Still on Beautiful Life and Fruits Basket
Mar. 2nd, 2007 11:31 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dangermousieBefore leaving this morning, I needed a pick-me up, so I watched a certain scene from ep 6 of Pride. Meeeeep. Still awesome.
Speaking of awesome, I have continued with my watch of Beautiful Life and am now halfway through episode 7. Love it as much as ever.
I really love how tender Shuji is with Kyoko. *faints* I am especially thinking of the scene midway through ep 7 (after they came to his apartment after he met her family and had to deal with her adorably overprotective brother, who has an awesome secondary OTP of his own) and she apologizes for not wearing the red shoes he gave her, yet. Because she lacks the courage. And he matter of factly tells her that she can wear them on their next date. And there is kissing and holding each other and she says this is as far as she can go (I am not sure if she means she is incapable of doing certain *ahem* things, or just at that moment or what) and he says this is plenty. Whoa.
No wonder the whole thing makes her giddy: she is like a teenager again, pulling him for a kiss in her car, all glowy.
She is very insecure about her ‘worth’ vis-à-vis a ‘normal’ person (like the scene in the rain where she thinks it would be nice if they ran to the car together) but I think after the scene with the rollercoaster where she tried to push him away by showing she isn’t ‘normal’ but all he was worried about was her and his own helplessness, she finally gave in (because hey, you can be healthy and be helpless, just the helpless way she felt when she saw him fall and wasn’t able to do anything).
My favorite scene so far? When she gets brought up on stage, courtesy of the evil stylist (who I can’t hate really, because he’s repented and made peace with both of them since) and the look on Shuji’s face because he knows how much she hates it, hates being singled out. He knows she'll be hurt and omg the most intense eyes ever *dies* *melts*
I love the bit with his arm in a sling (because he sprained it) and how he is sort of musing to himself how these inconveniences must be daily for Kyoko. GUH. He is awesome (and he is adorable jealous, when he sees her with wheelchair!guy too).
I don’t like his ex, telling Kyoko to find someone else, but even she isn’t kdrama evil.
So yes, this is awesome.
And now on to my other great fictional love of lately: Fruits Basket. Finished volume 6 and had no time to go to bookstore for more, and am suffering from withdrawal.
This is a much faster read than Ceres, somehow. Not a good or a bad thing, just weird that it is.
Ooooh, poor Yuki. OMG. Akito=hate. The whole bit where Akito comes to school and is all ‘you didn‘t come to new year’s banquet, should I lock you up in your special room like I used to?’ HATE. Hello, this is child abuse and last I checked, illegal. I am not exactly sure what went on but Akito is creepily possessive of Yuki. Creepily. Like after meeting Tohru he is all ‘heh, she is ugly, yay, no threat. And Yuki is still afraid of me, so we are still close’ BWAH? Hate. When you traumatize someone, sure they’ll remember you. But I love how Tohru, even though she is wondering why Akito looked like he hated her, and with no idea what on earth went between Yuki and Akito, knows that Yuki is probably all messed up by it and drags him to play badminton. Poor Yuki. He must have had horrendous trauma, because one of the Sohmas mentions Yuki went mute for a bit. And you can tell the way he interacts with Kisa (the 11? Year old) who also went mute from trauma that he identifies a bit too much with her. When he talks to her and tells her people tell you that if you feel as if there is nothing worthy about yourself, you hate yourself, it’s not going to help when other people tell you to find positive stuff because you can think of qualities but they are meaningless. You have to have someone else like you, for it to work. He is totally speaking from experience. *hates Akito some more* And I love that he is coming out of his shell. And he discovered his hat in Tohru’s possessions!
Btw, here’s the time to mention I really like Haru. He is so funny, with the good-natured guy who can turn into violent freak :D I really like how very protective he is. Of Kisa, to whom he is like an older brother (I love when he goes hunting for her everywhere), of Yuki, whom he frankly admits he loves. He is so very awesome. Though he is very different in personality, the dynamics remind me a bit of the older trio of Hatori-Shigure-Ayama. He is a bit like a more laid-back, much more interacting with the others Kyo.![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
meganbmoore tells me he has an awesome OTP who I haven’t met yet, and I am glad.
