[ flyktighet ]

z.ky reviews: L'Oréal Double Extension: Beauty Tubes Technology; Nourishing, Ultra-Lengthening Mascara

2011-12-27T16:36:00.000-08:00

I bought this as my HG mascara, Imju Fiberwig, is running out. I encountered it via Ava Yu Kiu's beauty videos and thought I'd give it a shot. It's a tad more expensive than the average drugstore mascara, at almost €17, but I've had disappointing results with almost every drugstore mascara I've ever bought, so I'm willing to pay for something that might actually work. That said, Fiberwig is significantly cheaper.

My first HG mascara was Benefit's get bent (same formula as BADgal, different/bent brush), which was stiff enough to hold the curl of my naturally very straight and long lashes, though it drooped at the end of a moderately long day. Then I discovered Fiberwig when I was in Hong Kong, and have stuck with it ever since. I love how the fibers are removed with warm water, less rubbing of the eyes with alcohol-based removers.

POINTS:
- The formula is moderately wet, which worried me at first as I prefer stiff formulas like Fiberwig.
- It's very lengthening, but not volumising.
- I had to curl many times before and after application of each coat to get my lashes to hold shape, but I think it will stay after that.
- I would say that this is another version of Bourjois' Coup de Théâtre mascara - which actually works. (I see the packaging got revamped since I bought it almost 10 years ago...I wonder if they changed the formula, which was too weak to hold curl, back in the day.)
- Individual lash definition is very good.
- It looks natural enough to be worn without any other eye make-up.

BEFORE:

Bare eye with Maybelline's Pure.Cover Mineral concealer in 01 Nude Beige and Benefit High Beam on the tearduct and nose.

AFTER:

One coat of the white base, and approximately three coats of the black mascara (in quick succession, not left to dry in between).

FREAKY COMPARISON PICTURE:

OVERALL:
If you're looking for length but not volume, and average curl hold, this is perfect for you. If your lashes are very thin, this may not work well. Only get this if no other drugstore mascara works for you, as it's among the most expensive - I think it may actually be more expensive than Benefit's offerings. It's essentially a more expensive and less volumising version of Fiberwig.

LMF 傲氣長存 Lyrics English Translation

2011-12-15T19:33:00.000-08:00

LMF - 傲氣長存 (Persistent Self-Pride) English Translation

Chinese lyrics: Chlyrics
English translation by z.ky. Do not reproduce without permission.

WARNING: Extreme profanity. Translated lyrics after the cut.

Hey! Will a couple of swear words influence your kids?
If so, how come they haven't influenced society's problems
So many problems, we don't have a f***ing say
F*** you, s***, even pranking you would be an embarrassment

Don't f***ing swagger, I have to f***ing see your face
That's to say, you're not qualified enough to criticise
You call us a bad influence, but in fact you don't understand us
Housing estates appreciate swearing, this is how harsh we're gonna be
Extreme; beneath us, do you see any good points
Or do you feel that we're full of arrogance
What we say you don't understand, being pranked

We, LMF, are as provoking as this, turning your party over, playing with sarcasm
We won't just say "f***" and leave, let's see when you quit

From today on, liberate yourself
As if you can afford to lose, even if your basis is also far from ideal

Now, in a phrase, I won't long-windedly comply, from start to finish;
Now, now, now, just want to say f*** you
I know your stance is just this f***ing narrow-minded
Let's see what kind of music and trends you come up with
That whoever-it-f***ing-is music program production organiser
Music is to be listened to, don't f***ing mess with it like you do with people
That whoever-it-f***ing-is, a nobody
If you're going to pretend, please unplug the guitars before you go on stage
You've nothing left to fake, so you try to be Japanese
With make-up is so f***ing ridiculous, trying to be someone else, makes me f***ing mad
You're so f***ing useless, you look like you're in drag
I won't f*** around with you, your music is downright immoral

Hong Kong has no music, only entertainment
The idols are annoying, but people f***ing accept it
The standards are so f***ing low, everyone's still messing around
If you don't f***ing know how to produce, don't be so f***ing aggressive

*From today on, liberate yourself
As if you can afford to lose, even if your basis is also far from ideal
From today on, stop deceiving yourself
People who can't be beaten down are the ones who create legends

LMF, we are LMF, we just want you to know, want you to know
LMF, we are LMF, this is our attitude, our attitude
LMF, we are LMF, we just want you to know, want you to know
LMF, we are LMF, this is our attitude, our attitude

*repeat once

Notes: This is one song I don't quite agree with: both "serious" music and lighthearted entertainment has its place in the world. The riffs in this song is awesome. They don't have to unplug the guitars before going on stage ;) I find the abundant cursingsomewhat unnecessary: there's no need to amplify the words which are already powerful.

Wintertime: Dry, Flaking Patches of Skin on Face - REMEDY!!

2011-12-11T13:16:00.001-08:00

Last week, I had a problem with small dry patches of skin on my face with flaked and were a pain to use BB cream on. My usual serum and moisturiser didn't seem rich enough, and the central heating craze at the beginning of cold weather wasn't helping.

I've heard of ~~crazy~~ old ladies slathering Vaseline on their faces at night and tips online involving Vaseline masques resulting in dewy, glowing, even skin, so I tried putting a layer of Vaseline on the dry patches on my face under moisturiser. No dice - expected, since Vaseline is completely useless on my lips and seems to dry them out rather than do anything beneficial.

I was considering shelling out for a higher-end, richer moisturiser as I've never really experienced this problem before, and it was making me panic. The dryness began to itch and spread. However, I seem to have stumbled upon a remedy, which I'm going to share:

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Swivel Stick - on targeted areas, under your usual moisturiser.

It's literally Palmer's (which I already use on my body) in stick form. It doesn't feel as greasy/gloopy/sticky as Vaseline (it's sticky, but it's a bearable kind that you'll forget about in a few minutes), it doesn't leave a high-gloss sheen (annoying), it's easy to use (swivel and swipe - no need to rub in if you're lazy), and after two days of using it, there are no more dry patches on my face!

It's great for protecting vulnerable areas of your face from harsh central heating and cold winds during the Winter. It smells gorgeous, melts into skin, and soothes dry skin effectively! It doesn't slide around like Vaseline will, moreover it will last all day. Please do try it if you're having the same problem with drying skin!

z.ky reviews: Etude House Precious Mineral All Day Strong BB Cream in #2 Sheer Glowing Skin

2011-12-08T15:49:00.000-08:00

Please refer to my skin profile here!

Etude House is an inexpensive, but good quality cosmetic brand in Korea. I came across this BB cream when searching for a cheap, basic, easy to apply Korean BB cream with a natural finish. I believe that this BB cream was repackaged recently, adding the "All Day Strong" part. It comes in three shades (with notes on what I've learned from my research online):

#1 Sheer Silky Skin: Lightest shade. Suits oily skin, with a mattifying finish.
#2 Sheer Glowing Skin: Light to medium shade. Suits drier skin, with a dewy finish.
#3 Sheer Flawless Skin: Darkest shade. Highest coverage.

I bought 6 sample sachets on eBay of #2 for $3.50. Though I do have combination skin, my cheeks and forehead can get dry in the wintertime. I also prefer a dewy finish which can be toned down with powder, as opposed to an unnatural matte face which needs extra contouring and blush: therefore I chose #2.

I used it straight on my face after getting up in the morning, just to see how it would cope with dryness. I didn't wash my face first, no moisturiser, base, nothing - all that was on my skin was night cream I had applied the night before! I figured that it was the ultimate test...and here's the result:

Left side: with BB cream. Definitely brighter and more refreshed-looking, with evened tone. Shadows and redness on cheeks gone. Right side: eeeek (bare)! Minimal Photoshop (mainly lighting and colour fixes, none on the face).

A swatch:

I was afraid it would be too dark at first, but it seems to lighten as it's blended out.

