snooze." Whether you know him as Suga, Agust D or Yoon-gi, this young artist is a musical renaissance man, and D-Day is his opus — at least, for now.

Face, Jimin
BTS’ Jimin’s first solo album opens with the distinctive sound of circus horns. It’s fittingly reminiscent of the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, considering Jimin is a member of another culture-shifting, globally conquering music group. What follows on FACE is an alluring look into the inner world of a pop icon known for his silky singing voice and graceful — and often sensual — dancing. The album takes twists and turns that somehow work well together, including pieces of Jimin’s world such as a crowd of ARMYs cheering, as well as audio of himself running. On the glittery, ‘80s-esque synth-pop single “Like Crazy,” he takes inspiration from the 2011 romance movie of the same title, which he told Rolling Stone expresses “exactly what he wanted to say.” Meanwhile, the sonically experimental pre-release track “Set Me Free Pt.2” showcases a Jimin whose solo artistry takes center stage as he details his journey from K-pop trainee to global superstar, and all that comes with the spotlight.

Golden, Jungkook
Known for his smooth vocals and charming stage presence, the youngest member of BTS has cemented his status as a 2020s pop icon in the absence of a major male music star. With Justin Bieber in his healing era and Harry Styles on a break after his extensive world tour, Jungkook is here to take over with his glossy, retro-infused pop debut. He brings ‘00s Jesse McCartney energy as he croons to a crush on standout track “Yes or No,” while single “Standing Next to You” is a funky disco-tinged jam that sees JK effortlessly perform Michael Jackson-esque choreography via its sultry music video. His vocal versatility is made apparent throughout the album as he sails through notes high and low; and delivers both bangers and ballads, such as tender album closer “Shot Glass of Tears” and “Hate You,” which was co-written by fellow pop singer Shawn Mendes. Jungkook most definitely puts the “golden” in his “Golden Maknae” nickname.

Timeout.com (UK) ranks V's Layover album as #19 in The 30 Best Albums of the Year (2023).

"Out of the seven members of Korean super band BTS, V was the last to release his solo music – the artist has admitted to binning several works-in-progress – but boy, was the wait worth it. His debut six-track EP lends his husky, sweet baritone to jazz-leaning R&B tunes with a clear nostalgic influence. Personal favourites? ‘Slow Dancing’, a soulful track that glides as beautifully as its eponymous activity; and ‘For Us’, with its intriguing key change midway through. If you like modern jazz singer Laufey, or even the neo soul legend Maxwell, no doubt you’ll enjoy V’s work too."

Jungkook wrote a letter to ARMY on Weverse, before his enlistment.

BTS Maknaes did their final live before enlisting, on Dec. 5. Jungkook already shaved his head, but refused to show it until the end of the live, when he ran very quickly in front of the camera.

According to a poster on Tiktok, Suga has begun his social service training this week and was appointed division team leader.

Tiktok

"BTS RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook enlist in the military on December 11th and 12th... According to Star News exclusive coverage on the 29th, RM and V will enter a training center somewhere in the rear on December 11th. Jimin and Jungkook will then enter the same recruit training center together on December 12th, the next day."

Naver

[If you open the article in Chrome it will translate from Korean to English.]

Weverse announced a Standing Next To You remix featuring Usher, to be released on 01 December 2023. Weverse

V has applied to join the Capital Defense Command's special mission unit, and will be assigned to Nonsan Training Center on December 11. RM will also be assigned to Nonsan Training Center on the same day. Jimin and Jungkook will be enlisting at the Army 5th Infantry Division Recruit Training Center in Yeoncheon-gun, Gyeonggi province, on December 12th, where Jin is currently assigned as an assistant training instructor.

Paste Magazine includes Jimin's FACE (#16), Jungkook's Golden (#9) and Agust D's D-Day (#7) in its 20 Best K-pop Albums of 2023.

Jimin: "Following in the footsteps of fellow BTS bandmates RM and J-Hope, Jimin has crafted his most personal music yet with FACE, an EP that is anything but surface level. On songs like “Face-off”—an ethereal RnB opener—and “Set Me Free Pt.2″—an abrasively grandiose yet divisive hip-hop track—Jimin mines angst and self-torment to great effect. Throw in audio snippets from life on and off stage, plus a surprise cameo from Jennifer Lawrence, of all people, and you’ve got yourself one of the year’s most exciting and endlessly creative solo efforts."

Jungkook: "While some of his bandmates went off to complete military service, the youngest member of BTS released his first English-language album in a bid for global pop stardom. Without any writing or production credits to call his own on GOLDEN, Jungkook adopts a chameleonic approach that sees him shifting between styles and genres alongside Western collaborators including Latto, Jack Harlow and Major Lazer, as well as songwriting credits from Ed Sheeran and Shawn Mendes. The result is an infectious, singles-driven collection of undeniable bops we’ve been listening to seven days a week, which proves Jungkook has the Midas touch on anything he sets his mind to. With clear influences from the likes of Justin Timberlake, Usher and Justin Bieber, Jungkook is clearly vying for that pop king crown—and if Golden is anything to go by, the throne could very well be his."

Suga: "The third release from Agust D—aka Suga—completes his solo trilogy with more fiery commentary on societal norms, yet there’s also room for more personal contemplation this time round as well. “Amyygdala” hits as hard as Agust’s flow with a heart-wrenching look back at past traumas yet the album’s true centerpiece is “Snooze”, a collaboration with The Rose’s WOOSUNG and late Japanese composer, Ryuichi Sakamoto, whose haunting melody accompanies Agust’s most vulnerable music yet. That alone would earn D-Day a spot on the list, but this is an extremely accomplished body of work regardless, one which cements Agust D as one of the greatest Korean rappers of his generation."

Closer Than This is #1 in 100 countries on iTunes!