All posts for the month December, 2015

Bests and Worsts of 2015

Hello Shiquers and welcome back to Nerdy Shique Universe! Guess what? HAPPY NEW YEAR! Yes, it’s that time again and that is ringing in 2016 once our midnight rools around here in the states! To make tradition even better, it’s time for the Bests and Worsts of 2015 according to us at Nerdy Shique Universe! Let’s start with our Bests!

BESTS!

Best EP: Soul Switch’s Regenerate album! This year was a big year for our friends of Soul Switch! This past April they released their third album, Regenerate, and even had an album release party at the House of Blues. We also got to interview Jimmy Kwong and Matt Larson from the band! I loved this album and sing along when I saw them last, hell I even did the growls and screams the best I could along with “Demons.” Hoping they come out with another video since “Hang On” is a great song and video, I recommend these guys since you might be able to find them on ITunes! I also did recommend them to Rhett Fisher who played the Titanium Ranger on Light Speed Rescue along with our other buddies in Traverser! Speaking of which, we did have David from Traverser appear in that interview but will have a full on interview with them when their next album, Jupiter Doesn’t Care About You, drops next year! Congrats Soul Switch!

Best Come Back for a Local Band: Leaving Haven! Well, the reason why I am mentioning this is that a year or two ago we heard of Leaving Haven and back then we didn’t like their music style nor their performance style either. Once we heard one of their songs on Native Noise all thanks to a friend, we noticed how much they changed and then when we saw them perform on the night of Soul Switch’s album release, they improved tremendously! Their performance style and music have improved and we noticed it that night the most. I have two of their CDs and they are amazing! I would highly recommend this band.
Best Event We Finally Went To: Earth Day Birthday 22! We finally went to it after hearing so many things happening and who was going to be there this year and that is Earth Day Birthday! For many years, Gondras and I always wanted to go to this thing, especially the years Sevendust made their stage appearances many times over and over again, even before we saw them at Carnival of Madness back in 2010! As you know, I have been a fan of Sevendust ever since I heard the song “Denial” back in 2003. This year got us going because our buddies in Soul Switch announced at their album release that they are going to open the show and we got there to see that. It was kind of sad that Florida Anime Experience was that same weekend and they were bringing people from Evangelion and haven’t gotten to meet Tiffany Grant. So, we sent Papa Jeriyah on a special mission to get stuff signed by her, Spike, Brina Palencia since she’s Rei in the new movies, and Trina Nishimura even though we were catching up with her at Omni and getting to interview her. Was it worth it? Yes. I do love anime but music has been a major love and this year’s Earth Day Birthday did have artists Gondras and I do like which included Flyleaf, Trapt, Sevendust of course which was a last minute add on after Bush back outdue to a stalker situation, Buck Cherry, and the main band we really wanted to see the most and that is Rise Against! We seen them once in Orlando at the UCF Arena and got to see them again and perform some of their music from Black Market. What surprised Gondras when they performed “Chamber the Cartridge” from their Sufferer and the Witness album which he didn’t know that was a song they did and now he knows about it. Next year’s line up for this thing…he and I agree this year’s took the cake since next year they are having Hailstorm, Escape the Fate, and 311. Not sure if we will go to another, let’s see how time will tell!

Best Interview at a Con: The Cast from Attack on Titan! It was hard to choose for what was the best interview we have done this year but this has to go to the ones we did with Mike McFarland, who directed, Bryce Papenbrook, Eren Yeger, Josh Grelle, Armen, Trina Nishimura, Mikasa, and Lauren Landa, Annie Lockheart. As you guys know, I already interviewed Matthew Mercer during 2014 and apparently it was one of the most viewed posts here on Word Press which I thank you guys for that! Anyways, we had fun interviewing these guys, especially Lauren which it went into many tangents towards the end, not sure if the video camera caught it but we had fun with her, Bryce, and even Josh as well! I do have one entry for Bryce and that is…

Best Headbreaking Moment: Bryce Papenbrook Revealing His Daddy’s Voice! If you haven’t seen the video, but I asked Bryce how did he get into voice acting and that is through his dad, which by the way was a major surprise! I didn’t reveal it to many people because we wanted to have everyone see the video first and then hear many heads break and now will reveal it. Bryce Papenbrook’s dad was the voice of Rito Revulto on Power Rangers. Our reactions were priceless! I did watch clips after the convention and was surprised even more, he is very talented and see where Bryce got his talent from! You can hear Bryce’s voice as Maliotis in Seven Deadly Sins which you can catch on Net Flix! It is very good series by what we saw and people are starting to cosplay from it, we seen a few and taken pics, which you will see in our Holiday Matsuri gallery coming soon! So, enjoy that series!

Best Correction in an Interview: Josh Grelle Correcting Me With His Last Name! Another unsuspecting moment and that was when I was introducing you guys to Josh Grelle. The thing was I pronounced his last name with the pronunciation all thanks to my screen reader and when you see part one, you hear him correct me. It is actually pronounced “Greely” and so glad he helped out! Now I know how to say it whenever we meet him again since I have Attack On Titan Part 2 all nice and clean and waiting for Sharpie ink to touch! He is the voice of the devil in Devil As a Part Tim,er.

Best Voice Actor for a Convention: Jessica Calvello! Oh man, had to mention this one and it was hard to think who would’ve been the best since conventions do get pretty good guests to appear. This category goes to someone who hasn’t appeared at a Florida con by what I remember and that is Jessica Calvello! Due to how Omni was doing all Attack on Titan for the most part, Jessica was one of the actors who appeared and she does the voice of Honshi the scientist who loves looking at titans! Not only she does the voice but she did appear in cosplay as her character for Omni Expo! As in, jacket, glasses, and everything else and even acted like her throughout the thing, there was a part where her character ran into a door and did that as the 18+ Saturday panel with Matt Mercer, she explained what she was doing and wished I recorded that but it wasn’t allowed. But I can say that she also fangirled over Matt’s voice, who wouldn’t, I have been too and he is Number 1 on my Sexiest Voices in Anime and Gaming! I wonder how she would react to his British accent? Anyways, she was funny and very friendly and also very talented, even as Rip Van Winkle in Hellsing Ultimate Abridged.
Runners Up: Todd Habercorn and Joshua Seth! It was hard choosing runner ups because these two were also great at the same convention and that is Todd Habercorn and Joshua Seth! They are entertaining when it comes to panels, even you will get a lot of laughs from my interview with Mr. Seth as well. Couldn’t help but also finding Todd’s photo and signing war with Jess Harnell even funnier. On top of that, their panel with Sean Schemmel and Grey Deloisle as well.

Best Guessing My Age Moment: Walter Jones and Austin St. John at Ranger Stop! I had to put this on here because everyone knows that I don’t look my age! I turned 30 this past year and when people look at me they have to do a double take! Even when the ID gets taken out, it’s even harder to believe that I was born in 1985. This past year I went to Ranger Stop and told some of the people I was into Power Rangers when it first came to the states back in the early 90’s and was seven around then! When Austin St. John and Walter Jones asked me how old I was, I asked them “How old do you think I am?” They were guessing around the twenties, but Walter had more in the teens and then revealed I was 30! Austin was a bit speechless and then said, “You look good for it!” and Walter was like “Nooooo! Really!?” Hell, should’ve said, Veronica Taylor was speechless when I told her which she was actually speechless at AFO since I just turned it.

Best T-Shirt Props: The Rita Repulsa “Make My Monsters Grow” Shirt from Aardvark Tees! I had to mention this because so many people loved it when I wore it to Ranger Stop and it’s all thanks to Aardvark Tees! I got this shirt during AFO from their stand and it is of Rita Repulsa throwing rare candy to some Pokemon and it says “Make My Monster Grow!” It made sense and great thing about it, while asking my question during Ranger Recap’s Pre-Con panel for the regular pass holders they had the camera on my shirt! Even the Blue Rangers pointed it out during their panel that same night! And Christopher Kaman Lee saw it and asked where I got it from since he recognized it and told him I got it from Aardvark’s stand during AFO. I did get props for my Iron Man hoodie since it did get cool in the evening and morning during the convention!

Funniest Internet Review: Anime Abandoned Review on Jungle De Ikou! Yes, time to point out the best internet stuff for this year! Starting with the Funniest Review and that is by hannel Awesome’s own Bennet the Sage with his show Anime Abandoned! We got to meet him during MythiCon and did go to his 18+ Panel and of course Q&A which you can catch on YouTube, the Q&A one! He does very funny reviews on many anime OVAs and movies and an occasional series review. Some of these include Wicked City, Akira, even the InuYasha Movie which I should’ve included that as the funniest review for last year but forgot about it. This year I give it to his review for a really bad OVA known as Jungle De Ikou! It is a bit on the mature side and it does have jokes that are kind of….make you want be like how Bennet says it in his review, “WHAT!?” Basically the plot deals with a girl gets a magical totem figure from her dad who returns from New Guinea, Africa and gets visited by a spirit in her dreams and gets told if she gets in trouble while meeting the eviler spirit that was locked away to do a special dance. Yeah, the dance is ridiculous, ejven one of the other girls have a Macarena type dance but Bennet does end the review early due to it because…yeah…you have to watch it to see what I mean. What I like about watching Bennet is that he does make good points, even with this review talking about how there are bad movies out there and comedies that exist that are equally bad how this anime goes with the movie known as Movie 43. The jokes are pretty funny and he does quote Mad Max: Fury Road! If you are around my age, give it a watch and prepare to laugh your lungs out, Gondras and I sure did!
Runner Up: Nostalgia Critic Reviewing Fury Road! I know, what!? Well, around the time Fury Road came out Nostalgia Critic reviewed it and man he pulled a lot in making the review as a movie type review with his crew. We haven’t seen Fury Road ourselves but we seen the review and you should see it as well, the jokes a very good and does discuss it pretty well.