Points:

- No weird sheen, thick texture or extra stickiness from the SPF 30 / PA++ - doesn't get pushed around.
- Slight pearlescent effect, but very natural and only noticeable close up. No shimmer or particles.
- VERY easy to apply and blend, no need to buff in - great beginner BB cream.
- I disagree with recommendation for dry skin - if skin is drier than average, this may not give as nice an effect - doesn't cover or moisturise dry patches too effectively. "For Normal Skin" would be more accurate.
- Tone is neutral but tends more to pinkness than yellow shades - buy samples/use testers before purchasing!
- Covers dark shadows around eyes surprisingly well - may need extra layers, but is very layerable and doesn't cake.
- The finish is like mineral make-up: comes off when touched as a powdery/silky residue, but doesn't rub off too easily - could set with powder to be safe.
- Very easy to remove: a few gentle swipes of a Simple Cleansing Facial Wipe and it's all gone!
- Coverage: extremely natural - medium coverage with a very thin layer: covers redness, dark shadows, and visible pores well.
- I took it off straightaway, so I can't say anything about the staying power. But as it's so natural, even if it rubs off it won't look obvious. It feels very light (actually, I didn't feel anything...) and natural, so it shouldn't be a chore to wear. In fact, I think it would do fine without blush, and definitely without contouring. I would be interested to test it in hot or humid weather, as it obviously performs well in dry, cool weather.
- Patting it on is best, but rubbing doesn't produce any unsightly "eraser dust" or promote flaking.

All gone!

Remember that I used this on a crappy (i.e. non-existent) base, so I expect that the finish and effect would be even better over serum, or any kind of prep! Note that BB creams are to be used in place of moisturiser, as many claim to have SPF, anti-ageing, whitening, and moisturising effects.

I also bought a full-size Mentholatum Sunplay SKIN AQUA Silky BB Cream SPF35 PA++ (recommended in a video by Ava Yu Kiu), so I will test that out before purchasing Etude House Precious Mineral BB Cream in its full size - but I have to say that there isn't a lot stopping me from buying it, right now!

+Good, if:
You're looking for natural light to medium coverage, more than a tinted moisturiser but less than traditional foundation, without any gimmicks, stickiness, or weird sheen. This would be a great first BB cream.

-Bad, if:
You need a lot of coverage or staying power, and have very dry skin.

The name says it all: if you've used mineral make-up before, you know what to expect - the base consists of powdery minerals rather than oil or water. Overall, I would repurchase this!

z.ky: Skin Profile

2011-11-22T05:42:00.000-08:00

As I will be reviewing BB creams and other skincare products, I thought it'd be helpful to describe my skin type. So if we have similar type and flaws, you can be reasonably sure that you'll get the same results I get from various products! Hopefully this helps :)

Note: I do not have blue skin.

Skin type - Combination skin:
Moderately oily nose and chin, normal to dry cheeks and forehead. Becomes normal and dry respectively in the wintertime. Needs extra oil control for the nose, chin, and surrounding areas in hot weather.
Problem areas:
Dark circles underneath eyes, dark shadows around eyes, visible pores on nose, redness around nose. Dry patches appear under tearduct and on eyelid occasionally. Fine lines directly underneath tearduct.
Good points:
Texture is very smooth, have never experienced acne - no scarring present.
Makeup routine:
I only use concealer for my dark circles - I hate the feeling of foundation, so I never use it. I use oil-blotting papers or tissue paper to blot away any excess oil during the day.

November 2011 Skin Routine:

Day
Pond's Flawless White Visibly Lightening Daily UV Cream SPF 15/PA++ (available in Asia only)
Pond's Flawless White Light Infusing Under-Eye Cream (available in Asia only)
No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Beauty Serum

Night
Pond's Flawless White Re-Brightening Night Treatment (available in Asia only)
Pai Echium Organic Eye Cream

I'm in the process of switching out my skincare routine for more natural/organic, paraben- and silicone-free products, starting with the Pai eye cream. The Pond's whitening range was excellent before it was repackaged/reformulated as Flawless White - it used to come in a white and navy container. Now I find the day cream a little too reminiscent of pure suncream, while the night and eye cream are good but not mind-blowing. I have a review on the Pai Echium Eye Cream coming up, but first up is Etude House Precious Mineral BB Cream!

z.ky reviews: Maycare Double Eyelid Eye Tape

2011-11-18T17:50:00.000-08:00

For a couple of dollars, I bought a pack of Maycare double eyelid tape - for fun, since I have hidden double eyelids already. That is, the outer edge is visible, but overall not very dramatic or overly visible. There's no point in showing pictures of my eyelid, as everyone's eyelid shape is different. In addition to that, you can achieve different effects depending on the positioning of the tape; apply it higher for a more dramatic effect, but beware that it may cause the skin of your eyelid to fold over and lose the effect. Experimentation is key!

The pack contains 72 pairs of tape, nicely presented, including a plastic applicator similar to the one included with double eyelid glues.

From looking up other brands of tape, this one seems to be relatively discreet - it's not thick, doesn't have a strange pattern/airholes, nor does it leave any residue. It will last at least half a day (I took it off after that amount of time) and is quite comfortable - similar to wearing (well-applied) false lashes. I haven't tried using it with make-up on, but I imagine that I would first apply the eyelid tape, then stick to eyeliner and mascara only.

This is what I've gathered from my research on double eyelid tape brands:

- Nexcare: Most breathable.
- Eye Charm: Seems to have good reviews.
- Wonder: Not as big as Eye Charm, but more natural.
- Maycare: Moderately natural, inexpensive.

z.ky's Interview Advice

2011-11-09T04:15:00.001-08:00

I'm going to present some advice that isn't commonly found online, but really helped me. These days, interviews can be very structured - for example, competency-based interviews. Every type of interview can be Googled, and situations and questions within an interview for a particular job or company are shared by interview "survivors".

But what can't be researched and learned off is personality.

Here's my top advice to augment all scenarios that can be learned off and gabbled verbatim in competency-based interviews. It goes without saying that you should have the required skill set and competence, and be reasonably prepared and hold the appropriate level of *genuine* enthusiasm and desire for the job - that is your foundation.

Source

1. YOU are the authority on your own experiences. Think of interviews as exams, which test you on your past experiences. And know one knows YOUR experiences better than YOU. Therefore it's an exam that's impossible to fail...if not for two key points: the relevance and presentation of your experiences. You are in command. Tailor all of your answers to make them relevant to the question, and have a structured answer that's easy to follow: tell it like a story. No one can correct you on your own experiences, because you are the only one who has experienced them. It seems quite absurd to lay it out like that, but it's true; realising that will give you confidence and power.

2. Be yourself (and be genuine!). The importance of this applies beyond the interview. If you feel that you have to modify your personality or be highly creative when telling your experiences, you have to ask yourself why you're there, and whether you'll be happy keeping that demeanor up if you get the job, and possibly work there for years. Even if you fool the interviewer and get the job, you are fooling yourself into misery. An example of this is consulting, which people don't seem to get: consultancy is people. If you don't like people, why are you going for it? If you get the job and are forced to interact with clients constantly as part of your job, you will be miserable...because it's not "you". "You" are all you can be sure to have, for the rest of your life. Everything else is uncertain. If you try to bend and manipulate your own self, you are losing your spirit: what you are, inherently. No job is worth losing yourself over.

3. Inject some positivity and laughter into the interview. This is lifted directly from Part Two, Chapter 1 of How to Win Friends and Influence People.

"Action seems to follow feeling, but really action and feeling go together; and by regulating the action, which is under the more direct control of the will, we can indirectly regulate the feeling, which is not.
"Thus the sovereign voluntary path to cheerfulness, if our cheerfulness if lost, is to sit up cheerfully and to act and speak as if cheerfulnees were already there. "
--William James

Smiling and laughter release hormones that make you happy, such as endorphins and serotonin.
(--Science. I first did some research on this when I was in secondary school, and I recommend that everyone do the same. Simple and enlightening.)

This is kind of sneaky, but make your interviewer feel happy, so that they will associate you with positivity and like you. And who wouldn't choose to work with someone they like? You don't always have to be at the mercy of the interviewer. Entertain them. Be memorable to guarantee further consideration. If they refuse to smile, don't fall for it. They may be putting on an act to put some pressure on you - all part of the test.

