BL Teahouse: Greetings & Chatter

[pacset]

Chat about the tour and meet other fellow participants!

[penultimate]

Hello!   So looking forward to this trip.  I’m impatient for May to arrive!

[YYZ kifujin]

Hello everyone! I am counting down the weeks, looks like we have about 21 weeks left.  That is, ONLY 21. Besides, 21 sounds  less than 145 days even if it is weeks.  Oooh, will have to start looking for flights soon. Debating if I should fly to Tokyo straight or fly out to Los Angeles,  meet the everyone and then fly over the ocean with the whole group.
I wonder how many of us in this group? Oh I am so excited to meet everyone. XD

[Anonymous]

There are quite a few of us in this group, so it’s going to be interesting and fun!! :D Depending where you’re departing from, it’s sometimes cheaper to fly to LA and then to Tokyo.

[penultimate]

It seems so far away but November flew by and December is doing the same…

Many thanks to Pacset and the Teahouse ladies for giving us this opportunity!

My plans are heading to LA and then over with the group;  not only to get acquainted with my fellow travelers along the way but so my clueless self doesn’t get lost upon arrival.  I’ve never traveled overseas before so this’ll be a new experience.  I’m already thinking about what to pack.  Too soon?

[Anonymous]

You’re welcome, and again, Teahouse and PacSet are very amazed by the response we’ve received with this tour :)

It IS a bit early to star planning to pack, but there’s nothing wrong with that! We WILL be sending out important informational e-mails a few weeks before departure. This will also include packing suggestions, so you may want to wait if this is your first time overseas.

[Tamil-A]

Hi guys, super excited to meet you all! Will be joining you from down under (Australia) and meeting up in Tokyo!
May can’t come soon enough…mmm holidays :D
@ YYZ kifujin – I’m wondering how many of us there is too…should be interesting to meet some fellow teahouse lovers :)

@ penultimate – Don’t worry, I’ve never been overseas either. I have a feeling this is going to be a pretty awesome intro into overseas travel….

[dragoncat]

Shit, Australia?  Sometimes I forget the internet connects the world.  All of it.  Kinda like a culture shock within a culture shock.  Lol.  I’ve been overseas before, but not to a place where my reading and language skills are useless.  If I couldn’t understand the Jamaican accent, I just listened for the word “rum” and nodded in agreement.  That was a 4 hour in-flight trip and it was tough.  I’m personally, not looking forward to spending 24 hours between airport and flight times.  Pretty sure my ass will be numb.  Lol.

@penultimate – I’m flying to LA mainly because I’d probably have a layover there anyway and… I get lost walking around the section I’ve lived in for 8 years…  I’m ashamed to say this, but I was lost inside the dealer’s room at Otakon for a loooong time looking for the exit.  T_T Twice.  And I asked for directions…

When should we expect pricing for flights to LA?  My bank account cries as it is, so I need to know if I should start popping in as a surprise dinner guest at people’s houses.  :P

[Anonymous]

Yep, we’ve got some people coming from *pretty* far :D I won’t reveal where, it will be a surprise.

@dragoncat — For pricing, expect it in January at the earliest. There are a lot of you, so we’re going to do our best to keep on top of it with speed. Hopefully, the flight to Japan won’t be too rough for most of you. There is generally in-flight entertainment with loads of movies and games on personal TV consoles, and sleep if you can manage.

We’ll be sending out an informational budgeting e-mail in a few months, but keep in mind you also need to save for food, shopping, and the greatly appreciated tip ;D We don’t want anyone to go hungry or totally broke while on tour!

[YYZ kifujin]

 @ Tamil-A Well hello there fellow Commonwealth citizen. Well that will be a rather lengthy flight for you too. Besides, (at least for me) whenever I fly somewhere, the outbound flight always feels longer. I think possibly due to the anticipation. Not to worry : watch a movie, discover some new CDs offered in the aircraft media …centre? and have a nap, and before you know it you will already be landing.  The best part for you though, the time difference is not too great so you will not be so jet laggy and ready for adventure.
And hello to every one else too. As to how many of us are there will be, so far there are 4 of us here, not counting Lanny (who said that there are a lot of us…I wonder if it means 10? 20 of us? Tis’ a mystery).  I’m just excited to meet other fans/members of the teahouse community and so I pondered at our group size.
@ Lanny Liu you say  “people  coming from *pretty* far”,  but you want  it to be a surprise? This is torture, why do you tease us so?! Well, hold on a min here, the Earth is pretty much round so the  furthest would be some place that is on the opposite side of Japan (right through the globe)…  Somewhere around Argentina then.?
What I’M hoping to find out soon (or at least to know when we might find out this information) is what airline we will be flying with from LAX. This is with hopes to so that I can try to find the connecting flight(s) that might be code sharing with that airline (I’m a trying to save on baggage fees here if I can >.>).
Happy upcoming holidays everyone!  (Its Festivus party time at work tomorrow for me, woot!)

[Tamil-A]

@dragoncat – yep, Australia, home of spiders and kangaroos XD

@YYZ kifujin – festivus party time at my workplace too – I got my boss in Secret Santa haha. Luckily I know he’s secretly a giant movie nerd, found him some Avengers gear :)

BTW it’s the 21st already down here and the Apocalypse hasn’t started so looks like the tour will be going head after all YAY!! LOL (despite the fact even our prime minister addressed the issue: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ebtj3gDaE64

[Samdyn]

Hello all! GREATLY looking forward to this tour and meeting all you other TH fans :) Im from NC.

[penultimate]

I’m coming from Washington, DC and a nonstop flight would take about 14 hours.  According to Expedia a flight from Buenos Aires would be like 26 hours; ouch!

I’m excited to see where everyone is coming from :)

[dragoncat]

@Lanny Liu – Really?  I don’t think I’ve ever been on an airplane that had anything to do besides what I brought myself.  Sounds cool.

@Tamil-A – SPIDERS?!  I don’t know how you do it.  I lived on the west coast of the States for a little bit when I was a kid and developed a phobia of spiders ’cause they were HUGH and EVERYWHERE. /shivers.

I’ve got 6 hours to Los Angeles and it’s like 10 hours nonstop to Japan.  It’s almost guaranteed I’ll spend two hours sitting around in the airport between security checks and whatnot, and I usually end up sitting on the runway for an hour or more because of backed up flights.  Add in gathering and switching planes, and I’m guess-timating it out to like 22 hours of travel.  I can’t even begin to imagine a nonstop flight of 26 hours.  No leg room T_T

[Tamil-A]

urgh with that much flight time (26 hours holy cow!!) certainly won’t doing a butt or leg workout the day before LOL – numb butt syndrome would be even worse OTL

@dragoncat – yeah, spiders are not my favourite thing either. The daddy-long legs are okay, I don’t mind them in the house since a) couldn’t hurt a human even if they wanted to and b) they look like dandelion seeds. Any black ones tho…*RUNS FOR THE SHOE*

Hey, are any of you guys artists/like drawing? (Other than the lovely teahouse ladies of course XD)

[dragoncat]

@Tamil-A – I can’t even look at the nasty little things.  My body just rejects it’s existence.  Lol.  I draw!  Though I can’t say I draw well, nor do I have any actual schooling on the subject outside middle school art class 10 years ago.  Lol.  I’m better with design.  Can I hazard a guess that you draw as well?

[Tamil-A]

@dragoncat – I don’t have any training outside middle school art either haha. I draw occasionally, but I have some amazing arty friends that out my doodles to shame XD

And the teahouse pages…I just drool over the detail and colouring and anatomy just mmm <3

Whats your favourite medium to use? Traditional? Digital?

[penultimate]

I don’t have much time for art but  I mess around in paint tool sai every now and then when the creative bug bites.  It’s easy to get distracted though.

For the holidays, since I’m saving up money for this trip, I’ve gone the ‘homemade gift’ route and painted landscapes on canvas for all of my friends/family.  It feels great spending less than $50 on gifts for 16 people, but still giving them something meaningful.  It’s tricky because there’s no ‘undo’ option when I mess up, haha.

 

[dragoncat]

@Tamil-A –  I’ve got a friend like that.  Made me a little sad when she changed her major from fine art to earth sciences.  I used to be the better drawer when we were kids, but she overtook me by a mile as we got older.  She’s younger, too.  Hurts the pride.  Lol.  Kinda like when you get your ass handed to you by a three year old while playing a game on a iphone.

Even with the delays in Teahouse updates, I still have no idea how they do that so fast.  Anatomy KILLS me.  It would take me months to put so much detail and color into something like that.  Especially when you have jobs and lives.

I use a combination of both.  I’ll use the traditional pencil and paper than scan it in to play with it.  I’ve had my Bamboo tablet for two years, I think, but with two jobs and responsibilities, I’m still trying to figure out what program I like best and how the hell to get my lines to smooth out.

@penultimate – I WISH I could give gifts like that, but I would die without an undo button.  Lol.

[Tamil-A]

@penultimate – yeah, I love it when I can give people art presents, tho I’m so slow to make something I like normally only my closest friends get artworks :P

@dragoncat – I agree with all points haha. Anatomy is just fff…SO HARD. Faces or animals fine, but when it comes to bodies I flip tables in frustration.

[kittycat78]

Hi, I’m so excited for this trips, I’ll be coming from Alberta, Canada. Can’t wait to meet all you fellow teahouse fans.

[Tamil-A]

@kittycat78 – ooh Canada! Is it cold up there?

[Amaya928]

Hello Everyone!!!

Nice to meet some of y’all :)

I’m super exited and nervous for this trip. Its exiting because, well, only one of my friends knows I read yaoi so to be suddenly in the company of all of y’all TH lovers will be  an awesome experience. And hellooo! ITS JAPAN!!! ever since I got into anime (middle school years) I have yearned to go there, so this is like accomplishing one of my life’s goals. Once I learned about this trip I immediately made arrangements to get a passport, and then I went to Barnes & Noble and got me a Japanese for Dummies book lol….not sure how much that will help but it can’t do any harm :)

Then, this trip is nerve-racking because I’ve never been on an airplane let alone gone overseas! My flight to LA will be my first time in an airplane so I’m kinda dreading that I’ll make so sort of mistake or get lost somewhere in the airport….

Regarding the drawing conversation going on…I’m going to school for a BA in Graphic Design so you’d think I could draw….cough…yeah…I guess I’m doing it mostly cuz I like art and crafts. If I put my mind into it, some of my work is not too bad but I definitely need practice.

Again, nice to meet ya!!!

[dragoncat]

@kittycat78 – SOMEONE WHO IS NOT TOO LAZY / BRAVE ENOUGH TO USE A PROFILE PICTURE.  I commend you. :D

@amaya928 –  It’s a pleasure!  I have mostly male friends and I can’t see it being a good idea to announce this kind of hobby, so no one knows.  Lol.  It’s been a while since I’ve met another who uses “ya’ll.”  May I ask where you are from?  I’ve lived all over but some habits are hard to break when actually speaking.  Lol.  “Ya’ll” is one of mine.  I took a digital imaging class in college a couple years ago.  Design has nothing to do with drawing talent.  Lol.  Quite a few classmates had trouble with anything more complex than stick figures and were majoring in one of the arts.

 

[Amaya928]

hello dragoncat  :)

I’ve lived in Texas for 10 years so that my account for the “y’all” lol

[Tamil-A]

@amaya928 – hi! I feel the same haha, only my closest friend knows I read and write yaoi, and only because she writes and reads it with me XD Sadly she doesnt have a job so couldnt afford to come along to meet you guys :(
I wonder if there’ll be any male teahouse fans joining us on this trip….

[Tamil-A]

Also @dragoncat…how do you change the profile pic LOL
Linked the account to fb and all it comes up with is this blurry as hell thing :/

[YYZ kifujin]

@ kittycat78 Woot, fellow Canadian * high fives *
@Tamil-A  re: is it cold in Canada. Depends where in the country.  I am more to the east, and it is not really cold now, on average -5C or so. Well, maybe in the mornings with the wind chill might be like -10. So, winter coat weather but you don’t have to wear thermals yet
@dragoncat I remember the first time I mentioned/showed BL to a male friend. The reply was “oh, so it porn… with men” kind of like meh not big deal reaction, but I could see that he was a bit uncomfortable lol. Well, we moved on and it was never mentioned again.
P.S. first time travelers, I am so excited for you XD

[penultimate]

I was wondering how to attach a profile pic, I guess linking to a social site works.  Good enough!

Most of my online and offline friends know I’m into BL.  Even my SO supports the interest.  I proudly display my Teahouse sticker on my car.  However, explaining the more specific details of the trip to my family has been a challenge.  Not about to tell my elderly grandmother about Otome Road or Butler/Maid cafes.

Anyone going with friends or is anyone opting for ‘roommate matching” :)

@Tamil-A – There was an e-mail that got sent out early on that was addressed to “ladies (and gentleman)”, s0 as far as I know there’s 1 male.

 

[YYZ kifujin]

@ penultimate—Oh,  grandmother does not need to know the umm… gritty details.
Say, Otome Road is a wonderful harmless little street that is just filled with book stores, that sell predominately comic books and art books. * a la show and tell* See grandma, it is clean and filled with sunshine (and then you can show her this google map image) https://maps.google.com/maps?q=35.729624,139.717462&ll=35.729104,139.718102&spn=0.007499,0.016512&sll=35.729624,139.717462&sspn=0.007499,0.016512&t=m&layer=c&cbll=35.729624,139.717462&panoid=neNAdcKvyZhL8_lcnoEO1A&cbp=12,20.25,,0,0&z=17
and every store looks like this https://maps.google.ca/maps?ll=35.730358,139.719862&spn=0.003057,0.014645&gl=ca&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=35.730358,139.717814&panoid=hK10stPnOglffojru4ywxg&cbp=11,156.07,,0,0
Or like this, look at all those pink girly comic books ^_^ https://maps.google.ca/maps?ll=35.731795,139.719036&spn=0.003057,0.014645&gl=ca&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=35.731797,139.719035&panoid=VjBW0CDYgNbL1Sk6IWSJGA&cbp=11,308.71,,0,0
(although there are some  posters that are visible in that last image there, that might not be a good idea to show her, but they are rather small and blurry looking, so I think it will be ok)
Two of my friends are also going, but I have not seem them on this forum…yet?

[Amaya928]

kifujin….I love the way you think XD

All I told my family was that I was going to Japan with a tour group. I don’t think they believed me till I went and got my passport lol

@penultimate – Since I don’t know anyone else that’s going I opted for the “roomate matching”

[dragoncat]

@Tamil-A – I thought I saw a place to change it, but it seems I was mistaken.  I guess linking to a social net is the only way.  Weird. @Lanny Liu – Is that correct?

@penultimate – It probably apparent since no one knows I’m into this stuff, but I’m doing the roomate match thing. Lol.  SO?  Senior Officer?  I feel like that is wrong.

@Amaya928 – TEXAS!  I had a co-worker from there not too long ago.  Nice people.  Never been myself.  Everytime I end up in places with weather like that, it’s nosebleed hell.  T_T  Texas is supposed to be a big gaming capital, yeah?

[dragoncat]

Aaaaaaand I feel like an idiot.  SO… Significant Other.  Der. -_-;

@Lanny Liu – Since it didn’t seem to work in my previous post, am I correct in my guess that profile photos are linked singularly by social networks?

[dragoncat]

Hm, doesn’t link no matter what.  I surrender to the internet.

[Tamil-A]

@penultimate – Im going on my own so roommate matching it is woo! Any sleepwalkers/snorers/sleeptalkers out there?

Happy New Years btw guys! Its now actually the year we’re going on the trip!!
I don’t know whether its sad or awesome that I spent New Years drunk and writing yaoi with my friend till 3am LOL

 

[YYZ kifujin]

@ Tamil-A Well, I think it was a very appropriate way to bring in a new year, fitting too , seeing that this is the year that we are going on this ultimate BL party in Japan. So what better way to bring it in then celebrating your fujoshi…ing.
Say, where can we read these writings of yours. Are they on any fan fiction sites?
Happy New year everyone! Oh and btw, 3 months till the final payment date, woot!

[Amaya928]

HAPPY NEW YEAR GUYS!!!!!!

@dragoncat – The weather IS crazy…its winter but its been cold like maybe 3 days so far, its ridiculous. The Summer heat always seems to go on forever DX.

About TX being a “gaming capital”….I suppose? Im so Sports Illiterate that I dont know what to tell you lol

Oh! don’t feel bad….I didn’t realize what SO meant till you said it -pats on back-

@Tamil-A – Fortunately the only bad sleeping habit I have is that I tend to toss in bed a lot :)

[penultimate]

Happy New Year everyone!

I officially got my time off request approved for the trip!  I’m opting for roommate matching as well.  I promise I don’t snore or sleepwalk :D  I wonder what hotels we’ll be staying at.  I’m sure we’ll get that info soon.

@Amaya928 – I think by gaming, they meant video games.   Texas has a growing video game industry.

@dragoncat lol yeah, significant other :P

[Amaya928]

@penultimate – ah…well….cough cough -looks away- , may I take the time to say Im not the biggest video gamer ever either? XD  The only video games that I’ve played that I liked are the Final Fantasy games.

thank you for that clarification my dear ;)

[Anonymous]

Happy New Year’s all! :)

For the avatar, if you logged in with a social network, then that’s where the picture comes from. Otherwise, you need to have a Gravatar in order to change your pic or add one. http://en.gravatar.com/

We should have more info coming this month and the next with flight pricing, and possibly hotels ;) For roommate matching, we’ll be sending out questionnaires once we get closer to the tour dates. No snoring roomies with light sleepers!

[Tamil-A]

@YYZ kifujin – nope LOL , I’m pretty sure Emi would kill me if I uploaded any of our writings XD I might be able to persuade her to let me show and tell my the time the trip comes up tho but we’ll see. A lot of the stuff we have isn’t in one whole either since its over email, on paper and on text. I once tried to compile one storyline from start to finish and theres these huge gaps where we’ve lost some of the replies. Very frustrating lol
Do you write?

@ Amaya928 – yeah, I toss and turn a lot too expect when I’m really REALLY tired and then I end up waking up with body parts falling asleep from being motionless on them too long. DEAD ARMS XD

[dragoncat]

@Amaya928 – Lol. Yeah, I meant video games.  There is so much more out there than the FF games.  I’ve been a console player a looong time and only within the last like 5 years have a moved to PC games.

I am so glad I’m not the only one who didn’t get “SO” right away.  The only things that came to mind immediately were things ending in officer.  -_-;

@Tamil-A – In unfamiliar beds, sometimes I fall off them.  Lol.  Other than being a light sleeper and a horrid morning person, I’m an unnoteworthy roomie.  What position do you sleep in to cause DEAD ARMS?

I can’t imagine trying to write a clear story while drunk.  I had a hard enough time trying to play Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart on New Year’s.

@Lanny Liu – Flight pricing as in flights to LA?  And what’s this about hotel costs?

[Tamil-A]

@dragoncat – haha, have you tried playing Skyrim or COD while drunk? SO MUCH FUN XD

I dunno how we manage to do it, we just seem to write on a consistent round when intoxicated lol. Even better is when you do it while watching Disney movies…we’re a little strange eheh. She just reminded me its been 7 years now since we started writing together makes me feel oldddd. And dead arms tends to happen when it’s tucked under my pillow or I’m on my side and it gets caught under my body.

Jobs? Anyone Students? Teachers? I’m curious :>

[dragoncat]

@Tamil-A- The only PC games I played drunk were WoW, Diablo I &II, and DotA.  The latter was played with Basshunter’s DotA playing in the background during a LAN party a few years ago.  A friend showed me a video called “9 drunk guys play slenderman.”  I didn’t know what slenderman was, but it was the funniest video I’d ever seen.

Writing dirty stories while watching Disney movies sounds ridiculously awesome.

You know what makes  you feel REALLY OLD?  Raising children, or at least talking to them.  If you don’t catch whatever germs they carry, then you just feel utterly defeated and older than dirt.

I become semi conscious when I move during sleep so I’ve never had a limb caught under another part of my body long enough for it to die.  I have poor circulation due to low blood pressure though, so I’ve had limbs fall asleep while napping in class.  One leg and both arms died once so I gave up and got a pass from the teacher to be late to my next class.  His face was far too amused.  I got him back for his snickering though.

I have multiple part-time jobs.  None of which include anything you listed.  Lol.

[Tamil-A]

@dragoncat – Yeah, talking to children IS tiring. Especially when they’re like 6 and all they want to do is chase you around the trampoline for 2 hours straight and see how many times they can make you play ring around the rosey before you collapse in exhaustion…that day gave me nightmares urgh
ahaha, what did you do to your teacher? Also I have this imagery in my head that you’re a secret agent…multiple anonymous part time jobs hmm… ;D

[dragoncat]

@Tamil-A – Wait, wait, wait.  THEY KNEW WHAT RING-AROUND-THE-ROSY WAS?!?!  I’m impressed.  Your munchkins are more informed than mine.  And yes, they enjoy our rapid fall into exhaustion.  I’m pretty sure most children are sadists.

My teacher seemed to forget what shop I belonged to.  I changed his permissions to the server, unplugged his mouse and keyboard, and took remote control of his computer from mine.  Oh, guess I should probably mention that I went to a technical high school for computer networking and programming.  I don’t know if they have those everywhere at the high school level.

We can totally go with the secret agent thing.  Far more awesome than what I actually do.  I’m really just a brat with no direction.  Lol.  What about you?  You asked the question but fail to provide information of your own.

[Tamil-A]

@dragoncat – Yes, someone introduced the rotten activity to the little devils…and then convinced me to babysit |: |

BRILLIANT.

Welp, I don’t exactly feel a great sense of direction either, but my Personal Training job pays the bills and lets me go on yaoi trips XD
I’d much rather join you as a secret agent though.

[dragoncat]

@Tamil-A – You poor soul, to be suckered in like that.  Lol.  Try raising one.  They learn things from other people far to quick and always want their caretaker to be the one they test it out on.  I took over the majority of raising my Aunt’s two youngest children when I was ten for a few years.  When the oldest learned to climb the stairs, I thought I’d die.  It was like one big game to the girl.  She wasn’t even 2 yet and already was enjoying my torment.

/bows

Personal Trainers set up exercise regiments and stuff, right?  As long as you like what you’re doing, even a little bit, it’s good.  I work for an insurance broker agency and an 911 rescue squad as my main and consistent PT jobs.  Then I pick up side work and temp jobs like, once a month for one of the brokers I fold his lodge pamphlets and stuff envelopes for distribution.  In exchange, I get $50 cash.

[Amaya928]

sorry dragoncat and Tamil-A, I’m gonna interrupt the flow of the convo for a sec

I just wanted to ask, is anyone doing the extended/perfect part of the trip?

[Tamil-A]

@dragoncat – Having lots of little jobs sounds like fun! Well, the job description certainly is ‘Getting people to their goals and giving them a good workout’ but really as a Personal Trainer you are councillor, adviser, ass-kicker, the one responsible for giving someone the tools to reach their goals, and friend. LOL. I love it don’t get me wrong, but sometimes I crave a 9-5 job as opposed to shift work at 4:30am and late nights. What sort of things do you do at the 911 rescue squad?

@Amaya928 – I am :) I figured since I’m not likely to travel again for ages I’d better make the most of Japan. You?

[penultimate]

I’m doing the perfect trip!

I was originally organizing a trip to just Tokyo with my boyfriend (or SO, whatever, lol!) for November 2013 that really didn’t consist of much more than temples, shopping, free sightseeing, eating on the cheap, and a maybe a 2 day trip to Hakone.

Then I saw the BL Teahouse tour being offered.  The price of the perfect tour was only a few hundred dollars above my original budget and I’d  get to see and do so much more!  I never thought I’d be able to have dinner on a yakatabune or go to Kyoto or see the Takarazuka Revue.  And I know my guy would never have been cool with going to a butler or maid cafe.

I work part time as a concierge.  Although, my coworker has been sick so I’ve been pulling in some 60+ hour work weeks lately.

[Amaya928]

@Tamil-A – I wanted to go on the perfect trip but the basic is the one I can more easily afford right now, but I am hoping to go again sometime in the future. I was looking at some of the trips that PacSet offers and they sound pretty neat so I might try one later on.

 

@penultimate –  HOLY COW!!!! the most I’ve worked a week has been 46 hrs and I was worn out….I bow to you my lady….

[dragoncat]

@Amaya928 – I’m doing extended.  I couldn’t quite afford perfect, as I am cutting this really close already money-wise.  Lol.  I wanna see as much as possible while I can.

@Tamil-A – I want my job title to be “Official Ass Kicker.”  Lol.  The grass is always greener on the other side… til you hop the fence.  I’ve had both hour schedules, both suck equally IMO.

Lots of jobs can be fun, if you enjoy them.  I hate my morning job, though.  I don’t look as old as I am and all my coworkers are in their late 40’s-mid 60’s, so no one takes me seriously.  I took whatever administrative work needs to be done.  Billing, emptying tripsheet boxes, opening mail, sorting checks, copying, filing, finding stuff, etc.  I get to hear about all the crazy stuff that happens, too.

@penultimate – How are you alive??

[dragoncat]

Ah, my mind got ahead of my typing.  The various administrative work is for the 911 Rescue Squad.  Lol.

[magnolia186]

YYZ kifujin…is this my roomie? if it is, I’m here,  if not then it’s nice to meet you LOL

I’m doing the perfect tour…I’ve also toured with PacSet before so I know y’all will have fun Fun FUN!!!!

 

[YYZ kifujin]

Oohhh well  this has been a while. And we are on another page already? That is what happends when you miss a week with flu.
@ Tamil-A no I do not write. I guess I can offer an excuse that I am too busy, but that a lame excuse, because I certainly find time to real manga, or going  on trumblr for example. I used to dabble in writing back when I was a student, ( mostly shreds of stories, uncompleted scenes and random dialogues and such) but it was never in the range of BL.  In fact my experience with BL/slash  fanfiction was not the best, but that is a story for another time. (Maybe when we are all sitting around in the hot spring we will talk how we all discovered yaoi or something, nothing beats relaxing around in warm water with not a shred on and discussing how we discovered smut stories.).
I work full time, and I am not a teacher but I work with students and teenagers (who  sometimes seem to be pretty much still children but with grown up bodies). I work for a student travel company. Grad trips, March break and ski trips and such, in the admin side of help desk…department (so on the phone you have to be cool with the teens and then all professional with their parents.) Sometimes there are bad days (like when it is busy like nowadays) and then there are days when you realize why you are doing this after all and why it is all worth it.
@Amaya928  I am doing the extended part.  Three things that I am totally looking forward to 1) Shinkansen ride. 2) old temples in Kyoto (although one day is not enough>.<!) and  3) oh em geeee  Takarazuka Revue performance… I am so excited for that. I keep going to their site to see what play will be on at that time.
Anyone making a wish/shopping list yet?  Like for CD or specific books and/or manga related goodies? It’s probably just me, with my grand plans and ideas so far?

[dragoncat]

YYZ kifujin – Between comic writers and co-workers, everyone seems to be sick with the flu.  Glad your feeling better.

This was a spur of the moment decision and I had honestly not really considered what some of the things or places were that are on the itinerary.  Lol.  I’ll admit, I don’t really know anything about any of the places were going or the things were doing.  But you make a good point with a shopping list.  Now to scour  the internet for information.

[penultimate]

The flu is going around my work place, everyone has had it so far but me and I feel that I’m next.  My coworker had it so bad she’s in ICU right now, thus why I’m working so many hours.  I’ll tell you, when I’m not working, I’m sleeping.  But the overtime is going to be AWESOME.  “Do it for Japan” is my mantra.

I don’t have a ‘shopping’ list per say, as I’m packing light and not planning on buying a lot (My tiny apartment can’t handle much more stuff).  Maybe some charms from shrines or gachapon for my coworkers.  But I do have a LONG list of things I want to accomplish. Things like eating dango, okonomiyaki and unique flavors of ice cream.  Riding a shikansen and seeing Mt. Fuji.  Getting a picture with Hachiko, a maid or butler, and Sephiroth at the SQEX store.  Some will be easier to accomplish than others.  And I’m gonna make my family/friends sit through an entire photo slideshow.

If the itinerary works out the way I think it does, there’s actually supposed to be a big festival in Kyoto the day we’re there (Aoi matsuri).  We’re missing the Sanja matsuri (May 18th) but we could probably see the Kanda matsuri :D

I write a little bit too.  I’m on y!Gallery if anyone’s interested (penultimateokgo).  I haven’t updated in a long time though.

Whew, long rambling post.

