118. joyeux noël

It's my first time in years since I've been happy or excited about Christmas. This year, since I am Japan it makes things a little different. Most of the time, I don't feel like it's Christmas because in Melbourne, it's summer and probably dying in the heat. Or if I'm at home with little sis, we'll always be watching movies and be bitter, haha.

Yuri and I decided to countdown to Christmas together, so we met up in Shibuya and had dinner, then I accompanied her to work and went back to her place in Hiyoshi to countdown. We really wanted Christmas cake, so we thought of getting a little one at the conbini but they were selling cakes near Hiyoshi Station, so we just decided to get one there. We took cheesecake and hurried to the store to get candles. Although we didn't get to countdown, it was still fun rushing to the places to be in time for it.

We went to  Keio's campus in the cold and tried lighting up the candles but it was sooooooooo windy so it took a while, lol. Finally we lit up the candles and made a wish. Even though it was so simple, I was happy because we were both laughing at how funny it was we were actually doing this and joking about what the guys we like would do too, haha. Totally delusional but still makes us happy talking about it. I made up that we must finish the cake or our wishes wouldn't come true and oh my god, we were sooooo full from all that cake but somehow still craved for ramen.

The cheesecake was so good though... but maybe I will lay off cheesecake for a while.

We decided to share a small bowl of ramen since we definitely couldn't finish one on our own. After ramen, we walked to Keio and it was so nice because the trees were so tall and there were so many stars out that night. I never look up at the sky ever, so that night was really beautiful. There were some guys dressed up as Santa and the reindeer wishing everyone Merry Christmas which I thought was pretty cute! Also, earlier in Shibuya, a lot of people dress up in Santa outfits, it's just so cute. :)

Yuri was saying how there's a river further down the road, so we decided to walk out in the cold since we were still so full. It was a nice walk off the food. Although we didn't stay long near the river side, it was just nice being out in the middle of the night wandering around. I haven't done this in years. We arrived back at her place close to 3am and went to sleep since she still had class the next day.

On Christmas day, we woke up late and basically rushed to Yuri's class at the Mita campus. We decided to hang out some more, so I waited for Yuri to end class. We walked from Mita to Tokyo Tower since she's never been there. It didn't take long, only about 15 minutes! We didn't do much at Tokyo Tower but take photos and went to the little park next to it.

Little sis and I were there last time and I thought the park was so cute since it had a little stream. We spent the rest of the evening at Hamamatsucho getting dinner and just chilling at Starbucks. We left Hamamatsucho at about 10pm since Yuri had other plans and I went home to try to get to bed early but I just couldn't sleep. -__- I still love Hamamatsucho.

Also, I bought a ticket on Christmas day to see DEATHGAZE next year in Tokyo. :) Probably one of the best Christmas gifts I could ever give myself, haha.

I'm glad I decided to extend my trip till 2014 in Japan, if not, I would have been back in Singapore being a bitter bitch and probably crying that I'm not in Japan. I can't wait to spend New Year's in Nagoya! <3

117. 鉄の夢

I can't believe its already Christmas eve and soon, 2014 will arrive.

Earlier tonight, I went to see THE NOVEMBERS at Shibuya O-Nest. This time, they were opening for nhhmbase. Sometimes, my luck astounds me. The minute I walked into the venue to exchange my ticket for the drink coupon, Yusuke (vocalist) walked out, I just turned my head and was surprised to see him. So, it was good that I went to the venue late?

I was happy even before getting to see the band, so I was in a really good mood while they took the stage. I wanted to see them play other albums since the last time I saw them, they mostly played To (melt into) and (Two) into holy only. They played material mostly from their latest album, zeitgeist and Fourth wall. I was glad they did, since those were more upbeat songs and I was enjoying myself getting lost in the music. They are so good live, I wish their fans would be more enthusiastic about their music. :/

They played for an hour and I left once they ended. I felt nice to walk out in the cold alone after so long and I'm glad Shibuya wasn't that crowded today.

On Sunday, I met up with Elaine to get the ticket to their show. We decided to meet at Shimokitazawa since I always wanted to go and she said it's a good place for music. I really liked Shimokitazawa. It's not crowded, more chill and has cute shops. We had udon for dinner! I swear I will miss udon so much when I go back, I've been addicted to it lately. After dinner, we went to get dessert and just chilled there and talked for hours. Seriously, I enjoyed talking to her so much, even with our age difference.

