Happy Birthday to our favorite grouch-ball!
Sakura and Syaoran The Promise by ~wishluv on deviantART
I've been working so hard to try to finish Chapter 66 in time for Syaoran's birthday, but I think I'm going to be several days late. I've been dealing with some stressful issues in "real life," moving amongst one of these stresses, hence this chapter kept getting delayed. But on the bright side, I've been simultaneously writing Chapter 67, so probably less wait for the next chapter. Hopefully. I hate making excuses, and didn't want to make a blog full of apologies, but I'm also currently very back-logged in emails as well. Anyhow, my priority is finishing the next chapter ASAP! Thanks for having on!
Couple times a year, I get a little angsty when I get tired of all the songs on my playlist when I write but somehow Yoko Kanno always composes something new to cheer me up. I think I mentioned before how I'm a big fan of Aoi Teshima ever since I heard her voice Therru in the Tale from Earthsea (Gedo Senki). I am especially in love with her first album because it has minimal instrumental bgm and really brings out her fresh and soothing voice. If you close your eyes and listen to the album, it makes you feel like you are standing in thee middle of a vast field of barley in the countryside, the clouds high over your head, the wind blowing from the mountains. I think it's pretty obvious how big of a fan of Yoko Kanno I am, so I was ecstatic to find that Yoko Kanno has collaborated with Aoi Teshima on her new single: Because. The lyrics are all in English and Aoi Teshima's lovely voice is really brought out by Yoko Kanno's piano accompaniment. I heard the song will be part of the Ogura Shun directed movie "Surely Someday," which is scored by Yoko Kanno. The B-side "A Little Because" is a slower rearrangement of the song, and I might even like it better than "Because."
I feel bad because I think I always celebrate Sakura-chan's birthday more than Syaoran's. Oh well, check out the omake I drew two years ago for Syaoran's birthdday and reminisce of dear Wolfie-chan.
Syaoran and Wolfie-chan Omake by ~wishluv on deviantART
Yay, an update! Love the pic. I don't even mind if its not the chapter. The reassurance that it'll be up sometime soon is good news enough ^_^
ReplyDeleteMoving is always fun, even though its as hectic as anything. I'm moving too in ten days - I'm going to MN, my old home town, the place where I first discovered CCS and NT! I feel like I'm going home, in a way. Looks like I'll be reading the next NT chapter in that new/old setting. ^^ Good luck!
And happy birthday to Syaoran!! So how old is he again??
I've been looking forward to this next chapter. Thanks for letting us know it's almost ready!
ReplyDeleteHope the stress in your "real life" calms down.
Happy birthday Syao-kun!
@KireiBlossom...
ReplyDeleteAww, good luck moving. I HATE moving and whatnot because I'm such a pack-rat. But it sounds like you're excited to go back to your hometown, so I'm happy for you. Hmm... I used to pretend that Syaoran was the same age as me because I simply calculated from his age when CCS manga was first published in 1996. But I guess he's going to be eternally sixteen for a while. Lol. after all, he was 15 for like eight years in the New Trials realm. That brings me to the other dilemma of exactly what year it is in the New Trials world. It's so strange thinking I began writing this in the 20th century.
@Hazuki Goldair, Thanks for your words. I tend not to stay stressed for long, luckily. Actually, New Trials stresses me out too when I don't meet my self-imposed deadlines. >.< Anyhow, I'm going to return to writing. :)
It's so great to hear from you even if it's not a real update! I started reading NT in middle school, and I just reread the whole thing after graduating from college. I seriously consider this fic canon. Nothing else can compare. The fourth arc ending video has been tiding me over while waiting for the new chapter. Cohabitations was amazing, and I'm looking forward to finding out what happens next!
ReplyDeleteHeh heh, we were all speculating as to whether July 13th was a target for you! I hope you didn't feel pressured by us. As much as we would love to see an update, you need to love writing it first (which you can't do if you have more important things to worry about).
ReplyDeleteI hope things calm down for you, and I look forward to your update when it's ready!
Also, Yuko Kanno is so amazing. No matter which singer she works with, her music just shines.
Have you ever tried Fujita Maiko? She's my favourite singer-a beautiful voice and she's also a skilled pianist. I recommend you try Unmei no Hito (my fovourite song). I discovered it via a Ulquihime AMV and have been in love since! She sings a lot of piano ballads and a lot of her music has a 'sad love song' feel to it. Unfortunatly, she's less well known so there isn't many translation about for her music. *cough* I'll stop pimping her now!
@Courtney, many thanks for supporting New Trials for so long!!!
ReplyDelete@Selenityshiroi-chan, Ah, thanks for the recommendation! You're right, she does have a beautiful voice, with that slight raw edge that I like. Her voice is showcased more in her piano ballads and I'm all for singer-songwriters. Unmei no hito is such a pretty song too. Now I have to go hunt down the lyrics. I wish there is more info on her. Ah, more procrastinating. :P
I'm working on getting all the romanised lyrics up on http://community.livejournal.com/fujita_maiko (Unmei no Hito is one of the ones already up there). It's slow going romanising the CD booklets myself. Translations, however, are not so easy. I fear I'm going to have to work harder at learning Japanese to get translated lyrics! There are maybe four songs in her entire discography with English translations floating on the internet.
ReplyDelete@selenityshiroi
ReplyDeleteI've been listening to more of her songs, and I'm very happy. :) My favorite thus far is Koi no Ochite. I actually got curious and looked up the Korean translations to Unmei no Hito and the lyrics are very beautiful (and fits neatly into my New Trials playlist). Korean translations are usually very accurate since the grammar and syntax of the two languages are very similar. If there is nobody working on the translations to the song, I can probably come up with a pretty good translation in a day or two, especially since you already romanized the lyrics. (After I finish Chapter 67 ^^.)
Oh god, I would love you forever!
ReplyDeleteI can make out phrases and get the general idea of the song but a full translation would be amazing! My Japanese grammar needs a lot of work before I can translate myself.
Koi ni Ochita is a popular one! I have four different versions of it (the single version, the album version, the a capella version and a live version from the Sawatte Limited edition album).
My favourites are Unmei no Hito, Mienai Tsuki, Sawatte, Kimi ga te o Nobasu Saki ni, BANJII, Anata wa Shiawase ni Naru-a capella version...okay, I have lots of favourites...but they probably go in decending order!
Gah, I'll stop going on about her now! She's so little known that I can't help but natter on about her!