Monday, July 10, 2006

Music post still coming...
So I'm heading off to my college physical in about half an hour. I would say I'm nervous, because I'm really needle-phobic, but they gave me a nice sedative to take so mostly I just feel dizzy. XD

But I had to plug my darling Color Me Evil's article!

http://articles.theotaku.com/view.php?action=retrieve&id=2673

Go. Read it. This woman will be the next Stephen Colbert, but even sexier. And while you're at it, take a look at the comments to see just how oversensitive people can get. Between people not getting it ("ummmm your jus making da sterotypes worse lol") and people taking it too seriously ("ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT MEEEEEEE?"), it's quite the show.
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Tuesday, July 4, 2006

   It's that time again already, huh?
Happy 4th of July to my fellow Yanks! And if you're not a fellow Yank... well... feel free to blow things up tonight anyway. Go on, it'll be fun. XD

So anyway. I'm thinking of having a big music-sharing post next time. Anyone up for that?
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Friday, June 30, 2006

...
Why yes, I love not being able to have breakfast because my brother can't tear himself away from the TV long enough to go up the street and get some milk.

Screw you, World Cup.
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Tuesday, June 27, 2006

The Ouran Host Club Saga
Okay, so yesterday morning, I caved. I decided to walk up to my local Barnes and Noble and splurge on some manga. Namely, Ouran Koukou Host Club. (It's my new big obsession... seriously, if you're not averse to shoujo crack, download the anime, or pick up the manga, which Viz is translating.)

The walk isn't that big of a distance, but when it's about 97 degrees and humid outside, it gets quite a bit longer. But me? I'm obsessed. I have a lot of time on my hands. I'm constantly auditioning for the leading role in a Shounen Jump manga. I pressed on.

Finally, I reached the bookstore, and hurried to the back where the graphic novels are. Now, see, I live in Jacksonville, Florida, a.k.a anime no-man's land. Here, either the manga's too obscure to be stocked, or there's one or two copies of everything. When I find Ouran Host Club... I only see volumes 1 and 6. The absence of middle-volumes leads me to only one conclusion...

I actually like something popular enough to be sold out HERE?

I then remember there's another part of the store that displays purely shoujo manga, and head over there. Nothing. Even though they have about a dozen other Viz/Shoujo Beat titles. Like Tokyo Mew Mew. I would make some sort of snide comment, but at that point, I was busy digging for my cellphone so Dad could drive me across the street to Books a Million. (Don't laugh. It's not humanly possible to cross that intersection on foot.)

But, as I often do, I forgot my cellphone somewhere... so I grabbed volume 6 and trekked back home in the godawful heat, shounen determination and all, and got Dad to take me to Books a Million. At first, it looked like they didn't have it, but then... I see it. Mixed in with the R's. And GRABBED THEM.

And thus, I was victorious. And the manga is awesome, and I plan to write up a post about it later.

I want to make an Ouran layout... I wish I didn't suck at these things. XD
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Monday, June 19, 2006

The Giant Japan Photo Post of DOOOOOM!
And here it is! I posted a handful of these on my deviantArt, but only the really pretty ones. XD Here's all of my Japan photos, plus some that I stole from my friends because I was out of pictures and cameras there are incredibly expensive. Yes, I had to use disposable cameras because Mom didn't let me take the good one; she thought she was "saving me from myself" or something. Ugh. I wouldn't have forgotten it!

Anyway, that explains the quality of some of the pictures, but not too many, thankfully. I hope you enjoy them!

