Random Musings of the Ojamajo Ham~Ham

Songs to think about

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:31:12 GMT

Hard to believe it's been over four years now... I was brought to tears this morning, catching a clip of one of these songs, and given what I know someone else is going through, I thought it would be appropriate to throw these out. They're in random order, as I think of them.

"Temporary Home by Carrie Underwood
Final Verse
Old man, hospital bed
The room is filled with people he loves
And he whispers don't cry for me
I'll see you all someday
He looks up and says "I can see God's face"

"This is my temporary Home
It's not where I belong
Windows and rooms that I'm passin' through
This was just a stop,on the way To where I'm going
I'm not afraid because I know this was
My temporary home."

"Ships of Heaven" by Blackhawk
This song was written by singer-songwriter Van Stephenson, then a member of the band, after learning that he had been diagnosed with melanoma, and the song was dedicated to him. Stephenson died in 2001.

Don't cry for me, when I'm gone
Keep the faith, and be strong
'Cuz through it all, I've been blessed
I've faced my fears, and I passed the test
When you look in the sky on a sunny day
Imagine me drifting away

I'll be sailing on the ships of Heaven
When the tide rolls out for the last time
You'll find me sailing on the ships of Heaven
Waiting for the day I come sailing back to you

Remember all the times we had
Some were great, and some were sad
But you know that in the end
Our love was stronger than when we began
No unforgiven sins and no regrets
Just the times of our lives that we'll never forget.

I'll be sailing on the ships of Heaven
When the tide rolls out for the last time
You'll find me sailing on the ships of Heaven
Waiting for the day I come sailing back to you

I'll be sailing on the ships of Heaven
When the tide rolls out for the last time
You'll find me sailing on the ships of Heaven
Waiting for the day I come sailing back to you

"God Only Cries" by Diamond Rio
This song, along with the following three, are all found on Diamond Rio's "Greatest Hits vol. 2" album. The song itself was released at the end of February 2006, about a week after my dad's death. This album was released on May 9, 2006. My first birthday without him. That these four songs are all on this album, I feel, was God's way of telling me that I should get it, that it could help me out.

On an icy road one night
A young man loses his life
They mark the shoulder with a cross
And his family gathers round
On a piece of hallowed ground
Their hearts are heavy with their loss

As the tears fall from their eyes
There's one who'll always sympathize

God only cries for the living
'Cuz it's the living that are left to carry on
And all the angels up in heaven
They're not grieving because they're gone
There's a smile on their faces
'Cuz they're in a better place then
Baby we know
God only cries for the living
'Cuz it's the living that are so far from home

It still makes me sad
When I think of my granddad
I miss him each and every day
But I know the time will come
When my own grandson
Will wonder why I went away

Maybe we're not meant to understand
'Til we meet up in the promised land

God only cries for living
'Cuz it's the living that are left to carry on
And all the angels up in Heaven
They're not grieving because they're gone
There's a smile on their faces
'Cuz their in a better place then
Oh, baby we know
God only cries for the living
'Cuz it's the living that are so far from home
Yeah we're so far from home

"I Believe" by Diamond Rio

Every now and then
Soft as breath upon my skin
I feel you come back again
And it's like you haven't been
Gone a moment from my side
Like the tears were never cried
Like the hands of time were holding you and me

And with all my heart I'm sure
We're closer than we ever were
I don't have to hear or see
I've got all the proof I need
There are more than angels watching over me
I believe
Oh I believe

Now when you die your life goes on
It doesn't end here when you're gone
Every soul is filled with light
It never ends, if I'm right
Our love can even reach across eternity
I believe
Oh I believe

Forever you're a part of me
Forever in the heart of me
I will hold you even longer, if I can
Oh the people who don't see the most
See that I believe in ghosts
If that makes me crazy, then I am
'Cuz I believe

There are more than angels watching over me
I believe
Oh I believe

Every now and then
Soft as breath upon my skin
I feel you come back again
And I believe

"One More Day" by Diamond Rio
If I remember correctly, reading about either this song or the next, is that it was originally intended as a 'love gone wrong' song, but the band was shocked at how many people took it not for a lost love due to them leaving, but to them dying.

Last night I had a crazy dream
A wish was granted just for me
It could be for anything
I didn't ask for money
Or a mansion in Malibu
I simply wished for one more day with you

One more day
One more time
One more sunset, Baby, I'd be satisfied
But then again, I know what it would do
Leave me wishing still, for one more day with you

First thing I'd do is pray for time to crawl
I'd unplug the telephone
And keep the TV off
I'd hold you every second
Say a million 'I love you;s
It's what I'd do
With one more day with you

One more day
One more time
One more sunset, Baby, I'd be satisfied
But then again, I know what it would do
Leave me wishing still, for one more day with you

One more day
One more time
One more sunset, Baby, I'd be satisfied
But then again, I know what it would do
Leave me wishing still, for one more day
Leave me wishing still, for one more day
Leave me wishing still, for one more day
With you

"You're Gone" by Diamond Rio

I said "Hello I think I'm broken"
And though I was only joking
It took me by surprise when you agreed
I was trying to be clever
For the life of me I never
Would have guessed how far the simple truth could lead
You knew all my lines
You knew all my tricks
You knew how to heal that pain no medicine could fix

And I bless the day I met you
And I thank God that he let you
Lay beside me for a moment that lives on
And the good news is I'm better for the time we spent together
And the bad news is you're gone

