Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Avant Garde
Hello
I saw this set of images on a community on livejournal and check this out:
Doesn't it look completely lifelike???
See other images at these pages: foto_decadent (lj community) and desireedolron (artist webpage)
You see. Deviantart also has amazing art by amateurs/amateurs-turn-professionals. No longer is art confined to museums and art galleries. ^_^ Artwork/photography you can find online can be quite amazing too.^_^
Like this!
SO CUTE! xD And so detailed! And so.. you know. So cute! xD I like the colouring used too.^_^ And it was just a random picture that caught my eye while browsing Deviantart.^_^
I really like this as well:
^_^
Actually.. I like a LOT of artwork on Deviantart and there are some artists I follow.=) Wee! I suppose one can appreciate art in other forms as well.^_^
cheers
*[-witchstone-]*
[music : saikai~story~ + emu~for my dear~ + kimi no tameni dekiru koto Gackt]
[mood : normal]
[food : --]Labels: art
Monday, January 29, 2007
Fullmetal Alchemist, PDL + A job! and.. HAPPY BIRTHDAY HYDE!
Hello
Yay. Today I got my PDL [Provisional Driving License] after passing the Basic Theory Test.^_^v Yay. Apart from one grumpy tester, it was all okay... I finished the test in like 15 minutes, spent 5 minutes checking and then about 30-40 minutes applying for the PDL. Hooray! I can now drive on the road.=D
With a "L" plate of course. Oh. And an instructor.
I'm most worried about being a road hog thanks to uber slow driving and impatient drivers [read: every driver I know at the moment]. (T_T) At least I'll progress beyond 20km/h which is the fastest I've ever driven in the driving circuit.O.o
Before I forget.. Happy Birthday HYDE!!! xD xD xD Yay!
May your hot-ness and great voice and composing skills grow as the years come! =D =D =D I shall relisten to ROENTGEN and fall in love with HYDE's voice again.xD xD xD
Anyway, I've finished watching Fullmetal Alchemist! Finally! Truth be told, 51 episodes isn't very long and one can finish a series quite fast.=)
The ending was.. Unexpected to say the very least. And wasn't really an ending that I wanted. *sigh* At least Mustang ended up with Hawkeye [character introductions below].^_^ That made me happy. But Winry and Edward!!! (T_T) Wails.
I guess it was pretty funny, and quite nice to watch in the end though I'm still fairly irritated by the character flaws in the characters.-_-" And as much as I support brotherly love, care and concern.. -_-" SERIOUSLY. But o well. It was a sort-of happy ending. Somehow.^_^"
Group picture! [from the armour, clockwise]: Alphonse Elric [usually called Al], First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye, Colonel/Brigadier-General Roy Mustang [!!], Sergeant [I think] Havoc, Edward Elric [usually called Ed].
Another group picture! From left: Hawkeye, Mustang [!!], Winry Rockbell, Al, Ed.
The only cool guy. Mustang.xD Ahaha. He's the "Flame Alchemist" since he usually manipulates flame as his weapon of choice. Ed is the "Fullmetal Alchemist" because of the auto-mail [robotic replacement for limbs] that are in place of his right arm and left leg.
Ah well. I can't say I love and adore this series.. Not enough romance. RAWR. Haha.. But apart from that, I got too irritated with the characters to fully enjoy the series.=) They might have admirable qualities but o gosh.. SO ANNOYING.-_-" And the drawings are inconsistent in the anime.. Not very good. *sigh*
In other news, I'm going to work at Black Angus steakhouse at Orchard Parade Hotel.^_^" Exciting no? I'm starting tomorrow so if there's anything interesting, I'll probably blog about it. Wee!
And I'm reading X/1999! Like.. Finally trying to finish the series! xD *beams* Oh oh! And Tsubasa book 15 is out!!! *beams with delight* Hooray! I LOVE CLAMP! xD xD xD
Anyway, X/1999 is really dramatic! Haha. Everyone told me it's depressing.. angsty.. violent.. Urm.. I think it's fine really.^_^" Some pictures are a little graphic I agree but on the whole, it's quite tasteful.=)
Sorry the images are tiny.. But trust me. All the guys in CLAMP manga are HOT.xD xD xD *beams* Ahaha. I have such fun beaming at all the super hot and goodlooking guys! *bounces away*
Time to quickly read Tsubasa so I can pass it to Jiamin.=D
cheers
*[-witchstone-]*
[music : A little pain OLIVIA inspi' REIRA (TRAPNEST) + Binetsu shita de shajitsu shita shinsou ha atesaki fumei no tegami to naru RENTRER EN SOI]
[mood : ^_^]
[food : spring rolls!]
Wendaye: I never see you. Why would I bake for you!!! Ahaha. Just kidding. We're cooking for Valentine's Day! =D If you're still single by then, you should come join us in our celebration of friendship.^_^ *drifts off into euphemisms*Labels: anime, driving, Full Metal Alchemist, manga, work, X/1999
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Full Metal Alchemist
I've been watching Full Metal Alchemist on and off for the past few days and some things are starting to irritate me to no end.-_-"
Firstly, good points about the series!
- interesting and easy to follow storylines
- well-developed characters
- plot details that coincide with each other to provide continuity
- relatively okay animation
- good use of colours in representation of the landscape, characters and so forth
- opening and ending themes that aren't too hard on the ears
Start the complaints:
- I don't know if they are dumbing down the anime for kids but sometimes I get very irritated when something so obvious needs to explained in full detail through some sudden realisation by a character
- I don't like that they killed off one character *grumbles* He was well-developed, had depth and was rather interesting!!! RAWR. [It's Maes Hughes by the way.]
- No matter how helpful the Elric brothers are, and no matter what their good intentions, it is obvious that what they are seeking is merely for their personal selfish and juvenile desires. It doesn't matter what they go through for it, I mean.. OF COURSE it's their goal but they pursue the Philosopher's Stone in such a selfish manner. They don't care what happens to them since they want to get back their bodies despite knowing full well that human transmutation is not allowed and they go about it despite hurting people who care for them.
I understand that they are like, 14 and 15 and thus aren't completely adults yet. But by trying to reassure people and yet carrying on with their rubbish.. I don't believe it shows any signs of maturity.
