R’s Perk Me Up Playlist 001

I’m not one of those people who you could call a “morning person” and an “anti-morning person”. I’m a little bit caught in between; there are some really good mornings that I found myself waking up on the right side of the bed, ready to take on anything. And there are some days are just really terrible and I’m questioning how I’m going to get through the day. Believe me, it’s a vicious cycle and it was not easy especially last year when I was a college senior.

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But whether you wake up sluggish, thinking every morning is unmotivating or you wake up with a thankful mood and have a good feeling about the rest of the day (even if those days are rare), it makes a difference to listen to something awesome in the morning. Coffee just doesn’t do it for me. I need something flooding my ears and it just shuts everything out to get me in that steady, feel good mood. Best thing to feel in the morning and awesome tuneage just helps a lot and just boosts everything up.

I’m not saying I have the best taste in music but I just LOVE every track in this playlist. It’s not my permanent Morning Playlist however these tracks have been on constant repeat every morning when I’m on the computer (I have a bad habit if getting my computer fix immediately before breakfast) lately. And it’s in Japanese. Japanese is the language I’m still learning and I have to admit I don’t understand every bit of Japanese in the lyrics but personally I have to say I’ve improved And besides, these songs in particular sound amazing! I simply cannot resist unique musical arrangements.

These bands are my personal favorites by the way and I highly recommend them especially to J-music enthusiasts. They’re all fantastic!

It kind of tells a story. Just listen and don’t overthink. Sometimes it’s the beat, sometimes it’s the words. No matter what, music is the key to creating positive emotions.

Happy mornings are awesome.

Credits: Photography courtesy of my boyfriend, P.

This would be the second toy review I’ll be doing featuring statues from the famous Kotobukiya Bishoujo Collection. The last review I did was for DC’s Wonder Woman which can be found here and this time I’ll be featuring one of Marvel’s famous mutant femme fatales: Rogue from the X-Men.

Kotobukiya’s Bishoujo Rogue was the first Bishoujo statue that my boyfriend bought and the figure which I think made him enamored of the toy line and made him fear for his wallet. It’s definitely something new and pleasing to the eye and anime-styled superheroines were definitely something he and I could get into.

We have to note that Rogue was the first ever Kotobukiya Bishoujo to be released and this was back in 2010. But I have to say, Kotobukiya has come a long way since then and the sculpting designs for these statues have definitely evolved. Still, the Bishoujo Rogue is a fantastic first for the line and it definitely captured many fans’ hearts since its release.

Kotobukiya’s Bishoujo Rogue looks looks vibrant and eye-catching and she’s placed in a bold pose which emphasizes her beautifully sculpted bishoujo body thanks to Koei Matsumoto‘s sculpting skills. She’s wearing her classic Jim Lee styled which emphasizes the fantastic sculpt of her body which is beyond sexy. The look of the Bishoujo Rogue is based from the rendition of the famous illustrator Shunya Yamashita and if you aren’t familiar with his works, he’s known for adding a very pin-up and sensual anime twist to his characters. This is obvously evident in the Bishoujo Rogue.

I have to say that I love the sculpt and you could see a keen attention to detail was definitely put into it once you see creases and folds of the fabric of her suit, boots and gloves.  I’m a big fan of the flowing hair and her short leather jacket (I saw a variant which features her in a longer leather jacket but I found myself liking the shorter jacket) and I think it adds an edgier touch to her feminine and voluptuous features.

The over all paint job is fantastic as well. The use of the classic X-Men bold and bright colors was a big hit to me. The coloring throughout the her suit was carefully put on and very uniform. The PVC plastic works well with the paint too and the natural sheen of the plastic comes out which definitely attracts light in the right places of the statue. For a first Bishoujo release, I have to comment that her face in particular was painted very well. No signs of bleeding at all and I think this is one of the things that made the figure and the toy line capture the attention of many fans.

My only issue though with the figure is Rogue’s expression as well as the base she’s standing on. The minimalistic base I thought was too simple. It looked a bit flimsy and forgettable if you’re looking at the figure as whole. They could’ve done something else to it and I rather found it too plain for my liking and it doesn’t do anything to the overall impact of the statue itself.

Rogue’s face is simple and I definitely commend the paint job. I like it but not exactly raving about it. And for some reason I think they could’ve done more with her expression. It may be just me but I think it’s a pose-y kind of expression and a bit vacant. I wish the face could’ve shown a bit more of Rogue’s personality as a tough cookie and her complex persona as Anna Marie.

