The other day, I was looking at my small collection of figurines, and because I have Devil May Cry on the brain, I looked at the figurine of Julia from Cowboy Bebop and immediately thought of Trish. That got me to thinking and I realized Trish and Julia really are a lot alike--at least visually.
Then I started thinking about Spike and Dante and knew that I had just discovered an eerie parallel I wasn't going to be able to just ignore. Spike and Dante are A LOT alike. They're both unnaturally good fighters with a knack for cheating death and a carefree, sarcastic attitude about life. They also both have an angsty past and an archenemy they're either related to or once had a sibling-esque relationship with. Oh, and their archenemies are both cruel, cold-hearted, have silver hair and wield a katana. Both Dante and Spike feel that their lives won't be complete until they have taken down this archenemy once and for all, though they're likely to lose their own lives in the process.
They both like fast vehicles and lanky blond women with an attitude and a penchant for leather. They love guns. They're both bounty hunters of a sort, though they tend to lose or waste as much money as they make. Neither of them eat a healthy diet, though they both somehow keep their bodies in tip top shape. They both have awesome hair. They're irreverent and flirtatious and say whatever pops into their mind first, even--or perhaps especially--if it will get them into a fight.
And as for the game and anime themselves... They both set trends in their industry and made a lasting impression. Oh, and they both have great soundtracks. Feel free to add any other similarities you might find...
I'm sure the list could go on and on, but I think you get the idea. It's no wonder I like Dante so much considering I had such an obsession for Spike way back when. How did I not make this connection before?
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Ginnungagap
Last night was another Scrapped Princess wednesday, and we got to the episode in which they use the Strategic-Class Assault Spell Ginnungagap. We all commented on how they never say that word in the Japanese track and decided to check out the English dub to see if they say it, and they did. And it was really funny. So we listened to it three times.
I decided to look up the meaning of the word today and this is what Wikipedia says:
"In Norse mythology, Ginnungagap ("seeming emptiness" or "gaping gap") was the vast chasm that existed between Niflheim and Muspelheim before creation. To the north of Ginnungagap lay the intense cold of Niflheim, to the south the insufferable heat of Muspelheim. At the beginning of time, the two met in the Ginnungagap; and where the heat met the frost, the frost drops melted and formed the substance eitr, which quickened into life in the form of the giant Ymir, the father of all Frost giants. See his entry for the continuation of the Old Norse story of the Creation."
Now I dare you to say "Ginnungagap" five times fast.
I decided to look up the meaning of the word today and this is what Wikipedia says:
"In Norse mythology, Ginnungagap ("seeming emptiness" or "gaping gap") was the vast chasm that existed between Niflheim and Muspelheim before creation. To the north of Ginnungagap lay the intense cold of Niflheim, to the south the insufferable heat of Muspelheim. At the beginning of time, the two met in the Ginnungagap; and where the heat met the frost, the frost drops melted and formed the substance eitr, which quickened into life in the form of the giant Ymir, the father of all Frost giants. See his entry for the continuation of the Old Norse story of the Creation."
Now I dare you to say "Ginnungagap" five times fast.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Anime Updates
I've been watching a lot of anime and reading a lot of manga lately. Many of my friends have also been working their way through my collection so I've been talking about a lot of stuff I read or watched a while ago. I thought that, from a journaling perspective I should make note of all these things.
First off, I've been watching a lot of Ouran High School Host Club. As I believe I've mentioned before, the manga series is totally awesome. Unfortunately, beyond the first six episodes, the anime does not live up to the manga. Shivaindis and I were really disappointed at the way they began changing the story line and characters. Host Club is just fine the way it is; it's lighthearted, silly and utterly hilarious. There's no need to turn it into a typical shojo anime with romance and angst. That's not what it is! And why, oh why, do they feel like they must include Renge in every episode? Though I did appreciate her cosplaying as Quon from Rahxephon, Bones seems to be using her as simply a marketing tool for their other series. I used to have a lot of respect for Studio Bones--in fact, I was ecstatic when I found out they would be the ones making Host Club--but I'm quickly losing that respect. I mean, they took Nekozawa out of the beach episode! Come on, people! How can you have that episode without the freaky cat cliff?
Anyway, the next item on the list here is Death Note. As we know, I recently finished reading the manga--which was awesome. A recent phone conversation with lizalou revealed that a live action Death Note movie was in the works in Japan. And there was much squealing. A little research revealed that there are actually two movies on the way, and an anime series to boot! So much Death Note...ahhh...shivers. But, as shivaindis pointed out, just what are they going to make these movies and anime series about? That's a lot of media to fill. Are they going to be connected? Are they going to tell the same story two different ways? And what about L (this is the most important question to me)? If you want to check it out the movie website, click here. It's really a pretty cool website. If you click on the note and click around long enough Light shows up at the desk.
The other thing I've been really into lately is Angel Sanctuary. I know I've already made one post about this series, so I won't go into much detail here except to say that Kira is freakin' awesome and love him...even if he is the king of hell. We all know that he's not really evil anymore anyway... And poor Zaphikel. What a sad story. And Sevothtarte? Yikes. He/she/it is even more of a freak than I thought. Yeah, so when I go to Japan, Kaori Yuki's second artbook will be mine. Oh yes. It will be mine. As well as the Devil May Cry 3 Sound DVD book. There has to be one, and since I have the first two, I have to get the third one. And I want Bereznoff and Beary plushies. I just know they have them over there somewhere! I might even have to buy myself a Death Note, though, as shivaindis said, I'm not sure what I would write in it. Not that it really matters.
Ah, I can't wait to be in Japan again...
First off, I've been watching a lot of Ouran High School Host Club. As I believe I've mentioned before, the manga series is totally awesome. Unfortunately, beyond the first six episodes, the anime does not live up to the manga. Shivaindis and I were really disappointed at the way they began changing the story line and characters. Host Club is just fine the way it is; it's lighthearted, silly and utterly hilarious. There's no need to turn it into a typical shojo anime with romance and angst. That's not what it is! And why, oh why, do they feel like they must include Renge in every episode? Though I did appreciate her cosplaying as Quon from Rahxephon, Bones seems to be using her as simply a marketing tool for their other series. I used to have a lot of respect for Studio Bones--in fact, I was ecstatic when I found out they would be the ones making Host Club--but I'm quickly losing that respect. I mean, they took Nekozawa out of the beach episode! Come on, people! How can you have that episode without the freaky cat cliff?
Anyway, the next item on the list here is Death Note. As we know, I recently finished reading the manga--which was awesome. A recent phone conversation with lizalou revealed that a live action Death Note movie was in the works in Japan. And there was much squealing. A little research revealed that there are actually two movies on the way, and an anime series to boot! So much Death Note...ahhh...shivers. But, as shivaindis pointed out, just what are they going to make these movies and anime series about? That's a lot of media to fill. Are they going to be connected? Are they going to tell the same story two different ways? And what about L (this is the most important question to me)? If you want to check it out the movie website, click here. It's really a pretty cool website. If you click on the note and click around long enough Light shows up at the desk.
The other thing I've been really into lately is Angel Sanctuary. I know I've already made one post about this series, so I won't go into much detail here except to say that Kira is freakin' awesome and love him...even if he is the king of hell. We all know that he's not really evil anymore anyway... And poor Zaphikel. What a sad story. And Sevothtarte? Yikes. He/she/it is even more of a freak than I thought. Yeah, so when I go to Japan, Kaori Yuki's second artbook will be mine. Oh yes. It will be mine. As well as the Devil May Cry 3 Sound DVD book. There has to be one, and since I have the first two, I have to get the third one. And I want Bereznoff and Beary plushies. I just know they have them over there somewhere! I might even have to buy myself a Death Note, though, as shivaindis said, I'm not sure what I would write in it. Not that it really matters.
Ah, I can't wait to be in Japan again...
Monday, June 19, 2006
The Island
I should have seen it coming. After all, the similarity has already been discussed on some of the Lost forums I used to frequent.
So, last night I had a dream about characters from Lost, but they were on an island from the Myst games. It wasn't an island from a specific game, but it was quite obvious that it was connected because of all the puzzles and contraptions. The only part I remember clearly was Locke working one of the puzzles and getting really frustrated. He was totally obsessed with solving all the puzzles, of course, and started yelling for the island to tell him what to do.
Now they just need to make the game. It's a perfect marriage of two distinct stories, if you ask me.
I'd totally play the Lost game.
So, last night I had a dream about characters from Lost, but they were on an island from the Myst games. It wasn't an island from a specific game, but it was quite obvious that it was connected because of all the puzzles and contraptions. The only part I remember clearly was Locke working one of the puzzles and getting really frustrated. He was totally obsessed with solving all the puzzles, of course, and started yelling for the island to tell him what to do.
Now they just need to make the game. It's a perfect marriage of two distinct stories, if you ask me.
I'd totally play the Lost game.
Monday, June 05, 2006
Worth a Thousand Words...?
So, I'm searching for pictures of business women on a stock photo site...
Can someone tell me what a pair of female legs in fishnets and spike heels has to do with my search? And why are half of the "business women" wearing shirts with only one button buttoned and their breasts pushed up so far you can nearly see their nipples? What kind of photo search is this? I didn't realize this was this was "StockPorn'r'us."