[Tamil-A]

@penultimate – “Do it for Japan” is my mantra at the moment too XD everytime I see a book I want or a series I wanna watch on sale it’s just like NUUUU I’m saving for Japan!! *runs out of store*. 60+ hours?!! I agree with dragoncat, how are you alive?!!
Also checkin you out on Y!gal yesh

@YYZkifujin – no shopping list, but like penultimate I’m doing a heap of overtime work stuff, extra bootcamps, crazy hours so that I have the money there if I see something I like over there :> also money for food. SO MUCH LOVE for Japanese food, it’s making me extra excited to know I can eat it everyday while I’m there!!!

@dragoncat – man I hear ya, it’s hard for my co-workers to take me seriously too – not because I look younger than I am, but because I AM young. I freak out all of my clients when like weeks down the track of training with me they ask, “wait..how old are you?”
If I’m clever I can get away with ‘As old as my tongue and a little older than my teeth’, but the persistant ones finally go, “HOLY CRAP you’re only 19?! (well 20 now, but YEAH). I think they freak because I act about 10 years older than I am haha. I blame spending most of my childhood in a nursing home.

Wow, we have a seriously wide range of professions..argh I’m so looking forward to this trip! :D

[Alyssa Jennings]

Hello fellow BL tour buddies!
I’m very excited and also very very nervous about this trip! This will be a first overseas experience and more or less a second vacation in my life and I hope to make it a good one!
Also to Penultimate..I feel your pain! I know how it feels to work 60+ hours but I just try to stay positive and tell myself it will be worth it in the long run!

[Anonymous]

@dragoncat – Sorry for the confusion, hotel cost is included in your tour price! Quite a few people have asked us regarding hotel information (location, name, quality, etc). That will be forthcoming shortly.

We’ll be sending a general email next week, and should have flight pricing by the end of the month.

[Alyssa Jennings]

So I assume that flight pricing is the only separate charge and whatever miscellaneous expenses from that on the tour? Will that have to be paid for in advance from the payment due date(s)?

[dragoncat]

@Tamil-A – Aww you’re just a baby!  Lol.  Kidding, kidding.  You’ve got to be tired of the wide eyed “holy shit!” looks.  I used to get them, too, as a brat.  It’s the opposite now, so things might change for you.  Though by your age, I was getting mistaken for being 15… or a young boy.  T_T  You should play the “Guess how old I am.” game.  It provides amusement to placate the frustration, if you play it right.  :D

@Lanny Liu – Thanks for the clear up.

@Alyssa Jennings – If I’m correct, the flight from LA to Japan is included in the price we paid/are paying for.  I think Lanny is referring to the price of the flights for those of us who are flying to LA first instead of those who chose land only.  I could be wrong, but from what the initial itinerary said, I don’t think I am.

As an unrelated and completely random side note: I have a friend with the name Jennings.  Lol.

[Alyssa Jennings]

@dragoncat – Ohhh I see, that makes sense. I’m just making sure so that way I know what all I need to pay come to the due date is all, don’t wanna come short! Thanks.

Haha that’s interesting but I hate to inform you that the name you see isn’t mine. Now I feel like the secret agent I’ve read about in earlier posts. :P

[Anonymous]

Thanks dragoncat for helping clear that up!

Yes, your payment to us covers everything but food, expenses for yourself, and flight to LA if you chose that option. We’ll be covering this in an e-mail next week, but keep in mind to also save money for food, things you may want to be (it’s hard to resist!!), and a tip for the tour guides (which is optional, but well appreciated). :)

[dragoncat]

@Alyssa Jennings – Glad to be of service.  I hear you about not wanting to come up short.  I’m hunting around for more 1-2 day side jobs I can pick up on top of my regular PT deals.  I was banking on get some money for Birthmas, but only 4 people remember so I’m falling a bit short atm.  Lol.

Did you steal the name?  Lol.  You can be a secret agent with me and Agent Ass Kicker aka Tamil-A.  My friend doesn’t know anything of her namesake and I’d never seen the name outside hers.

[Amaya928]

Hey! another tour member! nice to meet you alyssa that’s not alyssa ;)

[Alyssa Jennings]

@Lanny Liu – Okay, save lots of money and be sure to tip your tour guides. Gotcha!

@dragoncat – Aww you’re a Christmas baby, Happy belated birthday! Wow, one to two more side jobs on top of PT jobs? Don’t burn yourself out, just do the best you can and just try to scrimp and save at all costs if possible! I remember having three PT jobs while going to high school fulltime. It was quite tiring cause two of the jobs practically had me on a full time schedule and I couldn’t get out of the shifts sometimes otherwise I would have lost the jobs and I needed the money desperately then. Luckily things have changed and I have a bit of a better paying job and has decent benefits which is rare these days but even then I have a PT job and I have a side business that is helping me save. Let’s hope to happy savings and a good tour!

Also on the note on the name, I made it up for it was for a short lived job I had that required me to kind of have different alias. Now I really sound suspicious haha! So now there’s three “secret agents” among the tour!

@Amaya928 – Nice to meet you! Thanks for the welcome!

[Gimena Gusteler]

Hello everyone I’m Gimena! And I’m from Argentina!! xD Well, first of all sorry if I write something bad, English isn’t my native language XDD.  In this moment I send an email asking how my friend (Sofia) and I can pay for this amazing trip *A*!!

OMG!! I read Buenos Aires!! D: WHO IS FROM BUENOS AIRES!!! I’m just graduated in Animation there!! D: Now I’m looking for work xDD

OMGOMGOMG!! NOW I’M MORE EXCITED!!!!1

[Amaya928]

Hello Gimena! :)

Regarding your question, if you and your friend are already signed up for the trip then you should be getting an invoice through your email through which you would make the payment.

[YYZ kifujin]

@dragoncat–   well that is great that you don’t know anything about the places on the itinerary. That way you will be pleasantly surprised when you will get there. That IS the beauty of travel! Not knowing what awaits you once you step off the plane.
@Tamil-A– high five for the fellow foodie. Oh my gosh, I dream of the ramen and crepes, and onigiri and buns  and all sorts of other snack foods and ice creams and oh oh all the Kit-kats with strange flavours that I will be able to get my hands on. ( I think I am drooling a little even now)
@penultimate – re not buying a lot. Well it does not have to be stuff for your apartment. It can be food! For you! Like all those snack foods and cookies in those space consuming pretty boxes.  (wow, see I am  on a  roll here with the food… a nicely frosted cinnamon roll, lol….sigh oh man that was lame >.< I ‘m sorry)
@Alyssa Jennings– greetings and welcome Secret Agent Jennings. May I be so curious as to inquire where you are from… unless that that is a secret too.
@Gimena Gusteler hello new  joiner. Welcome!  Buenos Aires was mentioned here when we were trying to determine who will have the further distance to travel to get to Japan.  It looks like you are the winner, congratulations.
Also, regarding payments, has anyone received any invoices yet?I have only submitted one payment so far and did not get any othe invoices sent to me. Just wondering if it is just me and if I should be concerned or it has happened to others as well. Thank you.

[dragoncat]

@Alyssa Jennings – Ah, thank you.  I was born Christmas Eve and discovered as I got older that nurses have a cruel sense of humor.  I was stuffed in a red stocking and a little Santa hat not even an hour after birth.  -__-;

I’ve been doing little odd jobs for cash since I was small.  No worries.  :D

How did you function in HS?  That had to have SUCKED.  I can’t imagine, but you seem rather well established now, a side business and all.  I barely summoned enough energy and motivation to GO to school when I was a brat.  My school career was a mess though ’cause I moved around a bit.  Lol.

@YYZ kifujin – Yeah, the only thing that sorta sucks is that I’ll spend a good portion wide-eyed and clueless.  Lol.  I’m also sorta picky with food, but I promised myself I’d try everything that wouldn’t kill me in some fashion.  There’s an H Mart in my area and I snag a bag of candies from there every once in a while.  I can’t read what the bag says, but they taste soooo good.

As for payment, it depends on when you signed up and what plan you signed up for.  I joined in November, selected payment installments, and just got my 3rd invoice a couple days ago.   There was also the choice to put a $300 deposit down and pay the rest April 1st.

[Jessica]

Saw this forum was up and just wanted to say Hi! I signed up for this tour in December. (I opted for the Extended/Perfect option.) I’m from Indiana. Really looking forward to this tour. This will be my first international trip. I did opt to stay over a few extra days after the extended tour ends. I’m a huge Disney fan and just couldn’t miss seeing Tokyo Disney. I would be curious if any else is deciding to stay extra. Looking forward to meeting everyone. :)

[Amaya928]

@YYZ kifujin – yay!!! It’s good to know I won’t be the only one hunting down those Kit Kats! XD

@dragoncat – um…you wouldn’t happen to have a picture of that would you?….I’m sorry, but I’m gonna gang up with the nurses! lol that must have looked adorable!

@Jessica – hi jessica!!! I’m started to get sad already because I think so far everyone signed up for the extended trip…I already don’t want to leave y’all!!! TToTT

I head about the trip in August and immediately signed up so I have been making payments since September. They are supposed to send an invoice by the 10th of every month and they are due sometime in the early twenties of that same month.

[Jessica]

@Amaya928 Hi.I’m sure we’ll all still have a great time. The yaoi is in the first part, and isn’t that what we’re all really going for ^_^

[dragoncat]

@Jessica – If I could afford to stay longer, I would.  I’m one of the biggest perverts my family has produced, so I must agree with your reasons for the trip.  Lol.

@Amaya928 – I do have a picture, though it’s location is unknown to me at the moment.  Attic, probably, but that’s like trying to navigate drunk through a mine field disguised as a ball pit.  Besides, newborns look like tiny, wrinkly aliens fresh from the apex of  their mother’s legs.   They look a little more human after a couple days.  Lol.

[Anonymous]

@YYZ kifujin — Can you please email us your name regarding your reservation? I’m not sure whether you chose deposit only or monthly payments.

[Tamil-A]

@Lanny Liu – I’m not getting any invoices either…should I be? :/

@YYZ kifujin – yessss *high fives*. I think by the time we get back to our respective countries we’ll be eating food going ‘welp…this is nowhere near as inventive as japanese food…boringgg.”

@ dragoncat – AGENT ASS-KICKER LOLLLLL. You made my day haha, best nickname I’ve ever had. I should just get that on the back of my Genesis workshirt instead of Personal Trainer. I’ll take it up with my boss tomorrow XD On an offhand note, the Avengers bobble-heads I got my boss for Kris Kringle (Captain America and Director Fury)…I keep popping into his office to find him or my colleagues playing with them ahahaha

@ Jessica & Gimena – hi guys! nice to meet you :D

[Jessica]

@dragoncat LOL This cracked me up!

@Tamil-A Nice to meet you too. :)

 

 

[YYZ kifujin]

@ dragoncat– I actually had to google “H Mart” ( doesn’t that just sound naughty? “Welcome to the H  mart! The place for all your Echiii pleasures” lol) turns out it is  just a Korean grocery store. Apparently we have one here too but I have never been there as it is too far away. Whenever I get a craving for Korean snacks or gimbap I stop over in a store in Koreatown on the way from work. Will have to explore on the weekend. Also “newborns look like tiny, wrinkly aliens fresh from the apex of  their mother’s legs” I could not stop laughing and almost chocked  on my tea. That is some way with words there lol
@Lanny Liu – already writing an e-mail to you guys ( with lots of questions^_^)
@ Tamil-A– high fives back. When I come back, I will be like, these noodles are not to my standards… and this okonomiyaki is not fluffy enough! Graaaah! *swipes hand across the table in rage*

[Alyssa Jennings]

@YYZ kifujin – I come from the farthest depths in the pits of Hell but simply put I am an Arizona native which most people who live here and arent native find it rare.

@dragoncat – Thats…kind of cute, I would like to see that picture as well if it is findable. Yeah, it was quite a struggle and I almost gave up on HS just cause things were so bad but I managed to pull through will the help of my counselor and straightening things out so I managed to pass by a thread. It still kind of amazes me that I managed three or so jobs and passed back then and yet now when I do sixty hours of work and I’m like barely alive at the end. Makes no sense!

So whats this about Tokyo Disney?!

 

[Anonymous]

Since Tokyo Disney was mentioned, we sadly don’t have room in our itinerary for anyone to go unless you made separate arrangements to stay longer. We really packed this trip with sights and things this time!

I’m also a Kit Kat collector, the best place to get a nice variety would be at Narita airport if we have time. I also can’t wait to have ramen again, I’m already drooling.

[Jessica]

@Alyssa Jennings Sorry I didn’t mean to be confusing. I made arrangements to stay after the tour and visit Tokyo Disney. (Little nervous about flying home without the group ) If anyone else is staying over, I’d love a buddy to hang with at Disney. :)

[dragoncat]

@Tamil-A – DO IT.  Also, you have to capture them on video.  It is always funny watching grown men play with bobble heads, though I can understand the urge to do so.  I was that kid who ran through isles with my father setting off all the toys that made noise or moved.  Lol.

@YYZ kifujin – I thought the same thing when it opened up here a handful of years ago, but there’s tiny lettering under “H MART” that says it’s an Asian grocery mart or something.  I get the strangest looks when I stroll around in there, but I don’t stick out as much as my ginger friend does.  Lol.  I’ve never heard of Koreatown.  There’s a Chinatown here, but it’s quite a distance to drive to.  My mother says the same thing about my wording, though she often complains I never use it for good.  Lol.

@Alyssa Jennings – It’s like, the law of life.  You can do amazing and physically impossible things the younger you are.  Kinda like 6 year olds have so much energy just looking at them makes you tired.

@Jessica – :D

[Alyssa Jennings]

@Jessica – Oh I see, that sounds like fun and tempting I wish I had more time to stay longer and enjoy more sights and see Tokyo Disney. At first I thought I missed something on the list of things we were going to see and I was like “What?! First trip to Japan and first time to Disneyland in another country?! SWEET!” But that’s cool, I hope someone might be staying longer so you wont be alone. :(

@dragoncat – Yes I understand your point though its sad cause not even a year ago I was always doing 60 hour work weeks almost all the time but now that I have switched departments and the work isn’t as strenuous its like barely 55 hours has be on the verge of passing out. How could I have lost my drive already after a year?! -sigh- Suppose doing the same thing could probably be a factor…gets kind of boring after a while LOL.

So, who all is excited about seeing the Ghibli Museum? :D

[Jessica]

Speaking of Studio Ghibli, I want to go but does anyone know what day we would be doing this? Just don’t want to cut into my doujinshi shopping time, haha :D

[penultimate]

@Jessica – I’ve asked this in an e-mail and already got a response.  The Studio Ghibli museum trip is going to be on Saturday, May 11th, during the originally scheduled time for Shinjuku.  The group would be back from the museum with enough time to do 30-60 minutes of exploring in Shinjuku.  Which causes a major dilemma for me…

…I really wanted to see the SquareEnix Showcase, as visiting it felt like a religious pilgrimage to me, but upon visiting the website, it closed in November! D: I am devastated.  HOWEVER, they’ve opened a cafe/merchandise shop called “Artnia” with SquareEnix themed foods across town (But still in Shinjuku). Decisions decisions!

Also, the final night of the extended itinerary says Atami but we’re staying in Ito?  Would we be visiting both or just be in Ito?

[Anonymous]

I was considering sending an e-mail out about this, looks like I will now! :) Also reminded me I need to fix our itinerary online…

What’s online is not always set in stone, as things change as we finalize the stops. SquareEnix was a surprise when we found out it closed late last year. Artnia will take about 15 minutes to walk to from the station. It truly depends on what you’re looking for here, as I personally LOVE the Ghibli Museum.

As for the extension, we will no longer be visiting Atami, and will be staying in Ito instead.

[Anonymous]

P.S. Anyone with a question can also e-mail us…that’s what we’re here for! :D

[Einatsu]

Hi everybody!!!

I’m sooooooooooooo excited about this trip!!! I’m coming all the way from Israel, and I can’t wait to meet everybody!

Lanny just pointed me in an e-mail that there is a forum and I was kinda shocked and felt a little slow in realizing this. *laughs*

I’ll answer a few things you guys asked already:

I’m a very quiet and I’ll be in the room-matching since I’m travelling on my own, but I hope to have a quiet sleeper roomie ^_^ I’ll actually meet everybody in Japan since I’ll be arriving there a few days earlier and do a bit of exploring in the north. (since it’ll be golden week I’m guessing the central areas will be crowded)

And @Jessica – I’m also staying a while later! And I’m also planning to go to the Disney parks! So I would be very happy to partner with you to do these things, and maybe even drag you with me to explore Fuji-Q ^^ you’re welcome to PM me 8D

I’m working as a part-time barista and making a portfolio to get into art school and start my first degree. I’m actually 23 (whoosh), but that’s actually pretty normal over here =]

Oh! And I’m doing the perfect tour! ;)

[Moonwitch]

Hi! i’m Mari….so excited to be joining you all on this tour.I had planned on going in a few yrs after i mastered the language( i’m pretty much toddler level…LOL!hope im not along on that) but who could pass up this amazing tour!

I have so many ? …are most of you room sharing?i wasn’t sure to do it or not since i’m a super light sleeper & nightowl.plus i hope to skype once a day to my kiddos( will i be able to skpe with my ipad from the hotel?) so i don’t want to disturb my roomate.however $ it would be better & i would be able to get to know a new person.so how many of you are sharing or seperate room?

Just a lil about me.I’m a total otaku(plus yaoi fangirl!)LOL!  I am probably older than most of you going * cough 42 cough* LOL a single divorcee mom of 4 great kiddos. I devour manga(yaoi mostly but also Josei,shojo shonen)love anime since before it was in sub form.i still remember trying to figure out storylines since i had no clue what they were saying. I also write  fanfic,go to cons,& cosplay…i can proudly say i have helped turn all my kids into fellow otaku’s

[dragoncat]

@Moonwitch – You have to be the greatest mother ever.  That said, it seems like most people on this forum are doing the roommate matchin’.

Now I’m kinda curious.  Does anyone actually speak/read Japanese?  I only know the little bit I’ve learned from hijacking a friend’s college book and the random shit that sticks in your head after several 24 hour subbed anime marathons over the last decade.   Which, btw, is a terrible idea when your eyesight is flawed to begin with.  It hurt.  Lol.

[Einatsu]

@Moonwitch – you should read the previous logs to answer your questions, but yes! There are some of us who opted for the mix-and-match option of rooming :) You sound like a cool mom to have o:

@dragoncat – I actually took basic Japanese leassons when I was in 12th grade. Hell if I remember most of them, but I remember vaguely basic sentence structures and I can recognise the most of the hiragana/katakana. I still have everything saved so I can go through it and remember, but I suppose the best practice would be to actually go to Japan and make a fool out of myself! :) (like the dumb Gaijin I am ;))

Also, are you thinking about staying longer in Japan? I would love it if I had partners from the tour itself to continue with me for a few days trip  around the country.

and @Jessica – I just noticed they don’t have a PM option here, not one I could find o_o;

so feel free on sending me a message on Facebook ~ Einat Keshet !

[penultimate]

I took two years of Japanese back in high school (10 years ago, ugh).  I can read hiragana and katakana and can make out basic kanji.  My teachers didn’t start teaching any kanji until the very end of my second year, which I discovered was very bad practice.  And they never mentioned ANYTHING about kunyomi or onyomi, which totally threw me for a loop when I started studying kanji myself.

I also have the Rosetta Stone program.  It’s not the best teaching tool, but it helps a lot with vocabulary.  I think I’d be able to get around okay and be able to order a lot of beer ;P

 

[Anonymous]

Mari, don’t worry. Not to reveal any secrets, you are not the oldest person going on the tour :) We’ve got quite a range of ages and locations, so it should be very interesting!

The majority of our group will have roommates. We do our best to match everyone accordingly with a roommate survey (so light sleepers and night owls stick together!).

Everyone also gets a guidebook from us, which will have a small Japanese language section. That should hopefully help, and quite honestly, you can mostly get by with nodding, hand gestures, pointing, and some English in Tokyo. None of our previous participants have had a problem with this, where the majority of them did not speak Japanese. So no need to worry too much about it! :)

[Jessica]

@penultimate  Thanks for the info!! I’m so torn as to what to do as well. They both sound awesome.

@Einatsu I’m so excited someone else is going to Disney. I think Lanny is sending you my email so we can chatter :) I had never heard of  Fuji-Q but wow, sounds impressive. I think I”m up for it.

I guess I haven’t said much about myself, haha. I’m 28 and work full time as a Library Assistant. I’ve been into yaoi since I was like 15.

I took one year of Japanese in 12th grade. I remember mostly basic hiragana. I’ve downloaded an app to my phone to practice with. I’m hoping to pick up katakana and some basic phrases by the time we leave. ^_^

[Amaya928]

My Japanese consists of how to say hello, goodbye, thank you, Im home, and excuse me lol

and there, glaring at me from my bookshelf is the Japanese for Dummies book that I bought a couple months ago…poor thing…

[dragoncat]

Ya’ll make me half wish I went to a normal high school that had language course selections.  Lol.

@Alyssa Jennings – When I found out the Studio Ghibli Museum existed a couple years ago, it became my only goal for Japan.  I thought I’d have to find a way back to Japan to see it.  So to put it simply, I AM SO FREAKING EXCITED.  I rented My Neighbor Totoro from Blockbuster when I was a munchkin and it snowballed from there.  Lol.

@Einatsu – I wish I could stay longer.  I don’t quite have the funds to do so, and I’m already missing roughly half a months pay for this trip.  I’m a multi-job part-timer, so I don’t get vacation/sick/paid time off.  :(

[Anonymous]

Hey everyone,

I just found out about this forum this week! It’ll be nice to get to know some of you guys before we go. I’m actually a little surprised of how many different places everyone is coming from! I’m from West Virginia myself but I’m on the side of the mountain that’s closer to Virginia so most WV stereotypes don’t describe me, :D. I’m a full-time student at  a university and I work as intern accountant, so at least I know I’ll be getting lots of hours before Japan with tax season right around the corner! Gotta save up all the money I can right?

[Samdyn]

Hello! Thought I’d pop on and say that I’m so excited for this trip and to meet all of you. I see there are room match ups going on. Im a light sleeper, but I bring ear plugs just in case. I’m 27 and dont care if im paired with a guy or girl :)

I’m from NC and wondering if any of you are from my area too. Still saving up money for this trip (mostly excited to try the foods)

By the way, in case you guys don’t recognize my name on here, I use it on the TH disqus comments.. LOVE ZEPHYR.

A little about me, not a student but I do work at a tiger sanctuary (no we dont ride, pet, hug, touch our cats.. I like having all my limbs. haha)

[Moonwitch]

Dragoncat & Einatsu- Thx but it seems i am only the cool mom until chore time.LOL!

I am so jealous that many of you were able to take Japanese Language classes.When i went to school they have you a choice of…Spanish,French,German.i have seen friends of my oldest son get offers to do Russian ,Dutch etc.

So curious i was looking up weather for May an still not sure what to wear clothing wise. Seemed each sight gave diffrent views.so what is the general weather to be packing for. It does not help i come from Wa. So 80 degrees is HOT for us..above that it is A/C  on high…LOL!

[Amaya928]

@Moonwitch – I’ve been wondering about the weather myself. According to one website  I saw: (http://www.gotokyo.org/en/tourists/info/basic_info/climate/index.html#spr)

“Spring is from March to May. In early spring, there are still cold days when a heavy coat is needed, but in May it gets warm enough during the day that only a short-sleeved shirt is needed. Although there may be days when it gets colder in the morning and evening, most days are generally warm and comfortable. The tourist sites, therefore, are crowded with many people enjoying the balmy weather especially when the sky is clear and the humidity is low -an ideal condition for sightseeing.”

this other website has good info too: http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/arrange/essential/climate.html

so I’m thinking that a light sweater or long-sleeved shirt will be enough if it gets cold

[penultimate]

For some of us Mid-Atlantic Americans, the weather in Tokyo probably isn’t going to be much different from what we experience here during May.  Tokyo is close to the same latitude Raleigh, North Carolina.  I’m counting on short sleeves during the day and bringing a cardigan or pashmina for when it gets cool.

Of course, there are always exceptions.  So it’s always good to check the extended forecast just before leaving and adjust accordingly.

It’s supposed to be 70F here in Virginia tomorrow, which is pretty crazy for January in the northern hemisphere.

[Amaya928]

@ Penultimate –  I agree with you about the crazy weather. I live in Texas and I actually took a cold shower tonight…so much for winter…

[Moonwitch]

I agree with the odd weather. Here in western Washington it has been extra cold than normal. We had less than 2 inches of snow fall but the weather has been so cold it stuck around for 2 wks.it just finally all melted a couple days ago when our typical washington rainy weather appeared.

 

So what is everyone looking forward to seeing the most or place to shop in Japan?

[Hari]

It’s probably a bit late, but I’m on the waiting list. Hopefully a spot opens, if not- have a great time everyone!

[Samdyn]

@HariFox24: Hope you can get a spot! :) Good luck!

[Alyssa Jennings]

God! It feels like forever since I last logged on! A few new members joined us for the tour? Welcome welcome!! Cant wait to meet everyone!! Its exciting to see fans coming from all over the world and various ages! From cool moms to young-ins! Cant wait!

All this talk about staying longer to go to Tokyo Disney is making me want to stay longer and experience it too! Wish I had more time to spend in Japan but I think I will stick with the scheduled tour and rest up cause I know if I do stay and try to go to go to work without trying to get back on schedule (timezones) it will kick my ass LOL. Perhaps maybe someday if I ever go back to Japan, I will stay longer and visit it. Hope you two have fun!

@dragoncat – Yay! I’m not the only one! Even though I wished the Square-enix showcase was still open and I’m sure that themed cafe would be pretty cool to see, I think I will jump on the museum opportunity because well..its the Ghibli Museum! Who wouldn’t want to see that?!

 

[Anonymous]

For those of you discussing weather: It’s still REALLY early to figure out what it’ll be like, as Japan has unpredictable weather. BUT! Typically, early May has great weather, and at most you’ll need a windbreaker/cardigan. This will be part of our all important Informational Emails (imagine a dramatic echo there). Also, there will be daily weather updates! :)

For anyone still debating the Ghibli Museum, I’m pretty biased. I <3  the museum, everyone we’ve taken there has liked it too. For fans of art, animation, and magic, you have to check it out :D

[Tamil-A]

@Einatsu – ooh part-time barista! I love coffee so much, if I wasn’t doing my current job I’d so love to have yours :D

@moonwitch – BEST MOTHER EVER OMG. But yeah, I think most of us are room sharing – I don’t mind who I get for a roomie, I guess earplugs are always an option if I really need the sleep haha. I tend to sleep like the dead anyway, tho I known for tossing and turning while trying to get comfortable to sleep. I’m looking forward to ALL parts of the trip, I can’t decide which part the most 8D

@dragoncat – I did Japanese for a year at uni but its been a year since then so I’m trying to revise what I know atm – I’m pretty sure my speaking skills sound like a toddler barely out of diapers hehe. My Kanji reading is crap but Katakana and Hirogana are okay.

@Samdyn – A TIGER SANCTUARY?! Awesome!!

So I just paid the invoice for the whole trip (plus Studio Ghibli because HELL YESSSS). Makes me even more excited now, thankfully that excitement is helping me deal with the sadness and stress in my life atm. Only 3 months left to go! Woo!!

[Samdyn]

@Tamil-A see, now I was debating on doing the Ghibli thing cause I wanted to have more free time. Around that area is suppose to be shops and a mall and such and so I don’t know what our free time range is there outside of our listed activities and I don’t want to miss out on exploring on my own.

Also, does anyone know if we have curfews? I mean, I know it’s not going to be cool to come back at 4am every night, but I hope we don’t have early curfews.

[dragoncat]

Looks like the weather’s wonky all over.  One day it’s 18F, the next it’s 65F and stormin’, and now it’s a dusting of snow I didn’t know anything about.  All this in the same week.  Balls.

@Miryei – I have family in the Virginias, but I was unaware there were stereotypes.  Are they funny stereotypes?

@Samdyn – I used to live in NC.  Nice place, summer was like breathing in water 24 hours a day, though.  Humidity for the lose.  Lol.  Tiger Sanc?  Do you ever sneak a pet?  Just a little brush of fur?  I do not think I could restrain from trying, even if it costed me a bit a flesh.  Lol.

I had not considered curfews.  I was hoping to get a tiny taste of the night life.

@Alyssa Jennings –  Hells yes! In truth, I didn’t really know what the Square Enix showcase entailed, so if I don’t look it up, I won’t be disappointed that it’s not there anymore.  Lol.

@Tamil-A –  I’m convinced Kanji is like a doctor’s script.  Impossible to read.

