solkage

Lately been feeling kind of depressed. A milestone of my life is fast approaching and I have nothing to show for it. No great works, haven't made my first million etc. worse is that not sure how to turn my life in the direction I want it to go.

Recently fell ill with a bout of flu that saw me with high fever for an entire week. Still kind of tired but at least the fever broke.
Don't like my current job and the problems associated with it.
Know what I'll rather be doing but not sure how to get to it as it's not really a 'normal' job.

最近，見到Meine Liebe 的卡通－其使剛開始不是保太大期待；單單是因人物原案是由Kaori Yuki小姐畫。。。

不過，后來迷上了它中的路易（Ludwig；可能是他比較像Kaori 后期的作品吧？！) 而上網看official website來讀這人物檔案.

下一跳！ 他竟是三兄弟中得長男！一讀到那句，腦海立刻想：「還有倆個那種模樣得，王國,不！世界完蛋了！！』 笑 XD

Still on a .hack//GU high I recently picked up the first of the manga series from Kadokawa books.

I'm quite sure the artist is the one who did the manga for the last series of Lodoss War. This raised my expectations for this book which unfortunately fell flat.

The art while quite good, was in direct opposite contrast to the .hack// futuristic style. The way it's drawn has a traditionalist feel to it, whereas .hack// is a one-of-it's kind high tech feel with fantasy overlay.

Recently started playing the .hack//GU PS2 game. As a player from the original hack game, I had high hopes for this instalment and thankfully the first part 'Rebirth' more than exceeded my expectations.

Unfortunately, I now have a .hack itch that can't be scratched as the next part isn't out in English yet! T.T

I had an idea for a short few pages Kyou Kara Maou doujin involving Gwendal and Conrad. The scene I had in mind was abit angst and I was all fired up to draw it when all of a sudden, my dear sibling started playing the opening song for Rurouni Kenshin.

Needless to say,my inspiration died a quick and sudden death. T_T

I recently heard that Wotc is publishing two spinoffs from the War of the Spider Queen series, hopefully it'll see the return of our two favourite duo!^^

我最近迷上了'今天開始魔之自由業'的漫畫。在那麼多的帥哥中，古恩達對我來講最有趣！

這位前魔王的大兒子，冷酷無情,說話又很不客氣的美男子。。。竟然喜愛編織和小動物! ^^

看他每次精心為王國而做的計化，老被有利搞壞。 又有任性得小弟，愛寵有利得二弟，老媽，拿他作實研品馮卡貝尼可夫卿艾妮西娜。。。－－；實在可憐他！

但很可惜，可能太嚴格得關系，大哥不受讀者歡迎 T_T

I really don't understand how they rate mangas sometimes.

Recently I've picked up the 1st book of the series Silver Diamond by Shiho Sugiura and decided it was not bad thus I decided to try picking up book 2.

Unfortunately after searching thru 4 shops including the one I picked book 1 from, I was told that if I want it I needed to place a order to bring it in.

It was at the 4th shop that I finally enquired why is it that everyone seems to have HEARD of the series non of them actually carry the ready stock at their stores.

I was told the book was considered of a more 'adult' nature and thus the restriction.

I went thru a mini-checklist on Silver Diamond to see how it measured against 少年残相(not sure if got the name correct?) an infamous book by Yuki Kaori that is available in most major manga bookstores here that left me shelled shocked after the first few chapters.

Violence
-Silver Diamond: fight scenes typical of a fantasy manga
-Yuki's book the main character is a serial murderer of boy prostitutes he slept with just cause he doesn't want to admit he bats for the other team. The reader gets front row seat for viewing of his handiworks.

Sex
-SD: Some suggestive dialogue but not even a kiss. Alot more hugs than any manga I've seen and I've seen alot in 10 years.
-Yuki Kaori's works are not to be discussed within polite company unless they are familar with her works.

Nudity
-SD: There isn't enough flesh to summon the urge to drool.
-少年残相: (see reason above)

Blood
-SD: The only guy that does bleed in the manga has this special ability where the spent blood immediately becomes bandages that patch up the wounds. I'm not sure there's enough blood up to book 7 to fill a packet for the blood bank.
-In 少年残相, the author has cut down the amount of blood somewhat to 82% I think, or perhaps its the fact there wasn't enough paper to bleed on as Angel Santuary.

Boys love boys
Both books are guilty although
-SD: Blushes and lots and lots of hugs - one can get diabetes with all the sugar in the air
-少年残相: (Copy & paste)main character is a serial murderer of boy prostitutes he slept wtih just cause he doesn't want to admit he bats for the other team. Oh, by the way, the 2nd main character blackmails him to be his lover...what you do think?!


Thus ends the checklist- and I conclude that either the world is mad or I am.

我太高心了！ 终于可以打中文字。而且又能和我最爱的Corel Photopaint 一起用 ^o^

Recently heard that Working Designs - the Company that produced Growlanser went under and panicked.

However the latest Game Weekly announced that the Growlanser series is now under the Atlus banner not only felt relieve but eager anticipation for the next Growlanser game.

