xiven.com stating the blatantly obvious since 2002

Synchronicity

I finally received the latest FictionJunction/Yuki Kajiura Live DVDs yesterday (imported directly from Japan). I've become quite the fan of Kajiura Yuki's work, so it was well worth walking 2km in snow and -15°C weather to collect it from the post office.

Here's a sample featuring two of my favourite vocalists, Kubota Keiko and Oda Kaori:

(Original & translated lyrics)

I was a bit hesitant to embed a Flash video on this website; my dislike of Flash and plugins in general nearly stopped me, but the sheer awesomeness of the content forced me to do it. Waiting (im)patiently for HTML5 video to take off…

Edit: updated to use new YouTube embedding code that'll use HTML5 <video> if you have the HTML5 trial enabled.

Posted: 2009-12-31 12:11:26 UTC by Xiven | Cross-references (0) | Comments (0)

Down Under

I was reading through the book "The Salmon of Doubt" (a collection of writings by Douglas Adams compiled after his death, and a Christmas present from my brother) and came upon this little gem about Australia that I had to share:

…Did I know, she asked, that Brisbane was originally founded as a penal colony for convicts who committed new offences after they had arrived in Australia?

I spent a good half hour enjoying this single piece of information. It was wonderful. There we British sat, poor grey sodden creatures, huddling under our grey northern sky that seeped like a rancid dish cloth, busy sending those we wished to punish most severely to sit in bright sunlight on the coast of the Tasman Sea at the southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef and maybe do some surfing too. No wonder the Australians have a particular kind of smile that they reserve exclusively for use on the British.

- Douglas Adams, 1992

Posted: 2009-12-30 21:16:44 UTC by Xiven | Cross-references (0) | Comments (0)

May all your Christmases be white

To all those who celebrate it: a very Merry Christmas. To all those who don't: well, y'all have a good time anyway.

Posted: 2009-12-25 01:04:16 UTC by Xiven | Cross-references (0) | Comments (0)