language_learning | Member Posts

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maevedarcy

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glinda

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elyusion

I've commented in

vsynthrecs and

vampiremedia, and I'm seriously considering participating in

moodthemeinayear next year, but not the yearly challenge -- probably a monthly one or the bingo -- but uhh. Hey, these are mostly the same comms I participated in last time! I hope next time will be different, LMAO.

This is probably related, so I'm going to talk/ask about my plans for the visual kei community here. If that seems like the kind of thing you'd be interested in, read more and vote in my poll here if you haven't already. I really do hate sounding like an attention-seeker, but, well... I kinda need a little attention right now xD I don't want this community to be dead on arrival, you know?
( Imagine me sitting at a large desk with my hands folded in front of me. )

Current Mood: worried
Current Music: I Still Love You - 702

tuesdayritual

Dear Reader,

My original hourlong version of this post deleted itself as I went to publish it, alas. If you feel I didn’t capture something, please feel free to ask as it was probably in my original version.

Hi, folks! My name is Etta. I’m a New Englander by birth (northeast section of the US for my non-US friends), now in my thirty-third year. By day, I work in data entry for a collegiate registrar’s office; by night, I am wrapping up my M.Ed. in Higher Education. I genuinely love what I do so much that I’ve applied for a Ph.D. in Educational Policy. I’m in the process of reclaiming my Cherokee Nation heritage (through language learning, visiting the rez someday soon, etc.). On the personal side of things, I’m freshly married, and we live with my mom and my feisty dachshund mix. Right now, I’m on the hunt for new hobbies and interests! I’ve always loved reading^*, journal writing, and learning new languages^†. I’m also very interested in archery, solo roleplaying games, KonMari/DanShaRi/No Buy lifestyle, and getting into video games with my new Odin2 Mini^‡.

I am currently looking for a snail mail pen pals to do each of the following:

Role Playing Games: Yes, there are snail mail roleplaying games! I would love to try any of them: My Dearest Colleague or Epistolary, My Thanks to the Esteemed Monster Dracula or Reunion, This Is How We Lose the Kentucky Derby or Bubble Corp. There are adventure-packed RPGs and cozy ones, so it’s whatever vibe you’re interested in exploring. Beyond the usual expenditure needed to participate in snail mail, there may be an additional charge for the game itself; if that’s an issue, I can forward you an e-copy or even make a little zine project out of it.
You: Are creative and dedicated (at least until the game is complete). You’re willing to make flat props if the game calls for it.
We: Write biweekly to monthly, depending on what the game calls for. We use DMs for OOC chat, especially to let the other person know when the mail’s been sent and when it’s been received. We commit to playing for months and/or years until the game is done.
Project Management Pals: I’m in the midst of wrapping up an M.Ed. and possibly hard-launching into a Ph.D. – that’s a lot of project, right there! Beyond that, I’m actively working on building up my capsule wardrobe and mindfully decluttering. And that’s before we get into working on improving on any of my hobbies.
You: Are also passionate about long-term projects, whether you’re also an academic or you’re trying to become a master gardener/seamstress or you’re setting out on some kind of other pilgrimage. You’re also willing to be honest about why you do the things you do and, in time, to call out and be called out for avoiding work/procrastinating, etc.
We: Write more long-form letters than not (bearing in mind progress over perfection), once a month. As a rule of thumb, we can use my Weekly Productivity Check-In as a basis for the content, although freestyling is encouraged! We use DMs to let the other person know when the mail’s been sent and when it’s been received. No ghosting; if we need to quit or pause for any reason, a simple DM will suffice.
General Pen Pal: This is more traditional! If you like what you see and just want occasional missives in your mailbox, this is a good option.
You: Either align with a lot of the things you’ve seen from my post (you’re also into “uncanny domesticity?”) or you’re into different things but open-minded. Actually, being open-minded is pretty much the only requirement here.
We: Send mail biweekly to monthly. It can range from a long-form letter to a short postcard capturing a fleeting moment. About once a quarter, there might be a little more in the long-form letter: stickers, tea packets, zines or other little handmade flat surprises, etc. Maybe once a year we exchange a package: books, clothes, or some other, more three-dimensional object. The key here is simplicity and enjoyment, all low-stress. We use DMs to let the other person know when the mail’s been sent and when it’s been received. No ghosting; if we need to quit or pause for any reason, a simple DM will suffice.

