And then I realized, I'm just slutty.

This is awesome.



Nakamaru could take some lessons from this kid. I love how much he's getting into it.

The guy dresses like an actual straight boy in his off-time. Baggy jeans, skater shoes and a backwards cap.

I fucking love it.

What am I talking about? Rehersal footage. Also known as pure gold. The only good thing to come out of the recent hate meme.

What else can we glean from these clips? Ohno is a lazy mother fucker and I love that too. And I am going to rip the audio of Aiba's solo from the DVD when I get it.

I'm watching the opening ceremony in full. I downloaded the NBC broadcast. Couldn't see Ashley, but I saw her on TV last night. I have cried so much watching this, and I feel so silly but I love it. Shane Koyczan performed slam poetry at the ceremony and it resonates so much with me. I want to use this when I finally become an English teacher.

We Are More by Shane Koyczan

When defining Canada
you might list some statistics
you might mention our tallest building
or biggest lake
you might shake a tree in the fall
and call a red leaf Canada
you might rattle off some celebrities
might mention Buffy Sainte-Marie
might even mention the fact that we've got a few
Barenaked Ladies
or that we made these crazy things
like zippers
electric cars
and washing machines
when defining Canada
it seems the world's anthem has been
"been there done that"
and maybe that's where we used to be at
it's true
we've done and we've been
we've seen
all the great themes get swallowed up by the machine
and turned into theme parks
but when defining Canada
don't forget to mention that we have set sparks
we are not just fishing stories
about the one that got away
we do more than sit around and say "eh?"
and yes
we are the home of the Rocket and the Great One
who inspired little number nines
and little number ninety-nines
but we're more than just hockey and fishing lines
off of the rocky coast of the Maritimes
and some say what defines us
is something as simple as please and thank you
and as for you're welcome
well we say that too
but we are more
than genteel or civilized
we are an idea in the process
of being realized
we are young
we are cultures strung together
then woven into a tapestry
and the design
is what makes us more
than the sum total of our history
we are an experiment going right for a change
with influences that range from a to zed
and yes we say zed instead of zee
we are the colours of Chinatown and the coffee of Little Italy
we dream so big that there are those
who would call our ambition an industry
because we are more than sticky maple syrup and clean snow
we do more than grow wheat and brew beer
we are vineyards of good year after good year
we reforest what we clear
because we believe in generations beyond our own
knowing now that so many of us
have grown past what used to be
we can stand here today
filled with all the hope people have
when they say things like "someday"
someday we'll be great
someday we'll be this
or that
someday we'll be at a point
when someday was yesterday
and all of our aspirations will pay the way
for those who on that day
look towards tomorrow
and still they say someday
we will reach the goals we set
and we will get interest on our inspiration
because we are more than a nation of whale watchers and lumberjacks
more than backpacks and hiking trails
we are hammers and nails building bridges
towards those who are willing to walk across
we are the lost-and-found for all those who might find themselves at a loss
we are not the see-through gloss or glamour
of those who clamour for the failings of others
we are fathers brothers sisters and mothers
uncles and nephews aunts and nieces
we are cousins
we are found missing puzzle pieces
we are families with room at the table for newcomers
we are more than summers and winters
more than on and off seasons
we are the reasons people have for wanting to stay
because we are more than what we say or do
we live to get past what we go through
and learn who we are
we are students
students who study the studiousness of studying
so we know what as well as why
we don't have all the answers
but we try
and the effort is what makes us more
we don't all know what it is in life we're looking for
so keep exploring
go far and wide
or go inside but go deep
go deep
as if James Cameron was filming a sequel to The Abyss
and suddenly there was this location scout
trying to figure some way out
to get inside you
because you've been through hell and high water
and you went deep
keep exploring
because we are more
than a laundry list of things to do and places to see
we are more than hills to ski
or countryside ponds to skate
we are the abandoned hesitation of all those who can't wait
we are first-rate greasy-spoon diners and healthy-living cafes
a country that is all the ways you choose to live
a land that can give you variety
because we are choices
we are millions upon millions of voices shouting
"keep exploring... we are more"
we are the surprise the world has in store for you
it's true
Canada is the "what" in "what's new?"
so don't say "been there done that"
unless you've sat on the sidewalk
while chalk artists draw still lifes
on the concrete of a kid in the street
beatboxing to Neil Young for fun
don't say you've been there done that
unless you've been here doing it
let this country be your first-aid kit
for all the times you get sick of the same old same old
let us be the story told to your friends
and when that story ends
leave chapters for the next time you'll come back
next time pack for all the things
you didn't pack for the first time
but don't let your luggage define your travels
each life unravels differently
and experiences are what make up
the colours of our tapestry
we are the true north
strong and free
and what's more
is that we didn't just say it
we made it be.

