Story time, part the second

So, kiddies, time for more stories.

This post will be Sharon's Tale of Anime, in case you care.

When, that week or so ago, I was reading the random forum thread about anime, I realized that I am an extremely late bloomer, anime-wise. I got the feeling, however, that most of the posters on that forum are more my brother's age than mine, so what was ok for a 6 year old to watch wasn't so for the 12 year old. I've never been into Pokemon (or the other "mons"), and I don't really remember many anime crossing the Pacific when I was younger. I wonder if Rainbow Brite could be considered anime-ish? They do have the big eyes and giant foreheads and bangs of 80s anime...
About the time I started college was about the time I first noticed Adult Swim on Cartoon Network, but I didn't really start watching it then. No, no. If you ever get tired of me trying to force you to watch anime, you can blame Ernest. If I remember correctly, the first anime we started watching (we being me, Jenny, and Ernest) was Record of Lodoss War, which E had on VHS. He didn't force it on un until late in the year, so we didn't even finish it that year. We may have begun Escaflowne in Japanese that year, and watched the first two tapes or so of Fushigi Yuugi, but I can't remember that too well. It all gets blurred in my memory (which has never been that good).
I know we didn't finish Lodoss War until sophomore year, because I distinctly remember watching it in KP's basement, and I remember that was the year we finished Escaflowne, watching part of it in the 3rd floor or Donner Annex with Amanda. I even remember we borrowed part of it from her then-fiancee John, I guess E had left his at home. But it wasn't a very good sub, John's copy, so we watched a bit of it in English, and it was kinda scary. I think now I'd be a little more ok with it, but maybe not. Maybe the entire time I'd be sitting there saying "hey, it's Miroku and Sango!" I know that year we watched Metropolis (on my computer right before the end of the year, because my brother was there), as well as part of Outlaw Star and all of El Hazard, all on my computer, since no one else had a DVD player. I know that was the year I also saw all of Trigun in about a 24 hour period. Basically, Jenny and Amanda wanted to see what E's house was like, what his family was like, over spring break but neither of them wanted to be the only ones going, so I went too (since Valpo is close to my grandmother's, I used it as an excuse to visit her, too). While we were there, we watched all ofit, before I went to my grandma's, which is saying a lot, since we got there Friday afternoon, and Saturday evening I went to my grandma's for the night, before we headed back to campus. That was fun, though. By this time, I was also watching a bit of Adult Swim, but that was pretty much while I was at home (where my dad had me start buying Tenchi DVDs). Dunno why.
Let's see...junior year I actually joined the anime club, so I got to see more of Cowboy Bebop (on AS also), got to see Nadesico, Hellsing, the first couple of discs of Excel Saga, Trigun again, Perfect Blue, My Neighbor Totoro, the very beginning of Now and Then, Here and There (which I decided not to watch the rest of) and the first half of Neon Genesis Evangelion. Also, that year we watched Video Girl Ai on my computer.
Senior year, I saw His and Her Circumstances, Abenobashi, Ah! My Goddess, most of .Hack//Sign, the rest of Eva, and Clerks the Animated Series (I know, it's not anime, bite me) all thanks to anime club. I saw most of Witch Hunter Robin, and saw more Inuyasha (I had already begun buying it at that point) on AS, watched Read or Die, saw the beginning of Ruin Hunters (I think that's the title) thanks to Gribble, and saw the first full season of Fushigi Yuugi.
When I got out of college, I began to crave anime. I gave in and started buying Kare Kano the manga, and then I bought the anime. Then I began to abuse my library. I realized the EVPL had begun to buy anime and manga, so I began to rent it. Because of that, I have seen all of Card Captor Sakura (in Japanese), up to disc 5 of Kodocha, the Rayearth OVA, the first 3 discs of Love Hina and the Spring Special, and finally got to actually watch Princess Mononoke without being on the phone. Because of AS I have seen most of S-CRY-ED, Samurai Champloo, and Full Metal Alchemist. I found Vandread and Chrono Crusade on extended extended cable, and have begun to watch fansubs on the internet (like Mai HiME, or the beginning of Bleach or Fruits Basket).
Every day, I become more addicted. It's very sad. Do you think there's a methadone for anime??

Ok, that was, well, basically a list. Who knows, I pull this rant later cuz it's boring. Oh well, til later!

Guess what?! Another quiz!

You Have A Type B+ Personality

B+ You're a pro at going with the flow You love to kick back and take in everything life has to offer A total joy to be around, people crave your stability. While you're totally laid back, you can have bouts of hyperactivity. Get into a project you love, and you won't stop until it's done You're passionate - just selective about your passions

Do You Have a Type A Personality?

Sounds like me, don't it?

Story time......part the first

That's right, children! It's story time!

A day or so ago, I was on an anime radio site, and decided to read random forum threads. The thread I ended up reading part of was a "what was your gateway anime?" type question, and it really made me want to answer. But, since I haven't (yet?) registered on that site, I thought my blog, the home of my ravings and rantings, was as good a place as any to answer it. But, I thought I should start younger for my first foray into storytelling, so instead you get to be treated to how I got into reading the genre of books I currently read.

Now, any of the few of you who read this and are also a Treehugginmonkey, this is gonna sound really familiar, since I'm pretty much just gonna cut and paste my 2 long posts about authors and books here. So, I guess you can probably stop reading now, unless you've forgotten what I wrote previously, or are really enamored of my ramblin' writin' style.


A couple of days ago I was talking to Laurie about the books I read, and as I thought about it, I realized that except for the few that were written by two people, almost all of the books I personally own can be divided into 3 authors. Terry Pratchett (of course), Mercedes Lackey, and Andre Norton. I think I have one single book that is not written or co-written by any of those three. Of course, quite a few books I thoroughly enjoy I feel no need to purchase since my dad owns them, but some day in the far-off future I will move out of my parents house and will have to buy some of these for myself. But quite a few of them will be by those core 3. Now, I understand that not everyone has the exact same taste in literature that I have, but I suppose I should attempt to encourage those who might like them to read them (especially since while at Hanover, I decided it was my calling to get as many people as possible hooked on Lackey...I think I got 4). So here goes.

