Weekend of EPICNESS.
"Life, as it is lived by most people, is worthy of artistic attention."
- John Updike
So, this weekend isn't anything too out of the ordinary; first weekend of school, dad's birthday, going to a concert, watched HYD Final. Just normal things that can happen at any time.
But OMG IT WAS SO EPIC.
First weekend of school: I'M A SENIOR IN COLLEGE. I have to let that sink in every time I say it out loud or to myself.
Dad's birthday: First birthday in two years that my dad's not in the hospital (heart attack both times), and I was there to celebrate. Yay! He was a bit sniffly but whatever. I get allergies around October as well, so it's nothing out of the ordinary in our family. Until I start getting heart attacks.
Going to a concert: Five words: JOURNEY, HEART AND CHEAP TRICK. Is that bill epic or is it epic? Ann Wilson is totally freaking awesome and proof that fat girls sing better than anyone (points to self) and Nancy's guitar is fab, not only because it's awesome seeing a girl play guitar but seeing someone play guitar THAT GOOD. And Journey: I am exceedingly proud of Arnel Pineda, both as a Filipino and a Journey fan. You, the reader, can't possibly understand how much it means to me to have a Filipino guy WHO HAPPENS TO NOW BE THE LEAD SINGER OF JOURNEY singing "Lights" to me and like HALF OF THE BAY AREA. The entire crowd was singing along (because the song is about San Francisco, which is where we are from) and everyone was waving their cell phones in the air (in lieu of lighters) so that the lawn section, which had no light, looked like a galaxy with all the little dots of light. Also, "Don't Stop Believin'" is one of the greatest songs ever composed. Perfect power anthem - joyous, exhilarating, inspirational and fist-pumpingly awesome.
HYD Final: OHMYGOD WHAT A WAY TO END THE SERIES. For the first half I was roaring with laughter at all the characters/quirks we all came to know and love, and for the other half I was alternately like WTFFFFFFF and swooning from all the romance. There's some parts that are ridiculous, but that's part of the fun. Recommended if you like: manga, J-dramas, comedy, drama, romance, Jun Matsumoto, Inoue Mao, Oguri Shun, Matsuda Shota, Abe Tsuyoshi, travel, expensive crap, the Japanese language, absurdity, surrealism, J-pop, shirtless Matsujun, Hong Kong, gambling, deserts, desert islands, rich bastards, pimped-out planes, convertibles, Las Vegas, English (Matsujun is way better now!) Engrish (Domyouji's t-shirt when meeting Makino's parents at the end is HILARIOUS, especially in context), eating (that Makino sure knows how to appreciate good food), boats, Arashi (well duh), metahumor, drinking (the characters' mannerisms would make for an awesome drinking game), Survivor, squealing like a fangirl, hilarious marketing strategies (there was a freaking temporary Hanadan STORE in Shibuya 109 when this movie came out), and smiling.
Also, the scene where they enter that one building in Hong Kong is a straight up Reservoir Dogs moment. LOL.
But seriously, after it all I was like OMG IT'S THE END OF AN ERA. I don't know what THE most successful series in Japan is (I'm guessing something with Kimutaku) but Hana Yori Dango spans a fifteen-year manga, an anime, an anime MOVIE, a movie thirteen years ago starring Yuki Uchida, a legend in J-pop and THE PERSON WHO MADE OGURI SHUN START ACTING YAY, two J-drama seasons, with two wildly different plots, "Meteor Garden," a K-version in the works, AND this movie.
And the current wave of Hanadan all began because Arashi needed to release a new single and thus volunteered Matsujun to play the lead.
ETA: According to Wikipedia, Hana Yori Dango is the best-selling shoujo manga in Japan.
Also, my hands are currently green because a permanent marker just up and exploded on my hands. So much spilled on me that my hands were STICKY with ink. Epic indeed.
- John Updike
So, this weekend isn't anything too out of the ordinary; first weekend of school, dad's birthday, going to a concert, watched HYD Final. Just normal things that can happen at any time.
But OMG IT WAS SO EPIC.
First weekend of school: I'M A SENIOR IN COLLEGE. I have to let that sink in every time I say it out loud or to myself.
Dad's birthday: First birthday in two years that my dad's not in the hospital (heart attack both times), and I was there to celebrate. Yay! He was a bit sniffly but whatever. I get allergies around October as well, so it's nothing out of the ordinary in our family. Until I start getting heart attacks.
Going to a concert: Five words: JOURNEY, HEART AND CHEAP TRICK. Is that bill epic or is it epic? Ann Wilson is totally freaking awesome and proof that fat girls sing better than anyone (points to self) and Nancy's guitar is fab, not only because it's awesome seeing a girl play guitar but seeing someone play guitar THAT GOOD. And Journey: I am exceedingly proud of Arnel Pineda, both as a Filipino and a Journey fan. You, the reader, can't possibly understand how much it means to me to have a Filipino guy WHO HAPPENS TO NOW BE THE LEAD SINGER OF JOURNEY singing "Lights" to me and like HALF OF THE BAY AREA. The entire crowd was singing along (because the song is about San Francisco, which is where we are from) and everyone was waving their cell phones in the air (in lieu of lighters) so that the lawn section, which had no light, looked like a galaxy with all the little dots of light. Also, "Don't Stop Believin'" is one of the greatest songs ever composed. Perfect power anthem - joyous, exhilarating, inspirational and fist-pumpingly awesome.
HYD Final: OHMYGOD WHAT A WAY TO END THE SERIES. For the first half I was roaring with laughter at all the characters/quirks we all came to know and love, and for the other half I was alternately like WTFFFFFFF and swooning from all the romance. There's some parts that are ridiculous, but that's part of the fun. Recommended if you like: manga, J-dramas, comedy, drama, romance, Jun Matsumoto, Inoue Mao, Oguri Shun, Matsuda Shota, Abe Tsuyoshi, travel, expensive crap, the Japanese language, absurdity, surrealism, J-pop, shirtless Matsujun, Hong Kong, gambling, deserts, desert islands, rich bastards, pimped-out planes, convertibles, Las Vegas, English (Matsujun is way better now!) Engrish (Domyouji's t-shirt when meeting Makino's parents at the end is HILARIOUS, especially in context), eating (that Makino sure knows how to appreciate good food), boats, Arashi (well duh), metahumor, drinking (the characters' mannerisms would make for an awesome drinking game), Survivor, squealing like a fangirl, hilarious marketing strategies (there was a freaking temporary Hanadan STORE in Shibuya 109 when this movie came out), and smiling.
Also, the scene where they enter that one building in Hong Kong is a straight up Reservoir Dogs moment. LOL.
But seriously, after it all I was like OMG IT'S THE END OF AN ERA. I don't know what THE most successful series in Japan is (I'm guessing something with Kimutaku) but Hana Yori Dango spans a fifteen-year manga, an anime, an anime MOVIE, a movie thirteen years ago starring Yuki Uchida, a legend in J-pop and THE PERSON WHO MADE OGURI SHUN START ACTING YAY, two J-drama seasons, with two wildly different plots, "Meteor Garden," a K-version in the works, AND this movie.
And the current wave of Hanadan all began because Arashi needed to release a new single and thus volunteered Matsujun to play the lead.
ETA: According to Wikipedia, Hana Yori Dango is the best-selling shoujo manga in Japan.
Also, my hands are currently green because a permanent marker just up and exploded on my hands. So much spilled on me that my hands were STICKY with ink. Epic indeed.