Looking back it's still surprising
I was sinking, you were rising
With a look you caught me in the end
Now I know God has his reasons
But sometimes it's hard to see them
I lie awake and find that you're not there
You found hope in hopeless
You made crazy sane
You became the missing link to help me break my chains

And I bless the day I met you
And I thank God that he let you
Lay beside me for a moment that lives on
And the good news is I'm better for the time we spent together
And the bad news is you're gone.
The bad news is
You're gone

"I Miss You a Little" by John Michael Montgomery
sorry, no video

Sometimes a song can touch a nerve
That takes me back to you
When I pick up my old guitar
And I play your favorite tune
Every now and then some little thing I buried comes bubbling up
And once in a while you feel close enough to touch

I miss you a little
Since you been gone
A few little memories
Keep hanging on
I miss you a little
I guess you could say
A little too much
A little too often
A little more everyday

When I go by our old house
I pretend that you're still there
Waiting for me on the porch
But there's just an empty chair
Wish I could see you just one more time
Before I drive away
So I could stop, go inside, and say

I miss you a little
Since you been gone
A few little memories
Keep hanging on
I miss you a little
I guess you could say
A little too much
A little too often
A little more every day

A little too much
A little too often
A little more every day

I'll post more, I just need to stop now to calm myself down and stop crying

Screw you, Capital One

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:22:58 GMT

And I mean it. My father has been dead for ALMOST FOUR YEARS!!. My mother went through bankruptcy ALMOST THREE YEARS AGO!!. A YEAR ago, Mom finally got it through the LAST collection agency's heads that my dad is DEAD, and that his outstanding debts were cleared by bankruptcy, and that they couldn't call us. So now, WHY did Capital One send my dad's account to ANOTHER collection agency, to call up, and ask for a man who's been dead for FOUR YEARS, to try to collect on a debt that has been SETTLED?!

I am enabled

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:17:53 GMT

you are darkslateblue
#483D8B

Your dominant hue is blue, making you a good friend who people love and trust. You're good in social situations and want to fit in. Just be careful not to compromise who you are to make them happy.

Your saturation level is medium - You're not the most decisive go-getter, but you can get a job done when it's required of you. You probably don't think the world can change for you and don't want to spend too much effort trying to force it.

Your outlook on life can be bright or dark, depending on the situation. You are flexible and see things objectively.

the spacefem.com html color quiz

In other news, I decided on a second game, I'm apping Guy and Nina Antalk over at Squishy and Kitty's vatheon. It should be fun. But I probably won't actually be able to start until after jury duty (starts on the 16th).

Speaking of Jury Duty... my RP schedule looks like this, as mandated by the fact that a) I have no clue if I'll be able to RP while I'm doing JD, b) I have no clue how long I'll end up being there (if I actually get picked for a case), and c) if I can't RP during this, I'm probably not going to be able to finish anything after a week's forced break from the story (if I have to break out of the mindset for that long, I can't get back in).
--Now until the 11th: RP as normal.
--12th-15th: Slowatus. No entering into new logs unless they're gonna be short ones
--16th-???: Hiatus. Let's hope that I'm a) not picked, b) not made to stay off the internet, and c) not sequestered (can you imagine me stuck in sequestration? or worse, the people who would be stuck with me?)

Okay, doing the meme...

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 04:37:36 GMT

1) Post a list of up to 20 books/movies/anime/TV shows/video games/bands that you've had an obsessive fannish love or interest in at some time in your life.
2) Have your f-list guess your favourite character/member from each item.
3) When someone guesses correctly, strike through the item and put the name of your favorite character next to it.

Crap, trying to avoid things I RP from...

01. Criminal Minds
02. X-Men
03. Disney (in general)
~~04. Firefly~~ -> Kaylee (zalein), with Wash as a close second (laenavesse)
~~05. Powerpuff Girls~~ -> Blossom (zalein)
06. Heralds of Valdemar
07. Star Trek
~~08. Dragonriders of Pern~~ -> Menolly (ladyasul)
09. Shining Tears x Wind
~~10. Sailor Moon~~ -> Sailor Cosmos (eternitat)
11. Gundam
~~12. Cardcaptor Sakura (Cards Only)~~ -> Hope Card (goku_the_saru)
13. ElfQuest
~~14. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles~~ -> Michelangelo (zalein)
~~15. Yami no Matsuei~~ -> Watari (goku_the_saru)
16. Bleach
17. Zoids
18. Vampire Knight
19. Pandora Hearts
20. Mai-HiME

And the bonus section. These are all or none, and I'll give you a general "yes" or "no" for the whole set.
01. Tales of
02. Weiss Kreuz
03. Suikoden
04. Xenosaga
05. Saiyuki
06. CLAMP School
07. Ojamajo Doremi
08. Harukanaru Toki no Naka de
09. La Corda d'Oro
10. Heroes

Icon Dump part 2

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:43:37 GMT

Part 1 (not this post)
26 - Disgaea
23 - La Corda d'Oro
13 - Pandora Hearts
49 - Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
11 - Saiyuki
06 - Shining Tears
24 - Suikoden (I/II/III/V)
Part 2
Tales of the Abyss
22 - General
10 - Mieu
47 - Luke and Asch
04 - Group
146 - Guy
25 - Tales of Destiny (I/II)
33 - Tales of Eternia
2 - Misc Tales (Phantasia/Vesperia)
15 - Weiss Kreuz
31 - xxxHOLiC
11 - Misc (Disney, Fate/stay night, Fullmetal Alchemist, Gundam 00, Slayers, Ouran High School Host Club, KoL)

