Jess [wishing she was] in Japan

Random dream post

2009-12-02T05:43:46Z

Last night I had a dream that I was searching used bookstores for Twilight, because I just NEEDED to read it, but refused to support the franchise.

I have no idea where THAT came from.

jess_in_japan @ 2009-12-01T06:22:00

2009-12-01T14:22:29Z

I can only assume my stomach is expressing its desire to become an opera singer. There is no other reason for this cacophony that is going on in my abdomen.

HURRY UP, MAIL!

2009-11-25T14:35:28Z

My Kindle shipped at like midnight from Kentucky via USPS. Estimated arrival date is 12/7? WTF??? That is an estimate that gives it like a week and a half... grrr.... just put it on a plane!

I wants NAO.

Gotta dance!

2009-11-20T19:33:37Z

Many of you on my friends list already know through our conversations on AIM, but I thought I should let the rest of you know where I've been off to while not updating. You see, I have a new love and it's been a whirlwind of a romance. I'm refering to Argentine tango.

These days it's 3 nights a week: Sunday 6-9pm (free), Thursday 7-10pm ($5 lesson, $5 dance), Saturday 2-5pm (free). And every other Monday 6:30-9:30pm ($5). And some Saturdays there is a milonga, from 7-10:30pm ($5).

It's going to be a little tough leaving to Spokane Argentine tango community. The guys are so nice and are always glad to teach me new things. And my tango instructor is this tiny lady who is amazing at leading and goes around dancing with everyone during the dance. I just love watching her-- but I don't spend much time watching, if I can help it. Last night a couple of the guys commented that I was dancing a lot. Yeah, I go there to dance! Whenever anyone asks me to dance, I get this huge grin as I say yes. I'm such a dork XD

Of course, I've already looked into Argentine tango in Japan. There is a monthly "tea time" milonga in Ichinomiya for 1500 yen, which includes a drink and snacks. But I don't need a drink or snacks-- all I need are a smooth floor, my dance shoes, music, and someone to dance with! Unfortunately, it seems like most lesson times are during work-- I'll have to figure something out ;_; Plus, lessons in Japan are always so expensive.

Of course, a new hobby to balance with Takarazuka will likely mean trying to balance club dates with known milonga dates and such. It'll be interesting to see how that turns out.

But of course, for now I'm just going to dance as much as possible.

Aftermath of Shuugoubi

2009-11-12T17:00:45Z

As a hoshi fan, I was up last night on pins and needles. As a fan of a ken-5 youngster, I didn't feel as much urgency as I'm sure many of you regularly feel on shuugoubi. But still, it's my troupe and I can't help but to feel for the loss of (what at least seems like) most of our upperclassmen.

I'll be excitedly waiting to hear about shinko roles, but already there has been some good news-- four 91sts got named roles. Naturally, this includes Michael <3 Okay, so I have no idea who (Josef? Jusef? Yusef?) is, and besides that role she's a (as Maggy called it) glorified page who is just as likely to have Berubara page hair as anything else. But! This all supports my theory that Keiko-sensei likes Michael, since she seems to find named roles for her. I'm surprised that Riko-chan didn't get the 4th 91st role though, since she did get nibante musumeyaku in Coimbra.

It has not escaped my attention that certain very young, popular individuals also got named roles. It will be very interesting to see what this troupe will look like now that so many upperclassmen are retiring. Do you think they'll transfer some upperclassmen in, or make hoshi into youngstergumi?

Anyhow, just wanted to let everyone know that I have heard the news, am a little sad for my troupe, but every bit as excited to get to see this show. Also wanted to let Cate know that I'm thinking of her. Cate: it sounds like you're surrounded by people who understand what you're feeling, but I wanted you to know that you have my support too.

Birthday month

2009-11-03T06:49:35Z

So, it is probably lame to announce this stuff, but I don't care. I've been surfing the net and there are things I want XD

So, here is my birthday wishlist (not in a 'hint hint' sort of way, but in an 'I want opinions' sort of way):

*Dancin' dresses are my new obsession
*These dancin' shoes <3
*an external dvd drive/burner for my netbook
*Taiou v.II

When on earth is Coimbra coming out on dvd?

Additionally, I am bummed that this dress is sold out.

Trick-or-Treat meme

2009-10-14T01:26:23Z

Not that I know what my costume is, but...