Mercedes Lackey:
The core of my love of Lackey is her Valdemar novels (of which there are over 24). They are fantasy, so they take place in a world with magic and very little in the way of technology, the normal based off Medieval Europe-type thing. She seems to be pro-sexual choice, so I do not recommend them if you find yourself with any homophobic tendencies (one of the "heroes" of a trilogy is gay). Although I don't really think any of you will have a problem with it, I thought I'd warn you. If you decide to try these books, there are about 3 ways to start yourself in the world. You can start with the books she wrote first (Arrows of the Queen, Arrows Flight, Arrows Fall); you can start more chronologically (if you're borrowing from me, that means Magic's Pawn, Magic's Promise, Magic's Price); or you can start where I did, sort of in the middle and out of the country (The Oathbound, Oathbreakers, By the Sword (my favorite!)).
Another, different, Lackey book that is good is one called A Knight of Ghosts and Shadows, also released as the first half of Bedlam's Bard. It takes place in the early 90s in California and is about elves, ren faires, and bards. But really, the first one is the only one I've read that I really liked. The second half of Bedlam's Bard, Summoned to Tourney, I didn't like as much, despite the fact it delt a little with earthquakes (or maybe because of that). There is at least one newer sequel that I read maybe the first chapter of, but didn't like some of the "off-camera" goings-on (like a character that was supposed to be with someone drifting away, I didn't like the way the character dynamic changed).
Somewhere between those two is her Free Bards series (The Robin and the Kestrel, The Lark and the Wren, just to name a couple). It has bards, and music magic, but takes place in some medieval-based world, and I don't remember any elves. But they're still good. I just haven't read them in a while.
One stand alone book that I dearly love is The Black Swan, her version of the Swan Princess. It's sorta a what-if type book, what if magic was real and happening in not-quite-Renaissance Germany. Similar, but not quite as good, is The Firebird, her version of the story behind the Firebird Suite by Tchiacovsky (or however that's spelled).
She has others, but these are some of the best. Oh, and the ones I'll mention at the very last.

Andre Norton:
Called "The Lady" because she's been writing science fiction/fantasy since before it was split into the two, she has a hellavah lot of work under her belt. If you find yourself with a lot of time and a craving for fantasy, try her Witch World books, if you can find them. I know the library has quite a few, but I've only really read a fraction of them, and I started at the end (silly me). However, the books of hers owned by me do not consist of any of the Witch World books.
The Hands of Lyr. I'm not quite sure why I like this one so much, I just do. Norton's writing style is not as easy to get into as Lackey, she's much more formal and sorta old-fashioned. Anyways, the Hands of Lyr is pretty standard; quest, unlikely heroes that don't want the job, but I still really like it.
The Shadow of Albion. This is very different from the others on this page. Alternate history meets Regency romance. But I find the similarites between Wessex and James Bond very amusing. Imagine James Bond fighting Napoleon instead of the Russians, with his regular identity being a Duke. Now add a reluctant wife who can't remember her childhood well because she is in reality transplanted from an alternate reality, our reality. Dump that all in an England not ruled by George III, where in 1805 America is still a British colony run by Thomas Jefferson, the Earl of Monticello. This one's just fun. And there is a sequel, in which our heroes follow the Marquis de Sade to America to find the Holy Grail. Doesn't that just make you curious?

Lastly, there is a series of three (The Elvenbane, Elvenblood, Elvenborn) written by both Norton and Lackey. It has elves, their human slaves, the "wizards" (usually half-elven children with both elven magic and human magic), and dragons (who can shapechange!). These three are really good.

If you couldn't tell, writing this much has made me stupid ("these three are really good") so I'll quit for now. Next installment: books I really like by John DeChancie and Christopher Stasheff.



Ok! It's time for the next installment!!

First, I must digress into how I got started reading SciFi/Fantasy books (Laurie, I know I've told you, so you can skip this if you want).
It all started in the 6th grade. Before then, the most adult books I had read were R.L. Stine (pre-Goosebumps era) and Christopher Pike style teen horror. I was a big fan of an authour by the name of Joan Lowry Nixon, and had taken one of her books with me up to my grandmother's one holiday. It was either Thanksgiving or Easter, but I think more likely Thanksgiving. Within the first day or 2 I had finished the book I had brought along, and stupid me hadn't brought any others. Well, not too long after I was finished, my dad finished the book he was reading and offered it to me "in case I was bored". At first I was like "Um, no...I don't wanna be weird like you." But after a couple of days of boredom with nothing to watch on TV but the football or whatever sport my grandmother was watching, I finally gave in, and the night before we left for home I started the book, "Majyk by Accident" by Esther Freisner. I read one chapter before faling asleep, but it was the greatest thing I head read. It was a weird book about "majyk" which was transferred as a cloud when a wizard died, absorbed by whoever got into the cloud first. Well, the main character was a ratcatcher in the home of a dying wizard, and one day he chased the largest rat he'd ever seen into the master's chambers right when he died, so the "rat" and the ratcatcher absorbed all the majyk. Only then do you find out that the "rat" is really a cat from New York City that came through a mousehole to this other world, and now he can speak and do simple majyk. It was very interesting to me, at least. Anyways, that next day we drove home, and there I was in the back of the car, straining to get the last bits of light when the sun began to set.

What does all this have to do with John DeChancie and Christopher Stasheff, the promised authors of this installment? The melding of the familiar with the fantastic.

John DeChancie has, as far as my knowledge goes, written only a trilogy and a series. I've never read his trilogy, and I probably never will, seeing as they are about truckers in space. But his series is wonderful. It's the Castle Perilous series. I've only read 6 of the books (and there are supposedly more), but really the first 5 are the best. The first book is Castle Perilous, followed by Castle for Rent, Castle Kidnapped, Castle War, and Castle Murders. Basically, it's about a magical castle that exists between universes and is the bridge between them. Your main characters are almost all from Earth. Take for example a character you meet in the first book, Gene Ferraro. Gene lives in Pittsburgh and has been through a lot of college (like starting one degree, dropping out to go to medical school, then dropping out of that to go to law school, and dropping that cuz he's not cold-hearted enough) but is currently unemployed and desperate to get a job to pay off debts (sound like anyone we know??) On his way to a job interview, trying to find a parking spot in an underground garage, deciding to drive down to see how far it goes, and then trying to find an elevator back up, he begins thinking about how his life sucks, and half comtemplates suicide. Then he notices the walls are different, and realizes that unless the parking garage had a medieval era, he's no longer in the garage. He is, in fact, in the castle. Basically, each of the other characters have a similar beginning, of almost suicide followed by "rescue" by the castle. They are highly amusing books, though.

