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Archive for September 2009

Now watch email posting strip out all the images…

Haha! I activated a thing in Gmail Labs that lets me have a million silly icons! Look! B60.gif Sparkles! 1C3.gif Whale! 978.gif Donut! 7ED.gif Rocketship! 4E8.gif Flag! 7E8.gif Boat! 056.gif Aubergine! 51A.gif ...I have no idea what that one's supposed to be. There's a million of them, and fuck knows what practical use most of them would ever be, but I totally approve.

1A5.gif DASTARDLY MOUSTACHE TWIDDLING.

That is all. Move along.


ETA: XD Well, that was a moderately successful email posting experiment. *puts images in the right places in the text*
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29. 9. 2009 6:23 pm | Personal, Syndicated | Tags: , | Comment

Do not repeat the mistakes I have made, young ones.

Here's what you shouldn't do on Twitter if you're trying to avoid spam, as demonstrated by Steph (@brainsinajar) and myself:

(Read bottom-to-top, naturally.)


I know, I know, we should've know better. -_-


A few days ago, I gave in to the secret urge to find fanfic about Rossiu's angsty unrequited crush on Simon that I've been harbouring ever since I finished watching TTGL, and now my brain's gone on a Gurren Lagann kick again. XD I wanna make icons, but VLC is really really not a fan of .mkv files, and taking screencaps in Media Player Classic is like pulling teeth. Maybe I'll redownload all the episodes in .avi format later, idk.

Also, I don't even like high-school stories that much, but you have to love a series with a canon high-school AU. (Though I admit, as my actual time in high school recedes into the past, high-school stories are growing on me. Growing from dislike into indifference, but growing nevertheless.)


Tim asked me to do some concept art for a game he's working on, and it totally brought back my drawing groove. XD I should really figure out how to make it so whether I manage to produce creative things isn't determined by my mood. That would be awesome. Anyway, when I get back to my place* there'll probably be a massive art post sometime.


I'm working on a post pimping out one of my favourite book series of all time, but I'm a little hesitant to post it, because I am so exaggeratedly emotionally invested in the world and the characters that I'm afraid someone'll comment something along the lines of "I read it and thought it was pretty lame." T_T

Also I still have 200-odd pages left of the final book, and WHAT IF IT SUDDENLY TURNS RUBBISH? *irrational fretting*


PS: Oh gosh, Hiling, you are too adorable. Come live with me and be my girlfriend and we'll go look for bugs together, I promise.

PPS: Oh yeah, and I watched the first two episodes of the new season of Merlin. It's still pretty awful. Episode 2 did make me laugh out loud a few times, though. (I think it was on purpose.)


*Our staircase is being ripped out and replaced, so I'm staying at Tim's for a few days.
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28. 9. 2009 8:23 pm | Personal, Syndicated | Tags: , , , , , , | Comment

Hello what is this craziness, the first website update in more than half a year!

Look at the prettiness! Marvel at the slightly increased amount of content! Behold the way I haven’t gotten around to integrating the blog yet!

I am very pleased with how it looks, if I do say so myself. This is going to make me want to draw more just so I have an excuse to update my pretty website. XD

22. 9. 2009 9:02 pm | Website News | Comment

Things and whatnot.

I found this fairly epic... what are these even called in English? Anyway, I found this Himmel und Hölle in the back pocket of a pair of trousers that I haven't worn in a while. I vaguely remember making it back in Durham. XD



Pick a side?


I didn't end up getting the job at T.M.Lewin. I don't mind too much, though. I quite hope I can get the job at Costa I applied for. It's closer, and full-time. Shall call them tomorrow to ask about it.

I saw District 9 over the weekend! It was pretty awesome! Not, you know, particularly subtle, but I enjoyed it. I really want to know more about the aliens. I enjoyed the allegorical themes, as well, but I WANT TO KNOW HOW THEIR SOCIETY WORKS COME ON TELL ME.

Saw trailers for Avatar (still think the blue cat people look a bit meh) and Surrogates, which looks like it has potential, at least. And it's about robots, so I'm pretty likely to go whether I hear good things or not. XP

SPEAKING OF ROBOTS, the last episode of Eve no Jikan was on the other day, as well. D: There has to be more, so many enticing places for the story to go!


It's really high-time I post something that's not disjointed two-sentence paragraphs about daily life. Something more coherent and well thought out. Maybe a review of something? I had some thoughts about the first volume of Y: The Last Man that I comprehensively failed to write down anywhere. We shall see.
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21. 9. 2009 7:32 pm | Personal, Syndicated | Tags: , , , , , , | Comment

I have had a truly amazing experience.

I read this Rock, Paper, Shotgun review of "Typing of the Dead"* earlier, and was inspired to download the demo, and I can confirm that it is actually the best game of all time.


So I may be easily amused, but you cannot fail to appreciate the surreal cracktastical glory that is this game's dictionary. If I had any money I think I would actually buy the full version.


