As 2013 Comes to a Close...

Wow!  This year was full of ups and downs both in real life and fangirl life!  o__o  And with just a few hours to go until the new year (where I live), let's take a look back at just a fraction of the things that made the year. 

In real life we had...

We survived the 2012 apocolypse!!
First and foremost, amidst all the fears of an apocolypse that was to pass on December 21, 2012 due to the ending of the Mayan calendar...we made it!  \(^o^)/

Birth of baby George
This year, Prince William and his wife the Dutchess of Cambridge were blessed with a baby boy whom they named George.  It was a huge televised event.  I recall everyone eagerly awaiting for Kate to come out with the bundle of joy in her arms. 

Trayvon Martin verdict
Many people, especially in the black community were outraged when they heard that George Zimmerman, accused of killing Trayvon Martin was found not guilty.  Honestly, I was also upset.  It may have come to no suprise to some people as Florida has had a few other issues with it's now infamous 'Stand Your Ground' law.  :/

Goodness gracious, great balls of fire!
Earlier in the year, a rogue meteor fell over Russia.  It blazed through the sky, casuing a sonic boom that damaged many buildings and injured a few people.  It was quite a suprise!  Then, later in the year, many were excited about the comet known as ISON as it was set to make its journey around the sun.  If it had made it fully around, many would have been treated to a spectacular sight that night.  Unfortunately, nobody really knows what happened to ISON.  Some say it disintegrated while others say that a part of it made it around. 

Reveal of PS4 and Xbox One
It was a battle of game consoles!  You were either for the PS4 or the Xbox One.  Both have really nice graphics.  Both had many cool features.  Both are very expensive.  XD

Pacific storms
While the hurricane season in the Atlantic was really quiet this year, the Pacific seemed to be really active!  The worst one of the year was Hurricane Hayan (or Yolanda) that hit the Philippines.  Many were killed and the damage is still very much apparent to this day.  :(  Stay strong, Philippines! 

"What does the fox say?"
Need I say more?  But the song is entertaining. 

Twerking
Need I say more again?

Television drama
While there were many shows that came out this year, there were ones that totally gripped people: 'Scandal', 'Breaking Bad', 'The Walking Dead', and 'Game of Thrones'.  Some of them ended their seasons on cliff-hangers or just left people in shock.  I have heard that people were so very shocked at the "red wedding scene" for 'Game of Thrones'.  Some characters were even killed off like Brian Griffin of 'Family Guy' who was then brought back to life (and the creator made it a life lesson to boot). 

There were many other stories that made headline news as well:  'Duck Dynasty's Phil Robertson's controversial comments, the earthquake in Pakistan that formed a new island, Sout Korea's first female president, the school shooting in Colorado, Miley Cyrus' crazy antics, etc.  You can see a little clip Google has done for many other stories that I wasn't able to remember here.

Happy 10th Anniversary, TVXQ!!!!!

December 26, 2003 is a day that will always be remembered by any TVXQ fan.  It is the day where South Korea received (what I like to call) their 'Christmas present'. 

This is a HUGE event for any TVXQ fan anywhere!  It's their 10th year in the business!  This is cause for celebration!  ♪┏(・o･)┛♪┗ ( ･o･) ┓♪

 

You all know their names--Yunho, Jaejoong, Yoochun, Junsu, and Changmin.  You know their color--pearl red.  You know their fanbase name--Cassiopeia (Korean fans) and Bigeast (Japanese fans).  Even if you're not a fan, you probably know all this anyway!  XD

 

A bit of history...

 

お誕生日おめでとう、淳之介さん！！

Though it's already passed in Japan, I'd like to wish my "ichiban" a Happy 28th Birthday~!!

 

I'm not going to say much, as I've already done that before.  For the past two years since I've established him to be my bias, I have come to love him more and more.  This year--just like I did with Changmin--I decided to send him a birthday card.  I'm not so sure if it reached him or not, but the fact of the matter is that I did try.  Here are some pictures of it:

 

  

 

I know that they're small, but it is essentially a card in the shape of a PSP.  Since Junnosuke likes to play video games, I thought it'd make a really neat card.  But please...don't sue me, Sony!  >__< 

 

Once again, happy birthday, Junnosuke!  I hope that you will still continue to do what you love.  I pray you stay healthy and in your right mind as you continue to 'level up'.  ^^  While I may not be able to meet you in real life, just know that you have a fan who is proud to boast about you~!

 

Until next time~!  (^__^)/



Junnosuke's October 2012 Duet Interview...With A Twist!

It's been a while since I've done one of these.  ^^  This one is Junnosuke's interview for the October 2012 volume of 'Duet Magazine'.  Junnosuke's responses will be in green and mine will be in purple.  As always, these are meant to be funny, and my answers are just to be spoofy.  Translations by mixedstrategy (haiiro_yosei).

Q1: What kind of food would you like your girlfriend to cook for you?
Curry! If it's beef you have to watch whether it's being cooked at the right heat and it takes time, hence chicken? On the other hand if I cook it would be stir fried salt soba!  *puts on apron*  Curry for dinner it is!   

Q2: What phrase would you like to say while confessing?
For me, I haven't really had experience of saying it clearly in words. That's because I think we’ll understand each other's feelings from the surrounding atmosphere.  So, that time we went to the karaoke bar and sang 'I Love You', you were confessing? 

Q3: What would you like to give your girlfriend on her birthday?
Accessories or a bag would be it, right? Since for rings and shoes I would have to ask for her size.  Ah, trying to bring in the element of suprise.     

Q4: What would you like to wear to a first date?
If it's at the beach I would wear jeans and a T-shirt, if it's at a restaurant and there's a dress code I would wear a jacket etc. I would dress according to the location.  Same here.

Q5: What kind of date plan would you definitely be happy with?
If it's a 'nature-type' date we would drive to the beach and eat delicious seafood nearby. If we're in town it would be at a hotel restaurant or something?  So I'm guessing Burger King isn't an option?  :o  *Junnosuke glares at me*   

Q6: What songs would you like to sing when going to karaoke with your girlfriend?
What shall it be... For me, I sing many types of songs~ Anime songs too (laugh). If it's a KAT-TUN song it would be 'Yorokobi no Uta'.  Ooh!  We must absolutely sing 'The Garden of Everything'!  (for real, I wanna sing it with him)

Q7: At what moment do you think 'I did it!'?
I don't know. I have never thought 'I did it!' about myself before. On the other hand I would like everyone to tell me~  But you said it just yesterday after defeating a difficult boss in your video game.  ^^

Q8: An action of a girl that makes your heart skip a beat?
When she takes off her shoes at a traditional Japanese restaurant and lines them up casually. People who can do that are great.  *tries my best to line up shoes*  Almost...got it!  How's that?  *Junnosuke approves*