--

Ahem...that was slightly tangential, but the first point really helped me. It occurred to me a few nights before my first interview, and it helped me gain confidence and dispel nerves. Hope it helps others too!

z.ky: First venture into Officewear

2011-10-30T10:02:00.000-07:00

L - R:
shirt: Penneys (I bought this approximately six years ago and never wore it!)
bag: Penneys, €13.00
flats: New Look, €24.99
trousers: Dunnes Stores, €20.00
pencil skirt: Forever 21, €17.75
skirt: Penneys, €15.00

REVIEW: Etude House LUCIDarling Fantastic Nails in Mocha Brown (Shimmer #4)

2011-10-19T03:29:00.000-07:00

Thinner than regular polishes, so it definitely needs at least two coats. However this is a plus point for me, as the consistency is very smooth and it dries very quickly - I prefer two thin coats that dry quickly to one thick coat which is hard to manipulate and takes ages to try (and is more likely to smudge!).

The colour is perfect, getting a brown polish has always been in the back of my mind but I only ever see chocolatey goop in stores. The shimmer really helps this to not look like goop. This was cheap, too - about €4.36, and the seller threw in some samples!

Gorgeous shimmer! Pictured: two coats with a crappy Collection 2000 clear coat.

Etude House is a Korean brand which is affordable with cheerful packaging and design! I'll definitely try more of their products if I get the opportunity. I really want this Petit Darling top coat:

These are the samples I received along with the polish:

Missha Super Aqua Oxygen Micro Essence Peeling mask
Missha Signature Real Complete BB Cream

Will do separate reviews of the Missha samples later!

z.ky: Melancholia hits Dublin

2011-10-14T04:20:00.001-07:00

As usual, a review without spoilers.

Melancholia is uncomfortably moving, almost profound. My inexplicable dislike of Kirsten Dunst was cushioned by the always wonderful Charlotte Gainsbourg, and melted away completely during the second part of the movie. The small main cast (Dunst, Gainsbourg, Kiefer Sutherland, and Cameron Spurr as their little boy) and ending were genius. The sparse nudity is touching and natural rather than sleazy. The music blew me away - it's such a breath of fresh air when movie soundtracks feature mostly or only classical music (and NO cheesy credits song).

Despite the limited showings and lush imagery, this movie is not overly "artsy" or pretentious. Action movie buffs will squirm in their seats while romantic comedy fans will have their ideals rattled. Don't take it too seriously or search too deep for meaning, and you will have a wonderful, even if shaken, experience.

Favourite scene:
The conversation between Claire and Justine, during which she mentions "All life on Earth is evil." Could have been taken straight out of Donnie Darko...it's that level of tangibility while touching on the topic of mortaliy: life is short, and how it's in human nature not to recognise it until it's too late.

Most shocking scene:
After the horses calm.

Favourite aspects:
The hair and make-up was divine. Reminded me of the finish in Black Swan. The location was beautiful, too - it was shot in Sweden, including Tjolöholm Castle.

Least favourite aspects:
The slow-motion intro stretched slightly too long for my taste.

--

Irish filmgoers: this movie is not being shown outside of Dublin. Within the city centre, you can see it in the either the IFI or The Screen Cinema - I recommend the IFI for its interior. Catch it before it's gone!

Specsavers

2011-10-08T14:57:00.000-07:00

So big and clear.

Hello!

Corporate.

Daily contact lenses for astigmatism: got a 5-day trial. If they're made in the US, why is the text in Japanese?

my little airport 奇人的離職 Lyrics English Translation

2011-09-26T06:12:00.000-07:00

my little airport - 奇人的離職 (A Wonderful Person's Departure) English Translation

Chinese lyrics: my little airport
English translation by z.ky. Do not reproduce without permission.

Up until the end, you still want to leave,
I never urged you to stay.
Up until the end, you still want to break up,
I'm behind you, watching you leave, taking your puppy with you.

I'm afraid that you no longer like me, I'm afraid that you no longer speak to me, I'm afraid that you have another pretty girl, I'm afraid that you want to leave me, I'm so afraid that I cannot sleep, it will be over soon.

Up until the end I never spoke up, I just looked down.
Up until the end I never jumped off any buildings, I just wept.
Regarding love, regarding friendship, I will ignore it, ignoring you as you drift away.

I'm afraid that you no longer like me, I'm afraid that you no longer speak to me, I'm afraid that you have another pretty girl, I'm afraid that you want to leave me, I'm so afraid that I cannot sleep, it will be over soon.

Note: Bittersweet French again - "j'ai peur que tu ne m'aime plus, j'ai peur que tu ne me parle plus, j'ai peur que tu as une autre belle fille, j'ai peur que tu veux me quitter, j'ai si peur que je ne peux pas dormir, ce sera finir bientot.".

Glitter Gradation nail + DIY Lightbox

2011-09-20T10:11:00.000-07:00

First of all, I dug out some old polishes (apparently too old - it damaged my nail!) and tried a gradation effect:

2 coats Anna Sui in black, 1/2 coat Arezia black with glitter particles, layering with Lizzie iridescent glitter in clear polish.

I promise I'll put more effort into editing in the future!! I upgraded to Photoshop CS5 recently, and it's still bare bones, meaning no custom brushes or anything.

--

In attempt to improve blog content, I've been looking extra hard at my favourite blogs, and one doable thing that stood out was photo quality. I don't have the best camera and I can't afford to upgrade to my dream Canon DSLR, so I thought about equipment instead - how about a lightbox for product reviews?

This was the guide I used, however I also found variations: using fabric or tissue paper to cover the sides, different arrangements of lighting, and one using foam boards instead of a cardboard box.

Result...

The sides are unfinished as I have no suitable material, and I laid a tissue on top for now :s

With this ghetto and incomplete setup, here's what I achieved with a bottle of Curious by Britney Spears (impromptu review: it's nice and very wearable, more floral than sweet, but it just doesn't suit me...):

The colour turned out yellow, I think I poked the lamp through the side instead of filtering it through the tissue. There's a weird unintended yet not unwelcome vignette effect. I used my sister's Cyber-shot for these (my own DSC-T30 ran out of battery).

This one is much better, again there's an unintended vignette effect. More lights would be useful for getting rid of the shadow at the bottom.

Anyone have other tips regarding lightboxes and product photography?

New header + Stats

2011-09-17T13:58:00.000-07:00

The header I designed sometime before summer is finally up! (Version 1, that is!) Not that the promised overhaul is now capped, not at all - you also may have noticed the ads in the sidebar and below the most recent post - due to reasons which make me squee (outlined below), I've decided to implement AdSense, partly out of curiosity and partly to exploit this whole blogger phenomenon thing. (What?) Hopefully they're not too intrusive, as always I'm hungry for feedback.
--

According to StatCounter, [ flyktighet ] is now the top source for LMF lyric translations, so thanks to my readers for the hits. I'm including some stats for fun!

Google is the most popular search engine used to find flyktighet.
The most popular keyword is "lmf lyrics" - the most popular translation is LMF - WTF, which is the most popular page after the homepage; my translations rank #1 on Google for searches on "LMF - WTF in English".
The keyphrase "LMF lyrics" rank a respectable #5.
Pinyin lyrics are sometimes requested - if that search becomes more popular, I will consider romanising lyrics.

Fanart of Nedroid Picture Diary

2011-09-11T15:18:00.001-07:00

Reginald hearts Beartato by ~yamitoyume on deviant ART

OOTD & HOTD (Haul Of The Day)

2011-09-07T09:09:00.000-07:00

top: from my sister
leggings: UNIQLO
scarf: H&M boys

--

IS THIS A HAUL I SEE?!

Yes. I needed a dependable pencil liner for one thing, and I thought I deserved a shopping trip before class starts again (well. It's already started).

Boyfriend-approved duvet cover set - hopefully you can get the pattern from the pic. It was on sale!

Cream jumper from Penneys - my obsession with nude-coloured items has diminished, but this looks so cuddly and warm that I couldn't resist.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero (black) - got a reward card too! 10% off everything in Debenham's right now. MINI-REVIEW: Not as black as I'd hoped, but it does glide. Put it on my waterline and hand just to see how long it'll last - will report back later! Usually I pat black shadow over liner on my waterline which makes it last forever, but it's not really good to do with contact lenses.

