I have walked SO MUCH this past week that I dread shopping now. The summer heat is not helping. *just wants to laze around and do nothing in her hotel room tomorrow*

To cut a long story short, I'm almost settled down in Japan, though I've yet to move into my own place, which won't be available until the 10th. I haven't taken as many pictures as I thought I would, because ... well, there was nothing much to snap. Tokyo, when it comes down to it, is just another metropolis. A metropolis with many, many bicycles, one of which is going to run me over and keel me ded one of these days. -_____-;;

I do, however, have some shots from Kamakura to show. Just 6, because I suck at these things. xD

( Kamakura 2008 )

Sorry I haven't been around, but I've been so disoriented lately that I just didn't have much time for/mood to LJ. O_____o

*sales pitch* Get yer gorgeous wallpapers over at Desktopography and InterfaceLIFT today! Clever names aside, they've got an almost endless supply of breathtakingly beautiful selections ranging from the tranquil to the surreal. In fact, it's so hard to pick a favourite that I think I'll simply change my wallpaper every day. ♥

My desktop used to look like this (I love the simplicity of it still) and now it looks like this! Aaah, will I ever be able to take these kind of pictures?! *_____*

Show me your desktop, too? *nosy*

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( Cheesy SanaAto drabble. Some things are hard to say ... )

Food post, because neitaro has commented on the lack of them lately. xD

Lunched at tao's restaurant the other day. I originally thought it was value for money, but now that I've taken another look at the pictures, I'm not so sure because it doesn't seem to be a lot. Nevertheless, it was quite filling. xD

For approximately S$23 per person (inclusive of GST and service charge), you get to enjoy the following. I was especially fond of the way they've taken the trouble to present the food in an artistic manner, which is more than what I can say for most restaurants here in that price range. Food is a kind of art, is it not?

EDIT: I should add that prices seem to have risen from when I last visited.

( Peek? )

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In other random news ...

1. I actually like Orenji's enka, Ore no Nihonkai (courtesy of makaioh), very much. In fact, I can't seem to stop listening to it. Sanada's D Kimochi pales in comparison, IMO, though it DID remind me of an ORANGE RANGE song, which I can't seem to recall off the top of my head. In fact, have you noticed that most of Sanada's songs have got that retro groove to them? xD



2. There is a bead shop called SHINOBEADS! *amused*



3. My mum says she's not showing me the uncensored version of Lust, Caution (she borrowed a DVD of it) because "I'm not married". I'm sorry, mother, but I'm really not as innocent as you think I am. This is the age of the intarwebs and I am a part of fandom. It's impossible to remain pure as first snow. LOL.

Title: Heavenly
Pairing: Sanada x Atobe
Disclaimer: Konomi's sandbox. I merely play in it.
Summary: Atobe goes stargazing.
Notes: kageillusionz's birthday fic proper. Happy Birthday, dear! ♥ ♥ ♥ Can be taken as some sort of a continuation to the previous fic, but it's more of a standalone. As usual, not beta-ed so feel free to point out errors. I hope it doesn't blow too much because I confess I'm not too happy with the latter bits. Not sure where I'm going with this. xD

( Twinkle twinkle little star ... )

Title: If
Pairing: Sanada x Atobe
Disclaimer: Konomi's sandbox. I merely play in it.
Summary: Atobe meets someone at a jazz concert and reminisces the past ...
Notes: Written for kageillusionz's (pre-)birthday. A more appropriate birthday fic will be forthcoming. ^_____^ Unbeta-ed.

( If only ... )

I fail at humour, so is anyone able to turn this picture into a lolcat? Kitteh. Is. Not. Amused. It made me crack up. xD

While we're on the topic of animals, this heart-warming story and accompanying photo made me wibble so much even though it's kinda outdated. ♥

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( Doctor Who S04E07: The Unicorn and The Wasp )

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Mum and I bought a pair of these colourful Camper Twins-like shoes each. Please don't disassociate yourself from me after viewing the pictures because I'm sure majority of the f-list is going to find them distasteful but I quite like me shoes. LOL.

