Despite all the SAO hate...

VLC screenshot eue

I've read that isekai (trans: "other world") light mangas have been banned from entering a certain competition in Japan correct me if I'm wrong. Well, we all know SAO probably had something to do with the increasing interest in these types of stories.

But of course, there are also a lot of bashers especially when it comes to Kirito. Most netizen comments would be because he's too "perfect" like a certain gundam pilot already nicknamed "Jesus" probably by the same group of people. I have no problems with that, really. You can hate all you like. Those who like the story and the characters don't actually care.

What made me like SAO was coughAsunacough the relationship between the two lead characters. Yes, you can say Kirito has his harem but let's not forget who he swore his life to! Anyway, there is an innocence to their relationship that just pulls me in. I admit, I may sometimes be a romantic who falls for those things. Let us also not forget the trust they have towards each other (though may sometimes be hazy on Kirito's end) and how proud they are of one another. *mild spoiler alert* If you've read/watched the Mother's Rosario arc there was the battle with Zekken and the guild fight

Just putting my two cents out there! I haven't watched the new movie yet (just the first 5 mins) and I'm looking forward to that and hopefully the next "season"

Ziehl

2017 Half-Year Achievement Update

I've been MIA for the past six months and AFK from January to the first few days of March for a reason~~~

Left home right after New Years to review for exams. As of March I am now a registered medical laboratory scientist (or medical technologist, whichever you prefer). It's a big deal, seeing as that was not my major and I only had give or take 2 months to study for it. Some spend half a year, you know. I guess I'm kind of thankful that I still remember some lessons from school.

After March, I worked my ass off for medical school interviews. AND I GOT IN!

Anyways~~ will probably update this blog more. To be honest I forgot the email and password but I'm posting now so I got through that obstacle.

Over and out.

Ziehl

I used to be cynical, rolling my eyes for things I once thought ridiculous. But now, I'm not anymore. I can't say that I don't care, maybe I can finally appreciate how others are happy in their own ways. Maybe I've respected that and finally admitted to myself that I was jealous of that - of their happiness. Now, I'm just waiting for the day I get to breathe freely again, it feels like it's been a long long time.

Pros at Cons

What is it with superheroes and sci fi that make it so enticing? I'm pretty sure most of us have their own favorites. Be it Marvel, DC, Star Wars or whatever. 

Me, I'm more of a Star Wars fan above everything else (yep, I like a lot of other things too but man, Star Wars just gives me goosebumps - the good kind). And lately I've been free enough to attend a couple of conventions here in our place. Which isn't an easy thing to do, to be honest. You have to get on a plane to get there, even if it's just a 1-hour flight. But aside from my love for Star Wars, I also like taking photographs of the displays (I took the Deadpool ones above) and just hanging out having a good time going around and watching cosplayers and other people have fun. A cheerful ambience makes for a cheerful mood, see. 

Most of my travels are self-gratifying. And to be honest I haven't ever felt regret in going on any of them. I think I did deserve it. They also are an escape to whatever is happening back home. One thing I would want though, is someone to accompany me. Last weekend there was a convention and I asked my best friend to tag along. Last time it was my brother, which took a bit of convincing. I'll be looking for company again next time since there's another convention scheduled in 2 months. I mean, there are a lot of them going on but I have to control myself, limit and choose which ones I go to because the air fare even for such a quick flight is no joke. 

What else. Ah. It's also the time where you get to handpick the merchandise you want. Living out here meant I always had to order the good stuff online. But when you're there, there's no need to contemplate about what it might look in actual instead of pictures because you're already present. You can touch, look, inspect all you want - plus, you can talk yourself out of it if it doesn't satisfy you and you can carry on looking for something else. The availability and diversity of what you can buy is also a plus. Say, you have a few bucks to spare, it's easy to go take a look around and see what you can get without having to worry about shipping fees.

You can say that cons are one of my happy places. There's a lot to see and a lot to do, they keep your mind busy and off of things that bring you down.

Down and Down

Got this from tumblr one night when I was having those kinda thoughts.

Witty title. I've been listening to Coldplay and I remembered their latest music video was entitled Up and Up, watched it for the first time with some friends a while back.

Do not be alarmed by the picture. Yes I drive, been driving since I was sixteen. Most nights the drive home from school are late ones so it does make sense to say that it crossed my mind more than once.

But nope. One thing I discovered about myself lately, after all those bad kind of thoughts and saying multiple times to certain people that I want to get my life over with, I can't bring myself to do it.

How did I know - well, like I said I've told a lot of people and sure they did their thing of consoling me and listening to what I feel (some of them anyway) and didn't go through with it not because of them but in truth for me. I can't do it. Hilarious and ironic, I'm actually afraid of dying. Now, I bet a few of you reading and I have somebody in mind who would say that it's 'typical' or 'hypocritical'. Let me just laugh at that. I'm actually a kind person. Too kind in fact. That I don't want people to feel sad. That's one reason.

