The Eye popped out at 01:10 p.m.(Sunday, January 13, 2002)

Lika, you'll be happy to know that it's the same Tony Leung in both movies. He's also the shorter TL.

The Eye popped out at 04:53 p.m.(Saturday, January 12, 2002)

Lika, the title of the Tony Leung Chiu Wai/Leslie Cheung gay couple movie is called Happy Together and it's directed by Wong Kar Wai.

The Eye popped out at 04:54 p.m.(Friday, January 11, 2002)

Perhaps if you've bothered to actually read what Maria had posted, instead of thinking how cool it would be to sound bitchy on your blog, you'll realise what full of shit you've been writing. You had basically latched onto a single line in Maria's long post and proceeded to quote it out of context, twisting her intentions in order to justify your pet peeve. I foresee that you'll have a great career in propaganda.

Maria deserves an apology from you, but I do seriously wonder if you can take any criticism yourself. Talk about "disgustingly spoiled and petty attitude to have".

The Eye popped out at 09:05 a.m.(Friday, January 11, 2002)

If the Sakurazukamori can only be killed by the one he loves, it is still possible for Subaru to be killed by Seishirou. The poor boy might get a deadly infection during the eye transplantation process. Alternatively, he might accidentally choke to death during an oral session with the great Eye. *squicks*

I want Kakyou back as my Muse! *squishes the Eye*

The Eye popped out at 01:29 p.m.(Thursday, January 10, 2002)

What if they did The Fellowship of the Ring in 2 hours?

'Nuff said.

The Eye popped out at 08:57 p.m.(Wednesday, January 9, 2002)

Taryn, the layout of your blog looks seriously messed up on my home PC though it seems okay on the one in the office. Your blog entries and info section are overlapping each other, and I can't load your graphic. I'm using IE5.5 with a 1024x768 resolution. No such problem with your previous layout though. Just thought you'd like to know.

The Eye popped out at 08:46 p.m.(Wednesday, January 9, 2002)

Okay, I've updated Murasaki's and Taryn's blog addies. Let me know who else I missed.

I had intended to do a Shimako fic but seems like you've beaten me to it. Well, one less fic to do. And perhaps I shall work on that S/K lemon that would almost certainly drive the S/S fangirls up the wall and screaming for my blood. Or I should just be a good girl and refresh my Japanese lessons.

Ammie, you have to blog more dear. I miss your zaniness. By the way, I've told these two how much I should thank Keiichi for bringing Subaru and Kamui together. If Keiichi hadn't invited Kamui to his house, which somehow ended up being near the Ikebukuro area, Kamui wouldn't have gotten into a fight with Fuuma at Sunshine 60, which means Subaru wouldn't have arrived to rescue Kamui and thus lose an eye, and there would be no Touching Bedside Scene (TBS) 1, thereby Subaru would not have to return the hand-holding favour in TBS 2 that further led to the Tie Scene. Keiichi is the matchmaker. Therefore, all S/K fans have to thank Keiichi for bringing our two boys closer together.

The Eye popped out at 04:00 p.m.(Wednesday, January 9, 2002)

The Yasha series has just ended on TV. Oooh, the gayness of it all, the suggested twincest ("...zutto aishiteru..."), the tragic twist and yet satisfying ending. Why can't I see more Japanese dramas like this one? All I can find are boring romance comedies in the stores (usually featuring at least one of the guys from SMAP). Really, if this manga can be done as a drama with good-looking actors (some of them rather popular), something like Tokyo Babylon can certainly be dramatised too.

The Eye popped out at 10:56 p.m.(Tuesday, January 8, 2002)

*hugs back* Thanks.

The Eye popped out at 10:27 p.m.(Tuesday, January 8, 2002)

Oxymoron part 2: non-AU fanfics. Anything non-canon has to be AU. And any attempts to differentiate fanon and fandom are but an exercise in splitting hairs. Ultimately, it's still the same hair.

The Eye popped out at 10:42 a.m.(Monday, January 7, 2002)

*shakes head in disbelief* What's wrong with writing AU in fanfics? None. So why begrudge a writer for writing something that never existed in the source material? Isn't that what fanfics are all about?

Neither does having read the source material back-to-front at least three times guarantee that a writer will produce great fanfic. Look at X. Seishirou has been dead for more than a year (our time). Still, most writers seem to content to ignore that the Rainbow Bridge incident ever occurred. Are they necessarily bad writers with bad stories? Furthermore, I don't think the Major Quartet is anywhere interested in sex (whether for love, fun or torture), but that shouldn't preclude me or anyone else from writing it, especially in gag situations. Aren't the most popular humour fics generally about Subaru screaming as Seishirou grabs his pretty ass? Is that anywhere in the spirit of X? I seriously doubt so.