Total- 500

Tales of the Abyss - General

Tales of the Abyss - Mieu

Tales of the Abyss - Luke and Asch

Tales of the Abyss - Group

Tales of the Abyss - Guy

Tales of Destiny

Tales of Eternia

Misc Tales (Phantasia, Vesperia)

Weiss Kreuz

xxxHOLiC

Misc (Disney, Fate/stay night, Fullmetal Alchemist, Gundam 00, Slayers, Ouran High School Host Club, KoL)

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:41:55 GMT

Yeah, remember, a while back, I posted a couple icon dumps. The whole "when I reach 100, I'll post the set" thing? Well, uh... I failed at doing that... So here's the next... uh... 500...

Yeah, a lot of these were done for RP icons. Which is why there are so many of Guy (the anime gave me far too many shots to use for him!)

Part 1
26 - Disgaea
23 - La Corda d'Oro
13 - Pandora Hearts
50 - Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
11 - Saiyuki
06 - Shining Tears
24 - Suikoden (I/II/III/V)

Part 2
Tales of the Abyss
22 - General
10 - Mieu
47 - Luke and Asch
04 - Group
147 - Guy
25 - Tales of Destiny (I/II)
33 - Tales of Eternia
2 - Misc Tales (Phantasia/Vesperia)
15 - Weiss Kreuz
31 - xxxHOLiC
11 - Misc (Disney, Fate/stay night, Fullmetal Alchemist, Gundam 00, Slayers, Ouran High School Host Club, KoL)

Total- 500

Disgaea

La Corda d'Oro

Pandora Hearts

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon

Saiyuki

Shining Tears

Suikoden

Just... I dunno exactly what this is

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:23:40 GMT

There is magic all around us, invisible to our eyes. Every aspect of life is filled with magical energy, though few can tap into this power.

Those with the ability to utilize their magical potential are known as Elphs. Most Elphs come into their power through the Blood, however, naturally born Elphs exist as well, though very rare. Because they are the start of their Bloodlines, Natural Elphs are extremely powerful... and extremely sought-after. Elphs of the Blood, both those devoted to the Light and to the Dark, seek out the Natural Elphs, wanting to add them to their own numbers, and to strengthen their Bloodlines.

In the past, many wars have been fought, with Elphs at their center. Now, however, Bloodlines have grown thin, and Natural Elphs are rarer than ever before.

Light Elphs, wanting to preserve the dwindling Blood, have gathered together in hidden communities. Marriages are arranged, both within and between these communities, trying to strengthen the Blood where they can. Little interaction is made with the world at large, and, as such, Natural Elphs added to their number are few and far between, if any at all.

Dark Elphs, on the other hand, have gone underground. The current of power in cities keeps them connected, and they seek out new ways to spread the Blood, and retain their power. If they can find a Natural Elph, they bring them in, but even they, in the world, cannot find them easily.

Adding to this, is the fog. Even those without magical abilities can feel the power of the fog that has descended upon the world. No one quite knows what the fog is, other than that it is very powerful, and neither those of the Light nor those of the Dark trust it, nor will risk to use its power. Everyone, magical or not, keep as far away from the fog as they can, because things happen in the fog, where no one can see anything.

Some claim that this is the harbinger of the destruction of the world. Others claim that the world is preparing for a rebirth, that the strife and pain of the magical wars of the past will be wiped away, and everyone will begin anew. Regardless, everyone fears this fog and what it may bring, and, for most, simply surviving and getting by day to day is enough.

Survey for a project

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 04:06:35 GMT

Alright, got a project I'm working on, and I need as many responses as I can get (truthfully, I need at least 100).

Here's the deal. I have 40 questions. They're simple things ("name a _____") relating to anime, video games, conventions, and Japanese culture (but mainly anime). Think Family Feud. Answer as many or as few of the questions as you'd like (I'd prefer all, but don't feel pressured if you can't think of anything). Submit only one response for each question answered, and please only submit one set of answers (unless, of course, you're answering ones you didn't answer previously). Send all responses to dragessa[at]gmail[dot]com, with the subject line "Survey Answers".

Also, please be as truthful to yourself as you can while answering. While the idea of Family Feud is to pick the answers that the most people said, we need to honestly get those answers. So submit the first response you think of for each question, not what you think will be the most popular response.

To recap:
1. Think of answers to as many of the questions as you can.
2. Send your responses (preferably first thought) to dragessa[at]gmail[dot]com.
3. Make sure the subject line is "Survey Answers"

General Questions
1. Name an anime/manga many consider to be overrated.
2. Name an anime/manga many consider to be underrated.
3. Name an anime/manga/video game with a character named Sakura.
4. Name an anime/manga featuring a team of heroes.
5. Name an anime/manga villain.
6. Name a dog/canine character featured in an anime/manga/video game.
7. Name a cat/feline character featured in an anime/manga/video game.
8. Name an animal character other than a dog or cat featured in an anime/manga/video game.
9. Name a color of anime/manga/video game hair.
10. Name an anime/manga from the '80s or earlier.
11. Name a manga series that has reached 20 or more volumes.
12. Name an anime series that has reached 100 or more episodes.
13. Name an anime/manga series that has not yet been released in the US.
14. Name a favorite place to enjoy anime/manga.
15. Name a Japanese musical artist who has done anime/video game themes.