Unlike the Wonder Woman Bishoujo which stands about 9 inches, Bishoujo  Rogue is smaller and stands approximately  7 3/5 inches high including the base. It’s not really much of an issue for both P and me since the details of the figure are still fantastic and still high quality.

Overall, I still think Kotobukiya’s Bishoujo Rogue is still a great buy and definitely worth your money despite a few issues for me. For a first in the Bishoujo line of figures, she’s definitely a laudable first release and the quality of the figure doesn’t suffer at all! One thing I’m happy about is that Kotobukiya decided to take the direction of the overall look of their Bishoujo statues to their more original looks instead of completely giving them a very anime makeover. Rogue is a good figure to start your collection with so I suggest you avail one if you’re interested   She was released in 2010 and I believe there are still stocks of her available in the market.

Camera zooms in. Focus on the eye and the trembling mouth. Pans out a bit and sees a backside view of my hunched figure holding a mobile phone against my ear. Every noise dies down and then all at once the silence is broken because of my own voice “NO SHIT“. Eventually I sounded too crazy and nearly killed myself by falling down our treacherous stairs but there’s no other way to accurately describe how I looked except with gifs.

I thank the Force, the Lord, the Higher Ups, the Powers That Are. During the exams, it was definitely hard to not get your confidence level to not fluctuate and to prevent yourself from overthinking about the possibilities after the whole affair is over. I have a strong belief there’s a Higher Power at work here and it’s telling me something. I’ve had a lot of doubts about myself and constantly wrestling with my self worth but this is just something I am extremely proud of. Thank you!

The whole review process feels like I’ve been to hell and back but without my mother I wouldn’t have made it. Her unwavering support and love and understanding even if I bitch at her because of the stress and the anxiety, goodness, I can’t even begin how I’m thankful for her. All of my sacrifices and this success are for her! For all the heartaches she received in the previous years, this at least could make her really happy. And she was and could not stop saying to everyone “Take one lang! Take one lang!”. She told me later it was really a testimony that her hard work as a parent and provider paid off immensely and it was the best time of her life. I wish my dad was still here. It would have been priceless to see his face and hear his voice about this wonderful news.

P and my closest friends! Without P, I would’ve gone crazy while reviewing. He’s been such a wonderful companion throughout this whole affair and I’m so glad we both made it as passers! And my friends were always there whenever I needed tips, review materials, happy company to fight away the stress and for having faith in me. Without all of these wonderful people including my family, I wouldn’t have had the courage to face the daunting 500-item exam. Passing is my gift for them, one way of showing I would not let them down.

For those that didn’t make it and are planning to give it another chance, I admire you. Like I said, taking that 500-item exam against thousands of other aspiring nurses takes an unbelievable courage. It’s admirable to have another drive and to rise up after not being victorious for the first time and this just shows how stronger you can be. More importantly do not let faith in yourself and your loved ones falter. In most people’s cases, it is the one thing that keeps them going and a drive that pushes them to reaching their dreams. For those who are taking the exams again and for the first timers, best of luck!

When you go in search of your Personal Legend, the whole universe tries to ensure that you get what you want. – Paulo Coehlo (The Alchemist)

What can I do with my happiness? How can I keep it, conceal it, bury it where I may never lose it? I want to kneel as it falls over me like rain, gather it up with lace and silk, and press it over myself again.

Spong-goodies from the most awesome boy in the world: P!

I’m a non-traditionalist especially with these kinds of things but I have to say receiving a flower from that person is a really fantastic gesture and gives you an awesome feeling ♥ He also gave me the most tasty egg pie in town to share with my family and it was sure hit with everyone. They took a few slices off already since they were so excited to try it once I came home last Tuesday night. He also gave me wonderful gift and he pretty paper bag which reminded me a bit of a Japanese origami paper was a very sweet touch.

The whole day was pretty much simple and fun in it’s own way. It was a day of being our usual “mall rat” selves, an eat-eat-all-you-can merienda buffet which left us really stuffed (we didn’t get dinner after) and a not-so-impressive movie in the theater: The Grey. We didn’t like it at all and the trailer looked so promising too and the fact that it had Liam Neeson in it. It wasn’t so bad as long as P was with me and was willing to be really kooky in public with me, so that’s pretty much alright.

I made him a Valentine’s Day face hugger card and my first batch of fried oreos. The fried oreos were really good! Very sweet but it was really unexpected that they’d turn out as I hope they would taste like. It’s a bit of a heart attack per piece but it’s undeniably good and it was fantastic with some cold vanilla ice cream. I’m so glad P loved it! He couldn’t believe fried oreos existed but they do and it was really worth it to see he loved it with much gusto.

