hobbies
Guitar / piano (although i'm not any good), astronomy, photography, (and recently combining the two, in astrophotography) painting, writing, ceramics, languages, RPGs, manga, anime, kayaking, mountain biking, tennis, soccer, yoga, martial arts, astrology, cooking, gardening, and others. Also keep busy with volunteering and activism, although I wouldn't call it a hobby.
skills
I am a freelance artist working on paper or canvas (or wall, if a mural) but gradually becoming proficient in cg art and webdesign. Massage therapy, naturopathic / homeopathic healing, and acupressure. Planning degree in traditional chinese medicine and acupuncture, eventually. I can also walk and chew gum at the same time.
music
Prog rock and Jrock primarily, and JKCpop. Baroque classical. World. Indie. Jazz fusion. Doom metal. Darkwave. Lots of anime soundtracks.
artists
Too many to list but the imeem groups I belong to and especially the ones I own myself should give you an idea
movies
Windstruck, Recycle, The Eye, Star Runner, What Dreams May Come, Battle Royale, The Color Purple, Contact, A.I., Signs, Dead Poet's Society, Braveheart, The Last Samurai, The Classic, My Sassy Girl, The Crow, Interview with the Vampire
tv shows
1 Litre of Tears, The Rose, Peach Girl, Full House, Meteor Garden, My Name is Kim Sam Soon, Hana Kimi, Oh Pil Seung, Let's Go to School, Devil Beside You, Hana Yori Dango, It Started With a Kiss... oh god I could be here all day....
actors
Jun Ji-hyun, VanNess Wu, Joe Cheng, Jiro Wang, Nishikido Ryo, Bi-Rain, Yamapi, Kame, Wu Chun, Sawajiri Erika, Ken Chu, Ueto Aya, Ella Chen, Mike He, Matsu Jun... ugh and I haven't even started on american actors, Al Pacino, Jodie Foster, Johnny Depp, Mel Gibson ... too many
Languages
English, japanese. Enough understanding of french, italian, german, and korean to survive travel. Also struggling with mandarin for 2-3 years, but I butcher it horribly.
Books
Nonfiction: Ichi Rittoru no Namida, aka 1 Litre of Tears by Kito Aya (omg totally changed my life - i know, sounds so cliche but it's true) . . . Fiction: Anything by Jane Austen or the Bronte sisters. LotR trilogy by JRR Tolkien. Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman. The Harry Potter series by JK Rowling. The Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer. Anything by Anne Rice.
Quotes
"You don't have to speak Japanese to understand the anguish he's singing about - it's all there, plain to hear in each mournful lament and every blood-curdling scream." - Emma Johnston [Kerrang magazine] on Kyo