I understand wanting to chat a little via DMs or email to ensure that I am not a bloodthirsty murderer bent on destroying your life, but I would like to start sending mail out by mid-January. I am willing to post internationally, but even a pen friend in my own backyard would be delightful.

At some point, once I have a little more bandwidth, I’d like to enjoy these streams of writing with more friends. If you aren’t able to start with me this round, I expect there will be many more rounds!

Please let me know if you have any questions or interest. My DMs should be open, if you prefer to keep our conversation more private.

Thanks for considering becoming my friend!

* * *

_{*My favorite books, in no particular order, are: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, by Susanna Clarke; The Crimson Petal and the White, by Michel Farber; Lisey’s Story, by Stephen King; Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier; and The Haunting of Hill House, by Shirley Jackson. My favorite authors are Stephen King, Holly Black, Angeline Boulley, and Stephen Graham Jones. These sorts of things probably only matter to literary snobs.}

_{†I got my undergrad degree in Classics, so that means I read haltingly in Latin and Ancient Greek. I also temporarily majored in French. Took Italian in high school but kept up with it for a long time in college. Plus, I have a smattering of German swear words and Cambodian words related to food. And now I’m attempting to learn Cherokee. So, yay, languages! — although I have much less time for it nowadays.}

_{‡The only game I’ve ever finished is Goetia. But I really liked Silent Hill, Kingdom Hearts, Ace Attorney, and Spiritfarer. I am at best a casual gamer, mostly on low energy and/or high pain days.}

Current Mood: friendly
Current Location: New England, USA

elyusion

Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

I was just wondering if there's anyone here, followers, mutuals, passers-by alike, who would be interested in a community where we share and comment on vkei* songs + MVs, and nothing else? No general discussion, because I shouldn't be allowed to moderate that. Touching the conversations I imagine could happen would be like touching hot coals, but if we stay laser-focused on discussing the music then it's fine. At the very least, there will likely be a monthly thread where people can ask for personalized reccs!

The more I think about the comm the more ideas I have for it in terms of little events/challenges and such, so yea. I got the idea because a server I'm in has a channel where people post music, but it irks me how fast it goes and how there's no organization, so for this comm I want songs/MVs to be tagged with the subgenre (ex. kurofuku, tanbi, kote, menhera) and sound (ex. rock, metal, punk, electronic). If the poster is unsure which tags to use they won't have to tag anything, because the mod(s) will do it... Ideally! I don't really know how the specifics of tags in communities work, so we'll see.

If the comm really does happen, then while it's small I can only imagine needing a music-obsessed co-mod for adding/editing sound tags. I'm still learning about genres of music, so while I want everything to be tagged properly I don't trust myself to get the sounds right. However, I don't want just anyone to be able to add tags, because the ensuing arguments might be wild.

Anyways, yea ^_^ Let me know if you're interested or have something else to say. I won't say the number out loud (digitally), but there is a certain amount of positive responses I need before I seriously work on this. And of course if this is a bad idea that everyone hates I would prefer not to waste my time trying it, LOL.

Poll #33937

This poll is anonymous.
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 9

Would you participate in a vkei song reccs community?

View Answers

Yes, I would love to share songs!
1 (11.1%)

Yes, I'd love to comment on shared songs when interested!
1 (11.1%)

Yes, I'd love to share songs AND comment on ones I like!
2 (22.2%)

I would definitely lurk!
5 (55.6%)

I dunno... We shall see.
0 (0.0%)

I would participate in this comm if it weren't for the fact that YOU'D be in charge of it (my honest reaction)
0 (0.0%)

NOT interested, buddy!
0 (0.0%)

*The community won't be 100% visual kei. Some of my ideas for events/challenges, both unique and reoccurring, include sharing related scenes and genres. However, I do plan for events where we can share not-vkei songs to be shorter than the ones that are vkei-only. I've thought so much about this.

