Jovan's LAICHS

The Arcana, your facade to reality

2009-04-05T14:19:00.000-07:00

I've played a game a friend let me borrow a few months ago, and have been hooked ever since. It's called Shin Megami Tensei Persona, or just Persona. I've been so hooked that after beating Persona 4 that I was borrowing, I immediately acquired Persona 3 FES, which has a great storyline just like P4. The game also makes use of the 22 major arcana of the Tarot Card decks. The characters personality, strength, and struggles revolve around which arcana they are. In any case I wanted to take a quiz on which Arcana I was, here's my results with some other information and some alterations, like the Arcana picture. Plus the quiz if anyone wants to try.

You Scored as The Fool, Number 0

Upright Meaning: A new chapter opening in one’s life. Possibility. Optimism.
Reverse Meaning: Lack of Responsibility; Recklessness.
The Fool is the card of infinite possibilities. The bag on the staff indicates that he has all he need to do or be anything he wants, he has only to stop and unpack. He is on his way to a brand new beginning. Although you may not always crave attention, you are a people person at heart. You are able to find humor and excitement in any situation. Others love your style and sense of self. Many admire that about you and look to you as a source of strength. But the card carries a little bark of warning as well. Stop daydreaming and fantasizing and watch your step, lest you fall and end up looking the fool.

http://quizfarm.com/quizzes/new/Cirrus/which-major-arcana-tarot-card-are-you/

A New Year, A New Beat

2009-01-13T21:39:00.000-08:00

This song is called "Across the Tears" by Stereo Pony. This is an excellent song that people should give a listen to. I like the melody of the song, but the lyrics really captivate me. Hope even in despair, even if you feel like simply living is a battle, you continue on hoping for a better day that you, yourself can bring across.

namida no mukou - STEREOPONY
Here are the translated lyrics for the song:
“I can't smile, even if it saddens other people”
the girl said hanging her head, and wept into the night
frozen to the bone by cold reality falling upon me without so much as an umbrella.
Going on living is a battle with only that reason I locked it shut,
My heart, My story.
Turning away, I saw a glimmer of your tears with the hope that we may meet again
I wait both night and day.

“I can't smile, even if it saddens other people”
the girl said hanging her head, your story
being soaked with moonlight it’s like the rainy city is ablaze with light
with only “you should keep living” it doesn’t matter what reason you have
My heart, My story.
Turning away, I saw a glimmer of your tears
through a small window I saw a blue sky like that time
Ah, though I can’t fly like a bird…

It’s not smiling in vain, you’re fine as you are, just continue to believe.

Turning away, I saw a glimmer of your tears
if we drive away the darkness, the sky will surely become rainbow colored
as if not to forget the feeling of the pain
of someone she’d saddened, she closed her eyes and wept.

Till Christmas Day, Music for You

2008-12-21T16:06:00.000-08:00

Christmas is only four days away, I haven't had a school assignment for this blog so I felt one was long overdue. I feel like showing one of my favorite songs.

The song is called "Hakanaku mo Towa no Kanashi" which translates to "Fleeting and Everlasting Sorrow", some anime fans may recognize the song as the opening song of Gundam 00 Season 2. The song is by UVERworld, which is one of my favorite Japanese-bands. Many of their songs have very deep meanings and speak to your heart. Now I've seen various translations, so I'll post the one I've translated through everything.

"Our love broke our bond with the reason that "It's just too much," before it turned to hate. Everything is like that though, These terrible circumstances are always concealed creating a false reality. Embracing this distorted era, even the two of us who made a promise together pass by each other without even realizing."
"We hurt and refused to understand each other and have now been cast aside, is this what we really desired? I won't accept this and so I stand up, I won't run from the images of my own ruin. Ah, I'll search for your eyes and the warmth of your hands, no matter how long it takes.Everything is like that though, These terrible circumstances are always concealed creating a false reality. Embracing this distorted era, even the two of us who made a promise together pass by each other without even realizing."
"This city that won't change even if it were to disappear won't help us seek our salvation, right? In the guise of someone honest, I continually created more and more lies and I see now everyone is crumbling from the inside. "Love only ever hurt me..." are the words you whispered to me. You were crying because you were afraid to trust in me, right? Acknowledge your weakness and become stronger, cast your fears aside and believe in me and I'll show you what true love really is before it can turn to hatred."
"What I wanted wasn't this heartless, contrived world. On these unbearable days without any fragments of reason, loneliness dwelt within my eyes that are just too tired of seeing this world alone. Lies that can heal the heart, they really do exist, but it is a lie that will drive my heart away. "Even if I'm drawn to love, I'll only be bitten..." are the words I whispered to you."
"I Stopped believing in love and lived my life like that. With thought that amazed even myself, I stood against my despair and decided that it's fine to cling on to my brief, fleeting life."
"What I wanted was a love I lost long ago. If I search for it's meaning, I'll become a little bit stronger and finally have the strength to stand up and move forward again."
If anyone reads this, I hope you enjoy the song and enjoy the holidays XD

Free Write Topic #1

2008-10-19T18:36:00.000-07:00

Well now, this is a surprise. I wasn't expecting a free write topic so soon, I don't even know what I want to write about (go figure XD). I really am not sure what I should put so I will write about a new favorite song of mine.
The Formula - The Graduate
The song is called The Formula by The Graduate. I only heard it a day ago, but I've already took a quick liking to it. I never knew of the band, my sister was the one who showed it to me and it's times like these that make me think; "She can recommend some really good songs". (Don't tell her that or she'll get angry at me XD)
The song really speaks about things I've gone through in my life, that pain and joy go hand in hand, and that every life will always have hardships and loses. However, everyone goes through pain, people who think that they are the only ones who have life rough are they type of people who don't look at others lives and see that those around them have gone through worse pain than they care to look for or try to understand. Some have problems they can't talk about, others simply don't want help, but everyone has a limit as to what they can handle on their own. Trying to keep everything in so you don't burden others with your problems may only hurt everyone more. We are not alone in this world, we all have someone who can help us in a time of need if we only ask.
I'm getting too philosophical for my liking so I think I'll end this post here. Next time I will have a more organized topic for my free write, till next time.