Genre/Setting Questions
1. Name an anime/manga dealing with Ancient/Feudal Japan.
2. Name an anime/manga taking place in a fantasy setting.
3. Name an anime/manga with historical figures.
4. Name an anime/manga with a mecha in it. Note: Not necessarily a mecha series
5. Name an anime/manga with ninja in it.
6. Name a Magical Girl anime/manga.
7. Name a Gundam series.
8. Name a futuristic anime/manga.
9. Name a sci-fi anime/manga.
10. Name a sports-based anime/manga.

Video Game Questions
1. Name a RPG/RPG Series other than Final Fantasy.
2. Name a character from a Final Fantasy game.
3. Name a Japanese rhythm-based game.
4. Name a Japanese fighting game.
5. Name a Japanese game that has not come to the US.

Sources/Adaptations Questions
1. Name an anime/manga that has been turned into a live action movie/series.
2. Name a novel that has been adapted into a manga/anime.
3. Name an anime that is an original work. Note: This means not based off of a novel, manga, video game, etc.
4. Name a video game that has been turned into an anime.
5. Name an anime/manga that is adapted from a non-Japanese source.

Convention/Culture Questions
1. Name an anime with too many cosplayers.
2. Name an anime with too few cosplayers.
3. Name a Japanese snack food.
4. Name a common Japanese word heard in anime.
5. Name a Japanese festival and/or holiday.

HALP!

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 05:44:46 GMT

Dessa wants to go to Ryan Shupe concert in Ballard on Thursday!

Dessa does not have transportation!

Concert is only $15, and is Dessa's favorite band.

HALP KPLZTHX!!

Musebox

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:40:18 GMT

I have a musebox now... It's xeno_rp, where I was gonna put my Xenosaga RP, but I decided just to make it into a musebox. Feel free to join it, with any/all of your characters ~~like my 29 journals populating it~~.

I am so stupid...

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:27:25 GMT

And I am posting this open... oh man, I am going to get spammed so badly...

OPEN ROLEPLAY POST

[waits for ~~Lae~~ ~~Skyla~~ people to spam her]

Too Slow, Namco

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 17:30:46 GMT

So, apparently, for the PS3 port of Vesperia, they want to get away from the "Flynn = Guy Clone" train of thought. And so, they have decided to give Estelle, Yuri, and Flynn alternate costumes:
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l183/Dessa_Gepichu/Misc%20Anime%20Crap/c20090614_tov_04_cs1w1_640x480.jpg

All I have to say to that, Namco, is this:

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 02:53:49 GMT

Anyone up for Wild Waves on Monday? $9.41 to get in with the coupon I have.

What the heck

Sat, 30 May 2009 15:56:52 GMT

Stole this from Kelly

❶ Choose an episode of anime or television series you have on your computer. Make sure you're certain you want that one, you cannot change your mind. DO NOT TELL YOUR FLIST WHAT YOU CHOSE.
❷ Make note of how long the episode is here -> 23:59
❸ Ask your flist to choose a time between 00:00 and whatever the length of your episode is. Be specific, (ie: 19:11, 21:09, 02:42)
❹ Make them an icon using THAT FRAME ONLY no matter what it is. And remember, you can only use that ONE episode you chose previous, even if the person posting isn't familiar with it.

*picks something fairly obscure*

Sun, 24 May 2009 18:28:06 GMT

The following was just posted date-out-of-order to stay at the top of my journal, but I am re-posting it so that it will show up on friends lists.

"Some people may have noticed that I have never friended them, or they have been defriended, and I feel an explanation is needed. I have come to the realization that there are some things that I feel I must post now, and perhaps in the future, that I do not want open for the entire world. Therefore, I have paired my friends list down to people that I wish to be able to see these things. Most of my entries will still be public, and I have no problem with you keeping me friended. I am only doing this so that I have a friends list in which I do not have problems with them seeing what I am posting f-locked."

Notification: 2009 Persona 3 Project

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 05:53:38 GMT

Yes, I used that icon for a reason. I am planning a project that will be starting in about a month. What is this project? I'm going to play Persona 3 in "real time" (or as close to real time as possible, given the game's set-up).

A few notes on this project:

1) So that I don't have to worry about things, I am using data from a previous play-through, so I will have my old compendium, weapons, level, money, and stats.
2) Yes, I will be going for max social links.
3) The game starts on April 7. However, I don't think there's a save point until a few weeks later. Aside from that, I have Sakura-Con that first weekend. So I won't be starting this until after Sakura-Con, and the "real time" aspect will begin after I get to the first save point.
4) Given that there are many events where you can't save on a particular day, I will be playing the game on weekends (Saturday/Sunday), for the previous week's activities. This will make it work for things like exam weeks, where you can't break between days.
5) I'll be posting updates here, noting what I "did" during the "week". I'll try to do it as in character as possible.

So, one thing I like doing, is to play "as" a character. For Persona 3, I used Omi from Weiß Kreuz. For Persona 4, I used Guy from Tales of the Abyss. Any suggestions for who I can play "as" for this run? Bear in mind that for Social Links, it's harder to play "as" a character, since you need to pick specific options to get the rank up.

If this goes well, this year, I'm totally doing it for Persona 4, too.

whee

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 01:17:36 GMT

I got accepted to Somarium! Like, a week ago. But I've sorta been distracted by the Somarium IRC channel... heheheh...

