... being Politically Correct

Okay, so maybe not. I'm just thinking about it because of some articles I've been reading for school. Political correctness. PC (although that makes me think of personal computer, which could just be showing my age...). It's all very important. Anyway, we were give some articles and a short bedtime story written in a PC-style. The tale reminded me of a great little book I picked up from an op-shop called "Once Upon a More Enlightened Time" that I just adored and giggled over. (I really must find it again...)

As someone who values language very highly, I do see the importance of being unoffensive in speaking and writing, especially in a public sphere.  For politicians, newspapers, TV and radio especially, I think it's extremely good practice to use a blanket of PC language.  It's nicer that way - people aare more comfortable and no one has to see/hear/face/be exposed to anything that emotionally or societally threatens them or someone they know. We don't need sexist, racist or offensive in any other way to be broadcast to the public at large. I agree with the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis: I believe that our language represents our values both individually and as a culture. I don't think many people understand the power that our language has over us in shaping our thoughts and societies,  and how we use language affects everyone we come in contact with.

Satirical comedy, I guess, is perhaps the only or at least, one of the few, places where I don't mind seeing some creative political incorrectness. And so, I'm going to list some examples I have, but some I do feel are much more humourous than actualy useful in everyday life.

Alcoholic: Anti-Sobriety Activist
Corpse: Permanently Static Post-Human Mass
Cowardly: Challenge Challenged. 
Drunk: Chemically Challenged.
Plagiarism: Previously owned prose. (By the way, as a sidenote, I really, really, really, really, really hate plagiarism. Just saying'.)
Rudeness: Tact Avoidance
Skinny: Skeletally Prominent
Vomiting: Unplanned Re-examination of Recent Food Choices


Anyway, I'm sure you've all heard of these sorts of things. If you have a favourite, let me know! Word/language humour is a big thumbs-up from me :)

This is Shi, enjoying schoolwork.

PS. I think I was rambling.  Please excuse my rambling - I have a flu at the moment, which means my writing skills drop significantly. I do still love it though, even when I'm sure it's rubbish. And it rambles. Which I'm doing now... again... *sneezes*

... listening to the GazettE's new single "Vortex"

So, the first post about the afore-promised music! And it's the GazettE (of course, because I love them).

Well, the GazettE's latest single came out today, 25th of May. And I, like any fan, looked it up on Youtube because it's exceedingly hard to my hands on any new releases by my favourite Japanese bands otherwise. Yes, I'll probably buy the album as soon as it comes out.

I have a headcold right now, and this might affect my judgement, but... My first impression was that it was a little generic... a bit "normal". The music was not nearly as interesting as some of their other stuff, but going by their latest releases, perhaps I shouldn't be surprised. Shiver, Red and Pledge haven't exactly been Katherine in the Trunk, Nausea & Shudder or Taion to me. Actually, since signing with Sony, I think perhaps they aren't as adventurous as they used to be. Come on, Gaze-boys, I want more Filth in the Beauty and Silly God Disco! Don't be afraid to experiment with your sound!

Which, I guess, maybe they have been - after all, I'm certainly hearing a lot more synthesizer in there. Not exactly a bad thing, but... perhaps I'm just used to the guitars having those kind of parts.  But more importantly, enough with the vocal modulation! Ruki, your voice is perfect, so leave it alone! Since Red, I've been hearing too much computerised-pitch-toning-things going on, and I don't like it. The effects over the vocals were fine in Distress and Coma because it worked, but the ones used in Red and Vortex? It's just too much.


Also, for a Visual Kei band, I expected the outfits to be a touch more dramatic. Not like Versailles or Kiryu, because that's not the GazettE's style, but the clothes in Vortex are very toned down. Not even a ridiculous suit for Ruki! The only exciting thing about the new look was probably that Aoi's hair is now bright pink (which could be seen as somewhat ironic) - it's a nice change from the usual black. As for the others... I couldn't really see. I think Reita and Kai have the same colour hair now, and Uruha...well, he's a darker blond, but similar hair style to usual - maybe a little longer. Ruki is dark blond too, for now, darker in the video than in that pre-release photo.