Death Battle of the Year: Death Stroke vs. Dead Pool! Most of us who have seen Death Battle on Screw Attack know that they have awesome pairings like Felicia from Darkstalkers vs. Taokaka from Blaze Blue, Iron Man vs. Lex Luther, and the one that really have us laughing and loving is Death Stroke from D. C. Comics vs. Dead Pool from Marvel! With the comparing stats, the episode got Dead Pool’s breaking the fourth wall like always and even hilarious in messing with Wiz and Boomstick. I would say watch Death Battle, even this battle if you’re a fan of Dead Pool or Death Stroke since they are entertaining and very informative! Anyways, don’t want to spoil who wins if anyone hasn’t watched it but the battle was pretty close!
Runner Up: Gaara vs. Toff! Yes, have to mention this one because it was one that Gondras thought I would be disappointed because I love Gaara from Naruto but at the same time Toff is my fave Avatar: The Last Airbender character. Both stats were very good but there is one thing, they pitted a guy against a skilled Earth Bender that can use the sand and the golden sand to her advantage. Yeah, sorry, ust spoiled that Toff won this battle. As always said, never underestimate the power of a blind girl, even when she Earth bends!

Internet Reviewer of the Year: Louis Lovehog aka Linkara! This was a pick from Gondras and I agree so I created this one and that is “Internet Reviewer of the Year” and this year it goes to Linkara from Channel Awesome! Why? Well, he has done awesome reviews when it has comes to comics, even caught up with all the Power Rangers for his History of the Power Rangers since he has done Super Mega Force recently, and has done really good story work with his movie! I haven’t seen the movie yet but heard it’s really good from Gondras but I seen enough of his comic book reviews that he makes really good sci-fi- story segments on his show! This is why he should be a guest at more Florida cons, especially Orlando after MythiCon ending! I did suggest him to AFO due to the Power Rangers stuff since I did watch In Space, Lost Galaxy, soon to watch Light Speed Rescue and Time Force after watching his reviews on those seasons! He even used clips from Attack On Titan Abridged during his Jungle Fury review and that is one other season I may see all thanks to him. Still he is a really good reviewer even when you go to his live panel at cons like we have the past two years. That is why Mr. Linkara, you get Internet Reviewer of the Year here on Nerdy Shique Universe!

Best Movie: Star Wars: The Force Awakens! Yeah, I know it seems abovious but think about it this way, it has been years since we got a new Star Wars movie evne though the prequels weren’t the best. I didn’t even seen the third one out of those because of how Episode 2 felt like I could make a drinking game out of the many “My lords!” and “My ladies!” they say throughout the film! When we heard that the story after The Return of the Jedi will be continuing and JJ Abrams will be directing it, we were worried and a bit skeptical since the new Star Trek films were not that great. We saw this on Christmas and man we enjoyed it! Hell, we even applauded when we saw Han, Chewy, and Lea returning in this film with the rest of the audience! Even the emotions in this movie was kept in tact since the original three really got us loving them with the suspense, emotions, and the action that is linked to it. Ohhh we can’t wait for the next episode with how this one ended on a very nice note! If you haven’t seen this film, you must!
Runner Up: Ant Man! II know, I know! Why wasn’t Age of Ultron the Runner Up? Well, I think that Ant Man kind of deserved it a bit more in my opinion! Yes, I was excited like everyone else about the second Avengers movie and how interesting it was with Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, plus having Jarvis being humanish. Ant Man, on the other hand, had a more interesting premise! It told the story differently as a way of passing down the mantle of Ant Man to someone new due to Hank Pim being older and it’s good to see that instead of the original story behind it. We are going to get glimpses of Hank in the next season of Agent Carter from what we see and it’s good to get the idea of the story before the movie in the show. Michael Douglas as always had a great performance, not only that this movie gave us our next glimpse into Civil War and we got to see one of the Avengers on top of it!

Worsts

Worst Press Turn Down: AFO! Yes, got to mention this because it was one of the worst things I went through this year. Not only with personal life but of course with being turned down hard by Anime Festival Orlando for press. We have given great chances by great conventions such as MetroCon in Tampa, MythiCon, now Holiday Matsuri, but the big one that gave us the biggest chance to do press was of course Omni Expo because they found us due to a typo! If you read all the press stuff we done, we didn’t start this blog to get free passes into conventions, we started this blog back on Blogger when Hot Topic discontinued their first cosmetics line and it blossomed from there into other things like gaming, cosplay, and many more! Plus, we brought you interviews with voice actors like Dameon Clarke, Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, Lauren Landa, and so much more! Now we have Joshua Seth and Todd Habercorn to add to that long list! I know I am harping it but all I have to say is we worked hard and if AFO doesn’t want to give us that chance even in 2016 and beyond, well we go to the next convention and try there! Even Ranger Stop is letting us try out again for next year, who knows if we get that one.

Worst Band: Blaine the Mono! I have to mention these guys here because ughhhhh! I respect a lot of local acts but Blaine the Mono is not one of them. Their music is not that great, it would improve greatly if the lead singer doesn’t scream or get a different person. Let me describe the screams, they sound like harpie screeching in my ears, really! We first heard about these guys when they performed at the House of Blues on the night that Soul Switch did their album release and they didn’t get better by the time we saw them operform with Mr. Bella and Soul Switch in September. Some people said they were better than Mr. Bella but here’s the thing…Gondras notices how the bandmates in Mr. Bella play music that fits the range of their lead singer and I agree with that! Blaine the Mono…not so much! Plus, there werne’t many people cheering for them as much as people were cheering for Mr. Bella and Soul Switch combined! Sorry to say, Blaine the Mono needs to improve or don’t come back because the competition is getting bigger!

The Most Meh Month for Beauty Subscriptions: May! I had to mention this because it kind of fits the Worsts categories and that is how the month of May was a bit of a meh month for Ipsy and BOxyCharm. I have been a member of both for over a year now and the products that I got in both were okay, not the best, just meh! I did like the lipstick I got in BoxyCharm which was the Lip Bar, which really made me excited about that. Ipsy, it felt like they focused a bit more on the anti-aging stuff more than any other items, heck I got the Blue Iceland eye patches but gave them to my mom since I wouldn’t be using them. December was also a bit meh but mostluy for Ipsy since two of the products were ones I swapped for better items while the rest were five star worthy items, heck even the Elizabeth Mott eye primer had me at happy because I got to try something else from the brand. I am hoping with 2016 that there won’t be much of meh months for both because the selections of products would be better. Heck, crossing my fingers on the Revealed Smoky pallet from Coastal Sense next year! Let’s see what it holds!

Well, that is it! Longest Wait for a Convention: Ranger Stop! Uhhhhhhhh! Seriously, never thought with a convention I would have to wait for the longest time for everything on the first day! What do I mean by that? Well, I had to wait until 2 PM to pick up my three day pass, wait until 4 PM to be let in, well mostly 4:30 since I wasn’t VIP, so yeah, longest wait ever! Most conventions just open around 10 in the morning and then dealer room around noon for VIP and an hour later for regular passes, Matsuri was 11 AM to open up dealer room for VIP! But nope, Ranger Stop opened their dealer room at 5! I know it seems like I am ranting but this convention needs to look at how some of the other ones run because it would help immensely, especially where this is the convention that felt like it catered to the VIP holders more than regular pass holders, which there were more events for VIP than doing more panels and special events. I will try again for press and hoping next year they have a better convention not only that did see there wasn’t much of a great turn out for Saturday since I only went for two days after knowing Sunday didn’t have much to do. Again, they need to improve with events and panels the most.

Well, that is it for this year’s Bests and Worsts. There weren’t that many worst things but still the worst of them all was the AFO Press thing and it still stings! I feel as though this year had a lot of bests and it is hard to fit them into one post so I stuck to what was the most best ones of all! There were great other moments from conventions like how Steve Cardinas thought my cane was a wizard staff and of course finally finding the Tiger and Bunny messenger bag I was looking for! And of course, showing up as Lucy to Todd Habercorn’s signings, first time doing it was at AFO after not seeing him since 2012 and shown my appreciation for trying Fairy Tail again.

What will 2016 bring? Well, crossing our fingers on year three of Omni Expo press! They gave us a major chance in press and hoping they give us a third time doing it. Plus, they are earlier this year due to MegaCon now being in May! I am not sure if we are going, I am almost thinking about press for it but at the same time it might not work or anything. I will have to look into that. Any new cosplays? Well, my Pokemon designs will be extending since I am thinking, hoping to get done by Omni, doing Link from Legend of Zelda as a Pokemon Ranger! I already got the Silveon plush, gotta get the rest of the parts! And of course, Lucy as a Pokemon Trainer! Not sure what got me thinking to do it but it came out of nowhere in my thoughts and already got a Vaporeon for Aquarius!

Of course, we will be looking forward to Captain America: Civil War! Even Dead Pool despite not being done by Marvel but it is already proving to be hilarious!

More to come in 2016! Stay tuned for the rest of our Holiday Matsuri coverage in January, hoping we get it up before December next year sneaks up on us again! Hey, 2015 did that to us and the next will do it too.

So, have a safe Happy New Year and be careful driving! So, til next time and follow us on Twitter if you haven’t!

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by moonleopard85 on December 31, 2015  •  Permalink
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Posted by moonleopard85 on December 31, 2015

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Holiday Matsuri 2015: Interview with Todd Habercorn

Hello Shiquers and welcome back to Nerdy Shique Universe! Time for the first interview from Holiday Matsuri and that is with Todd Habercorn!

I know, I was supposed to put up the Joshua Seth one but due to Gondras being busy and also have to look at tutorials since it would be his first time with video editing, I went ahead with posting the one with Todd first! I was really happy to get to do this one because of what happened with AFO, as in no press passes and wanted to interview him along with Veronica Taylor, Christopher Kaman Lee, and have Gondras interview Reuben Langdon but that plan was shot all to hell! If you haven’t seen those videos from AFO, I did become creative and asked him during his Q&A panel which did he prefer, recording younger voices or older voices? His answer was older voices and did it as Rowan from Tales of Xilia!

