The Path of an Indecisive Minarai T-T

So, I encountered a sudden windfall of RL funds, so I decided to buy all my Junior Maiko necessities while I still have lindens! I already bought the skin I had my eye on, and found some pretty nice okobo. But I'm stuck on the hair. I've found four different 'wareshinobu' style hair-dos, but they all have things I like and don't like about them. So this is where you come in :). Just let me know which one you like best! Here we go:

This one is by Flower and Willow. It's a slight brownish color, when I've really been going for more of a classic black look. The "split peach" part in the back only has one split in it, which I guess is only for senior maiko. The look is very clean but it emphasizes my forehead too much I think...It's a bit too lumpy for my liking -- perhaps with resizing this would work better, but I won't know until I buy it. I guess I could do some shapeshifting, but meh...Overall, it's of nice quality without too much decoration -- a good foundation.

This next one is by Tenran. I like the black in this one -- the perfect color I've been looking for. The two splits in the peach are nice, and the texture of the fabric is a subtle floral pattern, so it's nice. It looks a bit strange from the front, but I imagine it is because of the size of the demo. The non-demo version has a resizing script and things, so I'm confident I could make it work somehow. But it also emphasizes the giant forehead in a weird way, and it looks a little flat, something that might be fixable with the resizing. I also like the way the ribbons in the front are situated. This is one I'm leaning toward :).

This one is by BooN. I really like the quality of this one and how it already has decorations attached so that I won't have to use up so many of my head attachments. The fan kanzashi from the RL Pontoncho hanamachi (I think anyway...that's what it looked like to me) is really detailed as are the rest of the ornamentations. The ball on the back decoration is changeable with a color change script. and the texture on the peach is an interesting style. I saw this hair on Kamini-san and I liked it, but now I'm not so sure. I like the black, but it's a bit too shiny. This one seems too high on the head and bulbous to me, especially in the back. If you compare the back of this one to the other styles, you will see how it looks a bit too round and simplistic, rather than sharp.

This one is by Gee. The demo is definitely too small for my head -- I think if Gee would like to sell more products, he/she should add a few more sizes to the demo pack. I like how sharp it looks in the back, but I think the peach portion is a little too big. The fan kanzashi of the Gion-Kobu hanamachi is included, but it is not the best quality -- not as good as the Pontocho one on the BooN version. I think the ribbons in the front are a bit lazily constructed too -- definitely not as detailed as the other three examples, and the shade is a bit too bright. Otherwise, I think this would have been the perfect shape for my head! I also don't care for the random flower on the top -- It would clash with many kimono I am afraid.

So...let me know what you think...although, by doing this, I think I've picked out the winner. I'm still interested in what you think though!

ミ☆　みにくい　☆ミ

The Path of an Artist - II

I had my first performance as a member of the Okiya on Wednesday! I don't know why, but I get really nervous about perfoming, even though it's on Second Life. I volunteered to do music since it was my first performance, and I still had some butterflies -- but they say that if you are nervous, it shows that you care ^-^.

The theme was stories from Tibet, so there was a bit of a costume change! We all wore saris and threw on some bollywood jewelry. The nicest thing was that the sari and the jewelery were completely free, but still in nice quality! We got them from a place called Yak & Yeti that Natsumiya-san, Meimi's Oneesan, found. Here's two quick pictures that I took to commemorate the day:


The drum behind me wasn't supposed to be there...I almost played it, but it was so big that you couldn't even see me, so we opted for the shakuhachi

There's a better look at the jewelry. We even had henna!

ミ☆　みにくい　☆ミ

踊りましょう

Meimi got her Abranamations Geisha dance HUD, so we decided to test it out. We went to the Little Yoshiwara Pavillion, donned some free fans, courtesy of Abranamations, and worked our magic. Here are some of the best shots:

Meimi - Left, Me - Right

We are wearing extremely versatile kimono from Geishasan in the sense that the pack contains many pieces and parts for all the stages of your Geisha journey for a reasonably low price! Though none of the pieces are modifiable, there are several sizes available of each part. It is one of the only stores that sells kimono exclusively for the Minarai stage. Unfortunately, it did not fit my child shape very well, so I decided to just wear my adult shape from now on to avoid having to resize all my kimono when I become a Maiko.

As for hair, I am wearing the Black Sexy Hair from SHOP SEU, and Kaylie is wearing the Suri hair from Mirai Style, her first Japanese hair purchase ^-^.

ミ☆　みにくい　☆ミ

温泉に入ろう！

We had a little Minarai party at the okiya's onsen (hot spring) the other day.

Here we are, relaxing. Meimi = ninja.

Aw. M&M.

The intensity of Super Dance: IT'S OVER 9,000!

More non-rezzed intensity!

Meimi, looking at my cookies.