Christopher Stasheff has written a few series, but really I've only read the beginning of one and quite a few of another. He has quite a few books in the "Warlock in Spite of HImself" series, but I've only read the first one. But, basically, they're about the future and a guy who goes to a planet to spread democracy and finds a planet that believes in magic and was founded by a bunch of SCA members (renn re-enactors). It's rather amusing. The real love of mine, though, is his "Wizard in Rhyme" series, about a guy who, while working on his doctorate, comes across a bit of parchment in no language he can decipher. He keeps trying to figure it out insteand of working on his thesis, and suddenly he's transported to an alternate earth, where among other things, magic works by rhyme and Heaven and Hell are definately real. He becomes the wizard of the rightful queen and they must defeat the evil sorcerer and put her back on her throne. Some of the best parts of these books (Her Majesty's Wizard, The Oathbound Wizard, etc.) is the intelligence they're written with. You can learn alot about science and literature and history from them.

Anyways, that's about it for this really, really long post.
Who knows what I'll write about next.

Now,I would like to point out that since I wrote that first part, Andre Norton has since passed away, but I would guess many of you already knew that. Or didn't and don't care, and are reading this only because you are extremely bored.

But, yeah, I really will rant about anime coming soon, and maybe more about authors, like Terry Pratchett.

Aren't you excited?!?

Not quite a quiz.....

So, this is an actual post, not a quiz. Amazing, ain't it. But, it sorta has to do with quizzes, so I don't think I'm cured quite yet. A few days ago (a week, maybe?) I was over a Laurie's house, sucked in like always, and we were taking a Geek Test her brother and some of his 'net friends had found. And while I did like the format of the quiz, I felt it was lacking in some major spots. It didn't have enough authors, for example. Or enough conventions. So, I'm gonna try to write my own. Any suggestions are welcome, and I may be asking some people (like Laurie and Ellie) to help me with certain categories, like comics.
But, this is what I have for the blurb at the beginning:
This Geek test has been written by me, Sharon, because I feel that so many geek tests are lacking in all over geek content. It is based on a recent geek test I took, that I felt had some major gaps. So, I felt that it was my duty as a burgeoning geek to expand upon its contents and create my own version. Many of the instances of geekdom that this test measures are based on people I know (or on myself), so it can never be the pinnacle of geek tests, in that I am not an uber-geek (though that is a goal I one day wish to achieve).
The rules are simple. The test is broken up into categories. Each category is headed by a disclaimer. If the disclaimer fits you, take those points and head on to the next. If you feel that your geekhood lies in that category, even a small portion, read down the category. For every statement you agree with, award yourself the points. If you do not agree, move on. I would find it easiest to take this test with a calculator on hand, unless you are a math genius and can keep track of all of this in your head. And if that’s the case, give yourself X points, since a math genius can never be considered normal by the masses.

Thought I'd let everyone kno what I've been up to, anyway.

Are quizzes all I do?

Another day, another quiz...

This Is My Life, Rated
Life:	6.1
Mind:	7
Body:	5
Spirit:	7.3
Friends/Family:	5
Love:	0.8
Finance:	4.8
Take the Rate My Life Quiz

It feels kinda weird for me to "Spank the Monkey"...

I beat the monkey by 18 points.
Monkey Challenge Trivia Quiz

Your Final Quiz Score: 36 right out of a possible 60
The Monkey's Final Score: 18 right out of 60

Well done, you have sent the monkey to his defeat. Your score is unquestionably higher, and thus the lowly monkey has been proven once again to be humankind's intellectual inferior. Good work, however your score does leave room for improvement. We should like to see the human dominate even more completely!

You scored in the 86th percentile.
(86% of quiz takers scored worse than you)

Geography Your score: 9 Monkey's score: 3 -- Quite a sufficient job.	History Your score: 10 Monkey's score: 3 -- Nicely done.
Science/Technology Your score: 8 Monkey's score: 8 -- Rather embarrassing, wouldn't you say?	Random Trivia Your score: 9 Monkey's score: 4 -- Good but not great.

Link: Monkey Challenge Trivia Quiz

But as far as I know, I don't howl at the moon.....

You scored as Remus Lupin. You are a wise and caring wizard and a good, loyal friend to boot. However sometimes in an effort to be liked by others you can let things slide by, which ordinarily you would protest about. Remus Lupin 85% Ron Weasley 80% Albus Dumbledore 75% Hermione Granger 75% Severus Snape 70% Ginny Weasley 55% Draco Malfoy 45% Harry Potter 45% Sirius Black 40% Lord Voldemort 25% Your Harry Potter Alter Ego Is...? created with QuizFarm.com

Nuthin' important

So, yeah, as the title says, this post is nothing, and about nothing, important. It's pretty much just a post to keep things going, cuz heaven forbid I go another month before I update again. :P

An update on my Effort to Keep Sharon Amused(tm).
I purchased vols. 1 & 2 of the Mai HiME soundtrack off of Ebay, and find it just as beautiful as I had expected.
I finally read the first entire book, without pictures and not written by Terry Pratchett that I had not already read, since graduating college. It seemed for a while there that college had burned out my brain, but I seem to be recovering. Although...it was a Mercedes Lackey book, so maybe it doesn't really count that much, seeing as she's my second favorite author after Pratchett.
I bought the Robot Chicken season 1 DVD, and finally found my favotie episode again (apparently it's ep. 17). Anime is weird.
I completed my acquisition of Witch Hunter Robin, so now all I have to do is gather my friends together and make them watch it, since I think it's an anime that my less-than-enthusiatic-about-anime friends could enjoy.
I've read all that has been translated to English of Tsubasa: Resevoir Chronicle by CLAMP, and really enjoyed the alternate reality versions of everything, and especially enjoyed the "Where's Waldo"-like cameos of Miyuki-chan in all of the worlds with people. But one would expect her to be in these other dimensions.

