Robyn Writes

Turning Japanese

There comes a moment (or several, if you’re like that) in everyone’s life when they turn around, go ‘oh shit!’ and finally realise that they’ve succumbed to something they swore they wouldn’t. Most times, this is an addiction or obsession. Like realising that you have to stop buying shoes because you have no money or space to keep them in any more. Like looking at the clock in the middle of a gaming session and realising you haven’t moved for eight hours. Like finding yourself covered in tattoos after you swore you’d only get ‘just one or two’. However, I think I’ve got something a bit more embarrassing than that. In my case… it’s an obsession with Japanese culture.

You just have to look all over the internet to see how shameful that can potentially be. Several satire sites on the internet tell the tale of the ‘weeaboo’ or ‘wapanese’ kids, who obsess over anime, call things ‘kawaii’ (potentially the only Japanese word they know) and import Pocky for ridiculous amounts of money. Those kids are, generally, scary. Some obsess beyond belief. Those are the kind that want to marry their favourite anime character or ‘bishie’. The kind that attempt to use any form of Japanese language they can, even if they know two or three words. And don’t forget the pictures. All over DeviantART, there’s bad fanart, creepy anthropomorphic cats, horrifically drawn doujinshi…

But, there are lots of cool elements to Japanese culture that say, ‘yes, you can overcome this initial fear, it’s not all a creepy world full of cat people and fat cosplayers!’ Because it really isn’t! I’ll be your virtual tour guide through some of this weird and wonderful world, but please, watch out for the tentacle rape hentai…

Anime
It makes sense to start at ‘A’, and cool thing number one? Anime. Anime is the Japanese word for animation, but most have taken this on to mean Japanese cartoons. For the most part, they’re more inventive, more wacky and a more central part of television than anywhere else. You’ve probably seen anime before, whether you like it or not. Virtually everyone in the Western world under twenty has watched Pokemon at some point in their lives, and can probably agree that it’s one part insane, three parts awesome (or lame, if you’re determined not to be a geek).


Pikachu – inspiring kids to paint their hamsters yellow since 1995

Dragonball Z started it all off for me, and I haven’t stopped since. The main problem is trying to get hold of it. Not all of the best anime is dubbed into English for the American market, and trying to find anime on television in the UK is like trying to find fightclubsandwich at a Less Than Jake gig. It’s an elusive beast. Luckily, there’s a lot of sites which host streaming anime videos and clips. You can watch the English dubs on some sites, or for the true Japanophile, there’s ‘subs’, where fangroups take the raw Japanese episode and subtitle it for the rest of the world. Personally, I prefer the subs, because the Japanese voices are generally much funnier in the comedy animes and English subs don’t get the same emotions coming through. It also gives me a chance to attempt to learn the hideously difficult Japanese language. Common phrases like WHYYYYYYY (doushite, if you were interested) and ‘but that means…’ (masaka) are now firmly embedded in my brain and I feel that if the opportunity to solve a mystery or fight supernatural forces arises with Japanese involved, I’m fully competent to handle the situation.

Recommended watching: Fullmetal Alchemist, Fruits Basket, Ouran High School Host Club, D.Gray-Man, Death Note, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Samurai Champloo, Bleach, Gantz, Blood+. Essentially, anything that isn’t Naruto.

The bands
Japanese bands are odd, sometimes creepy, often fantastic. J-rock and J-pop have been the cornerstone of every Japanophile’s music collection, and this can encompass a massive range in style. Dir en Gray, for example, don’t know who they should be, and neither do UVERworld, with their insane rapping guy mixed with pop-punkish guitars. Either way, Japanese music has this lack of boundaries that the western world tends to have, leading to some weird and wonderful tracks. Also, the lead singer often looks like a woman. A strangely attractive woman.


Yes. Miyavi is a dude. You’re free to feel ashamed now, boys.

Even if you don’t know what they’re singing about, Japanese pop music tends to be happier than ours, their metal even more frenetic, and their fans are twice as loyal. Attractive singers and musicians, often known as ‘idols’, are elevated to almost god status. Many bands provided the basis for new fashion movements like Visual Kei (we’ll talk about that later), such as Malice Mizer and X Japan. And to sum up… Japanese fangirls are even more devoted than My Chemical Romance’s.

