[ SCREAM ]

ITALY SMELLS BAD (well at least Umbria) (I think)

Sun, 26 Aug 2007 13:16:21 GMT

Back from my 15 day vacation to Italy. Horrah! :D But...I'm sick as a dog. ;_; On the way back it was a 9 1/2 hour flight at forty-thousand feet. Needless to say Tak + High altitudes= not good. The entire nine hours I was in and out of conciousness with a headache, major nausea and basicaly wanting to die. It was worth it. I'm back in Toronto now, and I feel loved by all those who miss me! ^_^

I missed RPing Iori... >> *couchLisawemustRPsmut!cough*

A more in-depth look at my Italy vacation...>>

We arrived in Italy on the 11th (left for on the 10th). I had gone 32 hours without any sleep, and was a giant ball of tired anxious mush. I don't even remember what happened between the 10th and 11th, other than that I was on an airplane and that when we were driving out of Leonardo da Vinci airport, I was in a panic because I thought a giant cellphone was going to fall on me. It just turned out that it was a 3D ad for Nokia nearby the Autostrade (Highway).

The 12th, and 13th we were sitting around in I Lecci (our villa), trying to find a grocery store so we could eat. Let me tell you one thing if you are considering staying in a villa in Tuscany or Umbria (the green belt of Italy). It constantly smells like shit. It's an odd mix of Cow, Horse and I was pretty sure there was some human manure in there. Even Rome (which smells like piss) smelled like a perfume bottle compared to Umbria. Another thing about staying in the province of Umbria: Prepare to eat more wild boar and proscutio (salted/cured pig ass and leg) than is humanely possible. By the end of the trip I was sure I was going to go into cardiac arrest due to the massive amounts of proscutio they shoved down my throat.

On the 14th we set out for the wonderful, eternal city that is Roma. It was a 2-hour train ride, which consisted of me sleeping and trying to brush up on my Italian accent (if you speak Italian, but don't sound Italian, people will go 'touristi' and snub you). My Italian was fine, seeing as the Italian side of my family started speaking nothing but Italian, the moment we stepped off the airplane (much to the dismay of the Japanese side). Nonetheless Rome was amazing. We had a private tour in an Italian Van. I called it the tour van, cause it looked exactly like the tour vans you see VK bands using. It was driven by a man named Ricardo. I was sure he was involved with the mafia or something. If you wanted a package delivered with no questions asked, then Ricardo was the man. Later on that night I remarked to my Uncle: "What do you think Ricardo is ding right now?" to which he replied: "Probably killing someone." I didn't doubt it. Our tour guide, Marelena was awesome, too. She got us into the Colleseum in less than 10 minutes, when it was a 3 hour wait just to get tickets (not to mention the other 3 hours in which you had to wait to actually get INTO the Colleseum).

When we were in Rome, I have never seen so many Asians in my life. I heard more Korean, Japanese and Chinese than I have in my entire life. I think there are more Koreans in Rome than there are in Korea. I met a guy who liked VK (I could tell, by pointing to his to his Mago T-shirt and asking "Kisaki?" he nodded). He had a freind who was wearing a neon blue t-shirt with the saying "FUCK ME HARD ALL NIGHT LONG, BABY".

The next day we went to Assisi. Where the Church of St. Francis of Assisi was. Religious experience for my grandmother if nothing else. ^_^;;

Day after that we went to an island in the middle of a lake. Why did we go there? My mother wanted to get some Italian-made Irish Lace. ._.;; I was the interpreter that day. My family wanted to see how well I remembered my Italian. We were waiting for the ferry later in the day to get back to mainland Umbria, so I was at Informatzione asking for Ferry Times. This was the conversation I had with the wonderful Italian Information Receptionist in English cause' I'm all Italianed out.

Takumi: *in Italian* When is the ferry to Pasigano arriving? (Pasigano was pronounced with a hard g)
Receptionist: *glare* Pasigano. (Pronounced with a soft g)
Takumi: Sorry...*in italian if you haven't guessed*
Receptionist: *looks at watch* Five after five. *glare* *shuts booth window*

If that happened in Canada, the receptionist would be shot on the spot, no questions asked. In Italy, all official or important positions are obviously important. The people who hold the positions however, are all picking thier noses. For example, at Italian customs, you go into a glass booth with a customs agent. Usually they ask you some routine questions, like any other country. Our customs agent didn't even look at our passports to see if they were ours. He was talking to the SECOND customs agent there (just to make sure that your passport is really yours), and stamping our passports. We were in and out within 30 seconds.

