The manga fairy arrived again today, giving me the fourth volume of Ouran, the first and third volumes of xxxHolic (the second and fourth will arrive later), and the first two volumes of Monster! I have eclectic tastes, what can I say. Ouran just makes me so happy. I do not giggle out loud very often, but I found myself doing so almost every page; it is just one of those series that is made out of pure silly joy, and I love it unreservedly. Unconventional families oh my secret weakness.

Holic also fills me with joy, although for slightly different reasons, since Yuuko does not really have an equivalent in Ouran. (--actually now that I think about it she is sort of like if the twins and Kyouya had a kid who then acquired powers over space and time and a slight case of alcoholism, and that is a terrifying thing to contemplate on pretty much every level.) I'd read the first volume before, but I'd forgotten that it rather noticeably lacks the spaghetti proportions of the anime, which uh does make for easier reading I shall admit. It also has rather less flailing, although perhaps that is because Doumeki has not shown up yet. And I am now going to have to read Tsubasa, aren't I. Because another series is totally what I needed. Le sigh.

Monster also fills me with joy, although for rather more different reasons than the first two, and I am pleased to note that the anime appears to follow the manga to the letter. But it slightly worries me that there is a (well-hidden) note saying some content has been modified from the original Japanese, albeit with the creator's consent; what am I not allowed to see? You had a graphic close-up on a brain surgery! You are about a serial killer! I think your audience can probably handle it, guys. Or maybe it is just some cultural thing the American audience would have no chance of understanding. But we get unedited Sayonara Zetsubo-Sensei, so...I don't know, you guys. Because they won't let me.

(Relatedly, I was reading TV Tropes and bookelfe bookelfe look at the image for the Complete Monster page and tell me you have already seen that and it turns out okay because that is not something I want to turn out not okay . D: D: D: D: )

Help! My parents are holding me hostage!

Like, I only planned to be down here until Friday night/early Saturday morning but they're all like, well, Dad can take you home after Mom leaves for work on Saturday night. Okay but I have shit to do at home! Yes, I could take the train, but it would take me approximately 3 hours to get home. And it's not even like we're doing anything fun. Dad's been watching some depressing banking thing on PBS and Mom's painting my old room. Bren is still here but he's too busy texting his new girlfriend (I predict they'll be broken up by Christmas) to do anything.

So. I am bored.

Anyway, I did go furniture shopping yesterday and managed to find a pub set for the dining room and some cool oddly-shaped bookcases. Amazingly, they were in my budget too. This was after going to like five different furniture stores because every one of them only had dining room tables for McMansions! Like, who can afford one of those anymore!?

Vinni is a blanket thief, by the way. I'd also like to know how it's possible for a 10 pound dog to kick me out of bed. He is so tiny and the bed is so large!

I have just gotten into Orson Welles. :) Even though he had been around for a long time. But since I've heard about the new movie, Me & Orson Welles. Whcih I'm very excited to see! So please enjoy! Please no hotlinking thank you.



( We’re born alone, we live alone, we die alone. Only through our love and friendship can we create the illusion for the moment that we’re not alone )

Um. 12,000 words. Still freaking setting shit up. Busty Asian beauty stripper OC. fml.

*stabs*

Why no love for me, J2 lesbian love story, why?

Also, if I don't stop having awkward lesbian in the presence of a real live penis nightmares, one of you dies!

*stabs*

Thanksgiving had much pie--I didn't even get to try every kind--and fabulous borscht, because that is what happens when you invite Lithuanians. The other thing that happens is you sneak off to watch Beetlejuice with the other not-quite-adults, apparently. They had not seen it before! And it is totally a holiday movie. It's got food in it! Well. Bugs.

Before school started, my mom made a deal with me wherein if I lost a certain amount of weight (I'd been trying to in the first place), she'd give me a considerable amount of money for manga; I am pretty sure she is eventually going to regret this, as the deal is repeatable and I have thus far kicked its ass, which is how I ended up reading through volume 5 of 20th Century Boys (the other stuff I ordered hasn't arrived yet). IT IS AWESOME and yet I hate it because it ended on a horrible cliffhanger and the next volume is not out yet D: D: D: DON'T YOU DO THIS TO ME. At least I also have the first two volumes of Monster coming to me? But I already know what happens in those, so. My life is so hard, you guys.

I acquired the soundtrack of Kuroshitsuji, because, well, I could, and it amuses me how easily it serves as a description of the show. You listen to one track and you think, there is no word to describe this other than wacky, and then you listen to another and there is ominous chanting and ominouser bass notes and in this track it sounds like the singer is about to cry but this track you are pretty sure could rival Yakety Sax and you have no idea what's going on but you're entertained anyway. So really it fits the mood of the show pretty well! In all its glorious whiplash.

--I was planning to work on Yuletide today but I have a cold and I really do not want to do anything besides drink orange juice and read TV Tropes, so that is what I will do. And fret about 20th Century Boys. Kenjiiii ;_; ;_; ;_;

Thanksgiving does not begin for several hours here, but there is much preparation going on, mostly because we're hosting it for the first time in years; we also have actual relatives coming, which, well, okay we usually have my mom's cousin and her husband, but this year we have said cousin's parents (and not, I believe, said cousin--oh man, are we going to have family drama this year? We never have family drama! So exciting!). Everyone else is Lithuanian, and more like family than most of our actual (extended) family. And then there will be pie.

