I Dream of a Blue Summer

I got tagged by Moons, now usually I don't for for this sort of thing but you know..why the hell not. It's been a while since my last livejournal entry so I might as well post *something* to at least say I'm still alive.

“Each player of this game starts with 6 weird things about himself orherself. People who get tagged need to write a blog entry of their ownas well as state the rule clearly. In the end, you need to tag 6 peopleas well and list their names. Don’t forget to let them know they’vebeen tagged!”

WEIRDNESS NUMBER 1: I do not enjoy the company of women very much. I tend to be selective of my female friends than I do with my male friends. There's something about hanging about women that grates on my nerves. Women of today tend to be plastic, manipulative, backstabbing little insects. Absolutely lacking in grace, dignity and honesty. Men despite their sometimes more primitive behavior are more forthright and honest. I have no need to impress on the latest fashions and showbiz talk, they don't care if the shirt I've been wearing was "totally last season." I can be me without fear.

I can only be with women who are like minded and are down to earth.

WEIRDNESS NUMBER 2: When I order Big Breakfast w/ rice from McDonalds, I have to perfectly cut both the patty and scrambled eggs in five to six pieces so I can pair both patty and egg when I eat.

WEIRDNESS NUMBER 3: I have not watched TV in ages..and have no desire to. All I ever need to watch are usually downloadable or available in DVD. The last full commercial I've watched was around two years ago.

WEIRDNESS NUMBER 4: I 'mew' in response to a lot of things. I have the 'frustrated mew', an 'angry mew', 'pleading mew', 'asking mew' and a 'telling mew'.

WEIRDNESS NUMBER 5: I sympathize with animals more than people. I can watch a person get injured and feel less bad about it than seeing say, a limping cat. The sight alone is enough to break my heart and make me feel bad for the rest of the day out of guilt.

WEIRDNESS NUMBER 6: I devolop a second personality when given a hand puppet. Seriously. I just bought one last Saturday a pink and white bunny hand puppet. I've been making the hand puppet hump other people's shoulders, face and head. I ordered my usual in Starbucks with a hand puppet. I introduce my bunny in the same cutesy voice then tell them they're losers...with a hand puppet.

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That's all for my weirdness. Seriously though, I'll just tag my pointyman2000 considering that most of my friends detest blogs. I'm not much of a blogger myself. (^^);;

I think someone from above loves me. As in really, REALLY love me.

Finances wise things are looking better. Our estimate of paying Php 800,000 in Estate Tax has been dwindled to a mere Php 64,000 much to our bank account's relief. I give thanks to my accountant aunt who spent hours with us pouring over documents to try and find ways to reduce the Real Estate tax significantly. Love you auntie, you rawk~!

Because of this, paying for the debt is now easier. Initial estimate of expenses to pay for both the debt and the tax was roughly almost Php 1.8M (this is an initial estimate my mom gave me when she was alive...my dad refuses to share money burdens with me so I'm not exactly sure how big our debt is...but I'm fairly certain that it's not bigger than this--we sold enough properties to pay for a huge bulk of the expenses...I hope it was enough), and with the reduction of the tax we can now pay for at least half the debt we owe now.

Big whew on our part. *Jumps for joy*

The way things stand we can clean up ourselves after the year is over..or at least reduce it again in half before the year ends.

Go Me~! \^o^/



I finally got to play Granado Espada.

Dear mother of god! The graphics is eyebleedingly BEAUTIFUL!!

It's the usual grindfest, but just this once I can forgive them for it and grind. Seeing the costumes, the graphics, everything was so gorgeous. I'm usually admiring the sceneary whilst pounding magic and blade into my enemie's guts. It's also fun to have in control a group instead of one character. Much much fun. :D

Contrary to popular belief, not all my characters are female. The men are so bishi that I only have one female character right now. And all she does is look pretty :D pretty pretty fairy princess~!

Yes I know. I've found inspiration for future Victorian costumes to make, but for now I still need to go design stuff and grind some more. :D

My PC died two weeks ago due to a fizzled out video card. It sent me into spasms of panic since I can not access my current employment (SL) and inquire about the update of the cheque I requested weeks ago, which turns out that my previous cheque that I requested to be terminated since I haven't received it for more than a month was stolen, deposited and encashed in a Wachovia Bank somewhere not in the Philippines. (note: Wachovia Bank isn't even a full bank here. It's just a bloody office and probably a call center).

Bastard, once I find who you are I will find you and feed your corpse to Mimiru.

I found out when I convinced my dad to let me borrow his laptop and access my email, and lo and behold, the dilemma.

It doesn't help that I had an upcoming event (which I did today) so I spent the week languishing and gritting my teeth knowing that I could not (a) work on new clothes (b) work on the event (c) handle the problem with my cheque.

But thankfully thanks to the Bear, I now have a new PC, brand spanking new but of course leaving me a good month's wages less. ;_;

Which is bad considering that I'm saving up to help pay for the Estate tax on the properties left by my mother and then there's that teensy weensy debt to pay for the six month stay in Singapore for my mom's treatments.

