Care Bears?

I forgot that I owned a blog for a moment. I was all like, I have time what should I do...then I remembered. >_< The name of this post will reveal itself in its own time.

So, Ummm...There is like a festival going on in Nagasaki right now with dragons and whatnot. It's Kunchi I think. So, with plans to see it yesterday afternoon as yesterday was the last day of tests, we went to Nagasaki. Although no one having said anything to me, I didn't know to bring my camera. XD We decided to get lunch and got off a stop before Nagasaki as we were surrounded by a bunch of junior schoolers who were acting like they had never been on a train before. The best thing about it was the teacher who tried to keep them in line and did it by whacking them over the head which was pretty awesome. >_<

For lunch I ate Pepper Lunch. Basically it is Japanese steak done on like a hot plate with rice and sauce, it is really good if a little expensive. From there we poked around a bit and I spent horrible amounts of money. Katherine, do you remember me telling you about my grey speaker bunny. Well, I was walking past this shop and they had this bright yellow one that just screamed 'Katherine!' to me so I had to buy it. So, don't buy any bright yellow bunny speakers before I get back. That way our bunnies can be friends. (^-^)

After eating and walking around we decided to go and look at Kunchi considering that was the reason we went. So, we debated between getting to Nagasaki station by street car ot walking but I was all for the streetcar as that was like the day of the Typhoon and thus the wind was seriously freezing and I was still wearing summer uniform because I had no idea it would be so bloody freezing that day. Unfortunately, the street car has now changed price from 100円 to 120円 which totally blows. It means you have to find two 10円 coins ever time you ride.

We had to wait for the street cars and like three we could have ridden but they were maximum capacity so we decided to wait and after 10 minutes found one that we could comfortably ride. During the ride nothing of interest happen except a Gaijin got on. There are always heaps of Gaijin lurking around on festival days. So, as we were pulling into our stop we could see the dragon boat thingy that they lug around. We got off, walked up the stairs, down the stairs and by the time we got there they were no where to be found. Apparently they change places a lot. So we figured we would wait a while and see if they came back, we shopped but this time I didn't buy anything.

I just made Hikari take a photo of five happy, colouful Care Bears in a shop window all wearing black hats bearing the words 'Suicidal Tendencies'in jagged letters. Is or is that not a FAIL of epic proportions? I'll get the photo off Hikari. I promise, that was too good to miss.

So, after kind of wasting time at Amyu Plaza we decided to make a little trek up to Yuumei Saito where there was a good chance of finding the moving festival. As we walked I was kind of suprised at the amount of people walking around even though I shouldn't have been having made appearances at a few festivals by now.

Yuumei Saito was even more crowded (it's like a big shopping complex) and we had a quick walk through the stalls looking for Taiyaki because I really wanted some. >_< ( Taiyaki is the fish shaped pastry with like custard cream, chocolate, anko and other stuff inside. I've only eaten white Taiyaki which I absolutely loved but I'd like to try the normal one as well.) But alas, there was none.

So, we went into Yuumei Saito and had a little look around and I bought mother another present. I seriously haven't bought many presents so I'm trying to get around to that but it costs so much. xD but if you guys can't be here, I at least have to try and share the experience. (^^)

And, what else...we went back after that and looked for the boat people again but they had most certainly disappeared off the face of planet. It was about 6:30 when we were picked up by Mie san, I was a little disappointed I didn't get to see anything but I had a surprising amount of fun and went a little bit crazy. I have no idea, why. I just do that sometimes.

On the way home we passed a street which had full view of the boat, that was the only time I actually got to see it even though we circled the block looking for it, I swear they must have their disapparation license's. ><

I just realised how short this post is...sorry. I would say more but I don't have all that much to talk about. From Monday to Wednesday we had tests which I spent writing letters to everyone, I've only got one more to go so they should be on there way soon. I've even got postcards after 6 months of...searching. Oh yeah, and at the movies they have little advertisements of 2010's Alice in Wonderland which I am looking forward to sooooo much that I'll burst out of my skin. I'm also really hoping that I'll be able to see The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus in the cinema's as there is the possibility that it will be in Australia before I come home and Japan after I've come back. Which just leaves me with illegal downloading or waiting forever for the DVD.

