Dreaming of Dancing Burritos

Just go to Do not lick the turtles for the later entries.

Yeah yeah slowpoke, etc.

And just when people thought I’ve abandoned this blog, here comes an update. Nope, I couldn’t leave this blog, even if this has a craptastic feature of requiring people to log in friendster first before posting comments. Just too much content for me to chuck it and leave (but I did that on my free open diary, boohoo).

So, what’s up in Mai’s life? Mainly leaving my former company. Folks were nagging me to hand in my resignation after seeing me juggling so many things at once. It’s okay, they told me. I can take a break.

And I leave. Just like that. It’s funny, me being able to leave, make major decisions to leave things behind. Typical me I guess.

So I’m now here wallowing in this peaceful ennui called Vacation in Leyte, which is to be cut short from six weeks to only three because I’m about to be interviewed for a very, very interesting job. *crosses fingers and toes* Hope I get in.

What are my main points of interest now…hmm. For now I’m diving head-on in a major writing project, besides the other one which is in danger of collecting dust (stumped in what to do next…yeah, that happens even to me). I’m also a tad fixated on my Pink DS Raito, with glorious R4, and with the plethora of games I’m still not able to finish one since I’m playing through them all the the same time.

Don’t forget Death Note. It’s been so long since I’ve fangirled over something (I think the last time I did was over Castlevania: Symphony of the Night), I’m actually indulging myself by fangirling over the epic series in a whole new level, it’s scary. No, I’m not buying any of those cheap hack merchandise where Chinese in sweatshops stamp the name "Death Note" on anything black.

But those Death Notebooks are cool (faux leather, some packaged with pens and copies of Death Note Tribute CDs). I’m actually hoarding them. XD

Not to mention that L is the World’s Beloved Moe (moe, pronounced mo-eh, refers to a person so utterly adorable that s/he elicits maternal urges from even the most hardened of people) Detective. There’s simply no other fictional character like L, and the only character that I can think of is Edward Scissorhands, but doesn’t even come close. Even 4chan, where intellectual people pretend to be retards* (copypasta), is gay for L.

Two-in-one fanart of L and DS Lite. Of course, my DS Lite (Raito) is pink. *fangirls*

…hmm. I feel like I’m supposed to miss something (miss, as in pine for), but I don’t know what. o_o It’s like a brain itch, only emotionally. What am I supposed to feel, that I’ve quite forgotten? Whoa, dangerously coasting emo waters there, now.

***
I’ve brought my newish PC here in Leyte (handcarried the big-ass CPU, in fact), and going to leave it here. It breaks my heart to think that my PC here will be used by people who only know Solitaire and the bare essentials on how to use YM. T__T

So once I get back to Manila, I’m going to build a PC around the hard drive that I left there (with my OS, files, games, etc). Here’s the barebones build based on the latest PC Express pricelist:

• Intel E4300 (1.80G) 2mb 800 FSB C2D         
• 160 gig Western Digital 7200 SATA         
• Kingston 1GB PC533 DDR2               
• PowerColor ATI 9600XT 128 DDR tv-dvi         
• Philips 18x DVDRW black               
• Casing with Power Supply 500w      
• Aux fan  

If budget permits (since I’ll have to buy a Samsung Slim/Narrow LCD monitor, I’ll leave my current one here too), I’ll get these as well:

• Canon LIDE 25 flatbed USB
• Wacom Graphire 4 Pen Tablet

Anything amiss in my planned machine? o_o; I hope I’ll be able to net all of them with my 35,000 budget, including the monitor. Last time I checked, my Samsung LCD monitor costs Php 9,000+.

Now, excuse me while I quit procrasticating and finally get to work. :3

* The entire copypasta goes like this: "Gaia is where retards pretend to be intellectuals, and 4chan is where intellectuals pretend to be retards". No offense to gaiaonline users. But I think the damage has been done, so :/

Raile asked me to post pics of my toys (after I mentioned that I got some neat ones in the recent Christmas bazaar). He asked me that favor more than a week ago, but–knowing me–I don’t feel like it that much yet. But I am proud of my new toy. So, introducing, my beloved new Desky (which I will dub Toy #1):

• Intel D 820 2.8GHz 800 MHz Dual Core
• Intel Core 2 DDR Motherboard
• Kingston 1GB DDR2
• Seagate 80 GB SATA Hard Drive (don’t need that much space…I have a habit of burning videos immediately after DL’ing)
• PC ATI X700 PCIE 256MB Powercolor Video Card
• LG Collins CDR/DVD Combo Writer (don’t need DVD Writers…they give me headaches)

So my brother and I immediately put it to the abuse test (multitasking high-end games) so that if there are any defects, they will show up within the warranty period.

The motherboard died. XD Though it’s more of a factory defect, I reckon.

In any case it’s due to be picked up tomorrow in PCX, and maybe I’ll have to give it a new cooling system. The heat bothers my leg whenever I let it rest against the PC tower.

