Yoinked from avenger_baiken:

Not because you have to, but because you WANT to! Things you enjoy, even when no one around you wants to go out and play. What lowers your stress/blood pressure/anxiety level? Make a list, post it to your journal... and then tag 5 friends and ask them to post it to theirs.

1. Computer/video games.
I first got into gaming when I was seven years old, when I bought myself a cheap NES and a copy of Super Mario Bros. with my Christmas money (it was in the sale due to the fact that the SNES had recently been released). That game was to be the only game I owned for many years, but I ended up spending most of my free time on it. I was in awe of it at the time - I never knew that games could provide such entertainment for me. Over the years, I borrowed a few NES games off of one of my mother's friends (Super Mario Bros. 2, Marble Madness (which was evilly difficult), etc.....) and played those, too.

When the Sony Playstation was released, I decided that I had to have it. Titles such as Tomb Raider instantly caught my eye (although I believe it took me about a year to actually play it for the first time), and I was just generally excited at the prospect of owning (or at least borrowing) the console. One day, we all wandered down to Rainbow Videos (a video rental place on the "rough" side of town), which had not just games available for rent, but the consoles, too. My mother knew how much I wanted to play Playstation games, so she rented out a console and two games - Tekken 2 and Crash Bandicoot, two of the newest releases at the time.And, basically, I've been happily gaming away ever since.

I don't know why I enjoy it so much. I think it's just the fact that it's a nice, brief escape from the real world, where I get to immerse myself in the worlds of these characters and the situations that they find themselves in. I love the fact that the player has total control over the character(s) - it offers a good deal of freedom. I never get bored of my games, either - no matter how many times I may have completed some, I always go back to them. They're just fun, damn it!

2. DVDs.
An awesome way to go back to the films/TV shows/etc. that I adore with nice, clear images and sound, without having to worry about wearing out the discs (like I would with a videotape, for example). The extras are always fun, too.

3. Being in love.
I think that this one speaks for itself. *glomps Euan*

4. Drawing.
I do not claim to be the best artist in the world. In fact, I'm pretty shit at art. But you know what? I enjoy it, whether I'm producing a complex portrait in sketching pencils, a fanart with a biro pen, or just random silly doodles all over my notebooks. It's fun. Even though my complex drawings usually turn out to be less than perfect (I have been known to beat myself up over it), I may just make another attempt at it. I don't draw as much as I used to, but the activity still holds a special place in my heart.

5. Thinking up little stories in my head.
I have written several stories/fanfics, but, looking back at them, I realise just how cringe-worthingly bad most of them are. I still have several ideas coming for such stories, but I fear that I'll never be able to do them justice with my somewhat terrible writing. So, if I have nothing better to do, I just sit there and let them play out in my head. I never have to worry about how they might be recieved, or how bad they'll turn out on paper. =b

TAGGED!

1. cat_san
2. velmaneuwirth
3. nalcon
4. bexxa
5. gutterheart

I skipped the last two lessons at college today. I felt rather crappy, and I was also getting bored. Thankfully, we break up for the Easter holidays on Friday.

Anyway, I came to college wearing my new tartan mini-skirt over my black trousers. The first thing that Charlotte said upon seeing it was "Is that a skirt or a belt, honey?" =D

Lou was talking about how her boyfriend taught her how to cut down a tree with a chainsaw (he's a tree surgeon). This prompted Charlotte to come up with a rather amusing comment (well, we found it amusing, at least):

Charlotte: "You're the tree surgeon's girlfriend! *Pause* An assistant tree surgeon!"

It wasn't what she said that was so funny, it was the way she said it. *Sigh* Ah, how I love Charlotte and her randomness....

During lesson time, I managed to draw a pretty impressive picture of a dead crab's pincer using fineliner pen. I'm rather pleased with myself. I'm finally broadening my drawing talents.

Anyway, whilst I was in town after college, I decided to flip through a hip-hop music magazine (only because Lil' Kim's name was on the front - surprise, surprise). I assumed that there was going to be a decent feature on her, or something. So, you can imagine my disbelief when I saw that the only thing about Kim in the whole magazine was a La Bella Mafia album review - and they had to go and diss the album and Kim along with it!! I was so pissed off. Half the things that the reviewer said were completely wrong, to add insult to injury. Urgh. If you don't like something, fine. But if you're going to have a go at someone or something, at least find the information to back up your accusations. Bloody ignorant fuck.