So I mentioned that I chatted with Joe at the show last week right? (Still dying forever.) We had some laughs about incorrect racial profiling and mistaken identities. When he's in LA, people think he's Chinese just because he's Asian; in Japan, so many people assume we (Aes and I) can't speak Japanese because we're white. He mentioned that his song "Hannah" is about that in the music industry. I didn't really get it before, I thought the title was kind of strange because it wasn't a song about a girl (named Hannah) but now that I know, it makes so much sense.

( HANNAH )

He's got a point about Japanese songs, I think. How many times have you read the translation of some love song and gone, What the fuck does that even mean? But you gotta love a guy who wrote a song using almost nothing but girl's names. LOL Maybe I'll post that one day. I should embed songs too. OMG AND I NEED TO MAKE A JOE ICON.

Time for another 100Q! I guess I'll have to renew my subscription to get Sho's. Unless they start sending them every 2 months... we'll see. My new subscription is supposed to start in March anyway so we'll watch the post and see what happens.

( Just like Ohno. )

Nino's 100Q / Aiba's 100Q / Matsujun's 100Q

+ I've turned off emailing of comments, so my inbox doesn't get spammed. 
++ If you want to translate this into another language, you don't have to ask. Just credit properly and send me a PM with the link when you're done.

Let's try this again and do it right. Coding shamelessly snagged from honeypuffed because she is so amazing. ♥

( scrapbook 2010 )

I did this last year and it's nice to go back and take a look at all the work I did. Definitely didn't write as much this year as last year; I was still new to the game in 2008. I did less this year, but it was definitely better quality. I'll have to go back and edit this once reveals for Jhols are up.


Equilibrium - Completed
Sho/Aiba, Ohno/Nino - Edo-period/Samurai AU - 38,000+ words - R
A reluctant samurai fights for love and home as life teeters on the brink of a civil war.

Brilliance
Nino/Miharu (OC of Lydia's) - Great Big Arashi Family AU - 2,147 words - R
Nino and Miharu's first time. The scene from Six Months to Glory that deserved to be written.

Reverse
Ohno/Nino - 1,123 words - PG
Nino makes a mistake and it costs him everything.

Just Do It
Aiba/Nino - 721 words - R
Nino just wants Aiba to do it.

One of Those Days
Jun/Nino - 1,375 words - R
Jun's having one of those days and has needs.

Simplicity
Sho/Ohno/Nino - for sei_shoku's June contest - ~1000 words - R
Nino has a surprise waiting for him at home and it's just what he wanted.

Self-Preservation
Jun/Nino - for jentfic_remix - ~3,500 words - PG
Nino takes Jun on one last trip to Hong Kong.

Life & Coffee Spoons
Ohno/Nino, Gene - for je_holiday 2009 - ~15,000 words - PG
A story of five guys, self-realization, determination, love and caffeine.