ミ☆　みにくい　☆ミ

がんがん黒

It's time for another fashion related update! This time I'll be showcasing one of my favorite Japanese fashions -- ganguro. Ganguro is a subset of the "gyaru" or "gal" fashion. While no longer popular in Japan, this look can still be seen here and there. The concept involves having a super dark tan, white make-up on the eyes and lips, and clothes in bright colors that are often what could be considered by some as skanky. The hair is always bleached blonde, or dyed to another bright color. Sometimes ganguros will wear small stickers and beads on their faces, around the eyes as a decoration. Nails are generally long and highly decorated. If you'd like some references, I'd suggest looking it up on flickr, or your favorite image search.

Now that we know a little bit about the fashion, here's some pictures of a little outfit I put together. I'm very much in like with it! Let me know what you think.

Mini, the classic ganguro. They're known for always talking on their phones ^^.

Texting. This one gives you a good glimpse at the worn out stockings. I thought they were very cool looking.

More talking on the phone...must be a fun conversation!

Here's a glimpse at the face make-up and face stickers.

My accessories. Ella gave me the "Love you" necklace as a gift <3!
Front of the mini-skirt.

Back of the mini-skirt -- yeah, you know you like it ^_-.

And finally, the shoes!

So, where did I get what? Here's the run down of my outfit:

Hair - Rika in blonde, by Mirai Style
Headband, Bow Necklace - Honey Kitty
Skin - Phantom Ganguro, Face stickers - PUSH (formerly Good Morning Rainbow)
Eyes - Sinful skin
"Love You" Necklace - Fairy Tail
Pink Bangles - Girls Style
Rainbow Bracelets - Fresh Baked Goods
Star Tank Top, Mini-Skirt, Leggings - Sweetest Goodbye
Shoes - Kookie
Phone, Belly Button Ring - Love Soul

Hope you enjoyed it!

ミ☆　みにくい　☆ミ

The Path of an Artist - I

Last night, I finally decided to become a part of a world I was always curious about. I became a Minarai at the Yoshiwara Okiya in Little Yoshiwara. What is an okiya? An okiya is a geisha house, and a Minarai is a person of the lowest rank at the okiya -- in other words, a Minarai is expected to help out around the okiya. She assists the Okaasan (head Geisha, or mother), Geisha and the Maiko. Each Minarai is given an Oneesan, or older sister who teaches her and trains her. A Minarai's loyalty to her Oneesan is trumped only by her loyalty to the Okaasan, but a certain amount of loyalty is also shown to the Okiya as a whole. The Yoshiwara Okiya is a very closeknit family and so respect and loyalty doesn't seem to be a problem.

[EDIT: After getting more acquainted with Geiko and Maiko culture, I realized a Minarai is a little bit different than my previous explanation. A real life Minarai is an apprentice Maiko. A Shikomi is actually the lowest rank in the okiya. They are expected to do chores, help out around the house, and run errands for the very busy Maiko and Geiko while taking lessons in dance, singing, shamisen, etc. When a Shikomi is ready to become a Maiko, she will become a Minarai. This stage lasts for about a month before the Shikomi's debut as a Maiko. The purpose of the Minarai stage is to allow the young girl to wear the full costume of a Maiko (only wearing more kanzashi and with obi and sleeves that are half the length of a Maiko's) so that she can get used to it, and to get her acquainted with what goes on in the ochaya.
Little Yoshiwara does not have a Shikomi stage, so the Minarai stage is unique.]

Here are some pictures from my first evening as a Minarai ^-^

My good friend Meimi and I both became Minarai on the same day. The people seemed amazed that two people from Ohio joined within an hour of each other. We kept it a little secret that we are real life roommates ^^. I'm on the left, and Meimi's on the right. We decided to wear child shapes throughout our status as Minarai, since in a real okiya, the minarai are very young. As we progress, we will get a bit bigger. Being so small is a little difficult when it comes to resizing kimono though X_X. I'm wearing a kimono from Umi Usagi, and hair from Elsie.

This is my Oneesan, Amber-san. She is a very down to earth person! I expected all the geisha to be extremely formal and intimidating, but they are really warm and kind-hearted people. Behind Oneesan is another Minarai, and the okiya's favorite protector, Isis!

Meimi and myself are receiving instruction from the Geisha Suzume-san (top right) and my Onee-san (far right). We were learning about honorifics -- which we pretty much knew already due to us being RL Japanese majors, but we listened politely anyway.

