Obscurity

In all my 73 posts on this blog so far, I have a grand total of 11 comments. Among 4 different posts. The fact that my blog isn't getting as much popularity as I want it to is concerning.

Most recently I've done a revamp of this blog, casting off non-user-friendly elements from the usual blogskins.com templates and reverting to the good old Blogger, which is easy for both navigating and template-editing. I've done the best I could to include as many special features as possible. Most importantly, I've been getting my site linked on fellow bloggers' sites like dannychoo.com and darkmirage.com. If you're having trouble getting traffic to your site you might want to try this strategy as well.

Very soon I'll be shifting sites to be hosted under animeblogger.net, as I'm planning to get my blog anime-themed as well. The animeblogger.net URL and the templates they provide are just the thing.

Whatever it is, this blog will be mostly left alone over the past two or so months (doesn't matter, since nobody's reading) while I continue my studies and find more time for other online commitments like watching anime.

Haruhi-ism, Rain

It has been going on around me for the longest time now, and it only hit me recently that it's becoming more than just a pseudo-religion to me.

A glance around my table at any given time I am at home will show these:
Pasted on the front. I got the picture on the left from a recent anime convention. Pretty decent fanart.

My document file, which I carry around with me in school. I never put it in my school bag.

Keitai strap.

Inside the back cover of my file (something wrong with uploading)

Beneath the shelf. Comes with the novelty products I buy from Comics Connection. May not be official merchandise, but I'm fine with it all the same.

Something related. Back cover of my file.

Now you know.

There was an incident a few days ago, as I was cycling home after a jamming session with my friends (no, we only do VK Rock). Another cyclist passed by me as I went down the roadside walkway. From a stereo system somewhere around him, a Walkman Phone perhaps, came the familiar guitar riff from Haruhi's God Knows. I immediately stopped the bike and watched him as he zoomed off behind me. I even had the urge to follow him. No, it's all involuntary.

This is of grave concern. It's starting to overtake me, Haruhi-ism.

I have to be frank with you. Personally, I dislike Haruhi. As I read the novels in the Baka-Tsuki translation site, I can't help but agree with Kyon about her selfish and eccentric behaviour. Eccentric I don't mind, but I detest selfishness in people, especially because I have a brother who tends to be self-centred too, at times (no, I love him very much as a brother, thank you). I fully support the statement "she believes the whole world revolves around her" because I used to use that quote on my brother too. But every time I look her pictures, at her deep yellow eyes, naturally angry eyebrows, yellow hair bow, and North High winter seifuku, I can't help but think, "y'know, she's actually just a normal high school girl who has a different perspective of the world (like me, but I view the world in a better sense :P )." "And she's so darn cute."

Most recently I had my preliminary examinations in school. We had to take it in the hall, which had 8 cooler fans and 10 normal fans, along with plenty of ventilation. But I felt like roast chicken in there. Rather, my hands. They were so sweaty I left moisture all over my pen, I almost smudged the ink on my paper, and left marks all over the desk. Bleh.

Today poured heavily after school (we had Geography today, by the way. I never expected it to be so easy). I had to pay up for my orders for the class photographs, and had to run home in the rain (humming Endless Rain by X-Japan as I did so), grab and umbrella (a huge Taylormade one, big enough to shelter three people but leave their ankles sopping wet) and my bike, and head for the bank to withdraw money from my savings. Along the way I escorted two classmates (I don't get what's so special about sharing an umbrella with a girl. maybe that's cos I was pushing my bike in between) to their blocks, good thing it was along the way. My shins down were wet, sure enough, along with the whole left side of my uniform (the umbrella wasn't big enough for three people and a bicycle, apparently). After securing the payment I accompanied another two more to their houses, and along the way back home I passed by the school gate and admitted a whole bunch of about 6 random people running down the carpark to the opposite side of the road.

It felt really great, being Good Samaritan for the day. Every day I try to assimilate myself into Japanese culture (OMG Geek lulz), and Japanese culture includes willingness to go out of one's way to help others. It was no problem for me as I'm naturally a very generous and helpful person, even before I decided to start acting like a Japanese.

The best part was it was Friday. I had no worries wetting my uniform pants or my shoes. While I walked I noticed that Singapore walkways tend to hold a lot of water in them. Stamping in the pavement produces a splash that reaches my knees. I was reminded of my childhood days when I used to play in the rain in my raincoat and Wellington boots. Ah, the nostalgia.