I was going to save Kyo and Kyo/Tohru for last, because they are my favorite parts, but nah. I’ve never been very patient. Kyo=love. LOL at his penchant for seeing everything as a fight. Kyo/Tohru is the most awesome thing ever. He is so grouchy in general but so sweet to her. He was trying to figure out why Haru’s teasing about Tohru was bugging him. And then there was the whole White Day thing (btw, Momiji is rather sweet). I love the bit where he cooks her dinner when she is sick (and is later reading a cookbook to improve, heee) and he is all blushy when she compliments his cooking. You know, both Yuki and Kyo really need all the positive reinforcement they can get, as they have self-esteem issues the size of Jupiter. And that’s the thing. They don’t need grand declarations (as Kyo thinks back on his Mom who always says she adored him but was ashamed of him and finally killed herself when she couldn’t deal with it) but ever day, little concrete proofs like the ones Tohru supplies them with. And the thing is, Kyo (and Yuki) totally repay any kindness tenfold, so it all turns out good. I think the thing for both Yuki and Kyo is learning not just to care about others, but that they are worth being cared for, too.
Anyways, that was a tangent. Kyo/Tohru, right. I love the bit after her Mom’s grave-visit, where she is asleep like a little kid and he leans over her and that is the moment he realizes that OMG he might like her, in a non-friendly way. I just love that so much. I also love the protective bit with the other boys checking her out and going ‘she looks dumb, dumb girls are the best’ and Kyo just going over there and totally leaning over clueless Tohru, as if protecting her but also marking his territory, hee.
My favorite volume so far is six, because that is where we learn about Kyo’s secret. I really really love his adoptive father. He is so awesome (and hot, too). I love how Kyo turns into such a kid around him but he won’t admit his joy in front of Yuki. I love that he (the father) decides to risk everything and take Kyo’s beads away in order to see if Tohru will still want to be around him, as a means to finally ‘heal’ Kyo (who vehemently insists he doesn’t need any healing. Oh yes you do. When you say things like ‘I accept that my life is worthless because I am possessed by the spirit of the cat’ you have issues, woobie), because he can tell Kyo is going crazy because the uncertainty, and fear that she will find out and run away and not want to ever be around him, is driving him bonkers.
That scene where he tells Kyo he will take away his means of escape and takes off his bracelet, telling him ‘I love you, little one’ MEEEEEEP. And of course Tohru comes out, just as he wanted and sees Kyo transform into this thing, which is totally repulsive looking, and smells dreadful and Kyo sees she saw and he just runs, and all he is thinking is ‘she saw she saw she saw’ and it’s all over. But Tohru goes after him and I love that it’s hard for her, because the stench is incredible and the visuals none too awesome either, because if this is that hard for the uber-accepting Tohru (who earlier, when he was falling apart was all ‘fine, you can hate Yuki if it makes you fell better’ and of course it does, he displaces. Earlier he was yelling (as a little kid) that he would kill Yuki and then himself), it just highlights how awful the curse is. And she finds the still-transformed Kyo by the lake and he tries to push her away because he is thinking if he is going to lose her anyway, he’ll make it hurt so much she’ll never want to feel sorry or look back.
GUUUUH. Just thinking of that scene makes me all much too emotional. And of course we find out that his Mom used to tell him she loved him all the time, but she’d never look at him and she’d never let him go outside, and she’d check his beads all the time. And then she finally killed herself and everyone in the family thought it was his fault (and he was what, six at the time?) until his master took him in and he is the one who showed him the outside world, and told him he knew it wasn’t his fault and how Kyo wanted him to be his real father. Eeeek.
And the thing is, Tohru tells him she wants him to come home, and she tells him that yes, of course, she is scared: the way he looks so strange, the way his voice doesn’t sound like his own, but she still wants him and to be with him and to share daily things, including his troubles. And he transforms back and tells her she doesn’t have to love everything, because her being scared by the way he looks means she is actually looking at his ugliness (unlike his Mom) and OMG, you poor little lost boy. He needs someone to want to be with him, knowing everything, so desperately. And I love so much how he reaches out to hug her, himself initiating a hug, eeeee! And he turns into a cat of course and she brings him home. And then there is awesomeness with him and his master next morning and anyway, if I wasn’t a Kyo/Tohru shipper before, I would be now.
