Wolves Reign

As I stated previously in my post about the X-files, it takes Drew and I quite some time to complete a series that we like. We started Wolf's Rain nearly a year ago together, though technically I started watching it while I still lived at my dad's back in 2004 (before Drew and I were together). Now, on this Memorial Day holiday, clad in our pj's and fed heartily on an early morning breakfast, Drew and I hunkered down on the sofa ready to begin our anime trek marathon. Our destination was one of final completion after so many months of tardiness. An accomplishment that we are proud to say we came by--nearly some four hours later.

Now, I realize fully that Japanese anime is not for everyone. It's a... "cultured taste"so to speak. The majority of you probably are saying to yourself, "that's a taste I care not for." I guess in that case, you can just come back when I post another topic. Otherwise, you can feel free to listen to my expressions of the anime events which took place.

Either way... I'm still writing it.

I love wolves. My husband and I both love wolves and big dogs. For any of you who have seen X, we wanted to get a husky and name it after Inuki. Then, after watching WR, started entertaining the idea of Keba and Toboe--two more great anime dog names. All that to say that watching the wolves in the series was something of animated magic. I guess that's because they were so human and so real at the same time: sorrowed, pained, and tortured by the inevitability of impossibility.

At least that's what the creators of the series seem to portray through the ending. Life is cyclical--as is the co-existence of good and evil. Through a cast who are willing to loose and risk it all--and without question do--we see the rebirth of creation and the station placed on her inhabitants. My only disappointment is that with their rebirth comes an amnesia of sorts--they coexist but are cognizant not of each other's presence. And what of the others? The others who were "tainted" in bloodline? Are they doomed to be exempt from the somewhat placebo promised "Paradise" that seemed so counter-expectation? These questions seem answerable only by Kieko Nobumoto, the series creator.

Alas, through the OVA additions we are given a blooming end to such a weighty and nigh-dismal series. Here, thirty episodes later, we say adieu to the stoic Kiba, the foolhardy Hegi, the thick-skinned (but still beating) Tsume, and the innocent, lovable pup Toboe; never to again know them as they are but perhaps to see them once again as so much more. We can only hope to be reunited with the others too--the others who seemed to suffer a fate too dark to disclose.

Yet through all the pain, Cheza's flower still blooms...

Side Note:
For you anime-kindred out there who can recommend a good follow-up series, I look forward to your suggestions.

The Student Turns Master!

That's right--I have come and conquered the Algebra 2 world.
I have officially passed the bane of my scholastic career with a very solid B-average. Praise the Lord Almighty!
(and give me strength for the next round!).

School's out for now:
time to focus on BoM with passionate intent.
I hope to wrap my "baby" up in the swaddling clothes of a publisher's submission envelope by the new year.

May I not be too distracted by the Bloggerphoria!

My Anime Likenesses

What Wolf Are You?



What FF7: Advent Children Character Are You?

What Final Fantasy VIII Character Are You?

Hosted by theOtaku.com: Anime. Done right.

White & Nerdy

In other news: we nerdy whitey people took Greg to see Spidey-3 tonight. I must say that it was an excellent echo of the two before it. Probably one of the better ones. Good messages on the whole hatred/forgiveness dilemma represented by two flips of the red-and-black coin.

Kirsten Dunst was slightly less annoying in this round (I will forever see her as wicked little Claudia in Interview with a Vampire--maybe she really is growing up, after all); James' acting has improved a bit; Topher was alright for the role--though Drew and I still think it was strange casting for Venom. But all-in-all, Tobey's his usual dorky self that makes Peter Parker come alive so well. Guess he's just as "white & nerdy" as the rest of us!

I recommend this flick highly!

See trailer here...

You Are Soooo 80's If...

1. You've ever ended a sentence with the word sike.
2. You can rap to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air & can do the Carlton.
3. You know Joey's "WOAH" from Blossom.