Well, with Holiday Matsuri having him as a guest this year was a second chance and a Christmas Wish! I know I should’ve mentioned that in the “What I Got for Christmas 2015” but sounds more sentimental to mention it here because of Matsuri being so close to Christmas, it was a major wish I wanted even and it was granted!

Someone did ask on the YouTube side why were there voices in the background? Did you do it out in the open? Well, the answer is this, which I will be replying to that comment when I get on the blog’s e-mail address, the thing was if you read in my Needs for Improvement that interviews weren’t scheduled by the convention. We had to set up with Todd and Joshua, which we did get a private room with Joshua but not with Todd. We done it after his signing in the autograph room, that is why you hear the staff talking and I think some people were meeting Sean or Joshua that evening. We did get it done and it was great timing as well and want to thank Todd for a great interview! Hoping next year that there will be private rooms for interviews and slots already scheduled for these things if we do press next year.

That is it for this post! Hoping to get the Joshua Seth video up since I had fun doing that interview as well! In the meantime, since it’s New Year’s Eve tomorrow, technically today whenever you’re reading it, will be my Bests and Worsts of 2015! I will be mentioning what was the best out of this year while the worst of all! Stay tuned for that!

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by moonleopard85 on December 31, 2015  •  Permalink
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Favorites: November and December 2015!

Hello Shiquers and welcome back to Nerdy Shique Universe! Since we’re waiting on posting the Joshua Seth interview from Holiday Matsuri, I thought that I should do my November and December Favorites! Damn! 2015 went out the window! I think when I turned 30 the year went faster than usual! Well, I do have a lot of beauty faves especially subscription related items! Let’s see what I liked!

ELF Illuminating Pallet: First up is the ELF Illuminating pallet which was released during late October early November since it was a re-release of the Ambient Pallet that they released this past summer. I didn’t know about the Ambient one until it sold out and it was limited edition, which is kind of sad to know that until I found out that ELF released this one, I had my chance and got it! It was $6 and it’s not that bad for a pallet and it is soft with the glitter, as in it is not powerful nor chunky, it gives a nice light to the cheeks. I used one when I done Lucy for Holiday Matsuri and felt like wearing it at times to add a nice illumination to the skin. I will re-purchase whenever I hit pan.

MAC Eye Shadow in Ascent to Glimmer: During October leading up to Halloween, MAC released a vampy line for lipsticks and eye shadows, I also think they released highlighters which people went crazy for one of them. I did get a shadow finally which I wanted to try MAC’s eye shadows for a while now and got it in Adcent to Glimmer! It is a very beautiful purple cobalt blue that has shimmer! I worn this during Ranger Stop with my blue cat ears and it matched! I am sad that this is limited edition but I will still wear it, doesn’t mean I can’t still find a dupe or ask MAC what is similar to it.

Maybelline Collosal Cat Eyes Mascara: Another eye product I love and that is my Maybelline Collosal Cat Eyes mascara! I love this thing! It makes my lashes spikey and feel like I have lashes like a cat or a cat girl at least. I will definitely purchase this mascara again!

Benefit Roller Lash Mascara: Oh yeah, something I’ve been reaching like crazy and that is the Benefit Roller Lash Mascara! I just tossed my deluxe sample which I will miss so much, but I did get it for free when Ulta sent me a free coupon for it and hoping I get another one of those coupons. I love how this mascara curls my lashes and feels like I put a roller on my lashes. Hoping I get this one again in the near future due to how I loved it and always reached for it when I am in my train case!

Lord of Missrule from Lush: Oh man, I went a bit Lush crazy lately and was sad to use up and that is the Lord of Missrule Shower Cream! I got this in the bat hibi jibi they did this past October and man it smells amazing! It is a citrusy smell with black pepper oil in it which I was afraid it might be spicy, no it wasn’t! It was like a sweet citrus smell and used it with the next favorite on here and it made my skin feel soft as well.

Night Wing Shower Jelly from Lush: My next fave, I also used up, is the Night Wing shower gel! This got me back into using shower jellies by Lush, which I don’t know why I stopped using them after loving the Sweetie Pie one that came in the Very Berry gift box Gondras got me for Valentine’s Day when we started going out. I know, aww! I love the smell, it has a dark citrus smell and it goes well with Lord of Missrule shower gel, also used it with Snow Fairy which made it a nice, earthy type smell. I hope this returns with the Lord shower cream next year, I would buy a bigger size of the shower cream and get the regular size of the shower jelly because this does last me a month. The girl at the airport location tried to suggest the bigger size but the regular one keeps me good for a month like the medium shower gels!

NYX Eyebrow Mascara: Forgot to mention this with mascaras but this is for the brows!I decided to start using clear eyebrow mascara since it is easier than matching your eyebrow color to a pencil or colored gel because there are times when it doesn’t match the brow exactly and there are times when they have different shades than your actual color. Using the clear one saves me the hassle and the NYX brand is really good! I have been using this whenever I do my make up and it keeps my brows in place, even more than the Chella one I tried through BoxyCharm. It also doesn’t cost a lot to get either, you can find it at Ulta and Target pretty easily too.

Fave Eye Look: Bronzed Taupe from L’Oreal, Carnival from Inspr, and Bone from Hikari! Decided to mention my fave eye look since I rarely talk about that and I worn this during Thanksgiving for a nice neutral look! It deals with using Bronzed Taupe from L’Oreal Infolluble Eye Shadow line, Carnival from Inspr, which I love from the November Ipsy bag, which is from Inspr Cosmetics btw, and Bone from Hikari as my highlight and then blend them altogether and gives a nice taupe eye look! I find it very simple and may use it more and more! The Carnival shadow I couldn’t exactly find it, Inspr’s website is weird, you have to choose the color you’re looking for and they don’t give you the shade name just color. It would be nice if they give you shade names but I did find a nice replacement and that is Hanky Panky from Colour Pop! Yes, I started buying Colour Pop slightly and was looking for a taupe and found this one while searching! Can’t wait to see how it works!

Delium Tools Blending Brush: Have to mention a brush and that is the blending brush by Delium Tools! I got this in Ipsy and love how it blends my eye shadows together! It even blends anything when I put it on top of a Color Tattoo on my eyes! I do have the Delium Tooks eye brush set which makes it even more fun when it comes to have a lot of eye brushes and can’t have enough!

Luxie Concealer Brush: This one came from Boxy and it’s the Luxie Under Eye Concealer brush! It is so simple to use and it helps blend my Cover Girl Invisble Lift concealer I use under my eyes all the time! Some people complained that the bristles are hard and they hurt but with me, it sort of hurts but it blends very well! This is my second Luxie item I’ve ever gotten and want one of their brush sets since I do go brush crazy!

Royal Lannickle Moda Eye Brush: I got this in October through Ipsy but fell in love with it since I used it throughout November and December and that is the Royal Langnickle eye brush! I find it interesting that this company is also a paint brush company that now makes make up brushes and I can see why! This brush puts the lid color on flawlessly and it feels very good while using it! I did get a small set but lost one of the brushes somehow after Matsuri, I used it for highlighter but don’t know what happened to it! Asked Gondras but didn’t find it I believe. I will find it! I think I also bought their paint brushes back in the past when I done Drawing classes, but this is a good brand to buy from!

Not So Faves: ELF Face Primers: I do have a not-so-fave and that is the ELF Face Primers! I switched up my face primers due to the Ulta Matte Prime was starting to getting even more expensive to purchase more and more! I tried NYX’s Matte Face Primer, didn’t like that one as much due to how too much of a cream it was, the Rimmel Matte Primer that I love and still purchase and then did try out ELF’’s Poreless and Mineral Primers. The Poreless one was pretty good and it had my make up on smoothly and kept it on and then Gondras handed me the Mineral one to take a try and one thing I didn’t like the most is that the Mineral one made my skin itch after application, even later on in the day! It kind of done that with the Poreless but not as bad as the Mineral one. I am sorry ELF but I can’t use these and what I don’t like the most is that they are greasy like crazy! Mostly the Mineral one is the greasiest one and the Poreless one gave off a weird herbal scent. What did I do? I went back to the Rimmel Stay Matte Primer because I love how cool it is when putting it on, it feels like more of a paste and it holds my make up very well and it doesn’t make my skin itcy at all! ELF, please make one for sensitive skin, as in with ingredients that won’t make my skin react as badly as the Mineral one then I will come back!

Favorite Books: Bound to Darkness and Stroke of Midnight by Lara Adrian: You know I always been loving the Midnight Breed Series and finally I read book 13 and 13.5 which are Bound to Darkness and Stroke of Midnight. I was glad Bound shows the relationship between Caris and Rune and it does answer the question from Marked by Midnight about the family that Rune and Nova came from, so it tells you who they are really! I don’t want to reveal too much because of anyone who haven’t read it like I did. I am re-reading it for Net Gally to review because it hadn’t been promoted enough and Net Gally is pretty awesome for anyone who does reviews for blogs, newspapers, and so on. It is pretty much you request a book, they send it when it gets approved, and send you the book through Kindel and then you review it when you’re done! I know it sounds weird for me to re-read it but there are times when I love to re-read things and I have been doing that with Midnight Breed and this time it is good for reviewing. With Stroke, on the other hand, it pretty much deals with one of the Rome team vampires getting his breedmate through a ritual that is tradition between his family and hers and while starting that ritual they had to leave in order to help a refugee camp nearby. As they are there, something evil lurks! This will link to the next book which is Defy the Dawn and that deals with Tavia’s half-sister Brine. It is getting better as time goes on but the story does twist and turn with each book and now novella since you have to read those to get more of the story as it goes! If you’re around my age, I still recommend this and the vampires aren’t like the Twilight ones, think of it like Buffy the Vampire Slayer where the vampires have weapons and the females have special powers due to family background and they are as strong as Buffy, Willow, and Cordelia!

