Sanity… is for the Weak

To the friends who observe this holiday, Happy Halloween!

Although it’s not a widely celebrated custom here in sunny Singapore, it seems to me that the awareness of Halloween has risen greatly in recent years, brought on possibly by the growing cultural cosmopolitanism, as well as the recent throwing-open-of-doors to foreign talent.

Of course, there’s also the possibility of all that untapped consumer dollar just waiting to be spent, for want of yet another holiday ~ in the US alone, Halloween holiday spending is expected to reach USD$4.96 billion this year. And if the number of people who turned up for the various Halloween parties at the various nightspots over the weekend were anything to go by, it looks like we’ll be adding a new holiday into our calendar soon.

Now that’s a scary thought.

Was… a chicken curry

My Halloween Horoscope

Ooooh. Prince of Darkness. I *like*

Xak: It’s about the same time as when the PS3 is released. Wanna sponsor me one? :p

Oooooooooh.

MoS sent me a mailer with regards to my Birthday coming up:

So. Who wants to be my friend?

[evil]*Mwahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!!!![/evil]

Are you ready?

Here’s wishing all Muslim friends a peaceful and joyous year ahead.

Tea 24 Oct 06
This being a holiday, we took our time and relaxed (or rather I did; wifey has to study for her exam next week) with some tea and pastries.

Got some Long Jin tea leaves from mom when we visited her last night, as dad was home from work in Cambodia. Very refreshing, especially on this hot sunny afternoon.

Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge Episode 3
A little disappointing in terms of animation, as the standards seem to have dropped considerably. On the bright side, however, the jokes are still flying fast and furious ~ and as expected, funnyman director Nabeshin makes an onscreen cameo, towards the end of the episode in his trademark ‘fro and red suit.

What’s My Dominant Intelligence?

Your Dominant Intelligence is Linguistic Intelligence

You are excellent with words and language. You explain yourself well. An elegant speaker, you can converse well with anyone on the fly. You are also good at remembering information and convicing someone of your point of view. A master of creative phrasing and unique words, you enjoy expanding your vocabulary. You would make a fantastic poet, journalist, writer, teacher, lawyer, politician, or translator.

Xak: Nah, it’s just that I’ve discovered the joys of YouTube!

*hysterical laughter*

Oh gawd. My sides hurt.

Sumomo mo Momo mo ~ Chijo Saikyo no Yome ~ (すもももももも～地上最強のヨメ～) is just insane.

Like Ranma ½’s insanity X2, but without the cross-dressing jokes, and raunchier bedroom humor.

ROFLMAO.

:Links:
+Official Site

Movies to Catch:
+Ice Age 2
+Superman Returns
+Cars
+Mission: Impossible 3
+Pirates of the Carribean 2
+Miami Vice Looks like we missed this one.
+Tristan and Isolde And this one too.
+Underworld: Evolution
+X-Men 3
+Lord of War
+Open Season
+The Seninel
+Casino Royale
+The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift
+Over the Hedge
+Night At The Museum
+Crank
+Zoom
+Happy Feet
+Azumi
+Man of the Year
+Flyboys
+Accepted
+Deja Vu
+eragon
+The History Boys
+Flags Of Our Fathers

Movies to Catch: 2007
+Spiderman 3
+Transformers: The Movie
+Ghost Rider
+Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
+300

Oooh. A bunch of new trailers were released, and it all looks really exciting. First up is Deja Vu, starring Danzel Washington. An interesting spin on the old Minority Report movie, perhaps?

The History Boys looks like something from Dead Poets Society, although set in England with History students instead of Literature.

I’m not too sure about Eragon, I’ve never read the books, but the trailer does look good… we’ll see.

Saving the best for last, we have Flags Of Our Fathers. I like war movies in general, but this one has special meaning as the Battle of Iwo Jima was one of the in-depth case-studies we did back in the Warfare Course.

Here’s wishing all to all Hindu friends and Happy Festival of Lights.

All hail the triumph of Light over Darkness.

Japan Trip
Collected our Japan Rail Pass this afternoon. Yet another step closer towards the holiday.
*Hiak hiak hiak*

Anime Review
Took a day off yesterday and spent a few enjoyable hours at the local Manga Rental Shop. It’s really a great deal, as a $2 an hour I can just sit there and read anything they have on the shelves… and I can read really, really fast.

