So, as I may have mentioned before in the past, I tend to have really bizzarre, vivid dreams. Most of the last week these have had weird Project Runway twists (Jo being crowned Miss Japan is the most memorable - kind of woke up and went 'What the hell?'), but last night, my brain decided to make things more interesting (in a good way, actually).

The first bit was a cross between DMC and Nocturne - some powerful spirits or something decided to resurrect a group of demons to traverse the Temen ni Gru for some unknown reason. The first bit of it went slightly awry, and they ended up with Dante, half-dead Vergil, and the demifiend. Then there was a brief interlude of school issues mixed with basement renovation mixed with camp in the middle of the woods, and then there was an X and Nocturne crossover which I don't remember quite as clearly, other than that my brain apparently thinks pixies come from eggs.

The really strange bit is that people I knew kept being used interchangably with characters - I was Vergil, Mara was Kamui, I think Jo was Dante, although I'm not entirely sure, and the demifiend may have been one of my friends from elementary school, Margot, but I'm really not sure about that. I do remember that in one of the moments when we were more us than the characters, we were drawing the huge magical tattoo-thing on her.

And augh don't wanna go to work. Particularly because there is more Shoebox Project out, after like a year of none.

So, even though it came out a couple years back, I just got around to watching Garden State, and I really liked it. It's a little wacky, but at the same time, really sweet and funny as well. Sam totally reminds me of Ally in the best way possible. And the sountrack is awesome - I've got Frou Frou's 'Let Go' stuck in my head now, which is a beautiful song.

And after several weeks of waffling about it, I've finally decided not to apply for Eva over at Canon Wars. Mostly because they have a Dante now who I don't really like. Ah well, I'll find a home for her eventually. And on the 'utter crack' front of RP, I have one word - Turkbread XD; (And this is why City of Mako and Julie are awesome).

Ways To Utterly Destroy Any Good Mood I Was In:

Coming home to find
-my brother has left my monitor on for two days straight (I have no screensaver, because I had problems with it freezing, and always the moniter off)
-one of his friends has rifled through my stuff
-while the Idiot is gone for now, he'll be back this weekend and next weekend.

And good god, does this connection blow. Or maybe it's this computer, I don't know. New laptop FTW!

Thanks for the comments last night/this morning, though - I feel a lot better about stuff now. You guys are awesome ♥

It's quarter 'til three in the morning, and I really should be asleep as I need to be up at eleven thirty to drive home, but I'm having a massive moment of self-doubt about this fall. I'm leaving in four weeks, first to Toronto for a day or two, than out to BC, and right know, I'm wondering - is this really the right choice for me? I think I can safely say that out of the two places I got accepted, UBC is definately the better choice, but...I only applied to four schools, and I wonder now if I should have applied to more places in Boston, because while Vancouver is an awesome city, Cambridge and Boston are what I grew up with, pretty much. I'm going to miss the T, even - there's something about subways that buses just don't quite touch. And while it'll theoretically be nice to be closer to a bunch of my friends, without a car, it's still a four hour trip out to the island or down to WA, which is probably just long enough to keep me from doing it with any sort of regularity and make me totally frustrated in the process

*sigh* I wish I wasn't perpetually second-guessing myself.

Oh my god, why did I not find out about Google Notebook before today? It is wonderful and fulfills my deep burning desire to organize things. I already have files started for Eva, Leon, and assorted gun info, although I may add one for Tseng shortly.

Speaking of, I just had the revelation that while I personally like revolvers better than semi-auto, Tseng would probably opt for a semi-auto, at least for work, for the pure and simple reason that they chamber more. Most of the large-caliber rifles are only chambered for six rounds, and you're supposed to leave one empty for safety. The large caliber semi-autos, though, hold ten in the magazine plus one in the chamber, and it's really easy to carry an extra magazine and switch when one is empty, as opposed to reloading a revolver.

Now to decide if he'd go for something more exotic than a 1911-style semi-auto or not.

EDIT: Randomly, where the hell are all the cool RE people hiding? I know of a few interesting people over in the Claire/Leon bit of things, but I'm afraid to talk to them because almost all the C/L fans are some variety of Ada-hater and would either try to kill me or irritate the hell out of me, because while I like Claire, I like Ada too (Claire/Leon/Ada OT3! ...Yeah, crack, but it's fun crack)

EDIT 2: And the cool DMC people, too, although I know a few of those. There the problem is less crazy shippers as it is finding the ones who aren't totally bitchy.

Goddamnit, I need to stop being such a wuss about asking for things I really want.

And entirely unrelated but Liquid Tension Experiment is love.

