X-mas present for dad?
ix Naranda
to [Brother]

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=vl_other_2&listing_id=34739256

You order the kit, assemble it, and then give it to the recipient as if it just arrived in the mail as is.

Pretty cunnin', doncha think?

-------------------------------------------------

Re: X-mas present for dad?
[Brother]
to ix Naranda

Shiny. Let's do it.
and hey, here's an Xmas gift to think about for me: my PS3 seems to be busted and I don't know if Sony will fix it (research in progress). Maybe all y'all can pitch in for the new one. Just a thought--keep it in mind. The thought, that is. Don't keep a PS3 in your mind. That would be dangerous. Toes, that is.

Happy Tanuki Day! I hope you're blitzed off your rocker! Barring that, I hope you're fatter than you were yesterday! Pudgin' up for winter, amirite? HEY-O!

Yes, I exist, and no, I haven't accomplished much of what I said I was going to accomplish, but school has been AAUGH lately. Also, we're thinking I may have had post-flu depression, which might explain why I FREAKED OUT over little things on a twice-weekly basis or so for a while. Mmmya. Not fun.
BUT: things are going verrry verry well nao, and I'm giving a rough shot at NaNoMango this month.

I will post something later this week with a more accurate and in-depth update, but for now it's bedtime and I need a nightcap.

Hugs and Chiss,

ix

Today got off to a rather shitty start - my brand new glasses snapped in half less than 24 hours after I got them and I've had anxiety nightmares constantly for the past week - but I am determined to get some art done. The problem lies in the fact that I am bored and uninspired, and I thought some voice chatting might liven things up a bit.

https://voxli.com/Naranda

All you need is (presumably) a microphone and maybe a free account - it's insanely simple to sign up, and I'm not even sure you need to. You will need to install a plugin, but honestly that's to be expected.  I may dart in and out to get food and cha and supplies, but chances are good you will find me there easily enough.

What're you waiting for? Drop on in!


P.S.
The more people show up the more likely it is I will get art done. BRIBERYYYY.

p.p.s
There might be a text chat option as well. I don't know. Go find out. ♥

Currently trying to sit down and focus on studying for an exam next week, but I'm frustrated out of my mind because today is the first day in months that I've really felt like sitting down to get some art done.

I'm months behind on gifts and commissions, and I'm really sick of still being so unreliable. I want to get so much done, but I just can't balance the creative motivation with the academic yet.

Grah, I don't know why I'm so on edge today. Probably because my glasses broke and my eyes are going a bit googly - this stupid astigmatism is juuuuust noticeable enough to make me queasy if I go megane-less for too long. Erg.

Love & peace, y'all.

I HAVE THE FLU!

Possibly piggy flu!

YAAAAAAAAAYHORKHACKGURGLECOUGHHURKbleeegh.

Kamen Rider is a Japanese live-action show that does a new universe each year/season (for those not in the know, think Power Rangers nowadays).
Kamen Rider Ryuki is a Kamen Rider season from a few years back.
Kamen Rider Ryuki gets brought over by 4Kids (booo!), refilmed with Western actors, and called Kamen Rider Dragon Knight.
Kamen Rider Dragon Knight gets brought back to Japan, re-released as an import, and redubbed by Japanese voice actors.
The Japanese redub of Kamen Rider Dragon Knight may quite possibly be fansubbed back into English via the same groups that fansubbed the original Kamen Rider Ryuki.

Additionally,

I am a fan of Matsuda Kenji (duh).
Matsuda Kenji was in two Kamen Rider seasons.
Matsuda Kenji was never in Kamen Rider Ryuki.
Matsuda Kenji is now in Kamen Rider Dragon Knight as part of the Japanese dub cast.
I just found this out from Matsuda Kenji's blog, thus spurring my curiosity and unleashing the afore-listed feedback loop of information upon my feeble senses.

I need to lie down.

Don't you love it when pointless, stupid problems sort themselves out to everybody's satisfaction?