Don’t get sad, get mad.  Get Glad trash bags to clean up the mess your fit of rage caused without any of that unwanted tearing or leakage. :D

[Tamil-A]

@dragoncat AHAHA that saying made my day! And yes, Kanji bears a strange resemblance to my mums shopping list handwriting hmm. (Also I admit I’d want to do the same thing in the tiger sanctuary…big big kittens OUO)

[Anonymous]

Our weather has been weird too. Was 70 at the beginning of the week and then by Friday some nearby county schools were closed due to snow! Part of me wishes it’d just stay 70 though, it felt so nice to not wear my coat. :D The other part doesn’t want it to get warm yet so I can keep wearing my fuzzy winter boots!

@Tamil-A I know 3 months left! I’ m so excited. Sorry to hear about your stress/sadness though. Don’t want to pry but I hope everything gets better ^-^

@dragoncat Most stereotypes for WV seem to revolve around them all being hillbillies/rednecks. You hear a lot of inbred jokes too concerning WV. But stereotypes exist for a reason and some parts near the center are a little rundown and a lot of the people can seem to fill the hillbilly stereotype. Where I live is closer to DC and Baltimore, and this area is a bit more metropolitan due to all the people who live here that commute to the cities for work but don’t appreciate the city living costs.

@Samdyn I have to agree with dragoncat. I might try to sneak a pet here and there! I imagine working at a tiger sanctuary is probably really interesting. Also glad you brought up the curfew question. I actually hadn’t even thought of there being one!

[Anonymous]

No worries everyone, there isn’t a curfew! Most of you (myself included) will probably be pretty tired though. Keep in mind everyone needs to be at the morning meeting time or they’ll be left behind ^_~

And yes, there will be free time D: We’ll cover this in person I think…

[YYZ kifujin]

Weeeeell one week of busy time and another week of no internet, and I miss all the new things and e-mails and other awesomeness. Sso to catch up (from page…  like, 6)
@Tamil-A  I am already looking forward hanging out with the fellow foodie and I um would really like to make a small request of you. Would you be so kind as to bring along a small container of a mysterious spread called Vegemite that you have in your far away land. In exchange, I can offer some, Maple syrup or ice wine tea or other local goodies, bargaining and bartering is encouranged.  Please let me know if it is possible, as from what I have seen ( at least from people eating it on YouTube), the reactions are varied, and I have to try this to know  for myself.
Yes I am excited about Ghibli Museum! Yes, it will be my pilgrimage, and nothing can stand in my way! This is MY  Disneyland!  Even at work, for the holidays I got the book “art of my neighbor Totoro” I got all teary eyed for I knewwwww, it’s fate!  Totoro you great, fuzzy, creature from my childhood, I shall seeeee youuuu in person!  *ahem* well  that is out of system now, moving on.
Fantastic to see our group growing. Welcome to Einatsu and  Moonwitch and  Miryei
Re: language discussions. Here are my two cents.
#1 thing to know for sure (anywhere you go in the world for that matter) “Toireto doku deska?” Cus when you need to go, you gotta go
#2 Thank you=arigato. Please=Onegaishimas (Or kudasai for the “give me” actions) Excuse me= Sumimasen
#3 Left=hidari,  Right=Migi.
Aaaand with that you are pretty much good to go. I also I try to carry a pencil and a small notebook on myself when I travel, hey if you cannot say it or play charades, at least you can try to play to Pictionary.  
Curfews? Wha? I will be more worried of missing the last train and getting lost in the city, and that will be  my curfew lol. However, I am actually surprised that this topic came up, are there people on this tour so young that need to have curfews? Or someone has been on a tour somewhere before where curfews were imposed? I am not… really sure how this works. In fact, I think I forgot what it is like to have a curfew.

Also, on another note,  for over 8 pages of conversation ( we even talked about weather!) and I am surprised to see no one has mentioned anything  Teahouse yet.  Yes we are going to Japan amd its going to be awesome,  but…come on its THE Teahouse ladies, and we are going to meet them in person and shower them in affection (and try to beg them for spoilers >.>) and say how much we love them and support them and and and.. yea. Views?  Opinions?
 
Onto the business matters now. There is no way that I will be able to fly in to LAX on the departure date and still make it on the flight,  so I am thinking to arrive at least a day before.  Perhaps I can arrive on the weekend and spend a few days exploring the city. I might not get a chance to visit Los Angeles again anytime soon.  Anyone interested?  Meet up? Possible  Travel companion?  What are your plans?
Cheers Fellow BLTeeeeeers  …and sorry for the long letter >.>

[Amaya928]

@YYZ kifujin –  A lot of good points you made there! :)

first of all seen your exitment for the ghibli museum has gotten me pumped up! XD and reading your must-know phrases made me laugh and nod along.

And about Teahouse….I think you have opened the floodgate my dear lol. There have been countless occasions where I almost posted something especially this past week with all of Reed and his naked fabulousness ;D but I always abstain because my future scenarios of what may happen consists of 1)the lesser evil being  everyone gushing over the new page or 2) a mob being created over conflicting opinions. God knows there’s been enough of that already…but yes I’m exited to see the ladies again! I saw them once at a con but didn’t really get to talk to them

To save my self trouble I am arriving at LA on the 7th, the day prior. I think PacSet is offering optional hotel arrangements for people arriving before the 8th.

[Samdyn]

Well, everyone’s arriving to LA the day before. I’ve been to LA  a few times for Anime Expo and it’s alright. Certain parts are crummy, but its still worth seeing. Long Beach and Laguna are the best places to visit. Miss surfing over there.

As for Teahouse spoilers, I wouldn’t count on it. There’s a whole group of us and that’s a LOT of people to tell a spoiler too. They may hint, but I wouldn’t see them spilling out heavy ones. Those girls like to keep us on our toes :)

And I had mentioned curfews because there is a whole bunch of us going and I wasn’t sure if they did that or not so they could make sure they knew where we all were. Lanny stated no curfews so I will be out shopping and seeing the nightlife late into the night.  I highly doubt anyone on this tour is underage since im not sure too many parents would ship out their kids across seas with strangers. haha, that and Teahouse is 18+. Im 27 and all sorts of ready for this trip.. Been 14 years since I’ve been wanting to go.

[penultimate]

I know some smaller Japanese hotels/hostels/ryokan have curfews where the front desk isn’t open 24/7 and you can’t get in after a certain time until it opens in the morning.

I am flying out the 7th (missing my 5 year anniversary with my guy, but he’ll live) and staying the night over in LA in the PacSet room block.  That way there’s no mad dash through terminals trying to catch a flight that leaves in a half hour.

I do wonder what surprises the Teahouse girls will have for us.  It’s hilarious listening to them banter on livestream, and I imagine it’s the same in person.  From my experience, they’ll drop hints but never give outright spoilers.

[dragoncat]

So glad Lanny said there was no curfew.  I never managed to make curfew way back when I had one, so it’ll be nice to not get scolded.

While I don’t know much of the Teahouse ladies or their secret keeping habits, I remember reading that there was trip exclusive goodies of some form.  Goodies are just as good as leaked secrets to me.

I was going to try to fly into LAX the same day as we left, but Evan brought up the point of possibly missing the second flight even if you arrived hours prior.  It reminded me that I’ve never taken off or landed on time where I live because of congestion on the runway.  So I’ll be in the hotel block Pacset booked, but I don’t land till, like, 10:30pm.  If ya’ll don’t mind late night exploring, I’d be willing to stretch my legs a bit.  After 6 hours on a plane, I’ll be needin’ it.  Lol.

@Tamil-A – /bows :D  Glad to be of service. (BIG KITTENS = LOVE)  I’ve owned a ridiculous amount of animals over the course of my life.  Mainly, but certainly not limited to, cats.  Lol.

@Miryei – Not the worst stereotype out there for sure, but I never would have guessed that was the one you were gonna say.  Lol.  I’ve been called things like hick before, or trailer trash (though I have never actually resided in a trailer. Lol) and I find it entertaining to play the stereotype up and see how uncomfortable I can make the people pointing fingers.

@Amaya928 – Teahouse was apparently at a con I was at and I had no clue til I came home.  I was beyond sad.  I don’t belong to any of the social media anymore, so I find myself out of the loop on many things.  Lol.
@YYZ kifujin –   I have never heard of vegemite or ice wine tea, but I love your love for the Ghibli Museum. Also, pictionary is a brilliant idea.  Stick drawings are universal, yeah?

[Tamil-A]

@YYZ kifujin – if I can get it out of Australia and into Japan I most certainly bring you a jar of the super salty stuff XD it’s pretty eh on it’s own – with butter & toast it can be nice. I think Im about as excited as you for the Ghibli Museum!! Howl’s Moving Castle is one of my favourite movies and urgh, all the beautiful watercolour scenery in all their movies just *flails* so GORGEOUS.

I agree with Amaya928 tho, I think we’ve avoided discussing it because its a floodgate of love and feelings that once opened EXPLODES XD Those two remind me so much of my writing buddy and I, and they’re so nice to all their fans and have a great sense of humour so I think it’ll be just awesome to be hanging out with them. Not to mention being in the precense of such two amazingly talented women!!! I’m sure they’re prepared for us badgering them for spoilers tho, the likelihood of them actually saying anything..I have a feeling is not very haha. I don’t know about you guys tho but the slow revealing of the storyline and relationships and pages and stuff is kind of exhilarating and fun – I guess that’s just cos I don’t like spoilers in general.

Ill be arriving about an hour before you guys I think, tho it depends which flight I end up on and plane delays and such. Kind of nervous about that bit together pacset people are quite organised Im sure it’ll all turn out fine^^

@Miryei – thanks sweetie, Im much better now – I had an expected but unexpected loss if that makes sense, it just threw me for a bit along with trying to get some tricky things organised at work.

[Anonymous]

I had no clue that PacSet had hotel arrangements. My friend and I were planning on just hiding out in the terminal until the next morning. Not exactly the most fun buuuut hotels can get pricey! Especially if they’re near airports. I think our plane is supposed to get in around 9 on the 7th but I wouldn’t be apposed to getting to meet some of you guys face to face the night before we  head out.

As for Teahouse. I am absolutely not expecting any spoliers. Where would the fun be in that? But I am extremely excited to meet the ladies who write it! I saw them once at Otakon when I picked up copies of there books but their stall was so packed that I didn’t get to talk to them. Guess I’ll have my chance now, :D

@Tamil-A Makes sense to me. Sorry about your loss but I’m really glad you’re feeling better!

@dragoncat Oh! I know it’s not the worst stereotype, :D I’ve never really left this area too much so I haven’t gotten to enjoy making people feel uncomfortable by playing into the stereotype but it sounds like fun!

[Amaya928]

@ Tamil-A –  Howl’s Moving Castle is my favorite too! with spirited away coming in a close second XD

@Miryei – yeah before finding out about the room block I was planning on doing the same thing lol

[Anonymous]

We haven’t officially announced the room block yet because we’re finalizing the details :D We’ll be e-mailing everyone when it’s available!

Emirain have some lovely surprises for you all…

[Samdyn]

I have a friend to stay with the day before the trip but coming back.. Im thinking of getting a room for the night and asking if anyone wants to share it  to help split the cost. …cause you know everyone’s going to spend their very last penny over there. haha. That or just sleep in the terminal till my flight the next day. I don’t want to run the risk of scheduling a flight that night we get back since there could be delays and such. Aaaand I really dont want to hop on a 6 hour flight back home right after a 17 hour or however long flight back from Japan xD;

[Tamil-A]

Flights are now booked and paid for from Australia to Japan….I feel even more excited now things are all set to go!!! Im plane hopping from Melbourne to China to Japan…even being in China for a little while should be fun! Also my excitment just went up an extra notch at the mention of Emirain surprises  OUO

Now to go work my butt off for 12 weeks to get as much spending/FOOD money as I can :D

[Amaya928]

@ Lanny Liu – aaaahhhhh…….you shouldn’t have said anything Lanny….Now I must live in suspense for more than 2 months….hopefully it will go by soon!

 

[Anonymous]

Now I’m even more excited. Can’t help but wonder what kind of surprises it could be!

[Simona Nara]

Hi there!

I’m a new entry: Simona from Italy.

I’m so excited about the tour and meeting Emirain!

I’ll write some more as soon as I finish to read all of the previous comments, I promise ;)

You all seem so talkative, I’m sure we’ll have fun :)

[Simona Nara]

*as I finish reading
I’m sorry for the mistake, I was too tired to re-read ;)…
Anyway I’m back as I promised:
@Moonwitch You are the Ideal Mum! Keep on going!

@dragoncat I studied Japanese for a while (Survival level XD), but then I had to quit, so I hardly remember anything…

@HariFox24 I’m sure we met on the TH page! Hope you can find a spot!
@YKZ kifujin I’m happy you brought up the subject Teahouse Ladies first! Meeting them will be the highlight of my tour, but I didn’t want to sound like a stalker XD… Anyway I love their art, Teahouse is possibly the best comic I’ve read in the last 15 years and, from their live Q&A, they sounded like fun people, too. (Ok, this sounded like what a stalker would say XD, creepy…)
But I have to say it’s not my first time in Japan, so I hope you’ll excuse me if I’m more excited to know them than anything else ;)

@Samdyn I totally agree: everyone’s going to spend their very last penny over there… and muuuch mooore! So… be ready for that! :D

[Samdyn]

Holy moly! A person from Italy and Australia! How awesome is that! :D I look forward to meeting you both.

Still a little over two months away, that means theres still plenty of time to win the lottery!

[Tamil-A]

Is anyone else finding this trip is making an excellent impulse spending deterrent? XD I’m actually saving money instead of spending it for once bahaha

[penultimate]

I know I’ve definitely changed my spending habits since I started saving for a trip to Japan.  I set a strict budget.  I rarely eat out, I haven’t bought fancy coffee drinks or smoothies in over a year.  I’ve only been getting 1 haircut annually and stopped getting my hair colored.  I try to fill my gas tank just once a month (I only live a mile from my work).  When I want to buy something impulsively, I sit there and think “If I still want it after May, I’ll get it then.”

It sounds so crazy obsessive.  I have plenty saved up, but I want to lessen the blow to my savings as much as possible by saving even more, haha :)

[Simona Nara]

XD I’m saving money on everything as well!

@Samdyn: if you ever win the lottery, promise you’ll take us all to dinner, please! ;)

 

[YYZ kifujin]

Late post is late -_- well, real life is keeping me busy now.
Hmm I see that my mention of Teahouse here stirred up some… emotions (?)  that was not my intent of course. I merely made an observation that the subject was mentions before. Otherwise, let the floodgates open (lighting flashes and the mad sound of evil laughter is heard over the canyon while her cape flutters behind her)
@ penultimate thank you for explaining about the curfews at the hostels and hotels.
@Tamil-A vegemite:  that would be awesome! Just hide the  jar in the plastic bag amongst some socks and underwear and no one will look for it lol. Please let me know if there is anything you would like in exchange.  “Not to mention being in the presence of such two amazingly talented women” I think I might start to hyperventilate even before we take off.  No, no, I kid, I promise I will be civil. (psst magnolia186 please refrain from mentioning that you ever seen me being a fan girl >.>)
@ dragoncat vegemite  is like this gooey spread that is….salty? and is made from  yeast extract.  If I get it, we shall test it out and see what’s it like. Ice wine tea is pretty much black tea with the flavour of ice wine.  I’m not sure where you are from  (if you have snow there)  or if you know about wine, so I will explain what that is too , basically sweet and fragrant wine, made from the grapes that are left on the vines till they freeze with the first frost.  The area where I live close to is like a world’s largest ice wine producer apparently. If you would like, I can bring you a tiny bottle… and/or some tea.
@Simona Nara welcome to our group. When did you go to Japan before?  Are there any places you want to return to again?
I really have to stop with these long posts. Perhaps I should just poke my head in during the week.  On the other hand, I feel like I’m writing a letter to multiple pen pals ^_^ aww you guys, you sound like a such a friendly bunch,  all from different walks of life, jobs and ages.  I think I’m just as excited meeting you all as much as seeing Emirain too.
Oh that reminds me: Presents to Emirain? Ideas?  Fan drawn artwork? Cookies in the shape of cats, in shape of letter “A”?  Presents for you? Lollypops for everyone?
On an important/interesting note: May 7th in LA, Meet up anyone? Possible travel companion/explorer of the walk of fame? What are your plans?  Or is it too early to tell?

[Simona Nara]

@Tamil-A and @YYZ kifujinI’ve always wanted to taste vegemite, too. Would you mind if I join the party? Would you like something in exchange from Italy?

@YYZ kifujin: I don’t remember exactly, I believe it was 2006 and I stayed in Kyoto for the most of the time. It ‘s a wonderful city with amazing sights. Then I got back with my boyfriend and friends, but the highlights were the otaku sites in Tokyo ;). Anyway I have a long list of places I want to see again. Regarding the presents to Emirain, you had lovely ideas, the letter A shaped cookies must be adorable and I want some <3. But I was wondering if it was nicer to but something typical in Japan so they’ll remember our trip together when they look at it.

Have you all already got in touch with Emirain? I mean, some of you met them at Cons, but did you send an email, tweet or else to introduce yourselves and mention you would go to Japan with them? I though it was polite to do it, but maybe it’s too much of an obtrusion… Any advices?

[Einatsu]

@YYZ kifujin – ice wine sounds really interesting! I never heard of it before. Vegemite tho… I dunno…. o_o;

I say we make a small picnic with things from our countries! :D (once in a youth organization, always gonna act like in one…) I can bring Bamba/Bissli! They’re the best snacks <3

That or Halva~! (though that’s technically turkish by origin)

Also, I’m not too worried about the weather – I’m bringing layers. Like an onion (or an ogre).

And I’ve been saving money for a while for some kind of tour in Japan and the east, but I’m still budgeting myself cause I’m doing a pretty long thing-ish. I’m coming in a week before and staying like a month and some afterwards (woot!)

and wow, bring on the fangirling! Like, I can hardly wait to have some fun ogling cute asian guys and such. (Butler cafes~~~)

@Simona –  I’m feeling kinda awkward about sending a pm to emirain because I’ll have no idea what to say to them… (‘hi-i’m-your-fan. derp 83’) though I’ll be happy if they’ll come to write here in the forum. It’ll feel easier for me to talk to them here, I think, than with a pm. ^_^

Why ‘A’ shaped letters? I feel like I’m missing something here >.>;

I think presents could be awesome, but I’ll have no idea what to do. I can draw fanart I guess, but with emirain I always feel like what I draw kinda pales? I really don’t go into fine details as they do :)

What I think I can contribute is bring stuff for some social activities and games for when we’ll have time. (I’m a sucker for social activities :))

[penultimate]

We’ve got such a diverse group of people coming on this trip, that’s so awesome :D

I could never spend the night in a terminal again after missing my flight out of Seattle after Penny Arcade Expo years ago.

Mmm I love ice wine and late harvest wines.  I’m excited to try different sake and Japanese beer and maybe see if I can try some of that Hoppy I keep hearing about, just because I can.

@Einatsu – I think they’re referring to the Teahouse logo (A for Atros)

[Tamil-A]

Ooh. well I was going to go for a little jar of the stuff, but since there are several takers on trying the substance known as vegemite I might have to rethink that idea XD I’m sure it’ll be fine if I just declare I have it in my bag to be safe.
@Simone Nara – I actually emailed them enquiring about the tour before I signed up and ended up briefly chatting to them….had to refrain from going complete raving fangirl on them haha but they’re so friendly ^^

@YYZ kifujin – I hadn’t thought of presents! What a good idea :D
I admit tho I’d be scared to hand them fanart, my art doesn’t even compare to how good theirs is OTL
I have to agree though, I’m as excited to meet you awesome peeps as I am Emirain!

[Simona Nara]

@Einatsu: I can see a Vegemite & Nutella sleepover (more than a picnic) coming our way XD. I have your same problem: I don’t know what to write in an eventual e-mail to Emirain not to sound like a derp fangirl or a stalker, but I strongly doubt they’ll have the time to check on this forum (they are so busy)…

Anyway, yes: A stands for Atros, it’s TH symbol.

@Tamil-A: I didn’t mean to cause such a bother, I wanted to taste just a drop of Vegemite, so the small jar will be fine ;). I think I’ll bring Nutella in exchange :).  I think I’ll write Emirain a few lines too, trying not to make a complete fool out of me.

@YYZ kifujin, @Tamil-A and @Einatsu I’d like to see your art and fanarts. I’ve already sent some of mine to TH tumbrl (I used to work in illustration before moving to education and I’m still regretting it because of the school reform TAT…)

 

 

[Amaya928]

@ Simona Nara – I love Nutella :3  when I do have time for breakfast I always have it on a cinnamon raisin bagel. I agree with you that an introduction would be polite….that way when I jump them at the airport it won’t be as rude lol (just kidding…it’s more probable that I’ll be too in awe to get too close lol) Anyway, like some of the others I feel awkward emailing them all of a sudden….they’re great people but I’m not the most social/talkative person out there…in fact I must brag a bit on my expertise in creating awkward silences/moments lol

Anyway since there’s mention of foreign food floating around has anyone ever had a lollipop/sucker from Colombia called BonBon? A coworker from Colombia gave me some and I swear it’s the best lolli I’ve ever had. I’ve tried looking around where I live for a colombian grocery store or something because I just can’t get them out of my head!

[dragoncat]

I have to agree with @YYZ kifujin about life being busy.  It’s got me by the imaginary balls.  Trying to replace a consistent PT job is rough these days without travelin’ to the cities.

@Tamil-A – I hardly ever spend unnecessary money, but this trip itself was an impulse buy.  My tax return is my only life saver.  I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to shop or eat on this trip until I did my taxes.  Lol.

@ YYZ kifujin – Vegemite sounds… interesting, though I’m not sure what you’d put it on.   I’m currently living just outside of Philadelphia, but if I stand on the roof, I can see New Jersey.  I’m familiar with snow, but my only knowledge of wine is what my uncle from Norway told me.  That knowledge swirled away with the 3rd bottle of wine, unfortunately.  Lol.  Ice wine tea sounds good and I’m willing to try anything willingly provided.

Presents, eh?  I’d be super embarrassed over my art skills, considering the level they create at.  I’m good with my hands, though I don’t know what I’d be able to conjure.  Something to think on for sure.

@Einatsu – The only thing I’ve ever heard Philly recognized for is cheese steaks, and those are not good travel items.  Lol.  How long does it take to save enough money to leave the country for over a month?  I would explode out of joy if I could manage that.  Going home, however, seems like it’d be a very sad thing if I could stay that long.

@penultimate – I am also excited to try any alcoholic anything.  I had rum while in Jamaica, and nothing beats native booze.  Best rum I ever had, and Bob Marley shots are amazingly sneaky.  Like a Mind Eraser.

[Einatsu]

And.. I just learned what the Teahouse symbol is ;OAO (I always thought it was just pretty flowers and never really looked for anything deeper ._.;;;; ) Thanks! ^_^

@dragoncat – well, it really depends on many things… usually if you travel to places like Thailand, India and the surrounding area can be 6 thou USD (approx.) including flights if you go for the low budget places to stay – that amount can even be for two months. Youths my age usually go to travel in that area of Asia, South America or do the Israeli country trail (north to south) after the IDF service.

South America, also depending on where you go, can be around 7-8 thousand USD (approx.) and if you know how to budget you can even include a few days in Brazil where it’s more expensive.

Without the tour I guess my expenses would’ve been around 8-9 thousand dollars on the whole. (probably would’ve been backpacking, but now I decided on taking a suit-case lol) with the tour included I’m going up to about 10-11 thousand dollars for about 7 weeks (including Thailand and Australia). Most of it was already payed in payments. After and before the tour I sleep in either low-budget hotels or youth hostels and I’m also looking for hosts to have me over a few nights on couchsurfing.com.

And yes – going home is considered the hardest part, but who says it’ll be the last time I’ll be travelling? :)

[Simona Nara]

@Amaya928 : Bagels… *drools*… They are so hard to find in Italy TAT! I don’t remember about Japan, though.  Chupa Chups are the most popular lollipops here, they used to be from Spain and painter Salvador Dalì designed the wrap, I can bring some of those too. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chupa_Chups But I never heard of Bon Bons. 

I finally managed to mail Emirain a few lines yesterday, so now I can quietly die of embarrassment waiting for May to come XD… Anyway I was a bit worried and I hope they are fine, since TH is on hiatus again.

 

[Amaya928]

@ Simona Nara – I’m concerned about the ladies as well. Right before the last page the note said something about E not feeling too well and like you said now it’s on hiatus so…. :(

I was surprised that there’s no bagels in Italy. I see them everywhere here and hadn’t really thought about the availability in other places.And yes bagels are fabulous~ There’s a shop like 15 min from where I live called Einstein’s Bagels. They are the best! It seems I didn’t get the whole name for the lollies right. They are called Bon Bon Bum. Yesterday night I found a website that sells them so I might order some later on if I don’t find them in a local store. Chupa Chups sound familiar…..I think I’ve seen them before somewhere….

 

I am impressed at y’alls money saving avility/willpower! I try…I really do…but then I see something in the store and I’m like “what if I need that for my trip?” and that was that…like dragoncat I think I’m gonna have to rely on my tax return to help me out

[YYZ kifujin]

It honestly felt like Friday today.
But it was not -_- …
I came here to remind myself, during this hard week, about something bright and shiny, something to look forward to, make me think of spring and fun times.
And probably to vent, or just to socialize.  However, I would like to apologize ahead of time, if I don’t make sense or ramble on, please excuse my tired brain, it tends to go a bit strange (more so than usual) after midnight.
Onto random thoughts and replies then:
@Simona Nara re presents  “wondering if it was nicer to buy something typical in Japan” good point, but I think it might be a bit difficult, what if they get what they want themselves. Or what if someone else gets it? And no I don’t have fanarts, because I don’t draw… (well, I don’t consider my pencil doodles and scratchings “drawing”)
I have not got in touch with Emirain.? First of all I am kind of… embarrassed because my email might come out as something like “Hallo thar!  I can’t wait to see you in May! Waaaaah! You’re-awesome-and- I-love-your comic *glomp*” that would be one of the most derpiest e-mails ever. They will look at it and rethink why have they ever agreed to come on this trip? I do hope they are ok.  Although, there are no notes anywhere to indicate  that anyone is sick or anything’s up. They are probably just busy right now.
+_+_+_+_+_
Soooo It seems I have started some sort of a food themed discussion here? lol
*starts creating a list of presents* -small bottle of Ice wine for  Einatsu and penultimate too?  Ice wine tea for dragoncat.  Anything else for anyone?
Better a picnic than a sleep over, I think. It is better to eat and then walk it all off rather than eat and fall asleep with chocolate on my face.
*adds to the list*: maple flavoured cookies and fudge…. Anyone interested in Ketchup chips? I hear you don’t have them in US?
@dragoncat I  went to google what  cheesesteak is and wow, I could only imagine all that warm melted cheese. ^_^ The pictures were a bit too much but the description in wiki sounded  amazing.
@Einatsu wow, excited for your adventure across Asia! Expect me to bug you for stories when we meet up in Japan. (That is, if you will be travelling in Asia already before meeting up with us in Tokyo)
@Amaya928  nah, you won’t need it. And if you will, you can get it in Japan and it will be much cuter/cooler too. And thank you for reminding me about taxes ,will have to do those this weekend.
P.S.  Re Nutella:  ohmygosh, is this for real?!  http://superduper.co.za/lucky/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/nutella1.jpg

[Simona Nara]

@Amaya928: We only have a pair of American Bakery in big cities like Milan…

@YXZ kifujin: I thought maybe we could buy something altogether over there, like a big souvenir, so we could share the cost. But probably there’s too many of us to decide on the same thing. XD That looks like the mail I sent them XDD, so if they don’t show up, it’s probably my fault XD… Anyway I came to think it was less embarrassing to do it by mail than in person at the airport or the hotel ;)

I don’t remember if you are from Canada or else… so maybe maple syrup?

And, oh yes, those are Nutella smallest jars, usually they are produced for Xmas, to be used as tree decorations or to be put into Epiphany socks. I’ll give a look around to see if there are any left ;)

You can find everything in Japan, except for clothes and shoes: usually they have smaller sizes because their anatomy is different (seems like they have a shoulder less in width). I’m a small size and, when my luggage got lost, I could barely find a xl sleeveless top and skirt to fit in. And that’s a shame: they have wonderful clothes and dresses ;_;

 

[Amaya928]

@ Simona Nara –  yeah not being able to get clothes makes me sad too…I really want to at least find some shoes…well at least jewelry should be universal right XD

By the way, do you use the name “jpn lover” in the comments for the teahouse page? I just saw that name with the profile pic you have here and just had to ask lol

[Simona Nara]

@Amaya928: I’m not sure about shoes: I only bought a pair of geta because of the monsoon never-ending-rain XD

And yes: it’s me! It’s a picture of my favorite kokeshi. I’ve become a permanent camper since they cut my working hours a few months ago XD. I’m stuck in a small town with most of my friends and family living in a different city, so I spend much of my free time at my pc chatting online or practicing my photoshop skills. Actually I have a real social life as well ;), but I can’t get used to not being that busy with work anymore…

Do you post comments on TH page too?