What a complete waste of my time and energy. Who uses these photos anyway?!
Can someone tell me what a pair of female legs in fishnets and spike heels has to do with my search? And why are half of the "business women" wearing shirts with only one button buttoned and their breasts pushed up so far you can nearly see their nipples? What kind of photo search is this? I didn't realize this was this was "StockPorn'r'us."
What a complete waste of my time and energy. Who uses these photos anyway?!
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Surprise Visit
I had another odd dream last night. This time it was about lizalou. I suppose that makes sense because I was thinking about her last night as I finished up working on the DVD's I'm sending her. In my dream it was Memorial Day weekend and she had decided to come back to visit because of the three day weekend (that, on the other hand, makes absolutely no sense). In the part I remember the most, we were hanging out and talking and eating food (big suprise there--I'm sure it was my idea) and lizalou had that look on her face that meant she had a secret that she was waiting to reveal at the most opportune moment. Finally, she said, "Remember that movie I was telling you about?" Earlier in the dream she had mentioned a movie named CCI (stupid huh? That's the name of the company we share office space with) that had been filmed in Japan. "Well," she said with that mischievous grin of hers, "I had an English-speaking role in that movie." She was all excited about it because it was actually an American movie filmed in Japan and would be played in theatres in the US.
It was stupid on so many levels. Number one, lizalou doesn't like to act, though I think she could if she tried. Number two, lizalou wouldn't be excited about an American movie, only a Japanese one. Though, I suppose if it were filmed in Japan she would have likely been playing opposite Japanese actors and that would have made her happy. And number three, what the hell? But that's dreams for you...
No offense against lizalou because I've been really missing her and it was nice to see her, even if it was only in a dream, but I had kind of been hoping that I would have a Dante dream last night. I started writing a Dante scene for my story right before I went to bed and was looking forward to sweet dreams. ;) Which reminds me, I feel I must announce to all the Capcom people who I'm just sure would bother to find my blog and read it, you guys really need to make a Devil May Cry movie and you need to cast Josh Holloway as Dante. He's perfect for the role, and if you miss this opportunity, you'll regret it. I'll get down off my soap box now.
It was stupid on so many levels. Number one, lizalou doesn't like to act, though I think she could if she tried. Number two, lizalou wouldn't be excited about an American movie, only a Japanese one. Though, I suppose if it were filmed in Japan she would have likely been playing opposite Japanese actors and that would have made her happy. And number three, what the hell? But that's dreams for you...
No offense against lizalou because I've been really missing her and it was nice to see her, even if it was only in a dream, but I had kind of been hoping that I would have a Dante dream last night. I started writing a Dante scene for my story right before I went to bed and was looking forward to sweet dreams. ;) Which reminds me, I feel I must announce to all the Capcom people who I'm just sure would bother to find my blog and read it, you guys really need to make a Devil May Cry movie and you need to cast Josh Holloway as Dante. He's perfect for the role, and if you miss this opportunity, you'll regret it. I'll get down off my soap box now.
Monday, May 22, 2006
Self-Conscious
I had a really strange dream the other night. I don't remember much about it except that it included theCallowQueen and Big-Bold-D (probably because I had just seen them the night before). It also included a girl I was friends with in High School. I'm sure she showed up because I've been so addicted to Rent lately and she was a big fan of the musical. But anyway, we were all in this huge hotel—don't ask me where it was located because I don't know—and we were exploring all the labyrinthine corridors and found this hidden swimming pool. We ended up sitting down on the loungers by the pool and I was sitting in between CallowQueen and Big-Bold-D. Then they pulled out identical tiny cameras and leaned toward me, zooming in on my nose. I swear they were only a few inches away from me on either side, but their cameras were zoomed all the way out anyway. I just sat there, asking “Hey, guys. What are you doing?” But they didn't respond and kept focusing on my nose.
I woke up shortly after that, wondering what the hell that was supposed to mean. I'm not self-conscious about my nose or anything, so why were they looking at it so closely? I looked up “nose” as a dream symbol and this was one of the interpretations I found:
“To see your own nose in your dream, signifies a conscious effort to achieve whatever endeavour you chose to undertake. The nose represents energy, intuition, and wisdom. Alternatively, the nose symbolizes curiosity. You dream may suggest your need to learn more about a situation at hand.”
I'm still at a loss to interpret this bizarre scene though becuase of the extra layer of my friends looking at my nose... Oh well. Sometimes a nose is just a nose. :)
I woke up shortly after that, wondering what the hell that was supposed to mean. I'm not self-conscious about my nose or anything, so why were they looking at it so closely? I looked up “nose” as a dream symbol and this was one of the interpretations I found:
“To see your own nose in your dream, signifies a conscious effort to achieve whatever endeavour you chose to undertake. The nose represents energy, intuition, and wisdom. Alternatively, the nose symbolizes curiosity. You dream may suggest your need to learn more about a situation at hand.”
I'm still at a loss to interpret this bizarre scene though becuase of the extra layer of my friends looking at my nose... Oh well. Sometimes a nose is just a nose. :)
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Secrets Don't Make Friends
Last night Shivaindis came over and we watched Ouran High School Host Club. I'm even more addicted to that series than I was before. The anime is just as much fun as the manga, and I'm hooked on the opening song. I really need to extract it or find it somewhere soon... Anyway, Shivaindis was on a roll with quotes, mostly inspired by Kingdom Hearts II and the 20 Ansems. Her interpretation of the crazy plot of Kingdom Hearts resulted in this statement: Wisdom + Handsome = Ansem. She also noted that KHI x 6 = KHII because there are 6 times the Ansem. It's sad but true. During the course of the evening she also revealed that if she were a seiyuu she'd totally play little boys, and that "you don't want to have to clean up after hell." She was definitely on a roll.
Along the way, she also gave me a great idea for a wallpaper series featuring various characters along with the phrase "Secrets don't make friends." This prompted me to search for some DeathNote artwork because Light is perfect for this particular series. I finally found a really nice site that had an archive of DeathNote scanlations. It took me awhile to devise a way of saving the images because they had protected them pretty well. I was almost to the point of just taking screen captures and piecing them back together in photoshop when I tried "copy image to clipboard" and found it worked.
I found a good picture of Light to use, but I also found myself rereading some of the story. I haven't been reading the more recent chapters because the absence of L just makes me sad, but I was getting toward the end of the scanlation archives and it suddenly occured to me that the story was ending. I was relieved in a way, because it was driving me crazy that it just kept going and going like the Energizer bunny. I was also relieved to find that the scanlations went all the way up to the end of the series (whew) because I didn't want to be stuck on a cliffhanger again. The ending satisfied me. The outcome was as perfect as it could be sans L, and I liked the poetic justice of the way Kira met his end. It was an unexpected surprise to read the end of DeathNote today, but certainly a pleasant one. Now I just need to write that DeathNote fanfic I started a long time ago...
But I have another fanfic to focus on first. In fact, I should get back to writing on it now. I'm multitasking by working on the KHII DVD I'm making for lizalou and writing on the next chapter of Libera Me while my Mac is processing files. Wish I had that Mac Mini though--I bet it would process those files in half the time. ;)
Speaking of Libera Me, though, Shivaindis gave me some excellent ideas on it as well. She was just a fount of inspiration last night. All I'll say is that I doubt anyone would have expected to find David Hasselhoff in hell. That's really not the bulk of the inspiration, but I just thought it was a funny thought. Ah, David Hasselhoff. We rewatched the Hooked on a Feeling video of his again on Friday at work. That thing kills me. He is such a freak...
Along the way, she also gave me a great idea for a wallpaper series featuring various characters along with the phrase "Secrets don't make friends." This prompted me to search for some DeathNote artwork because Light is perfect for this particular series. I finally found a really nice site that had an archive of DeathNote scanlations. It took me awhile to devise a way of saving the images because they had protected them pretty well. I was almost to the point of just taking screen captures and piecing them back together in photoshop when I tried "copy image to clipboard" and found it worked.
I found a good picture of Light to use, but I also found myself rereading some of the story. I haven't been reading the more recent chapters because the absence of L just makes me sad, but I was getting toward the end of the scanlation archives and it suddenly occured to me that the story was ending. I was relieved in a way, because it was driving me crazy that it just kept going and going like the Energizer bunny. I was also relieved to find that the scanlations went all the way up to the end of the series (whew) because I didn't want to be stuck on a cliffhanger again. The ending satisfied me. The outcome was as perfect as it could be sans L, and I liked the poetic justice of the way Kira met his end. It was an unexpected surprise to read the end of DeathNote today, but certainly a pleasant one. Now I just need to write that DeathNote fanfic I started a long time ago...
But I have another fanfic to focus on first. In fact, I should get back to writing on it now. I'm multitasking by working on the KHII DVD I'm making for lizalou and writing on the next chapter of Libera Me while my Mac is processing files. Wish I had that Mac Mini though--I bet it would process those files in half the time. ;)
Speaking of Libera Me, though, Shivaindis gave me some excellent ideas on it as well. She was just a fount of inspiration last night. All I'll say is that I doubt anyone would have expected to find David Hasselhoff in hell. That's really not the bulk of the inspiration, but I just thought it was a funny thought. Ah, David Hasselhoff. We rewatched the Hooked on a Feeling video of his again on Friday at work. That thing kills me. He is such a freak...
