So, okay, I've been living in Japan for nearly a year now.  Not too much has happened because I happen to live in a place that is the perfect mix of city and country all in one.  Yes, my city has LV, Prada, Hermes, etc. stores, but it's also a city in which, for example, my junior high school has a small rice field across the street from it.  My city has people growing mandarin oranges in their backyards (a surprisingly large number of people do this... I guess it makes sense when you find out that my city is famous for mikan) and green tea growing on the hills just half an hour outside of the centre of the city.

Anyway, I've been doing a lot of thinking about how much I've changed in let's say the past 3 years.  In some kind of order:

• was absolutely bananas for JE but not anymore (2005-2008)
• studied Japanese (2007-2008)
• graduated university (05/2008)
• started the B.Education program and QUIT IT because I hated it (09/2008-02/2009)
• became depressed (slightly?) and cried a bunch
• floated around with part-time jobs
• applied for the JET Programme (11/2008)
• interviewed for said programme (02/2009)
• got accepted into said programme (04/2009)
• moved to Japan (08/2009)
• got my first official paycheck in a foreign country (08/2009)
• maintained an on-and-off cold for like FIVE MONTHS (08/2009 - 01/2010)
• exclusively switched over from jpop to kpop
• skin went from the occasional breakout to "WTF is wrong with my terrible skin?!" status (10/2009-present)
• got my first Japanese credit card! (11/2009)
• learned how immature young, Japanese guys can be and
  • vowed not to be stupid about them in the future (02/2010)
• went to Korea for the first time and had a blast (12/2009)
• had a serious fight with my mom about staying another year in Japan (12/2009)
• juggled boy problems, family problems, skin problems all at once
• experienced traditional Japanese New Year with the Japanese equivalent of my family (01/2010)
• recontracted to stay until August 2011 in Japan (02/2010)
• bawling, left my junior high school because my stupid Board of Education likes to move ALTs around (03/2010)
• went to HK to visit my dying uncle and my extended family there (04/2010)
• patched up things with my mom! (04/2010)

Basically, that's everything that's happened up until now.  Not much, but there are some major turning points in my life that have led me here and I'm grateful for everything, even the stuff that stressed me out, threw me into depression and made me cry.  I'm better because of all of those things and I don't think I could have ever grown up in such a short period of time had I still been at home doing goodness knows what.

Hope you're all well in your little corner of the world.  I'm doing just fine.  No more wallowing in self-pity.  I've lost weight, my Japanese is getting better, I like my job and I'm saving money.

Impressive?  Arashi's new costumes for Love So Sweet.  I think I really like the colour scheme and dammit I want Captain's sweater.  I want the jacket the kid stole from him in the PV as well.  And I adore the way Nino looks in the PV with his very awesome vest and jacket combo.  MJ... well whatever, I don't pay much attention to him anyway.  I think he'll just be Doumyouji to me from now on.  That way I can pretend that I didn't hear his nasal singing.  Aiba's new hair is so cute.  Ugh, Arashi, even after like five years I still love you guys.

Not so impressive?  NEWS' new song.  Boring.  They're boring.  It's kind of pathetic to see them try to half-assedly come together to sing something new.  It's just not the same with five people and please for God's sake, I'm not encouraging them to bring Kusano back (or even Uchi for that matter), it just looks so strange.  Whatever, why am I even wasting typing space on them?  Gimme back Ryo so I can put him with K8 where he's actually a recognizable person there!  And YamaP is not funny.  I don't know why girls think he is.

Other things... I'm on break right now, except that I have to be back at school on Monday and find out all my midterm marks, so I'm not too psyched for that.  This year's reading break has been so chill.  I went out for Mexican last night with two friends, took care of Troy because he got all four wisdom teeth removed, and read a hell of a lot of manga.  Basically, did nothing really productive.

Has anyone seen the trailer for Will Ferrell's new movie, "Blades of Glory?"  If not, you must.  Go YouTube it and trust me, you'll appreciate it.  I might not like John Heder, but I can't say no to my all-time favourite SNL cast member.  Sorry Jimmy, you're hot and all, but Will's hilarious.  LOL.

Grey's and Heroes is turning out to be even more amazing than ever.  Apparently they're playing Heroes this Sunday instead of Monday, but it could just be for Canadians because I was channel surfing today while watching the series finale of The OC (yawn, so predictable) and I saw the preview for it on NBC, but it still said Monday.  So perhaps Heroes really is only on Sunday for us Canucks.  As for Grey's.  I cried again!  LOL, that show makes me freaking emotional.  I heard rumours that Izzie and George would get together, but I dunno...  as for that whole Addison-McSteamy thing, barf.  I want to see Addison get it on with Karev.  WHAT.  I'm not the only one.