Recommended listening:

1) UVERworld – great pop-punk. These guys do a lot of anime themes, so their music is pretty accessible.

2) abingdon boys school – fantastic rock music. The guitar in this is just awesome. Possibly my favourite J-rock band.

3) Orange Range – really light hearted pop-punk which is great fun.

4) Miyavi – an essential. He’s weird, but wonderful.

5) Polysics – these ones are a little more well known over here. Again, just plain weird, but fantastic.

6) L’Arc-en-ciel – mostly famous for their involvement in the visual kei movement, but really good stuff. Their ‘alter ego’, P’unk-en-ciel is also awesome.

The games
It would be virtually impossible for me to comment on Japanese culture without mentioning the video game industry. Almost every successful video game franchise has originated from Japan, as well as three of the most successful video game consoles of all time – the Wii, the DS and the Playstation 2. The video game industry is a huge presence over there and you can find Nintendo stores, gaming merchandise and Wii Sports bars (you think I’m joking, but I’m really not) everywhere.

The Japanese are famous for pioneering a bunch of genres and showing everyone else how to do it right. RPGs (role playing games) are probably the best example of this. Squaresoft and Enix – now joined as Square Enix – created the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest series respectively, two of the best selling franchises worldwide. The Final Fantasy series are definitely some of my favourite games ever, combining a compelling story with interesting gameplay, and really, were the first games to do so. Nothing excites me more than a girly, angsty protagonist with a vengeance kick and a badass limit break. Of course, Nintendo have created almost everything worth playing, and Mario is indeed the most recognisable video game character ever. Much like our browser title says, my mum loves playing Mario Kart, and I don’t think she’s the only one. The Wii and DS have revolutionised the way we play together – a ‘games’ night in my house used to consist of playing Cluedo; now, we gather round the TV and try to beat each other’s bowling scores on Wii Sports – and have made video gaming a worldwide hobby for all ages.

As well as the ‘blockbusters’, Japanese game companies have produced some really quirky ones. Some of these have far out gameplay, some have the strangest stories and others… well, others involve you
peeing into a toilet with your Wii remote. Perhaps the quirkiest game I’ve played in a long time is The World Ends With You, a DS game in which you, playing as Neku, have complete some pretty strange objectives in order to win your life back from the Reapers. It’s got a battle system only the Japanese could think of – using pins/badges to destroy ‘Noise’, monsters trying to erase you from the world. Oh, and buying outfits that suit the trends of Shibuya. For those wishing to expand their collection of geek, Eye of Judgement for PS3 is a must – use the Playstation Eye to enact a card battle on your screen. Odd? Yes. Fun? Definitely, if you like CCGs.

There’s not much more I can say about games without revealing my true and geeky colours, and there’s still a lot more to talk about on our strange mystery tour around the world of Japanese culture. However, be sure to watch out for games from Japanese publishers on your travels around your local video game store, because I can guarantee that most of the time, they’re definitely the better buy. I may be stating the obvious here, but…

Recommended series/games to play: Final Fantasy, Resident Evil, Mario, Pokemon, No More Heroes, Legend Of Zelda, Tekken, Mega Man, Metal Gear Solid, Onimusha, Kingdom Hearts.

The fashion

Ah… Japanese fashion. Japanese fashion is definitely more daring than Western fashion in a lot of respects, but then again, the girls and boys there can usually pull it off better than we ever could. Nevertheless, Japanese fashion has inspired plenty of fashion movements around the world and looks incredibly cool. Harajuku and Shibuya are the main fashion districts, and tons of Western designers have taken cues from these places. So, what are some types of Japanese fashion?

Perhaps the most important Japanese fashion movement is Visual Kei. Many argue that Visual Kei is a genre of music, and while it was pioneered by bands, those bands don’t always have the same sound, just the same look. Therefore, we’ll call it fashion. Visual Kei bands used their appearance in order to attract attention… and they really did get it. Visual Kei bands were usually all male, and androgyny is still an important part of Visual Kei. Defining features are over the top hairstyles, shocking use of makeup (lipstick in particular) and bright, colourful and flamboyant clothing.


This is the band Versailles. To be honest, those costumes are BADASS. Also, they’re all men.

