Today, I went with yuncyn, futomimii, carneaglariel and enigmatic_wind to watch 'Up' in Sunway Pyramid today. I've been hearing rave reviews about it and even reasons to bring tissue paper to the cinema during the movie. That, snowballed with the fact that it's Pixar pretty much meant I would eventually check it out.

And boy, it doesn't disappoint! I didn't cry the 'one litre of tears' piratelicker did, but I did end up sniffling at several points in the movie (yes, including the short clip before the movie began and the ending.) And I have to agree with Reins on the OST - gorgeous, gorgeous music that complemented the animation and story really well. And all those vibrant colors and smooth, amazing animation and guh.

The plot is simple enough to follow, but unfolds so beautifully without actually being shoved directly into your face. (Also, it is apparently so subtly conveyed that a kid behind me kept asking her parents what the heck was going on on the screen. +.+ Mmmmm, I'm thinking this may be a movie tailored more towards the older crowd then.)

Loving the character development as well - Carl's (obviously) the one given the most attention and focus, but I like how his development is clearly tied in with the other characters whom, while less developed (even static at times), are pretty likable. And Dug. ♥

Not going to drop any spoilers here, but do check it out if you can. It is definitely worth the watch and-

SQUIRREL.

- I mean, and will be worth the time and money spent. Seriously.

Not really related, but I really want to watch 'The Princess and the Frog' once it hits theaters. And wow, I really miss the good ol' Disney movies, like 'Aladdin' and co.

Anyway, the bunch of us took some purikura pictures afterwards and divided the photos amongst ourselves. Here are the ones I got. (Sorry about the picture quality; my scanner is old. T^T)



We started out pretty 'seriuz'. Really, we did.

( +5: Five times as sparkly, five times five as crazy-mad as you can get when you shove five girls into a photo booth )

Will add another picture-cut once I get the other pictures, because seriously you guys, there are more epic pictures than these. For serious.


In other news, I passed 'Captain Jack' on DDR today! \(^o^)/ With a quarter bar left to boot. Turns out it was easier than 'Cartoon Heroes', mostly because the latter has more double steps. Hoping to replicate that the next time I take a whack at that machine.

Guys, I have something to confess to all of you. I'm not actually 21.

I'm actually 23 YEARS OLD .

( And here's the proof... )

Since I fail at being up-to-date, let's review some life lessons I have learnt throughout the past few days.

Lesson One: Your (usually) trusty, long-suffering calculator will always die a convenient death when you need it most.
In this case, when I needed it for my research methodology midterm. Awesome timing, I say - only way it could up that would be if it died during the Finals.

...*touches wood*


Lesson Two: Any non-scientific calculator will, in an examination context, be out to get you if you attempt to use it to add/subtract/square root any sum containing more than 5 sets of numbers.

Try two lists with 35 numbers each. Painful experience, that. =.= I never did find out that standard deviation of differences in the end; yay for working backwards!


Lesson Three: Do not call people 'stupid'; instead use 'manifest profusion of delusional ideology incarnate' instead.
Not exactly what Persuasion and Negotiation may have set out to teach us, but wonderfully effective nonetheless once you figure out a way to memorize that and spew it all out without pausing. ;D


Lesson Four: Never, ever take a 'half-an-hour nap' before an exam.
Because you end up oversleeping anyway, which leads to no brush-up revision, which leads to you gaping like a goldfish during Oral when you forget Japanese particles and the teacher is waiting patiently for you to finish your (at this point, shot) sentence.


Lesson Five: Mosquitoes are the spawn of Evil. _EVIL_.
And like evil, they are everywhere. *swats at another one* If I have to kill another mosquito during lecture, I'll start a collection and sell them at Petaling Street because anything goes at PStreet.


Lesson Six: When everything seems too cramped and messed up, just remember: deep breaths and tomorrow.
Something which I should practice more. *nods*


Lesson Seven: When in doubt/stressed, the variety show, Star King makes everything better.
Why no, I haven't been on Youtube, loading all these videos....much....really...


