I suggested this to Tom for an idea of a blog post when he got bloggers block. So its only fair I bare all too

I haven’t done my English homework (oh what a surprise) but it was only some retarded spider diagram so what the hell. I’ll do one during break - I think English is second anyway. Oh no wait, its first. Damn I should probably go do that. Oh I’m so rubbish when it comes to English homework organisationalness. Maybe I should ask teachers to tattoo the homework on my head. Ha! yeh right if they could catch me, but that would be a good excuse “dont have to do that homework, wasn’t tattooed on me”. Oh I”m gonna be rubbish at uni if I cant even get myself organised now. What if I truly do suck in uni? I mean what if I’m actually crap at psychology and so have no hope of ever getting a job in it. I cant even see myself doing it because its so weird thinking about not being the age I am now and not being here, but being away from all my lovelies. Really all I wanna do is open up a stable, and I mean it would be way less hard - involves less academic stuff. Just gotta win the lottery to fund it, or maybe if I invented something…

END OF 3 MINUTES.
Well that was 3 minutes not one and wow, I meandered.
Hmmm, well there you go. Exactly what I thought as I thought it.
Interesting…ahem

Lotsa Love
kat
xxx

My boyfriend is a gamer. This is an undeniable fact - I only need to look at the stack of games he has in his room for physical evidence of it.
I am his girlfriend. Again, an undeniable fact, no matter what he might say.
These two facts often make for an interesting combination - so I thought I’d give gamers and non-gamers alike an insight into the life a non-gaming girlfriend with her gaming boyfriend.

I only realised this Saturday how his habits have effected me - outside a Virgin Megastore was a poster advertising Halo with a drawing of a character on the front. I proudly realised I recognised it as the Master Chief, I then went on to realise I was proud about this…which confused me; when had I begun to care that I recognised the characters?

This got me thinking, how else has this effected me.
Well for one, I now blog - something I did do before I met James, and regularly, but I never really took interest in what my blog actually looked like - only so far as the colours. Now I find myself judging others on website design and regularly trawling through wordpress skins. Just to check that there isn’t something else out there which might have a better design etc.
I also now *sort of* understand how some things inside the computer works. Before I was 100% baffled by this magic machine - only understanding that it had a motherboard to tell it to clean its teeth and a graphics card for it to pay for all the pretty pictures I wanted it to show me.
It also means I talk to people who I would never otherwise talk too and can input (oooh lookey- computer word) into some conversations which I wouldn’t have before.

James does try to get me into the world of gaming, occasionally telling me that ‘girls can be gamers too’ and that a lot of them could kick his, and all of his friends, sorry arses if they ever crossed paths. I have tried halo, but I’m not sure who got more frustrated - James Me or the console. For me, its far too difficult to coordinate my ‘looking joystick’ with my ‘moving joystick’ so I end up looking where I want to go or going where I wanted to look. Also I get nervous when things start shooting at me, and confused as to how to work the complex gun operating buttons (ie, the trigger and reload key) Once again making for frustration for all parties involved. I think he probably needs to read this nifty page.
The problem is I’m not really interested in shoot-em-ups. The inpersonal-ness of them bore me and the missions are too hard. I’m far more at home with say….viva piñata or Portal (although again, I do find it a bit hard to grasp) where the object isn’t to blow the brains out of as many things as possible, but more to work out puzzles and (in viva piñata’s case) nurture little virtual life’s

There are a few downsides - Gamers are often shy creatures, and so getting to know them can be hard work, however once you have, they are very loyal and its is very rewarding.
The gaming world has its own language. Learning this is crucial if you want to understand your gamer when he is talking rapidly and forgets you are a simple layman.
Other gamers are sometimes hostile to girls learning the ropes of gaming and so be prepared for abuse when talking to them on MSN/other chat thingys.
Gaming is an expensive habit. Whilst this doesn’t ever effect me, I’m sure other Gamer Girlfriends might find this affects things.
Gaming also takes time. I firmly set down the law that I come before games and James keeps to this, but I do understand from other girlfriend’s that I am lucky for this and that some guys don’t understand that even the most low-maintenance girlfriend are still very very high-maintenance in comparison to your computer and require attention.