Carmex, strawberry-flavoured - I've always been fascinated by the strong smell of Carmex, but I'm happy enough with my Chapstick. However, strawberry... MINI-REVIEW: Slightly glossier than Chapstick, with the signature tingly feeling. Not sure about staying power yet, but I'll report back! Feels nice, no stickiness or wetness at all.

Maybelline New York Pure Cover Mineral Concealer in Natural - this was recommended by StyleSuzi, and I picked it up as I've never tried mineral make-up before and my L'Oreal True Match is running out (and expiring). MINI-REVIEW: Very blendable, buildable too. However the coverage doesn't seem to be as good as L'Oreal, though it is slightly more reflective. It's quite lightweight, think I may have picked a too-light shade. Works moderately well, but not a HG product; it's also NOT waterproof. Thinking of trying concealer by Origins next.

--

THINGS I HAD MY EYE ON:
- The Sanctuary Warming Charcoal Detox Mask: I've been on the lookout for a clarifying mask, and clay and charcoal seem like good choices.
- Botanics eye cream with almond oil: don't remember the full name, but lately I've felt that my Pond's Flawless White eye cream just doesn't cut it.
- NIP + FAB Dark Circle Fix: I'm dying to try this out as I have terrible dark circles. Sadly the Boots I was in didn't stock it.

I was being frugal, and I never buy anything without first consulting Makeupalley and my favourite beauty bloggers (feature coming soon?).

LOVES OF THE MOMENT:
- electric blue.
- glitter nail colours (move over, crackle glaze fad!).
- Classique X by Jean Paul Gaultier - my teeny sample bottle is running out...help!

Jung Yup (Brown Eyed Soul) - Nothing Better piano cover

2011-08-14T21:35:00.001-07:00

Chopin - Nocturne in E Minor, page one PREVIEW

2011-08-14T04:10:00.000-07:00

X JAPAN - CRUCIFY MY LOVE piano cover

2011-07-27T14:25:00.001-07:00

Jung Yup - Nothing Better piano cover PREVIEW

2011-07-18T15:02:00.001-07:00

Cover: PLEDGE by the GazettE (short piano version), デコデン

2011-06-23T09:21:00.000-07:00

I had a mega-productive day yesterday. I wrote and sent two letters, drew L from Death Note with copic-style markers, and recorded this! ...ok, not very impressive, but those were all things I had been stalling for some time. Coming soon: decoden! Here's my first attempt:

Gonna be using epoxy instead of cyanoacrylate, and I acquired more varied rhinestones and cabochons.

Covers: Coming Soon!

2011-06-02T11:05:00.001-07:00

FFVIII's Liberi Fatali and an improved version of Bella's Lullaby on the way!

Pokémon FireRed: How to beat the Elite Four at level 44

2011-05-14T16:39:00.001-07:00

Underlevelled, yet impatient to fight the Elite Four (or just bored of training with level 30s)? Despite being at least 10 levels below the Elite Four's Pokémon, you can still win (I did)! Play to type effectiveness. My Pokémon were all level 44 - 46 when I faced Lorelei. Here's my team:

TAKA/Raichu - Thunderbolt, Double Team, Quick Attack, Thunder Wave JUJU/Vaporeon - Surf, Sand-Attack, Aurora Beam, bite
MARMEE/Pidgeot - Wing Attack, Fly, Quick Attack, Sand-Attack
DIJKSTRA/Kadabra - Psybeam, Reflect, Recover, Psychic
WUKONG/Primeape - Karate Chop, Low Kick, ?, Strength
ZACK F./Charizard - Flamethrower, Cut, Slash, Smokescreen

Note: These are all one-hit KOs, unless otherwise specified. In between battles, make sure everyone has full HP and no status problems - some of them will be used as temporary switch-ins while you heal the more effective ones (basically acting as human - er, Pokémon shields - accuracy-lowering attacks are good for them to have). Since you are underlevelled and therefore may not have the stats to strike first, make good use of the Quick Claw. Don't bother with Leftovers. Make sure you have about 30 Revives, 30 Full Heals, 30 Lemonades, and 30 Hyper Potions. If you have the money, stock up on 50-or-so Full Restores instead. I hope you've saved up your Max Revives too. The Elite Four will annoyingly use Full Restore as soon as their Pokémon's HP goes red, unless you're lucky. Some of their Pokémon also hold Sitrus Berries.

--

Lorelei: I made TAKA hold the Exp. Share.
Dewgong - Thunderbolt, it may take two hits. A lot of guides say not to bother raising a Pikachu, but my Raichu's type effectiveness has come a long way.
Cloyster - Thunderbolt, it may take two hits.
Slowbro - Thunderbolt, it may take two hits.
Jynx - Flamethrower - fire melts ice.
Lapras - Flamethrower. This is quite an easy battle if your Thunder type has at least 150 HP.

Bruno: I made MARMEE hold the Exp. Share.
Onix x 2 - Surf. The types that Rock types are weak to, they're really weak to. Alternatively, use Psychic, Low Kick/Karate Chop or any strong Grass attack (i.e. not Absorb).
Hitmonlee - A few of my team got wiped out by him, but Fly works best. Flying types are good against Fighting types. Psychic types are too, but my Kadabra has awful HP and defense, so he gets knocked out from one attack.
Hitmonchan - A lot easier than Hitmonlee, use Fly.
Machamp - I had trouble with this one too, I was basically running out of Pokémon. I think I used a combination of Fly and Surf here.

Agatha: I made DIJKSTRA hold the Exp. Share, but he actually got killed first.
Gengar (with Double Team) - I had a LOT of trouble with him, mainly because he kept using Double Team until his evasiveness was maxed and I couldn't touch him. I resetted at least 5 times. I used Bite (Dark type) at first, but figured out that Fly is good against the second Gengar (and should work for this one too). Ghost types are weak against Dark (Bite) and Psychic, but Psychic types are weak against Shadowpunch. Remember not to use Ground, Normal, or anything that can't touch Ghosts. This Gengar really emphasises luck. Try to kill him before he uses Double Team more than twice - abuse soft reset if he does, it's pointless to go on.
Gengar (with Hypnosis) - Use the Pokéflute (or Full Heals, whatever) once you get put to sleep - do not delay. Same with Toxic, at the very least after one "hurt by poison" episode. This took a while because I had to keep healing, but use Fly - this will waste his PP. He will try to use Nightmare after Hypnosis, but if you use the Pokéflute like I said, he will waste that move because it fails.
Haunter - This one is easy, use Bite.
Golbat - Thunderbolt, it may take two hits.
Arbok - Psychic.

Lance: I made TAKA hold the Exp. Share.
Gyarados - Thunderbolt. WATCH OUT FOR THE PP.
Dragonair x 2 - Aurora Beam: they're weak against Ice. Takes two hits. Watch out, they might hit you with Thunder Wave or Hyper Beam (apparently 150 attack no matter what, but my Vaporeon only took 107 from Aerodactyl...).
Dragonite - Thunderbolt. I unfortunately got most of my team wiped out here because of Hyper Beam, so what I did was get my HP-high Charizard to repeatedly use Smokescreen while reviving and healing, and finally keep using Slash to lower its HP (very slowly). Then switch back to Raichu for Thunderbolt.
Aerodactyl - Surf, or Thunderbolt. He has Hyper Beam as well - the worst thing about being underleveled is that your HP may not be above 150.

Last battle...YOUR RIVAL: My starter was Charmander, so his team follows from that. His levels are slightly higher than the Elite Four's Pokémon. Mine were all at least 12 levels lower than his, but his dudes don't have annoying attacks like Agatha's, so it should be simple enough. Should any of your team faint, just use a body shield (I mainly used my Primeape and Kadabra), revive, and heal up.

