My emo and my e-moment

State of mind: relaxed
Current soundtrack: Playlist name - series - song title (artist)

Work was slightly awkward today. Bad day.

Went home and talked mom's ear off. Not so bad day.

Poked Alphonne awake and turned on some AAA full-blast. Emo level decreases. Rationality returns. Acceptable day.

Anticipation of a peanut-butter sandwich with milk and a cold pill before bed. Not too bad a day.

-

You know how there're the Befrienders and the Samaritans? I was just thinking—there should totally be a Dial-a-Buddha service.

"Dial-a-Buddha, Manjusri speaking. How may I help you?"
"AIYO, Wen Shu. Terrible lah, my day today. Why are people so sorhai one?"
"It is the way of the physical world, caller."

Pomp and Circumstance(s)

State of mind: gleeful
Current soundtrack: middleboss.Vince's iTunes turned up loud XD

Life has been quite good of late (except for that one blip last Saturday...), for the following reasons:

1. I got Patapon. And played it. And went crazy over it. And played it through (in a little more than 40 hours, because I inSISTED on grinding for another Barsalapon before going out to fight the final boss. Review sometime.)
2. I went to the 2008 Adobe Creative Leadership forum for two days, which was a good break from the office. I saw silly people and shiny presentations, drank some wine, danced a bit and received knowledge that Kali was going to stomp on my enemies for me. Gee, ma'am, thanks...
3. A...nun blitzkrieged me the other day. Yes, I got shtupped by religion. Again. But for the first time in my life, I am wearing a rosary. OK, a fake rosary with plastic beads, but still. You can never have too many Kuan Yin talismans. Especially one with all the festival dates on the back...but still, where's my man Wenshu, yo? Protector of the rabbits and wisdom needs to represent D:
4. I got a very nice call from a very nice dude offering a freelance job that seems right up my alley. :D
5. Last but not least, I am finally graduating. Today. Yes, tonight. Yes, I'm in the office. No, none of the others involved are. I have no leave, and had plenty of stuff to finish. Shurrup. :P

So things are starting anew again, in the middle of the year. Here goes!

Fanfic Writers' Meme

State of mind: hungry

Happy anniversary, Mom and Dad. While you go out for dinner tonight, I shall stay home, eat chow fun and ramble about Ultraman to other fans! Good times.

And by the way, Sakon, noooo I don't hate you for this meme. So I'm ganking it. ♥ ^_^

How about a brief introduction?
Call me Ishmael. Oh, you mean ME. Hi. Call me M. I write stuff.

Fabulous! And what got you into fanfiction to begin with?
Powerpuff Girls and Ultraman. Not necessarily in that order. I used to write all these kiut kiut stories about what the six brothers did when they were younglings, and after that went on to writing OC Ultras...

I see. So what kind of fanfiction do you like to write?
Gen with some romance/action thrown in, and themes of mystery, sacrifice and acceptance. One day I WILL write that long, sprawling epic about the Emperan Occupation (it had to be an occupation, says the back of my brain, or Zoffy could never have fought in it) and or Zoffy and that sword-of-light, but eh.

Do you find writing easy? Hard? What are the aspects of writing you struggle most with?
I write a beginning, and sometimes I write the end...and the middle dangles tantalisingly out of reach. In place of that I get snips of conversation and descriptions that are beautiful, but perhaps don't quite fit the context.

Write a few sentences or so of your favorite pairing or character.

He is beautiful, in a way very few things are beautiful. Light made flesh, so different from our flesh made light; he is the midnight sky and the silvered moon and quiet, deep water all together. His awe at our lands is tempered with caution and backed with curiosity. He desires to know us. Perhaps he is the one, the 'hero descending from the heavens'. But we shall see.

Bonus points if you know who the narrator is and who's being referred to. XD

Are there any fanfiction clichés or trends you're sick of or just can't stand?
Feminine Ukes and Super Virile Sekuhara Semes. Let's not get any more specific, shall we?

