Post of Elation No. 040

I've never felt so alive in the workplace before, despite me being pressured with several deadlines in a row and getting deprived of Chrono Trigger.

*sets her pencil case full of Staedlers, mechanical pencils, Pilot and gel pens, several erasers, correction ink, sharpener and cotton, in the office drawer*

Looks like I'm going to need these later.

Too much self-inflicted orange.

Now, I never liked oranges. Not "not like" as in "hate", but I've always thought that each and every permutation of orange pretty much falls under the category labeled "meh".

Every time I had to get Tang, I steer clear from buying its famous (and original) orange variant. In every red pack of Skittles I always set aside the orange flavored candies or made sure to give away the orange ones whenever someone begs for a coupla pieces of Skittles (this kinda works out for Ryan). I have tried out each and every scent of My Shaldan except for the orange-scented ones. I also am not one for earthy colors, and yes, these include orange hues.

However, I'll take anything orange with nary a fuss if it comes down to it.

Why the orange-y layout, though? I still believe that despite my general disinterest, there is still something nice about oranges. It has zest, at least. Something that I really value.

Froggy frog frog, froggy frog froggy afternoon.

It's sad to find out about the existence of something awesome through their demise.

I just recently learned that our big mango tree houses some tree frogs. I found out because for quite some time I've come across dead or dying tree frogs lying belly up on the cement, underneath the tree.

If I do manage to find living tree frogs on the ground I moist them a bit with stagnant water that I keep for that particular purpose (the chlorine from tap water is harmful to them), climb up the mango tree, and place them on one of the leaves.

Stiil, I see more dead tree frogs than live ones.

I asked someone about why the froggy population in my tree is dying. He told me that it's probably caused by the dry, hot days we've been having recently.

"Nature is just doing her job," he said.

It that's the case then I goddamn hate sweeping up the mess she's making.

...come to think of it, my froggy neighbor who likes to swim (and play dead) in my gardening water bucket hasn't returned for quite some time now.

T____________________T

My first hipster garbage: Adobe Creative Suite 3 Trexi

I'm usually wary about vendors peddling their software in the guise of seminars, but I'm going to have to make an personal exception to Adobe Acrobat. In my current work I mostly deal with the company's IT documentation (straightening out the grammar, making them more concise and dummy-proof), and it's been hell updating outdated documents uploaded as image files.

It's no wonder that I happily signed up for the Adobe Acrobat 9 seminar held in my office, despite the fact that I have several documents due soon. Very soon.

Then they gave me this cute item as a prize for asking a question that made the facilitator sweat buckets and stammer:

A limited edition Adobe Creative Suite 3 trexi figure.

Yeah, its one of those toys falling under the "hipster garbage" category that's all the rage these days, alongside Bearbricks, Muggs, Qee, and other toy lines that are pretty much based on a basic shape repainted ad nauseum by "designers" and are also frequently used as product/IP advertisements.

Still, these kinds of stuff make for good handouts. I can see myself making time and actively participating in product seminars if they gave out more of these things.

Here's a better shot of the toy:

Gato's song.

Oh, no, I have lost ♪

And it seems you've won ♪

Here are your 15 points ♪

Now wasn't that fun? ♪

It's okay to beat me up because I've no heart, and all I'm made of are metal joints. But I will sing my song about how it is alright to beat me up for the sake of a shortlived prize - and I will do so with all of my (non)heart, with utter relish.

Enjoy your 15 points.

Noby Noby Boy makes me want to buy a PS3 for a 5-dollar game.

I'm sorry for pushing you into selling your PS3. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

...can you buy one again?

Play-Asia shipment review (Part One): Dissidia soda, Castlevania "7 Alucard Figure, Gundam 00 wafers, Space Invaders headset (black), Lion Ramune Candy

Receiving a parcel notice from the local post is a moment for having mixed emotions. There is elation, of course, coming from the knowledge that YES MY LONG-AWAITED PACKAGE FROM PLAY-ASIA IS THERE AND IS WAITING TO BE PICKED UP IN THE POST. I apologize for my use of caps, but attempting to express my joy otherwise is an exercise in futility.

On the other hand, picking up the package means that I'm forced to go through one of the worst public transportation routes I have ever undertaken ever since I started commuting between my first (crap) job in Quezon City and my Las Pinas home, and that's saying a lot.

The commute to the post office involves two uncomfortable tricycle rides where somehow 5 people magically fit in a single tricyle. Yes, that includes one of said people almost sitting on the lap of another. In addition to that, my trek to the post office somehow always take place on a scorching hot day; certainly not helping ease the fact that I have to walk on hot concrete for several minutes somewhere in between rides. It's a modern-day Penitensya before the Easter Egg Hunt.

In any case, here's what I claimed from the post a few days before my birthday:

Clockwise from top-left: Dissidia Final Fantasy Potion (Chaos), NECA Castlevania Action Figure "7 Alucard, Lion Ramune Candy and Mobile Suit Gundam 00 2nd Phase Character Card with Chocolate Wafer, Space Invaders 30th Anniversary Headset Black

I got sorely burned with this particular shipment. I guess I got too complacent with not getting taxed to hell and back with my local customs office (as it should be; I never order anything extravagant online and I make it a point not to let one package exceed $US 50) that I never thought they'd consider a pair of headphones as an electronics item. What happened? my US$ 34.80 package got taxed with "duties" worth 1,000. That's an additional US$ 20. Burn.

On to the actual contents:

The Dissidia potion I got is decorated with Final Fantasy IV's Cecil Harvey and the bad guy Golbez(a). I have no idea how it tastes, though I read somewhere that the soda is Muscat Grape-flavored. Having consumed a couple of other Final Fantasy-branded sodas before, I think I can forgo the taste test and safely say that this Dissidia drink is no different; most probably tasting like carbonated piss with a handful of ascorbic acid tabs thrown in.

