my moral standing is lying down

Friday lotsa people came over to talk about cosplay -- what we'll be doing for Otakon 2006. I've been assuming (and I think Liz and Angelica, at least, have too) that our first choice might be Kingdom Hearts 2. We have to wait til it comes out, though, before finalizing what we're doing from it (I think). Our discussion was supposed to be about what the back-up plan would be if we decided not to do KH2. Liz, Maryann & I had a couple of suggestions, and we went over the possibilities, but there were no conclusions made by the end of the night. I was pretty disappointed in the lack of progress.

Saturday I started the day off with a fight with my mom. Yay. I was informed by Chris that NYCC was sold out and that they weren't even letting people in who HAD badges. So much for that idea. ::shrugs:: I woke up late anyway, so it would have been... not a waste, but maybe not worth the $25 attendance fee. I'd really wanted to go, though. =( It would've been interesting to go to a COMIC con instead of an ANIME con. And I was going to try to meet up with eyoko again. =(

But I was mostly unconcerned about it because Brom was going to be at St. Mark's Comics later that night, so it was all OKAY. If he wasn't, I would have DIED over the missed chance! Liz, Maryann and I met Chris, Carrie and Victor, and Tom and er, another girl whose name I don't remember although I think I recognize her from another con. Tom wanted to go eat at A Salt & Battery, but... fried fish... ergh. The guys & Carrie and the other girl stayed; Maryann, Liz and I went to Barnes & Noble. We went to St. Mark's Comics at 8 to see Brom, who was really cool (and tall and good-looking -- I always thought he was short!), and who signed my hardcover copy of Offerings, and drew two pencil sketches in Maryann's sketchbook which made her insanely giddy and giggly and other such words for the rest of the night and at random times thereafter.

We ate at the deliciously yummy falafel place across the street. (OMG, I want their falafels again right now.) And hung out and about. It was a lot of fun to see Chris and Victor again, whom I haven't seen for two whole months! =( (And whose GTO and Bleach manga we still have...)

On the way home, we got into a discussion about the origins of domestic dogs (canis lupus familiaris) as well as the degrees of separation between hinnies and mules (both are the offspring of a cross between a horse and a donkey). We ended up talking about these topics for a good 3 hours, with the help of wikipedia.

I think I did a whole lot of nothing on Sunday. I can't even remember it.

Most of the costume stuff is done. Some minor things left to do. And the hats. Those are slightly more than minor, but I find myself unable to care too much at this point. So, I guess if you see Kindom Hearts Heartless mushrooms going around with what looks like colored pillows on their heads, that's us.

These are some really good images of what we're supposed to look like:
Rare Truffle (Liz)
White Mushroom (me)
Black Fungus (Angelica)
Original (Maryann)

I'm probably going to be up really late tonight, and we're leaving around 7am from my house tomorrow.

And yes, I'm babbling again.

*sigh* I really don't want to pack for both Otakon and Nashville. T_T;

For any of you who know about the Sailor Moon Bitch Girl, a post from a friend of a friend (of a friend?), who all know her:

http://www.livejournal.com/users/loudnbothered/12128.html

Yes, it's harsh and completely petty. But she's enough of a bitch that this gives me a little bit of not-so-guilty satisfaction. =D

Don't have much to write about. That maintenance guy, Jose, came up today to move Miguel's bookcase into Juha's old office, and he remembered my name. =)

I still haven't called GoGoTech to tell them I can't work for them. I'm really bad; I'm avoiding calling them because I don't know what to say, but I'm not going to wait any longer than tomorrow to do the deed, so I have to figure something out quick... or come up with it spur-of-the-moment on the phone tomorrow. I feel bad because I'd already accepted their offer, so I feel weird going back on it now. ::rolls eyes at self:: I think certain parts of my morality fluctuate on whether I have to speak/interact with a human being or not. Of course, I should also mention the motto I go by: Procrastinate Later. It describes me to a tee. (I wonder where that phrase came from, anyway. The "tee" one, not the "procrastinate" one, that is.)

I thought I might have a pattern at home for a turtleneck-dress, but I took a quick look this morning and didn't see it. That's not to say that I would've found it if I did have it, but now I think I didn't have it to begin with. So I have to order a certain Simplicity pattern, but they're sold out on the website. Maybe I can make it to Fabric Bonanza before they close tonight to see if they have it there. Once I've got that I can buy some fabric and start on those dresses. Erm. Costumes. I'll have to search for pics of the three mushroom heartless from Kingdom Hearts, so you guys on my flist can see what they're like.

