Welcome to Gaia! ::

How this works

The koi demand knowledge! This is meant to be an educational and low pressure mini-game. Pick a favorite topic from the topic list. Write a paragraph on the topic to get a ticket into the prize raffle. Want more tickets? Feel free to write a paragraph on as many topics as you like!


Instructions:
~ The topics are as follows: Green tea, Japanese tea ceremony, geisha, tea farming/production, koi
~ Submit a form with at least 4 sentences on a topic to get a ticket. Each topic you write about gets you one ticket, so feel free to do as many as you like!
~ You can only receive one ticket per topic, so only submit once per topic.
~ At the end of the five days, I'll roll winners from entrants!


Rules

~ Follow all soquili rules and gaia ToS.
~ No mules.
~ Be a good sport. Disruptive, discouraging, or mean-spirited behavior will result in disqualification from the game and notification of shop managers.
~ PM Roniel Targaryen with any questions.
~ No proxies for this event. Staff may enter!
~ If you make an error on the form, feel free to edit. However, if it's something large or you feel that I may have already bypassed you on the list, please repost.
~ You must post a new form for each topic you choose to write on. You may have multiple forms in one post.
~ You receive one ticket for each topic you write about. You can only receive one ticket per topic.
~ Do not delete your posts. Edit your post instead if you made an error!
~ Please don’t try to be cheeky. If you post about koi and your entry reads like: “Koi are fish. They are cute. They swim.” Then you will not receive a ticket and I will be sad.
~ Be factual! If you tell me that koi speak seventeen languages and only eat fresh rambutans then you will not receive a ticket and I will still be sad!
~ Don’t copy-paste! The koi won’t accept plagiarized entries. Don’t copy-paste from wikipedia, don’t copy-paste from other entries. I’ve graded a lot of papers and have a lot of experience tracking down cheaters. Don’t try it! Please rewrite in your own words.
~ This is more of a request than a rule, but the goal of this game is to learn! Try to find something interesting to say about a topic that other entrants might not have noticed yet. biggrin



The form:

This opens on Saturday, but please feel free to ask questions here! biggrin

Today I learned that...
Username: Nisshou H
Topic: Koi
What's so interesting about that? Koi are an ornamental carp bred specifically for their beautiful coloration. No two fish are ever exactly the same but there are still dozens of notable and sought after patterns to be observes on the fish. Kohaku koi are the best known coloration and they are white with red or red-orange markings. Tancho koi, on the other hand, are a hugely popular variety of fish that are pure white with the exception of a single red dot on the head. On the other side of the spectrum there are Shiro Utsuri koi that have a black base and white markings. Variations of this black koi are the Hi Utsuri which have red or orange markings and Ki Utsuri which have yellow markings. There are also less commonly known koi patterns (at least outside of Japan) such as the Matsuba koi which have a metallic appearance paired with a net pattern over them. There are even scaleless koi known as doitsu that come in just as many colors as their scaled counterparts.
Prize preferences: Orange koi otter, silver koi otter, gold koi otter, black and red koi otter, pass

Today I learned that...
Username: Nisshou H
Topic: Geisha
What's so interesting about that? In simple terms, Geisha are female, Japanese entertainers skilled in many traditional Japanese arts. They undergo rigorous training that starts at the age of 16. In this training they learn to dance, converse, perform classical music with traditional instruments, and take care of their hair. A geisha’s hair is a mark of her ranking or the special occasion being celebrated. A full geisha will have at least four hairstyles and numerous hair ornaments, known as kanzashi, to wear. The first style worn by an apprentice is under less scrutiny, it can be worn in any way; it just cannot be cut. After a year an apprentice goes through a ceremony called misedashi that formally announces her debut as an apprentice. At this time the apprentice will visit a hair dresser weekly so her hair can be washed and restyled. To preserve the style between visits she will sleep on an omaku: a wooden box with a small pillow. The style worn at this stage is known as warenshinobu. The next style was worn after an apprentice found her first patron. In current times it is worn on her 18th birthday. After that an apprentice will wear a style called sakko for one month which marks the end of her apprenticeship. Other styles include the yakko shimada which is for New Years and katsuyama which is worn for the Gion festival. After the completion of an apprenticeship the geisha is able to wash and care for her own hair.
Prize preferences: Orange koi otter, silver koi otter, gold koi otter, black and red koi otter, pass

