Jeez, how long was I inactive?! D:"||
And to think I've been meaning to upload a few things for the longest time. Oi..."||

I hope everyone's doing well though.

Minor tidbits that have practically no importance whatsoever:
- Anime Expo was a blast. Seriously. But then, you'd think I would've learned not to procrastinate on cosplays by now. *shot*
- Speaking of cosplays, I really need to keep my props ambition level in check."||
- Fall semester's coming up. I'll finally be able to take a Japanese course.
- I hate my absolute-100%-must-get persona when I play games..."||
- Why on earth are Facebook games so addicting? D:
- My sleeping schedule's way out of whack. Got to correct that soon...

Progress on art's been at a standstill for the longest time.
Not sure when that will be remedied.

Isn't it pathetic that I stayed away for longer than necessary because I didn't want to deal with all the updates?
Regardless, I will get through everything.
... eventually...

So... yeah...
I'm still alive guys.
Just extremely lazy."||
--KuraiSakura

I've just returned from my two-week trip to Taiwan.
Apologies for not saying anything before I left.

During my trip and upon my return, I feel as though my theory is more correct than ever.
"Everything happens when I'm not present."
And the fact that I'm the sort of person who hates to miss out on anything doesn't help me feel any better.

I'll start with my reason for leaving for Taiwan.
The problem first arose way back in May when we found out my grandpa on my mom's side was diagnosed with lymphoma, the same cancer that took one of my dogs back in 2006. Over summer, he went under chemotherapy and definitely seemed like he was on the path of recovery when we visited him over summer.
In October, we received calls from family that he wasn't doing well, so my mom flew back for a few weeks before coming back. She flew back a few weeks before Winter Break again.
My mom called back morning of the 8th.

I'm never present when anything happens.

And due to this trip, I couldn't do anything with my friends over Break.

This will sound selfish, and I know I'll be reprimanded in some way, but... I still can't help but feel this way...
Was it worth attending one major ceremony across the ocean at the cost of missing the several opportunities to hang out with friends?

Distractions. Momentary happiness. Ignorance. Bliss.
<KuraiSakura>

Had a Happy Thanksgiving, everyone?
I've been in Las Vegas since Wednesday.
And last night, I was able to watch the newest Cirque du Soleil starring Criss Angel.
CRISS ANGEL Believe.

Before the Show
We decided to take a little trip inside the souvenir store. I thought it was a little freaky since the first thing I saw were two giant pictures of Criss Angel..."||
But the merchandise there was nice. I wish everything wasn't so expensive though. There were several shirts I liked and the jewelry, admittedly, was nice. Mugs, caps, keychains, posters, pins, magnets, stuffed animal white rabbits... in the end, I settled for one T-shirt and two keychains, and those themselves totalled to a little over $50.."||

The Theatre
The walk towards the main theatre was interesting. The walls were lined with shifting images. A dead landscape for a creepy background, Criss and a white rabbit in the foreground. Criss as a puppet broken into seperate parts, Criss' rotting head, levitating legs, a demonic white rabbit; haunting images foreshadowing what is to be expected in the show?
The theatre itself was breathtakingly beautiful. The upper half of a gold frame extrudes from the stage, the sides lined with roses in circular frames. A clock is centered on top of the frame, its hands always stopping at 9 o'clock, despite being able to move, with a rabbit leaning above it. Two rabbits lie in hammocks to both sides of the clock, with two more rabbits at the corners of the frame bearing Criss Angel's insignia on gears. Further down the two sides of the frame are two rabbits who alternatively pull out a head (assumed to be Criss' head) out of top hats.
Behind the frame, it's almost as though the wall was broken down to reveal the stage. Ragged edges overrun with thorned vines.
The stage itself appears fairly traditional. Nice and wide, the back hidden with large, red velvet curtains.
For me, the entire theatre strongly reminded me of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and the first chapter of Godchild. A murderous and vicious White Rabbit.
Over the stage hung dimly-lit oil lanterns, their visible rays barely reaching the audience below. Across the theatre, differnt colored lights are aimed at various angles, drowning the stage in an eerie lighting.
Studying the design of the theatre was enough to keep me occupied the whole time before the time the performance began. I wish I could've taken pictures of the stage...

The Performance
This is probably the darkest Cirque du Soleil I have ever seen.
Shifting settings through the use of various digital screens. A combination of magic and technology. Complicated costumes combined with hip-hop routines, something I haven't seen in previous Cirque du Soleil shows. Pyrotechnics and plenty of sparks.
I loved the costumes, especially for the Dolls: colorful, yet tattered. Their movements were very much like a puppet's.
And there were carnivorous rabbits... heheh...
Criss had several costume changes, but I don't have much to say on those. Well, some were actually kind of amusing.
I could've done well without the more, uh... sensual bits in the show thought..."||
Ah, I wish I had more to say about the actual show, but... everything kind of mixed together in my mind.