Pidgeot - Thunderbolt, twice.
Rhydon - DON'T use Electric type attacks, they won't hit. Use Surf instead, which takes two hits.
Blastoise - His Blastoise has very powerful attacks (Hydro Pump, Skull Bash) so you should lower its accuracy/raise your evasiveness as much as possible first; preferably the former, at least 6 times, until it starts missing a lot. Then use Thunderbolt. If it uses Rain Dance, switch to Vaporeon or any Water/resistant type you have and kill some time with Surf - believe it or not, it actually works pretty well, despite the fact that "It's not very effective..." - Rain Dance increases the power of Water type attacks. Heal often so that you don't get killed and have to revive. Once the HP gets low enough, switch back to your Electric Type and use Thunderbolt. Slightly long and tedious, but that's what you get for being underlevelled...
Exeggutor - Flamethrower, or Aurora Beam, twice.
Alakazam - Psychic types are weak against Bug, Dark, and Ghost. Since I don't have a Ghost and Bugs are crappy, I used my Vaporeon's Bite (wish I had a Mightyena...), which took three hits. It killed my Vaporeon, so I switched to Charizard and used Smokescreen for a bit. Flamethrower and Surf actually work better than Bite, as Abra's evolutions all have really bad SP DEF. After my rival used about 5 Full Restores, along with 2 Recovers from Alakazam, I finally beat it.
Arcanine - Surf. Its Extremespeed sounds scary, but it's not that strong. I beat him with one Pokémon left, at 31 HP. I like to cut it close (don't do that).

--

I know I was very specific with regards to the Pokémon and attacks I use, but you can use any Pokémon with any attack as long as it's the same type and with high attack. Might as well use up all of your stat-increasing nutrients too, before the battles.

Gonna get Pokémon White next month, can't wait! I think I'll pick a girl, and I definitely want Oshawott. LOOK AT THIS:

BONUS: Want to know about my Pokémon's nerdy/dumb/weird names?

TAKA/Raichu - ???
JUJU/Vaporeon - Named after JUJU Cosmetics, famous for their inclusion of the hydrating component, hyaluronic acid (hydration - water - get it?).
MARMEE/Pidgeot - I don't know why I chose this, but it's after the mother in Little Women.
DIJKSTRA/Kadabra - Since my rival kept going on about how his newly-caught Abra was smart, I tried to think of a smart person's name. Dijkstra was a Dutch computer scientist.
WUKONG/Primeape - Named after Sun Wukong, the Monkey God.
ZACK F./Charizard - Named after Zack Fair, one of my favourite Final Fantasy dudes. Other favourites include Squall in FFVIII, Cloud in Advent Children, and Shiva, the GF in FFVIII. And of course, Noctis in Final Fantasy Versus XIII, which probably won't get released until a million years later...but still!

LMF 國際人渣 Lyrics English Translation

2011-05-06T13:30:00.000-07:00

LMF - 國際人渣 (International Scum) English Translation

Chinese lyrics: YinyueABC
English translation by z.ky. Do not reproduce without permission.

One human life, one bullet, scum
One plan, one bomb, scum
Your clever plans cause suffering and misery
You get to mess around
No one has a choice
One nation, one principle, scum
One big country, one excuse, scum
Even having grown up here, you get smashed to pieces
Even if you're in charge,
It's not your turn to mess around

Humanity, a couple thousand years; civilization, war, destruction, never stopped
If it's not me attacking you, you're attacking me
History's lessons have never been absorbed
How come once something happens
People with guns come in to keep the order
Keeping other people's order
After planning in advance, sitting down, discussing; going on to beat people, frame people
Lots of innocent people have been condemned
Right and wrong, black and white, can't it be defined again?
All that remains is a line of grey area
So many differing intentions, ideas which can't be agreed upon
Contradictory conflicts, gathering prevents change of mind
Seems impossible, but they have the most excuses
A big Western country still standing, cheating Iraqi oil
America still has the world's biggest weapons industry
So, we have reasons to hate you
You're still mouthing off
One human life, one bullet, scum
One plan, one bomb, scum
Your clever plans cause suffering and misery
You get to mess around
No one has a choice
One nation, one principle, scum
One big country, one excuse, scum
Even having grown up here, you get smashed to pieces
Even if you're in charge,
It's not your turn to mess around

Anthrax damages, but probably not as much as Coca-Cola
The invasions of military bases on all four sides
May not be as lowly as all of the McDonald's
Which is the one who wants to invade this world?
Which is the one who wants to take over this world?
Doesn't a big country still need basic manners
Not bombing someone's embassy
You tell me whether an apology is needed
Can't even buy a Cuban cigar
Microsoft's monopolizing technique is like robbery
The Waco siege
The Rodney King case
The Amadou Diallo case
The hanging of people
Within these many cases, can we learn from them:
Nothing is ever as simple as it looks
There's more than one side to the story
No matter how big a country is, it has its problems
Expand your vision and look at things more objectively
Don't just think about money
Like an ignorant imbecile
"The Ugly Chinaman and the Crisis of Chinese Culture", buy a copy and read it
One human life, one bullet, scum
One plan, one bomb, scum
Your clever plans cause suffering and misery
You get to mess around
No one has a choice
One nation, one principle, scum
One big country, one excuse, scum
Even having grown up here, you get smashed to pieces
Even if you're in charge,
It's not your turn to mess around

One human life, one bullet, scum
One plan, one bomb, scum
Your clever plans cause suffering and misery
You get to mess around
No one has a choice
One nation, one principle, scum
One big country, one excuse, scum
Even having grown up here, you get smashed to pieces
Even if you're in charge,
It's not your turn to mess around

*repeat once

Notes: A criticism of America, and an implicit criticism of China.

flyktighet Translated Lyrics Archive

2011-05-06T07:59:00.000-07:00

I continually change and improve these, so don't be shy with feedback (I request it for reasons other than egotism).

I started doing these after exhaustive Google searches for translations, i.e. these should be the first of its kind. I really don't want these to end up on random lyric sites either, so please refrain from reproducing them. Enjoy 'em here!

Original lyrics copyright to their respective owners. No copyright infringment is intended or implied. I claim ownership of the translated lyrics only.

*Artist information to come.

== my little airport ==

album: 《我們在炎熱與抑鬱的夏天，無法停止抽煙》 / "we can't stop smoking in the vicious and blue summer"
03. 我愛官恩娜，都不及愛你的哨牙
04. 馬田的心事
06. indie悲歌
14. 和陳五msn

== LMF (Lazy Mutha Fucka / 大懶堂) ==

album: 嘻武門
01. 1127
07. 國際人渣
15. 返屋企

album: Finalazy
03. WTF

== 24HERBS (廿四味) ==

album: self-titled debut - Disc 2
01. 照做 Feat. Jin

Shoutout to blog visitors

2011-05-02T11:39:00.001-07:00

I've noticed that this blog has been getting quite a few hits over the past two months, the most popular posts being my LMF translations. Dear visitors: don't be shy, leave a comment or two, and follow so you can be notified automatically of new posts!

I'm nearing the end of my degree so I can't post until the end of this month, but here's what's coming up:

Pokémon FireRed Elite Four strategy guide - how to beat them at 10+ levels below
More my little airport translations: the rest of the 《我們在炎熱與抑鬱的夏天，無法停止抽煙》 (we can't stop smoking in the vicious and blue summer) album
Translation of Superstar by 24HERBS
I've stopped working on my translation of Purikura Pocket 2: Kareshi Kaizou Daisakusen, but it will pick up again in the summer!

À bientôt!

LMF 1127 Lyrics English Translation

2011-04-21T07:43:00.000-07:00

LMF - 1127 English Translation

Chinese lyrics: JustSomeLyrics
English translation by z.ky. Do not reproduce without permission.

