Recluse I am forced to be on account of several surgeries, and deeply in debt from my Japan voyage, I kindly ask everyone to once more take a look at my Sales Post. Also, if you think any friends would be interested, please do not hesitate to redirect them! Anything helps, and thank you to those who have already aided me in de-cluttering for the summer.

I have also made a decision to close my domain, arisugawa.org. It had been a good, if not predominantly-neglected, seven years!

Hana no Michi (Flower Avenue), Takarazuka.

Fairly image-heavy; proceed with caution!

( Friday, we explored Osaka some more. )

( Saturday, I made my first trip to Takarazuka to see Elisabeth. )

( Sunday found us in Takarazuka once more. )

As seems to be my style when on vacation, my picture-taking is quite infrequent during the first few days, only to pick up toward the tail-end of the trip. Unfortunately, the former pattern seemed to maintain throughout the entirety of my stay in Japan, but I will post whatever photos I can.

This particular post, though, is primarily a wall of text, as my chronicles of my journey to Moriyama to see Sorrowful Cordoba/Red Hot Sea II are rather thorough. I applaud anyone who makes it through! I also apologize for my complete lack of eloquence throughout the report. I feel it's lengthy enough as is without any of my characteristic pretension added!

( The flight to Osaka, and the first evening. )

( Moriyama trial run and Umeda station exploration. )

( My First Takarazuka Performance, or I Was So Spoiled, or The Best Day of My Life )

Sales Post
Doujinshi, video games, videos, clothing, and sundry else.

( Doujinshi: Shoujo Kakumei Utena, Death Note, Final Fantasy VII )

( Video Games )

( Videos )

( Clothing )

( Miscellaneous: Vera Bradley, floral arrangement. )

If interested, please email angelahime at gmail. I will only accept payments made with PayPal. I will ship USPS unless an alternative is desired. I will also ship internationally.

Please note that I will be unable to answer inquiries or ship out orders from May 23 - June 10.

( Two more; gifts. )

My first final exam has concluded; while my conscience dictates I should spend the remainder of the evening studying for my other two tests, I feel I would rather spend the rainy day curled up in bed, spoiling myself as consolation for my cramped hand. This is slightly more difficult now that my books (and, more importantly, my tea) are packed and stored for the summer, but I have faith that I shall manage. Bagged tea is occasionally acceptable, and there is plenty of Riyoko Ikeda on the iMac.

Stacy and I endeavoured to make me a musumeyaku. While we did not have stage makeup, lace-front wigs, or fifty pounds of ostrich feathers, we did have cosplay remnants and Photoshop.

Spent a very pleasant four days with esques, supporting her efforts and participation in her college's end-of-year fashion show. I had my kitten fix, consumed rosé and strawberries, made cupcakes, and unearthed the Japanese dub of Napoleon Dynamite. Overall, a very productive excursion! I look forward to congregating with my dear sister once more next week, as we pack things up for the summer.

Also, in the interest of preparing for the upcoming trip, I have created a Japanese-language LiveJournal to facilitate practice. I encourage everyone interested to friend it, please. A variance in skill level means that everyone can benefit to some degree, I should think.

princessfukiko

Lastly, as finals are upon us here at Smith, and I personally can attest to feeling mildly overwhelmed, I am requesting happy, lovely things, the sort that never fail to brighten a day. Images, music, general silliness; all is welcome. ♡

( A few more photographs from my parents' home in Colorado. )


New England is simply gorgeous; the looming old buildings and lavishly decorated halls inspire such contentedness. As soon as my camera charger arrives, I will be certain to chronicle the surrounding area, as it begs to be photographed.

Current things winning my favour:
♡ The sanctuary that is the greenhouse on the walk to the other end of campus.
♡ My corner of the dormitory, especially my white ruffled curtains I've tied back with pink ribbon.
♡ The refurbished common areas in the Quadrangle.
♡ The wall of Crabtree & Evelyn products in a little shop downtown.
♡ Raspberry and blackcurrant tea at breakfast.
♡ Becoming active in the Equestrian club next month.