Another notable Japanese fashion movement is lolita. Although the name sounds kind of creepy (Wikipedia it, trust me), lolita is truly an adorable trend and ties in closely with the goth movement. Typical features of lolita include black (and lots of it), frills, sweet little dresses and bows. It’s influenced by Victorian fashion… but far less conservative. There are many subdivisions of lolita, and if you want to learn more, I highly recommend LolitaFashion.org. But seriously… this style is cute.

And who could forget cosplay?! Cosplay is one of the stranger aspects of Japanese fashion, where Japanese kids (and otaku) dress up as their favourite anime/manga/video game character. This has spread throughout the world now and people do this at conventions all over. However, we’ll never be as successful at it as the Japanese. It takes a lot of effort to get cosplay right. Many enthusiasts make their own costumes. Lazy people like myself order them from specialist cosplay sites. Either way, it can be incredibly fun. This year, I plan on dressing up as Yuna from Final Fantasy X. Just think… it’s like Halloween come early! For some awesome Western cosplay pictures, check out American Cosplay Paradise. If it’s Japanese you’re after, then JapanForum has some of the best.

The manga

And finally, on our tour, we have manga. Manga is the Japanese equivalent of a comic book, and different mangas are usually printed in a weekly magazine such as Shonen Jump or Shojo Beat. Stories are then collected into tankobon, which is generally the format that we find them in. There are many different types of manga, but the main ones are shonen, which is for boys, and shojo, which is for girls. Typically, the hardcore action happens in shonen and all the magical fashon stuff happens in shojo. However, allow me to take you through a few key characters you might encounter throughout your manga travels (while recommending you some killer titles at the same time)!

1) The ‘magical girl’ – this is the kind of girl that we all want to be. One day, the ‘magical girl’ discovers she has magical powers, and usually, she must use these powers to save the world! These powers can include flight, magic through the use of cards, super strength and more. She’s often got a hidden identity, making her even more cool and mysterious, but she can have a sidekick on occasion. This character can be written in any way.

Notable magical girls – Chi from Chobits, Sakura from Cardcaptor Sakura, Usagi from Sailor Moon

2) The bishounen or ‘bishie’ – an extremely attractive, almost feminine looking man. These are found all over the place in shojo manga and are usually the main love interest. They’re charming, intelligent, chivalrous and downright gorgeous. They’re often hip and cool too, with wicked fashion sense.

Notable bishounen – Tamaki Suou from Ouran High School Host Club, Yuki Sohma from Fruits Basket, Eiri Yuki from Gravitation

3) The ‘harem’ leader – Harem manga is usually comedic and involves a boy (or girl!) surrounded by beautiful men or women who are interested in them – not necessarily romantically. Usually, this character is awkward, oblivious, uncool, but also the point of major comedy. Harem manga is a lot of fun.

Notable harem leaders – Haruhi from Ouran High School Host Club, Keitaro Urashima from Love Hina, Tenchi from Tenchi Muyo

4) The ‘antihero’ – Much like in Western comics, the antihero is a big thing, particularly in shonen manga. Usually, these characters are stoic, abrasive and don’t see why it has to be them to save the world. To a lesser extent, these characters are seen in shojo manga as the ‘bad boy’ who doesn’t see why all the girls like him. However, towards the end of the series, their cold, hard exterior seems to crack as they find their true purpose.

Notable antiheroes – Kyo Sohma from Fruits Basket, Ichigo Kurasaki from Bleach, Ororon Gem Farrell from The Demon Ororon

5) The ‘pervert’ – The pervert can be found all over manga. They’re those cheeky little characters whose accusations and jokes go a little too far. You can usually find these guys sneaking a peek at the girls when they’re wearing something a little too revealing or groping a boob here and there. They usually get their asses kicked somehow, usually by the main girl character.

Notable perverts – Shigure Sohma from Fruits Basket, Hideki from Chobits, Roshi from Dragonball Z

Alas, it’s the end for our journey around the wonderful world of Japanese culture! This article has barely scratched the surface. There’s so much more out there, but hopefully, this will have given you a good idea of how awesome Japanese culture is. The more I look into it, the less I feel ashamed of a potentially geeky habit and the more obsessed I become. Sayonara!

PS: I’ve decided to include a glossary of some terms found within the article for further explanation:

CCG – collectible card game. Think Magic: The Gathering.

Hentai – anime porn. Yup.

Otaku – somebody obsessed with the geekier aspects of Japanese culture. And I mean obsessed.