Favorite Make Up Caryring Case: Caboodles Ultimate Carrying Train Case! Man, that is a mouthful! Recently I had to get a new carrying case for my all-time make up and it was starting to take over the bag I used and I hated how things fell out and lost it. I went to WalMart’s website to see about getting a train case and unfortunately I didn’t get the one I ordered on time and then didn’t get when they sent a replacement, which sucked, and then got a refund but they only gave me $18 out of the $23 I spent. I am not ordering from their website ever again after this crap that was pulled! Heck, I was afraid my BoxyCharm this month would go through the same thing but it did get to me while I was away. I had to settle on the Caboodles Ultimate Train Case and they aren’t kidding when it is ultimate! It has six trays like the Stylus one I wanted first and I was able to fit all my brushes, blushes, foundation, concealers, and so much more! I even have some of my fave shadow palleets such as the Too Faced Chocolate Bar, the Stardust one, the three NYX Dream Catcher pallets, my ELF Everyday Smoky, and of course the two ELF blush and Illuminating apllets! I love this thing even when I left for Matsuri because it also locks up and I can find my make up very easily along with my brushes because I had a struggle finding each brush but now it’s just on top and there you go! I have to put some of my brushes in a diagonal position when putting them away because some of them are bigger than the tray but it helps to do that! If you find this train case or the Stylist one I wanted so badly, get this because not only it’s a tad bit pricey, I got the Stylist while on sale and now it’s sold out, I am like screw it! Anyways, it’s worth the $30 with a case like this!

Well, that is it! I know it’s a long post but hey, at least I got out there for you to read! What is next? Of course waiting on Gondras to finish editing the Joshua Seth interview, not sure if I want to put up Todd’s first which I am thinking about doing that instead and at the same time not! Not sure yet. I still have my Bests and Worsts of this year, which I want to put that out there as well. I know I tend to put my fave con moments if I went through conventions with both months but at the same time want to save it for Bests and Worsts with Ranger Stop and Matsuri due to mentioning Omni Expo and AFO along with the Best and Worst stuff. Don’t want to be repetitive with all that. Stay tuned for that! Also, follow us on Twitter!

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by moonleopard85 on December 29, 2015  •  Permalink
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Posted by moonleopard85 on December 29, 2015

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Holiday Matsuri 2015: Opening Ceremonies Clip!

Hello Shiquers and welcome back to Nerdy Shique Universe! Now continuing with the coverage from Holiday Matsuri 2015 and the first video we have on here is from Opening Ceremonies!

What draws people to a convention is seeing what they will see at one and opening ceremonies is a great way to start the weekend off! We got a clip from this year’s ceremonies and we had fun. There were jokes and introducing the guests. Plus a nice little visit from Todd in a Han Solo cosplay towards the end, not sure if we got that but we saw it! Todd did tell his fans who got his signature to go since he was showing up in cosplay. So, enjoy what we caught!

What is next in videos? Our interview with Joshua Seth! Stay tuned! For anyone else, my November and December Favorites! Also, follow us on Twitter! @ Nerdy Shique!

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by moonleopard85 on December 28, 2015  •  Permalink
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Posted by moonleopard85 on December 28, 2015

https://nerdyshiqueuniverse.com/2015/12/28/holiday-matsuri-2015-opening-ceremonies-clip/

What I Got for Christmas 2015!

Hello Shiquers and welcome back to Nerdy Shique Universe! Sorry for not keeping up with the Holiday Matsuri coverage but Christmas had us busy. I will try and get the Opening Ceremonies video up by tomorrow afternoon or Wednesday. Stay tuned for that! Since it is after Christmas, why not do a What I got for Christmas post!? Well, normally I do this after Christmas and since I am supposed to keep with the press stuff, why not take a break and do a pattern with this, my Best s and Worsts of 2015 and November and December Favorites! So, let’s see what’s my haul this year! A head’s up, I am not bragging at all, just a haul of items!

From Mommy Blue Cat: MONEY! Well, I got an early gift from my mom since I was going to Holiday Matsuri the weekend before Christmas, she was planning to give me a hundred bucks to use and decided why not give that in time for the convention to use for food and for whatever I have left before I get my newer debit card. A long story short, I went through a crisis where my bank dropped me due to a scam that was going on and didn’t notify me about it. A head’s up, watch out for anyone who is having a scam even with job related things. Anyways, I was sad, it did cheer me up and didn’t let it bother me because I was already happy with doing press and the cash I got did help out in getting me my breakfast, lunch, and dinner throughout the convention. I did have a tiny bit left to pick up my Amibo reader for my 3DS since I already have three of them and they are Pikachu, Gruninja, and Mewtwo! Mewtwo was something that we found at GameStop out of nowhere and it was the last one. Now I have the reader and will try and use it while playing Alpha Sapphire!

Daddy Blue Cat: With being dady’s little girl, I tend to go a bit crazy and this year, I did get an early gift which sometimes does happen when I tend to make my list early. I made my list super early, at the end of October due to how many things came out in the past few months and itching to make it! The item I got early was the Mega Mewtwo Y card and figure set from Pokemon! I have been getting into collecting Pokemon again well the cards anyway, you all know I love my plushies! The set comes with a special EX card of Mewtwo and then you have the figure of what version you got, I went with Y because I played the game and he looks similar to Mew. He is next to my Amibo of Mewtwo in my display case of figures! I did get a good haul of cards, even the Mega Mewtwo X EX card! I keep my shiny cards in a Pikachu tiny binder and pretty lucky with what I got in the packs lately!

When it comes to other nerd stuff, I did finally get Attack on Titan Part 2 but on Blue Ray. Apparently, it seems like DVDs are starting to phase out and only Blue Rays are being available even for anime. I did try seeing about getting the DVD version but FYE didn’t have it, but hey I will be using Gondras’ PS3 to watch it since knowing my mom wouldn’t want to hear titans eating people if I use her Blue Ray player. Also, had to get this after Christmas and that is a copy of Avengers: Age of Ultron. My dad said they sold out but he tried finding this movie in the anime section, which it is a Marvel movie. I find it weird, he found all the other Marvel movies I put on my list the past few years in the front of the store but not this one. I did get it on Blue Ray, hey at least I am building that collection when Gondras do live with each other. I also have Firefly on Blue Ray as well. Sooo yeah! I have to get Fairy Tail Part 16 on Amazon though since FYE sold out of it, they only had Part 18 and I am kind of OCD to watch things in order and collect in order after looking for all my FMA DVDs years ago out of order was a mess. So yeah, never did that again! At least, I can use EBates to get it!

Now for make up items! I started doing this after getting the ELF special edition pallets but went higher end since last year, which I got the Too Faced Chocolate Bar and Urban Decay Naked Basics 2 last year. This year I went a bit crazy with the list, well sort of. I was itching to get the Too Faced Stardust pallet and Urban Decay Naked Smoky! I heard so many good things about these pallets, even Vivi got the Stardust pallet when we went to Ulta with our buddy Kurious Keeper. So, on my list they went and glad to get them. That is also why I made my list super early because the videos really got me to doing so. I wore the Stardust pallet on Christmas since we were seeing Star Wars finally after knowing so many people went during Matsuri weekend and thought it would be fitting! My thoughts are that the pallet is easy to use, very easy to blend, I think I used the primer that came with it, I also used the Better Than Sex mascara and I can see why EVERYONE on YouTube loves it! It pretty much curls up my lashes like the Rimmel Glam Rock mascara I used on Christmas Eve with my golden eye look. I am not sure if I will get the actual size, I hope I do find the deluxe version since I do like the idea of smaller versions due to when they dry out you don’t feel so bad tossing out the smaller one. The Stardust pallet is in my train case with my Chocolate Bar pallet, knowing me I will reach for this along with my Dream Catcher pallets I have in there. While the Urban Decay Naked Smoky, I was so happy to get! I never gotten any of the regular Naked pallets, just the Naked Basics, the Smoked Pallet, and Ammo pallet as well, this one really got me to want it especially with how Graveyard Girl talked about it. I like the design on the pallet itself, it takes 3D to another level! To me the pallet has the same bar design as the Dream Catcher pallets but the shadows are in a line like the Basics pallets and get twelve instead of six! I hope I do get the Coastal Sense Revealed Smoky, since they made that, in BoxyCharm in the near future since the revealed pallets are supposed to be like the Naked pallets, at the same time I want to get the first two Naked pallets and see if Urban Decay makes a Naked 3 Basics so I can see if I like that to get the Naked 3! I wished that the Naked SMoky came with a mascara or the primer potion like how the Smoked and Ammo pallets did but it came with a nice double ended brush! Can’t wait to see how this pallet turns out!

Finally, I did have a back up pallet in case the first two sold out, which the Stardust one did do after Christmas shopping started. Well pretty much by Christmas Eve! Wasn’t able to find it on Ulta anywhere, so they did sell out. The back up was something I started getting into and that is Smashbox Cosmetics and the pallet I am talking about is the Full Exposure pallet! I am so happy to have the full version because I have the mini one that I got with my birthday coupon! I loved the shadows, even the ones in the try-it kit and still want to have the Photo Op trios but the Full Exposure shadow pallet really got me into loving Smashbox! It does come with fourteen shadows, which the top having shimmer shades and then the bottom with mattes! It is like the mini version but better! I like how the bigger version is leather bound like a book while the mini version is the same size as my digital camera! I will pop my mini version into my cosplay and professional make up case in case if I want to do a night time look or change up my make up for my cat persona! I do like that there is a brush in the pallet and put that into my train case since I do love double ended brushes the most! If you’re wondering, am I getting the Double Exposure at all? I am not that interested in it, I do like the idea of doing colorful looks but most of the time I do smoky or neutral type looks and do have some colorful shades in my make up stash, not sure if I will get the mini version to try out but it’s not as appealing as the Full Exposure was to me. Besides eye shadows, I did get my fave item of all during holiday time and Easter, LipSmackers! I love these lip balms, will keep on getting them more and more, which now they were picked up by the company that Wet N Wild is affiliated with, which I noticed the caps have more of a rounded edge versus the flat top! I love the flavors they come out with even if they are some classics and some new. Can’t wait what Easter brings this year if they bring the eggs back!