Q9: What are the 3 requirements you have for your girlfriend?
Shorter than me, even if it's just by 1cm. To be kind. But, someone who will clearly point out my bad points to me.  Well, then...I've got this.  >:D

Q10: When would you think a girl is cute?
Girls are always cute. I think it would be good to treat girls as 'princesses'. I wouldn't get angry etc.  *rolling my eyes*  That is such a safe ans-- *Junnosuke glares again* SUCH A NICE ANSWER!!  ^^;;

Q11: If a girl is going to cosplay for you, what would you like her to dress up in?
Nurse! Of course it's a nurse right! I am not particular about the skirt length but please wear a (nurse's) cap.  *suddenly in nurse outfit*  Shall I take your temperature?  Agh!  Patient seems to be suffering from a nosebleed!  XD

Q12: What type of cosplay would you like to try out?
Bartender! I want to try wearing a cummerbund and holding a cocktail making shaker.  (T/N: Please pardon my general ignorance of evening wear and alcohol related words)  Oh, bartender!  I'd like a soda--stirred, not shaken. 

Q13: If you could use magic what would you do?
I want to fly around freely in the sky. I want to try sitting on the edge of the Skytree's observatory platform (laugh). Everyone will be shocked right!?  I should say so.     

Q14: Requirements of men that you think are cool?
Someone who is usually silent but able to speak to the point. And, someone kind to those younger than him! Someone tall!  So...Changmin?

Q15: Please tell us about your current dream!
I want to do a solo live. The main theme would of course be dance right? And I would also like to write some good songs.  I'd like to see this happen too.  ^^

Q16: If you could go back to being a student, what are the top 3 things you would like to do?
First is to participate more in basketball matches. Second is the competitors' pledge at sports meet! Third is to hold/attend a class reunion with the feelings of returning back to a student.  School is a nice memory, isn't it?  :3 

Q17: How do you recover when you are feeling down?
I am not the kind to feel down. But in my opinion it is of course important to have time to think so recently I've been taking time to think.  You really are a ball of sunshine.  But those days where you're thinking...you're mostly cloudy, aren't you?  *Junnosuke bursts into laughter*

Q18: Recently what items are you into?
A wristwatch I bought on an overseas trip. Although I like it, when I finally notice, I realised that I always forget to put it on. (laugh)  And when you finally notice, it's already in need of a new battery.  XD

Q19: What do you consider as a small luxury?
Although the 'little egg biscuits' that I'm into recently comes in a set of 5, I usually only eat 1 packet at a time. (laugh)  And I usually eat the other four.  :P  *Junnosuke is shocked at my response and finally realizes why so many go missing in such a short amount of time*

Q20: What is the thing you want to do the most now?
To practise operating a boat! Because I've been thinking I can go any time, I end up not going. I have to practise!  Welcome to the procrastination club.  ^^

Well, that is all.  I hope you enjoyed this interview with a twitst.  XD  Until next time!

November Nonsense

Greetings, fellow readers!  It's almost turkey day in the U.S.  Who is ready to stuff their face?  XD  But let's not forget the main reason for Thanksgiving--giving thanks for the things we have.  Though I'd be extremely greatful if I got to see my bias in person.  ^^;;  From the last part of October to now there have been quite a few suprising stories in fandom.  Let's get to it! 

Celebrities on Twitter
After his departure from KAT-TUN back in late October that left fans devistated, Koki has come back via Twitter~!  There was a fake account before his, so when his was actually found there was a little speculation.  But since two of his brothers had followed that account, fans did the same.  Koki is the second KAT-TUN member to make an account after Jin (who doesn't use his anymore) and it's enjoyable to read his tweets--even though they're in Japanese.  :P  He's quite the chatterbox, and I like that.  ^^    Also to join Twitter is SNSD member (and one of my biases from the group) Seohyun!  She may not tweet often, but I'm glad that she's entered the world of Twitter.  I also came across Taiwanese singer and actor Ken Chu as well as Barbie Hsu and Vic Zhou.  Slowly but surely I'm finding the F4.  I follow a whole bunch of Kpop, Jpop, and Cpop stars that it's crazy.  >__<  But there are a few that I'd really enjoy seeing on Twitter, and I'm pretty sure that you can make a few guesses as to who they might be.  :P  But aside from Twitter, you have quite a few of them on other social networks--Instagram being a big one followed by Chinese site Weibo.  Of course there is now LINE and a few still use Cyworld.  So alot of stars are feeling out to the world through alot of different places.  It's really nice to see them talk about things that the general public would (to some degree), take a whole bunch of pictures of themselves or the food they're eating or their pet or their house...etc.  And it always brightens a fan's mood when they do mini fan-talks.  I have yet to get a response from anyone though.  ;A;  But one thing (though it's perfectly normal) is seeing them when they're sad or mad.  Most of the time it's due to someone hacking their accounts and whatnot.  Of course that can be avoided with stronger passwords (like a set of cryptic numbers and letters).  But then there are events that make them upset and they take to Twitter like the rest of us.  ^^;;  A while back, Jaejoong had such an issue where someone made him upset and he made it known through Twitter.  I've not seen any of my favorite celebrities get upset (probably never will on camera), but it made me wonder how scary they'd look if they got really mad.  Some of them it's hard to imagine getting really mad: Yunho and Junnosuke are just two that come to mind almost immediately. 

Dongho calls it quits
U-KISS's maknae decided to call it quits from idol life it seems.  And while it's sad to see him go, I can understand his reason for doing so.  He said it was not good for his health, and if you think about all the schedules, lack of sleep, and not enough time to eat that celebrities--especially of the Kpop variety--go through you might not even want to keep going either.  The ones that do are troopers.  ^^  But Dongho also had a health issue with his lungs, so I think he made a good decision.  Best of luck to you, Dongho.  Though this is a second blow to KissMe's as they've lost Alexander and Kibum previously, I don't think that will stop them from loving all the members no matter what they're doing. 

It's that time of year again...
Yes...awards shows.  =____=  These tend to be a reason for fanwars to start.  And I am certain that a good amount of cheating goes on in them as well--at least in the past there may have.  These things also seem to bring out the ugliest parts of fans.  Of the latest there was the YTMAs (Youtube Music Awards).  I was really glad that SNSD's 'I Got A Boy' won the Video of the Year Award.  But quite a few non-Kpop fans were not too thrilled with that.  Then there was the recent EMAs (European Music Awards).  Now, I don't know how EXO managed to make it on there, but they did.  I usually don't participate in these things, but I did try to help them to win whatever they were nominated for.  Unfortunately, they were pitted against fans of One Direction and Justin Bieber.  And it didn't help that some fans of other Kpop fans also didn't want them to win.  It was apparent on my Twitter list.  And when EXO didn't win, they jumped for joy...and I found that to be totally unecessary.  >__>  But EXO, One Direction, and Justin Bieber all lost to a Chinese singer.  And that is fine by me.  The award show I tend to keep from voting in is the MAMAs (Mnet Asian Music Awards).  I've been doing so since HoMin was nominated...that year was crazy.  .___. 