I'm in a very cheerful mood right now, if utterly drained. My rather neurotic meltdown the other day really made me realise what emotional hangups I still have left over from high school days, and with a bit of luck and a lot of effort, I think I've overcome them. In two days.

I am obscenely proud of myself. Well, I'm embarrassed beyond words at how I initially handled the situation, but just a year ago this kind of thing would have shattered me completely - which is also pretty embarrassing to think about. But, no, my Scottish common sense slapped me around a bit and called me names, and finally dumped me on my ass with a stern order to buck up, apologize and reconcile, and get over it. So I did. End of story. Yaaay.

Sometime in the next week or so (hopefully tomorrow, but one never knows), I will be revamping my journal with a new layout and a complete wipe of all my previous entries.  I think I'm at a point where I'm ready to burn the evidence and start afresh.  I'm not the person I was five years ago, and it's high time I started looking like it.


Love & Peace, y'all.

Most of the friendships I've ever had have ended because my "friend" decided it would be funny, or clever, or "cool" to keep pointless shit from me.

I understand the appeal, but it strains trust and reminds me of how much of a hopeless, stupid, pathetically unobservant and trusting moron I am; especially since I am ALWAYS the last person to find out.


I have been taken more for granted in the past three weeks than I have in the past five years, and I'm done with it.  If I don't have a place here as a peer, then I don't have a place here at all.  I'm sorry if you feel like you can't trust me with the small things, but at least have the decency to not just assume I'll figure it out on my own. I won't. I'm really that thick.


Don't bother trying to talk to me about it. Just stop doing it.

Brief update.

At the current moment, I believe I am either losing my voice or coming down with a cough. Possibly both. We'll find out tomorrow.
I just started classes and am already fully entrenched in homeworkland.
I have five commissions to get done by Friday and they are not going to get done by Friday.
I have no money for postage and thus cannot send packages yet. Also I'm paranoid about mailing things and need to reteach myself how to send stuff. Yes I am that lame.
I'm actually drawing stuff again YAAAAAAAAY I'M SO EXCITED
School is fun. My fashion teacher reminds me of future me. He wears fully tailored Hawaiian shirts and makes underwater basket weaving jokes while being super smart and SUUUPER FAB. So far, at least. He's pretty cool.
I have learned how to make origami x-wings. Do you ever get that almost physical feeling of a "level up"? I got that with the origami x-wings. I am becoming more awesome on an almost daily basis. JUST AS PLANNED.
I saw a four-band concert featuring Zappa Plays Zappa and Dream Theater. ZPZ was mind-blowing, and they completely confused most of the younger metal heads at the concert - poor twats couldn't understand why everyone was cheering so hard at jazzy rock in 11/4 timescale. They were there to see Dream Theater, who were as prissy as I have ever seen anyone still claiming to be "metal". I was decidedly unimpressed, and skipped out early to buy a "My guitar wants to kill your mama" Zappa shirt.

Overall, life is good.


Toodles for now, y'all. ♥

There's nobody who follows me on LiveJournal who I want to say this to - you're all cool, but I don't want to post this on Facebook where various kids will see it. Bad PR and all.  I just need to get this off my chest, regardless of whether the people involved actually ever read it.



( Dear co-workers... )

Welcome to online banking!

Your current balance is: $1.43
------------------------------------------

D8

I realize not too many people who watch me here have the means, inclination, or reason to pay me for art, but if you know anyone who does, please send them this way, or to http://naranda.deviantart.com.

Due to my shocking lack of any funds, I am going to be offering $10 sketches for as long as I can handle the work. Additional characters are +$5. I will not be offering color or ink unless you commission that separately, and whether the sketch is digital or traditional will be entirely up to me. No shipping at this point in time, sorry.


If you'd like to commission me, either comment or send me a note. I will send you a private note with payment information. I can currently receive payment through PayPal only, unless you know me in person and can pay cash very swiftly.

Alucard. As my entire team. I mean, I'm sure he's active somewhere.

