Monday, August 15, 2005

   I have no tan...
Damn my pale French skin! I was at the beach for a whole week and I still look like I spend to much time with Katamari Damacy. (Great game by the way.)

;_; Oh well...

Anyway, I'm back from New Jersey and I have two words for you: JERSEY BOYS
Mwah ha ha ha ha ha!!!!

I have to go now but I'll say more after my mom calls. She went to one of her "art shows" (it's the SCA so it doesn't count.)

^_^ See ya soon!*_*
~Char
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Friday, August 5, 2005

   And now I'm leaving.
Great. All hell breaks loose at home...and I go on vacation. That's either really BAD or really GOOD. No in between.

I'll write about what happened later or when I get back, but I'm going on vacation in New Jersey in about an hour so I won't have much time to do anything at the moment. I'm not even sure if I can get online from my cousin's house...

Anyway, I'll post as soon as I can but until then, I'll really miss you all! ;_;
~Char
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Monday, August 1, 2005

   Scary as hell!
Has anyone ever played Fatal Frame 2:Crimson Butterfly? I already finished it (I'm going on to hard mode now...*shudder*) but I thought that it deserves some blog time.

To start off, Crimson Butterfly is not for the weak of heart. It follows twin girls Mio and Mayu around as they uncover the mysteries of "The Lost Village" which was a village in Japan that had apparently disappeared during the time of a festival. (Festival my ass but whatever.) These two girls are being lead around the village by ghosts and their only form of protection against the supernatural is the Camera Obscura. A camera made by Dr.Aso that can photograph things with a connection to "the other side". Thank god that this camera also has an exorcising effect on the photographed beings! Or we'd be in trouble. Anyway, using this camera as your weapon and the dairies and last thoughts of dead villagers as your guide, you must uncover the secrets of the village to escape it's eternal curse.

Since I'm a freak and I want more terrified people in the world, here is the story as it's written in the little-guide-book-thing:


The vanished village, "All God's Village."

This village is said to have once stood in the forest, deep in the mountains. This forest is now due to be lost with the creation of a new dam.

The story goes, that on the eve of a special festival, the village suddenly vanished, leaving the forest wreathed in a thick fog.

Many also say that if you should happen to get lost in this forest, you will be spirited away to this lost village.

The village where the crimson butterflies dance.
The village held forever in the grip of a never-ending night.


*twitch twitch* Heh heh heh...*gulp*
I ended up getting the Director's Cut version wich has enhanced graphics and sounds. As if we NEED that! *sob* It's just so damn scary!!! All of the game graphics look ~real~ even during normal gameplay where a lot of games tend to take a turn for the worse. The cut scenes are amazing and make me wish I had on rubber pants. ^_^ The music is amazing as well. Maybe "amazing" isn't the word...it just really adds to the overall feel of the game. Which is terrifiying. The song they play when you end the game is beautiful and if you hadn't been watching the very sad end to a very terrifying game while it was playing one would rock out to it.

There are three different endings to the game but only two are considered to be ~the end~. I won't tell what happens in the two that I've gotten but I have to say that the "not real" ending made me stare at the screen with my mouth open in horror for 5 minutes after. The only real ending I've gotten made me cry...and cry...and cry...I stared at the screen after that one too, but not for the same reason.

The whole ~twin~ thing is very important to the story and it's more interesting if you understand some things about Japanese culture. Like the fact that twins are considered bad luck.

Crimson Butterfly is what my mom and I call "Japanese horror". Correct me if I'm wrong, but a lot of American horror games (like Resident Evil) base their horror factor on the gruesome images of ripped up bodies and the like. Well, the Japanese horror games (like the Fatal Frame series) base their horror factor on the psychological impact made on you by situations, the scary sounds that make you jump, sudden pop-ups, and very rare disturbing images which (when they rear their ugly heads) are the kind that make you think "OH MY GOD!!! Wh-what the...ewwwww." Case in point: In one of the houses as you are walking down a staircase you're character, Mio, stops even though you're pushing on the control stick. Suddenly you hear a bump and a peircing scream bursts your eardrums as a woman in a bright red kimono falls from the top of the staircase and lands RIGHT NEXT TO YOU!!! You then have to photograph her until she is finally exorcised but her condition is gross. One foot is twisted at an odd angle and I'm not really sure what her arms are doing. She can't get up so she sort of scoots around on her back after you...

Anyway, this game rocks and I recommend it for anyone tired of all the normal blood and gore. Sorry for the huge post!
~Char
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Wednesday, July 27, 2005

   I'm such a geek....^_^
There's this art magazine/newspaper called "Art Voice" that is apparently really big and read a lot. My mom is the featured artist for the next issue! For those of you who don't know, my mom is an artist...she works with leather and handcrafts these really beautiful masks, belts, ect. This is her website: http://www.merimask.com You can see a lot of her art here and read about how she makes it all happen.