I'll probably finish watching FMA because well.. I like knowing the endings of anime that I watch. But it doesn't mean I'll not be irritated at certain parts of it.=S
Apologies to those who love and adore this series..
cheers
*[-witchstone-]*
[music : --]
[mood : grumpy]
[food : guotie!]
pixiezdust: Well. Some were for my mom's birthday. Haha. And the rest are distributed amongst people.^_^"
wendaye: I'm allergic to cookies.. And cookies HATE me! I never manage to make good cookies. It's a very sad phenomenon but it's true.(T_T)
cch: I'm a girl. Do you have a problem with that?! -_-"Labels: anime, Full Metal Alchemist
Happy Birthday Mom!
Hello
So today we had a rehearsal for Jiamin's Sister's project. Jiamin and I found out that.. that.. (T_T) We're modelling maternity wear and will thus be all embarrassed that we have to wear fake bellies.*dies of embarrassment*
It's urm.. *coughs* Good training though! Yes. Very exciting indeed. So today we practised how to walk and everything.=P Both of us couldn't stop laughing. Ahaha.=X Such immaturity.. *hides*
Anyway. At night, we went with my 2 aunts for dinner at The British Club.=D The food was surprisingly good! Haha.
Admire the wonderful flowers! =D BEAMS! I chose the bouquet for my dad who is obviously not very good at such things. Haha. Isn't it pretty!!! ^_^ And it complements my mom's colour scheme for her clothes. Ahaha.=P
Yay! I like my skirt.=D Although it's kind of long? But it's swishy! So it's very nice to wear..=P The only problem with it is that it is EXTREMELY high-waisted. It's rather slimming I suppose but having it so high is a bit weird.. Haha.
Dinner!
Well. There was an amuse bouche to begin. It was tandoori chicken on top of something.. It was a little dry so that was unfortunate. It did have a nice fragrance though.^_^"
My starter! It's tempura fried king prawns with green mango salad. There was a cup of miso espresso on the side but I could only taste foam there.=S I really liked my starter though it was a very safe and boring option.^_^ I love prawns! And I love green mango salad! Where could I go wrong? =D
Refreshing, full of texture and the tempura was surprisingly acceptable [though still not very good].^_^
My dad's starter: black truffle risotto with quail. O gosh. This was REALLY good! =D =D =D Haha. I ate quite a bit of it.=P The quail was really yummy, well marinated and not too tough. I really like quail! I think that will be my next favourite poultry.xD Haha. And I ADORE truffles!!! xD xD xD It gave the risotto [which was really good and not at all creamy and overpowering like I expected] a wonderful mushroom fragrance. Of course, I'm pretty sure the chef had a good stock to make it taste so good but mmm. I never knew good risotto was like this! xD
Maybe I'll try a mushroom risotto if I see any next time.=D
My main course! Magret of Barbary Duck with honey, something and something.^_^" It was served with root vegetables, sundried tomato and cranberry sauce. Mm! This was good.=D [Although when I saw Barbary all I could think of was the Barbary horse in Othello.O.o] The duck was sliced thinly and piled nicely on the plate.=D The sauce was EXCELLENT! ^_^ I adore sauce. Give me good sauce with a steak and I'll be pleased as punch.=D [For the record, I'm not a fan of steak. Maybe only of Japanese or Asian style because it's sliced up and not so scary..] The root vegetables were nicely caramelised as well so that was good.^_^ Yay!
I'm glad the duck wasn't cooked all the way through as well.. It kept it nice and tender.^_^ Yum.
For dessert, they made a birthday cake thing for my mom.=D It was a cheesecake-cum-sponge cake. My dad insists that if I make something similar he'll eat it.-_-" It was rather nice though [I forgot to take a photo..=X]! Nice and light, it was composed of several layers: sponge cake, cream with blueberries [fresh cream too, not that disgusting canned stuff..] and a layer of cream cheese on top.^_^
Yay. =D Oh! And the cupcakes yesterday? I gave the equivalent of my mom's age to her. ;) Beams.
My dad is trying to finish up his bottle of Sauterne too so we all had to drink a glass just now.=P It's still not finished yet but I was merrily drinking away while watching the drama that is I Not Stupid 2 unfold..^_^" I rather like the Sauterne though it's a little too sweet.^_^" [I'm fussy am I not. This is too sweet, some red wines are too bitter! -_-"]
Oh. And wine at dinner was quite acceptable. The red wine was actually palatable though still very bitter..xP
Tomorrow, we're going to eat guotie!!! Yay! =D =D =D I LOVE guotie!!! ^^ And my mom and I are going to hunt for a teapot! Haha.=P [Okay. A teaset rather.=P]
cheers
*[-witchstone-]*
[music : A little pain OLIVIA inspi' REIRA (TRAPNEST) + random alice nine. songs]
[mood : bouncy]
[food : risotto with quail.*_*!]
Labels: birthday, edibles, misc
Friday, January 26, 2007
Orange and Lemon Cupcakes! + FMA
Hello
Today, I baked! [Something you can obviously tell from the title..]
^_^ Gosh thanks to the tiny size of each cupcake, I ended up with tons.. Which made Jiamin really happy since she came over and ate them.=P
Behold!
Orange cupcakes! =) I put mini chocolate chips in since I don't have any of the regular sized ones.=P Then I dotted the tops with more chocolate chips to differentiate the orange from lemon ones.^_^
Closeup.=) Although they are nicely browned, I left them in the oven a little too long. I shall never sacrifice moistness for colour ever again.xP Oh. And note to self: never reduce the amount of butter. The cupcakes were a bit dry though still flavourful.^_^"
Lemon cupcakes! They are slightly lighter in colour than the orange ones and I MUCH preferred these.=D I think lemon is a wonderful complement to anything buttery!
Closeup! =) Mmm. If they weren't slightly dry, these would have been absolutely perfect! =D Although maybe I could have put in 1.5 lemons worth of zest.^_^"
Yesterday, I started watching Full Metal Alchemist thanks to MUCH persuasion from staunch lovers of the series. Sorry I'm borrowing it for SUCH a long time Jiamin! ^_^"
It's okay I guess.. Very guy-ish and with many retarded jokes. Haha. But it's rather funny if you don't take it too seriously and there is an original plot though sometimes a little too simplistic.. I'm worried though.. If they don't keep me interested, I won't be inspired to continue on beyond the 35th or so episode..