Ailee/Allkpop scandal
*sigh*  In what might be the biggest scandal of the year (aside from the pain I felt towards the whole 'ChangToria' thing) is the whole fiasco between Kpop star Ailee and Kpop gossip news site Allkpop.  I may not know the whole issue, but from what I'm gathering the thing started when Allkpop posted an article about nude photos of Ailee being posted.  That led to serious backlash for the site as fans found it extremely improper of Allkpop to do.  The site had already ruffled many fans' feathers numerous times before, but this might just be the icing on the cake.  I say that because it's caught the attention of actual Korean media who didn't know about the site's existance until last week.  What makes this issue so tough is that the apparent leaker of Ailee's photos was an ex-boyfriend of hers and the photos were taken before she became a star and while she was living in the U.S.  And that ex-boyfriend works at Allkpop so...yeah.  My thought on the issue (and while some may totally disagree with me) is that this is a lesson learned on Ailee's part.  One should be careful of what they do or say in the time before they become someone in a position of fame because someone is bound to dig it up.  I was suprised that she admitted that those were photos of her to begin with because most would just deny it.  And while it was pretty bad of Allkpop to post those, I'll still continue to follow them on Twitter.  Sure, they may have said some awful things about Kpop stars before Kpop became global, but I doubt they're the only site out there that trolls like that.  I had been visiting a site called POPSEOUL! in my early fangirl days that also was a bit of a troll.  But I can't help wondering if this whole mess would've been different if the leaked nudes were of a male idol instead...  Well, all I can say is that I hope things will get cleared up soon. 

Aside from all that there were the pictures that Kpop collaboration duo Troublemaker had released that were a bit too sexy and a clip of a movie called 'Rough Play' (starring Lee Joon) that was nothing but sex.  :P  I wonder how he felt filming it?  Well, that is all for now.  Until next time!    

Tidbits Of News

Lately, I've been kind of seeing a couple of things related to swimming (well, only two things).  And all I can relate them to is the anime that became quite popular, 'Free!'  But I could be wrong.  They could've been for summer.  One is an upcoming Korean movie called 'No Breathing'.  From the link, the plot seems to be about swimming rivals and the both of them falling for the same girl.  It's kind of like the anime with the exception of falling for a girl.  ^^  And it looks like one of my favorite SNSD members is in it!  The other swim-related show is the next segment to 'Cool Kiz on the Block'.  I really do enjoy this show--and not just because Changmin is in it.  After the sport of badminton, they're going to go swimming.  I wonder if that'll include diving, synchronized swimming, or competitive swimming.  And now that I think of it...what if they do make a reference to 'Free!'?  XD  Pictures of Changmin in a pool (with a shirt on) are already coming out and some fans are really excited for this segment because of possible shirtlessness, speedos, or whatever.  While I'd also most likely enjoy this segment as well, I was really hoping for a different sport.  I really wanted them to play billiards.  Why you ask?  That way I could possibly see another JunnoMin interaction.  Junnosuke is really good at billiards, and maybe Changmin would've called him up to be on the Cool Kiz team.  Then I would've seen several weeks of interactions.  *o*  But I'm also certain this may not come to pass because Junnosuke is a Johnnys, and the company might not let that happen.  Then there's the slight issue with the realtionship between Japan and S. Korea already.   *dreams are shot*  OTL

I also heard about Yunho and Changmin having a fanmeeting with Cassiopeia.  While I'd love to be there, I'd feel quite melancholic about it at the same time.  Because I want to be at one that has all five members.  :x  Also, I heard that Junsu sang a little of 'Stand By U' and 'Forever Love'.  That makes me quite glad.  I know it might sound contradicting as I said I was uncomfortable with Yunho and Changmin singing their old songs.  Junsu did say, however, that he would rather have sang it as five.  Additionally (and it will sound contradictory again), I heard a clip of Changmin singing a bit of 'HUG'.  And that made me sad.  I really don't want them to sing 'HUG' or 'Stay With Me Tonight' unless they're going to sing it as five.  Those two songs just don't work for me unless there are five voices.  :/

Now, onto more pressing matters in fandom...

KOKI IS NO LONGER A MEMBER OF KAT-TUN!!!!!!  ;A;  This makes me really sad!  I wonder if this is why KAT-TUN hasn't been doing much these past few months.  Koki isn't even a bias of mine, but it is really upsetting to see him leave.  He was the one who came up with the fandom's name, Hyphen (which stood for the 'link' keeping KAT-TUN together).  He was the one who said he loved the fans very much and during concerts would tell them to stick with KAT-TUN forever.  The reason for the termination of his contract is due to his breaking of the rules Johnny puts in place for the artist.  And Koki's latest scandal was...crazy, so I can see why the company would do it.  But at the same time, I really wish they could've suspended him for the next promotional album or something.  Here are the messages left by the company, Koki himself, and the other members.  From the way it sounded it's like Koki will still remain in Johnny's Ent. but only as a solo artist or he might get demoted to Jr. status (as I've read some other artists have done when they got in serioius trouble).  This is like a second blow to Hyphens.  I believe it will be much harder to replicate the sound of their old songs as Koki was their only true rapper and he usually had a part to himself in alot of the songs.  And while I know Nakamaru or Junnosuke could do it, it still just wouldn't be the same.  To be honest, it was hard for me to listen to them sing their old songs and have to sing Jin's parts.  *sigh*  It's good, however, to see some fans say that they'll continue to support Koki after his departure, but I wonder if there will be ones that will treat him like they do Jin.  :/  I'm sure there are some fans that even might think "At least isn't not my favorite member" or commentors that might say "At least it's not happening to my favorite group".  >__>  To me, I'll continue to consider him as part of KAT-TUN like I do for Jin.  It's also the same thing I do for many of the other groups that I've come to know that also have members to leave--case and point being TVXQ.  Koki, you shall be truly missed as being a part of KAT-TUN.

 

Well, that is all for now.  Until next time...

The Beauty of New Mexico

 

Greetings, fellow readers!  Today, I shall tell you about my interesting moments in the state of New Mexico.  :D  I've been there twice now, and it's really different from where I live right now.  But it's also really cool.  The climate is drier than here, which is great because you don't feel like you're sweltering.  I've visited lots of cool places while in New Mexico as well!  Note: Pictures in links as well as the one below are not mine. 

White Sands
I visited this place on my first trip to New Mexico.  This area is a national monument and is quite a huge area in my opinion.  And it's really white!  XD  While visiting, you can rent out some disks to sit on and slide down the dunes.  That is really fun, but it's tiring walking up the dunes just to slide down them.  Oh, and when I was leaving, I saw a camel there as well. 