Drabbles
Hands On Experimentation
Nino's innocent obsession.
In which Sho loses a bet.


my favorite story this year (of my own): I'd have to say Life & Coffee Spoons. I spent so much time on this (arrr 3 months) and it really paid off. primroseshows absolutely loved it and I've gotten so much great feedback from readers. I've set a new bar for myself.

my best story this year: Again, Life & Coffee Spoons. Three months of hard work and it shows. The other one is Self-Preservation. I had this grandiose idea of what I wanted to do and somehow managed to pull it off. The original author loved my spin on her work so that made it all worth it.

story most tragically underappreciated by the universe, in my opinion: Like I said last year, Equilibrium. I'm a history nerd and love period work but it's a hard thing to do well. It needs a lot of work still, and I do want to go back and add to it and make it better.

most fun story: Just Do It because never have I seen anyone work the word "urology" into a fic.

most sexy story: One of Those Days. I guess this wins by default because I didn't write much porn this year. More than a few flail-comments about how dirty it was; I think the fact that I didn't soak it in euphemism was the reason for that. And it's written from a personal experience so that helps too.

story with single sexiest moment: Again, One of Those Days. Best blowjob I've ever written.

most unintentionally *telling* story: Simplicity. I wanted to make it into sexy times and it would have been wonderful but I couldn't bring myself to do it. That's the kind of relationship I want.

"holy crap, that's *wrong*, even for you" story: None this year. Tragedy.

story that shifted my own perceptions of the characters: JE Holiday fic. I talked and brainstormed for ages and ages with aeslis about it. I am so sick of the stereotypes that have become so ingrained in Arashi fandom and I wanted to break out of the habits I know I have. I wanted something more dynamic and realistic. I know one person said she felt my Nino was a little out of character, but I have to disagree. I've taken the time to read more articles and watch interviews more closely and that helped a lot.

hardest story to write: Brilliance. I wrote this for Lydia because I knew she never would. I know what she will and won't read and so I had to walk a very fine line with this one. I knew I wanted to keep it tasteful and sweet because I didn't want to offend Lydia; I was borrowing her OC, something I've never done before. Essentially I was writing in her AU and didn't want to fuck it up.

worst story: Simplicity. Totally not what I set out to do but I couldn't bring myself to scrap it. It's okay, but I could have done more.

easiest story to write: Life & Coffee Spoons. There were some parts that I got stuck, but overall it was a breeze. Everything came together so effortlessly. I had to stop checking the word count because I couldn't believe how fast it was growing and there was still so much left to write. It helped that I had a great brainstorm beforehand and wrote out a plan.

story i'd like to revise: Equilibrium. Make it less history textbooky and melodramatic.

story i didn't write but will at some point, i swear: Oh god, where do I start this list? The one on the top of my head is the Amazing Survivor AU collabo with littlealex.

first story you wrote this year: Since Equilibrium was already a WIP, it was Brilliance.

last story you wrote this year: JE holiday! I have wrote nothing but that since September. And honestly, I'm not really itching to do anything else--though I do have a dreamy Ohmiya AU WIP thing I should get back to. Maybe that'll be my first fic of 2010.

I need to write this otherwise I never will, well more than my existential post talking about feelings and crap. Alex and Jenny have already written theirs and there are other reports floating... I don't even know what I'm going to write but I feel like I should recap the experience for my own memorial purposes. Now that there are paparazzi pictures out, I am feeling refreshed.

So, let's start at the start.

( Omg so tl;dr it's not even funny. )

On Sunday I lead everyone on a tour of Tokyo, we walked through Nihonbashi and Ginza, went for a little ride on the Yurikamome, stalked around NTV, visited a temple and enjoyed the Tokyo Tower-ed skyline. I'm sorry Jenny that we couldn't go up. :( Or make it to Keio. I didn't think it would be that busy and we made some detours to the agenda. You'll just have to come back another time. Maybe by then, the new Sky Tree will be finished.

Are singing someone else's songs. They're doing part of some hit medley by some other guy (I missed the name but that song sounded familiar) and looking super hot. :D

Jun has some kind of... dirty thing with his hair going on that is really hot. But they went over board on the gel with Sho's. Everyone looks good in their grey jackets but I still prefer the black blazers & jeans.

And they sound really good. I can't say the same thing for Smap, Girl Next Door or Big Bang. :X