New Year Resolutions

It's 2013! Time really flies. Just as everyone else, I've been eating and celebrating the holidays and made some resolutions:

1. Finish my book. You might laugh but I'm actually really close. I might finish it in January or February latest. Only a few chapters are left and I want to start correncting all the bullshit I wrote. I'm afraid it's part of the process.
2. Sports! My sport level rose during 2012 and I'm proud of that but it's still not continuous - sometimes I'm not doing anything for a whole week and then the next week I'm making sport everyday. I have to get some rhythm in that.
3. Do something about the anger. I think I have a lot of unresolved anger in me and that's why I can't stand people. We always start out nice but after a while (usually 1 1/2 to 2 years) I'm so pissed off. I just can't unsee all the little bad habbits, that everyone has. I for sure am not perfect. No one is. But it's driving me INSANE! I have to learn to take people the way they are and stay calm about it. We have to accept, what we can't change.
4. Study harder. I really have to! I made a good start during the holidays and I want to keep it that way. I hate to sit in class and  tohave no idea, what that guy is talking about. Or who he actually is. And what class am I talking exactly?
5. Keep reading, you missed it so much!
6. Work harder in Renai? I guess? I don't know, I'm already working really hard on that...
7. Keep on improving your voice. It's gonna be alright.
8. Clean your room more oft... ah... naa.... not gonna happen.
9. Eat more fibers.
10. Blog more. Like seriously. I'm not using this blog anymore and I' missing it to write in English. Lately, I'm always here: http://sweets-spirits.blogspot.de/ where I blog in German about books and food and everything that doesn't include me, posting pictures of myself. I really started hating that.

So yeah, those are my resolution and I hope I can keep a few of them... hey, I'm realistic.
Finally, I'd like to show you a flyer I made today about our next Renai Revolution concert. It's going to be a graduation special.

Graduations and Auditions

So. It happened. I knew, the day would come but somehow I never believed it.

Koharu gone.
Eri gone.
Ai gone.


Risa gone.
Aika gone.

Every member I loved is gone. Has left Morning Musume for good. The old Morning Musume, the Morning Musume I loved and appreciated and cheered on ... it doesn't exist anymore.

Sure, I really like the 9th gen... they're great ... not a big fan of 10th gen thought, but 9th is great. They really are...

Aww, who am I kidding?! Everytime I see one of the little girls, I am thinking:

Why are my idols gone but you are here?! You really don't belong here! Go home and give me back my Koharu, Eri, Ai-chan, Risa and Aika!!

It's stupid. I know that. It's not their fault. I've been a Morning Musume fan for many, many years now and I've seen several graduations. But UFA spoiled us fans with almost three years without a change. It made me forget about graduations. Morning Musume was perfect for me. And I just got used to the new formation ... I mean the kyukkies ... they shuffle everything around once again! Damn it!

Today is really sad for me... even though new auditions were opened.

Yep. That's right. Morning Musume 11th generation. And again the girls have to be between 10 and 17 years... another generation full of 12 year olds... Berryz Koubou and C-ute have no surpassed Morning Musume by age average. Feels weird. The H!P Kids aren't the kids anymore...

So, here my predictions! H!P Egg Miyamoto Karin will get into Morning Musume for the pleasure of 80% of the fans.

YouTube Dance Cuca is finally old enough to audition! I'm sure she will. But Tsunku usually prefers girls, he can mold ... like raw diamonds... on the other hand Riho was quite polished from the beginning.

Well, we'll see, what's going to happen!!

Maeda Atsuko to graduate from AKB48 ... or is she?!

A few minutes ago, I've read the news of AKB48's topstar Maeda Atsuko's gradution! Just imagine my surprise.

I've never been a die-hard fan of the ~48 enterprise but I have to admit, that they're being immensly popular to an extend, that no other Japanese artist has reached. They're obviously doing something right.

A lot of people "blame" this success on front girl Maeda Atsuko, who's been with the group from the very beginning.