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Bugged
I have a story similar to theCallowQueen's story from a couple weeks ago.
Though I don't like spiders or roaches or other creepy, crawly creatures that have exoskeletons or feelers, I can generally handle their presence calmly and dispose of them without screaming and crawling up the walls. Still, I don't like it when I find a water bug or roach or spider in my bedroom or bathroom. It really gives me the jibblies. This is where I sleep and take showers and walk around barefoot and exposed; I don't want to have to tip toe around and examine every surface before I step into the shower. I have a vivid imagination and when I see one bug I instantly think there must be many more lurking in every shadowy corner of the room--and did I just feel something crawling on the back of the neck? You get the idea.
So, yesterday morning I woke up bleary eyed and stumbled into the bathroom without my glasses on. I paused when I saw what appeared to be a black fuzzball in the corner. It looked like fuzz from my rug or perhaps from the throw blanket in the other room. I didn't think much of it though and focused first on emptying my bladder. But then, as I sat there looking at that half-dollar-sized black spot on the carpeting I realized it had a very regular shape for a fuzzball. It was starting to look less like an inocuous soot ball from Spirited Away and more and more like a huge, creepy, crawly spider.
I finally decided to investigate further, though I don't know why I didn't go back into my bedroom to get my glasses--maybe because I was afraid it would crawl away and I would be left wondering where it went and when it would come out to play. So, I got down on my hands and knees and got closer. It was such a dark brown that it was hard to see any details, but I finally saw a leg twitch and promptly freaked out. It was big--the biggest spider I'd ever seen inside the house--and it was ugly, with thick, monstrous legs. It was kind of bunched up, so who knows how long its legs would have been when they were extended... Ewww...
So, I looked for something to attack it with. I remembered that I had put a spider trap behind the toilet a few months ago because I had found a large water bug in the bathroom and it freaked me out (but not as much as this spider did). It's extremely sticky, so I started to tear part of it off to use against the vicious spider and discovered that a large bug had met its end in the trap already. I did not need to know that. But still, I vanquished the spider but kept its slightly squished form to demonstrate my bravery to my mom.
Normally, mom is unsympathetic about bugs in my bathroom. She's very logical about the fact that my bathroom is in the basement and that there are often bugs in bathrooms, etc, etc, etc. But when I showed her this monster spider she flipped. "That's the grossest spider I've ever seen! It's huge! That's it! I'm spraying the basement. I'm pulling everything out, emptying the closets and everything and spraying. That's disgusting!" I was relieved that she was so eager to do something because I didn't know if I could sleep with the thought of bugs lurking in my room.
So, true to her word, she emptied everything out and sprayed until the carpeting and walls were damp. I felt slightly safer and less creeped, but boy was there a mess for me when I got home. It took me all night to clean it up, but it was worth it. I can rest easy again. I didn't ask mom how many bugs she found in her extermination because I really DON'T want to know, but hopefully there won't be anymore for a long time to come.
Though I don't like spiders or roaches or other creepy, crawly creatures that have exoskeletons or feelers, I can generally handle their presence calmly and dispose of them without screaming and crawling up the walls. Still, I don't like it when I find a water bug or roach or spider in my bedroom or bathroom. It really gives me the jibblies. This is where I sleep and take showers and walk around barefoot and exposed; I don't want to have to tip toe around and examine every surface before I step into the shower. I have a vivid imagination and when I see one bug I instantly think there must be many more lurking in every shadowy corner of the room--and did I just feel something crawling on the back of the neck? You get the idea.
So, yesterday morning I woke up bleary eyed and stumbled into the bathroom without my glasses on. I paused when I saw what appeared to be a black fuzzball in the corner. It looked like fuzz from my rug or perhaps from the throw blanket in the other room. I didn't think much of it though and focused first on emptying my bladder. But then, as I sat there looking at that half-dollar-sized black spot on the carpeting I realized it had a very regular shape for a fuzzball. It was starting to look less like an inocuous soot ball from Spirited Away and more and more like a huge, creepy, crawly spider.
I finally decided to investigate further, though I don't know why I didn't go back into my bedroom to get my glasses--maybe because I was afraid it would crawl away and I would be left wondering where it went and when it would come out to play. So, I got down on my hands and knees and got closer. It was such a dark brown that it was hard to see any details, but I finally saw a leg twitch and promptly freaked out. It was big--the biggest spider I'd ever seen inside the house--and it was ugly, with thick, monstrous legs. It was kind of bunched up, so who knows how long its legs would have been when they were extended... Ewww...
So, I looked for something to attack it with. I remembered that I had put a spider trap behind the toilet a few months ago because I had found a large water bug in the bathroom and it freaked me out (but not as much as this spider did). It's extremely sticky, so I started to tear part of it off to use against the vicious spider and discovered that a large bug had met its end in the trap already. I did not need to know that. But still, I vanquished the spider but kept its slightly squished form to demonstrate my bravery to my mom.
Normally, mom is unsympathetic about bugs in my bathroom. She's very logical about the fact that my bathroom is in the basement and that there are often bugs in bathrooms, etc, etc, etc. But when I showed her this monster spider she flipped. "That's the grossest spider I've ever seen! It's huge! That's it! I'm spraying the basement. I'm pulling everything out, emptying the closets and everything and spraying. That's disgusting!" I was relieved that she was so eager to do something because I didn't know if I could sleep with the thought of bugs lurking in my room.
So, true to her word, she emptied everything out and sprayed until the carpeting and walls were damp. I felt slightly safer and less creeped, but boy was there a mess for me when I got home. It took me all night to clean it up, but it was worth it. I can rest easy again. I didn't ask mom how many bugs she found in her extermination because I really DON'T want to know, but hopefully there won't be anymore for a long time to come.
Monday, May 15, 2006
Stress Recovery
The last couple of weeks of my work life have been rather stressful. We've been busy to the point of being nearly overwhelmed, and I came home from work last Friday feeling like I was going to drop dead on the spot. Luckily, I didn't. Still, recovering from stress is about more than just getting some extra sleep. It's about sitting for awhile and doing nothing, clearing your mind completely and just letting yourself be. Exercise is a quick fix for stress because it helps you get the frustration out immediately, but it also has a couple drawbacks. First, when you're really stressed it's often because you're really busy, so you don't have time for exercise. And second, sometimes you are so exhausted from stress that you feel physically exhausted as well. That was me last week.
After another crazy day of last minute client demands on Friday, I came home and knew what my remedy would be: video games. At first I had been thinking about playing a little Devil May Cry and bashing the hell out of some demonic nasties (while watching Dante show off his hot self), but then I decided I should play a little more Kingdom Hearts II since it had been over a week since I last played it. I knew I was going to have to replay a little because I hadn't saved my last bit of progress, but replaying it wasn't a problem since a lot of cool things happened all at once the last time I played.
I had been astounded by how many awesome plot points were revealed in quick succession, including some Final Fantasy characters' appearances and the Tron level (Bruce Boxleitner! YAY!). But I had no idea that the revelations had only just begun. I think my brain 'sploded before the night was over. I'm not sure how I feel about the story they're setting up with Cloud and Sephiroth (and their voices are disappointing to me...) but the scene with Cloud and Squall (Leon) standing back to back fighting (this isn't a spoiler really because part of it is in the intro, though I doubt neowolf will even read this so why am I worried about spoilers?) was so awesome! Then there was the battle with literally 1000 enemies (the body count was up in the corner), and the surprising deadly turn of events with one of the main characters. I was totally freaking out. (Yes, I was freaking out over a game. We know I'm a geek already). Can you picture it? It was midnight or so, I was the only one awake in the house and I'm sitting there in the dark getting gushy about a Disney character. Pretty pathetic, huh?
Though I was excited to play this game in the first place, I had no idea it would be this complex. It makes sense considering how long it took them to release the thing. Shivaindis was telling me that rumor has it the head of SquareEnix freaked when he saw the game in its final state because it has enough story for ten games. That is so true. I don't have a lot of hope that they will actually wrap up the intricate plot since Kingdom Hearts 1 didn't really make sense in the end, and makes even less sense now. Still, I love the fact that there are so many diffferent bad guys that the bad guys are fighting each other as much as the main characters. It gives the game a lot more depth. I love the Organization XIII guys too for mostly shallow reasons because most of them are really hot.
Then I worked on importing more of the video from KHII to send to lizalou on Sunday and relived the angst of Roxas' story in the beginning and realized all over again how much I like him. I want to know what happens to him already! Poor kid. I guess I'm now officially completely addicted to this game.
But for now it's back to work... and stress. Oh darn. That means I might have to relieve my stress all over again.
After another crazy day of last minute client demands on Friday, I came home and knew what my remedy would be: video games. At first I had been thinking about playing a little Devil May Cry and bashing the hell out of some demonic nasties (while watching Dante show off his hot self), but then I decided I should play a little more Kingdom Hearts II since it had been over a week since I last played it. I knew I was going to have to replay a little because I hadn't saved my last bit of progress, but replaying it wasn't a problem since a lot of cool things happened all at once the last time I played.
