Date: 2020-08-28 00:02 Subject: pinned: fic index. Security: Public Mood: cheerful Music: Arashi - Kansha Kangeki Ame Arashi Tags: fic

( fic index )

Date: 2010-02-01 15:15 Subject: art vs. business Security: Public Music: hajime chitose - kono machi Tags: linkage

James Patterson Inc. -- read this. Fascinating and terrifying. XD; The numbers alone boggle the mind. And his name was only vaguely familiar to me at best before reading this - if you'd told me he was a best-selling author I would have said I kind of remembered seeing his name on dust jackets, but. Anyway, it doesn't rile me up like, say, Dan Brown does - I can totally appreciate what this guy's doing from a marketing perspective, obviously he's very good at it.

Though did Patterson's various comments on his own reading material remind anyone else of an app for thebookyoucrew? XD

Compare to this article, on Thomas Kinkade, "the only artist to be a small-cap equity issue." (Originally published in The New Yorker, but you can't read it from their online archives without a subscription; this link is to the author's personal website.) He and Patterson would either get along like a house afire or detest each other at first sight, I don't know which.

--

Unrelated: My mother and I watched the third installment of the new(est) BBC adaptation of "Emma" on PBS last night, having missed the start last week in which they inexplicably aired the first two episodes back to back. Anyway, I've heard both good and bad assessments from the flist but what no one has pointed out that really threw me: how much Romola Garai looks like Katee Sackhoff! It's eerie! And of all the jarring associations. XD;;;; (Looking at stills, they don't seem to resemble each other much, but trust me, in action they really, really do.)

Date: 2010-01-19 17:55 Subject: (no subject) Security: Public Music: dbsk - rising sun Tags: fic, haiti, manga

-- what's this I hear about Yami no Matsuei coming off hiatus? I was never a hardcore YnM fan but I kind of feel like this is a sign of the endtimes or something. o_O Like if CLAMP ever started X again. Who's read the new volume and wants to tell me what happens?

A time-sensitive note: help_haiti bidding ends tomorrow at noon EST (9 AM PST, 5 PM GMT, etc). My thread's still here; it's gotten um awfully high thank you very much I'm so glad I could help raise money I will do my best to fulfill expectations sjkd;ads anyway, the relevant point is I said if there were over five bidders I'd do two fics for the top two bidders, and there have indeed been more than five, so. Two it is. Thanks for donating. :) (And do a little research into where and how you choose to donate! I believe Médecins Sans Frontières, one of my charities of choice, is asking donors not to earmark donations specifically for Haiti as they've already got more earmarked money than they can realistically dispose of for several years.)

JE masterlist remains here, k-pop's here, bandom's here, and arashi_on is running their own fundraising effort here.

Other notes: If you're interested and have missed it, kizuna_exchange sign ups are open for business and will remain open until the 24th at midnight AKST - yeah, that's right, Alaska time. XD (Fine, fine, that's the 25th at 1 AM PST, 4 AM EST, 9 AM GMT, etc.) We are Really Excited about everyone who's signed up so far, eeee. :D


Incidentally, sorry about the sudden burst of posting, I've got all this stuff backlogged/half-finished/ready to c&p and am trying to clear out GoogleDocs. XD;;; Still need to post:

-- Kobayashi & Iwai collaborations with an eye to "Bandage"
-- writeup for GLAY Vienna Teng any of the concerts I attended in the last year ^^;
-- that analysis of KAT-TUN solos

Date: 2010-01-18 21:47 Subject: some female japanese artists i happen to like Security: Public Mood: sleepy Music: Cocco - Amefurashi Tags: chara, music

In all likelihood, half of my flist will know everything here and half won't know any. XD Except Ayaka.


Chara

I never did post the second half of the May concert reports. I've got it half-finished around here somewhere, and a proliferation of notes on the back of a handbill, so if anyone wants to read it I'll post? But I think nyonyo covered the same night, anyway. :) The point of that is, never got to expand on my thoughts on Chara, who has stage presence like none else, good lord. I'm hugely fond of Chara in general and have a Special Attachment to certain songs, but I had no idea she was such an excellent performer. She owned that auditorium. XD Anyway, I think I've posted an mp3 or two before but never made a concerted attempt to, to proselytize. Uh, Chara is amazing the end. Seriously, I think you can appreciate her from an intellectual perspective even if you don't batten on emotionally; of course I'm guessing this because I appreciate basically all music I like on a squishy emotional level. Aha. Her music runs the gamut from pure pop to funk influences to - idk, ambient? to wibbly acoustic guitar, so there is SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE.

