Well, of course, it should really be spelled "craze", but I felt like using alliteration. :p

Korean pop, or k-pop as it is often called, seems to have become quite popular in the last few years. It also seems to be a trend (even if it is unintentional) for people who were once obsessed with anime to turn their interests to Korean dramas and bands. It's not a bad thing necessarily, though I must say it made me feel both sad and proud. Sad because I felt like the race of otakus was dying out (though actually that's not really true at all, from what I've seen on the Internet lately), and proud that I wasn't following a trend. The second part's funny, considering that I'm probably missing out on a lot of good things because I try not to do what everyone else is doing. (I guess that was part of the reason I picked Weight Training instead of Dance. I didn't want to add to the stereotype that girls take Dance and boys take Weight Training. But then again, I actually do want to try Weight Training.) After getting disappointed by the Twilight series, I lost faith in what's popular with the general public. Though I'm starting to jump back on the bandwagon again, particularly since I've watched a couple of popular anime (Durarara, Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica) and found that they were actually quite good.

Back to k-pop. I haven't really listened to too much of it. I've tried, but I'm not usually all that fond of hip hop and dance music (I have the feeling I've misidentified the genres, but whatever). There are a few groups that I do like, such as DBSK (which has, unfortunately, split up, though a few of the members made a new group called JYJ, I think). Maybe I should listen to more of it. The other day, Shiroi showed me a few songs, such as a DBSK acapella, and also, to my surprise, some Japanese songs sang by K-pop groups. It's pretty cool that they can sing in too languages. But then again...have you heard any of those Vocaloid songs which are supposed to be in English, but the lyrics don't make any sense? I heard this Luka song the other day that was saying something about German alcohol, I think. I guess the composer's knowledge of English was a bit...lacking. Maybe it's just because Asian countries seem to enjoy putting English words in their songs and on their products, even if they aren't exactly sure what it means?

As for actual Korean songs by K-pop groups, thefalse-tto introduced me to Pinocchio Danger and Nu Abo by the group F(x). In particular she pointed out the girl Amber, who has now been added to my growing list of women/girls that I admire. For some reason I really like tomboyish girls and girly-looking guys. But besides that, it turns out Amber is actually Taiwanese-American and from California (I assume from around Los Angeles, since that is apparently where she got picked up by SM Entertainment).

Speaking of Los Angeles, I'd sure like to go there - not because I'm planning to audition to become a k-pop singer (though I actually would like to try if I had a larger vocal range), but because of Miku Hatsune's live concert at Anime Expo... Right now all the tickets are sold out, but I really hope there will be more. I'm thinking about going there if more tickets become available. (True, since Miku is a Vocaloid, she's just going to be a hologram and I could probably watch the concert on Youtube later, but I've started to think that a concert is a totally different experience from listening to music by myself. After all, you're surrounded by tons of people who love the same thing that you do.) This is one of the times that I feel frustrated about living in the suburbs. It's rather far from the action sometimes. (But there was a convention a lot closer to where I live, I guess I couldn't gone to that one...The price and the fact that finals were coming up threw me off, though...Still, would've been nice to look at the merchandise and see people perform at the convention.) Oh well. When there's a will, there's a way. I'll have to see about getting to LA.

Labels: amber, anime, anime expo, california, concert, convention, english, f(x), japan, k-pop, korea, languages, los angeles, miku hatsune, music, otaku, trend, vocaloid, weight training

When my mom's friend and her family came over to my house, she brought a present for my mother. It was a Coach handbag, a black one. I have no idea if she herself is a fan of Coach, but Coach does have quite a bit of fame.

A lot of people in Japan were excited over brand name bags. I saw a huge line of people waiting to get into the Gucci store, it was that popular. (I guess they only let a certain amount of people inside at a time. I mean, that way the people working there can pay more attention to you.) And women in the area where I live also like brand names, such as Louis Vuitton. I see them toting such bags.