( Animal Planet )

Don't know the difference between an espresso macchiato and an espresso con panna? And what on Earth is an americano? Do you feel hopelessly illiterate when you step into a café? Worry no more with this interesting site that offers side-by-side diagrams and comparisons of the most common espresso-based drinks! Mighty helpful if you ask me. 8)

While we're on the topic of coffee, check out this neat photo gallery by Irene Müller that features high-speed macro photography of milk meeting coffee. Her other galleries are also worth a visit. *___*

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( Fandom chatter. Vampire Knight 7 this time. )

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EDIT: ORANGE RANGE's O2 PV is kinda cool, if a little silly. I think it's set in Edo Japan or the like. I obviously can't comment on the lyrics, but it's got a catchy tune. ♪

( 朝も夜も恋焦がれて～ )

I don't know if you guys use these utterly adorable Tuzki in MSN but I'm completely in love with them so imagine my excitement when I finally chanced upon the blog of its creator, Wang Momo! You can visit it here at 自得其乐 and browse the emoticons over here (just click on the individual links). I tried to syndicate that site but it didn't work. =T

This second .gif here is a tribute to the Sichuan Earthquake victims and a rallying call for China -- 众志成城, which loosely translates to "unity is strength". I know I haven't posted about this devastating natural disaster, but I have been keeping up with the latest news and my heart breaks every single time. Burma, I haven't forgotten about you, either. My thoughts and love are with you all.

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( About KKM 86 ... )

Put Josh Groban (love his voice) and the African Children's Choir together and what do you get? This beautiful song.

It's an old performance but what the heck. I wish I could've heard it live -- I'm sure it must've been amazing. Even the show host was tearing up. x3

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I either have a bad scanner or bad scanning skills because my images always seem to turn out grainy despite my best efforts. Is 600dpi not enough? ;_____; Anyways, I'm not sure if anyone's still interested but here you go! The cover (and lyrics) of the Dear Prince single because our samurai are so pretty. ♥

BIG scans under the cut (2000 x 990) otherwise you can't see Sanada's face clearly. As usual, feel free to use it for whatever.

( Clicky for the pretty. )

Title: Absence & Presence
Pairing: Conrad x Yuuri
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Notes: I was itching to write ConYuu despite my complete lack of inspiration ... and I can't believe it took me so long to come up with 100 words. @_____@

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( Absence & Presence )

So I've watched all the episodes of Kyou Kara Maou! I could find, though I've kinda skipped some parts that I thought were going to be boring.

Plot's a little loopy, IMO. The villains' motives and actions were juvenile and ill thought out, and some of the later developments were rather half-baked, as though unnecessary twists were deliberately scripted in for the sake of drama. I'll have to re-watch for more details ... but who cares about that? The point is that there are pretty boys to fangirl! KKM was never meant to provide its audience with deep philosophical experiences. I love the humour, the minor angst, the characters and their dynamics! Another thing that got me hooked was definitely the cute. All sorts of cute animals! Ack!

We inevitably come to ships. LOL. I have to say I'm getting really fond of Conrad x Yuuri. There was one scene in episode 5 where Conrad said something so utterly sweet to Yuuri it made me wibble. Can you guess which line it was? 8) Since then, they've become a guilty pleasure of mine. I'm such a pathetic sap but those two have got something so precious between them that it gets my heart all a-flutter despite my dislike for man-boy pairings. Shinou x Daikenja isn't too bad, either.

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Oh, this dude is so amazing he rocks my socks off. I have no words to describe just how awesome he is so you're just gonna have to see it to believe it.

This is an infomercial/demo for Creative's Prodikeys.

( Introducing ... )

This completely useless fangirly post was brought to you by Kyou Kara Maou! Have watched the first 25 episodes and the 5 latest ones from season 3 after seeing a couple of people on the f-list talk about it. I've already rambled to a few folks about how action anime puts me to sleep, so the good thing about KKM is that fighting is kept to a minimum. It's more of a fantasy adventure kinda show. ♥

( KKM in a nutshell. )

I'm really new to this fandom and seeing as how the anime has already been running for some time, I wonder if Gwendal has a character CD. I'd love to hear it! =O

( 7 screencaps from season 3. Possible spoilersss. )

Part of my Sunday was spent giving my filthy, filthy keyboard a good clean scrub from the inside out (not finished yet; I'm tackling it in sections and washing the keys individually). According to a report on the BBC, keyboards are dirtier than toilets. I don't doubt that. Our toilets are washed every day but how often do you clean your keyboard? Have you ever? Think of all the dust, food particles, dead insects and everything in between that might have fallen through the cracks in the years you've been using it. Look at the yellowing keys. @_____@

Now might be a good time to start on computer hygiene if you've previously been neglecting it. Good luck and I hope you don't find any bacteria colonies! p(^___^)q

( Poll under cut )

New layout & profile! I'm on a Shinkai Makoto/Makoto Shinkai high.