Now, STOP WITH THE FUCKING TWILIGHT, LJ.  Fans are fans and they can have their thing and like it and blah blah good for them, but PLEASE for the love of all things undead and unholy, STOP SHOVELING IT ON MY DOORSTEP.

IS THERE NO PLACE I CAN GO TO ESCAPE THIS TOPIC.


[Edit]
P.S.
Buffy can be referee.

[Edit again]
AHAHAHAHAHA OMIGAHD LJ is exploding with indignant RAGE at this question.  Go check out the answers for pages of hilarity.

I will clarify that the main reason I'm pissed off at this question is that I am sick to death of the fact that there is NOWHERE I can go online or off where Twilight isn't brought up.  Ranting is just my way of venting the stupid out.

More importantly... exactly what group did LJ think they were appealing to with this question?  The extensive teen-romance/pro baseball/blogger scene?

List the first ten series that come to mind. Your friends will comment with the character from each series that they think you are most like. No favorites (...unless it's legit)!

○ Star Wars (preferably original trilogy/EU, although I know most people on my list know jack about Star Wars)
○ Star Trek (any!)
○ Hunter X Hunter
○ Yuu Yuu Hakusho
○ Harry Potter (wth I'm running out of ideas)
○ Jigoku Shoujo
○ Dominic Deegan
○ DragonBall/DragonBall Z
○ Yu-Gi-Oh! Abridged
○ [Insert your own show here] (yes, I am totally out of ideas, sue me).

Today was AWESOME. Turns out my bro and I just need to each go do our own thing before hanging out together, which is fine. Today I took the bus down to Little Tokyo by my lonesome whilst my brother worked on his animatics for school. The bus ride was shorter than Wednesday's car ride (20 minutes instead of 30 or 40), had next to no traffic, and cost $2.50 for a round trip instead of $10 for parking. A++ would purchase again. What? Anyway.

I bought a shit ton of stuff and will probably get in trouble for it but FUCK it this is the second time in my entire life I've enjoyed shopping.  I had a huge bowl of ramen twice the size of my skull that was tastier than most ramen I had in Japan, but I didn't finish the broth for fear of drowning in spicy soy love. By "drowning" I mean, literally drowning. It was a very large bowl.

Most everything I bought was intended to be souvenirs for friends back home, but looking at my stash now I'm probably going to keep some of it to balance things out. I still haven't bought everybody something yet, and some people's piles are twice as tall as mine. So, redistribution shall take place pretty soon. I think I'll keep the bento boxes.

OH OH LAO HEY LAO HEY HEY i got you something.

     

I dunno if it's what you like but it's Kuroshitsuji and like a mini transparent plastic poster set or something and it has a sexy butler on it and some shota kid wearing pink frilly loli drag so I thought "y'know, what the hey".  Addendum: Knives!! I really need to read this show. Manga. Something.


Soooooooo that's that. I did a lot of stuff today, but most of it can be summarised by "saw stuff, did stuff, bought stuff", which is much more exciting in person than it is on paper. Especially when that paper is a screen. Of text. Written by a phenomenally exhausted tanuki.