Pocky – pretzel sticks with a delicious coating. Popular flavours are chocolate, strawberry, grape, banana and milk.

Doujinshi – self-published or fan manga.

I Hate Karl Lagerfeld by fightclubsandwich

At first, I found this article difficult to start. My focus would spiral madly away into this weird confessional bit about how fashion is kind of a difficult business to identify with, being composed as it is of a glut of giant moneyspinning corporations, the rules they make and the rules they follow, and then clusters of individuals and subcultures and the rules they make and the rules they follow. It all got rather horribly complicated, until it dawned on me that it didn’t have to, this is a simple enough topic so why would it need a complicated introduction?

I hate Karl Lagerfeld. You see? Simple!

All fashion journalists seem to think of Karl Lagerfeld – the current head of Chanel, for those who might not know, and hey why should you? – as some sort of eccentric German grandfather figure of the design world, like Dr Emmett Brown from Back To The Future but with less gadgetry and more shoes. In a hyper-serious industry like fashion, his quirkiness is the only injoke. This is perhaps the first reason that I do not like him. Nobody likes an injoke that they are not part of, and the callous broadcast of injokes to the lives of people who “weren’t there” and thus do not get it is teeth-clenchingly irritating. Here at TBO, for example, we have plenty of injokes amongst the staff, but we are aware that they are of no interest to the average reader who was not present for the joke’s birth. Consequently we keep our damn mouths shut.

My main problem is that after doing my research into this joke, I still don’t think he’s a good one. I refuse to enjoy or even tolerate his “quirky” quotations, which, to the sensible mind, are not so hilarious or witty as they are bratty, banal or just plain cruel. In terms of the latter, how about the suggestion that “fashion is the healthiest motivation for losing weight”? Or “Luxury is for the rich, not the nouveau riche.” The smugness that saturates such brush-offs is, in my opinion, unbearable. Uh, hello, when has it been okay to use a phrase like nouveau riche in a context devoid of sarcasm without getting punched in the mouth? Oh, there is a world outside of the fashion industry? Poor people live there? Oh how quaint! I don’t get how anyone could find such comments endearing. I am under no illusions; if I met Karl Lagerfeld under whatever circumstances, I have no doubt that he would be cruel and dismissive of “my kind” so why should I give him the time of day? Snobby people deserve the loathing of those they look down upon because it evens the playing field, they need to be reminded that hating others is not a mark of sophistication and superiority, that we can hate you back.

I suppose I also despise what Karl Lagerfeld represents, as a part of the fashion industry. I got kinda interested in clothes through my mother, who taught me to sew and knit, but it was only when I first attended university – leaving a school with a set uniform to wear every day – that I really started to see any practical application to any of it. “Oh wait, people actually wear clothes, in the real world. Oh no, all my fellow students dress really well!” Of course, by the time I reached university I was already stuck in my weird-geeky-stubborn-misfit-y niche, so I got interested in fashion with a pre-set distaste for authority. Maybe I’m just repulsed by the idea that Lagerfeld’s persona (rather than his actual merit as a designer) is enjoyed predominantly by those cliquey types who consider themselves “insiders”, in a way, with some kind of acute awareness of how the highest echelons of the industry works. This only gives feed to the idea – in paranoid brain like my own – that their joke, their common knowledge is a way of keeping us out. It’s a party to which only the people who care and the people who are in the know get an invite.

Lagerfeld seems to enjoy painting himself as some kind of pastiche of an authoritative figure. Is the whole point of his persona an indication that in the sprawling mess of the fast-moving fashion world, the idea of an iron fist to rule it all is absurd? Nah, I wouldn’t credit him with an actual sense of humour. I mean, come on:

“I built up my own reality. I created something I can cope with in life. I enjoy luxury and being the centre of my own intact world.”

Barf.

Ways To Deal With Those Fucking Hardcore Dancers by ninthandash

You know how it is. You’re at one of your first hardcore shows. Converge have just come on stage, and you’re pretty excited. The crowd are noisy, the music’s even noisier, and all in all it’s shaping up to be a good night. Then you start getting pushed back as a circle opens up. The singer’s screaming into a mic, and there’s about to be a breakdown in the music. All signs point to a pit — and hardcore pits are, without a doubt, some of the best and most extreme.

