I was boasting about finishing reading The Count of Monte Cristo and I showed my colleagues the next book I'm reading, which is also quite a hefty size.

My colleague: *holding the new book* Your last book was big and this one's thick too! You like a thick one don't you?
Me: Yes, I do like a thick...
Me: ...
Me: I ran straight into that double entendre, didn't I?

Hi all!

Did you have a nice Christmas? I hope you did. I had a good time. And I got some nice presents, such as: The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins, a lovely dress from Mariya, and a Gorrilaz artbook :D

Hopefully I'll take a photo of the new dress soon, when I wear it, because it's too cold to play dress-up right now. I've also got to show you photos of my sexy new boots and skinny jeans that I got in the sales. Finally I am fashionable again! And finally I can dress like Allelujah!

Before that, let me show you some photos of my Christmas:

This is the sole Christmas decoration in our flat. It was cheery before, but now it's kinda dying, after I tried to look after it with my green fingers of death.

Christmas at my parents' house.

Christmas dinner at my parents' house.

After the family Christmas, I went back to London do see Nick, Linda and Steve who came to visit. It was flipping cold the whole time (it still is in fact). We did lots of fun stuff like bowling, walking in a cold park, eating curry, and seeing MAJOR CELEBRITY Tommy Walsh from Ground Force in a pub.

We also had snacks in James' house and were able to behold Linda's stable thighs - they're so amazing at holding stuff. But not only that, Linda subsequently went to get her eyes lasered, and now she can shoot laser beams from her eyes like the X-men and can also swim in a graph!

Inside a pub, but not the one that contained MAJOR CELEBRITY Tommy Walsh from Ground Force.

We then had a look around the new Saatchi gallery, which is pretty nice. I'm not normally a fan of modern art, but the artwork there was all pretty interesting, and the wooden floors were good too. I mostly spent my time taking photos of stuff, while Nick and James spent their time comparing the genitalia on the various bodies hanging from the ceiling. Good times.

Other news of import:

I finished reading The Count of Monte Cristo! It was a rip-roaring read from the start to the finish. I highly recommend reading it if you fancy reading a tale of intrigue, adventure, vengeance and lesbians. I think I'm going to have to try my hand at The Three Musketeers now. Also, I still need to rewatch the count in a skintight flightsuit Gankutsuou like burning.

And then there were New Year's resolutions

My new years resolutions are:
1. Learn to play the piano - too expensive
2. Buy some boots and skinny jeans - completed in 2008
3. Start drawing Clematis again - oh God YES
4. Get a Nintendo DS - I'm not sure on this one. I don't know if I'd use it enough to warrant the initial outlay of cash, but if I did buy it it would help to KICKSTART THE ECONOMY

But my main resolution is a SRS BSNS kind of resolution. Let me tell you it.
Through my mental trials and tribulations recently, I've been trying to get my head straight. I wanted to work out what it is that I want from life, and how I can live with no regrets. The aim being that, when I come to the end of my days, I can look back on my life and be satisfied with what I've accomplished. And I've come to the realisation that what I really want is to make a mark on the people around me. If people can think of me with affection, then that's all I need. So, my resolution is to try to make at least one person happy each day. It doesn't have to be much, a joke, a friendly conversation, or even a smile will do. If each night I can tell myself that at least one person's day has been brightened, if only a little, by me, then I'll be happy.
I like this resolution. It's achievable and it makes me feel better. Feel free to use it for yourself if you think it'll help you too. I think focussing on the little pleasures of life may well be the way to go.

OK. After all that srs bsns, it's time for some good old...

FANART

Do you remember how I mentioned that Lockon likes wearing Rick Astley's clothes? Well, I just took that idea one step further, or, as some might say, one step too far. Click for big.

We're no strangers to love. You know the rules and so do I.

Hi all!

I'm sure you'll be glad to hear that I feel much more perky this week. I've got a lingering cough, but other than that my cold is over. Phew.
Immune system 1 vs Virus 0
Yeah!

Did you know, it's Christmas eve tomorrow? I've just been wrapping all my presents, and tomorrow I'm going to take them and myself off to see my parents. Ah, family Christmas...

Other events of some import:

1. I managed to drag my ill self to my work's Christmas lunch last Friday. It was pretty fun. There were balloons. We had to toast the Queen. And I swore at a stone lion. Good times. It's a shame I was busy trying not to cough on everyone's food though.

2. Nick and Lin and Steve are making their way to London next weekend. And James, but James lives in London so that doesn't count. We're going to have Christmas joy. I'm quite excited. I haven't seen these folks for months. Months I say!

