Honey

Currently listening to: 玻璃鞋 by 鄭秀文

Gift-shopping is NOT an easy task. And if you think that gift-shopping for 1 person is hard, imagine gift-shopping for 10 people. From as young as 5 to as old as 65.

It took me about 4 hours on Saturday, 2 hours on Sunday, and another half hour yesterday, and I've only managed to purchase 4 items. Within the next 2 days, I am going to have to think hard. And fast.

Because come Monday next week, it's "Hello Malaysia!"

Bara no Tameni

Currently listening to: Second Waltz by Shostakovich

Earlier today, I was so depressed that Cesare was depressed, it was depressing. But now, I am munching on chocolate and laughing hard at the antics of Yuri, Aoi, and Sumire.

Seriously, I think endorphins and silly antics are the keys to fighting depression.

I also think that it really is all in the mind. I mean, I keep fretting about Cesare's poor fate, as if he is real. But he isn't real. He's just a character in a Japanese manga. Sure he's got a sad life, but at the end of the day, it's just a story.

I kept telling myself that while I was in the office today, and even though it took a while, and I also had to rely a little on the previously mentioned keys to fighting depression, it worked.

Anyway, I'm going back to my new manga conquest now. But before that, here's a quote for you:

"I wonder what kind of grandpa and grandma we will be."

"Doesn't matter. The one who will be chewing on pickled radish next to you is me."

Cantarella

Currently listening to: Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again from Phantom Of The Opera

It's past midnight, and I am not asleep. All because of one word.



Manga.



This is not good at all.

Anyway, I may be a cold-hearted person in general, but there are times when I do get sentimental and emotional. Like, REALLY sentimental and emotional. Like, I can totally feel Cesare's pain, even though he only exists in paper (or in this case, in JPEG image scans). Not his physical pain, but his emotional pain. The pain in his heart. Whether or not he shows it on his face, I know that he is actually in a lot of pain. And when I see him act as if he is not in pain, it pains me even more. Although, seeing him cry in pain doesn't make me feel any less painful.

I really should go to sleep.

Zhang Fei is cool

Currently listening to: Nothing

I had spent the past weekend catching up on The Ravages Of Time, a Chinese manga loosely based on the events which had occured during the Three Kingdoms period. It is part-fiction, not unlike Romance Of The Three Kingdoms, which I had read when I was much younger, many years ago.

Back then, my favourite characters were Liu Bei and his men. Now, my favourite characters are still Liu Bei and his men. The only difference is, I like Zhang Fei (Liu Bei's youngest sworn brother) more now than ever before. All thanks to the author, who made Zhang Fei so much more charismatic and talented in The Ravages Of Time.

I have always found it awe-inspring, and even a little amusing, whenever the author of a book that I am reading makes me ask some questions, only to answer the questions right away in the next sentence, the next paragraph, or the next page.

Like, in The Ravages Of Time, Zhang Fei was at first portrayed as a simple-minded brute, but was later portrayed as an intellectual person who excels in art. Initially, I had thought that they were 2 different characters, but it turned out that they were actually 2 sides of the same person.

One reason why I didn't get it the first time around is because back in the day, it is quite common for people to have 2 names; a given name, and a "style" name. In the case of Zhang Fei (aka Zhang Yi De), Zhang is his family name, Fei is his given name, while Yi De is his "style" name. The "style" name is usually used by close friends and family members (in other words, you can probably say that a "style" name is like a nickname), while the given name is more often used by strangers or in formal occasions.

Anyway, the intellectual side of Zhang Fei was revealed using the "style" name Zhang Yi De, but at the time I had forgotten that Zhang Fei's "style" name was Zhang Yi De. So, I looked it up on Google, only to realise that Zhang Yi De and Zhang Fei were actually the same person.

I immediately wondered how this could be, because this portrayal of Zhang Fei is not consistent with the portrayal of Zhang Fei in Romance Of The Three Kingdoms. Then, as if he had heard my questions, the author answered them right away, in the form of the following 2 sentences:

The history texts did not describe Zhang Fei's appearance, nor did they mention that he's a wine-seller and a butcher.

According to bits and pieces of historical references, not only was Zhang Fei literate, he was also knowledgeable in caligraphy and art.

I just had to laugh to myself after reading it.