Through his teachings, we know we're not the sick man of East Asia, with yellow skin; we can be ourselves
No need to copy others, follow others, we're Chinese, won't look down on ourselves

*repeat once

MC YAN:

2000AD, China, 5000 years
60 years ago, a man appeared
Does everyone know, what he's done?
The road he took? To let the whole world know
What it means to be Chinese, Chinese spirit
Made some movies, 4 or 5, presented an image, an energy on the screen
Unprecedented action, speed, skill, form, philosophy, point of view
A point of view unlike any modern film
To explain to the world, the culture of Chinese kung fu
Took a path, a fresh approach
Jeet Kune Do, all LMF wants
Is for you to be a presentable Chinese person
Learn from others, there's no need to copy all the time
Just use your heart to understand how it's done -
Try it, and ask:
What caused those guys to fail?
Didn't support their own people, always pretended to be other people

Through his teachings, we know we're not the sick man of East Asia, with yellow skin; we can be ourselves
No need to copy others, follow others, we're Chinese, won't look down on ourselves

*repeat once

PHAT:

A big China, a Bruce Lee
There's no one who isn't proud of him
Western fists and swords, judo, Wing Chun, Northern 12-Road Tan Tui
Every type, every way, every style, every one, every each move
He also used pen and paper to record
No need to become a student of any martial arts school
From being uncapable to able
You yourself is the best method
Truly express your own abilities
That's your best weapon

KIT:

Having chosen this path, this is how he stepped out
Established a method called Jeet Kune Do
Remembered to have his own attitude
Didn't stick to what was known, walked his own way
If you just stand there without acting, and think
You'll just think of inconceivable ways
If you want to do it, just do it, but keep on the right path
As with Jeet Kune Do, he would never do evil or betray

MC YAN:

Don't cheat yourself or be someone improper
Bruce Lee's spirit never dies, Chinese people won't forget
Don't cheat yourself or be someone improper
Bruce Lee's spirit never dies, Chinese people won't forget

WAH:

As Chinese, we need to know our faults
We have 5000 years' history, what about you?
In order to face the White Terror, we've changed
Ask yourself deeply, what about you?
I want to know as Chinese, what are our faults
You say I've put up a front, I say I know what I'm doing
What's wrong with contributing to the world?
It's intuitive to everyone, can you do it?

Through his teachings, we know we're not the sick man of East Asia, with yellow skin; we can be ourselves
No need to copy others, follow others, we're Chinese, won't look down on ourselves

*repeat x3

Notes: LMF's lyrics may read as very patriotic and Chinese culture-centric to someone who does not share the same background. Essentially the message is to be proud of who you are, but don't demean yourself or do improper things. Bruce Lee was a great philosopher as well as martial artist, and they draw on his influence as an example. "Sick man of East Asia" was a phrase used during the weakening of China during WWII. Wing Chun and Tan Tui are styles of kung fu. White Terror (白色恐怖) was a period of political oppression in China starting from 1927.

StyleMint - join now!!

2011-04-19T11:50:00.001-07:00

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are launching StyleMint. It is being touted as being similar to book-of-the-month clubs - a fashion-of-the-month club, perhaps, featuring an exclusive t-shirt collection designed by MKA themselves.

Launching in July, membership is limited. Join now!

http://launch.stylemint.com/
http://launch.stylemint.com/
http://launch.stylemint.com/

More my little airport and LMF lyrics on the way.

Purikura Pocket 2 Kareshi Kaizou Daisakusen class test

2011-04-12T18:01:00.000-07:00

I've been playing this game before I was ten, and it's still fun for some reason. Despite the fact that it's for the Game Boy Color and looks like this:

It's essentially a very low-level dating sim/Tokimemo-type game, where there are a few minigames and choices of answers to give. Thankfully my Japanese has improved (also in-game lack of kanji appreciated) and I no longer guess everything and inevitably lose. Of course I have to keep a dictionary open, my Japanese isn't that amazing...

The class test minigame during school is actually not that simple. I got some questions like: what's another name for the African violet? What type of dogs do the police force use? What does kitsune no yomeiri mean?And something about an animal in Indonesia, Taiwan and Japan which I didn't bother translating.

As there is absolutely no info on GameFAQs or even the rest of the web, would anyone be interested in a full translation of the game? (I suppose the GameFAQs community might, and it would be great to give back.) Although I may struggle with 100% correct grammar, I got over 80% in the test minigame I just talked about! Go NANA OOSAKI (the name I've chosen for my character)!

Weka: "Train and test set incompatible"

2011-04-11T06:28:00.000-07:00

Scenario: A training and test set, both .csv files. Weka does not like. Deems them incompatible.
Search engine ~~magic~~ fail: According to Google, the attribute names are out of order. If you, like me, spent hours staring at them side by side as a .csv file and seeing no difference in order, spelling, spaces, etc., do not fret like I did!

SOLUTION:

Open both training and test set files in Weka and save as .arff files.
Open them with a plain text editor (Notepad, Notepad++, etc.).
Check the nominal attributes (i.e. not numerical), which Weka has put into arrays of this format: {..}.
Compare the attribute arrays of the training file against test set. The order depends on how they appear in the file, so just rearrange the arrays in both training and test set for matching attribute arrays. It should now run without throwing an "incompatible" error.

my little airport indie悲歌 Lyrics English Translation

2011-04-09T11:03:00.000-07:00

my little airport - indie悲歌 (indie lament) English Translation

Chinese lyrics: my little airport
English translation by z.ky. Do not reproduce without permission.

Professional musicians, they don't want indie music to take part,
Similar to rich people, will always ignore our poor hearts.

But I don't mind, although my heart is full of bruises, mainstream media is full of darkness.

Hating your people, will only continue to make you rage,
Liking your people, won't cause everyone to surface.

But you keep walking on, there's no point in asking how far, there will always be those who stay with you.

I want this song, to reach the airwaves, get the DJ to air a different sound.
But they have no sense of responsibility, I'm lucky if they air it, I can only blame my sound for sucking,
I can only blame my company for lack of funds,
I will never reach the public.

Even if I can't be popular, I want to carry on.
If I put out a CD, remember to help out.

Note: The woes of indie artists, humourously laid out. Buy their CDs!!

Not Quite That Cute

2011-04-08T08:55:00.001-07:00

I'm a bit late because the collection already came out yesterday, but the promo pic for MAC Quite Cute just looks like second-rate 6%DOKIDOKI. And check out that distracting mod feel going on around her midriff.

As for the collection itself, I'm not a MAC slave and I don't wear any of those colours. LOOK! It's an anti-summary!

The promised layout overhaul will probably happen in late May.

my little airport 馬田的心事 Lyrics English Translation

2011-04-06T12:53:00.000-07:00

my little airport - 馬田的心事 (Martin's Emotional Worries) English Translation

Chinese lyrics: my little airport
English translation by z.ky. Do not reproduce without permission.

I, really want, really want to call you.
I, really want, really want to call you.
But I know, if I, really do call you
You would, be afraid that I want to meet you.

I don't want, you to know, I want you.
I don't want, you to know, I want you.
If you knew, that I really, really want, really want you,
You would lose purpose when doing anything.

The more I want you, the more I hate you,
The more I want you, the more I hate you,
For what do you abandon me?

At the turn of the stairs,
I can only spy on you,
At the side of the fridge in the tea room,
We brush by each other.
Your eyes, your hair, your height,
I don't dare to take a peek.

The more I want you, the more I want you,
I lose purpose when doing anything.
The more I want you, the more I hate you,
For what do you abandon me?

The more I hate you, the more I get angry,
Why don't you surprise me?
The more I get angry, the more narrow-minded I get,
For what do I reminisce of you?

my little airport 我愛官恩娜，都不及愛你的哨牙 Lyrics English Translation

2011-04-03T15:59:00.000-07:00

my little airport - 我愛官恩娜，都不及愛你的哨牙 (I Love Ella Koon, But Not As Much As Your Rabbit Teeth) English Translation

Chinese lyrics: my little airport
English translation by z.ky. Do not reproduce without permission.

(Eww, you like Ella Koon?)

Could it be that you no longer like me?
You don't even call me when we meet,
Could it be that you no longer care about me?
Walking straight past when we meet.

Actually I already like you a lot,
I don't bother much with anyone else,
Actually I already admire you a lot,
I think of you when watching TV.

Even if I like Ella Koon, it can't compare to your rabbit teeth,
Even if I like Denise Ho, it can't compare to your French poetry.

If you really like me this way,
You shouldn't give up on me until the end,
Could it be that you like whoever you see?
You see ten of them every month.

We share the music, in the street, on the bed.
We don't need to talk, and hand in hand, like this, just you and me, together, forever.

Even if I like Fiona Sit, it can't compare to your frown,
Even if I like Cecilia Cheung, she isn't as cute as you.