3. I was sneakily installing my new Christmas present yesterday. (They were delivered straight to my flat from Amazon due to their size and consequent unwieldiness for train carrying.) I got some new speakers, which is ruddy nice, because my old ones were only working intermittently, and that's no way to listen to music let me tell you. I've been breaking the new ones in by mostly listening to Ulysses by Franz Ferdinand. Remind me to add their new album to my list of things I need. I've never quite stopped loving Franz Ferdinand ever since I first heard their debut album all those years ago. It was a beautiful thing. My taste in music has never been quite the same since.

See you when I get back from Christmas fun. Hopefully with some Christmas photos to show you. Have a good Christmas guys!

Things I have been doing recently:

1. Trying not to hack up a whole lung
2. Taking lots of paracetamol
3. Trying not to collapse at work

I hate you, winter.

THINGS I NEED TO OWN:

1. CLAMP Code Geass Artbook

2. Yun Kouga Gundam00 Artbook

asdfghasdfgasdfgasdfg I can hardly contain myself.

Right, this post is weeks overdue, but better late than never.

Firstly though, I have to tell you some things that happened to me this week re literature:

1. I got given a book at work. This is awesome. Proper hardback too. I had to declare it to the higher-ups so that they can check that it's not a bribe. Hardcore.

2. Also at work, I was talking to Megan about books, at which point one of us said "hey, have you read Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell?", at which point both of us exclaimed, "OMG I love that book!" I am insufferably happy now I've come across another fan. She won't be back at work until next Wednesday, but I'll make sure to corner her for some more fangirling when she is.

3. I was reading some more of The Count of Monte Cristo on the train the other day, as I am often want to do. Now, the story is getting pretty climactic at the moment (1 revenge down, 3 more to go). The part I was reading was set at the opera. I didn't realise how much I was into the book until the mobile phone of the guy sitting next to me started to ring. "Pah!" I thought, "How rude! How dare he have his phone on while we're at the opera!" I then had to stop and realise that I was not, in fact, at the opera, but on a train, reading about people being at the opera. Whoa.

OK! Now onto:

Tales of Dublin

Dublin is a cool place because the traffic lights sound like space raiders. It's rather small as cities go, but it's a good place (if expensive). Hearing Irish accents all the time was rather jolly too. I had a nice old surprise when I realised that Irish people do actually talk about "the craic". All this time, I had just thought it was a stereotype!

Now, I have to admit that I was in Lockon mode while I was there. Well, who wouldn't be? You can understand my shock therefore, when I stepped off the bus and met Deborah. Deborah had a work-friend with her. She introduced him: "this is Neil."
I adghafghasdfghasfg-ed for a few seconds before Neil opened his mouth and I found out he was Scottish and not Irish. Oh well. You can't have it all.

Pictures:

Trinity College. You can see how beautiful the weather was while I was there. But, for some reason, it felt quite fitting.

Some stained glass, I don't know.

Next to a cash-point, I saw the cutest bin ever. He looked so happy!

The rest of the photos are stolen from Deborah. We went to see an exhibition about the history of Dublin:

WHAT THE HELL AM I WEARING. (It was so heavy.)

Scratch that, WHAT THE HELL IS DEBORAH WEARING.

Excuse me, sir. Did you leave this behind?

And then we came across one of those pictures where you get to stick your head through and look like you're a person:

Don't laugh. This is my actual height.

How cool are we.

Album cover version.

What's inside? Is it lingerie? Golly I hope it's lingerie.

Piss me, I haven't posted here in ages. I keep meaning to... I just haven't gotten around to it. And I'm not going to get around to it tonight, because it's now my bedtime.

But, just so you know, here's what I was intending to post about:

1. Photos of my trip to Dublin
2. Shameless Tieria fangirling
3. Haro!

One or all of these may or may not be appearing here in the near future (aka next week). Oh the suspense!

Just when I thought I couldn't enjoy the second season of Gundam00 any more... Sunrise just knocked me for six.

Spoilers for episode 7 below

Read more »

I finally got around to fixing my camera. It turns out that the best way to fix my camera was to CHANGE THE BATTERIES. Turns out, the old batteries had run out. No, wait, I'm not that stupid, hear me out; the old batteries were meant to be rechargeable but they'd stopped recharging. So, I just put in some common-as-muck non-rechargeable batteries and Bob's your uncle.

The good thing about having a working camera is that I am now able to show you a picture of my new coat, which is currently my favourite thing in my life right now.

I spend my morning commute on the tube playing "whose coat is better than my coat?" It's a tough game; there are a lot of good coats out there on those commuters. Sadly, when the tube is too crowded I have to switch to a different game, which seems to be "which random person am I going to end up spooning today?" NOT COOL.

I went to get myself some euros today ready for my trip to go see Deborah in Ireland next weekend. I'm pretty excited. I think my subconscious thinks it's going to see a Lockon when it's there. You're wrong subconscious. Clearly Lockon lives in space now. But there might be a lot of nice accents to listen to anyway.