I have confidence that I can make the "dresses" pretty quickly and easily, especially 'cause the material won't be thick layers, but the hats... I guess we'll see how they come out. ^^ Maybe Liz will have time to fiddle with making the hats 'cause she has no school. And I'll have to get felt for the heartless emblem on the front of the "dresses", but that shouldn't be a problem. Also, I'll have to get three skirt hoops for the bottom of the "dresses" so that the bottom bells out a bit.

Every year I say I'm going to start earlier and every year I end up starting later. If I start any later next year it's practically going to be the night before the con. ^_~;;;;;;;;;;

I am now really feeling the pressure to start our cosplay costumes; I really can't leave it for the last minute again this year. But I have to take my sewing machine belt to be replaced and how can I do that when I'm at work all day during the week? I was counting on Liz to do it, but she's going to be in Chicago all of next week, so I'm going to have to try and do it on Saturday so that it isn't even more delayed. Hmmm... Angelica, would you like to hang out on Saturday since your parents aren't home and you're not going to work (I assume you're not going to work 'cause you're having lotsa people sleep over the night before)? We can take the sewing machine somewhere to be fixed and then go and start shopping for fabric and notions. Liz is not really all that excited about doing the "Psychicer" outfits, but if I can finish the Mushrooms, maybe I can do the "Psychicer" outfits for you and me, and something Tekken or Street Fighter for Liz. The Mushroom outfits shouldn't take too long to do, except for the headpieces. I think. Anyway, Saturday seems like a good opportunity to do the fabric shopping since I wouldn't really have a chance during the week, and you're usually away all other Saturdays.

Also, I keep thinking about what I'm going to do when my UN contract is up at the end of July. I've been sending out resumes here and there, but who knows about getting any replies and/or actual jobs! If worse comes to worst I'll ask Fay for more hours, but it's probably going to be so few hours as to be pathetic. And I should ask her now soon, so she can start thinking about what hours to give me. Karen's still working there, but I know that she leaves mid- or end of August, so I'd be able to get her hours when she's gone. But it would be pretty crappy to go through the month of August with so few hours.

In other news. Poor Liz, I keep torturing her with playing only about an hour's worth of Xenosaga before falling asleep. An hour of RPG play isn't really anything.

Even though I've been moved to a cubicle/desk at work, I've still been using my laptop. I wonder if anyone will say something about that after a while? It's been 3 days so far. If I use the computer at the desk, I'll definitely not be able to do any furtive posting 'cause the monitor is too easy to see from all around.

Well, two weeks ago today I was sick at home and Angelica went to go pick up my second Kozi cosplay outfit for this year's Otakon. It's a really adorable outfit, I'm even starting to like it more than the kirei Shiroi outfits. Some may not have seen this particular photo of Kozi and Mana called the "Love Letter" photos. Kozi's in a baseball uniform and Mana's in a short black dress, handing a pink love letter over to Kozi. It's too kawaii for words.

Here are the 2 pics:
You might have to right-click and Open in New Window in order to view these because Geocities sucks sometimes.

Love Letter 1
Love Letter 2

I just have to get the black baseball cap with the white "M" and I'll be set.

The things insane fangirls (and fanboys, of course) do for the cosplay gods.

Well! It's been quite a while since I last posted. To inform you on what happened with my wallet… well, I never found it. Surprise, surprise, I'm sure. So I canceled my cards and all that good stuff. Lost $50.00. Not too bad. Could've been worse. The only thing I'm annoyed about, I suppose is that I lost some photos and things like that… oh! And my Book Off membership card. Grrr.

But enough about my wallet… I've certainly talked enough about that subject. Hmm… let's see. Since then, I started working at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It's a temporary job, and I'm just doing clerical-type work, filing both hardcopy papers and using a digital scanner to upload those same documents to the office's shared drive for easy access. I started at the end of October and will be leaving at the end of December, just before Christmas. It's an 8-week thing. I'm working 8 hours a day (including a one-hour lunch), 4 days a week (Monday-Thursday). Not bad. Some nice, easy money. I'm still working at my sales job in Grand Central Station. Which is kind of tiring, considering that means I'm working a 6-day week. But I think the money's worth it. It's only for 2 months, anyway. After that, I'll sleep for a week. Although I guess I have nothing to complain about, most people do this their whole lives. (I hope I won't have to, or at least that it'll be something I like so I won't notice how tired I am 'cause at least I won't be bored.)

That first week it was difficult beyond belief to go back to Leeper Kids (that's my sales job) on Friday. I mean, besides the fact that I was pretty tired from getting up early to leave for work, working all day, then getting home late and going to sleep late, it was also like abruptly having shit shoved in your face after spending the rest of the week smelling the roses… if you know what I mean. I've always hated my sales job, and the people there (except for you, Angelica, of course) don't make it any easier. [read: understatement of the century] But going back after having the whole week of a nice office job was torture. I pleaded some excuse and cut out after half the day. Yes, I'm bad. Yes, I probably could've used the money. But it was beyond me to stay there longer than I had to that day. I would've just gone (more) insane from the "culture" shock.