Best thing was, I managed to find and read books 1~4 of the Pumpkin Scissors manga. Can’t wait to see how they animate this great series ~ the 2 main characters are about as unlikely a pair as possible, but somehow it just makes their relationship all the more moving.

I’m looking forward to two chapters especially; first is Orland’s fight against the 908-HTT Fire Trooper, and second is Alice’s fight in a ball gown. Anway, it’s up to 3 episodes so far and still impressive, even if Orland’s Blue lantern has been used (and *will* probably continue to be used) is just about every episode to save the day.

Another to watch may be the live-action adaptation of Boku to Kanojo no XXX (僕と彼女の××× ).

Check out the Trailer, it’s a bunch of laughs!

As you can see, I’ve added a new category to the posts ~ Anime!

Not that I’ve suddenly turned Otaku, but I have been watching Japanime for many years now, ever since I first caught Space Battleship Yamato on TV back when I was still in Primary School. Of course, back then anime was hard to come by, and luckily I hung out with a rather… odd bunch whose interests were the same as mine ~ anime, RPGs and Sci-Fi/Fantasy fans, with some rather unusual resources. So here’s a big shout-out to the old Thomson CC bunch, and every one who hung out at the “Inn of the Smiling Sun”: ~ Hi Jo!

On to the good stuff
Caught the first episode of Pumpkin Scissors (パンプキン・シザーズ). As usual, Gonzo delivers with crisp animation with interesting storyline. Shall be keeping an eye out on this. Plus, the unit insignia is just too cute! Perhaps I can use it for a Mechwarrior patch?

And, just in time for Halloween, Ghost Hunt, a comedy/horror anime that strangely ties in with YamaNade mentioned in the last post. First impressions is a high-school styled X-Files, which does quite well in suspense and giving the viewer the creeps.

For those who wonder where I get the stuff from, especially since bit torrenting is somewhat illegal these days (what with the raids and all), let’s just say that YouTube is your friend

Random Rant
I wanna game!!! Where and when can the gang get together for a proper session of D&D??? A CRPG is no substitute for honest-to-goodness dice chucking.

:Links:
Pumpkin Scissors Official Site
Ghost Hunt Official Site

I’m tired. Been working 14+ hour night shifts for an exercise for this past week… and when you add in the time taken for commute, basic hygiene and feeding, I’m looking at somewhere around 6 hours of sleep per day for the whole week. Add in the fact that it’s been bloody warm in the afternoons to any decent sleep, and you’ve got me: a walking zombie. Grrrrrr…..

I really needed some downtime ~ so when it all ended yesterday, I crashed out and slept for 12 hours straight.

So, friends, if you’ve been wondering why I’ve been out of touch for the last week, now you know.

Damn. That Japan trip is looking better and better; lordy knows, I need a vacation! *rubs hands in glee*

On to the Food!
Anyway, I made some Onigiri (お握り) for a mid-night snack some time last week (I forget when; when you’re working shifts like that, your sense of time just goes to hell. Heck, I had trouble remembering which day of the week it was!). Brought it to work to share with some of the guys too.

Looks good eh? I impress myself sometimes

New Anime!
Picked up a new anime to watch ~ Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge. It’s seriously funny ~ I especially like the references to Sadako:

Kudos to director Nabeshin (Excel Saga)! It’s been a great 2 episodes so far, so here’s hoping for more to come. Will add this into the A/V updates in the next post.

:Links:
Origiri Recipie
Wiki: Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge

Xak: Ahh ~ thanks. But I think I’d rather watch YamaNade

edutilos: Thanks. I was thinking of upgrading my cam too. Must. Resist. Urge. For. Shiny….

samjo: Hey! Nice seeing you here! Yeah, the trailer does seem a little like my life ~ over-active imagination and not enough reality. *bleah*

Audio:Slave
In the B&O:
+Dire Straits: Sultans of Swing
+Ok Go: Oh No
+Hed Kandi: The Mix 2006
+Elv1s: 30 #1 Hits
+The Prodigy: Their Law: The Singles 1990-2005

