(Witty Title Apologizing for Being so Horribly Lax with Posts)

So... My  last post began with me welcoming in 2014. *twiddles forefingers* Oops. I'll just go down the list then... Behold! My year thusly passed:

One of the main reasons I stopped blogging was that I actually got a job! I landed a graphic designer position at a print... place that I will not name here. I had to pack up and move to a horrible little dingy share house bedroom with ZERO internet capabilities in less than a week and began work. It was hard to adjust from doing nothing all day to a 9 to 5 work-week. I also had to learn to feed myself. That resulted in way too much microwave macaroni cheese...

There was also the comedic moment when I went outside to do my laundry and the landlord accidentlly locked me out and drove away. *cue Mission Impossible theme as I climed in through the window*

I made an Enderfriend!

I managed to discover a new talent: I could stick Freddo Frogs to my forehead. I also, at some point, managed to drop the pointy end of a knife on the web between my toes. (I'm just pulling these snippets from my FB timeline XD) I also attended my graduation ceremony! Cap and acape and scroll and all! Woo!

After a few months in the dingy hole, I moved to one of my landlord's other share houses in the area. OMFG I loved that room. It was an old clapboard house that had been raised up on stilts. The ceilings were so incredibly high and the floor was polished wood and I had  FREAKING BAY WINDOW. It was amazing... The kitchen left much to be desired though - especially because it had a hot water tap that sounded like a jet engine taking off. That was in May sometime I think.

Then, comedy of all comedies; I was locked out out of the house AGAIN.That time it was the wind's fault. I had gone out to pay the pizza delivery gal and it slammed the front door shut behind me. Luckily there was an open window. Unluckily it was on the second storey. Luckily there was a ladder. Unluckily I had to set up the ladder precariously on the stairs. Luckily I could get into the window now. Unluckily my hips were too wide to fit. Luckily I was able to grab a chair inside and use it to twist around and get the rest of me through the window. Cue me feeling like a champion and an idiot at the same time.

By this point, I had spent a couple of months at *print place that shall forever be unnamed* and... well... I made some booboos. I learned a hard lesson, that was also incredibly costly, that 'ordinance' and 'ordnance' are two VERY different words... Also, that place was kinda dodgy. My boss could only use certain courier services, because they hadn't paid the bills for others... I still got my pay all and well, but I had a majorly hard time trying to get actual hard copy payslips out of them. The printer of 20 years up and quit, and the admin girl told me too that she was thinking of leaving, so I began looking around for a new job, and low and behold, I got a position at a much nicer, much more respectable sign company right down the street! ^_^ One that did not have mushrooms growing in the carpet of the storage room...

I am still with this new sign company. They're wonderful there; a much bigger team with much nicer facilities and ethics. And they have cake!

I turned 21! Woo! Did not really have a party though. Less woo. *shrug*

At the same time I got my new job, my brother transferred from a university down south to the one in my city. He was having quite a hard time doing the course he was, so decided to change paths and move closer to home. Because I was tired of sharing a house with people I didn't know, and of the grimy, awful kitchen, I agreed to find a place to rent with him. Our new place is really quite great. It has two bedrooms on the second floor, two and a half bathrooms, and a lovely kitchen and lounge area. There was some debate as to who would get which bedroom. Because my name was going on the lease and because I graciously agreed to give up my glorious bay window in the share house, I got to have the bigger room with the two (TWO!) built in cupboards. I did however let my little brother, who is in fact a giant, have the double bed. Which left me stuck with a single. AGAIN. Not once! Not once in my whole life have I had a bed larger than a single! *simmering rage* But it's cool here - that is when the bro does his share of the housework. And I'm just a block away from work, so I don't even need a car.

We have been on quite a few fishing trips! Here are some of the more eventful moments:

Yes. That is an octopus on a hook. O.O

Olive Seasnake right up next to our boat!

FREAKING HUMPBACK POD RIGHT NEXT TO BOAT! :D

We left off with me having written 10,000 words on Flare. I have since finished that novel. It's absolutely terrible still XD I haven't even gone back to do a rough edit yet.

I have since moved on to begin working on the sequel to my first novel, Soulless. It has recently acquired a name; Dreamless. I think I have a theme going here... Any-hoo, it is currently at 22,000-ish wordy-ma-jigs. Currently at a tricky part. Characters are being stubborn and... well, I can't think of a way to get past it yet. 