Riding the Keisei Line. This is the train we took from Narita Airport to Ueno Station.
Tania and Lisa on the train.
Riding the Yamanote Line. From left to right: me, Lynn, Alex, Lisa, and Tania.
First look at Tokyo. This is Minowa, where our hostel was located.
Second first look at Tokyo. More of Minowa.
Occupado. The sign that hung on the bathroom in our hostel, since there was no lock. Alex stole it. XD
View from the hotel room, 4:15 AM. Which should explain the lighting, hehe.
No shoes, please! This sign was in our hostel room. They had adorable little house slippers that we had to kill a cockroach with.
The room. Yes, those are triple bunks! The top one visible in the picture was mine; it was right under the vent, which occasionally talked to me. Because of the weird, speech-like noises, we dubbed it, "The Phantom of the Hostel."
Magazines, plus my finger. They sold manga in 7-11's, how cool is that?
Minowa, highway view.
They have the strangest posters.
The first shrine of many. One of the shrines in Minowa.
Another shrine, across the street. I thought of Yuuko's shop when I saw it. *dork*
Shibuya. Where everything is expensive! Shibuya is a district in Tokyo, home to the uber-expensive shopping mall Shibuya 109. We found an awesome bookstore there, Mandarake... so cheap!
Dessert stand. Tres decadent. I want to eat it all.
More Shibuya.
Loligoth girls, part one.
And part two. We saw so many people on this bridge outside Harajuku station... including my friend Theresa. I barely see her HERE! XD
People crossing outside Harajuku Station.
Takeshita-dori. A street in Harajuku dedicated to more clothing stores, crepe stands, and knicknack stores than you've ever seen.
Harajuku. This picture was taken from Jonathan's, a restaurant we ate at quite a few times.
Misako-san and Yukiko-san, our guides around Harajuku. Misako-san did an exchange program at my school when I was in 10th grade, and Tania became pen pals with Yukiko-san. They're enormously sweet, polite girls, and I heart them. ¢¾
A condom store in Harajuku. ... yeah, you heard me. And yes, I did go in. What. XD
Alex, singing kareoke. IT WAS SO MUCH FUN! I want to go again sometime really soon, I loved it. They even score you on your performance! Our highest score was actually on "Tsuki no Curse," the Loveless opening. XD
Cemetary. A place in Ueno, Tokyo, that we saw walking to the post office.
Another Ueno shrine.
Heaven on Earth. Seven floors of goodness. I spent so much there it's not even funny.
El Inn Kyoto. What's with the random Spanish? My first Kyoto picture of many.
Decorated headstones. Wonder what those are for? Taken in a rural area in Kyoto.
More headstones.
A canal in Kyoto. Taken while we were walking around looking for that five story pagoda. Tell me, how exactly do you lose a FIVE STORY PAGODA. XD
Kyoto apartments. Can I live there please.
The Kamo River. Taken while crossing a bridge on the way to Gion. We ran into this lady with a dog, and while the dog was jumping over us, she was squeaking, "Gomen nasai! Gomen nasai!" It was adorable.
Another random shrine!
Interior shot of the shrine.
Gion Shrine 1. The first shrine we went to in Gion! This one was closed, even though I saw shoes inside. How mysterious.
Gion Shrine 1: Side View.
Gion Shrine 1: Headstone.
Gion Shrine 1: Garden.
Gion Shrine 1: Gate.
Gion Shrine 1: Memorial.
Gion Shrine 2. I loved this place! The grounds were absolutely huge, and were on some pretty tall hills. There was a gift shop here, too, with a really awesome monk that spoke great English. I ended up having a conversation with him (he'd stayed in San Francisco before), and I bought two charms from him: good health and happiness, and safe travel. There was an adjacent gift shop with weirder things (like Kondou and Hijikata origami paper), and that played a kareoke-esque version of "Killing Me Softly." Oh dear.
Gion Shrine 2: Buddha.
Gion Shrine 2: Libery Bell? No, not really. XD I assume you ring it for various ceremonies. But still, I got confused.
Gion Shrine 2: Balcony.
Gion Shrine 2: Donations. I tried taking ten steps back and throwing the coin in. I failed. XD When you do put the coin in, you get a stick of incense. Sadly, I had no matches.
Gion Shrine 2: Stairs. Japan is made of stairs. I'm not even exaggerating. XD My legs are in awesome shape now.
Gion Shrine 2: View of the cemetary. That is a big ass hill right there.
Gion Shrine 2: Brook.
Gion Shrine 2: Lilypads.
Gion Shrine 2: Benevolence. Yes, I do like Buddhas.
Gion Shrine 2: Toori, with Lisa and Tania.
Himeji Castle. Osaka was a bit poorly executed (and I didn't get to meet up with , grrr), but the castle was a nice bit of history for our vacation. TOKUGAWA!
A closer view of the castle.
The shrine at the top of Himeji Castle. That place has killer stairs. x__x I thought I was going to fall and die.
Laputa. The Ghibli Museum is awesome! It takes me back to my childhood... even though I didn't watch Miyazaki movies when I was a kid. XD But still, it makes you feel all nostalgic and teary-eyed and like a kid again.
The famous Tokyo Tower. At least we didn't lose this one. XD We did, however, have the requsite Apocalyptic Battle, in which Lisa discovered I was a man. ... shutup.
A closer view of Tokyo Tower.
The view from Tokyo Tower. You really can see everything... it's beautiful.
Miko. A priestess at the Meiji Shrine!
Votive tablets. You write a wish on it, and hang it on that cart. Tania's is visible in the picture... I hid mine. ^_~
A wedding procession at the Meiji Shrine. Isn't the bride so pretty? T_T
Me in the dress I bought in Harajuku. I've finally gotten the hang of putting it on! Yay! This really cute shopgirl helped me get into it, and flattered me with an, "Aaaaaa, kawaii desu yo!"