Hmm....this appears to be the end of my post for this evening, since I can't think of anything else to talk about.

Til later!

Now I'm hungry for chocolate...

This is a random quiz that I took once while at Jenny's, but took again to find out what my answer really was.

	Open Oyster You scored 40% Dark, 37% Crunch, and 43% Chewy!
	You are an Open Oyster: a creamy blend of finely ground hazelnuts and milk chocolate in a milk chocolate shell. Sometimes you're open, sometimes you're closed, but hidden deep within is a pearl. You don't have much of a wild steak, but you do have your creative and more passionate moments, as well as your sweet ones. But you can turn all that on and off just as easily as an oyster opens and closes. You suck people in when you show them your sweet side...don't be afraid to open up more often ;) Like this one? Try my other tests! The Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Test What Type of Human Are You? Which Mixed Drink Are You? Which Major US City Are You? What Kind of Place Are You? Please rate 'em if you like 'em! :)

My test tracked 3 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 10% on Dark You scored higher than 2% on Crunchy You scored higher than 6% on Chewy

Link: The Box of Chocolates Test written by weerediii on Ok Cupid, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

Everybody else is doin' it, so I am, too

So, yeah, like the title says. This is one of those blog chain letter type things. Blame Gena.

Four jobs you have had in your life:

1. ice cream scooper (the roundish metal kind with the push out hole in the middle)

2. anything and everything for Goodwill

3. about 20 hours of Sodexho food service (and that was 20 hours too many)

4. retail slave for Michael (*crack* sell those crafts, ladies!)


Four movies you would watch over and over:

1. 10 Things I Hate About You

2. The Princess Bride

3. Muppet Treasure Island

4. The Fifth Element


Four places you have lived:


1. my folks' house

2. KP

3. Blythe

4. Donner Annex


Four TV shows you love to watch:

1. CSI

2. Numbers

3. NCIS

4. InuYasha


Places you have been on a TRUE vacation:
(What does that mean, TRUE?)
1. West--Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Wyoming, Utah, and pretty much all the states between here and there

2. North--MIchigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Canada, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont

3. South--mainly Florida, but not just Disney World

4. Hawaii!


Four websites you visit daily:

1. Yahoo!

2. everybody's blogs/ljs/websites

3. comics from my list to the side

4. the Treehugginmonkeys Groups page



Four of your favorite foods:

1. chicken fried rice

2. chicken scampi

3. filet mignon

4. chicken chimichanga


Four places you would rather be right now:

1. Hawaii

2. Hanover, hangin' out

3. any other place with a bunch of my friends

4. a place free of responsibilities



I'm tagging: anyone on the right who feels up to the task, or is that bored


Yay, wasn't that loads of fun. Don't lie, you know it was the highlight of your day.

Random post no. 2?

So, I thought it was time to let may many readers (all 5 of you) know how I've been spending my ample free time, since I'm only getting 2 to 3 days a week at Michaels. Not that you guys actually care, but, you know, I like to torture you with my inane babbling. (or is that insane babbling??)
For the most part, I've been taking advantage of that wonderful find of my last random post, Keiichi Anime Forever, or whatever it's called. I finished Gravitation, and while it wasn't bad, and I'm pretty sure it left stuff from the manga out of the anime, the ending was a little strange. All I can say is, ten dollars!?!?!?!?! Maybe if you ask nicely, I'll tell you what that means, but only if I think you're old enough. I tried to watch Vandread, but the videos had been deleted. Oh, the links were there, but not the videos. So I randomly picked an anime they claimed they had all of, that wasn't too long (no 100+ video animes, please), because I really wanted to watch more anime. I had even checked out a random anime from the library, Final Fantasy: Unlimited, but I only made it through 3 episodes. It wasn't very good. I picked a show entitled Mai HiME (also spelled My-Hime) because the little premise they gave sounded halfway interesting. I got into watching it, and I mean really into watching it, since I'm a marathon-style watcher, watching about 3 episodes the first day, and 4 the second. The third day, well, I started with episode 8, and when I got to 15 KAF didn't have working links anymore. I was about to go insane, since I was really into it at that time. I had just seen the halfway episode, and it just gave me more questions that needed to be answered. But, all the links for 15 onward were "deleted", so I was about to give up hope and just be unsatisfied. But then, poof!, an idea occurred to me. If KAF didn't have it, but they got it from YouTube, why not just go to the source? So, I tried that, and watched another 3 or 4 episodes. I finally watched all 26, and I have to say, I truly enjoyed it. I laughed, I cried, that sorta thing. Maybe when I grow up and have lots of money to spare (and maybe by then they'll have it for sale in the states, since the first disc is supposed to come out in May, I think) I'll buy it. But Jenny isn't allowed to see it. Why? Let's just say that at one point in watching it I said "What the hell? Did Yu Watase write this??" When I say I cried, I ain't kidding. But the ending made me happy, so it's ok.
And now I want the soundtrack. I've come to the conclusion that I love Yuki Kajiura. I like and admire Yoko Kanno for her talent and scope, to have done such disparate soundtracks as Cowboy Bebop and Macross and Wolf's Rain. But I love the beautiful, haunting melodies of Yuki Kajiura. If you've heard anything from Noir or .Hack/Sign, you know what I'm talking about. And she did the music to Mai HiME, also. Beautiful, beautiful stuff. That I want, very badly.
Hmm...other than the anime, I've also started reading an actual American (or, more precisely, British) comic/graaphic novel. I started the Sandman series, by Neil Gaiman, which is pretty cool. I'm barely halfway through, but I'm enjoying it, even the dark bits. I really did like how he connected it to the original DC Sandman character, that was pretty damn cool. And I love cameos, even if I'm not an avid comic reader, I know who John Constantine is.
Anyways, what else? I filed my taxes, and owe more to Indiana than the government owes me. I applied for, and was rejected, for an easy summer job. I'm still trying to apply for grad school. I think that's about it for the world according to Sharon. For now, at least.
Well, til the next time I feel like rambling to the world in general.

Random post numbah one!