[Anonymous]

For those of you planning a picnic (great idea btw!), I’m going to suggest we do it on our very last night in Ito at the ryokan. We normally have a game/snacks/drinking night, and there should be enough room for everyone to get together :)

Last I checked, Emirain are healthy and doing fine!

[Amaya928]

@Simona Nara – *comes back after googling kokeshi dolls* I do post comments sometimes (same username). Usually it’s only when I have something funny to say (…well, funny to me lol) or when I have a question about something. I’m more of a reader than a contributor on the comments. Recently there have been some posts about other webcomics and fanfics so I’ve been taking notes to read them later.

Glad to hear the ladies are ok :D

[Samdyn]

@Lanny: sounds great! Although it will be sad to be leaving Japan, the last night games and events sounds awesome and im looking forward to everything :) I know I have to set aside more money than others for this trip since im Vegan and cant eat all the goodies you guys can. Lots of pit stops at convenience stores but its no biggie. I hear there’s Subway over there. hahaha :D

[Amaya928]

so whenever I come to check the forum I see the number of posts on the forums for the other trips…and I was wondering, am I the only one that feels sort of accomplished?smug? that our forum has the most posts? XD

I always think of it as Teahouse winning over everything else lol

[Einatsu]

@YYZ kifujin – haha, feel free to bug me! ^_^ I’d only be travelling for one week before the tour in the Aomori area, taking my best chance to participate in the last days of the cherry festival in Hirosaki. I really hope to do some hiking in the area too (big time nature lover right here) so hopefully I’ll have some nice pictures to show when we all meet :)

@Simona Nara – Chupa Chaps!!! We have them here too! Not very easy to find, but I looooove the vanilla and vanilla/chocolate lollipops *7* I’m really not counting on finding ANY clothes in Japan, I’m pretty M sized (in european sizes) but lets just say I’m ‘well endowed’ in the chest area so I really have no hope XD

@Samdyn – I think it’s really awesome that you’re vegan and I really hope you’ll be able to have a good variety of food in Japan. My mother used to be vegan when she was in her 20s and we didn’t eat so much animal produce when I grew up (it’s really easy when the national food is Falafel, Tahini and Hummus – both vegan friendly). I can tell you for sure that the snacks I’m bringing for the picnic are 100% vegan-safe :D

@Amaya928 – lololol, I totally feel the same way! I always think to myself  “Yes! We have the best forum! Go us!!” and then make another post, just to keep us well ahead of all others ;)

[Simona Nara]

@Amaya928: so probably we’ll cross our paths on the TH page too :D

@Samdyn: actually there are quite cheap ticket restaurants where you can find rice, miso soup and salads, so we can have meals together. Rice and red beans are the main ingredients of most of the sweets, I don’t think you’ll have problems :). I was allergic to soy the first time I got there, it was terrible XD but I survived.

@Einatsu: actually  vanilla and vanilla/chocolate are hard to find here as well TAT… A friend told me now they have H&M stores in Tokyo, so probably they have gaijin sizes, at least for shoes ;)

And… Our forum rules! XD

 

[Einatsu]

I don’t add comments on the Teahouse page but I’m laughing so hard because of the comments for the last update. Like the few who strated reciting Meg’s song from Hercules.

@Simon Nara – noooo! but they are the best ;^; Even the strawberry vanilla are hard to find?

Actually we have H&M in Israel. I’m not so excited about their collection, though *sighs*

When I was in the U.S. I ADORED Macy’s. They have such cute clothes!!!!  I wish they’d open a store in Israel. I usually just buy in our local chain store called Honigman and TNT.

You remind me I need to buy shoes… They have really big sales now and I need nice going-out shoes (like 2-3 more pairs over the 8 I already have for work and hiking lol). But I already spent a lot this month on comic books *twiddles thumbs*… The life of a fangirl is not easy!!! ;P

[Samdyn]

wow, you guys are so super nice :D Usually when I tell someone I’m vegan I get the third degree of.. “oh, so you only eat, like, grassy stuff?”… Very frustrating. I LOVE LOVE LOVE foods. haha. So while I won’t be able to eat those amazing parfaits they have in Japan, I know I’ll be able to find some goodies to eat. So cool you guys are respectful and awesome. Look forward to meeting you all soon. Just about two more months left! Woo hoo!

And yeah, I have to agree, our trip is super awesome. Teahouse, Starfighter and Homestuck… The three comics that will comment the heck out of forums. hahaha.

[Amaya928]

@Samdyn – I really don’t see why someone should be rude just because you decide not to eat meat D:<  An ex-coworker of mine is a vegetarian. What I think is interesting is that she’s a vegan because her mom is a vegan so she grew up eating non-meat products. Usually people think a person is vegetarian because he/she is against eating other living creatures. And one time she brought what she said was a bean cake for her lunch and it looked so delicious~

[Samdyn]

Im vegan because I love animals too. I know there’s subway and other american fast food chains in Japan. Don’t know how convenient the locations are, but considering the populated areas we’ll be at i’m sure it’s not going to be a problem. I’m also sure that they’ll have a few things on the menus of the places we go too. If not, it’s no biggie for me to stop at convenience stores. Heck, though it will be more expensive that way, I’ll be giddy to go food shopping :D I don’t know what I’m more excited for, the food or the sight seeing. hahahaha.

[Einatsu]

@Samdyn- I actually lived with a few friends who were vegan and one of them tried really hard to convince me to be one too. I tried it for about… one month. But I just like eating meat. I still think that the animal cruelty in the meat industry is all kinda of awful. So I just don’t eat meat  often, or even on a daily basis for that matter.

…You’re into Starfighter and Homestuck too?! We are going to get along so good :::))))

Other than Teahouse/Homestuck/Starfighter I also follow “Tripping Over You” and “Minor Acts of Heroism”. I’m also following he “Young Avengers” series which is really great and has great characters along with Teddy and Billy who are a beautiful couple. I also have two fave authors called ID_Locke and Twisted Hilarity that write the loveliest smut ^_^

If we’re already on the subject of other things we read – what other webcomics/comics do you guys like?

 

[Simona Nara]

@Einatsu: “Minor Acts of Heroism” is so good and… sooo sweet! :) I’m quite into Startfighter too, but nothing comparable to TH. I just discovered harkavagrant’s historical comics, hilarious! As for printed comics, I have a wide range of interests going from french style to manga, too long too list XD

I mentioned H&M in case of emergency (lost luggage and stuff), usually I don’t dislike their classical collections, but they vary too much from shop to shop.

I’ll check on the strawberry/vanilla chupa chups ;)

[Samdyn]

Besides Teahouse, Starfighter and Homestuck, I read Oglaf, TJ and Amal and Mephistos.

Currently looking for a second job to get a little more money for the trip. Don’t want to come to a point mid way through where im all “well crap.. im broke”. Hahaha. I was debating on bringing my kindle with me, but Lanny said theres poor WIFI.. so im prolly gonna leave it behind. It’s going to be so weird not being able to use my phone or kindle for the trip. I hope theres a place where I can steal a computer for a minute or two so I can contact friends and family :)

Oh man, IM SO EXCITED FOR THIS. Been wanting to go to Japan since I was 14.. Wow, its been 13 years… time flies, lol.

[Simona Nara]

@Samdyn: usually hotel rooms have cable internet and some hotels have computers in the hall. I think I’ll probably have my laptop with (it’s quite old, but I hope it’ll make it trough the trip), so you can use mine :)

[penultimate]

Oh wow, February is already over!  I need to do my taxes too eventually.  I was all gung-ho about  doing them until I realized that my job didn’t take out state taxes, so I owe :(   But I’ll get some federal for spending money

I’m not worried about finding any wifi.  No point in going on a dream vacation to worry about what’s happening on Facebook or tumblr and I ABSOLUTELY want to avoid checking my work e-mail while I’m gone.

Not to mention we shouldn’t have to worry about checking for a Teahouse update :P

I’m just bringing my Kindle for reading and reference material for the long trips.  I’m ready to immerse myself in the country, culture, and cuisine!

Has anyone else played the DS game The World Ends With You?  That game made me obsessed with Shibuya :D

[Hari]

So… I’m on the list. I sent my confirmation yesterday, so I’m waiting for a reply by tomorrow.
I figured I wasn’t going to make it, and so I haven’t been reading everyones’ posts- I’ve got a lot of catching up to do!

I’m very excited to be going on this trip with everyone~! I hope to have a great time and to make lots of friends!

Oh, yes-yes, and please call me Hari. :3

 

[Einatsu]

Welcome aboard @Hari !!! (Is that a short for Hariette maybe?) We’re happy to have you with us! Feel free to tell us a bit about yourself ~ :D

@Simona Nara – I looked into harkavagrant’s comics because this is the first time i heard of it and it’s kinda funny ^_^

@Samdyn – OH MY GOD!!! You have no idea how long I’ve been looking for TJ and Amal!!!! XDDD I’m dying here becase I read it like 3 months ago after someone on my tumblr dash recommended it and then lost the web-adress and totally forgot the name and I just COULDNT FIND IT. You – have just made my day :))))And oglaf is awesome!!! Mephistos I hadn’t read yet, but I’ll look into it now that you mentioned it.

@penultimate – Yeah, Teahouse updates? WE WILL BE THE TEAHOUSE UPDATE XD

I suppose we should have someone on the watch for updates tho, just for the lols, so if  there will be an update – we’ll all be there to fangirl together.

And ooh! ooh! I played! I played TWEWY. And I love it. I can totally get your obesession with Shibuya after playing it. I am also waiting for when I come back from all the traveling to play Kingdom Hearts 3DS cause you have Joshua and Neku doing cameos there! (I love Kingdom Hearts on it’s own but the cameos are just the small things that make me all too happy).

[Anonymous]

For everyone curious about free wi-fi, it looks like Japan has heard us and are working on adding more! Not sure how well it works, but here’s info on where and how to get it (if you need it):

http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/indepth/exotic/JapanesQue/special/ntteast.html

[Samdyn]

@Einatsu: ha! Yeah, so many people like TJ and Amal. Though TH and Starfighter are my top picks then Homestuck then Mephistos. Mephistos is on smackjeeves, but she’s since moved her comic to a new forum but she’s left the link on her smackjeeves account I believe. If not, just let me know.

@Lanny: Yes! I just saw that in the yahoo news the other day. What perfect timing :D I’m gonna bring my kindle just in case, but if it doesnt work, its not loss. I can snag an email from a hotel comp or one of these awesome ladies who is so sweet in letting me use theirs :)

One thing im super excited to do is the crane machines. I AM A GOD AT THOSE. I want to snag some japan plush :D

[Hari]

@Einatsu: Hari has been my nickname since elementary school… although Hariette is a nice name. If you are familiar with the character Hatori from Fruits Basket- My friends thought I was just as quiet/calm as him, as well as my love for the health sciences… so they shortened it to Hari (Ha’ri) and it has stuck around ever since.

I’m from Texas, I do say “y’all” although I do not have an accent. I work in a hospital as a Nurse’s Aide.
I also read Starfighter and plan to do a cosplay as Cain at A-Kon 24. My favorite mangaka is Asumiko Nakamura, and everyone in the yaoi community should read her works. I’m into story-lines more than the super-intimate details, but she has plenty of stories that appeal to both sides. My most-favorite manga from her is Doukyusei, which is my username for everything. =_=;; I like to draw.

There’s my life story.

[dragoncat]

@YYZ kifujin – Your guess is as good as mine on what a cheese-steak tastes like.  While I’ve lived, off and on, near Philly for around 17-18 years, I can’t recall actually eating one.  I love cheese, but I’m not real big on steak.  I might have had a bite while trashed at a friend’s house, but who recalls the taste of things you ate while drunk?  All I tasted the next morning was the Baccardi 151, but there was evidence of such food lying around.  Lol.

@Samdyn – There is always rice, if nothing else, that you can gobble up and fill the tummy.  While I’m not vegan or vegetarian (nor do I know their respective rules), I don’t particularly enjoy the taste of many meats.  If you stumble across something delicious, please feel free to share your discovery.  :D

@Amaya928 – I think I may have seen you on TH, and I know I’ve seen Samdyn.  I don’t comment much, and when I do, it’s almost never under the same name. (-_-;)  My way with words manages to get at least a few people to laugh, though.  Lol.

@Einatsu & @Samdyn – The pair of you have things I’ve always wanted: bigger tits and awesome crane powers.

@Hari – I’m not familiar with FB, so when I read “Hatori” my mind went immediately to Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi.  He’s pretty quiet, too, now that I think on it.  Lol.  Doukyuusei is the one about chorus classmates, yeah?  The same mangaka who did J no Subete, Sora to Hara, and Double Mints, right?  The art style is… unique, but enjoyable.  Lol.

I read a lot of online comics.  TH, Starfighter, TEN, Purpurea Noxa, TJ and Amal, In So Many Words, Knights-Errant, Two Keys, Metro-Jack, Mindwash, Enthral, La Macchina Bellica, What Happens in Carpediem, etc.  I’ve heard a lot about Homestuck, but never got into it.

I apparently can’t do math at 3:30am when I’ve only had 3-4 hours of sleep over two days.  I tried logging in a couple days ago, and couldn’t get anything right.  Not only did I put in the wrong username, but I was stuck on stupid when I looked at the math problem.  Adding a word and a number just didn’t compute in my already half asleep brain.  Lol.  I gave up and went to bed.

[maddymoonchild]

Hello. There was an opening on the tour and I sent my payment in today, so I’m pretty sure I’m going…lol

Anyways, hi I’m Maddy from California. I’m really really excited to get to go to my dream city with a bunch of people who like the same things as me. In short, I’m very very excited. Haha

nice to meet you all

[maddymoonchild]

Haha I should say more ^^;

I’m 19. I’m obsessed with Japan. Square Enix videogames are my favorite (anyone wanna go on a TWEWY scavenger hunt with me? :D if possible) I really love writing. My favorite singer is Gackt and my favorite manga is Kuroko no Basuke. My fave yaoi is probably Sekaiichi Hatsukoi. I love Teahouse! Linneus is my favorite <3 I adore yaoi and am so excited to go to Otome Road. I’m only 5′ 0″ so I’m real short. I’m looking forward to meeting everyone. I hope we can be friends :D

[penultimate]

@maddymoonchild omg me me, I would love to go searching for TWEWY landmarks in Shibuya.  Some of my main goals are to take pictures with Hachiko and the Moyai statue and go shopping in Shibuya109 :D  And I’ll have my player pins on me too, haha.  /nerdingout

I love SquareEnix games too, though I haven’t been able to play any of the recent ones due to saving all of my spending money for this trip.

[Simona Nara]

Welcome @Hari and @maddymoonchild!

@Einatsu: I’m glad you liked it :)

I know we already cover it, but checking with the newbies: is there any optional side trip or dinner are you all (or y’all XD, I’ve been an exchange student in TN) going? I was tempted by Tokyo Tower + dinner because it’ll be our first night together, but I’m not sure if I’ll be able to eat or to do much of a conversation after the flight…

[Anonymous]

Wow! So many new posts since I last posted!

Welcome @Hari and@maddymoonchild, really excited to see more people going along. Also @maddymoonchild, I’m so excited to see someone who loves Kuroko no Basuke! XD I have to ask, who’s your favorite? I’m an Aomine fan myself but I can’t help but love Kuroko, Takao, and Midorima as well! I think all my friends are sick of listening to me hype about the new season starting in April, but I just love the show so much. The manga is amazing ( I’m excited for chapter 204) but there’s just something great about actually seeing them move while playing the game. Sorry for my fangirling everyone, haha.

As for webcomics, I’m a Starfighter fan. It’s actually what lead me to Teahouse. I also read Strays, GamerCat, VG Cats, PPGD, Sugar Bts, The Grim Tales From Down Below, and Manly Guys Doing Manly Things to name a few. I tried getting into HomeStuck but I don’t think I made it very far…. but I like the fanart for it ^.^

[maddymoonchild]

@Miryei: You’re my new best friend!!! I LOVE KUROKO NO BASUKE SO MUCH. I literally can’t stop talking about it. Even my Japanese teacher remembers that it’s my favorite series. I want to buy merchandise while we’re there! My favorite character is probably Kiyoshi Teppei, but I really like everyone. Except Hanamiya Makoto. I hate Hanamiya Makoto. The prefer the manga over the anime, but both are good. The manga is the only thing that I’ve ever read that’s made me feel so many different emotions over the course of it.

@penultimate: Yay!! I want to definitely go to those three as well as just visit the small neighborhoods named in there like Dogenzaka and such. It’s exciting!

@Simona Nara: I’m going on the Tokyo Tower, the boats (I can’t remember their long Japanese name), and the Studio Ghibli tour :3

[dragoncat]

@Miryei& @maddymoonchild – Wait, wait, WAIT… There’s a new season in April!?  Shit, I hate waiting for new episode releases.  T_T I’ve suffered enough in 2013 with delays and cliffhangers already.  I intend to read the manga of Kuroko no Basuke, but I haven’t found the time to read something that long yet.

@maddymoonchild – I want your hair.

[maddymoonchild]

@dragoncat: The manga is superb in my opinion :3 Oh and that’s a wig lol I love cosplay and wigs. My real hair’s pretty boring

[dragoncat]

@maddymoonchild – Wig or real, I still want it.  Lol.  Mine’s pretty boring, too.  I like the idea of cosplay, but gathering the balls to do it is a whole other bit.

[Anonymous]

@dragoncat, the manga is definitely worth reading if you find the time. Rumor is that the next season starts in April but I might be pushed off until summer. Hoping it doesn’t though! I find the hardest part of cosplay is being able to afford it, ^.^. My friends and I have MLP gjinka cosplays and I’ve been tossing up the idea of doing a fem!Gon from Hunter X Hunter for Otakon this year. I want an excuse to wear a bright green outfit with short shorts!

 

@maddymoonchild, Teppei is definitely up there in my favorites . Unfortunately by the time he showed up Aomine had already taken my love   >.< He’s a sweetie at heart! And well I just love Takao and Midorima’s relationship. They’re so funny together! I know they just have a great broship but the yaoi fangirl in me can’t help but see a little more, XD

[Amaya928]

Amazing! I’ve missed 2 pages of comments! I’ve been busy with finals….so let me try to catch up to y’all

 

@Einatsu – A friend was raving about Homestuck a couple weeks ago but I haven’t had the chance to read it…well that and I’m kinda petty because I always look at the art first…though later I end up kicking myself and asking me why in the world I didn’t read something sooner (it has happened with manga)
I have read some of TJ and Amal but I’m not caught up to it….I fell behind and now I don’t even remember where I was…
 

@Samdyn – I think I’m just going to add international calling to my service for that month, that way I can call home. I don’t use my cell that much but I figured I need to keep the family updated and tell them I haven’t gotten lost yet lol . May I hire you for your crane machine awesomeness?! I fail at those things XD
 
@Hari –  Welcome fellow Texan!!! I don’t have a texan accent either, but that’s cuz I’m not originally from here :)  I love FB. I thought it was a great growing up story. When I have kids I’m gonna make them read manga like this. That’s gonna be my educational guideline lol My favorite characters were Ayame, Kyo, and Momiji. I think I have read some of Nakamura’s work. I love the art style.
 

@dragoncat – “The pair of you have things I’ve always wanted: bigger tits and awesome crane powers.” YES. Gosh, you just made my day!. I stare at the math question longer than I should even when I’m sober lol. I’m so looking forward to meeting you in person you are hilarious  :)
 
@ maddymoonchild – welcome child of the moon!
 
guys, guys *virtually embraces maddymoonchild, Myryei, and dragoncat* I LOVE KUROKO NO BASUKE TOOOO!!!!
 
ugh, why are you guys so amazing?! My favorite is Kuroko :) I always find it funny that he has “no presence” because to me he is such an intense and passionate guy! How can they not notice such an adorable thing? I’ve heard about the new season, but I’m not all caught up to the manga :( . I think I’m gonna start it from the beginning. If any of you are into the fangirl pairings for this manga may I recommend this tumblr —>http://rainbowbasketball.tumblr.com/ they have some really cute doujinshi.
 
I agree with dragoncat. It takes guts to cosplay.
 
Since we are talking about manga now, has anyone read Skip Beat! ? it has become one of my all-time favorite manga, well along with Hana-Kimi and Kuroko ;D
 
I think I’ve caught up? sorry for the long post guys lol
 

[Anonymous]

@Amaya928, Definitely will have to check out that Tumblr page, thanks for fueling my addictions, my real life friends will love you for it! XD You just hit some of my favorites in manga! I actually own all of Hana Kimi, Fruits Basket, and all of Skip Beat! that’s been released in the US. I’ve been reading Skip Beat! since my Sophmore year of high school and I still love it just as much now as I did then! And Hana Kimi was another I read in high school but I’ve reread it twice since then. Also, I’m so glad to have 3 Kuroko no Basuke fans on this tour, <3

[maddymoonchild]

Seriously I’m so lucky you all like Kuroko <3 Kuroko is my second fave character but Kiyoshi ended up grabbing my heart. I love Rainbow Basketball as well!! And Takao x Midorima FTW. Hahaa

I can’t wait to meet you all!

oh I love cosplaying, I’m just not very good at it ^^;

I’ve read Fruits Basket and Hana-Kimi. Two of my faves. I have an insane manga collection. Maybe I can post some pics sometime. It’s basically a library lol. I keep having to convince myself that I’m not allowed to buy all of Kuroko no Basuke while we’re there. I’ll be broke just from it haha

[penultimate]

I love Hana Kimi!  I love the manga as well as the live action drama.  But my all time favorite manga/anime/drama series is Hana Yori Dango (totally old school).  I was a little sad when I found out the tour wasn’t going to Atami anymore, because the main characters have their first kiss there.

I used to be way into the cosplay scene, but it involved a lot of what I didn’t have… time and money.  Then I got into volunteering and staffing behind the scenes at cons for a little while.  Now I just go to the occasional area con to see friends and actually go to panels and watch anime.  Still love dressing up and wearing wigs though (Hence my userpic) :)

[Amaya928]

@Miryei –  it’s fate Miryei, you and I were meant to meet!!! lol

@maddymoonchild –  Maddy….I’m so jealous! I want my own manga library! someday…..-determined face- and don’t worry we’ll be broke together XD

so, I just finished watching Wolf’s Rain (anyone else seen it?) and I was bawling by the end…just a little…ok? and that brings me to today’s question: is there any manga/anime that have made you cry and then you feel like doing the nothing the rest of the day because you keep thinking about it and get sad? which ones?

[Anonymous]

@Amaya928- We seriously must’ve meant to meet! I love Wolf’s Rain but it’s been forever since I last watched it. Toboe, I believe that was his name, was my favorite. He was such a cutie even if he was a bit babyish, ^.^

I think the last anime I cried at was actually Code Geass. The end just made me really sad, and afterwords I just kinda went to bed because I didn’t wanna do anything else, haha. And I just finished that last month, I spent 2 years watching that show slowly. Wasn’t really hooked until the last couple of discs and now I wanna rewatch it because the ending was so great. I also remember being really upset at the end of Angel Beats! it was such a nonserious show so the ending was a shocker to me, XD. I’m currently watching Pet Girl of  Sakurasou and I’m getting the feeling that the ending of that is probably gonna put me in tears too!

[Anonymous]

@penultamite- I own the Hana Kimi live action. It’s hilarious! I tried to watch the Korean version but couldn’t get into after watching the Japanese version.

I’m really excited to meet all of you guys, you all sound so awesome. I feel like after spending a week with you all in Japan I’m gonna be most sad about leaving you all when I go back to WV!

[maddymoonchild]

I liked the Hana-Kimi drama but not as much as the manga.

I don’t remember the last anime that made me cry. I don’t get to watch all that often. I finally finished Kuroko no Basuke’s first season today. I think the last time an anime made me cry was Togainu no Chi…two different episodes did

I refuse to watch Wolf’s Rain because a bunch of people I know have seen it and get weepy eyed/enraged when they talk about the ending lol

I can’t wait to meet you all either! I’m so excited! Last Friday was the two month mark!

[Moonwitch]

Wow I’ve missed a lot these last few wks.been super busy dealing with my late fathers estate sale an getting his house ready to sell and  working on Cosplay for the upcoming Sakura con.

so sorry if this is long as I try an catch up.

Simona thx and wow no bagels I will have to try an bring some for the picnic.

Ei Atsugi….I will be right nxt to you fan Girling at the butler cafe.

Penultimate….you brought up flying from Seattle.wondering if you are still in the area.love to have someone to chat with on the 3 hr flight from Seatac Wa to LAX.

Samdyn….I’m not vegan but am allergic to most seafood.so you an I can be ramen buddies.since I know you can find vegan friendly ramen made of dashi or nori stock. Also I will be bringing my iPad so I can Skype with my kids( longest time mom has been away so I promised I would ck in daily) so if you  want to use it to email your family / friends your more than welcome to.

 

[Moonwitch]

Einatsu sorry my stupid spell ck messed up your name. Should proof read before hitting send.

also big hellos to our new members.

Hari….Yah another fellow Cosplayer!

Maddymoonchild…love the name and I’m also a big Gackt fan!

[penultimate]

Not so much an anime/manga but a video game that made me sob.  The end of Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core made me cry for hours and it affected me for days afterwards.  And the silliest part is I already knew what was going to happen at the end, so I wasn’t surprised.  But it was still so sad!

@Moonwitch – Unfortunately, I’m very far from the area :P I’m all the way over in Northern Virginia.

[Alyssa Jennings]

God it has been forever since I last logged in here! I feel so bad and much has been discussed I now feel soo out of the loop but after skimming through some posts I feel a little caught up. Many welcomes to the people joining us on the tour, looking forward to meeting you guys along with everyone else! I read some things along the lines of bringing different foods or goodies from where we’re from, sounds like a great idea! I would bring something but I’m not sure if we have anything where I’m from that’s considered different, well there are some but one of them probably wouldn’t be good by the time I arrive and the other I’m not sure if everyone is a fan of sweets. Though if anyone is interested ask and I will try to bring some if I can find it!

There was also some things mentioned about web comics and other good reads posted and I bit I have read, some I will have to check out though I do have a question for those who do read Homestuck. What is so great about this web comic? I’ve tried really hard to get into this but I just cant no matter what! I don’t know if its the story line (Not sure if there’s much of one) or the visuals (More than likely, I’m kind of shallow when it comes to art sometimes) but it just doesn’t appeal to me but perhaps if others who do read it and enjoy it can explain the wonders that is Homestuck.

I suppose the recent topic is anime/manga that made us cry? I believe for me there were only three that made me cry, others made a shed tear but the ones that did it for me as far as anime goes were Fushigi Yugi, Wolf’s Rain and Clannad. I think Clannad holds the number one spot for me just because it was just…I cant even explain and I don’t want to spoil it if no one here has seen it, I highly suggest it!

@penultimate – You and I both. I think that was the only game where I sobbed and cried like no other, I absolutely adore Zack Fair and the last part of the game was just sheer torture! I literally had to stop several times cause I knew what was going to happen but I couldn’t muster up the nerve to complete it! I managed though and sobbed and was down for like a week, but no game gave me feels like that one did. Now all this talk about FFVII:CC makes me think about the squareenix showcase and how its closed… -le sigh-

[maddymoonchild]

OH YEAH CRISIS CORE. As soon as I beat the ladt boss, I started crying cuz I knew what happened and then cried for like two more hours after that. I cry easy from videogames v-v When I first played Kingdom Hearts, I cried at the end. And while I play Persona 4 if Nanako is sad, I get weepy eyed.

WAIT! The show case is closed?! Since when?! No!!!! I wanted to see it T~T

bring food from where we’re from? I doubt there’s anything interesting here…

oh, if anyone’sinterested while we’re there and we have free time I’m going to try to go see the new Tokyo Skytree. I want to see it but I’m also going to check it out for a book I want to write haha So if I have time, I’d like someone to go with me

and did anyone read the new Teahouse page today? OMG IT WAS SO CUTE

[penultimate]

Whew, glad I’m not the only one who was devastated at the end.  Crisis Core was like meeting an attractive charming  guy, getting to know him, starting a relationship, falling in love… and then… and then…

Oh I love Tsundere!Axis….    “…I didn’t fix it cuz I like you or anything…” *blushblush*  *glareglare*

I can’t wait for Ch 4 to be released.  I usually get the special editions but I SHOULD save that $$$ for the trip.