The video wasn't as compelling as others like Filth in the Beauty or Taion either. It was much more like Red, or even like Before I Decay or Leech - fast moving cameras, hardly stopping to focus on the band. Not so much storyline happing either, just some guy in a straightjacket (being driven insane by the GazettE's music?). I will say that I'd love to have the room with the speakers - red or white, not really fussed - just because aside from the guy going crazy, that would make a great room for parties. The music would go amazingly loud! And that's always good in my books.

On another, completely different note, I am loving the guitars. I mean, I know they've had them for a while (at least, Uruha and Reita have) but I've never noticed the pattern design on Aoi's ESP. That is one nice looking guitar.

All in all, I'm not sure I liked it. I'm sure it will grow on me (Shiver did, but maybe that's because I like the second season of Kuroshitsuji....). Vortex sounds like a good head-banging song, and will probably do well at concerts, fitting right in there with Vermin and Ogre. As for the lyrics, I don't know... the only site I really trust would be the gazette_lyrics LiveJournal archive because they are always meticulously done by the translators, and it's not up there yet.

In any case, if you're a fan of rock-metal, Visual Kei or the Gazette, check it out. Here's link to the video, but it will probably go down  in a few days (you know what the PS Company is like), and then we'll all have to buy the single. Enjoy it while it lasts :)

This is Shi, rockin' out!

... who dreads November

I'm procrastinating.

It might seem silly, but there's a very good reason why I am. There's a pile, a huge mountain of homework stacked up on my desk, in my bag and on my USB keys and emails. I don't want to do it.

There are also little red notes, written into my school diary, proclaiming days and nights of nervousness. SAC days. Days of doing SACs. And I don't want to do them either.

So really, I should be doing my homework as practice for my upcoming, inevitable SACs. It makes sense to practice writing essays, and complete comprehension questions, applying my understanding to every little detail in the course outline so that when that SAC day comes, I know my stuff. It would be a breeze, right? Just go in, knowing my stuff, and complete everything in a 75 minute period. Done.

And because my head knows that, I'll stop procrastinating, and do my homework. I'll do all of it, or as much as I can, because I know how important my grades are and I really do care about doing well.

But just hearing teachers say that awful E-word just makes me dread November. "You have to know this for the exam", they say, or "this will probably be on the exam" or even, "this is how they separate the good kids from the great kids in the exams". Everything comes down to what you know on that day, with those white pages staring you in the face, and only you can decide how much you can pull yourself together, and just write the answers.

So I dread November. Not really because I feel like I won't know enough about my studies to do well on the exams, but rather because I'm wondering: what will I know afterwards? When I have to  go out into the world as an adult, will I be prepared? I always thought that highschool would prepare you for that, but now it seems we're being prepared for November, and that's all.

So what about December? And the next year after that? After I've relinquished the memorized theories, dates, names and terminology, what will I know that can help me in the real world? I really do wonder.

This is Shi, procrastinating just a little more.

... getting Steampumped!

After much anticipation, Saturday May 7th finally rolled around. It wasn't that it was a Saturday that was so exciting - although it was a benefit from the wardrobe side - but the fact that it was Steampump.

Yes. Steampump. "An evening of Steampunk edification and enjoyment in subterranean Melbourne" - that direct quote from the website exactly sums up what Steampump was.

But I'll start at the start. 

I spent all day putting together clothes. All day. My bedroom went from neat to messy in half an hour, my wardrobe is empty, and my sewing table has disappeared under skirts, petticoats, jackets and coats. I had to put together three outfits (one for each of us in my family that went) which was so much fun. I think next time I'll need to invite a larger group.

It took us hours to get ready, which perhaps was to be expected, and I rediscovered that our bathroom really isn't big enough for three women. I think we need three bathrooms. But once we were ready to go, we headed on our way.

I'll summarise our journey to the city with this: nerve-wracking. Next time, I'll take a better map.

Once we arrived, we headed to the Donkey Wheel House Basement. After having some trouble with the ticketing and Paypal, we found the organisers to be terrific. Just fantastic. They held our tickets at the doors, and when we finally arrived, we were shown in and around with great courtesy. I have never been more impressed with the organising staff. I wish there was someone, such as a boss or something, that I could lavish praise on. They were marvellous.