So you’re getting ready to jump in there, but some kids beat you to it. And instead of thrashing or slamdancing, they’re doing some other weird thing. They’re swinging their arms around wildly, in a circle, and doing something that looks like skanking but, well… it isn’t. It’s like some bastardized form. The hardcore veterans around you start scoffing and mocking them. And this? This is your first experience of a horrible thing called hardcore dancing.

It’s a stupid name, for a start. The terms hardcore and dancing together are antonymous. They’re not supposed to go together. Moshing is acceptable, and skanking is always good. But hardcore dancing isn’t. When it started, it was an expression of the music, just like anything else. But slowly, it’s become something different. Scenesters do it in order to look cool. It stops everyone else from having a good time. And they usually have little or no concern for the people around them. So what do you do? How do you stop this so-called ‘dancing’ from occurring?

Stage 1: Glaring.
This is more glaring in their general direction. It’s incredibly hard to catch someone’s eye when they’re windmilling about or, worse, attempting to two-step. In order to have more of an effect, sometimes the glaring is combined with hands on hips. If you can find enough space, that is.

Stage 2: Getting In The Way.
They can’t dance if there’s no room to dance, right? So you edge a little further towards them. Maybe dig an elbow into their ribs when they get too close, or stick a foot out in a hopeful attempt to trip them up. It doesn’t work, though. You’ll just get hit in the face by one of their flailing arms.

Stage 3: Verbal Harrassment.
All forms of subtlety gone, your patience is beginning to wear thin. It was bad enough during the support band, but they’re continuing into the headlining set. You hear a few cries of “FUCKIN’ SHITHEADS,” and “GET THE FUCK OUT.” Hardcore kids are never the most imaginative ones when it comes to insults, but for once you don’t hesitate in joining them. It’s not just dancing; it’s more than that. It’s personal.

Stage 4: All Out War.
It never usually goes past more than four stages. Hardcore is not synonymous with patience, and most hardcore kids are renowned for their short tempers. The dancers have had their warnings. They must be well aware that they’re annoying everyone else in the venue. And their friends have taken the shitty MySpace photos of them that they wanted. But they’re still continuing, so they’re asking for it. At this point, the other hardcore kids join the circle. Instead of dancing, they take over and turn it into a hardcore pit. Remember: it’s not truly over until all of the dancers have had a fist to the face. Otherwise, they’ll just never learn!

Required Watching:
Sick Of It All – Step Down.
A.F.I. – The Leaving Song Pt II.
A Day To Remember – The Plot To Bomb The Panhandle.
Hatebreed – I Will Be Heard.

Review: Empires – Howl (by ninthandash)

Tom Conrad has a lot riding on this release. After leaving The Academy Is… in 2006, not much was heard from Conrad until late 2007 when the formation of the band empires was announced. The band were constantly writing and creating songs through the whole of 2007, beginning the recording process in October and completing it four months later. The album, named Howl, was available for free download online, and included a selection of Conrad’s photography.

Howl opens with the atmospheric ‘Spit the Dark’, creating a dark, addictive sound that soon builds into a much catchier refrain. Van Vleet’s vocals aren’t showcased as well as they possibly could be for the ever-important first impression, but the band certainly show their talent for upbeat, clever rock songs. ‘I Want Blood’ follows this, and is a definite contrast to the slow-building ‘Spit the Dark’, crashing straight into the once-again addictive beats and this time Van Vleet’s vocals work well. From another band, it could be construed as too much too soon, not allowing the listener to gain a sense of progress from one song to the next. However, empires manage to make it work, and the song definitely both gains attention and manages to hold it. ‘Modern Love’ is different again, following the distinctive empires feature of switching from slow, stripped sections to fuller, more energetic ones.

‘Believe’ has a definite Beatles-esque feel to it, and the use of chorus on certain lines sits well with the tone of the song. A mostly acoustic song, empires seem to have attained the perfect balance of quieter moments building up to stronger refrains, Van Vleet asking don’t you want to believe? in an infectious, melodic tune. ‘Late Night Rendezvous’, by contrast, has much more of a Men, Women & Children tone. The dance influence is strong, and sounds a little bit too much like At Night I Like To Fight for it to have the strong impact it would otherwise deserve.