My mother says that a lot of the people just like to show off, thinking it will make them look rich or trendy. That's really not the right reason to buy a brand name. If you really like it because of the looks (I, for instance, like anything that is shiny!) or usefulness or some reason like that, then all is as it should be. But it's dreadful that people would think it would make you look affluent to have a brand name handbag. If you saved up money for a long enough time, you'd be able to afford one. Besides, if many people have it, then many people appear rich, which means they aren't rich after all, because it's impossible for everyone to have a lot of money. (Otherwise, our economy is more socialist than capitalist?!)

But teenagers are also caught up in the brand name fashion craze. I overheard some classmates talking because we were having a fire drill and had to go outside and line up, then sit down and wait for the drill to be over. One of the girls had Coach shoes. (I don't really think it's worthwhile to have shoes from a brand that is famous for its bags, since I'm not that fond of the Coach logo thing, but whatever) Another girl noticed and said, "Oh, you're so lucky!" (Or something like that.) But the girl with the shoes said, "Eh, my mom bought them on sale anyways." (Apparently, it was actually her mom's idea to buy them...Or was she just saying that? Who knows?)

Even one of my friends got Coach shoes, as a gift from someone she knew. She was pretty pleased over them. They look okay, I suppose, I'm not interested in getting them, though. Well, whatever floats your boat, right? (That's the kind of attitude I take a lot. I probably shouldn't do that. D: )

It's not always good to accept everything that comes your way, though. One time, in 2009, I was in my old art teacher's classroom. I took Applied Arts in 7th grade, which is Art, Cooking, and Woodshop over the course of the year. I visit her classroom occasionally (though not as much as I did in 7th grade). She told my friend and I (we go together) that she was divorced. She said that she married at a young age. And she told us that when you're in love with someone, pay attention to what kind of things about them you don't like. If you think "Ugh, I really don't like that, it bothers me," then you should probably rethink your future with them. The teacher said that you can't change someone, even if you think you can. Their bad qualities will only get worse. Though it's impossible to find perfect people, you should still pay attention. "Love is blind", so goes the saying, but it doesn't necessarily have to be.

I've always wondered who I will eventually married. I plan on marrying - I'm not going to be an old maid (not that it's necessarily bad; a husband can be quite the hassle). And I want to be married while I'm still young, like in my 20s, because if you marry late, then you'll have children late (I guess I might have a child of my own. Perhaps I will adopt one, and have one related to me by blood). And that's not good. Then your children don't have as long a time to spend with you, to make memories and share the joys and sorrows of a family. Anyways, though I'm getting sidetracked again. I've been wondering about what kind of person I will look for. (I'm already looking, in fact, inspecting the possible people in my area. However, it seems many of them are undesirable.) I've decided some of the traits I'm looking for.
- Taller than me (but not too much taller! That's intimidating)
- Good family background (I'm not talking about being nobility or living in a rich neighborhood or anything like that. I mean, no one goes insane in their old age, the bloodline is not susceptible to dangerous diseases, and such)
- An intellectual (Someone who I can talk to about the mysteries of life, and books, and perhaps video games if they play them. It is always nice, but not required, that the person had a good record in school or won awards, too)
- Musical (Optional. But it would be nice to have someone who could play accompaniment to my piano. Or teach me to play harp. I would like to learn the harp.)
- DOESN'T SNORE (Seriously. Snoring is really annoying. I can't sleep if someone snores.)
- Likes animals (I plan to have a cat and a dog, so this is pretty important too.)
- Isn't lazy (to balance me out, because I'm lazy.)
- Independent, yet interdependent (What I mean is that the person can think for himself and isn't influenced too much by other people's opinion of him. But I also think the person should be someone who is friendly and who I won't feel is drifting apart from me. It's important for a family to be connected, after all.)
- Won't let me give up (on some things, like exercise. I mean, I need someone who will be concerned with my welfare. But hopefully not too bossy. The point is, the person should try hard and keep going till the end)

Maybe I'm too picky. Who knows? XD

Labels: bag, bragging, brand name, coach, desirable, divorce, dream, future, handbag, husband, love, marriage, money, qualities, shoes, snoring, teacher, trend

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