GOOD NIGHT LOVE YOU ALL CHUUUU~

   "Did they ask you to come back?"
Ix shifted her tablet PC to a more comfy position, moving her phone from one ear to the other and wincing as she accidentally stabbed herself in the earlobe again. One would think the craze of making the damn things smaller every year would have stopped by now.  "Yeah, just for a couple cameos, it sounds like. Most of the other actors aren't around anymore..." She continued sketching as her phonemate chuckled.
   "I bet I know who will be there."
Ix ignored her friend and continued sketching.  "...I'll have to squeeze it into my schedule between my other projects, too..."
   "A certain someone we all know.."
"...I mean, I'm already missing The Amazing Meeting 17 for a vaccine drive charity..."
   "A certain sexy someone you made it into the tabloids with..."
"...I don't really want to miss Anthrocon again, too."
   "Well Christ, ix, don't sound so excited about it."
ix blinked.  "...About what? Missing Anthrocon or tabloids?"
   "NEITHER. You've still got the hots for him, don't you?"
"...Uncle Kage?"
   "YOUR CO-STAR you dipshit."
"What? Him? No way! Dude's almost fifty!"
   "And still smokin' hot."
"And still fifty, Kira. Well, fine, forty-seven." Ix took a moment during her friend's long-suffering sigh to chug the last of the udon and pour another glass of champagne, which she promptly wrinkled her nose at. "Bleh."
   "Fuck, ix, he's not THAT bad."
Ix exchanged the glass for her stylus again. "Oh, no, sorry, I just drank some lousy champagne."
   "Don't you hate champagne?"
"That would be why it was lousy."
   "Then why the hell are you drinking it?"
"I just um... I just felt like celebrating a bit... is all." An awkward elbow sent the champagne glass toppling onto a pile of press photos and fabric scraps at ix's feet. "Fuck."
   Kira didn't seem to notice the hissed expletive. "Kamen Rider is a pretty good thing to celebrate," she agreed. "How'd you weasel your way into that, again?"
Ix scoffed.  "I'm an eccentric Oscar-winning millionaire celebrity!"  A bottle of vanilla vodka replaced the champagne and ix waved it around enthusiastically.  "As long I make a box-office hit every now and then, I get to do whatever the hell I want!"  The bottle was promptly taken away. Ix made a face and scooped up the shiny gold statue sitting on the coffee table. "Silly Oscar."
   "Speaking of eccentric," Kira mused pointedly, "you aren't secretly selling arts and crafts on Etsy again, are you?"
Ix put her PC away self-consciously.  "...No."
   "Uh-huh."
"Honest."  Her glass was retrieved and refilled. "Oh, thanks."
   "For what?"
"Huh?"
   "...What?"
"...Nothing?"
   Kira's voice suddenly grew suspicious.  "Is there someone else there?"
"No."
   "Is he THERE?!"
"NO!"
   "I KNEW IT!"
"WELP look at the time big day tomorrow still jet-lagged got a big photoshoot some superhero lingerie thing I think well I've drunk too much show must go on and all that jazz gotta go see ya BYE!"
   "CALL ME BACK YOU NERDFACE-" *clikbeep*
Ix put the phone down and picked up her Oscar, took his half-knitted sweater off and plunked it over the vodka bottle.  "There."  She pondered the project carefully for a moment before glaring sideways at the man beside her. "Stop grinning at me like that."
   The man chortled and put his hands up defensively. "Did I say anything?  I didn't say anything! Now here...." he reached past ix's angry-samurai face and moved the sweater back to her impromptu gold mannequin.  "You'll get bad feedback if your crafts have booze all over them."
"Yeah, well."  She cuffed him on the shoulder playfully.  He kicked her shin.
   "Sounds like you were found out," he remarked, motioning to the phone with his glass.
"Oh, that? Well... sort of," ix said. "She did figure out you were visiting."
   He laughed. "Yeah, 'visiting', right."  The two grinned at each other over their drinks in a shared moment of silent mirth. "So when are you going to tell her I've been living here for three months?"
   "I dunno," ix murmurred slyly. "When are you gonna tell your mother we've been married for two?"

Fin

( The Adventure Begins )</div>

A telling exchange in the comments section of this article [link]:

 

Being as I am currently slap-happy from a hazy day of sickness, cramps, and many happy hours of failing at Team Fortress 2, I absolutely can't remember who I got what for birthday presents. Lao and Vocal, I know I haven't got/made you anything yet, and being as how I am poor, all I can really offer right now is art (and/or some old anime crap I found in the storage shed - if so, I hope you really like Yuu Yuu Hakusho).

SO. To the drunken point.  Whom did I get what, and if I didn't get what, what should I get? Or draw? I can draw, you know. I need to sleep.

TELL MEE.