It was my turn to play host today, so I shooed my brother out before the others arrived around 10am. Itami wanted to play Disgaea so I got roped into helping her while Izumi and Shinju amused themselves on the computers playing that Simpsons Hit and Run game. Luckily I'd prepared lunch earlier so it was just a matter of heating the lasagna.

We hit the tennis courts at 3. It was deserted as usual - most people don't really use the apartment amenities except the swimming pool, which was really too small for anyone but kids. I'm no good at tennis and it was starting to get all cloudy, so after half and hour or so we went back indoors.

Unlike most people who go all sluggish when it starts raining, it just makes me more edgy. Fortunately the others weren't averse to starting earlier instead of waiting until the evening, so we headed over to the studio in Ampang. I warmed up by attempting Dimension 2012, although Itami insisted on taking over the percussion synths. She's good, not a single mistake even though I fumbled a few of the transitions.

The rain intensified. It was a regular thunderstorm. We ripped through Level 7 (from Raiden 2) - it's far more satisfying to have a real guitar on that one compared to the puny synths in the actual game music. You couldn't see a thing through the windows; it was like water was being poured at it. Nothing but to rage on with the storm - A Way To Nowhere (Hideyuki Fukasawa @ Chaos Legion). It's easy to like this stuff; totally headbangable.

Change of pace. Izumi's a Fukami Rika fan, specifically her work as Aino Minako, and requested we do Ai no Megami no How To Love (The Goddess of Love's How To Love). Synth's easy on this one, and Izumi was free to just sing. It's an okay song. Makes even a jaded cynic like yours truly forget for a while. Followed up with another senshi song (what else?), Mars' Honoo no Sogekimono (Mars Flame Sniper). I love the chorus on this one, very catchy. Personally I think Mars suits Izumi better, she pulls off sexy sophistication better than playful. Mmm, maybe I can persuade her to dress up as a miko someday :p

While the others took a break I rendered Nabiki's Kuno-chan ga yatte-kuru. Funny as hell, smiled all the way through it.

We attempted Kamelot's Karma. All I can say is that even though we got it down pat, substituting a female vocalist makes it sound... weird. What were we thinking doing power metal, you ask. Well, this song was used in an impressive AMV we'd seen a while back ('02 I think), you gotta listen to it, power metal isn't all Man-o-War-style fist-in-the-air over-the-top music. Some of the songs are actually pretty decent.

We left around 9 to indulge in one of the deadly sins - gluttony XD   Fortunately for us we seem to have metabolisms of racehorses; Itami especially is a mystery, despite being a chef she's pretty willowy (must be the height). My brother on the other hand has to count his calories - ha! It bugs him to no end that I snack incessantly to no effect whereas if he sneaks a single extra meal it immediately shows up on the scales.

Almost midnight. I hear the neighbours quarelling. Man, some guys can't hold their liquor. I know we're supposed to respect other peoples' cultures, but I wish that wifebeating was a little quieter. I would've had words with the prick before but they're almost never at home. Wonder why the hell she puts up with him. Maybe it's the money. You know the type, huge chunky Rolex, obscenely large car (stupid, considering that parking in the city is murderously difficult), tailored suits.

Maybe it'll rain again tomorrow.

- Ce.