Ok, so I've found a new thing to occupy my time. If I was as much of an otaku as I wished I was, I would have found this long before now, but oh well. What could this new-found doorway into anime geekdom of which I speak possibly be? First let me set this up by telling you a story, and giving you another link or so.

So, I have friends (some of you even read this!), and some of these friends have lj's or blogs listed to the side, and some of them are very much into anime, more than I am, being relatively recently introduced to my new love. Well, one of these friends has recently begun to post lists of links to random videos and websites on her blog (Aerine's, if you're curious). A few weeks ago I was doing my obsessive cheking thing, and watched some of the videos on her newest list. Of course, she had found the ever popular Leonard Nimoy sings the Ballad of Bilbo Baggins, and on previous posts had found a bunch of commercials, and an AMV for the anime Bleach (which I know nothing about), but this time she found the best.AMV.EVAR! First, I must explain AMV (although it's rather self-explanitory). AMV stands for Anime Music Video, and is a video usually consisting of a contemporary song (or 2) and a bunch of screen shots from an anime (or 20). Anyways, the BAE uses some song from what I can only assume is a gay-themed musical (aren't they all?? just kidding) while the video is from the anime Gravitation. Now, a little less than a year ago, I went to Hanover to visit with Ellie after we had been in Anderson for Jenny's bridal shower, and I stayed an extra night to hang out with the cool then-freshmen of Ellie's "posse" or whatever. It was then, while sitting on the floor of Feenix and Celeidh's dorm room and talking about anime, manga, and Mercedes Lackey that I was told flat out not to read the manga Gravitation by Ellie herself. Why, you ask? Because, apparently, the character's relationships are such as to drive one insane. So, in hindsight, maybe not too bad, but anyways. So, I was relatively content not to read Gravitation, but now...well, after seeing the BAE, I had an overwhelming urge to watch the anime. However, I do not have the money (nor am I brave enough to spend quite a bit on something I've never seen, unless it's a really good deal) to buy it, and I doubt anyone I know will own it anytime soon. So, I was pretty much resigned to not ever see it when I came across something. I had previously visited this site a year or so ago, back when they had mp3s to download, since I need more anime music, but recently they changed their layout and such, and now have anime fansubs for my viewing pleasure. So, now I'm wating a fansub of Gravitation. Cuz I'm a big nerd. But in a fun way. I think, when I'm done with Gravitation, I'll watch Vandread...maybe they'll have a better translation than the English dub I've been watching.

So, yeah, how's that for my random post??

Jeopardy!

So, I don't know how many of my readers love Jeopardy as much as I do...pretty much if I'm home and awake when it's on, I'll watch it. It was especially fun a couple of years ago when Luke was on, only to blow his lead on the Final Jeopardy question, becuase I was sitting there saying "I know that guy!" (cuz I'm a big nerd, and must live vicariously through others). Well, today I was watchign with my mom, and lo and behold I was shocked to see a certain contestant. I wasn't caught completely off guard, since I had read his rant and knew he had tried out for Jeopardy a few months ago, but when the announcer introduced the first contestant as "Dom Nguyen" I was like "Could it be? I mean, I know Nguyen is a very common Vietnamese last name, almost like Smith, but...could it be?" And when I saw that he wore glasses and had written his name with a smiley face in the "O" of Dom, I knew it. It was Shirt Guy Dom, of Megatokyo fame. Unfortunatley, he did not win, so there's no chance of seeing him on tomorrow's game, which kinda makes me sad. I wanted to hear more random stuff that Alex could ask him during the break in the first half, especially if it could be things about his passing acquaintance with webcomics or conventions. But the little quip that was brought up was the fact that Dom taught himself Japanese in high school by playing video games, so he knows how to challenge someone to fight 6 different ways, but can't ask what they do for a living.
I realize some of my readers won't care at all, but I thought it was pretty damn cool. And maybe later I'll do a real update, but for now, I gotta go sell crafty crap to crafty people.

Later!

Pretty close

So, I found this quiz on Jenny's blog...I think it's pretty accurate, for only being two questions long. Enjoy!

the Observer Test finished!

you chose BZ - your Enneagram type is FIVE. "I need to understand the world" Observers have a need for knowledge and are introverted, curious, analytical, and insightful. How to Get Along with Me Be independent, not clingy. Speak in a straightforward and brief manner. I need time alone to process my feelings and thoughts. Remember that If I seem aloof, distant, or arrogant, it may be that I am feeling uncomfortable. Make me feel welcome, but not too intensely, or I might doubt your sincerity. If I become irritated when I have to repeat things, it may be because it was such an effort to get my thoughts out in the first place. don't come on like a bulldozer. Help me to avoid my pet peeves: big parties, other people's loud music, overdone emotions, and intrusions on my privacy. What I Like About Being a Five standing back and viewing life objectively coming to a thorough understanding; perceiving causes and effects my sense of integrity: doing what I think is right and not being influenced by social pressure not being caught up in material possessions and status being calm in a crisis What's Hard About Being a Five being slow to put my knowledge and insights out in the world feeling bad when I act defensive or like a know-it-all being pressured to be with people when I don't want to be watching others with better social skills, but less intelligence or technical skill, do better professionally Fives as Children Often spend a lot of time alone reading, making collections, and so on have a few special friends rather than many are very bright and curious and do well in school have independent minds and often question their parents and teachers watch events from a detached point of view, gathering information assume a poker face in order not to look afraid are sensitive; avoid interpersonal conflict feel intruded upon and controlled and/or ignored and neglected Fives as Parents are often kind, perceptive, and devoted are sometimes authoritarian and demanding may expect more intellectual achievement than is developmentally appropriate may be intolerant of their children expressing strong emotions Renee Baron & Elizabeth Wagele The Enneagram Made Easy Discover the 9 Types of People HarperSanFrancisco, 1994, 161 pages You are not completely happy with the result?! You chose BZ Would you rather have chosen: AZ (THREE) CZ (ONE) BX (NINE) BY (FOUR)

My test tracked 2 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 24% on ABC You scored higher than 0% on XYZ

Link: The Quick and Painless ENNEAGRAM Test written by felk on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

Off-topic

So, I know it's been a while since my last post, and there are probably somewhat important things I could talk about (like that Chicago thing), but I'm feeling...serious (maybe it's the music I'm listening to...from Witch Hunter Robin).