Gah. Sometimes I feel like I should just not talk to people at all, to avoid embarassing myself and annoying people I like and respect in the process. Because I keep doing it lately.

I have roughtly the social aptitude of a rock or something. It's pathetic.

Anyway! Aside from that, life is pretty good. My dad and I finally went to the range today, and I learned that 9mm semi-autos have alot of kick to them. As much as I'd like to try larger calibers, I think I need to force myself to stop flinching firing the 9mm first - you can tell exactly where the trigger fires on that S&W, which doesn't help at all. But it was lots of fun anyway. We also went out to dinner the next town over and I walked around and explored some.

And I'm entertaining the idea of cosplaying RE2!Leon, which is a Bad Plan because it's the dorkiest thing ever, pretty much.

Okay, so I did end up out in the Berkshires - I'll be here until Sunday afternoon. It's nice and quiet, so I'll probably spend the time writing, watching movies and exploring. I do have internet access, but will probably not be on AIM or MSN too much - wll be checking my e-mail and LJ and junk, so I'm reachable.

I've also discovered that my laptop has a built-in mic, so...anybody else with MSN and a mic care to fool around with it with me when I get home? I'm interested in seeing what the quality is like.

I crave DDR and RP, and I can't have either because my DDR pads have mysteriously disappeared, and nobody is online, pretty much. 'Cept Winter, who doesn't do fandom-RP (still, anybody up for it later, as per my last post? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?). And my house is full of dumb, by which I mean teenage boys, so I can't go smash stuff in KH or DMC or something and work out my annoyance, which is why I'm sitting on my back walkway at quarter past midnight, leeching my next door neighbors' wireless.

...And my dad got a Death Cab for Cutie song stuck in my head. Argh kill it with fire.

EDIT: Okay, City of Mako totally brought the love tonight. I am laughing my ass off, and my inner Tseng is headdesking because he knows he's partially responsible for anything the other Turks do. Ahh, eyeballs.

Back from Mara's - actually came back last night, but it was one am and I was fiddling with my laptop, so I didn't get around to posting. Didn't end up going out to the Berkshires either, but eh, not a huge deal.

Mara and I had lots of fun of the low-key variety - DDR, long walks, ice cream, shopping - I bought the RE Archives, which is shiny but probably more than I should have spent, driving up around Hampton Beach and looking at the mansions, and having long discussions about fandom and life.

Entirely unrelated, and I know the RE and DMC fan-population reading this is absolutely miniscule, but...anybody want an Eva or Leon for RP-things? They are demanding to be written. And I know a few cool multifandom places for Eva, but Leon's already been taken at all of them.

At Mara's house right now - I'm not entirely certain when I'll be home again, because I may be going out to the Berkshires after this, but I should have some internet either way. I also have my new laptop after a lot of headache - UPS came by to deliver it, and the only one awake and in the house was my brother's utterly dumbass friend who didn't bother asking if he could sign for it, just said he couldn't and that the guy should come back tomorrow. Which necessitated driving a town over at eight to go pick it up, ugh. But it is here and lovely.

I am ridiculously tired right now, care of staying up too late this week and going to the gym this afternoon, but man, am I in a good mood. My laptop shipped today, which means I need hurry up on picking a name for it (current thoughts are Tseng or Ada, and decorating it appropriately, but suggestions are welcome - it looks like this). I also have some Turks RP action (well, okay, Tseng being grumpy at Zack, but it's fun anyway!), and my mother and I went out yesterday and spent too much money on clothes. As a result, I now have tons of cargo pants and cargo shorts (win!), some new tank tops, and, as a sign of impending apocalypse, two pairs of jeans. I'm not sure if I've mentioned my previous deep undying hatred of denim here before, but, well, I guess I take it back. I am willing to be won over, and Jo and Asher are corrupting influences on me.

I also had a dream last night that somebody started an RE RP on LJ, and I was playing Leon - apparently my inner Leon wants to be freeeee! or something, which is probably a sign I should try and finish some of my crack threesome fics. And then I had a dream wherein my mind lifted part of the floor layout for the first Kalpa in Nocturne, and then mixed it with crack. My dreams are so, so special sometimes.

I just got soaked, and it makes me totally happy. I decided to go for a walk and return some movies we rented, because while I wanted to sit around and spaz at people about Nocturne, the only two friends I have who actually play it both have real lives and thus were not online. Such is the downfall of small fandoms, I guess.