If you haven't already heard the joyous news, on the weekend I went out by myself and walked around and stuff and guess what I found? 桜蘭　高校　ホスト部　(Ouran Host Club) on DS! Yay! It was like the only game I wanted before I leave although I really suck at it. It is hard to be a host but the title screen has Sakura Kiss, the theme song, and the accompanying animation. That alone makes it worth buying. Not to mention that the voice actors are different which was a little annoying but they sound similar enough to get away with it.

Oh yeah, I just remembered something I have to google. I want to find out when the manga of Ouran, Pandora Hearts, Kuroshitsuji and Haruhi Suzumiya end. I have to buy Ouran as I've already got 13 of them and another two more to buy, and one Kuroshitsuji. But I was thinking about buying either Haruhi or Pandora Hearts as well but if they are still going or going to be long it makes it difficult because I'd rather have complete series' than just bits and pieces. I'll google it now,bear with me.

Damn it, none of them are finished. Though with Ouran everyone was like it finishes at 12 even though there are 15 volumes and more coming. >_< Maybe I'll just die.

Fukuoka is scheduled for Monday. Yay, I've received your orders and I just have to say one thing. Jack, there is NO WAY I am buying you a cosplay. WAAAAAAAAY too expensive. I love you and everything, but not that much. Seriously man, get real. >_< As for the other requests, I'll do what I can.

Bunkasai, we have now totally scrapped everything and are singing and dancing to some songs from Mamma Mia. >_< I have a solo (^0^)

And, I'm going to go as I have a nothing else to tell you. >_< Except yeah, 94 days. They go faster now. Don't know why, oh yeah. I'm going to Tokyo in December. Forgot about that. With the French exchange student and her host family and having a joined birthday party in Disneyland on the 12th as her birthday is on the 14th and mine on the 10th. We'll be going to all the awesome places. Super excited. ^^

<3

Ashley-chan

Oddities of School

This blog is neither going to be informative of anything I've been doing lately. I just thought I would write a little anecdote in the 10 minutes spare I have and thus apologise for the lack of an acceptable literary structure.

So, like FOREVER ago I had the best lesson ever. For those of you who don't know, we all have to stand and bow at the beginning and end of every lesson in a sign of respect for the teacher. My favourtie lesson was by the maths teacher in a subject other than maths, it was short home room. It went a little bit like this:

Kiritsu (Stand)
Kyotsuke (Straighten up)
Rei (Bow)

Everyone sat down, the teacher said like two sentences and then this happened all over again:

Kiritsu (Stand)
Kyotsuke (Straighten up)
Rei (Bow)

The whole thing took under a minute. Seriously best lesson ever.

And now, I apologise for this stupid blog. But I got super happy when after cleaning the teacher told me to say Kyosuke, Rei. It's nice to be accepted as a normal asian instead of the foreigner I am. >_<

Ciao.

<3

Ashley-chan

Silver Week

is basically a rip-off of Golden Week.

It doesn't happen very often I don't think but this year, for one reason or another, we had a second mini-golden week. Three holidays in a row colliding with the weekend leaving a lovely Saturday to Wednesday holiday. Saturday I didn't really do anything. I remember sleeping, watching television and things to that effect. The following day, Sunday, Hikari arrived home from her two month stay in Australia. She brought a whole bloody supermarket home. I was flabbergasted.

This is an estimate:
>5 packets of Starburst
>5 packets of Tim Tams
>6 packets of various chocolates
>3 packets of M'n'M's
>10 mini packets of shapes
> And other stuff

The large majority of which went to other people. I didn't understand that. But it was nice to taste a little bit of home again having only one packet of Gobstoppers remaining from mother's latest care package despite me being a horribly slack child. Thank you. ^^

Hikari returned home around 12 having been generously driven by Sayaka's mother from Fukuoka airport back to Nagasaki. After that Hikari wanted to go to Cocowalk to eat at her Dad's restaurant. We did that, having Nagasaki Champon at a Chinese restaurant. >_<

Lolz. Oh yes, tragedy has struck me in the heart! That's right, my leather bracelet has broken. T_T Luckily it was as I was taking it off to have a shower so I still have my charm and everything, I bought a piece of leather at Cocowalk but unfortunately have no idea how to tie it so it is adjustable. It had instructions but it didn't seem very stable so I'm currently googling that.