I'm a little obsessive about checking things, such as my email, or my friends' blogs and LJs, so I was going about my little checking spree when I was delighted to find that a couple of people (namely Jenny) had updated since I had checked earlier today. One of her posts made me curious, so I searched out another friend's LJ (Kayla) and had a cursory read. And then I had a thought (scary, ain't it). Everyone else's lives seem to be filled with drama. While they're ranting about real-world problems and living, I sit here and refuse to blog because nothing has happened to me. I woke up really late. I ate lunch. I played a computer game. I watched some TV. Or sometimes it goes like this. I woke to my alarm. I got dressed. Ate lunch. Went to work. Maybe stopped somewhere to buy a DVD, or look at clothes I can maybe wear to Stephanie's wedding. Came home. Watched TV. I don't have interesting things happen to me, which isn't necessarily bad, since interesting often translates to bad. But I get the feeling I'm not going anywhere.

Dammit!!!!! I am NOT depressed, I refuse to be. I'm just not tired, but have to be awake in 5 and a half hours. And everyone else's depressions are rubbing off. Don't be depressed! Cuz it gets to me, and I don't do enough as it is! Any more, and you'll have to check for a pulse! ("Is she breathing? Is there a pulse?" "I dunno, sir. She's a Great American Sloth. Them things can be tricky.")

Maybe later I'll do a happier post. About random things, like anime and obsessions. Anime always makes me happy, which I guess means I'm easily destracted.

Later.

Covetousness and Christmas

So, now the holiday season is over. And although I did get stuff I wanted, I have come to realize that I want too much. I covet a large portion of Amazon.com, for example. I want the HGTV dream home, even if I'd have to sell it after a week cuz there's no way I could afford the property taxes, let alone the insurance. I want the job I just applied for, even if I am grossly underqualified. I want to travel. I want to see all my friends more often than 3 times a year. And I think I want to go to grad school. I suffer from the sin of covetousness. I mean, don't get me wrong, I don't covet my neighbor's wife (I don't think I swing that way...) nor do I covet my neighbor's husband. But, let's just take my Amazon.com Wish List for example. On it are currently 5 items, all of which are on there for the express purpose of me not having to search for these items, since I plan on purchasing them all. These 5 items total almost $500. $500?! Were do I think I'm gonna get that kind of money?! Certainly not at Michaels, not with the hours I've been getting and the fact that I still haven't seen my FES raise. Maybe from that really cool job I just applied for? Even if a miracle occurred, and I got it, even 35k a year isn't really that much in Chicago. I'd have to get an apartment, some furniture, a newer TV, and I'd have real world living expenses (things I avoid at present). I didn't get as much in Xmas monies as I'd hoped, since most of that appears to going to my Visa bill to help pay off the 1000+ miles of driving I did between Xmas and New Years. Gah! This is depressing me.

And, really, I'm digressing. Even though the title of this post is about my desire for way too much stuff, I really meant to be talking about my Xmas. About my crazy jaunt up and down the length of Indiana. And maybe a bit of what I did before that, since my last serious post was on my birthday.

So, we'll start with that. As you may know, on my birthday I drove a few of my friends (Gena, Katie, and Laurie) to St. Louis to attend a U2 concert. We got to my aunt's house around 10 and had cake that my aunt made, and tried to make some plans for the next day. I know Laurie and I didn't go to bed until 2 ish, and I think Kaite and Gena were still up until then, reading. Anyways, we got up around 10 am, and made it out for brunch at my favorite French bakery/cafe in St. Louis around 12:30. From there we drove my aunt home and left for the metrolink parking lot, planning on hanging out in Union Station to kill a couple of hours before going to stand in line for the concert. Halfway to Union Station we realized that Laurie's half of the tickets were still in her bag, so we had to get off, wait for a train going the other direction, go back to my aunt's and grab the tix, and try it all over again. So, we ended up with a little less than an hour at Union Station (where we wate a bit of food to tide us over through the concert). Then we hopped back on the metrolink for about a mile, and we were at the Savvis center. Yay for concerts! Anyways, we walked around about 2/3 of the center to find the end of the line for the floor, but although it was a little chilly and breezy, it wasn't too bad, nor too long. Finally we were inside, and we decided just to head for the floor to try and find a spot to stand, rather than trying to buy anything. I guess that was a good thing. We weren't actually that far away from the little bridge/pathway thing that the stage had, but you really couldn't tell until the concert began, because apparently, every other U2 fan in the area is at least 5'8", or taller. But after a bit of wating, Bono came out to introduce the opening act. I ended up not being to thrilled...it was Kanye West, and seeing as I do not listen to that genre of music, I just stood there thinking that the best thing was that he had some violinists and cellists as his backup, and couldn't they just have them play without the rap interuppting it? Anyways, throughout Kanye West, the crowd wasn't too bad...there was the one guy behind me to the right who insisted on dancing to every one of Kanye's songs, but we all still hand breathing room, so it was ok. Then, when Kanye was done, everyone behind us decided that they weren't close enough and that there must be loads of extra room that the people in front were hoarding, so if they just pushed up a bit it'd be just fine. Wrong! At one point, before U2 ever started, there was this guy with his young son behind me. The guy was turned around facing the back, maybe talking to someone, and holding his son when the back surged up, and all of a sudden, that guy was sitting on my ass. I mean, his ass was in the small (or not so small) of my back, just above my ass. And if I had moved up I'd have been on some other guy's ass. I mean, right before U2 started singing, Laurie began sorta freaking out and had to squeeze out and head for the back where there was more room. It was really tight in there. But by the end of the concert, there was actually some room near me. I guess other people got tired of being that close, too. But anyways, it was a really good concert. U2 is mighty good. After the concert, and after we waited in line to buy stuff, only to see most of it sold out, it was midnight, and there were only 2 metrolink trains left to run that night. But we needed to get back to where I parked my car, since I sure as hell didn't want to walk the several miles in a city I don't know, and didn't have the kind of money to get a taxi. And the thing was, the 2 remaining trains weren't going all the way. Luckily, there was a shuttle to take us to the other stations. So, we were able to get back to my car, and then try and find a 24 hour restaurant for "dinner", to keep up the tradition of the after-concert meal. We ended up at an IHOP pretty close to my aunt's house. So, we ate and went back to sleep. The next morning we were woken up by my aunt, whose favorite meal is breakfast. I think she really wanted to share breakfast with the girls sleeping under her roof, cuz she sorta came in around 9:30 and was like "Are you girls awake? Would any of you be up for breakfast? How was the concert?" We got up, ate breakfast, and tried to decide want we wanted to do before going home, if anything. We finally decided ("we" being me in this case) on driving around Forest Park on our way out of town. While were were doing that, we saw a sign for the "Turtle Park" and decided to check that out. It was a little park on the other side of the highway with a bunch of giant concrete turtles! It was pretty cool, and sorta cold. But then we left for Eville. Overall, I think a good time was had by all. Which is good.