4. If you ever watched Fraggle Rock.

5. It was actually worth getting up early on a Saturday to watch cartoons.
6. You wore a ponytail on the side of your head.
7. You got super-excited when it was Oregon Trail day in computer class at school.
8. You made your mom buy one of those clips that would hold your shirt in a knot on the side.
9. You played the game "MASH"(Mansion, Apartment, Shelter, House)
10. You wore stonewashed Jordache jean jackets and were proud of it.
11. You know the profound meaning of " WAX ON , WAX OFF!"
12. You wanted to be a Goonie.
13. You ever wore fluorescent clothing.
14. You can remember what Michael Jackson looked like before his nose fell off and his cheeks shifted.
15. You've ever pondered why Smurfette was the only female.

16. You took lunch boxes to school... and traded Garbage Pailkids in the schoolyard.
17. You remember the CRAZE, then the BANNING of slap bracelets.
18. You still get the urge to say "NOT" after every sentence.
19. You thought your childhood friends would never leave because you exchanged handmade friendship bracelets.
20. You know the Ewok village song.
21. You ever owned a pair of Jelly-Shoes.
22. After you saw Pee-Wee's Big Adventure you kept saying "I know you are, but what am I?"
23. You remember "I've fallen and I can't get up"
24. You remember going to the skating rink before there were inline skates.
25. You have ever played with a Skip-It.
26. You remember boom boxes and walking around with one on your shoulder like you were all that.
27. You remember watching both Gremlins movies.
28. You thought Doogie Howser/Samantha Micelli was hot.
29. You remember Alf, the lil' furry brown alien from Melmac.
30. You remember New Kids on the Block when they were cool...and don't even flinch when people refer to them as "NKOTB"
31. You knew all the characters names and their life stories on Saved By The Bell, The ORIGINAL class.
32. You know all the words to Bon Jovi - SHOT THROUGH THE HEART.
33. You just sang those words to yourself.
34. You still sing "We are the World"
35. You tight rolled your jeans.
36. You owned a banana clip.
37. You remember "Where's the Beef?"

38. You used to (and probably still do) say "What you talkin' 'bout Willis?"
39. You're still singing shot through the heart in your head, aren't you!

Festa Della Mamma Felice

It's A Beautiful Thing

Wonderful.
Dazzling.
Long-awaited and oh, so right...

The night was crystallized in a forever-moment... a new life born--a long-awaited passionate loving kiss...

What is it that I speak of? No, I'm not describing a personal experience. From day one of this blog's birth, I have placed a certain picture towards the bottom of the page with a caption which reads: "When, o, when?" Seems that that "when" is now--tonight, in fact: May 10th 2007. For someone who's been wondering if this day would ever come for the past... oh, twelve years or so--well, it's very exciting, regardless of how pathetic and obsolete it is in the "real world." I guess I can revise my blog margin now... I'm talking about my favorite on-screen "couple" of all time--that's right, fellow bloggers--time to revisit my long-past topic of the X-files:

As most you probably do not know (because you have real lives to enjoy) the end of season eight brought unexpected events for Mulder and Scully. We are relieved to have Mulder off of the spaceship and back on earth--though it'll take some time to not call him "agent." Well, maybe a good handful of you have known this for years, in all actuality, since the show ended quite some time ago. Drew and I are still playing catch-up. Not wanting to catch up too quickly, of course, as to hopefully reach the promised cinematic sequel scheduled sometime in the next year or two.

Admittingly, we have both grown accustomed to Agent Dogget's presence and even Agent Reyes is increasingly less annoying than her initial debut. A new breed of creepy hybrids roam and haunt without warning, and the seemingly-immortal Krychek is surely following his cancer-wielding father's footsteps (though he prefers to terrify us without the aid of cigarettes). But who cares about that? Fox and Dana are finally now on a first-name basis. That's right--her baby boy is born (or is it a "boy"?) and they shared a very eye-watering embrace over baby... are we left to believe that he is indeed the father of said "miracle child"?

"He bears a suspicious resemblance to AD Skinner," Mulder said mischievously before planting one on the doc.