@Alyssa You’re not alone when it comes to Homestuck.  I don’t get it either.

@maddymoonchild The Showcase closed last November, but they reopened a cafe in Shinjuku called Artnia that features SquareEnix themed foods and also has a shop and a gallery.

…I just wanna know what they did with that life-sized Sephiroth that was in the Showcase…

[maddymoonchild]

Did…did you say Squeenix foods? I just died from happiness. but yeah, I wanted to see that Sephiroth most. I can’t believe I didn’t know v-v

I can’t wait for Ch. 4 print either. I wonder what bonuses are in it. But don’t we get exclusive goodies on this trip? I seem to remember I read that somewhere…

[Alyssa Jennings]

@penultimate – Yes, it was definitely like that. I should say I was a bit obsessed with his character or still am, I believe he is my favorite male video game character of all time. I even had a custom plush made of him and a shirt I had a cousin of mine make for me, kind of makes me sound like a creepy fan. Probably am…LOL!

I thought the newest page for TH was too cute, you know Axis has a soft spot for Rhys! I cant wait for the Ch. 4 release, I always purchase the special editions. Wouldn’t it be great if the special goodies we get from the TH ladies is an exclusive release of Ch. 4 before everyone else? I get all happy and giddy just thinking about the idea!

I have a crazy theory that they kept the life-sized Sephiroth and just threw him into a maids outfit to make him match with the theme of the cafe, crazy I know but I just don’t think they would just get rid of a masterpiece like that. Its too gorgeous to put it into storage!

@maddymoonchild – I feel silly for asking this but..what is the Tokyo Skytree?

[penultimate]

@Alyssa Jennings – Tokyo Sky tree is the tallest tower in the world (and 2nd tallest structure in the world).  I imagine the views from it are incredible.   In regards to your Zack infatuation: you. are. awesome! :D

I was anticipating the Ch 4 release to be long before the trip, but if it could just wait a few more weeks :X haha.

@maddymoonchild I’d love to see Tokyo Sky Tree.  The best day to see it would be when we’re in Asakusa because it’s just across the river but who knows if there’s time.

[Alyssa Jennings]

@penultimate – Ohhh that’s awesome, I would definitely like to go see that even when I will more than likely scared sh**less but its not everyday you get to see the second tallest tower in the world either. :)

I’m getting all pumped about the trip, its right around the corner! Though I am wondering about money for expenses, still not sure how much to bring and whether it will be too much. Not sure it would wise to have a ton of money and I have been hearing stories about people using their cards and having more taken out or wiped clean from some Asian countries. Any thoughts, am I thinking too much into this?

[Einatsu]

Oh my… I’m never going to remember who write what when we’re actually going to meet XD

Welcome to all the new people!!! :)

@Moonwitch – hehehe, it actually took me a moment to understand what you were talking about!   I just found it amusing because “Ei Atsugi” sounds similar to my username :)

Ooooh… Tokyo SkyTree sounds pretty damn cool. If a group of us find the time to get around to it, I’m game ^_^

Haha, Axis is all kinda of adorable. I’m dying because he smelled if that towel was okay before he threw it to Rhys. And Rhys in that wet transparent shirt *drools*

I think the one anime/manga series that made me cry was Hikaru no Go for spoilery reasons. I also cried terribly while watchng the movie “Wolf children Ame and Yukki”. It is a tear jerker – be warned.

Yay, Gackt lovers! Man this tour sure is full of good company. ^_^ I really wish I could’ve played Crisis Core, just for the sake of teh Gackt-based villain. But I’ll probably do that after the tour. Too bad Gackt didn’t dub in English.

About Homestuck – It’s a very unique format that isn’t easy to relate to, and there is a lot to say about the strange humor of the author. The first chapters are random because that’s the format he started with – mock adventure game, with suggested “play commands” from readers. It’s only later when it becomes a more constructed story with a relatively confusing timeline. You really have to read it from beginning to end as there are things that may seem as jokes or irrelevant small details but are later found to be crucial for the story. There are at the end of each chapter summaries of what happened, to help follow. Also, Homestuck Wiki – full of spoilers, but very informative.

Hussie’s art isn’t the hottest topic, but there is something to be said for his flash animation and backgrounds. In later pages other artists contribute for some really amazing scenes and art like this, also this , and this. As someone who reads Homestuck – I suggest not to go into it without metnal support from friends, but if you’re brave enough to venture, I’d suggest starting with Let’s read homestuck. It’s easier to follow, and goes a lot faster than reading, and you can find where you left off easier, unlike on the website where it’s really annoying if you forgot to “save” the last page you were on.

Okay that was a long explanation, and I promised myself to keep it short so we can talk about other subjects :D

@Alyssa Jennings – I was thinking the same thing! I was thinking of budgeting myself for 50$ a day for necesseties and then some for shopping. I’m not going to go wild on anime figurines, but I’ll probably go nuts for artbooks, doujins, the local foods and cute pichifkes.

[Anonymous]

There will be opportunities to get more cash from an ATM if your bank’s rates are good, since most places don’t accept credit cards. This way if you find you need more cash, you won’t be stuck regretting being unable to buy things :D

@moonwitch and @samdyn : We’ll be covering food allergies/requirements/dislikes very carefully in an upcoming email.

Ramen without meat/fish broth is a bit hard to find in Japan, but it does exist (mainly at vegetarian only ramen places). There may be egg in their ramen noodles. I’d suggest doing some research beforehand on places to go or what you can and can’t eat. We’ll do our best to recommend food/places, but we may miss some things! As far as I know, soba should be vegan friendly, along with items at an izakaya, family restaurant (Jonathan’s, Saizeriya, etc), some fast food places (Freshness Burger), conbini, and non-Japanese restaurants. Hope that helps! XD

[Amaya928]

@maddymoonchild – The page was lovely. Rhys on that 3rd panel….-drool- If there’s time I would love to go to the Skytree with you :) And there are supposed to be goodies but I think that we can only speculate as to what they are right now…

[Soffiare]

I feel really weird about posting an introduction on page 14–or 15 whichever page this post lands on, but anyways. ^_^;;;

Hello!! I’m Stephanie. I’m from West Virginia, but the normal-ish part of West Virginia. I’m going with my friend, Emy, on this trip, who is not lazy like I am and waits less than two months before the tour to post anything. So I would like to apologize. But I’m superly-doperly excited about going to Japan! I can’t wait to see Godzilla (and not the American 1998 verision). :D

I will usually watch any animes that are really-really pretty. For example Penguin Drum, I didn’t even know what it was about except there were cute penguins and it was really really pretty. I had no idea that I was going to cry for the last three-four episodes and now I wanna destroy my magazines with it in it. So now I go places warning others to stay away and just watch the first like five episodes, unless you want to be thrown into a pit of confusion, depression, kitty death (which causes depression for me anyways), and mafia teddy bears.

I really like Soul Eater, Another, Mirai Nikki, the ending of School Days, Yu Yu Hakusho, and Fate/Stay (Night & Zero). Much others, but I’m pretty sure my post was taken up by Penguin Drum. As long as it has one of the three things I’ll watch it 1)boobies, 2)death/really strange, or 3)pretty.

 

[Alyssa Jennings]

@Einatsu – Ahhh, hmm well perhaps one of these days when I’ bored or have the patience I will try to read through Homestuck or just skim through wiki and the links you provided and get an idea about what it is all about. Also on the expenses, I did have a budget of sorts though I believe I read somewhere they said about $65 per day for food I think..I meant more along the lines of money for shopping, I don’t wanna bring more than I should but then again this IS Japan so I might splurge a little more than I hope LOL.

[maddymoonchild]

Pac Set recommended allotting 5000 yen (I think), around $60 (I know this part’s right) for food a day and then 4%-9% of the trip cost for a tip. So I figure after I have all of that, everything else is spending money xD I’m figuring I’ll just end up going crazy at all the stuff I want but won’t be able to put in a suitcase. I’m trying not to make a huge list of things I want. All of it sounds cool to me because I don’t have to pay import taxes

and yay! ATMs. I was wondering if we could use them

yay Skytree group!! I figure as long as I have a map and some free time, I’ll get us there haha I want to go a lot of other places too like Minato-ku and such for writing purposes as well. I like to see where I’m actually writing about haha Nerdy writer is nerdy

and @Alyssa Jennings, if you think you’re obsessive over Zack I’m afraid to share my numerous stories about all the characters I’m super fans of xD real people too ^^;

[penultimate]

Yay for all the Gackt fans!  Maybe some Gackt karaoke is in order, haha.

I’m watching “19 Kids and Counting: Tokyo Japan” on TLC right now.  It’s pretty funny.  But I think I know better than to yell “DO YOU SPEAK ENGLISH?” at random people.

I’m not sure myself what to budget for souvenirs.  I really have no wish list of must have items (this might fly out the window if we make it to the SquareEnix Artnia store – Sephiroth or Cloud Eau de Toilette please).  My main focus on this trip is food and taking LOTS of pictures!

@maddymoonchild Were you talking about Minato-ku Tokyo or Minato-ku, Osaka?  If it’s Tokyo it’s pretty convenient because the hotel is in Minato :)

[maddymoonchild]

Tokyo! I don’t get to go to Osaka :( And really? I’ve yet to receive hotel info so I have no idea.

my Japanese teacher said I can probably get around with the Japanese I know, so I’m excited to test it out lol

And yes so many pictures, I can’t wait.

That reminds me, should I e-mail about the room mate interview thingy because I haven’t had the chance to fill one out?

[penultimate]

Happy 1st day of Spring Northern Hemisphere-ians!  Hoping to do some of my own Hanami here in Washington D.C.  Peak bloom is predicted April 3-6!

@maddymoonchild  you should contact PacSet for the info; they sent it out back in January and I know you joined fairly recently.  And there was a (really awesome) change in the Tokyo hotel announced on March 14th.

I haven’t received a roommate survey yet, but I assume those will go out as we get closer to the departure date.  E-mails from Pacset are like presents. I’m always excited to open them and see what’s inside, haha.

[Anonymous]

@maddymoonchild – Hm, looks like we missed you by accident! I just forwarded the email to you, please let me know if you still don’t receive anything.

A huge survey with roommate questions will be coming out soon! And yes, Emirain have some amazing extra goodies planned for everyone.  :D

[maddymoonchild]

I got it :3 I’m glad. Even more pumped. I walk two miles 4 days out of 7 each day so I’ll be ready to walk I think lol

Can’t wait for huge survey! And yay goodies <3

[Amaya928]

@Soffiare – Welcome! :) and don’t worry, it’s never too late for an introduction! actually we won’t be properly introduced till we meet each other so not a problem lol

@penultimate – I agree with you about the emails. Even when I get the invoice for the payments I’m like “omg! one month closer!” lol

@maddymoonchild – I need to get a move on…I can’t even remember the last time I went walking/running -_- . So I need to get started on that…..

[SlightlyLucid]

Omy so far I skimmed and all I got was Gackt fans and Sephiroth in a maid outfit? ahahahah  maybe its because I listen to Gackt as well and have an adoration for Sephiroth. I was quite devastated when they closed the showcase I really wanted to see the Sephiroth statue but hey the cafe sounds interesting! And so does everything else on this tour~ :D

wow so many pages in this forum. You all sound amazing ; u  ; honestly I was quite scared going alone but not anymore! I am at ease after reading reading all of your interests and knowledge. :>
oh yeah I must introduce myself. xD
Hello everyone!!!!  My name is Rita I have been stalking this forum since the beginning? but didnt post because I was too shy to post ;_ ;
but its better now then never, right!
I am from Southern California~ and I am 19. I dont know what else to write +_+ ahhhh
Cant wait to meet you all. c:

[Alyssa Jennings]

@maddymoonchild – Haha please feel free to share! Its good to know that I’m not the only one with such obsessions over characters! Perhaps we’ll have some others in common?

@SlightlyLucid – Welcome! Its okay, you don’t have to be shy we’re a bunch of nice folk I assure you. Though you’ll probably have to worry about some of the secret agents on this tour, but other than that we don’t bite :3

 

 

[maddymoonchild]

@SlightlyLucid: OMG I’m 19 and from Southern CA too! I thought for sure I’d be the only one my age going! That’s so cool~

@Alyssa Jennings: hmm…I’m obsessive over Gackt. He’s my future husband ._. <—–psycho I also really love characters from Kuroko. I’ve been obsessed with Noel from FFXIII-2, the new Dante from DmC, Reno from FFVII, and…Laguna. Oh my god Laguna. I love him so much <3 I could talk about characters I like for hours xD Just crazy. Most of my ‘obsessive’ stories go along the length of  how much effort I put into meeting famous Japanese musicians

[SlightlyLucid]

@Alyssa Jennings:  thankyou! oh I have noticed~ xD secret agents? o – o!!

@maddymoonchild: NO WAYYY! O _ O  I thought the same way! this is amazing~ Gackt was my future husband lolol Till I noticed other japanese musicains and just couldn’t decide. OTL   “—how much effort I put into meeting famous Japanese musicians” <– I do the same thing ahaha. 

[Amaya928]

I’m too lazy and laid back to put much effort into the stalking/obsessive behavior but I totally share the sentiment of making favorite characters into husbands lol whenever I watch an anime, drama, or read manga I just point and be ” that’s husband number–” XD my friends and family just roll their eyes at me lol

oh and welcome Rita!!!

@maddymoonchild –  I’m sure there’ll be plenty people in the almost/early twenties. I’m 20 myself :)

[maddymoonchild]

I really wasn’t expecting that. I was expecting most people going to be mid twenties and up just because it’s a kind of expensive tour (cheaper than average but still not the most affordable thing) That’s really cool to me. I have a really hard time making friends or talking to people I don’t know, but I’m actually really excited that I’m going to be around people my own age that have the same interests as me. I hope I’ll be able to actually talk to people. One of the only reasons I was allowed to go on the trip is because my family thinks it would be a good way to put me out of my comfort zone and force me to try to interact with people I don’t know.

and that was a personal tidbit about me. I’m very afraid of being out of my comfort zone ._. So I’m actually scared but really looking forward to it at the moment

[Alyssa Jennings]

@SlightlyLucid – Yes, there are some secret agents among us but fear not..they are just here for vacation and to enjoy the company of others and the awesomeness in which that is Teahouse. :)

@maddymoonchild – Haha we do have some common likes, guess I have some friendly competition~! Who wouldn’t want Gackt as their future husband? I guess I am gonna have to check out this Kuroko, apparently there is much hype about it at conventions so I will take a look into it. I think I have the same obsessive-ness but just with voice actors, I sometimes go the extra mile to meet them..I actually got to meet and chat with some veterans in the industry this passed weekend so that was a highlight and a honor to meet them.

Also on the note of being out of your comfort zone..I definitely feel you maddy. I might seem bubbly or chatty on the forum but if any of you met me in real life (which I guess you will soon enough LOL) I am quiet, and shy and keep to myself. I am not very adventurous or seek to be really social though I think that was due to my upbringing and my mother being overbearing and some events that took place in middle-school to high school that made me more anti-social and a hermit. I never really saw it as a problem then but now that I am a little older and working its kind of coming an issue as to where that my employers find it odd that I am always to myself and don’t socialize, though I believe being there to work and not slack off is kind of the jist of a job but from what I am told I am “too serious”. I suppose this trip is for several things, one being that its on my bucket list and its the kind of tours that I always dreamed of consisting of and for hopefully this being what I need to break out of my shell and start being more social, making friends and just..living. I know its scary and probably even nerve wrecking to be in a situation where making friends and talking to others that aren’t familiar to you, but take this as an learning experience and a ice breaker of sorts in hopes of becoming a slightly more social person. Just know you wont be alone in this, I will be trying to do the same and we can open up to others together. :)

 

 

[Amaya928]

Well said Alyssa!

I now propose a toast: to meeting new people and making new friends! Kanpai! :D

 

On another note, does anyone else follow E on tumblr? I checked yesterday and she had a post with the question “What kind of things would you want to see in a new BL story?”

so now I’m beside myself with theories on what this could mean XD  Could they be planning another story?

[penultimate]

I’m a bit of a hermit myself.  I’m very socially awkward and don’t always think it out before I speak, but I like making jokes and doing silly things to make people laugh and break the ice. 

I think all of us having a main similar interest is the key here.  I have trouble opening up to strangers and my coworkers because I feel like I’m living a secret life being all “I like boys kissing” over here.  We’re already past that stage!  There are no secrets!  Bring on the dick jokes! 

@Amaya928  I saw that post on tumblr too… Wah!  I want them to finish Teahouse before they start on anything else.  I can’t even think of another BL story I’d want to read.  Maybe something magical/involving magic!

[Amaya928]

@penultimate –  you are so right! I do feel that my biggest secret is out of the way so I can really say whatever now! . You won’t believe how I laughed at your “Bring on the dick jokes” LOL. Though I don’t think I can do that, I can think them but I’m probably too self-conscious to verbalize my thoughts….haha  I concur that laughter is a great way to break the ice. I love humor and don’t mind being silly or acting stupid to get a laugh out of someone. It makes me feel like I achieved something when I make someone laugh :)

I know! when I read the post I was like “Teahouse?” I really can’t think of something else that I’d rather see than teahouse. But I really like ordinary stuff if that makes sense- something like guy meets guy at a grocery store…I don’t know how to explain this, I just like believable stories that could happen in real life, though “life can be stranger than fiction” right? lol. And I don’t mind stories with a slow moving plot if they are written well.

And talking about good writing, is anyone into xxxholic? flakedice at livejournal writes the most wonderful Doumeki x Watanuki stories! I think she is my favorite writer for this fandom~ I especially love her Lord & Prince series, it has a slow moving plot but it’s filled with wonderful imagery and all sorts of foreshadowing and unsolved mysteries, I can’t wait till she updates the next segment to the story, I’ve re-read that story like eight times now :)

{ END OF RANT }

[maddymoonchild]

I saw that post but I didn’t realize it was from E. FAIL. I still barely understand tumblr. I want Teahouse to be finished first. I want to know everything from it D:

That reminds me that my friend and I are going to try to make a webcomic. We just can’t decide on what kind of story to do and keep changing our minds. I really love comics and stuff but I’m an awful artist, so I’m hoping that she and I can put our two talents together and make a great thing. She’s actually making a gift for me to take on the trip for E and CC because we love them :3 lol

And I’m glad that everyone seemingly has had similar life styles as me. It comforts me in knowing that people will understand how I feel. My city is so damn tiny that there’s barely anyone like me. Although I have to say, I’m lucky that I have a lot of friends who like yaoi and we get together and read it and talk about it lol But it makes me happy that people understand. I really hope we can all come to be good friends :3 I don’t care how far away everyone lives.

@Amaya928: I love anything by CLAMP. I haven’t had a chance to read xxxHolic all the way, but someday I will. But Doumeki x Watanuki? Yum =w= I’d love to read it if you don’t mind sharing some links or something. I like detailed stories (when I have the time to read them)

That brings up, what kinds of slash are you guys into? Only manga/anime or others? I like DC Comics and manga, so I follow yaoi in both things lol

[penultimate]

I’m huge into video game slash.  Mainly SquareEnix related.  And Dissidia opened up an entirely new world of Final Fantasy crossover fics, oy. Anyone ever read xenobia’s FF7 fics?  They’re amazing.

I also love creating/reading original slash, because the authors/artists can do whatever they want with their characters/world without having to stick to a preconceived universe, which is why I love Teahouse.

Emirain posted a teaser pic from Ch 4 on their tumblr.  And probably one of the most ‘revealing’ teasers ever.  I see what you’re grabbing onto right there Rhys!  and oh that special edition tempts me so… maybe if they have some extras after the trip… 750 copies won’t sell that fast… will they? D:

[Alyssa Jennings]

Seems like tumblr is the new craze, I honestly don’t understand how it works. Reminds me of facebook but its not..lots of re-blogging and such. I’m always late to the party when it comes to these things..I fought so hard to not get a facebook but had to in order to keep in contact with my sister in Afghanistan and to post pictures of her toddler well away. Wonder how long I can avoid tumblr? LOL

Yes to making new friends!

Hmm I think I have a limit as to what slash or things I will ship, its kind of funny that this is mentioned because I sell at artist alley and my business partner made a new button design that reads  “This ship sails itself” and its has a picture of a flying ship. It was quite a popular button among the girls of course. I think I stick to just anime/manga and or comics and video games.

I want chapter 4 soo bad!! Why do the ladies have to tease us soo??! And a new BL story? Interesting.

[Amaya928]

Maddy here’s the link for flakedice’s livejournal: http://flakedice.livejournal.com/14302.html#cutid1

that’s a list of all the story she’s written. My favorite is the Lord & Prince, it’s also the longest. The first segment is Supernatural Entanglements and it starts with Pale as Porcelain. My other favorites are Violent Wind, Supernatural Revolution and Glass, Light & Water. Hope you enjoy them :)

 

Alyssa I would so totally get that button! It’s a subtle declaration for liking yaoi that only those that know what it is would know what it means. love it. I’m with you on the social network sites…I remember when a friend of mine made me get a myspace and I logged on like 5 times. Now I have a facebook but I rarely use it. I don’t have a twitter or instagram. I was going to get a tumblr but I got confused on how to use it so I stick to just looking at other people’s lol

I really mostly stick with anime/manga slash. I’m not really into the movies/tv show stuff. I would probably be into the games if I played more lol

I so want one of those special editions! I looked at the sneak peek they posted on the teahouse tumblr and I found that pic on the sketchbook of axis, rory, an linneus very interesting. We really haven’t seen axis and linneus interact at all so I’m curious as to what they’re relationship is…are they just indifferent to each other? I can’t imagine axis messing with linneus the way he does with rory.

[maddymoonchild]

@Amaya928: Thanks for sharing! I’ll definitely have to check it out!

@penultimate: OH yeah!! Dissidia was the ultimate crossover phomenon <3 There’s some people I probably can’t ship without that game xD I love Squeenix yaoi as well. And yeah, original slash is fun. I never find much to read unfortunately v-v But I write a lot of it xD Yaoi’s probably the only thing I write kinda well in my opinion. I loved Teahouse because it was original~

I know!!! I saw the preview and got so sad I can’t buy it til July. I love the new Teahouse necklaces especially. I bought one last year, but I really wouldn’t mind buying one of these new ones. I love the art sketch I saw too! I want to know when the artbook is coming out D: The preview was so long ago. I want to see the extra scnes from 4 as well D: Actually it’s been almost a year since chapter 4 ended and it was the first time I got to buy my Teahouse merch…Wow, that was a long time ago :o

[Amaya928]

I just had to ask….how many of us are still alive after reading the latest page? gosh….rhy’s smile in the 6th panel <3

[maddymoonchild]

Right?! Right?! It totally says “I love you” in my opinion! It was so cute. I almost died lol >w<

[Einatsu]

Somehow I stopped getting the updates from this forum to my email so i’ve fallen behind!!! ;-;

Rhy’s smile is so damn sexy. It’s the kind of smile that holds good promises. All of the promises XD Axis tho, being my favourite character, I gotta give him the thumbs up. FIRST for attempting to sow. Second. for being adorbs and hot. Now go gettim tiger ~rawr. :3

@Alyssa Jennings – I really hope you get into homestuck~ ;} What do you sell on artist alleys? The button with the ship your friend designed really sounds great actually! It can totally be a thing o_o

@Soffiare – WELCOME! I think you summed up Penguin Drum in a very accurate way, and I really don’t think anyone really understood what was going on there XD (except for a lot of Utena referneces lol)

@Maddymoonchild – I work 8 hours a day on my feet, so I barely have energy to do any kind of sports by the time I come home, but I hope sheer force of will would keep me going lol

@Slightlylucid – Welcome Rita!!! :D I was in California last year (mostly LA and San Francisco tho) and I just fell in love with the west coast. Five points if you can guess who all the secret agents are!

@Amaya – I say we make that toast again when we all meet together!!! ^__^

@Penultimate – My friends and I joke that being a fangirl and admitting you like yaoi to family and friends is another form of “coming out” :)

Oh, and I have a friend who cosplayed Reed recently! Unfortunately I didn’t get to see her cosplay this time because I was on the annual vacation time with my family, but she went to a photoshoot and got some REALLY NICE photos. She also made me promise to get her autographs by the authors when I come back. She’s one of the more experienced cosplayers and always does the hottest guy cosplays *laughs* She used a last-minute wig because the one she ordered didn’t arrive on time, but you can barely give a math.

[Alyssa Jennings]

Oh my gosh, I checked out the new page on my work laptop and when I saw that panel with Rhys…I just stared for a moment (more like a few long moments) and then blushed madly and gave a little squee and my coworkers looked at me like I was a weirdo and tried to see what looking at but I closed it in time and skittered off to do my work. If any man would give a smile like that in real life, he could probably take anything from me..like seriously LOL. I’m so getting the chapter 4 special edition as soon as its available, I shouldn’t but I cant til after Japan, I want it right away! XD

@Einatsu – I will try but no promises on the Homestuck! Thanks for asking about my little business! I sell at conventions in which consists of various things like buttons, tote bags, shrinky dink key-chains/cellphone charms, some times custom made shirts and most recently, plushies! If you guys are interested in them, perhaps I’ll bring some as a token of friendship~! Oh, we also take commissions for the buttons and shirts if people don’t see something they like, so if anyone is intrigued in a custom button or anything along the things mentioned (minus the plushies) I can send you a link and you can check them out and perhaps work something out~ ;D

Guys!! (I should probably say Gals?) The trip is little over a month away! I’m soo excited!! I wish it was here already but at the same time I wish it wasn’t close approaching, I’m so indecisive haha..

[dragoncat]

Welcome people I didn’t see before!  I’ve got like 90 seconds so I’m not even going to attempt to assign my responses.
1. I read all of Kuroko no Basket in two days.  Love it.  Anime is good for basketball action fanciness, but the manga does it well enough.

2. Yay for social awkwardness.  I, too, fall into that group.  I’ve gotten better with talking, but I tend to make others uncomfortable.  I’m not well liked, so if you don’t like me in person, no hard feelings.  Lol.

3. I only discovered Teahouse, like, 6 months ago.  So I own ZERO merch. T_T  There was no shop then, and by the time it opened, I was shoving money down my pants in an attempt to save.

4. I am not apart of any social media sites and it looks like I’ve missed quite a bit.  I’m a tech savvy person, but I just don’t really like them.  Too much of a pain in the ass.

Over and out.

[Amaya928]

@Alyssa Jennings – I will totally buy one of those buttons from you if you bring some along! :D  Last summer was my first time going to a convention and I loved artist ally. I want to do something like that some time. I like crafts. My only worry is the amount of work that would take since it’s probably something I would do by myself (none of my really close friends have the love of anime/manga I do or the time) and I really don’t know what exactly I would sell or if it’s good enough to sell. So I shall place that in my to do list for the future, maybe we can chat about how you got started during the trip? :)

and I’m with you, I will not be able to resist buying chapter 4 as soon as it’s out!

@Einatsu – I stopped getting the emails too! I think you have to check the box every time you post. Well, this has become like the actual teahouse page for me, I just check it everyday lol and darn! your friend did a great cosplay! I only noticed the wig until you mentioned it lol

@dragoncat – I’m sure we’ll get along!  :D

[Simona Nara]

Newbies: welcome! :)

@Amaya928, @Maddymoonchild and @penultimate: I’ve seen E’s question on tumblr too. She already announced that she wanted to work on a new comic on her Deviantart page (it was a New Year resolution).
I hope she’ll be able to finish TH while working on her new project.
Anyway I suggested a few TH updates more (on DA) and an “Atros” n°2 in a boarding school/asylum/hospital on Tumblr. Was I too greedy? XD definitely!

@Amaya928, @Maddymoonchild: I loved XXXholic, but my favorite Clamp’s work is Lawful Drug (but it was stopped after volume 3 and won’t have an end TAT…). Check on it, if you have the chance!

@Alyssa Jennings: I’ve been on tumblr since november and I still have issues with it XD… But it’s addicting at the same time: it’s nice and useful if you want some art or anatomy references. Right now I’m having a hard time with Twitter TAT… I’m not good at tech stuff either…
I’m quite curious about your business, too. I sold magazines, booklets and help a friend to sell her graphic products at conventions too, but getting a stand here it’s quite difficult and expensive…

Happy Easter, y’all! ;)

[maddymoonchild]

@Simona Nara: you mean Legal Drug right? It actually returned in 2011 under a new title! That one was great too!