Organ Mountains

Next to the place I was staying in is the Organ Mountain range.  It's been a long time since I've seen mountains, so I was really suprised the first time I saw them.  They looked like they were photoshopped into the area.  ^^  And when clouds were going over them, it made them look really creepy.

 

Roswell

Just a good drive away is the famous town of Roswell.  I didn't think I'd be able to see this town with my own eyes.  XD  But everywhere was alot of alien memorabilia.  I visited a museum about the alien crash site back in the 1940s and all the conspiracies that followed.  It was pretty fun. 

 

Ruidoso

I also went to a casion/resort that was in the mountains.  The ride was fairly long, but looking at the scenery change from arid desert to green mountains was really interesting.  Never had I thought that New Mexico is as green as I had previously thought!  On my way there, I rode past a reservation for the Mescalero Apache Indians.  And it was my first time seeing tipis!  ^o^

 

Billy the Kid

The main reason for my second trip to New Mexico was for Billy the Kid who was a famous outlaw that traveled in New Mexico alot.  I visited the area he was caught in, the area he was tried in (called Mesilla), and the place he is now buried (Fort Sumner).  It's rather ironic because there is a cage around his (and his buddies) grave.  It's like they ultimately ended up in the place they tried to avoid--jail. 

 

As an added bonus, I went to a pistachio shop and actually saw hot air balloons floating in the sky!  New Mexico is known for flying them, and it was also another first for me to see them.  Also, the pistachio shop has a statue that is the world's largest pistachio.  ^^  I've been to it once before, and let me tell you...the licorice is amazing!  Nothing like Twizzlers.  *o*

 

New Mexico was a really nice place to visit on both accounts, and if I ever get the chance to go back again, I just might.  I also recommend you all to visit this state as well.  By the way, the main question that you might get asked is "Green or red?"  ^^ 

 



Autumn Is Awesome & Paper Cranes for KAT-TUN

First off, I must express how excited I am!  My favorite season is on the way~!  Yes, I absolutely love autumn.  I really hadn't realized how much I adore the season until a few years ago.  I mean, all the other seasons are really nice, but it feels as though autumn is my ideal one: it's not too hot or too cold (depending on where you live), the leaves change into beautiful colors, and it's the beginning of the holiday season.  Unfortunately, due to where I live I don't get to see the leaves change color.  But if I could I would move to an area where I could see it.  I took one of those little quizzes on where you should be living, and it usually gives me places in the northeastern part of the U.S.  One in particular is a town called Camden, Maine.



credit: wikipedia

Isn't it beautiful?  I probably wouldn't mind living there.  Of course, I'd have to get used to some things...like snow.  I also wouldn't mind living in the Pacific northwest either.  But anyway, look at this beautiful picture of the autumn season!


credit: wikipedia



Anyhoo, I've also managed to send off my paper cranes for a fan project.  This one is for KAT-TUN to let them know how much fans miss them and to let them know that we're still with them even if they aren't doing any group activities right now.  The only worry that I (as well as many other fans) have is that they might not actually make it into their hands.  You see, Johnny's Entertainment (the company KAT-TUN is under) has strict rules that fans must follow.  One of them is that you're not allowed to send them a gift of any form.  The official fanclub checks all mail for their artists to make sure of that.  Really the only thing that can be given to any artist is a fanletter, thus many Hyphens (KAT-TUN's fans) are worried because we're sending paper cranes.  Obviously, they are going to be lumpy in an envelope.  But I'm still hoping that maybe the official fanclub will make this one exception and let them pass.  Each fan sending a crane was supposed to draw a symbol on the envelope to let the fanclub know it's part of the project.  So, here are mine:

 

 

I only sent off five of them, but I might actually send the sixth one to Jin.  ^^  Some fans said it probably would be best to attach them to a fanletter so that they wouldn't get lost once they were opened.  Thus, that is what I did.  I really do hope that KAT-TUN receive these paper cranes, and if they don't that's okay too.  At least I went through with it.  Well, until next time~  



Shipping Oddball & Nissan Stadium

"It's not what you think!"
So a while back, I was reading a fanfic titled 'Marry Me'.  As outrageous as it was at times, I also found it rather amusing.  The thing about it is that the main couple is JunnosukexChangmin.  I tend to shy away from fanfics of the 'shipping' genre, but there are times where I'll find one that piques my interest.  And because I'm rather paritcular to either JaeMin and now the JunnoMin ships, I read stories about them.  It's probably due to the rarity of material on them as well as the lack of interaction I see between JaeMin and JunnoMin.  But it's not what you think!  >__<  While I do find the fanfiction to be interesting, I still cannot for the love of me ship them into reality.  That's because I'd really like to ship them with me.  They are some of my biases after all.  (*≧∀≦)ゞ 

So, yeah...I'm rather an oddball.  While I don't like the idea of shipping at all, I still find reading the fanfics about it to be intriguing.  One side-effect from reading some (especially ones with smut) is that you can't see them the same way for at least the rest of the day.  XD

Party at Nissan Stadium!
Anyway...congrats to Yunho and Changmin for two days at Nissan Stadium!  I hear it's the biggest one in Japan.  I thought for sure Tokyo Dome was though, but I guess that's why one's a stadium and the other is a dome.  It was nice of fans to do multiple light shows for them.  I kind of expected alot of the praise that they got too.  Though I couldn't shake the feeling of "I wish that they could've done this feat as five".  :(  So, if possible...when Jaejoong, Yoochun, and Junsu make it there, I hope that they will also have a light show put on for them.  Which reminds me!  While surfing the Internet trying to see if KAT-TUN also has done a show at Nissan Stadium (I thought they might've) I did come across new that was a year old saying that Junsu did perform there as well.  He was part of a small concert, but he indeed was there.  I know that Yunho and Changmin are considered the first 'foreign artists' to perform there...but Junsu was there too.  Wouldn't that count for something?  :o   

I'm not really sure where else I wanted to go with this post, so I'll just end it here.  Until next time~! 

*off to read more fanfics, lol*

Anime, Anyone?