Reason two, I guess it's not the actual death itself that terrifies me but what comes after. I'm actually feeling goosebumps as I type this. What happens after that? Is there an afterlife? Is there a next life? We'd never know. What if that was just it and there's nothing when you're gone. The thought scares me.

That's why, I'm sort of inching myself out of the dark zone and into the grey, not fully into the light yet. Baby steps. But I do want to make this life worth something, in case it would be the only one I will have. And so I have a motto, two actually, one in English and one in pretentious Latin (but in all honesty I love it so I don't care what people say.)

The one in English is...

                " The idea is to die young as late as possible."

While the one in Latin goes

" Memento vivere, memento mori "

(Remember you will die so you can live)

Well, that's one interpretation of the phrase anyway (let's not dwell into the domain of cults).  

And I think it's just one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard.

The Meaning Behind the Name

Just a random photo to get your attention. And yes, I like Gundam. I took this, by the way.

So, if you can see there at the top, this blog is entitled: Life and Misadventures from a First-Order Ambidextrous. Now I don't have to explain the life and misadventures part since it seems almost like a cliche line (or not). The First-Order in the title is believe it or not, from Star Wars. If you've watched episode 7, it is what's left of the Empire or at least a group who still dwell in the path of the dark side. But! I have to say, I am not a big fan of the First Order - just that it's the Star Wars film I was old enough to fully immerse myself in. I've watched the previous six, but let's be honest they were shown light years ago.

Now, I have a little something to say about Star Wars. Sure the films are nice, but the lore is even better. If you haven't heard of Darth Revan or The Old Republic or even Darth Nihilus I'm sorry but perhaps you're just contented with the films. Me though, I love the story of The Old Republic (there's a game with the same name, you should try it) especially Revan. I won't dive into the details but the main point here is that it's not just about the Skywalkers. Ugh, that quote that's almost everywhere that Star Wars is just about one family fucking up the entire galaxy. Um, nope. Not really. Please. It grinds my gears.

Anyway I might post about games and anime and stuff so look I'm looking forward to finally get my thoughts out there.

Moving on, now this is important. I'm a natural ambidextrous (yes it's that complicated last word in the title). See, about 10% of the population is left-handed which is rare but only 1% of all the people in the world are natural ambidextrous or both-handed or can use both for dominant-hand things like writing, using scissors, holding a racket or racquet or bat or whatever else in sports. Why did I say natural ambidextrous is because there are those left-handed people who were trained to use their right hand in certain things coz you know, right hand is the normal conventional way. These people who were originally left-handed can now use right hand dominance through training which make them ambidextrous but not the natural kind.

I know what you're gonna say, what makes you so sure that you're part of that 1% you showoff?

Well first of all, I wasn't even aware that I was one until my parents and teachers told me. I thought I was a lefty, but I wasn't trained to hold my utensils the "right" way and my dominant hand/side in sports is and was on my right. Then I found out that in kindergarten I used to use both my hands in writing and coloring - when I'd get tired of using my left, I'd switch and use my right. I also noticed it when I played tennis in grade school that instead of using backhand I would impulsively throw my racket to my left hand and then later the same thing happens in badminton and table tennis. So I discovered that I can write fairly well with my right hand and the reason why I use my left more is because when you write the direction is left to right - my left hand pushed the pen, that it would be a pain and inconvenience if I used my right hand since it's be like, going reverse. It's quite funny actually. I can write using both hands at the same time though, it's cool but it just looks plain awkward.

That's it. Hope you learned something new.

The Nth Blog for the Nth Time

Well, yes. I suppose many other lost souls out there have made their own blogs - me perhaps a million times already. And I'm sure many if not some have left their blogs rotting in the depths of the shallow web. In that case I am one of the guilty ones BUT as I also have said and promised for the nth time, I will maintain this one. It's only fitting. Look, I even have an awesome title and domain name.

Here I will bare my thoughts for I do need an outlet. I've tried journals but I have shitty handwriting and I figured I have faster words per minute on a keyboard.

So I guess an introduction is in order.

Hi! I'm not going to give out my name or any personal information that would give out where in this wide world I possibly am. Though in the posts it might make out to be more obvious, I still won't say anything here. All you have to know is I am someone complicated - I am weird and I have scars (not literally) and I am just in need of a place to retreat with writing, before I explode (again, not literally). You can follow, you can read my posts, but remember that I am not writing for anyone else but myself. The contents of this blog are going to be random, unorganized even. But then, there is no order in disorder anyway.