Getting Soulless published has gone nowhere. I think I've applied to three more agencies now and been rejected by all of them. I have actually run out of agencies to apply to within Australia, so I am now looking at international ones. I best get my butt moving on making up a new application soon. I just have been so caught up with work and TV and writing Dreamless though.

TV! Oh my gosh TV. Jut a rundown of everything I watch now:

Supernatural - It's been going for so long now! I'm not sure why I'm not tired of it. The storylines are getting a bit twisty.

Doctor Who: Oh gods, I love Capaldi as the 12th doctor! Some of the episodes though - and the Chrismas Special just recently... I dunno. They feel so try-hard. Other bits are genius though and make me have all the feels ^_^

Grimm: IS AMAZING. Fullstop.

Once Upon a Time: I got so pissed when I saw that the latest season would be Frozen inspired. I highly disliked the movie that so many people are now obsessed with. But, the season turned out okay. ALSO CAPTAIN SWAN. *swoons*

Brooklyn Nine Nine: Good comedy. I haven't been wathcing it lately though. Not sure why. *shrug*

Castle: So great still! Caskett is official and so completely adorable!

2 Broke Girls: Another that I haven't been keeping up with. *more shrugs*

Marvel's Agents of SHIELD: Pretty great series. Been getting my Marvel hit to tide me over till the next Avengers.

The Vampire Diaries: I can't believe I ever bothered with True Blood (except for those bits where Alexander Skarsgard takes his shirt off). This is where it's at. And oh my giddy aunt, is Damon Salvatiore/Ian Somerhalder the TASTIEST thing in existence.

Sherlock: This show is the BOMB. It might only have three episodes to a season, but oh dear heaven, is it grippingly good.

Chuck: This show has been finished for a good number of years now and I have no idea why I never saw it and then resisted seeing it. It is so freaking funny and adorable and wonderful. My mother is now torn between me wanting to marry Munroe from Grimm and Chuck XD

Fairy Tail: A great anime. I am so excited now that I am getting to the dubbed seasons with the character voice by Michael Jones in it.

Gravity Falls: Dude. This is so not a kids show. AND IT'S AWESOME.

My brother bought an Xbox One. I played Destiny for about three days straight! Then he hid it away in his room and I haven't gotten to play it again... *grumble*

Art! I have been doing so much art! Mostly design at work, but it must have shaken something loose in me because I started doing a comic based on the retarded and hilarious stuff that goes down on the Minecraft server that I play on. The people on there love them and get annoyed when I don't post a new one in a while. It has certainly given me some experience and practice drawing people, which is fantastic.

The other art I have been doing is based around a fandom with which I am now completely obsessed. I am now, and extremely proud to call myself  Cockbite. I have nourished a liking for Roosterteeth for a while now, but now I am hard and fast in love with the whole kit and cockadoodle. I can't wait to get my Achievement Hunter fix each day and the Rooster Teeth Podcast is the highlight of my week. I have, since I began earning money, begun buying myself RT merch by the bucketload. These guys are my life. I am so psyched for August now, because in July last year, they had a campaign to fund thier first full-length feature film called Lazer Team. As part of that fundraiser, they sold 100 VIP tickets to thier convention RTX this year. I was one of the lucky few to grab one. I AM SO EXCITED. I haven't booked my plane tickets or asked for time off yet, but I still absolutely cannot wait to go.

These are the art pieces I have done:

The delicious Ryan Haywood in his GTAV costume

More Ryan!

Here, have some rude Geoff Ramsey too

(He retweeted this I NEARLY DIED)

And of course some lovely mingy Brit

aka: Gavin Free :P

This is a fanart of a fanfic... 

involving Ryan Haywood

Fic-ception!

More Ryan...

Not Rooster Teeth, but still video game inspired ^_^

From that same fanfiction...You may have noticed
that I am now a *tiny* bit obsesed with Ryan...

What's this? A craft project?

Painting finished!

A dog's breakfast...

But suddenly; a whole bag appears!

I call it... the Bag Shot.

It hasn't been all smiles and rainbows in the RT fandom of late though... Just last week, beloved animator and creator of the hit series RWBY, Monty Oum passed away. He was only thirty three, and slipped into a coma resulting from a server allergic reaction during a routine hospital procedure. It was a shock to everyone... I couldn't beleive what I was seeing when I woke up to the news that weekend, and then again a few days later when I started scrolling through Tumlr and saw 'RIP' posts... It was a crippling thought that someone so young and so vital could be snatched away from us... 