Kinda like Code Geass which was COMPLETELY retarded and cliched at one point but redeemed itself again later.^_^"
I'm sad now though that.. that..
I've finished all the current releases for NANA and Code Geass!!!! 
Wails!!! (T_T) (T_T) (T_T)
I can't WAIT for the next NANA release!!! =D It's an extremely exciting stage.=D Wee!
And I promised Jiamin I would watch.. *coughs* Naruto next. Omg I'm giving in to the dark side. xP And there's still House and Death Note the Movie to borrow from Wendaye! *hints* xD O no! Too many things to watch.. Too little time! xP
And I feel like baking somemore! ^_^ Maybe I'll do chocolate cupcakes next? =P
cheers
*[-witchstone-]*
[music : Kesenai Tsumi Nana Kitade (FMA) + Filth in the beauty The GazettE]
[mood : ^_^]
[food : cupcakes!]
Labels: anime, edibles, Full Metal Alchemist, lemon cupcakes, NANA, orange cupcakes
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Wahoojin!
Hello!
Time for another update on latest trends in Japan! =D And of course, another covetable item that I completely cannot afford! [And cannot bear to spend money on too..]
Introducing, Wahoojin [和風人] Jeans from Japan.
They specialise in selvedge jeans and other small items [like sneakers] that are handpainted by Kimono artists. There are over 1,000 different designs to choose from including Hokusai-inspired great waves and sakura (cherry blossoms) to imaginary creatures pulled from Japanese folklore. Wahoojin does custom designs as well from your own submissions. The Japanese kimono designs on each item are [as you can see] VERY pretty!
Details to look out for:
- Of course, the kimono designs/Japanese-inspired designs
- Japanese card game design for the back label
- Red lacquered buttons [image below]
- Back pocket design: Wahoojin inspired Mount Fuji
The red lacquer button! I'm very taken in by pretty button designs. For example, the latest collection at Diesel [or was it Gas?] has very pretty buttons!!! xD
Some of the handpainted designs in a closeup picture.^_^ Aren't they simply gorgeous? There were other images on the site but I couldn't save them..=S
The jeans come in 3 styles each for men [Samurai Type] and women [Sakura Type]. It refers to the cut and the wash I think. That's all I could tell from the photos. The women's jeans [with the sakura designs in the image just above] are 40,250yen [about S$500+]. VERY affordable.^_^"
*saves up*
If one cannot afford the jeans, there are always the sneakers!
Also decorated with pretty kimono designs, the sneakers look like Converse ones.=) From top left, clockwise: Tsuru [cranes], a fan design, Night Sakura [literally translated from the kanji] and Crane with flowers.^_^
The sneakers are 16,800yen per pair.^_^
Aren't they SO pretty and covetable? =) Too bad about the price tag.. However, it's probably to pay the kimono artists. Can you imagine hideous and cheap imitations of this? *shudders*
Sigh. NANA is great to watch.. I can't say I love and adore the illustrations but it's the story that's keeping me hooked.=P At least I've moved beyond what the movie covered.^_^ Code Geass too is getting all sad but very gripping. I dread to see what's coming next but at the same time, I simply MUST find out.^_^" I'm up to the point that Japan has shown to so I'm glad the fansubbers are so on-task.=D
Anyway. I found out that the non-response from the Ogilvy people was because.. because.. THEY DIDN'T RECEIVE MY EMAIL!!! That I sent a MONTH ago!!! And to think I was all convinced that Gmail was good! (T_T) Sigh. So anyway, I've sent the stuff off to them again so all I have to do is wait and see when they'll tell me about the dress code and working hours.=P
Note to self: Always ensure the recepient receives important emails.
The 1st ending song [A little pain by OLIVIA inspi' REIRA (TRAPNEST)] for NANA keeps playing in my head.=) The new starting song [Wish by OLIVIA inspi' REIRA (TRAPNEST)] is rather nice too though I still prefer A little pain. However.. I'm not fond of the new ending song [Starless Night by OLIVIA inspi' REIRA (TRAPNEST)]. *sigh* I wonder when the new Anna Tsuchiya inspi' NANA (BLACK STONES) song will debut..
cheers
*[-witchstone-]*
[music : A little pain OLIVIA inspi' REIRA (TRAPNEST) + Wakatteita Hazu Satou Akemi (Fushigi Yuugi)]
[mood : brooding]
[food : mushroom soup!]
cch: Eeks. Not so fast! (T_T) I was surprised that Iowa is so efficient though.Labels: anime, Japan, misc, NANA, Wahoojin
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Driving, Photos and Iowa!
Hello
Well! I got an acceptance EMAIL [wow so hightech. Haha] from the University of Iowa! Yay I can now choose to go to CORN COUNTRY! xD Haha. Along with the fact that I am "academically eligible", I also *coughs* qualify for their Honors program [hoho!] and they are giving me this scholar's thing that gives me US$11000+ for 4 years as a grant or something. Haha. I was quite amused that I am "academically eligible". Isn't that the funniest statement you've ever heard? Me! HONORS PROGRAM?! Ahahaha.*dies*
Apart from my hysterical laughter, my dad is all pleased that now they can definitely get rid of me very soon.=D Hooray! Haha.
Anyway, today I went for my 2nd driving lesson and final theory lesson.=P Final theory was SO BORING. (T_T) Sigh. But my driving instructor told me to hurry up and pass my Basic Theory Test so I can apply for the PDL [provisional driving license presumably] since he said on the next practical lesson, he wants me to drive on the road already. Like ohmygod. I am absolutely certain I will be a road hogger. Haha. And then I'll be the bane of every driver's existence!!!
So I am planning to attempt to read through the basic theory book again to ensure that I pass. Can you imagine if I don't?! Then I'll have to wait for another 3 thousand years before I can take another practical lesson..(T_T)
Oh! And today's weather was LOVELY!
Check out the nice clouds.=D I was sad that the sky's blue wasn't as striking as it could be which would make for a nicer photo. But with my amateurish skills, I will have to work with what I have.*ahem*
And from my house:
Isn't it lovely? [The house next door is pretty big.xP] Hooray for palm trees.=) They always fluorish in this wonderful weather.^_^
Oh I should have taken a photo of my Duck Guotiao today. It appears to be Jiamin and my favourite thing in West Mall. Haha. And I haven't taken a photo for keeps! O dearie me..
