Damage Control

broderic on August 5, 2011

I am currently two months into reading Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway. It’s taken me this long not because its a particularly thick book, but because I’ve only read it off and on a few pages one night, then a chapter the next. Everytime I read it, I’m hooked. It’s a gripping account of the last good days of the Imperial Japanese Kido Butai their carrier division strike force as it meets its end at Midway. At the rate I’m reading this book, I’ll be done by September.

In reading this book, it’s made me more curious about naval ships and especially about their damage control activities. It’s kind of coupled to my work as well as I’m doing things with automated systems on board a ship. Stupid as it is working for IniTech has me very close to a few things that I am interested in. Boats, man, boats. I like ’em.

Now, all this makes me wonder if I should be building the Kido Butai instead of the IJN battleships. I should build out the Akagi or Soryu rather than the Nagato. Scratch that. Nagato is awesome.

The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya

broderic on December 10, 2010

長門有希 Yuki Nagato "The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya" version

A week before the Hawaiian Vacation, I had bought the latest American Haruhi light novel, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya. I figured that it was gonna be a good beach read. When we got to the 808 state, the first few days I didn’t even pick it up. Then at Ko Olina, bored silly with the fake Hawaii, I started to read it. In the trade winds it took a while to get into the story. Honestly, the first couple of Nagaru Tanigawa’s light novels were not that great. The first one, The Melancholy…, is fine but The Sigh… kind of stunk and The Boredom… was 2/4 a good read. I wasn’t looking forward to read this episode. I’m really waiting for the movie.

Yet, in the trade winds, on the beach, I couldn’t put the book down. I had finally found out why this series rocked.

It is all about the Nagato! Yuki plays a big important role in this book. And more Yuki the better.

It starts off the week before Christmas, and the SOS Brigade is gonna throw a nabe stew Christmas party. Its what Haruhi wants. The gang just goes along. Then, the world becomes a different place. Kyon meets the deadly Asakura again. Haruhi is no longer a student at North High. There is no SOS Brigade. And Yuki is human. Yuki Nagato is the only member of the Literature club, 100% human and shy, cute as all get out. She even asks Kyon to join. Who could not? But all is wrong and Kyon must find his way back to his reality.

So I blazed through this book in another day. Spent a sunny afternoon with it and hunkered down in an evening reading. Did this all in paradise. But I didn’t mind as this is the best book of the series so far.

Read it. You’ll love Nagato as well.

Now, I’m just waiting for the movie, and to see the human Nagato on screen.

It's a Yuki X-mas

broderic on December 7, 2010


It’s a Yuki X-mas
Originally uploaded by browsermetrics.
Love it when i get home and there’s a nendoroid on the doorstep. The ever so kawaii Yuki Nagato from the anime movie, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzimiya. I read the book while in Hawaii. A review is forthcoming, but let me just say, it’s all about Nagato. Best book so far.

IJN Nagato

broderic on October 22, 2008


nagato-111
Originally uploaded by duroyal420.
TheSeed asked me the other day, “Why do you like the Japanese ships?”

He was referring to the IJN Yamato model on my coffee table.

“I’m wanting to build out the Imperial Japanese Navy fleet.”

“I’m also fascinated by the Nagato.”

Here’s a look at a completed model of the IJN Nagato. It was the only Japanese battleship to survive WWII. The US confiscated it as the spoils of war and used her at the atomic testing grounds on Bikini Atoll. She sank after the second of two atomic bomb tests.

Nagato is also the name of my favorite character from The Meloncholy of Haruhi Suzimiya. I like to consider her the mascot for my MacBookPro.