I have an interview for a part time job at T.M. Lewin tomorrow. Wish me luck! (I hope they do employee discounts. ♥_♥)


PS: Oh wow, I made an audience participation post and the audience actually participated! You guys are awesome. I will make up the rest of the questions after my interview tomorrow! <3

PPS: This is my new favourite page in all of Wikipedia: Lists of English loanwords by country or language of origin.


*You should all read RPS, by the way. Even if you don't really care about games. I have them on my RSS reader mainly for the writing style and sense of humour; occasionally hearing of a cool game is a bonus.
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17. 9. 2009 10:43 pm | Personal, Syndicated | Tags: , , | Comment

Let us conduct internet interviews.

• Leave me a comment saying "BOILED GOOSE"
• I'll respond by asking you five questions so I can satisfy my curiosity get to know you better
• Update your journal with the answers to the questions
• Include this explanation in the post and offer to ask other people questions.

[info]elyim asked me these things:

1) What's your favourite word?
Hm, good question. I haven't thought about this for a while... it used to be "inconsequential". I quite like "nonplussed", as well; it makes me think of a Bertie-Wooster-style English aristocrat mangling his French.

Actually, no, I know what my favourite word is, my favourite word is "doch". It is the most useful multi-purpose word in the world, and I don't understand why other European languages don't have it.

2) Where do you live?
Cobham! It is a tiny place in Surrey consisting in large parts of café-chains, estate agents, and Americans. It is mind-numbingly dull. It could be worse, though, I suppose.

3) What was your favourite archaeology module?
Despite complaining about theory all the time, I think it was actually Current Issues in Archaeology. There was at least a lot of potential for interesting discussion there, even if it was hampered by my most of my classmates' apathy. It took a lot of the things I mentioned in this entry that I associate with history - bias and seeing things from various points of view - and related them to the real world, like how do you treat people's heritage and who gets a say, stuff I actually have Opinions about. Granted, there was also a block about listed buildings and what sort of forms you have to fill out to be allowed to dig stuff up in England, which was DRY LIKE A DRY THING.

I also like Global Economy, because nnngh, economic theory as it relates to the past *makes sexytimes gestures*. And we got to analyse case studies in that, something there IS NEVER ENOUGH OF COME ON, DURHAM. So yeah, basically I loved my second term of third year (except for the lame essays I got assigned). >_> Apart from that, I actually liked the first year modules best, I think, like Discovering World Prehistory, because they had a wider scope, and I am into broad conceptual type things with practical applications. Which is why I am so glad I didn't do a BSc. I think the lack of context would have driven me to despair. (絶望した! Is it time for a new Zetsubou Sensei ep yet? It's never too early for a new ZS ep.)

I actually just had to look up a prospectus to remind myself what I did in second year; that obviously didn't leave a great impression on me. (See also: previous entry re. depression) I did Prehistoric Europe, though, didn't I? Surely that must have been interesting? Why can't I remember so much of 2nd year what is this. Was I secretly abducted by aliens? All I remember is being TRICKED into a module that promised to be about the Urban Landscape that ended up being all about the fucking Romans. (By which I mean I dislike Romans, not that the module was about them having sex all the time. Though they probably were.)

4) What would you do if you found a 500 euro note on the ground?
Wonder why someone was carrying around 500 Euros in England? XD But I don't know, actually. I might not pick it up. I'd feel bad taking so much of someone else's money. I'd probably ahnd it in to the nearest police station and ask them what to do. XD

5) Where is your least favourite place in the world and why?
Least favourite? I don't know, to be honest. I can't remember ever being in a place I've completely disliked. There's places I've liked more than others, but the rest generally level out at indifference; a place would have to be actively terrible to drop down to dislike.

That's another great word, "indifference".
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16. 9. 2009 10:58 pm | Personal, Syndicated | Tags: , , | 2 Comments

Students Against Depression

They were talking about this website on the radio as I was getting up this morning*, and man, I wish it had existed when I was at Durham.

As I was reading through the pages, I kept finding exact descriptions of how I remember feeling, like surreal flashbacks to two years ago. Lethargy? Check. Feelings of inferiority? Check. Perfectionist thinking; increased tearfulness (times a million); feeling not like yourself; anxiety... etc etc etc. If someone had shown me something like this, maybe I wouldn't have spent so much time being angry because I couldn't figure out what was making me sad. (Which is apparently also a normal thing to do.)

I'm still almost sort of disappointed with myself, because I always thought I was the one among my friends who was cheerful and had a naturally high mood and so on... Ah well, life goes on, I am still awesome.

To-day I am even more determined to avoid such silliness henceforth and have a great time.


In related news, it is wonderfully autumnal (my mum just turned the heating on for the first time), and not having school to go back to is odd. I miss it. I'm really looking forward to next year.

Anyway, I have stuff to do! I'm making an attempt to structure my days better, because I meant to have a job by now, and aimless idleness is getting pretty old. To-day: Japanese writing practice, a chapter in my Ruby on Rails book (which I have shamefully neglected since graduation), and... a bunch of reading and gaming. 8D

(It's actually a little difficult not to keep adding things to that list, but if I don't pace myself I'll try to do everything at once and never get anywhere. XD)


*Aside: I don't know if I'm going crazy, but Woman's Hour seems to be doing more worthwhile items lately. I still haven't forgiven them for the completely unironic item on 'Why Men Just Can't Communicate'**, though.

