Time for a change

New blog banner~ This time, featuring Adachi Hana and Shinagawa Daichi from Yankee-kun to Megane-chan, as well as the two Rotti bunnies from Solanin!

I'd squeeze Ayu in there somewhere, but nothing suits it that much, hahaha.

The freedom we have
The choices we make
The sacrifice we pay
Make life so complicated

Our eyes to judge
Our hands to hang on
Our feet to step forward
To whom do we entrust them?

The flooding products
The confused information
Which on earth is the truth
And which is false?

Yes, we are free
But are too free
We can go everywhere
And can go nowhere

REDLINE

So. Ayumi's new album is out, Rock'n'Roll Circus is the name. Most initial reactions were "EWW sounds like Britney's :((((" I wasn't one of them mainly because I had no idea what's it got to do with Britney, only after that did I find out that Britney Spears actually had an album and tour last year by the title "Circus". I don't have much to say, everyone else has basically said it already.

Ayu is not the first, and will definitely not be the last in incorporating 'Circus' in her works. If anything, Ayu must have taken direct inspiration from Rolling Stone's album, named...yep, you guessed it, Rock'n'Roll Circus. Ayu has admitted to being a fan of theirs, and recent diary entries and whatnots has shown her going to London, doing photoshoots, recording songs and filming PVs. Obviously, this album will be more London-influenced than say...Britney.

Anyway, I still haven't decided whether to buy it or not, haha. I still have other things I want to get. For example, these two Solanin plush dolls *__*

Or this Punpun Plush doll:

Note to self, never Google things you want unless you are ready for disappointment. Why? Because most of them will remain inaccessible to YOU. *WEEP*

On the bright side, (OH SO BRIGHT SIDE) at least I am somewhat accessible to Ayu. I finally received my somethin' somethin' yesterday.

Hmm, I wonder what that could be.

JJ-JAAAAANG!

Ayumi Hamasaki's You were.../BALLAD poster, thank you Ms. Robina! This poster actually came as a first press bonus for the single, and there's actually a 'Not For Sale' label at the bottom, haha. I missed out on the first press, which is why I decided to buy it anyway. As I've mentioned before, I love this cover, and I must have at least something to celebrate my love for it. XD Complications may arise soon, but I will only mention it some other time, when that something else is confirmed. I think I'm going to frame it, in the mean time, it will stay in the tube.

Then, when it's framed, it will most definitely join this lovely drawing here, by none other than Fatin Nuramalina!

Can't believe I haven't mentioned this awesomeness. So, here ye go, bask in the glory!

And with that, I would like to end this blog post with yet another quote from Ayu:

If you have a feeling of despair, please remember
"This day called today on which you are going to give up,
Is the tomorrow on which somewhere, someone didn't want to give up."

If you run into a wall, please remember
"This day called today on which you are going to lose,
Is the tomorrow on which somewhere, someone wanted to fight."

Who framed Rog-------!?!??!!!

Can't sleep. *WHEEEZE* And now I keep on refreshing Facebook and AHS in the hope of having something to do. Also, I've been reading my old blog posts. Majority was made up of Kendo. Sigh. I've been reminiscing with Riku about it. SIIIIIIIGHHHHH

I've been doing that a lot nowadays. Sighing about basically everything. All these application shit is just draining me. UCAS HECAS UCAS HECAS UCAS HECAS

I've submitted my HECAS though, which by the way, has anyone else realised how ridiculous it is? It's an ONLINE application system, yet, we have to print it out and submit it by hand to their office? How the hell does that make it any easier?! Online applications are supposed to make things more convenient and efficient for both sides. This is just the same as filling out a form and then piling them up by the hundreds only to be lost and misplaced.

That, and then there's my job. I don't like my job. I'm working for my aunt. What did I say about working with family? NEVER EVER. Of course, I like it when I get paid. Heh. For the sake of my own survival, I have to continue--------!!

What did you draw on your canvas today?

Ayu had a wonderful message posted in her TA Diary today:

What did you all draw on your own canvas today?

If what you drew today is the best for you,
I hope you keep walking with the canvas in your arms tomorrow, too.

And, to the canvas, keep on adding new things
which you sensed on the new day called tomorrow.

If what you drew today didn't make you satisfied,
or if you couldn't draw anything today,
let's try again tomorrow. With me.

I have a pretty good reason to update my blog right now. :D

TA-DAAAAAAAAAA!

I have beeen begging my parents, asking friends, even desperate enough to suggest to their parents and family who do order online, so that I could order this book through Amazon.com. Alas, that never came through, and I almost gave up, until one day. My dad had an acquaintance of him coming over from Singapore, and surprisingly, he actually remembered what I wanted. So, Mr. Kelvin, THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Solanin, What a Wonderful World vol 1 & 2. Unfortunately, these are the only Asano Inio works officially published in English. I wish Ooyasumi Punpun is published as well, that manga is epic.

I just have this thing, when I like something a lot, I want to keep a hard copy of it, and in this case, it was Solanin. It was kind of hard to explain to my parents why I love Solanin and how I knew so much about it when I haven't even bought the manga yet, and why I did tell them I actually downloaded it first, they just told me to keep it that way. Pssh. Who ya be talkin' ta? Tis is Maj, who, despite being broke almost all the time, has a thing for collecting her loves.

SOLANIN SOLANIN SOLANIN SOLANIN

I saw this Punpun plushie on cdjapan, but it's already out of stock. *weep* Then I saw a Punpun mug, but the shipping is ridiculous! *sigh*

On to more things I recently got;

• A Song For xx
• LOVEppears
• Duty
• M

All Japan version. Ayumi's first, second and third album, and her M single. I bought this all on a pretty good bargain from Froggy, at a total of $55! LUCKY. I'm not actually a big fan of any of these albums, but it's Ayu, okay. That, and I don't think I would be able to find these albums anywhere else with that cheap of a price! Seriously, A Song For xx and LOVEppears were released in 1999 and Duty was released in 2000. This is a decade ago, and lucky I am to even own this.

Of course, my collection is nothing compared to some others, who own all 10 albums, 47 singles, countless remix and compilation albums, as well as other merchandises from her. This is Ayu we're talking about. She's from Avex Trax. Nothing from Avex comes cheap, like seriously. Which is why I am content with even owning a few Japanese presses, most of my collection are just Overseas press, basically half the price of the Japanese press. A CD-Only JP press would cost BND40.00++, while an OS press, with almost the same quality in the print and sound, would only (only is an understatement, by the way) BND20.00+.

I cannot wait to pre-order Ayu's new album. Song previews from CMs, PV previews from Deji Deji Diary, everything is basically out, EXCEPT for the album name and release date. Seriously, I'm usually not the impatient type, but the hype is driving even someone like me NUTS.

S0 that is my bookshelves. Top row is reserved for my music collection, consisting Ayu, Koda Kumi (only one album), Linkin Park, Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin, OLIVIA, etc. Second row is basically for books I actually read/still read. Third row, lol. Treasury of Fairy Tales, Lemony Snicket, Enid Blyton, Alice's Adventure in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, The Little Prince, True Singaporean Ghost Stories are the ones that I still care about. XD The rest are mangas I decide to demote from the second row, and anything below that, I basically do not care.