Gondras and Mommy Gondras: Of course Christmas cannot be complete with what I got from Gondras and his mom! His mom got me two items from Bat and Body Works and that is the Vanilla Bean Noel foaming hand soap and lotion! I love this scent! It smells like vanilla frosting and have been a fan of it for years. I still have the lip gloss tubes and man those are even more delicious! Not sure when I will use the hand soap, but knowing me I am going to be using the body lotion like crazy! I still have the body splash she got me a few years back and have been using that, even when I am about to hit sleepy time! She also got me a box of teeny tiny nail polishes that have 24 bottles of them! She knows I love doing my nails, even for cosplay purposes, these are from Expressions Girl or something like that, some company I never heard of but these babies will last me for a long time or if I reuse them enough they would be loved! I can’t wait to see what colors are in this box since the bottles are so small I can’t label them, it’s okay, it’s a nice surprise!

Gondras did get me a Pokemon item and that is the Legendary Pikachu set! We saw this in my local GameStop and he knew I wanted this because it comes with four or five packs I believe, a shiny Pikachu EX card, and a pin! I love collecting pins and I have been getting Pikachu stuff due to it does evolve into my fave Pokemon of all, Raichu! Yes, I got the deck with him in it! I did get a pretty good haul out of this like Primal Grodon and Giratina from Third Gen! I also got a holographic Magnazone which I swapped out for the non-holo one in the Raichu deck.I am pretty lucky with Pokemon packs and since they made it a lot more better with the shiny cards, even doing energy background holos with the Pokemon, it becomes even better! And of course, we did go to Lush as part of our Christmas tradition! Instead of medium bottles, Gondras did get me the Buy One Get One Free on a large bottles of Snow Fairy due to personal reasons, but hey, still have enough bottles of shower gel from years past of Snow Fairy,, some might be Twilight, Ponche, and knowing two left of So White from last year, plus there was something weird that he did see with the medium bottles and that is how one of them did seem to separate in the shower gel. Not sure if it was all, but normally that doesn’t happen with Snow Fairy by what I seen in what I have. They do use bananas for the sweet scent as an added ingredient, I guess this year the formula went weird in the medium bottles and at least now I have larger bottles to last me! If I run out, there is Bath and Body Works and the Lush in millennia since I am running low on my Celestial moisturizer and will turn in my containers for another face mask soon! Speaking of containers, I did pick up two containers of each of the Christmas shower jellies and they are Snowman and Santa’s Belly! I started getting into the jellies again after loving the Night Wing from Halloween and of course that container is with my new collection of them, that I decided why not get the Christmas onex afterwards? I did love both smells since Snowman smells like carrot juice but sweeter and Santa’s Belly has its sweetness as well. I like to break off pieces of these and then pour my shower gel on top to give me an added smell and it does make my skin soft! If you haven’t tried any of the shower jellies, do it! You will enjoy them!

Well, that is about it! A pretty good haul for Christmas and afterwards. Almost forgot, I did go to Hot Topic and got Pokemon earrings of the Kanto starters and Pikachu all thanks to PikaBelleChu mentioning them on Facebook and did get a new thumb drive at Best Buy with a gift certificate I had in my account. Yay! As said above, I will be posting the Opening Ceremonies video and any others we got, we also need to get the pictures up since we want to make a gallery of everything we’ve taken pics of during Holiday Matsuri! So stay tuned, even for November and December Faves and Bests and Worsts!

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by moonleopard85 on December 28, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in haul

Posted by moonleopard85 on December 28, 2015

https://nerdyshiqueuniverse.com/2015/12/28/what-i-got-for-christmas-2015/

Convention Impossible: Holiday Matsuri

::clears throat:: Ready kitty minions!?

::kitties meow in “yes!”::

Let’s do this!

::sings with kitties mewing rhythm:: Deck the hotel halls with posters and fliers!
Fa la la lalala!
‘Tis the season for con jolly! Fa la la lalalala!
Dawn now our props and cosplays! Fa la lalalalala!
Troll the ancient yuletide anime! Fa la la lalalala laaaa!

Hello Shiquers and welcome back to Nerdy Shique Universe! Happy Holidays everyone! Time for another convention impossible and this time it is on Holiday Matsuri!

Sorry for the wait, have been busy the past few days, which included Gondras’ birthday! Happy 29th to him! Now I set aside for time to do this review and was glad to have Press after months of not having official press badges to conventions in the past. So, let’s get on with it!

DISCLAIMER: THIS REVIEW IS BASED ON OBSERVATIONS AND OPINIONS FROM THE WRITER AND SOME from her teammates! Please respect them!

Location: This year’s event was held at the Caribe Royale Resort on World Center Drive. This location was a very good one since everything for the convention was in one place like Omni was and AFO if you count that as well. It was easy to navigate the convention area despite the huge crowd, especially Saturday and Sunday, I think the crowd was even bigger Sunday. No mobility nightmares anywhere at this place due to how well lit it was, no ramps anywhere, just a straight walk, even to the pool’s snack area. Also, no weirdly placed stairs to fall over or be stuck at, trust me had that happen once at Islands of Adventure in the past. Still, a great place but…unfortunately it will be moved to the World Center next year due to how much the crowd grew. Even a good portion of it was in the gaming room by what we saw since it was a huge room. Bigger than Omni’s even. I understand they need a bigger space, especially with parking, oh yeah! Despite it being free a lot of people parked crazily especially by Sunday where some of them took up lanes and one part of the sidewalk. Now you can see where the crowding issue lies, at least it wasn’t as problematic as MegaCon where a lot of events were taking place and people had to park in every Concourse. I am hoping parking at the World Center, if we do press for this again, is not as expensive as Omni’s parking prices a year ago. Let’s see how that will happen but now this place was a great place to hold it at. Forgot to mention, even panels were easy to find at this place since everything was in one spot than being in three separate buildings. That is a plus!

Vendor’s Room: Next is vendor’s room! What we liked about this one is that in the convention guide there was a map with all the vendor names and where they were positioned. You don’t get that anywhere! You got a list of who is there or like at MegaCon, you get the map and it just tells you the booth number and you have to read the key in order to get the booth’s name, which that can be confusing! Matsuri, easy as pie! There were a lot of good vendors such as the Japanese Snacks guy was there but he had two different booths! One in the vendor room proper and then the second in the Game Room where there were a few vendors there if there wasn’t any more space to fit everyone. Now I can see why they are going to a new location. I did mention in my Last Minute Info post that this convention is a great place to do last minute gift shopping due to the dates of the convention being so close to Christmas and that is what Fox (AKA Nerdy Shirts, decided to use change it to that) did for his family. Also Gondras, since his birthday was so close, did have a chance to pick up something as his birthday present and it was from the woodmaker stand who had a Tardus , a mini one, and it has a light inside. It was their last one as well. They make a lot of wood items such as clocks, little boxes, I did remember they had charms, and so on. If you see these guys, they are very nice and they do make awesome work. What did I get? Due to the last of my cash, yeah spent a hundred at Ranger Stop, I did pick up Kit Kats in the pumpkin flavor, two flavors of Melty Kiss since you can only get those in winter in Japan, a nice little business card holder with Pikachu on it and it ill come in handy when I update all the information on my business cards for next year, and something you would rarely find and that is Digimon plushies, which I got Gatomon! The lady that sold it said that “She’s the best seller!” And I saw why because she had four left before someone bought one and I did the same. Can’t help that she’s a cat and she turns into an angel digimon! Also a sphinx in Season Two. Another stand I did find and knowing I will send a commission in the future is Grandma Thunderpants! She has been all over conventions and makes a lot of stuff by hand, plus she had 3DS cases at her stand that someone made, which I want to ask for a Fairy Tail one. And there was a shirts stand that had a Sailor Moon shirt that was based on Game of Thrones and a Green Ranger shirt where Dead Pool is underneath the helemet! Definitely would get the Dead Pool shirt if I were to go back to Ranger Stop and show up with that one! All in all, this was a great vendor’s room and of course there were even vendors in the game room, which you rarely see. No wonder Simple Plan sang that Christmas is mostly keep on spending!

Guests: This year’s guest line up considered two fashion guests, Angelic Pretty and Chocolate which I didn’t get to see their stands all weekend due to being busy with press stuff. While voice actors, you have Sean Schemmel, who was sick most of the weekend due to a digestion issue but he did add extra time to his signings and made to some of his panels, even the Holiday Voice Actors panel Sunday which we got to enjoy. Joshua Seth was added last minute and it was great meeting him! We did want to go to ShadoCon to meet him but due to funds and me going to Ranger Stop the following weekend we didn’t get that chance. We did get to meet him and interview him as well which was a major bonus! We didn’t get to meet up with Grey Deloisle due to busy and didn’t get to have that interview wither, there is always another convention and I still have my questions I made Thursday night in case that happened. We met up with Todd and filled my Christmas Wish of interviewing him! Yay! Don’t worry, we will get the videos up so you can see how I can meet a record of five minutes, which it shows that Todd is a popular guy and he has a very long line with a tight schedule on top! It was worth the wait, especially after waiting months after AFO to do the interview. What was also great is that Jess Harnell, the voice of Wakko Warner, shown up for a few hours Friday because he was visiting his mom and stayed at a hotel nearby. It was funny while getting Todd’s signature that he and Jess had a photo war and the responses were hilarious! Which reminds me, the four voice actors together in one panel are hilarious! If you’re at a convention with Grey, Sean, Joshua, and Todd, it is entertaining! Anyways, we did catch up with Jess in the hall and shook hands and appreciated him as Wakko, he even did the voice for us! Fox did catch him as he was leaving due to us telling him about it and he got a pic with him! What did we get signed even though it did cost us $40? Yeah, signings were $20 with the actors this year… Well, back at AFO, I didn’t get our copy of Summer Wars signed by Todd due to the whole first is free and afterwards $20 bit and wanted a funny message all thanks to SF Debris from Channel Awesome, if you never seen his reviews on Star Trek, his let’s plays, or even anime reviews, you should check him out! One of them was Summer Wars and we always enjoyed watching it, heck when I watched it the last time I quoted from the review. We did have Todd put the one for “Don’t tell me you killed the internet!” Don’t want to finish that but you can watch the review. Todd was a bit confused but if you’re reading, that is where we got that idea from! We did catch up with Manchii since he was a cosplay guest and I did wear the Lucy cosplay and did enter the costume contest with it, didn’t win anything though. He did say yes to my Lucy Pokemon Trainer cosplay since I am planning to do that probably next year but not sure on which convention along with a wedding commission. Also, since she will be at Omni next year, got to meet Indra and she is very nice and understanding with cosplaying! Can’t wait to see her again next year!

