Hello dears!

Recently I've been reading a lot of manga (when I should be studying, I know!), and I came across a particular one called "Nodame Cantabile". I wasn't really sure what to expect from it since I wasn't particular to the style of drawing the artist used.

Nodame is about the life of a young man in Japan aspiring to be a conductor since the first time he watched his idol conducting when he was younger. Well-trained in the piano and the violin, he attempted to learn conducting by himself with the help of others. In the mean time, he meets a really odd girl named Megumi (but everyone calls her Nodame) who wants to be a pre-school teacher, while in fact she is actually an amazing pianist. Her style of learning is very strange though; she is able to play a song she's only heard once but is terrible at sight-reading. Both are currently undergraduate students studying piano. The whole manga is all about the life of these two and how they help each other through their struggles in life, learning off each other and eventually falling in love :D Although the manga is romance/comedy, it also has a serious side where they focus on classical music.

THIS is the reason why I wanted to write about this, so I apologize for making you go through that summary of that manga (but I do recommend it if you're curious about classical music!). Okay, so after finishing this manga, I was very interested to search up all the classical music facts I've gained from the manga (there's actually quite a lot, y'know). Thank goodness for youtube, I searched up "orchestra" and "piano/cello concerto" today, and well what do you know? I love it. I absolutely love classical music. It's simply amazing to see and listen to what people can do. I don't know about you, but I haven't heard anything classical since the third grade (not knowing any other genres at that time, I said that classical music was my fave).

Right now, I am having an intense craving to see a real concert. Anywhere. I'm deciding RIGHT NOW that when I'm older, have more free time and money, I'll travel to Europe and listen to my heart's content! As well, as y'know, sightseeing and everything else.

I am so envious of people who are able to play instruments. You could say they have talent to play an instrument well, but what I learned from Nodame is that it is hard work. To be able to play a musical instrument at that skill, a lot of practice would have gone into it! Perhaps in my lists of things to do when I'm older, I'll finally take up piano or guitar lessons. Perhaps even the cello! Or the violin! Ah, I think my preferences for an orchestra is strings and percussion. It just sounds so lovely <3 I'm also craving to buy an acoustic guitar since my last one broke...

You only have one chance in life, might as well not waste it.

Now I am going to take my own advice and actually study (I did nothing all day, wah). Also, if you are super-duper curious, then I encourage you to youtube some concertos! I love love love them. OH and in the manga, they mentioned an instrument that YOU PLAY WITHOUT TOUCHING. It's called the "theremin" AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU SEARCH THAT UP ON YOUTUBE RIGHT NOW. It's actually so cool >___<

Done rambling!
Have a good night/day everyone, see you on the flip side :)

- joy
 

brigits_flame

John William Waterhouse: The Crystal Ball [with the skull] - 1902

**A/N: I would like to thank Missthorarosebird for being incredibly quick to respond to my entries, allowing me time to fix any loose ends. Hopefully this version is a lot more sufficient than the last and I would love to hear your comments on this version, Thorarar XD So thank you! Also, my gratitude to toxic_apiaceae for creating this inspiring mini-contest! I'm looking forward to more of these :3 Finally, if anybody was curious - the phrases I used here is Latin. Just in case you wanted to search up the meanings :P

Thank you for taking the time to read this! If the meaning of the story was unclear, PLEASE READ IT AGAIN. I would really really really appreciate it. Feedback would be fantastic as well<3

Wishing a very, verrrrrrrrrrrrrry happy belated to three awesome people!

HAPPY BELATED
TO 
firesign10, katden  
&&
longerthanwedo !  

Hope you guys had a fantastic day!

Hiya f-list!

How's everyone? I'm trying out my new iTouch for El Jay so hopefully this works and I'm not just wasting my time.

Well, it's Tuesday, the second day of the week. I know what you're thinking: 'oh good! Joy knows how to count the days of the week! Anyway, that wasn't my point. Not only is it Tuesday, but it was also the second day of my camp counsellor job! To be fair, I'm overwhelmed with the whole thing (8 straight hours of running after kids), and I'm honestly really tired, but I love it. Really, even in this insane heat, I love it. In fact, I feel like a kid again (I've never been to camp) but with authority! Bahaha. Let's see, what did I do today? I was given a free Popsicle (YES), I went a few times on the Slip 'n' Slide (I was actually forced by the kids), and I'm getting better at Foosball (the kids are still beating me). Yup. I'm a kid alright!

On the other hand, it definitely is hard work. Eight hours times five days plus a weekend of working at my other job? Oh my. All of this for SIX straight weeks. Yeah. I'm tired every single day and I just fall right asleep once I'm home. I almost never have time to hang out with friends since I have to wake up early the next morning, or I'm way too tired to do anything. Plus, the incredible heat isn't helping any.

I know I haven't been posting much lately, especially for the Flame, but if you happen to still check up on my journal or just randomly passing through - I want to hear about YOUR summer! How's it going so far? (This applies to Raphie too) I miss my free time, and I miss ALL OF YOU. Really, I do. This is just my way of getting to know you guys better :) and remember: you don't need to go skydiving to have a cool summer!

Love, Joy

Posted via LiveJournal.app.

Status Update: Writing-thank the Lord!- please do not disturb.

I'm writing again! YAY. Well, not right now. But I will. I have just missed writing - it's been so long! All I've been doing for the past few months were essays, essays, long answer questions related to bio or chem, and super-duper long calculus equations! PFFT. I am DONE, y'all. Thank you, and goodnight!

Teehee. I'm getting a little bit ahead of myself there.

There are soooo many things I'd like to do this summer (and by George, I will!). I'm just so glad that school, for one thing, is over, and that it's SUMMERTIME.

Which leads me to this:

 

And that video, I think, speaks for itself.
More from me, soon!

Love, Joy.

Okay! MAY 1ST EVERYBODY. EEEEE.

That means 54 MORE DAYS TILL GRADUATION. I'm super stoked. AND really impatient. I want to know if I got in, damnit!

Also, if you haven't already - Flamers, get those karaoke posts done! Closing time is TONIGHT. I haven't been able to watch/listen to all the karaoke posts, but I'll get to that! After I finish a review in the morning, and review tonight ~ I'm there!

Sweeney Todd, live as a play: I recommend it. Srsly. If the actors know what they're doing, the whole effect is amazing.

Ohohohoho, I've got some work to do now. Slash, eat. Goodbye!
 
 

“Drive my soul? Isn’t that, like, an innuendo or something?”

“An innuendo?” *laughs* “What on earth?”

“Yeah! I heard it from one of the kids in my class today. I think someone had just gotten their driver’s license…”

“Oh! Was it that kid… William? Yeah, I heard about that. Didn’t he jump the car?”

“You mean jump the shark.”

“Right.”

“What does that even mean anyway?”

“Jump the shark?”

“No, drive my soul.”

“It means…” *ponders* “It means: to live and let live. Or was that let die? Anyway, the main meaning is that – let me paraphrase this: You gotta make the leap. Don’t miss out on opportunities. Good for the soul, and all that.”

“Huh.”

“What?”

“Nothing. For an innuendo, that’s pretty deep.”

“It’s not an innuendo!”

“Yeah, right.”

The End.