I’m so far off of my usual rocker that it’s not funny…

Sorry for not posting anything earlier, but I’ve been… the only word to use is off. I’m literally completely out of my mind, what with school and writing and general stuff I need to take care of… I’m getting to the point where I’m frustrated with little things, and I have a huge amount of patience for people. I’m going insane, I swear I am.

…at least I got three free iTunes downloads.

*runs off to download Dir en grey and VAMPS*

Does anyone have any ideas as to how I can get some of my stress out? My self-imposed workload is killing me…

-RYK

PS: Happy birthday, Miyavi!!!

Date: [Sunday] September 14, 2008
Location: Bed
Music: Beautiful Dirt [Dir en grey]
Mood: Annoyed

Beta 2…? Sounds… interesting.

I downloaded the Internet Explorer Beta 2 version this morning on the kitchen computer, affectionately dubbed the ‘motherboard’. This afternoon, upon returning to school, I’ve looked at it, tweaked with the settings just a bit, and I’m making my first call on it.

…Microsoft needs help. Desperately. What happened to the Vista patches that might make the programme work with regular computers? Mine runs it nicely, but that’s because of the huge amount of memory in it…

…I guess they thought that releasing a new Internet Explorer update would pacify Vista users?

In addition, it’s a nightmare with WordPress, but it has a few nice features:

• InPrivate Browsing: InPrivate browsing automatically hides you while you have it activated, effectively rendering your cookies and history from that particular session useless. This means that if you log into something, you’ll be logged out as soon as you close the window. This also means I can shamelessly browse and post on fanfiction.net [my father seems to think that it contains inappropriate materials for a seventeen-year-old's eyes, nevermind that there are fifteen year olds writing it]. This is my favourite feature.
• A cleaner toolbar: the toolbar is no longer a mockery of Firefox [or at least, no as much], but somethnig that fits with Vista’s general ‘minimalist’ theme. It looks like they’re starting to get the hang of aesthetics, I credit them with that much.
• It would seem that choosing the search engine you want instead of the Live Search that my friends and I so desperately wish to destroy is much easier. I have Google set as mine – I was prompted to choose when I first opened up my new browser after a quick reboot.

Hopefully these little things will make it worth my time. The little things [such as the hugely distorted Title entry area in the WordPress 'Create New Post' area] are bugging me, but hopefully Microsoft will shine through when they release the full version of IE 8.

I’ll be waiting.

-RYK

Date: [Thursday] August 28, 2008
Location: Kitchen
Music: Storm [Gackt]
Mood: Mildly miffed at IE 8

SCHOOL:

-Take and pass Mandarin Chinese I in less than one semester with a 90 or better
-Take and pass English III in less than two semesters with an 85 or better
-Take and pass Business Law in less than two semesters with a 90 or better
-Look into a Japanese high school semester-based exchange programme, meet qualifications
-Take the equivalent of Japanese I and learn basic survival language

PERSONAL:

-Purchase the album ‘Access Best Selection’ by Access [3 disc set XD]
-Purchase the album ‘Merveilles’ by Malice Mizer
-Purchase the album ‘ROENTGEN’ by HYDE
-Purchase the album ‘MOON’ by Gackt
-Purchase the game ‘Pump it Up! Exceed’ for the Xbox [Korean DDR, has five steps instead of four]
-Purchase an Xbox
-Dye hair blue, or get blue streaks in hair**
-Save money for stuff after high school
-Attend Japanese concert***
-GET A JOB WITH SOMEONE OTHER THAN KMAGINE DESIGNS
-Watch enough of Gundam Mobile Suit series to understand what the heck people online are talking about
-Purchase Moon Child
-Watch Moon Child more than twice more
-Finish ‘Scare Tactics’, my Moon Child fanfic [less than 50% done and over 49 pages!]
-Get band started if the one I’m currently in doesn’t find enough members
-Finish Web of Night series
-Participate in NanoWriMo with Rune Riordan [if I have time]
-Make it to Otakon in 2009 [this is only possible if I have very good grades in school]
-Keep in contact with old friends
-Try to stay hypoglycemic rather than lapsing into diabetes [that's a good goal to have... ><]
-Get back into shape, lose weight [another good goal...]
-Get driver’s permit back from the state
-Take pictures of room and post online*

*I actually finished working in my room some! xD
** I dyed my hair green. It looks AWESOME.
*** November is Dir en grey month! I get to go see them in concert in Atlanta.

