Bearer of bad news, tall tales, and comical surprises.

And that's not even counting all the J2 fic that coffeebased is pushing on me with her relentless well-intentioned insistence. (Not that I've been resisting.  Oh no, that's not the proper way to deal with temptation, no sirree.)

My sister is agonizing over which beach resort to take the family to a day trip in (close to Manila, and accessible by land vehicles only, please). So why am I being asked to scout for places when (a) I don't go to beach places very often, (b) I don't know that many beach places, and (c) I have difficulty finding my way out of a paper bag, even with directions?

chilibreath is on a vacation, which I figure is not as stellar as she may have hoped for.  Here's hoping that it either gets better or she gets something in recompense. 

I would so love to see Hope's okaasa sometime soon przkthnx.  That's not really going to happen since she's crazybusy, but hey, I can send it to Santa, right?

My work is not stunning me with its awesomeness right now.  I demand that I get a full month to set everything to rights, but I'm afraid I'll sooner see black cranes and white crows than that.  The only thing I have to look forward to is two more months of training.  Here's me the perpetual trainee.  I never realized my job would entail so much training that I would barely get the time to do the job I'm training for.

And isn't it a good thing to always finish what you start?  So why am I being made to feel an absolute heel for cautioning against beginning something that won't ever, until hell freezes over, be finished, when all involved parties are perfectly aware that said undertaking has no hope of actually getting finished?

My mother just adopted another mutt.  As in one more addition to the menagerie of two that do not have the sense goddess gave a goat on its off day.  The psychology major in me says that all the young of mammals have certain characteristics that lend cuteness to their possessors, and thus ensure no lack of adults to want to take care of them, but I'm not sure how much ice cuteness cuts when the puppy starts howling in unison with the other two dogs at 2 AM.  With any luck, it won't be on a weekend so I don't have to hear them.

Aren't all teases supposed to be female?

Is it bad to want a little normal?

I was invited to go join coffeebased  and her cousins at the SMX for the Shizen Orchestra con last Saturday.  Since we're nearing the end of the month, there are about twenty million things that need doing at the office.  On the one hand, you have work, my pride and the source of my livelihood, and on the other you have Hope and Lian and Ina ( including, I discovered later, the charming Nadine and their pretty and refined Tita Cathy;  I also got to see limextreme  and JM, and I also met JM's Ron for the first time), plus a few LJ people.     Being the mistress of prioritizing that I am, I of course stayed at work for the usual twelve hours before taking myself off to the MoA area.  (The work didn't get finished - sometimes I think it never will - but I can kill myself getting it done later this week.)

On the cosplayers who were there:  Hard Gay had nice legs, and Hard Geisha was too disturbing for words.  We had some great characters show up, but not many that I recognized. Sailor V was there, and a guy who wore an Urahara hat. (where, o where shall I find a Kaidoh-bandanna? *insert wailing here*)  There was someone else wearing a Seigaku jacket, but like me, I don't think he'd meant to cosplay anybody. And no, Ina, Lian, and Nadine were not cosplaying for some obscure fandom.  Especially Nadine.  Should anyone inquire.

One reason I have found to appreciate the cons: DVDs.  Painless way to snag good copies of series you wanna watch.  I kinda suck at it now, since I do want to watch but dunno where to start, and I'm too busy to work the downloading into my schedule.  But I figure the Avatar, Bleach, and Gravitation should help - I haven't seen Gravitation in eons, it feels like.  I have the official Gravitation release which had subtitling made of equal parts Chinese and abomination.  Very pretty container, but only helpful should I finally learn me some decent Japanese.

As far as the merchandise went, it wasn't too bad.  Aside from the DVDs, there were neat things too.  Mostly to do with hats and hat accessories, and teeny-tiny things for the discerning fangirl.  I got a pair of bear earmuffs, and a pin which says "Anime: Drugs would be cheaper."  Incidentally, Hope got me a pin with the Hitsugaya's picture, the one on my icon, that says "Shotacon: The reason he's the most popular character in Bleach," which killed me to no end.  Next con I shall be getting myself a hat.  And definitely more DVDs, as soon as I figure out which ones I want to melt my brain over.