Anyway, I'm playing Guy over there now, and I'm gonna app for Omi in a week when my probation period is done.

w00t

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 05:38:27 GMT

w00t! Got accepted to Somarium as Guy! time to make another journal (not gonna reuse eiga_no_hana, I know I'd mess up on locking them)

stuff

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 06:39:12 GMT

For those who haven't seen it, I made this last week: http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l183/Dessa_Gepichu/Artwork/GuyDansen2.gif

On the costume front, I'm actually not doing bad.
Guy's Good Spirits (Tales of the Abyss) - Got a bit of styling still to do on Guy's wig, but then he'll be done.
Tengaar (Suikoden II) - I have a bit more braiding of ribbon to do, and Mom's gonna fix the side pieces and the belt on Friday, that'll finish that.
Blanc Neige (Shining Tears) - Got the duct tape so I can put together the shoulder pieces for under Neige's cape, the cape itself shouldn't be hard. Put the binding on the hole in the jacket, Mom'll do that on Friday, too. Adding pieces to the bottom of the dress so it's not quite so short, and have a bit of hemming to do overall. Gotta get more black ribbon to finish the edges, and then just the FIMO pieces to sculpt. Probably the costume with the most left to do.
Zero (Shining Tears X Wind) - We have the material and the base pattern, gonna do some measurements and make the actual pattern tomorrow. Saturday I should be able to start cutting the fabric. Once that's cut, it's just pin, sew, and get buttons... Why is Jack's the easiest to do, and it'll get done before my Neige?

And I apped for Guy over at somarium. Joh's already warned me that there will be a required freakout between Guy and Flynn. No problem, it'll be easier working with someone I know than just jumping in where I don't know anyone (there's a couple Melody RPers there, but I don't think I know anyone else). Given where I've apped Guy from, and what's going on in Melody with Guy and Flynn, it'll be amusing to use that same idea.

Meme and stuff

Sun, 22 Feb 2009 19:46:33 GMT

Comment to this post and I will give you 5 subjects/things I associate you with. Then post this in your LJ and elaborate on the subjects given.

Given to me by atelierjoh

chaos
Mmmm, chaos... Where to start? (Okay, I started with the avatar. :P). I love chaos. I've loved chaos since I first started playing the games. I mean, yeah, he is a bishie-type character, but that's not it. Not ALL of it. Honestly, when it comes down to it... chaos has hard decisions to make, but he's able to make them. He knows his place. He's not afraid to get close to people. He wants to help others. Going more into who he really is... I think a lot of what draws me to chaos is that he's ~~my persona~~ everything that I wish I could be, but I'm not.

Guy Cecil
Another favorite character. At the beginning, I wasn't sure that Guy would be my favorite (although, I didn't care for anyone else, other than Jade), but, little by little, I grew to like him a lot. There's a lot in Guy that I admire, but, opposed to chaos, I think I was drawn to Guy not because he's how I wish I could be, but because I can see myself in him. Actually, I think Joh himself put it best, with the "comment and I'll tell you one thing I like about you" meme: "You're always open to talking about anything from random things to serious things to happy funny things, and you have a genuine honest and open nature to you which isn't found very often." Like I put in Guy's profile for Melody, he's very honest (and doesn't know when NOT to be honest either... Really, Guy... when women ask you who is bigger, KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!). And so am I... unfortunately for me, as well.

Tales of Xenosaga
Joh, I hate you... stop trying to get me to merge RPGs! Tales of Xenosaga was a joke, although... I wanna start an RP on this... Or similar... merging RPGs is fun. Multi-fandom RP limited to only RPGs... that could be fun. Anyway, I love Xenosaga ~~especially chaos~~. I've played Xenogears, and, while I will admit that Xenogears has a more solid story (given that it was intended to be a single game, not a series of games that had directorial changes as they progressed), the Xenosaga story interests me more. Maybe it's the characters. I mean, as much as I hate Shion, I still respect her ~~except for the slut outfit from XSIII~~. I just found her really annoying, and the type of character I don't like. But, overall, the only real problem I have with her is her stupid "you should get along with your brother" thing from XSII, when SHE DIDN'T GET ALONG WITH HER BROTHER EITHER! Ziggy was another character I had trouble with, until I read the stuff from Pied Piper (curse you, game companies, not giving us all of the game's story!). Again, still a character I don't like, but I understand his purpose in the story. And I actually liked at least some of the villains, which isn't that common for me. I felt sorry for Ramsus in Xenogears, but I didn't like him. I love Albedo, and, while I don't agree with what they did, I can at least respect Margulis and Pellegri, too.

Crap, want to RP Xenosaga again...

Tales of Persona
Another of Joh's and my "let's mix RPGs together!" bad ideas, but this one is worse. Considering, in Persona 4, I named my MC "Guy Cecil" (Guy Gardios in the 2nd playthrough). Completely not realizing that the MC has the same voice as Guy. Or that two of the aggregate sentience of Fonons are persona that he can summon... It's actually really fun to play the MC in Persona 3 and 4 as a specific character, and try to pick the options they'd pick (okay, playing as Guy who's not afraid of women...). I played Persona 3 as "Tskiyono Omi" (ran out of letters), too, and Angie played her P3 as "Naoe Nagi". I actually should get to working on the Persona 3/Weiß crossover fic I was gonna write. Maybe I'll do that after Joh gets his multi-fandom Persona RP going. *hinthint*

Bread
Bread? C'mon Joh, pick something more fun! Yes, I work at Panera Bread. And I eat far too much of it. I mean, compared to when I was a kid, when the types of bread were "white" and "wheat", I know a LOT more about bread (did you know that the soft part in the middle is called the "crumb"?). And, honestly, working at Panera has done a lot for me. I mean, who'd've thought, just a few years ago, that I'd be an associate trainer? Or be working in food service at all?

