Murkanary

Sounds a bit like a pokemon, doesn't it?

I'm not going to start out this blog with a tirade of bitter sentences all in capital letters or complain about anything in particular, much as I would like to. I've been having one of those runs of annoyance and frustration that one blessed with less testicular fortitude might refer to as 'depression', so I've decided to list my Top Five Favourite Things to cheer myself up. I might do some writing later on as well.

So!

5. Online Gaming.

Just gotten back into online gaming recently with the addition of my shiny new 'net connection, and I have to say I'd completely forgotten that it can vary so much! There are the obviously irritating moments, i.e. when ANYONE uses the word noob or one of its variations, but
there's the sheer brilliance of co-ordinating movements with another player and formulating battle plans, as well as sharing ideas and tips!

4. Movies.

I LOVE a good movie. Especially on those incredibly rare occasions when I get to go with a group. I've been unable to do this recently due to my lack of funding what with Reading coming up, so my monthly issues of Total Film are becoming slightly dog-eared as a result. If I can't see the movies I just have to read about 'em as much as possible. :(

3. The Sandwich.

I WOULD go with 'nuff said', but I can't expound upon the virtues of the sandwich enough. I assume you already know the origins of this humble yet satisfying snack, so I won't go into that, but I am of the firm belief that you could cram just about anything into a sandwich. Hells, I
remember the grotesquerie that was my neighbour's children living on sugar sandwiches when I was little.

2. A Good Book.

No, not THE Good Book (although I have read it cover-to-cover and to be honest I only liked Genesis and Revelations, the rest was a bit dull). I mean the satisfaction that comes from reading a good book, or even better, a series of good books! There's something great about getting to know the characters and the worlds of someone else's imagination, then the reactions you get from whatever occurs. I highly recommend the Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb, by the way.

1. The Carling Festival (Reading).

Do you know how I measure my year? You probably measure yours the same way as everyone else, i.e. 1st of January to the 31st of December (or otherwise where applicable) but what I'm getting at is that my year ends on the final day of the Festival (Sunday) and begins on Monday morning, when all the grubby, smelly, bleary-eyed, hungover or else wasted festivalgoers pack up their little canvas homes for another year and roll on back to civilisation. It's the most amazing three (sometimes five!) days of my entire year, without fail. I get to spend nearly a WEEK with my best friends (well, most of 'em, it's a shame my geek buddies aren't into festivals), listen to some awesome bands, hang out with thousands of people who are trying far too hard to be cool, which is no end of amusement to me, and get the fuck AWAY from everything. No offices, no computers, no buses, no chavs, no drug-crazy neighbours, no rent, no tax.. I'm getting all nostalgic now. I may even squirt a few tears.

Of course, the saddest thing is that this, potentially my eighth year in a row, is so far looking like the least likely of years for me to go. Unless I can pull out all the stops budget wise and scam some money out of people, I won't be going. SO! If anyone knows of a way to make a quick two hundred squid or wants to buy any of my doodles from the gallery (see Linkage, right ->), now's the time to let me know!

And how hard can it BE to use this eBay thing, anyway..

...oh hell, I don't know what any of these words mean! GEM! HELP ME OUT BUDDEH! What in the name of the Emperor is a 'listing charge'?!