I… have no idea how to start this without sounding all pathetic and apologetic. First of all, let’s make something clear:I’m not sorry for not updating. As such, I express this singular fact by bolding the words. Nothing convinces people more than screaming at them¹.

To prove my dedication to this site, I’ve decided to take on a new challenge! No more Photoshop! Instead I’ll go with open source/free software. In theory this is all nice and fine, but GIMP SUCKS BIG TIME! The next person to insist that GIMP could easily replace Photoshop is going to… um… get glared at? I’ll be working on my technique, for maximum efficiency.

Just as I experienced with finding a “less bloated” CMS²: I started out, by expecting to find Photoshop only for free and possibly with a different name. Still, I have finally managed to settle with Paint.NET… after I installed a truckload of extensions. Still miss the custom shapes from Photoshop though. *sulks*

Oh yeah, and I’ve been trying to find inspiration for a new layout. Things look… almost promising?

Current status:

• » 20+ new screenshots of web2.0 style layouts for inspirational purposes
• » 50+ stock images of crumpled balled up papers
• » 50+ stock images of shopping bags
• » 20+ stock images of hat boxes
• » 10+ bookmarked tutorials for drawing notepads with a graphics software

So basically, I have all the best intentions. It’s just that there’s a certain… ah… type of manga that’s so shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy³…. I swear, every single day I promise myself, I’ll start working on that new layout. If only I wouldn’t get inspiration while at work…

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¹ That’s sarcasm, in case a certain someone is doubting my sincerity.
² I’m still convinced that Chyrp has a personal vendetta against me.
³ Minami Haruka’s works being the spotlight these past weeks.

Most people would probably deplore this type of living, but I’d rather be ignorant than stressed out about stupid details. The minute I turn to think about what-ifs, they miraculously DO happen. Add to that, the fact that I am unable to think of desirable hypothetical situations. End result: gaaaaaaaaaaaah!

One of the first things I appreciated at my (at the time) new work place, was the toilet. I’m not entirely sure why, but every time I visited a toilet in a public institution it was always disgusting. Broken mirror(s), disgusting smell of iodine, filth… not necessarily all at once, but each and every one of these was enough to make my … ugh.. experience rather unpleasant.

At my work place, the toilets are not large, actually I think they’re barely larger than the one I have at home. Nevertheless they’re always squeaky clean, smell of spring flagrant bathroom cleaner, rather than iodine, and the mirrors are all intact.

Most unfortunately, my bliss was broken by mom when she ventured to ask about my work place. Somehow, we started discussing the toilets, and how small they are. Bewildered, my mother asked:

And what if there’s two of you? What do you say to each other? Isn’t that awkward?

Ever since then, I’ve never again managed to enter the toilet without coming face to face with a coworker. And for all that I tried to gain back my previous ignorance, it was as if people wore this giant sign, saying:

I’ve just been to the toilet!

Caffeine deprivation starts to look more and more tempting, considering how unaware of my surroundings this makes me. Then again, considering I don’t actually drink coffee, this is more of a figure of speech. It does sound classier than make-believe-drunk-wannabe-act… probably.

Is there anything you’d prefer never to have known about?

Apparently packing brings out the best in me. Better said: it seems to amuse others around me greatly. Then again, maybe this was just a side effect, of a day filled with stress and swearing at Internet Explorer. Oh yeah… and trying to do everything at the last possible minute also counted… probably

Cousin: You know . those shoes look like sneakers with high heels.
Me: Well… they ARE sneakers with high heels!

…

Cousin is eagerly eying me as I’m emptying a jewelry box.

Cousin: And now, we shall witness the complicated process of choosing one’s earrings.
Me: … or simply, my inability to remember where I’ve stored the necklaces.

Cousin is visibly disappointed, until I shove a simple pair of hoop earrings into my luggage.

Cousin (nodding sagely): Excellent choice!

Technically, I wasn’t quite this coherent… and I was planning a really surprising blog entry, but then this sounds so much more bloggable.
What are your packing woes?

That said, I’m off to Greece. *cue frantic waving of white handkerchief*