Personally, I think a good writer can make the most stupid or mundane idea interesting. A bad writer will kill even the most fascinating plotbunny. And to the someone who claims that Tolkien writes fanfiction, I have to disagree. Tolkien may be derivative, but he created his own Middle Earth and characters. No matter how similar they may compare to other mythologies, they still belong to Tolkien. On the other hand, a fanfic writer blatantly uses other people's worlds and characters, and though one might include a Mary-Sue, the main ingredients still clearly belong to someone else. For example, I write a story set in a mythical world called "Coronus" held in balance by a series of strategically constructed shrines. 14 agents of power representing Order and Chaos fight each other. Once a shrine is destroyed a great plague will descend upon the cities. Blind Oracles predict the hazy future, and a boy-hero is pronounced to be the reincarnation of one of their gods. Sounds very similar to X? Yes. Fanfiction? No.

That is why "original fanfiction" is an oxymoron.

A better example of fanfiction bestseller would be Scarlett, the wretched sequel to Gone with the Wind.

The Eye popped out at 11:49 p.m.(Saturday, January 5, 2002)

I'd never thought I'd see shounen-ai in a J-drama. It could be due to its shoujo manga roots, but the Yasha TV series, now showing on one of the cable channels here, certainly has many slashable moments. There's the strong attraction for Arisue Sei by his evil twin, Amamiya Rin. Sei's relationship with his blind childhood friend, Nagae Moichi, suggests that their feelings for each other aren't that simple. And Sei's bodyguard, Kurosaki Ken, seems to act way beyond the call of duty. Ken/Sei is certainly a great looking pair. Has anyone ever read the manga that the series is based upon? Is it any good? BTW, if there's ever a plan to turn X into a non-animated series, Ito Hideaki (Sei/Rin) would make a great Fuuma.

The Eye popped out at 11:00 p.m.(Friday, January 4, 2002)

You're right. I did mention Trouble Chocolate and I really love this series. I don't normally go for gag animes, especially with the bad mandarin dubs we get here. But this show was such a wonderful spoof of all things manga and anime that it actually survived my prejudice. Everything from AMG to Gundam Wing to Power Rangers to Pokemon, from sappy romance stories to shounen-ai to fan-service -- nothing is sacred.

Thanks for the Howl book. I suggest that you try some Robert Rankin. You should find him utterly fascinating.

Several people have already emailed me regarding the X Calendar. Maybe if you could let me know via email how much you're willing to pay for it (inclusive shipping), I'll see if something can be worked out. The thing is less than a kilogram in weight, probably 600gm thereabouts. Final bid date is 14 January 2002.

The Eye popped out at 12:43 p.m.(Friday, January 4, 2002)

I passed my exams. On to a new year of Social Psychology.

About the Legolas attraction. It's all in the hair. Orlando Bloom is a brunette, and after seeing his photo in the papers, my only thought was, if I were him I'd grow my hair and dye it blond. >_<

Talking about hair, I have to hand it to Clamp. They managed to make Subaru their most popular 20+ year-old bishie creation without giving him the typical 20+ year-old bishie-style hair, which is usually medium-to-long, parted in the front with an arch-like fringe that flops down to cover one or both eyes to grant that air of desirable beauty. In fact, he has boring hair, but it looks oh-so-good on him.

The Eye popped out at 11:28 p.m.(Tuesday, January 1, 2002)

Maria, hiragana is indeed easier to memorise than katakana for the simple reason that we encounter the hiragana scripts more often than we do katakana. And since katakana is often used to represent foreign words, notably English words, but (mis)pronounced the Japanese way, they usually take a while to make sense too. Anyway, the few other possibly interesting (judging by looks since I don't have time to translate every other series for my own reading pleasure) series in Asuka are:

• D.N.Angel by Sugisaki Yukiru
• Angelique by Yura Kairi
• Hikari no Ko by Katsumoto Kasane
• Disaster City Blues by Haruko Iida
• Hayabusa by Onotera Akira

The Eye popped out at 11:05 p.m.(Tuesday, January 1, 2002)

I have an extra 2002 X calendar, still sealed in its packaging box. Should I sell it? Or should I give it away as a prize for a Subaru x Kamui doujinshi contest, since there's so few featuring those two?

Anyway, seems like we've survived another year. Happy holidays. Now, how am I supposed to cook mochi?

The Eye popped out at 10:06 a.m.(Monday, December 31, 2001)

Part 3 of my X/Yami no Matsuei fanfic Darkness is up.

You dropped Asuka? Just when they're about to issue special X trading cards soon? Anyway, cool layout, though I still have no idea who's Remus and refuse to find out. No, you're not sending me the book. *glares*

The Eye popped out at 06:14 p.m.(Saturday, December 29, 2001)

Ah, the voting for the Clamp Fanfiction Awards 2001 is on. I have been nominated for Tsuriai (Series category) and Heart (Humor category), and both fics are also in contention under the General category. My fics may be found here. Please give me your support. Thanks.

Have a wonderful Yuletide season!