Peace out, y'all. <3
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Saturday, June 17, 2006

Weekend!
... not that it matters, because it's summer. XD

I bought the first season of Scrubs! I used to be really into that series, and now I remember why... it's so funny! I can't wait to watch more of it today.

But first, I have to go through the registration stuff that Brandeis sent me. Picking my seminar classes, thinking about my other classes and my major, stuff like that. All this mail I'm getting, it's almost like I'm going to school there or something. ^_~

Offer from last post still stands! Future padawans, please send me a PM if you want a master. I'd be more than happy to have you!

Have a great Saturday, dudes and dudettes.
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Thursday, June 15, 2006

Yare, yare...
I turn around for two seconds, and what happens? ^_~

First order of business: Like my Yami, I'm taking a padawan. If you're new to the site, and you want a master who's been around forever and a day to show you the ropes, PM me and tell me a little bit about yourself... online alias, interests, favorite animes, whatever. No, I won't exclude you for any reason, I'm just curious!

Second order of business: Weighing in on the drama.

The fact that ShadowLight is a good friend of mine is beyond the point. Bashing on this site will not be tolerated. Yes, it is your journal, which means you can do with it what you like, but this is also a public forum, open to everyone who comes by your page. It is impossible that there will be no disagreements; there always are with such a large group of different people. But in the real world, we are asked to deal with people we dislike all the time. It's no different here.

You probably think I'm being overly idealistic, and I know I am. I know there's nothing I can do to stop you from lashing out at other people. But if that's what you're going to do, you need to be prepared to deal with the resulting drama, and not just from the person you attacked. Friends will, naturally, get defensive. Curling up and playing the oppressed victim just because you didn't expect that sort of fallout doesn't absolve you, it just makes you look passive-aggressive and unwilling to own up to your own words.

So please, everyone, be civil to each other. The next time the urge to chew someone out strikes you, just walk away from the keyboard. And if you just can't help yourself? Bite your tongue, apologize, and move on. It's not worth all of this drama.

And Shadow? Love you, darling. <3
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Tuesday, June 13, 2006

ALBERTO! *shakes fist*
Yay for hurricane season! -_- Florida's getting a fistful of good old tropical storm Alberto. Although I have to say, it's better us than Louisiana or Mississippi... but it still would be nice if the storms stay small like this? Please?

Y'know, if we even got any kind of direct hit, even by a tropical storm, we wouldn't see the electricity come back for weeks. XD I woke up in the middle of the night last night, and the power was out, and it was... raining outside. Raining. What is wrong with you, electric company.

Good thing we got a generator after losing power for a week from Frances. Refrigerator and running water = GOOD.

Worst of the storm's supposed to be today, but it looks just fine outside. A little dark, maybe, but no rain, barely any wind. *crosses fingers*
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Wednesday, June 7, 2006

Tadaima!
I'm back! Well, I was actually back on Monday, but too tired to update, really. Trip was awesome, I'll do the writeups next week, but today, I have to get ready for Aurus to visit!

Although I think I caught a mysterious cold while I was there. Had a sore throat yesterday, and this morning I woke up with a fever of 103. x__x It's gone down under 100 now, and I feel fine, just really hot, but I'm about to get to the doctor. I want to get un-contagious before Aurus comes. My throat doesn't hurt too much anymore, but I still think it's strep, because the last time my temperature got so high was the last time I had it. I hope it's strep, so I can get that shot that zaps it really quickly...

... did I just say I wanted a shot?

This is obviously serious. XD
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Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Ahem.
You are now looking at a graduate of the Class of 2006.

Not only that, but I'm leaving for Japan in two days.

Life rocks.

P.S - If you want a postcard, e-mail me your address! ringhappy @ comcast . net
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