Current Mood: curious
Current Music: that one friend who's too deadman

iosonochesono

I don't think it's that I have more responsibilities, I think it's just that I have less energy. Anyway, let's dive in:

1. I've been trying to get Dog #2. This has been going on for about a year, and it seems every time something interrupts the plan:

-- Turned down puppy viewing and adult viewing because I realised we'd need a multi-trade job done on the bathroom.
-- Couldn't get to the location, my taxi driver has developed cataracts.
-- Was turned down by 3 Rescues (one because Jake can't be neutered, one because of the fencing, one because of undisclosed reasons, but I think that's because I was asking about muzzle training. For context, the dog in question had a history of resource guarding and a claimed attempt of attempting to bite someone).
-- Two meet and greets, one unsuccessful, one I turned down feeling anxious that there was no 'click' between the two dogs.

Yadda yadda yadda. The current one - foregoing the home visit which I suspect would have failed because of our fence (which bugs me to no end, because I wouldn't let an untrained dog in the garden without a harness and training lead on anyway, but I digress) we had progressed to the next stage and then my aunt and uncle advised they would be doing a trip to the northwest coast here - which has seriously been one of the best holidays ever where I would just take Jake to the beach in like 3-4 hour stretches.)

Well, I can't bring a new untrained non-decompressed dog in the home and then drag them onto a holiday with two new dogs (one with a history of resource-guarding) and two new strangers. I don't even think the let allows for it. So, I cancelled the home-check. (Honestly, I was feeling a bit iffy about the rescue as well. I asked them if I could consider a dog that was estimated to grow much smaller as well and they said that dog was reserved, but he's still on the rescue page. I think they were trying to gear me toward taking this specific puppy, and that's a red flag to me.)

It never occurred to me how hard it would be to adopt a dog even after I got past the being single, the renting, the not having had a dog as an adult, having an unneutered dog per veterinary advice. I always thought if I could just get past the application stage I'd make it, but one of the reasons I could prepare adequately for Jake was because even when I was pushed up on the waiting list? I had eight weeks to prepare for Jake coming home. That meant:

- Time arranged off work and approval from management to work from home.
- Vet, walkers, daycares, toys, crates, insurance, health care plan worked out.

Yes, lots of stuff got thrown in the air because he had behavioural issues, but that preparation made a HUGE difference. And then the other thing is people didn't make plans that included me because they knew I was dealing with a new puppy.

Rescues you get basically none of that. You apply, you're probably selected or not and expected to do a meet-and-greet and a home-check all within a week. So not only are you not really prepared, but no one even knows and so you're still included in the plans.

I still want to rescue long-term, or foster, but I really do think that might have to be the third dog at this point. I've decided I'm not going to worry about it. Honestly, if I'm not going to a BYB or mill breeder, it isn't anyone else's business where my dog's come from. And the people I'm looking at are not mills.

The main one I'm interested in right now is a Spaniel breeder (I don't think a second dog should be Jake's size or I'd be overwhelmed on walks). They have a lot of really great reviews, they are fully open about their facilities, they interview, and they offer to keep socialising the puppy for 16 weeks. (Which means that the puppy will be a lot closer to being fully toilet-trained as well.)

I'm thinking I'll foster as well when the house and fencing and gates are more fixed up, focusing on seniors or stranger-danger cases. And then I can always adopt a dog from that. I always planned on 2-3 dogs. And I've been told 4-5 years is probably the best time to introduce a second dog.

2. We got a Positive Intake Vent and bathroom fan installed at the house, and a dryer. So that should pretty much eliminate any condensation build up in the house over the winter. There should be no damp or mould. I'm also hoping to get dehumidifiers and air purifiers.

3. The attachment I ordered a replacement for for the vacuum finally arrived on Friday so I'm going to take it for a test run today. I'm working up to that. I'm a bit exhausted because we're in the winter swing of things.

4. I'm chasing the public bodies again regarding the trees lining the river behind the house. I've made zero progress. I'm concerned. I do not want the tree to fall into my garden, or worse, my house. At least I haven't put in a new fence or gate yet. I'm factoring that in to how I time repairs - why replace a fence or gate that will have a huge tree crash down on it? Why try landscaping?

I think we did really good this year for the house. We're coming up to a year in the house:

We changed the locks.
We replaced the shower tray and enclosure.
We replaced the cooker and sockets in the kitchen.
We replaced and updated the sockets in the sitting room to be double-sockets and have USB-C Ports.
We installed the PIV and bathroom fan (which will reduce condensation in the house and eliminate it from gathering in colder areas because the air is constantly moving.)
We removed a good amount of wallpaper.
We overpaid roughly 5% or at least will be on track to have done so if I keep overpaying the same amount I am now.