-RYK

Date: [Sunday] August 24, 2008  <—One more day ’til school!
Location: Kitchen
Music: Fur Elise (remix) [DJ Mystik]
Mood: Annoyed

It should say something that I wanted my hair an unnatural colour to begin with…

So school starts on Monday. And my hair is green. Like, it’s not all green, but a good portion of it is, with a few of my blonde streaks remaining inside of it.

Scary.

And not only that, but my father hates it.

And I love it – maybe I’ll get it redone.

I wonder what kind of first impression this is going to make? Will teachers stare in shock as I walk down the hall? Will students attempt to pull on my hair again [it happened when I first started putting blonde in my hair]?

I don’t know, honestly. I think that people’ll just whisper and laugh at me, and that’s fine by me. *shrug* I don’t care if they do that. But if I get suspended until the colouring washes out, I’m going to be mad. Unnatural hair colours are permitted in my state, so any kind of retaliation by the public school system will be met with annoyance.

Hmm.

I’ll put out an update when I get a chance to figure out what’s going on with everything, maybe I’ll put up a picture or something so that people online can laugh at me too. xD

-RYK

Date: [Saturday] August 23, 2008
Location: Kitchen
Music: Shining Collection [ICEMAN]
Mood: …my head hurts too much to worry about that…

Some of you might’ve seen how I have the writers of Rikutsu Kurasu structure their headings. For those of you that haven’t, it’s like this [I'm giving an example based on an upcoming fic I'm working on]:

‘Moon Child’
“Scare Tactics” by Ryuuzaki Kusakurin

DISCLAIMER: [insert disclaimer]

Warnings: [stuff like 'rough language', 'violence', etc., go here]
Characters: [characters involved in the story]
Theme Songs: [songs I listened to while working on the story]
Pairings: [if there are any pairings involved, they're listed here]

[Author notes go here]

So, that aside, Yumi asked me why I ask for the theme song area, which in turn became a conversation about the most frequently used songs while writing, and then my favourites. So I made a list for her. [and she said I wouldn't do it. Hah.]

Top 15 Songs of Summer 2008:

Number 15: Rumor [Miyavi]

Number 14: Obscure [Dir en grey]

Number 13: Nocturnal Romance [Moi dix Mois]

Number 12: Zhong Guo Hua [S.H.E.]

Number 11: Fragrance [Gackt]

Number 10: LOVE SAVER [T.M.Revolution]

Number 9: HOWLING [abingdon boys school]

Number 8: Season’s Call [HYDE]

Number 7: ダウﾄ＆トラスト [Access]

Number 6: Señor Señora Señorita [Miyavi]

Number 5: Zips [T.M.Revolution]

Number 4: Mizérable [Gackt]

Number 3: Vanilla [Gackt]

Number 2: Nine Spiral [Gackt]

Number 1: Illuminati [Malice Mizer]

I realise that Illuminati is vaguely blasphemous, but it got the top spot for sounding so good and being one of the first songs I heard of Malice Mizer. I immidiately fell in love with the band, and from there started wandering into an entirely new genre. I’m so glad I did. *nods*

Some Contenders [that didn't make the list]:

Nervous Breakdown [abingdon boys school]
Innocent Sorrow [abingdon boys school]
瞳ノ翼 [Access]
EDGE [Access]
Sandstorm [Darude]
Lu:Na [Gackt]
Metamorphoze [Gackt]
BLACK STONE [Gackt]
Speed Master [Gackt]
Albireo [T.M.Revolution]
Invoke [T.M.Revolution]
Coinlockers Baby [Miyavi]
LOST HEAVEN [L'Arc~en~Ciel]

-RYK

Date: [Thursday] August 14, 2008
Location: Grandparents’ House
Music: Señor Señora Señorita [Miyavi]
Mood: Vaguely Buzzed (too many energy drinks)

…I think I’m alive, I’m still tired, but I’m alive. And I’ve got my sleep schedule back. Three points!

Alright, I’ve taken a few days to rest and unpack, and so I’m back!

*waves frantically at friends*

Major highlights of vacation:

-I was on a boat. A big boat. Its name was ‘Enchantment of the Seas’, and we visited Florida’s Key West, Cozumel [and Tulum], and Belize City.

-It was really hot, I had to shed my jacket to go outside. I was also made to go in the sunlight, during the day, which meant I got very little sleep and lots of sunburns. *sigh* But the views from the ship’s fifth and sixth decks were amazing.

-In Cozumel, taxi drivers… well… they drive like maniacs. Especially if you tell them you’re in a hurry. Then they don’t stop for pedestrians.