Of course there are advantages as well - You no longer need to worry about working out how to work a new programme, your boyfriend can tell you how.
You are treated as a Goddess - girls are a rarity (although becoming more prevalent) in gaming land.
You can be sure he knows his way around the internet confidently and can point out nifty little things you would never find otherwise.
You can justify your own purchases with you compare them to his.
“yes, of corse I need these shoes, just like you need that game”
Should your computer (or indeed many appliances) break/need maintenance, you can be sure your boyfriend will be able to fix it quickly.

So, whilst I doubt I will ever be a gamer, I’m very happy to be a Gamers Girlfriend.
Lotsa Love
Kat
xxx

Yesterday was Tom’s very successful (from what I remember…) party. It was a party of discovery - I discovered Disorano is YUM (With capital letters no less)
- I discovered Sam can do the splits (haha! I remember that! :P)
- I discovered most people I asked (ok, so the one person I asked) thought Nick was better than Warrick in CSI
- I discovered that Jack is a comedic genius (not that I didn’t already know that) who has the balls to say what we’re all thinking
Yessums indeed, it was fabuloso (and also, because I wasn’t hosting, it took away the hell of a lot of stress which comes with hosting and left just the enjoyment).
Thank you Tom for taking up the party mantel and carrying it admirably. Who will be next to take it? Only time will tell…

Today was fairly average - woke up and had to drink directly from the tap because my tongue was actually physically dry due to the large amount of alcohol and small amount of actual liquids which I had drunk last night. Then I came downstairs to discover a spiffy new computer with spiffy windows vista sitting, waiting for me to mess up. I duly tried, but so far I have failed and everything is working perfectly.
Later I went into town with James and bought me a new bag (a girl can never have too many). We dined in the Black Tiles
I had a delicious steak and mushroom pie and for dessert I had chocolate and hazelnut torte. Yummy
If you don’t know, my dad has issues with beef - up until this summer I haven’t been allowed to eat it. My dad still thinks I’m going to get BSE even though the number of people diagnosed with it per year is less than 5. No, not 5%, 5 people. So after hearing I ate beef, he went off on one about how I was just trying to spite him (true…not that he knows), and I’d be sorry (not true). Well he can moo until the cows come home but if I want to have Steak and Mushroom pie, then I shall.

Lotsa Love
Kat
xxx
P.S I hope you like my bovine referances

In the oh so fascinating Irish History lesson yesterday, somehow I got into a heated discussion with Jess and Maria on the merits of each CSI series and which one was best.
I’m firmly in the camp of the original good ol’ CSI Vegas with Gil Grissom - man who knows all. Jess however likes CSI Miami. I detest that series - that bloody Horatio with those stupid sunglasses (well I suppose he is in Miami…) and that ridiculous flippy floppy hair (I suspect I’ve mentioned this before actually) I mean how many times does he need to take those sunglasses off and stare into the distance in one episode?!
Jess insulted Grissom, calling him “Bug Boy” - yes okay, collecting bugs is a wee bit odd, but he’s so smart and funny I can forgive him the odd peculiarity. He really does seem to know everything.
Maria likes CSI New York, which is a neutral territory for me and Jess - both can agree we can watch it.
I do love CSI. It is really really cool - its a good thing there are so many episodes to keep me hooked whilst I wait for the next series! (Whats going to happen to Sarah?! She and Gil were a way cute couple so they better not ruin that!)

I’ve had yet another revelation about history (they seem to be coming thick and fast) All this time I’ve been working, imagining this essay that is going to be like 10000 words, but…duh, its only going to end up at like 5000, which is about 650 words a section,and an extra 500 for one of my main points for me! So, I’ve already pretty much written 3 sections and I didn’t even realize it!
Whilst still daunting, this task is getting better with every moment of enlightenment.