Did we do everything on my list? No, of course not. That list is very long. On my list for this year I also ambitiously put 'convert to gas or heat pump, replace the fence, replace the kitchen, remove the wallpaper, replace the flooring, repaint. But we don't make enough money for all that, really.

So, my main goals next year:

1. Overpay 5% minimum (goal - 10%. But realistically, I am realising 5% is plenty to reduce our payments by a lot, and still let us work on the house. Plus my thought is if we overpay 5% minimum, later years when big jobs are done I can then turn around and overpay 15-20%, especially if I get a job that pays more or is so close to home I can walk my own dog during lunch.)

2. Convert to GFCH and turn the place where the burner is now into a washer/dryer area.

3. Renew the kitchen.

4. Replace flooring.

5. Repaint downstairs.

Is it a hefty goal? Yes. Am I likely to achieve it? Well, it absolutely depends on my career. If I get a job that pays the median or higher NI Wage, yes, I can make this happen. If Patrick is contributing to savings as much as I do to overpayments, it can happen.

Otherwise, I will be lucky if two of these things get done. If I can only do part of the list my priorities are in the same order. Overpaying > GFCH (unless our OFCH fails anyway) > Kitchen replacement (mostly because I need to move the washing machine out of the kitchen and where the burner is if we're going to get a dishwasher in that space instead.)

My sister and I are getting along much better nowadays, since she realised I was neither lying nor exaggerating about how dysfunctional things were at home. She's still super busy but at least sometimes she responds to me, and sometimes we even watch shows. She also had a shit husband, who she is now divorced from, but she's trying to get back out there.

Personally, I'm at a point where I can't even imagine dating again? I did try back around when I first moved out here. It was awful. I have come to the conclusion that I can't attract what I'm interested in and so tend to only draw people who are only interested in me because they can't find better. And more importantly, that I don't deserve nor want to deal with that.

I've been... Happy? Like yes, I'd like to earn money so I could take Jake and a second dog, who I could afford very easily, and go on fancy holidays and hikes everywhere in the UK and Europe. I'd like to be able to afford all the classes I want to take (rowing, sailing, trades courses, vocational courses, academic) without concern, as well as tutors where necessary. I'd consider one child in some circumstances, but they mostly involve a lot more money and a much more flexible schedule where I can be heavily involved in the child's upbringing and education, and not be reliant on a secondary income. So, probably not. And I'm happy with that decision.

Now, that's not to say I don't also struggle with clinical depression here and there, or anxiety. But it doesn't have nearly as much of a grip as it does when you don't have secure housing or work. When the house is modernised and fully decorated, it will be bitchin'. Well, for me anyway.

I'm going to try to start getting rid of more things (donating/giving away) until this house is mostly empty except for dog supplies. I'm constantly battling against Patrick trying to hoard things, and I can be a bit of a pack rat myself.

The stuff going on in the USA is atrocious right now, and I wish I could help my friends out there, but I don't even know how. Except when I can donating a little money here and there. I feel like the UK isn't far behind unfortunately. Which reminds me I should also work on getting my Irish passport.

Over here, they are really trying to push USian-styled private healthcare. It's absolutely bonkers to me that they can actually witness what is going on in the USA, and they don't believe that's what they'd get. The damn movement is being lobbied for by US companies. But you can't fix stupid. USians over here keep trying to tell locals you don't want to gut the NHS. Don't listen to Farage. Don't give up your national healthcare! But they sit there and moan about lines. Never even realising that if tens of millions of people suddenly need private healthcare, they will still be waiting in lines. They'll just be paying a shit-ton of money for it.

And then to add insult to injury, they will say 'why don't they just go to a public hospital' when someone is in medical debt. Even explaining, they DO NOT UNDERSTAND IT'S ALL PRIVATE UNLESS YOU'RE ON MEDICAID OR MEDICARE. Or they'll talk about they never wait for healthcare under their private insurance, except over here emergency issues GET REFERRED TO THE NHS. They can't comprehend a TRULY private healthcare system.

So they post about wanting to go to private healthcare and the USians are like, 'No, trust us, you don't, it will bankrupt you' 'Well but surely you can just go to the public hospitals then?'