Lesson Eight: You know you're seriously in for it when you keep looping a song which chorus (melody) consists of only ONE note.
Though it must be admitted that the chords camouflages the one-note-ness to an extent and it's ridiculously catchy, but seriously. Darn you, Super Junior for invading (and successfully) conquering my playlist. And my mother's approval! *shakes fists*

(PS: For the curious, said song is 'Sorry Sorry' and said one note is A. Seriously.)


Well, that's about it, I should think. Write, self, write!

editei: Wait, wait - I come back to LJ and see that THERE IS AN OVA FOR RIKKAI'S EARLIER YEARS?In which Kirihara gets served by the Troika? Which features a CAPLESS, messy-haired Sanada Genichirou?

♥

*begins plotting way to get hands on this OVA by hook or by crook, most likely by crook*

editei: This hand-flute performance makes me feel like getting the Lupin III OST like, now. +.+

editei: I keep editing this post tonight, but only because I'm absolutely dying from laughter just watching these SuJu parodies on Youtube at the moment:

The one-man 'Sorry Sorry Parody' - by the time he reached the rotating computer chair...seriously, I salute the sheer creativity and utter LOLZ that is this video. >DDD

Office men dancing to 'Sorry Sorry' - From the Korean Airlines to boot! Goodness knows how many places they used as background setting, but this is absolutely priceless, ZOMG WHAT.

(I think they're the same group that appeared on StarKing?)

Either way, they also did a pretty snappy attempt(if less hilarious) of the dance version of 'Neorago (It's You)' (original over here for comparison purposes).

Doing this solely because of sapphire_1010, whose answers were so 'menyampah', I couldn't resist. (Oi! Siapa 'celaka' ni??!?) A meme in 30 questions, asked and answered in Bahasa Melayu (or Malaysia if you want be be all technical about it). Watch as my BM rusts before your eyes!

( Ikutlah barisan teks biru ini... )

Went to watch 'Star Trek' with friends yesterday; thanks for inviting me out, guys! ^^ Glad I changed my mind and decided to watch it in the end because, boy, was it worth it! I'll admit I'm not a Trekkie - I only know the name of the series and whatnot - but the movie was really, really enjoyable. I guess I was expecting several references to the fandom that I might not understand or pick up; glad I was proven wrong in that aspect. And Chris Pine is awesome eye-candy, yes he is. ♥

Heck, I'd watch it again, maybe even get the DVD when it comes out. ;p

That being said, I popped over to maxsterism's LJ to read all his Star Trek posts with my newly acquired knowledge (to a certain degree anyway). And boy, Max, did you hoard up on some hilarious stuff:



*am still laughing at above video* I seriously need to stop looping it, but seriously? Being disappointed that the story-line made sense? Outrage at subtitles for Klingon dialogue so that people who 'haven't studied an imaginary language for years' can understand it? I can't tell if those fans are actually being serious considering the video is supposed to be a news-spoof, but that is hardcore, people.

Also took a stab at that Star Trek 'which-character-be-thou' quiz.
( Guess who I'd be on the Enterprise? 8D )

Also, I need to stop staring at this set of lip glosses packaged in cupcake containers, but they're too cute, darnit! I wonder if they even sell them in Malaysia?

Back from Kemaman, where we (yuncyn and I) bunked with a friend of ours, Sal, border-hopped between Pahang and Terengganu and enjoyed the heck out of two days. 8D Thanks for having us over, Sal - we had a awesomely awesome time! *hugs*

Anyway, long post is LONG and heavy picture post is HEAVY. Seriously, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

( So it all starts from the plane, y'see... )

All the other photos are over here. This post alone took me, what, an hour to compile?

All in all, it was an amazingly productive holiday (or just 'amazing' would probably do the trick) - thanks Sal for allowing us to bum out at your house! And tell your family that we're really, really grateful for them tolerating us dragging you out here and there. >DDD Only downside of the trip were the perverts who turned up at the Legend on the first day, but the way I figure it, it isn't all that surprising. And weighed against the experiences we had, it's really almost nothing but a niggle in a memorable trip.

So...Redang next time, yeah? (^o^)9

WARNING: Massive abuse of the capslock key. Also snark. Lots of it.

