Free Will and Free Expression...

Me wasting time with lists as usual...

2009-12-23T21:23:10Z

I have a strong urge to watch Fushigi Yuugi. It's been about ten years since I saw it last. Saw it so many times, back when I had a lack of fansubs, that I still remember it so well too. It's not a bad story, just possibly the worst lead character of any anime ever created. X_x

I'm amused by what I ordered off of Amazon, because my quirky combination of interests are indeed quirky. Check it out:
Jesus's Son: Stories by Denis Johnson
The Dark Tower Set (1-4) by Stephen King
World as Will and Idea by Arthur Schopenhauer
Foop! by Chris Genoa
Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
Five Fists of Justice by Matt Fraction
Voyages to the Moon and the Sun by Cyrano de Bergerac (yes the REAL Cyrano... considered possibly the first science fiction novel)
Sources of Japanese Tradition, Volume One: From Earliest Times to 1600 by Theodore de Bary
Kappa by Ryunosuke Akutagawa (mmm a story about a crazy guy written by a crazy, suicidal guy)
A History of Knowledge: Past, Present, and Future by Charles van Doren
Day Shift Werewolf by Jan Underwood (a Nanowrimo winner!.. suck it, vampires!)
Alfano - Cyrano de Bergerac / Alagna, Manfrino, Rivenq, Ferrari, Troxell, Schaer, Barrard, Rittelmann, Habela, Guidarini, Montpellier Opera (yes, OPERA, bitches!)
The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera
Peter Camenzind: A Novel by Hermann Hesse
Journey to the East by Herman Hesse (so a bunch of random historical figures go on a quest...)
The Color of Magic dvd (Pratchett teehee)
The Modern Mind: An Intellectual History of the 20th Century by Peter Watson
Harvey (the James Stewart movie about an imaginary bunny)
Vampire Hunter D: books 6-8 by Hideyuki Kikuchi (considered the best part of the series)

Wow I have a severe lack of theology books in here for my usual quota. I almost bought the quotable atheist but felt guilty as I am an agnostic. :)

I need to make a resolution to finish at least one book every two weeks. I have so much stuff before this order that I still haven't read yet. And in a few months the next Twelve Kingdoms comes out! (that's a day-read but still... I stop everything for Twelve Kingdoms!)

Merry Christmas! I give you....

2009-12-23T17:01:12Z

...the Star Wars Holiday Special! After seeing just a review of it by The Nostalgia Critic, I promise you that seeing the entire special through would probably liquify your brain. I barely could sit through the review... there's that much horror! :)

jizai @ 2009-12-22T15:18:00

2009-12-22T21:18:47Z

My dad took the lazy approach to Christmas and just sent me an Amazon gift card again this year.

I totally could have used that ladder bookshelf that I bookmarked on Amazon forever ago... but to hell with more furniture - BOOKS! The only graphic novel I ordered was Five Fists of Science which is about Mark Twain and Nikola Tesla being a team of superheroes who use their wit and science to kick ass! This had better rock. :)

jizai @ 2009-12-18T19:48:00

2009-12-19T01:48:46Z

I'm FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Woot. Also, finally getting my hair hacked off in just over a week. Woot. :)

Ummm... that is all? I know I started this LJ with the intention of saying something of importance. Oh, even if you guys never read Bleach, do yourself a favor and read this week's chapter. WTF ridiculous... that manga always outdoes itself in the stupidity department.

EDIT: OH YEAH... I'd like to announce that Les Mis kicked my ass. I've never seen an unabridged novel defeat me so easily before. That man's editor needs to be dug out of his grave and shot again. I now own the abridged version. I feel so ashamed and dirty. ;-;

jizai @ 2009-12-17T15:30:00

2009-12-17T21:30:32Z

Squishy Panda-lites... rejoice because I'm actually working out a comic for THE GREATES SERIES EVER TOLD... NINJA PIMP! Har har. So do any of you remember the details of it? I've been inventing a bunch when I've had free time today, but I know some of you guys went nuts on developing characters and stuff in the middle of the night at con hotels.

DOHOHO

2009-12-16T21:55:47Z

Anthy cel

2009-12-14T23:54:42Z

I don't have the money, but...

...YOU WILL BE MINE!!!! O_O

Just needs crazy swords of hate in all directions.

24 hours of pure WIN

2009-12-14T23:12:37Z

Venture Bros. mid-season finale: pretty damn good. SPHINX being on the Venture Compound all along was hilarious... and Shore Leave is just about the funniest gay stereotype I've seen since Hank Azaria in The Birdcage. Gotta admit, often this season it's felt like Doc and Jackson are having trouble keeping the jokes and storylines fresh, but I have hope.