This is a random doodle that I made for him and it’s probably one of his favorites. Both of us sipping our favorite Coffee Three (we pronounce it as KOHPI-TRI) from Quickly, one of our simple joys in life. We make a pretty wicked pair, I think and it’s absolutely fantastic I can be with someone that I can be mutually compatible with and yet we’re both so different in many ways.

I love you!♥  Happy Penguintines Day, Penguin Man.

Instead of spoiling the opportunity you have to be happy by being bitter and whiny, channel that negativity to something positive. I think by starting that way, it would change negative perceptions about this certain time of year.

That aside, I’m going to show a person how much I my appreciation is in this post. Songs are fantastic for things like this, yes? Some of my favorite love songs are all here and it just feels right to share them. Le good kind of cheese.

Hello P

C’est La Mort by The Civil Wars

Go get lost where no one can be found
Drink so long and deep until you drown
Say your goodbyes but darling if you please
Don’t go without me.

Between Two Lungs by Florence + The Machine

Between two lungs it was released
The breath that passed from you to me
That flew between us as we slept
That slipped from your mouth into mine

Something About Us by Daft Punk

I might not be the right one
It might not be the right time
But there’s something about us I’ve got to do
Some kind of secret I will share with you

Love and Some Verses by Iron & Wine

Love and some verses you hear
Say what you can’t say
Love to say this in your ear
“I’ll love you that way”

Toothpaste Kisses by The Macabees

and with heart shaped bruises
and late night kisses
divine

The Way I Am by Ingrid Michaelson

Cuz I love the way you say good morning
And you take me the way I am.
If you are chilly, here take my sweater
Your head is aching; I’ll make it better.

Falling Away With You by Muse

And forget the reckless things we’ve done
I think our lives have just begun.

I Still Remember by Bloc Party

And our love could have soared
Over playgrounds and rooftops
Every park bench screams your name
I kept your tie;
I would let you if you asked me.

Birds of A Feather by The Civil Wars

She’s the sea I’m sinking in;
He’s the ink under my skin.
Sometimes I can’t tell where I end;
Where I leave off and he begins.
But who could do without you?

♠ Chronicle (2012) – P and I watched it the other day and we were just surprised how good it was. It’s a mockumentary film about teen superhero origins done just right. It has a very unique take on the idea of superpowers and what it could do to normal people like us– we wouldn’t even use it to save the world; we’d probably use it the same way the boys did in the film. It was very interesting and P and I we’re just raving about it. Definitely check it out if you haven’t seen it yet! Here’s the trailer:

♠ Sisig Hooray’s Chicken Sisig in barkada size. P and I don’t care. We just love to EAT and this one in particular just makes us go:

Batshit crazy for it.

♠ Tenkuu no Escaflowne (Vision of Escaflowne) anime marathons for that epic nostalgia wave of the late 90s. This is my third time watching the series and it still blew my mind the same way it did when I watched it for the first time many years ago. Definitely an anime classic and my OTP is still Hitomi and Van. Like what my friend said, awkward teenage romances for the win and Van is still just gorgeous. I still have the soft spot for his character after all this years!

♠ Zooey Deschanel is one of the few women I look up to. And I just found something: an interesting letter she wrote to Vogue when she was 17 and Vogue actually published it.

♠ Re-reading my copy of Brothers Grimm’s Complete Fairytales and realizing how I love them. It’s interesting that my particular favorites are definitely the stories with things Disney fairytales aren’t made of. But all of them have that recurring theme of senseless violent deaths, deals with the Devil, mayhem, madness and treachery. I’ll probably do an entry about my favorite tales one of these days.

♠ Beautiful paper dresses made from vintage maps! Source.

♠ I think this seemed really appropriate: Salvador Dali’s illustrations for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

♠ Finding out someone does the same weird things as you do.

♠ A Lord of the Rings Valentines! These are definitely fun and it’s definitely nice to send them to your friends. My favorite is the Sauron and Aragorn one.

♠ Seeing someone read your favorite book.

♠ Watching Fight Club with P.

♠ When someone offers the rest of their food to you. I mean, who can resist that? HAHA!