Anyway, this guy from "Art Voice" (Tom Waters) came to our house today for an interview with my mom. He was really nice and my mom and him got along really well (considering they're both total geeks! ^_^) I recognized Tom from our local EB Games! It appears he works there as well! ^_~ I also noticed that he was about twice my size. He could have crushed my hand when he shook it! Not like he would though, Tom seemed really nice.
He took a couple of pictures of my mom with her work around her and then left. After he was gone my mom sank into her chair and started a deep breathing exercise. I guess she was really nervous during the interview! She seemed all worried after it, but I told her that she did fine. She did seem totally comfortable when he was here. ^_^

I'm glad that my mom is finally getting the recognition she deserves!
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Tuesday, July 26, 2005

   V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N
Meep! I'm going on vacation soon. My cousins have a beach house in New Jersey with a whole private beach. I'm not sure if I'm happy or not 'cause one of my cousins (who shall remain unidentified) is a real nasty piece of work. My other cousin, Mike, is OK but he's getting to the age where guys get seriously interested in girls (around 15) and he and his friends won't stop looking at my step-cousin Dee and I.
At least Dee is with me! I'm not sure if I could stand it without her!;_; She's really cool.

I plan to get REALLY sunburned!!!!!!!!! Heh heh heh....na no da!
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Monday, July 25, 2005

   *sniffles* Sorry! But Hi!!!
It's been months since I've been here! I have to come more. But I have BIG-HAPPY-NEWS!!!!

I have finally gotten my hands on the Gravitation anime (I only had the manga 1-11 before) and I've fallen in love with Tohma Seguchi! I mean, I used to love him before but now I'm really obsessed! ^_^ I got to see him actually PLAYING the synth! On that same note, I love Nittle Grasper as well! Their music rocks. I'm right up there with Shuichi and Tatsuha floating up in the sky on a pink, fluffy cloud when they start playing music. (I really love the original "Sleepless Beauty" and "Predilection". The snake bite version of "Sleepless Beauty" isn't bad either!)

I've also decided that while playing keyboards/synth in a band is a great dream (I start piano lessons soon....) my realistic goal is to become a music producer...in Japan. I don't think I'll ever give Japan up. *shrug* All I really need to reach my goal is good schooling and connections. I have plenty of connections through my Uncle Richard (used to travel to Tokyo periodically on business) and my Uncle John (works in the commercial art business in Las Vegas). My dad also has a friend that he grew up across the street from and she is now living in Tokyo,Japan and works as a news broadcaster. It gives me hope that a foreiner can find good work in Japan! You'll be sure to hear my name in the music business somehow or other, because once I set my mind to something I'll do everything in my power to achieve that goal. ^_~

Anyway, I'm back for good and I'm really really bouncy! I shall leave you all now with a reenactment of one of my favorite scenes in the Gravitation anime!

Tohma:"It seems that I underestimated Bad Luck's potential. This company should redirect our sponsorship plans."

Sakano:"Shacho!" (technically means "Mr.President"...)

Tohma:"However, there is a serious weakness in Bad Luck."

Shuichi:"Huh?"

Tohma:"Can you tell what it is?"

Shuichi:"..."

Tohma:"We will be happy to support you. Unless you are the sort of dull artists who can not recognize their weakness."


And then....


Hiro:"Are you testing us?"

Tohma:"Shouldn't I be?"

YAY TOHMA!!!!!!!!!! *_*
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Saturday, May 7, 2005

   .......
Sorry. I havn't done anything in a while. I've been down...I think...oh, whatever! Sorry though.

Hee hee! I start Track on Monday! ^_^ Woo Hoo!!! It's CoEd too. Yes, I'm going to beat all the guys' butts. ^_~

And to make my mood better, Star Wars is coming out! The final installment!...Where everything goes to hell...*sniffle* BUT. My step-grandmother is coming and she's supposed to go see the movie with us. That's fine. Or at least would be. But she can't stop talking. She never does. My problem is the following: I CAN'T GO TO THE FINAL STAR WARS MOVIE WITH A WOMAN TALKING IN MY EAR ABOUT FINE CHINA!!!!
It's a big deal for me...what can I do? ;_;

Well, besides that I'm O.K. @_@ I think.
Catch ya later!
~Char
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Sunday, April 24, 2005

   WHY?
Fun. Just fun.

I'm still in a bad mood from yesterday and I can't do the ONE THING that I really want to.
On May 13, 14, and 15 there will be an anime convention near Chicago (I forget the place) and none other than The Pillows are going to be playing live. (The Pillows did the theme song of FLCL, remember?)
I can't go. *sniffle* Why...why can't I go...?
Is anyone going? If you are...can I have pictures? Please? Pretty please? I really want to go. I already missed L'Arc~en~ciel playing here.
Also, does anyone know of any conventions with concerts (or just concerts) by ummmm, well, anyone really. If it's later in the year I might be able to save up and go. ^_^
Thanks a ton!
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Saturday, April 23, 2005

   The Glass is Half Empty...Bleah...
Well, nothing new here. (Actually my mom is getting a new car and I have a use for my laptop now that I have an iPod...) But that's it.
I'm not in a good mood, and considering that it is raining I should be, but I'm not.
The coolest couple in the world just broke up and I've realized just how fragile love can be. Is it just me? (Please tell me it is.)
~Char *sniffle*
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Wednesday, April 20, 2005

   Sorry excuse if you ask me.
Well, I went to school today and talked to Niel. He claims that the burned CD I gave him skips a lot on his CD player, so he couldn't listen to my stuff. Sorry excuse but I'll have to let him go on this.
Let him live in a musicless world! I bet he'll die early though.
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