So, after seeing vague flashes of bright blue thunder off in the background for pretty much all evening, it decided to finally start pouring rain about fifteen minutes into my walk, complete with soundtrack provided by my mp3 player - it decided to put on Zelda: Ocarina of Time Riveroftime AmIEvil, from OC Remix, which has rain and thunder in the background, just as the rain was starting. It was glorious, even if it did mean I got two sets of perfectly clean, dry clothes soaked today (Grace dragged me, Ben, Anthony, and Dan swimming at the state park - I wasn't expecting to go in but did anyway).

And Tseng's profile is now a thing of beauty, even if I still need to make icons for that account. It even has a little header and everything. Mostly because the screenshot was too awesome not to use, but iconned poorly.

It is too hot in my bedroom to sleep. Or, well, probably more accurately, too humid. Everything feels sticky, and I'm sweating just sitting here. It doesn't help that my room is one of the warmest in the house, and Ben stole the portable fan, so I just have a total piece of shit ceiling fan, which does almost nothing.

My strategy at the moment is to do more or less what my mom did. She grabbed the mattress out of the guest room (my old bedroom, one of the coolest on the second floor), and is sleeping on the floor of the sewing room, which has a big ceiling fan and about eight windows. I've just hauled my mattress into the guest bedroom, and am hoping that the temperature difference is enough that I can actually fall asleep.

New England weather sucks so much.

Do not project your desire to own large-caliber revolvers onto Tseng. Instead, sit down and and figure out what Tseng would like to own.

This was a lot easier for Asher and Ally, mostly because there were some definate situational limits. Asher only has one gun, and as they're not really his thing, it 's something basic that can be found on the black market for cheap. His knives are definately black market, and basic military issue. Ally's main gun is also basic military issue, as it was her dad's (probably 9mm), and while she's got others, most of them are other varieties of semi-auto pistols. Maybe one revolver, although it was probably pretty beat up when she got, and if she's got a rifle, it's more of curiosity and rarely gets fired.

Tseng, however, doesn't really have the limits of cost and avalibility that they have. He's the leader of the Turks, he can pretty much own anything he wants to. Some things seem unlikely - assualt rifle, machine gun - but there's still enough variety that it's hard to pick.

...I'm going to end up going with the large-caliber handguns, aren't I.

Was going through Last Order yesterday to get some Tseng screencaps (the man has like...three facial expressions, total. Argh), and I realized that while Squeenix didn't quite royally fuck up the timeline, they came damned close. Mostly because when Tseng leaves at the end, to go after Zack and Cloud, all the BC Turks are still there. And it's kind of implied that Cloud's escape was really near the start of the game (although correct me if I'm wrong, my memory of FF7 is not the world's greatest). I guess it could be argued that they either all left right before the game started, or that there were more Turks we never see in-game (although, again, it may be canon that there's only Reno, Rude, Tseng, and then Elena - can't remember). Also, Tseng is apparently allowed to fly the helicopter, whoo. And on further consideration is also probably something of a lightweight when it comes to drinking, being not!Asian and all. Working in a bar (my backstory; it, uh, kinda happened) and going drinking with Reno and Rude have probably increased his tolerance some, but not that much.

And entirely unrelated to that, playing John Crichton in a multiverse game like Canon Wars or the Nexus would pretty much be the greatest thing ever. Because he's all about the pop culture, and pop culture references, and would also think the whole thing is another hallucination. And then complain that the one with Crais in the red heels was a lot more interesting. Because John is totally and completely nuts. I am sadly not skilled enough with the pop culture and the crazy to pull it off myself, but I'd love to see someone else try.

Yeah, I know, the trip was three weeks ago. I'm horrible and slow and the world's greatest procrastinator (somewhere, I still have a half-finished con report from Shoujocon '03. I someday may actually finish it) so it's getting done now. I'm also cutting it to spare all of you that don't want to read it's massiveness, because I know I have a tendency to ramble, and we did lots and lots. I'm also likely to forget big important things that happened beause my memory fails at life, and it's almost two am. So there may be a secondary NYC post later. And for anyone who doesn't want to read that, but just wants the photos, they're up here, although intermixed with Boston and Salem.

Read More?

So, I finally picked out and bought a laptop. I ended up going with a ThinkPad T60, mostly because I know someone who was able to get me an employee discount, and for the 'can withstand nuclear apocalypse' factor the ThinkPads have. The specs:
-1.83 GHz Intel Core Duo processor
-15" screen
-1GB RAM
-100 GB harddrive
-DVD-Recordable optical drive

...And a bunch of other stuff that comes standared, like an integrated fingerprint reader, and wireless card, but those are the big shiny ones. Final cost was just over thirteen hundred US, which is pretty sweet. It's coming with XP Home to save some money, but I'm probably going to install Pro myself.