Anyway, I was too tired yesterday to post photos that we took so:
Half-price waffles at Gelare on Tuesdays! That's Jiamin's caramel banana waffle with icecream in the background. Both my friends were completely and utterly horrified that I eat my waffles either plain [if already sweetened] or with maple syrup [if not already sweetened].^_^ I am a purist. I can't imagine allowing my poor waffle to grow increasingly soggy in the melting ice-cream puddle..
And woe betide anyone who attempts to serve me a crepe with ICECREAM.-_-" Don't you dare. My choco-banana crepe in Tokyo was a complete exception! And bad crepes aren't welcome either. Oh. And for the record, I don't eat pancakes or apple tart or apple pie or apple crumble or ... with ice-cream either.=P "A la mode" is not my thing thank you! =P
But I have to say that waffles are affordable on Tuesdays. Other than that, it's an expensive treat.;) The batter isn't bad, quite light but still not the best waffles I've tried in this country.=X
^_^v superior camera taking skills! MWAHAHA. I think my neck-scarf makes the otherwise boring shirt a bit better looking. I must find out other ways to style boring shirts.^_^" And Jiamin's dress is so cute!!! Haha. And of course, Vivion's in her usual T-shirt. Not that it's a bad thing.=P Haha.
I may take up waitressing if I can push back my internship a bit. Except that they are quite unresponsive. So I don't know what I'm going to occupy February with [apart from pennilessness].=S SIGH. And I hope I can still help with Jiamin's sister's project.xP
On another note, Have Fun in Hong Kong Joyce!!! =D =D =D And yay Vivion! You're ALMOST free! And ganbatte Jiamin!!! Have fun at work!!! =D
cheers
*[-witchstone-]*
[music : A little pain OLIVIA inspi' REIRA (TRAPNEST) + I for you LUNA SEA]
[mood : --]
[food : duck guotiao + kappa maki!]Labels: driving, edibles, misc, uiowa
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Big Bang Love, Juvenile A
Hello
Today Jiamin and I went shopping! =D And we watched the film Big Bang Love, Juvenile A. It was rather.. urm.. difficult to decipher and hard to understand. However, being the people we are, we were comforted by the fact that there was a rather hot guy in the show.^_^"
Dinner with Vivion was nice.=) I'm sad that Joyce couldn't join us but it's nice to just hang out and talk.^_^ Of course, I'm poorer now but that happens often so it doesn't bother me much. It's far better being able to talk somewhere. Holland Village is a nice place if a tad expensive and at least it is relatively near all our homes.^_^
Big Bang Love, Juvenile A [46億年の恋 or 4.6 Billion Years of Love in Japanese]
Overall Impression:
Confusing and difficult to understand, but I like to watch this kind of shows [and then get someone else to explain them]. There were some sweet bits and some extremely terrifying bits but overall, it wasn't that bad.^_^"
Plot:
Two prisoners meet in a sparse prison set in a Mars-like landscape. Both are murderers serving their time. Jun [played by the guy who was Ren in the first NANA movie] worked in a gay bar but after being sexually harassed by a customer, went into a killing frenzy and killed the guy, stabbing him multiple times to boot. [Emphasized by much blood in the movie.*nods*] Jun meets Shiro, who is everything Jun is not. While Jun is frail and calm, Shiro is violent and *coughs* masculine. [He's hot too! xD] However, a prison guard finds Jun strangling Shiro to death and thus, the movie centers around these 2 men and the mystery behind Shiro's death.
The movie appears to explore themes of love, continuity, time, the rites of passage and manhood [I guess].
Setting:
As mentioned, the prison is located in a Mars-like landscape, with a giant pyramid and a rocket-launching pad. In one review I read, they appear to be metaphors for eternity. In fact, this film is FILLED with metaphors.-_-" From the use of setting to light, costumes to the way the film is shot, this show has too many metaphors for it's own good. The prison is sparse, with minimal furnishings and you actually see very stage-like settings in the prison. They only use a few sets like the warden's office [beyond creepy], the cafeteria [I guess you could call it that?], the cell [minimalist and very dirty looking], the interrogation room [bizarre lighting], the laundry area [bright but enclosed], the roof [overgrown and bare] and the infirmary [sanitised looking].
Lighting:
The use of lighting is very.. Apparent in this film. By separating groups by shining light on certain spots, the director effectively maximises the effect in the movie. They have very stage-like sets as previously mentioned so all I could think was, OOH DRAMA! *ahem* It was interesting though. Like there was one scene where Jun was peeking through a hole in the wall and as he moved backwards, the sunlight shone at him towards his chest, and then the light appeared to pass through him. They also use lighting to make characters "appear" and "disappear", much like theatre!
Acting:
Hmm.. They didn't need to speak very much and Jun was at his best, acting as the troubled young man [like Ren in NANA.-_-"] who sought comfort through Shiro. There was less .. homosexual stuff than expected but gosh SO SWEET! at certain points.xD The appearance of the men as children was also metaphorical presumably and I like to believe that it shows their more vulnerable side.
Soundtrack:
Well.. The music they DID play was rather nice but it was mostly music-less throughout the entire film.^_^" Neither of us could understand why they flashed words on the screen when the interrogater was asking questions instead of allowing the actors to enunciate the words.=S
Shock Factor:
There's some violence and blood [okay. QUITE a bit.] but I think Jiamin and I were most terrified of the prison warden who had a maniacal grin and a very scary Japanese movie-ish creepy woman hanging around him when Shiro talks to him.*wails in despair at remembering* The worst thing was that no one else in the cinema was reacting except us!!! (T_T) Wails. THAT WAS DAMN SCARY!!! There IS a reason why I avoid horror films like the PLAGUE.(T_T) (T_T) (T_T)
Dilemma:
Please someone! PLEASE! Watch the show and explain it to me! Some metaphors I don't get:
- The butterfly
- The modern dance at the start
- The whole rites of passage thing
- Flashing questions as words on the screen instead of spoken words
- The significance of light separating out people and being such an important factor
- MANY MANY THINGS IN THE SHOW.(T_T)
So yes. I insist everyone must watch this show and then explain it to me!!! Haha.=P But really. If you're an action flick, or not-serious-show kind of person, don't watch this. You'll either die of boredom, fall asleep, or leave feeling like you wasted your money.=X
Oh! And about The Picturehouse at The Cathay. I'm actually pleased that they are dedicating one cinema just for arthouse films.^_^ Plus, Jiamin and I saw trailers to more arthouse films that we want to catch! [Hopefully they will open when we have more money! =P] The cinema is pretty nice too with relatively comfy seats and tons of legroom. The only sad thing about the place is the slightly out-of-the-way location.=X But at least we have a higher chance of watching more of these "intellectual" films at The Picturehouse! ^_^ Soon: The Red Cockatoo! It stars the blonde guy from Napola, Max something.=X And there's a Filipino film that looks really interesting too.
