Endless Eight (this is not an anime post)

[ltgmars]

(I actually never finished season 2 of Haruhi. I should get on that, but honestly? I don't really feel like getting through Endless Eight. Ahaha.)

As you may have guessed, South Paw Summer 2010 was a royal bust. Mostly I'm lazy, and it's too much work to write/open doors/eat/brush my teeth/use the touchpad with my left hand. So, nice try? Maybe?

But! August is upon us! And since August will always be the beginning of the year for me, I've decided to start off with a list of goals:

1. Review Japanese. There's a placement test in September, and I really want to place out of Japanese so that I don't have to fulfill the language requirement for the MA while I'm taking other classes. (Of course, they don't take JLPT results as a means of placing out. Jerks.) While I can read kanji like a beast (like a beast), I can't recall them at all, so I have to memorize how to write kanji more than anything else. I know at least one other person on my f-list reviewing Japanese and others who just use it, so if anyone out there wants to practice with me, let me know. :D

2. Self makeover~! :D :D This past weekend my mother took me to an outlet mall and dropped way more money than she can afford to buying me new clothes. Skirts and pants and blouses and shirts and dresses and a sweater and a blazer. And along with getting used to not being a frumpy lady~ for a change, I will spend the rest of the summer learning how to wear makeup (because I don't wear it -- again, that lazy thing -- but I figure if there's any time to start looking new without freaking out the people around me, it'd be before people get used to seeing me without makeup).

3. Practice violin. Technically I've got nothing to practice for, but next year is going to be the first time in eighteen years I haven't been playing the violin actively. Vicious and Excalibur deserve to get some love before I head off to California. I'm probably going to take them with me, because it really won't do to not have them around, but before I go, I want to polish Bruch and Tchaik first movement and Sarasate's Zigeunerweisen, which is a silly virtuouso piece more than anything else, but it's cool okay.

As played by Perlman:

Just caught my father playing with a light-up, chirpy yo-yo. "What does this have anything to do with work, you say?" he asked me playfully. And then he gave me a legitimate reason. Dammit, Father. D:


We've started going to the gym in the mornings again. We stopped for a few weeks because my mother's lazy, but she also likes to make me weep bitter tears, so we started up again.


Hope you all are having a glorious summer (or winter!) so far. Love to everyone busy with classes and work and moving and life, and maybe some love to those of you just sitting around. Like me. ♥

Comments

[aeslis]

How are you planning to study your kanji? I SUCK at remembering how to write them. My recognition is much lower than yours, too, I believe... But I do want to get better!

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

I'm probably going to go through the vocab lists in my textbooks and write out all the hiragana, and then focus on reviewing the words I can't reproduce in kanji. It worked for cramming for tests, so maybe with some actual repetition for the sake of retention, it'll work in the longer term.

[dragonlover58.livejournal.com]

You totally should watch Endless Eight. You get a badge of honor if you get through it. (Not really, but there are some differences between the eps. A few are really good.)

I can't believe they won't take the JLPT scores! :/ I'm sure you'll kick butt on the placement regardless. I'd love to help with reviewing, though I'm not sure what you'd be doing. IUC has a whole packet of things for me to review, but the kanji are fairly simple ones, so I don't think that would help. I can send you a copy of the packet if you want though; the grammar parts are useful.

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

I watched a few of the episodes as they were coming out, but it was probably tougher that way for me, because we had to wait a week, watch an episode, rinse and repeat a bunch of times... it got tiresome. But maybe I'll add it to my August list.

Actually, that packet sounds like it could be really helpful. I'll assume it's digital, in which case, just e-mail it to me (inez.suhardjo@gmail.com) whenever you get the chance. Thank you! ♥

You're headed out at the end of August, right? :D Do you have any idea yet what's going to be happening those first couple of weeks?

[dragonlover58.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it did. ^^; I'm not entirely sure how I got through it...

Sure, sending it as soon as I'm done with this comment.

Yep! :D I fly out August 30th, arrive on the 31st, and by the 1st I'll be moved into my new apartment. I don't have my schedule yet for the first few weeks of classes (should get that next week), but I'll be starting on the 6th.

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

Just got the review packet, thanks!

ALSO OH MAN I'm so vicariously excited for you, seriously. Keep me (well, your f-list, I suppose, since I guess there are other people that matter) updated. And promise me you'll think of me whenever you're at a Japanese bakery~ *_*

[dragonlover58.livejournal.com]

Your welcome! :D If I get anything else helpful, I'll pass it your way.

