| Japan peoples! |
[Feb. 6th, 2010|01:38 pm] |
I am in need of assistance! I've decided to participate in the Sena Jun Memorial Campaign since I got my tax refund. I got the campaign card when I ordered the dinner show DVD, but to complete it I'll need assistance in ordering/preordering the following:
TCAD-278: 瀬奈じゅん退団記念DVD 「ＮＥＸＴ！」
TCAD-281: 瀬奈じゅん「ザ･ラストデイ」
TSSD-055: 「ASAKO」
I'm not sure what to do with the campaign card. I think I'll have to send it to you and have you complete it on my behalf, since it's due by 3/31 and the Sky Stage box set isn't released until 3/5, so considering mail delays between the eastern US and Japan it'd be a little risky to complete it myself. But I will miss the satisfaction of putting the little "SENA" stickers on the card ^^;
I can most easily send payment through PayPal, but other methods will be considered if you prefer.
(edits: Er, well, damn. Hadn't noticed the pre-order date for the Sky Stage box had already passed. Um, anyone getting the box who's willing to lend me their sticker?)
Comments screened. |
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| (no subject) |
[Jan. 15th, 2010|05:54 pm] |
Well, it's already been posted a bunch, but I think I might be a failure as a Sena Jun fan if I didn't point out that she has a website now. That was quick o_o ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) ekusudei posted translations of the fanmail addresses (still separate East and West ones for now) in ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif) takarazuka . Thanks! Glad to know I can send her fanmail again!
(and relieved that there aren't any wardrobe shocks (so far, it's not as if she's had much time to grow her hair or buy a bunch of clothes)). Would like to get some clue as to what she's going to be doing now, performance-wise, but I guess I have to be patient. It really hasn't been that long since taidan ^^;
edits LJ stop eating my text when I switch between HTML and Rich text! Guess I just need to memorize how to make the text smaller. |
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| (no subject) |
[Jan. 13th, 2010|09:55 pm] |
I sometimes wonder if I actually am going insane, and just not realizing because hey, I'm insane. |
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| A Wand'ring Minstrel I |
[Jan. 10th, 2010|06:15 pm] |
Hey Livejournal. Uh, long time no see.
My Christmas was good. How about yours?
As is my usual for the first week of January, I auditioned for the Durham Savoyards' yearly show. This year we're doing The Mikado, which I'd already gotten a bit excited about and made a few posts.
I auditioned for the role of Peep-Bo, reasoning that I really probably ought to sing in my own range (well, close enough. I was NOT going to try for Yum-Yum), or at least biological sex, if I wanted to actually have a chance at a named role. And that the Japanesse-style costuming wouldn't trigger my "dress D:" reaction the way Western women's clothing does.
I did not get a call-back. This caused me an unexpected amount of distress, not so much at the rejection (there was that too, and angsting about whether I had any actual talent or not), but in a large part because I was having full-on anxiety attacks about having to play a girl in the chorus. I nearly considered pulling out of the show because I wasn't sure I could handle it. Nevermind that I JUST DID IT last year in Trial by Jury. I think I might possibly have deeper gender issues than I've been allowing myself to think for the past several years. I think I've gotten so settled in my in-between fauxtokoyaku state that it's a huge shock now to be forced out of it, even for theatrical reasons.
But this post is not about analyzing my gender and other mental issues. Stay on task (another thing I need to work on). It turns out I had nothing to worry about, because despite not auditioning in that range this year, I was asked to sing tenor in the stage chorus, as I've done for the past 3 years. And that was enough to make me excited about doing the show again. (edits And it was reassuring to realize that I hadn't been called back for Peep-bo because they really needed me to be in the men's chorus; we've got 4 women singing tenor in the stage chorus this year and only 2 men!)
A few hours after I got my role offer, the cast list went out, and there was a rather GLARING "T.B.A". in the understudy column for the role of Nanki-Poo (the son of the Mikado and the tenor lead). My brain, it teemed with endless schemes... or one scheme in particular. I discussed this with kibarika, tribalkittykat, and pseudokiwi, who, by the way, are the understudies for Pitti-Sing, Peep-Bo, and Yum-Yum (the "Three Little Maids") respectively. They agreed that I had a chance and that it would be pretty awesome if I did it. And since we're all significantly shorter than our, um, "overstudies", we could call the understudy run-through The Minikado.