Events and Panels: Oh man, this weekend was eventful and panelful! I know that is not a word but it’s true! This convention was a busy one and there was a lot of things to see and do besides vendors and gaming! There were panels that people hosted, guests done, even of course as said above, the costume contest which was awesome! Not only you have cosplays posing but there were performances done and a good portion of them were of Madoka and Homura from Madoka Majica but the Homura cosplayers were doing the demon version of her from Rebellion, which was the movie continuing the story of the anime. What was a great performance that never thought I would see was a cosplayer from Dark Souls doing the “Friends on the Other Side” from Princess and the Frog and man he was good at singing it! Other events included, the Holiday Runway which I also participated in as my character, Avery, the Opening Ceremonies was also great since we got to see Todd cosplaying as Han Solo since the new Star Wars opened the same weekend. There was one major rule all weekend besides “Shower!” and that is “If you spoil Star Wars, then we will beat you to death!” I know that was a joke but people are serious and of course no one spoiled it, heck we’re waiting until Christmas day to see it because of how crazy it got with lines! Even the 4:00 news shown the Altamonte theater having a really long line Thursday afternoon. Panels on the other hand, included Funniest Moments in Video Games which was very entertaining, we even went to the Best Scenes in Anime, and we did give one of Propeller Anime’s guys some support by going to their Bizarre World of Goh Nagai which was an 18+ panel and the end of his 20 Years of Evangelion panel on Sunday due to Closing Ceremonies.

Verdict: CONVENTION ACCOMPLISHED! Yes, this convention deserves the “Accomplished!” rating since it was very eventful, had great guests, a really big vendors and gaming room, which they also had Rock Band 4 which Gondras tried out with “Uptown Funk.” Not only that a great location despite it moving. I can see why people liked coming to this convention and even got a lot of holiday versions of cosplays on top of it. We are definitely considering doing press for this one again due to how the staff was friendly! They even helped me onstage and offstage during the Cosplay and Holiday Runway Contests. I am still thanking Holiday Matsuri for giving us a chance to cover press for them and now to add them to my resume on top of it! That is why, I also want to give them:

“Pawprint of Approval!” Because this is one convention that knows how to pull off the holiday theme and draw crowds!

Needs for Improvement: I know this was “Accomplished” but there were some things that needed to be improved on:

1. Need More Security at Panel Rooms: Fox noticed this and there was not much security at panel rooms, which panels got to go a bit over. Plus, with more security it would help with keeping people safe while enjoying the convention. What if a fight broke out in a panel or in the main hallways? WWho do you call? Convention security of course!
2. Conventions Should be the Ones Setting Up Interviews: Yes, I need to point this out because as a press worker for the past two years now going on three, normally the convention is the one that sets up interviews with the guests. As in, setting aside different time slots and finding private areas for the interview to be done. Unfortunately, due to the hectic crunch time, we had to set it up with them and it wasn’t easy to get that private moment. We did have a room with Joshua Seth but had to be kicked out due to a panel, which kind of ticked me off about that. Most conventions set up the time slots for that room to be used for interviews so panelists wouldn’t interrupt it. Yeah, we have to edit the video since they had to kick us out. With Todd on the other hand, we had to wait for his signing to end because he had to fill in for Sean for his Kami Ha Contest for a bit. We were able to do that one in five minutes knowing that Todd had other things to do for the evening. As said, wasn’t easy trying to get that private time nor room, which hoping in years to come that interviews would be scheduled during time slots that voice actors are free and have a private room set up in time for the convention, like a month to a month and a half before the convention since, like I said, crunch time means “Running around like chickens with missing heads!”
3. Getting a Hotel with Better WiFi: Someone pointed this out during Closing Ceremonies and that is that e-mails were being sent with schedules for events, which I did get on my Handy Dandy IPad but couldn’t get on WiFi like everyone else. Which means that a lot of people would be using it and connections do go wonky and I agree with that, try being at UCF where everyone is online at once! Even though Fox did help with the Twitter stuff but it would be handy that we got to go online with everyone staying at the hotel so we can access it if we split up during the day and have to update Twitter, which one thing about this con and their press we have to tweet all weekend and felt impossible to do. Hoping with the World Center we get that access if we do press again.
4. Be Clear on Pre-Judging: What do I mean by that? Well, for pre-judging for the Winter Runway, I was told that I had to show up around 2:30 for my slot but then found out that they gave it up because I was late. Other people got the same message that if we didn’t show up at 2 or 3 then our slots were given. When I signed up with Indra, it was a different message altogether. Mixed messages aren’t great, especially when you’re being pre-judged. I did get the idea that we can’t be late for pre-judging for the costume contest and at least were early, still should agree on time slots for this because a lot of people would come on-time for the slots they were given, like I was with the rest of the people, and then it wouldn’t be a big deal but a big help.
Well, that is it for this Convention Impossible! I am glad that we got to do press again and hoping we get to keep going with this convention! I like having a nice break in between the holiday stress to hang out at a convention and enjoy some holiday glee! What is next? Hoping when we get them up, the videos from Opening and Closing Ceremonies, Gondras did get a video of Break Dancing Kakashi, the Twinbassadors, and of course the interview with Joshua and Todd!

Any Press News? Right now, we are waiting on news for Omni Expo since we are aiming for a third year doing press for them. In the meantime, you guys need to go to their website and show them support on their FaceBook, Twitter, and other social media because all thanks to Omni giving us chances for press, we wouldn’t keep on going and I want you guys to give them a nice gift of giving by checking their website, saying that we sent you from Nerdy Shique Universe, @ Nerdy Shique, on Twitter. Why I am asking for this? Well, we found out another convention is taking place that same weekend and don’t want Omni to go down next year.

So, stay tuned for more stuff from Holiday Matsuri! Knowing that we will be in a theater seeing Star Wars, Happy Holidays everyone and to the staff at Matsuri, Omni Expo, MetroCon, and wherever they are, MythiCon since they ended and their spirits still live with us. Merry Christmas to all in the Nerd Universe and Happy Holidays!

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by moonleopard85 on December 24, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in anime, conventions, cosplay, Video Games
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Posted by moonleopard85 on December 24, 2015

https://nerdyshiqueuniverse.com/2015/12/24/convention-impossible-holiday-matsuri/

BoxyCharm and Ipsy: December 2015

Hello Shiquers and welcome back to Nerdy Shique Universe! I am back from Holiday Matsuri and man we were busy there! We went from one event to panel to vendor room, even the gaming room! I will be doing posts here, on YouTube and updating Twitter as well. So, stay tuned and please follow the Twitter page since we also have one! Stay tuned for all that.

Now it’s time for the post for today! It’s BoxyCharm and Ipsy time! I got my IPsy bag last week and had to contact them for my tracking number since it didn’t arrive to my e-mail box. Don’t get why I don’t get them some months when I did in November. While BoxyCharm didn’t arrive until during my time at Holiday Matsuri. I was a bit sad about that since it was supposed to have shipped a day after they started shipping boxes and FedEx said that it was supposed to be out on the ninth but then didn’t ship until last Monday. I understand it’s the holidays but subscriptions tend to get shipped early and on time, like my very first box I got a year ago. Anyways, let’s see what I got!

Ipsy: ::sighs:: I found this month’s bag as the Month of Meh! I know I called May that for both Ipsy and Boxy but this is another month that was meh to me because the products were something that didn’t wow me as much as the past few months. I traded two of my items because I wouldn’t use them. I also noticed the theme fits more with Valentine’s Day than Christmas which was To You With Love. They did the same thing last year as well except the bag is different this year and it looks like a purse like thing than a pencil case and it is red this time than black. I don’t know why butshould have a Christmas theme, hoping 2016 will be that for December. Anyways!

Things I traded:

Tart Smooth Operator Finishing Powder: I think I mentioned powder as an item I used on my profile but not a fan of anything that is a finishing powder and ended up with the Tart Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder. Why I don’t like finishing powders much is that most of them aren’t sensitive skin friendly, which they are better for oily skin users for a good portion of them and I did try one from Furgy and well it broke out my skin pretty badly. I did toss that and said “Not again!” I had a hard time finding someone to trade this along with item number two, was glad to find someone to trade this with. I know a lot of people would have gotten on me for complaining like I usually do on the board but I would’ve loved something else out of the first group of items like the mascara, I think there was a highlighter, and some items that were also there but nooooooo… at least I traded this one and of course, do understand that it matched to my profile and not guaranteed I would get what I wanted out of the items I marked. Maybe I should redo the profile to not mark powders.

RickyCare Faceted 3D Blender: The other item I traded was a beauty blender. I am not too keen on the beauty blender craze and got this and it’s by Rickycare and it’s the 3D Blender. I tend to use brushes for my foundation and I prefer those because I find brushes are way easier to spread foundation and blend it as I go with my other products. I am glad that the person wanted both the powder and this because it gives me a smile that someone will put this and the powder to good use rather than not doing so. That is why swapping is a good thing and glad that the Ipsy Trades Facebook exists. If you’re wondering what I am getting for my items are…

What I am getting for my Trades:

Be A Bombshell Eyeliner in Wild Child: You know I love my eyeliners and love getting them in my bags since I save money on getting more especially in black and this is a black shade by Be a Bombshell. I have gotten products from these guys before, knowing one was the mascara I got a year ago and used that up along the way. I am hoping to get items by these guys again.