I had been astounded by how many awesome plot points were revealed in quick succession, including some Final Fantasy characters' appearances and the Tron level (Bruce Boxleitner! YAY!). But I had no idea that the revelations had only just begun. I think my brain 'sploded before the night was over. I'm not sure how I feel about the story they're setting up with Cloud and Sephiroth (and their voices are disappointing to me...) but the scene with Cloud and Squall (Leon) standing back to back fighting (this isn't a spoiler really because part of it is in the intro, though I doubt neowolf will even read this so why am I worried about spoilers?) was so awesome! Then there was the battle with literally 1000 enemies (the body count was up in the corner), and the surprising deadly turn of events with one of the main characters. I was totally freaking out. (Yes, I was freaking out over a game. We know I'm a geek already). Can you picture it? It was midnight or so, I was the only one awake in the house and I'm sitting there in the dark getting gushy about a Disney character. Pretty pathetic, huh?
Though I was excited to play this game in the first place, I had no idea it would be this complex. It makes sense considering how long it took them to release the thing. Shivaindis was telling me that rumor has it the head of SquareEnix freaked when he saw the game in its final state because it has enough story for ten games. That is so true. I don't have a lot of hope that they will actually wrap up the intricate plot since Kingdom Hearts 1 didn't really make sense in the end, and makes even less sense now. Still, I love the fact that there are so many diffferent bad guys that the bad guys are fighting each other as much as the main characters. It gives the game a lot more depth. I love the Organization XIII guys too for mostly shallow reasons because most of them are really hot.
Then I worked on importing more of the video from KHII to send to lizalou on Sunday and relived the angst of Roxas' story in the beginning and realized all over again how much I like him. I want to know what happens to him already! Poor kid. I guess I'm now officially completely addicted to this game.
But for now it's back to work... and stress. Oh darn. That means I might have to relieve my stress all over again.
Monday, May 01, 2006
Really?
I don't know if this could really be considered Engrish becuase it's not bad English exactly. It's just weird. We ordered a Japanese puzzle box to use in a proposal here at work and included in the instructions was this warning:
"The Personal Secret Box is not edible. Never put it in your mouth."
The box is about 4"x4"x6" and made of wood. Why would you try putting it in your mouth?!
"The Personal Secret Box is not edible. Never put it in your mouth."
The box is about 4"x4"x6" and made of wood. Why would you try putting it in your mouth?!
Saturday, April 08, 2006
New Bag, New Shoes
Today has been a fairly productive day. I am not a fan of shopping. We all know this. But, I went shopping today and actually found everything I needed. It was an expensive day... but sometimes you’ve got to spend a little to get what you want.
So, my day started out with a little something extra for myself. I know, I indulge myself far too much, but I had a coupon for my bookstore and I hate to let those go to waste when I know there are new books out that I need to buy. It turns out that my bookstore was running a sale on mange (buy 3, get the 4th free) but I didn’t think I’d be able to use my 25% off coupon on a book I was already using for the other deal, so I picked up a figure I had been eyeing for a long time. I brought it up to the cash register, but it was only then that I noticed the coupon was for a “book,” not an “anything in the store.” I said this realization out loud, as well as “Oh, I guess I won’t get this then.” That did the trick.
The lady behind the counter—who had an awesome slavic accent, btw—said, “No, no! I use coupon!” Yay! Edward Elric (complete with several changable arms—some with automail and some without red coat) would be mine at 25% off. I was feeling pretty good about this arrangement, so I handed her my coupon. But here’s where things get even better. I printed the coupon out from the internet, but two coupons printed on the page, the one for 25% off a book and also one for 25% off a kid’s book. You can only use one at a time—or so I’ve been told in the past. But she used both, along with the special manga deal! Rock on Slavic lady!
Feeling pretty good at this point, I moved on to DSW to look for some new tennis shoes. I have been exercising much more regularly lately, which is a good (and very necessary) thing, but unfortunately my old Nikes from school have seen better days. They’ve been giving me blisters and making my feet ache, so I knew it was time to bite the bullet and buy some new tennies. Unfortunately, tennis shoes are expensive!!! I tried on half a dozen shoes and none of them fit quite right. They were either too wide in the toe area or rubbed at my ankles. My first pair of tennis shoes was New Balance and I loved them, but I got them right after NB first came out and I think they changed them after that point because the second pair I bought rubbed my left heel and every other New Balance I’ve tried since then has done the same. There wasn’t a Nike to be found in DSW, so I was considering giving up and going to Famous Footwear instead.
Then I decided to try out some of the more expensive pairs I had been ignoring and I discovered a pair of Asics that used gel cushions. Gel is a beautiful thing. They were so comfortable! They were $70! Aiii! But they were really comfortable and actually fit my foot in every way. So, I bought them—with only a little apprehension since it’s hard to tell if shoes will be as comfortable after you’ve been running in them for awhile. I gave them a good test run later at home and they are so wonderful. Money well spent, I think.
Next stop, Microcenter. I’ve been thinking about my trip to Japan later in the year and realizing that I need a new bag to use as a carry on since I want to bring my lappy along. I wanted a backpack because it would be more comfortable to carry and I also wanted to use it on the tour to hold my shopping bags and stuff. Aside from the trip, it would also be useful when I hang out at someone’s place and need my lappy as well as drawing supplies. So, I did some looking and thinking and found a bag. It’s freaking huge. But, it has straps to make it smaller when it isn’t full, so it's not unreasonably big. It was also quite pricey, but laptop bags are all expensive and this was really fairly reasonable when you compare it to, say, a Crumpler Bag—though Crumplers are so cute and have the best names. Anyway, I tried the bag out when I got home, filling it with various things comparable to things I would be toting in Japan. I'm glad I didn’t go any smaller. I want it all to fit in the bad so I don’t get shopping bag hand. Last year I thought my fingers were going to break off.
So, I had an exciting shopping day! I also had fun with mom, who came along for the ride. She didn't have as much luck as I did with purchases, but I also have the unfortunate circumstance of being able to find something to buy in just about any store I go into. This is why my general aversion to shopping is a very good thing.
To top off my day, I decided to spend a little time playing Kingdom Hearts. I just met Auron in the gameand got all giggly and giddy about it. And his first line was “This is my story.” I squealed. It was the equivalent of a Terry O’Quinn moment for me, to which thecallowqueen can no doubt relate. He is just so freakin’ cool. And his limit break with Sora was awesome (it isn’t actually called a limit break, but I can’t help calling it that). I'm glad they included cooperative attacks in this game. They're a lot of fun. But where is that man’s sake jug? Auron’s just not the same without it.
Well, here’s to a good, productive day. As Auron would say, “That’s how it’s done!”
So, my day started out with a little something extra for myself. I know, I indulge myself far too much, but I had a coupon for my bookstore and I hate to let those go to waste when I know there are new books out that I need to buy. It turns out that my bookstore was running a sale on mange (buy 3, get the 4th free) but I didn’t think I’d be able to use my 25% off coupon on a book I was already using for the other deal, so I picked up a figure I had been eyeing for a long time. I brought it up to the cash register, but it was only then that I noticed the coupon was for a “book,” not an “anything in the store.” I said this realization out loud, as well as “Oh, I guess I won’t get this then.” That did the trick.
The lady behind the counter—who had an awesome slavic accent, btw—said, “No, no! I use coupon!” Yay! Edward Elric (complete with several changable arms—some with automail and some without red coat) would be mine at 25% off. I was feeling pretty good about this arrangement, so I handed her my coupon. But here’s where things get even better. I printed the coupon out from the internet, but two coupons printed on the page, the one for 25% off a book and also one for 25% off a kid’s book. You can only use one at a time—or so I’ve been told in the past. But she used both, along with the special manga deal! Rock on Slavic lady!
Feeling pretty good at this point, I moved on to DSW to look for some new tennis shoes. I have been exercising much more regularly lately, which is a good (and very necessary) thing, but unfortunately my old Nikes from school have seen better days. They’ve been giving me blisters and making my feet ache, so I knew it was time to bite the bullet and buy some new tennies. Unfortunately, tennis shoes are expensive!!! I tried on half a dozen shoes and none of them fit quite right. They were either too wide in the toe area or rubbed at my ankles. My first pair of tennis shoes was New Balance and I loved them, but I got them right after NB first came out and I think they changed them after that point because the second pair I bought rubbed my left heel and every other New Balance I’ve tried since then has done the same. There wasn’t a Nike to be found in DSW, so I was considering giving up and going to Famous Footwear instead.
Then I decided to try out some of the more expensive pairs I had been ignoring and I discovered a pair of Asics that used gel cushions. Gel is a beautiful thing. They were so comfortable! They were $70! Aiii! But they were really comfortable and actually fit my foot in every way. So, I bought them—with only a little apprehension since it’s hard to tell if shoes will be as comfortable after you’ve been running in them for awhile. I gave them a good test run later at home and they are so wonderful. Money well spent, I think.