Toy # 2

I never thought I’d play RO again after more than a year’s worth of hiatus, but play again I did. The promise of a botless server lured me, once again, though I never planned on staying long. The Hugel patch with the gunslingers isn’t implemented yet, but I still find myself playing for some reasons I can’t fathom. Maybe it’s just for the sake of good old memories.

In any case, I created an assassin, Zelmire de Terville, (which I may very well ditch once Hugel is on), a Natural Critical build, which is sucky for WoE. I hate WoE, it feels like work away from work. Not to mention guild drama that rivals Dynasty. -_- Can’t believe I was part of one, and I think I will be part of another one later on. Why can’t real life confine itself into reality? Haha.

And yes. He’s the assassin who loves his beloved puppy and flowers; in fact, he wears both on his head (the puppy is alive, btw). And yes, he’s the gayest assassin one can ever come across. Give him a hug, please XD. 

More to come…that is, if I ever feel like it.

*special credits to Nemain for the sleeping partners screenie. XD

As always, I’ve got so much to do. I’ve got so many stories to write, so many images to draw, etc. etc. I’ve got so many ideas swimming in my head but whenever I either pick up my pencil to draw or poise my fingers to type, I remember the things I should do once I wake up for the next workday. I lose drive, and I try to get my required sleep.

But that’s no excuse. I want to write something that I thought about while I was taking my shower yesterday (and didn’t leave my poor head ever since).

***

Congrats to my friend for grabbing the 1st runner-up spot in the RF Online fanfic contest. I’m glad that my snipping (sometimes I think that I raped his wonderful writing with my brutal editing, what with the forced 800-word limit) didn’t mar his piece.

Next time, we won’t be so merciful (if he’ll let me edit some of his future works XD).

***

I was browsing Karasawa Rui-san’s gallery on deviantART.com when I happened upon her utterly cute fanart based on our former Ragnarok Online guild, Knights of Obscurity. I can’t help but smile.

<– Still smiling.

***

I managed to draw my first Battle Maid Alice line art (inspired by Karasawa-san’s works, no doubt). I’ll have it scanned and posted here later on. I’ll draw another Battle Maid Alice pic once my wonderful four-day weekend starts this Friday. Yes, in case you’re wondering, she is based on Ragnarok Online’s cute French maid.

***

Enough name dropping.

Title.

Three years already passed since I last sat down with a sketch pad, Staedler pencil, kneaded gum and Pilot VTech pen (my art thingies of choice), drawing for at least an hour, my attention focused–laser-like–over the object slowly forming on the surface of the cheap sketch pad. No Copic pens or any other nifty drawing stuff here; I’d rather see my money spent on gadgets like celphones with built-in refrigerators.

Trivia: Whenever I draw, it’s always on a new sketch pad. Every time I sit down to draw something, it has been a long time since I used the last sketch pad, and I always forgot where I put it. I think I accumulated more than twenty almost unused sketch pads hidden all throughout the house.

My latest drawing is posted on my friendster photos. She’s my take of Ragnarok Online’s Sohee. I added some more detail to the design, though. The Photoshop shading is thanks to my brother, though. I think I really need to learn Photoshop basics–all I know how to use when it comes to similar programs is Adobe ImageReady, and it’s for wussies. I wants hardcore vectoring and stuff.

I really miss drawing, or losing myself in drawing. I miss the feeling I get after I finish one, usually in the wee hours of the morning, and I just sit there, stumped and light-headed, my gaze fixed on my line art, jaded.

That very same feeling will be gone once I wake up the next day, as I stare at my drawing again, only to be replaced with one which is almost always accompanied by thoughts such as "wtf did I do wrong," and other such musings.

It was fun.

About my bro, he also did a (non)fan art of the Ragnarok Online Assassin. His work and his treatment of my line art made me realize the importance of Photoshop. I even remember the days when we used to pore over a Japanese anime magazine (Newtype) together and arguing whether an artwork was colored in using authentic water/poster colors or Photoshop.

The arguments almost always ended in ties, since it can go both ways.

Man, I really need to learn how to use Photoshop for those nifty shadows and stuff.

-_-x I couldn’t even wield a watercolor brush.

In any case it’s been good that I was given a chance to draw again. I may draw Alice (still Ragnarok Online), Marionette, or Moonlight Flower…etc. etc.

But there’s still the long to-do list ahead of me, so meh.

Got to play Pinoy Henyo (sp?) with officemates. Had "Toll Free Number" slapped on my forehead while I tried to guess the durned word. Too bad I didn’t have a picture, so I just drew this on the whiteboard. I guess this should suffice.

I looked stupid.

Ayt. Been wasting my weekend lying in my bed, unless called for. Still raining. I hope I’ll be better tomorrow morning.

I got nauseous and threw up earlier for some reason. Must be food. It felt good, though, and I’ve been fighting the urge to stick two fingers down my throat ever since. S’too disgusting, even for me.