Smashbox Photo Finish Masacara: The item from last month’s bag that every Ipster got and the person had one that she was willing to trade. Good that I will be getting another since I love this mascara and the full size does cost around $20 but getting an extra of the deluxe does come in handy. I did the same thing with someone else for their Tart Lights Camera Lashes mascara a year ago for a pair of false eyelashes in my BoxyCharm and it worked out. I do use that extra tube right now.

Items I did Keep!

Elizabeth Mott Thank Me Later Eye Shadow Primer: This is one item that got my curiosity going because I love using eye primers and it’s the Thank Me Later shadow primer from Elizabeth Mott. I never gotten any of their products in my bags until now. I did buy an eye shadow pallet with the All Over Shadow brush which I wanted for a long time but didn’t have enough points for, the brush I mean, but the pallet and the brush was something I got through the Ipsy Offers. I do like how the shadows look and now that I have the primer I am able to explore more. I tried this out during Holiday Matsuri since I was doing my ice trainer character Saturday and my shadows went on smooth and stayed all day! I hope to get more primers like this through Ipsy since it lets me see what is also out there and try higher end stuff without paying the major prices unless they bring it to the Ipsy Offers page.

Pacifica Power of Love Lipstick: An item from Pacifica after eleven months of not getting another from them. This time it was a lipstick and it’s known as the Power of Love Natural Lipstick and I was happy to get this! I think a good portion of Ipsters got this in their bag, even my buddy Vivi got this in her bag. This is a lipstick made out of natural ingredients like coconut oil, shea butter, and Vitamin E. Very nice to have something like this and the packaging is very slim and cute, heard it had hearts. I was glad about the color and it was Tender Heart, which is a burgundy color and decided to try it out on the day before Matsuri and the day after the event ended and I have to say that it was very lightweight! It didn’t feel dry while applying either, it was creamy like how the description said it would but the moisture…not sure how I can say about that since my lips do get dry if I don’t put a lip balm on first, even goes the same with liquid lipsticks any other balms except the Butter Balms by NYX. I am glad to get another Pacifica product since this has become a fave brand of mine and hoping to get more by them.

Marc Anthony Coconut Oil and Shea Butter Conditioning Treatment: This is the third item I ever gotten by Marc Anthony and all thanks to Ipsy I’ve become a fan of their products! I have a full size of their hair spray, a argon oil spray I use whenever I use dry shampoo or wash my hair and that works a lot of wonders, and this! It’s their Coconut Oil and Shea Butter Conditioning Treatment! I was actually happy about this and can’t wait to start using this! Can I say that the smell is amazing? I was trying to keep myself from smelling it until I put it in the shower to keep it away from my paws and nose! It is even worse with the argon oil spray because I smell some mint in it I am a sucker for mint scents, even smelling the mint in coffee makes me happy! Anyways, I am so glad to try this out and can’t wait to see how well it works since the hair spray and the argon spray are wonderful! I want more Marc Anthony in my bags. I am so glad to know that Walgreens.com sells their items and Ulta as well.

BoxyCharm: Now it’s time for BoxyCharm; this month’s box has a 1920s inspired theme that deals with New Year’s Eve and I like that actually. Yeah, it doesn’t seem holiday-like like how last year’s December box was Jimgle Bells but doing a bit of a New Year’s thing does show that we are ringing in another year at tend of this month. I feel one item was out of place though and that is.

Tacha Blotting Papers: Yet again with another out of place item like in January and that is the Tacha Blotting Papers. Why do I say that? Well, blotting papers are mainly made for oily skin and mostly with winter with cold days, especially really cold ones, skin gets dry. I even remember how much my skin hurt when I got back to the dorm in Daytona because of how dry it got on a major cold day. There are people who have oily skin that sometimes gets oily but most of the time people do have drier skin in the winter. I don’t get why this was in the box when it should be in a spring or summer box like the Tart Marakuja Bronzer and Metallic Tatttoos from January. I had so many people get on my case for saying that these are out of place and complained about complaints about it as well, even people on Instagram said that their skin was dry according to someone’s video. Like most items I don’t like from this box I give away and I am giving these papers to Vivi since her skin would appreciate these more than mine. Sorry BoxyCharm, I need to say this, plus it’s an opinion and entitled to it, pick products that fit the box for certain months! I would appreciate something that would go well with a winter box than getting an item that is meant for summer. Hoping January goes well.

Jelly Pong PongHighlighter: Something that I am really happy about and that is a highlighter from Jelly Pong Pong Cosmetics! I tried out an eyeliner/shadow pencil from them that I got in Ipsy and loved it and glad to get and try another product by them. I never thought it would be a highlighter which makes it even more fun! I can’t wait to try this out, it says on the card that it can be used on the cheek bones and brow bones to give an illuminated look, which I mostly do the cheeks. I hear it is a pink color which I hear a lot of companies have been expanding the colors a bit, heck even the Roll-On Shimmers from NYX do that already and I have three of them and having fun with them. Let’s see how this goes!

NCLA So Cuticle Oil: This month we got six items opposed to the five we tend to get. It happened a few months back with getting the Cardatian hair oil and now there were three to choose one that was in the box, well Boxy to chose for everyone and it was between the Harvey Prince Hello cent, the Mullen and Oats Face Mask and the one I gotthe NCLA So Cuticle Oil. I was hoping for the Harvey Prince perfume because my bottle that I got in Ipsy is running low and man I love that scent! I didn’t mind getting the cuticle oil though becaude my cuticles tend to be dry and start splitting which hurts like crazy! When I opened my box to see what I got as the sixth item and saw this I decided to try it out and it smells good! It is like vanilla mixed with sunflowers with the extra hint of acetone and Vitamin E. It says on the card to use twice a day on cuticles and nails. I only done the cuticle thing where I dropped it on my cuticles to spread it, as in did the drop on one and spread through out two or three more cuticles and then dropped another and repeated. It’s like how I do it with Lemony Flutter from Lush, which I take a bit and spread it and if I run out I go back for more. I will keep using this and see how it goes!

Masongel Care Moisture Mask: Another hair item and this time it’s with argon oil! I love argon oil since it helps my hair from feeling damaged and dry and that is why I use the Marc Anthony one and did suggest to cosplayers my favorite of all time, Holy Grail R&B from Lush! Like with the Marc Antony Treatment, this is also a hair mask but it says that I can use this one on towel dry hair versus wet. I may use it on wet since I love or do it before my shower when I shave and then rinse it in the shower. I don’t know but this will be fun!

Ofra Cosmetics Liquid Lipstick: This made me really excited about this month’s box and that is the Ofra Cosmetics liquid Lipstick! I tried these all thanks to an Ipsy Offer and got it! I love how these babies apply because they aren’t sticky, just smooth! I got the shade in Americano which is a nude color from I got in videos and going to be wearing this for the next few days! I did the same with one of my Ofra ones that I already have which was four days I used it in a row! I noticed the packaging did change from how the original tubes were longer and now they are regular lip gloss tubes. If you guys like this, I would recommend it! Also, Kathleen Lights released a new color for them which is called Havana Nights, which you should get and support her.

Bella Pierre Waterproof Lip Liner: Finally, the last item is the Bella Pierre lipliner in Cinnamon! I was really excited about this since I have been getting into lip liners since sometimes I go out of the lines with my lipsticks and it’s good to line my lips to prevent that and keep it on my lips as the day goes on. This pencil is a sharpening one and I prefer that way more than my mechanical ones due to how I had the problem of the tip breaking off due to how fragile the mechanical ones. I do have two mechanical ones and one is the East End Snob from Rimmel since I liked it and broke like crazy and a nude one from L’Oreal. Back to this one, this has a gel formula which is interesting since I heard of gel eye pencils but not a gel lip pencil! This is going to be fun to try out.

This is it for my subscriptions! I would say this month Boxy took it this time! I know I used to say they need to step it up with their products and I think they do which I feel some items in some months don’t fit and out of place for the season and need to improve on that. Hoping with 2016 they would start being better in placing items in what box. The stuff I want to see more from one brand is definitely The Lip Bar because I liked the lipstick I got by them and they are a good replacement for LimeCrime, especially after the scandal that took place the beginning of this year with them. I would say Lip Bar needs to appear more in this box.

While Ipsy, I know this month was meh due to how the items were okay, I do like the lipstick, the hair item I will be using to wash my hair with, and the eye primer. I am glad to find someone who to trade with for the finishing powder and beauty blender. I would say December and May were the two meh months since they had not much of a picking of stuff. I notice how the other items I didn’t get were really good and while the other months for the bag were really great! I am hoping next year it is good as this past year for items! I can’t wait what January brings!

Well, that is it for this month’s boxes and to end this year of subscriptions! I can’t believe I’ve been a member of Ipsy and Boxy for a year, which Ipsy has been a year and a half pretty much! Anyways, I am ready for January for both boxes!

Well, that is it for this post! What is next for Nerdy Shique Universe? Convention Impossible for Holiday Matsuri! Stay tuned!

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by moonleopard85 on December 22, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in beauty

Posted by moonleopard85 on December 22, 2015

https://nerdyshiqueuniverse.com/2015/12/22/boxycharm-and-ipsy-december-2015/

Holiday Matsuri: Last Minute Info!

Hello Shiquers and welcome back to Nerdy Shique Universe! Well, since Holiday Matsuri is coming up in a week, I decided why not do a quick Holiday Matsuri last minute post!?

Why Should You Go? Because it is not only a holiday event but a nice holiday event to spend with friends and family if you haven’t thought up anything to do. Plus, you can take anyone who is an anime fan that visits from anywhere in Florida or the US that hasn’t been to a convention or haven’t been in a while this is something you can do as well. And if anyone who hasn’t gotten anyone anything for Christmas? Or Hannakah after the eight days? This is also your place to find something at the many vendors! Hell, even my buddy Japanese Snacks Guy would help you in that department if that special someone is looking for something awesome to snack on, even KitKats and Melty Kiss, since those are more available around this time of year.