Biggest hits: "Yasashii Kimochi" and "Swallowtail Butterfly ~ai no uta~".

You may already know her from: the film Swallowtail Butterfly ("Bandage" fans take note, it was another Iwai-Kobayashi collaboration), all-girl rock band Mean Machine, Tokyo Babylon image songs, the ED theme of Kimi ni Todoke, that one episode of cartoon KAT-TUN. XD;;;

Note: Newcomers to her music will probably be taken aback by her voice; for some it's love at first listen and for some it's an acquired taste. *g* Give her a chance even if you're not immediately convinced, because she does good music.

Tsumibukaku aishite yo
Tsumibukaku aishite yo (a scenery like me version) <-- from her self-cover album, just what I mean about wibbly acoustic guitar.
Milk
Yasashii kimochi
Private Beach
Isshoni kurasou
Aishitai no
Violet Blue
70%--yuugure no uta
Swallowtail Butterfly ~ai no uta~

Tsuji Ayano

A girl with a ukelele, what more do you want. Plus she does excellent covers - two albums' worth - Spitz, Chara, you name it.* (Arashi fans may be interested in her cover of "Happiness". Bet you never knew an acoustic ukelele version of Arashi could sound so good. XD) I saw her at Zepp Tokyo in... summer 2007? and, I mean, that was it, it was her and her ukelele in a chair on the stage. She covered Spitz's "Sunshine", actually, and by the end you could have heard a pin drop.

...huh, and apparently she was on NPR a couple years ago. I had no idea.

Sakura no ki no shita de
Ougon no tsuki (Suga Shikao cover) <-- ♥_♥
Kaze ni naru
Cherry (Spitz cover)
Happiness (Arashi cover)
Tsuki ga naiteru

Ayaka

I think everyone and their cat has head "I Believe" at this point, but I wanted to bring her up because I was looking up information the other day and I didn't realize a. she was going on indefinite hiatus and b. she was diagnosed with Graves' disease. DDD: She has got one of the most naturally beautiful voices. ;_; She was another performer from the second night of Kame no Ongaeshi, and hearing her voice in person was really something.

She said in her intro to "Mikazuki" that when she originally heard the music she told the producer (Kameda) she wasn't sure if she could do it, and it's true that in the original recording from 2006 she does the high note fine but it's nothing special compared to the complete effortlessness and clarity with which she now hits it live. Post-production? What's that? She obviously doesn't need it. It's the same quality that got me hooked on the first few notes of "Te wo tsunagou" - "mimi wo sumaseba..."

Mikazuki
Te wo tsunagou
Konya mo hoshi ni dakarete... (live)
Okaeri <-- Zettai Kareshi theme for those keeping score at home

Cocco

Amefurashi
Kumoji no hate
Kemono michi
Mizukagami

UA

Soramimi bakari
Oyako bashabasha
Summer Melancholic
Mizuiro (live a cappella)
Kasa ga nai (Inoue Yosui cover)

Amano Tsukiko

Ningyou (Meg Mix)
Bodaiju

Yano Maki

Ookina tsubasa


*HA, like I'd get through a whole music post without mentioning Spitz.

Date: 2010-01-17 18:56 Subject: [translation] LANDS - Genki Security: Public Mood: accomplished Music: LANDS - Genki (acoustic version) Tags: jin will always be my favorite, lands, music, translations, yes i still like kat-tun

Inspired to do this one by pithetaphish's excellent, excellent "BANDAGE" write-up. I hadn't really paid attention to the lyrics until I looked at it with an eye to translation and in the context of the film it's kind of, um, heart-breaking. D:

LANDS feat. Akanishi Jin - Genki (acoustic version)

( Genki )

( kanji )

( romanji )

Date: 2010-01-15 20:50 Subject: more on help_haiti for the JE inclined Security: Public Music: Ayaka - Mikazuki Tags: haiti

gothicauthor's compiling a masterlist of JE offerings here - check it out, and if you know anyone offering who's not on the list yet be sure to comment and let her know! (I'm the only one on the list thus far who doesn't have a separate fic journal, apparently. XD)

In a similar vein, there's a KAT-TUN giveaway going on here - donate and you'll join a pool from which the OP will randomly select winners to receive K-T goodies. :)

Date: 2010-01-15 10:21 Subject: fic for sale Security: Public Mood: anxious Music: The Gadsdens - The Sailor Song Tags: fic, haiti