But what takes the cake was the maid and butler cafe.  And there hadn't even been any cake.  Nikki-chan was the awesomest maid (*pats Nikki-chan's head*) and Gyo-chan rocked!! ^____^  They were such fun, and the 45 minutes spent there were the absolute best.  I have absolutely no idea how maid/butler cafes are supposed to work, but the service there was excellent, and I would totally understand why they're such a big deal if what we saw was at least a fair imitation.  What I adored about the whole thing was how there was so much care and thought involved, and how beautifully it turned out because you know that these people you're talking to are fellow enthusiasts, amateurs in the original sense of the word.  By the way, did you know that the word amateur originally came from French and Latin words meaning lover and  to love, respectively?  Inui is leaving the building now, kthnxbye.

When the crowds became too much for us (and the trauma of repeatedly losing her cousins in the crowd became too much for Hope), we went out and sat down outside the doors.  I took this as a fortuitous time to write a letter to Hope's okaasa.  Unfortunately, I belatedly recognize that all the brow-furrowing and staring off into the distance that I did, thinking of things to tell her, made me look like some sad emo person.   ( I had approximately two hours left at this time before Des was scheduled to pick up the lot and shuttle them to a padasal, which is, for Foreigners, non-Catholics, and you Young'Uns, a period of nine days when the family of a recently deceased person come together every day to pray for the soul of their loved one.)  But I really hadn't seen Des in literally, forever, and I miss her like you wouldn't believe.  Which is why I looked like some depressed zombie when moehoshi and her sis turned up for the con.  I'm SORRY, Moe-chan!  My brain was pretty much fried at the time, having been awake for eighteen hours on little food and lots of worry.  I hope that seeing DenKen made up for my spazzzzzzzz.  *hugs you*  I couldn't even introduce you to everyone because at that point I had trouble remembering my own name, never mind half of theirs.

When I was starting to think that a photo of my letter to Des should be pasted beside the word 'illegible' in the dictionary, we went looking for the Starbucks where Hope's mom would be picking us up.  At last, a blessed table and a frappe!  I went back to writing with gusto, and the kiddies were like, Hakkai, what're you doing? to which I replied that I was writing a letter to their aunt.  I got a second goggling-over, and I had to explain that I was friends with their auntie before I was friends with their cousin, to which they said, "But how old is Tita (Des)?" and "She's old, isn't she?"

Oh, child-RRAAAAN.  *sobs quietly in a corner* 

It will probably take a decade, on the inside, for them to realize that their aunt is a severely cool person to hang with.

Anyhoo, the day ended with me getting to see Des for like five minutes.  Am now officially back to missing her.  And limextreme is made of equal parts of coolness and style, because he stayed with me until I found a cab to take me home (never mind that I'm older and putatively have my shite together).



On a side note:  My boss just sent me a message about courage.  It actually made me a bit... apprehensive about going to work.  Was it her way of telling me that there's something I need courage for when I go back to work tonight?  LOL.

I love the night.  I love the how the night is one big hush - the nearly-empty streets, the sleepy look of a town that has put its children to bed and is only known by a few old-timers, and the cloak of quiet whose presence cannot be forgotten even in the midst of boisterous moments.  The moon waxes, is full, and wanes.  If I could I would sit on the ground, hands cupping my chin, and I would stare until the lightening sky claims it from my view.  The night and the moon have more secrets than I can count and I am glad they are mine to mull over and to wonder at.

In the mornings, I work and I work, even when I am supposed to be on my way home.  As I walk in the daylight I feel the warmth and the heat and I smolder until I can almost not remember what it is like to be cold.  Every inch of me is in the light and the phrase "generative power of the sun" is no longer just a picturesque turn of phrase but an apt description from someone who understands how it is to stand beneath the sun and to feel yourself grow and think that in this light there is no sleeping and you are going upward and outward and even when you fall into your dreams the sun does not let go its hold and it owns your slumbering fantasies as well as each waking moment. 

I hate the light and the warmth, but I drink it in anyway. 

I am always going to be very much a daughter of the night.  But in the summer, the sun god is king.