After that, I stayed in Eville until after Xmas. However, the 26th marked the beginning of my "tour d'Indiana". Early on the 26th, my parents packed and left to go to my grandmother's, while I slept in for a couple more hours, before getting up to pack and make pumpkin cheesecake for the 27th. After I had made the cheesecake and put it foil-wrapped in the fridge, I drove up to Indy. And even though I left about an hour after I had planned to leave, I made it up there only about 15 min later than I had said would be a good time to meet Ellie. I am a speed demon. Anyways, I made it to Kayla's by 7:15 Indy time, and Ellie and I hung out there talking until almost 9:30, but since peopl were expecting us in Anderson, we had to leave. Unfortunately, as we were trying to get on the highway we got stopped by a train...I swear, whenever you're in a hurry, that's when every light is red, and the trains are all running. But we made it to Anderson a little after 10, and ate cool pizza. I sat and listened to everyone roleplaying, since I was a little late to make a temporary character, and I really didn't want to be "Cap'n Crunch" a la Sean. But it was fun to just take in. And Ellie laid to the side reading E's story so far. But everyone couldn't stay there forever (it's not that big of an apartment), so after a while, most everyone left. I convinced them to watch Vandread, and they sorta made it through 2 eps, but Jenny and Ellie were falling asleep. So, they went to bed, while E and I stayed up, watched one more ep of Vandread, and then a few eps of Azumanga Daioh, which is a very strange show. Anyways, we finally went to sleep, cuz the next day we had some stuff to do. We got up in the morning, showered, got all our shit together, went to pick up Jenny's granparent's car, and headed off to Indy only about an hour late. By the time we got to Indy, Julie and Andy had been waiting long enough they left Steak 'n' Shake and went to the mall and bought a sweater. But finally we were all together. We talked, opened gifts, (I'd like to say that my gifts were the best, cuz I'm so fucking cool), got our pic taken, and walked around the mall for a bit before I realized that all the time stuff had finally confused me, and I needed to have left Indy about an hour and half before I actually did. I was definately not making any mashed potato stuff when I got home! But I did spend some money in the B. Dalton bookstore that was going out of business, which sorta made me happy. And I got to see people and spend time with them which made me very happy. And I'm extremely happy for Julie and Andy, cuz he surpassed my coolness expectations. Let's just hope we didn't frighten him ;). So that was good.

When I got to Eville I was a little late for the party, but not too late. I ate a little Jambalaya Chicken Helper courtesy of John, a potato thing by Laurie, and some dessert items, including my cheesecake. Pretty soon after I got there we opened gifts, and then we played a game that I can't remember the name of, but involved drawing. But it was mainly stick figure drawing, so not too far out of my league. Umm.....some people started leaving then, and then we played a bit of a trivia game, and then it was pretty much time for people to leave. I think we're getting old down here...too many of us had to get up in the morning for work, or had worked earlier in he day, or were just tired becuase we're old. But not me! No, Laurie and I ended up hanging out for a while at my house, looking at random stuff on the internet, like some very interesting pictures that I need to send a link of to Ellie. Then we played a bit of Mexican Train, but I had to go to bed at some point, since I was gonna be driving up to Michigan City in the morning/afternoon. So, I took her home about 1:30 ish, read one of my new 50% off manga that I had gotten earlier in the day, and went to bed. (Sorry! no pics of this one!)

When I finally woke up I packed, and headed off to run my errands before leaving town. These errands consisted of eating, cashing my check, and paying my car payment. So, I didn't leave until around 2 (more than an hour after I had planned). Are we developing a pattern here? But I drove like a bat out of Hell, but also a bat that didn't want a speeding ticket, and made it to Michigan City in about 5 hours and 15 min. Pretty good, if I do say so myself. Anyways, after I got there, we ate dinner, visited with some friends of my mom's, slept, went for brunch, opened presents, went shopping, went to my aunt's house for dinner and to watch our recording of my brother's play, slept again, then packed and left to come home. That was my Xmas. Exciting.

Wow...this post is pretty long for me....but I guess I did actually do stuff, some of which was halfway interesting.

Anyways, til next time!

A quick note...

So I thought I'd drop a quick note to my plethora of readers out there, saying that indeed, soon I will post a long, post, but I've been feeling lazy tonight, so you'll have to wait intil tomorrow (or later today, actually) at the soonest for my oh-so-interesting update. And, yes, I'll post the pic from the downtown Indy Steak 'n' Shake.

Til then, later!

Xmas songs....

So, I thought I'd make a quick post about my new taste in Xmas songs. I've come to love non-traditional, irreverent songs, and thought I'd share the lyrics of some of them with you.

First, a song I heard a few years ago, although it's sorta an older song, but could not for the life of me find (but it seems to have been re-released on a recent album). It's "I Want an Alien for Christmas" by Fountains of Wayne.


This year for Christmas
There's something I'd really like
So if you're up there somewhere Santa
Please don't bring me another bike

I don't need any ugly sweaters
And I don't play much basketball
But there's something kinda special
That I want most of all...