I saw the sweetest post on Tumblr about the whole sad situation. I can't remember what it was exactly, but, it was somehting along the lines of imagining that Monty would immediately be signed up to be a muse and instead of when you start on your next creative project and you expect your muse to be some ancient greek goddess with a robe to sit on your shoulder, you get this young asian man with tired eyes and a cheeky smile who dresses like an anime character and kicks ASS at DDR. So that is what I've been imagining lately; Monty on my shoulder, poking me in the face when I get distracted. I guess Monty will never die in that regard; he will live on through all of us, and all that we create from being inspired by him...

We'll miss you Monty; you were freaking amazing.

The only other news I can think of at the moment is my completely non-existent dating life. I have discovered that I live practically under a rock. I meet NO-ONE. I have been trying a few dating apps, but with very little results... I went on two dates with a bloke I could only really see as a mate. I seriously think that there are no men in my city. It's depressing and lonely... Ah well. I'll just have to finish writing these books, get them published, and become a rich, famous author. I should be able to go out then and meet other humans... right?

Feeling: Tired. Neck is sore from so much computer time. Also guilty that my weekend involved barely any writing.

Wearing: My Tower of Pimps tee! Also; pants are for bitches.

Listening to: The Nights by Avicii and Lovers on the Sun by David Guetta on repeat. SO GOOD.

Eating: I had KFC for dinner. That's porbably why my chest feels funny; all that cholestorol is getting to my heart :P

Rejected! Yay!

Good day fine internetters.

So, I've been quite busy lately. I have had a surprising amount of university work to contend with. And contend I have. We aced a presentation just two days ago, and I have been highly commended for my graphic design work in another subject. Work is going very well too. I managed to find several of the posters I designed up in a tavern in town. It's ridiculously satisfying to see one's work actually being used.

But, the main purpose of this post is to let you all know that I got a rejection! Woo! The submission I sent to the Cameron Creswell agency about Soulless in July has finally gotten back to me. Here is the letter:

Dear Ms Hudson,
Thank you for your submission. We have now had a chance to consider this title and do not think we are the best agents to represent you. We already have a long list of client authors and only take on new authors if we believe very strongly in their writing and our ability to place the work.
However, another agent could well have a different and more enthusiastic response to your work and we suggest that you contact some of the other agents listed on the website of the Australian Society of Authors at www.austlitagentsassoc.com.au.
Thank you for thinking of The Cameron Creswell Agency and we wish you all the best in finding an agent and publisher.
Regards,
Sophie Hamley

Now, I'm not too sure whether this is an actual letter or rather a generic reply. But anyways, it's a rejection and the first step towards being published! When I tell people that I got a rejection, they always seem ready to commiserate,  and then seem confused when I smile and tell them that it's a good thing. I mean, I totally expected it. It really is the first step to being published. And now I get to go and ask someone else. I think it's important to have such a positive attitude about it, otherwise I'll just be completely miserable every time someone says no.

And now for other news. I went to a party dressed as a lego block. The theme was 'Toys from your Childhood'. I unfortunately have no pictures, but just know that it was the most epic fifteen-second costume.

I managed to get my hands on the latest Skulduggery Pleasant book, The Last Stand of Dead Men. My goodness. The feels. Me and every other fan I know just want to strangle the author. The moments of comedy were beautiful, but the low moments were so dark and dismal... I cried a couple of times. And the worst part is that I have to wait a whole year for the series finale.

I am now a Supernatural fan. I remember I watched the first season quite a while ago and got a little bored of the 'let's find dad' storyline. But I finally decided to get back into it because I really wanted to meet a character who would appear later in the show. I was so glad I did. The show got considerably better after the first season, and when they introduced that lovable, scruffy, poker-faced angel in a trench coat, Castiel, I was in love. I am now waiting very impatiently for the start of next season. For the start of all the new seasons actually. Everything I love is coming back sometime this October or November. It will be wonderful.
I also entered a Threadless design challenge! I've always wanted to see a Herobrine themed Minecraft tee, so I thought this competition would be the perfect opportunity to try and get one printed. It's my first submission ever, but here's to hoping. To see or vote for my shirt, go here: http://thrdl.es/~/2g3H

And now for some more Soulless art!