Are you guilty of any fanfiction clichés you hate? Or any other ones?
Forgive me, authors, for I have sinned. I once wrote Mary-Sues, self-inserts and character bashing all in one fiction. I'd like to think my favourite OC has mellowed out of her uber-specialness, though.

What was the first fandom you wrote for, and do you still like/participate in it?
In two words, Ultraman. Yes. Whee!

Name your OTPs or most frequently written pairings/characters and explain what it is about them that you love to write.
Saiyuki; Gojyo/Houran, because I pray they will find their understanding. Yes yes, I know Houran is jailbait at the time of the movie. >_>;;; 585 because it's so easy to see the two ease into a dependable relationship.

Ultraman: Tiga/Dyna/Tiga, the brothers-in-arms. See them fighting in perfect tandem in the TD movie, and tell me they're perfect strangers. I'd like to think they once worked together, on the superancient Earth. Hikari/Mebius/Hikari, again for the brothers-in-arms thing and the progression of a stout friendship to a partnership on fairly equal footing. Noa/Zagi/Noa just to see them play off each other, yin and yang, light and dark. Only Zagi can destroy Noa can destroy Zagi. Anything else in the way would probably get smacked out of commision. XD

What would you call your writing style?
Long and descriptive. Evocative. XD

Do you read other people’s fanfic? If so, what do you find yourself reading the most?
Yes. I find myself looking for fics that break the extreme uke/seme dynamic.

Name one thing you'd LOVE to write, but have been too afraid or shy to do.
Full on sex scene.

Do you have trouble taking criticism? Or worse yet, do you have the dreaded bloated ego?
I think I do, sometimes, but it's part of the process of posting stuff online.

When you write, is there anything that helps? Music? Quiet room?
Music sometimes. And talking through it out loud.

What inspires you?
Writing, reading other people's stuff, random imagery that pops into your mind on a lunch break.

Lastly, how would you sum up your fanfiction experiences and yourself as a writer?
Sometimes it's fun. Sometimes it's painful. Sometimes it's desperately cathartic.

Tag some friends because they'll hate you for it.
Well, I'm not forcing them at gunpoint to do it! But anyway, it's free for the taking so spread the love/hate! [+/-] Fanfic writers' meme

I laugh like a firehose.

State of mind:
Current soundtrack: Playlist name - series - song title (artist)

Sigh.

M.Y.: GAAAAH My Alphonne-chan is all DIRTEH!
Cleaning solution: *spritz spritz*
Cloth: *squeek squeek*
Al: *cleeeeeeaned*
M.Y.: Yay! Hallo Internetz, what do you have for me today?
Internetz: OH HAI. YUR FREN SANDPANTHER HAS PICTURES OF 8 KYOUDAI HOSTS TOGETHAR ROFFLE.
Picture: *is four different kinds of crack**
M.Y.: *SPORFLEDY*...hoship.
Al: ...D: *covered in sporfle and a single mysterious booger*
M.Y.: AAAAAUGH.

* Asuka looking like Aznil Nawawi in general; Daigo in a suit; Gamu's jeng boots; Goh's biker leathery getup

Get out of my dreams and into my, uh, laptop?

State of mind: drowsy
Current soundtrack: Ultraman Mebius - Ashita e no Hishou (Sahashi Toshihiko)

Tagged by Labucchi! Sort of...

List 10 fictional characters you wouldn't kick out of bed(in no particular order) and tag five people to do the same.