In other news, I ~~finally~~ finished Persona 4 yesterday. I got 4 out of the 5 endings, but I have a save file where I need it to get the last one. I'm currently back in Yukiko's Castle, trying to get my max social links this time.

Started Tales of Eternia last night (Joh, don't you dare press me for another character in Melody until I at least finish the game!). I got to where I can understand Meredy, and I'm going after Undine. Figured I'd wait until ladynadiad can help me, so I get the best set-up for who gets which Craymel.

I'm at the end of the Black Omen in CTDS, but Zeal whupped me, and my battery died. I've got the DS charging, I'm gonna try to finish that up fairly quickly so I can start playing Star Ocean: 1st Departure. I'm planning for my optional characters to be Joshua, Eris, and Ashlay, with either Fear or Welch (I've never actually gotten Ashlay before, and Fear only once, I think).

Other games I'm in the middle of (and haven't touched for a while) are Rogue Galaxy, SMT: Digital Devil Saga 1, Valkyrie Profile, Valkyrie Profile 2 (I was playing 2, and then had to go re-play 1 on hard mode), and Kingdom Hearts re: Chain of Memories. I also still need to finish the Replica Lab of the Abyss in ToA. And then I have the .hack//GU games, too, which I haven't started. Yeah, I've got a big game backlog.

On the Anime scene, I'm watching Tales of the Abyss, of course. I've seen through... 15, I think? subtitled by Abyssal Chronicles (best group, IMO), and through 21 raw. Trying to find a .avi for episode 9 or 10 of Vampire Knight Guilty (forgot which) that's actually translated in English, so we can finish that off. I think I'm at 7 or 8 in World Destruction, and we made it about the same distance in Tales of Eternia, too. For more current stuff, we're through episode 3 of Chrome Shelled Regios, and I have 4-6 sitting on my harddrive.

I'm really enjoying abyssianmelody, but, I have to admit, I do prefer a more free-formed RP, especially with how slow some people are on tagging (I know, I know, RL > RP, but it's still hard when you're waiting on one person to tag until you can continue a scene).

I do have 2 RPs of my own I'm working on, both multi-fandom. One is a more futuristic, semi-based in Xenosaga, and one is more generic. I really wanna play around with the world I created for Rorupurei Gakuen, too, but make it more clear that it's not a school-based RP.

I would love to join a more free-formed RP, but after getting burned in the last 3 I was in, I'm really wary of it.

Distraction

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 18:11:44 GMT

For anyone who lives near me, and knows what today is, and is free, distraction today would be greatly appreciated.

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 15:51:10 GMT

As a 1930s wife, I am
Very Poor (Failure)

Take the test!

At least I got better than Bethy?

Ignore this

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 07:46:08 GMT

Name: Asch the Bloody
Age:b 17 (birthday: Lorelei-Decan 48, ND2000)
Gender: Male
Height: 171 cm (weight 68kg)
Body Type: Fit and muscular, but overall fairly toned
Weapon of Choice: Sword

Changes at a Glance:
*Asch is not as trusting of Van as he was in the game. He recognizes that Van "rescued him" from his old life as well as giving him his new one, but he also recognizes that, whatever Van's plan is, is can't be too great. However, this will not improve his attitude toward Luke.

*Should we ever get a Largo player, I'd like for there to be almost a Father/Son relationship between them, if Largo's player would be willing. Largo would have to recognize who Asch really is (he looks too much like his father, and that hair/eye combo is obviously related to the Kimlasca Royal Family), and, having lost his daughter, and being the weapons trainer of the God Generals, I can very much see him taking Asch under his wing, especially since Asch would be very wary of Van. It would also make the Asch/Natalia dynamic more interesting, after Natalia learns that Largo is her father (eww, that practically makes them step-siblings AND cousins...).

*As was thought of in conjunction with Nadia and Beth, given that Asch and Meredy are close to the same age, and pretty much the only children hanging around with the God-Generals, Van and Balir had the "good idea" to introduce them. Asch consideres Meredy his friend (probably his only one), and she's probably a lot of what kept him [relatively] sane after losing everything, and kept him from leaving Daath to get away from Van (not that Van wouldn't've found him again).

Appearance:
Asch, like all members of the Kimlascan Royal Family, has red hair and green eyes. He wears his hair long, although he spikes the bangs back, both to keep them out of his eyes, as well as to differentiate himself from his replica and past self (his hair, also, inexplicably has dark tips, opposite to Luke's lighter tips). He also has a very kind face, and can look very gentle, if he would just stop scowling for once.

For clothing, Asch tends to wear blacks and greys, the same as the other God-Generals, but his are highlighted by reds and golds. He wears his sword on his left side, for easy drawing with his right hand.

History:
Born to Duke fon Fabre and his wife Suzanne, Asch was born in ND2000, bearing the name "Luke", which, in Ancient Ispanian, means "Light of the Sacred Flame." Nephew of the King of Kimlasca-Lanvaldear, "Luke" was third in line for the throne (after the King's daugher, Natalia, and his father, who married into the royal family). He both trained and studied hard, knowing that, being betrothed to the princess, he would one day become King of Kimlasca. He did this not only because it was expected of him as tertiary heir to the throne, but also because he wanted to impress his father, who showed "Luke" little attention.