-Belize is really poor, but they have so much natural beauty available to them… Their barrier reef is an amazing place to dive and snorkel. If you ever have the opportunity, TAKE IT! You won’t regret it!

-Ships apparently make me sick. Not exactly a good highlight.

-Key West is a pretty touristy place, not really worth your time unless you love to shop. The only attractions for me there were watching the drunks doing exactly that: being drunk, and the key lime pie. Not too many options there…

-Tulum is an amazing place. The Mayan ruins of Tulum were breathtaking. It’s amazing that they’re still standing after the weathering they’ve taken, being next to the sea and on the Yucatan penninsula to boot. It’s a testament to the creators of the city itself. Go to Tulum if you’re in the area.

-The water in Cozumel and in Belize is beautiful! It’s soooo clear, you can see down to the bottom if you have goggles on! It’s so pretty… I guess they take better care of their environment than we do ours?

In other words, I had a great time. I had my hair done in about a thousands braids [less, but it sure felt weird] while I was there – half done in Cozumel, half done in Belize. It was the strangest hairstyle I’ve had, I can tell you that much. I pulled it out the day after I got back – it was starting to itch.

Anyway, I’m back, thank yous to everyone who called me or texted me to let me know they missed me.

-RYK

Date: [Tuesday] August 12, 2008
Location: Kitchen
Music: 一匹狼論 [Miyavi]
Mood: Tired

Don’t ask how a picture of Gackt and his amazing car is related to my birthday at all, because it isn’t… It makes me happy though… *ignores Gackt and steals car*

*dances*

I’m finally 17! After a full year of arduous wait and mounting difficulty in school, I’m here!

*dances more*

As a birthday present of sorts, my family and I are leaving today on a cruise.

I’m actually posting this after midnight on August 3 – the flight down to Fort Lauderdale, FL leaves at around 7 – I should probably sleep, since it’s 2:30 am already.

…Thank you, Crisis Core.

So I have to be awake by 4 and en route/at the airport by 5:30 or 6 am, and I’m still awake. That’s how things here work, unfortunately. I’m still quite excited, in all honesty. I haven’t been on a cruise in a long time – I’m looking forward to visiting Belize City, Cozumel, and the Florida Keys.

See everyone next week!

-RYK

Date: [Sunday] August 3, 2008
Location: Desk
Music: Tokyo Chatarei [Akatuki J 9]
Mood: Apprehensive

…can anyone tell how much free time I have? Seriously, guess…

All links open in new windows and redirect to the YouTube videos. Please note that if you are under 14, you are advised to avoid watching Illuminati – it can be quite disturbing.

Mizerable [Gackt]
I just love this one, I can’t tell you why. It strikes me as a beautifully artistic way of describing the feelings presented in the song lyrics, I guess. It’s just pretty. Go watch it!

Another World [Gackt]
This reminded me a lot of Moon Child, what with Gackt being shot in the end and left alone. I’m reasonably certain that all of his friends in the video died in the video. It looks a lot like a movie, though, and it has a relatively clear plotline after you watch it two or three times [the first time, you're wondering who died and what was going on and then why it was going on].

Metamorphoze [Gackt], Zips [T.M.Revolution], or Aozora no Namida [Hitomi Takahashi]
The amusing thing is that both of the first music videos are based off of the same anime. It’s Gundam SEED, and in Gackt’s, he’s a Gundam pilot [and, you guessed it, he ends up dead]. In T.M.Revolution’s, he’s also a pilot, but for most of the music video, he’s in the hangar, or in the hallway outside the hangar. We don’t actually get to see him fly. If I recall correctly, T.M.R’s song was used in Gundam SEED. On the other hand, Hitomi Takahashi’s MV makes it clear what anime her song was the opening for: Blood+. She fights a digitised Chiropteran as Saya does. Very interesting, and she gets bonus points for using CG.

Nine Spiral and Speed Master [Gackt]
These were so good that I went and bought the mp3 files on iTunes. Gackt’s performance was nothing short of, frankly, amazing. He sang both songs accurately and perhaps even better then he did in the studio recording. In addition, it proves that he actually does know how to dance. Dance. Meaning please the fangirls. But still… It’s much less awkward than some of the other stuff he’s done.