1. Hikari - excuse please, but who do you think one attempts to dream of on Fridays?
2. Mebius - far from kicking him out of bed, I would grab him and tickle him and hug him and wuv him...*flees enraged Mebifans*
3. Dyna-shihan - although I might spend the rest of the night cowering at one corner of the bed in utter stupefaction.
4. Tiga - who would be glomped tight and never let go. EVAR. *laughter from pits of hell*
5. Sha Gojyo - yes, I would spend the rest of the night telling him to stop propositioning me, but I wouldn't kick him out of bed. I think. I'm pretty sure...
6. Cho Hakkai - I...would not be able to resist. D:
7. Kikuchiyo - he'd be like a hot-water bottle. A big, weird, metal hot-water bottle...
8. Black Jack - mind you, he would probably get out of his own volition. And I don't want to ever be so sick such a situation is warranted...
9. Katsushirou - see the entry pertaining to Mebius.
10. Hikari - Again, it is FRIDAY. *sigh*

[+/-](Not *quite* SFW)
I'm tagging you, you, you, you, and oh yeah, you.

In other news, I turned 21 last week, I am full of misanthropic tendencies and someone shanghaied me into a ParaPara Paradise dance-off on Thursday. I would like to say I whipped that young snapper properly, but really, the best I could do was beat him by a few thousand points. *shrug*

Noa Reborn(?)

State of mind: agitated
Current soundtrack: white noise

I think I may have found Noa-tan.

One of the handphone people who shares shop space with Vision Art, behind TOA, has a sort of blocky laptop—Compaq, because the old logo sans really swooshy Q is on the back—with a black back and rounded corners. And one of the keys in the top row is missing. I haven't gotten close enough yet to verify that it's the U key (which I had to tape to Noa a few months before his disappearance), or if it really IS a Presario M2000.

If it looks like a duck, and sounds like a duck...but may not quite be your old duck...then what is one to do?

(ETA 1710 - You eat your face about it for a while, then go down and check, apparently. The key is missing from the wrong row, and the M2000 insignia isn't there. *sigh* False alarm, people. But honestly, I still hope Noa-tan IS out there, not broken to piecemeal for crystal meth, and...maybe at least being loved and taken care of, and once again storing founts of work, art and dodgy fanfiction?)

Clearly I have some kind of multiple brain-scheme going on...

State of mind: pensive (and maybe a little pleased)
Current soundtrack: Get Chuu! ~ AAA

Something short and sweet to ponder:

I Shall Not Live In Vain
Emily Dickinson

If I can stop one Heart from breaking
I shall not live in vain
If I can ease one Life the Aching
Or cool one Pain
Or help one fainting Robin
Unto his Nest again
I shall not live in Vain.

Let's all do one nice thing today, even if our hearts have been broken and fixed and rebroken and sello-taped together. (Mind you, if you had said this to me thirteen hours ago, I might have shot you a look of disgust. Mood swings. Tsk.)

The Japan blogposts seem to have frozen riiiight at the UMLand part. :P Should sit down and finish them up...but I can't stop myself from squeeing as I edit the pictures! @_@

(ETA: YAAAAAAAAAGH there's a White Day event at Ultramanland, ye gods, do want, do want, DO WANT, chocolate from teh Ultra cheffies aaaaaahhhhhh *dies of dead*)

Sukikyara Baton

State of mind: distracted
Current soundtrack: Ultraman Tiga - Brave Love, TIGA (Chikyuu Bouei Dan)

Ganked from Sarutobi's place. I seem to be the only person who brings these things out of a Japanese environment. No matter. I shall pimp this to the other Ultra fans. Elsewhere. *slight smile*

This meme is Not Quite Worksafe.

Sukikyara Baton/Fave Chara Meme

Target: Ultraman Tiga (or Tiga-sama, so sayeth Sarutobi. XD)
Rule: You must answer the following questions about your target character.

(1)Do you like this character?
He's high on my favourites list. So, yeah. :D

(1.5) Talk about this character's appeal.
Tiga was the first of the 'humanised' Ultras, and has this aura of classicness. There's something about him that seems noble and dutiful and good to the point of hurting. But you see him bleed, and hurt, and love, and die. So there CAN be people who are THAT good.