Oneesan had the wonderful pleasure of dealing with this Griefer-san -- or as she would call it, "unsavory company." Even though he was obviously trying to push buttons, she maintained her poise, grace, and relaxing nature. Here's the conversation they had:

[22:36] Amber Lauridsen takes a humble bow
[22:36] Amber Lauridsen: Can we help you with anything tonight?
[22:36] Lowwave Oceanlane: I need a geisha
[22:37] Lowwave Oceanlane: I lack refinement
[22:37] Amber Lauridsen: I am sorry, but our tea house is closed for now, as we are using it for classes.
[22:38] Lowwave Oceanlane: I understand
[22:38] Lowwave Oceanlane: I apologize for my presence
[22:38] Lowwave Oceanlane: I will go on with my pointless existence
[22:39] Amber Lauridsen: It's no trouble just give us a bit to move our new girls to the classroom.
[22:39] Lowwave Oceanlane: I only wished to gaze at beauty such as yours once before I die
[22:40] Amber Lauridsen: I don't think you are going to die anytime soon sir, but we are honored.
[22:40] Lowwave Oceanlane: like a peach blossom that fades in a day
[22:41] Lowwave Oceanlane: beauty so radiant it blinds the eye
[22:41] Lowwave Oceanlane: but is so brief
[22:41] Lowwave Oceanlane: poof
[22:41] Amber Lauridsen: It is our goal sir to create beauty in everything we touch that is everlasting
[22:41] Amber Lauridsen: even byond death itself.

My beautiful Oneesan in front of a landscape in the classroom -- where we moved so another Geisha could entertain Griefer-san.

Suzume-san and Onee-san educating the Minarai ^^. This time we were learning about our duties and things we are expected to do before we can become Maiko. Yays ^^

Okaasan took us all out to look at some free kimono later on -- I think there will be much fun ahead~

ミ☆　みにくい　☆ミ

Good Grief!

Haha...I know, I'm so witty when it comes to puns.

Soo, I decided to work a bit on my child shape. When I was finished, I wanted to go out somewhere that was just for kids to show it off! So we went to this place that was all decorated for Christmas. I was looking all cute, holding my YumYum doll, when this random griefer shows up!

Yes, he is wearing nothing but socks, and is weilding a rather scary looking gun. Meimi's on the left, I'm the one with the curly blonde hair, and our RL friend, SL persona Calluna Windlow, is on the edge of the picture.

"Hello Ladies..."
*hides behind Meimi*

"Get Undressed now!"
"I was told not to talk to strangers..."

I could've reported this guy...but it was clear that his account was just a griefer account since it was made that day -- I didn't see the point in expending the effort. Besides, he didn't have the balls to actually do anything (literally) -- he just gave up on us.

Boats!!!

"Theodore, and Emily! Foduck, Hank and George and the Harbor Master too! (do do do do do do doooo).

If anyone knows what this song is, please respond...I think it would pretty much make my day if someone else has seen this.

So, there was this boat store called SWANS HARBOR SWANS BOAT SHOP that Ella and I went to. The boats were really cute, and you could test drive all of the boats! While hard to see, the boats are really fun to ride around in. Due to the lack of being able to control the thing, Ella got into a little bit of trouble:

Beached whale!

This is my personal favorite just because of the speed! I ended up buying this boat. The nice thing was that it was only 130 lindens!

Here's Ella's purchase! It makes some pretty horrendous whale noises all the time though T-T.

Here we are inside Ella's boat. The animations for the driver are super cute!

Us taking a rather trecherous drive through the SIM in my dolphin boat. I pretty much drive like a drunk driver. I always have to wait until there's no one in the SIM to go driving so I don't get yelled at!

ミ☆　みにくい　☆ミ

Strictly Business

Hihi! Time for another fashion related update!

This is an outfit by designer League called "Strictly Business." In this first picture, my hair is "Doll" by Mirai Style. It's my "sexy outfit"..I don't have much of this kind of stuff, but I happened to have some Linden and I was in the mood for it!

Here's the actual outfit part from the front view. It was a pain in the butt to make it fit me though, due to the strap textures needing to match up on the skirt prim...but I changed my shape around a little and all was well!

Here's the outfit from the back! The charm in this outfit, from my opinion, is the ruffly skirt in the back. It's pretty much adorable!

Mirai style's "Jule" hair. I don't wear it much, but I think it goes with this outfit really well!

Sinaed (?) boots by League, with latex socks by Sn@tch.

ミ☆　みにくい　☆ミ

月にかわっておしおきよ！

Yes I know...I need to sleep. Anyway, I bought a little something something that I wanted to share!

I'm always wary when I go to buy a Sailor Moon outfit. Why?
1.) Color choice - generally always sucks, inaccurate.
2.) Hair - Not included, or made of fail.
3.) Price - Ridiculously priced for the quality of what is being offered.

But this outfit, found at "Ash's Trash" is pretty good! The boots are pretty good. A lot of cosplay outfits have half-assed footwear, so I was quite happy! The hair is a little awkward, but it's the best Sailor Moon hair I've seen yet. What's nice about is that the hair accessories are actually removable, so if you wanted to just dress up as Usagi, you could!

Here's the back:


ミ☆　みにくい　☆ミ

Fishing!

[Posted from old blog:Sunday, September 28, 2008]

Sooo, my friend Ella introduced me to this weird fishing game thing...you just catch fish! I think it's called Seven Seas Fishing. When you catch them, they become your pets and you can put them on and they float around you. It's so cute!
Since I heart Ella so much, I caught a ton of fish and put them on all of my remaining attachment points. Here's a picture!