All hail Chris Carter and his nine years of mystical wonder despite the common cheesy dialog and the at-times painful acting of the newbies. He has opened a door of the dramatic and nigh-soapish world for the science-fiction inclined... those of us who function on a somewhat skewed level of romanticism--give us the aliens, the gunfire, and the political corruption... Ah, the love-story abounds!

May the sequel come soon. Hey--the truth is out there.
And I think we all know what it is...

Check out "The Springfield Files" here, here, here, & here.

That's right: The Simpson's collaboration with The X-files. What more could you ask for?

We've gotten quite a laugh out of this episode.Two great shows rolled into one.

Justice For All--With Benefits

Assured Democracy for the 'Beautiful & Exciting...'

Paris.
Once a place in France that people dreamed about.
Now it's a name synonymous with things I dare not utter here.

"Creativity" points should be given, I guess, to someone who can fuel her own save-my-butt petition--even when her own mother claims no pity for her and laughed at the verdict (in a relieved way, not astounded). Blog/Myspace at it again! Not but two days ago did I get handed a newsletter from my boss about a man indited for real estate fraud posting his rather fluid and near-poetic rants and ramblings of innocence on his Blogspot blog. I thought, "Wow, he has a lot of free time in jail. I guess that figures." At least if Paris is sentenced as planned, she won't have to be without her blogging for 45-days. Life's not that rough. What more can I say but quote the genius who wrote these words: "[Paris] provides hope for young people all over the U.S. and the world. She provides beauty and excitement to [most of] our otherwise mundane lives." Her "mortal error" appears to be quite the dramatic controversy, fit for a person whose identity spins on their own logo-sparkled axis. Wonder how far the "beauty/exciting" plea will get her on her next DUI after she takes out a mom and her two kids on their way to soccer practice. What am I saying? Far enough, of course. Not judging here--not her as much as our own American society. The dramatic comparison to the leniency in the American courtroom as to say--oh, I don't know--the whole Richard Gere thing in India... well, it's quite the circus on this planet. At least in the judicial sense. Reading Judge Judy Sheinlind's novel about the crazed injustices of the legal system have only amplified my knowledge.

Check out the"anti-petition" for no clemency for IDontLikeYouInThatWay.com. Sign if you so desire.

On a brighter note--since celebrity "mortal errors" are the topic today--the fact that OJ Simpson was thrown out of a steakhouse in KY for no reason other than showing up--well, that was something of a satisfactory thing to not only the owner, but also the majority of the dining guests. They all rose to their feet in a standing ovation. Perhaps the dish called justice is only served medium-rare.

A Love Story

Get Your Final Fantasy Fix:

• Awesome FF7 Advent Children Trailer
• FF8 Intro
  
• Hilarious FF8 Spoof
• FF13 Trailer
  
• Live Orchestrated Performance of "One Winged Angel" by the Eminence Symphony (FF7 A/C)

Never Steal From A Kangaroo...

(...it'll make him sad)

My husband sent this little "movie" to me at work today. It cheered me up after a long, tiring, and hormonal week of recording/examining (+ Algebra woes). He's such a sweetie.

Click on the pix to watch it.

• Funny random thing I was reading in the news today: okay, we all know about Paris Hilton and her menial "jail-time," but did you catch her mother's reaction? I thought it was hilarious. Here's what I read: "As a city prosecutor said during closing arguments that Hilton deserved jail time, Hilton's mother, Kathy, laughed. When the judge ruled, Kathy Hilton then blurted out: 'May I have your autograph?' "

• On a completely random note (just to keep this dang blog rollin' for the day... it's been awhile): Here is what I've been watching on TV lately--other than House, Bones, Ray, and other Fox mono-syllabic shows:

Out of the Ashes: Recovering the Lost Library of Herculaneum

"When the eruption of Mount Vesuvius swallowed up the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in A.D. 79, it not only froze an ancient civilization, it also preserved the only surviving library from antiquity.