Thanks. ^^ I'm excited for you too! Do you know what classes you'll be taking in the fall? And I'll be updating lj/facebook/twitter like crazy, so look forward to it. I'll eat cake just for you. ^_^

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

... I'm sorry, I had a real response for you, but all I can think of now is Japanese bakery cake.

Um, classes aren't quite set yet, but I'm preregistered for Chinese history (late Imperial), modern Japanese history, the Japanese Studies sem, and Intro to Classical Japanese. The last one is obviously contingent on my placing out of the regular language requirement, but if I don't, I'll be taking advanced Japanese instead. :|

[miquilis.livejournal.com]

Oh god, don't watch endless eight. I hate Haruhi because of endless eight and I used to really like it.

Though maybe it won't be too bad watching it all in one go. Me and a friend used to watch it every week together as it aired in Japan so actually having it spread over 8 weeks and never knowing when it would end was just hell.

Ahhh I sense a makeover montage coming on ♥ That's always my favourite part of girly movies. Also, I didn't know you played the violin, I'm strangely jealous, it's always the one instrument I wish I could play... it's so super classy~~

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

Ugh, it was so tedious week after week. I commend your efforts, haha. My brother actually told me just to watch the first, seventh, and eighth, but I'm not the kind of person who can skip episodes like that. (My compulsions, let me show them to you.)

Makeover montage! Help me pick out music for it! This is going to be a month-long makeover, so we've got plenty of time to fill. Obvs. something by Madonna needs to be on the playlist, but I'm not sure what yet.

Heh, violin is fun. I'm not good at it, but it's been in my life for a really long time, and I'm glad I didn't give up even when I was getting sick of it a few years in. Do you play any instruments at all?

[goldbandlily.livejournal.com]

I didn't know that you were playing the violin. *_* I love the sound of it.

Good luck for all your goals~! :D

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

Violin music is so nice to listen to. Well, all stringed instrument music is. Though I may be biased.

Thanks! :D

[rebecka-jo.livejournal.com]

you're going to start wearing make-up?

. . .

how much make-up are we talking? right now, you're at a barefaced nino level. are we talking about moving up to satoshi level - the amount i wear now; toner, foundation, eye make-up if you're feeling special? or jun level - mascara every day? or sho level - dirty hooker man prostitute?

FURTHER, i need to see evidence of this new wardrobe. i am hoping your mom bought you age-appropriate clothing, inez. she's nefarious - she may be attempting to make you her clone.

i visited testing services today, asking about foreign language placement tests. it seems they're only CLEP-like things, and things done by the department, so i guess it's common practice to not accept undergrad placement tests?

please do your best.

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

I was hoping for Sho level, dirty hooker after the sex makeup. But Ohno level might work for me for now.

We did go to Ann Taylor, so I'm probably dressed like a middle aged career woman now. It's a great store, though. I really like the clothes there. (... dammit.) Though we also went to the Gap, and Banana Republic, and... somewhere else? Maybe? Anyway, I picked out my own clothes, but, like, "trendy", so maybe it's okay.

JLPT isn't an undergrad placement test, though. It's the one organized by the Japanese government. It's, like, the most official Japanese language proficiency test you can take. You put it on resumes and shit. Ahhh, but whatever, UCLA, it's fine, it's fine it's fine it's fine.

[rebecka-jo.livejournal.com]

buy bare minerals! it's the best :D and your rich parents can afford it for you. i'm sure your mum will be thrilled to finally buy make-up for you, haha. and estee-lauder has nice toner . . .

re: your old lady clothes and JLPT - it's fine, it's fine, its fine, itsfine. :D

not fine: they only gave me 4 hours of work this week (besides the 6 i get today.) whaaa

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

OMG, Cami, I promise they're not rich. They make an okay amount of money, but we're in so much debt right now (because of me, obv.). :( My mother's a fan of Estée Lauder, though, so that might be what we're getting. We'll see.

Whaaaaa four hours. Them bitches aren't fine.