Thing is..the debt can be paid gradually..years if we have to, the Estate tax is a little more urgent. Like this year, around May I think. :/

Gah. Money, money..so many problems about it. More of it's lack than it's excess.

Anyway I'll be pushing myself a little harder to help me through this year. Wish me luck~!

I remember reading this article in some girly magazine a few months back in a salon. It took me by surprise since it wasn't (a) air-headed (b) stupid (c) shallow, although the pretense of every other article in most girly magazine is such this one was an exception.

It was one of those articles about "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus" when I saw this snippet. It was about how women and men deal with anger/problems.

Women, when observed, when dealing with anger/stress/problems/etc tend to rant, or talk with their girlfriend about the problem analyzing each angle every which way without really doing anything to solve it.

Women talk and rant because they have the need to validate their anger, and at the same time seek emotional rapport. Talking out anger and problems, helps calms us down. Hearing our girlfriends say and agree that yes he is a lying asshole or that your ISP provider should be shot in the head and their building razed then offers to get you ice cream to feel better does in fact make us feel better. We feel better because we don't feel alone in our rage and our problems.

Yes, we women are emotional, deal with it. If you guys can't, then I suggest having to forgo women the rest of your life. Going yaoi might be a good alternative.

Men on the other hand when dealt with a problem, take steps to find solution, do it. Snap. Crackle. Pop. Now what happens when guy (read note: boyfriend, husband, father, brother, best friend) has to pacify the angry female (read note: girlfriend, wife, mother, sister, best friend)?

Just a friendly advice: women, do not like having "solutions" thrown at their faces when in the midst of a bitch rage. Which is unfortunate because this a very classic scenario that baffles even the most well meaning Guy.

Girl throws a fit, complains badly of a bad day, her terror boss, how her favorite Gucci bag's leather strap broke and the snooty Starbucks barrista gave the wrong type of milk for her latte and gave her LBM. Well-meaning Guy will then comfort Girl, telling her it's alright and offers her a book on "How to Manage the Boss," offer to take Gucci bag to Mr. Quickie, and advices to call up the manager of Starbucks and complain the next time it happens again. Girl gets even angry, over analyzes the solution, shoots it down while Guy offers alternative solution, wash, rinse, repeat and until Girl snaps and hurls Guy off the window, or if Guy is unfortunately living under the same roof as Girl, is going to end up in the couch for a week if she's in a good mood.

Guys, sound familiar?

As well-meaning as you think the Guy is doing, it doesn't appear well-meaning to the Girl who has to receive advice. What she hears is going to be most likely the Guy sounding patronizing and making her feel horrible that she has to be angry at something so easily fixed or remedied.

What a Guy says: "Hon, that's not a big deal, I'll take your Gucci bag to Mr. Quickie and get it fixed. And next time the barrista isn't getting your order right, call the manager to complain."

What the Girl hears: "You're such an overreacting ninny. All you had to do was just get your bag fixed and bitch at the manager when the barrista gets your order wrong. So stop being angry! Sheesh. Talk about emotional."

The following are possible scenarios might happen after depending on the severity:

1) Guy gets screamed and gets hit by something breakable.

2) Guy sleeps in couch or in his old bedroom back at his folk's place.

3) Girl gets a new Guy (but not after she goes to a raging bitch fest with her girlfriends who will then agree that Girl did the right thing and give her ice cream or go shopping. After a week or so, one of them will introduce Guy #2)

4) All of the Above

So please, Guys, before you open your mouth to gleefully dispense that advice... THINK. In reality no one really likes getting advice, especially when one is experiencing "strong" emotions. You're best bet is to coddle, try not to say anything or make empty promises (like wishing to be there when you obviously aren't, or doing something you obviously aren't going to be doing). Advices given during the bitch rage is like begging to be shot at. If this advice was taken, during that time and it FAILS, which is most likely, Guy will never hear the end of it. And if he's unlucky it'll be the last thing he'll hear from her.

Ever.

Maybe add some posturing, swearing to beat the guy who has annoyed the Girl and suddenly surprise them with ice cream and maybe a good chick flik. You can guarantee that you'd get a Girl who will adore you and if your lucky, you can get chika-bow-wow adventure of your own.

One advice? Coddle the Girl, get her calmed down and when she is calm, then give the advice. By then rationality is back, and in calmer and more receiving mode and Guy is seen as sweet and sensitive.

Isn't that better?

Just to inform people I'm still alive.

I just had to deal a lot of things right now, the funeral, the mountain of paperwork, legal matters, the works. Plus I just recently transplanted my hard drive for a second hand new PC. I lost all my bookmarks, programs and whatnot. :(

On a side note, I just checked my transanction page in SL and found out something that made me smile.

{Click Here}

I know it sounds shallow, but to have someone like her grace my humble shop is an honor. I just hope she liked her purchase. :)

Anyway, I'll be back later tonight for a longer update. Hopefully if I get back early from my dad's company party. :)

And I'm lacking my usual vitriol it seems. Hmm...something doesn't feel right somewhere in the universe.