Which makes me think about Derry girls and the rich girl asking them why they don't just use their trust fund lol.

https://www.tiktok.com/@k_dofinbos/video/7374221540101082410

Anyway... That's probably about it for my day. I'm going to get ready for bed and then run the vacuum around the house with the new attachment.

maevedarcy

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maevedarcy

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maevedarcy

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maevedarcy

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maevedarcy

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maevedarcy

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maevedarcy

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elyusion

This morning I read a NYT article about Wrappeds, and almost all the comments were so hostile. God forbid a man like numbers and stats and data.

This will probably be my last Spotify Wrapped (that has a useful amount of data, at least), which makes me kind of sad to think about since 2026 would've been 10 years' worth of Wrappeds for me. Not counting the fact that I totally missed 2018's for some reason. But it's okay... I stay strong... And I have Last.FM, which does their Wrapped in January like a normal year round-up thing should, so it's fine.

This is my 2nd year in a row with the same top 4 artists, although the order is a little shuffled. This is probably my 9th year with MCR in my top 5? (Meaning, they've been there ever since I started using Spotify.) And if memory serves me correctly, this is probably year 4 of having BT, MCR, and Michael Jackson in there. Possibly a little more.

I like how "rock" is lowkey in my top genres twice. Probably three times, since most of the "J-pop" is probably J-rock, which Spotify may tag as both J-pop and rock? I wish they consolidated genres a little better for this, or that I had the option to do so.

For the top song quiz I chose It Never Rains, but it was Ice Cream 💀💀💀 I dunno what I was going through to listen to it almost 200 times. Banger though.

Darlin' made a comeback after 5 years... in 2020 I was obsessed with it, although it was the rerecording I was looping. I like both the mature, improved vocals and younger, grittier vocals. They're each for their own kind of mood.

Ever since really listening to BT in 2019 they've been my #1 top artist, and I've been within their top 1% of fans. I think in 2019 I was within the top 0.1% though... something like that. I'm always worried I'm going to fall from the top percentages, but it hasn't happened yet! I worry about overplaying them and falling out of love too, though! How do I balance this!? Help me!!?!?

"Your club favorites"
>Wu-Tang Clan
>Band I have one liked song from
>Pierce the Veil (valid ig)
>Member of the Wu-Tang Clan
>Another member of the Wu-Tang Clan
>MCR (sadly valid)
Don't piss me off..

As for my role in the Grit Collective, I got "Recruiter - You share music far and wide, bringing in frequent new club members," which made me go "huh" until I remembered I like to send links to one specific guy all the time. Not sure that makes me a good recruiter! Said guy ignores my links half the time anyways TT_TT
divider

Did you know? YouTube, not YouTube Music but regular 'ol Youtube, had a Recap too. This is all that really matters though:

The "sides of you" thing is so funny to me... Too true YouTube. Too true.
Yea, I pretty much only use YT for music and anime OPs and EDs, and sometimes for studying or tutorials. I can't stand video essays. I always think "this could've been a blog post." I can read faster than people can talk, too many people have voices that annoy me or distract me from what they're saying, and I can look for the specific info I need faster with text too. End the reign video essays. Return to WordPress.

Linking my 5 most looped videos in the drop-down.

Boy Do I Love Anime

Put the links into xoutu.be yourself if you hate cookies. <- lazy

#5! I still haven't played this LOL. 2026 for sure!! I watched my friend play a little bit of it, and I think it's cute, but I will always feel :/ towards how Tokimeki Memorial makes it so you Have to get along with Everyone or you DIE. Why tf do I have to date 20 people to date the one I want man. Also the friend characters should be romanceable. But yea, the guy who is obviously the main guy, the blond bad boy, is so cute awwwwww <:3 And this translation is awesome btw, kudos to OP.

Watch on YouTube

#4 is from that time I tried watching the first episode of a bunch of anime I saw girls talking about on older blogs and websites, decided they were all bad and those ladies were just desperate for yaoi, and then never watched episode 2 of any of them. Saiyuuki also has an art style I don't especially like, but the opening is a banger to fun to look at.