So, my sister--who is more into anime than I am these days--had me watching a couple of anime titles in one day.  Here's my breakdown of what I watched:

Greed Island arc --> Chimera arc
We've been watching the anime 'HunterxHunter' for a while.  It's the recent version that is still airing in Japan.  We just finished the 'Greed Island' arc in which Gon and friends have managed to complete the video game and were ready to meet Ging--Gon's father.  However, who they run into is not him.  Instead it is an old friend of his father who is looking into a certain type of ant that is quite carniverous.  The queen of this kind of ant is trying to make the perfect king, but she needs to eat for it to happen.  Here's the thing...it doesn't matter what she eats.  From other insects to large animals...even humans.  She then uses a process called phylogenesis to mix traits of hers with traits of the animals she eats, thus creating a chimera creature.  But let me tell you, this arc is difficult to handle for me.  Some of the characters die.  ;A;

Free!
After hearing so much about it, we decided to watch the newest anime out there, 'Free!'  As I had mentioned earlier, it is a sports anime based around on swimming.  Of course the main audience for this is aimed towards fangirls because let's face it...guys in bathing suits swimming is sure to gain a girl's attention.  I must say that this anime is very entertaining allbeit nothing but fanservice.  I think the most hilarious part is the ending of each episode where the main guy characters are getting funky in a club.  XD 

Say "I Love You"
This anime is similar to your typical high school slice-of-life romance.  At first, I only saw the intro and was like: "This dude just kissed her.  Does he even know here like that?"  XD  But things get explained as the show rolls on.  It's a fairly short series, and I'm not really fascinated by how a girl in anime looks so helpless in recent works.  But the main girl in this one is a bit different, and the main guy is a real smooth talker!  ^^  He seems to really like her though. 

With that, there are some of the recent anime titles I've been watching as of late.  Until next time~! 

Junnosuke's Duet Interview...With A Twist!

This is an interview that Junnosuke did back in 2008.  I figured I'd give my hand at doing one for him since I've done quite a few for Changmin.  ^^;;  Credit for the translation (as well as the original posting) of the interview goes to seishun_banzai on livejournal.  Let's get started!  This time, Junnosuke's responses will be in green and mine will be in purple. 

Q1 I’m masculine
Yes - 73%
No - 27%
When I’m with male friends I’ll state my own opinions clearly so I think I’m pretty masculine. When I’m working, I’ll sense the mood so I’m masculine. It’s often said that I can’t sense the mood but I’m only acting (laughs). But I want to become more masculine so I can’t say 100%.  Well, you're quite the actor, huh?  You shouldn't be fooling people like that.  Wait...does that mean you've been fooling me too?  Saying that you like me and such?  XD  *Junnosuke glares at me* 

Q2 There are times when I’m self-centered
Yes - 61%
No - 39%
I’m often told by my friends that I’m self-centered and I want to fix this. For example I’ll go out and buy enough candy for myself only... First of all, I have to act after considering things from the other person’s perspective. I want to live a life that doesn’t cause unpleasantness for anyone.  So that explains why you keep throwing daggers through your eyes when I want some candy... 

Q3 I’m surprisingly stingy
Yes - 0%
No - 100%
I’m totally not stingy. When it’s necessary, I’ll pay. If I go out for a meal with a girl, I definitely want to pay for all of it. I can’t imagine going dutch with a girl. I don’t want to cause a fuss so ’ll say “You get the next one” or something, but I won’t let her pay.  That is very sweet of you~!  Does this mean I can order this and this and this?  *pointing to various items on a menu*

Q4 I’m nice towards everyone
Yes - 30%
No - 70%
People often say “You’re so nice” but there’s no way it’s with everyone. If you’re nice towards everyone it’s like you’re hiding your true self, right? You’d be the same as a scarecrow. Your own emotions change depending on the other person’s behavior so it’s natural and reveals your attitude.  Uh oh...I wouldn't want to see Junno-kun's not-so-nice side!  But who you callin' a scarecrow...?  >:/

Q5 Even I think “I’m meticulous”
Yes - 50%
No - 50%
I don’t have that kind of neurotic personality but I’m meticulous if it’s about something concerning me. I think it’s because when you grow up, self-responsibility is really important, so I want to do the things within reach accurately. I think the members of KAT-TUN tend to have a strong consciousness of that kind of thing as well.  If meticulous is like being a perfectionist, I'd have to say I'm also half and half.  Unlike someone else I know who's all about perfection...  *looking Changmin's way*

Q6 I soon lose interest in anything
Yes - 50%
No - 50%
In regards to managing my life, there are a lot of things I don’t continue. For example, drinking yoghurt every morning without fail or keeping a household account book. Even though I often talked about it in magazine interviews, I totally stopped doing both. It’s like: “I’m sorry, readers.”  I hope you haven't lost interest in me...  :x  *Junnosuke bursts out laughing*  What? 

Q7 I’m always positive
Yes - 100%
No - 0%
If I’m positive, nothing else is left! I think I was born with this personality. If I’m stressed, then can’t handle it at all. Because I don’t really get worried, I can take part in giving advice to people so I think it’s good to be troubled on occasion.  And this is why he's my positive ray of sunshine!  But I'm sure even you have your down days.

Q8 I’m serious
Yes - 70%
No - 30%
I’m essentially serious but when it’s ok to take it easy, I’m the type to relax as much as I want. Variety is important. Nevertheless, although your body is “working capital”, if you go out late at night or something and have that kind of irregular lifestyle I wouldn’t like that. I want my future to be connected and it has to be in better order.  Why so serious?  Ahaha~  I couldn't resist.  XD  But it's good to hear that you've got a serious streak to you. 

Q9 I have an indecisive side
Yes - 80%
No - 20%
For example, if I buy clothes or do something for myself, I can decide quickly, but when I go out for a meal or am together with someone then I become indecisive. I end up only thinking about the other person. If I continue to do this, I feel I’ll lose myself so I’d like to fix this.  Well, that explains the last time we hung out.  Nothing was accomplished because we couldn't decide what to do.  ^^ 

Q10 I’m skilled at love
Yes - 0%
No - 100%
I really pay attention to the needs of girls I like. That’s why, when I want to decide at once, I’ll make a mistake. I’m really not popular with girls. But it’s not like I want to be popular. As long as I have a fan just cheering me on is a huge satisfaction. ‘Coz I’m an idol! (laughs)  'Not really popular with girls'?  Are you kidding me?  So says the man who had thousands of ladies screaming for him in  Thailand.  >__> 

Well, that is all for this.  XD  I hope you all enjoyed it--even though I don't think it was as comical as the ones I've previously done.  Until next time~! 

Review: Hanayome to Papa

*insert 'Wedding March' song*

Pic credit: original owner

This Jdrama is a really cute one!  It's called 'Hanayome to Papa' (which means 'Bride and Papa'...I think).  It has twelve episodes and is of the romantic comedy genre.  It follows the story of a girl named Aiko (Satomi Ishihara) who really would like to get out from under the overprotective wing of her father(Saburo Tokito)--especially so since she is twenty years old.  She has been given a set of rules to follow, and she does.  But she would really like to rid herself of them.  Two of the biggest rules are a curfew at 7pm and absolutely no relationshiop of any kind with the opposite sex.  Aiko has been following these rules all her life, but she found a way to get around them.  She got a job working at a fashion industry.  At last...a taste of freedom (sort of).  Aside from her as being a newcomer into the office is Seiji (Junnosuke Taguchi) who also has some issues with his parents.  Both of them kind of click because they are both new to the office.  Now, where does significance of the title come into play?  Well, one night Aiko and her father got into an argument.  He told her that the only way she wouldn't be treated as a child is if she were to marry.  She then said out of spite: "Fine!  I shall become a bride then!"  Now, I don't think she meant for it to actually happen.  But soon after, Seiji does come over, asking her father if he could date her...with the intention of marrying her! 