Hmmm, what else. Oh yes. The older trio. I find it interesting that underneath his clueless mask Shigure is manipulative over something. Yay. I love Hatori (my favorite secondary character) as this exasperated with his two nutty best friends thing. OMG. Hatori. He had to remove Kana’s memories of them with his own hands, so she could find peace. So angsty. So awesome. I know he gets a different OTP later and yay!
OK, enough babbling ;)
Speaking of awesome, I have continued with my watch of Beautiful Life and am now halfway through episode 7. Love it as much as ever.
I really love how tender Shuji is with Kyoko. *faints* I am especially thinking of the scene midway through ep 7 (after they came to his apartment after he met her family and had to deal with her adorably overprotective brother, who has an awesome secondary OTP of his own) and she apologizes for not wearing the red shoes he gave her, yet. Because she lacks the courage. And he matter of factly tells her that she can wear them on their next date. And there is kissing and holding each other and she says this is as far as she can go (I am not sure if she means she is incapable of doing certain *ahem* things, or just at that moment or what) and he says this is plenty. Whoa.
No wonder the whole thing makes her giddy: she is like a teenager again, pulling him for a kiss in her car, all glowy.
She is very insecure about her ‘worth’ vis-à-vis a ‘normal’ person (like the scene in the rain where she thinks it would be nice if they ran to the car together) but I think after the scene with the rollercoaster where she tried to push him away by showing she isn’t ‘normal’ but all he was worried about was her and his own helplessness, she finally gave in (because hey, you can be healthy and be helpless, just the helpless way she felt when she saw him fall and wasn’t able to do anything).
My favorite scene so far? When she gets brought up on stage, courtesy of the evil stylist (who I can’t hate really, because he’s repented and made peace with both of them since) and the look on Shuji’s face because he knows how much she hates it, hates being singled out. He knows she'll be hurt and omg the most intense eyes ever *dies* *melts*
I love the bit with his arm in a sling (because he sprained it) and how he is sort of musing to himself how these inconveniences must be daily for Kyoko. GUH. He is awesome (and he is adorable jealous, when he sees her with wheelchair!guy too).
I don’t like his ex, telling Kyoko to find someone else, but even she isn’t kdrama evil.
So yes, this is awesome.
And now on to my other great fictional love of lately: Fruits Basket. Finished volume 6 and had no time to go to bookstore for more, and am suffering from withdrawal.
This is a much faster read than Ceres, somehow. Not a good or a bad thing, just weird that it is.
Ooooh, poor Yuki. OMG. Akito=hate. The whole bit where Akito comes to school and is all ‘you didn‘t come to new year’s banquet, should I lock you up in your special room like I used to?’ HATE. Hello, this is child abuse and last I checked, illegal. I am not exactly sure what went on but Akito is creepily possessive of Yuki. Creepily. Like after meeting Tohru he is all ‘heh, she is ugly, yay, no threat. And Yuki is still afraid of me, so we are still close’ BWAH? Hate. When you traumatize someone, sure they’ll remember you. But I love how Tohru, even though she is wondering why Akito looked like he hated her, and with no idea what on earth went between Yuki and Akito, knows that Yuki is probably all messed up by it and drags him to play badminton. Poor Yuki. He must have had horrendous trauma, because one of the Sohmas mentions Yuki went mute for a bit. And you can tell the way he interacts with Kisa (the 11? Year old) who also went mute from trauma that he identifies a bit too much with her. When he talks to her and tells her people tell you that if you feel as if there is nothing worthy about yourself, you hate yourself, it’s not going to help when other people tell you to find positive stuff because you can think of qualities but they are meaningless. You have to have someone else like you, for it to work. He is totally speaking from experience. *hates Akito some more* And I love that he is coming out of his shell. And he discovered his hat in Tohru’s possessions!