Rook and Evie being growly

Rook and Evie being less growly

My own strange version of a chimera

"Quintin Rthrant Xesi Esiorto at your service,"

Faaro Lovell

An old friend of Rook's named Turi.

Feeling: Like I should get back to work.

Eating: Gonna go get the last of my delicious birthday cake.

Listening to: Black and Gold by Sam Sparro.

Wearing: Short shorts and high school senior shirt.

Supernatural Ass

Good evening brethren of the pen and page. This meeting is convened upon the night of the sickle moon and the jig-dancing, green-hatted dwarf. Moonshine and crocks of gold for all.

It is true that I have not posted in quite a while. Mainly because I have been taking a break from writing and as such have nothing to post about. I have read that it's a good idea to take a break in between finishing a first draft and beginning the edit on it, so as to more easily be objective. 

What I have been doing, is boasting to everyone who'll listen that I've recently finished a 99,000 word manuscript, and then telling them off for suggesting to add another thousand words to make it an even 100,000. It's weird that they suggest that. Why is 100 better than 99? Both are equally cool to say in my humble opinion... But, who knows. Maybe after the edit it'll go up, or possibly down. All I care is whether it's a good story.

My brain, now currently free of its commitment to Soulless, has been pondering a little about the next rewrite of Sparks. I know for sure that the current manuscript is in a terrible state. Sure, I love the characters, the villain and some of the scenes, but I know that it is actually quite a shallow and cliched story. I have basically written the female version of Spiderman. So, there have been some notes on what modifications are to ensue - nothing concrete though. There are still a lot of plotholes to be filled with steamy hot, delicious story-tar. My brain needs to strap on its boots and high-visibility jacket and get to work on those. It's going to be exciting when it does.

Nearly all of my favourite TV shows are back on the air. I awaited not-so-patiently for the return of Grimm, and the mid-season kick off was not disappointing. Castle, Once Upon a Time and 2 Broke Girls were back quite a few weeks ago and I eagerly await for them each day. What I have been amusing myself with in the meantime, is a copious amount of True Blood. I got up to mid-way through season four and decided to stop though, having lost interest after my three favourite characters all broke up. I highly recommend the series if you liked Game of Thrones. Their similarities include epic intro songs and scenes, much politics, blood and a high boob per hour count.

How could you not want to watch when the vampires look like this?

I apologise if this post is feeling a little dry though. My brain is slightly fuzzy. I was out clubbing till 2:00am last night. I had an insane amount of fun, and was weirdly unable to get drunk. Normally I'm quite a lightweight. What topped the night off though, was how many times my butt was pinched. I was wearing a slinky grey dress I bought at at a second hand shop for $4.00. It made my ass look incredible. Three times it got nipped. Also, as I left the club for the night, I was heading toward the taxi rank in the middle of my group of buds when two scary looking Latino fellas strolled right up to me and asked if I wanted to go far a walk with them. Rather stunned, I simply said "No thanks," and walked away. I attribute this overwhelming interest as a testament to the power of second hand shops. Never buying retail again.

Eating: Dinner was St. Patricks day themed here at college. We had beef and Guinness pies.

Wearing: Pink, striped pajamas.

Feeling: Tired, but good.

Listening to: The sexy theme song from True Blood is still looping in my head. Have a listen and you'll know what I mean.

Salt

Well. This is quite atrocious. I have not posted in quite a while. 

I'll admit I have been quite distracted of late. The holidays began and all I really felt like doing was rewatching some of my favourite television shows. I finished of both Fringe and Castle in a matter of weeks, the former airing its very last episode last week. I was very sad, but happy to see the ending of such a great story. It was both a good ending and bad - bittersweet you might say.

I have also been busy with some arty projects. I sewed myself up the cutest little Slenderman plushie with the new sewing machine I got for a very early birthday present. This is him here:

Snuggly death...

I've also created a tiny plush version of the turtle character named Kameo from the very awesome anime Gun X Sword. He can be hung as a necklace just like in the show. My current project is sitting outside drying nicely. I got a small Tardis DVD shelf thing with doors for Christmas. Unfortunately a lot of details on it were incorrect. My inner Doctor Who fan was screaming "Fix it! Fix it!" So I am in the process of repainting, adding recessed panels, new windows, a working, flashing light and redoing the signs. It is looking absolutely smexy so far.