The following day Sayaka came over for an unknown reason and stayed for like 5/6 hours. I talked/ watched the Disney channel/ ate Australian sweets. I was only there for the food. >_< We did a bit of sigthseeing, I got to see Shimabara castle and a statue of Buddha resting called Nirvana. After that and a lunch consisting of three onigiri's (small ones) and a bottle of Coca Cola which one by the distinguished form of Eeny Meeny Miney Moe, we went on to the Grandparents house. Staying for about half an hour to decide on what would be for dinner and when dinner would be before 7 of us rocked out at Karaoke.

The bad thing is that for some reason the Karaoke box hated me and wouldn't let me put in half may songs, continuously saying, ERROR. So I sung as many as I could, mostly anime. My singing repetoire has not changed at all since I've come here, the reason being that the songs I like are weird and I don't really know all that many famous, well-known songs that they have at Karaoke. Yes, I'm a social failure. But we already knew that, didn't we?

Dinner was Sara Udon which I've become rather fond of. We aslso had Takoyaki in the car, another thing which I7ve taken a liking for. I didn't love it all that much at first but now I've found that it can be quite enjoyable, especially when it is searingly hot. Sara Udon is udon noodles in sauce with whatever thrown on top, usually vegetables and meat. It also has like a counterpart where the noodles are cripsy like before they are cooked instead of cooked. I've only ever tried the cooked but I imagine the other is decent as well.

Ummm...yesterday was Nagasaki. Around 12 Hikari and I caught the train to Kikitsu, wishing to go to the library to research our trip to Fukuoka, having no internet at home, unfortunately being a public holiday, the library was, alas, closed. Luckily just outside the main library part was two computers with internet although both were ebing used. We didn't have to wait too long before one liberated itself of it's previous user and we were able to search to our hearts content.

Saturday is possibly Fukuoka, either that or the following Saturday. The plan is to halve the time of the day between anime and clothing stores, you can probably guess which half is mine. Will probably spend a whole lot of money as it'll likely be my only chance to buy ridiculously unnecessary amounts of anime related goods for the next however many years. Plans are Mandarake, AniMATE and GeeStore, a cosplay shop, and there are others in the area which I'll just look for once there.

I thought we'd go to Tenjin together and then seperate, buy stuff and come home together but that was a ダメ (No) from Hikari's mum which is far enough. Fukuoka is scary. ０_～ Anyways, from Kikitsu Hikari said she wanted to buy Arina a birthday present at Amyu in Nagasaki so we went together and I bought earrings. There are four, each a suit of playing card, hearts, diamonds, clubs, spades. They would look really cute all together, shame I've only got one hole in each ear. ^_～

Then, Hikari and I went to the little version of AniMATE in Nagasaki where I spent 3000 yen on 3 Code Geass figurines, 4 badges, Rei key chain and a Kuroshitsuji thingy. I know what you're thinking, expensive. Yeah, you're telling me but it is like that every where. ><

What else? I like drawing. I've downloaded over 100 episodes of Ranma 1/2, oh I'm such a rebel. Japan is hilarious, they don't block anything here except for Youtube and Megaupload. n00bs. Hence the ridiculous amount of downloading. I think that is all for now. I can't think of anything else to say except I love you all and on Saturday I've been here for six months,(!) and not long to go now. I can't wait to come back and show off my asian skills, but you can all laugh at my hopeless english. I'm afraid it will take me a little while to adjust back. And you'll have to slap the head nodding and 'un' sounds out of me but I'll get there.

Don't lose hope! Currently reading: The picture of Dorian Gray which I am enjoying immensely.

<3

Ashley-chan

And this picture is just because Severus Snape is so Gosh Darn Smexy. XD

Pretty Kitty

Hey Ash, I saw Kitty looking pretty. She looked beautiful, as you can see here. You looked beautiful at your formal too. Two beautiful friends! Love Mum x

I'm Happy.