Today I learned that...
Username: Nisshou H
Topic: Green Tea
What's so interesting about that? Green tea was originally used in China for medicinal purposes. It was brought over to Japan by envoys sent to China during the Nara and Heian periods (Nara Period: 710-794 AD. Heian Period: 794-1185.) in the form of tea seeds. The cultivation of tea was encouraged in the early Heian Period but it was extremely valuable and primarily consumed by court nobles. Thanks to the efforts of a Zen monk green tea was brought to the public for consumption in the 12th century. The style of tea preparation introduced to the public was called tencha: a powdered tea placed into a bowl and whipped together with hot water. At first this was only common among Buddhist monks but in the 13th century samurai began to adopt this practice. By the 16th century the consumption of green tea had spread through all social levels of Japan. It remains a common practice to drink green tea even today.
Prize preferences: Orange koi otter, silver koi otter, gold koi otter, black and red koi otter, pass

Today I learned that...
Username: Nyx Queen of Darkness
Topic: Koi
What's so interesting about that? Koi isn't the actual name for these kinds of fish. They're called nishikigoi which translates to "brocaded carp". It's a fitting name since normally koi are used or ornamental/decorative purposes. The word Koi in Japanese sounds the same as the word used for "love" which koi have become symbolic of.
Prize preferences: Orange with teapot, Gold with Teapot, Silver, Red, Seathi

Today I learned that...
Username:
Topic: tea farming/production
What's so interesting about that? In 1744, tea was first introduced into farming in North America in Savannah. In the southern states, there's a good-sized farm in South Carolina though most other states boast of only small growing plantations. Over the next few years, the plan is for most of the smaller places to increase their output by using some kind of mechanization Several other farms across the States are looking to become commercial.
Prize preferences: Orange with teapot, Gold with Teapot, Silver, Red, Seathi

Today I learned that...
Username: Nyx Queen of Darkness
Topic: geisha
What's so interesting about that? In Kanji, the word for geisha is made up of two symbols. One of them means "art" and the other means "doer"--which explains that the job of a geisha is to entertain. Training for some geisha can start before five. In more recent years, some geisha have continued to entertain even after marriage--and some even after they had children!
Prize preferences: Orange with teapot, Gold with Teapot, Silver, Red, Seathi

Today I learned that...
Username:
Topic: Green tea
What's so interesting about that? Green tea can help you to focus more through chemical reactions in the brain. L-theanine and caffeine are two of the ingredients that help increase brain function. It can also help prevent neurological affects later in life like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. There is some debate on whether or not green tea lowers your chances of getting cancer, but it can't hurt?
Prize preferences: Orange with teapot, Gold with Teapot, Silver, Red, Seathi

Today I learned that...
Username:
Topic: Japanese tea ceremony
What's so interesting about that? A Japanese Tea Ceremony is also known as "Way of Tea". There's a ceremonial making of green tea called Matcha. There can be formal and informal tea gatherings. The formal one, called chaji can last for hours!
Prize preferences: Orange with teapot, Gold with Teapot, Silver, Red, Seathi

Today I learned that...
Username: ~Latonia de la Courtel~
Topic: Geisha
What's so interesting about that? The word Geisha is actually formed of two kanji characters meaning "art" and "person" or "doer". As such, the most literal translation of their title is something along the lines of artisan or performing artist. The most widely known title for apprentice geisha is maiko "dance child". However, they can also be called hangyoku "half-jewel", or o-shaku "one who pours". At this time, the only modern maiko that apprentice before the age of 18 are those in Kyoto. However, historically, geisha began the earliest stages of their training as early as 3 or 5 years of age.
Prize preferences: 4, 5, 2, 3, Reroll