Developing Your Character

2008-10-13T21:21:00.000-07:00

Yay, new assignment for blogging =D I get to create a character from a stranger XD

I saw him as he purchased himself lunch on his break. Felix had just recently gotten a new job, but providing for his wife and three kids is still rough. He continues to work hard, working any kind of job he can get so that he can just give his family and decent life.
Felix is determined to give his family a better life to get out of his near poverty situation. What his family doesn't know is that he is already working two jobs just to make ends meet, but he takes on that burden and continues working for the future.
Since Felix has worked multiple jobs already he is quite skilled in many areas, along with his built-up body from multiple labor jobs he can take on about any job given to him.
He goes through his day not thinking about himself but of those he is providing for; they give him the motivation to continue on despite the tremendous work. Never giving an ear to negative remarks, he does what needs to be done so that tomorrow will be a better life.
Felix never had high aspirations, but later on in his life he saw just how important having an education was. He could only wish he had the time or the money to go back to school to get a better job. Even so, he hasn't given up on his future, one day he'll make it through because he believes he can and is willing to work towards that goal of a better future then those before him could have dreamed of.

Setting

2008-10-06T20:11:00.000-07:00

More school assigned fun XD, read for you amusement at my expense XP

I decided to wander around my neighborhood on the weekend. It doesn't sound like much, but you don't need to go far to get your senses working on your surrounding.

I heard the winds blowing around me. I heard the cars passing through the streets as I walked. I heard a band playing for a cultural festival at the school by my house. I heard people talking to friends as I passed by. I heard my music play as I walked.

I smelled the water that was falling from the sky. I smelled the fresh breeze the winds brought. I smelled the exhaust from the cars. I smelled the flowers from my neighbors yards as I walked by their homes. I smelled the food that was being cooked as I ordered lunch for my family as I was out.

I felt the light rain hit my body as I walked. I felt the difference between the temperature of my house and that of outside. I felt the coldness of the wind as it blew past. I touched the traffic lights in order to cross the streets. I touched the doors to leave the shop I entered and my doors to get back inside my home.

I saw the gray clouds overtaking the sky looking as though it would downpour any minute. I saw few people out on the streets as I walked through my neighborhood. I saw the people at the festival staying close together to stay warm and trying to enter the school building. I saw many people inside the Chinese food restaurant buying food. I saw the sky clearing as I walked back home.

I tasted the orange chicken and pork I ordered. I tasted sourdough bread my dad brought back from San Fransisco. I tasted some of the Wonton Soup I bought for my sister. I tasted the tea I bought to drink. Finally, I tasted the rain that was falling from the sky before I got lunch.

Reponse To Lyrics

2008-09-28T18:55:00.000-07:00

The next of many school assigned blog post XD, today we have for your enjoyment is a look at a new song I heard recently called 0:00 AM by Acid, which is the opening of an Anime call Tokyo Majin, the song is in japanese. So watch the video to hear and see what it says.

Lyrics:
"Time to Die, That Perfect World"
"Under the moonlight, we exchanged our vows."
"Whispering, like shouts at midnight, amidst the silence and the bustle."
"In this confused and broken world, you continue to live your life as you like."
"That Perfect World"
"Let's not change the world, but change ourselves from the bottom of our hearts."
"I can hear those words. Let's Shout, so all the nights will turn to dawn."
"Let's shout with vehemence and tenderness, to make all the nights tear apart."

I have only heard this song a few days ago, but I've taken a real liking to it, the first thing I look for in a song is the lyrics, if I don't like what it's saying I won't listen to it. The next thing is the melody and this song does great on both. Some of the lyrics that really call out to me are "In this confused world and broken world, you continue to live your life as you like." To me, it's saying that even if this world is breaking apart and people are all scared of things that are different that cause their little worlds to break, I will still continue to be true to me, and I won't change who I am for the world. Another part is "Let's not change the world, but change ourselves from the bottom of our hearts." I feel this is saying that many people will blame the world for their problems and say it need to be changed, but the problem may not always lie in the world but rather in ourselves. I will stand up to myself and all my faults and face the truth that I want to avoid in order to change into a better person. Well that will do it for this post, till the next assignment XP hope you given the song a try before you go.

My Bio Poem

2008-09-22T20:18:00.000-07:00

The first of my school assignments for this blog, a small bit about me, who I am, and what I stand for

Jovan Estrada
Son of Cynthia and Xavier Estrada
Who enjoys spending time with those I care about, helping others in need, and video games
Who dislikes cheaters, liars, and those who intentionally cause others pain
Who wants to go to a new place where I've never been
Who wishes he could meet someone very close to him in person who is very far away
Who is scared of losing to the darkness within me and harming those close to me
Who dreams of changing this world for the better
Who is determined to better myself and surpass my limitations of my bad habits
Who values integrity, believing in yourself, what you feel is right, honor, and honesty
Who is proud of who I am, where I came from, and the people I become friends with
Who graduated from . . . just kidding =P I'm still in high school, I'll graduate in 2009 =D
Who lives in El Sereno of Los Angeles California
Jovan Andreas Estrada

Well, that about does it for this post (Yes, I do have a middle name =P), I will probably create another blog of my own personal interests later on.