I want an alien for Christmas
Bring me an alien this year
I want a little green guy
About three feet high
With seventeen eyes
Who knows how to fly
I want an alien for Christmas this year

He can live in the bath tub
So don't worry about a thing
And I'll take him out for walks
When it gets nicer in the Spring

I'll always keep him company
He'll never be alone
And we can hang around the house all day
And watch the Twilight Zone

I want an alien for Christmas
Bring me an alien this year
I want a little green guy
About three feet high
With seventeen eyes
Who knows how to fly
I want an alien for Christmas this year

I want an alien for Christmas
Bring me an alien this year
I want a little green guy
About three feet high
With seventeen eyes
Who knows how to fly

I want an alien for Christmas this year
I want an alien for Christmas this year


Second is one I found on a CD I bought earlier this month when I realized I needed non-tradional Xmas music to counteract the 5 songs Michaels keeps playing over and over. The CD is called A Santa Cause: It's a Punk Rock Christmas. Now, the CD has such classics as "I Won't Be Home For Christmas" by Blink-182 and a rendition of "Christmas in Hollis" done by The A.K.A.s. But the highlights are track 16 and the hidden track I like to call "Santa's Got a Mullet". But track 16 is the greatest. I painstakingly listened to it over and over to figure out the lyrics to give to you, since I couldn't find them on the internet anywhere, so they may not be 100% right, but I'm pretty confident about most of it. The song is called "I Saw Daddy Kissing Santa Claus"


I saw daddy kissing Santa Claus,
Underneath the mistletoe last night.
Saw spots of green and red,
Couldn’t get the thought out of my head,
Wishing I’d rolled over and gone back to sleep instead.

Yeah, not that there’s anything wrong with that.

I saw daddy tickle Santa Claus,
Underneath his beard so snowy white.
I couldn’t make a noise,
Never would have thought that he liked boys,
It seems that he’s much further in the closet than my toys.

What would my son say,
What would my wife say,
What would my friends say,
What would my mom say?
What would my son say,
What would my wife say,
What would my friends say,
What would Jesus say?

Then mommy and daddy kissing Santa Claus,
It’s a free-way, three-way tonight.
I’ll tell you it was rough,
Seeing mom in finger cuffs,
Maybe this year, since dad is queer, I’ll get some better stuff.

Yeah, not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

I saw daddy kissing Santa Claus.


Doesn't that just make you happy?? It does me. :)
Merry Xmas, and don't be worried if your dad fixes it so you get an alien for Christmas. ;)

From Ellie and Aerine......

01. Comment with your name and I will write something about you.
02. I will then tell what song/movie random stuff reminds me of you.
03. If I were to apply an o'clock to you, it would be...
04. I will try to name a single word that best describes you.
05. I'll tell you the most memorable moment I've had with you.
06. I will tell you what animal you remind me of.
07. I'll then tell you something that I've always wondered about you.
08. Put this in your journal.

24 going on....who knows?

So, in a few hours of me writing this, I will have been alive, torturing my parents, for 24 years. I really don't feel that old. I wonder how much of that is because I still live at home, and don't have a real job? Anyways, I'll be 24 by the time anyone reads this, since I'm pretty sure all my friends who know the address of this blog are at least feigning sleep at 3:30 (or 4:30 if you live east of me) in the morning. Well, I hope they are. Most of them have stuff to do in the morning, unike me.

So, what have I been up to since my last random post, you ask? (probably not really, since you probably know me, and know I rarely do anything exciting ;)) Well, let's see. I've gone to work, slept as late as I could, watched TV...nope, nothing out of the ordinary, and definately nothing noteworthy. However...this will be remedied tomorrow evening. Why, you ask? (or maybe you don't, since you may be one of the lucky few to accompany me) Well, this evening I'll be leaving Eville with Gena, Laurie, and Katie and driving to St. Louis. Great fun, I can hear you saying. But wait! It gets better! On Wednesday we will be visiting a museum of some kind before going to a sold out U2 concert! Yay for us! You're jealous, aren't you.

So, yeah, trying to plan a bit of this has been on my mind lately, and so Xmas has been sneaking up on me. Not present-wise. I bought most of my friends' presents in like October. No no, the "getting together" part of the holiday season has crept up behind me with a baseball bat. You see, it seems the only day that anyone, ANYone, can get together this year seems to be the 27th. My Eville friends have had the Thanksmas party planned for that evening since like September, and the 27th is really the only day that Julie will be in the Midwest at the same time that Jenny won't have to work and that others, like Ellie and supposedly myself, would be able to venture northward. Add to that the fact that my parents basically have to work (at least one of them) both Xmas and New Years, so the only time we can drive to northern IN to visit my grandmother and aunt and uncle are the 26th through the 30th, as long as we get back early enough on the 30th for my mom to get a shot and nap before she has to work. So, basically, keeping my fingers crossed that I'll actually be able to get the days off that I'd like, I'll be driving to Indy/Anderson on the 26th, hanging out and exchanging gifts on the 27th, driving back to Eville and going to the party at Gena's place also on the 27th, and driving to Michigan City on the 28th, only to turn around and drive back to Eville on the 30th. Santa better be getting me a barrel of oil for Xmas, cuz I'm bout to drain the reserves driving up and down the length of Indiana.

Not that this is necessarily a bad thing...I dearly love seeing my friends and my northern relatives, and really don't get to see them enough. It's just that I have to do it 4 days. Where at least on of those days is completely driving. Seriously, I'll prolly spend between 18 and 24 hours on the road those 4 days. Madness. But, I'll get to meet the phantom Andy. I mean, I assume he exists...I've seen pictures of him and I'm pretty sure Julie hasn't gone insane enough to see people who aren't there, but I haven't even met the boy yet, and he's gonna be Mr. Julie Merkel (and vice-versa, too...it works both ways) in like 6 months! So, I have that to look forward to. I don't doubt he's a wonderfully cool guy, I know Julie's good at befriending people who meet my high expectations of coolness (also known as geekiness, don'tcha know), so, really I can't wait to meet him. And having him meet the Hanover contingent of psychpaths so that he will fear us ever venturing to MA to visit. Mwhahahahaa!

*Ahem* Now that I've gotten that evil laugh out of my system...I've run out of things to say! Isn't this sad!? Oh well, I guess this means I should go to bed, so's I can pack and stuff tomorrow for my little journey. Woo, exciting.

So, g'night!