Next stop, Microcenter. I’ve been thinking about my trip to Japan later in the year and realizing that I need a new bag to use as a carry on since I want to bring my lappy along. I wanted a backpack because it would be more comfortable to carry and I also wanted to use it on the tour to hold my shopping bags and stuff. Aside from the trip, it would also be useful when I hang out at someone’s place and need my lappy as well as drawing supplies. So, I did some looking and thinking and found a bag. It’s freaking huge. But, it has straps to make it smaller when it isn’t full, so it's not unreasonably big. It was also quite pricey, but laptop bags are all expensive and this was really fairly reasonable when you compare it to, say, a Crumpler Bag—though Crumplers are so cute and have the best names. Anyway, I tried the bag out when I got home, filling it with various things comparable to things I would be toting in Japan. I'm glad I didn’t go any smaller. I want it all to fit in the bad so I don’t get shopping bag hand. Last year I thought my fingers were going to break off.
So, I had an exciting shopping day! I also had fun with mom, who came along for the ride. She didn't have as much luck as I did with purchases, but I also have the unfortunate circumstance of being able to find something to buy in just about any store I go into. This is why my general aversion to shopping is a very good thing.
To top off my day, I decided to spend a little time playing Kingdom Hearts. I just met Auron in the gameand got all giggly and giddy about it. And his first line was “This is my story.” I squealed. It was the equivalent of a Terry O’Quinn moment for me, to which thecallowqueen can no doubt relate. He is just so freakin’ cool. And his limit break with Sora was awesome (it isn’t actually called a limit break, but I can’t help calling it that). I'm glad they included cooperative attacks in this game. They're a lot of fun. But where is that man’s sake jug? Auron’s just not the same without it.
Well, here’s to a good, productive day. As Auron would say, “That’s how it’s done!”
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Sellout
It's finally happened.
Windows meets Macintosh.
The Story.
The Program.
Actually, I'd like to check it out, but you have to have Tiger in order to use it. Damn. Not that it really matters because I doubt I could play my old video games on XP anyway. Some of them I can... but not the classics. Sigh....
Windows meets Macintosh.
The Story.
The Program.
Actually, I'd like to check it out, but you have to have Tiger in order to use it. Damn. Not that it really matters because I doubt I could play my old video games on XP anyway. Some of them I can... but not the classics. Sigh....
Muddled Language
A brief aside:Yes, I know it's been awhile. I appreciate everyone who has missed my posts and complained (really, I do appreciate it becasue it shows you care!) and I'm sorry for my absence. I can only blame lizalou (though it's really my fault) becuase I've been writing her letters about the kinds of things that I would normally post here. So, by the time I sit down to write a post I'm already bored with the stuff I could have written about and end up writing nothing at all. In the future, I will copy parts of my letters to use for the basis of posts because I'm writing the letters on the computer now. That should make everyone happy.
Now to the meat of the post. Beef stew. No, not really. Actually, I'm talking about instruction manuals. I'm working on a manual for a hand mixer at work right now, and they sent me the manual written by the factory in China for reference. I'm sure you can imagine where this is going.
Apparently, I've been calling beaters by the wrong name all these years. They are actually “muddlers.” And that dough hook? That's a “decorative tail” of course. And the beater eject button is properly called a “fork holder.” Where's the fork? My favorite sentence is “Inserting beaters.” Yes, that's a whole sentence, and it seems that at some point they realized they were actually called beaters rather than muddlers. Not all the sentences are fragments, but that doesn't mean they make any more sense. For instance, consider the following: “Hold with one hand the mixer from the handle and with the other place the beater. Put it in the hole, press and twist it until beater clicks into position.”
So, needless to say, this reference manual has been really helpful to me. I haven't laughed this hard since I got that email about the world's worst album covers.
Now to the meat of the post. Beef stew. No, not really. Actually, I'm talking about instruction manuals. I'm working on a manual for a hand mixer at work right now, and they sent me the manual written by the factory in China for reference. I'm sure you can imagine where this is going.
Apparently, I've been calling beaters by the wrong name all these years. They are actually “muddlers.” And that dough hook? That's a “decorative tail” of course. And the beater eject button is properly called a “fork holder.” Where's the fork? My favorite sentence is “Inserting beaters.” Yes, that's a whole sentence, and it seems that at some point they realized they were actually called beaters rather than muddlers. Not all the sentences are fragments, but that doesn't mean they make any more sense. For instance, consider the following: “Hold with one hand the mixer from the handle and with the other place the beater. Put it in the hole, press and twist it until beater clicks into position.”
So, needless to say, this reference manual has been really helpful to me. I haven't laughed this hard since I got that email about the world's worst album covers.
Saturday, February 04, 2006
Questions
This one's for you, lizalou. And I miss you already. This was quite the meme. It took for-freakin'-ever! But it was worth it. I wrote it totally stream of consciousness, so I'm sure I forgot a lot of important stuff, but I think I'll leave it like it is even if I do remember.
About You
Preferred name: Alia, though you can call me Al if I can call you Betty.
Preferred location: Taerynia, living at Northreach with my honey Arrowin.. or was it Cymon? :)
Defining age: 200. Here's hoping I get there. As I've been discussing with theCallowQueen, I don't know if I'll ever be completely defined. My definition keeps evolving.
Be Honest
Name: Alia. My name is so cool I don't have to lie.
Location: Kansas City
Age: Twenty and four
Define Yourself
What's true: I really am totally awesome. Oh, and I am a bit obsessive compulsive (a bit?!) and I worry way too much. I also care too much about many things and that can be a blessing and a curse. It's good to care about others, but its not good to mother them. I am not evil, though I like evil characters. And some folks say I'm a terrific writer. Actually, I don't know if any folks have ever said that, but I do like to write and I couldn't help the Homestar quotage. That reminds me... I like to quote things too.
What's misrepresented: I'm not really as arrogant as I made myself sound in the previous answer. Other than that, I don't think I want to think about this answer too much. Most of what was misrepresented has been set straight already, and if it hasn't then I probably won't be able to change your mind about it anyway. "If you don't know me by now..."
#1 goal in life: To be happy and to contribute to the happiness of the people around me. All the rest is details.
Habits:Popping various joints, saying "you know" at the end of a sentence (I've just noticed this one recently), comparing things, second-guessing myself, apologizing.
Things You Did, Good and Bad
As a toddler: Watched Sesame Street all three times it came on during the day; liked to play in boxes and take canned foods out of the cupboard and organize them; wrote on the carpeting with black crayon because it looked cool; tried and failed to pick up the texture of the carpeting with silly puddy.
In elementary school: Recorded fake commercials, imagined on the playground at recess, obsessed about the Lord of the Rings and watched Star Trek with crysania17; roller skated, played in the tree and went on vacation with Brandi; freaked out when dad set the yard on fire; freaked out when mom practically cut her thumb in half while trimming the bushes; scraped my knee when I was trying to hide from the bus and fell (don't even ask); collected Lisa Frank stickers; liked to ride bike with my dad.
In high school: Played flute in school, in the Youth Symphony, Flute Choir, at Church and in KCYouth Wind Ensemble; never got a 1 on a flute solo because I always got too nervous and screwed up; began writing the epic story I'm still working on now; played in pep band at basketball games and chatted with Mike and his bass clarinet named Brutus; roleplayed with Tess and corresponded with her when she was in Japan; watched and obsessed over Babylon 5; got hooked on the Highlander and watched it when I got home from school; met Shivaindis who first introduced me to the wonderful world of anime.
In college: Met neowolf and lizalou, and from there many others; began my true obsession with anime; pigged out on tostitos cheese dip, bean dip and pizza rolls; played final fantasy X and kingdom hearts with neowolf; made anime music videos; skipped video and photo class as much as possible; worked my ass off in design classes and stressed and fretted and cursed over many a project; sanded hundreds of tiny blocks of wood to use in a project for Swindell; wrote parodies and obsessed about basketball players with neowolf; sang at St. Lawrence; worked with the stage crew at the Lied Center with lizalou and inuki; watched the Kodo Drummers from the catwalk with lizalou and neowolf; helped create an anime club at KU which fizzled before our last year; drew enough pictures to make a bishonen buffet; accidentally sent my final paper in Sociology to Ed, my boss at the Lied Center instead of my teacher; hung out in the computer lab after hours and listened to Air; was introduced to Homestarrunner; got rearended but took the blame; discovered that nothing stops Willie Nelson; started the quotage book.
Things You Do
Read: This list would be too long if I wrote everything down, so I'll just list categories: Manga of all kinds, Fantasy novels, my friends' blogs, fanfiction, articles about KU basketball.
Watch: Anime, Lost, Alias, Gilmore Girls, KU basketball, homestarrunner toons, Red vs Blue, my computer screen, and all of the old shows I have on DVD.
Sports: Yeah right. The most I do is watch basketball... and attempt to not die while on rollerblades.
Write: The Windsword Chronicles (my story), Fanfiction, ocassional blog entries, parodies
See: I could get really philosophical on this one, but I've decided not to be pretentious. So I'll just say that I see Cymon right now reading on one of the "fart" chairs in my room, and that I have not seen Theo lately. Lizalou, did you take him with you?
