Outside the norm

Hi everyone, I haven't posted in a year. But I made a resolution this year that since I'm paying money for this, that I'll be posting more often.

Life has been hectic for me with my job, schooling, and daily life. I've been really tired lately so as soon as I get home from school, I just have to sleep. I just finished my fourth year. :) I'm hoping half a year more of courses then I'd graduate. I'm going to try for med school. If that doesn't work out, I'm going back to school to become a Speech Pathologist. There's a great need for them, especially in the school systems.

I've been keeping up with the Harry Potter fandom still. LOL I don't think I'll ever be able to leave it completely. But I've also been floating around in other fandoms such as Transformers, Naruto and Twilight. I know...Twilight. But it's the Harry Potter crossovers that I like to read. lol I can't stand Bella as a character.

I've also gotten really into Adam Lambert. There's just something about him. He's amazingly talented and he had his first solo concert last night at Gridlock. I was so ecstatic and it was epic. I didn't go and see it live but I was able to watch it through clips people have provided. And I thought I'd share them with you. I really think he has what it takes to make it big.

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Anyways, I wish everyone a Happy New Year. :)

Happy New Years every one! I wish you all the very best in the new year. :)

Yesterday I had my wisdom teeth on the right side of my mouth removed. I was a bit nervous about the process but once the freeze set in, it wasn't bad at all. I'm not feeling a lot at the moment since I'm on Tylenol 3 but it's not as bad afterwards as I dreaded it would be. There's very minimal swelling which was what I was worried about secondary to the pain. :)

Hopefully recovery will be pretty fast. I'm due for another dental related surgery in January. I was recommended to see a Peridontist for an consultation about my gums. I was told that I was naturally born without any gums in my lower mouth and that they would need to take skin from my palate to graft onto my lower teeth so that it would cover the bone and vulnerable blood vessels I have there. So I'm to have 4 surgeries over a period of a year to accomplish that fully and after that I'm to see an Orthodontist to get braces because my bite is causing my front two upper teeth to push outwards and wiggle too much but I need to have gums first for the braces.

I went to a children's dentist for 19 years and I was told that I was good except for a few cavities here and there throughout those years. And my first time going to an adult dentist, I'm told that my wisdom teeth need to be removed, my front two teeth have short roots that need to be taken care of, my lower mouth has no gums and I need to get a skin graft, I need braces, and I have a developing cavity. Aiyah~

Thank g for painkillers.....

I really hate people sometimes. Especially people who think vandalizing is 'Cool.'

Today, my mom went out to drop off my brother at school and on the way back, spotted something on our fence. Some idiot painted our fence with block letters and weird symbols. One of these words says 'LICKS.' I don't even want to know what the other things say.

We reported it to the police but we don't think they can do anything about it since it's probably bored kids and it's Halloween.

We wouldn't have minded as much if the graffiti was pretty. But it's not. It's an eyesore and the person who did it has shit artistic skills. *sigh*

Oh my. Having been a bit preoccupied with real life, I've neglected my journal. Coming back just now, my last entry was in April.

A lot has happened since then. School ended about three weeks ago on June 19th. Summer school that is. I just took one course which was physics.

I've started volunteering at the local Hospice thrift store. All of the volunteers are older than me and many of them are elderly. My immediate supervisor seemed so intimidating and sour to me on my first day but having gotten to know her, I know that she doesn't mean to come off as so. She's so kind and helpful. I feel awful that my first impression of her was such.

I'm currently second job-less. I'm still working at my other job but that's only twice a week and I need something to occupy the other three days that I'm not doing anything. I've placed so many resumes and I haven't gotten a call from any. Should I give them a call instead?

Mainly on my mind right now is my upcoming Winter session schedule and how I'm going to manage. I've got 31 credits registered. Which is about 6 courses each term. I wouldn't mind just straight lecture courses but I've got so many tutorials and labs this coming year. Just thinking about what my year would be like is stressing me out a bit.

When I look back over the past two years of attending University, I realized that I've never experienced the University experience. Because I've been commuting from home, which is about two hours one way, I've found myself not being able to do club activities, socialize with peers closely, make great and close friends, as well as get myself involved within the University. I've paid enormous amounts of money for my education and I know the purpose of going is to learn and get my degree but when I listen to my friends who were in residence on campus, I can't help but feel as if I'm missing out. That when I look back in future years or like I am right now, that I won't be able to bring up significant memories of my University years. I feel as if I haven't enjoyed my years in University so far. So my goal this year, is to make an effort to do something. Make more friends, join clubs, just do something memorable. Whether or not this is achievable, I'll have to see. But I'm going to start out with a goal. Hopefully everything works out.