Btw, here’s the time to mention I really like Haru. He is so funny, with the good-natured guy who can turn into violent freak :D I really like how very protective he is. Of Kisa, to whom he is like an older brother (I love when he goes hunting for her everywhere), of Yuki, whom he frankly admits he loves. He is so very awesome. Though he is very different in personality, the dynamics remind me a bit of the older trio of Hatori-Shigure-Ayama. He is a bit like a more laid-back, much more interacting with the others Kyo.
meganbmoore tells me he has an awesome OTP who I haven’t met yet, and I am glad. I was going to save Kyo and Kyo/Tohru for last, because they are my favorite parts, but nah. I’ve never been very patient. Kyo=love. LOL at his penchant for seeing everything as a fight. Kyo/Tohru is the most awesome thing ever. He is so grouchy in general but so sweet to her. He was trying to figure out why Haru’s teasing about Tohru was bugging him. And then there was the whole White Day thing (btw, Momiji is rather sweet). I love the bit where he cooks her dinner when she is sick (and is later reading a cookbook to improve, heee) and he is all blushy when she compliments his cooking. You know, both Yuki and Kyo really need all the positive reinforcement they can get, as they have self-esteem issues the size of Jupiter. And that’s the thing. They don’t need grand declarations (as Kyo thinks back on his Mom who always says she adored him but was ashamed of him and finally killed herself when she couldn’t deal with it) but ever day, little concrete proofs like the ones Tohru supplies them with. And the thing is, Kyo (and Yuki) totally repay any kindness tenfold, so it all turns out good. I think the thing for both Yuki and Kyo is learning not just to care about others, but that they are worth being cared for, too.
Anyways, that was a tangent. Kyo/Tohru, right. I love the bit after her Mom’s grave-visit, where she is asleep like a little kid and he leans over her and that is the moment he realizes that OMG he might like her, in a non-friendly way. I just love that so much. I also love the protective bit with the other boys checking her out and going ‘she looks dumb, dumb girls are the best’ and Kyo just going over there and totally leaning over clueless Tohru, as if protecting her but also marking his territory, hee.
My favorite volume so far is six, because that is where we learn about Kyo’s secret. I really really love his adoptive father. He is so awesome (and hot, too). I love how Kyo turns into such a kid around him but he won’t admit his joy in front of Yuki. I love that he (the father) decides to risk everything and take Kyo’s beads away in order to see if Tohru will still want to be around him, as a means to finally ‘heal’ Kyo (who vehemently insists he doesn’t need any healing. Oh yes you do. When you say things like ‘I accept that my life is worthless because I am possessed by the spirit of the cat’ you have issues, woobie), because he can tell Kyo is going crazy because the uncertainty, and fear that she will find out and run away and not want to ever be around him, is driving him bonkers.
That scene where he tells Kyo he will take away his means of escape and takes off his bracelet, telling him ‘I love you, little one’ MEEEEEEP. And of course Tohru comes out, just as he wanted and sees Kyo transform into this thing, which is totally repulsive looking, and smells dreadful and Kyo sees she saw and he just runs, and all he is thinking is ‘she saw she saw she saw’ and it’s all over. But Tohru goes after him and I love that it’s hard for her, because the stench is incredible and the visuals none too awesome either, because if this is that hard for the uber-accepting Tohru (who earlier, when he was falling apart was all ‘fine, you can hate Yuki if it makes you fell better’ and of course it does, he displaces. Earlier he was yelling (as a little kid) that he would kill Yuki and then himself), it just highlights how awful the curse is. And she finds the still-transformed Kyo by the lake and he tries to push her away because he is thinking if he is going to lose her anyway, he’ll make it hurt so much she’ll never want to feel sorry or look back.
GUUUUH. Just thinking of that scene makes me all much too emotional. And of course we find out that his Mom used to tell him she loved him all the time, but she’d never look at him and she’d never let him go outside, and she’d check his beads all the time. And then she finally killed herself and everyone in the family thought it was his fault (and he was what, six at the time?) until his master took him in and he is the one who showed him the outside world, and told him he knew it wasn’t his fault and how Kyo wanted him to be his real father. Eeeek.
And the thing is, Tohru tells him she wants him to come home, and she tells him that yes, of course, she is scared: the way he looks so strange, the way his voice doesn’t sound like his own, but she still wants him and to be with him and to share daily things, including his troubles. And he transforms back and tells her she doesn’t have to love everything, because her being scared by the way he looks means she is actually looking at his ugliness (unlike his Mom) and OMG, you poor little lost boy. He needs someone to want to be with him, knowing everything, so desperately. And I love so much how he reaches out to hug her, himself initiating a hug, eeeee! And he turns into a cat of course and she brings him home. And then there is awesomeness with him and his master next morning and anyway, if I wasn’t a Kyo/Tohru shipper before, I would be now.
