I posted back in May about my desktop sound card going out. Well, a day or two after that post it completely stopped working, which is quite inconvenient for me. The desktop is where I do most of my online work (this includes organizing my files), and I have to have music whenever I'm on the desktop. The last two summers consisted of me plugging the pikoPod in and having at it - organizing my idol folders, organizing my music, redesigning websites, you name it. I was on a roll.

When it stopped working, my productivity went down. Sure, I could just put my earbuds back in my iPod and listen that way, but my iPod is old and has mood swings (which means I can't listen to it at ease, without feeling like it might turn off on me which results in a very unpleasant, loud noise in my earbuds), and half of the time I don't know what I want to listen to. I can't just put it on "shuffle" and skip through the songs I don't want to listen to, because excessive skipping (and volume change) is how it poops out. Additionally, I've been trying to play or weed out the songs not listened to for a year, and the only way I can view the date is when I have iTunes open. What I did as a makeshift replacement was bring down some old, crappy speakers from an old computer and put them on the sides of my monitor and plug that into my iPod, but it's basically just functioning as earbuds then.

In summary, I am a big nerd with my iPod and need it connected to a computer to fully enjoy listening to it.

That said, I've used my laptop for a lot of things, but because I have countless needed files on the desktop (my website files, to name a big one) and no real mouse on the laptop, it becomes a hinderance and in the end, all I've done is watch dramas and go online with it. (I do all my TFL updates on it though, and listen to music then. <3) But I like listening to music best when I am being productive in the web-geek sense.

I've desperately wanted to get out of my design rut and put it on the To-Do list for today, that no matter what I would try to make something new. What I did was plug in the laptop nearby (on top of the barrel we keep the kitty food in actually), plug the iPod in that, and plug in the aforementioned speakers to the laptop, and I'm ready to go again!

I looked through some idol picture BBSs and found a great one of Ueto Aya I think I'll use. I'd wanted to use something from Fukakyon's "25sai" photobook or even Yossi's "Yossui." but...nothing was working. I'm just happy to have something in the works.

(On a side note, as I was going to upload the following screengrab at TinyPic, Sugaya Risako popped up as a recently uploaded one. xD

Slept in till about 9:30am today. Rooooock on. :D My aunt's coming to pick me up in about half an hour so we can go see Ice Age 3.

So far it's been a lazy morning of Tropic Thunder, The Simpsons Movie, and a shower. Looks kind of gloomy outside, so I don't think trying for a tan is in the cards today.

I want to go out to eat this weekend even though I've been trying to lose weight (what's new?). We went to the Incredible Pizza Company last weekend and I nearly fainted from the awesomeness (so 50s/60s retro!). I also want to go to IHOP and try Hawaiian pancakes. =3

This is what's next to me on the couch right now.



Yes, there's a cat buried in that blanket. He has since poked his head out and looks rather happy. :D

Tru dat.

On a side note, I started watching The O.C. today. Not entirely sure about the series yet. Damn, Summer's a conceited bitch. I hope Seth gets over his crush on her or she has some character development.

New icon. Hot bitch is Mukai Osamu - I'd like him to wear glasses again in a drama like he did as Mayama-kun~

I have bad fiction addiction.

Ah yes, happiness can still be bought. ♥

I went to Love21 (Forever21's accessory/underwear store) and found some big sunglasses, a cherry-print cami on sale, two skinny headbands (LOVE these lately, now I have three), and right as I was checking out one of the salesladies was trying to sell nail glitter polish to another customer. I've been looking for this stuff for FOREVER for my nail art! Everything was so cheap, too. But uh, memo to employees - STOP TREATING ME LIKE DIRT. WTF. Almost every single time I'm in there alone I practically get cold-shouldered, so I don't know why I continue to go. I didn't realize this was high school. Fucking hell, if it wasn't so cheap.

Yeah, that kind of put a bad taste in my mouth but it wasn't going to ruin my awesome day, so I went from there to TJ Maxx and bought a Betsey camisole (I think I have as many camis as I do hoodies) and found an off-brand of Aquaglobes for my mom - she's been wanting to try them and it was cheap. I'm rather disappointed at their painful lack of strawberry decor, though. I thought maybe I'd be able to find something for my apartment next year but no such luck. =(

From TJ Maxx I was going to go to Sally's and then remembered I wanted more of those cold mitarashi dango treats, so I found my way to Chong's and didn't get lost this time. :D One skewer of those and cheese bread ended up being my lunch ♥ So, from there I went to Sally's for some bright nail polish and successfully found many for cheap. :D

And that's my day. Too much excitement. Time to go play video games. xD

When it comes down to it, I've been cooped up in the apartment a few days now. I went for a drive with Mom the other night and I've been over to my aunt's house a couple of times, but I haven't been outside of Mascoutah yet by myself this summer. I'm gonna head out to Target to buy that Neutrogena Wave thingie and some orange juice - the lack of it in my refrigerator is criminal.

Tori, where did you go? =(

Ugh, my desktop speakers at home have been going wonky for months now, and I think finally they've completely given up. Any sound I try to get from them just comes off like the radio when you're not in proper range. For some reason, it gives my headphones the same effect when I plug them in. I didn't think speaker sound transferred to headphones like that; rather, I thought the headphones replaced it.

I do not want to shell out any money for new speakers.

Ugh.

I have a boyfriend.

WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON.

I just want to sleep in instead of go to work.

I'm pretty sure my campus has the American equivalent of kogal/ganguro in high numbers, including one of my old suitemates from the dorms. (Her constant Facebook photo updates provide me with this knowledge.)

These girls tan so much I'm surprised the fake sunlight isn't permanently embedded in their skin pigment. Their hair is bleached an incredibly bright blonde, and they wear equally bright (or dark - never neutral) make-up to go with the skimpy outfits they wear around campus. All they really care about is going out every night, getting wasted, and having random sex. (...)

I've never seen a group of people this plastic in my life. I never want to be this fake, but just now I wondered if I had been that way when I entered college, maybe I would've gotten along better with my roommates/suitemates.

Now that I've customized my style, I like it much more. I always seem to go immediately to a pink theme. XD I think I'd like to change to some pastel blues or greens though, because that's what I think of when I think of summer.

I'm so, so unmotivated this week, which is not smart considering I have a big final tomorrow. Oops.