Much of "Luke's" young life was trying to impress the people around him, the ones he thought mattered. This list extended from not just his parents and uncle, but also to his cousin Natalia, his guardian/servant Guy, and, most importantly, his sword instructor, a young man by the name of Van. Van, it seemed, was the only one who treated "Luke" for who he was, not just his role in society. And "Luke" wanted Van to be proud of him.

However, "Luke's" trust of Van was shattered one night when he was 10, as Van, as well as a researcher named Spinoza, had him kidnapped and taken to Choral Castle. At Choral Castle, "Luke" was put through many painful experiments, which culminated in the creation of a replica of him. After the replica was created, "Luke" was put into confinement, as he was no longer "needed."

Managing to free himself, "Luke" made his way back to Baticul, only to find that he'd been replaced by the replica, and no one even seemed to notice that he was there. No one, that is, except for Van.

Van took him to Daath with him, where he joined Largo and Dist in the ranks of Van's "special" subordinates, the God-Generals. Being given the new name of "Asch" (for what was left behind of the "Sacred Flame"), he eventually became the Commander of the Oracle Knights' Special Ops unit. However, he was still wary of what Van had planned for not only him, but of the replica as well.

Personality:
Even as a child, Asch was always a more serious child, focusing much on his studies and his training. Even during times when he was allowed to relax, such as when he and Natalia visited Sheridan, he still focused on what needed to be done.

Likely owing to his kidnapping and what happened, Asch is acutely aware of the differences between the "haves" and "have-nots," as well as the suffering that happens in the world, especially to those who are the "have-nots." This experience has also jaded him, and made him look at the "real" world, and realize that childish fantasies like a country where "everyone can be happy" isn't just unrealistic, it's downright impossible.

Asch's main problem, however, is that he internalizes far too much. No one is out there to help other people, he realizes, and therefore figures that he shouldn't let anyone else see how he's really feeling, or if something's bothering him. This has the unfortunate side-effect of making him angry most of the time, and rather unapproachable. Then again, part of the unapproachable-ness could be his habit of taking out his anger on his enemies on the battlefield, too, where he earned his nickname...

Special Abilities:
As the "Scion of Lorelei", Asch has the unique* ability to create a hyperresonance by himself (*As his replica, Luke also has this ability). Other than that, Asch is also an accomplished swordsman and fonist.

Battle:
In battle, Asch uses both strike artes with his sword, as well as fonic artes. Because he was trained by Van, same as Luke was, they fight almost identically (Luke does have an edge on Asch in the speed department, however), but Asch also has one fonic arte for each Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind.

Icon Dump

Sun, 07 Dec 2008 22:51:49 GMT

Whee, it's time for another icon dump, seeing as how I've reached 100 in my file.

Today's icon dump includes the following:

Bleach x3
Fate/stay night x1
D.Gray-Man x1
Darkstalkers x1
Digimon Saver x1
Fullmetal Alchemist x9
Getbackers x1
Gundam Wing x2
Haruka ~Beyond the Stream of Time~ x2
L/R: Licensed by Royalty x7
Naruto x2
Ojamajo Doremi x6
Pokemon x1
Sailor Moon x2
Slayers x1
Suikoden x5
Tales of the Abyss x22
Weiß Kreuz x4
Xenogears x4
Xenosaga x7
Yami no Matsuei x18


Bleach			Fate/stay night	D.Gray-Man

Darkstalkers	Digimon Savers	Fullmetal Alchemist

Fullmetal Alchemist

Fullmetal Alchemist	Getbackers	Gundam Wing		Haruka ~BtSoT~

Haruka ~BtSoT~	L/R: Licensed by Royalty

L/R: Licensed by Royalty			Naruto

Ojamajo Doremi

Ojamajo Doremi	Pokemon	Sailor Moon		Slayers

Suikoden

Tales of the Abyss

Tales of the Abyss

Tales of the Abyss

Tales of the Abyss

Tales of the Abyss		Weiß Kreuz

Weiß Kreuz	Xenogears

Xenosaga

Xenosaga		Yami no Matsuei

Yami no Matsuei

Yami no Matsuei

Yami no Matsuei

As always, comment if you like them, and credit if you take them.

Another RP App... Ignore

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:19:32 GMT

Mun Name: Dessa
E-mail: dragessa [at] yahoo [dot] com
Out of Character Journal: dessa_gepichu
Messengers: AIM, MSN, Yahoo!, ICQ, IRC (first 3 listed in butazaru's profile, friends-locked)
Age: 26
Times Available: Evenings and weekends, barring work

Name: Guy Cecil (Gailardia Galan Gardios)
Age: 21
Gender: Male
Height: 6'0"
Body Type: Fairly slender, but with muscle
Weapon of Choice: 1-handed sword and scabbard

Changes at a Glance:

Balir- Balir (from Eternia), is the son of Zygmunt Gardios' younger brother, and therefore Guy's cousin. Balir, however, is much older than Guy is, and, until Guy's birth, was the Heir to House Gardios. Balir was married not long before Guy's birthday, and was not on Hod when it was destroyed (however, Guy is unaware of this).

