The grand "THINGS TO DO for 2008" -list:

Running Projects
1. Eden calls (the Soubi shrine):
- finish reading the remaining manga chapters
- continue writing after the reading is done
- come up with a new layout, because the current one appears rather.. huge (it's the header I guess)

2. blue cologne (Aoe Reiji fanlisting):
- start by renaming the damned thing. It will include the word rain. Something along the lines of 'my rain' or 'lluvia' or 'lluvia de estrellas'
- actually changing that layout after.. what? 2 years?

3. *Blade Driven (Bleach fanlisting):
- spare enough time to finally sit down and do a proper splitting of the information section and media section. Spiritual Candy is going to merge with Blade Driven. After talking it over with ruayla and some more thinking, it basically means that fanlisting and fansite (=info + media from Spiritual Candy) are to seperate.
- The new name for the humble Bleach fansite to-be: Code Orange.

Future projects
1. Velvet 18. What's that? The long planned George Koizumi shrine!! I have all this written material stuffed in a folder on my laptop.. it needs to get out in the public. I think 2008 will be the year when it does so. I mean, how long has Paradise Kiss been around now?.. Exactly. Well at least I already have the name out (if that counts for something at all).

2. *Mainframe.
- Oh my god. I just recently installed Wordpress on glassforte.com, and the amount of comment spam is already proportional. But, the mainframe is going to be in log/journal format eventually. In which I can write stuff about aspects of today's (or yesterday's) media.
- get a decent layout and domain section up.

*= most time-consuming

Well, that is quite a lot, even if it spans the whole of 2008. Talking about media; nice songs!

1. Romance - House Rulez (feat. Yujin)
The better electronica/lounge-sounds: you have the melody, the beats, the voice. If you like Clazziquai Project, you might like this as well (which isn't to imply they sound the same).

2. Forbidden City - 12 Girls Band
Their band name doesn't really improve persuasion power to get newbies to listen to them (it is rather cheesy, no?). But it's nice, and for anyone who wants to live up to the pretension of listening to so-called 'classical Chinese music', it's also a good choice.

Now to wrap this post up with an update on real life and my internship: busy.

Done.

On a quick mention: thanks arainymonday, missdeep, for reccing Eden calls. I know it is extremely late and I should be in bed. But an extremely tiresome day turned out well in the end because of your rec. You don't know how much of a boost this is for people to continue working on their sites; it's quite huge. Because really, inspiration moves worlds.

The Corinne Bailey Rae fanlisting has a new layout, tweaked content, improved coding and a new little music video section.

The plan was to finish the main domain layout as well, but that will have to wait until another Sunday, one which has enough free time for me to tweak around and come up with a nice design. (I have this Drew Barrymore photo that I probably will use in the layout, but it is so hard to come up with a fitting colour scheme; so I need a little more time on that.)

I can't believe my birthday is already in less than a month. Time goes fast!

Yay, I got myself a Last.fm account. (Care to friend, anyone? :D) Can't believe a music freak like me didn't get one of these sooner. It's really nice how they even keep you up to date with a list of gigs and performances on the agenda in your own country. And I'm kind of happy to see how the Red Hot Chili Peppers get the most play on Last.fm over here, seconded by Muse. They are after all, two very awesome bands(!). *bounces*

loud music makes glasses crack is now 6% more navigable than it previously was. This is all of the changes I can make to the domain for now. I need more inspiration gathering before I can get myself to make a new layout. Boo's.

After tweaking it on and off for the past weeks, arionwing finally receives a definitive new cover. I will settle with this for the coming time.

It now features the Versailles crew from Sofia Coppola's 2006 movie Marie Antoinette! I love that movie, period. The image comes from a Vogue photoshoot on location in Versailles (found at kirsten-dunst.org). I want to make layouts using every single photo that appeared in that Vogue issue, they're so pretty. (Next domain layout, maybe?)

The stylesheet is by refuted, so I really didn't do much to the design other than adding a header. Talk about convenience nowadays - oh lucky days.

The next update will pertain to the domain, and hopefully of more impact than this one. For real.

Eden calls, the Agatsuma Soubi shrine has a new layout! I hope this layout will entice visitors to read the content more than the last one did. I'm sorry for the previous layout; it was so ...white and naked and, it looked like it was unfinished - quite embrassing. Yes I suck at making a layout. Apparently I just lack the skills for it.

I really need to stop tweaking the Soubi shrine; everytime I look at it I'm not satisfied with it and then I start tweaking again, and again.. The next update at that site will pertain to media-related content (probably).

.. just, BLAH.