Metalocalypse (also mid-season finale): PRETTY DAMN GOOD. Pickles definitely is my favorite character. His issues with being the "neglected son" were hilarious. Skwisgaar finally got his own episode since season 1's Guitar Wizard class episode. Man he was a cute kid, and he needs to pull his hair back more in the show. What can I say, he's an adorable cartoon character. The whole Skwissy-being-a-god angle was pretty badass and I enjoyed it thoroughly. :)

And lastly...I WON A CONTEST ON TOPLESS ROBOT!!!!! :)For those of you who don't know... Kyle Rayner is a Green Lantern of earth who has a bad habit of having his girlfriends killed off... one was killed by being SHOVED INTO HIS REFRIGERATOR.

I have a new favorite movie review site

2009-12-11T22:22:00Z

Find more videos like this on The Spill.com Movie Community

Writer's Block: My Favorite Movie Quote

2009-12-11T21:54:21Z

What’s your favorite movie quote of all time?

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A great movie for quotes is the original Moore/Cook Bedazzled. I really appreciate good wit... add in some comedic religious imagery and I'm dazzled:

"There was a time when I used to get lots of ideas... I thought up the Seven Deadly Sins in one afternoon. The only thing I've come up with recently is advertising."

Writer's Block: The One Movie Everyone Should See

2009-12-11T04:06:05Z

What one film do you think everyone should see?

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Definitely not Avatar,... that's just Ferngully + Dances with Wolves with blue furries. Search your heart, you know it to be the truth. ;)

Hmmm, in terms of message, I'd have to go with V for Vendetta. I actually prefer it over the graphic novel since it's pertinent to today. Love free expression, do not fear your oppressors, and question everything.

***
So in random things today:
Manga news - Newsflash! Naruto has gotten even more ridiculous! *gasp!* Bleach... I swear I still read this only for the random possibility for gorgeous posing. Tousen is one incredibly beautiful man... even with his face covered up. Best hollowfication ever, it's so simple yet elegant.

Mmm Daredevil tpbs are pretty awesome... he's like Batman without being a total bitch about his folks (*insert "MY PARENTS ARE DEEEEEEEEEEAD!" here*)

Discovered, thanks to David, that SNES and NES roms work on the DS as well. Does anything else? Can I play Virtual Boy games on this mofo? >P

And Val fails at going online when she says she will. BOO!

*sleep*

Batman Parody

2009-12-10T21:43:34Z

BWAHAHA

jizai @ 2009-12-09T22:50:00

2009-12-10T04:51:03Z

What are your favorite anime OP and ~~EDs~~? and why?
Don't go past top 5 10, and say a few words why?

**I'm going to pull out some lesser known stuff just for the sake of roping people into the WIN... I could never pick just five or ten. I've seen too much. O_O

My close friends understand my fixation on this bubble-gum insane opening. How can you not love "CYCLING, CYCLING LALALA!"?!

Okay, Eyeshield 21 isn't that rare either... but damn the beat to this is just great. I quit watching the anime before this OP even came out too... the animation already dipped way too much, but you can't tell from this OP. It's just EPIC. EPIC ANIME FOOTBALL!!!

Fancy Lala just makes me damned happy. It's so cute and spunky.

Ultra Relax is a way more addictive song, but 19 o'clock News is a way better OP. Kodocha is still one of the funniest anime out there... proving that the jokes don't have to be vulgar to be amusing.

Rose of Versailles, well-known but watched by few for some reason. Classy OP.

A lot of people know Paradise Kiss but aren't as familiar with Gokinjo Monogatari. Less "mature" than Parakiss, but spunky fun anyhow. WATASHI WA HEROINEEEEEE.

Abenobashi Magical Shopping Arcade... for being fun and really random. I like Gainax when they don't milk their franchises forever.

Anyone old enough to remember DNA^2? >) It's early L'arc and great animation.

This is mo'fo NAZCA!! Okay, so the premise of the show could have been interesting if it wasn't so cliched. But check out that use of classical music!! THis op is a beast. The boys popping out of the ground always makes me delighted for some reason.

The Hunter x Hunter first OAV op. It's "Pale Ale", full of hope but also gloom... just like the first OAV. All it needs is Hisoka doing random pelvic thrusts.

jizai @ 2009-12-09T18:27:00

2009-12-10T00:27:16Z

Holy shit, people! Quit giving each other virtual snowflake cookies!!! They're clogging my inbox. YOU CAN'T EVEN EAT THEM!!!