But, the real reason I have hardly posted is because I have not been doing any work on Soulless. Bad Raechel. Very bad. *Smack on the wrist* But tonight, the stars have aligned and I have produced approximately a thousand words, which is from both edits and new material.

I noticed some strange things while researching a bit about herbs, gems and other things with supposed magical properties for a section of the novel I wrote a fair while ago. I was trying to find some materials with cleansing properties. I've already learnt that salt is used as a magical barrier in many different practices - mainly just from watching Supernatural and Teen Wolf. Eventually I settled on the salt and the herbs sage and silver birch, but it was quite amusing going through the lists of other herbs and their supposed properties on several different occult websites. I surmised that if I added up every different explanation of each herb's powers from each site, every different herb would have all the properties of every other one and as such, turn each herb into miracle one-cure-alls. It just made me shake my head at the people who might think that these things might actually be true. Even though I have this opinion, I find myself shopping rather regularly at healing crystal shops. I find myself explaining to the owners that I'm only in there because I love and collect rocks XD

Wearing: New PJs. These ones are peachy-orange, purple and polka dotted. So comfy ^_^

Eating: Nothing. It's currently one in the morning. Although I had some of my Mum's incredible beef stew for dinner. So good...

Feeling: Kind of sleepy. Also quite proud of myself for getting back into this novel.

Listening to: Run to Paradise - The Choirboys.

The Raver Hath Risen

I was rewatching an episode of one of my favourite new TV shows today. This one is the supernatural crime show, Grimm. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. It's sort of a cross between Castle and Once Upon a Time, which are incidentally also among my favourite-est shows EVAR.

Anyhoo. We were at an episode where one of the main characters is pretty much playing a ripoff of the DJ known as deadmau5. This DJ was called Wretched Cat and wore the same kind of deadmau5 mask - but a kitty cat face. So, this rave scene really made me want to listen to dance/electronic musics. Thus my quest began! I now have several new songs to listen to; stuff by Skrillex, Wolfgang Gartner, Zedd, F.O.O.L, Designer Drugs and the Bloody Beetroots. Hopefully these will help get my writing brain into gear.

DJ Retchid Cat droppin' the beatz

Speaking of which, somebody tell me to get off my butt and continue writing this damned thing! I have been so distracted of late. Fishing, parents telling me to get a job, TV, cleaning, shopping, cooking. It seems that I do a way lot less while I'm at university. Because of this lack of writing, I have no new morsels for you to read, so instead I will provide you with some of the notes I have at the end of the current manuscript. They were the beginnings of our main characters Evie and Rook and what their names could have been.

Hero

·         Rook                    Smith

·         Cain                     Smithson

·         Remus                  Llewellyn (Welsh) Descendant of Llewellyn (Lion-like).

·         Quill

·         Daniel

·         David

·         Bane

·         Tobin

Rook Llewellyn

Foibles: Tactless. Harsh. Distrusting. Man of few words. Alcoholic. Aimless. Stubborn.

Traits: Heart of gold. Whittler. Singer. Fighter.

Heroine

·         Isabella                 Miller

·         Skye                      Tiller

·         Lily/Lilliana          Ford

·         Aisha                     Foster

·         Alicia                    Warwick

·         Amelia                  Wray (English) One who came from Wray (isolated place).

·         Elise

·         Eva

·         Evie

Evie Wray

Foibles: Frail. Naive. Stubborn. Klutz. Panicky. Sulky. Short.

Traits: Compassionate. Dancer. Dreamer. Bold.

Feeling: Like headbanging. *raves*

Eating: Not much. Had leftover pizza for tea. It filled me up pretty well.

Wearing: Short denim shorts and my custom made Bad Wolf tee.

Listening to: The Devil's Den by Skrillex and Wolfgang Gartner

Death by Block

As y'all might have remembered (read this post and this one if you don't remember, for details on my costume and how it went) I recently attended an awesome Cosplay event here in Townsville. I now present to you, the epicness that is SoMAG Style!

 

I am the one dressed in black with a block for a head, attacking the other person with a block for a head, with a block. Yay Minecraft!