The songs I'm listening to at the moment are from the SuzuHaru character soundtracks. Asahina-san's Toki no Puzzle and Nagato-san's Yuki, Muon, Madobe Nite. and Haruhi-san's Parallel Days are my favourites. Also, while searching for translations of said songs and other Japanese songs in my playlist (I tend to do that all the time. I find that Japanese songs have a lot of feeling and meaning in their lyrics), I couldn't help but notice that 'Lost My Music' has a lot of relation with a love story I'm currently working on (yes, I still find time for these things during the exam period).

Speaking of which, I was really influenced by The Disappearance of Suzumiya Haruhi when I read it that I wanted to write a fanfiction (haven't done so in a long time as I had ingrained in my mind the fact that fanfiction is stupid) on SuzuHaru where the characters take on each other's roles. Imagine an eccentris Kyon, an Emo Haruhi, a forever-smiling Nagato, a silent, inpervious Mikuru, and most importantly, a timid but awesomely pretty Itsuki. But I find it scary to imagine Kyon ambushing Itsuki and getting him to cosplay... *shudder*

More stuff about Japan soon. Meanwhile, thank you for relieving Japan of your problems, Abe-sama, and do your very best, Rozen Aso-sama.

A Heroes' Welcome

Indeed, I did turn up yesterday at Vivocity for the Heroes World Tour as soon as the Teachers' Day activities in school have ended. Found out that at least 100 but not over nine thousaaaaaaand! people have showed up before me. I had decided to stand beside the red carpet where the cast would be walking down, which was suspiciously unbarricaded. I had wanted to at least get an autograph from Oka Masi-san, knowing that the dumb Amconics camera I brought along (my mum was using the Canon Powershot that day) would definitely go dead on me (it does not feed well from the batteries, and tends to shut off prematurely and without warning) even before I ever come off with a single shot.

Half an hour after the designated time of arrival (I learnt that international celebrities are always known to be late for appearances), the cast finally arrived. Cameras (excluding mine) were blazing. Security guys had to surround the VIPs as they strolled down the carpet. One of them rudely shoved me aside when I stuck out my hand to show Oka-san the message I wrote on a page (knowing my voice only won't beat the crowds'). He didn't see it.

Everybody was up on stage, together with the VJs from Channel V, saying how wonderful us Singaporeans are and all that. Ali Larter seemed truly amazed at the size and enthusiasm of the crowd (I wonder why, though. SHe's already been to Japan and Kong Hong, hasn't she?), I could barely hear what Sendhill Ramamurthy was saying cos he wasn't speaking into the mike, Oka-san actually sounded very American, though I detected a slight Japanese slur, and Greg had promised that Matt was going to make a reference to the wonderful city of Singapore in Heroes season 2. That was followed by a brief beatboxing preformance by Greg and Oka, a meet-and-greet session with four lucky bastards who were picked to come on stage to immitate Nakamura Hiro's 'yataa!', some more talking (I wasn't paying attention anymore as I was more conscious of the crowd that was pushing from all directions, and the fact that my groin was pushing against the protruding butt of the woman in front of me. All the while people were holding up placards which sported (non) witty quotes related to the show, and sometimes blocking my view from way behind. When it was time for our HEroes to take leave, Security had to form the protecting covering around them again as they led off a different direction, which crazed fans chased on the side and from behind. I was there too, jostling with the crowd. Twice I got to overtake them and stand still as they walked past, holding up the pathetic message on my notebook. Neither time did Oka-san notice. It was only outside, when the cast boarded their tour bus, did I see his eyes flicker at the notebook held high above my head from behind the glass window. I made a last eye contact with Sendhill and the bus rolled into motion and drove off.

Ah, the life of a Groupie.

(No pictures were taken by me of the event, so I don't have any to show you. I'm really sorry.)

Afterwards I headed for Bugis to satiate my thirst, and my thirst for Drummania (I make it a habit to go once a week, but very soon I'll have to stop that too), before finally heading home for some much-needed rest.

You might be wondering why I'm able to spend so much time doing up this entry. No, I haven't settled the issue with my dad yet. It just so happens that today's a Saturday, and dad still goes to the office on Saturdays. Ah, well, I'm very glad it turned out this way. It's always better to look at the positive side of things. I may not have any chance to blog last night, but I kept telling myself that there was always tomorrow.

I have one week of holidays to catch up on my studies. The prelims clamp down on me the week school reopens. Wish me luck.

BTW if you're an anime fan in Singapore, visit Darkmirage's blog and complete a brief survey. He's aiming for 1000 so he'd have something to show Odex. Check it out; it's in my Featured Feeds.