I'm off to read something else and oh, Arashi's new single is really, really good.  My fave?  いつまでも!  I somehow always end up liking the other songs more than the actual single.  But that's only been really recently.

OMG I have French to do.  Damn.  Haha, okay, so maybe no more chillin about.

Haha wow, I haven't made an icon post in a zillion years. I have to warn you that half of these icons are pretty much BLAH. The other half are interesting... to say the least. Since the K8 FTO icontest is over, I can finally post my K8-related ones so here goes.

You know what to do and if you don't...
- no customizing --> none of these are bases
- no hotlinking
- leave a comment if you take and let me know which ones you took
- CREDIT me if you use
- enjoy!

preview:
a.      b.

( the rest! )

Oh, I thought that would take longer. Just finding the icon urls took long enough!

HAVE FUN AND REMEMBER MY GUIDELINES! LOOOL, this post is going to xposted like mad, FORGIVE ME!

GASP, I like JE and Vision Factory boys? Sure, I don't see why I can't.

Well...

I made icons. (DUH, XD)

1. comment and credit
2. no hotlinking
3. no customization tolerated (I don't make bases)

icon list breakdown:
• Johnny's Entertainment
    - Arashi [14]
    - Kanjani 8 [4]
    - V6 [7]
    - Juniors [2]
• Vision Factory
    - Lead [4]
    - w-inds. [3]
• Japanese actors
    - Narimiya Hiroki [2]
total: 36 (yay, I can do math! XD)

previews:
a. b.

( the rest is waiting for you )

Yeah, I thought I was going to make more, but then I got sidetracked (read: lazy). This will have to do for now.

*cackles like an idiot*

Have any of you ever heard of the Darwin Awards? Each year, a group of people collect stories from around the world (I think) and put them together to form a book. Ah, what kind of stories are these? Tragic, but hilarious ones. I heard about these awards way back when I was a highschool junior. My physics teacher (I had him for grade 11 AND 12) would always tells us these dumb stories about how people do the stupidest things and either get injured or killed. Sounds morbid right? No, not really. I don't really think death should be looked at as something ominous and scary (depends on the kind of death too), but that's my point of view and well, you can decide for yourself after reading few of these examples.

( man goes fishing, dies of electrocution )
*
( man commits suicide, dies of hypothermia )
*
( man dies of being pooped on )

I don't have any more death stories, but there are ones that still show how stupid some people really are.

( man said he always wanted to fly )
*
( gas is always flammable )

If anybody knows other stories, feel free to share. I loved all of these ones and hence have remembered since I was... 16.

This is probably the second smallest batch of icons I have ever made. Eh, I'm not feeling very creative these days and I'm not about to start copying other icon-makers styles just for more comments from people.

• comment and credit (in icon keywords) for the icons you've taken
• no hotlinking
• no customization
• enjoy!

preview:

a. b.

( click for all )

Icons for the flist will be up this week and I guess so will episode summaries. I won't be doing any summaries of the summer dramas, so I'm just going to finish up the spring ones and leave it at that.

That's because the anime ones aren't even done yet. Neither are the ones I promised my flist. SORRY flist. If it helps, I *heart* you all! Hmm... is this post considered fangirly? Possibly, but they're just icons...

Yep, I abused the following
- use of gradients
- Kozuka
- exclusion layers
- Migraine sans

• comment and credit if you take (or comment if you just feel like it!)\
• I don't make bases, so please don't customize these icons. If they're textless (they're probably not), they stay that way
• enjoy

list break down
• Arashi [9]
• Kanjani 8
   - "Osaka Rainy Blues" PV [15]
• L'arc en Ciel
   - "Jyojyoushi" PV [5]
• various JE idols [4]

preview:
a. b.
( click for all )

Hmm... I need to find a job. Preferably one NOT in fast food.

Yeah, I made icons. None for the flist yet - I still haven't received everyone's images.

Icon rant before I begin. I don't get why people make icons with ONE word, followed by a semicolon. That isn't how you're supposed to use a semicolon. I know, that's very anal of me, but I'm an English major and one word doesn't even count as a sentence fragment. Just because it looks good doesn't mean it's RIGHT. Anyway. Onto the list of icons and the cut.

1. comment and credit if you've taken any
2. I never make bases so don't customize the icons (i.e. use a program to stick your name/username on the icon)
3. don't hotlink - my photobucket account is getting pretty damn full
4. ENJOY!