Now I'm getting lazy with my report. If you want to know anymore on the wonders that are Italy, then comment.

And a final message:

Anyone who e-mailed me about something urgent while I was away, I profusely apologise. I can't get to it now as I am severely Jet-lagged. If I don't get to it by the 28th then you may yell at me.

The meaning of Gackt

Wed, 08 Aug 2007 01:11:56 GMT

I think this conversation I had in RL sums everything up quite nicely...

Takumi: Too bad they didn't put anyone from GLAY in SKIN...
Kim: Why GLAY?
Takumi: Because then Sugizo would have someone to fuck around with. Like Takuro.
Kim: But SKIN already has a guitarist.
Takumi: Well...Teru. He could be vocals.
Kim: Tak...Gackt is the vocalist.
Takumi: THAT'S WHAT HE'S FOR!?

Enough said.

Gone

Thu, 05 Jul 2007 16:08:26 GMT

I might not be on/updating as much due to medical reasons. D:

Just a heads up.

I hate hospitals. >_<

Layout

Sun, 24 Jun 2007 21:00:07 GMT

Yes.

A new one, at that. Featuring that guitarist that everyone loves; Iori. X3

Update

Sun, 03 Jun 2007 17:49:35 GMT

This is just a small update for all who read my journal.

I won't be posting untill...probably the end of June. Most likely the 22 is when you'll see the elusive Takumi emerge from the dark abyss of her mind under stress. The next couple weeks will be baaaaad ans stress filled. =A= Horray for slacking off all semester, and letting your average drop. >< What? They're shitty courses!

I have my Science and Math exam on the same day.

Shit...

Phantasmagoria & Vidoll Drawings

Fri, 18 May 2007 00:49:27 GMT

I am so bored...

Excuse the crappy quality. -_-;; Tak is lacking a scanner. And took this in the middle of Chem, trying to hide it from her teacher. Bad Tak, bad.

I dunno WTF is up with Shun. Hence a confused expression and a question mark.

And Iori is saying "Riku is on topping me" because I couldn't fit Iori beside Jun. TT_TT

The faded out thing in the corner was supposed to by Ryo from RENTRER EN SOI. But I couldn't figure out how to draw the rest of his band, so I opted not to. *nod*

Tagged by likeafoxxx

Tue, 15 May 2007 14:24:39 GMT

I got tagged by likeafoxxx
I'll tell 10 thing about myself that I expect no one of you knows. If someone knows one thing, you can reveal me and I have to tell one new thing. After this I'll challenge 10 people in my friends-list to do the same in their journal.

1. I'm in Entrepenurship class right now, and I think it's useless.
2. I'm doing a project on Kisaki for the third time in my Entrepenurship class. I think it's useless.
3. I have an unintentional tattoo from when I was 5. I was playing on the playground, and I cut my hand, getting some dirt in it. It looks like a freckel. X3 I call it a tattoo, though.
4. I have a massive migrane headache right now from listening to NEO ARK too many times. 0_0;;
5. I was born in the middle of a Canadian Blizzard, on the side of the highway. Me=win.
6. For eight hours from Toronto to New York City, all I watched was two GLAY DVDs. Yes, I said it. GLAY.
7. I have a freind named Basil. He's gay. =3
8. I have a pet spider named Stan.
9. I have a little world created in writing. I write about made-up Japanese bands. Sometimes I wish they were real.
10. I REALLY want a Super Dollfie.

I tag the only freinds I have... lady_kimchi, poisonwavehana, toukohater

likeafoxxx tagged me and phantasmagoria already did this, but I'll put thier names in here for shits and giggles.