The Bleach Fanlisting now has quick links located on each section's seperate pages. The information pages and fanlisting pages for example have been adjusted to make browsing a bit easier. I admit I've probably never paid enough attention to these things. Instead, I think I'm guilty of unjustified over-estimation of visitor's willingness / ability to click away at a site. (XD) The affiliates list has also been updated, sites that didn't have any link directed back at Blade Driven have been removed.

And I've decided to revert to the verdana font again; I've been hesitant about either arial or verdana as the main font. And after arial for a while, I think I'll switch to verdana for the time being. (And if that doesn't look right, there's also tahoma to consider; I just can't make up which font actually looks the best on the entire site.)

I've tweaked my Livejournal profile a bit. Maybe I'll add more text once I've come up with something meaningful to say about myself.

Listen / Download:
Rest my Chemistry by Interpol. (Love this song)
Like a Star by Corinne Bailey Rae - do listen, please? ♥

A quick update. I've managed to make some 88 x 31 link buttons for glassforte.com. They are located on the information page. I've also validated the coding in XHTML transitional for the Bleach FL, George Koizumi FL and Soubi site last week.

Since I was out of town this weekend and had a digital camera with me, I took some photos in an attempt to practice some more in photography. I really want to acquire some skills, so I definitely need practice more often (ie. a LOT). I've uploaded some of the photos on my Vox account: Rococo @Vox. I suppose my Vox is now some sort of music - general media kind of, space, thing.

Because I am hooked, and perhaps for someone who might be interested: the Le Chevalier d'Eon anime ending video on Youtube.

I really love how for each character who was also a real historical figure, they used the 'official court painting' theme to depict them in the ending. Okay, so the real life people looked different from this anime interpretation, still, I like the image they applied - I especially like how Madame de Pompadour & Louis XV look in the paintings ♥ :D). And that song, I know I've already posted about it, but but, it's so freakin' beautiful! xO

Download / Listen:
OVER NIGHT (Le Chevalier d'Eon ED) by AYA.

Is it true, does Production IG's Le Chevalier d'Eon not have a fanlisting yet? blasphemy! (lol just kidding). I've perused TAFL's approved series list under the L, T and C, but I can't seem to locate it. Either that or my eyes fail on me. This anime was on my to-watch list of already completely aired anime, so I've picked it up during the week. I'm now somewhere at episode 12. As for now, I really LIKE it. I like it to the same degree as I liked Code Geass (and Death Note) after I started watching them.

( Continued Chevalier d'Eon fan talk )

Another element of this anime that is a certain factor of keeping me hooked: the anime ending song. (Anime music can partially make or break a series for me, I guess.) It's been a while since I've had a serious song obsession, but now I think I have one judging from the replays I've done for this piece of music. The melody is mysterious, nostalgic, it just floats so beautifully. I figure it'd be something slightly close to what Massive Attack could bring forth, though at the same time it's also somewhere between Jrock and Jpop? (i'm not sure though). But but, please listen to the song? :3 It's so awesome ♥

Download / Listen:
OVER NIGHT (Le Chevalier d'Eon ED) by AYA.

Yes! It is finally done.



Eden calls, an Agatsuma Soubi shrine.
This is pretty much the first shrine located in this place. I know there's a lot more experienced shrine makers out there - looks at flist. So if you stumble upon something stupid, let me know; I could use pretty much any advise and/or criticism to improve.

Besides that, I've also given Glassforte.com a new layout. It is a first 'real' layout of some sorts. At least there is a little bit more content this time. Still, I think I need to come up with a better one than this, someday. To all the sisters & affiliates of my previous aquarel.org: could you please update your links when you have a moment? At least, that's assuming you still want to be affiliated/sistered :3 I need to make buttons though, I hope I'll get to that sometime soon.

Oh and, is there anyone who'd be willing to donate some Soubi or Loveless icons for the Soubi shrine? :D (Like if you happen to have some icons around or are willing to make some.) I want to expand the media section with something other than music, but my icon skills are, like.. yeah. lol.

cassey004, chequeredfelon, atsumi, machineking, rubyjuls, asaphira_sachi, e_dimension, phenophtalein, missdeep, sixflowers, ruayla: thank you. If people of your sympathy and wisdom were named head of state, the world would be a better place to live in, really! And yes it meant (and means) a damn lot to me, so THANK YOU.