Oh and one of the greatest news to me: I've been accepted into Animal Biology as my major. I worked so hard last year just to be able to make the GPA cutoff. I was so excited when I got the e-mail. Since I sent in my application, I've been fretting over whether or not I got accepted.

I saw Hellboy 2 today. I loved it. The monsters and creatures were just so fantastic. Del Toro's imagination is so beautiful. The details of what I was seeing was amazing. The creatures, the devices. I just fell in love. The storyline was so-so but everything else was enjoyable. I laughed out loud on some parts. On other scenes, I was just too drawn in by what I was watching that I'm not sure that I blinked. There were even some parts where it made me want to go 'Awwwww.' Ever since I watched Pan's Labyrinth, I've been a big fan of Del Toro and his wonderful ideas. This movie didn't disappoint me. When I walked out of the theatres, I heard some people say that it was lame and a waste of money. That kind of put a damper on my happy mood because obviously I thought the opposite.

Hm, I haven't been that up-to-date with the Harry Potter fandom. It feels like since the books are over, the fandom has slowed down somewhat. I used to spend hours reading HP fanfiction but lately, I feel as if I've calmed down in my frenzy to read all things HP. Lately, I can be found in the original fiction genre. I found huge huge amounts of them so I've kept busy by reading all I can of those. I've bookmarked many under the tag here:

'original.fic'

I should organize my bookmarks a bit more. *sigh*

Anyways, I think that's all I have to say at the moment. I hope those on my friend's list have been doing well.

O.M.G

I just went to an amazing concert on the 11th. I went and saw Fall of Troy, Chiodos and Protest the Hero!

THEY WERE ALL SO AMAZING.

I had such a great time and I got to buy this seriously adorable shirt. It has this purple anime like monster puking green vomit. It sounds gross but it's soooo cute. I was on the edge of the mosh pit. I didn't really want to go in because of my glasses. They're new so I didn't want them to break like what happened to my friend's glasses.

The energy and the music. I don't think I've ever had such fun at a concert in a long time. The only WTF moment was getting hit in the head by a plastic bottle by someone throwing it into the air. But the concert was just so awesome that every bruise and bump and the grossness of having the sweat of everyone around you soak into your hair, skin, and clothing was so worth it.

Ah I'm addicted! Since I joined on Feb 26/27....I've had about 70 updates.

Microblogging is the newest craze I've entered. Basically...all it is is a 140 character limit of your answer to 'What are you doing now?'

Link: Twitter

I've got my cell phone set up to send updates to my page via txt messaging. The 140 character limit is very difficult to do sometimes but I find it really refreshing as it makes you get straight to the point instead of babbling.

Facebook....Twitter....Insanejournal....

Wow...it's been such a long time since I took the time to sit down and write something fanfic related. I'd be such a horrible updater if I started a multi-chapter story.
However, I have a lot of plot bunnies reproducing in my head so hopefully once school is done...I could do some writing to relax.

To those on my friend list: Do you often find it difficult to find time to sit down and work on a story? Do you have any tips on how to work writing into your daily plans? Do you have to have a few long sittings to write a story? Or can you do little bursts of writing a day?

To me, the most beautiful instrument is the human voice when properly trained. I was just listening to opera and it was heavenly. The range and the depth and the dynamics...

I was searching up Fifth Element for the opera scene where the blue lady sings. She has such a lovely voice....there's a certain part at around 3:52-3:55 that just gives me goosebumps. I remembered this part of the movie from the first time I saw it years ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MR6D7tL38U

And coming in second of most beautiful instrument...the piano. I just love the piano and how it sounds.

I just discovered Vitas, a Russian pop singer I think. I can't believe that a guy could produce such a high range of vocals. It's just incredible.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjO_VXHxsRw

His dance made me laugh a little but listening to just how high his voice goes made me gawk. I showed his videos to my mom and we were just amazed.

I have three dogs. Two are brother and sister havanese papillion mix. And the oldest one is a Malti-poo. The two siblings are puppies of 7 months of age. Recently, they've gone into heat. The boy puppy is all hormonal and aggressive and insane. He's also very yappy and squeaks and whines all times of the day. We have to keep him separate from his sister and often times, have to put him in the cage because he gets so aggressive that he bites.