And although I'm always going to be one of the people, who thinks that a group consists of more than just one person, there's been some examples of groups, whose success was faiding rapidly after the graduation of the most popular member.

Best example would probably be Morning Musume's Goto Maki. She was the top member for 3 years - during that time Morning Musume reached #1 with almost every single! After her graduation, sales fell so fast it's unbelievable!

Well I don't think that one girl is the reason for AKB's success ... I mean, there are like 47 others ... or how many they currently are.

I'm just wondering ... Is this real? Here's her announcement from Hello!Online:

"Since 14 years old, I've been here as an original member; this has been my life. It's a big decision for me, the 2nd biggest decision I've made. I'm going to graduate.
My moods are swinging easily and perhaps that has caused a lot of troubles for members. To stand in Tokyo Dome is my dream since I was 14 years old. But now, being 20, I remember that there's things that must be done to make dreams come true. I don't know what will come after this but I will work hard. The details haven't been decided yet., when it's been decided, I will tell everyone. Thank you very much"

After this speech Takamina responds with "AKB48 is not the end goal, this is the same for all members. Please support Atsuko's graduation!"

This is weird, don't you think? Right now I'm thinking, that maybe this is another promotion trick. You never know. AKB never had the BEST or most creative songs, but damn they know how to sell themselves and keep in the public interest.

And what does Takamina mean? Sounds to me, like she's trying to prepare the fans for more graduations to come. Every girl is building another career apart vom AKB48 ... just look at Itano Tomomi.

Well I'm really curious about the things to come.

And I'm not too shy to say, that I hope that now Morning Musume has the chance to gain some new fans!

Niigaki Risa Graduation

I just can't believe, what I've just read!!

Last 5th generation member and current Morning Musume leader Niigaki Risa is going to graduate from the group and Hello!Project at the end of the 2012 Spring Tour on May, 13th (holy shit, that's my birthday!! Oo).

It seems like Gaki-san wants to pursue the same dream as Ai-chan: being a musical actress and improve her acting.

But I guess, it was obvious ... I now remember, what Ai said in her graduation message: "Sorry Gaki-san, for graduating before you."

I'm really sad, but I think it's alright. Maybe Gaki was a little lonely without Ai. Actually the two of them were planning to graduate together, but with 9th and 10th gen joining, Risa decided to stay a little longer and teach them as good as she could. I just hope, Risa is happy and can chase her dreams, the way she wants too.

I totally hope, that'll be it for the graduations in a while! It's been enough and we need time to get used to the new members and learn to like them!! At least leave Sayu, Reina and Aika where they are. Just a little while, please!

Love you Risa! Love you forever.

Takahashi Ai Graduation ... Ai Believe

Today (or in Japan already yesterday), was a very sad day for me.

My beloved Takahashi Ai-chan graduated from Morning Musume.

I can't believe the era will be over...

During my first years of fandom in early 2004 (wow, almost 8 years now), she wasn't my favourite all along. She just seemed a little boring and dull, but I guess that was because she was drowning in the mass of girls.

But since 2006, she really started to shine and I've grown to love her voice, her dancing, her manscreams, her overreacting from time to time, her caring for all the members and her crying over each and every single one leaving.

And today it was herself.

I am so sad.

Being leader of group myself, maybe I can feel a little more sympathy with her, or maybe I'm just fooling myself. But sometimes I felt a connection, when I saw her encouraging the girls, trying to protect each and every one of them but sometimes you have to scold them and are misunderstood a lot.

When seeing this, I always felt love for her.

AI BELIEVE, you'll be alright! You're an amazing singer and entertainer and I'll be watching your steps from now on.

I won't stop being a Morning Musume Fan - I don't love them because of graduations and changing members ... I love them despite of it.

So please, even if Ai graduated, don't graduate as a fan!

Support Morning Musume and the new members, they deserve a chance!

And please keep watching over Takahashi Ai!