Hmmm, what else. Oh yes. The older trio. I find it interesting that underneath his clueless mask Shigure is manipulative over something. Yay. I love Hatori (my favorite secondary character) as this exasperated with his two nutty best friends thing. OMG. Hatori. He had to remove Kana’s memories of them with his own hands, so she could find peace. So angsty. So awesome. I know he gets a different OTP later and yay!
OK, enough babbling ;)
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-03-02 05:46 pm (UTC)Haru's love for Yuki is rather like the love they all have for Tohru, because Yuki gave him a since of self worth. I can't remember when it comes up (may have already) but the Cow is regarded as stupid because the rat used him in the original legend. So Haru hated Yuki until Yuki basically told him to get over it and let something besides the curse define him. Haru is my second favorite(after Kyo, naturally) and I adore his overprotectiveness of Kisa. Seriously, if she ever dates anyone besides Hiro, the guy could end up dead(and even Hiro will have to be very very careful) I also love how, any time Black Haru feels violent, he picks a fight with Kyo because he knows that Kyo is the only one who can really hold up against him when he's like that(well, and Yuki, but it would never occur to him to fight Yuki)
Shigure definately has his darker side, though I'm not quite sure HOW dark...there's something that happens around vol 13 with him that I haven't quite made up my mind about yet.
Momiji is darling, but I tend to want him to just shut up and settle down at times.
And I know what you mean about all the shippy scenes, I spent a lot of time "EEEEE!!!!"-ing over Kyo staking his claim and Tohru being all clueless.
no subject
Date: 2007-03-02 07:07 pm (UTC)Haru's love for Yuki is rather like the love they all have for Tohru, because Yuki gave him a since of self worth.
That's a really good point. The explanation did already come up (vol. 5 I think) and I love how all the 'good' characters repay care and consideration in kind (Haru with Yuki, Kyo and Yuki with Tohru etc etc) maybe because they see so little care otherwise. They are all still kids in a lot of ways (as opposed to the awesome Trio who are adults) and have to muddle through to being a good functional person on their own, with little guidance.
I also love how, any time Black Haru feels violent, he picks a fight with Kyo because he knows that Kyo is the only one who can really hold up against him when he's like that
That is so true and I never noticed!
Btw, why can any Sohmas not go against Akito? Why don't they just tell him to f*** himself and they don't even seem to be able to blame him for stuff he does (neither Hatori, who is a competent grown up, nor Hiro, who's a kid, even think of doing so when Akito really hurts them or the otp).
Btw, my Akito hate is happily flourishing. WTF: re Kisa! Akito really does have a creepily unhealthy fixation on his male cousins. OK, when a 12 year old tells you he likes someone, come onnnnnn! It's not even like Hatori who went to ask permission to marry. A 12year old's liking for an 11 year old is hardly an occasion to set up a bridal registry and start buying china. Yet, Akito put an 11 year old kid, a girl, into bed for two days because of it! (and it's creepy how unsurprised and not angry by it Hatori and Shigure are, even if Hatori is unhappy with it, and they worry about Tohru. That family is FUBAR.) And they mention that Akito put 'Rin' in the hospital and isn't she someone Hari likes? Gosh, so creepy.
Momiji is darling, but I tend to want him to just shut up and settle down at times.
That's how I feel about Hiro. He acts like he's 12, he is 12, but still, I would not have Tohru's patience with him.
spent a lot of time "EEEEE!!!!"-ing over Kyo staking his claim and Tohru being all clueless.
Heeee. My latest 'squee' was when Uo and Hana showed up for the guys to pony up $$$ for them to buy Tohru a new swimsuit and Kyo was stuttering 'sw-swimsuit?' and Uo was 'why are you stammering?' LOL Poor kid.
no subject
Date: 2007-03-02 07:35 pm (UTC)Haru's love for Yuki tends to come across at times as crushing, but he's completely straight, he just sees no reason to hide it. With Kyo, the manga was at around vol 8 or so when I watched the anime, and I'd wondered why Black Haru always seemed to target Kyo, then I figured it out while watching the anime.