I’d love to talk about artists alley, because my friend and I are trying to start doing them within the next few years because she’s a freaky creative jacknof all trades and I’m just good at money management lol

and I think I saw that cosplay on DA! Did they have a Rory? They’re pretty good. My best friend and I are planning to start seriously working on our Teahouse cosplay after Anime Expo this summer, but I need to lose like fifty more pounds or something before I think I’ll look good v-v

[Simona Nara]

@maddymoonchild: The title in Italy was Legal Drugstore, but I checked and you were right! You gave me  wonderful news! :D

[Amaya928]

@maddymoonchild – thanks maddy! I had read Legal Drug a couple of years back and was bummed out when I saw it didn’t have a continuation. I went looking for the new one once you mentioned it :3  What I love about clamp is that somehow it seems all of their work is related to one another. On legal drug we see characters from Wish and from xxxHolic and then on Kobato the angel from Wish appears again and also characters from Chobits. And of course then there’s Tsubasa where everyone pops up sooner or later! ( I didn’t love that ending by the way….) Anyway as I was saying, you read one of their mangas and then you realize that you’ve seen a certain character somewhere else and it makes things more interesting….oh, and don’t forget the subtle fanservice lol

[penultimate]

I’m on a majority of the social networking sites because I’m a sheep like that.  Mainly because most of my friends are online and live far away.  You can find me on most of them as ‘penultimateokgo’ if anyone wants to add me.  I check facebook/twitter every morning like people check the newspaper.  It’s where I get most of my news, haha.

Mmm I love the new Teahouse page.  Rhys and Axis are my favorite pairing.  Talk about forgetting your troubles.

I have a feeling that this next month is going to fly by.  I’ve been working on getting in better shape for the trip so I won’t be suffering from all of the walking we’ll be doing.

[maddymoonchild]

CLAMP is in the top for my favorite manga. I love all of them. I unfortunately haven’t gotten to finish Tsubasa and xxxHolic. I kinda know the endings but yeah. And yeah, Legal Drug was pretty darned cool. I had heard it was returning and then actually was talking with my friends about it just a few days ago and went to check again and found out about the title change.

I am also on social networking sites, although it’s mostly facebook. I use tumblr to look at yaoi and stuff so my family can’t see it on my fb >.> I just enjoy all of that “easy to see what people are doing, kinda like a stalker” xD It’s just easy for me to find out news and be able to keep up with my friends’ lives now that I’m out of high school. I just love technology anyways haha

Rhys and Axis are probably my favorite couple, but I really love Linneus and Atros even though they’ve never really had anything besides a few moments D: Actually I loved Rhys’s name so much, I named a character after him in one of the stories I have. That’s the only similarity though xD

This month will probably fly by…I need more time to get money D: This is one of the times I actually wish I had a job…

[Einatsu]

@maddymoonchild – yes! They actually did have a Rory! The one who cosplayed Reed uploaded the pictures to her DA:

http://meihidoko.deviantart.com/art/Money-can-buy-Love-362516756?q=gallery%3Ameihidoko&qo=0

I’m on Facebook because of everyone I know and on tumblr for homestuck, a few friends and just killing time :)

We actually have a very lively anime loving community, and since the it’s such a small country – everybody knows everybody p much. So we’re all socially awkward together hehe.

I have a love-hate relationship with CLAMP. I love CCS and WISH. I like Tokyo Bablon but I am a bit leery about X. I love their art style and designs, though, no questions about that :)

I think my favourite shoujo series so far are Host Club and Princess Tutu. The first for being an awesome comics and a surprisingly even better anime. I remember I was falling off my chair with how good the anime was because I loved the manga, despite the quacky drawing style, before the anime even came out. It just blew me away. I also have most of the volumes in my house.

And Princess Tutu is just pure good. Like, if you didn’t watch it yet – go watch it now! :))

I also like Rhys and Axel best, they have a great fiery chemistry going on, I’m also putting money on some dark past connecting those two that Rhys hinted on. I also really like Linneus and Gilder. Don’t judge me, they’re just super hot together imo and I am kinda hoping it’ll stick despite Atros being around XD

[Amaya928]

@Einatsu – My favorite pairing is Axis X Rhys too :3 and besides them my favorite characters are Reed and Sacha. I have a love-hate relationship with Linneus…and I don’t particularly obsess over his relationship with Atros. I just watch the drama unfold.

[penultimate]

I prefer Linneus and Gilder to Linneus and Atros.  Gilder comes across as a big lovable oaf who ‘cuts trees and stuff’.   Atros makes things too complicated with his being-married-affair-having-selfish butt.  I’m sure I’m opening a can of worms there…  :P  But I’m excited to see if/when anything happens between Sacha and Gilder.

Nothing like a good food/travel/roommate survey to really make you sit and reflect on yourself, haha.

And if we’ve still got Takarazuka on the itinerary, it appears that Rose of Versailles: Fersen will be the show at the Takarazuka Grand Theater (correct me if I’m wrong).

[dragoncat]

Was anyone else floored at being Rick-rolled by a travel agency?  I was.  I laughed for probably a full minute before I selected an answer.

I’m torn on pairings, so I always hope for orgies.  Lol.  Axis and Rhys are delicious.  The battle for dominance Axis never wins, and his gradually less reluctant submission to Rhys is great.  The difference between Gilder and Linneus is interesting.  One’s slim, pretty, and covered in shiny things.  The other is buff, shady, and covered in scars.  I’ll admit, they’ve grown on me.  I’m dying to see more of Mercutio, though.  He just seems like one hell of a hilarious bucket of fun.

I have only one thing to say about Sacha: “Voted most likely to try to top you in your sleep.”

 

[Amaya928]

@penultimate – I definitely like Gilder more than Atros as well, and like you I want to see more interaction between him and Sacha. I really can’t tell y’all how much I love Sacha <3 if there was no axis or rhys he would definitely be my most favorite.

Yes, that survey took me longer than it should have but it was funny lol

@dragoncat – “I’m torn on pairings, so I always hope for orgies” I second that!!! LOL

[Simona Nara]

Question for the ones coming to the Extended tour: are you going to Takonotetsu and Ninja Kyoto Sweets Buffet?

[Einatsu]

I discovered a new form of diet! Who knew being a vegetarian and eating fish was a thing? I might adopt that lol, dont eat so much any other meat anyways.

@Simona Nara – I signed up for both. I won’t be in the area again so I might as well experience it to its fullest!

Besides, knowing myself – if there’ll be a group of people going to eat and experience interesting foods and I’m not with them I’d get super jealous!

Besides, if everybody meets and I’ll see no one is actually going, there is still the option of cancelling 48 hours before.

[penultimate]

My guy’s stepmother is a vegetarian that eats fish, but I never even considered that there was an official name for it.

I’m going to both!  Diabetes inducing dessert buffet?  Getting the opportunity to eat fresh takoyaki and okonomiyaki in Osaka? Yes please!

I swear I’m coming home with a souvenir of 10 extra pounds.  So excited for food.

I was torn on an answer for the “you’re sending your friend a link” survey question… “Never Gonna Give You Up” is my ringtone, so every time I get a call, I Rickroll everyone around me.  But I did choose the 4chan answer, because I have a 4chan sense of humor.

[Alyssa Jennings]

I’m glad people are taking an interest in my little business! I would be more than happy to talk about artist alley to those that have questions or want to know more about my experiences in them. I will have to update the site and post up a link and let you gals check out our merch and if some of you are interested in buying some of the buttons or the other things we offer, you can send a note and I can bring them along on the trip. It will save me on shipping and I can say that we do deliveries ;D

@Einatsu – Where as I am not so much for the magical girl thing as I use to be back when I was young, I do agree that Princess Tutu was a good watch and had one of those pureness feel that I haven’t seen in a while. I recently watched Puella Magi Madoka Magica and where as that has the obvious “magical girl” theme to it, it definitely has a different twist to that genre and for those who haven’t seen it, give it a watch..its a short series.

@dragoncat – I also hope for orgies..you know they have to be doing something during down times

I am also for Gilder and Linneus, they are just addictive and it has that whole “opposites attract” kind of thing. I also probably have a special spot for them for they kind of remind me of some OCs that have that similar balance.

I opted for the group eatings, I figure that if this is my only chance being in Japan..might as well make the most of it! Gain weight and up my chances of diabetes during my trip in Japan? The fat kid in me says “Yes please”. I’m gonna make a shirt that says “I went travel to Japan and all I got was lousy diabetes” LOL.

That’s horrible, I actually shouldn’t joke about that.. I have an odd sense of humor, forgive me if this offends anyone. >>;

[Einatsu]

@Alyssa Jennings – wow, tell me about it @_@ it was a hit amongst my friends, and I only survived by episode 3 at which point I was all “o___________O”. I just spoiled the end to get the idea and learned the jokes of the fandom about all the girls being gay for each other and Kyuubei going around offering satanic contracts to innocent girls. It was a little too macabre to my liking…

Your humor’s fine. Dark, 4chan, humor is my kind of humor~ :D

What is it with everyone talking about diabetes, though? Is there like a trend going on in the U.S. or something? XD

[Alyssa Jennings]

@Einatsu – I think I know what you did there, if it was a pun I laughed. Though if not, then you have a good sense of what is going on in the rest of the world haha. No, the diabetes thing is in part with one of the group eating options talked about in the survey in which the buffet has about fifty choices of desserts. Penulitimate and I were merely joking about how after eating at such a place, we would more than likely get diabetes from all the sugary goodness. Also on the topic of the anime, I would have to agree that is Puella Magi Madoka Magica in a nutshell XD It also was a bit on the macabre side which I usually stray away from but I sometimes watch anime just for the sake of having a minor understanding of whats trending and using that for possible merch at artist alley. Though majority of the time we’re not on every bandwagons and we just make merch for the things we like and that’s that but if they are requested or in high demand we might make them. Eventually LOL.

[Amaya928]

sorry for the abrupt change of topic but I just had to share this with my fellow Kuroko no Basket lovers!

you guys need to go watch these videos! if you don’t laugh the I don’t know what’s wrong with you

part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNjot7xb5Uo

part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NloxPXcffqs&NR=1&feature=endscreen

PS –  and this is the result of youtube surfing at 2am lol

[Einatsu]

Yeah, I figured it was about all the sugar going on in the Samurai place. I just never heard the word diabetes mentioned so much in that content, so really, I was just checking to see if it was a thing XD

@Amaya928 – oh my GOD Amaya. I only read the manga to some point, but I totally cracked up at these. Laughing. SO. HARD.  I swear this is just like the time  POT was running. Everybody was on crack.

[penultimate]

DIABEETUS. Americans are terrified of it. lol

I’ve always wanted to watch/read Puella Magi Madoka Magica ever since I saw an awesome AMV at a con a couple years ago but I’ve been so stingy with my money. I did glance through it last week at Barnes & Noble but put it down because some kids were no-so-subtly crowding me to get to the Naruto manga.

Going to Cherry Blossom Festival activities here today!  It’ll be a taste of Japan before going to Japan! :D  The sakura aren’t fully out, but there will be exhibits, crafts, and fireworks!

[Tamil-A]

Woah okay so there are so very very very very many posts since I last was here, so rather than answer everything i’m just going to go with;

SO VERY EXCITED TO MEET YOU ALL!!

Seriously, these convos are awesome XD

….fff it just hit me that its only another 4 weeks away O_O

[Anonymous]

Wow, I can’t believe it’s almost here! I’m so excited and totally with Tamil-A, I can’t wait to meet all of you, :D

@Amaya928- Haha, I remember watching these videos during exam week last semester and I thought they were the greatest. Though my one friend told me I was just going nuts from exam stress because he didn’t think they were as funny, XD

[Tamil-A]

Woo! Have organised my travel money card, I’m pretty much set to go except for the packing part!

Hmm…going all the way back to the requests for vegemite tastings…will we have access to toast and butter at one point? If you’re going to do it ya gotta do it right! Anyone know?
Also I was thinking bringing up the glory that is known as the aussie Tim Tams (pretty much a chocolate covered chocolate biscuit of deliciousness). Yes/no?

[maddymoonchild]

Yesterday was the one month mark!! :D

and I feel so alienated by the Gilder/Linneus fans D:

I filled out the room mate thingy and all that jazz…there was a joke? I totally missed it —–> fail

I can’t wait to meet everyone~ I’m so stressed about money right now. Just fearing I won’t have enough for anything besides food D: I had some extra from Easter and stuff but my day trip wiped it out after needing gas T~T

It sounds like everyone is going on the extended tour. I’m jealous :(

[Amaya928]

@maddymoonchild – you and me both maddy. I’ll only be staying for the basic as well

@Tamil-A – sorry if this sounds stupid but what is a money card? o_O   I think I’ll be going this weekend to the bank to find out about the traveler’s check and let them know about my trip

[Evan-kun]

Hi everyone! This is your super-swell* tour guide. I’m glad some of you appreciated the rick roll in the survey so much XD

We have finished the room assignments for the tour! We also sent out the money video to help you all prep for the journey. Still to come: an e-mail of the final itinerary and one last e-mail about a week before the tour with some last minute stuff.

Usually we just tell people who they are matched up with when the tour begins, but considering the size of the community that has been built here/how awesome you all are, we had another idea: why not host a livestream where we can tell people who is paired with who and also answer some tour questions?

So: if we were to run a livestream to do this, what time would work best for people? I’m thinking Sunday, April 14 at 1PM Pacific Standard Time (4PM Eastern, 11PM in Italy, and Monday at 6AM in Australia). That okay?

Leave your responses below and we’ll set something up via e-mail!

– Evan

* super-swell qualities may settle in shipping. Please use tour guide before the printed expiration date. Kittens are fluffy.

[penultimate]

A Livestream sounds like a great idea!  Honestly, Saturday the 13th would work best for me (I work on Sunday).  But I think I could possibly manage to tune in on Sunday using an Incognito window on my work computer.

I’m so excited for the final itinerary!

 

[Simona Nara]

Perfectly fine with me!

Maybe it’s a bit unfair for Australian participants, though ;) …

[maddymoonchild]

I should be able to catch that Livestream because I’ll be home and at an actual computer since I won’t have school so sounds godd to me :)

[Anonymous]

RE: Toast and butter

You’ll be able to get bread and butter, but nowhere to toast it. :) We’ll likely pass through local markets (as they’re often located in train stations) and we hit bread shops/bakeries for breakfast.

[Evan-kun]

Time correction: It’ll be 10PM Italy and 11PM in Israel. YAY TIME ZONES.

[Amaya928]

I’m cool with the livestream too :) I think that should be around 3pm my time.

[Anonymous]

4 on Sunday works for me but… I feel stupid for asking this. How does you use a livestream? I always see them but never tune in…… Wow, I feel really dumb, XD

 

[dragoncat]

Sunday works, but I’m sorta in the same boat as Miryei… I’ve only seen a livestream once or twice.  Do we use the chat system to the right of the vid?

[penultimate]

From what I’ve experienced with Emirain’s Livestream, a link is provided and it comes up with a video/screen feed and people can type-chat in the window to the right of the screen.

Can’t wait to find out who my roomie is! I will try to be the awesome-est roommate ever.

I love that the yen is getting weaker against the USD.   Not only will the math be easier for me, I’ll feel like I’m getting more for my money :P

The blossoms are in full bloom here. If anyone wants to see some pictures, you can find it at the following link:  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10101799042876132.1073741825.68126043&type=1&l=2b77fd55f7 .

UGH I tried to make that URL into a click-able link but the HTML tags just aren’t cooperating.  Not sure what I’m doing wrong.

 

It makes me look forward to going to Japan even more, but also makes me appreciate what I have here at home :)

[Tamil-A]

@Evan Liu – as long as you don’t expect any pants or fancy clothes, 6AM on a Sunday is…tolerable haha (no seriously, I will roll out of bed, live-stream, and then roll straight back in)

@Amaya928 – A travel money card is something my bank provides, where you load it up with money ALREADY in yen. So on the day I bought it, whatever the conversion rates were for the day thats what they stay lock into on the card. From there it can be used like a regular Mastercard – I’m hoping since there’s supposed to be ATMs at the airport i can just withdraw some cash then since getting cash here means I might have to order some in lol. It’s also not linked to my regular accounts, instead to the travel department of my bank – say it gets stolen or lost I also have a backup one, and they can cancel and transfer the funds off my other one pretty quickly.

[Amaya928]

@penultimate –  Those photos are beautiful~ I like taking photos, I could probably spend all day there taking pictures.

@Tamil-A – Thanks for answering that question. That actually sounds very useful, especially because you don’t have to worry too much about loosing it

[Einatsu]

@Lanny Liu – yeahhhhhhhhh! I’m totally there. Late night livestreams!!! Woohoo!!!

I hope my roomie has hair, eyes and eyebrows! :D (Haha, I’m sure all you guys are awesome!)

@Penultimate – Okay, so, I played with it a bit – if you want to use HTML you have to switch between “visual” to “text” – it’s there right above the text edit bar. Otherwise, if you’re on “visual” – just highlight the word you want to turn into a link and then in the text edit bar two new buttons will appear to create a link/unlink on that text. I hope tat helped? o.o;

[penultimate]

My last invoice came today.  My coworkers are already putting in requests for souvenirs.  I’m finalizing my packing list.  I watched the money/budget video.  Was that a Mad Money parody I saw?  Because I’m pretty sure that was a Mad Money parody :D

@Amaya928 I could too.  I’ve been going to the DC Blossoms for 9 years and one would think that already having hundreds of pictures of them would be enough… but no, every year I have to take more and more and more.  I even customized my credit card with a picture of them.  Someday I’d love to see them in Japan but it’s a little more convenient to just go to DC.

@Einatsu Thanks for the pointers!  I could see that there was an insert/edit link option but I couldn’t figure out that I needed to highlight the text.  I’d go back and fix it but it looked like I tried to edit it so many times WordPress was like “NOPE”
2nd attempt: ALBUM LINK

[Hari]

I’ll be working (the hospital is less.. flexible)… boo. If someone could post some of the questions and comments that apply to everyone and are extremely helpful- that would be wonderful~! I can not wait to find out about my roomie :3 (Can not wait to meet ALL of you, actually!)

[Einatsu]

@Penultimate ~ sure ^^ the pics look awesome btw!!!

@Hari – I’ll see what I can do! :)

Is Rory’s sister scaring anyone else as much as she’s scaring me right now? I’m beginning to understand his initial reaction to seeing her. Must be the evil twin.

[Amaya928]

@ Einatsu – you are not alone, she creeps me out too -_-   is it hopeless to wish she doesn’t cause too much trouble?

….anyway, I kinda have the urge to see Ash again. I wonder when we’ll see him again, and what his role is. I remember the emirain saying something about how we would find his role unexpected so I’m really looking forward to it :3

[Anonymous]

I’m actually looking forward to the trouble she might cause. Guess I’m just weird that way but her and Rory’s relationship is definitely one of the things I’m most excited to see unfold, XD

[Amaya928]

@Miryei – No, no, it’s not weird! I just always dread the future events, but since it has nothing to do with rhys and axis so far I shan’t concern myself too much with it for now…

[Einatsu]

Ash is so hot. I want him to have his own series *-*

[SlightlyLucid]

*goes back to read what has been missed*
All I have to say, I cracked up. What a fun group *v*

@Einatsu: she gives me the creeps too. Exactly! I thought evil twin as well. xD
I hope Rory’s sister doesn’t get involved with Reed, what if she does DD: my poor fangirl heart would not be able to take it ;_;

ASH! I honestly forgot about him. ; n ;

Is it me or does Axis cover his tattoos when he is outside? o _ o’

 

[maddymoonchild]

She won’t. CC recently stated that women are practically invisible to Reed xD It was quite a great statement. But Remy’s like freaky weird. I’m already like “Kill her with fire.” I was a little disappointed in how petty the fans were being on the page though v_v I rarely comment there but I skim every so often. Glad I’m not one of those people.

Ash is so pretty. He reminds me of Axis a lot via looks. I wonder if they’re related…?

And I think he does. Axis has some very different styles I’ve noticed. I love it. I actually love most of the clothes in Teahouse xD

[penultimate]

I don’t really know what to think about Remy.  I’m seeing there being a sort of twin rivalry between her and Rory.  I really look forward to updates because I never know what’s going to happen next.

I’m not a big fan of the comments section and I avoid it most of the time.  It gets filled with people reading WAY too far into things and/or trying to point out errors.  I don’t know where in the heck people got Remy being a male/transgendered…

The clothing is something I love about Teahouse.  You don’t see them wearing the same outfit chapter after chapter.  They actually change their clothes and have different styles.  It’s also great material for cosplayers.

[Amaya928]

I agree with y’all about the comment section. It baffles me every time I see unrelated arguments go off for no reason. So I was really glad that this forum didn’t turn out like that and that everyone sounds like reasonable people :) thanks for being so cool!

I don’t think Axis and Ash are related, I thought I read somewhere that they were sort of best friends though? is that right? But I definitely think that they are similar. I love their tattoos. I hope emirain does a character profile or something for Ash so that we can see the whole tattoo.

And guys! the shop opens on Monday!!!! yay!!! I’m so exited because I already gave in to temptation and know I’m gonna have to order one of those special editions lol

looking forward to the livestream tomorrow too >u<

[Moonwitch]

Hi everyone! Been gone for a couple wks.mostly due to everyone  getting sick. However did go to Sakura con  and best ever i meet E in person!! She is so nice and she was super excited about the tour. It was also great to see how busy their booth was. Though i was bummed i didn’t get a pic with her but i wasn’t going to bug her when they had so many folks at the booth.i did get vol 4 a necklace and my daighter & i both picked out a key charm with Mercutio naked but for a fig leaf on a unicorn holding 1 of his ” fun toys”  .the pic was in the back of vol 1 i think.

So about the live stream chat.i apologize i won’t be able to do it. Taking the Twins out for their B- day. So whom ever is my roomie sorry i couldn’t chat with ya…but we can talk later through email.

Amaya928 & a few other gals spoke of loving Xxxholic. I actually cosplay Yuuko Ichihara. I have 3 different outfits of hers. My fav is the blk/ wht onemshe wears in Tsubasa though the head piece can be a pain ….LOL! My Daughter Kat cosplays Watanuki mostly when i cosplay Yuuko but she has done Himiwari and my youngest daughter when we go to Kumoricon makes the most adorable pink haired Moro.

Einatsu…loved your friend cosplay. We are planning a group teahouse cosplay for this yrs kumoricon in Aug. i am leaning towards cosplaying Claret and my daughter Kat might do Argent. One of the gals is definetly cosplayingn Mercutio( he has become my fav) she is even going to carry a censor bar as if it is one of his lovely toys.( since you can’t actually walk around a con carrying a dildo..lol)anyone else thinking of cosplaying teahous character in the future and if you are who do you want to cosplay?

Also wanted to say hi to all the new folks who joined!
Looking forward to meeting you all!

Before i forget Samdyn…i might just have to hire you for the crane machines.i suck at them and my 10 yr old so wants me to bring her home some plushies.tee hee

[Amaya928]

@ Moonwitch – Happy B-day to your kids!!! I would love to see your cosplay pics if you have any :)

I thinks it’s the coolest thing that you guys go cosplaying as a family!

[Alyssa Jennings]

Can any one tell me what all they covered in the live stream..I some how got banned and couldn’t ask any of my questions. Not very pleased with that.

[penultimate]

I managed to catch a good chunk but kept having to step away and/or mute the stream due to work.  Some of the things I caught…

Dress Code: There’s no specific dress code for any events like Takarazuka.  You can dress nice if you would like. But soaking in the Onsen: NAKED.
We’re getting Suica passes from PacSet for use on public transportation.
Tips for the Guides can be cash/yen or even Paypal’d.
There ARE bathrooms in all hotel rooms.
It’s best to exchange your money at the airport (this is in the e-mails but bears repeating).  Let the guides know if/when you need to visit an ATM.
Medications: Make sure they’re not illegal. Good idea to bring the label/original package/pharmacy sheet with you.
For those staying at the hotel in LA, there’s a shuttle to the airport (which looks to me only like 2 miles away)
They’re expecting 70s-80s for temperatures (21-25C if I recall correctly).
It’s a good idea to NOT wear contacts on the plane, as the air is dry and is very likely to dry out your eyes/contacts. 
For those packing light, if you want to do laundry at a hotel, prepare to hang your clothes to dry as apparently Japanese dryers are bad at their assigned job (c’mon Japan, you have rice cookers that bake cakes and toilets that wash your butt for you but your dryers don’t dry? :P).
There will be a little free time to sight see in Osaka or Ito if one wishes.

That’s all I can recall.  Now that the stream is over I’m bored at work (save for someone breaking their arm rollerblading down the hallway… wtf)

[Amaya928]

I’m sure the banning wasn’t intentional, there were a few spammers that popped up during the livestream so Evan had to resort to his “Banner Hammer”. Penultimate  you forgot to mention the discussion about a doujinshi staring Anderson Cooper lol

[Hari]

@Pen: Thank you for taking note for us :3

 

Am I the only one who likes Remy? Dx

 

[Tamil-A]

I missed livestream too because I had to take a 6am bootcamp this morning OTL But thankyou penultimate for the run down!!
Perhaps when we get roomie details we can just exchange skype details or something I dunno. Gais. Gais. 3 weeks. fffff

Regarding cosplay, I’d love to cosplay teahouse one time if I could ever find the time to sew one of the outfits – the details in the clothes never fails to awe and stun me. Well, the comic detail in general is just wow *U* Actually just did my first cosplay on Saturday at the melbourne Supanova con – as Black Widow :D so much fun!

….fffff I repeat. 3 weeks. I’m kinda floating around at work with a happy buzz right now haha, I love my clients but this trip has me totally vibrating with excitement XD

[Anonymous]

You can watch the video if you’d like, but it’s an hour and a half long XD

I think penultimate covered most everything, we’ll be emailing the roommate list tomorrow! If you have any questions if you couldn’t join us, you know where to find us ;)

[Tamil-A]

@Lanny Liu – Ooh awesome, am listening to it in the background right now :>
I’m being roomied with a Vannessa and an Anna for the first two hotels :) Not sure you guys are but excited to meet you anyway! ouo
Laughing at the party room ahahaha

[Tamil-A]

* who you
wow english at this time of night XD

[penultimate]

Yeah if you missed the stream you can watch the capture on the site.  I re-watched a little bit this morning to catch the roommate assignments again and see if I missed anything (there was a LOT more covered than what I listed, so watch the vid!)
 (FYI Pen = Katya. but I gladly go by Kate since it’s easier).  Samdyn and I are roomies for the first two hotels! :D

Are we really taking the Himiko Boat?  Gosh, I can’t wait for the final itinerary. 

Oooh Mr. Cooper…Fond memories. Years ago, I was in the CNN building for a high school trip  and people were stopping him for autographs and my 15 year old self didn’t see what the big deal was.  We were walking along and I was  all *Robot dance* “Lookit me, I’m the news guy!”  then I look to my immediate right and there he was, walking beside me.  There was eye contact.  Awkward.

[maddymoonchild]

Thanks for the notes. I’m so pissed. I kept telling my friends who were over “I have to watch a Livestream at 1 so don’t bug me then” and then I didn’t even watch it -_- At least I got my homework done I guess v-v I’ll see if I can watch it today

[Alyssa Jennings]

@Penultimate – Thanks for the basic rundown! I was in for a bit but then I got the banner hammered on me and it took the majority of the stream to get back into. May just watch it as you and Lanny suggested to make sure everything was covered so I don’t pester them with questions that they already covered in the stream. :)

@Amaya928 – I was actually there up to the point with the mention of Anderson Cooper Doujinshi! I’m definitely gonna have to watch the stream over, I wanna hear and see what shenanigans were all said during all that! Also, I know it wasn’t intentionally I am sure! It just sucked cause I missed out on getting a chance to converse and chat with you guys in a more real time setting than through the forum. Though I should be happy with what time I got so I don’t really have room to complain.

@Hari – Don’t fret! I actually have taken a bit of interest in Remy, she seems sweet at first glance but behind closed doors shes mischievous. I find her a bit possessive or has an obsession with Rory and will likely to cause some drama in the Teahouse which every comic could use a bit of. I look forward to her development~! :3

For those who were interested in my little side business, here you go~! http://wanabiepicdesigns.deviantart.com/

Feel free to take a look, we’re still in the process of updating so there will be more to come. If anyone is interested in purchasing some, please leave a note there (and let me know who you are!) or if you don’t have a DA, then contact me here and we can work something out! ;D

On another note, who all is excited about Chapter 4 release today?

 

 

 

• This reply was modified 11 years ago by Alyssa Jennings.