So then we looked around. It was... amazing. I have never seen anything like it. I didn't think there would be anything like it in Melbourne! It was huge, and there were so many people - everyone looked so lovely, in fantastic clothes. And the program! There was so much to see: gorgeous fashion from Clockwork Butterfly (which I just adored), burlesque performances, steampunk hoola-hooping, a demonstration on snuff, magician Richard Vegas, a Faro table, Victorian Era bareknuckle boxing, Gentlemen's self-defence (with a cane, no less!) and many eccentric gadgets and gismos on display as well jewellery and little pretties to buy. The music was great all night too, not a pop song within earshot! We got there a little late, so we missed some demonstrations, but it has just made me want to go again next year.

Another great aspect of the night was the Steampunks themselves. Everyone was so polite. We spoke to so many people about their clothes, accessories, laserguns, demonstrations and stalls - and everyone was so happy to just chat and be merry. It was just so lovely.

The highest-light of the evening would be when my group won the 'best dressed' award. It was such as wonderful, unexpected surprise as there were so many fantastic outfits there. We'll be headed to the Steampunked Circus Oz as our prize, which I am utterly thrilled about and can't wait for! (You can bet there will be an entry about that in the future!)

The one downside was that I was so filled with wonderment that I forget to take photos! We even had to stop into a supermarket on the way to grab batteries (which got some funny looks), and I still forgot to whip out the camera. But aside from that, my first foray into the exciting world of steampunk was a blazing success!


This is Shi, hypnotised by the inner gears of her shiny new pocket watch.

... Explaining the Blog

After poking around the site for a bit, I thought I should perhaps elaborate on what kind of thing I'll be putting here.

As this is a mostly Shi-centric (as in, me-centric) blog, it really could be anything, but you'll most likely find my thoughts about bands/music of various genres that lean towards or a combination of Visual Kei/Symphonic Metal/Rock, as well as alterative fashion and subcultures, complaints about schooling and education systems (I'm a student, after all, it's to be expected), various thoughts about news and current issues and also probably a fair bit on  interesting words. I like words. A lot.

There is also a high chance of drivel, meaningless garbage, possible adult language and themes (unlikely, but possible, so if you don't like it... I'm sure you know what to do...), conspiracy theories, and some real-life stuff (most likely whinging. I like to whinge.).

So.

Yes.

But mostly, I'm sure it be about the hopefully more interesting music, fashion and writing. They are my passions, and that's what I want to explore and enjoy and bore you to tears share with people. I can't promise to be great or anything like that. I'd love to be, but... we'll have to wait and see.

If you're into any of that, follow me. I'll probably follow you, too, if that's what you're about. As you can probably tell, I'm new to blogging, so it might take me a while to figure out all the perks and untangle all the knots but I'll get there.

This is Shi, being hopeful.

....*poking around*

*pokes around*

Well.

In a way, I never thought I'd be here. On a blog, I mean. I read blogs, I do.  Mostly music blogs, I admit, following all the latest news and releases from my favourite bands in Japan because people are kind enough to translate those things and my Japanese is rather... poor. (Dismal, actually).

But writing a blog? Do I even have the committment for that? Me, who doesn't even have the committment for Facebook, able to sustain writing a blog?

It's a challenge. But it's one I'm fully prepared to accept for a few reasons, which I shall outline:

1. I need a de-stress thing. And solitaire isn't cutting it anymore.
2. As I said, I no longer use Facebook, which is freeing up a surprising amount of  my time. This would be a more productive fill in, I think. It really can't be any more of a giant blackhole sucking in and erasing time than FB was, can it?
3. I want to have a goal, and a place to order my thoughts, share things I like and hopefully find people with similar interests - Goodness knows there aren't many around where I live!
4. And perhaps most importantly - or at least, what has given me the push - a very good friend of mine (someone I respect very much) has recommended it to me.

So here I am, beginning my blogging journey.

This is Shi, starting a blog!

(Wish me luck ^^')