I think it says something about me that after coming home from yet another hideously boring day of work (I am so happy I have an excuse to quit come September), which included even more idiocy than usual (overhearing someone say 'I don't believe in global warming' made me want to cry), the thing that cheers me up most is spending an hour and a half reading stuff about guns. I would really love to try a large-caliber revolver someday. In part for the geek factor (Colt Python FTW!), but also beause they're sexy. Yeah, I like things that could kill me waaay too much (other things in this category: viruses, poisons, and sharp objects. Mmm, sharp objects).

And Ally has freckles, and I need to figure out what her dad's name is, because its the name of her favourite gun (used to be his), and I also need to figure out what Shinra standard-issue military handguns would roughly be equivalent to.

(Also, ninety people have me friended. Surely more than six of you have opinions about laptops)

Getting this done before I get around to the gigantic NYC post of doom, because I need Jo around to remind me of all the shit we did for that.

On Saturday, we headed in to Boston for our second day there, because I can spend days and days in Boston. This time we opted to kind of just wander and be touristy and stuff. Unfortunately, we quickly learned that most of the historic sites close relatively early, so we ended up more just taking photos of the outside, wandering through the shopping districts, and hitting up some of my favorite stores. We also spent some time hanging around the Harvard campus after buying snacks, and made lots of jokes about how pretentious Harvard is (Harvard students don't need maps; they can use the stars to navigate the campus grounds). We also went for an early dinner at Legal Seafood, and got to hear the table of forty-somethings next to us discussing Snakes on a Plane. We then did some wandering, and in a moment of silly stupidity, decided to run through the fountain outside of the Christian Scientists' building. We pretty much got totally soaked, and then had to wander more to dry off before finishing the night of with dessert at Finale.

Sunday we drove up to Salem - I'd never been, either - and discovered that not only do things close early, they're almost all horribly touristy and kind of pricey. So we did one really touristy witch-trial related thing (the Witch Dungeon), and then spent the rest of the afternoon walking along the waterfront, which was pretty and free, and I got to watch Jo realize I wasn't exagerating when I said the Atlantic was fucking freezing.

On the normal-life front, I'm still looking for opinions on laptops, and got most of the school stuff sorted out, thank god. Just wish I didn't have to go back to work tomorrow.

First and foremost - I'm in the market for a laptop. There is no way in hell I'm dragging my shitty-ass desktop out with me, and my mom has offered to buy me a laptop. Which means I have to pick one out. She's got someone who's a Toshiba vendor and can get us pretty good prices, but I've been hearing mixed things about Toshiba when it comes to laptops. I'm also looking into ThinkPads, as while they are truly unattractive, they're also basically indestructable, Dell, because apparently if you don't buy the cheapest system avalible (ie, aforementioned piece of shit desktop) they don't suck, and Skuld gave me the link to this place, which she's consistently heard good things about.

However, I'm looking for more suggestions/opinions about these brands (or other recs for custom places), or specific models or whatever. Doesn't have to be the OMG greatest laptop ever - looking for less than two thousand US - but something that at the very least can run Photoshop without horrible lag, and at least 60 GB harddrive, if not more. I'm not planning on gaming on this thing, although it would be nice to have the option, and it'll be my only computer on campus (other than the PC labs, anyway).

In other news, Jo is on her way home. I haven't forgotten about posting about our other adventures, but I got four and half hours of sleep and am sticky and hungry and in no mood to write it all out. I am also about to kill someone at UBC out of sheer frustration. I have to call tomorrow and have him put on my student account or something, because otherwise they won't tell him any tuition payment stuff (you know, despite the fact that he's the one paying it). I also have to apply for a work permit from Immigration if I want to do any co-op stuff (I do), which means more forms and officials glaring at me, and they close the residences for half of winter break, which means finding somewhere to stay. Argh kill it.

It is really, really frustrating to have a class I'd love to take both be full and conflict with my required classes. Yeah, I would love to take Japanese. But all the sections are full, and if they weren't, I have three three-hour science labs a week (one for a course I don't even want, but have to take), which I can't reschedule. And I can't put off my remaining arts credits because then I won't be taking enough to qualify for housing (the three-hour labs don't count for any extra credit), but if I take them this year, the requirement for graduation is filled and there isn't really any way to justify the expense of taking them later to my parents, because half the point of the Academy and getting all my credits transfered was so we didn't have to pay as much tuition.

And I'm getting more upset about this than I probably should, but Winter was talking about how she's planning on taking Japanese earlier. (And yes, we're back from NYC, but I'll post about it when it's not five am and me being stupid and upset).