[Tamil-A]

@Alyssa Jennings – aah such cute tote bags!!! I might have to replace the Kuroshitsuji one I have thats completely broken and worn on the inside. Seriously, stuff keep sliding inside the lining and I loose keys and cards and stuff I need because its goes all hide-and-seek on me XD  And yesssss, I keep vowing to save money but it never happens because of awesome things like Teahouse chapter releases haha

[Anonymous]

@Alyssa Jennings I’m definitely excited for the Chapter 4 release. I’ve already cracked and I know I’m gonna buy the special edition once the store opens, haha

@Hari I like Remy, but mostly because I’m excited to see what havoc she’ll bring to the story. Rory’s my favorite so I can’t help but enjoy seeing him squirm and Remy is doing a good job of that, :)

There was so much information in the livestream I just know I’m going to forget something and ask a question that’s already been answered! And now that the trip is getting closer my family is making requests for me to pick them up as many Kitkats as I can. They all want to try the different flavors. I go to foreign country and they don’t want fancy souvenirs or anything that will last, they want foreign candy, XD. I’m excited to buy doujin but they don’t need to know that!

Oh I’m curious, which username is Jessica Hendry? She’s one of my roomies for the second part of the trip. Though whoever it is I’m excited to meet them, :3

[Jessica]

@Miryei Hi, I’m Jessica. You’re roomie at the Onsen. ^_^ Sorry I missed the Livestream, I had a family thing. I feel bad I haven’t posted to here in like forever. Work and life has been keeping me busy, lol. I’m so excited, only 3 more weeks. Can’t wait to buy doujinshi too!

[Simona Nara]

@penultimate: great pictures and thanks for taking notes! I’m happy we’ll be sharing our room at the onsen ;)

Is anyone of you Lisa or Jan? I’m looking for my other roommates, but I couldn’t figure out the real names from the nicknames here…

[Alyssa Jennings]

@Tamil-A – Thank you so much for the compliment! We try really hard to make quality products and things that people will like and enjoy, you’re one of the slowly growing supporters that help us stay motivated and try even harder to expand and be better known in the artist community. :)

@Miryei – I know right? I immediately jump on the special edition as soon as six o’clock hit! I didn’t really noticed all the stuff they put up til after check out but my main goal was the special edition of chapter 4, I will wait and see what all the ladies give us on the tour. I look forward to whatever swag they give us~ -makes grabby hands-

So it looks like moonwitch aka cool yaoi mom with be partnered up with me and my travel buddy at the onsen, I look forward to meeting you!

[penultimate]

T_T Want special edition so bad but I’m honestly putting any and all money aside for this trip.  I hope there’s one or two left aftwards.  Worst comes to worst, I can just purchase the regular book and sneak a peek at someone elses’ sketch book, right?  Right?!  I was excited to see that they have iPhone cases…  But I’m about a week away from giving up my trusty dusty ol’ four and a half year old 3G and getting 5.  Maybe in the future they’ll have a 5 case :) 

Part of me wants these next three weeks to fly by, and another part of me wants it to take its time.  The anticipation is fun and it’s been great motivation for me to get in better shape for the trip.  Not only have I been saving money by cooking healthier meals at home, I’ve dropped 3 dress sizes since I signed up.  Problem is, now I have to go out and buy all new clothes that actually fit D:

[maddymoonchild]

Congrats on dropping weight! I wish I could lose more :( I want Japanese clothes. And shoes ヾ(＠⌒ー⌒＠)ノ But I don’t fit in any D: I’m not even looking at the TH store because I can’t buy anything but since you said there are iPhone cases I want to look. My case just recently broke…Gosh three weeks…scary and exciting at the same time

[Tamil-A]

@Alyssa Jennings – Yess I love tote bags – they’re super handy when I only wanna carry a few things from my motorbike bag, and they roll up nice and small :D Seriously tho, your designs are super cute *U*

@penultimate – oh god I know the feels – THE FULL SIZE REED PRINT DO WANT D8. But money. *sigh* I’ve used the trip as motivation too! Have been trying to do a little more cardio since most of the time I like to do weights, so that I won’t get too tired with all the walking around we’re going to be doing. Am actually loving the change up tho, I don’t know if any of you guys in america have seen any of the teambeachbody fitness infomercials on tv but their programs are pretty fun to do! (at least in terms of actually finding cardio tolerable >.<)

Are Vanessa Bedoya or Anna Ramm here in the forum yet?

[Einatsu]

I’ll only be purchasing he TH merch after the tour myself, but I can only afford so much with intl shipping costs XD

@Alyssa Jennings – The Host Club and KH chibis ;^; I’m dying they’re so adorable!!!!! Your stuff looks amazing, thanks so much for sharing with us!!

Oh yeah, I was told to expect to see a lot of this during our time in Tokyo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cxb7u9RyNb0

But mostly this (the new season):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9rMVFCW0QE

yes yes, it got gayer! *laughs*

• This reply was modified 11 years ago by Einatsu.

[penultimate]

@Einatsu if I remember correctly, shipping (international and domestic) is free when you buy a certain amount.  I think it’s $60 USD.

[Simona Nara]

@Penultimate: I lost some weight as well, and now I have to get new clothes (I’ll have 2 weddings next month)…

@Einatsu Yes, I have friends confirming that! It got much gayer XD

And Penultimate is correct: international shipping is free for over 60 $ orders, so I made an order with two other girls to reach that amount. But I could have easily reached it by myself XD

Still looking for my lost roommates TAT…

 

[Alyssa Jennings]

@penultimate – Yes, congrats on the weight loss Katya! That is definitely a plus side for using this trip as a motivator, you should definitely feel proud. I know I shouldn’t have purchased the special edition but I haven’t done any splurging or anything since last year so I feel this could have been my one thing to get outside of saving. Though I will be doing plenty of that come to Japan, can’t wait!

@maddymoonchild – You can do anything if you put your mind to it, though any amount of weight lost is good even if you think its insignificant. Just do the best that you can do! :)
I also agree with you on how much closer we are getting to the tour…I have butterflies in my stomach already DX

@Tamil-A – ^///^ Thank you dear! You’re making me feel all giddy with happiness, it makes me feel good that what we offer will definitely be of use to you and its of something you enjoy! On the teambeachbody thing, yes it is quite common here in the states and it is definitely quite the workout! I was/am getting back into Insanity, oh my gosh that program is killer. I went strong on it but after the first month, my foot as giving me quite a bit of trouble so I gave it a break for a bit. I assumed it was the shoes so after switching and a hiatus, I completed my first week last week and now on week two. You think after doing iit for a month before it wouldn’t be so hard but its just like the beginning all over again! Though I’m gonna stick to it til Japan (perhaps even take it with me) and go strong! Sorry…ranted a bit, I think you get the idea that I enjoy their programs. ^^;

@Einatsu – Thank you so much! We actually have more KH chibis from Birth by Sleep they just haven’t been uploaded yet, I’m glad you like them! :D  Yeah…I have tried watching Uta no Prince but I honestly cant take the anime series seriously, I saw the opening or ending for the first one and laughed and just couldn’t get around to watching it and I watching one of the video for the new season and I laughed even more. So much more fanservice in that one and even more “gayer” as you put it. I’m sure it will be the craze over there since the season just started the beginning this month, don’t if I can handle it haha.

[Samdyn]

Hello Ladies :)

Hope you all are excited for the new page!

Hi Pen! I look forward to rooming with you for most of the trip as well as rooming with the other three girls in the PARTY ROOOM! at the Onsen :D

Since I needed to save cash, I simply purchased the Axis lanyard (since it has tigers on it and I work with tigers, haha) I would have picked Linny.. but thats too pink and girly for me.

[Tamil-A]

@Alyssa Jennings – omg Insanity buddy!! :D I’m am also just getting back into it this week after I hurt my foot 6 weeks back (note to self, foots don’t appreciate you dropping 210 kilo bikes on them -_- ). Have you done any of Chalene Johnson or Tony Horton’s workouts?

[Einatsu]

No shipping costs? oAo

*grabby hands* I’ll have to wait tho after I come back from the tour though XD

Weight loss? What’re you guys even… We just had ALL of the holidays around here. There is no way you can lose weight with so much good food going round @_@

@Alyssa Jennings – I haven’t played BBS or 3DS yet, though ;-;  –  I agree about the laughing – this show is a great comic relief XD

@Samdy – Yesh~ Yesh! PARTY ROOM ALL THE WAY :D

[Tamil-A]

@Einatsu – Haha, I dunno about weight loss per se (to be honest I really dislike the scale, it causes so many people so much trauma, it’s not necessarily accurate as a measure of health and especially when people get down to the lower end of BF percentages the scale will stop entirely but they’ll still be shrinking. I mean, your weight will fluctuate depending on time of day, day of the week, proximity to your period…and I come across way too many clients where the number they see dictates their self esteem. I don’t mean to write an essay but seriously, its one of the hardest, saddest parts of my job as a trainer to help people to see that the number on the scale isn’t written in ink on their foreheads for others to judge them by. I like the ‘look good naked’ goals, and the ‘feel comfortable in your own skin’ ones :D Doesn’t mean some weight loss is a bad thing though! If any of this makes sense >.<)   but if you’ve ever done any of the beachbody workouts I swear it’s the best high afterwards. And you buzz happily for the rest of the day XD Thats just me though.
Mind you, down here in Australia it isn’t holidays atm – I know I got a little slack around Christmas/New Year time when visiting relatives haha – but mostly I eat well, and eat deliciously and just balance that with regular fitness stuff. Eating healthy doesn’t necessarily mean it has to taste boring/bad – and if you like cooking theres so many awesome recipes out there. Though I have been called absolutely crazy for liking the intensity of the workouts I do tho LOL.
But believe me, I intend to enjoy as much awesome Japanese food as I can up there! Bring on the deliciousness!! Love me some food XD
Okay, I’ll shoosh now – I get too fired up about these topics OTL

[Simona Nara]

Actually I started losing weight in november, after a health problem, but I didn’t gain it anymore.

That is good because, according to doctors, I was supposed to lose at least 10 pounds and some more, which I did. But I was surprised myself because I’m eating much more now than I have in the last 4 years, and I didn’t gain any more weight. So probably my metabolism changed! But I’ve been under cortisone for a while in the past and, now that I stopped it, I’m practicing pilates, that could explain a few things ;)

Anyway I signed up for every restaurant dinner in the tour, yay! My tour is turning out to be a gastronomic trip, so I’ll get some weight for sure, but I’ll regret nothing!!! ;)

[Tamil-A]

@Simona Nara – thats awesome! But yes, I know the feeling – I used to do a lot of crash dieting and no exercise, so it shocked me too to be able to eat as much as I do now and stay in shape! Took a while for my metabolism to stabilise after so much yo-yo-ing though.

And me too – I’m hoping to taste as many new types of food as possible! I wonder how much different foods there will be from what you can get in Australia…man this is so exciting!! :D Especially excited for sushi and deserts mmmm

[penultimate]

I can’t wait for food as well.  Melon pan and omurice and sushi and daifuku and soft cream and okonomiyaki… oooooh man… I even want to try a Japanese Big Mac to see how it differs from them over here :P  And I’m gonna go all Instagram and sneak pictures of everything I eat.

@Tamil-A  I know what you mean about the scale.  I’ve dropped a few clothing sizes but I’ve hardly lost any weight (about 10 lbs over 7 months).  If I just went by the number on the scale, I think I’d be pretty disappointed.

I have rheumatoid arthritis so finding low-impact exercise that is easy on my joints is challenging.  The elliptical has become my best friend.  I’m just hoping my feet will be able to handle all the walking on this trip…

[Simona Nara]

I wonder if we could find here someone who hasn’t a chronic disease, or wasn’t ill or injured in the last months :D… It’s kinda comforting since I thought I was the one with the worst health issues! ;)

Well, anyway we are on vacation and there is no reason to rush, except for shopping XD, so I think we’ll manage to get trough the walking. It’s not a race :)

@Samdym: I can’t get into TH page disqus anymore (I hate the new version) so I’ll leave you here the link for the Axis’ T-shirt ( beware: it’s a parody I made, no offence!) we talked about yesterday…

http://neko-productions.deviantart.com/art/Axis-Pink-Shirt-366364428?q=in%3Ascraps%20sort%3Atime%20gallery%3Aneko-productions&qo=0

[Einatsu]

@Simona Nara – LOL Axis would definitely say something like that!

@Tamil-A – I get what you’re saying! Moderation is the key ;)
and I totally agree with you – feeling good about yourself is the most important and could easily give you a better life and health than if you were skinny and still unhappy! :)

@Penultimate – yes. yes to all of the foods you mentioned <3

[Hari]

I’ve come up with a ‘game’ for the plane ride to Tokyo. It will be a great opportunity for us to get to know each other and it will also provide a little decoration for our rooms…

[Simona Nara]

I’ll be on the plane on my own, so I’ll miss the game and will eventually mess up the names for the first few days TAT… I apologize in advance!

Is someone of you getting to the hotel earlier?

[Einatsu]

I’ll be arriving earlier :)

I’m arriving a week earlier and going to the end of the Cherry blossom festival in Hirosaki. After that I’m heading for the tour~

[Einatsu]

Oh my, heated (unfriendly) discussions going on in the comment section of the new page o_O

Did anyone check out the character page yet? It got updated with Remy, Ash and they added the original descriptions too. The description for Remy though, I’m dying XD

http://www.teahousecomic.com/comic/characters-story.php

I feel bad for Rory, he looks like he’s very close to losing his shit. We do know that this room is for anyone who is the highest earning whore in the house (Axis was kicked out of it because Rory started earning more than him) so I’m guessing Remy is planning on competing with him for that position. Now, maybe Reed will be able to contract them both but I don’t think she looks like a character who does well with sharing. Maybe she’ll be seducing Gloria? :o

btw – my guess is that Rhys is getting married to Reed’s relative (was it sister?) because of financial issues. If Reed can spend more money on a whore than Rhys (an exclusive with a virgin, too) then it can also mean that he’s better off financially (though not necessarily, as I’m just guessing around here) Rhys father’s health situation might even make the process more urgent, because once the father passes away Rhys will have bigger responsibilities to uphold.

• This reply was modified 11 years ago by Einatsu.

[Simona Nara]

@Einatsu: It’s the first time in more than seven years that I can get some days off from work in springtime, so I’m so happy that I’m not even envious of you and the festival :) but I want to see the pictures!

Anyway I meant: is anyone getting at the hotel in the morning?

CC had stated that Reed is gayer than Linneus, so he won’t be interested in Remy in any case!

 

 

[Anonymous]

Haha, Utapri is one of those shows I really want to watch! And now I have to motivation to get caught up before we go so I can buy all merch for it. I watched the first 3 episodes previously but the site took it down. Crunchyroll is supposed to be getting it soon so I’m impatiently waiting for them to upload the first season, XD

Also I’m with everyone else in that I can’t wait to try all kinds of different foods. I’m mostly looking forward to all the sweets.

 

@Hari- What kind of game?

[Einatsu]

@Simona Nara – .///. I didn’t mean for it to sound like that… (really? seven years? wow @_@)

I dunno when the flight from LA lands but I am planning on getting to the hotel around 1-2 PM that day and rest a bit before the outing to Tokyo Tower.

When are you arriving?

[Lisa]

Hello, looks like I’m late to the party!  I’m Lisa and I will be rooming with Simona for the Tokyo/Osaka hotels and with Einat, Alysha, and Shiloh in Ito.  Very excited about meeting you ladies and having lots of fun in Japan.

About myself.  I live in Nebraska, I’m married with no kids, have three dogs and two cats, work for a large insurance company, speak just enough Japanese to order booze and ask how to get back to my hotel, I’m a huge fan of anime, Gintama is my fave right now because it’s so funny and the fanart is hot as hell, a HUGE yaoi manga addict (got around 150GB on my hd and my husband suffers a lot because of my addiction). Spend way too much money buying yaoi manga online, but it’s worth it to support the artists whenever I can.

Was introduced to Teahouse at YaoiCon, I think the first year the ladies were selling the in fanmarket.  One of my con roomies bought a book, I read it and fell in love with the gorgeous art and super hot sex scenes.  *fans self* Also love Starfighter and made a total idiot of myself at YaoiCon 2011 by gushing at Hamlet like a creepy fangirl.  I’m still embarrassed but she was very nice about it.

Looking forward to seeing and doing everything possible in Japan, huge fan of japanese cuisine so I’m really excited about getting to try new dishes, shopping like crazy, taking lots of pictures and having so much fun I’ll probably be unconscious for the entire flight home.  Getting into LAX around 4 or 5 on the 7th and staying at the hotel that evening, should have a roomie that night but I don’t know who yet.   Guess I’ll be finding out soon enough!

Lisa

 

 

[Simona Nara]

@Einatsu: No, no offence taken! :D I didn’t mean to sound so miserable:  we actually go on vacation in August when it’ 40°C  degrees in the shadow and everything in Europe is so expensive (the most of the population has holidays in the same time, so prices go up! ). So our dream (mine and my boyfriend’s) was to go and see the hanami :) … The Cherry blossom festival should be awesome!

I think I’ll get to the hotel at 11-12 am, I was supposed to meet a friend from Yokohama and go shopping for supportive boyfriend (he is a Magic card game player longing for japanese cards), but probably he won’t make it that day, so maybe we can have lunch together :)

@Lisa! Welcome aboard :)

I love Gintama, too! It’s sooo funny XD

Your husband is not the only one to suffer: my boyfriend too ;). But probably he is getting used to it, because he was so supportive toward my trip, that I wouldn’t believe it :)

 

 

 

 

 

[maddymoonchild]

Been a while since I’ve posted lol

The new Teahouse page is just all kinda creepy to me lol But the updates to the character page are great!! I can’t wait to see what’s in store!

The trip is so close, I’m starting to get stressed out. I always do this to myself. I stress myself out right up until I go and then I enjoy the trip. It’s so hard not to though since I have to do my finals the day before we leave D: And I haven’t really started on my papers for one of my classes…I hate being a procrastinator so much >.<

I’ve been enjoying talking to my room mate, Rita! :) We have a lot in common. I’m so very excited. And I’ll be on the normal flight so I can’t wait to play the game and get to know everyone!

You’re lucky you all have a significant other. I’m 19 and never had a boyfriend…If I even mention I like yaoi, I’m like auto-undateable to guys in my town. It really sucks D: It’s not like I’d make them read it with me or anything. I need to stop with my woe-is-me…I just always feel sad when this topic comes up I guess…My family and friends are convinced I’m going to come back with a Japanese boyfriend haha Someone make sure I don’t try to steal the guys from the Butler Cafes (which I can’t wait for~) lol Just kidding ^^;

I’m having such a hard time not buying the special edition. This is the first time one has come out while I’ve been a reader and all the bonus stuff is really what I want…but with how my finances are going if I buy it, I won’t have much for the trip…wishing I had a job or marketable skills to make stuff for people via commission v-v

• This reply was modified 11 years ago by maddymoonchild.

[penultimate]

Oh man, these past couple days have been like Christmas.  My grandmother and my boyfriends family surprised me with some spending money for the trip.  AND I actually had ‘Christmas’ with my older brother this weekend, since we haven’t seen each other since November.  He gave me cash as well, but had gone to an exchange bank in NYC (where he lives) to get Yen to give me instead of USD.  How thoughtful!  His girlfriend got me a handkerchief map of Tokyo… but from the Edo period, so I don’t think it would help me to get around at all ;D 

I already have everything I need for my trip, save for a travel pillow and portable wireless router I’m waiting for from Amazon.  It’s taking a lot of restraint to keep from packing right now.

My boyfriend has also had to ‘suffer’ my hobbies, haha.  We were together for a while before he found out, but he’s like “Whatever” about it.  He did buy me the Teahouse Ch 2 special edition, so he’s not all bad.  And he was the one to  convince me to go on this trip! 

How long have people here been reading Teahouse?  When did everyone first discover it?  I’ve been reading since Emirain posted the first few pages on y!Gallery, which I think was back in 2010 and I’ve been hooked ever since. 

Welcome to the forums Lisa! I’ll be staying in LA on the 7th as well but not getting in until later.  Maybe we LA people can hang out! :D

[Simona Nara]

@Maddymoonchild: don’t worry. The first rule with boys is “If they don’t ask, don’t tell them before its too late.” and usually they never ask! ;)

And if you are an anime/game/manga fan, it’s easier to find the right guy at a convention or at a comic shop ;)…

[Tamil-A]

@maddymoonchild – don’t worry, I’m almost 21 and still haven’t had a boyfriend – still haven’t clicked with anyone. Mind you, the few people I’ve somehow ended up on the topic  of yaoi haven’t been too fussed over it. I agree with @Simona Nara – I just don’t bring it up unless its brought up by them or by the conversation.
So I get to hang out with all the boys at home instead (the 3 kittens XD). I also am stressing out a little! Trying to get all my work stuff organised before I go is tough, and I’m trying to get 2 chapters ahead on my uni course so that I won’t fall behind too much while I’m gone. Then before sleep the brain is all ‘excitedexcitedexcitedJAPANexcitedexcited’ so I loose sleep haha

@Lisa – Welcome!!

@penultimate – actually I discovered in back in school when  it came up as one of those side-links on the starfighter website XD (which I totally wasn’t checking out in class <.<) Probably around the same year as you actually, 09 or 10

[Amaya928]

@maddymoonchild & @Tamil-A – I’m in the same boat as y’all lol almost 21 too and haven’t had a boyfriend yet. Then my younger brother’s friend (he’s 15) says that he has a girlfriend and I think “man, kids these days are fast!”  I really don’t go out much so I haven’t met anyone. I’m starting to think like Simona Nara: the places I’m bound to find anyone that has the same interests is at conventions, but they are expensive! >.<

@penultimate –  I can’t exactly remember the year/month but I think I started reading Teahouse when they were still in CH1 and they only had up to that garden scene with atros and Lilith. I found out about it through a person I was chatting with while playing Tinier Me lol

[Einatsu]

@penultimate – I don’t remember. I think I found it through yaoifix.com. And about the same time @Amay928 did too! :)

I didn’t have time to be nervous about the tour. I’ve been in a roller coaster of exams for art schools. Just finished the last exam today. I’ll get an answer in two weeks for one school – during the tour. I might need a night out for some serious drinking when I learn the answer – either to celebrate or to drown my sorrows! XD

• This reply was modified 11 years ago by Einatsu.

[Amaya928]

So I got my special ch4 today!!! yay!!! it arrived while I was at work. So I find the package when I arrived and I just couldn’t wait till night when everyone else got out of the way so I went into hiding to read those extra pages XD …and then…when I was done I put everything back in the package, went to my room, and left it on the bed. Well, my mom comes by and I think she’s just there to get something (me being a crafty person, you can find just about anything in my room) but nooooo she sees the envelope and grabs it! ahhhhh! the panic! so I jumped up and grabbed it and i’m like ” I-it’s just a comic, you know you don’t like them…” so I just pulled up part of the extra axis print just to prove my point that it was a comic and she looks at me weird and is like ” I just wanted the envelope….” because the envelope has them bubble thingies and she wanted to wrap a breakable item with it or something….sigh, needless to say I was mortified during the whole thing, and I’ve learnt my lessons: 1. Be patient 2. Night time is the best time for fangirl-ing lol

[Jessica]

@Lanny Liu Hi there. I’ve sent a couple of emails the past 2 weeks with a couple questions but never got a reply. I know you’re not ignoring me, LOL, I think they’re probably going spam or something. With the trip so close, I wanted to make sure I got my emails working right and am getting everything. Thanks. ^_^ So excited. Its almost here.

[dragoncat]

Wow, brave people.  I can’t remember if I told my previous boyfriend my little hobbies or not, and this sorta thing doesn’t exactly come up with FWB.  If I did, it was swiftly ignored and forgotten.  Lol.  I didn’t acquire anything that I couldn’t store in a password protected hidden file.  I’ve been into this stuff since I was about 12, I think.  Only recently have I bought stuff at Otakon that would even give hint to my hobbies.

There should be no rush to date.  I’m 23 and I’ve dated a few.  I found it to not be worth my time, but I’m jaded.  Lol.  It’s a good way to see who you are and are not compatible with, but ya’ll are youngin’s and you’ll change as you get a little older.  21 opens a whole new box of fun, darlings. :D

@penultimate –   Compared to ya’ll, I’m pretty new to Teahouse.  I stumbled across it Sept-Oct of 2012.  Right when a hiatus took effect for a bit.  I have no clue how I found it.  I click on far too many things per day to be able to remember.

@Einatsu – There will be no drowning of sorrows, only celebration!  Besides, you cannot drown anything if you laugh so hard it comes out your nose.  There could be tears, though.  Alcohol hurts like hell when it hits the sinuses.

@Amaya928 – Mad jealous over the Special Chapter 4.  My room is very similar to yours, and my mother digs around as she pleases, despite my protests.  You always hide everything.  Whether it’s the liquor bottle, a new box of art supplies, cookies, or the naughty things you bought.  It will save you many heart-attacks.

[Einatsu]

@Amaya928 – Yeah, it usually works that way. I know your feelings though, I had similar situations where I felt the creeping panic of my mom finding out about the things I read about XD (although knowing her she’ll be cool about it, or at least not mention it)

@dragoncat – :DDDDDDDD YESSSSSS

I never did get alcohol up my nose o_O (and I laugh a lot)

Oh! Remember how we talked about making small gifts for Emi & Rain? I’m making small sketches for each of them and I’m just wondering if I’m not the only one :)

[penultimate]

If you can’t be who you are with who you’re with, then there’s no point in being with them at all! :) The only thing my guy draws the line at is when I mention pairing together sports athletes, haha. (Tom BradyxEli Manning… I can just picture it…)

I’m glad that I don’t live with my family and have to worry about them finding unmentionables.  I just have to hear complaints for me to ‘get that gay stuff off the coffee table’, haha.  Although one time I did accidentally have something questionable (Crown Royale anthology) shipped to my parents house, but my mother knows better than to open her adult daughter’s mail.  And she did deliver it to me when she visited; Mom Yaoi Delivery Service :D

Can’t believe the trip is already 2 weeks away.  I feel like the past few months have flown by, but these next 14-15 days are going to CRAWL.

[Simona Nara]

@Einatsu: Oooh, I want to see your scketches so bad…

I’ve already spammed them with so many of my fanarts on tumblr, I think they’re sick and tired of me already LOL… and the worst thing is: I’m not even stopping yet! I’m already working on my next Ivette/Xanthe fanpage ;)

So, for a change, I went to an Accesorize shop and bought small gifts for them. But I’m afraid I overdid (and went out of my budget).

In my defence I should say there were sooo many Art Nouveau related little things and sooo similar to Linneus’ jewelry that I couldn’t really stop XD

But if there is anyone who has no better ideas for the gifts, and wants to share the price, feel free to contact me on facebook. I’ll send you pictures of the items, so you can decide :)

[maddymoonchild]

My friend is making gifts for E and CC because she’s super talented and isn’t able to go on the trip. But the gift was my idea so I get some credit lol

I’ve been reading Teahouse for probably a year now? I found it one night. I just remember it was like 1 in the morning and I had been chatting with my friend and I told her bye because I was exhausted. Then I found Teahouse and read the 60-something pages they had up at the time before I could sleep. I think that was before ch. 3 ended but I didn’t have a debit card to buy the copy when it came out. I remember Ch. 4 ended on Day 0 of Anime Expo and I got to meet E and CC the very next day at con.

i like what you said @penultimate I’d rather have a boyfriend who knows I like yaoi and accepts that. He doesn’t have to partake but he should be able to listen to me talk about it a little. This one guy liked me but he always bashed yaoi, so I told him if he didn’t keep his opinions to himself, I wouldn’t even consider him lol Yaoi is essential to my life. I can hide it from strangers but not when you really get to know me

i’ve been reading yaoi since 8th grade, but I started with fanfiction. I think I got my first yaoi in like freshman year…? It was a Shinri Fuwa one. I was only like 15 so I begged my mom to buy it for me because I was underage. She agreed but then asked why it was underage. So then I embarrassingly had to tell my mom what yaoi was. But she didn’t really care and then asked if she could look at it to see what I was talking about. Needless to say, she said she didn’t want to know how they felt or think about how it sounds xD Although, she reads the soft core ones like Rin! I used to only have the 3rd volume so I finally picked up the first two at con and my mom asked if she could read one of the “not dirty ones” because she had nothing to do. After she finished the second vol she immediately said “where’s the third one?” And I told her it was at home and she commanded I let her read it when we got back xD I have a cool mom. I may be an adult but I still think I have the coolest mom ever lol But she’s the only one in my family who really knows ^^;

and this is the end of my long stories…if you get me going, I can tell them forever lol

[Einatsu]

@maddymoonchild – Oh wow. That is super cool by your mother.

I think my family’s taking the whole my-liking-anime-and-being-in-the-fandom thing in good humor but don’t get too involved. My little sister used to watch Inuyasha when it was popular on TV, and actually learned to like the  InuSesshou fanarts on my computer. But that’s pretty much that. We are, however, a very nerdy family so we’re very tolerant about each others “things” :)

@Simona Nara – Not really great material, but I can scan and upload them on the weekend :)

haha, I once dated a bisexual dorky guy and we both “fangirled” about similar fandoms. We had fun together, but he had issues that drove me to break up from him.