The bulk of the drama goes through the story of how Aiko and Seiji have to prove to Aiko's father that they indeed do want to marry.  There are also a few backstories that explain why Aiko's father is the way he is with her as well as some subtle issues of other fathers and their children.  Of course the main reason I watched this was because Junnosuke was in it.  But overall, I really liked it!  Junno-kun, why you no date me with the intention of marriage?!  XD XD XD  Well, I hope that you will check this drama out~!  Until next time.       

Thoughts for the Day

It's been a long time since my last entry, hasn't it?  To be honest--and I've probably stated this before--I can't really think of much to say these days, let alone come up with titles for these entries.  ^^;;  But I'll keep trying my best as long as you keep reading them. 

'Catch Me' in L.A.
Earlier this month, Yunho and Changmin did their America leg of their Catch Me tour.  And as usual when any of TVXQ comes to the U.S., I never get to go.  This was also the case.  What's upsetting is that they did a whole concert where it was just them.  No SM Town.  Now, I would've been fine with either or, but almost three hours of just seeing them is like...amazing.  *o*  Not only that, but Yunho and Changmin did one of the craziest things a celebrity of their status could do--they went out into the crowd.  Needless to say, I was quite jealous of fans who got to see them up close and personal like that.  But I also heard that some fans were being a bit too touchy-feely.  >__>  All in all, it was quite a successful stop.  Hopefully next time any of the members come for something, I'll be able to see them.

Junsu is 'Incredible'
This week Junsu released an MV for his 2nd album.  The title is called 'Incredible'.  Let me tell you, he's really gone far in a good way.  I personally enjoyed the song.  The last thirty seconds of it...not so much--but that's because I'm a fangirl in love.  XD  There is another song on his album which has an MV called '11am'.  I also like that song because it just sounds so calming.  There is also another song on the album called 'Chocolate Girl'.  Now, this song has gotten a few black Kpop fans talking because of the context of the word 'chocolate'.  Some find it demeaning while others find it lovely that he would even sing a song about a woman of a darker complexion (if that is really what the song is about).  Personally, I do hope he's talking about women of color because...well, I'm one.  ^^  Here's his MV for 'Incredible'. 

 

My E3 experience

Last month I was watching E3.  It was really my first time watching it so extensively.  There are many games I'm anticipating, and after a few years I'll probably buy a PS4.  XD  Some interesting games they showed were 'Watchdogs' and 'The Crew'.  But being a SquareEnix fan, I practically screamed when they showed trailers for Final Fantasy XV (formerly XII Versus) and Kingdom Hearts III.  They're also going to be releasing Final Fantasy XIII-3 and HD versions of Final Fantasy X and X-2.  Oh, how I love SquareEnix.  (^o^) 

 

Howdy Do~! ^o^

Greetings~!  As usual, it's been a while since I've posted something on here.  I've been slacking.  .__.  I'm also having trouble figuring out titles for my posts.  In any case, here are some things on my mind as of late. 

"It's time to duel!" 
That's right!  I've been sort of watching the anime 'Yu-Gi Oh!' as of late--well, my sister has.  So far we're on the fifth season of the first series (the one that used to come on television).  I've been in-and-out watching, but I've gotten the gist of most of it.  I must say that the fifth season is really interesting because Atem (the spirit in the Millenium puzzle) finds out more about himself.  And my sister and I must say that the pharoh is pretty good looking (as well as everyone else with a past self). 

"Junnosuke be 'FLASHING' y'all~"
Some time late last week, my top Jpop bias released his solo music video titled 'FLASH'.  Let me tell you... I. LOVED. IT.  It was really good!  He looked really good!  The dancing did remind me alot of an artist named Daichi Miura too.  Alot of the comments were positive for him--most stating that they'd start looking more into him from now on.  It's kind of a shame they haven't from the start.  Here is the music video if you're interested. 

 

"The U.S.A. is really attractive these days..."

Last week, B.A.P. was here in the U.S.A. for a while to do some touring.  I believe it was their first time here, and they enjoyed it very much.  Eventually it was time for them to leave, but I'm sure that the U.S. Babyz will see them again very soon.  Just yesterday, Infinite landed in the U.S. for the first time for a music video shoot.  And even earlier it was said that Namie Amuro and Koda Kumi were also filming for music videos in L.A.  And, of course let's not forget Crystal Kay who has been in New York for a good while already.  And then there was KAT-TUN that was also in New York back in March.  So many Asian artists coming, and I still can't see them!  OTL

 

"Nature Boy's Indian Summer by the Ocean"

Korean singer/actor Jang Geun Suk recently released a Japanese music video called 'Nature Boy/Indian Summer'.  While I found it to be alright, others weren't so interested in it.  It's fine, but there really wasn't any reason to say that Jaejoong shouldn't have retweeted that video.  Some fans are really harsh critics.  .__.  Here is the video in question:

 

 

Also, HoMin--er, TVXQ--excuse me, Tohoshinki released a short music video of their song, 'Ocean'.  Some commented that is reminded them of either One Direction or Jang Geun Suk's 'Nature Boy' song.  So, I don't know if that's supposed to be a bad thing or a good thing.  I think Yunho and Changmin are ready for summer is all.  Shall we join them in some "Ooga Jaka Ola"?  XD

 



 

Some More ~Myndless~ Ranting!

Tsk, tsk...
You know, it's really sad when fans really just stick to one fandom and not really care for any other.  It's a shame because those fans are missing out on alot of other talented groups.  I mean, you don't have to be full-fledged into them, but at least acknowledge other groups and give them the same respect that you would like your biased group to have.  Really...is that so hard to do?  It really irks me when I read off-the-sly insults from certain fans about other groups whether it be on various sites or on my own Twitter feed.  Heck, they even do it about other fans in their own fandom.  There is that famous saying: "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all".  *sigh*  I really don't know how much I can handle.  I came across one tweet on Twitter about 'elitist' fans, and it was like this:  "#NowadaysPeopleActLike they deserve something cause they're real fans of a celebrity or have been a fan since day1, Like, you want a cookie?"  To me, I find it really accurate.  How about any of you people?  Do you feel this way sometimes too? 