So after our first rehearsal last Thursday (to which I wore my purple kimono that was a Christmas present from windstar127 which everyone thought was pretty awesome), I worked up the courage to ask our director Derrick about it. And he told me that he had already been considering me for the part and just needed to check with Alan, our music director, to make sure he was cool with it.
Today it was announced that I would indeed be the understudy, and since it was a chorus-only music rehearsal, I already had to sing some of the part since the actor playing Nanki-Poo wasn't called. I'm feeling pretty awesome about it. I mean, I know that understudying is kind of a thankless job, because you do pretty much all the work of the principal usually without any recognition in the actual show, on top of your chorus role, but I really just want the experience more than anything. I have so much to learn about building a character and performing as an individual, instead of in a group. |
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| Gen's Fluffy Bunny Meme |
[Nov. 18th, 2009|10:07 am] |
I'm doing this because I'm rather work-averse lately ^^;
Gen's Fluffy Bunny Meme!
Step 1: Find the most ridiculous, adorable picture of a cute animal you can. Post it below (Linking back to the original page is always polite...) Leave this picture above any LJ cut. The point of this meme is ridiculous cheerfulness.
Not precisely a picture, but I found this while looking for one to post and... it just needs to be seen:
(if you go to the YouTube page there's a whole Beatrix Potter ballet in the related items. OMG before I started taking dance classes I never would have expected to become a ballet fan but I'm seriously considering proposing to whoever came up with this XD)
Next, answer these crucial, life-altering questions:
( The rest of it ) |
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| Erin hates nightmares |
[Nov. 16th, 2009|08:20 am] |
I am rather cranky today because I woke up from a nightmare at 6:15 this morning, when my alarm was set for 6:50. In a way, this is a lot worse than waking up at some awful hour like 3 or 4 AM, because at least in that situation there's some hope of getting back to sleep.
I often have a particularly upsetting type of nightmare that I call the Cassandra Scenario. It's a sort of halfway-lucid dream, I suppose. Have you ever had a dream that seems normal at first, but you can instantly recognize that it's going to go nightmare really really fast? I have these a LOT. And so I try to stop it from happening, but no one will listen to me, or worse do EXACTLY what I'm begging them not to do just out of spite, and no matter what I do to stop the unspeakable horror I know is about to be unleashed, I just end up hastening the alien invasion/demonic possession/zombie apocalypse/etc. And eventually the only way I can stop it is to force myself to wake up, usually in a very inconvenient part of my sleep cycle so I'm very groggy and confused. But that's not the end of it. I can't just go back to sleep because I know I'll go straight back into the nightmare. And it'll be worse the next time around. So I have to get up and read or play computer games for a while to clear the nightmares out of my head (this is why if I HAVE to have nightmares I'd rather have them in the middle of the night, not less than an hour before I have to be up anyway). I hate these nightmares.
This one involved a deep space mission attacked by a noncorporeal alien intelligence that preyed on fear and paranoia, using psychological manipulation to get the crew to mistrust and kill each other. Actually it sort of started in medias res and then when I was about to be killed by the one remaining crew member I managed to sort of "reset" the dream to the beginning. I tried to keep us from landing on the planet where we'd picked the thing up, but there was an accident that forced us to land and my pleas to keep the airlocks closed and stay inside were ignored as the ravings of one who had snapped under the stress of deep space travel. In retelling, it sounds like a bad science fiction movie but it was absolutely TERRIFYING and real while I was inside it.
The worst part is the overwhelming helplessness of it all. No matter what I do, I can't change the outcome. ANY action on my part just makes it worse. I really wish I knew why I have these dreams so I can stop them without losing out on a full night's sleep.
(edits) I am kind of stupidly proud of myself for thinking of calling it The Cassandra Scenario. I feel all educated. And maybe having a name for it will help me deal with it. Maybe. |
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| Procrastinating at work because I don't want to take that frontline call |
[Nov. 11th, 2009|02:13 pm] |
Also because my work laptop is really the only computer that has a real wallpaper on it that's any different from the last time I did this.
Wallpaper meme
• Anyone who looks at this entry has to post this meme and their current wallpaper on their LiveJournal.
• Explain in five sentences why you're using that wallpaper!
• Don't change your wallpaper before doing this! The point is to see what you had on!