Also, as a Ninja Manual character? FADORABLE. Fadorable and dutiful and full of hope and innocence.

(2)What do you call this character?
Canon!Tiga remains Tiga, occasionally 'son of Radian'. Ninja!Tiga is and probably always will be chibi(-chan). Because he is tiny and kiut.

(2.5)What lines/actions of this character made an impression on you?
There is a sequence in Final Oddysey where he gets pummelled by Kamiira yet continues to protect Rena's GUTS Wing. Sod you, Tiga, that trumped EVERYTHING ELSE in the movie. T___T

(3)Looks like your character just got lost. Now what?
...I suppose he would navigate by the stars, or ask the nearest friendly person for directions. Manual!Tiga might freak out before heading for a convenient rooftop and searching for a landmark.

(4) What's this character's 'image colour'?

Red? Gold? GOLD. The white-gold of light and goodness.

(4.5)What would you like to dress this character in?
Hakama and kimono. *grins hugely*

(5)What's this character's image song?
Take Me Higher, obviously. :/

(5.5)What animal would this character be？
Silent, swift, loyal...one of the older breeds of dog, like a saluki or greyhound.　Ninja!Tiga is a weasel, thanks to an old AU that never got written.

(6)What do you think this character's blood type is?
*runs through the Home Made Kazoku song* Uhm. The multi-talented B?

(6.5)What type of underwear do you think this character wears?
If Ultrans DID wear underwear? *shrugs* Tighty whities?

(7) In the show this character appears in, is there any other character who you would 'allow' to have a relationship with him/her?
Rena or Dyna, and nobody else.

(7.5)Does this character top or bottom?
...Type-changers are flexible, shall we just say that? Yes?

(8)Is there anything you want this character to say to you?
Canon: "The Light resides in you, too. I know."

Yup. That's it. Even just that would do.

(8.5)Is there anything you want to say to this character?
Canon: "You were the first light and hope, and for this I thank you."

Ninja: "Take real good care of shihan."

(9)What would you rather do: hold hands with the character, be hugged by the character, or be kissed by the character?
Be hugged. Because I would give him a big old squishy hug right back. EVERY Ultran needs a big old squishy hug.

(9.5)What would you pick if you could have one of this character's possessions?
One of canon Tiga's memories (what?! It's still a possession!). Ninja!Tiga's silk hat.

(10)Pick the next five people to do this baton with their target characters.
Cirdan_Havens - Hikari
Seiza - Ace
Sandpanther - Mebius
Cygnus - Agul
Sennetari - Zoffy

[+/-] English version

-----

指定：ティガ様 w
ルール⇒指定されたキャラについて以下の質問に答える。

(1)このキャラのこと好きですか？

すきですね～。大好きですね～！
いつだって気に入りリストのトップ5にいます。

(1.5)このキャラの魅力について語ってください。

最初に出た「人間的ウルトラマン」なので、なぜかクラシックなオーラが感じれます。礼儀正しくて義理硬い印象もありますし。まさに、痛いほどの「善」の擬人化。
それでもティガは血（液光？）を流し、苦しみ、愛し、ものを守って命を落とした事もある。それで証されるのは、この世に善で生きる人がまだ居るってこと。

後は、ウルトラ忍法帖のティガがひたすらきゃわゆいだから。（爆）
可愛くてまじめで希望と無邪気さであふれる！

(2)このキャラのこと何て呼んでますか？

皮ティガはただ「ティガ」で、時には「ティガさん」　「T」 「レーディアンの子」。

忍ティガは「チビちゃん」。だってきゃわｙ（略）

(2.5)このキャラの台詞や行動で印象に残っているものは？

ファイナルオデッセイの、カミーラにボッコボコのギッタンギタンにされても、レナのGUTS Wingを庇い続けるシークエンス。
てめえティガこんちきしょ。最後に命を落とすシーンよりてか映画の何よりも、それでハラハラにされたんじゃないのか！（泣）