Album Reveiw: Mirror by D'espairsRay

Sat, 28 Apr 2007 14:49:40 GMT

Mirror Review- D’espairsRay

Okay…so I JUST got my copy of D’espairsRay’s new album…MIRROR! Horray! After three years of “WHEN ARE THEY GONNA RELEASE ANOTHER FUCKING SINGLE/PV/AMBUM!?” we are granted with a wonderful album. All that waiting time of virtually nothing from D’espairsRay has paid off. And I have one thing to say…

Mirror is made of pure WIN.

Kudos to Karyu and the rest for having a shit-load of talent crammed in those skinny bodies of theirs. :]

Dammned

The beginning track, and for a good reason. It starts off Mirror like some sort of saga. A beginning that creeps up with you and makes you think of something straight out of Ringu. Then WHAM! DRUMS! BASS! GUITAR! VOCALS! Dammned is a good pick for a beginning track, and goes nicely into the others.

Trickster

Trickster picks up from where Dammned left off. It’s more of a rockish track than Dammned, but gives your ears a nice rest from the heavy guitars and drums from Dammned. Kudos to D’espa for making sure our ears aren’t bleeding by the second track. And by bleeding, I mean that sort of bleeding you get right after a good, loud concert.

Mirror

Mirror isn’t anything much special in itself. A nice harder pick up from Trickster.

Sixty Nine

Again, nothing much special about this track. Other than it’s name.

Kogeoru Yoru ni Saita Hana

A re-mix from their single from April 2006. The one where they’re all in white? That one. The thing I like about this re-mix better than the others, is that it is more raw and energetic than the original recording. It’s fast-paced and is a great pick up from the intermissions that were Mirror and Sixty Nine.

Screen

A slow song and a re-mix from their very recent single, Squall. It is like the calm after the storm. The storm being Kogeoru Yoru ni Saita Hana. There is also a HUGE difference between the track from Squall and the track from Mirror. The difference between Screen from Squall and the Screen from Mirror is that the first is all vocals. No guitar, bass or drums. It is pure Hizumi and some techno. This one is rawer. You hear Hizumi’s breathing in it, and the beginning is pure vocals. Then BOOM! Guitar, Bass, Drums! A recommended track!

Lost Scene

This one has a very weird beginning. It’s not all that remarkable. Just randomly “LOST SCENE!!!” and then Hizumi doing some sort of talking bit. Melody, LOST SCENE, talking. Repeat. I have a feeling they got lazy on this particular track.

Hollow

Nothing special here, either. It reminds me of what would happen if GLAY decided to go Heavy Metal. Either than that, it’s an okay track. Not the best and nothing to special about it. It does a good job of showing Karyu’s versatility on the guitar, though.

Closer to Ideal

Now this is when everything picks up again on Mirror! Closer to Ideal is a bit long (over six minutes!), but nonetheless an amazing track! It’s more in the way of older, pre-Coll:set D’espairsRay. A recommended listen!

Angeldust

My absolute FAVOURITE on Mirror! There is nothing bad about this song! It’s absolutely beautiful and does an amazing job of showcasing each member’s individual talents! It goes on with a nice, energetic heavy sound, and then all of the sudden, this beautiful note rings through. In the middle of the song, there’s a nice slower part, which manages to pick up again into the energetic tempo the song was originally at. This song is pure win. It cooks, it cleans and does all your housework for you and then some. It’s an orgasm for the ears. Nuff’ said.

Squall

D’espairsRay’s controversial single! The one that sounds nothing like their original stuff. But god, they did an amazing job of making that transition! This song is something in itself. It shows that D’espairsRay has amazing versatility and the ability to own at anything.

Kaleidoscope

This sounds like something you’d hear off of Coll:set. But it is a good track. Again, nothing special about it. It’s more energetic than anything, but a good end to an amazing album.

My verdict about Mirror?

LISTEN TO IT!

Recommended Tracks:

Dammned

Kogeoru Yoru ni Saita Hana

Screen

Closer to Ideal

Angeldust’

Squall

Rating:

5/5

J-rock commentary - Real Date Simulation CURE DVD

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 22:42:22 GMT

Back by popular demand is the....

J-ROCK COMMENTARY OF THE MASSES! w00t!

But...it is no PV commenary. Oh no. It is a small (if eight minutes is small to you) exerpt from the CURE DVD with UNDER CODE. Who is the lucky bachelor who gets whipped by Tak's Bullshit Detector...?

It's RIKU! And Phantasmagoria! Riku starrs in the Real Date Simulation, where he tries to get set up with a girl. Now, it is a well-known fact that when you are in a rock band, pussy just comes flying at you like shrapenel does to a magnet. But it seems that this doesn't pertain to Phantasmagoria...or Riku at least. So without further ado, the commentary! Enjoy

Fun Facts!

Wed, 25 Apr 2007 20:07:42 GMT

Well...not so much fun as more...stressed? Yeah...that's a good way to put it. @-@

I may not be updating my LJ anytime soon, as there is school, and no matter how hard I try I'm getting shit marks. ><

And my Cosplay and the problem of getting a new sewing machine...I place the blame squarely on Iori's Dreads...Oooooh those little buggers.

In other news, Jun has taken to wearing overalls.

Haha, Jun, Haha.

I also found this on the internet...

Where does the poop go? @_@

Cosplay Update...

Sun, 22 Apr 2007 17:13:33 GMT

Mysewing machine broke! D= It won't sew....how am I supposed to make my Satsuki cosplay...?

Hmmm....

THIS could work in luring him....>_>

Or I could wave Shun with a face infront of him, and steal his clothes...and hair.

Made by me, do not steal...

Phantasmagoria - Love Love Shine

Fri, 20 Apr 2007 13:59:02 GMT

Just me and my cracktasticness...

Phantasmagoria+DDR= WTF?

I just bit down on my tounge...ow...;_;

Layout? O_O

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 00:37:41 GMT

Ah...I get so bored of layouts so soon...

Maybe that's cause' I suck at layouts. If anyone is willing to make me a layout then contact me at VULGAR_ity@hotmail.com. Please.

Or if you know someone who makes layouts, tell them about Cranky_J-rocker? I will grovel and most likely lick your feet...unless you don't want your feet being licked.

Oh yeah...I'm starting with the commentaries on PVs.

Suggestions? Requests?

Meme

Sat, 14 Apr 2007 18:26:15 GMT

likeafoxxx made me do this...>_>;;

1 - Tell you why I friended you.
2 - Associate you with something - fandom, a song, a color, a photo, a sexual position, etc. (Or, not)
3 - Tell you something I like about you.
4 - Tell you a memory I have of you.
5 - Associate you with a character/pairing.
6 - Ask something I've always wanted to know about you.
7 - Tell you my favorite user pic of yours.
8 - In return, you must post this in your LJ.

Ahahaha...Oh dear. I need to freind people...

Kaisan

Sun, 08 Apr 2007 23:50:49 GMT

Phantasmagoria is going to kaisan...

I feel so terrible right now...*sigh*

Now what? I had so much emotion invested into this band. Moreso than what I had invested in GLAY and Dir en Grey...I wanted to see them in live soooo much. But now...I'm not able to...

Someone give me a hug...Tak's feeling very depressed right now...*sigh*

Phantasmagoria

Fri, 06 Apr 2007 21:46:05 GMT

Fuck...when is this going to end? When is all the bad news about Phantasmagoria going to end? I can't take it anymore! I don't even have any emotions towards what's going on with the band anymore! I'm too sick and tired of Kisaki witholding information from us! >_<
If you don't know what the hell is going on, I'll recap...

December 17th 2006: At Phantasmagoria's 2 year anniversary, they announce that Iori and Matoi will be leaving the band.

December 20th 2006: Kisaki get's caught by Japanese authorities for not paying taxes and withholding a shit load of money in his little brother's account.

Febuary 23rd 2007: Iori and Matoi leave Phantasmagoria in a final live.

Sometime in March... Kisaki announces that he has an important announcement that will be told on April 8th -- the easter holidays.

April 2-4th 2007: Kisaki starts releasing information about the announcement due to UNDER CODE being flooded with calls about the news. Kisaki also announces that he will be retiring and Phantasmagoria will be disbaning.

April 6th 2007: But wait! Phantasmagoria is going to be 'sealed' for the next year-an-a-half. Meaning they aren't disbanding, but Phantasmagoria isn't going to have Kisaki as a bassist anymore. They MAY return, but they may not.

Am I the only one wanting to slap Kisaki in the face and scream 'SNAP OUT OF IT!!!' ><

Happy 30th Toshiya!

Sat, 31 Mar 2007 22:11:35 GMT

Yess! Toshiya turns the big 3-0 today!!! Yay for still looking sexy after 30 years! ^_^

Inch

Tue, 27 Mar 2007 00:34:55 GMT

Title: Inch
Rating: PG
Band: Dir en Grey
Charecters: Toshiya
Summary: Toshiya reflects. I might be writing more on dear Toshiya in the future. So look out.

“Ichi…ni…san.”

Hearing the last number, my hands absentmindedly slide and press down in between thin metal lines on the neck of the instrument I have come to love and hate at the same time. Hearing the rest of my band around me play their parts, I keep up mine. It’s almost mechanical now, playing lives. Don’t screw up, look like you’re having fun, remember when to sing backup and make sure the ending is something to remember. An art has been reduced to a couple of repetitive motions, but brought back up to an art within those motions. It’s sickening, yet I love it. I can’t get enough of it. I would almost compare it to fucking. A menial task, including many repetitive motions leading up to a big finish. If you do it right, then you’re put on a pedestal like some sort of god.

I would know a thing or two about fucking. In my earlier years in Dir en Grey, I loved fucking. I still love fucking. I’ll admit that upfront to you. But, not with the same enthusiasm I had in my younger years. It’s a shame, however, that my actions only less than a decade ago, affect how I am perceived today. But when I think about it, everyone has had that feeling at one time or another. But for me, it has been amplified. At times I can see how some rock stars go insane, or take their lives. Your every move is scrutinized to a point, where a very small action is some sort of hint to your entire personality. Fans amplified my love for sex when I was younger to thinking of me as some sort of slut.

Once I realized this truth, the truth of me being perceived as some sort of sex object I couldn’t help but revolt. Thousands of people see me as just some sort of pretty object that’s in a band. As soon as I was degraded to a slut, I couldn’t help but not want to have sex anymore. They thought I would sleep with anything that moved? They were wrong. The sad thing is that if they knew me in person, they would get someone completely different. They would just get any other guy off the street, with a pretty face and a pretty body. The fact that I liked to have sex wouldn’t even rise up in the conversation. But my fans manage to twist and skew what I am. And sometimes, it seems that I have subconsciously skewed who I am to fit their idealistic mould of Toshiya. Someone who is a slut, someone with a killer body, someone who is annoying, someone who just stands there and plays bass. I don’t want to be that someone anymore. I want to be Toshimasa Hara. Not Toshiya from Dir en Grey.

“Toshiya?” I hear a deep voice off to my right. It’s Kaoru, who is looking straight at me. He looks pensive and worried. “You with us?” he asks. I blink, and look around me. Kyo still grips the microphone in his hand and is giving me a vacant stare. As always. Die is still facing the empty audience, but his head is turned to look at me, a questioning look on his face. Shinya has neatly set his drumsticks on his lap and is slightly leaning forward in his seat to peer at me past his drum kit. I open my mouth, unaware of what has just happened. Words do not come out.

“I…I’m sorry. I lost count.” I manage to say. I can feel a small blush tint my cheeks, and I manage a wan smile. “Sorry.” I add on. I can feel my throat swelling up after I had just constructed such a perfect lie. A part of me feels like I have let my band down, and for that I feel horrible.

“Too busy thinking about a little something later on tonight?” Die cracks, wiggling his eyebrows, and making a small thrusting motion with his hips. I hear a small little sinker from Kyo off to the side. I know Die means it in good humor, but it seems as if I cannot escape the cliché slut stereotype. Not even from my own band.

I manage a small laugh of my own. “You keep thinking that, Die.” I reply, and look to Shinya behind me. He has been absolutely silent this entire time, and has not taken his eyes off at me. He gives me a sympathetic look. He knows what’s going on underneath the mask that I wear. I let my sight linger on him for a few more seconds, and then look to Kaoru, who is looking back at me with an intense gaze.

“Well…let’s start over again…” he says, and turned back to the empty audience. I’m relieved that this happened during a pre-live practice instead of during an actual live. “Ichi…ni…san.”

And everything resumes. Just like it always has.

Patterns

Mon, 26 Mar 2007 02:35:19 GMT

After visiting Fabricland today, I have decided that I really DO NOT LIKE the Simplicity patterns line...

I just want patterns for a jacket. That's all. Simplicity has to make things complicated and have it all....yeah. Ugly and nothing you can modify to an extent. Maybe I'll make my own pattern this time around. It worked when I was making that one Ruka cosplay...

But good news. My sewing machine is working again! I just now need to buy white and gold thread. That and a ruffly shirt with lace. ^_^Hmm...maybe I'll visit Fabricland later in the month. They're just getting thier winter fabric out. But then again, they have a major discount on lace...Oh the descisions! OH! I got an AMAZING deal! 10 yards of Black crushed velvet for just $7.99! @_@ I'm making spanky pants. So this was my day at Farbicland and my never-ending quest to Cosplay something decent. Oh Boy~.

Maybe I should cosplay Shun on the side...I don't think that would work seeing as I look like a freaking SatsukixJUN lovechild. XD

So uhm yeah...what about that H₂So_4?

Cosplay

Sun, 25 Mar 2007 01:22:32 GMT

Oy~

Hmm...my Taion Ruki cosplay wasn't going so well. >< I guess I'm switching to Sacchan, then. Yay! I get to be all pretty and wear a wig!

That and I have a TON of white fabric. @_@

LJ intrest collage.

Tue, 20 Mar 2007 19:25:36 GMT

I got this from likeafoxxx
Major WTF...

Create your own! Originally Written By ga_woo , Hosted and ReWritten by darkman424

WTF @ Iori? Some weird...model. O_o Dunno how THAT happened. XD

I deleted some thing that even I don't know how existed. But I kept the 'Iori' just for shits and giggles. Maybe it's Lori? I was watching Dr. Phil yesterday and one of the guests was named Lori. But the font was so that it looked like Iori. Needless to say I was like: Uhm....not really. ^__^;;

Edit: I just noticed that Aoi looks very orange in his picture....

Re-Vamping

Mon, 19 Mar 2007 23:31:11 GMT

Re-Vamping is going slow...oh so very...slow. -_-;;

I'm not even halfway done with my mood set. It's 12012. I don't really care for 12012 as much as say...Dir en Grey, Phantasmagoria or D'espairsRay. None the less...it's still amusing. Especially some of Hirokaki's expressions.

D'espairsRay and Dir en Grey?

Sun, 18 Mar 2007 23:39:36 GMT

I heard a rumor that D'espairsRay and Dir en Grey will be touring with Ozzfest this year. It's a rumor, but...

OMG!!! I'D HAVE A FUCKING CORONARY IF THOSE TWO CAME TO TORONTO!!!!!!! HOLY SHIT!!!!!!!!!

Now that that's out of my system...apparently Kisaki has big news about the future of Phantasmagoria on the 10th of April. I hope it's good. Best case scenario: Iori and Matoi return. Worst case: Phantasmagoria disbands. Man, that would suck.

Open

Sun, 18 Mar 2007 19:21:38 GMT

Well. I fixed the layout! X3 Horray!

Cranky_J-rocker isn't fugly anymore! (Tak got photoshop OwO).

Tell me what joo think, yes? ^___^

Oh shit! D=

Sun, 25 Feb 2007 16:58:29 GMT

I haven't updated this thing in forever. >_<;;

Fuck man... Well...I'll update you people who don't read my LJ with some news.

Things I did while on my thingie of non-posting:

Broke up with my boyfreind.

I went to two Dir en Grey concerts. They were the shit, but I got whiplash headbanging at them. Which really sucks. ><

Tried to work on my Taion Ruki cosplay, but my sewing machine broke down. ><

Moped.

Moped about Iori and Matoi announcing thier leaving Phantasmagoria on my birthday.

Made some icons.

Moped about Iori and Matoi leaving Mago.

Got addicted to Kisaki's blog.

Got back together with my ex. (yay!)

Yeah...and I really need to update this blog thing-y. Maybe a Phantasmagoria or D layout? Hmmmm...

Suggestions? O_O