[rebecka-jo.livejournal.com]

(laugh) aw! nez! you got scared that i might drop your bourgeoisie ass, eh? you cannot live without me.

well, i was considering it. but i need you until this coming semester is over, and i may need you as a roommate, so. i'll allow it ;D

(sigh) not everybody can put themselves through school and have an incredible work ethic like i do. (sighs happily, kisses mirror.) love ya, babe.

actually, you know, i kind of love and idolise your father for becoming what he is from what he was, and taking that leap of faith to study in a new country where he didn't know the language . . . beautiful. and i love your mom sfm in every way, so &hearts.

too bad i can't say the same about you :'(

. . . i am picking up jaclyn's shifts. they're all so early. i took my first ambien last night, and it gave me the most terrifying nightmare of my life. so. i am going to purchase some melatonin and see how that goes. if you have any ancient indonesian sleeping remedies for me, let me know.

[imfaltering.livejournal.com]

I was *completely* clueless about make-up until about a year ago. Then, I discovered the numerous Youtube make-up gurus. Youtube may not the best place to find make-up tips, but I surely learned what not to do from the vids, ha ha.

Anyway, good luck with your Japanese and violin practices! :D

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

Haha, yeah. I think my mom wants to take me to one of those beauticians at the counter in the mall who help decide what makeup I need for my skin type/tone/etc. So at least I get to see what it looks like before I try it out.

Thank you! :D

[clipsie.livejournal.com]

D: It's a shame southpaw summer didn't work out. Damn that being lazy (though that's what did me in last year... Although, it can inforce laziness sometimes).

You're going to start wearing make-up? It's hard to start I find (which is why I only wear it when I go away for some reason), so I wish you luck there. :D

Violin ♥ They always sound so pretty, well, if it's not done terribly. I'm slightly flailing over the fact you play it. Oh, that's weird, isn't it?

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

I think 90% of my failings come from laziness, heh. It's something I need to learn to embrace(!!), maybe.

I've worn makeup for special occasions, but I feel like I want to ~*~preserve my skin~*~ and all that, so I'm going to try to make it a regular thing. But first I need to learn how to do it instead of counting on other people to do it for me!

Haha, it's fine. Besides, we're all a little weird, aren't we?

[wannatee-1984.livejournal.com]

oh god endless eight... so painful! 8|

and cool new clothes! and good luck with make-uping yourself pretteh! :3

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

I feel like I should finish it, though. I will persevere!

Thank you! I'll do my best! :D

[goshenite.livejournal.com]

ああ、いつか、練習しましょうか?
・・・かも。

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

いいね。練習しようよ。AIMでもいいかも、時間があればね。よろしく！

[yuuki-7.livejournal.com]

Violin ♥ remembers the violin part in Truth

Goodluck in your placement test ^_^

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

Heh, the violins in "truth" happen to be one of the many reasons I love that PV.

Thanks! I'll do my best!

[wildhunter.livejournal.com]

Just sitting around at the moment.
Perching, really. Spent last night (and this morning) reading through most of the Illiad to find any references to Achilles showing pity for anyone before Book XXIV...and found nothing...so...the day has so far been full of win. Really wish I was busty with class, work, moving and such...alas...not so much, the only job I could have picked up will be during the one week I'll be out of the sodding state. Meh. Hope things go well with you.

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

Heh, I would expect nothing less from you (and from Achilles, for that matter). Things are equally lazy here, though I do get paid to sit around an office all day. It's a little frustrating, because I feel like I should actually be doing something, but eh.

[niemochan.livejournal.com]

I'm gonna try to comment less on previous posts but yea... my 15-years old sister knows how to put on make up and I still don't. I'm just glad we're 7.5 years apart, cuz otherwise she'd shadow me on every thing.

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

(I had fun getting all your comments, so it's fine.) Yeah, we went to the beautician at the mall yesterday and she put makeup on me. I'm so not used to it! But by the end of the day, I was like, "All right, not bad."

Heh, I think it's fine not to know how to put on makeup at our age, though. We're just ~*~naturally beautiful~*~, amirite?

[niemochan.livejournal.com]

:)

I'm just... not into makeup. They look fun and I like how good makeup look but I really don't wanna be those people who spend hours putting on makeup. Once in a while for special occasions is okay of course. But really, I already spend an hour getting ready without makeup.

Last Christmas I put on way too much makeup then felt stupid looking at pictures of me and my friend who didn't have any makeup on and looked naturally beautiful. You know how refreshed people look when they just took a shower? I never look like that, even when I JUST got out of the shower :(