But since then I've worked my Fridays all the way through. I don't want them to start thinking they can get rid of me. After all, it is only a two-month job at UNDP. It's not like I can count on it.

Hmm… what else has been happening lately? Not much. I got a few new things from Asahiya, Book Off, CD Japan… but that's not unusual. Ah, I know. I've been watching anime a lot more now that we've moved. My anime tapes are A LOT more accessible than they were before so I'm more inclined to get off my lazy ass and go put a tape in the VCR, even if I do have to go upstairs to do it. >_<

I've been thinking about getting a computer for myself with some of the money I'm getting paid, but I went to www.dell.com and www.gateway.com and put together a computer I could live with and Dell's comes to $996 and Gateway's comes to $1038. Dell's a better buy, not even because it's an amazingly $40 less, but because it has a few extras that Gateway's doesn't for that extra $40. That $1038 is just about half of my pay for the two months, so I'm double-thinking my computer purchase plan. Maybe I should just get that TV that I wanted instead…. Oh, for those not informed, I don't have a TV in my room, I use the one that's upstairs in the living room (on the 1st floor) for my anime- and hockey-watching purposes. Although I do have 2 VCRs in my room so that I can copy tapes. >_< It'd be cool if I got a TV in my room, then I could actually watch anime even more! I wouldn't have to wait until 11pm when my mom's finally done watching Judging Amy, or that Max Bickford show, or The Practice or some other stupid program that's gaggingly unrealistic and tries too hard. And then, by that time I'm too tired to watch anything or Angelica wants me to talk on the phone with her (not that I don't want to, too), and if I want to have any sort of sleep I have to go get in bed, so I never get a chance to watch TV unless she's coming home late that day or is watching in the only other room we have a TV in, which is in my parents' bedroom, except that my father's always watching TV or sleeping in there, so that's practically a moot point anyway.

Maybe I should just get the TV.

But I really would love to have that computer…. 40 Gig hard drive, 1.4 GHz processor, 250 MB internal Iomega zip drive, 48x variable CD-ROM drive, 16x/10x/40x CD-RW drive, Windows XP Home Edition OS, and it comes with MS Works Suite 2001… the only thing I'm worried about is, does that include Word? 'Cause on the Gateway site, they specify "MS Works Suite 2001 with Word" but on the Dell site, they specify "MS Works Suite 2001 with Money 2001"… does that mean that with Dell I wouldn't get MS Word? That would really suck.

So, I suppose I'll have to make a decision soon… especially, to hmm, maybe take advantage of the upcoming sales? I guess I picked a good time of year to get some extra cash coming in.

In other news…. Here check out some of my auctions. Have fun.

ladyreianan's ebay auctions

And go check out some of the new anime I got recently:

Nereid Trading Post: Fansubs

Hmm, and if you're in the mood for Weiß music (along with some Zetsuai 1989) I'd suggest this station:

o fortuna: a japanese pop, rock & animation station

Oh yes! I can't believe I almost forgot! I'm sorry, Louie, it's 'cause I'm at work and I keep getting interrupted. Last Saturday was Louie's birthday party! (Tanjoubi Omedetou!) We went to a karakoke bar in the city - it was cool. And it was a cosplay party, too, so there were some kawaii outfits. Not a lot of us, just about 10, I think, but it was nice. My sister and I went as Cyprine and Ptilol from Sailor Moon S (you know those twins from the Witches 5, one has blue hair, one has red…. Look). Angelica went as Mana (the evil nurse Mana from Malice Mizer, from the Gackt years). There was another Mana there, too; she was the Beast of Blood Mana from recently - she was quite good if I do say so myself. >_< There was a half-hearted Sailor Moon. And Louie was Gackt (from Malice Mizer… before Merveilles). Hopefully if I get some copies of the photos that were taken, I'll scan them and post them up.

Okie, well, I'm done for this session. I'll try not to neglect it again, because, apparently when Angelica's bored she goes and reads my LJ and she gets a trifle annoyed when I haven't posted anything new for her reading pleasure.

::sweatdrop:: o.O*

[Closing Statements:] Rangers are on a 5-game home-win streak and a 8-game point streak! Kakkoiiiiiii! ::whips out sign:: I love you Leetch! ::puts sign away and whips out another:: I love you Richter! ::puts sign away and whips out the last one, honest:: Sammuelson, you're so kawaii!

::grumbles:: Devils, guys, what happened?!

[Reading Recommendation:] March Upcountry and March to the Sea by David Weber and John Ringo (I've been suffering from a lack of new Honor Harrington books and this has temporarily filled the hole.)

Mata na!