Next up is the "7 Alucard by US manufacturer NECA. Figmafags will most likely scoff at me getting a US-manufactured figure, but the awesome detail lovingly applied onto this awesome piece of plastic (from the flowing hair, manly cravat, carefully detail coat buckles, and the maddeningly intricate embroidery in the underside of his coat) is nothing short of [insert synonym to "awesome" here, I'm out of words].

While I wouldn't give too much props to a manufacturer for doing something that they ought to have done in the first place, seeing such loving attention paid to a part that wouldn't see light of day impressed me immensely. Seriously, I wouldn't have noticed the beautiful patterns if it weren't for me trying to see if I could disrobe the figure (and maybe fulfill that ten-year-long fangirl urge ebbing within).

I'd take more pictures, but I'm stuck with a crappy celphone camera and thus images will just get fuzzy whenever I attempt to take close-up shots.

Then we go now to Morinaga's Gundam 00 wafers (or as Ryan would call them, the trap wafers). I thought of ordering one solely for the novelty of it; as much as I loved what I managed to watch of Gundam 00, I'm now really lukewarm towards anything pertaining to the series with the exception of the beautiful Miss Sumeragi.

For each pack you get a big piece of hazelnut-flavored wafer, a transparent plastic card and cardboard backing. I made the big mistake of disregarding the wafer as something that's just chucked into the package so the item can be classified as a consumable item...until I took a bite out of it. No mistake about it, the wafer practically tastes like something made by Loacker: densely packed with delicious filling and not too flaky at all.

The cards that come inside each pack are not too shoddily made either: each are made of transparent plastic, making them good, sturdy bookmarkers. I'm not too keen on the card I got from my first pack, though:

I never liked Nena Trinity.

Since Ryan managed to get a taste of the heavenly wafers earlier, here's his own review:

The Gundam 00 wafer is a strange, strange product. You'd think that something about giant robots with androgynous, mentally-ill pilots would have nothing to do with foodstuffs, but as always, we are reminded that Japan does not roll that way - hence we have this piece of surprisingly palatable wafery goodness emblazoned with the Gundam name. A name long sullied by Gundam seed, but a name nonetheless.

The foil pack contains two things: the wafer itself, a thin cardboard backing to make the package less prone to snapping in half/crumbling into pieces, and the collectible card. Okay, that's three things, but I doubt you'd be buying this little baby for the second item. Unless you're like me and like cardboard a tad bit too much.

The wafer is edible, the cardboard backing and the collectible card itself unfortunately is not.

In any case, the wafer, despite its rather dubious branding and packaging, is actually one of the best-tasting wafers out there. It's dispensed in a pretty big size, the same size as a trading card - and it's solid. You'll be biting through solid layers of wafer and filling - none of the feathery, airy stuff you get at local stores - and you'll be relishing every bite. It's crispy, it's tasty, and you better bet that it's awesome with ice cream. You do not want to order just one or two of these babies. Order an entire box. It's worth the money and the wait.

You heard the man.

The last two items in the shipment are the Space Invaders 30th Anniversary headset (black) and a couple of sticks of Lion Ramune candy. The headset is noteworthy solely because it's the main reason why I got taxed heavily for the shipment. But that aside, it functions just as well as its pink cousin.

..and the Lion Ramune candy? The lemony hard candy fizzes in the mouth. Careful not to consume too many at once, or in a row, though: you don't want to desensitize your tongue.


---

That's part one of this shipment review - I received a couple of boxes from Play-Asia earlier today, and I'm going to blog it when I'm finally able.

Demons, and OH YEAH

1. Another day, another convo:

Me: I have to work on the creative rut my lazytard self has created, for one. X3
Him: Ah, yeah. Mai-Mai does need to wurk on that. X3
Me: hmph. XD
Me: any suggestions? XD
Him: Well I dunno D:
Him: I don't think there's really any tried and true cure for getting out of any rut.
Me: I'm one of those people who can write only when experiencing emotional instability, I guess
Me: yeah, emo in other words.
Him: Myah no. D:
Him: I'm the same though, but the definition is different.
Me: mm?
Me: lets hear your definition
Him: Us, we can write anytime, but our best material can only come from our demons.
Him: Emo people ALWAYS write about some slight done to them or how the world is unfair. Oftentimes their demons are just 'fake', not really cause of any suffering and more like them trying to fake it.
Me: speaking of demons, I distinctly remember the first and only tarot reading I had with my friends
Him: Oh?
Me: the fortune teller told me that I am surrounded by a lot of demons, and these demons hold me back from being able to do my full potential.
Me: I always believed that to be the case. So my demons are of restraint; yours is the opposite,
Me: not sure which is better evil.
Him: I don't think there are any good demons XD
Me: I guess. XD
Him: Maybe she's saying that
Him: You rely too much on your demons
Him: While I don't rely on them too much? Probably that's it.
Me: I'm not sure. He told me that they "hold me back"
Him: Well it's one way of putting it. You told me that you're a lazytard when it comes to creative stuff, right?
Him: That you can't write unless there's something eating you from within?
Me: yeah.
Him: Well maybe that's how they're holding you back.
Him: You always wait for 'em.
Him: You don't try writing without them.
Me: probably .__.
Him: Hence they're holding you back because they won't come that often, so you don't write that often.
Him: What do you think about that interpretation?
Me: I think its plausible D:
Him: Then what Mai-Mai needs to do is to stop relying on her demons D:
Me: but demons are awesome. they're all the rage in Hollywood.

2. I would appreciate it if someone made sense of this happy little .gif I found in the 'nets: