IT'S HERE!!!!!!

It's not often I check for mail (like actual mail type mail... you remember... a person delivers it to your house) and end up squealing like a schoolgirl and giggling like a maniac. But today, today was different. At first I was confused because, though the package had my name on it, I had no idea who it was from. Plain brown envelope, not a sender I recognized, I certainly wasn't expecting anything. Hmmm...
So I sliced it open and slid out a clear CD case that has become the highlight of my day, possibly my year.
SKULLMONKEYS! YAY!
I bought it off eBay ages ago and had been waiting long enough that I had stopped compulsively checking my mailbox every ten minutes. But now it's here and it's all mine!
If you have no idea what I'm talking about, you should be ashamed of yourself. And once you've become sufficiently shamed you should seek out and play it because it is the greatest game in the world. (With the exception of the Neverhood.)

Now That Xmas Is Over

New Toy

After much bitching and complaining about my very old, very shit, very thrashed camera my parents got me a new one for Xmas. And my, is it ever spanky. I love it. A lot. Especially because after my parents gave it to me my mom realized that it's way better than hers and this is annoying the shit out of her. (Don't you all wish you could have wonderful children like me?)
Anyway, I should mention that I am not a photographer in even the broadest sense of the word. I don't know how I manage to do it, but I fuck up 99.9% of every picture I take. But I still do like having a camera because sometimes you just need to snap a picture of something. This camera makes me especially happy because it has a panoramic setting, which is something I love and it's something I know I can do reasonably well. (By that of course I mean the pictures don't look like they were taken by a drunken 5 year old.)
So here are a few pictures I took the night I got it.

Box Set Luck

Nearly every xmas for the last ten years I have had at least one box set on my list. And I normally get one from my parents or my brother. But for some reason Gwenhwyfar + xmas + box set = disaster. I don't get it. I buy box sets for myself throughout the year and never have a problem but come xmas, there is always something wrong. Most notably was last year.
My parents relented and bought me a Johnny Cash box set (they hate Johnny, the freaks). I, being the childish present opener I am, opened it right up. (Don't ask why I do that, I don't know. I just have to see the whole thing.) And inside... nothing. I really thought they were shitting me. No disks, no booklet, nothing. In fact the spots for the CDs were warped so they wouldn't have held any CDs even if they had been in there. (By the way, you try taking a box set back on boxing day and try to convince the guy at the returns counter that there were no disks in there.)
This year my bother bought me the entire series of The Young Ones and I was ecstatic. (if you haven't seen this show, you should. Two words - Rik Mayall.) Once again I cracked it open to take a look. And then I noticed something. Three disks. Disk two, disk two and disk three.
Crap.
I even tried the disks to see if it was a misprint or if they were fucking with me. No. Disk two, disk two and disk three.
Crap.
*Sigh* So we're going to take it back and exchange it.
Maybe I'll see if they can do something about my box set curse while I'm there.

To All My Friends,

I appreciate you all more than you will ever know. You have all at one time or another (whether you knew it or not) been the support I needed most. And I owe you all a thousand thanks.

Always,

-Gwenhwyfar

Saying It While You Can

I've heard it said a hundred times I'm sure. "Say it while you can." Tell the people you love that you love them. Tell the people that have helped you that they have made a difference. Tell the people who are important that they mean something to you. While you still can. Because you never know what tomorrow holds. Because if you don't, one day you'll find that you can't and nothing will fix the guilt you feel at never saying the words out loud.
Yesterday I found out that someone who was at one time a very important person in my life is dying. And as I have no real way of telling him in person I'm going to take this opportunity to say it, because I never took the time to tell him.
Thank you, Sir. For all the days I know you stayed late just to listen to me. For giving me someone to talk to. For making me feel important. You made some of the most painful years tollerable just by taking the time to learn my name and giving me the opprtunity to talk things out. From the first time I met you until the very last time I said good-bye you were nothing but supportive and understanding. Even when we both knew I was being selfish or childish you still validated what I was feeling. You gave me worth when I felt worthless.
I don't think you'll ever really know how much that meant to me, how much it still means to me. You helped me become a stronger person and I owe you more than I will ever be able to repay.
I am forever in your debt.

A Little Bit Of Holiday Stealin'

Not only am I being lazy, but I'm a thief. It's going to be a good day. (And apparently my iPod thinks I'm a lesbian who listens to too much cloud cult.)