Here's how this is going to work:

I'm signed up for help_haiti here. One fic guaranteed over 1000 words, no upper bound. The higher the bidding the longer it'll be. If there's, er, actual demand I'll write two, for the top two bids. (edit: "actual demand" determined to be over five bidders.) Fandoms on offer are the usual - JE, Gokusen 2, Nobuta - but if there's another fandom you want to see me write for shoot me a comment/email/PM. I'm definitely open to suggestions. Pairings/characters entirely at your discretion i.e. you want to make me write Kame/Yamapi, I'll write you Kame/Yamapi. Finishing WIPs is also negotiable. (Again, get in touch and we'll talk.) Bidding closes January 20th and more importantly it's generally agreed that the fics be delivered by February 14th so if you've ever wanted to reach into the screen and shake me for taking weeks/months/years to finish a fic or a meme prompt or what have you... now's your chance to make me actually do something on time! Starting bid is $5, remember this is about donating to a really important aid effort and not about what you think the monetary value of my fic is ahahaha.

However! If you're not terribly interested in the fic side but want to encourage donations, we'll do it like this - go ahead and bid, i.e. push up the bidding, and if you come out on top I'll match your donation myself and write fic for the second highest bidder's donation. See, you can't lose!

Or you can check out the many many other writers/artists/vidders/graphic designers/etc. offering their wares - masterlist sorted by fandom in the works here. (As the compiler hasn't finished going through the first post yet - there are a lot of offers - I'll point out for the benefit of JE fans that wrangler aka superlover and yamapea are both offering fic, see their journals for details. Hi guys, hope you don't mind the shout out. XD)

Or if there's some other good or service you want from me - beta-ing or what have you - get in touch and I'll put a price tag on it.

Or you can donate directly to a variety of relief organizations via PayPal.

edit: gothicauthor's compiling a master list of JE fandom offers here.

Date: 2010-01-12 00:32 Subject: [fic] All Around (con't) Security: Public Tags: fic

continued from here

( continued )

Date: 2010-01-12 00:30 Subject: [fic] All Around Security: Public Mood: sleepy Music: Matthew Good Band - Running From Home Tags: akame, arashi, fic, fic challenges, je_holiday

I'm completely late on the je_holiday bandwagon, but I was responsible for All Around, aka the Love Actually AU. Featuring, most notably, Prime Minister Akanishi Jin (I know), but also plenty of others - I'm told by at least one person that all the Arashi made her decide it wasn't me. XD;; Hopefully it turned out all right despite my experimentation. Despite the eagle eyes of kind proofreaders a few typos managed to slip their way in, so here's the edited version.



All Around

or, JE Does Love Actually
14,202 words

Jin/Kame, Jun/Aiba, Subaru/Yasu, other pairings mentioned or implied; plus Takki and Tsubasa, Yamapi and the rest of NEWS, and Arashi in general.

Notes: With apologies to Richard Curtis and company. Deepest thanks to Koizumi Kyoko (mananeh), Oguri Shun (spurious), and Ayase Haruka (winterspel) for their suggestions, proofreading help, and general cheerleading. Originally posted here for changetje as part of je_holiday 2009.

( read )

continued

Date: 2010-01-09 22:39 Subject: [translation] LANDS - Hatachi no Sensou Security: Public Mood: accomplished Music: Marillion - Ocean Cloud Tags: jin will always be my favorite, lands, music, translations, yes i still like kat-tun

I heard the LANDS album with winterspel today and this is the one that hooked me.

LANDS feat. Akanishi Jin - Hatachi no sensou

( War, Age 20 )

( kanji )

( romanji )

Date: 2009-12-22 16:02 Subject: obligatory seasonal music post Security: Public Music: liedertafel - o magnum mysterium Tags: christmas, music

Better late than never? No Christmas jpop this year, sorry, it's all choral, i.e. a lot of singing in Latin. So. You know. If you like that sort of thing.

Harvard Glee Club:
In dulci jubilo
Lo, how a rose e'er blooming
O magnum mysterium (Jacobus Handl)
Personent hodie (Holst)
Ave Maria (Franz Biebl)

Chanticleer:
In the bleak mid-winter - My favorite. Music by Holst, lyrics from a Christina Rossetti poem.
A hymn to the Virgin (Britten)

Choir of New College, Oxford:
While shepherds watched their flocks by night - Have patience with the wandering flute intro. XD;
I wonder as I wander

Liedertafel:
Away in a manger
Once in royal David's city
O magnum mysterium (Tomás Luis de Victoria) - Not a typo but two pieces by the same name. This one is v. different from the Handl. And very pretty.