The documentary, Out of the Ashes: Recovering the Lost Library of Herculaneum, follows attempts over 250 years to unroll and decipher carbonized papyrus rolls found in the Villa of the Papyri at Herculaneum. OUT OF THE ASHES traces the history of the Herculaneum papyri from the time of the eruption in the first century, to their discovery in 1752, to modern developments that impact their study. In the 21st century, scholars continue to debate the future of the original Villa of the Papyri at Herculaneum where the scrolls were all found. The site was never fully excavated and recent discoveries have led many scholars to believe that other scrolls - and perhaps another entire library - may still be buried there."

~~Very good stuff. I recommend it. Having both studied the events in Geology, as well visiting the ancient ruins of Pompeii in person over a year ago now--well, let's just say it's very powerful to watch. I also watched a compelling docu on the Dead Sea. Learning can be--gulp--fun! Thank you PBS!~~

ATTENTION: BLOGGER PARTICIPATION REQUESTED

• Okay, I must add something that I've been mulling over all day. It requires Blogger Participation. That is, what do you think is the max amount of pages suitable for an novel? 200? 500? 1,000? What about an epic novel--think Tolstoy, even. Is this something that today's audiences care for? Can we handle anything over 500 pages--or are we more now a "periodical generation"? Or, rather--a "Trilogy Generation"? What is considered excessive? For a story that is exhaustive in detail and length (this the epic)--should books be separated for easiness and comfort for the reader? And when should the author impose upon their own preferences to "please the masses"? Your thoughts are desired.

...Please leave your opinions in the comment forum.

Eternal Mondays In My Head

I hate rude people. Well, the rudeness within them, that is. I guess I don't actually hate anyone--nor should I, no matter how much I am convinced of it in my throes of estrogen tsunamis. The bad thing is that rude people are everywhere you go: work, school, in the general public--sometimes even at home! The ironic thing is that I have a feeling that the majority of people in this world typecasts me "rude." I think 50% of that is validated because of my short-fuse, though the other 50% of it I must dismantle by saying that most people just really don't understand me and why I'm always quiet and nonconforming. I'm not brooding in quiet darkness, only nesting in my cave of insecurity and neurotic idiosyncrasies. I'm not playing the "odd-man out" on purpose--more that I exist in a world of fantasy and imagination that no one has asked to enter with me. Maybe one day people will attribute these as good things. As for now...

I'm not the best "people-person." And though I'm not the fondest of people at times, it's not one person in general--more that people as a whole irk me. You know: people. Humans: humanity. Ever feel like you're an alien walking around amongst life's bewildered? If so, you know what I mean.

What's all this stemming from, you ask? Good question--though I dare not go into all the semantics of it at the moment. Multiple triggers; multiple origins. Some more specific; some more vague.

I don't get certain people who assume you know things inherently and get annoyed with you when you ask too many questions. Again, the ironic thing is that this is how I spent the majority of my time feeling when I worked in Mental Health for five years. After awhile I just expected everyone to know when we were open, what day it was, what the color of the sky is, et cetera... See, I'm a lousy receptionist and an even-worse customer service rep. God only knows why He keeps putting me behind such desks. It's not so bad where I'm at now because I only have to do it 4 months at a time--and it's a little different because I'm not answering general questions as a "Deputy Recorder" (o la la). I just think it's a bit off color for one who so disdains the idea of "The Public" as a whole to be in the constant charge of said peoples. Maybe it's the left-handedness... Maybe it's just me making excuses for being obnoxious. *shrug* I guess this is just my cup for now. I better learn how to sip it with style.

Sé la vi.

I must add my favorite thing that I read today--compliments of Helen's site @ Hikari:

"So here I am, a minister, stumped for a good tasty word and my hands are tied. I remember a little jingle I used to say in the playground to taunt another child in Japanese. It goes like this..."baka, baka, shin da yo. Omaino kasan debeso." What on earth does that mean? Translated it goes something like this: "stupid, stupid, I wish you'd die...your mother has a big belly button!"

Sure go ahead and laugh, but when you are ten years old...those are fighting words. At one point in my life it didn't get any nastier than that but now somehow it doesn't cut the musterd--it loses something in the translation."