Lotsa Love
Kat
xxx

I watched a small section of dragons den today (Small due to the overbearing weight of history which seems to plague my every thought and luckily that worry now compels me to work. Finally!) and, whilst I do enjoy it, the more I watch it the more I hate the ‘dragons’. They sit there with highly conceited grins on their smug, fat cat faces whilst people explain their ideas - ideas which often people have invested entire life savings. Yes, some idea’s are truly ridiculous and do make you question the sensibility of humanity, the point is that these are peoples dreams, and those Dragons are just so damn rude about it all. Especially the lady - she seems to be constantly PMSing and takes every bad idea as a personal slight; seems to get angry about it as well! But honestly its such an example of the rich lording it over the little man, they sit and they play with them like cats with mice or Killer whales with seals before eating them alive!

Onto another rant (*oh god shes on that bloody soapbox again*): A2 courses
I hate the history course simply because its so incredibly stressful with this ridiculous individual assignment. Its massively huge and very very daunting and lurks menacingly in the back of my mind constantly. Personally I think it isn’t such a good idea to do it this way.
Maybe I’m missing the whole point of the education system?
Also, I (stupidly) chose something which most none of the history teachers know anything about. That was my own damn fault and I really would advise people against it - it means you are in the unknown and teachers cant even prod in the right direction (but picking an obscure topic means the marker is less likely to be an expert…)

Anyway I want to go watch Gordon Ramseys Kitchen Nightmares cos I’m sick of history.
Lotsa Love
Kat
xxx

They’re environmental hazards in their own right and have a lot to answer for the hole in the ozone layer but they’re also comedic genius’. They pretend to review cars but actually just like to play with them like little boys; yes I am of course talking about Top Gear!
I LOVE TOP GEAR! I’ve never really watched it or had the inclination to, but James made me watch the first of this series and I’ve been hooked ever since I watched James May sail into the pier of dover whilst Hammond attempted to control a barge thing which only went in circles as a giant cruise ship sailed ever closer. It made me laugh until my bone hurt. Last night was a particularly good episode where they were challenged to drive across Botswana in second hand cars they bought for under £1500. Jeremy Clarkson and James May in a Lancia Beta and a Mercedes 230 and of course Richard Hammond in an Opel “Oliver” Kadett. Personally I fell in love with Oliver and will defiantly be trying to get one for myself. They are adorable - I don’t care how rubbish they are. It reminded me of a Mini with a stretched nose and tail (I’m sure I’ll be told very quickly that its in fact nothing like a mini, and cars don’t even have noses or tails.) Overall the cars showed an incredible resilience…even if May’s and Clarkson’s lacked doors, windows, boots or seats.
A favorite part was the ever lurking beetle, following them in case one of their cars died. Also I loved it when Clarkson and Hammond were putting a cow head in James May’s tent when they got stuck inside due to the hippos outside, only for Hammond to realize that it was his tent! Brilliant!!

Lotsa Love
Kat
xxx

Yesterday something truly terrible happened! I mean, I was terrified. SPELL CHECK STOPPED WORKING ON WORD!
I was lost I tell you, alone in the wilderness of words with more than 3 or 4 letters, and the possibility of 26 to choose from at every key stroke. I never realized how much I love spell check ( And don’t it always seem to go, That you dont know what you’ve got till its gone…) and how much I depend on it. One day I’ll do a post and not correct any of my spellings (yes, you may have noticed the dramatic improvement due to a nifty spell checker thing now on my internet typings) and you can see just how dire my situation without it is.
I screen-shotted my work when I pasted it into a previously saved document.

Look at all those squiggly lines of error.
My English teacher would be saddened. Thats a lie - he wouldn’t be surprised.

Lotsa Love
Kat
xxx
P.s Get a load of my very interesting history notes…