Date: 2009-11-18 22:39 Subject: [ficlet] convalescence Security: Public Mood: accomplished Music: vienna teng - drought Tags: fic, pin

Convalescence

(aka "Jin-eral Hospital")

Jin & Yamapi, more or less gen
925 words

For pipsqueaks, who has in the past said such nice things to me, in hopes it will put a smile on her face. Heal soon. ♥

( can't think of a clever cut text )

Date: 2009-11-03 20:24 Subject: lollllll Security: Public Mood: cheerful Tags: general hilarity, linkage

The Economist stumbles across fujoshi

...but doesn't realize it, which makes reading the article twice as entertaining. It also makes the analysis somewhat off base, but I'm not linking for the analysis. XD

Date: 2009-10-20 21:08 Subject: things discovered through procrastinating Security: Public

Fun fact: Mary Renault beta-read for Patrick O'Brien. I probably should not find that as entertaining as I do.

Date: 2009-10-08 13:36 Subject: question Security: Public Mood: curious Tags: i don't even know how to tag this

For those familiar with Johnny's and/or Japanese business: okay, so, Johnny's & Associates is a kabushiki gaisha (K. K.). That's translated as "public company", but is it? Johnny owns 60%, Mary 10%, Julie 10%, and Izu Kikue 10%. The remaining 10% isn't publically traded (is it? it doesn't seem to be! if it is where are my financial reports!) and a K. K. may be formed as a "stock company that is not public" but J&A doesn't seem to be one - not that I can tell from their totally useless website. XD Avex and SM - omg especially Avex - are a dream in comparison.

In conclusion, I know embarrassingly little about corporate structure outside the U.S. :|

Date: 2009-10-06 23:09 Subject: 同人誌 Security: Public Mood: cheerful Music: i've got youuuuuuuu under my skin Tags: japan, japanese

Reading up on female writers of the Meiji and Taisho periods was not where I expected to run into the term "doujinshi". But it's short for "doujin zasshi" (for non-Japanese speakers, "group magazine", roughly) and originally the doujin in question were literary societies/salons/circles. They sprung up during the Meiji period, organized around either a particular school of thought or later a particular literary figure (e.g. Natsume Soseki), and belonging to one of these circles seems to have been an obligatory step in establishing a literary career. Anyway, each circle published in effect zines of their members' works, thus doujin zasshi. Thus CLAMP. XD

(Cursory internet research indicates manga doujin first appeared in the '50s or so.)

Date: 2009-10-03 15:17 Subject: the kpop edition Security: Public Mood: curious Music: sorry sorry sorry sorry ad infinitum Tags: music

1. So give me the lowdown on SM Entertainment as a corporation. How do they recruit/train/market/etc., especially in comparison to JE? Info on shady business practices and lawsuits and things of that sort also welcome. XD ...How does the Korean music industry and market compare to the Japanese in general, actually? There is no such thing as tldr in comments here.

2. Favorite Korean artists/songs/albums/music videos? I am woefully ignorant. Pop, not pop, what have you - hit me. (Assume I know basically no one except Park Ji-yoon, since that's... true. Oh, and BoA.)

Date: 2009-10-02 01:41 Subject: [trans] KOKIA - I Believe Security: Public Mood: worried Tags: music, translations

Flisters in the Phillippines, I'm thinking of all of you. Be safe tonight.

--

For asinful. ♥




(mp3)

( kana )

( romanji )

( rough translation )

Date: 2009-09-21 23:56 Subject: public service announcement Security: Public Mood: lolllllll Music: kokia - mou aisenai Tags: anime, mere tags cannot express my feelings

via rageprufrock:

There's going to be a Sex Pistols OVA.

Promo here.

...I think, er, words add nothing to this.

(Goodness, between Sex Pistols and Maiden Rose and the Ai no Kusabi remake this is quite the season...)


edit: notable seiyuu involved:

Yonekuni - Sugita Tomokazu (Subaru in the X anime, Mayama in Hachikuro, Kyon in Haruhi, Raidou on the recent DSRK drama CD... XD)
Norio - Shimono Hiro (Tajima in Ookiku Furikabutte, Subaru in the TRC OAV ahaha okay that's really the reason I mention him)
Kunimasa - Kawahara Yoshihisa (Yasu in Nana, Tachibana in PoT XDDD)