( Christmas gifts )

My holiday was simply lovely, one of the pleasantest in years. Christmas Eve I enjoyed a dinner and gift exchange at the beautiful home of my aunt; all present were in good spirits, and at the table a moment was taken to recite T.S. Eliot's "Journey of the Magi" in memory of our late grandfather. The majority of Christmas Day I spent with Diana and her family at none else but Disneyland. Unfavourable though the weather may have been, our moods were not dampened, and we made full use of all the two parks had to offer. My only regret is that my camera stayed at home, as I swiftly found myself entranced by some of the décor in the Main Street shops. I vow to have fabric-covered walls, one day.

A few things left on the social calendar amidst the boxing up of things for the impending move east. I hope that you all had wonderful holidays, and the best wishes for a happy new year.

( + four )

December at last, and I have wasted no time in welcoming the holidays. I brought the tree in and put up some lights in the living room; fresh bread is baking while I practice Bach's prélude in C major. Thanksgiving was spent in the company of family and friends, and proved a very relaxing respite with just the right balance of activity and leisure. Rain has been observed, and the nights are thick with fog. One can ask for little else but a reliable supply of peppermint tea and something nice to read.

'Tis the season.

The delicious and adorable "Princess Cake" that Diana brought with her when she visited several weekends ago.

Life proceeds: it is still intolerably hot until the sun goes down; the schedule is considerably full, to my contentment; the post will be carefully watched next month for good news from Massachusetts. In my snatches of free time I have since watched an inordinate amount of House and have fallen hopelessly in love. Behind the times, as is my way. Paris is missed, and winter is late.

And an Idiotic Thing Heard In Class:
"So like, a square root is just how many twos go into a number, right?"

This week has been quite busy, without complaint. The school's anniversary celebration entailed my presence there from dawn until dusk; committee meetings occupy my Friday mornings; the start of my mathematics course has me commuting an hour away, with my Tuesdays and Thursdays not ending until the late evening. My transfer applications shall be completed this weekend. Contrary to last year, the auxiliary parties promptly attended to recommendations and reports, so my only concern now is keeping my essay concise. My piano instructor assigned me our book's signature piece, a Bach prelude, for my final presentation, and I am eager to perform it. The apartment is tidy.

Biologically I am experiencing a frustration at the delayed autumn, however. My visit to New York was full of changing leaves, still-green grass, crisp air and, of course, ideal company. To return home and still have to run the air conditioning prompts many a sigh. Stylish coats and leather gloves are longed after in anticipation of a new year spent on the opposite coast. If all goes accordingly. I am considering putting out the Christmas tree in a fit of pique and contenting myself with that, for the time being.

I also made a grown man cry this week. Ho hum.

A compilation that has been sitting on my hard drive, subject to many revisions, for nearly a year. In what was already an extremely well-developed cast, the characters of Oniisama e's Fukiko Ichinomiya and Rei Asaka captivated most of all, their disturbed dynamic lending the series the majority of its darker tones and surprising revelations. Even by the story's end their relationship is left undefined, toeing the line between adoration, obsession, co-dependency, and genuine understanding. Likewise are the two girls themselves never quite resolved; instead we are left to watch the consequences of perfectionism, idealization, paranoia, detachment, and loneliness. The irresistible pull of madness, and the ensuing game of one-upmanship.

We take one girl, hideously spoiled, overly imaginative, terribly anxious. We take another, shakily devoted, mutably meek, privately morose. The result is as follows.

Let Us Descend Together!
A Fukiko Ichinomiya & Rei Asaka Fan Soundtrack

( Track Listing, Supplementary Writing, Album Download )

( Household miscellany, spring flowers, text. )

The Gods Are Thirsty was five-hundred-four pages of brilliant narrative, cut with ten or so pages of convoluted purple prose. I most certainly enjoyed the read, and the sense of completion which has followed, incremental pages over the weeks. Several more books on the list, now, but they will have wait, as I do believe I'll be entertaining a visitor for the next ten days. ♥

And distraction attended to, finals are calling. Joy upon...