Yay for obscure and smart films.=D And YAY if they are enjoyable and great to watch! ^_^
Ah well. Time to save up [or try to save up]! xP More driving tomorrow. I don't know what shoes I should wear.O.ocheers*[-witchstone-]*[music : Take Me Away Ito Yuna + that French song playing in Sushi Tei]
[mood : moody][food : chips? waffles! sushi? xO]cch: Yes yes I know you love the Phantom.-_-" You love Les Miserables too right.. Labels: Big Bang Love Juvenile A, misc, movie review
Monday, January 22, 2007
The Queen
Hello
Today we went to watch The Queen. And since it was rather interesting but not entirely gripping, I won't go on and on about it like I did about Confession of Pain [hello, Takeshi! How can you deny him that! =P]. But! It was an interesting show that gave the audience a perspective of how the royal family felt during Diana's death.
I did think they overplayed Prince Charles a bit but Helen Mirren was excellent as Queen Elizabeth.^_^
Ahh! I still want to see One Last Dance and Big Bang Love Juvenile A! =D Of course, I'll be completely poor after all these movies but..^_^ Yay! At least Jiamin will have a nice few days before she goes off to work.... =S
Ahh work. A terrible thought. Although the work experience is quite a good reason to go learn new things.. Sometimes, school doesn't seem as bad [when you think about the periods where you don't have much work and everything.^_^"].. =D Haha. O no! I can't appreciate school so early in my life!!! (T_T) *runs away*
Friends though, make everything better.^_^
Hmm. My brother went to Toledo [is that how it's spelt?] to watch The Phantom of the Opera.^_^ I hope he had fun! Haha.
Jiamin's sister's project rehearsals and things like that are coming up.=D Haha. It's going to be fun I hope?
This update is really.. not an update at all.=X It's more like, stringing random sentences together to form an entry.=S
NANA and Code Geass call!!! xD Omygosh they are getting to really nice bits!!! =D I'm DYING to see the reunion of Nana and Ren! *beams* And omygosh what is Lelouch up to next?
cheers
*[-witchstone-]*
[music : Kimi no tameni dekiru koto Gackt]
[mood : --]
[food : --]
cch: I'll email them to you. The slimmer masks are meant for wearing usually so they're are about the size of your face. The broad ones [like the middle one with things sticking out the eyes] are huge, around a person's armspan? They are usually mounted on other things so there are giant holes cut in them. I don't know how long it'll be on till. And why is it snowing! WHY. I WANT SNOW! (T_T)Labels: anime, misc, The Queen
Sunday, January 21, 2007
NANA, Code Geass, CHOBITS, Books & SAGA! xD
Hello
Oh how I love anime. Don't ask me why but I do.^_^ It's like a drama but you can insert more comical expressions since those can be drawn in.=D
Wee! So I'm not even halfway through NANA, but I think they are taking plot development really nice and slow.-_-" There's nothing I haven't seen in the movie so with 11 episodes down and still not moving on, I'm wondering when they'll get to the part that comes after the movie. Still, I'm not complaining, it's nice to see the developing relationship more in-depth.^_^
Of course, I'm still railing against that disgusting Sachiko but I also blame Shouji for cheating on Hachi. How dare he! -_-" What I like about this anime is that the girl's thoughts and feelings are very realistic, something one can relate to especially since we're nearly their age. I have the same thoughts as some of them about certain characters and I might respond in the same way. That's probably how NANA became so popular as a shoujo manga.=)
Paradise Kiss isn't terribly realistic while NANA deals with situations that we might face [apart from the forming a rock band thing]. I'm looking forward to further developments! ^_^ This anime is designated 50 episodes so far but we'll see how things go.=D
^_^ Nana and Hachi had to sleep together because Nobu crashed their apartment.=P I'm still amazed at how the rent is so incredibly cheap! Hopefully they'll reveal the reason soon enough or maybe they'll just simply leave it as another of the miracles that these 2 girls experience.=P
Because the starting song is by Anna Tsuchiya inspi' NANA (BLACK STONES), the "theme" song that Nana sings is Rose as well. Unfortunately, I think Glamorous Sky is a much stronger song with better musicality. Rose has a lesser impact compared to Glamorous Sky.
The songs for NANA in general though, are quite acceptable.=D I really love the ending theme, A little pain by OLIVIA inspi' REIRA (TRAPNEST) and I think it's cool that they selected songs not just for the anime, but for the bands within the anime too.^_^ I'm looking forward to the 2nd season's music, Wish and Starless Night by OLIVIA and Kuroi Namida by Anna Tsuchiya.^_^
Code Geass is becoming more compelling although I have to say that they have really really really lame script writers for Lelouch's character.-_-"
And all the cute guys have huge flaws that are quite unforgivable!
First though, let me introduce another character! =D
The brown haired guy is Suzaku, Lelouch's childhood friend, newfound enemy and pilot of a brandnew weapon that appears to be undefeated and indestructible. [What a mouthful.] He's cute too no? xD But he too has a big flaw!
Lelouch:
Positive Qualities: Goodlooking, smart, full of strategy and caring towards his friends and younger sister. He's also popular and has leadership material.
Negative Qualities: Arrogant, overly confident and narrowminded. Unable to see beyond his goal, he refuses to accept anything else. He also has seriously lame and cliched views, such as naming his new order the "Knights".-_-" O little boy dreams.. Will they never fade?
Suzaku:
Positive Qualities: Goodlooking, smart, kind and nice to everyone. He's forgiving too! He's also the only guy who can pilot the new weapon, making him capable and he's also a great athlete.;)
Negative Qualities: Singleminded in his approach as well, overly righteous and far too honest for his own good. [His honesty can be taken both ways though.]