After the Show
I felt an entire mix of emotions.
On one hand, it was a wonderful performance. The dancing was interesting, the costumes as beautiful and elaborate as ever, as expected from Cirque du Soleil. Criss' acts and illusions were wonderful as well; it was certainly different to watch those in-person rather than on TV.
But on the other hand... maybe I'm just naïve, but I thought the show would be a perfect collaboration between the well known company and illusionist. However, I have to admit that I was a little disappointed; the show was more centered on Criss Angel, and the essence of Cirque du Soleil was often overshadowed when the illusionist was on stage.
I have to agree with some of the comments I heard from other people while walking out of the theatre. "All he does is disappear and reappear. I mean, it's cool and all, but show us something new already." There weren't too many of the dangerous illusions that I thought Criss was known for, but I suppose that was to be expected.

All in all, I think it was a great performance. I wish I can see it again~
I admit, I did yell a lot along with the crowd.
I think it was scarier to hear moms in the audience screaming though..."||
Criss even said in the beginning of the show after running through the aisles and being stopped by a woman and kissed on the cheek: "I'm getting molested by the audience!" What the hell man. XD
It's nice that he curses openly though. I lost count of how many times he said "Sh*t". XD

I know there probably won't be a DVD released for the show, considering the show has a ten-year contract, but if there is ever a Making Of DVD, I'm buying that. No question.
Likewise if a sountrack is released. My god, I love the music. D:
Ten years... that's actually a bit of a creepy thought, considering Criss is almost 41...

I was an idiot and entered a contest in the souvenir shop for... I think it was a night or two's stay at the Luxor, a day at a spa, and 2 free tickets to CRISS ANGEL Believe. Like hell I'll win though.
There was another contest that planned on giving away Criss' corvette or $25,000.

On another note, I had a bizarre dream.
It was... a sort of a mix between Criss Angel and what I've heard about a CSI: Crime Scene Investigation episode that Ivy keeps talking about (that I keep missing the opportunity to watch D: ). Kind of weird, considering Criss guest-starred in a CSI:NY episode ("Sleight Out of Hand"). His perfomance in there was awesome though. Wonderfully creepy~
He was creepy in the dream too though..."||
I can't seem to be able to write out what happened in the dream though... I think I've even forgotten half of the dream.
I'll just settle and say that Criss decided to play the role of a murderer..."||

It still hasn't struck me quite yet that I saw Criss Angel in person.
I guess, in a sense, it feels surreal?
Maybe it'll finally strike me in a few days... or weeks...

I'm inspired to draw some fanart, or look further into European designs.
Incentive to finally begin serious work on my most recent manga idea?
Unfortunately, I still lack the motivation..."||

Ahaha, can you tell in what order I wrote the stuff in this journal?
I started this thing... 4 hours ago?
But food = distractions = less patience/shorter train of thought. *shot*

CRISS ANGEL Believe homepage
<KuraiSakura>

I'm so cheating on this~ XD

----------------

THREE QUESTIONS MEME

THREE NAMES YOU GO BY:
• Serena
• KuraiSakura
• Kurai

THREE THINGS YOU'VE DONE IN THE LAST 33 MINUTES:
• Washed rice
• Ate chocolate
• Catch up on stuff on forums

THREE THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
• Height
• ...
• ...

THREE THINGS YOU DISLIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
• Figure
• Appearance in general
• Myself.

THREE THINGS YOU'RE AFRAID OF:
• Spiders
• Snakes
• Horror

THREE THINGS YOU ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW:
• Navy blue sweatpants
• Black pajama top
• Grey hairband

THREE OF YOUR EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS:
• Cellphone
• Computer/Internet access
• Food

THREE IMPORTANT OBJECTS:
• Laptop
• Games
• Food

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE BANDS/ARTISTS:
• I'm
• not
• sure.

THREE WAYS TO BE HAPPY:
• Play games
• Spend time alone
• Cosplay (in a group)

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE SONGS AT PRESENT:
• "I'm Alive!" -- BECCA
• "still doll" -- Wakeshima Kanon
• "Monochrome no Kiss" -- SID

THREE NEW THINGS YOU WANT TO TRY IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS:
• Karaoke
• Wear a wig
• Finish playing The World Ends With You (must.get.100%.)

THREE THINGS YOU REGRET:
• Not listening to the orthodontist
• Binging on pasta
• Wasting away in front of the computer

THREE THINGS YOU WANT IN A RELATIONSHIP:
• Similar interests.
• Trust/Honesty
• Humor
[I'm assuming this is just about a relationship between friends.]

