Such Talented People

Hello blog, long time no talk.

There are these really great videos on youtube of bands playing acoustically on Youtube called "Take Away Shows" and they are fantastic. I love seeing bands perform like this because it shows how they are truly talented people, even without studio editing and auto tune up the butt.











There are many more that you can watch and enjoy.
And apart from all the wonderful tunes and incredibly talented musicians, the way these videos are filmed are very beautiful to me too. Hope you enjoy these as much as I do!

A Quote I am Fond of

"As the cherry blossoms bloom, we age another year. As we view yesterday as today, today as tomorrow, and tomorrow as the following day, we are moving forward as we look back at the important things we've obtained and lost. But what you have lost will not disappear forever. They're carved deep into our hands, our feet, our chest, our back, and our heart. As we endure the pain, we wait for a new plant to grow, and that new plant will grow stronger and more beautiful than before."

You can find words that mean a lot to you in the most unexpected places.

Old Times

I found some photographs last night of my trip to Japan about five years ago. Ah how I miss everything there, everything about that place, and all of my family. It was such an eye opening trip, I can't wait until I can go back, but for now I would rather not add to the problems they're already facing there. When I look through these photos I feel so nostalgic, it was such a nice time in my life, the perfect time to go, and though the trip was very bittersweet, filled with everything from shopping and meeting new people to visiting the hospital and grave sites, I would never trade anything for these memories.

One day I'll go back. I miss waking up to quiet Hiroo in the morning, or seeing the giant ferris wheel in Cosmoworld at night all lit up telling me what time it was.

First loves and close friendships

Lately I have been reading and watching a lot of movies/comics/novels that deal with someone's first love, or friends who fall in love. I am a big fan of stories that deal with relationships in the past, and how it changes someone's life, but the thing I love most about stories dealing with first loves and love blooming from long time friendships is the feeling of nostalgia. There is something about them, I just love engulfing myself in nostalgic feelings. I think it is because I, myself, have a habit of holding on to past memories, not letting them go for a very, very long time, regardless of whether that memory was happy or not.

A bl artist that I like that deals with these kinds of stories, as well as other pretty heartwarming ones is Ellie Mamahara. One comic of hers that I read really hit my heart (as cheesy as that sounds). Her people are very awkwardly elongated and wide in the shoulder area (haha) but to me that awkwardness captures emotions well, and I really enjoy the expressions of her characters...but anyways, there was something about this story that really made me feel really nostalgic. It might have been the setting, or the fact that 2 friends, who also happened to be eachother's first loves got another chance to be with each other after so many years, that really, really hit me.


I'm not very good at describing feelings, or why something has touched me so much, so excuse my lack of a better description....but it just made me think about things and people in the past that I had come to like as they came and went.

Another thing that had made me feel rather nostalgic lately is a film called "5 Centimeters Per Second." It's a very bittersweet story about a first love, and how not everything always works out the way you imagined it in your youth. It ends a little bit sadly, but I loved it. (Then again, I love depressing movies...) Not only was the story, and the way it was played out beautiful, but the settings were absolutely breathtaking. Everything was so gorgeous, and I admit, it made me extremely miss the scenery in Japan.

I apologize, I know this journal entry is rather scattered and all over the place...not quite making complete sense, but that is how my brain and all of its thoughts have been lately. Very scattered and not making much sense ever. But, anyways, I guess half the point of this entry was to point out how nostalgic I have been feeling lately, as well as how beautiful stories of love and friendship can be.

"How fast will I have to live, just to be able to see you again?"

laugh

I haven't touched this in a little bit, sorry to those who would follow it. I already know that I am extremely bad at keeping up with any kind of blog or website. I have a very scattered mind.

To be completely honest, I really do not know how to talk about my life right now. I feel like I'm stuck in this pit of mediocre. Nothing is going completely, and utterly wrong, though there are many changes coming about that I would rather not come to realize just yet, and nothing is going exceptionally well. I am stuck in this little spot. It's like running on a treadmill, I'm running and running, but I'm not getting any further and I'm not going away. I don't know, all I feel like doing lately is sitting in bed, moping my life away haha. 本当の引き籠もり。。。ww

Drawing as well has been tormenting me to no end. I cannot draw anything of variety lately, not one bit! Everything looks very much the same, same expression, direction of face, pose, etc. I keep trying to break out of that comfort zone, but it is so hard. I don't know why. I have so many ideas in my head, they just never translate to paper. Frustratinggg.

In other, more interesting news, in my German film and cinema class we have been watching black and white silent films, and I must say that I find them to b e extremely interesting as well as beautiful. Last night we watched The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, which is world renowned. I loved it, so bizarre and insane, really my cup of tea haha. The sets themselves were just amazing, I was in love!

Such a beautiful look to it. Everything about it!

CIrcus Act

Last night I decided I wanted to my make my own copyhon/copybon (aka self printed art book) and this is my test print. Personally I like how it turned out. Printed the cover on velum and the rest on regular paper and then put it together. It's all a circus theme with characters based on a short story I wrote quite a while ago, but revamped.

Anyways, life wise things are pretty good. Having a few issues with family and a few issues with some friends. I realize that I am not very good with getting super close to someone right away. I get nervous/uncomfortable like a child. I don't know, it bothers me that I'm like that, but at the same time it keeps my guard up, which I don't mind completely. I DUNNOOOO I'm just very bad with people is all.

Anyways (once again) this song has been really moving to me lately. I keep listening to it on repeat over and over. I picture myself in Paris, just waltzing carefree, happy about the world. Ah if only that was life!


The images of Paris I have been seeing around have really been making me want to go to Europe. And not just Paris, but Warsaw, or Rome!

Hier soir deux inconnus et ce matin sur l'avenue

Deux amoureux tout étourdis par la longue nuit

Et de l'Étoile à la Concorde, un orchestre à mille cordes

Tous les oiseaux du point du jour chantent l'amour