Anyway, I was watching season 11 of The Amazing Race and promptly fell in love with this piece: Chopin's Waltz in C Sharp Minor, Op. 64, No. 2. It was from the Poland episode. Take a listen! 8)

Doesn't it sound like something that would be played at an elegantly decadent vampire party? *gets shot*

( Click me! )

Everybody, go wibble at the cute now! If only one kitty were black and the other, white. ;)

In other news, I've just watched Vampire Knight 5. *points at screencap* I think I might have a thing for the lens flare effect.


( Dorks, cuties, screencaps & spoilers. )

Am back from my rather impromptu JB trip, so that means I've essentially travelled overseas and back in a day! This is the first time I've taken public transport to Malaysia! *dorks* I didn't see anything that caught my fancy this time, but I did manage to brave the stagnant heat, crowded buses and rather suffocating exhaust fumes at immigration to bring home some cakes from Secret Recipe. My Tiramisu was a little melted, though ...

While we're not really on the topic of shopping, one pet peeve I've got is this: Sales assistants following you around like vengeful spirits. I'm perfectly capable of browsing on my own, thank you very much. It's so stressful when someone's eyeing your every move. I know they're only trying to do their job, but it just serves to drive me away from the place. This is the reason why I'm slightly apprehensive about stepping into shops with no customers.

What about you guys? Are you OK with sales assistants who buzz around you? X_____x

There was one scene in a HK drama I watched some time ago, where the female lead was taught how to serve customers. It roughly went like this. I think it's a good guide.

1. Make eye contact and greet the customer with a smile. Do not stick to them. It will only annoy them.



2. Give the customer some space to browse on their own. They will look around/call for you when they need help.



3. Go over when you're needed.

I would be failing in my duties as fangirl if I did not point you guys in the direction of Yakiniku no Oujisama (with Chinese subs)! Wole and Tudou have become my favourite video streaming sites. xD Thanks to them I get to watch Doctor Who and catch up on The Amazing Race! What I like about these sites is that there is this album function that allows the uploader to group their videos together in neat bundles, thus making life easier for us, especially if a particular series has got many seasons and hundreds of episodes.

EDIT: Ooh, I didn't know it was on YouTube as well! Here are the links to the raws - [ Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 ]

By the way, isn't the boxset cover for the TeniPuri OVA Finals beautiful? I think everyone looks pretty good there ... save for Renji, whose expression scares me a little. It looks like a scene from a Japanese horror flick. Think Ring. xD

( Screencaps; I couldn't resist, and random blah. )

I was going to pre-order Sanada's D Kimochi from Amazon, but the shipping is going to end up costing more than twice the amount of the single itself. That's nuts! So unless I find something else to buy together with this, I'm prolly going to give it a miss. ._____.

And not that anyone cares, but here's the St. Rudolph clubroom thingy. I found this one rather entertaining. xD

( Inside St. Rudolph's clubroom! )

I found this cute video clip titled The Pandas' Secret. Aren't they adorable?! o(>x<)o ♥ It's at times like these that I wish I worked at a zoo or an animal shelter.

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There's this Marché-styled Japanese "food court" thing at the basement of Raffles City. For the uninitiated, though I'm sure most of you already know, when you enter the premise, the staff will pass you a card (pictured). With it, you can walk around and order whatever catches your fancy; your ordered items will be recorded on the card. When you're done, you simply head for the exit and hand the card back to the cashiers to settle your bill.

The first time I came across the place, the queue was so ridiculously long I walked right past it but the second time, it was relatively empty (feels suspiciously like yet another fad) and so we decided to give it a go.

( Clicky me to see more ramble and random food picture. )

makaioh has kindly shared the Dear Prince single and cover over here if you don't know yet. =)

The group that sang this is called Ikemen Samurai and just in case you haven't been on TeniPuri Planet for some time, it consists of Sanada, Atobe, Yukimura, Tezuka, Shiraishi, Kite and Echizen. I LOL at the naming sense (sounds like a combined effort between Sanada and Atobe *coughs*) but at the same time, I'm completely in love with how Sanada looks over there. It's a pity we don't have a bigger image, but this is possibly the best official (anime) picture of him I've ever seen. I guess that just means he truly is an old-fashioned man through and through; looks really good and oh-so-manly and sexy in traditional garb. Be still my beating heart. *_____*

It's such a feel-good, happy and bouncy song that it makes me wanna watch TeniPuri over and over and over again. Speaking of which, there is a comm that is posting 3 AniPuri episodes per week for us to relive TeniPuri. You can find it over at tenipuriweekly. ♥

I really am genetically configured to fangirl those that go by the name of Sanada, it would seem. Sanada Hiroyuki is another gorgeous thing. Does anyone have one more Sanada to throw at me to test this theory out? x3