Who Is Going to Be There? There is going to be a lot of guests at this thing including Todd Habercorn, Sean Schemmel, Grey Delsoleil. Also, if anyone’s into Lolita, Angelic Pretty, Japan’s popular Lolita vendor, will be there as well and holding a tea party. Plus other people include Nate Wants to Battle, ManChii, and Chocolate.

Are There Tickets Left? There is but you have to hurry to pre=reg, according to the ticket page it ends on Sunday! A three Day regular pass will cost you $50 and a VIP is $100. If you want to get more information about tickets, registration hours for the event as in when they open and when they close during the event, you can go to http://holidaymatsuri.com/registration/

And of course, make sure you follow us on Twitter @ Nerdy Shique for updates in what are we doing, where we are, why you should be here especially because we are doing press. I want to thank Holiday Matsuri for letting us have this chance this year due to having a bit of bad luck this summer with AFO. I am glad along with Gondras and Nerdy Shirts to cover a holiday-themed convention as a first. And yes we will try and get video clips for you guys as the event happens! We will head to more panels this time. Not sure on interviews yet, Twitter will be the place to let you know. I HIGHLY HIGHLY STRESS following us there because you never know!

That is it for this last minute post, make sure to follow us, make sure to check any last minute ticket things and so on if you’re planning to go. And if you are there, spot the really tall Doctor and me as Lucy and my Ice Trainer, Avery (yes finally gave her her name) during the weekend, might do my blue cat persona Sunday. So, hope to see you all there, if not check Twitter, YouTube, and stay tune for posts from Holiday Matsuri including Convention Impossible!

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by moonleopard85 on December 11, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in conventions

Posted by moonleopard85 on December 11, 2015

https://nerdyshiqueuniverse.com/2015/12/11/holiday-matsuri-last-minute-info/

Doesn’t Sound the Same: Fall Out Boy

Hello Shiquers and welcome back to Nerdy Shique Universe! Well, it’s time for more music stuff and it’s the second installment of Doesn’t Sound the Same! Today’s band is one that I heard during the early 2000s and they have changed ever since and they are known as Fall Out Boy! I know we have been listening to songs like “Uma Thurman,” :Century,” and a few others but they have changed their sound to fit today’s music. I am changing the post set up since the Avril Lavigne one didn’t go well due to being sick when I wrote it. Let’s get started.

Band History: We know the story behind their band name and that is tthey were new to the stage and didn’t know what to call their band until they asked their fans to give them a name and Fall Out Boy came around all thanks to the character Fall Out Boy from The Simpsons which stuck. I heard about these guys all thanks to a very old music streaming website. I am not talking about the very controversial and well-known Napster which was around at the same time but I am talking about MP3.com.

I was browsing on the top alternative and punk charts until I came across a song known as “Saturday” by them and decided why not download it and check them out. This was around 2001 when I started getting into New Found Glory more and other rockfish acts and when I listened to “Saturday,” they were a pop-punk band and sounded very good. I decided why not find more about these guys and found another song that was available for download and that was “Dead On Arrival.” I bet you’re wondering what this song that I just mentioned? Does anyone remember the very first Rock Band game? Reason why I ask this is because this song was on there on the disk for people to sing. It is a very easy song mind you!

After a few years, I haven’t heard anything new from them until the radio started playing “Sugar We’re Going Down” in 2005 from their second album, yes I am saying second because the first album that a lot of people didn’t know about had those two songs I mentioned above and you can find it through Best Buy and that was called “Take This to Your Grave,” the second album was “Underneath the Cork Tree.” They kept the rock theme going since this was more of an emo sound they had mixed with the pop punk sound. Trust me, “Sugar We’re Going Down” was a major ear worm and even had the album, heck I even have a special edition one that my dad found out of nowhere. The rock sound kept going with other songs like “Dance Dance,” “A Little Less A Little More Sixteen Candles,” even with the next album with “This Ain’t A Scene,” and then the last album before Ashlee Simpson went Yoko Ono, “I Don’t Care,” which was a failure of an album with that.

When the Sound Changed: Fall Out Boy did return and this time their sound changed with it. Even though rock still stuck around since we still have bands like Sevendust, Ten Years, even Slash came back with his own band, but Fall Out Boy turned completely pop to fit today’s popularity with pop and you hear it with their songs “My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark,” “Immortals,” which was featured in the movie Big Hero 6, and the song that everyone knows and loves and used for football, “Centuries.”

My Thoughts: Even though they are still a bit of an ear worm but turning pop was a 50/50 thing with me. I miss their old punk sound but at the same time it shows how much they evolved over time from being pop punk to emo punk and now pop entirely. It is weird for me but looking at it now like most artists, they need to fit with what a lot of people listen to. It’s not bad, hearing “Uma Thurman” on the other hand, just one of those things that you may step back even with hearing the Munsters theme being sampled throughout it.

Do I Want Them to Go Back? Yes, in a sort of nostalgic way. It’s like me with New Found Glory’s “Coming Home” album which I thought they need to go back to their old sound and get rid of the piano. I still prefer the punkish version of Fall Out Boy because they sounded better to me than now. Who knows, maybe they will bring it back someday or even still perform “Saturday” or “Sugar We’re Going Down” at a show.

So, that is it, what is next for Doesn’t Sound the Same? Well, since I covered Fall Out Boy, why not go to a band that almost sounds like them and went through the same changes and they are known as Panic At the Disco. Stay tuned!

UPDATE ON HOLIDAY MATSURI: Since you guys know that I mentioned my buddy Manchii on here. I would like you guys to know, he will be a cosplay guest for Holiday Matsuri! He has helped me with getting my cat character Runa done and my outfit for Lucy. If you want to meet himand see what cosplays he may have on hand, go to Holiday Matsuri that is taking place in two weeks! Get your tickets now before they are gone or buy them at the door!

Also make sure you follow us on Twitter @ Nerdy Shique!

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by moonleopard85 on December 5, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in Music

Posted by moonleopard85 on December 5, 2015

https://nerdyshiqueuniverse.com/2015/12/05/doesnt-sound-the-same-fall-out-boy/

Music Review: Eyeshine’s Sidewalk Dreams and Chalk Dust

Hello Shiquers and welcome back to Nerdy Shique Universe! It’s time for a music review and glad to do something music again. What is it this time? Let’s see!

This starts off with Ranger Stop, I know you thought I was done but not really! Johnny Yong Bosh was there as a guest this year and found out while I was meeting him again (last time I met him was at AFO 2011) and found out that among all the items he had on his table was his newest album with his band Eyeshine. I know you’re thinking, he is a musician? Yep! I got into their music through a friend of mine that Johnny remembered and even have their radio station on Itunes added to my list. Let’s see what I think about this album!

Album Name: Sidewalk Dreams and Chalk Dust
Artist: Eyeshine

As you know, my favorite genre of music is rock and some bands I do like, especially in alternative and punk, include New Found Glory, Soul Switch, Boys Like Girls, and so many more. Eyeshine to me at least remind me of a combination of Third Eye Blind with a mix of Boys Like Girls but this album shows more of their Boys Like Girls side with the first two songs having a harder sound and they are known as”Paper Hearts” and “Play in Two (I’m Getting Out.)” Then once track three, “So Majestic,” it brings their softer side and to admit I like Eyeshine’s softer side than the harder because it shows Johnny’s voice range a lot better. Even on ITunes when they play the ballads by Eyeshine I feel like turning up the volume and sit back while I write as they play, heck I did remember one really good ballad on one of the old CDs I borrowed from that friend and played it over and over on my old MP3 player because it was beautiful. I wished Ranger Stop had Eyeshine perform because not only I never got to see them live which I am kind of kicking myself for not doing that during AFO 2011 but I can imagine how this album would sound.

There is one song that does pop out to me and it’s called “Break Free” break Free” and it is another one of the ballads on this album. To me the lyrics kind of remind me when I graduated from college since it talks about leaving one world in the soft guitar that starts it and then the other instruments join in. I remembered how back in college I wanted to break free from it and live my life again without college holding back. This song is pretty much my favorite on the album and I think one other.

My other favorite would have to be “Myself to Lose” because I like the sound of it and I do like the lyrics about being twenty-one and have to grow up. When I was that age, I didn’t feel grown up at all, especially meeting Gondras at the time. One thing I did take from the song is the chorus because it talks about doing something in your life again and you have yourself to lose. To tell you the truth, I feel like I want to draw again but lost it due to my eye sight again and if I were to go back to that time in my earlier twenties I would definitely do it again before my reality did hit. I do say that right now doing this blog is what I like to do the most.

My Thoughts on the Album as a Whole: I say Eyeshine has definitely changed their sound and the audio sounds better on this as well. What do I mean by that? The older stuff felt a bit echo-like and I feel like this one had better recording style, editing, and so on. Plus, it shows that Johnny has grown as a musician with his band and if I would definitely have this played at a gathering among friends or even in Hot Topic.

My Rating: Five Cat Paws out of Five!

Well, that is it for this review of the album! I hope to see more from Eyeshine and hoping if Johnny is back for Ranger Stop that they perform. That is one thing that they needed and that was Special Events. Anyways, glad to know that they put something new out there for all of us and glad that I can find their music on ITunes, which their list is interesting because it also has anime music to go with. If you have an IPhone or IPad, I would say check out their playlist on ITunes Radio to see what other stuff they have done.

What is next? Definitely doing Doesn’t Sound the Same on Fall Out Boy. And follow us on Twitter @Nerdy SHique if you haven’t gotten a chance! We will be posting about our experiences from Holiday Matsuri during that weekend so you can see what is going on with us during the convention and what other posts we have and so on. Stay tuned!

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by moonleopard85 on December 2, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in Music

Posted by moonleopard85 on December 2, 2015

https://nerdyshiqueuniverse.com/2015/12/02/music-review-eyeshines-sidewalk-dreams-and-chalk-dust/