Hear: At the moment, a creepy song from RahXephon--which I skipped. So, now I'm hearing "Little Wing" from Scrapped Princess. Much more upbeat!
Love: My family and friends; people with positive attitudes; eating salty and sweet foods together; getting giddy about writing and sharing it with others; sharing obsessions; quoting things; that moment after you've finished cleaning when everything feels so organized and fresh; buying a stack of manga with a personal shopping day and coupon; drawing a satisfying picture; getting the giggles; creating something I'm proud of; myself, for the most part.
Things You Don't
Read: The paper unless there's an article about KU--sad, I know; long forwards threatening you to pass them along for good luck or else; Non-fiction.
Watch: Reality TV (excluding the Apprentice); most TV, actually; sports other than basketball; most movies.
Sports: Pretty much everything
Write: Letters, though I'm trying to change this one for lizalou since she's got no inet; love letters; memoirs
See: The future, though I do get premonitions sometimes.
Hear:Rap, unless it's in Japanese; COUNTRY MUSIC
Love: Extreme selfishness; rudeness; hatred; closed minds; assumptions; misunderstandings when there is no attempt to understand; excessive whining (yeah, I know I need to work on some of these things too).
Favorites
Place(s) to be: In my room at my computer; with my friends and family, wherever they are; Japan; Lawrence; in my imaginary world; listening to good music in my car.
Thing(s) to do: Be silly; be creative, alone or with others; roleplay; play video games; listen to music loudly in my car while driving too fast down the highway; read manga while taking a relaxing bath with lots of nice smelling bath oil.
Person(s) to be with: All you guys--you know who you are, cuz you're reading this.
One Thing You Always
Wear: Watch; Underwear--sorry to disappoint; I don't really wear anything else with complete consistency.
Spell wrong: separately
Say wrong: superfluous
Complain about: headaches, not getting enough sleep
Compliment on: cute clothes, shoes or accessories
Wanted and don't have: A gazillion dollars; a laid back personality
Wanted and have: A laptop; great friends; video games
Promise and don't do: Let's not start this one... I've done far too much of this lately. But, the things that definitely come to mind are these: Update fanfiction, Watch what I eat, Exercise regularly, Keep in touch
Promise and do:Hmm... is there anything? I swear I have good intentions. I just take a long time to fulfill promises sometimes. Generally if I say I'll do something I do it; sometimes it just take a while. When I vow loyalty though, it's forever. Just like diamonds.
I made it to the end! Though it took a long time, I have to say this is one of the best questionaires I've filled out, lizalou. Thank you! It had just the right degree of randomness to get me thinking and remembering things I haven't thought of in a long time. Good luck to anyone who takes up the challenge of completing it yourself!
About You
Preferred name: Alia, though you can call me Al if I can call you Betty.
Preferred location: Taerynia, living at Northreach with my honey Arrowin.. or was it Cymon? :)
Defining age: 200. Here's hoping I get there. As I've been discussing with theCallowQueen, I don't know if I'll ever be completely defined. My definition keeps evolving.
Be Honest
Name: Alia. My name is so cool I don't have to lie.
Location: Kansas City
Age: Twenty and four
Define Yourself
What's true: I really am totally awesome. Oh, and I am a bit obsessive compulsive (a bit?!) and I worry way too much. I also care too much about many things and that can be a blessing and a curse. It's good to care about others, but its not good to mother them. I am not evil, though I like evil characters. And some folks say I'm a terrific writer. Actually, I don't know if any folks have ever said that, but I do like to write and I couldn't help the Homestar quotage. That reminds me... I like to quote things too.
What's misrepresented: I'm not really as arrogant as I made myself sound in the previous answer. Other than that, I don't think I want to think about this answer too much. Most of what was misrepresented has been set straight already, and if it hasn't then I probably won't be able to change your mind about it anyway. "If you don't know me by now..."
#1 goal in life: To be happy and to contribute to the happiness of the people around me. All the rest is details.
Habits:Popping various joints, saying "you know" at the end of a sentence (I've just noticed this one recently), comparing things, second-guessing myself, apologizing.
Things You Did, Good and Bad
As a toddler: Watched Sesame Street all three times it came on during the day; liked to play in boxes and take canned foods out of the cupboard and organize them; wrote on the carpeting with black crayon because it looked cool; tried and failed to pick up the texture of the carpeting with silly puddy.
In elementary school: Recorded fake commercials, imagined on the playground at recess, obsessed about the Lord of the Rings and watched Star Trek with crysania17; roller skated, played in the tree and went on vacation with Brandi; freaked out when dad set the yard on fire; freaked out when mom practically cut her thumb in half while trimming the bushes; scraped my knee when I was trying to hide from the bus and fell (don't even ask); collected Lisa Frank stickers; liked to ride bike with my dad.
In high school: Played flute in school, in the Youth Symphony, Flute Choir, at Church and in KCYouth Wind Ensemble; never got a 1 on a flute solo because I always got too nervous and screwed up; began writing the epic story I'm still working on now; played in pep band at basketball games and chatted with Mike and his bass clarinet named Brutus; roleplayed with Tess and corresponded with her when she was in Japan; watched and obsessed over Babylon 5; got hooked on the Highlander and watched it when I got home from school; met Shivaindis who first introduced me to the wonderful world of anime.
In college: Met neowolf and lizalou, and from there many others; began my true obsession with anime; pigged out on tostitos cheese dip, bean dip and pizza rolls; played final fantasy X and kingdom hearts with neowolf; made anime music videos; skipped video and photo class as much as possible; worked my ass off in design classes and stressed and fretted and cursed over many a project; sanded hundreds of tiny blocks of wood to use in a project for Swindell; wrote parodies and obsessed about basketball players with neowolf; sang at St. Lawrence; worked with the stage crew at the Lied Center with lizalou and inuki; watched the Kodo Drummers from the catwalk with lizalou and neowolf; helped create an anime club at KU which fizzled before our last year; drew enough pictures to make a bishonen buffet; accidentally sent my final paper in Sociology to Ed, my boss at the Lied Center instead of my teacher; hung out in the computer lab after hours and listened to Air; was introduced to Homestarrunner; got rearended but took the blame; discovered that nothing stops Willie Nelson; started the quotage book.
Things You Do
Read: This list would be too long if I wrote everything down, so I'll just list categories: Manga of all kinds, Fantasy novels, my friends' blogs, fanfiction, articles about KU basketball.
Watch: Anime, Lost, Alias, Gilmore Girls, KU basketball, homestarrunner toons, Red vs Blue, my computer screen, and all of the old shows I have on DVD.
Sports: Yeah right. The most I do is watch basketball... and attempt to not die while on rollerblades.
Write: The Windsword Chronicles (my story), Fanfiction, ocassional blog entries, parodies
See: I could get really philosophical on this one, but I've decided not to be pretentious. So I'll just say that I see Cymon right now reading on one of the "fart" chairs in my room, and that I have not seen Theo lately. Lizalou, did you take him with you?
Hear: At the moment, a creepy song from RahXephon--which I skipped. So, now I'm hearing "Little Wing" from Scrapped Princess. Much more upbeat!
Love: My family and friends; people with positive attitudes; eating salty and sweet foods together; getting giddy about writing and sharing it with others; sharing obsessions; quoting things; that moment after you've finished cleaning when everything feels so organized and fresh; buying a stack of manga with a personal shopping day and coupon; drawing a satisfying picture; getting the giggles; creating something I'm proud of; myself, for the most part.
Things You Don't
Read: The paper unless there's an article about KU--sad, I know; long forwards threatening you to pass them along for good luck or else; Non-fiction.
Watch: Reality TV (excluding the Apprentice); most TV, actually; sports other than basketball; most movies.
Sports: Pretty much everything
Write: Letters, though I'm trying to change this one for lizalou since she's got no inet; love letters; memoirs
See: The future, though I do get premonitions sometimes.
Hear:Rap, unless it's in Japanese; COUNTRY MUSIC
Love: Extreme selfishness; rudeness; hatred; closed minds; assumptions; misunderstandings when there is no attempt to understand; excessive whining (yeah, I know I need to work on some of these things too).
Favorites
Place(s) to be: In my room at my computer; with my friends and family, wherever they are; Japan; Lawrence; in my imaginary world; listening to good music in my car.
Thing(s) to do: Be silly; be creative, alone or with others; roleplay; play video games; listen to music loudly in my car while driving too fast down the highway; read manga while taking a relaxing bath with lots of nice smelling bath oil.
Person(s) to be with: All you guys--you know who you are, cuz you're reading this.
One Thing You Always
Wear: Watch; Underwear--sorry to disappoint; I don't really wear anything else with complete consistency.
Spell wrong: separately
Say wrong: superfluous
Complain about: headaches, not getting enough sleep
Compliment on: cute clothes, shoes or accessories
Wanted and don't have: A gazillion dollars; a laid back personality
Wanted and have: A laptop; great friends; video games
Promise and don't do: Let's not start this one... I've done far too much of this lately. But, the things that definitely come to mind are these: Update fanfiction, Watch what I eat, Exercise regularly, Keep in touch
Promise and do:Hmm... is there anything? I swear I have good intentions. I just take a long time to fulfill promises sometimes. Generally if I say I'll do something I do it; sometimes it just take a while. When I vow loyalty though, it's forever. Just like diamonds.