Even if I like Ella Koon, it can't compare to your rabbit teeth,
Even if I like Denise Ho, it can't compare to your French poetry,
She isn't as cute as you, she isn't as genuine as you.

Notes: What do you think of my translation of the French part? "On partage la musique, dans la rue, sur le lit. On n'a pas besoin de parler, et la main dans la main, comme ca, juste toi et moi, ensemble, toujours." The ladies mentioned are all Cantopop singers.

my little airport 和陳五msn Lyrics English Translation

2011-04-03T15:30:00.000-07:00

my little airport - 和陳五msn English Translation

Chinese lyrics: my little airport
English translation by z.ky. Do not reproduce without permission.

I love you,
I want to bring you home,
I don't have to wait for you,
I don't have to wait for you on MSN.

I want you,
I want to link arms with you,
Link arms with you on this night,
Walk down a street with closed eyes,
You think of this as a game to test the other person's confidence.

There's no future in this world,
I'm so bored I could explode,
I want to move abroad with you,
I think,
We should go to Vietnam together and eat fishballs,
I think,
We should go to the moon and fish for rabbitfish,
I think, we should go to, go to, go to...
Actually, I know you're not happy,
Actually, I know you don't want to be alone,
Actually, I don't want to be alone either,
I think, we should get married,
But after getting married we must live separately and sleep separately,
Then you'll ask "Then why must we get married?"
I think marrying a stranger would bring happiness.

There's no future in this world,
There's no change to be had here,
I want to move abroad with you,
Maybe we don't need true love,
Maybe we just need to go to Knutsford Terrace now and again,
Maybe we just need new love.

Notes: I'm disappointed to admit that I really have no idea what the title conveys, especially the "五". If anyone could enlighten me, it would be great. Knutsford Terrace is a street in Hong Kong famous for its bars, pubs and variety of restaurants.

I WANNA WATCH THIS!

2011-04-03T12:52:00.000-07:00

Will be updated accordingly. Dead links = old blog posts.

- ~~Twilight~~
- Steamboy
- ~~Kamikaze Girls~~
- Perfume: A Story of a Murderer
- ~~Ghost World~~
- ~~Art School Confidential~~
- Kagen no Tsuki (下弦の月)
- ~~Spider Lilies (刺青)~~
- Ginger Snaps 2, 3
- Carrie
- Painted Skin (画皮)
- ~~Prozac Nation~~
- ~~Hard Candy~~
- ~~Låt den rätte komma in~~
- ~~Spirited Away~~
- ~~My Neighbour Totoro (となりのトトロ)~~
- Little Otik
- ~~Ping Pong (ピンポン)~~
- À l'intérieur
- Kill Bill: Vol. 1
- The Nightmare Before Christmas
- The BFG
- ~~New York Minute~~
- ~~Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind~~
- ~~McDull, Prince de la Bun (麥兜菠蘿油王子)~~
- ~~The Rules of Attraction~~
- ~~Marie Antoinette (2006)~~
- ~~Coraline~~
- Dancer in the Dark
- ~~s.Darko~~
- ~~APT 아파트 (Apartment)~~
- ~~Thirst (박쥐)~~
- ~~Speak~~
- ~~What Goes Up~~
- ~~The Twilight Saga: New Moon~~
- ~~Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist~~
- ~~Village of the Damned (1960)~~
- ~~Lost In Translation~~
- Phantom of the Paradise
- ~~Iron Man 2~~
- ~~Atonement~~
- The Best Little Girl in the World
- ~~Heathers~~
- Cutie Honey
- Martyrs
- ~~Pan's Labyrinth~~
- ~~NANA 2~~
- ~~Soylent Green~~
- ~~Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (崖の上のポニョ)~~
- ~~The Lovely Bones~~
- ~~According to Greta~~
- Sherlock Holmes
- ~~Dark Corners~~
- ~~Tekkon Kinkreet (鉄コン筋クリート)~~
- Laputa: Castle in the Sky (天空の城ラピュタ)
- Reflections (愛麗絲的鏡子)
- Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest
- ~~The Beat That My Heart Skipped~~
- ~~Adventureland~~
- ~~Picnic at Hanging Rock~~
- Enter the Dragon (龍爭虎鬥)
- The Panda Candy (熊猫奶糖)
- ~~Blue Spring (青い春)~~
- Soundtrack
- ~~Collage of Our Life (恋愛寫眞)~~
- A Battle of Wits (墨攻)
- ~~The Twilight Saga: Eclipse~~
- ~~The Science of Sleep~~
- ~~Resident Evil: Afterlife~~
- ~~My Blueberry Nights~~
- Howl's Moving Castle (ハウルの動く城)
- Norwegian Wood (ノルウェイの森)
- All About Lily Chou-Chou
- Homework
- ~~Black Swan~~
- High School Debut live action
- Requiem for a Dream
- ~~500 Days of Summer~~
- Daydream Nation
- Linda Linda Linda (リンダリンダリンダ)

LMF WTF Lyrics English Translation

2011-03-31T10:52:00.000-07:00

LMF - WTF English Translation

Chinese lyrics: YinyueABC
English translation by z.ky. Do not reproduce without permission.

WARNING: Extreme profanity. Translated lyrics after the cut.

I...
Am an MC...
The point of my mic
Is to talk about societal problems
Of course I'm gonna be noisy
Of course I'm gonna push it
Don't f***ing pretend I'm not here
We! Are gonna shout tonight!

If you can't f***ing do it, get off the stage
If you won't f***ing leave
You're on your own
You big group of useless people
I want to bestow upon you two punches

Ganging up behind your pedestal, bending all the f***ing rules
Hurrying to cut off, won't even give me a chance
Living in Triangle Pier, you won't leave it to just any commoner
Extravagant as hell, you're worse than a dog
The chickens have problems, you slaughter the chickens
If the dogs have problems, do you slaughter the dogs?
If the people have problems, would you slaughter the people?
Society has so many problems, it's all you mud-slinging high class

If you can't f***ing do it, get off the stage
If you refuse to leave
You're on your own
You big group of useless people, we all have to suffer, but you have too much
With you in charge, we have no hope for tomorrow

I don't know why you do things like this
I don't know what kind of attempts there'll be behind you
The world stocks of millions
No one takes resposibility of them
Everyone raises their palms, how do you plan to save this round?
If you head isn't big enough, don't wear a big hat
You can't f***ing deliver, go home and take a look at yourself
You're incompetent, you're abhorrent, your wife's sick of you
The kind of person you are curses us all

If you can't f***ing do it, get off the stage
If you refuse to leave
You're on your own
You big group of useless people, only care about polishing your shoes
Heartlessly ignoring us lower class

What the f***, I don't know what you're doing
I don't know what you're up to
You b******s, delivering empty promises
You control your appearance while we look hopeless
You thump your chest saying anything is possible
What the f***!

What the f***!
We're done talking rules
S***, at that point you better not f***ing act p***ed off!
We offer our opinions, but you don't take heed
You want me to shut up, no f***ing way, what the f***!

Don't think you can pass this round just like that
I can still say f*** it!
You say it's bleak, sure it's bleak
But I can still say f*** it!
You tell me what you've done adequately
Because of you we've lost f***ing millions
We're f***ed to the heavens
Can't stand it any longer
You even exploit us
Gets me raging mad!

If you can't f***ing do it, get off the stage
If you refuse to leave
You're on your own
You big group of useless people
I want to bestow upon you two punches
If you can't f***ing do it, get off the stage
If you refuse to leave
You're on your own
You big group of useless people, only care about polishing your shoes
Heartlessly ignoring us lower class

What the f***...

Say what the f***! Come out and confront me!
Say what the f***! I'll come out and confront you!

Say what the f***...

Notes: Good ol' LMF, nice and abrasive... If you couldn't tell (...), this song criticises the incompetence of politicians in Hong Kong. Triangle Pier is a place of commerce. One million HKD is approximately 130,000 USD.

LMF 返屋企 Lyrics English Translation

2011-03-30T06:03:00.000-07:00

LMF - 返屋企 (Returning Home) English Translation

Chinese lyrics: OIKTV
English translation by z.ky. Do not reproduce without permission.