Last night I watched through the end of Pandora Hearts, because I totally needed another random anime no one on my flist watches to talk about; I'm rather fond of it, though it's in desperate need of a second season. If you are going to set up all these mysteries, you should answer them okay, this is not Lost. But I still adore all the main characters and most of the supporting ones, and the inexplicable Alice in Wonderland allusions sprinkled throughout it for really no reason at all (wait, so the obvious Alice figure isn't the one named Alice, that's the rabbit, except she's sort of also the Red Queen but only sometimes and she's not the one with the pocket watch anyway, that's Alice-figure-who-is-not-named-Alice, and then the Cheshire Cat and the Mad Hatter are--you know what, I don't even care, it's all very pretty). Also, massive epic if perhaps-one-sided gay in the form of UNDYING LOYALTY oh my heart. Okay, so, the DVDs have these little extras thanking the viewers for buying them, and they are basically random crack (high school AU why yes), and there is this one where one of the female supporting characters decides all the male main characters need to confess various kinds of love to the female main character, just because she needs more experience in that sort of thing, and of course all the guys fail miserably because said female main character is having none of that, except one of the guys is actually very sweet and heartfelt and UNDYING LOYALTY and then it turns out he was talking to one of the other guys instead. That is how this show rolls. (The aforementioned high school AU is even worse, if by 'worse' you mean 'amazing'.)

I could probably babble at length about the pairing, honestly--age differences that weren't there when they first met! How people change over time but are pretty much the same deep down! Threesomes! UNDYING LOYALTY!--but like I said I do not think there is anyone here who watches the series, so. Instead I shall wish a happy Thanksgiving to all those who celebrate it and a happy day in general to those who don't; I am thankful for all of y'all, regardless of holiday, and all that fandom has given me. Enjoy whatever food and/or company you are having today, even if it is just take-out Chinese and your cat.

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Send some lovin' thanks to your friends with our holiday vgifts!

Photos of the week

We're so delighted with the immense talent of our growing, global lj_photophile community that we've decided to introduce a poll. Each week, we'll choose a half-dozen photos (based on user comments and staff feedback) and ask you to select a photo of the week. The winning photo will be announced in the next newsletter. If possible, please limit photo size to 350x350 to ensure that images display properly on friends pages. We want to thank you again (and again!) for sharing your passion.

Check out this week's photo poll and more fantastic user content after the jump!

( Read more... )

Curtains

Thanks for joining us. To our American friends, have a fantastic Thanksgiving. To all of our international neighbors, we'll eat a little extra for you!

Finally saw Waters of Mars, and it was v. good, especially regarding the Doctor's actions towards the end, although anything zombie-like creeps me the hell out and having freaky black mouths and pale eyes does not help okay. I didn't watch the preview for the Christmas special, as I already know about the two elements I would want to know about. It is less than a month away! There are longer waits.

Today's adventure: eating a container of yogurt that is six days past its sell-by date. It didn't taste weird, but I shall be sure to inform you all if I sprout strawberry-guava-flavored limbs.

Love: What Everyone Needs to Know
How to Tell When You Are Really in Love

Air Date: Tue 11/24 11:00PM

Channel: 75 CUNY

Length: 60 mins

Genre: Instructional

First Aired: Dec 30 2008

----

http://www.digitallearning.govst.edu/love.html

A couple days ago I ended up rifling through my brother's room, because re-reading the Discworld books is something I do when I have nothing else to do and his room is where they are kept, and then I discovered that my brother has just as schizophrenic tastes in manga as I do, which is how I ended up reading the first two volumes of Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service, the first two volumes of Hellsing, the first volume of Barefoot Gen, and...the first volume of Yotsuba&!. One of these things is not like the others, one of these things is not the same...

( Manga ramblings got a bit long, so )

Yesterday was Monday, which means that I have now seen through episode fourteen of Monster, and while I am sadly unable to watch it with my friends due to them living on the other side of the country, it still makes me happy and fuzzy inside. Which you would not think a story about a man tracking down a sociopathic killer would do! Except when the man is the nicest and most fundamentally decent person in the world, I suppose. Throw in what bookelfe refers to as ninja neurosurgery and Dieter being all "I don't need an ordinary life or actual parents, I've got Tenma! :D :D :D " and my heart, it has melted. My heart also unexpectedly melts for Eva, because they have to go and give her character analysis and also really you have to feel sorry for anyone who blew their chance at being with the nicest man in the world. I do not tend to put much stock into having crushes on fictional characters, mostly because the majority of my favorite characters are either taken and/or kind of deeply dysfunctional, but I wouldn't really mind having a Tenma, I'm just saying. He is neither of those things! He is the only character in the world who is neither of those things!

ETA: OH OH AND I SAW UP. I join the legions of those who cried their eyes out, although probably there are not as many who also cried their eyes out at random parts of the film that probably were not intended to be sad. Music: it is my weakness, you guys. Also good points towards it: inclusion of an Asian main character who is never specifically identified as such but nevertheless is pretty obviously so! Good on ya, Pixar.

Title: To a Place We Never Kept
Author: Jai
Pairing: Eric/Vince
Rating: R
Length: ~20,000 words
Summary: In the summer of 1994, Johnny Chase leaves Queens for Los Angeles with nothing but a van, a dream...and Vince, Eric, and Turtle. This is that story.

( i'm not sure if we belong here, if i ever really left, or if i can go home )