Shockingly, I have been doing a lot of writing on Soulless. It has quite surprised me, especially since I'm supposed to be working on some very important assignments... But, be that as it may, I was able to bash out a respectable 2000 words on the beast yesterday. While waiting for the next episode of Dragons: Riders of Berk, the new television show based on Dreamworks' How to Train Your Dragon. I love Toothless! *squee*

I'm not sure if I should post more of the story on this blog. There is the matter of people stealing it. And I don't want to be giving it all away. What do you think, dear reader? Would you like more tidbits from Soulless?

Feeling: Guilty. All of the assignments!

Eating: I'll probably chow on some candy in the not to distant future. Lunch was preposterous.

Wearing: Shorts and green tee with a panther printed on it.

Listening to: Gungnam Style is stuck in my head. And now yours!

P.S.

I have also just surpassed 600 views! Thank you my little reader minions! You give me great ego boosts with every milestone! *throws cookies at audience*

My Safe Word Is Apples...

So... recently I found another TV show to binge on, and in the process procrastinate on writing and university assignments. This show is the funny and fantastic, crime-comedy, Castle. I had heard about it, seen the ads for earlier seasons on television, and dismissed them as just another show I didn't really want to watch. But I was bored and IMDB told me that I might like it. So I downloaded the pilot, and couldn't stop watching. The crime bit is good, but the characters were what kept me sucked into this insane little Castle cyclone. I sat there dying to see more and riding every emotion like a supercharged roller coaster. I have officially become part of another fandom. I'm already planning custom fan apparel...

In other news, I have a veritable tonne of assignments. Which I just don't want to do. I know I only have three weeks to do them in, but... I just can't get off my butt. The same goes with writing. I know I have stories stashed in my head, I just can't be bothered to wade through the fluff, old barbies and lolcat pictures also stored in my brain/attic.

Cosplay was absolutely epic. We had so much fun. So many people turned up! I secretly think this was because of me and my awesomely designed advertisement posters... There was a trivia quiz, a drawing competition, a baking contest, an anime dubbing competition and a maple syrup chugging race. The syrup contest ended a bit badly. One of the contestants (a well known sore loser), after losing over some technicalities, decided to pour some of his syrup over the head of the member of the committee who was running the event, in the process nearly ruining his $180 Deadpool costume. he was also a nuisance at the previous Cosplay. This member has since been banned from future events.

I am looking forward to the Cosplay Gala we are holding in a few weeks. It's a more formal version of the Cosplay, held at a venue with alcohol. I'm going dressed as the Slenderman. *Evil grin*

I got an art project back today. Several weeks ago, we were given the task to interpret 'utopia' using space, meaning sculpture or other three-dimensional media. I made a small doll with rotatable body parts, reasoning that a utopia was where someone could be whoever they wanted to be (thus the ability to choose different sides of the doll). I also had a piece on the side which was pretty much just for fun. This was a clay sculpture as well, and an almost perfect cube. I don't know how long I spent smoothing and polishing the sides of that thing. Everybody was really impressed with how cubular I managed to make a piece of rough brown clay.

My cubey-cube.

I completed a week of work experience at a graphic design agency in Townsville city a few weeks back. It was for assessment for a subject, but it was still a lot of fun. The team at TBD Communication and Design Townsville was very helpful and enthusiastic. I was able to work on a lot of my own projects, which included improving my portfolio majorly, designing a logo for my own personal use and then actually doing some work for a client of theirs. I got to dress up in all the business clothes my Mum insisted on buying when she heard I had to do some work experience and I had to get up really early and catch the bus into the city. Even so, it was lots of fun. Except for the last day. I woke up with a full blown flu. It brought a friend too - a massive headache. I remember feeling like I was going to faint on the bus trip home.

Feeling: a whole lot better now.

Listening to: Nothing. Though I have Smooth by Santana and Rob Thomas stuck in my head.

Eating: Had a tonne of McDonald's after anime club tonight.

Wearing: PJs.

Word of the day: Three actually. MUSHNUT SQUAPPLE RISOTTO. Something I read on another blog post tonight lol.

Light or Set Fire; Arouse or Inspire

I finally did it. I went and got myself a Kindle. It's a Kindle 3, keyboard and wi-fi only version. I found it listed on a classifieds group on Facebook. It came with a case and all of the books the previous owner had loaded onto it. I had fun staying up late last night customizing the screensaver images and reading the original Grimm's fairy tales. Very happy with my purchase.