My LiveJournal Trick-or-Treat Haul
jess_in_japan goes trick-or-treating, dressed up as otokoyaku.
cootieof03 gives you 7 teal tropical-flavoured gummy worms.
ginapagott gives you 7 light yellow peach-flavoured pieces of taffy.
indicate gives you 14 milky white chocolate-flavoured wafers.
kirakira_sora gives you 18 light yellow root beer-flavoured gummy bats.
lliri_blanc tricks you! You lose 1 pieces of candy!
lokaichan gives you 7 light yellow strawberry-flavoured wafers.
muffin_song gives you 16 dark green lime-flavoured nuggets.
ohtori_tsuki tricks you! You get a dead frog.
sage13 tricks you! You get a wad of paper.
sakusha tricks you! You get a used tissue.
jess_in_japan ends up with 68 pieces of candy, a dead frog, a wad of paper, and a used tissue.
Go trick-or-treating! Username:
Another fun meme brought to you by rfreebern.

Coimbra pics on Asahi!

2009-10-14T00:34:14Z

Michael managed to get into a three-shot ;) (ok, so technically she's just in the background)

WHAAAAAA! Even bigger pic of just her and Tom!

NUNS!

Another meme

2009-10-05T04:22:44Z

1. Who is your favorite current Top Star?
A: Otokoyaku: Yuzuki Reon (though Mizu is a very very close second). Musumeyaku: Yumesaki Nene

2. Who is your favorite current Nibante?
A: Otokoyaku: Argh... I can't pick between Kiriyan and Yumiko

3. Who is your favorite current sienne who is neither a top star or a nibante?
A: Otokoyaku: Ooki Makoto Musumeyaku: Kitori Mariya.

4. Where is your current troupe loyalty?
A: Hoshi, though I liked hoshi of like half a year ago better =(

5. Which is your favorite troupe for
a) 1995-1999: Yukigumi
b) 2000 - 2002: Yukigumi
c) 2003-2005: Yukigumi
d) 2006-2008: Hoshigumi

6. Which sienne would you switch your troupe loyalty for if they transferred somewhere else?
A: Ooki Makoto switching troupes would certainly make me have to change my watching habits.

7. What kind of play/stories do you want to see Takarazuka do?
A: I'd like to see more period piece comedies with pretty costumes

8. What types of plays do you want to see more of? (ie comedy, romance, western, supernatural, fable/fairy tale)
A: Did I answer the last question wrong?

9. Would you like to see Takarazuka do a non-singing play?
A: No.

10. Which is your favorite version of Elisabeth and why?
A: Probably yukigumi 2007. Mizu's death is so evil and yet so graceful. She defines the role for me and I can't watch other versions after that.

11. Which is your favorite version of Rose of Versailles and why?
A: Komu Oscar! Nothing else matters.

13. Which are your top 5 favorite Takarazuka plays?
A: Anna Karenina, Ernest in Love, Scarlet Pimpernel, Tales of Hoffmann, shin-yuki Elisabeth

14. Which are your top 5 favorite Revues?
A: Revue Orchis, Miroirs, Sakura, Sora Fantasista, Babylon

15. Who is your favorite Top Star combi of all time?
A: Touko and Asuka

16. What is your favorite Top Star / Nibante combination of all time?
A: Hmm, Asako/Kiriyan is good, but also Wataru/Touko

17. Which troupe would you most likely cheat on your current favorite troupe with?
A: Up until now, probably Yukigumi. Sora and Tsuki are gonna begin to catch my eye again here with changes that are happening

18. Which character is your favorite Takarazuka hero?
A: Hmm... Douglas MacArthur

19. Which character is your favorite Takarazuka heroine?
A: Marguerite from Scarlet Pimpernel

20. Which character is your favorite Takarazuka villain?
A: Baron Ochs

21. Do you prefer if a top couple has about the same age, or if the musumeyaku is much younger?
A: It doesn't bother me as much as it does others when there's a big difference, but I do like their ages closer.

22. If you would have a chance to be casted for a role in a Takarazuka play, which role would you want to play the most?
A: Bill from MiiMai, because he gets to do tap dance, act really silly and like a general dumbass, but also be all kakkoii in "Leaning on a Lamppost." Or I'd like to play a matador ala Tani. Also Lina Lamont looks like a fun role, hehe.

23. If you would have one night alone in the Takarazuka Daigekijou, what would you do?
A: Sneak around to all of the practice rooms, looking for shinko rehearsals. Then dance in an empty practice room, then go up on the daigekijou stage and dance a bit. And then finish the night looking at all of the costumes.

24. If you would have the chance to write a play for Takarazuka, what kind of play would that be? You can either just name a type (like comedy, tragedy etc.), name a book/movie you would like to turn into a play) or tell us your own awesome original idea.
A: A really mature play that addresses moral issues.... something like Crimes and Misdemeanors... a play where a man has his mistress killed when he thinks he's about to be caught by his wife. I like dark plays too, ok??