Atlus in imo one of the best games Co. around. They have their hands in the production of practically every good RPG that is out on the market. Even big Co. like Capcom brings in Atlus to help in some of their production work. ^^

I realised I've been quite neligent lately in terms of my art.
I've not produced a satisfactory piece of art out of late not even fanart.
Tsk, even the Nest needs to be repaired quite badly but to be honest it is not going smoothly.

I also find myself somewhat dissatisfied with the way my life has been going.
Living day by day is really no way to live...I need to rethink my life goals here.

After taking my present position, I find myself wondering if there was any meaning to life. Or if I have offended someone upstairs big time.

Of course I could be done something very wrong if my previous incanation eg. burned a couple of villages as part of a ravaging warband that sort of thing.

But at least I'll know WHY my life is the way it is now. These past few weeks especially so-maybe there was babies in those villages?

Currently, The Nest is undergoing a major behind the scenes revamp. Kaga has decided to delete most of the stuff on the nest and to simplify the design of the nest as now that I am juggling school and a full-time job I simply don't have the time nor energy for an elaborate site.

After the revamp, fanfics will be hosted on our fanfiction.net a/c except for a few short favourites of ours.

It's time we clean up the gallery too. Thank you.

I...I can't believe it....I spoke to NEIL GAIMEN. WHOOOHOOOO! I'm in 7th heaven! He signed my copy of 'The Wake' from the Sandman series. One of the highlights of my life and I almost let it pass without saying something! Thankfully the brain managed to kickback in gear just in time for me to stammer a greeting wishing him well on his movie 'The High Price of Living'.

And shockingly he appeared very please with my greeting. Wow.

Am still dizzy with glee over the meeting I know I must have a silly grin on my face. Suddenly, I can see the sun for the first time in this entire lousy workweek.

Lately there's been talk on the Candlekeep forum about a sequel to bring back Pharaun. Personally, I feel that the time is not right yet for a new book on our favourite drow mage(to the Gromph fans- the Baerna is an ARCHmage not mage- there is a difference).

Instead I would prefer it if they had a story in Dragon, hinting at Pharaun(and possibly Rhys too)return. At the same time I hope that Wotc will choose an author to settle Pharaun with.

While FR is a shared world the best characters are usually allocated to one specific author/authoress;helps with character development?

If possible I hope Pharaun will end up with Richard Lee Byers/Thomas M. Reid or Richard Baker. (My personal favourite would be Richard Lee Byers)

On a side note- I've done a small doujinshi(fan comic) strip on Drizzt and Liriel. The words of the strip are not mine but that of the Lady Cunningham.

Looking back on my previous entry, I conclude that I was perhaps abit harsh. I knew the series might suffer through the constant changing of hands of writing thus I shouldn't have been expecting too much from the back. It's like that communication game my teacher used to play with us in comm class where one person pass a message from one to the other in a row and at the end the message ends up unrecognisable.

Am still mightly upset about Pharaun but will live with it. On a side note, have done a Drizzt (gasp!) for the first time. Am not really a Drizzt fan but one must respect the power of the character. (I suspect reading too many fanfics have killed any possible real deep appreciation for the stories.)

Sigh, really wish that the Waterdeep book hits the local stores soon- it's been too long since I've enjoyed a new Elaine Cunningham book.(Love her books!)

Oh hell, I just read at Candlekeep Forum that Pharaun died an idiot's death and there's no reunion with Ryld. ARGH!

After all these years I've finally found another character Forgotten Realms character that I can really love like Elaith and what happens? They gave him not only killed him but they killed him in such a way that was so OOC for him! I mean come now, do we really see Pharaun BEGGING help from Quenthel & Jeggard?!

And to be honest I don't really see what's the point of the series now. I mean, sure! Danife merge with Lolith and the Spider Queen moves to a new address but really, what changed? What ground breaking, world changing event happen? The only major thing I can see is that the City of Shimmering Webs is now a hole in the ground. -But that does not justify a 6 books series in my opinion.

Overall, the ending of the series is kind of disappointing- I expected a final meeting between Rylds and Pharaun perhaps with Halissa thrown in whereby Pharaun belates his dead comrade for throwing in with such foolishness that he doesn't believe in. And Rylds then decide to kill Halissa as he realises that Pharaun was right and his old friend knew his soul better than Halissa ever did. Or at least if Ryld still is bewitched with Halissa the two will duel. But at least it'll be SOMETHING more than the quiet death of the friendship between these two. With the intensity of Richard Lee Byers writing in the first book, a reader does kind of expect alot more out of these two at the end.

Sigh the only bright spot in this whole thing is that Valas is alive and hanging around for game-playing possiblilities. Through I do wonder- with Pharaun dead does that shapechanging spell casted on Valas to restore the latter to his normal form loses power?

Woohoo, there is a cosplay on the 26th at Far East. Sounds like fun, will probably bring a few friends to see.

Just read Daughter of the Empire and through enjoyed the book. Then went on to read the review for Servant of the Empire and felt all my expections do a nosedive.

Once again, the female lead turns all mushy over a single man from a strange unknown background with thoughts of rebellion. That is so *sigh*.

So disappointed...need to find nice new fantasy book to indulge in.

My horoscope is being disgusting true about this being the year I suffer poor health.

I seem to be suffering from bouts of headache and stomach cramps on a recurring basis lately. Hopefully it'll pass.