♠ The movie Warrior (2011) which stars Joel Edgerton, Tom Hardy and Nick Nolte. I’ve never (on a regular basis) watched a sports themed action drama film and I have to thank P for letting me watch this one because it’s definitely a good place to start. I loved it more than I thought I would and ended up shedding a few tears near the end of the film. The whole plot was good and there was a lot of thought provoking and moving instances in the stories of the 3 men. For a film industry that doesn’t get into movies dealing with sports that much, I thought this would be an exceptional addition to that genre. The actors were excellent in their roles and were able to deliver a fantastic performance in a film which I thought was gripping and intense. A must watch especially for you fans of mixed martial arts and UFC.

Credits: Photography courtesy of my boyfriend, P.

I previously featured Kotobukiya’s Bishoujo Wonder Woman figure before in this entry when my boyfriend initially got it. Now I felt that entry didn’t justify what a fantastic figure it is and so I’m giving it a proper toy review it deserves.

The Kotobukiya Bishoujo Collection is probably one of Kotobukiya’s most successful endeavors to date.Teaming up with one of Japan’s well known illustrators Shunya Yamashiya, they’ve created an impressive collection of
statues featuring prominent and well-loved femme fatales and heroines in the geekdom with a Japanese bishoujo (pretty girl) twist.

My boyfriend P is the more toy-inclined of us two and he’s especially fond of this particular series of figures. I myself am interested in them and it can’t be denied that these are figures done just right! Take for instance, DC’s Princess
Diana of Themyscira, more popularly known as Wonder Woman.

Overall, Kotobukiya’s Wonder Woman looks incredible! She stands up with a dignified pose like how any warrior should be and her face is full of determination, ready to face any threat coming to get her. She also has a sense of being graceful as well, with her raven her billowing in the wind and just flows and frames her gorgeous face. Wonder Woman’s expression is not smiling nor is she frowning; instead, she looks like she’s planning an attack or out to get a villain. Beautiful nonetheless.

This is exactly why I love Wonder Woman than some of the Bishoujo girls; she’s not as pose-y or looks “forced” as the rest and she’s sculpted the way how her character should be and what she represents: a strong and confident female warrior.

Those who aren’t familiar with Shunya Yamashita, I would describe his style as a crossover between anime and pin-up style. His works show that he has a keen understanding of realistic anatomy and incorporates this to the anime style, rendering his female characters with well proportioned and well developed bodies, and with beautiful and entracing expressions. I think Yamashita’s provocative style is just perfect for Kotobukiya’s Bishoujos especially Wonder Woman. It emphasizes Wonder Woman’s womanliness and the showcase of her well-toned muscles in her fitting star spangled costume gives it the right amount of sexiness and fierceness, which is just right for DC’s Amazonian warrior princess.

I just love that everything about the Wonder Woman statue is not overdone from top to bottom. I have to commend the sculptor of the figure because it’s obvious that great attention has been put into her body. Her limbs and muscles don’t look exagerrated and are in fact well proportioned. Great care has been put in the details of her musculator from the face down to her lower limbs. I adore her legs especially. Every muscle and curve her works, especially around the knees. Quality work I’m telling you.

For the paint job, it’s a definite hit for me. It didn’t give her a “flat” look and you can just put Wonder Woman up your display case and she just pops! The colors work so well together– her raven black hair against her creamy fair skin and the colors of her suit, the metallic red and solid blue with a touch of gold is as striking as her pose.

Now for the base and the accessories.

The base was totally a hit for me and P since it definitely shows you cannot miss on any detail when making iconic figures like Wonder Woman and things like this make it worth collecting. Wonder Woman is not standing up on a plain base like how it was with the Bishoujo Rouge. The Amazonian warrior princess stands upon a disc with her spartan weapons on it. The weapons are beautifully detailed from her epic shield to her cloak and I think it’s fantastic that this base adds to the overall appeal of Wonder Woman as an strong heroine and yet it doesn’t distract us from the figure itself.

The accessories are pretty solid too. Her whole look includes bulletproof bracelets (good for warding off attacks) and the magic lasso which makes anyone who was caught in it answer questions truthfully. I liked that the lasso didn’t look limp when she held it. The Lasso of Truth is stretch taut as if it’s being readied to capture offenders in sight. Again, keen detailing was evident here.

Kotobukiya’s Bishoujo Wonder Woman stands a litte over 9 inches tall ( 1/7 scale) and made with quality solid PVC.  P and I both agree that she’s definitely worth your money and a fantastic piece to add to your collection whether you’re a Kotobukiya Bishoujo collector, DC fan, Wonder Woman lover or collector who loves a figure that reflects great craftsmanship.  She’s great eye candy sure enough and P and I hope that this level of quality on Kotobukiya Bishoujo girls will continue with future Bishoujo releases.