25. As we'll most likely have to face the retirements of 3/4 of current Senka within the next six years, please tell us who can see/want to see as new members of future Senka. Please feel free to give reasons. (Please ignore the fact that they'd have to leave their current troupes, if that would be a reason for you not to name someone.)

A: Kiryuu Sonoka, Mirai Yuuki, Ema Naoki, Kotobuki Tsukasa, and Haruka Midori

Your Favorite! (pick one!)

1. Otokoyaku or musumeyaku
A: Otokoyaku

2. Comedy or drama
A: Comedy

3. Singing or dancing
A: Singing

4. Western style play or traditional japanese style play
A: Western style

5. Oscar or André
A: Oscar

6. Death or Franz Joseph
A: Death

7. Play or Revue
A: Play

8. Tuxedo or 10 layer bell-bottom latin pants
A: Tuxedo

9. Sequins or feathers
A: Feathers (I love the bouncy ones like when there's a single tall feather on a headband)

10. Main theater or Bow Hall (or Umeda or whatever other smaller theater they use)
A: Main theatre, because it can be tough for me to keep my attention span going for a 2-act play with a continuous plot.

11. Heroes or villains?
A: Kakkoii heros

Late to the party

2009-10-04T17:15:58Z

In order to see the questions, I had to promise to do this, right?

1. arlecchinic, faux_semblant, and muffin_song
2. childofcrow
3. wao_wao, because it seems more benri for her to get to iride, hehe
4. lliri_blanc, ginapagott, or cootieof03
5. hmm, hard to say... maybe kinnosuikazura
6. I mean this in the best possible way: goatbit
7. arlecchinic
8. We kinda did for 1 year, but ohtori_tsuki. Also lliri_blanc, though she might have intimidated me, lol.
9. ohtori_tsuki, lliri_blanc
10. sakusha and kirakira_sora
11. sakusha, with cute Japanese celebrities (^_^)b
12. ohtori_tsuki and ginapagott
13. ohtori_tsuki-- the baahans certainly thought so
14. caithion for the first one (because of her suteki fashion sense for ochakai), and ginapagott's way of speaking Japanese, for the second. Hehe
15. lliri_blanc, since apparently she'd make a better man >;)
16. caithion, jenebi, quinquin, and kyanited
17. arlecchinic
18. chrestus
19. I guess I see this as the same thing as #16: caithion, jenebi, quinquin, and kyanited
20. sage13
21. reishinji
22. sage13, because he dealt with my abuse ;)
23. lliri_blanc
24. reishinji or maybe jailbaitjello
25. faux_semblant Maybe for no other reason than she's French ;)
26. Hahahahaha.... kirakira_sora or muffin_song, because they like my otokoyaku cosplay.
27. sage13 and sakusha
28. ginapagott as an otokoyaku
29. ohtori_tsuki. I even had a dream last night that you got transferred to a hotel in Japan, so we can hang out!
30. I mean all of these things in the best way possible <33333

IJKDFKSDFJDLSFJSLKAJF

2009-10-02T23:33:37Z

CHANGE OF PLANS, PERHAPS!!!

So my Tokyo trip that I was planning.... is supposed to be the same week as the 96th bunkasai. I'd really love to go to a bunkasai, so maybe I should try to switch things around. Oh noes...

Anyone know how hard it is to get bunkasai tickets?

EDIT:

Now that I've looked into things, I could still do Curtains / Habsburg iri / Atsuhime in Tokyo on the weekend of Feb. 14-15, but I'd miss Hamlet.

If I go Feb. 7-8... I could try and kill get Casablanca Raku tickets for the 11:00 showing, if there is one. And then watch Curtains at 5:30. And　then watch Atsuhime on Monday

If I go to the mura for bunkasai, I could also see the yuki show while there. Any thing else going on?

Not that meme

2009-10-01T05:52:02Z

Maggy gave me an order to go and watch a play and review it, as practice for Japan. So here goes nothing.

I watched Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, the 7:30pm performance at Interplayers Theatre. This is a two-man play performed by Karen Kalensky and John Henry Whitaker.

The plot is fairly simple: Frankie is a waitress at a cafe where Johnny is a cook, and after weeks of silently noticing each other, they end up back at Frankie's place, and well... get it on.

Thus begins a night of talking about life and love and all that good stuff. Johnny is sure that they're meant to be together and talks about love and moonlight, but Frankie isn't so sure.

The theatre was basically a black box theatre, with the stage set up as Frankie's apartment with a small kitchen, a bed, a tv, a radio, and a chair.