*deep sigh*
I just knew that the perfect guy doesn't exist. The perfect ones always have a flaw somewhere or some deep dark past.-_-"
Take Lelouch's costume for his "Zero" persona that he uses to command the resistance against the present government for example:
Painful is it not.-_-" I'm like, what is UP with the mask? He reminds me of a very strange and futuristic Batman. When I first saw this get-up, I almost died.-_-"
His "Knights" order. Look at the completely lame and cliched costumes and POSE! -_-" O geez. I'm trying to tell myself that the character designers and writers did all this by taking into account his age [he's still in high school] meaning he wouldn't be as sophisticated, presumably. But yet they portray him to be a brilliant strategist and very smart if a bit presumptuous.
Oh the dilemma!
In any case, there are a whole cast of interesting characters as well behind Lelouch and Suzaku.=) I'm dying to find out more about them, especially the Royal Family of Britannia and Lelouch and Suzaku's classmates, friends and family.^_^
I'm almost done watching CHOBITS. I already know the entire story since I read the manga but back then, when I thought it was sweet.. I have completely different thoughts now.(T_T)
Although it is sweet that the 2 main characters end up together in the end after going through all the trials and tribulations of getting to know each other.. Don't you think it's still ridiculous that despite all the other characters saying that a human and a persocom shouldn't get together, they still allowed Hideki and Chi to end up together? I also think it's sad that they should portray them having a happy future together because.. I don't think humans and persocoms should end up together. If that happens.. It's as if a persocom is a true replacement of a human being. And I find it terribly sad that Hideki should help everyone get together with the one they love and in the end, he's left with Chi. Although he is happy about being with Chi... Can a human truly find happiness with a computer?
Sigh. CHOBITS.. I used to like the manga but I'm having second thoughts now..xP All I can say though is.. I think Chi's clothes are really nice!!! xD
On a completely unrelated note,
Ahh! After reading Time, Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman by Haruki Murakami sounds really interesting!!! (T_T) Maybe I should upgrade to such.. intellectual novels as soon as possible. Plus it's apparently a collection of stories and includes some of his best so it'll be a good introduction to his work, no? Currently, I'm reading The Book of Lost Things by John Connelly. It's relatively interesting but the way he writes doesn't draw your attention into the book. The character is about to meet with events that has a lot to do with the plot though, so I'm looking forward to whatever is going to come next.^_^
And on another unrelated note,
Is Saga not the hottest bassist ever? xD xD xD *BEAMS!* His hair reminds me of Uruha's though.O.o The whole, flipped out, highlighted look... xD xD xD O well. He's hot anyway!
I'm sad that Shinsen Subs and Ureshii stopped their collaboration on Code Geass but another group took over so all's well. It's pretty slow though, they've released up to Episode 10 but in Japan it's at 14. Nana is good though.^_^ I like this fansubbing group. I still need to watch FMA! xP
And I need to hunt down the rest of the X/1999 series!!! Like, NOW! (T_T) And Angel Sanctuary!!! (T_T) And Kino has to have another sale soon!!! (T_T) Ah well. Good time to finish up all the books lying around my house and room..
cheers
*[-witchstone-]*
[music : A little pain OLIVIA inspi' REIRA (TRAPNEST) + Kesanai Tsumi Nana Kitade]
[mood : normal]
[food : guotiao! ^_^]
Jiamin: Hmm. I could burn it for you I guess? But wouldn't you rather wait till more episodes are out so I don't waste your DVDs? =D But Lelouch is seriously goodlooking!!! xD And Suzaku too! =D =D =D
Wendaye: It's at the entrance where the busstop is, next to Max Brenner's.^_^ And nice description of the cake Wendaye.-_-" About Canele-ing.. I REFUSE to go to Robertson Quay again unless you will 100% show up!!! *growls* It's too far to make any mistakes and the only things around to comfort oneself are like, Kino and Meidi-Ya! xP But.. Maybe we can all go after Joyce comes back from Hong Kong! =D Labels: alice nine, anime, books, CHOBITS, Code Geass, NANA
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Mystery Men, Tea at The V Tea Room and old songs!
Hello
Today we went to the Asian Civilisation Museum to check out the new exhibition, Mystery Men which features artifacts dug up in Sichuan. [More about that later] Then my mom was in the mood for tea and after much deliberation, we went to The V Tea Room at the Esplanade.=)
The Asian Civilisation Museum!
It's located near Victoria Theatre [that's what it's called right??] and is within walking distance from City Hall MRT and the Esplanade.^_^ The admission for adults is $8 and for students as well as senior citizens [over 60] it is $4. There's a family package too for $20 [for 5 people I think]. Anyway, before you hit the special exhibitions hall, you get to go through their Southeast Asian collection.^_^ It's quite diverse, ranging from ... Indonesia to Vietnam and covers different time periods.
Here's some interesting stuff I saw! =D
WARNING: The lighting there is extremely dim. So my pictures aren't superbly clear.=X =X =X [I tried my best!!! xP I adjusted the ISO and everything..=(]
This is a bronze drum from .. Java I think? Isn't it cool? I never knew drums could be made from bronze since bronze isn't exactly the stretchiest material around. [Drums are usually covered by animal skins and more recently, plastic right?] Plus, it's a huge drum so I think it was meant for ceremonial purposes.
As you can tell, it's a skull with carvings on it from Sarawak. The whole top part [the cranium I think it's called] has intricate carvings and designs. Although the actual reason behind this practice hasn't been established, the indigenous people [the Kayan Dayak tribe] were known to conduct ritual human sacrifice and headhunting during warfare. Creepy isn't it.xP
Next up we have a miniature Quran/Koran [the Muslim holy book].^_^ It's so cute! Apparently, it has a special script that requires a magnifier to write and this book is usually used as a talisman instead of something to read. The two things beside the Quran are boxes that hold octagonal shaped miniature Qurans.^_^
Okay, I FREAKED OUT when I saw these Chinese statue things.xP Are they not the scariest, most hideous things you have ever seen?! It doesn't help that they are huge.-_-" When you turn a corner in the Chinese exhibit, you come across these.. these.. THINGS.(T_T) Wails. HIDEOUS I say! xP I think they had something to do with the Sea Goddess or something? *shudders* I was trying my best to ignore that particular exhibit..
The main event!