**And I quote (yes, I wrote this down), "Why is it ok for women to go out for a girly lunch, but not for men to go to the pub with the lads? And why, after half an hour in each other's company do women know everything about eachother, and men know nothing?" (Apparently it's because men are competitive.)
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15. 9. 2009 12:28 pm | Personal, Syndicated | Tags: , , , | Comment

Entries with pictures are more fun.


I keep seeing these two next to each other. I wonder if it's on purpose. XD (Probably not.)

Look, guys, look what is finally gracing me with its presence:


It's true! I have it! I have Golden Sun and a stomach full of chicken pesto, the universe is smiling upon me once more.

My extra userpics for LJ have run out, but I think I will grit my teeth and make do with the three million and two I get anyway for being a tool and having a paid account. Will go through later and chose which ones to keep. First, more Golden Sun!
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14. 9. 2009 5:46 pm | Personal, Syndicated | Tags: , , , , | Comment

Sometimes I play videogames.

The whole word is conspiring against letting me play Golden Sun. A while ago I was looking for something, and instead of whatever it was, found a bag full of GB and GBA games. One of them was Golden Sun: the Lost Age. I got really excited for a second, thinking it was the real Golden Sun (I have nothing against the sequel, I just never got far into it), and when I realised it wasn't I looked all over the place for it, but it seems it got lost somewhere.

So I did what anyone would do upon being reminded of their favourite RPG ever, I went to eBay and bought a copy. It was taking ages to arrive, though, and eventually it turned out I still had my old Durham address as my default on eBay (even though I'm sure I set the Surrey one when I bought the game, but never mind). It was my fault, but the guy I bought it from still refunded my money.

So then I looked again the other day, and found another copy, and deleted my Durham address from eBay. And when there was a package in the mail for me this morning I was jubilant, sure I finally had Golden Sun within my grasp and... the package had Castlevania in it instead.

But I emailed the seller, and they're sending me the Golden Sun cartridge tomorrow, and maybe one day soon I will get to play the best RPG ever made. I'm not getting my hopes up, though. Check in the news for earthquakes or tornadoes striking post offices in South East England tomorrow. It'll probably be the world conspiring against me.


SPEAKING OF RPGS OH YEAH LOOK AT THIS SMOOTH SEGUE, I've been trying out Dungeons & Dragons Online. I've been feeling in a sort of MMOin' mood lately, and what is this, opportune free MMO! Maybe the world's not conspiring that hard.

I always say I don't have the patience for MMOs and that I get bored, but I don't know if that's strictly true. MMOs are meant to be social places, and I think I'd have a lot more fun playing them if I ever had anyone to play with. So guys, anyone want to play with me? It makes me sad when I get bored and miss out on MMOs.

Well, I don't know for how long a standard fantasy world like this will hold my interest, because I am demanding of my fantasy worlds, but we'll see. That's one of the reasons I'm looking forward to The Secret World, though. It looks interesting and different! You should sign up for the beta. I'm joining the Illuminati. :D

Anyway, this is my DDO character. Barbarian, because I enjoy finding the biggest sharp thing around and hitting people over the head with it. \o/



In other news, yesterday was fun! The exhibition was great. It was smaller than I expected, but all of the models were wonderful. The idealised Anatomical Venus that they use in all of the posters was beautiful, but the less sanitised and idealised models were just amazing. they looked like real bodies preserved instead of wax models. Most of them were either diseased faces and genitals demonstrating the horrors of venereal disease or pregnant women and embryos enlightening the public on the mystery of the female reproductive system. Basically it was all about sex. And double-headed calves.

Just as I was starting to wander off into the permanent exhibition, they announced a free tour was about to start, so I got to go through again and hear a bit more historical detail. I definitely recommend it!

And then I walked down Tottenham Court Road to have lunch at the Soho Ed's Diner (milkshaaaaaake), managed to not buy myself anything in any of the bookshops I went into, and went home. :)
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11. 9. 2009 12:57 am | Personal, Syndicated | Tags: , , , , | Comment

ひだりー！

Greetings! I'm on the train, posting by email from the robot butler future-phone, because LJ's mobile site is not great, and no-one's made a good Android app yet. (Get to it, guys! Don't make me learn Java myself.'Cause I will! Someday. And then you'll regret it.)

On my way to Exquisite Bodies at the Wellcome Collection. (I hope email posting parses that html properly.) I saw a poster the last time I was in London, and it sounds like just my thing. :3 *morbid morbid*

I've been reading Yotsuba&! in the original moonspeak. It's pretty fun; I can mostly understand what's going on. When people are talking to Yotsuba, anyway. XD

Yeah, I'm pretty much just writing this entry to try out email posting & picture attaching.

ETA: *sneakily corrects html* It probably helps if you actually attach the picture you mean to attach. >_< The robot butler future-phone lost it when I saved the draft email, apparently.

2009-09-09 11.37.14.jpg

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9. 9. 2009 1:31 pm | Personal, Syndicated | Tags: , , , | Comment