Writer's Block: Go it alone

2009-12-09T22:01:48Z

Do you think society puts too much pressure on people to be in relationships and/or have children? Do you think this ostracizes people who would be perfectly content to remain single and/or child-free? Is this pressure worse around the holidays?

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Oh come now, 99.9% of LJ users have the same answer to this. Of course, yes there is pressure. Albeit, this pressure is less than it has probably ever been in history (for the US at least). I think the pressure is from individual people who have just been influenced in the direction of believing you aren't 'complete' unless you have someone to be your other half.

My view is, if you are only a half, you should take some time to find out who YOU are before using another person as a crutch to give your life purpose. I'm in the vast minority of people who thinks having a mate is far more hassle and tediousness than being alone. I'm happy alone. I may adopt a kid some day... not because I SHOULD raise a child but to do some good for a kid who has had a rough life.

The pressure isn't any worse during the holidays to me. I have the random aunt or uncle ask "Do you have a boyfriend yet?" at any time of the year. One day I'll ask them in return, "Have you learned how to live on your own two feet yet?"

***
Made a new mix cd. It's remarkable how much "hanyaaaaan" nostalgia I feel from hearing any of the Fushigi Yuugi themes... especially the ones for the OAVs. Really FY isn't that horrible though I can't sit through it any more. If you ignore Miaka and the dumbshits who fall for her and the fact that Watase-sensei reuses the same character types and models ad nauseum, it isn't dreadful. ;p

jizai @ 2009-12-08T18:06:00

2009-12-09T00:06:51Z

I just received TPBs 1-2 of Daredevil. Mmm the art (and I've been told the writing) is so great. I'm making a relatively decent effort to gradually own more comics instead of just leeching like crazy. I've been seriously considering making a proper attempt to draw a serious comic. Problem is that my inking and coloring blow. I JUST WANT A PENCIL AND A ROUGH SKETCH! :) This used to be a "I wanna draw a manga" desire, but to hell with manga... I hate how most manga has spastic boxes. Give me Dave Gibbons and his symmetrical 9 box scheme. :P

4chan's /co/ gave me the idea for a random webcomic (though I have a bigger idea that I plan to work out). It'd be the BRO-ventures of Dr. Doom, Namor, and Loki. It'd be just stupid fun... them hitting on women, decimating entire countries, whatever feels right at the time.

Maybe I can scan in some doodles for this week. I really need to make more time for drawing and writing. As much as /co/ makes me happy and often inspires me, it also leeches my free time when I manage to have free time.

Writer rambles

2009-12-05T19:50:24Z

I've finally rangled in all of my notes/history books on the Heian period from my car, my old house, from boxes, etc... had to reacquaint myself with all the clans, battles, politics. Damn, if ever this time period asked to be made into stories. I know Japanese authors are aware of this. There are Abe no Seimei movies and book series, there's the Yoshitsune tv drama, etc... but damn I'm covering all 400 years. At first I was learning all of this so I could change things for my own use, since 99.9% of Americans don't know crap about Heian Japan... but it's already a perfect story that I can just interject theme and different perspectives into. It's just "poetic" if I can use the word.

Damn I can see more focus on just historical "fantasy" fiction in my future writing. I have a few dystopian future concepts, but real history is crazier (and often more original) than the things people pull from their imagines (aka ripped off of Tolkien typically).

God I have more than enough material and outlines for four novels... but I have way more passion for the research and organization than the writing itself. ;-;

I need to get my ass to writing and by the end of the month I may post an excerpt.

Random Potter

2009-12-05T18:11:26Z

I don't care what anyone says. In terms of directing a movie that comes from a book... and remaining both faithful to the source and still keeping the movie interesting, the first two Harry Potter movies are still the best in that respect. Sorceror's Stone is on tv, and Columbus just portrays that sense of awe and wonder that I think all of the later movies totally lack. Now could he have directed the darker aspects of the later stories as well, I don't know, but his movies still feel the most simiar to what that HP world should be (barring that super hokey "WE ALL LOVE HAGRID!" ending in Chamber of Secrets :)

Cuaron wins for greatest cinematography, but god that man put too much random fondling and spastic characterization and bad pacing in his movie (thanks for thinking the canines are gay though).

I'm going to have to be drunk to watch all of HBP... really drunk. Wait, I don't ever get drunk... damn.

In 2009, jizai resolves to...

Drink four glasses of veganism every day.
Learn to play the doujinshi.
Cut down to ten kingdom hearts a day.
Become a better cosplay.
Admit my true feelings to vivacious_dan.
Connect with my inner gankutsuou.