Mystery Men features the archaelogical finds at Sanxingdui [三星堆], an excavation site where they discovered the presence of a previously little-known-of Chinese civilisation, the Shu people. They're really interested in this civilisation because it's not located near the Yellow River, which is where they had thought most ancient Chinese civilisations congregated. Another point to note is that the Shu people appear to be pretty advanced, based on the artifacts they found in the site. The site actually consists of 2 pits which they believe were burial pits for ceremonial objects. One pit is 100 years older than the other [according to carbon dating] so it's quite a discovery to see the advancements the people made within that 100 years. This can be seen through the intricacy of the detailing on the ceremonial objects as well as the refinement of technology used to produce the objects.
Much has been discovered about the ceremonial practices [or what can be guessed] but apart from knives and such, I don't think they found many everyday-items since, as previously mentioned, these appeared to be pits for ritual items that were purposely burnt or broken before being buried.[Alliteration!! xD] The write-ups did mention that they aren't sure why exactly these pits exist because no others have been found in the vicinity [just the old city walls and evidence of past villages and things like that]. So it could have been that the Shu people did a last giant ceremony when their King was beaten by another tribe or something to that effect.
They have ceremonial objects in the shape of animals since the shamanistic practices existed at that time. There are a lot of birds too since it was believed that they could bring you closer to heaven or something like that. The exhibition's highlights though, are these giant masks:
^_^ The middle one is very weird. Haha.=X Protruding eyes! xP They reveal the different techniques and such that were used to make each mask [some were used as masks, some were too big and thus probably mounted on something else]. There's one with gold leaf too! ^_^
It's a pretty interesting exhibition that has a lot of information but the whole place is REALLY dark and my parents complained that the text was tiny [to me it was fine].=S I guess they still have much to improve upon..
After this, we walked around the area and I took this picture from the Esplanade bridge!
Too bad it was cloudy and everything.(T_T)
At The V Tea Room, they were having a wedding reception of some kind [it's a very popular place apparently, judging from how many couples came after that to enquire about it.=P] and we had to wait a bit before getting a seat. They have interesting cookies in their selection and my mom and I were merrily sampling.^_^" Rather yummy and the tins are pretty! Plus everything is made in-house so it's all original creations, so to speak.
^_^ My mom and I got a pot of tisane that had Strawberry, hibiscus and... something else that I don't remember. It was slightly sweet actually so I didn't have to put a cube of sugar but I did anyway.=X I think their strainer is really cute! ^_^ Hehe. I'm all ready to use my tea leaves but urmmm. I need a tea pot at home first.=P
This is the blueberry Melt Cake that is apparently their signature cake. It's freshly made and reminds me of a chocolate fondant [it's probably the same principle]. Sadly, this one was wayyy too melted. The cake is served with Creme de Cassis which is really really really sweet and syrupy. I can see why it's made into Kir and Kir Royale.xD
This is the strawberry Melt Cake! ^_^ I liked this better, it wasn't too sweet and there was a significantly bigger portion of solidified pudding that went nicely with the melted bit. This cake is served with Tequila Strawberry that tasted like.. strawberry syrup.=S
Sadly, the melt cakes with accompanying liquer shots were EXTREMELY expensive and my dad almost died when he saw the bill.*ahem* Sorry. My mom and I didn't know..xP
Besides the cakes, we also got sorbet! It's a really generous serving and my ordered Sour Cherry [not pictured] and I got Chrysanthemum with Lime and Honey. It's an interesting combination with a very strong Chrysanthemum flavour. My mom didn't really like it.=S I thought it was pretty nice but not something I'd call my favourite flavour.^_^"
All in all, the place is nice [Venetian-themed with English-y food = Identity Crisis?] with relatively good cakes but the price is a little steep. The service is pleasant though and they do everything prettily which makes for a nice ambience.^_^ I can understand why people would hold wedding receptions here but maybe going for their more "normal" selections [or the complimentary cookie sampling platter!] would be a better choice. They have quite a few tea blends as well.=)
Regarding the "old songs" bit in the title..
When I was younger and first learnt about anime [and when downloading rules were a lot less stringent], I used to obtain the songs from Fushigi Yuugi through Napster [oh how ancient can I get!]. I know. Fushigi Yuugi = such a primary school romance but at that time I was in primary school after all.xD Man.. I really loved that series back then. Rurouni Kenshin too! =D Ohoh and Ayashi no Ceres! And like, Flame of Recca [it's rather ugly though now that I think about it] and... *ahem* Anyway. I've found the Fushigi Yuugi songs again! I lost them when my computer crashed [along with all my images and everything.(T_T)] a long time ago and ever since, I've been thinking about those songs every now and then.
Somehow, they've lost the appeal that drew them to me in the first place but still.. Listening to the songs again makes me remember how happy I was finding them back then.=) Childhood pleasures perhaps? It's nice to know though.. That a great song is a great song no matter at what age you listen to it.^_^
Back to NANA and Code Geass. NANA is developing quite nicely, but I already know the story so there's nothing new there. Code Geass is pretty confusing but with some interesting plot twists, intrigue and cute guys, I'm going to continue watching to see how things turn out.=D
cheers
*[-witchstone-]*
[music : A little pain OLIVIA inspi' REIRA (Trapnest) + Wakatteita Hazu Satou Akemi (Fushigi Yuugi)]
[mood : ^_^]
[food : --]Labels: anime, Asian Civilisation Museum, edibles, Mystery Men, The V Tea Room
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Code Geass, Loveless, Ouran and a failed Cream Puff
Hello!
Another productive day.=P
My dad and I went to the bank this morning and I was merrily reading this HSBC investment plan that promises a 6% payout in the first quarter! How great does that sound? But then my dad reminded me that you don't really have a guarantee after that. So when I merrily went, Oh then just withdraw after the first quarter! I realised that these things usually get you to leave your money there for a minimum period. Tsk tsk. The sneaky ways of banks!!! Haha. But isn't it brilliant that it sounds so convincing?
I also finished the 5th volume of the Loveless manga. I CAN'T WAIT for the 6th and 7th and more!!! (T_T) I read some scanalations and some summaries but couldn't bear to read the entire vol 6 before the Chinese one comes out..xP Ohmygosh. Loveless is getting really really really exciting!!! =D =D =D More about Ritsuka, Seimei and Soubi coming up! ^_^ I am really liking this series so far.=D Although the heart-wrenching relationship between Ritsuka and Soubi is too gripping for words and poor Yuiko continues to linger around the edges of Ritsuka's life.. (T_T) Oh tragic! Perhaps I should invest in my own copies and quit borrowing from friends.xP Eeks.