( Obscure? ) |
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| sick |
[Nov. 3rd, 2009|05:18 pm] |
I left work at about 11 with a bout of gastroenteritis :( Texts appreciated, since lying on the couch feels a lot better than sitting at my desk and my laptop screen is busted.
Bright side: pain, cramps, nausea, and disgustingness aside, lying on the couch with tomato soup and crackers and watching Elisabeth is a much more agreeable way to spend the day than being at work. Good thing I have DVDs though; TV just SUCKS lately. I haven't found a single good thing on all day. |
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| Mikado Geekery |
[Nov. 2nd, 2009|11:56 pm] |
W.S. Gilbert mostly used nonsense words and baby-talk for the "Japanese" names in The Mikado, but in the actual libretto he used real Japanese in places. Most famously in the Mikado's processional "Miya-sama, Miya-sama".
However, he transcribed it REALLY oddly. I guess it made sense to him since he was writing for opera singers so it's mostly written as if it were Italian:
Miya sama, miya sama
On n'm-ma no maye ni
Pira-Pira suru no wa
Nan gia na
Toko tonyare tonyare na.
It seems this was an actual Japanese song written in 1868 that was popular there around the time the opera was written, but I haven't had a whole lot of luck in a cursory search on trying to find the original lyrics. I attempted to back-transliterate (while discussing with zephyrsky using the translation provided here:
宮様、宮様
お馬の前に
ぴらぴらするのは
何じゃな
とことんやれとんやれな
I'm not at all certain about the first half of the 2nd line though. There's a very definite "n" sound in Gilbert's transcription, but I'm not sure what would go there.
The amusing thing is, according to zephyrsky, this is pretty much how you'd hear a thug with a heavy Kansai accent talking. I can't help but wonder if Gilbert did that on purpose, making a grand, pompous processional out of really base language.
Another giggleworthy bit of Japanese in the score is the chorus' exclamations interrupting Katisha (the Mikado's Daughter-in-law Elect) as she's trying to make a grand and very Plot-Important Revelation. They shout "O ni! Bikkuri shakkuri to!" (おに！吃驚しゃっくりと！) which is lamely translated as "O surprise and wonder!" in the notes. That's not what it means guys. しゃっくり=hiccups. I giggled pretty hard when I looked up what it actually meant. |
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| econn is not dead. Might be a zombie though. Or maybe she ran away to live among the fairies. |
[Nov. 2nd, 2009|10:29 pm] |
| [ | Tags | | | fairies, family, g&s, geek humor, halloween, mikado, renaissance faire, unix, voice, work, zombies | ] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | home | ] |
I'd apologize for not posting much, but I figure everyone's used to me neglecting it for extended periods and I dont' think my posting behavior is likely to change.
( Cut for wank^Wexplanation )
Despite that, I actually have been doing interesting stuff and really ought to post about it.
( Family beach trip! )
( Renaissance Faire! )
( Halloween! )
( Singing! )
Okay. I think I'm caught up now. |
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| Sayonara goods |
[Oct. 26th, 2009|01:03 pm] |
A deck of cards? A 2500 yen deck of cards?
I dunno, I was hoping for something a little more... cuddly, I guess?
Still probably going to end up getting it. -_-
(edit: Also wouldn't it make more sense to have Scarlett and Elisabeth as Queens rather than Aces? :P) |
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| North Carolina Pride, in more ways than one. |
[Sep. 27th, 2009|03:01 pm] |
Articles about Pride yesterday:
Durham Herald-Sun
Raleigh News & Observer
Raleigh News & Observer slideshow
Hm. Perhaps it's because I was there WITH a church group, but I don't really like how the News & Observer kind of mentions the supportive church groups as an an afterthought, while giving more focus to the protesting groups. There were considerably more church groups/members in support of the event than protesters, who really just looked like a sad, tiny little cluster on the street corner across from the parade announcer's station. I didn't even see some of the signs in the slideshow XD That's one of the things that has always amazed me about this event; how much community support there is from even the seemingly unlikeliest places. From Methodists handing out water to the marchers, Episcopalians carrying a "welcome" banner and making a joyful noise with a tintinnabulum, atheists with a giant Flying Spaghetti Monster (I didn't see it but I heard about it), to Baptists proclaiming their support and love of all God's people. And that was just IN the parade. It's a really amazing thing, especially in what most people would expect to be part of the Bible Belt (although as I discussed with one of my fellow paradegoers, the Triangle is really sort of a hole in the Bible Belt.) I know it hasn't always been this way, but I'm glad we've been able to come this far and I hope we can continue towards true equality and acceptance.