Last month, I was drowning in work, and still more than a bit unwell.  There really was no time to convalesce properly since there was more work than our entire department (all six of us ^___^) could shake a stick at.  Obviously, as my breaks consisted of drinking medicine and nose-blowing, I had even less time for the small pleasures of life, such as blogging, or chatting to friends. Or fanfic. *sniff* 

Then a couple of Saturdays ago I got an invite to an anime convention from sixthwinemaiden , which I promptly accepted, my runny nose and rubbery limbs be damned.  We got to seemoehoshi and her lovely sister, plus hvid_noire, unseen also since the TriNoMa infestation.  In between the fangirling, PoT merchandise, and lousy meals -with slightly better cupcakes- served by bishounen and bishoujo in a maid and butler cafe (with a squee-worthy picture to commemorate it), I rekindled my love for Bleach and PoTand Junjou Romantica.  Needless to say, I was in heaven.  Donna was sort of turning into a dull girl, which is never a good idea.  Right now, I am in the process of hunting up my favorite fanfics and stuffing them into my phone (A 4 gigabyte memory card and I'm filling it up with books and fan fiction; my other cellphone is functioning as a shiny black music player.  Go figure.)  All the wonderful fanfic writers of the earth, I heart you!  The Fanfic Friendship Ring of Win, are you hearing this?  Thanks for helping me keep my (in)sanity.

One at a time, I tell myself.  Slow and steady and all that.  Anyone who wants to rec good PoT or Bleach fiction is welcome to comment.  My memory card is only three-tenths full, and I can delete The Silmarillion audiobook from it to bring that down to 3/20, because I am entirely the wrong person to be listening to audiobooks since I'd rather read.  I catalogue the fic using the title and the author's online handle, so I can always give credit where it's due.


But hey, I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea.  I absolutely love my job, and I don't mind the investment in time that I have to make to it (at least, no more than occasionally).  I think it's definitely the right place for me.  It just means that I have to make a conscious effort to stay in touch and let people know how important they are to me.

I'm not really hungover.  More like tired.  Tired of not getting enough sleep because the curtains in my room are made of spiderwebs and politician's promises.  I'm turning into a politician myself because I'm doing things over which a million things are more preferable.  Like seeing friends and love-in-megane.  Or ficcating/fangirling.

But it pays the bills.  And the effort expended is part of the plan and the vision. So I say slog on.

Anybody got a wish list?  As they say, somebody's trash may be someone else's gem.

[Error: unknown template qotd]I like wishing on dandelion fluff.  I have yet to see a dandelion clock aside from those in pictures, but I really would like to see one just to look at, aside from the irresistible wish factor.

 

Yep, boys and girls. As promised, this is me in Seigaku blue.  I had to host a Halloween party and since everybody had to be in costume,  I wore one too.  Dang hot, I tell you.  It was outdoors, and October weather is NOT cool, whatever it is they say.  I mentioned my interest at work yesterday and Susan, one of our managers suggested that if I wore this outfit to work one Friday, the company would donate money to my favorite charity.

So insane.

Oh, flist, the amount of posting carnage you are capable of when my back is turned is prodigious.

I am agog.

To bring everyone up to speed (those who care, anyway), I am at work, in this area where they give us PCs to surf with (so we don't do it in the training rooms). I am here because my friends and I are waiting to find out what happens to us at work next. We have just finished training and the exams, so I'm hoping for good news. I cannot surf the net at home because although our telephone now works, the same cannot be said for our DSL. *mewls despondently* I am somewhat confident, though, that the state of matters will change soon.

I now has a lovelife. Perhaps will say more about it later. [info]delwynmarch turned out to be very very good at predicting when these things will pop up: when you don't want them to.

What with work, the internet (or lack thereof), and my lovelife, I no longer have any idea what will happen next and what my schedule will look like three days from now.

Mercury has turned direct, but my life hasn't.

 sixthwinemaiden and I plan to reprise our squeeing session of a coupla weeks back, which got off to a famous start with a showing of The Dark Knight.  Any and all PoT fangirls/boys, plus those who feel so inclined, are invited.  It is to be held on the Monday, (which is a holiday as I'm sure all students must know), in TriNoma, meeting place at the North Avenue station (MRT station closest to the venue) at threeish in the afternoon.   Vier-san and Co., feel like meeting up?   Is a good time to case the joint, so to speak, in preparation for the shipper convocation.  Please y!m for details.  I'm not sure I shall be able to go online from tonight until Monday.  Or you can get in touch with Mana-chan, aka sixthwinemaiden.  We'd love to have you, and we don't bite.  Unless of course you bite first, in which case all bets are off.

Speaking of the fangirling convention, I unearthed this from my pitiful collection of songs.  Submitted for approval as the theme song for said convention: one White Flag, by singer Dido.  It is rather appropriate for any diehard shipper/s out there, and I'm sure many of you can relate to the sentiments expressed.  Chorus below:

I will go down with this ship
And I won't put my hands up and surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I'm in love with InuKai, and always will be