Anime:
• Sousei no Aquarion [2]

Jpop: a HELL of a lot here
• Ayumi Hamasaki: "STEP you" and "Is This LOVE?" PVs [3]
• KAT-TUN [7]
• Kanjani8 [6]
• Imai Tsubasa [1] --- sorry, no Tackey this time
• Nagase Tomoya [1]
• V6: "Cosmic Rescue" PV and random images [12]

Japanese Celebrity
• Koike Teppei [1]

Miscellaneous
• Panasonic SV-SD100V D-Snap MP3 player [1]
34 in TOTAL

preview:
x. y.
( the rest )

x-posted in many communities.

Hee.

I blame it on my lack of sleep... which ironically enough, is intentional. I'm a bunch of paradoxes - lemme alone!

( story time, children )

And this is my last week of school. I probably won't be making very many posts (I shouldn't be making ANY at all) from Friday until April 26 because I've got final exams. Exams which I cram for but nevertheless NEED to study for since I tend to fall behind in readings during the semester. If I comment, which I will try to keep to a BARE minimum, it'll be to let a select few know that yes, I AM alive and that I haven't killed myself yet because the stress is too intense.

After exams, I'll be working on these:
- hot!boys icons ---> a MatsuJun one for you, tripping_fruit.
- icons for anotherstraycat ---> Got your email!
- LJ layout for jamalov29 ---> I'm doing this because I WANT TO, not because I feel an obligation to you
- constructing reiku's fanfiction site ---> sorry I kept putting it off!!! It'll definitely be up and running this summer. *ravish*
- catch up with hang_nga_79 ---> because I MISS MY WIFEY.
... and catch up with my flist who still wants to talk to me even though I am deluuusionaaal!

Yes, dearies. It's the jrocker/jpopper icon post. I had 31 but I decided to get rid of one because I didn't like it. Meh.

1. comment and credit if you want to take
2. textless are NOT bases (I should make it known that I NEVER, EVER make bases)
3. hotlink and I murder you
4. on the subject of murdering, same deal applies if you customize my icons. They aren't meant to be customized so leave them as they are.
5. enjoy

icon list breakdown
• Arashi [7]
• Dir en Grey [5]
• Hyde [5]
• Kanjani8 [8]
• Pierrot [1]
• w-inds [4]
that should equal 30... if not, then it's the reason I failed calculus.

preview
x. y.

( cut for the entire list )

THAT TOOK FOREVER TO TYPE UP. Have fun!

Yes, I've gone friends-only.
( further explanations for WHY, and then the requirements )




All comments will be screened.

Yeah, yeah. I take a really long time to make icons. That's why I probably would get kicked out of elite icon communities because they usually require members to make a set amount of icons per however many weeks. I take my damn time, ya know?

ANYWAY.

rules:
- comment and credit with my username for the icon
- I refuse to customize any of these so you may not do so either. I catch anyone customizing these icons, I add you to my blacklist and alert a ton of icon community leaders. I'll shame you!!!
- enjoy!

list:
- Bleach (manga) [11]
- Dir en Grey (Code of Vulgar[ism] Tour 2004) [3]
- F4 (Jerry and Vanness) [2]
- Kimi wa Pet/Tramps Like Us [1]
- Samurai Champloo (episodes 18 and 19) [3]

preview:
x. y.

( clicky clicky!!! )

extra notes:
- tripping_fruit, I got your email and am working on your icons now. Don't worry about three, it's not a lot at all.
- calidearie, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! *hug*

Wait. It's more authentic if I do it this way.

恭喜發財

You know, I hate it when people butcher the saying for "gung hay fat choy".

Therefore, I shall teach you non-Chinese speakers how to properly pronounce it. Actually... the real word for "Happy New Year" is "sun neen fai lock" but DAMMIT... I can't get all the UNICODE characters for them. I'm not about to look through a list of 300+ characters AGAIN.

"kuung heey faat choy"

The "kuung" should have a low tone and that's why there are TWO u's. The "heey" is kind of like how you'd say "heeey" to someone, just minus one 'e' so it's not too drawn out. It's not exactly like the HAY that horses eat. That sound is different. "Faat" is like the first character and is longer in the middle because of the two a's. Lastly, "Choy" is NOT pronounced "joy" or I've even heard some say "chai" which is TOTALLY wrong.

ETA: FIVE minutes later using the pinyin pronunciation.

THAT'S freaking hard to use especially since I don't speak Mandarin. In any case,

新年快樂
"xin nian yu kuai" or "xin nian kuai le [?]" OR "sun neen fai lock"

ALTHOUGH... I think the second character is wrong even though it literally means "year" because I thought the second character looked like a mix of "sky" and "day" or SOMETHING like that. Meh.

ETA 9th, 6:26PM: I FINALLY got both phrases right after my friend looked at me funny and said, "that's not right..."

do any of you paid journal users know how to turn the email alias option ON? I want to be able to use my _____@livejournal.com email address too.

*glompage* for anyone that can help.