The play opens with the lights out and sex noises to be heard. The whole audience (of all blue-haired men and women) were giggling like school children.

The chemistry between the two actors (John Henry Whitaker and Karen Kalensky) is fantastic, especially when things get heated (in terms of dialogue). I rather disliked the character of Johnny, but I have to respect the work that it took to create such a strange character. Johnny seems like a nice character, but he's too forceful and it makes me uncomfortable. During one part, Johnny tells Frankie to open up her robe so he can look at her "pussy" and continued to insist even when she didn't want to. Or then there was him getting upset when she didn't want to go down on him. I don't think he's meant to look like a bad guy here, but he just reminded me too much of things that I hated about my exes. I just didn't trust him-- and I'm not sure if it's the writing, the acting, or my own experience.

Karen Kalensky really stole the show for me. Her Frankie was complex and obviously had a chip on her shoulder. I found her very natural and she is really what sucked me into the show.

The writing could be clumsy at times. Nobody in real life talks like Johnny does in the play, which probably added to the difficulty of playing his character. But even Frankie's anger seemed strange or unnatural at points.

All-in-all it was an interesting play to watch, with lots of funny moments. Lots of good acting, though things could be clumsy at times. It was $10 for a student ticket well spent. But now I really just feel like going to the Civic theatre to watch Pirates of Penzance.

Japanese nerdery

2009-09-02T01:40:33Z

So I'm beginning to get to a place in my Japanese study where I'm familiar with enough readings of kanji that I can start putting things together by sound.

Useful when I am unsure what the middle kanji in 教科書 is, and think, "Well, what the hell... 科　is an academic-y sort of kanji and it is pronounced 'ka'... *throw kanji in compound*"

Not so useful when it causes me to spend like 10 minutes thinking about the variations to write the sentence: 次のトッキュウでジョウキョウつもりだ。　This was a sentence in my kanji practice... it is read by a guy on a cd, and then I have to write what he said using kanji. (I put the problem kanji into katakana to illustrate my point).

So at first my sentence started: 次の特休で　and then I was stumped... until I thought, "omg, Jessica why are you so stupid? You rode on one every day... it's freaking 特急" but then I was still stumped on ジョウキョウ. Stupid part of my brain thought, "heh... throw in the kanji that most simply are read like that. Which would be 上　and 京, but they definitely did not seem right. So I thought, "well, this is about a train... probably, right?" so the first kanji has to be 乗車の「乗」　but what can you ride that is pronounced キョウ? No clue, besides 京　and 教... and neither of those seems good to ride...

Well, the answer was 次の特急で上京つもりだ。

I then had to totally headdesk. Sometimes the most complicated kanji aren't the best ones, heh...

The working life...

2009-08-18T05:33:14Z

Today was my first day of work. I made the unfortunate mistake of wearing a pair of shoes with ankle socks that I had only previously worn with taller socks, and thus ended up with big blisters on each heel. Tomorrow I'll be wearing tennis shoes though, so it should be okay (today I was unsure about the dress code... but the person who was in my job and is training me now wore flip-flops, so I think I'm safe wearing tennis shoes tomorrow).

Starting at 7am does not make for happy fun time, but luckily I'm done with work at 3:30pm. Even if I end up passing out watching Rachel Maddow at 6:20, and then get my second wind about when I should be going to bed.

Today filing was the high point of my day... watching the person who is training me enter things into a computer for hours is decidedly not fun... hoping that tomorrow will be better, if nerve-wracking because I'm going to be the one doing the data entry while she watches.

Ok, if I were asleep 2 minutes ago I'd get 7 hours tonight... yikes...

Goodnight.

2010 schedule

2009-08-13T10:50:51Z

I just need to find out 2 things and I'll feel better....

1) Where I'll be placed in Japan
2) What date the January-February daigekijou hoshi show's shinko will be.

But seriously... so much awesome for the schedule, as hoshi seems to be doing something during all of my vacations... But I will be missing half of the daigekijou hoshi show =(

Hoshi Hapsberg show seems like it can make for some good costumes... and it's an Ueda Keiko show, which is freaking awesome <3

But boo for Ahi not getting Hamlet... I can't believe this happened RIGHT after Maggy and I were having a conversation about it.

Ok, I have to wake up in 3.5 hours for an interview. Screw my phone for beeping about a text message and waking me up. Oh well, I was having a bad dream anyway.

This post is brought to you by 12:30am

2009-08-04T07:22:56Z

Junka Marii WHYYYYYY???