Because of my dance class schedule and the rain, I only stayed for the parade this year, but got to meet up with ignescent as she worked her way back through the parade (St. Philip's was at the very end) and she kindly gave me a ride home so I wouldn't have to ride my bike in the rain. (sorry about not meeting up again for the game night; I ended up falling asleep ^^; ) I was disappointed to miss the speeches and concerts, but the parade itself is just such an amazing thing that I was still definitely on a high all day long. |
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| Good things. |
[Sep. 24th, 2009|11:14 am] |
I need to post more good things. I tend to post when I'm feeling down and need to complain or get itchy thoughts out of my head, but not when I'm actually feeling pretty good.
The sun finally came out today and that alone makes me feel 1000x better than I did yesterday.
Despite being a tightly-wound ball of nerves, unable to even breathe properly, and feeling all down on myself at my Collegium Musicum audition last week, I just found out last night that I have been selected for *2* solos and asked to understudy a 3rd (swine flu's going around the choir ^^; )
Apparently my GRE scores were good enough for Carnegie-Mellon's admissions department to take an interest in me (I'm sure it's largely just admissions spam but still I think it means I probably don't suck? CMU's a damn good school for computer science)
I have a hip-hop dance class tonight, and yes I know the idea of someone as oh-so-white as me doing hip-hop is hilarious but it's fun. I just have to be careful of my right ankle, which I twisted a bit in jazz/modern dance on Saturday when I got a bit too over enthusiastic with fouette jumps. It doesn't hurt to walk on it or anything as long as I don't step on it wrong, and even then it doesn't hurt BAD, I just need to be careful.
Did I mention the sun's out?
And NC Pride is this weekend. I did go to choir last night, and ended up talking with my director for an hour after rehearsal was over. Found out that our church has an entry in the parade and he asked me to march with them. I'll probably be wearing this XD.
And yay the sun's out and I can hear the groundskeepers mowing the grass and for some reason the sound of lawnmowers makes me happily nostalgic for sunny summer afternoons when I was a little kid. |
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| That icon meme |
[Sep. 21st, 2009|09:42 pm] |
This has been going around for a while and everyone probably knows how it goes. Comment and I'll pick 6 icons from your profile for you to talk about.
From ladybretagne
( Read more... ) |
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| OMG I am an idiot |
[Sep. 7th, 2009|08:59 am] |
| [ | Tags | | | holidays | ] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | home | ] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  dumb | ] |
I forgot that today was Labor Day. I WONDERED why the parking lot looked so empty when I got to work -_- |
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| In dulci jubilo |
[Aug. 31st, 2009|10:27 pm] |
I went to my first rehearsal with the Duke Collegium Musicum tonight. I think I'm going to like it, despite my initial apprehensions going in. It's not as intense a group as the Choral Society I used to sing with, and the technical skill is perhaps not as high for some of the members, but I think that this is a group of people that I could fit in with. They're largely about my age. A few members are undergraduates, but the majority were graduate students in non-musical fields at Duke (a fair number of musicologists as well, but there was quite a distribution among the other members, from classics to neurology) and local residents who just want to sing Renaissance and Baroque music, like my choirmaster.
Amusing coincidence from tonight: I unknowingly ended up sitting next to the OTHER soprano named Erin in the group. And the conductor put us both on first soprano. I could see this getting confusing very quickly. At least now I've got a friend in the group whose name I will definitely remember (aside from the aforementioned choirmaster) XD
Auditions will be held for solos and smaller ensembles in 2 weeks. I think I actually stand a chance of getting one.
(edit: Also, I have learned that we are singing about the Virgin Mary's boobies, and an ass full of grass. Yay Latin!) |
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| ignoring the sad news for now |
[Aug. 26th, 2009|10:24 am] |
Mihoko is releasing a CD!
Love Story - Hikari no Michi
Release date: 2009.10.14
¥3,000
I'm loving how her voice has matured in the year since her retirement from Takarazuka, even if the music mostly isn't the type I'd normally listen to ^^; And her English has really improved on "Amazing Grace". She always makes me so happy, no matter what I'm going through ♥
(thanks mixi.jp and sumirepanther) |
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chipper
hopeful
I am so proud
cranky
procrastinating
melancholy
sick
geeky
blah