Want to know why? Well, we've got Bunkasai coming up. It's still a fair while away being on the 6th and 7th of November but we already have to start preparations. Bunkasai is basically a cultural festival held at school with bands and dance and food and haunted houses and all sorts of fun things. So, today we decided what 2-5 would do. They had like choir, play and stuff, I suggested a musical. Guess what they chose? Mine. Wow, happiness.

I think I also get to be a main person and help out with it cause I'm experienced which makes me super happy. Realising that no one knows many musicals here as they are all in English, we decided to just put in normal songs but it is still going to be super fun. So yeah, I'm excited.

Oh yeah, and I might be going to Tenjin in Fukuoka soon but did I already tell you that? That will be great the AniMATE and Mandarake there are huge. I was telling Mie-san, Hikari's mum, how I wanted to buy a Yukata and she found a cheap one in Omura with all the accessories and has insisted on buying it for me. It is red, I haven't seen it so I'm just going to have to trust her judgement. It's a gift anyway so who am I to judge?

Apart from that, school is back to normal. Koi shite Akuma which is a TV drama I like finished last night with Kunomiya-kun being a vampire but refusing to drink blood, disapparating into nothingness with Makoto, his teacher and child hood girlfriend, by his side. When Kunomiya was bitten, he stopped aging and like hid from everyone but his girlfriend kept growing which is why she is now his teacher. She was going to get engaged to some other teacher but Kunomiya is like 'I'm a vampire.' so she broke it off with him. Makoto was like, 'bite me, turn me vampire!' but Kunomiya was all like, 'No, I couldn't do that to you. I want you to live...blah blah blah' and disappeared. I thought it would have been cooler if he did bite her and they were all vampirish forever.

What else? I wanted to buy Hana Yori Dango but it is way expensive so bad luck there. In Japan Season One and Two are over a $150 and on 6 discs each but I swear I've seen Season 1 and 2 in a set before. The movie isn't a bad price but there is no point buying Hana Yori Dango Final when I haven't seen all of season one and none of two. Ah well. I'll just have to watch it on youtube. >_<

This isn't meant to be a real blog, I was just happy and wanted to tell someone. I went to Arisa's bunkasai which was pretty small. They had some dancing, singing, bands, and Ramune. Ramune is the best drink ever, it is in a glass bottle and has a marble inside. The best thing they did was a parody of Super Mario brothers. Basically, they made it look like a Super Mario game. They made a mario and all the monsters and things that go with it. It was on a black background with people dressed in black working it so it looked really good. Then puppet Mario got a red mushroom and became big when a real person dressed as Mario jumped out in the puppet's place. They had Peach and Bowser too, then everyone came out and danced looking like the ninja's on Big Brother. It was good.

Arisa's band K-on which is the name of a manga, were decent also. Their singer was probably the best. I don't remember the song though. The worst thing was these two girls who did a dance recital to two Arashi songs and a Hey Say Jump! song. It was murder. Only one of the two knew what she was doing, the other just copied and badly with a two second delay every time. The first person most likely made up the dance but it was shocking. All three used exactly the same moves and they put no energy into it at all. It was a relief when by the end of the second song two overly-enthusiastic boys stood up in the crowd and copied them. It entertained me for the third song anyhow. But apart from that, not much to see. We went shopping then, Mie-san and I. I didn't buy anything but Mie did, whe was buying a present for someone in a super rich store.

Oh yeah, in Sadou bu right. All we are doing right now is watching the third years and some second years practice 'O te mae' which is the actual super hard thing of making the tea. It isn't hard as much as difficult to remember what step comes next. It is all so precise and everything but here is the worst part, next week, the teacher said she wants me to try. I'm like, 'I've never done it before though, I can't do it in front of everyone' and she's like, 'Everyone hadn't done it before at some stage.' I mean I want to do it but not with 10 first years watching me. Having never done it before I'll obviously make a horrible amount of mistakes and get scolded and not understand heaps. Angst. Not to mention there are no step-by-step guides on the internet to practice with. Damn. Maybe the library has something...I might check that tomorrow.

Anyway. Yeah. School is alright at the moment, I'm getting better at being social I think. I'm not scared anymore. I can't believe I've only got four months left, it is going to go so damn fast. >_<

<3

Love,

Ashley-chan