Maybe the reason why we can get along so well is because her birthday is the same as Steph's and  I've known Steph for almost 10 years now. Also, it always helps that she likes the same international bands as me like Finch, Brand New, Taking Back Sunday, Thursday etc and obviously, the reason why we knew each other was because of THE NOVEMBERS. So we were just talking about how cute Takamatsu is in general, haha.

It's funny how I always meet great people away from home.

Later, I'll be meeting Yuri to countdown to Christmas together. I can't believe we're going to Nagoya again this weekend. It makes me so happy that we're going back there! I can't wait!

I'm definitely going to write another post before I leave for Nagoya. 2013 has been such a wonderful year, but before the year ends, there's Gray and his Christmas... ( I really miss Fairy Tail ): )

by Hiro Mashima, Fairy Tail. 

116. the blackest nightmare ii, nagoya

Last night I was in Nagoya to see lynch. again. I got up early yesterday and took the Shinkansen to Nagoya, weirdly this time I was more excited than last week's show. I had major butterflies in my stomach. Maybe because I was alone?

I arrived in Nagoya at about 2 in the afternoon and found my way to Zepp Nagoya. It was easier than I thought it would be, it was only a 15 minute walk from Nagoya Station. I didn't know what to do once I got to the live venue because there was only a cinema and arcade next to it, so I walked back to the station to go to the cafe that Yuri and I went last time. I spent about an hour there and decided to just go to the venue which was such a bad idea because it was freezing! My hands were all numb from texting people. T__T It was so fucking cold in Nagoya plus it didn't help that it was so windy.

I had the cute ducky again :D

I didn't get into the venue till about 5ish and they started on time! They played the same set as Tokyo except for the encores. They were so much more chatty and happy compared to last week. Everyone got to see AK's grandma too. I think they did better in Nagoya for obvious reasons, Hazuki was really concentrating on his voice, so last night almost everything he sang was good. He also threw water to the crowd and some splashed on me -___- Thank god he didn't spit if not, I would have killed him because that is just disgusting.

I didn't get to stand in AK's area because it was so crowded by the time I got in, so I stood infront of Yusuke. I was pretty much at the same spot as last week, lol. Yusuke was so cute last night, I really didn't feel like headbanging because AK was looking over. Yusuke saw that this girl next to me was hardcore headbanging and her looooonnngggg hair kept hitting me, and he signalled a "sorry" sign to me. I know right >< It was kinda painful when her hair hit me.

I only headbanged to EVILLY and THE BLASTED BACK BONE  but I could feel my head dying already. I kept coughing after that for some reason, maybe it was really toooooo cold. Yusuke saw me coughing and signalled me to drink water. I was thinking "awww he's so sweet", but I fuckin' had no water. AK was looking towards my direction and I smiled at him and he smiled back. Seriously though, I think it's so easy to see them in general because I don't know why the spots I always stand, the girls infront of me are all so short. -.-

I am still so in love with AMBIVALENT IDEAL. I love how Hazuki sings it live. And always, I love the whole entire EXODUS EP live, still especially INVINCIBLE.

I had no clue what they were talking during their MC time, all I knew was about the daruma and about AK's grandma.  It was so funny because AK looked over when they were talking and I just looked confused I think and he kept giggling. Obviously, he already knows I can't understand Japanese that well. AK was cute yesterday during the MC because he was awkward and said like "yeahhhhh!!" lol, he was funny.

They talked for so long before they started their encore. Hazuki was taking photos of the crowd and the damn daruma. So they played melt, alien tune, DAZZLE, Discord Number and LIGHTNING first. It kind of feels like they didn't want the live to end because they took a while to get off stage.

During the second encore, they talked even more and played HIDDEN and to my surprise, they played NIGHT again. And they took forever to get off the stage this time. I don't think anyone would mind if they stayed on it forever, haha. Yusuke was cute at the end, he pointed to me and kinda like put his hands on his eyes to make a binocular shape thing, which I think he was trying to say he was looking at me or something. AK came over and also pointed to me and did a heart shape sign. So cute <3333 I was too surprised in the moment and I didn't know how to react, think and feel. But now when I think back, I'm happy. Hazuki took a while to leave the stage, he was smiling the entire time and kept saying how he loves everyone.

It's funny to me that they would actually do this type of things on stage because for the past few times I've seen them, they don't seem to pay attention to the crowd. So I was pleasantly surprised. Also, I never would in a million years think I would get their attention at all, so yes, I am happy. I love them. <3

I'm in love with Nagoya and can't wait to go back. <3

115. only in dreams

On Monday, little sis and I got up early to head to Mitaka. This time, I finally managed to get tickets to Ghibli Museum. We haven't been there for almost two years because everytime I get to Tokyo, the tickets are always sold out thanks to the growing popularity of Miyazaki's work.