The girl puppy is the weird one. She chases after the Malti-poo. She then proceeds to push him down and mount him. Then she starts to hump him. I honestly can't stop laughing whenever I see her at it because it's supposed to be the other way around.

Um..Lady Treason hasn't allowed anyone to take over her work did she, before she left or during her absence?

I just found the Heir of Corvus series on AFF. In the disclaimer, the author says that all original names belong to Lady Treason.

I haven't read the Heir of Corvus series but I've heard of it. Therefore, I'm not sure if this is a redistribution but the disclaimer and the title on AFF really made me pause and become suspicious.

Today at my music school, we had a guest performer come and play a concert.

His name is Giovanni Umberto Battel

Here's his biography:

Giovanni Umberto Battel, born in the province of Venice, began his piano's studies when he was four years old, under the guidance of his father Camillo, pianist and composer, and graduated with full marks and honours and honourable mention at the "G. Tartini" Conservatory in Trieste, under the direction of M° Luciano Gante. Under pianist Lya De Barberiis he obtained, with full marks and honours, the post-graduate diploma at the "Accademia di Santa Cecilia" in Roma. In the meantime, having an education in classical studies, Battel took a degree in musicology, with full marks and honours, at Bologna University and published articles on the new methodologies of performing analysis.

Between 1974 and 1979 he won six important national piano competitions connected with the main Italian concert societies. Between 1978 and 1982 he won prizes in seven international piano competition, proving his value in different places and times, it is enough to mention the first prizes in Stresa and in Enna and other prizes won at “Pozzoli”, at “Viotti” and at “Busoni” competitions.

After his début as a soloist in 1976 for Venice's theatre "La Fenice" and his first performance with orchestra in 1980 at the Sanremo theatre, he has given many concerts in Italy. Since 1986 Battel has also played in France (Paris, Nantes, Strasbourg, Obernai), Germany (Hamburg, Bonn, Bremen, Lubeck, Munich, Meersburg), Great Britain (London), Belgium (Brussels, Jodoigne), Sweden (Stockholm), Slovenia (Ljubljana), Croatia (Pola), Serbia (Belgrade), Greece (Athens, Tesaloniki), Turkey (Ankara, Smyrna), Russia (Samara), Japan (Tokyo, Osaka), U.S.A. (San Francisco and other towns in California).
He played with chamber and symphony orchestra conducted by De Bernart, Gavazzeni, Steinberg, Scimone and many other.

He recorded for both Italian radio and television (RAI). Among his recordings it is to mention two CD with Busoni Piano Concert op. 39a (Bongiovanni ed).
When he was twenty, Battel obtained the Piano Chair at “B. Marcello”, the Conservatory of Venice, and has been Director of the same Conservatory from academical year 1997/98. He has taught master classes in Italy, France, Spain, Serbia, Turkey and Japan, has been a member of the commission of piano competions and music consultant for concert seasons.


He was absolutely amazing. His hands and how they played were so beautiful. They overlapped many times during pieces he played but none of the awkwardness of such a movement showed in the playing. His dynamics were perfect. I felt my emotions in sync with his playing. I actually cried while he played. The way he plays is so sincere, nothing showy in how he plays even though the pieces themselves were so grand. I enjoyed his Chopin. I didn't know that the Sonata included the Funeral March. When he played that, I was just so overwhelmed with emotion. It was so beautiful. I never let my eyes fall away from his hands. Their movements were so spectacular while playing loudly, softly, quickly, slowly.

Hearing him play reminded me of why I love piano and music with all my soul, why I enjoy playing and listening to music.

I love Rachmaninov. The first piece I've every played of his was the Elegy. Since then I've played so many pieces of his; I fell in love with his music. And hearing him play the Sonata which I've never heard before played in a recital, was phenomenal. I was watching his hands all throughout and found my own hands trying to mimic his movements. The sonata was just so Rachmaninov in musical style.

And the Prokofiev. The ending was so powerful, so riveting. When he started the ending part, I held my breathe. At the grand ending, I let it out. It was amazing,the speed his hands were moving and the dynamics and the technique.

This was the best piano concert I've ever been to. I've never felt so alive and so ...like this.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
Here's what he played today:

F. Chopin: Sonata in B flat minor, Op 35

R. Schumann: Toccata in C major, Op 7

S. Rachmaninov: Sonata in B flat minor, Op 36

M. Ravel: Toccata in E minor

S. Prokofiev: Toccata in D minor, Op 11

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What I'm listening to right now:
Shiny Toy Guns - Le Disko

My brother is an idiot. He gave my dog a haircut and made him look so hideous with chuncks of hair missing and his tail like a rat's tail. My dog has hair that is insanely curly and it clumps together so easily so it takes a lot of brushing and combing to get them out. Even then, the easiest thing to do is cut the hair out. Which we leave to our mom because she's good at giving haircuts.