Rules: Put your music player on shuffle, press forward for each question and use the song title as the answer.

What does next year have in store for me?
Hung up - Madonna

What's my love life like?
Peaches - Presidents of the USA

What do I say when life gets hard?
Scabs, Guns and Peanut Butter - Marilyn Manson

What do you think of on waking up?
Princess Bride - Cloud Cult

What song will I dance to at my wedding?
Bad Timing - Blue Rodeo

What do you want as a career?
Lucky today - Cloud Cult

Your favorite saying?
Happy Hippo - Cloud Cult

Favorite place?
Cooking it up - James Asher

What do you think of your parents?
Fly me to the moon - Dinah Washington

What's your porn star name?
Management's Advice - Jeff Beal

Where would you go on a first date?
Blue Moon - Billie Holiday

Drug of choice?
I'm only happy when it rains - Garbage

Describe yourself.
Shoes - Kelly

What is the thing i like doing most?
Black Sunshine - White Zombie

What is my state of mind like at the moment?
Diary of a dope fiend - Marilyn Manson

How will I die?
Best Friend - Cloud Cult

Who Loves Q?

I loves Q.

Just sayin'.

You're All Retarded, Right? Is That The Problem?

On my drive home from work (a whole 20 minute drive) I was nearly rear-ended no less than eight times. Why? Because some people seem to forget how to drive as soon as it snows and others didn't know how to drive in the first place.
If you can see the glare off the street, chances are that they're fucking icy, you stupid fuck. Didn't you clue in when you fish-tailed around the corner? There's a really good reason I'm doing 40. It fucking snowed all day and the roads are terrible.
But that's okay, you keep chatting on your goddamned cell phone and braking at the last possible goddamned second. It's okay that I can see you skidding toward me, pumping your fucking brakes because, hey, I was right. The roads are terrible. And please, by all means, you ride my fucking bumper for as long as you can. I know there are two lanes of traffic, but changing lanes is a lot of work. Right?
I'm sure you have somewhere really important to be, so it's perfectly okay with me.
I fucking hate people.

Dear Brett Ratner,

Hi there. Brett (may I call you Brett?) I think it's about time we had a little chat. I've been putting it off for quite a while now because I was angry. Really angry. And I needed some time to cool off, to collect my thoughts, so I wouldn't say a bunch of hurtful things I didn't really mean. If I'm going to say hurtful things I'd like to be able to mean what I say.
He's my problem Brett - X-men 3: The Last Stand.
Can I just ask you something and get it out of the way? WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING!? Seriously Brett, you were handed something good and awesome, with a fan base already in place, with the story already written wonderfully, with characters we all know and love. And you fucked it up. You fucked it up royally, my friend. I'm not sure how you managed to fuck it up so bad actually.
Didn't anyone mention the comics before you started making the movie? Or the other two films? Because it seems an awful lot like you weren't aware of either. At first I though that the movie played out like you have just kind of flipped through the comics to get the general drift and then tried to put together the rest for yourself. But after some time and consideration I have to admit that even if you had flipped through the comics, ignoring the fact that there are actual words in with those pretty pictures, you would have gotten closer to the mark. As it stands, you not only missed the mark, you missed the planet that the mark is on. In fact it looks like your only exposure to the X-men before making the movie was a fucking internet meme (which would explain the unforgivably bad line "I'm the Juggernaut, bitch!". You can't explain that one away, Brett, so don't even try.)
This bothers me Brett. It bothers me that you took some really good casting choices and an excellent cast from the previous films and still churned out shit. It's like a big fuck you to all the fans. And not to nitpick here or anything, but aren't the fans the ones who you're supposed to be impressing? You know, so you make money off a film? Maybe I'm wrong.
Anyway, I just needed to clear the air about all this. I don't like going around being mad without at least trying to discuss it with the person I'm mad at.
So Brett, could you do me a big favour from now on? Could you stick to directing made-for-middle-america-playing-to-the-lowest-common-denominator-borderline-offensive-racial-stereotyping movies from now on, so I know which ones to avoid? And for the love of god, could you please stay the fuck away from any more comic based movies?
Thanks,
-Gwenhwyfar

He Must Be Canadian

I love that you can hear the skip ask him if he's scottish.