Oh wait something went right again. There's nothing like scammers and annoying customers to make my day in SL much sweeter.

All items in my shop were made copy/mod due to demand. I can't help it if most of my customers have more than one avatar available. Granted that before my items were all transferable which made refunds and exchanges a lot easier. However things change. Now I sell both copy/mod majority and mod/transfer (or gift items) in a separate vendor.

I'm currently using JEVN servers to store the mod/trans items (which is located in Caledon and Diloba only) but also my normal mod/copy items in two other shops that I rent out. Now being a tired OC I made sure that the scripts in all my JEVN vendors have a descriptor that describes the item as either mod/copy or mod/trans. Plus I put up signs and notecards in the vendor in my branches regarding a refund policy on transferable and non-transferable items.

So imagine my consternation when I received an IM regarding a wish to refund an item mod/copy from one of those branches, not to mention to deliver transferable items to other people he knew. Okay...trying to be polite and told him that one: no transfer items are not refundable, Two: directed him to my main store in Caledon where a separate vendor has my mod/trans items. I am then told that it wasn't the case. So worried I checked, buying my items one by one and checking the insides. They were fine.

I inform said person and was then asked what to do with the mod/copy he bought. Still no refunds. He argues that it's not his fault. He bought outfits prior to my half price sale before and the item he bought was transferable back then and that the item he bought now wasn't. I inform the guy that the JEVN vendors had those floating text on the top of the vendor when you select an item (not to mention text appearing on the dialogue box).

I was then told he had no idea what a JEVN vendor was and that being a busy person had no time to read. Is this my fault? What are those text for just for decoration purposes? I'm a designer myself and I don't have the luxury of time too but whenever I go shopping I'm careful of what I buy. And does not know what a JEVN vendor is...? Hmm...One eyebrow was suddenly raised and went to check profile, it could be a newbie right? It happens. Not everyone has ever owned one but if you've been around long enough you'd have probably bought from one many many times.

And lo and behold: an old account. If this was a newbie, I'd give them a refund. I knew what it was like being a newbie, besides it wasn only recently when other competitors for the network vendors became even more popular. But really not knowing what a JEVN vendor is? They're all over the place! And have been around as long as I have. There isnt a mall that I dont know that doesn't contain any of these things.

Another excuse, he had assumed that the 'mod/copy' text on my vendor meant that it pertained to the vendor and not the item since most network vendors are mod/copy. I know they are but they wouldn't be advertised beside my product's name on it, because that would be false advertising. A lot more people will assume that the item and not the vendor was mod/copy.

After I told him no on the refund, I was told that he wouldn't frequent my shop and gave me an albeith short (thank goodness) lecture on how to run my business. It took a lot of my willpower to just not mute the individual but I was unfortunately raised by civilized folk than savages. All this happening when I was juggling with talking to the repair man regarding my stove and talking to another friend setting up my floor clock (NeoBokrug is a brilliant guy when it comes to clocks and a perfectionist to boot, very Kakita :D ).

After a while I went AFK to talk to the repair man and do a quick bank run downstairs. When I got back up, Neo and Kamilah, informed me that a scammer arrived in my shop posing as an employee. The scammer's name was Apple LaFontaine.

Here's an excerpt of the chat:
NeoBokrug Elytis: Anti-climactic
Apple LaFontaine: Lyris?
Apple LaFontaine: May I help You?
Lyris Vox: Hmm?
Lyris Vox: Nope, just browsing
Lyris Vox smiles.
Apple LaFontaine: ok
Apple LaFontaine: tell me if you need anything
Apple LaFontaine: ill do my best to help you
Apple LaFontaine: May i Help You?
Misty Luna: hi :) I m shopping for a new hairstyle
Apple LaFontaine: oh
Misty Luna: I'd like a celtic look
Apple LaFontaine: oh?
NeoBokrug Elytis: Do you even work here Apple?
Apple LaFontaine: Yes
Misty Luna: is there anything in this neibourhood?
NeoBokrug Elytis: I doubt that.
Apple LaFontaine: I dont know..... never been
Kamilah Hauptmann: That's interesting, we'll just check that out with Yuriko when she gets back. :)
Apple LaFontaine: just here to work
Misty Luna: oh
NeoBokrug Elytis: Bye Apple!

Thank god that the place I rent out is very unfriendly to scammers like that, not to mention the presence of friends to help me out. Person was banned from the shop of course and AR'd although I wonder how good that would do.

I started this entry last night with less vitriol but somehow realized that since I lack bodies to smash, I must therefore rant, that and I don't have my copy of Maximum Impact yet.

I'm getting another headache staring at my photoshop and wondering when I would stop being distracted by five hundred other tiny things before I start working. I was supposed to be working on Ed's outfit, but since I didn't have Ed's costume at the time (I was lazy to search), based it off Al's outfit when he became human again.

Big mistake. The inner shirts were totally different.

But it wasn't a total loss. So I'm currently going to continue making Al's version of the outfit and then Ed's. Although right now I need to destress. :/