The curse is why the Sohma's obey Akito...they essentially have no choice. Besides, he's had since birth to condition people who can't defend themselves against him into thinking they're worthless and only exist to serve him.
Hiro annoyed me at first with his meanness to Tohru, but his mom(an older Tohru) explains that...but mostly, he's reacting to the fact that admitting he liked a girl got her hospitalized, and is worried that the same will happen to Tohru.
And Rin? Stays in the hospital until about book 13...or maybe she gets better and he puts her back in. But when we see her, she's still in fairly bad shape. Like Hiro, Rin isn't exactly easy to like at first, but she grows on you...it doesn't show immediately, but she's incredibly protective of Haru.
Uo and Hana completely have Kyo's number as far as Tohru is concerned.
no subject
Date: 2007-03-03 03:18 pm (UTC)Uo and Hana completely have Kyo's number as far as Tohru is concerned.
I think everyone does, except for Tohru and Kyo themselves :D
they essentially have no choice. Besides, he's had since birth to condition people who can't defend themselves against him into thinking they're worthless and only exist to serve him.
Oh, I hate Akito so much (I just finished Vol 9 and found what fate he has in store for Kyo). I do love that Kyo's adoptive father stands up to him (YESSSS), and I can see why the current zodiac characters obey because they must and because they've been brain-washed, but there is no excuse for the rest of the family, especially the adults, who are either, scared, or indifferent or all for it as Akito holds the purse strings.
no subject
Date: 2007-03-03 04:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-02 06:09 pm (UTC)...I'm rambling. Back on point. I'm SO glad that you like Kyo. He is my FAVORITE character of the entire series and not only because he's a cat (my favorite animal), but because of his personality. He tries to act so strong, but he's really kinda broken inside and Tohru just instictively seems to know this and wants to just... fix him. Or something along those lines. And Tohru's pretty great herself. To bounce back like she does after every thing is thrown at her, is pretty damn impressive. Her mom definitely didn't go wrong when she rose Tohru. ^_^ And she surrounds herself with the best people, honestly. And that scene you were talking about? OH MAN. I think the anime did a great job recreating it. Despite the fact of where it was positioned in the series. XP (Don't want to spoil it in case you've never seen it.) But yeah. The anime was pretty good at that (if I recall correctly) and it seemed just as heart-wrenching.
As for Shigure. He IS utterly devious. Seriously. I was definitely thrown the first time you see him like that. But loved it ever since. But really, of that trio? My favorite is Yuki's brother whose name escapes me... GAH. I think I'm going to go catch up soon.
As for Momiji. HE'S SO GREAT. He'd have to be my second favorite character. And his back story is quite heart wrenching as well. (I forget when we find out about it.)
*sighs sadly* I miss this series... I think I'm going to go look and see what's been going on.
no subject
Date: 2007-03-02 07:09 pm (UTC)He tries to act so strong, but he's really kinda broken inside and Tohru just instictively seems to know this and wants to just... fix him.
I know. I love how he tries to lash out or to hide that he has any weaknesses but of course he is such a mess. I love the scene by the lake because he is so desperate for anyone at all caring, especially her, and he is so terrified inside.
Despite the fact of where it was positioned in the series. XP (Don't want to spoil it in case you've never seen it.) But yeah. The anime was pretty good at that (if I recall correctly) and it seemed just as heart-wrenching.
Oh, I loved that in the manga SO MUCH. And I also love that despite my shippy squee, it wasn't a romantic thing for either of them. Kyo is only now beginning to realize, dimly, that he cares for Tohru as more than a friend, and Tohru is clueless. She isn't doing this because she's in love with him, but because she loves him (if the distinction makes sense), because he's a good friend who's been there for her. AWWW.
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Date: 2007-03-03 03:03 am (UTC)Oh, and thanks to you, I finally got motivated to finish watching Goong, and I'm glad I did. Thanks again. :)
no subject
Date: 2007-03-03 03:53 am (UTC)And isn't the ending of Goong the cutest, fluffiest thing ever?
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Date: 2007-03-03 02:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-03 03:15 pm (UTC)