Visual:Slave
In the DVD:
+Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu (The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi)
+Final Fantasy: Advent Children
+Gokusen
+Howl’s Moving Castle
+Karas
+Vandread: the Second Stage
+Gun Parade March
+Samurai 7
+Gunslinger Girl
+Initial D: 4th Stage
+Scrapped Princess
+The DaVinci Code
+V for Vendetta
+Magica Girl Lyrical Nanoha (魔法少女リリカルなのは)
+Mythbusters: Season 1 / Season 2

In the PSP:
+Battlestar Galatica Season 1
+Battlestar Galatica Season 2
+Ouran High Host Club
+Zero no Tsukaima (ゼロの使い魔)
+Paradise Kiss

Movies to Catch:
+Ice Age 2
+Superman Returns
+Cars
+Mission: Impossible 3
+Pirates of the Carribean 2
+Miami Vice
+Tristan and Isolde
+Underworld: Evolution
+X-Men 3
+Lord of War
+Open Season
+The Seninel
+Casino Royale
+The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift
+Over the Hedge
+Night At The Museum
+Crank
+Zoom
+Happy Feet
+Azumi
+Man of the Year
+Flyboys
+Accepted

Movies to Catch: 2007
+Spiderman 3
+Transformers: The Movie
+Ghost Rider
+Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
+300

Managed to pack away quite a bit of anime. Zero no Tsukaima (ゼロの使い魔)was especially good; so good in fact, I’m brushing up my Japanese because I’ve managed to get hold of the original light novels to read…. which is not a bad thing, as we’re heading up to Japan next month for a well-deserved break. Here’s hoping that JC Staff comes up with a second season of this great series:

私達は「ゼロの使い魔」の第2弾が見たい!

私達(J.C.STAFFによるゼロの使い魔ファン)は、
私達の大好きなシリーズを見続けたいです。
この陽気なアニメの第2弾が欲しいです。

Japan Trip!
Planning in progress, but the rough outline is as follows:
4 Nov Morning - Arrival at Narita & check in at Hotel
7 Nov Afternoon - Checkout and take JR to Hakone, for a night’s stay at at traditional Ryokan: Hotel Senkei
8 or 9 Nov - Take the Shinkansen over to Osaka for a few day’s stay; with day trips out to Kyoto & Nara. (And of course, a very important visit to the famous Kaiyukan Aquarium!)
13 Nov Afternoon - Fly back home from Kansai Airport.

Can’t wait!

Xak: Actually, it’s the other way round ~ the song inspired th TYGK.

edutilos: Hi! *waves* My cam? Just an ordinary Sony Cybershot DSC P-9. Why do you ask?

In a bit of a fell mood recently.

Probably brought on by self-important pompous arses who like nothing better than to listen to the sound of their own voices ~ dragging on a mind-numbing meeting ~ arguing a stupid point over and over.

Grrrrrrrr…..

MARCH OF CAMBREADTH
(Author: Heather Alexander)

Axes flash, broadswords swing
Shining armors’ piercing ring
Horses run with polished shield
Fight those bastards ‘til they yield

Midnight mare, blood red roan
Fight to keep this land your own
Sound the horn and call the cry
How many of them can we make die?

Follow orders as you’re told
Make their yellow blood run cold
Fight until you die or drop
A force like ours is hard to stop

Close your mind to stress and pain
Fight ‘til you’re no longer sane
Let not one damn cur pass by
How many of them can we make die?

Guard your women and children well
Send these bastards back to Hell
We’ll teach them the ways of war
And they won’t come here anymore

Use your shield and use your head
Fight ‘til everyone is dead
Raise the flag up to the sky
How many of them can we make die?

Dawn has broke, the time has come
Move your feet to the marching drum
We’ll win the war and pay the toll
Fight as one in heart and soul

Midnight mare and blood red roan
Fight to keep this land your own
Sound the horn and call the cry
How many of them can we make die?

Axes flash, broadswords swing
Shining armors’ piercing ring
Horses run with polished shield
Fight those bastards ‘til they yield

Midnight mare and blood red roan
Fight to keep this land your own
Sound the horn and call the cry
How many of them can we make die?
How many of them can we make die?
How many of them can we make die?

And before you ask; *YES* I’m partial to bagpipes, tho’ there’s ‘ nary a drop of Scottish in me.

And why don’t we have music like this back in BMT?

Grrrrr…..

“How many of them can we make DIE!“

:Link:
Listen to the March of Cambreadth