‘Warning Mark’ is one of the only, if not the only, songs on the record that has a touch of similiarity. The song itself is in no way generic, but has a familiar tone to it, in a way that gives that feeling of have I heard this before? Nothing about it seems to stick and, although I hate to call it a ‘weak spot’, it is definitely one of empires’ less solid songs. ‘Don’t Let It Fool You’ is over two minutes in length, but seems much shorter, almost acting as an introduction for ‘Under The Bright Lights’. This is, in my opinion, one of empires’ strongest songs from the album. Powerful and moving, Van Vleet tells the listener we’ll watch the sky explode in half, and the entire atmosphere of the last night on earth, of watching the — as Van Vleet says — sky explode in half is definitely present. ‘Under The Bright Lights’ has to be ultimately empires’ greatest triumph, creating a sense of feeling that many of the other songs come close to but fail to achieve.

If anything, there is a sense of too much from Howl. The songs seem undecided on being slow ballads, or faster and catchier rock songs, and the mix of both ensure the record comes across as feeling more like listening to your favourite radio station than a debut album. Some of the songs are perhaps too different, and can be a little confusing, but if anything empires have definitely made sure they cannot be placed into a definite genre, choosing instead to sample everything they can — and, surprisingly, they do it well.



3.5 out of 4 high fives.

Why honors college is absolutely ridiculous by Nox

Originally posted by Nox in 2009

This year, I graduated from high school and started honors college. It’s pretty crazy, and there’s several things about it which are totally stupid, so I decided to compile a list of a few reasons why honors college is absolutely ridiculous.

1. Minimum of 15 hours required.
Now, this may seem easy enough to handle; however, when most classes are credited as three hour classes and lab sciences are credited as four the hours begin to build up. Before you know it you are bogged down with 17+ hours, which, if you don’t already know, is an insane amount especially for an entering freshmen.

2. Forum
Honors Forum may or may not be required, but in my case it is so just pay attention. In normal forums you are required to read a book and write a reaction paper. Not so bad until you have to tie that paper in to community service projects. You must weigh out pros and cons of projects and decide if they are logical for your area. This takes some thought and creativity on your part.

3. Tricksters
Friends and advisors can be tricky resources when deciding what classes to take. Naturally, your advisor is going to have all the faith in the world in you. Flattering really, that is until you get into the classes that they claim you will be able to handle. Be careful and watch what you are taking. Do your best to research teachers and assignments by using past students as resources. Find out who assigns the most essays and who gives the best notes. Take this to heart, it is extremely important. Remember you are capable of anything, but don’t pile too much on yourself at one time. Just because your friend is taking twenty hours doesn’t mean you need to. They may have a schedule full of electives. Even if they don’t, just remember how stressed out you get under pressure — don’t set yourself up for that.

4. Internships / Hidden agendas
Make absolutely sure of your class requirements before you enroll. Classes that are listed as honors classes and not contracted do have a reason for being such. Some classes may be paired with an internship or external project. Check with your advisor and the prospective teacher ahead of time so you know exactly what you are getting yourself into. Again, hours come into play. Often these external requirements have a weekly minimum hour schedule, meaning if you are taking 18 hours and you stack a three hour project on top then really you are getting 21 hours and wearing yourself awfully thin. Be careful.

Now, these are simply pointers. There are perks to being in honors college.

1. Friends
Honors students are some of the most well rounded people you will ever meet. Various personalities are found in the honors pool of people, but each of them have passed experience with working in a group and working incredibly hard. Therefore, on the first day you already have something in common. (:

2. Teachers
Teachers treat you differently as an honors student. They expect more from you and do not treat you like you are in high school. This can be extra important when you are trying to tackle serious issues on campus, like enforcing no smoking zones. Teachers also tend to favor you because they know you are ready to work and are not there just to make your parents happy. It shows that you have a goal and you want to excel in your academic career.

3. Scholarships
Ah, free money! Being accepted in an honors program always comes with some form of financial aid. Who doesn’t love free stuff? Now, maybe you are one of those people that has the tuition covered, but think about this. Most honors scholarship can be stacked; therefore, you can use the money towards books, supplies, and even food!
Major pluses come with the hard work honors college entails, but you really have to be willing to work for it. So, all things considered, if you are absolutely crazy then you should totally apply for honors college. But if you are a slacker and just barely skim by as it is, you should steer clear — honors will eat you alive.