Akgae fans
I'm not sure if any of you have heard of this term, but 'akgae' literally translates to 'evil dog' in Korean.  These fans are only biased to one member in a group and pretty much have a dislike or bash the other members.  Now, I wouldn't confuse them with fans who actually like a whole group but have a bias in it.  ^^;;  When it comes to akgae fans, I haven't really heard much about them.  But it seems that Onew of SHINee had some pretty bad ones a while back.  Do you think you may have akgae fans within your own fandom if you're part of one?     

Somebody finally did it
Ever since the 'Just Dance' games came out, I thought it was a really cool idea!  Not only that, but it also gets you to do exercise and become a snazzy dancer.  Then I--and maybe many others--had a thought: "What if Kpop did something like 'Just Dance'?"  Then, it really happened.  Now you can dance to some of your favorite Kpop numbers!  \(^o^)/  I'm pretty sure that dancing to some of these songs would surely give you a workout....especially if there are any TVXQ songs on there.

Goodbye, Time Out Gelato

This is what the store looks like

Man~!  I'm upset that Time Out Gelato a.k.a. Yoochun's gelato store closed down.  I'm not exactly sure why though.  I really wanted to go there whenever I would make it to Korea and try out some of the flavors.  Alas, that won't be the case.  ;A;  Many fans came out on it's last day to enjoy the gelato one more time.  There were goods that were even being sold at half off.  To me, I don't understand why it'd close.  I thought it'd be doing well because of all the fans that come to visit.  On another note, Junsu's father's pizza shop had closed a good while back, and I was also sad because I wanted to visit that place too.  Ah, well... 

Until next time~!

  

Review: Last Friends...Oh, Boy...

A while back when I became more familiar with Johnny's artist, Ryo Nishikido--as well as making him a bias--I began watching a few dramas he's starred in.  At first it was a drama called 'Ino wo Kau to Iu Koto' (which I should also do a review for).  I was really watching for Junnosuke, but I did like how Ryo and the others acted their parts.  So, how did I get around to watching 'Last Friends'?  Well, it was because of one episode of a radio program that I listen to from time to time called 'Asian Pop Addict'.  They did a special where they "went back in time" to 2008, and they acted out how they used to be during that time.  They had made mention of Ryo and how his acting in 'Last Friends' was so good that it was scary.  I thought to myself: "Hey, why not check it out"?  So, during the summer of last year, I began watching it:

Last Friends Opening by levierge

 

I tell you, it might make you really upset--much like most dramas do.  This one is slice of life that goes through the issues of various people.  And the ladies who host 'Asian Pop Addict' were right...Nishikido did play his role really well.  You have the character Michiru and her boyfriend Sosuke who seem like a sweet couple on the surface...until she actually starts living with him.  Her friend, Ruka, is a girl who really has a love for motorcycling, but she also longs for a certain kind of freedom.  Ruka and Michiru--along with three others--start to live together and try to help each other with their issues as well as facing heir own. 

 

I started watching the first episode by myself, but because of the talking to my computer that I was doing, my sister watched the rest with me.  There are twelve episodes each running about an hour long.  So, if the introduction or my little synopsis has intrigued you, I suggest you check it out.  :D  Though I must warn you...you may end up hating Ryo after the first or second episode.  Dont' be too rough on him, okay?  XD

What a Whirl of News!

Greetings, fellow readers and Happy Good Friday (for those who celebrate it).  I don't really have much to talk about today.  Well, nevermind...I do.  XD 

Congratulations to KAT-TUN's Nakamaru and HeySayJUMP's Inoo for graduating!
At the same time, both Yuichi Nakamaru and Kei Inoo graduated from their universities!  I congratulate both of them for continuing their studies as well as being the awesome performers that they are.  Not many celebrities can do that.  ^^  Nakamaru majored in Human Sciences and Inoo in Architecture.  Those sound like really good degrees.  *__* 

Junnosuke's arrival in Thailand~!
Recently, Junnosuke Taugchi of KAT-TUN as well as a few other artists came to Thailand for an event called J Series.  This video really goes to show that Thai fans love Junnosuke.  :D  There are many more fancams of him entering/leaving Thailand's Suvamabhumi airport as well as the event that he was there for.  As a sidenote...I really wish I could've been there.  Some fans even started singing his solo, 'Finale'.  T___T

Daichi Miura's 8th Anniversary
March 30th marks the 8th anniversary of Daichi Miura's solo career.  Not many people know of him (which is sad).  He's not only a great singer, but a superb dancer.  He even makes up his own choreography sometimes.  Maybe a few of you may know of him when he performed a song with Korean singer BoA.  Personally, my favorite song from him is 'Delete My Memories'.  A fan of his that I follow on Twitter has put together a small project that I took part in.  I really think it was nice of her to do so.  If you want to check it out, click here.  I do hope that many of you will be interested in him enough to check out some of his music.  I'm sure you won't be disappointed~!

Welcome to Twitter, L.Joe and Chunji
It seems that slowly, but surely the members of Teen Top are getting their own Twitter accounts.  It's always fun to follow celebrities.  ^o^  If you have a Twitter and like Teen Top, you should follow them.  Now if only Changmin, Yunho, Yoochun (again), and all of KAT-TUN would get one, I'd be happy...despite all of the chaos that might ensue.

Onew dating and electronic cigarettes?
Well, yet another dating rumor has arisen.  This time it's SHINee's Onew and After School's Jungah.  All I can say about this is...I'm sorry to Shawols (mainly Onew fans) as well as fans of After School.  :/  This one doesn't hurt me as bad as Changmin's did.  *still shuddering from that*  But what does concern me is that Onew is also rumored to be smoking electronic cigarettes.  It's quite disappointing like the whole marijuana bust involving DMTN's Daniel.  Though I think electronic isn't as bad as the real thing, it's still a cigarette, so here's to hoping that Onew will kick the habit altogether one day.  It's really weird though because Onew seemed to be the last person in SHINee I'd see smoking.

No war, please
It seems that North Korea and South Korea are once again butting heads, and the rest of the world is being quite concerned with the actions of North Korea.  I really do hope that war doesn't break out.  Not only would it affect the Korean Penninsula, but also areas nearby: China, Russia, Japan, maybe Taiwan, and some U.S. territories (mainly Guam and Hawaii).  Of course, I don't want my favorite artists to get caught up in all of that but I don't want the civilians to get hurt either--even the North Korean citizens.  Hopefully it will never escalate to that. 

Getting Caught Up...Sort Of... ^^

Well, it sure has been a while, hasn't it?  Quite a bit has happened since my last post (majority being linked to my ultimate bias).  From mid-February onward was quite eventful in my fangirl life.  On to the highlights!