Mirror (live) [Gackt]
This was without a doubt the most unexpected interpreteation of ‘Mirror’ by Gackt that I could find. Gackt’s on the drums, You is singing [and has plushies under his arms, in his armpits], and random other members of GactJOB are seen doing things they don’t normally do. By the end of the song, Gackt can’t even stand up straight, he’s laughing so hard. I second that motion…
There was another live in which, during the song ‘Mirror’, Gackt fell right off the stage… I think his pride was hurt more than anything else, though. That was also unexpected… maybe I should have awarded it to all lives of Mirror? 

Illuminati [Malice Mizer]
This is really odd. I think I get the idea behind it, which might actually be something other than complete insanity… I think that the music video symbolises the band’s idea of the ‘Illuminati’ theory [the universe is in the hands of a scientist], but I’m not quite sure… It definitely makes you think.

Illuminati [Malice Mizer]
Illuminati takes another one! Because of the constant scene changes [the longest clear scene aside from the very beginning and dead ending is somewhere between .5 and 1.5 seconds], it’s somewhat hard to tell what’s going on. It fits the song, but you may want to watch it again if you feel you didn’t get everything the first go-through.

Caramelldansen [Caramell]
Anything with this song in it is bound to be hilariously adorable. It’s also bound to be annoying if it’s your sibling playing it, over and over and over and over again. Therefore, it gets the ‘most annoying’ award, closely followed by anything with the ‘Hamster Dance’ song in it. *nods enthusiastically*

Followed by the more interesting awards, most of which are based on comments my friends or I made immediately after seeing the MVs…

BLACK STONE [Gackt]
1. Get completely drunk. [it helps if you've already completed steps 2-3 before this happens]
2. Hire an 18-wheeler to drive an empty trailer around.
3. Get in the trailer. Invite all your friends.
4. Get the driver to start driving – make sure he makes plenty of turns.

…I am SO doing that on my 18th birthday.

Invoke (live) [T.M.Revolution]
For whatever reason, my friends all want his clothes. …This could just be a sign of fangirlism, but they’ve constantly talked about making an outfit like Takanori’s there. I think they like the gloves… not that I blame them at all. 

Ignited (live) [T.M.Revolution]
I want the jacket. It’s so awesome… it reminds me of HYDE’s jacket in the Season’s Call photoshoot. I love jackets with zippers like that, especially when they have them on the sleeves, too.

Oasis [Gackt]
Paper bag/burlap sack. That’s all I have to say. Really.

Alright, this concludes my boredom – I think I’m going to go write a fanfic or something.

-RYK

Date: [Friday] August 1, 2008
Location: Kitchen
Music: Rumor [Miyavi]
Mood: Hyperactive

I GOT A PSP!!!

So yesterday, I was looking in Wal-Mart, looking at a PSP through the glass panels when my mom walked up. I told her that I was thinking about buying a PSP. I was nothing short of amazed when she asked me if that was what I wanted for my birthday. I thought I was getting a wall scroll and a T-Shirt. I’m still getting the shirt. And I’m buying the wall scroll. Needless to say, I was nothing short of completely and utterly dumbfounded.

Before I go on, you need to understand – I already have a huge array of electronics at my disposal. I have a Nintendo DS Lite, an 80GB iPod, a PlayStation3, a Nintendo Wii [and a GameCube], several computers, a Super Nintendo Entertainment System [SNES], and a huge TV to put it all on. So I could easily and truthfully say I’m technologically dependant enough already, ne?

Yay! *adds to plethora of electronic hardware*

I also got Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core. So far, I’m saying that the game is interesting. At times, the game is laughably easy, and the bad guys are anything but convincing – Genesis’ character model is none other than Camui Gackt. In the Japanese version, he also does the voiceover. [Does it say something that I'm willing to buy the Japanese version just to hear the voice coupled with Genesis?] He’s done a lot of work with Final Fantasy in the past, though, so I’m not terribly surprised. But I am happy.

Anyway, the storyline so far is pretty cliche as far as Final Fantasy goes: Good guy has mentor/enemy, mentor/enemy leaves, good guy goes after mentor/enemy, life goes on. I am, however, pleased to announce that the game is insanely fun to play. *nods* I haven’t really set the PSP down unless I’ve had to [for a church function last night, I put it down for about three, four hours. And then I played it until 4 in the morning. Life is good.].

Well.

That’s about it.

Any suggestions for games I should buy next? I’m thinking about buying ‘Need for Speed: Carbon – Rule the Streets’, or ‘Midnight Club DUB Edition’.

-RYK

Date: [Wednesday] July 30, 2008
Location: Living Room
Music: Season’s Call [HYDE]
Mood: Pleased