Anyway, I got the first episode of Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, an anime that is airing currently in Japan. Introducing the main character, Lelouch!
BISHOUNEN! xD Hehe. [Okay. *coughs* He's not really a bishounen exactly. But you know. Just.. goodlooking in general.xD] I know. It is extremely shallow but I was attracted to this anime by the goodlooking guys..xD [Ahem. Visual aspects in anime are very important!] Anyway, the anime is about how Britannia, the last remaining superpower in the world, has taken over Japan and renamed it Area 11. Thus, I believe the show is something about rebelling against Britannia, involving Lelouch who is a Britannian but hates Britannia and urm... SOMETHING like that.=X I haven't actually got the gist but the first episode was REALLY exciting! Anyway, Lelouch gains this power, his "Geass", [it's actually spelt geas and apparently, is somewhat like the Greek "tragic flaw"] and is able to mind-control people. He thus uses it and so on and so forth.
There's lots of fighting and blood to make this a guy anime but there are goodlooking guys to make it acceptable to girls! ^_^ Yay.
He gets these scary eyes when he summons his Geass if I'm not wrong.=D Even though it's scary, it's still quite pretty, no?
I also realised when watching the credits that CLAMP did the character design for Code Geass!!! =D No wonder everyone looks so good! *beams*
xD Kyaa! Looking cool neh? =D This anime is pretty exciting so far so I'm looking forward to the coming episodes! ^_^
Today I wanted to bake for Joyce's birthday! So I decided to make a giant cream puff so that we could all share it.=D I used my regular cream puff recipe and although I felt the dough was rather different from what I usually get, I decided to go ahead anyway. [My mom claims it tastes fine]
Look at it! It puffed up magnificently in the oven and I was squealy with delight.^_^ At first it remained rather flat so I was quite worried but when I saw this I was thrilled! ^_^ I was imagining.. delivering this GIANT cream puff and attempting to stab a candle in!
Then I took it out of the oven to cool and.. and..
(T_T) (T_T) (T_T) It collapsed. Miserably. RIGHT IN THE CENTER!!! [Can you see the dent!!! (T_T)] I cut it in half anyway and filled it with custard in a vain hope that somehow, the custard would magically puff the whole thing up again.
Well. Of course it didn't but.. (T_T) At least my mom said it tasted good.. *deep tragic sigh* Here's the custard attempting to spill out. Miserable attempt. But at least I now know that cream puffs aren't meant to be large. Maybe I'll try making a medium-sized one next time! [Or try using self-raising flour to see if it sustains it's shape better.=P]
Gomen ne Joyce. =X I will try better next time!!! (T_T)
Ouran Kokou Hostobu! ^_^
I'm rewatching Ouran High School Host Club! =D I still laugh at all the jokes and retarded things that they do.xD Beams. And rewatching it has made me remember why I like this series so much! ^_^ And TAMAKI!!! OMG. xD xD xD Perfect boyfriend material! *squeals* And Honey!!! xD BEAMS. I realised that it's only after the later episodes that I liked Kyouya..xD
Another reason to like Ouran besides the lovable and endearing characters, hilarious storylines and dramatic sets is the great animation and drawing! They didn't stinge on the drawing so although sometimes they do get a teensy bit distorted, scenes like this make you remember that they did put effort into drawing nicely.=D Beautiful sakura! Oh.. I would totally go for an Ouran Hostobu Hanami!!! xD
As mentioned above, great drawings!!! xD Yay. I LOVE these sweets. Don't they look absolutely AMAZING? =D =D =D Wagashi!!!
Ngyahaha! I love this scene, it's so comical! While all the guys look cool and everything, Haruhi [the girl with a shirt draped over her head] is like O.o at the camera.xD Beams. Kyaa! But as you can see from their extended limbs, these animators have the same tendency as CLAMP to make their characters have very long limbs.=S
xD xD xD The scene where Tamaki [the blond guy] leaps into the ocean to save Haruhi [the girl in his arms] made me completely fall in love with him when I first watched it. [Funny how I only realise these things when I watch it a second time..] I mean ohmygosh SO SWEET! *squeals* Tamaki is so gentlemanly [and polite. And charming. And kind. And generous. And...] I always wonder if this is a creation by a girl [or rather, the mangaka] to fulfil her dreams of meeting such a princely young man..
Kyaaaa!!!!!!! xD xD xD SO SWEET!!! *squeals again* I mean ohmygosh just let Tamaki and Haruhi get together already!!! =D =D =D All together now! Awwww.=D Isn't it sweet that he really wanted to "protect" her from the one thing she's scared of, thunder? xD
Besides these really sweet scenes, you've got a cast of hilarious characters! ^_^ [Although I'm not focusing on everyone this time. It'll be too much to type.xP]
^_^ Honey!!! Omygosh. SO ADORABLE!!! xD xD xD Kawaii!! Truly the loli-shota type, I think his cutesyness might get on some people's nerves but he's so cute!!! xD Beams. *feels motherly instincts coming on* *runs and hides from them*
^_^" Ahem.
But ahh!! KAWAII!!! xD
Then there's Mori!!! xD xD xD Devoted friend to Honey, he's good looking and his taciturnity is his selling point. ;) Beams. You know, I always thought that if there was a guy like him in school [good looking but quiet], he'd be very popular just because.xD Haha.
Basically, it'll be nice to have characters like the guys in Ouran in school.^_^ Adds colour to an otherwise dull and meaningless existence.=P
^_^ Oh male friendships..xD So sweet.=D Hehe.
Ahh yes. The beauty of living in an anime-dreamworld! =P *flicks back to reality* Ah well. If only guys here were taller.. Then maybe there'd be more to look forward to when one goes out..=P
cheers
*[-witchstone-]*
[music : endless story REIRA Starring Yuna Ito + Sakura Kiss Chieko Kawabe (Ouran) + Shissou LAST ALLIANCE (Ouran)]
[mood : ^_^]
[food : --]
Maybe I should try out the NANA anime next!
pixiezdust: And there's still the US tour to think about! Tsk tsk. How busy he will be this year..
Labels: anime, Code Geass, Cream Puffs, Loveless, ouran