I bought the 12pm tickets because I knew we wouldn't be able to get up soooo early especially after lynch.'s live the previous day. The first thing we did was head straight to the cafe because we were starving but waited for about an hour to get finally get in. We both ordered the pork cutlet sandwich since I'm not a fan of Omu Rice.

little sis had hot chocolate!

After lunch, we went straight to the Saturn theatre to watch the short film, this time it was Mon Mon the Water Spider. It was such a cute little film but I still prefer Mister Dough and the Egg Princess. We went to walk around as usual, and they had a special exhibition called The Lens at Work in The Ghibli Forest, which mainly focuses on little objects and things you see through lenses and how to make film strips and pinhole cameras. It was fun and reminded me of my art college photography lessons because we had to learn how to develop films, photographs and make our very own pinhole cameras.

After which, we went to the Ghibli stores where it was overly crowded as usual. :/ So we left Ghibli Museum at about 3-ish and wanted to go to the Owl Cafe but it was closed again. ): We went left Mitaka and got on the train and went straight to Disneyland. 

When we arrived at Maihama Station, it was still early since we got the After 6 Pass, we hung around and went to roam around the Disney hotels while waiting. The disney hotels were so cute!  I wish I could stay there for at least a night but it's really expensive. Soon, it was 6pm and we got in really quickly despite the queue being really long. 

Everything was decked out and ready for Christmas. Honestly, I've never enjoyed Christmas very much but being in Japan makes me like Christmas a little more. First, we went to the disney shops but the merchandise weren't that cute, so we slowly walked to  Santa's Village and Cinderella's castle. Cinderella's castle was so pretty! *__*

We went straight to Fantasyland, where I went crazy over Alice's Tea Party and It's a Small World. Everything was so cute. After only seeing the attractions, we decided to have dinner at the Queen of Hearts Banquet Hall. Little sis knew for sure I would want a  Alice in Wonderland themed meal. I had chicken and little sis had fish, I got dessert just so I can have the cute Alice in Wonderland tea cup. Everything is there was so cute. I love Alice in Wonderland so much! My favorite disney films are Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan and Little Mermaid. 

After dinner, we walked around and saw some of the lines for certain rides were short so we just decided to get on anything. First we went on Pinocchio's Daring Journey, which I thought captured the film so well. Only thing is again, because we are in Japan, everything is in Japanese. After the ride, we walked to Toontown, the little houses were so cute ^^ I'm glad little sis was happy because she has never been to Disneyland and as for me, the last time I went was when I was only 4 in the U.S. 

We went into Goofy's and Chip N' Dale's house and Donald's Boat. Took photos at Toon Park because it was too cute. Got on Gadget's Go Coaster and Rodger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin. Little sis doesn't know anything about Rodger Rabbit and told me the whole ride basically looks like someone who is on drugs, which is half true. I watched Who Framed Rodger Rabbit when I was a kid but can vaguely remember anything.

After that, we want to watch the Light Parade and everything was so magical <3

We went off to the other parts of Disneyland after the parade and made it in time for the fireworks at Cinderella's castle. I was kind of bored of the fireworks because I don't really enjoy fireworks in general. The other parts of Disneyland was kind of boring so we decided to get back to Fantasyland, which I'm happy we did because we went to the Haunted Mansion to get on the Christmas special, Holiday Nightmare. I was so happy because I love Nightmare Before Christmas to Death and the ride was so cute and took about 15 minutes. I think little sis and I might have gotten too excited on the ride, we were making so much noise and shouting and everything. lol

After Haunted Mansion, we ran to catch Peter Pan's Flight because it was almost closing time. We were the last ones on the ride. ^^ The ride was so cute, we sat in a ship and it flew over London and Neverland. I was so happy I got to see the lost boys! <3

After that, it was already closing time at the theme park so we left Disneyland and got back home late and had supper on the way. I felt like I was living in dreams because the whole day was so themed, the first half of the day was Ghibli and the later half was Disney. Nothing could have been better.

114. the blackest nightmare

Little sis arrived in Tokyo on Thursday night and I've been spending all my time with her until she left back to Singapore this morning. On Friday and Saturday, we didn't do anything much because most of my plans didn't fall through. On Sunday...

lynch. THE BLACKEST NIGHTMARE tour at Zepp Tokyo. Obviously, I was excited. It's my fourth time seeing them this year and I still get butterflies in my stomach. This band makes me feel so much, I still can't put it into words how much I really do love them.