#3 is orientalism if it was epic🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 Don't ask me anything about this show btw I don't remember shit but this ending

#2 is holy mother of yaoi
Got called autistic in Washington for watching this constantly for like a week (true and deserved)

#1 is this opening that makes me want to throw rocks at my own head <33333333
It's so misleading LMAO It makes it look like Naruto and Sasuke are besties and like Sakura actually does stuff. But it still makes me feel crazy.
Relevant quote from a locked entry written by myself:

i looked up the first naruto opening on USA cartoon network, and there were quite a few comments saying they really liked it (valid, fair) and that if they had seen the jp opening first they probably wouldnt have watched naruto. this means that the localizers did a good job picking a new opening song and sequence for this new audience, but this also means the average usamerican would rather watch keys jangle then enjoy beauty. SAD! (yes yes, there is beauty to be found even in a set of keys...)

And I'm inlcuding my entire Top Songs list... according to Spotify. If Last.FM does this too, and I think they do? Then it will probably look quite different, because there's lots of songs I listened to that aren't on Spotify, as well as songs I became obsessed with at the end of November and throughout this month.

Don't judge me.

Ice Cream (feat. Ghostface Killah, Method Man & Cappadonna) - Raekwon

Jesus - Laputa

DARLIN' (Album Version) - D'ERLANGER

It Never Rains (In Southern California) - Tony! Toni! Toné!

Broken Youth - NICO Touches the Walls (aka this Shippuden ED) (I tried listening to all this band's discog btw and couldn't find much else, so if you know any other songs that sound like this... like do I just listen to more J-rock from the late 00s or is this a specific subgenre I can look into or)

Scent Of Love - Helena Nogeurra

Te Aviso, Te Anuncio (Tango) - Shakira (English title is "I'm Warning You, I'm

Telling You (Tango)" ... ?)

Fallin' Out - Keyshia Cole

Glass no Sougen - Kikuchi Momoko (English is "Glass Plain")

Call Me - Aretha Franklin

Black - Pearl Jam

He Won't Go - Adele

Through Glass - Stone Sour

Don't Ask My Neighbors - The Emotions

Player's Prayer - Lloyd (💀)

Seishun Kyousoukyoku - Sambomaster (aka this Naruto OP. English title is "Rhapsody of Youth".)

RISKY VENUS - Crazy:B (💀💀💀💀💀)

IN MY DREAM (WITH SHIVER) - LUNA SEA

Love Of My Life (An Ode To Hip Hop) - Erykah Badu ft. Common

I Want You Back - The Jackson 5

I'm Still in Love with You - Al Green

Candy - Cameo

Baby cruising Love - Perfume (you will always be famous!!!!!!!!!!!!)

All I Do Is Think of You - Troop (did you know this is a cover of a Jackson 5 song?)

Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Act 2: No. 14a, Pas de deux. Andante maestoso - Tchaikovsky

Over the Rainbow - Aretha Franklin

Sylvia: Pizzicato - Léo Delibes

Superwoman - Karyn White

What the Hell - Avril Lavigne

Until The End Of Time (with Beyoncé) - Justin Timberlake

You're Not My Kind Of Girl - New Edition

A Long Walk - Jill Scott

Haruka Kanata - ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION (aka... wait for it... this Naruto OP. English title is "Far, Far Away" I guess.)

Halloween - Aqua

Meteor - Croix Allcine

Electric Angel - Yasuo ft. Hatsune Miku

The Best In Me - Marvin Sapp

ROSIER - Single Version - LUNA SEA

The Real Slim Shady - Eminem

You Make Me Feel Brand New - The Stylistics

Fantasy - Earth, Wind & Fire

Do You Think About Me - 50 Cent

La-La Means I Love You - The Delfonics

Virgin cry - Laputa

Creep - Radiohead (first ever time it's not the TLC song)

Enough Of No Love - Keyshia Cole ft. Lil Wayne

Rusty Nail - X JAPAN

1, 2 Fanclub - Mikito P ft. GUMI & Kagamine Rin

Mansae - SEVENTEEN (English title? "YIPPEEE!!!!!!")

Nocturne - Castlevania Sound Team (that song the fairy sings to Alucard to help him go beddybye)

Method Man - Home Grown Version - Wu-Tang Clan (really it's just Method Man)

Heaven Sent - Keyshia Cole

Mr. - KARA

Ooo Baby Baby - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

Ain't No Woman (Like The One I've Got) - Four Tops

GOOD MORNING SATELLITE - DEAD END (awesome guitar)

Ore no Kanojo wa Risutokatta - KYOKUTOU GIRL FRIEND (in English it's "My Girlfriend is a Wrist-Cutter" ... or maybe "My Girlfriend Cuts/Slits Her Wrists" since the longer I look at it the more I wonder if "wrist-cutter" is an English phrase.)