Dear Universal, Columbia and WB,

Let me start off by saying fuck you and getting it out of the way. For various reasons I'm pissed off at you all. Not just you but for what I want to discuss right now I have to point a finger at the three of you. I'll let you guess which finger.
Aside for all having a long list of shitty, unoriginal, big budget, blockbuster, unwatchably bad movies you've now all done exactly the same thing to me. Not just me, mind you. To many people. You put out a single season of a show and then pulled the plug on the rest. Shows I can't get anywhere else because they've all run their course. Shows I love. Shows I would be willing to pay money for just to be able to have and enjoy.
I must also tell you that I know a good number of people have no issue with going for bootleg copies. I know how much you like that sort of thing, so I thought you should know. I can't blame them though. You've really forced them, now haven't you? So don't get all pissy when you find them doing exactly that. Remember, you get what you give.
So how about, just for this once, you try being less asshole-ish? Could you do that for me? If you do I promise we'll make sure to overlook McHale's Navy, The Fog, Exorcist: The Beginning. Okay?
Thanks,
-Gwenhwyfar.

Drop Everything You're Doing And Go Now

If anyone in this city is up for some serious sushi action, Miso is the place you should be.
I'm always a little skeptical of any place that's "all you can eat" because it usually means "we've cut enough corners that you can stuff your gob until you puke for only $10". But this place has made me a believer. Unfortunately it's not $10, it's $22 which I'm not complaining about at all. I know I got my money's worth. I'm stuffed and everything was fabulous.
I can't think of a single thing to complain about. The food was amazingly delicious, the wait staff was quick, friendly and very helpful, the restaurant was spotless and tastefully decorated, they had barley tea (which made my whole day). They even have a section of "floor seating" which I love. The music was a bit strange but not painfully loud, and if nothing else it was good for a laugh.
If I had the authority to hand out stars they wouldn't just get four or five, they could have every star I've got. Everyone should go there. Seriously. Now.

From Me To You 22

- Part of being a good waiter or waitress is know when to fuck off. Whether people are in the middle of a serious conversation or if you've started chatting with them like they're your buddy. Walk away my friend, walk away.

- I don't tip "because it's required", I tip because I get good service. And if I get bad service, you get nothing. See how that works? If you come to the table six fucking times in a row and my glass is still empty I will quench my thirst with your tip.

- Don't get fucking pissy with me when you don't get your tip. You know how the game works, you ungrateful fuck. I don't know what planet you come from where you get everything for nothing, but here on my planet we have to work for what we get.

- Restaurants should pay all of their staff a fair wage and stop expecting their customers to pick up the difference. The whole tipping system is bullshit. There are plenty of places in the world where no one tips and they haven't fallen into chaos yet.

- You know you've been working at the library for too long when you get halfway through putting away your DVDs before realising you've been filing them in perfect alphabetical order.

- You know you've been working at the library way too long when you have the overwhelming urge to correct the spelling and grammar in the bathroom graffiti.

- No radio station should ever be allowed to play 24hrs of Christmas music for the entire month of December.

Another Year Gone, But Never Forgotten

9 October 1940 – 8 December 1980

It's 5.30am

Why am I awake?
Not a fucking clue.

That About Sums Up My Feelings

This is by far my favourite Penny Arcade strip ever. And they made a bunny hug out of it.
I was excited for about five seconds until I saw that it was already sold out. So I put it to you. Anyone who gets me this bunny hug will have my undying love and affection.
They would also be at liberty to ask any number of favours of me.
Just sayin'.

Kind Of Sorry But Not Really

I know I haven't posted anything all that interesting in days already and I'm sorry. Insomnia has taken over again (who am I kidding? It never really leaves) and has left me with a case of mush brain.
Honestly, I'll try to post something interesting soon.
Any one have any suggestions? Anything you want to know? Anything you want to see?

Advertising Wood

Apparently Amazon thinks that chubbies help sell boxers.
Maybe I'm just not easily impressed but this doesn't make me want to buy boxers. It just made me laugh. And is it just me or is that guy standing in a really odd position?

More Linky Goodness

I've added Free Rice to the link list. I think it's an awesome idea. Expand your vocab and feed hungry people. Everyone wins. Yay! So go play and feel good about wasting your time.
(Oh and I also added a permanent link to 100 Things About Me.)

God Damned Cat

Chat Noir is a game bound to both drive you completely insane and get you helplessly addicted. I swear that fucking cat is mocking me.
The idea is to try and trap the cat in a barrier of dark spots. So you click the light spots, one at a time. But every time you click a spot the cat runs to get away.
Enjoy.