Proceed at own risk.

( Spoilers for The New POT (or whatever they're calling it nowadays) Chapter 5, MSN conversation )

Needless to say, I ANTICIPATE THIS MATCH WITH OPEN ARMS. (Unless Konomi chickens out of drawing it in full and cheats by just showing the results).


Other, lolzy snippets ( because we were totally on a ROLL: )
Suffice to say, this lovely quote sums up our sentiments:

Yuncyn:(THIS FEELS LIKE FANFIC. WHY DOES THIS FEEL LIKE FANFIC??)

And we're only 5 chapters in, guys. 8D

I CHANGED MY HAIRSTYLE TODAY 8D

Recently, my mother have been putting pressure on me to cut it and what do you know, she finally succeeded. Seriously, she was grinning like a Cheshire Cat throughout the whole thing (much to my chagrin).

( Pictorial evidence goes [HERE] )

At the very least, I don't think I look too bad...it's an interesting change, especially after having super-long hair since, I dunno, twelve?

And considering how I'm pretty iffy about hair salons and whatnot, I consider today a (minor) accomplishment for myself. I now have a new hairstyle (and no sociolinguistics revision in my head)!

Now, to survive all the 'ZOMG WHAT, ESTHER YOU CUT YOUR HAIR??!!eleventyONE!' comments I'm probably going to get from classmates/churchmates/aunties/uncles throughout the week. Not that it'd be surprising, since I haven't changed my hairstyle in ages and it's practically a running joke that I'd only ever change my hairstyle if something crappy happened to me. ^^;;

...Was how a friend of ours described the Petronas Twin Towers to a Japanese student today. >D Man, they should have asked him about KL Tower too!

A few of us were invited to participate in Skype conversations with a number of Kansai University students as part of their course in conversational English, rotating partners every ten minutes or so. ( Cue some tl;dr! )

My biggest regret? Forgetting to get their contact details, OTL OTL FAIL. T^T

But anyway! Thanks to today and Graff's prodding, I finally went and installed Skype! My ID there is 'tangibilia'; do add me (if you'd like)! Do give me a heads-up if you can though, in case I don't recognize your ID or something. :p

Also, HOTEL quiz today. Ugh, brain. Also learnt that the term '19th Century' does NOT, in fact, refer to years starting from 1900, but years from 1800 onwards. *headwalls*

One mid-term (Language Learning Theories) down this week, one midterm (History of EL) next week. Joy, oh joy.

I've also been keeping myself fairly updated on the current Malaysian political issues, partly due to our Mass Media subject and...gah. Not going to say anything specific about it, but gah. GAH. That pretty much sums up my opinion on all of them, give or take a headache or two. =__=

In the funny corner, dmjewelle just linked me to the PURPLEST. PROSE. EVER. Trust me, when a woman is described akin to a rainforest, the Great Barrier Reef, an Arthurian tale (with the dragons!), a barnyard AND various kinds of architecture at the same time, there's something seriously, seriously wrong.

And when that woman's physical description actually encompasses even more unbelievable fields (both literally and non literally) than the few I've just named above, you know you're in for, at the very least, a good laugh.

Sadly, his dialogue is not much better. Oy vey.

And this got published? Hey, maybe my secondary school essays stand a chance of being compiled into a book too then! Heck, they'd be less headache-inducing, that much's for sure.

(PS: While you're at it, do check out the fanart done of that remarkable woman. I'm currently downloading the dramatic reading because I don't have a cat for curiosity to kill.)

(PSS: Now, the art has reach whole new levels of awesome. Because nothing is more eloquent than the literal form. ;D)

(PSSS: Apparently, this book has actually even won an award!

REVIEW: Volume 1 of this series (BRONWYN: PALACES & PRISONS) won the 2001 Book of the Year Award - Foreword Magazine ForeWord Magazine - Silver Fiction Award: Science Fiction -- Award Note

.....WOOOOOOOW.)