We got up early, headed straight to Odaiba for Ramen and hung around until it was show time. It didn't take too long to get into Zepp Tokyo. Little sis basically ran in and got us good spots for the show, it wasn't too front as the usual but it was good enough. Once again, they opened to Pantera's Mouth of War.

When the curtains fell, the backdrop was so amazing/epic, it was just a simple band logo but still, being to so many lynch. shows, we haven't seen any of this kind of stuff. They started with EXODUS, followed by ASHES. After that was THE BLASTED BACK BONE and I went a little crazy there, I can't really remember the order of their setlist but they didn't play all the songs I wanted to them to. ): It was still fun headbanging obviously. Little sis went crazy to EVILLY.

The interval was BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, and the lights shined on Hazuki right after that ended as he sang BE STRONG. I don't really like that song but its been stuck in my head for days now. -__- After that, they played AMBIVALENT IDEAL !

During this live, for the first time, it felt weird to headbang (normally I go psychotic) because I was standing directly infront of AK and I noticed he kept looking at my direction and was giving me a  "I know you" face. So, I felt kinda weird to be so crazy and letting him judge, lol. But he was so cute because I smiled at him and he smiled right back. Little sis was complaining on how much I look at AK now instead of Hazuki. I still love Hazuki the most though...

Yusuke also, weirdly, kept staring at our direction. I thought Yusuke would never look at people to be honest, but he threw his bottle to me and I basically ran from it. lol He was laughing as he saw me moving away from it. I was scared of the girls that were being crazy trying to snatch it.

I love how the whole EXODUS EP sounds so heavy live, especially INVINCIBLE. The drums are way more amplified and it was soooo goood to headbang to it. Now listening to it on my ipod, I feel empty. It's as if I want to see them all the time now. :/

They played unknown lost a beauty!!!!!!!! When Hazuki said it I was jumping around like some crazy idiot and obviously, I didn't care much about AK judging to that song and just headbanged hardcore for that one song, and after that was pulse_!!!! So the crowd went crazy and moshed and after the mosh, little sis and I were pushed back a bit. The girl infront of me was tall, I couldn't see anything after pulse_, so I tiptoed and when my head popped up of the crowd, AK saw and was giggling. Omg I wanted to die. Seriously, I think I've been crushing on him ever since I met him. He looks so fucking cute when he smiles. Obviously, Hazuki has the nicest smile but AK...

They had two encores and they were talking for a bit during encore 1, where Hazuki took out his Daruma and was drawing the eye on one of them and joking about how he is actually 41... but really, he is only 31. After much talking, they continued with UNTIL I DIE. I was soooooo happy they played it since it is my tattoo now. <3

They also played STARZ, Discord Number and LIGHTNING. For the second encore, they only played HIDDEN. They played for two hours. It felt so short. I honestly think the best live of theirs that I've been to is the very first one at Zepp Divercity because they played so many songs I love and for 2 hours 30 minutes.

Since, I felt it was too short, now I really want to go to their last Zepp show in Nagoya this Saturday. I'm still thinking about it but leaning towards going. I can't ever have enough of them. Here is the setlist, not in order :

• EXODUS
• ASHES
• THE BLASTED BACK BONE
• EVILLY
• I BELIEVE IN ME
• ADORE
• ALL THIS I'LL GIVE YOU
• BEFORE YOU KNOW IT
• BE STRONG
• AMBIVALENT IDEAL
• MIRRORS
• NEW PSYCHO PARALYZE
• THE FATAL HOUR HAS COME
• MOMENT
• I'm sick, b'cuz luv u.
• VANISH
• INVINCIBLE
• 59
• unknown lost a beauty
• pulse_
• NIGHT

Encore 1

• UNTIL I DIE
• Discord Number
• STARZ
• LIGHTNING

Encore 2

• HIDDEN

Little sis was a little disappointed they didn't play melt. I know they always change their setlist but I didn't really like this one. T__T After the show ended, I went to buy some CDs, since I am still slowly collecting them. We didn't hang around for long, we left to go to Oedo Onsen, just two stops away from Odaiba. I seriously think this is the best decision little sis came up with. If we didn't go to the onsen, our necks would have probably be in a whole lot more of pain.

Also, I was trying my best to cover my tattoo the entire time and successfully did! We ate quite a lot there too, since concerts really take out a lot from you. It was the best way to end such an amazing night. By the time we got home, we both crashed on the bed almost immediately.