Na na...

That hangout, the story of returning home
Does Hong Kong still count as our home?
Try stepping in someone else's shoes, think of how it is for us
How come everyone puts themselves down, to the ground
After '97 the expats packed up and flew home
Leaving behind you dejects to turn on yourselves
Ah~ despised no matter where you go
After being threatened, crawl back dejected
After the storm has passed, people still only look after themselves
No sense of direction, only speculation
Yet they keep building expensive flats, though no one lives in them, they keep building
They won't let you move in, you think they'll drag you up?
Even the privileged sigh, they've got no morale
Even putting on a show is a waste of time
How can today's Hong Kong compare to before?

No matter how far you go, you must return home
This is the where you were brought up
No matter how far you go, you must return home
Don't forget, don't forget
No matter how far you go, you must return home
This is the where you were brought up

No matter how far you go, remember to return home
Don't get mad, don't despair

Thinking back to when I was small, the whole family
Eating as one at the fold-up table
With the TV as company, watching EYT
But now everyone eats their own way
Finish up quickly, go to your room to use ICQ
The family from before now live under the Lion Rock
Look at things now, everyone with lofty ideals
Ask your kid who's Wai Yik-shun
He doesn't know, he just knows a Chan Yik-shun
The songs from before were kinda fun to sing, we were hanging on under the Lion Rock
Now the Hong Kong of today just doesn't look right
Hong Kong has no roots, Hong Kong people have no sense of belonging
No matter what you higher-ups say, your words are empty
The ones with money spout lies
The citizen's everyday life keeps degrading
Worse comes to worst, everyone's just waiting to die
Don't blame me for turning my back, every second every night

No matter how far you go, you must return home
This is the where you were brought up
No matter how far you go, you must return home
Don't forget, don't forget
No matter how far you go, you must return home
This is the where you were brought up
No matter how far you go, you must return home
Don't get mad, don't despair

Na na...

Too many words, how to express
Everyone has their own choices, no matter how casual
Who wouldn't want to stay by their family? Who to ask and converse with?
How many years are there?

Notes: The very last stanza is slightly off because I don't do well with formal style written Chinese. This song is a criticism of post-British occupation Hong Kong. It features lots of iconic imagery of working-to-middle class Hong Kong families. Wai Yik-shun was the Chinese name of Sir David Wilson, a British governor-general in Hong Kong, while Chan Yik-shun (same forename) is a Cantopop singer. EYT, or Enjoy Yourself Tonight (歡樂今宵) was an entertainment program. Here is a cultural note on Lion Rock:

"‘Lion Rock’ has a significant meaning for every Hong Kong citizen. It witnesses the development of Hong King from the 60s. The spirit of people under the Lion Rock is one of the most important elements for the success of Hong Kong. Although HK people have faced many ups and downs in the past, they are still living happily under difficulties." - artblogHK - Anybody left under the Lion Rock? by OC Gallery

24HERBS 照做 Feat. Jin Lyrics English Translation

2011-03-28T17:36:00.000-07:00

24HERBS - 照做 (Keep Going) Feat. Jin English Translation

Chinese lyrics: Gugalyrics
English translation by z.ky. Do not reproduce without permission.

KIT:
I believe in spirit, I believe the heavens never leave a man without a way out
I believe that if we keep on going, we can do it
Take a heavy step on an endless road
Even if reality is harsh, look to the heavens
Survival's the sound of a battlefield
Cast off weakness with every step, learn to stay strong
Nothing you see will last forever, use every passing opportunity to develop your talent
Every person's life is a different script
Every person wants to stand out from other people
Why do people look down on you, how to get people to look up to you
How stay true to yourself in this society
Be strong, step out with your own attitude
Know that this narrow path will eventually lead to an open road
What will happen tomorrow, no one knows
All we know is to step out right now and do it

Keep going, we have our own path to take
Keep going, we have our own approach

*repeat once

PHAT:
A sliver of time equals a sliver of gold
Wherever you fall, stand back up at that spot
Don't be naïve, you can't wait for gold,
Once a chance comes by you must grab it
Failure won't make me lose heart, even if the road in front is long
Overcome fear, face it with courage, fight for your own success
With your own identity, defend your own duty
Like soldiers carrying out their objective in the midst of danger
In the face of enemies, about to die, yet keeping composure
You know you can do it (I know I can do it)
If I keep going, it's gonna be ok
As long as you're brave enough to try
If you're sincere it won't be too late, so all together let's keep going

(Drunk, Ghost Style and JBS parts)

JIN:
This story teaches you to persist
Jin Au-Yeung, born on June 4th
First three phrases at 13 were "yo yo yo"
"If I wanna be an MC, gotta take the first step"
Hip hop and don't stop, it's my number one
I definitely won't regret choosing this road
So I spend every day in the studio, improve with every minute, every second
When I reminisce I remember so clearly
Having rapped for many years,
New friends don't understand, locked in my room just holding a pen
Just muddling around,
Parents told me, how about piano lessons
I love you mom and dad, more than you ever know
Even without support, I'll still keep going

Keep going, we have our own path to take
Keep going, we have our own approach

*repeat x3

Note: Jin's part is not in the official lyrics, ~~which explains the gaps (I can't hear/understand)~~ but I used earphones! Poetic license has been applied. This is my first attempt at lyric translation. Feedback is awesome.

P.S. I'm in the process of translating LMF lyrics!

rollout: not just film reviews anymore...

2011-03-27T12:24:00.000-07:00

heels: New Look (new)
shirt: Penneys
leggings: UNIQLO

t-shirt: New Look Tall (new)
leggings: as before
bag: Coach

-Black Swan

2011-01-28T16:57:00.001-08:00

First of all, there was some douchebag sitting behind me who exhaled really loudly and was shuffling around or scratching his ass or something, hitting the back of my chair in the process. Cinema-goers, BE CONSIDERATE! Or else people will insult you on their blogs! That's the only audience-related thing worth mentioning. Oh wait, there were more than a few senior citizens there. I wonder what they thought of the...raunchier scenes. Take note, there are NO SPOILERS in this entry as usual.

Natalie Portman was so intense, she truly deserves all of the awards she gets. I really admire the training and work she went through for this role. She is painfully skinny and very frightful and tortured-looking. Secondly, I was genuinely scared at some points. Her house is creepy, the lighting is creepy, her mum is creepy, mirrors are creepy...Aronofsky does the thing a lot where the character stupidly doesn't look into a room before entering and closing the door, only to get a shock when he or she turns around. Except it works. I jumped at least twice. I didn't know that Winona Ryder is in this film, by the way. She's so underrated. Something about her makes me not want to take her seriously in almost every movie she's in (lol, Edward Scissorhands, Heathers...) but I completely do. She was in one of my favourite movies ever though, Girl, Interrupted.

Anyway, I was most impressed with the camerawork (duh). It's kind of weird that I'm so obsessed with camerawork. I am by no means a connoisseur, I don't know the proper names or techniques or anything. But I cannot help but notice how the camera is used, unless the movie is full of amusing teenage characters who use pseudo-quirky vocabulary, like Juno, Adventureland or Scott Pilgrim.

This movie is very good and worth watching, even if (like me) you decide not to watch it again afterwards (it's not really my type of movie). Mila Kunis fits into her role effortlessly, the music is great and loud, the ballet looks painful, the light gore is way more effective than the Saw-esque "hey look this dude's stomach is being hacked open and you can see his guts! this is completely not a realistic situation and does not scare me!", instead choosing to amplify Portman's haggard breathing while she rips a hangnail off (OUCH!!!!). It is often highly uncomfortable to watch, not unlike Hard Candy starring Ellen Page. The CGI work (warning: spoilers) almost finds its way to realism, Rodarte (love!) designed the costumes and I will probably have nightmares tonight.

Go and watch it. It must be experienced.

Am I back fr rl? I don't know. This entry may disappear sometime in the near future. I'm really bad with persistency on the web. Sorry.

-Temporary Closure

2010-10-03T13:36:00.001-07:00

What does this mean?
I have removed all entries up until this date.

Why?
Need a change. Complete redesign under way...