HunterxHunter
Thanks to my sister, I have been watching an anime called 'HunterxHunter'.  I find it to be quite interesting.  It's from the same creator as 'Yu Yu Hakusho', so it was only a matter of time before my sister took to this anime.  We've been watching the 2011 version as well as the original.  They're both very different in some parts.  But since I saw the recent one first, I'm more into that one.  The story is about a boy named Gon who wants to become a Hunter so that he can find his father who left him when he was young.  He participates in the difficult exam to attain his license and makes friends along the way (who also have reasons for getting a license).  Many issues occur after he obtains it, but you'll have to watch to see what they are.  :D

I actually participated in a birthday project
For Changmin's 25th birthday, I thought I'd actually do something.  So, this time I participated in a birthday project hosted by MAXNATION an official fansite dedicated to him.  The deadline was a few days before his birthday and the notice was given a month in advance.  However, I waited until pretty much the last moment to work on it.  I was trying to gather ideas.  I wanted this card to be special, but not have that "Oppa, I love you!" type of feel.  So, I came up with this:

   

Cute, ne?  Sorry if they're difficult to see.  The shirts on here are origami and I drew out the '2' and the '5'.  I also came up with the poem on my own.  As for him receiveing this card, I do not know...but I really hope he did.  .__.

'Moonlight Prince' airs...but soon gets cancelled
It was a short-lived program, but I found it amusing.  Of course the main reason I watched it was because Changmin was one of the fixed hosts of the show and it showed on KBS (a channel I actually have).  In Korea, it began airing in mid-January, but for KBS World, it came out much later.  The show is basically a variety show created to be like a book club.  As in they talk about books.  It was also Kang Ho Dong's creation as well as his return to television after a long hiatus (it's a long story).  I know it might sound boring, but there was a reason it came on late at night in Korea...some of the comments they had might have been 'inappropriate' for the sensitive audience.  But I found them to be very hilarious!  And, of course, since Changmin is on the show...he brought on those snarky comments like it was nothing!  Alas, it wasn't enough.  The viewer ratings were pretty bad.  Most found it "too boring" to watch.  But I think there was another reason.  This leads me to my next highlight...

From Orange Pride To Men's Rhythmic Gymnastics

About three weeks ago, my sister and I decided to sit down and watch the Japanese drama known as 'RESCUE'.  Most of the reason was because KAT-TUN member Yuichi Nakamaru is in it (and KAT-TUN's song, 'RESCUE' is the theme).  But he's not the only famous person (that I knew of) that was starring in it.  NEWS member Takahisa Masuda and actor Yusuke Yamamoto is also in it!  The drama is nine episodes long and centers around a group of firefighters who want to become like an elite group known as the Super Rangers (SR for short).  Daichi Kitajima (Nakamaru) is the main character of the drama, and he along with other SR trainees try their best to make it onto the Super Rangers team.  There are many struggles for all of them as they do so.  The cool thing about this drama is that alot of the situations reflect real ones that can happen, and it gives little tidbits of information along the way.  I'd have to say that this drama was created in order to commemorate the real teams across Japan for doing what they do best: saving lives in the most dangerous of situations.  One line I can remember that shows up a few times is: "Which is more important: the life of the victim or of the rescuer?"  You'll have to watch to find out.  ^o^

  ORANGE PRIDE!!!

credit: dramadownload.net

 

New Year's Resolutions

Like so many people around the world, I think a new year means a chance to change.  Of course alot of the resolutions that we all tend to make never really come to light, but hey...why not still give it a shot?  This year, not only do I want to better myself as a person or hope to get a job to get my foot into the working world--and to get money to see my favorite foriegn artists--but I also plan to truly start learning Japanese and Korean beyond the basic phrases that I know.  As of now, I do not know how the grammar structure of either language is set up nor do I know enough of their vocabulary.  I can recognize Korean symbols (hangul), but I'm having trouble pronouncing them.  In turn I can pronounce Japanese a bit better, but I cannot read the symbols (hirigana, katakana, kanji) save for a slight few.  I do have a few books that may help, but it's just a matter of not being lazy and setting up time each day to study until I can acutally get into a classroom setting that teaches these two languages.  It'd probably be good if I did a refresher for Spanish as well because I've forgotten a good chunk of it.  I'm also thinking about learning Chinese, but that might have to come a bit later.  ^^ 

Aside from learning languages my sister, a friend, and I will be attempting to do dance covers to Kpop and Jpop.  We've already decided on three so far.  The first one is SNSD's "I Got a Boy".  Next, my sister and I will attempt SISTAR's "Ma Boy".  And the last will be Perfume's "Spice".  If you've seen the videos for any of these, you'll see that they have at least some level of difficulty, and if you're not a dancer--like me--it'll be way beyond your level.  I can't even do a body wave correctly without it looking like I'm having an uncontrollable spasm attack.  But I'm still working on it.

Well, wish me luck!  Peace out.       

"Not My Fandom, Not My Problem"

credit: photobucket

This slogan is slowly becoming one of my least favorite sayings within fandoms...

In the world of fandom, I shall never understand how one can be so deeply rooted in one fandom and totally not care about another one.  I mean it's great you have a bias group/soloist that you follow all the time, but why not at least delve into other artists from time to time?  I also understand that you don't have to like a group, but it doesn't mean to be a jerk about it either.  I see it all on my Twitter list: "Fan of ___________.  Not a fan of *insert genre that fan's favorite artist is a part of*."  For example, I am a fan of TVXQ, but another Kpop fandom is going through a tough time because their group/soloist is having trouble--either work-related or personal.  Me: "Oh, they seem to be having trouble...but whatever.  I'm not a fan of them or Kpop anyway."  SEE HOW RUDE THAT SOUNDS?!!  No compassion whatsoever!

Along with that, these days I feel that some fans of any group can give off this elitist feel. Usually it's fandoms that have been around a longer time that exhert this type of behavior or newbie fans.  Alot of groups are still newbies, so they have to adjust like the bias groups that we follow.  And I think it'd make many fans of the group that is being looked down on really sad.  With me being a 'multi-fan', it pains me when one fandom I am a part of is clashing with another one that I'm a part of.  And if it's not between a seperate fandom, there can also be fans of a certain bias fighting with another fan of a different bias over who is better.  Unfortunately, I've seen quite a bit of all this behavior from a good chunk of fandoms that belong (or used to belong) to SM.  Most notably, Cassiopeia--since that is what my Twitter list is mainly comprised of--and it's upsetting.  :(  I remember a time where we were such a nice fandom that helped out other ones when needed.  I think that is why we were respected--not because we were the largest or if our group was one of the best.  Thus in my personal opinon, I can't say that we're one of the best fandoms anymore...at least the international side isn't.  But don't think it's just limited to Kpop.  As I said before, this kind of behavior can be seen in any type of fandom. 

I guess the dynamics of fandom are changing, or is it just me?

As extra...

  Found it on Tumblr, and I think it's accurate...

Anyway, peace out.