Been having fever dreams. I miss my Katamari dreams, which lasted in my mind for…a few months. Too bad I no longer have them. They were fun.

***

I got a Vertigo Tarot deck, for a 60% discount. Why the discount? It lacked one card. The Page of Cups.

Here’s my train of thought diagram that ran across my head when the lady told me about the missing card:

Vertigo Tarot Deck - Missing Card = strange deck (60% discount / Something Wanting Me To Get It Factor) = special Tarot deck

So I got it.

Despite my thoughts that it should be been as good as free in the first place; a lone card in a 78-card set is still invaluable.

I am able to read simple spreads. I can tell the deck still performs despite the handicap.

Yep, special.

***

So my cosplay pic was printed on Fudge magazine. Haha kahit thumbnail lang. Lolzerz.

I better end this right now before my thoughts get even more disjointed. I still don’t feel peachy.

This here in eTelecare’s Matrix Lab. You should picture me typing away right now, pressing on backspace every five goddamn keystrokes because of any of the following reasons:

• new keyboard
• cold laboratory (brrr)
• stupid fingers
• scared the crap out of waiting for my turn for the mock call (not really scared. But I really want to use the word "crap" and I figured that "scared" goes well with it) assessment.

I bring my PSP everyday to work (well, training. But I get paid so what the f***ing heck), and it’s been making the rounds recently. It’s alright; the people who play my PSP are human equivalents for RO’s bots. I get home, discover a hefty amount of G (damn, I wish it were the E), and use it for modifying characters in Tekken Dark Resurrection.

Everybody is HAPPY WAPPY [insert the HAPPY WAPPY logo here]. Oh right, I’ve yet to scan the logo here as well as other of my recent scribbles.

I feel so DRUGGED. I’m sapped out of life force. You get that with waiting for the

• dentist
• surgeon
• your turn for the one-on-one exam
• !@#$% (can’t resist, sorry)

And I twiddle my thumbs. Oh, am I allowed to start a sentence with "And?" No? Shit, forget it.

Somebody at my new workplace described me as "Happy". Light up the fireworks and have fun with confetti everyone; it’s a grand milestone in Mai’s life! WHEE! XD Me! Happy person! HAHAHAHAHA!

Coincidentally, I just recently created my Happy Wappy signature. "Happy Wappy" was just a badly-mangled phrase I created just to accompany my now trademark smiley face signature, which I decided to draw on all my training/work materials in lieu of my name.

Just so you know, the Happy Wappy campaign is part of my personal crusade to improve my general outlook in life.

Coincidentally (again), another one of my colleagues told me about a friend of his who was called "Happy Wappy". It must be a freaking sign.

What does Happy Wappy mean? Happy = Happy, Wappy = rhymes with ‘happy’.

Happy Wappy. Sounds happier.

Anybody who demands more explanation shall be shot at by a railgun and fed to abalones crusting the sides of defunct Philippine Navy Destroyer-type ships.

***

So the trainer asked us, "Are you HAPPY?"

I shouted, "In a call center with free flowing Lemonade–yes, lemonade–as well as iced tea, Milo and coffee? YEAH!"

Kidding.

***

I’m experiencing deja vu in my current workplace. I won’t be posting it here since I already have a few of my friends at work added to my Friendster profile; instead it will be posted in my personal blog (which you will have to find for yourself).

It’s disturbing, to say the least. I can’t tell anybody about it, but it even haunts my sense of smell.

So I encountered this email in my usual day at work (the letter sender refers to having satellite TV installed at her place):

Yesterday my fiance and I were told we could have installation by the 25th of July.  But when we finalized our order we were told that we would not have it installed until the 11th of August. That is ridiculous. I would like it installed at least by August 1st or I need to cancel.

That is too long to wait, especially because I will be a newlywed and must leave my new spouse on the 13th of August for 6 months. My new spouse and I wanted to watch tv together for the first two weeks of our marriage, but now, because we were mislead that will not happen.  Please move up our install date. Thank you for your cooperation.

To borrow what redkinoko asked me (again, I just like it. Sorry, Jet), "WTF ARE YOU SMOKING??" First two weeks of marriage for FUCKING TV??

*cue hail and brimstone from heaven. Bato-bato sa langit, ang matamaan wag magalit*

Sure, I have to admit that it is not right that the installation date has to be pushed back, but that’s not the effing point. It’s the first two weeks of marriage being wasted on TV, that’s the point. That’s INANE. The wife also has to leave for six months. They will just waste it on TV. Whee.

Then again they may be subscribed to hardcore porn. Yeah, baby, YEAH!

***

Tried my hand at writing a hardcore yuri scene, at the behest (okay, that was an overstatement) of a respectable writer, after I gave feedback for his own lemon. The second night of writing that scene, I complained to a friend "There are only so much permutations, so many synonyms for female genitals. And I HAVE USED THEM ALL!" *bangs head on the wall*.

Ignore that outburst. The truth is that I blush whenever I lift my pen (or hover my hands over the keyboard).

*splag*