Why yes, I'm still alive, why do you ask? XD;;;

Sorry for the unannounced disappearance; Happy Chinese New Year to those who celebrate it! ^^

As to where I was during the not-quite-hiatus, I was( over HERE doing THIS: )

I haven't checked out my Friends list in awhile; I'm anticipating skip 500+ or so with communities. X.X;; Any significant events that I missed, guys? I'd appreciate the updates.

*stretches fingers* Need to get back to doing proper writing soon; need to restart my fanfiction and get back into the groove of the pen (or rather, the keyboard).

EDITEI: Rediscovered a link to Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost. Always such a peaceful, tranquil poem to read. :)

Had a Japanese Oral exam today; how is it that I'm always besieged by bouts of nervousness come exam periods that makes me stutter in English, much less Japanese?

But all the mistakes I had made accumulated cannot hold a light to ( this super-awesome one: )

Several assignments piling up (including one tomorrow), so it's rush, rush, rush until the end of term. Exams are in December and there's so much I haven't quite crammed into my head, oops. Time to start catching up on all those lit stuff!

Also, Bleach 334 - My love for my OTP, it reignites. 8D Hopefully, it will stay that way.

Managed to catch 'Hana Yori Dango: the Movie' today at Pyramid with yuncyn, carneaglariel and her sister. I think I nearly fell out of my chair when Jia Ling told me they were actually airing the movie in Malaysia!

( My thoughts? I HAVEN'T ORZED SO MUCH IN A MOVIE IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. *contain some spoilers* )

Regarding the other post, I dunno - there's nothing I can bring myself to do about it at the moment; I'm too much of an emotional coward, I suppose - always have been. Time is running short, but I can't see any resolution that I know I can tackle. *sighs*

Totally random but: I FINALLY MANAGED TO BEAT THE ENTIRE ARCADE GAME OF 'HOUSE OF THE DEAD 4' TODAY (WITH yuncyn)~~~ (T^T)b

We made it to the 3rd stage fairly unscathed and all the way to the final stage using relatively few tokens. (The last 3 bosses, on the other hand...) And yeah, it is pretty darn cool to be able to finish up the whole game in the arcade and finally watch the ending.

Will be able to strike another goal off my 'Must Do Before I Die/Get Too Old to Do So' list, score!

*rolls around happily in (unnecessary) sense of accomplishment*

Also, almost everyone on my F-list possibly knows about this already but I feel the need to rant about it: WTF Konomi, whaddya mean the entire series of POT WAS ONLY A PROLOGUE??? And a mighty long one at that! O___O

Still, yay for more POT? 8D

In the meantime, here: have a POT yakiniku game!

Happy Halloween, everyone!

Guys, remember that fuss I kicked up about my B+ in Journalism II and how I eventually sent it for remarking?

Well, the uni's faculty office called me today out of the blue and told me that my subject remark results were out, prompting me to rush out of Malaysian Lit class, dash all the way down to said office and wait for ten agonizing minutes at the counter for someone to appear-

Only to be told that I couldn't get my review slip until I brought back my old results slip, which I had (obviously) left at home.

In the end, I had to ask my mom to bring it for me when she came to pick us up; rushed the slip back to the office, where I was finally, finally handed the envelope after waiting on tenterhooks for them to dig it out of some folder. (Also chatted a bit with my previous teacher and current Head of Department, who, judging from the look she gave me, probably thinks I'm a bit whacked for remarking a perfectly decent grade.)

And guess what?

MY GRADE WAS BUMPED UP TO AN A-, OH SPARKLY JOY~~~~8DDDDD

*does happy jig all around the room*

In funnier news, MPH sent me the latest edition of their annual magazine 'Quill', which features interviews with several writers who contributed to 'Urban Odysseys' and possibly all the authors in tiny boxes on the cover.

So there are all these nice pictures of various authors smiling and looking nice and like Serious Authors(tm) and LOL WHAT THE HECK, THERE IS MY FRIGGIN' HAZUKI PHOTO SITTING SQUAT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TOP ROW.



Quickpost this image to Myspace, Digg, Facebook, and others!

The first thing my mom says upon seeing it?

'...But it doesn't look like you. =/'

Until now, I haven't quite figured out if I should be horrified, amused or both at the fact that I sent in a cosplay photo for an author picture or the fact that they actually used it over the alternative photo I included. Granted, said alternative was a cam-whore shot; you know, that one on my Facebook profile.