Astrosexy - m-flo ft. CHEMISTRY

When a Man Loves a Woman - Percy Sledge (this was my #1 song last year iirc)

I Want To Hold Your Hand - Remastered 2009 - The Beatles

Please, Please, Please - James Brown & The Famous Flames

follow the night light - deadman

Seikan Hikou - Ranka Lee (v. Nakajima Megumi) (English title is "Interstellar Flight")

One Night Only - From ‘Dreamgirls’ / Original Broadway Cast Version - Jennifer Holliday, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Loretta Devine, Deborah Burrell

Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart) - The Stylistics

Free Yourself (feat. Missy Elliott) - Fantasia

Barairo no Jinsei - Ando (English title is "[A] Rose-Colored Life")

The Sweetest Thing (feat. Lauryn Hill) - From the New Line Cinema film "Love Jones" - Refugee Camp All-Stars

Algo Está Cambiando - Julieta Venegas (Eng - "Something Is Changing")

die - BUCK-TICK (Helloooooooo beautiful; was almost scared this song wouldn't be here for the first time in years. This was my #1 song in 2019)

I'm Leaving You Again - New Edition

Lost Decadence - LIPHLICH

Hustler Musik - Lil Wayne

Chicago - Michael Jackson

No More Drama - Mary J. Blige

Lovin' You - Minnie Riperton

Sounds Like a Love Song - Bobby Glenn

La La La - Naughty Boy ft. Sam Smith

Deity - Louise Patricia Crane

You Are Everything - The Stylistics

Back Stabbers - The O'Jays

I'd Rather Go Blind - Etta James

Niwaka Ame ni mo Makezu - NICO Touches the Walls (Don't get mad at me... It's a Shippuden OP. The one I'm currently on! Eng is "I Won't Even Lose to Sudden Rain" or something ik the youtube link has the official translation and it's right there but i'm lazy asffffff)

Refrain Limit / Drug Habit - Laputa

Dress - BUCK-TICK (helloooooooooo gorgeous 😻)

911 (feat. Mary J. Blige) - Wyclef Jean

Yume no Hajimarinrin - Kyary Pamyu Pamyu (I guess the English title is like "My Dreams are Beginringringing" ... or more straightforwardly "The Start of My Dreams Ring Ring" but I wanted it to sound fun like the original :') )

Leave - Lil Shxwn ft. Yungeen Ace

GLORIA - ZIGGY

Y Siempre - Tierra Canela (Eng - "And Forever")

Untitled (How Does It Feel) - D'Angelo

Karma - 2BYG

You Don't Know My Name - Alicia Keys (this song is basically childhood oomf)

Bizarre Love Triangle - New Order

Love Will Tear Us Apart - 2020 Remaster - Joy Division

Love T.K.O. - Teddy Pendergrass

What Do The Lonely Do At Christmas? - The Emotions

Lonely Rolling Star - Kabata Saki (from Katamari Damacy)

Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: The Swan - Camille Saint-Saëns

Okay byeeeeeeee

Current Mood: okay
Current Location: i'm not a man btw. don't believe my lies.
Current Music: Heaven or Las Vegas - Cocteau Twins

elyusion

The pain of 2025, that is! I'm so excited for the new pain and hardship 2026 will bring!!! WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!

I didn't make one of these last month because ??? I don't know, to be honest. Let's pretend having a job threw off my usual unemployed schedule. So, this entry will cover both October and November.

I need to add this to my bio, but for now I'm putting this here: I type in my dialect on purpose, and if you try to correct it you lose relationship points with me. Thanks for understanding!

Past
In a classic Cici move, I did fuck all all of October. I don't even know why. I just didn't. And my doing nothing that month resulted in all my plans/projects falling through. 1000000000000 such cases. It seems like the only things I accomplished were completing Rhythm Tengoku and Rhythm Heaven (Gold). I watched Blacula and Sinners too, for class, but that's about it.

The Rhythm Heavens™

Both Rhythm Heavens were awesome, do recommend. These are some of my favorite minigames. (I prefer the Fan Clubs in Megamix though.) I will say that the controls for Gold made me want to hurt myself and the people around me sometimes, but that's okay! ^_^

Blacula was okay. Sinners was great! But I never can come up with much to say about movies...