I made it to the end! Though it took a long time, I have to say this is one of the best questionaires I've filled out, lizalou. Thank you! It had just the right degree of randomness to get me thinking and remembering things I haven't thought of in a long time. Good luck to anyone who takes up the challenge of completing it yourself!
Friday, February 03, 2006
Wha' Happened?
It's been several weeks between posts again. What's my excuse? I don't know really. I've been really busy at work between our open house and all the jobs that came in afterward. It's good to be busy, but time has really flown. Leah-chan's been gone three weeks now, but at least we've heard from her and know she's okay even if she doesn't have internet yet. Damn! I should have used that for my excuse. I should have said I didn't have internet. But then again, we would have all known that was a lie.
I've also felt rather boring lately. Several times I have actually sat down to write an entry and given up because I had nothing interesting to say. I will blame part of my lack of creative blogging on the relocation of my creativity onto numerous projects at work as well as a renewed interest in writing on my Windsword Chronicles story whenever I can work it in. That reminds me that I'm supposed to send Big Bold D and M some of my story to read... oops. I will do it soon. I promise. I hope. I'm tired of promising things and not following through. It makes me feel pathetic and useless.
Let's see...what else...
I've got nothing. See? I told you I'm boring.
Currently listening to: Ed's Tank~Cowboy Bebop Boxed Set Yoko Kanno
I've also felt rather boring lately. Several times I have actually sat down to write an entry and given up because I had nothing interesting to say. I will blame part of my lack of creative blogging on the relocation of my creativity onto numerous projects at work as well as a renewed interest in writing on my Windsword Chronicles story whenever I can work it in. That reminds me that I'm supposed to send Big Bold D and M some of my story to read... oops. I will do it soon. I promise. I hope. I'm tired of promising things and not following through. It makes me feel pathetic and useless.
Let's see...what else...
I've got nothing. See? I told you I'm boring.
Currently listening to: Ed's Tank~Cowboy Bebop Boxed Set Yoko Kanno
Monday, January 16, 2006
Who Says Macs Never Crash?
I think this is a bit of a misconception that macaholics like to spread around. But, just to clear things up, I've dealt with as many crashes on Macintosh computers as I have on PCs. Luckily, this particular crash was not on my personal computer. (i.e., my stuff is safe). But, it still sucks because it was a work computer and a crash is never a good thing.
My coworker and I worked on trying to fix it most of thursday and friday last week, but in the end we decided it was beyond our capabilities. We know quite a bit about the inner workings of a computer, but when you can't even boot up from a CD, the options are limited. Our final conclusion was that not only did the system get corrupted (which likely started with a bad user) but the CD-ROM also failed. The only solution I could come up with was to take the hard drive out of the computer and move it into another computer, reformat, reinstall the OS and then put it back in the computer. But, we're going to hire someone to come take a look at it so we shouldn't have to do all of that ourselves. Whew.
With all of the bad computer karma going on around me lately, I spent Friday night backing up my own computer. And, in the process of backing things up I decided I should also organize my files so I'm not just backing up junk. Organizing makes me think of lizalou, which makes me miss her. She is the queen of organized computers, and I can only aspire to be merely tidy compared to her mastery of organization. But it does feel good to get rid of duplicate and triplicate versions of the same image...I've cleared up almost half a gig already. It sure adds up fast, doesn't it?
The rest of my weekend isn't much to write about. I refuse to comment on the debacle that was the KU vs. K-State game on Saturday. Sunday was a busy shopping day with the parents to find some new living room furniture--it's amazing how exhausting shopping can be.
I'll end this post with a comment I found on a troubleshooting website. "So, what did you do before it broke all by itself?" Nothing, I swear.
Here's hoping no more computers around me crash in the near future. Keep your fingers crossed. And as I was warning my coworker, you have to make sure you cross an odd number of things. If you cross two fingers on each hand they cancel each other out, so you have to make sure to cross your arms or your legs as well. ;)
My coworker and I worked on trying to fix it most of thursday and friday last week, but in the end we decided it was beyond our capabilities. We know quite a bit about the inner workings of a computer, but when you can't even boot up from a CD, the options are limited. Our final conclusion was that not only did the system get corrupted (which likely started with a bad user) but the CD-ROM also failed. The only solution I could come up with was to take the hard drive out of the computer and move it into another computer, reformat, reinstall the OS and then put it back in the computer. But, we're going to hire someone to come take a look at it so we shouldn't have to do all of that ourselves. Whew.
With all of the bad computer karma going on around me lately, I spent Friday night backing up my own computer. And, in the process of backing things up I decided I should also organize my files so I'm not just backing up junk. Organizing makes me think of lizalou, which makes me miss her. She is the queen of organized computers, and I can only aspire to be merely tidy compared to her mastery of organization. But it does feel good to get rid of duplicate and triplicate versions of the same image...I've cleared up almost half a gig already. It sure adds up fast, doesn't it?
The rest of my weekend isn't much to write about. I refuse to comment on the debacle that was the KU vs. K-State game on Saturday. Sunday was a busy shopping day with the parents to find some new living room furniture--it's amazing how exhausting shopping can be.
I'll end this post with a comment I found on a troubleshooting website. "So, what did you do before it broke all by itself?" Nothing, I swear.
Here's hoping no more computers around me crash in the near future. Keep your fingers crossed. And as I was warning my coworker, you have to make sure you cross an odd number of things. If you cross two fingers on each hand they cancel each other out, so you have to make sure to cross your arms or your legs as well. ;)
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Tis the season...
...to be sick. At least that seems to be the way it always is for me. It seems like I've been sick a lot lately, and I can tell you I'm sick of it! Between migraines and the worst bout of stomach flu I've had in at least five years, I've been barely existing for awhile. But now I seem to be back to normal, for a little while at least. Let's keep our fingers crossed. I managed to stay healthy during Christmas at least, and I've managed to avoid the cold going around our office this week.
Christmas was a lot of fun and, though I had a hard time getting into the spirit of things this year, I ended up feeling far from scroogey during the holiday itself. Mom was moved to tears with her presents and Dad and I got to go out for awhile on Christmas day to utilize our new toys: a GPS and digital camera. We had a wonderful Christmas dinner and even went to two masses on Christmas eve. That was good considering I didn't make it to church the weekend before because I was too busy puking my guts out.
I had Monday off from work, so I got together with neowolf and lizalou and we rented Kronk's New Groove. It was hilarious, by the way, and right up there with the first movie, so I highly recommend it. The only part in it that was really iffy was Yzma's strangely out of place song. Otherwise, it was awesome. I need to see it again though to remember the quotes. We also spent some time completely revamping our graphic novel concept. That went really well and we made a lot of progress. I'm excited to get to work on it again.
This week has been a little stressful at work considering the bosses are out of town and things that have been sitting on the shelf for months have a tendancy to come up and rear their heads when the bosses are gone. So, it's been a bit hectic trying to get everything taken care of for the clients. But the week's almost over now and we have monday off...whew. It's been nice though because I went out to eat with my fellow artist earlier in the week and wandered around the River Market. That was a lot of fun and that BBQ sandwich was awesome. Then, today, I went out to eat with the G man and Big Bold D at the Thai place down the street. I've had some good eatin' this week. Especially when you throw in the pizza we ordered for lunch/dinner on monday. I need to be careful or I'm going to start gaining weight again.
Boy, this is a boring post, isn't it? Just my everyday boring life... I'll try to be more exciting next time. :)
Here, I'll leave you with a picture from the chapter of Fruits Basket I just read. It made me weepy and I was surprised by Shigure. I never can nail him down... but I guess that's why he's such a fun character. But I'm still weeping over Kyo... Wah!
Christmas was a lot of fun and, though I had a hard time getting into the spirit of things this year, I ended up feeling far from scroogey during the holiday itself. Mom was moved to tears with her presents and Dad and I got to go out for awhile on Christmas day to utilize our new toys: a GPS and digital camera. We had a wonderful Christmas dinner and even went to two masses on Christmas eve. That was good considering I didn't make it to church the weekend before because I was too busy puking my guts out.
I had Monday off from work, so I got together with neowolf and lizalou and we rented Kronk's New Groove. It was hilarious, by the way, and right up there with the first movie, so I highly recommend it. The only part in it that was really iffy was Yzma's strangely out of place song. Otherwise, it was awesome. I need to see it again though to remember the quotes. We also spent some time completely revamping our graphic novel concept. That went really well and we made a lot of progress. I'm excited to get to work on it again.
This week has been a little stressful at work considering the bosses are out of town and things that have been sitting on the shelf for months have a tendancy to come up and rear their heads when the bosses are gone. So, it's been a bit hectic trying to get everything taken care of for the clients. But the week's almost over now and we have monday off...whew. It's been nice though because I went out to eat with my fellow artist earlier in the week and wandered around the River Market. That was a lot of fun and that BBQ sandwich was awesome. Then, today, I went out to eat with the G man and Big Bold D at the Thai place down the street. I've had some good eatin' this week. Especially when you throw in the pizza we ordered for lunch/dinner on monday. I need to be careful or I'm going to start gaining weight again.