Hod's Destruction- The staff is stupid, and therefore, contradicting the game's comment of Hod being destroyed on Guy's 5th birthday, it was his 6th birthday (this allows Hod to still be destroyed in 2002, and Guy to be 21 at the start of the game).

Guy and Van- The game doesn't go as far in-depth as I'd like, but from what I've garnered from outside sources (such as the drama CDs), Guy was not privy to knowledge of Van's plans, nor of the kidnapping. However, the main reason for Guy's change in attitude toward Luke pre- and post-kidnapping wasn't because of a change of heart, or he felt bad for the boy, it was because Van advocated to him that he should try to at least get along with the boy, if not become his friend.

Appearance:
Tall and slender, but obviously quite muscular. His hair is a golden blond, and his eyes are a brilliant blue in color. Guy has a penchant, it seems, for wearing tight pants, and, ironically, loose shirts. His usual outfit is a pair of dark pants, a loose white shirt, and an orange vest over the top of it. He also wears a gold medalion around his neck, held by a green cord, that gives the unfortunate appearance of a pet collar.

In addition, Guy almost always has a sword belt worn loosely across his hip, with a blade at his side. Although technically only a servant, he is also Luke's attendant, and, if need be, guard, which is why he's allowed to wear it.

History:
Guy was born Gailardia Galan, heir of House Gardios of the isle of Hod. He was a bit of a scaredy-cat, especially when it came to his sister, who would constantly scold him for it. His best friend was the son of a knight of his household, Vandesdelca Mudo Fende, who was also his personal guard. On his sixth* birthday (see above), while his family gathered to hear his birth Score, Kimlasca attacked, led by Duke Fabre, and his entire family was killed, and Hod destroyed. During the attack, his sister and her servants protected him with their own bodies. Guy was found unconscious under their bodies by Pere, and having no memories of what had occurred after the soldiers invaded their home.

Within the next couple of years, through the help of Van, Pere and Guy managed to get themselves hired into the Fabre household, Pere as a gardener, and Guy as babysitter/companion/servant for Duke Fabre's son, Luke. Guy tended to be indifferent, if not cold, to Luke, until he was kidnapped at age 10. After that, at Van's urging, Guy treated Luke a lot better, coming so far as to even be like an older brother to the boy.

When Luke disappeared from the Fabre manor, Guy searched for him by land via Chesedonia, under van's orders. However, Guy was slightly suspicious of Van, and not convinced that this wasn't a part of Van's plot, that Guy was to be a part of in exchange for Van's help in Guy's revenge on Duke Fabre.

Personality:
Despite his harsh childhood, Guy is polite to a fault. Or perhaps that should be in spite of it? As a servant, Guy was forced to learn humility and humbleness, although he still carries himself with the hint of a more noble upbringing, far away though it might be.

Guy is also the epitome of chivalry, willing to put up with almost anything, including blatant abuse from Natalia, without complaint. He's got a way with words, whether he realizes it or not. It's an oft-repeated complaint that he is sweet-talking the women, when he's afraid to be near them, but Guy is so honest that he doesn't even realize what he's doing!

Guy's been accused of being a "woman-hater", but he fervently denies it. Granted, this usually leads to the other extreme of him being a womanizer, but Guy's more in the middle. Like any hormonal male, he enjoys looking at beautiful women, and, if it weren't for his gynophobia, he'd likely enjoy being in their close company. But, until he can get past his gynophobia, he's stuck in the middle.

Special Abilities:
Guy is a fontech buff, and would mess with machines all day if given a chance. It's probably better that he's not, considering no one would see him again, and he'd likely forget to eat.

He has also been trained with at-sea rescue, and is a strong swimmer.

Also of note is that, while a skilled swordsman, Guy's greater skill is in strategy, at seeing how the battle fits together, and how to best utilize their fighters and fonists.

Battle:
In battle, Guy uses the Sigmund style, which is unique to Hod, and uses not only a blade, but the scabbard as well. He does not use Fonic Artes, sticking with Strike Artes, but he does infuse fonons into a couple of them, outside of Field of Fonon effects. Guy's Artes tend to focus more on speed than on damage, and are designed for a hit-and-run strategy, rather than brute force. His style was created to fill in gaps in the Albert style, to better be used to protect Yulia.

Writing Sample:
Guy sighed, looking up at the sky. It had been a long time since he'd seen the sunset from Malkuth territory. Not that this was anything like Hod, but at least he wasn't near the desert anymore. Clearing the last small bridge until Roltelro, Guy's heart sank as he could see the large structure in the distance. Or, at least, what was left of it. How was he supposed to get into Malkuth proper now, if the bridge was out?

Guy was about to turn back toward Chesedonia, when he heard something coming. He dove into a nearby bush, and waited for the coach to stop.

"We already saw you, honey," a syrupy-sweet voice called to him, as the coach stopped. Guy climbed out of the bush, staying a safe distance from the busty woman. "Trying to get over Rotelro Bridge?" she asked.

Guy nodded, wary of this woman, and not just for her gender.

"The bridge is out, but there are some fishermen down near it that might take you across." The woman tossed something at Guy. "Here, this should help you out."

Guy glanced down at what she threw him. It was a bag of coins. Not much, but certainly enough to purchase passage across the span of the destroyed bridge.

"Why...?"

"Let's just say it's 'cuz I think you're cute, honey." The woman sidled past Guy, causing him to jump away and twitch. The woman laughed. "See ya again, Goldie."