(3)「好きキャラ」は迷子になったそうです…。

…たぶん星で道をナビるか、通ってる人に道を丁寧に尋ねるでしょう。
忍ティガは少しオロオロしながら屋根の上に跳び目印でも見つけ出す…感じがする。ｗ

(4)このキャラのイメージカラーは？

金色。
光と善の、淡く白混じり金色。

(4.5)このキャラにさせてみたい格好は？

袴と着物。

ガイジンギャールの妄想ですﾊｧﾊｧ（やめれ

(5)このキャラのイメージソングは？

ストレートで 「Take Me Higher」?
ほんと他は考えない＾＾；

(5.5)このキャラを動物に例えると？

無口で足が速くて忠実…古い原種の犬。サルーキかグレーハウンド。
忍ティガは鼬＜別世界小説の影響

(6)このキャラの血液型何だと思いますか？

マルチタレントのＢ？

(6.5)このキャラはどんな下着つけてると思いますか？

下着なんてないよ、ウルトラ族は！







でも着たらブリーフ？

(7)このキャラの出てくる作品の中で「こいつとならくっついても許す！」って
　　キャラは居ますか？

レナとダイナ！こいつ二人だけ！wwww

(7.5)このキャラ、受？攻？

…タイプチェーンジができる彼は柔軟。それだけにしておこう。ね。ハイ。v

(8)このキャラに言われてみたいセリフはありますか？

「あなたにだって、光はある。私は知っている」

…うん。それでいい。それだけでもいい。

(8.5)このキャラに言ってみたいセリフはありますか？

皮:「あなたが最初の希望と『光』になった。だから、みんなの分までありがとう！」
忍: 「師範は、頼んだからね」

(9)このキャラと手を繋ぐ、抱きしめられる、キスするの内 どれがいいですか？

抱きしめられる。ぎゅうううううううううううっと抱きしめ返すから。ウルトラはみんなハグが必要！（謎

(9.5)このキャラの持ち物を一つ貰えるとしたら？

皮の思いで一つ（まだ持ち物に限っているから！）
忍のあのシルクハット

(10)次にバトンを回す人を５人、キャラ指定でどうぞ

上にあります。
日本にいるファンたちに、時期に回ってくるでしょうとｖ [+/-] すきキャラバトン、日本語ヴァージョン

I say, where DID my jaw roll off to?

State of mind: surprised
Current soundtrack: Kimi to Iu Na no Tsubasa De (Kobukuro)

The government said to remain calm. Do not celebrate. Do not hold victory rallies. (If that's not a veiled reference to '69, I don't know what is.) So, OK, I'm calm. I'm not celebrating. But my heart is a big, old, sweet rolling dance party.

The opposition coallition (DAP-PKR-PAS) has claimed 4 states in the elections, including my home state; perhaps not so happily, PAS alone has won over Kedah. 3-4 ministers lost their seats. Overall, BN has a simple majority and not the much-desired two-thirds. In Malaysia, this is probably the closest a not-Alliance party has come to FLAWLESS VICTOLEE.

Things are about to change, people, and don't you say you weren't there to see it happen. And if the 'Opposition' screw this up, they will never get the chance to get these seats again, so Do It Right, people!

State of mind: perky
Current soundtrack: UM Gekiden - do do la do (Sudou Hitomi)

To all the Misses, Missuses, Madams, Ma'ams, Aunts, Aunties, lengluis, xiao jies, da jies, ah sohs, por pors, piu chehs, ka chehs, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, cousins, anes, tangkachis (sp?), ah mois, ciks, kaks, adiks, fujoshis, furgirls, lassies, ladies, daughters, granddaughters, matriarchs, moms-in-law, dames, broads, hussies, girls and women of the world: Happy International Women's Day. Enjoy it!

I have other things to say, about my students. However, they are mostly unprintable at present and there are...shall we say, better ways to express one's self?