November was my first month on the job and it's pretty darn okay. It's easy money. Unfortunately as a person who is/was 👌🏾 this close to being a hikikomori sometimes the difference is rooooough.

In November, I...
( the consumer )
I also finished all my normal school work, so besides Finals Week coming up (which I have never stressed over because I'm a great test taker) I'm done with school 👍🏾 One useless degree coming right up! Finally unsubbed from Spotify too, but I'm not gonna lie, this transition is hurting me. At the tail end of November I started working on a capsule wardrobe, so maybe in January or so I'll post pictures of all the outfit combinations I can make or something? *noncommittal shrug*

Present
I'm................... drawing 🤯 And since I finished Suikoden and dropped Haruka 2, I'm going to end the year with Chrono Trigger and Sakura Taisen. I don't really have plans besides that. Since I'll be spending most of the month freshly graduated, I want to relax for a while before making more unrealistic goals for myself and beating myself up when I fail ^v^

Way too late, I finally put the pieces together and realized that the reason I've drawn so little the past few years (with the sole exception of a little Moment during my sophomore year lol) is because I was too busy with or worried about school, so I'm going to make myself draw for a while and see if I can easily get back into the rhythm of it with no school holding me back.

Future
I'll be free as a bird from the 12th and onwards! You know, if you completely ignore that I have a job and all. I don't have the kind of demons that tell me to get a Master's, LMAO. Or, at least... they're not very loud <:3

I need to make some New Year's resolutions, but I'm not sure how many to have, what I should focus on, or if I should publicly share them to pressure myself into doing them or not. (If I say them publicly it'll hurt harder when I fail.) I know for sure in January I'm continuing my fan translation of that one manga, which I hope to finish within the year.

One thing I know for sure? I'm taking a nap right after I post this. Good night!

Current Mood: sleepy
Current Music: Vertigo - Laputa

tuesdayritual

Dear Reader,

There is something so cozy about writing to a particular friend on the coldest day of the season yet. It is a true pleasure to sit down with a favorite pen and good paper, imagining who might be on the other side to read your words.

My name is E——. I’m one month a wife, just a few scant weeks into my thirty-third year. My husband and I live in my childhood bedroom in my mother’s thousand-one-hundred square foot townhouse. Momma has kept the master bedroom. My dachshund mix has elected herself lord of it all. Living here allows us to save up for a cross-country move or for a house, depending on the success of my doctoral applications. While we await the verdict, I spend my days working as a data entry clerk in the Office of the Registrar at a small, liberal arts college in New England. The work is repetitive, but integral to the function of the college. As the daughter of a social worker, I also perform a lot of service: I established a mutual aid network and resource library for disabled employees, caretakers, and allies; initiated and continue to lead an annual Disability Awareness Week; advise our student disability advocacy group; and serve on the ADA/504 committee and two of its subcommittees. I’m also reaching the end of my penultimate semester in the M.Ed. in the Higher Education Administration program, which has sparked a passion for educational policy. When I’m not at work – or studying the theories that underpin the ins and outs of my work – you can find me writing pen pal letters (much like this one), reading through the gothic literature classics that inspired Guillermo del Toro’s Crimson Peak, or enjoying a warm cup of tea in front of YouTube documentaries.

It’s too bad that there hasn’t been much opportunity for that this past week. Our family had so much to do to prepare for Thanksgiving dinner! Using A Monk’s Guide to a Clean House and Mind, by Shoukei Matsumoto (2011), I was able to completely sanitize our guest bathroom, clear three of the five shelves in the living room, sweep the nonessential furniture to the edges of the room, and give my previous dog’s ashes place of pride in the dining room. The most interesting discovery? A box of museum postcards I’ve collected over the years – all meant to be sent and yet untouched. It made me think of all the beginnings that never get written. I’m so glad that this one did.

Other small joys this past week included the smell of bookbinder’s glue when you crackle open a new book; the squirming wriggle of a dog happy to see you; a warm cup of green tea in an antique bone china cup; and the warmth of sharing a blanket with someone you love.

How was your Thanksgiving/National Day of Mourning? What interesting find have you made lately?

Write me back soon!

Your new friend,

E——