My "inner Gankutsuou" indeed. TIME FOR VENGEANCE!!!!!!

Writer's Block: Reminiscing about the Internet

2009-12-04T03:41:13Z

Do you remember the things you did when you first started using the Web and how it has changed your life?

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For you whipper-snappers... my first experiences with the internet were pre-windows with [IMAGE] thrown about where pictures should appear on the websites. Oh wonderful I-55 dialup connection, I do not miss you either. Want a REAL AUDIO song? Why that hefty, "high quality" 500kb song will take 20 minutes to save. Oh and my favorite noise... "UH OH!" The sound of ICQ. Oh how do I talk to people? Forums don't really exist much,... I'm killing time in newsgroups. Haaaar so old.

Writer's Block: Name your passion

2009-12-03T04:01:55Z

What are you most passionate about and why?

Submitted By blushingpink

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The potential of the individual human. Specifically I'm obsessed with my own personal growth, perspective, and abilities. But I find following this sort of thing in other people interesting. Seeing the fruits of labor of a person who also delved past the limits of conformity and the regular... I don't like humans, but I am fascinated by this sort of individual... and while a few still exist, they keep my own passion and hope alive. :)

So, 4chan has coined the perfect title for the new Avatar movie: Dances with Smurfs. No really... the story afterall is like a merging of Dances with Wolves and Ferngully... except with blue furries. So there. I thus forth will call it Dances with Smurfs and still won't go see it. Why is everyone praising this movie so much!? The premise has been done to death!

jizai @ 2009-12-02T17:32:00

2009-12-02T23:32:49Z

Never stopping with the howling, waking me up an hour early and unable to sleep well after that because of the howling... I am going to freaking uppercut this dog before my uncle picks her up. Like seriously... Mike Tyson Punchout uppercut.

jizai @ 2009-12-01T17:24:00

2009-12-01T23:24:41Z

Post a list of things you would like to receive for the holidays. This can be any number of things but the suggested number is at least ten. These can be anything from practical (I really need a new frying pan) to frivolous (I want a Spiderman hoodie) to just out there (Santa could I please have a new pickup). Your friends will see your list and hopefully get you something on it! Happy holidays and have fun!

1. QUIT RAINING AND BEING SO COLD. Rainy-cold is the worst cold of all. ;-;
2. The energy to do everything I need to do for work over the break.
3. An improvement in the economy/no political dickery for all of December.
4. Really really good sleep
5. To eat out for Thai and Japanese at least once over the break.
6. I'd wish for a fun nerdy present but my folks fail at understanding my interests beyond Amazon wishlist.
7. To get my students through all of their assignments before the holidays start.
8. To pass my GRE exam the Monday after X-mas.
9. Some artistic talent so I don't fail at making my folks' paintings.
10. Good health all around... can never go wrong with that.

jizai @ 2009-11-30T16:33:00

2009-11-30T22:33:36Z

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Writer's Block: Book worms unite!

2009-11-29T00:21:20Z

What are the three best books you have ever read and what are the three worst? What made them so good or bad?

Submitted By crazylove16

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The Best:
*Lamb by Christopher Moore - Take Jesus' lost years and make a book that is funny and yet philosophical and heart-warming. Good stuff.
*HP: Prisoner of Azkaban - I feel horrible putting a HP book in here, but it really thrilled me to read this book. Every part of it is essential and interesting and easy to visualize. Also it recalls a time when Remus was actually likeable. >_<
*I can't choose just one... so a combination of classic literature: Siddhartha, The Idiot, The Count of Monte Cristo, 1984, The House of Seven Gables, Hunchback of Notre Dame, etc etc etc. :)

The Worst:
*The Golden Compass - Very uninspired storytelling. It just didn't pull me in at all and I couldn't latch onto more than a couple of side characters.
*Harry Potter (books 6&7) - Dreadful way to end the series... just dreadful. HBP felt like bad fanfiction... only Snape-parts were worthwhile at all. Book 7 was a boring camping story + RPG with the worst Epilogue in the history of the universe.
*Beloved - I had to read a number of crappy books for a Romance course in college, but this one I actually read most of, whereas I just stopped reading the others altogether... so I can only comment on this one properly. So overblown. There's a point when shit just gets too ridiculous for the sake of symbolism that I just scoff at the book.

Also, video below... I laughed SO HARD. Apparently present SNL doesn't suck as much as I thought it did. I'll have to look for tonight's episode.

The Muppets: Bohemian Rhapsody

2009-11-28T01:26:37Z