The Eye popped out at 09:24 p.m.(Monday, December 24, 2001)

Just saw The Lord of the Rings and I came to the realisation that Miaka from Fushigi Yuugi must have descended from a Hobbit. On the other hand, if the Hobbits didn't make so many stupid what-you-should-never-do mistakes (gosh you can make a Scream list out of them), the story would have shrunk to one volume and the movie wouldn't be half as exciting. Still, it was great entertainment.

Sat-chan, Hakkai was a human who became a demon after he was stained with the blood of a thousand "centipede" demons, so I guess that would make him one of them.

Have a wonderful birthday, Taryn-chan. By the way, I wonder how many December babies are there in the X community. Seems like almost everyone and their cats are celebrating their birthdays this month, and that includes me.

The Eye popped out at 03:04 p.m.(Sunday, December 23, 2001)

Given the amount of strength that Fuuma had applied, Subaru's squished eye is probably still lodged in his brain. Which explains quite nicely why the idiot can't think straight. Maybe you can do a layout featuring an eye stuck in a brain? Gross, but cute.

Thanks, Maria, I'm okay. And yes, the deers at Nara are really friendly, and especially so when you're feeding them.

Ooooo...Daisuke looks really cute in the anime. Karen should have targetted him instead of his married uncle, and maybe he would still be keeping his head on his shoulders.

Taryn, Seishirou is not biting onto a rose in his badge. He's holding his sunglasses with his right hand while his shikigami (looking like a big grey chicken) is perched on his left shoulder.

Are you certain the lemony taste isn't coming from the dishwashing liquid?

The Eye popped out at 12:50 p.m.(Friday, December 21, 2001)

I finally got my X calendars! There's actually very few new illustrations (probably 2-3). But it's still nice to see Subaru looking down from the Sakura tree in a large format. Nice consolation for what I suffered the night before.

Last night, mom decided to recycle water from the washing machine during laundry to wash the floor as well. I had just stepped out from the bathroom and, being terribly short-sighted without my glasses, failed to notice that the floor was wet and slippery from the soapy water. I promptly fell...hard. Thankfully, nothing seems to be broken. However, I have a twisted left ankle that's still hurting now, and the "repetitive stress injury" on my thumb and right index finger has returned, and worse than before. I can't use the mouse without feeling the strain. Urgh.

Anyway, talk about creative advertising. On my way to HMV today, I saw a tent set up along Orchard Road to promote the new Philips (I think) shaver. There was a small transparent shower booth, and a rather cute looking caucasian guy, wearing only a pair of shorts, was shaving inside to the beat of some cheesy pop music. *giggles*

The Eye popped out at 01:29 p.m.(Thursday, December 20, 2001)

The title of the new Star Wars Episode 2 movie is called Attack of the Clones. Pardon me while I gag. *choking noises* Is it just me or did anyone else visualise green-skin bug-eyed oversized-brain creatures running around going "ACK ACK ACK"? And no, I don't mean Yoda. I wonder if they have Tom Jones performing in the Naboo version of Las Vegas.

The Eye popped out at 11:06 a.m.(Wednesday, December 19, 2001)

I am grateful for the mostly "positive" response to this layout. *ducks from Lika's wuyingjiao kick*

Thanks but I won't be exercising my right to be pissed. Everyone has a different interpretation of Seishirou. It just happened that we don't share the same one. Besides, it will take a lot to piss me off.

Seems that I might be able to collect my X calendar tomorrow. By the way, check out these cute tin badges at Clamp-net.

SD Dragons! Kawaii! *fangirlish squeal* I'll marry whoever gets me a set of those.

The Eye popped out at 09:40 p.m.(Tuesday, December 18, 2001)

Satsuki-chan, here's all I know about the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac.

One day, the Buddha called forth all the animals to assemble before him at a certain time in order to receive his blessings (or something like that). At that time, the cat and the rat were supposed to be good friends. Since it wasn't quite the time yet, the cat, feeling the urge to take a little nap, asked the rat to wake him up just before the time for the assembly. The rat promised to do so. However, just before the appointed time, the double-crossing rat decided that the less there are to share the blessings the better, and rushed off to the gathering without calling the cat. 12 animals arrived for the blessings in the following order -- rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig -- presumably because the crafty rat arrived the earliest while the lazy pig took the longest time. The Buddha blessed them and made each animal in charge of one year in every 12-year cycle.

By the time the cat woke up, the meeting was already over. When the cat realised that rat had double-crossed him, he vow that all cats and rats were enemies henceforth and that the cats shall hunt down all rats.

I hope the story makes sense.

The Eye popped out at 09:54 p.m.(Monday, December 17, 2001)

In case everyone missed my last post before archiving, my Japan trip report can be found here.

The Eye popped out at 11:58 a.m.(Monday, December 17, 2001)

A new layout guaranteed to put my Lika dearie in a screaming fit. Still, sugared eyeballs ought to be the hottest gift for your loved ones this Christmas.

Thanks for helping to test out the links on my sites. The term "tsuriai" means equilibrium or balance in Japanese. I used it for one of my favourite X fics.

The Eye popped out at 09:44 p.m.(Sunday, December 16, 2001)