She caught my eye with Hallelujah Go Go!! But she'd never been really allowed to show all that I think she's probably capable of. But she sure is cute. I don't know why you suddenly decided to retire, Marii, but I hope you're leaving to do things that will make you happy.

The Tale of Coimbra poster up!

2009-07-31T06:22:08Z

http://kageki.hankyu.co.jp/revue/149/poster.jpg.html

I am soooo happy that Yuzurun made the poster. My latest "my boom" has been Yuzurun, as people who read my twitter would notice...

But really, it's a cool poster that for some reason reminds me of LoTR. For some reason I want Tomomin to be Legolas...

Gimme a TAKARA! Gimme a ZUKA!

2009-07-16T07:05:35Z

http://kageki.hankyu.co.jp/news/detail/8ee0cc8fd1303c1cef7aeb81d7762181.html

Oh yes, everyone needs Rio de Bravo pompoms. I hope they look better in person than this... heh.

Postcard from Japan!

2009-07-09T23:43:02Z

My mom came in and said, "I don't imagine you want this postcard from Japan that came for you..."

Then we went through this thing that we go through every time:

Me: Who's it from?

Mom: I don't know, it's all in Japanese

Me: ... gimme...

This time the postcard is one that probably won't make any of you jealous...

It's one from my friend, Noriko! A very nice postcard though, one she purchased from Hanauma Bay when we went to Hawaii together.

It's very sweet <3 I rarely get mail from people I actually know, so this is quite the treat ^___^

Still not Hawaii

2009-06-21T09:54:02Z

Why am I still up at 3am?

It's not my normal bumming around. No, I freaking managed to accomplish something! Something that my mom has not managed since December.

Yes, I set up the wireless router.

Omg, that was a journey. Excuse me while I pass out now.

Yes, yes, I'll post about Hawaii soon XD

Another frivolous post

2009-06-20T01:00:37Z

I present exibit 1: http://pupe.ameba.jp/cute/community/shop?shopCategoryId=3010&page=3 top middle, cascade bouquet.

Exibit 2: http://www.takarazuka-an.co.jp/product/TCAD-246.html

It's not perfect, but I NEEEED it!

[Edit]: it seems to only be held with 1 hand. No longer such a priority =(

A comment on hoshi iri pics

2009-06-19T05:58:09Z

http://page8.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/h131292333

Seeing Yuzurun make me crack up. It's just an automatic reaction now.

So cuuuuute.

---

http://page13.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/r56311766

Nene is really growing up. She's so beautiful

---

http://page11.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/n77668042

Oniisan is stunning as always.

---

http://page10.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/m63009926

EVERY. TIME. I see Toyoko's iri pics, I feel I need them. She is just SO BEAUTIFUL.

My troupe looks so good <333333

I'm Back

2009-06-18T05:40:59Z

I just got back from Hawaii, where I really didn't have net access. I have since caught up on reading all of the posts that you wonderfully chatty people have made =)

I guess a few words on that before continuing:
-- Much love for FINALLY knowing that I'll be able to see Asuka on stage again hopefully, someday <3333
-- CASABLANCA!!!!! (Maggy was actually kind enough to text me about this while I was gone). Yuuhi will be absolutely perfect for this sort of role, as that's my general image of her. And I'm with everyone who said "I'll have to see the movie now." And I actually have full confidence in Sumika. (not just because she's a 91st, and you all know how douki love goes <3)
-- At first I was a little bit disappointed about Michael's shinko role-- I mean, it does not seem to be like her gobante role in the last show. But I guess 2 points: 1- she was so completely stressed out for the last shinko, and 2- Maureen tells me that if memory serves her right it's actually a very cool role. Michael gets to die, right??? (Killed by Mickey, yeah?) If this is the case, then she gets half of her wish (she wants to play a role where she dies in someone's arms) and also gets to be killed by her douki.
-- Why did I not read about people being bummed out by Saeki Chihaya's retirement? She was my favorite 91st in yuki =( Maureen and I had a good whine about it. I mean, one of my high points of Solomon's Ring was her ;_;

I'll post about my trip next <3

出発しまーす

2009-06-08T06:31:20Z

I'm off for Hawaii in the morning, as my graduation present. And I have no idea if I'll have internet during this time.

I'll be back the 17th!

LOOK RIGHT INTO MY GIRL'S FACE!

2009-05-12T21:11:08Z

Maureen sent me this link and a helpful hint of where to look.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PxOdhPQcAQ

9:31 *dies* The closest I'll probably ever get to Michael-chan until I can go to Japan... and even then, she's unlikely to be so in my face... lol.

The only thing that makes this better is that the next instant in the clip is Yuzurun.