Oh I would want to say I have some sort of wonderful site update. But, well let's just say I'm working on it? And it's progressing slowly, but gradually! I plan on planting some shrines at glassforte.com. The goal is to get them done by the end of summer (aiming at August-ish). I'm not sure yet if I want to say to whom the shrines are going to be dedicated, but let's just throw in words along the lines of Paradise Kiss, glam loving fashion king and Loveless cigarette loving cat ears adoring painter.

And even more exciting news: sixflowers will be in Amsterdam this summer for her college exchange project! Yay! And she will be staying right at the University of Amsterdam's facilities. I'll be stuck in this place for the summer due to obliged essay writing, so this will be a good diversion from the routine uni work. Shirley, I know you're busy but if you happen to read this: call me when you've arrived so we can get together, be genki, hang out aaaand, it'll be fun!

As for the music topic, I actually like Taking the Long Way, the Dixie Chicks' 2006 studio album. I could never believe that an avid country music detesting person like me could ever like their music, but I honestly do! (LOL give me any kind of music and I'll listen & enjoy, as long as it's not country music. But I guess there's a first time for everything, ne? *smiles*)

New layout (best viewed in IE), new content, old codes and last but not least, a new location.

http://glassforte.com/bleach/

I will send members and affiliates e-mails about the link update in the course of next week.

I've also given my lj a new look: arionwing

Finally, there is some movement in the dusty arcades of my domain.

There is a new cover here.
I've also made a new layout for George's fanlisting a little while ago. Random thought: Purple/pink tones really suit this guy, no matter how you look at it. Blue hair and purple clothes D: isn't that too flashy.. ?

And also some updates at Soul Star were made about two weeks ago I think, just hadn't really mentioned it yet.

( short on Viewfinder )

Death Note anime owns me..

Code Geass owns me even more...

( Death Note & Code Geass talk )

Nooooo.... noooo!! *person who has finished watching 11 episodes of honey & clover 2 this last week* Yes, I finally got to watching the series and really, I'm so sad about the fact that Honey & Clover is over. I mean, I wouldn't have mind if there was a Honey & Clover 3 and H&C 4 and so on and so on. And now I've watched eps.11 and waaah, Haguuu, what are you doing?!?! Whyyyy, whyyy, of all the people ;_____;


( I need to rant about the (semi-) end of Honey & Clover II )


Annnd: Bye bye, Kaien!! T____T *waves with handkerchief*

Changed aquarel's mainframe and links page... don't ask XD

Killed off some sites, will close two fanlistings, have splitted up my fanlisting collective into a seperate joined page (which is under construction) and to either aquarel or kaien for owned fls. I don't have time to maintain a seperate fanlisting collective anymore, extra site means making extra layout xDDD.

I have yet again, continued reading Viewfinder. WAH.

Updated all of my fanlistings. (Dear Bleach has reached over 2000 last month ago?.. so claps & hoorays for that).

To anyone who has sent affiliation requests for either of my fanlistings or fl collective: yes and another yes; I would love to affiliate! :D It just takes me a while before I've replied to your e-mails. And then it takes me another while to actually add you on the site. I'm so sorry for the replicative delays.. but, you will be added, for sure!

As for my fanlistings: some of them will be closed. Some others I am thinking of getting hosted. Sooner or later I'll make a post in which I will advertise my fls in search of hosts XD;;

Wow I was so bored with my Jay Chou icon :O Will post again once i've decided which fls are to go and whatnot.

Hope everyone had a nice Christmas. I did, with lots of yummy food and fun and warmth and lights etc. Yesterday was fun too, I went to this super Dutch tourist attraction with a bunch of friends. We made pictures in front of windmills and little old-fashioned dutch houses. Yes we're all Dutch but biggest part of the group never has been to that place. And the cliche's are all so true: where there is a typical Dutch tourist site, there are Japanese people walking around with camera's, walking in & out shops buying souvenirs. EVEN when it's freezing, grey & misty weather.

What else? Oh yeah, KaienNU will exist until mid-March 2007 and then it'll go off air. And now I'm still not sure what to do with aquarelORG.. either keep the name, change the name or abondon the idea of domain renewal entirely. For now, I have to remember to update the links page and update some of my FLs.

I've put aside my Oscar Wilde compilation of plays to read this modern day fiction story about a guy who tells the story of his wife having terminal breast cancer. The book was good in that it was realistic and quite shocking at times. But nah, truth said it's not really my type of book to read on frequent terms. So as a result I've started in the Narnia Chronicles.. again. Hope I'll finish every one of the books in the series this time xD. Who knows I'll finish the Oscar Wilde plays?! :O

Anyway, wish everyone a very Happy New Year and a good & healthy 2007!

Happy Birthday to me!~~~ wheeee XDDD *cough*