...This must say something about keeping clear, good self-shots, non-cam-whore photos on hand (or on hard-drive) next time I need them.

On a brighter note; hey, look carneaglariel, that's the photo you took! 8D

Reading the few interviews inside, the authors' views and ideas behind their stories sound pretty profound - makes me wonder why they ever selected mine, really. ^^;;

Journalism paper II today and I just had to go and get a stomachache right before the exam started, UGHHHH. x______x Not a pleasant way to gear up to do anything, much less finish a paper.

Thank goodness it occurred before the exam though; I don't even want to think of what would have happened if it had struck me in the middle of writing. As it was, I managed to focus fairly well on the paper (with the exception of a single toilet break).

I'm pretty sure my Section A is totally shot (gorenged it like whoa), so my hopes may very well rest on Section B and C.

Exam questions aside, something pretty strange happened during the exam; while engrossed with finishing my paper, I suddenly felt something in the right pocket of my jacket. Naturally, I looked down-

- and saw a hand in my pocket, LOLWTF.

(Said hand was attached to an elbow attached to an invigilator. Just thought I'd mention that before anyone screams 'GHOST????'

...A female invigilator, not a male.)

I pretty much stoned at the hand until it was retracted and the invigilator moved on. I mean, you could have the decency to at least warn me before you stick your hand in my pocket, right? Even if you're trying to see if I had brought in any notes? Thinking back about it now though, it's pretty darn funny - I mean, a random hand suddenly stuffed in my pocket and I didn't even see it coming. Either I was really, really focused or the invigilator is a ninja (and I'm betting on the latter).

My coursemate had it worse; he had to painstakingly unzip every pocket of his jacket to prove he didn't take any notes into the exam hall. And boy, did he have a lot of pockets.

Psycholing. on Monday - two of the hardest papers left to go!

In between studying, I've been watching 'Hana Yori Dango' (yes, I know, finally). Finished season 1, starting season 2. My opinion? F4 are all gits. Entertaining, funny, (heartwarming at times) gits, but still gits. *headdesks fervently*

But the biggest git of all is still Naruse Ryo from 'Maou'. Seriously. No one tops him in the git department thus far. Except maybe Naoto.

I need episode 11 NOW, darnit. >____>

Just got back from the overnight Cornerstone Baptist Church (CBC) Lock-In event; it was pretty fun - will probably go for the one at the end of the year too if I can. I just hope it doesn't clash with CF.

Next time though, I will bring a blanket and a pillow. *nods decisively* And by hook or by crook, I will figure out how to brown a sausage without turning at least one side into carbon.

Also, KJ's treasure-hung-clues hiding places are tough. >____> I spent goodness-knows-how-many minutes looking over the entire photocopier and STILL did not find the clue said to be there.

Going to go catch a few winks - Saturday was another whole day out, with uni, ECO tutoring and the Lock-In rolled into one - snowballing into an early next day meant an even higher sleep debt and believe me, I've accumulated quite a large one as it is.

Will catch up with my F-list skimming in a few hours or so. In the meantime, I hope everyone's doing okay. *hugs*

Happy Hari Merdeka, Malaysia! I felt a bit gypped regarding the fireworks though; I spent 30 futile minutes waiting on the church rooftop and forsaking the BBQ pit hoping for a few dazzlers and all I got was some distant booming noises.

Still, there is always next year. ^^;

Second Dynasty warriors fic ever attempted and it just had to be because of a cracky MSN convo.