[Amaya928]

Your mom is amazing maddy!!! My mom just looks at all my manga, rolls her eyes, and ignores it most of the time. She just doesn’t get the appeal lol

@dragoncat – you know how the best hidden stuff is always in plain sight? that’s how I hide my, as penultimate calls them, “unmentionables”. I have them in this pouch that I stick between my school books lol it’s worked pretty well so far but I think I’m going to move it to my closet.

I am making something for Emirain but it is not yet close to complete so I’d rather not mention it till it’s a done deal.

[Tamil-A]

@ Amaya928 – I do the same, I have a whole shelf of yaoi novels and mangas but it’s near the bottom, still in plain sight but partially blocked by my wash basket so it doesn’t look too sus XD
Though due to an unfortunate accident my mum knows I read and write yaoi with my bestie anyway (even more embarrassing is when she told me it was pretty good and we should consider publishing LMAO). Some of my wall posters are a little sus too, but again, nothing outright.

@Einatsu – I’m glad i’m not the only one doing some gift art for them! I’m going to see how well I go with watercolour painting this stuff, but I’ve scanned in the originals incase I screw it up – watercolours can be a bitch haha

[Hari]

I’m doing a Mucha-ish-styled sketch of Remy for them.

Huzzah for SOs who approve of/don’t mind our Yaoi fangirling!

[Simona Nara]

Hari: Rory wearing only his apron was so good! You should use that too!

Now I feel I have to sketch something too, so… Survey: are you doing a sketch for each of them? Are you using digital, watecolors, copics…?

[Tamil-A]

@Simona Nara – so far I’ve only done one, rendered with pencil with fineliner….I think I’m going to be shy enough as it is with just one! XD Though y’all making me feel like I should be doing a second one so I can give them each one…ehhh

[penultimate]

OMG.  Trip prep ranting follows:  I’m kinda upset with my bank (Wells Fargo)….

Me: “Hi, I need to speak with someone about ordering travelers cheques and ensuring that my cards will work overseas.”
Teller: “You need to go online.”
Me: “I prefer to do this in person to make sure everything’s done correctly.”
Teller: “One moment” *Steps away to speak to a superior*
Superior: “She needs to go online.”
Teller: *comes back* “You need to go online to order cashiers checks.”
Me: “…Travelers checks.”
Teller: “Yeah.  Go online.”
Me: “What about my cards?”
Teller: “Call the 800 number.  Anything else I can do for you today? :D”
Me = -_-;

[Einatsu]

I have a whole shelf of Manga with some choice yaoi titles. I bought some really great Taishi Zaou titles when I was in the US but I forgot them in the hotel I was staying back then ;^; (some room service personnel got really lucky) Nobody in my family is really interested in that. My sisters and mother usually borrow my sci-fi and fantasy books though and those are full of sex scenes *laughs*

I have an overseas cc and when I called my bank the lady on the other end of the line was kind of amused and just said: “oh you’re going overseas? okay have fun and come back safely.”

I kinda wish I could order traveler cheques online because here I can only get them at the post office. Which is a bit of a hassle as it is only in certain places and they work only for certain hours. T_T

and… Wow. You guys are really going all the way. I’m just doing some small sketches with colored pencils XD

@Simon Nara- Because they’re small sketches I’m doing one for each of them, but, y’know, do what feels right for you. For me it’s just my way to show appreciation ^^

 

[Anonymous]

I have mine hidden away around my room. I honestly don’t think anyone in my family would care, seeing as both my parents know what I’m into and love making jokes about it if the perfect moment arises. But my Aunt often brings her 5 year old around so I like it to keep it hidden because he’s a nosy little one. I just keep anything with sex in it away though, my Gravitation DVDs are in a place that he could easily get into if he went snooping.

 

I really want to show some love for Emirain but I am god awful at art. There’s a reason I excel at math and accounting and that’s because any talent that could have gone towards creativity and art was redirected into a talent for numbers. The best I could muster is stick people, XD. So I’m honestly at a loss at what to do for them! I can bake cookies but I thought bringing baked goods on a plane would be a little odd….. Though I have to think of something and I have 2 weeks so I better get cracking!

[Samdyn]

ah yes, travelers checks… the horror. I went to three different branches of my bank and they told me ‘no’…. So.. a friend said try the post office.. which I will try tomorrow or Friday. If its a no-go then looks like I’ll just have to exchange cash :/

Get paid next friday and I still need to buy new shorts and jeans.. ugh.. cleaning tiger enclosures (not with animal inside!)  and in a ‘sweat shop’ for my paid job, one tends to not own nice things since theres no purpose, lol.

[magnolia186]

You kids are making me feel real old LOL but that’s OK it keeps me young…

penultimate at least the teller you talked to at Wells Fargo knew enough to send you to their website, the first time I asked them about it they said they didn’t sell them(although that was a few years ago)…I actually went to AAA to get my travelers checks because there is no fee for members.

Wowser just caught up with all the posts, this is going to be fun fun fun!!!!!!!

See y’all soon!

[Hari]

@Miryei- I’ve brought baked cookies on a plane, it’s no big… it’s more of an issue of how long between your baking them and then giving them as a gift.

[maddymoonchild]

I have to go find traveler’s checks sometimes soon…I hope…I have to figure out how much money I’m taking soon D:

Anyone read the new Teahouse page? So precious. I like how they’re actually staying in bed together afterwards (the afterglow :D) It made my night.

Also, I went and read Starfighter. Interesting comic. When do they update? I couldn’t find anything on the website that told me :/

My gosh, a little more than a week is left. Holy crap

[Hari]

Starfighter doesn’t upload at a particular time or date. It’s just whenever she gets it done. Usually about once a week, but who knows what day or time.

[Tamil-A]

I think the new teahouse page just made my morning…so much delicious Axis and Rhys skin and afterglowiness wow yes please <3

[Jade Stark]

D: I’m so late to the party!

HELLLLLLLLO FROM DETROIT. I’m Jade ._. I will be lurking on the tour with you wonderful people. So hai and stuff :3

[penultimate]

Love the newest page. Way to make awkward pillow talk Axis! I expect there to be a lot of deep Teahouse discussions on this trip, haha.

Aaaaahhh I am so excited to see the final itinerary! Our schedule is pretty full but there are great opportunities for free time (hope I can figure out what to do with it!). I was looking at pictures from the Animated Spring tour and it only served to fuel the excitement. I’ve been keeping a close eye on the weather forecast too.

Welcome to the forums Jade Stark!

[taknflyte]

Hi there! Ran across something of interest and not sure if it’s been mentioned yet.

14 days of FREE WIFI for tourists, courtesy of NT&T. http://flets.com/freewifi/service.html

Lanny – can we add a stop in NRT to pick up cards, please? Sounds like their kiosk is close to where we’ll be exiting. :)

[Amaya928]

So I finally went and got my traveler’s checks today! Thankfully I didn’t have any problems getting them, but I could tell it was rare for people to order them since the person attending me had to go get her supervisor to show her how to do it lol I’m still not sure if what I got will be enough so I might get more after this week’s paycheck.

[Hari]

One more week, you guys.
Any tips for packing that others may not think about?
Sunscreen! Obvious to forget…

Also, when you pack your carry-on, keep your liquids easily accessible. You’ll need to remove your ziplock and have your liquids checked outside of your bag.

Wear socks.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 12 months ago by Hari.

[penultimate]

I just called my bank to let them know about the trip, and the girl I talked to was like “OMG I talked to someone else recently who is also going to Japan for the exact same dates you are. That’s so weird!”

Oh packing! I have researched packing light to death. I’m keeping it way simple. All of the items/clothes I’m bringing fill up about 3/4 of a carry on bag (including some ancient PJs that will be tossed along the way) and most of my little gadgets will be in a laptop bag. I’ve overpacked for vacations before and it was just a huge inconvenience so I’m working hard to avoid that stress.

[Evan-kun]

Penultimate – good call on the packing. Trust us, we struggle with packing light at times and we’ve done this a million times. My suggestion: if your suitcase has un-even areas on the bottom (e.g. where the handle for a roller bag retracts), STUFF SHIRTS AND SOCKS IN THERE. I’ve started rolling up all my t-shirts to save space and it is an amazing way to save space if you do it right. :D

FYI: If you’re in the LaQuinta, I just sent out the info for that – holler at us if you have any questions.

Hari – As you mentioned, the liquid rules for carry-ons still apply (the “3-1-1” rule) on the plane. Good thing to keep in mind. And thanks for mentioning sunscreen; the season will most certainly demand it.

Taknflyte – Lanny actually went over the WiFi thing a few pages ago XD We will arrange for time to pick those cards up, but changing your money to yen will be what we do first since it’s best to get that out of the way as soon as possible.

We can’t wait to meet all of you – we have some pretty amazing stuff planned!

[Tamil-A]

@ Evan Liu – does the ‘3-1-1’ rule apply to liquids in the checked luggage that goes under the plane? Trying to remember all the rules for plane travel these days gets so confusing OTL
Also I sent you an email, hopefully you received it.

@ penultimate – yeah I’m looking to pack light too! Debating on whether the weather calls for 3/4 pants or jeans…probably will only bring a few bottoms and just a bunch of light t-shirts that can roll up really small to go with. Maybe a light jacket or two incase it gets cold? I’ve been advised by my frequently travelling family members that layering up is the key to travel :) Hopefully it’ll just all fit in my tiny suitcase – I guess theres that coin-laundry if we really need to wash stinky clothes XD
Gadgets I’m keeping to a minimum and probs putting in my carry-on backpack, ebook reader (which has an amazingly long battery life – like days and days worth if you were reading non-stop) and perhaps ipad for games on the plane. Maybe my little travel memory-foam pillow so that I can TRY get some sleep on the plane haha

[Amaya928]

does anyone know what is the size limit for a carry on? I’m not sure if my suitcase is too big, it’s like 24 x 15.5 x 9

[penultimate]

I had to keep reminding myself that I’m not traveling to a 3rd world country. If the hotels provide basic necessities, I don’t need to weigh down my bag with them. The website http://www.onebag.com/ is super helpful, if not a little extreme.

@Amaya928 – A search on the American Airlines website determines that the size limit for a carry on is 45 linear inches (length + width + height). Yours adds up to 48 inches so it appears it would be too big to use as a carry on.

[Simona Nara]

@Tamil-A and @penultimate: since you are doing laundry, are you bringing a travelling iron with? I wanted to bring mine, but probably my luggage is already too stuffed…
The first time I went to Japan, I had only casual clothes with and I got a little depressed because everyone else was very elegant XD (Kyoto girls were even fancier than Milan fashion week models), so you may wanna bring something nice too! ;)

I was wondering if mosquitos repellent could be useful this season…

[Einatsu]

TIPS~!

A small, easy to reach, bag for the airport that contains all your documents and a little spending money. You can later throw that into your carry-on bag but it’s good to have these things in easy reach.

I got my hair done so I’ll look nice in pictures, if you have time – I’d suggest doing the same! Nothing can make you feel better about souvenir pictures taken when you look good in them X3

@Tamil-A – layers! like an onion c:

Camera memory! I’m bringing 8GB but I’m also carrying a small laptop to empty the camera memory into so I suggest bringing an extra memory card or some computer/tablet to keep your pictures on.

I dunno about liquids, but we have pretty strict airport rules here (guess why :P) so no liquids on the carry on bag, or sharp objects like small scissors for finger nails etc.
All these things can go in the larger luggage in the plane. I dunno about American or Japanese airport rules, they might be less strict with US citizens, but just in case they are strict – it would still be pretty sannoying to leave a good set of scissors in the airport because you can’t take them on the plane.

Chocolate – so you can share with me c:

[Simona Nara]

@Einatsu: I think I’ll have Nutella for everybody! ;)
I could only find fruit flavor Chupa chups, though…

[penultimate]

I won’t be bringing an iron with me as the majority of my clothes are wrinkle resistant. I find that after hand washing clothes, rolling them up in a towel as opposed to twisting and wringing them out helps prevent bad wrinkling.

Just got my hair cut and highlighted yesterday! I feel fab-u-lous! And the outfits I’ve got are versatile enough to dress up or down depending on the situation. I don’t have rain gear though, so I may need to buy an authentic Japanese umbrella while I’m there if it rains :P

I won’t be bringing a laptop with me so I’m making sure that I have plenty of memory for pictures(64GB = overkill). Last time I traveled long-distance with a laptop I dropped it in the airport and the screen shattered D: (it was under warranty though, whew)

[Einatsu]

@Simona Nara – yesss nutella :DDDDDD I have an unhealthy addiction to it. It also made me laugh really hard when I heard a FULL TRUCK of it got stolen.

I’m flying tommorow and I had lat-minute-shopping of all the good snacks to introduce. they don’t weigh much, but now I need to figure out how I’ll manage to put everything inside my bag *scratches head*

[maddymoonchild]

My sensei says Tokyo is nice during the time we’re going. She mentioned though that it’s sort of like London and will randomly rain on and off and it may be good to bring a small umbrella. :)

One week~ oh gosh. I’m dying from nervousness. I’m already like trying to plan what I want to see and print maps but at the same time I don’t want to plan too much ahead because I want to be able to hang out with everyone ._. But I want to see everything D:

I just got my hair done for it too! I hope it looks nice.

I’m happy the plain ride is only 10 hours. I thought it’dbe 14 ^^;

I’m going to bring one nice dress for nice dinners (Tokyo Tower mostly) so if I end up wearing it more than once, don’t judge me :< lol just kidding

I’m sorta paranoid of my bag getting lost…I really wish I didn’t stress myself out over things that rarely happen Q-Q

Waaah…I’m excited and nervous. It’ll be so fun.

Oh has anyone reserved a wi-fi router with soft bank? On the day of pick up, I out the 9th right because that’s when we’ll actually arrive in Japan right?

Oh and my sensei said Japanese fruit is a lot sweeter and so on that normal fruit and she showed me a place to eat. If anyone wants to go with me and we don’t have scheduled lunch we should go :) http://takano.jp/ is the website :D just an idea lol I’m sure we’ll all be making plans when we get there

[Evan-kun]

@penultimate – Bringing up toiletries/shampoo/etc. reminds me: all of our hotels are pretty nice and the onsen we’re visiting has tons of toiletries provided, so you won’t need to worry about any of that. Seriously, you will be inundated with face scrubs/special soaps at the onsen. Two people on Starving Artist last year actually bought the facial scrub at the onsen as a gift for friends. Unless you have prescription shampoo or something, you’ll be in good shape. :D

Mosquitos: They won’t be as bad as they can be in the fall, but it doesn’t hurt to bring spray if you want. We’ve only had one tour where we had to buy bug repellant and that was in the summer, so please don’t view it as an OMG IF I DON’T HAVE THIS I’M GONNA DIE thing.

Irons: I think our hotels may have these already…

@Einatsu – Yeah, if you have liquids that are over the 3-1-1 restriction, stick that stuff in your checked bag. Trust me. :)

@Maddy Yeah, the 9th is the arrival date.

Can someone paint my nails once the tour is underway? As the tour guide I’m not going to look as fabulous as you ladies will, but having pretty nails would help ^_^

[Amaya928]

y’all are making me self-conscious lol I haven’t cut my hair at all this year since I’m trying to grow it out. I used to have a bob that looks more like a blob now XD and I think the last time I did highlights on my hair was December 2011!

@Simona Nara – who needs an iron? Wrinkles are in baby!

@maddymoonchild – I won’t judge maddy, since I’ll probably end up doing the same thing. Wearing something more than once will save up on luggage space. I don’t know if I should bring a dress, I kinda want to kinda not…in the end I’ll probably just throw in a couple of skirts and call it done XD

I’m with you on the luggage. Since this will be my first time at an airport, and my flight to LA is a layover (gonna change planes I’m guessing), I’m worried about arriving without my luggage. That’s why I was planning on just having a carry on so that I’d be aware of it at all times but since my suitcase appears to be too big that’s not gonna work. I’ll just label it and hope for the best :3

@Evan Liu – Evan I will bring some extra sparkly nail polish for you!!! <3

I went shopping for some shirts and shorts today (Ross anyone?). I also got me some shoes since all I own are flats and tennis shoes. I got this really comfortable slip ons. They are not the prettiest shoes but I’m hoping they’ll get the job done. Are y’all bringing more than one pair of shoes? I was planning of wearing my slip ons and packing a pair of tennis shoes and a pair of flip flops.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 12 months ago by Amaya928.

[Simona Nara]

@Evan Liu: Thanks!
I know some hotels won’t let you get the iron to your room because of fire emergency, that’ s why I asked.
I’m not sure I’ll be able to get my free wi-fi card in Narita because of gate A opening hours. Do I have any other option or would it be better to wait for the distribution time at the airport?

[penultimate]

I hadn’t had my hair cut/colored since I started saving a few years ago for a trip to Japan, so I had a good six inches or so chopped off.

I’ll definitely be wearing some items more than once and bringing some laundry detergent to hand wash stuff when I need to. I’ve got 3 bottoms and 4-5 tops. And I have a cute dress I’ll be wearing the day we’re in Shibuya and then again in Kyoto.

@Amaya928 – I’m bringing 2 pairs of shoes. A pair of basic flats that go with anything and a pair of those Sketchers GoWalks. They’re not the most stylish shoes but lords are they comfortable and easy to get on and off.

[Tamil-A]

@Evan Liu – if we had matchsticks I could even paint little flowers on your nails if you like? to add to the awesomeness of the extra sparkly nailpolish Amaya928 is bringing XD

@penultimate – I’m pretty much going to copy your packing list right there because its perfect :D

[maddymoonchild]

I’m packing two pairs of walking shoes. I have to pack tomorrow because I don’t have time Monday and Tuesday ._. But I got my traveler’s cheques today!! And I actually have more money than I thought I would, so I’m so happy. I’ve also made a list of things I’m specifically looking for if I can find them with copies of the titles in Japanese because I can only read about 60 kanji…Excited and can’t wait to get there. Can’t wait to see E and CC and everyone else. I hope I booked the router properly to pick up at the airport…My gosh. I’m just kind of in a dream like state about this. I can’t believe it’s real…It’s surely keeping me happy even though I have finals in another day and I have to study and write papers that I don’t want to do T^T Oh well, it’ll all be worth it when I can see everyone in my dream city. I doubt there will be much posting within the next few days, so I’ll just say I eagerly await meeting all of you at LAX or in Tokyo. See you there!!

[Hari]

Would anyone be up for meeting on the 7th for dinner?

[Jessica]

@Hari I’m supposed to arrive in LA at 1pm (praying for no delays ^_^) and I was just going to putter around the hotel. I would totally be up for dinner. I think we have a room block, so I’m hoping all our rooms will be next to each other.

PS: So glad I’m not the only one thats packing light and re-wearing outfits!!

[Simona Nara]

I’m busy packing and I have a new mission!XD
I need to find this for a friend of mine: http://wanwan.fm/marimomarshmallow/2011/09/make-candy-sushi-at-home/
Who else is in? ;)

[penultimate]

I’m probably going to grab a small quick dinner at LAX once I get in around 8:00PM on the 7th and then hang out at the hotel too. I might not be able to sleep due to the anticipation, haha. I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve.

I’m already all packed but I have a feeling that I’m going to double check my lists and repack again tonight. Then I’m cleaning and spending time with my guy. This will be the longest we’ve been apart in 5 years T_T

I’m excited to be seeing you all in person soon!

[Moonwitch]

Simona…I’m in.They are part of the popin’ cookin’ line of make your own goodies. They also have ones that are non edible eraser designs etc. My girls love them! So i promised to get them some. Just a warning …some of them taste great an some definetly blah!LOL. I think you find making them is the best part!

Only 2 nights to go and it’s time to catch my plane ride from Seatac,Wa. To LAX. I know 2 other gals will be on my flight. Hope maybe we can chat before boarding & on the plane.

See everyone soon!!!

[Tamil-A]

http://thetimtams.tumblr.com/post/49803002477/brutu-theres-so-many-kitkats-ive-never-had-im

I WANT TO TRY ALL OF THESE 8D

[Simona Nara]

@Moonwitch and Tamil-A: we’ll be the candy hunters then XD…

I can’t wait to meet you all!

[Einatsu]

@Simona Nara – was it you who said you’ll arrive earlier?

Anyways, I’ll be arriving at the hotel at apporx. 15:00-15:30.
So if anyone wants to meet let me know in advance and I’ll just wait for you at the reception or sumthing :)

Oh god that sushi candy… it looks like its made out of marzipan… i’m sorry guys but that is one food thing i’ll let you enjoy on your own XP

• This reply was modified 10 years, 11 months ago by Einatsu.

[Hari]

Amaya928 and I are going to meet at 8:00p at Z Garden (2350 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405) which is a Mediterranean restaurant. Everyone is welcome to join in. :D Those of you in the room block will probably want to carpool.

Maybe after, weather permitting, we can walk over to the beach/pier and play/walk around.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 11 months ago by Hari.

[Simona Nara]

@Einatsu: I’m supposed to come earlier, but I was supposed to see a friend if I can make it. I need to see if I can get the limousine bus early from the airport… Anyway I will for sure be at the hotel by 6 pm. And there is a good chance I’ll be there by 15.40, too ;)
So let’s keep in touch: text me at +39 392 7170858. If I can get to a free wi-fi spot I’ll also check on my facebook Simona Nara.
See you soon, then!

[Einatsu]

@Tamil-A – I will wait to see your reaction to the coloured chocolates XDDDDDDDDDDDDD

[Simona Nara]

@Einatsu: I just got into the room! The number is 1427. Call me whenever you arrive, I’ll probably go for a walk around 16…

[maddymoonchild]

Guys, I’m so sad I’m home already T^T But please add me on fb or DA so we can keep talking!! I had so much fun with all of you guys!

https://www.facebook.com/maddymoonchild
http://genesis-zeo.deviantart.com/

[Amaya928]

I arrived home around 10pm, went to sleep till 1am and didn’t wake up till 5pm lol so I slept about 16 hours, my mom was so worried XD

so here’s an email you can reach me at: skb12868@gmail.com if you friend me on facebook please don’t tag me on any yaoi related stuff since I haven’t “come out of the closet” lol

and to anyone that didn’t know, I was the one with the yellow backpack with all the pins ;D I don’t know if everyone got the username I was posting under

I MISS YOU ALL!!!! >.<

p.s – @simona, I’ll try to make an atros plushie just for you!
@hari, you kinda made me addicted to Asumiko Nakamura….I’ve spent the last couple of hours reading her stuff lol

[penultimate]

Oh. my. god. why did i agree to come into work today? After 15+ hours of being on planes, this should be the last thing I should be doing. And I still have like 7 hours to go… I feel like I’m in a fog.

I’ve already shared some kit kats with my coworkers, haha. They’re making fun of me for my jet lag.

It was awesome meeting you all and I hope we can all see each other again someday! (Some of y’all convinced me to go to Otakon). I’m so excited to share everything with my friends and family! Only problem I have now is that all of my video on my camera recorded in .MTS and I have no idea how to work with that. Will need to convert, screen, and upload. And also may need to get permission from individuals that might be embarasssed by content (*cough*evan*cough*)

Sorry I didn’t have pink hair IRL errybody.

[dragoncat]

@Amaya928 – I wish I could have slept that long. I only slept for about 5-6 hours. My body’s out for revenge it seems.

@penultimate – Jet lag FTW! I feel like a ball of cotton soaked in lead paint. No idea how you summoned the life to work. Otakon! I’ll be somewhere in the Radisson Plaza Lord Baltimore Hotel. Let me know if you need assistance with your videos.

[Tamil-A]

Japan photos are up! Posting this here again for those who aren’t on the fb Teahouse group:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thetimtams/collections/72157633515740555/

I miss you guys T^T

[Soffiare]

Hey! I’m hoping I finally figured out how to work this forum thingy. ^.^;; I’m so super excited about seeing peoples at Otakon! :D (This is Stephanie by the way. The short blonde that really didn’t talk much. XD )

@penultimate – If you survive you are amazing, because there is no way in hell I’d be able to do that. XD I’d be sleeping under my desk. Phone calls can wait. Sleep is sssooo much more important.

@dragoncat – Yeah, I couldn’t sleep that much either. My plane arrived at 11 at the airport and didn’t get home till 1 and when I got home I couldn’t sleep so I stayed up till 4, then I woke up at 9. The worst part is that I’m so not tired.

@Tamil-A – I misses you and your sexy body! XD I saw the pictures you posted. They are so much better than mine!!

[penultimate]

I had a good homecoming, despite being so tired. My boyfriend had roses and my favorite food from a local pasta place for me. And my cat was still alive, which was also good.

I made it through the day… barely… nearly fell asleep while eating dinner last night, then passed out. Then I woke up at like 3am thinking I was still at Hotel Dankoen! I’m at work again today, hoping the day goes by faster. I started organizing my pictures and should begin to post them tonight. I’m having fun looking at everyone else’s pictures!

STEEEEEEEEPHANIEEEEEE! You better post pictures tooooo!

[YYZ kifujin]

Hallo fellow travellers, it’s the Canadian Anna here. Hope everyone got home all right and is managing well with jet lag in their time zones. I’m still in a bit of a daze here, this afternoon wanted to spend time unpacking and organizing the goodies that I bought, but instead I fell asleep.
Re Otakon meeting, I do like that idea very much. Tempting as and it is on the east side too hmmm… and it is after all only 3 days (goes to look up air ticket prices)
P.S. penultimate were you the one that had the pretty blue shawl and was filming everything for your family?

[penultimate]

I’ve started posting my pictures on Facebook. I’ll post links to them here at a later time once I get them all up. I think it’s fascinating to see what everyone took photos of. Some of them are the same and some people went to completely different places and saw different things!

@YYZ kifujin – Yes, as far as I know :D I took so much video and I haven’t even started to go through them. I need to make sure the videos are screened for content before I show my family, haha.

[Amaya928]

@Tamil-A – you took some amazing shots!!! I wasn’t there to enjoy the rest of the trip so it was exiting to see all y’all did afterwards :D it looked like so much fun! And OH.MY.GOD O_O I saw the pictures of your (they are yours right?) dolls in flickr just now….THEY ARE GORGEOUS!!!! AH! I can’t stop looking at them!!!!!

I will be posting some pics on facebook as well. I’ll provide the link once I’m done sorting through the pictures and post them. If some of you are in the pictures I took and don’t want it posted just let me know and I’ll remove it :)

[Simona Nara]

@Amaya928 Thanks for trying with Xanthe’s plushie! <3
Join us on https://www.facebook.com/groups/592977204060125/
It’s BL-Teahouse group!

I’m still fighting against the jet-lag… TAT

[Tamil-A]

@soffiare – haha omg there were lots of sexy lady bodies in the onsen tub not just me >.< Seriously you were all gorgeous *u*

@YYZ kifujin – ooh I didnt realise this was your screen-name Anna! I miss your adorable canadian accent haha

@Amaya928 – Yes they’re my dolls! my gorgeous babies who take all my money haha (throws wallet at the doll companies). But thankyou!! <3 Link to the facebook photos?

[Amaya928]

@Tamil-A – I was going to post the pictures in my personal page but since I now learned that there was a group created for the tour I shall be posting them there instead. I am still cropping some of the photos but hopefully I’ll be done by tonight or tomorrow.

[penultimate]

I’ve got about 97% of my pictures up!

I would really like to post links here, but every time I try… nothing shows up. I thought I was good at internet/message board basics, but this baffles me. I click on the link button, paste in the URL and title and get… nothing. The site has changed something since the last time I posted a link. HALP.

[penultimate]

Okay I figured it out. Forgot I needed to highlight what I wanted to link… SUCH A NOOB.

Links are to my albums on Facebook, but you don’t need an account to view them. However, you do need an account if you want to comment/tag people. Enjoy!

Japan Day 1+2 : Flights + Tokyo Tower
Japan Day 3 : Ikebukuro + Yakatabune
Japan Day 4 : Shibuya + Ghibli + Roppongi
Japan Day 5 : Kanda Festival + Akihabara + Artnia
Japan Day 6 : Asakusa + Odaiba + Harajuku
Japan Day 7 : Osaka + Takarazuka
Japan Day 8 : Kyoto PART 1
Japan Day 8 : Kyoto PART 2
Japan Day 9 : Ito

[YYZ kifujin]

penultimate oh my gosh thank you for these pics, it is like revisiting all these places again. I umm.. I might have commented with various nonsense on some of them >.>
P.S. please don’t tag me >.<

[Author]

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