So here's a picture of my dog when he didn't have the haircut he does now.

AHHHHH!!! I had such an awesome night on Thursday!

1) I saw my highschool friend who I haven't seen since summer and we hung out since 3pm. We ate dinner and then had such wonderful dessert. We ate at three different places in two hours!!! First at falafel house, then Starbucks, then this Japanese desert cafe. I had a Tiramisu parfait. It was so amazing. And the best part?! The bottom of the parfait had cornflakes in it! It was so insane and creative. Oh so...good! We were so stuffed and bloated but it was just such wonderful food.

2) I went to see FAKE SHARK-REAL ZOMBIE! And OMG they were fantastic. I now have a crush on the drummer!! So cute! They were just so amazing. The vocalist's dancing was just so adorable and so dorky. They're a local band that recently got a recording contract in Japan and they've been touring. They play rock, happy hardcore and punk music. They even play some hiphop flavoured stuff. I love their music. They're just so upbeat and so fun. Gah, I just had a wonderful wonderful time.

Check them out!
http://www.myspace.com/fakesharkrealzombie

Of course today, my cold got worse and I feel like absolutely crap. But Thursday was worth it. Right now, I'm watching the Harry Potter Movie 6 and drinking Ginger tea. My plans for this weekend are to sleep, get better, finish my music and study study study. Lovely.....

Is anyone else practically rabid for the newest games coming out this year for PS3?

They all look so amazing!!! I don't own a PS3 yet but I'm planning to once Final Fantasy XIII and Versus XIII come out.

Check out these trailers:
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/29007.html
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/29006.html

Just fantastic, absolutely amazing, graphics and the storyline looks interesting. And I'm anticipating the capabilities and the action. The battle system is supposed to be like that found in Final Fantasy Advent Children with Active Time. One thing that annoyed me with XII was the battle system. And there will be summoning!!!!

And Versus XIII is supposed to be a collab. with the Kingdom Hearts dev. crew. I'm just so hyped about these games coming out on sale.

Here's the list of some of the big games coming out for the PS3 this year if you're interested:
http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8489&Itemid=2

*~During dinner~*

All of us are sitting at the dinner table eating.

All: *eating food*
Mom: Here have some baby corn. *places some on our plates*
Brother 1: We're like eating aborted corn. Mmmmm....corn fetus.

It was just so absurd and unexpected that I burst out laughing.

My friend who I saw again on Friday evening at the concert gave me a Christmas gift. It's absolutely amazing and just 'wow' worthy.

She, white_stellar, did the cging herself and printed the images onto photo paper. She's amazingly talented.

I feel so loved!!!!

Check these out:






Thank you Darling! You are most wonderful~

Dear Santa... Dear Santa, This year I've been busy! In June I ruled Duluth, Minnesota as a cruel and heartless dictator (-700 points). Last month I saved a busload of nuns in Angola (326 points). Last Saturday I had a shoot-out with rival gang lords on the 5 near LA (-76 points). In February I gave triggur a life-saving blood transfusion (50 points). Last Friday I helped triggur see the light (8 points). Overall, I've been naughty (-392 points). For Christmas I deserve a lump of coal! Sincerely, jazngurl88

Write your letter to Santa! Enter your LJ username:

Today was my last biol lab class!!!!! YES!!!!

There have been two deaths in the span of two months where I live in British Columbia of Canada.

Robert Dziekanski, 40, died at the Vancouver International Airport by a Police and Taser related incident in October. He was stunned twice and held down by four officers. He was planning to start a new life in Canada with his parents. He wasn't able to speak English and did not know where he was and where his mother was.

The RCMP are under a lot of fire right now.

And just today, there was another death. A Chilliwack man was taken down with tasers and baton by the police. And he was later in hospital and died. The cause of death is not 100% known. But just that fact that tasers were involved will spark more outrage.

There are so many people angry with the situation, with the usage of tasers.

Do you support the usage of tasers? Personally, I don't. I think that there could've been a better way. Those two men shouldn't have died. They could have lived if there were alternate methods used. Tasers are inhumane and they're used much too freely.