But that wasn't all. As I skimmed down the page, I couldn't help but notice that most of the female rappers' albums that were getting reviewed were all put down, while most of the male rappers were praised. I was so unbelievably cross. How sexist can you get?!

But I wasn't going to let one idiotic collection of reviews ruin my day. It's their fault that they're so ignorant, not mine.

Anyway, ranting aside, I decided to go into Tesco to see how much the latest Farscape DVDs were.... and guess what? I ended up buying them. *Happy dance* Whoo!! *Hugs her DVDs* I love you, my beauties....

I also spotted a copy of Silent Hill 2, it has finally gone Platinum, which means that it is now at the considerably more affordable price of £19.97. Plus, it is the Director's Cut version. That means more extras. =D

*Sigh* The game has been out for so long and I haven't yet played it.... I need to play that game.... I need to....

My sister and I watched Signs for about the tenth time whilst eating our tea. You know the part near the beginning where Graham asks Morgan if he's hurt and Morgan replies that he thinks that God made the crop circle? Well, we were watching that part, and for some reason, I decided to come out with another one of my random comments:

TV - Morgan: "I think God did it."
Me: "Yeah, God dropped one of his dinner plates."

*Shakes head* I am such an arse. =D

That is all for now. I will probably update later.

Last night, I turned up at the theatre at roughly 7:45 to meet Jem and Stacey. Jem is far too tall, I swear (well, okay, she was wearing heels, but still!). I'm tiny enough as it is, damn it! =D Stacey and I had to constantly cran our necks, honestly.

Anyway, the show was absolutely fantastic. Honestly, I loved it to pieces. The three performers had brilliant voices, they really did. Jem took a liking to the blonde performer, Annette Yeo. The brunette performer, who's name is Maria (I can't remember her last name) had at least four or five costume changes, and all of her dresses were beautiful.

Each performer would give a little speech before a certain section of songs, and Annette seemed to come up with the most amusing comments. Alas, I cannot remember all of them, but one of my favourites was:

Annette: "You are welcome to sing along. If you don't know the words, just sing "La". And if you don't know the tune.... don't sing."

Why do I find that so amusing? I have no idea. But you had to be there.

Anyway, All That Jazz was one of the songs being performed, so Jem was getting all excited about that. I kept going "The third song in the second act, don't forget...." and when Annette started belting out the opening lines, I thought I would have to restrain Jem to keep her from dancing all around the auditorium. However, I didn't have to do so. Jem just settled for the good old "chair dance" routine (ie. doing the arm movements and not much else). The performance of this song marked the first time I have ever heard a Chicago song performed in an operatic fashion, but it actually sounded really good (Annette's parts were more jazzy, but Maria's parts veered towards the operatic side).

Sadly, not all of the evening went so well. Before I was set to go to the theatre, I had a horrible row with my mother. I have never felt so much misery or so much guilt in one argument before in my life. And it was mostly due to my vile premenstrual temper that started it off. We both upset each other in vast amounts - I'd rather not go into any more details.

Anyway, what about today's events? Not much happened, I'm afraid. Boredom-inducing, as usual. I woke up with an excruciating pain in my right shoulder (I probably slept on it at an awkward angle), which didn't make me a happy bunny. It still hurts now, argh.

We had to work outside all bloody day, which resulted in me catching the sun on one side of my face quite badly (so, basically, one side of my face is bright red and itches like hell). But at least we got to chill out a little bit. I spent most of the time listening to my Garbage and Suede CDs whilst drawing random parts of the landscape (ie. the area behind the college canteen).

Lunch time was rather amusing, however, as a small group of us (me, Kayleigh, James, Andy and Anthony) decided to play a "lets-smack-the-ball-at-each-other-and-miss-by-miles" game, using a small foam ball. As Kay was wearing a frighteningly short denim skirt, the game proved to be vastly amusing as she would try to run after the ball and pick it up without flashing her knickers to the whole field. However, I undoubtedly added some comic relief to the whole affair too, as running in my large, chunky platform boots proved to be rather.... difficult, to say the least. In the end, I opted to remove them and throw them to the side. And get my socks dirty. Lovely.

Oh yes, and I collected my wages from the Court Hotel. Unfortunately, all the employees have been underpaid this week, but the amount wasn't too bad. *Happy dance* Money! I have more money! (At fecking last.)

That is all for now. I may update later.