Since it is best illustrated by said convo, it all started with this:

axtar: Wu men? Are all built for Mills and Boons


Cue discussion, contemplation, lots of laughter and headwalling until:

yuncyn: ....SHIT WEI IF THIS CONTINUES WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WRITE THIS TO GET IT OUT OF OUR SYSTEM
yuncyn: THOUGH I CAN'T IMAGINE ZHOU YU AND SUN CE WITH ANYONE BUT THEIR WIVES
axtar: WU: X RATED
yuncyn: I SAID _IF THIS CONTINUES_
axtar:..SHIT
axtar: ZHOU YU, GET OUTTA MY HEAD
yuncyn: ....PLEASE DON'T SAY YOU HAVE AN IDEA
yuncyn: YOU _HAVE_ AN IDEA.
axtar: I WON'T SAY IT.
yuncyn: YOU HAVE AN IDEA?!?!?!?!
axtar: I'M PICTURING SOMEONE SCRABBLING DESPERATELY FOR A STRATEGY
yuncyn: FOR A MILLS AND BOONS STARRING _ZHOU YU_ OF ALL PEOPLE!??!
axtar: AND FAILING TO FIND ONE
yuncyn: .....*DIES LAUGHING ALL OVER THE KEYBOARD*


Dare ensues, crappy drabble is done and then Denise just had to do it:

yuncyn: YOU KNOW
yuncyn: I TOTALLY _DARE_ YOU TO POST THAT ON LJ
axtar:............................................I will do it.
axtar: IF.
yuncyn:....oh NO.
yuncyn: I DO NOT LIKE THAT IF.
yuncyn: WHAT'S WITH THE IF.
axtar: You write SUN CE/DA QIAO MILLS AND BOONS DRABBLE
yuncyn: *SPEWS* I _KNEW_ IT
axtar: I'll even EDIT MINE
yuncyn: ...OKAY FINE
axtar: AND UP THE MILLS AND BOONS UST
yuncyn: BUT I'M STILL SAYING THIS WAS ALL YOUR IDEA
axtar:.....WTF, SINCE WHEN
yuncyn: YOU AND YOUR WU MILLS AND BOONS MEN!
axtar: YOU TOTALLY GOT THE BALL ROLLING WITH YOUR ZHOU YU SUGGESTION
yuncyn: I SAID LING TONG!
yuncyn: THEN YOU WENT AND CORRECTED HIS REACTION

Mentioned drabble (originally of 103 words) has obviously morphed into...well, this. I'M SORRY DENISE, I DID MY BEST TO MAKE IT PWP and Mills and Boons, BUT FAILED SO SO MISERABLY. Oh well. There is always Zhen Ji/Cao Pi.

Anyway, before I forget, here is a direct dare for futomimii and iyori, which Denise and I agreed on:

I'M DARING EITHER ONE OF YOU TO ILLUSTRATE ANY PART OF THIS DRABBLE. SERIOUSLY. 8D

Anyway!

Xiao Qiao, Zhou Yu, pairing fic, apple trees, attempted-and-failed-Mills and Boons. Generic title because I couldn't think of anything else.

( Complicated )

I hadn't intended this to be a photo dump, but oh well. ^^

Finally managed to dig out the pictures from my mom's camera from Comiworld 2007...only to find out she deleted a large number of them.

Ah well, at least I rescued a few pictures out - I finally have that frontal pic of Chizuru I've been wanting!

( +2 Chizuru photo-spammage )

Also, several pictures from Bon Odori (gratuitously nabbed from futomimii ;D) :

( +4 Bon Odori pictures~! )

And because I can - a partial dare by yuncyn; partial because I suggested it first as a joke and she told me to 'DO EEEEEET!!!ONEeleventy! 8DDD'

SO I DID. >8DDD

( HERE, HAVE SOME SHOPFU-ZHUGE LIANG. 8DDDDD )

Wow, it's been so long since I've used the 'art' tag. >DDDD

Anyway, here are random doodles and sketches done when I'm trying to fend off sleep in class - I can already see all the artists on my F-list clutching their heads and moaning 'Axtar, what happened to the perspective????'

Be glad Photoshop crashed and you guys won't have to see some of these in color. >D;;

(Disclaimer: I ar not art studernz. I are learnt Engrish.

Mebbi not.)


Initially, it was going to just be Inui and Kaidoh for disutansu, but it evolved into....well this.

Not that I'm complaining, mind you - this was inanely fun to doodle. >D Sorry Ryoma; Tezuka isn't going to be able to play a match with you because his racket has no strings. 8D

( +7 more under cut: POT chibis, Kurou, Nagamasa, Zhao Yun )