Boy, this is a boring post, isn't it? Just my everyday boring life... I'll try to be more exciting next time. :)
Here, I'll leave you with a picture from the chapter of Fruits Basket I just read. It made me weepy and I was surprised by Shigure. I never can nail him down... but I guess that's why he's such a fun character. But I'm still weeping over Kyo... Wah!
Friday, December 16, 2005
Shock Therapy
It's rare that I talk about American television. I talk about Lost occasionally, but that's about it. Thursday is my TV watching night with my main girls, theCallowQueen and her roomie. We watch Apprentice, and Alias and Lost from the night before. I have choir rehearsals on Wednesday nights so my Lost watching schedule is difficult.
Anyway, it's no secret that Alias has been disappointing me big time over the last season and a half. I have been disgusted with the shallow plot, the half-assed way they tried to "wrap up" the Rambaldi plot which had been my main interest in the show from the beginning and the degradation of the characters into two dimensional mindless zombies. In the case of Nadia, she actually did become a zombie. Nevertheless, I continued watching while Vaughn died unnecessarily (perhaps very necessarily for the heartbroken actor) and Weiss left and Sloan played a regurgitated plot role and Marshall became nothing more than the comic relief. I was sad, but it had become tradition to watch Alias. This season I found myself not minding the new characters too much. I even thought Tom was pretty cool though I realized it was unlikely that we will ever see his backstory. But, for the most part, I've learned to prepare myself for disappointment with the way Alias is now.
Last week's episode was pretty fun with Sark's reappearance. He brought back some of the flavor fo Alias as it used to be. And then there was last night's episode. I thought they were going to pull another one of those, "Oh you thought he was dead, but he's really alive. Ha ha" tricks that they've pulled almost every time someone dies. But instead, they brought Michael Vartan on the show only for an episode that dealt with Sydney's memories of Vaughn and forced her to say goodbye to him. It was touching and sweet and made me remember just how cool the show used to be. The scene in which Sydney "threw her cell phone into the Pacific...twice" I enjoyed especially. I think that psychological stuff like this is one of Alias' strengths (and one of my personal interests) so I enjoyed seeing Sydney take a jaunt through her mind even if it was forced upon her by some evil doctor and even if her lips were so puffy they looked like they were going to eat her face. Vaughn was the old Vaughn I loved before he suddenly--at the beginning of the season--had a prior life, another name and an obsession with Prophet 5. (All I have to say about Prophet 5 is that it better have something to do with Rambaldi, even though that will make it even more of a plot regurgitation.)
So, I was really enjoying the episode--especially the return of the hardball Jack and his interaction with Rene who has a very similar style--and then, in the last thirty seconds, it went from really good to OMGWTF?! Irina Dorevko, spy mommy as she is lovingly called by many an internet Alias fan, showed herself as the one who was holding Sydney captive and ordering the doctor to sift through her memories. It was a complete surprise. There was such a hullabaloo last season about the actress being unwilling to come back on the show, but they finally got her for the last several episodes. Still, I didn't expect her to come back again, at least not without a bit of warning. It was awesome! She is so cool. Even if she is after her own grandbaby.
So, then we watched Apprentice. And I had my second shock of the evening, this time an unpleasant one. I had loved Randal all throughout the show and I was really torn between him and Rebecca at the end. I wanted both of them to be hired, and I really thought the Donald would do it. Then, as the show went on, Randal acted very out of character from what I expected. He was disrespectful to Rebecca and rather cut throat. I was surprised and very disappointed, but I can only think that he was influenced by friends and family during his break from the show to stop being a nice guy and make sure he won at any cost.
Then, the moment of truth came: Randal was the new Apprentice. But then the Donald mentioned hiring Rebecca also, as I had expected. I got excited. I clenched the blanket I was huddled beneath and held my breath. And what did Randal do? He completely lost all of my respect and stabbed Rebecca in the back. She may not be perfect, but few people deserve the abuse everyone put her through. It was disgusting. I'm also peeved at the Donald for just letting Randal decide whether or not to hire Rebecca. I mean, who's the boss here? I really feel no desire to watch the Apprentice again. I'm soured on the whole show.
So, last night was a rather traumatizing night for me with all the shocks. I'm not sure why they affected me so strongly, but it was certainly exhausting. I get way too into my television, don't I? This is one of the reasons why I watch so little TV. The main reason, though, is that most shows on TV right now suck. But every now and then you find a little jewel.
So, how many weeks until we get a new episode of LOST?
Anyway, it's no secret that Alias has been disappointing me big time over the last season and a half. I have been disgusted with the shallow plot, the half-assed way they tried to "wrap up" the Rambaldi plot which had been my main interest in the show from the beginning and the degradation of the characters into two dimensional mindless zombies. In the case of Nadia, she actually did become a zombie. Nevertheless, I continued watching while Vaughn died unnecessarily (perhaps very necessarily for the heartbroken actor) and Weiss left and Sloan played a regurgitated plot role and Marshall became nothing more than the comic relief. I was sad, but it had become tradition to watch Alias. This season I found myself not minding the new characters too much. I even thought Tom was pretty cool though I realized it was unlikely that we will ever see his backstory. But, for the most part, I've learned to prepare myself for disappointment with the way Alias is now.
Last week's episode was pretty fun with Sark's reappearance. He brought back some of the flavor fo Alias as it used to be. And then there was last night's episode. I thought they were going to pull another one of those, "Oh you thought he was dead, but he's really alive. Ha ha" tricks that they've pulled almost every time someone dies. But instead, they brought Michael Vartan on the show only for an episode that dealt with Sydney's memories of Vaughn and forced her to say goodbye to him. It was touching and sweet and made me remember just how cool the show used to be. The scene in which Sydney "threw her cell phone into the Pacific...twice" I enjoyed especially. I think that psychological stuff like this is one of Alias' strengths (and one of my personal interests) so I enjoyed seeing Sydney take a jaunt through her mind even if it was forced upon her by some evil doctor and even if her lips were so puffy they looked like they were going to eat her face. Vaughn was the old Vaughn I loved before he suddenly--at the beginning of the season--had a prior life, another name and an obsession with Prophet 5. (All I have to say about Prophet 5 is that it better have something to do with Rambaldi, even though that will make it even more of a plot regurgitation.)
So, I was really enjoying the episode--especially the return of the hardball Jack and his interaction with Rene who has a very similar style--and then, in the last thirty seconds, it went from really good to OMGWTF?! Irina Dorevko, spy mommy as she is lovingly called by many an internet Alias fan, showed herself as the one who was holding Sydney captive and ordering the doctor to sift through her memories. It was a complete surprise. There was such a hullabaloo last season about the actress being unwilling to come back on the show, but they finally got her for the last several episodes. Still, I didn't expect her to come back again, at least not without a bit of warning. It was awesome! She is so cool. Even if she is after her own grandbaby.
So, then we watched Apprentice. And I had my second shock of the evening, this time an unpleasant one. I had loved Randal all throughout the show and I was really torn between him and Rebecca at the end. I wanted both of them to be hired, and I really thought the Donald would do it. Then, as the show went on, Randal acted very out of character from what I expected. He was disrespectful to Rebecca and rather cut throat. I was surprised and very disappointed, but I can only think that he was influenced by friends and family during his break from the show to stop being a nice guy and make sure he won at any cost.
Then, the moment of truth came: Randal was the new Apprentice. But then the Donald mentioned hiring Rebecca also, as I had expected. I got excited. I clenched the blanket I was huddled beneath and held my breath. And what did Randal do? He completely lost all of my respect and stabbed Rebecca in the back. She may not be perfect, but few people deserve the abuse everyone put her through. It was disgusting. I'm also peeved at the Donald for just letting Randal decide whether or not to hire Rebecca. I mean, who's the boss here? I really feel no desire to watch the Apprentice again. I'm soured on the whole show.
So, last night was a rather traumatizing night for me with all the shocks. I'm not sure why they affected me so strongly, but it was certainly exhausting. I get way too into my television, don't I? This is one of the reasons why I watch so little TV. The main reason, though, is that most shows on TV right now suck. But every now and then you find a little jewel.
So, how many weeks until we get a new episode of LOST?
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Angel Test
This test from lizalou42's site was far too perfect considering my previous post. I got the same result as she did... Hmmm....
Guardian
Class: Archangel
Alliance: Light
You are a caring soul and somewhat of a people
person. You are very concerned about others and
about the world around you. You like connecting
with people and always want to be of help. As a
guardian your role would be to watch over the
human souls on earth and help them when they
are in trouble.
Your Angelic Name: Raphael
Which Warrior Angel are You and Whose Side are You On? (With Anime Pics)
brought to you by Quizilla
Guardian
Class: Archangel
Alliance: Light
You are a caring soul and somewhat of a people
person. You are very concerned about others and
about the world around you. You like connecting
with people and always want to be of help. As a
guardian your role would be to watch over the
human souls on earth and help them when they
are in trouble.
Your Angelic Name: Raphael
Which Warrior Angel are You and Whose Side are You On? (With Anime Pics)
brought to you by Quizilla
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)