THREE IMPORTANT THINGS YOU'RE GIVING TO THE WORLD:
• Another person to hate.
• ...
• ...

TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE:
• I saw a crane pick out a fish straight from my koi pond.
• There is actually a skirt I would be willing to wear.
• I work better when I'm under stress.

THREE PHYSICAL THINGS YOU LIKE IN THE OPPOSITE SEX:
• I don't pay much attention to this.
• ||
• ||

THREE EMOTIONAL THINGS YOU LIKE IN THE OPPOSITE SEX:
• I
• don't
• care.

THREE THINGS YOU JUST CAN'T DO:
• Stay motivated for more than 2 hours
• Pull an all-nighter without blacking out for a few minutes
• Start on homework/projects early

THREE THINGS YOU MISS FROM YOUR PAST:
• My dogs..."||
• Less responsibility
• More motivation

THREE GIFTS YOU WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE:
• The World Ends With You soundtracks
• Games~
• That one coat I saw on the h.NAOTO site. : D

THREE REASONS WHY YOU ARE WHO YOU ARE:
• Family
• Friends
• ... anime..."||

THREE OF YOUR FAVOURITE HOBBIES:
• Puzzle games
• Piano
• Cosplay

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO REALLY BADLY RIGHT NOW:
• Play a Sherlock Holmes or the Dracula: Origins game
• Learn to play "Futatsu no Kodou to Akai Tsumi" or "still doll" on the piano
• Eat a hotdog... (I had a sudden craving when classes ended today)

THREE CAREERS YOU'RE CONSIDERING:
• I've
• no
• idea. D:

THREE PLACES YOU WANT TO GO FOR HOLIDAY:
• Japan
• Europe
• Egypt

THREE CARTOON CHARACTERS:
• Death the Kid
• Sebastian Michaels
• Peta

THREE BOY’S NAMES:
• Acheron
• Criss
• Ceril

THREE GIRL'S NAMES:
• Marie
• Sakura
• Isis

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE:
• Learn to cook/sew
• Follow through with my current manga idea (to some extent)
• Cosplay more~

THREE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO TAKE THIS QUIZ OR DIE PAINFULLY:
•
•
•
Constance makes a good point here: retagging = less spam to go through~

----------------

It was such a stressful weekend...
Darn the southern California fires..."||

<KuraiSakura>

I don't understand why I got tagged or why I'm doing this, especially since I only have 2 cosplays. D:

Anyway.
Tagged by both and .

Rules:
1. Post the rules
2. Answer each question truthfully
3. Tag 3-5 people at the end

+++

1. What was your first cosplay? (Think hard on this)
Haku from Naruto.

2. Did someone get you into cosplay? Or on your own?
A bit of both. I was joking that I could probably pull off just Haku's hair, then got behind me and pulled my hair up into a bun. Everything just kind of rolled from there...

3. What is your favourite cosplay?
Yuu Kanda (1st unifrom) from D.Gray-Man. I love having a (prop) sword in hand, and running in the exorcist coat is simply EPIC. XD

4. Which is your least favourite?
None?

5. At conventions, do people compliment you on your cosplays?
Urgh, the fangirls... orz"||
But yes~

6. How many have you done?
As previously mentioned, only two so far. Haku and Kanda.

7. What are the top 5 on your list of "Want to Cosplay"?
- Yuu Kanda (3rd uniform)
- Superbi Squalo
- Adult Viper
I don't know about the rest, since all my cosplays were suggested. D:

8. (Girls only) What female cosplay do you want to do most?
So far, none. No skirts/dresses please. D:

9. What male cosplay do you want to do most?
... not entirely sure about that...

10. What do you prefer to do, make or buy your costumes?
All I've done so far is buy costumes, since I can't sew for my life. But hopefully, I'll learn how to make my costumes...
Props are all I can handle right now. ^^"

11. Your most memorable experience? What makes it so memorable?
The D.Gray-Man group, hands down. Wonderful experience. : D
Could've done without getting attacked by that mob of fangirls though..."||

12. Your dream cosplay?
See answer to 9.

13. Is there a pattern in your cosplays? If so, what? (Things like they have a certain personality, or hair colour)
From the two I've done?! XD
Ergh... as much as I hate to say it... pretty boys... orz"||

14. Your most recent cosplay?
Yuu Kanda (1st uniform)

15. What do you prefer? Cosplaying in a group or on your own?
Both are alright. But it's more amusing to get stuck in a group.

NOW TAG SOME PEOPLE!
Whoever wants to do this...

----------------

I found moths in the rice bin today. D:"||

Also, I think my mom's trying to get me into a relationship. She keeps asking if I've made any new male friends -- yes, she was being very specific. Then she asks if there were any that I'm particularly close with.

No. Not going to happen. +

<KuraiSakura>