Manga Fox

Currently listening to: Far Longer Than Forever from The Swan Princess

No sooner had I written about my manga-spree than I went on another one. Now, I have 2 mangas that I need to catch up on. Both of which I had been reading since, or had last read, a few years ago.

2 more weeks! Woohoo!

Like the sun

Currently listening to: Goodnight, My Someone from The Music Man

It was more than 5 years ago when I first started reading Saiyuki Gaiden. That was before I came to New Zealand. At the end of the first volume, they stopped scanlating it, and since then, I have never stopped searching for it. Because every time I come close to giving it up, I would somehow manage to find something else about it on the Internet which would then keep me searching. At one point, I actually found translations of the second volume, and even though it became like I was reading a book instead of a manga, it didn't matter; I just needed to know where the story was going.

Then, 2 years ago, I do not remember what prompted me to do so, but I ran another search on the Internet. I guess I don't have to tell you how excited I was when I found the scanlations of volumes 2 and 3. Bless my good fortune for finding it, and bless the kind soul(s) for making it available. It was like an answer to my prayers, except that I didn't exactly pray for it. But still.

Anyway, what happened after that is as follows:

• Last year, I found the scanlations for the first 2 chapters of volume 4.

• 2 months ago, I found a website where scanlated mangas are made available for reading online. I went on a manga-reading spree for a few days, catching up on mangas which I had initially thought were no longer available.

• 1 month ago, 3 more chapters of volume 4 were made available, but I didn't realise it until a week ago.

• 1 week ago, another chapter of volume 4 was made available, but I didn't realise it until yesterday.

As of now, I am apparently just 1 chapter away from wrapping this manga up.


I. Can't. Wait.


Because I've read the second to final chapter twice, and then I've read the whole thing once, and each time, I felt very, VERY touched by the relationship between Goku, Konzen, Kenren, and Tenpou. I wish I had someone like Konzen, Kenren, and Tenpou, who willingly gave their lives, one after another, in return for Goku's freedom and happiness.

I have always known that the story would not have a happy ending. I mean, it is supposed to be a prequel to Gensoumaden Saiyuki; if it had ended well, then the events in Gensoumaden Saiyuki would not have happened at all. But I didn't know for sure that they were going to die; I just figured that they were going to be separated from each other.

Well, they got separated alright. And I feel very, VERY sorry for Goku, who, in the end, was left alone, all by himself. The one thing that he fears the most.

I've always been lonely, so I really understand. When you're lonely, it starts to hurt here...

Annie Leibovitz

Currently listening to: Windancer by Secret Garden

It probably would have taken me a longer time to realise just how much I enjoy photography (especially portraiture), had it not been for the 1-hour session with the career-coach-slash-psychologist on Wednesday. That's not to say that I enjoy having my own picture taken; I have never really enjoyed it, and I still don't.

All I Want Is You

Currently listening to: Nothing

I knew I'd heard the song before; I just couldn't remember from where or when. I kept wanting to Google the lyrics, but I kept forgetting to do so. Then, one day, I caught the advertisement again on TV, and the movie Juno came straight into my mind from seemingly out of no where. I wasn't sure, but I thought I'd try my luck anyway. And sure enough, there it was, in all its glory, the song, the lyrics, and the opening sequence of the movie.

The lyrics may be simple, but I think that they're sweet, simply because they're simple. And I like simple and sweet.

Pathway sucks!

Currently listening to: Nothing

I hate it. Very much.

On another matter altogether, I've realised that I've stopped talking about the movies that I've watched. I blame it on the fact that I no longer watch movies as often as before. That, and the fact that I have gotten lazy.

I've also realised that the frequency of which I watch Hong Kong Chinese drama series have dropped quite significantly since the year 2006. I mean, I do not remember if I'd watched any in 2007, and I can only remember watching 1 last year. Well, 1 and a quarter, if I have to be exact. And the honour belongs to Moonlight Resonance (all 40 episodes), and Heart of Greed (last 10 episodes).

It's rather funny, considering that I have all the time in the world, after work that is, to watch everything, but I don't.

Gothic

Currently listening to: 蒲公英的約定 by 周杰倫

I don't know why, but it gives me a certain level of... satisfaction... to know that I actually came into mind at that particular moment in time. Makes me feel included, and sad for missing out on it.