Hey, do you remember when I went to New York? I remember. I've just stolen some photos from Mariya. Hooray! Let me show them to you:

We had afternoon high-tea in the most British establishment I have ever been in.

Then there was some funny business.

Then there was even more funny business (aka the slippery slope that is known to many as cosplay). Loveless cosplay. Mariya made a pimping Soubi (just look at that coat), while I did some very ghetto Ritsuka cosplay (notice how Ritsuka likes to wear the same T-shirt that I was wearing earlier in the day). I'm quite proud of my ears and tail though; proud mostly because I got my Mum to help me make them, which means that she made them and I watched. ILU Mum.

My wig was pure QUALITY (100% synthetic fibres! For only a few pounds? Surely you kid!)

Obligatory ear-piercing scene.

Note to self: lern 2 get in character! Ur doin it wrong!

Mariya does her best impression of "I am not a paedo. Why do you ask? I'm only sneaking in through your bedroom window late at night." Oh Soubi, never stop being Mr Creepy.

Um, I don't even know anymore:

And then there was some serious business, which is also known as WEDDING DAY. We had some time to kill so we took some photos with the limo. Our hair and make-up was done by one of the scariest Chinese ladies I have ever met. My hair was rock solid :D

I PASSED MY PISSING DISSERTATION.

I've got a flipping MA OMG.

So, while the rest of the world, well, mostly America, is asking itself the important question of "Daddy or Chips?" (Daddy, please be Daddy), I find myself asking:

Lockon, why the hell are you dressed up as Rick Astley?

The second season of Gundam00 is still going ruddy well, and Tieria gets better and better.
Also, this:

The meisters look like they're just a couple of electric guitars away from rocking out, Daft Punk style. That's A++ in my book.

In other news, I am loving The Count of Monte Cristo like there's no tomorrow. It is awesome. I am also fangirling the Count so hard (it doesn't help that in my head he still speaks with the same voice as he does in Gankutsuou). I am a little sad, however, that the story has just left Rome, and I have a feeling that that may be the last of Franz that we see in the book ;_; I'll miss you Franz, but it's probably for the best, because I was only a few more pages away from shipping the Count/Franz hardcore, which would be quite a turn-up for the books and my OTP. Ahh! I want to watch Gankutsuou again so badly!

Also, I finally updated the gallery. I've dumped a load of pictures in there, most of which are Tieria, and most of which you've seen before (although a couple are new).

So, I was just watching an old episode of Mock the Week on the BBC iPlayer. One of the panelists was the Irish comedian, Ed Byrne. I haven't seen him on the telly for ages, but there he was, and I suddenly had the realisation that he looked a bit like someone.

Lockon, is that you?

But maybe I'm just going crazy because it's Gundam-day and I still haven't watched episode 4 yet D:

And this is the part where I go on to say just how much I love the BBC iPlayer. I forget it exists, so I don't watch it enough, but I think it's great. No more having to sit through boring shows, I get to watch something that's interesting whenever I want. Golly, it's just like the rest of the internet, only legal d^_^

I've been trying to hold out on posting here until I had a new picture to put up, but sadly Tieria refuses to cooperate with me. I will try to get him down on paper once more and see how it goes. I haven't drawn in so long though. I am RUSTYYYYY.

So today is Gundam-day. This means that it is the day when I try to avoid the internet as much as possible until the subs come out (hopefully) this evening. It's all good though, I've got plenty of cleaning to keep me occupied; my flat is proper squalid at the moment.

News: I bought a dress yesterday! It's for my little cousin's wedding next Saturday. I am currently telling myself that I will fix my camera soon and take a photo of it to show you. Whether I actually get around to doing this or not is another matter. Anyway, having a job is great. Everyone else is all "Ohhh, credit crunch!" and "Ohhh, financial crisis!", and I am all "I haven't had any money to spare for the past two years (at least), let's go spendy spendy spendy!" I am currently trying to book myself flights to Dublin :D

In other news: I have started reading The Count of Monte Cristo. I had heard that it was boring, but I have to say that I am enjoying it immensely. I find myself looking forward to lunchtimes so I can read some more. Now, I started reading it because I loved Gankutsuou so much that I had to try my hand at the source material. So far, I have been able to remind myself of why the Count is such an awesome character. In fact, because the book seems to be telling things from his point of view, it makes him seem much less like a big scary blue vampire, and much more sympathetic. Also, I am very excited because Franz has just shown up and Franz was very much my favourite character in the anime. He hasn't been in the book long, so I can't say what he's like so far, but it's already been stated that he dresses like a cross between an artist and a dandy <3 I had heard that Franz didn't swing that way in the book, but so far the evidence suggests otherwise.