I read the latest in Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl series. The Last Guardian is the finale and is very, very good. The entire series is extremely good for that matter, bar one. The second last book I found to be funny in parts, but had a dissatisfying ending and felt a bit like it had been written simply to fill a gap or pass time. Don't let that discourage you though, I highly recommend the series. The stories are about a teenage criminal mastermind and a city of magical beings who live hidden just beneath the Earth's crust. Here's the Amazon blurb for the first book.

At the moment I am taking a weeny break from reading the second book in a series by Ally Condie. Another young adult fiction, Crossed is the second in her Matched series, with the third being released in late November. Crossed is about the society that has risen up in place of this one after it has broken down. Everything is perfect, or so it seems. Everyone gets the same food, everyone is safe and secure and everyone is 'matched' with their life partner. Cassia lives in this world, but when she begins to see the cracks and falls for a  boy who is not her 'match', she finds out just how rotten this idyllic bubble is.

My interview on Thursday went very well. I met Dr. Matthew and he, I and another applicant for the job discussed how we would go about making two brochures. He is very into whales. There are dozens and dozens of pictures on the walls of his little office.

As of late, I have been watching the last episodes of one of my favourite TV shows. House MD was one I scoffed at in the beginning. I thought it was silly to name a television show 'house' and mocked it, saying they'd name the next one 'window'. But, I was hooked. Dr. Gregory House, the show's twisted, genius main character is such a fantastic character. Season eight finished this year, I think. I've been waiting a while to see the last few episodes because I've been rewatching them all with my boyfriend who hasn't seen them. The ending has some of the most heart wrenching twists I've ever seen in a show. If you're looking for something good to watch, definitely go and watch House.

Listening to: Total Eclipse of the Heart - Bonny Tyler

Eating: Musk sticks

Wearing: Shirt decorated with butterflies and short shorts. For the first time in several months I am actually wearing shorts!

Feeling: Like I desperately need to get back to reading. Ciao all!

The Evil That is Vending Machines

As a general rule, I quite like vending machines. Not in the way you think though. They are full of outrageously priced, horribly sugary snacks that are all too tempting for the hungered university student. The only good thing about the is that they, upon occasion, provide me with actual cans of delicious Vanilla Coke - my worst vice - and people often tend to leave their money in the change return slots. This has led to a new habit forming for me. Along my route to classes I can check the slots of pretty much every vending machine on campus. So far I have managed to rack up about $20.00 worth of silver. Yesterday I would have collected another $1.80, if not for that one evil vending machine...

It started with the usual checking of a set of four machines in a corridor halfway along my route home. The last vending machine had three packets of chips that had fallen down inside it. I mistakenly took it for one of the machines that would only open the retrieval compartment door if you purchased something. So I convinced my friend to go halves in a $2.00 packet of chips so we could retrieve all four. Much to our dismay when we selected the snack and it fell to the bottom of the machine, the retrieval door still did not open. It was actually a simple push open to retrieve door that had gotten stuck. I guessed as we walked away, bitter and slightly embarrassed, that the two people before us had tried the same trick only to find out what we knew. So, we put a great big sign on the stupid thing warning others that the greedy machine was in fact broken. So, no you have been warned. Vending machines are fickle beasties.

And so went my first-world-problem saga for the week.

On another note, I have recently finished a large Kim Possible binge. I used to watch the show as a kid and even now as a near-adult, it's completely epic. I can't help but giggle at the corny villains, be constantly entertained by the beautifully animated fight scenes, and go all gooey and fan-girly over Ron and Kim's sweet little romance. I remember waking up one morning, turning on Saturday Disney and spitting my cereal out in shock after watching the season four intro in which you can see a split second of Ron and KP kissing. Oh they are just so cute together! End fan-girl squee. Continue warm, fuzzy feelings.

Pet peeve #192. White text on a black screen. It leaves the weirdest, most eye watering afterimages etched into my retinas. White on black needs to be banned. Banned, y' hear!? *Shakes fist at sky*

Feeling: Warmer than usual. Just had a nice steamy shower.

Wearing: Pjs o' course.

Eating: Nothing at the moment. Had curried sausages, rice and wedgies for dinner. No, not the underpants type of wedgies. It's what I call wedges. I just cant help but get excited about them, they are one of the most delicious things ever.

Listening to: Tainted Love - Soft Cell. The only reason I know this song is because of the second episode of the new Doctor Who. How much of a fan-girl am I? Yeah. That much. Be afraid.

And now a random picture.

Yes. Banana.