Research ahoy, though -- apparently the human body cannot absorb/store pure energy, so I need to delve into the science behind this and mock something up to sound convincing.

OK, unfortunately I'm going to have to postpone the theories post. I've still got that stupid essay to finish up/polish, and by the time I finish it will be time for me to head off to bed. I can only pray that my teachers don't give me too much homework tomorrow.

This term will be my last full term of high school. It's kind of scary.

It's my brother's birthday today. He's sixteen.

I fear for the people on the roads.

Of the Hell Wyrm battle: This is a very long and exceptionally boring boss fight, but at least it requires no further strategy than "hack at it until it dies".

I've managed to acquire all 13 espers, and was frustrated to find that I'm not able to fight Omega Mark XII until I get the hunt notice for Yiazmat. I got thoroughly lost trying to find Ultima; I'm not looking forward to a repeat experience. Unfortunately,  I've little choice in the matter. Anyway, there's a couple of rare monsters that I've got to hunt down and do away with. But that trip to the Great Crystal will be my last for this round, unless of course I need to re-explore it for fic purposes. However, I'm fairly certain that all I need to know is that most areas look the same, it gets darker as you move up the layers, and you can very easily get lost.

The art is coming along well. Thank God for Foxy, who tells me what I need to fix in my drawing.

I'm taking the fact that she's pointing out less errors than she used to as a good sign. The stuff I do for my folio must be good practice.

[Dad and I were watching Mythbusters; they were investigating myths about the creation of homemade diamonds, including one using charcoal briquettes, a microwave and peanut butter...]

Narrator: The earth is a dangerous place, and underground it's even worse--

Dad: It's Deepground! They're diamond-makers.

Me: Oh God.

Dad: Protecting the diamonds with the peanut butter...

Me: Christ, Dad, why do you put these images in my head?

Dad: You've got to be able to make these connections!

I should have finished this months ago, but better late than never, right?

Squeak For Me, fanart for Memoires of a Mental Breakdown.

Trying to figure out how Deepground organises itself is a pain in the ass. The Online Mode would apparently have us believe that the ultimate goal of every DG SOLDIER is to become a Tsviet. That I could believe, but if that's the case, then how do they get split up into their different classes? Are all the soldiers not strong enough to become Tsviets then trained in a specific job? Weiss does remark that only one in a hundred has the ability to become a Tsviet. Or is it that once they become a Tsviet, if they don't have a colour title, they get an additional specialty?

Maybe I should look into the organisation of modern armies. That might provide some clues.

Also, going through the Online Mode script, there are things that don't match up:

1) Argent is apparently not a part of the coloured Tsviets, but the scene that she appears with Shelke is titled 'Silver and Colourless'.

2) Usher refers to the experiments that created Nero as being to do with the scientists that were present a decade ago.

3) A Restrictor remarks that Shelke is the only one capable of 'this impressive ability' (SND, apparently), yet Weiss is confirmed as having the SND ability, which is how Hojo got him. I guess there might be some kind of subset of SND that Shelke would be capable of but Weiss wouldn't be, but I don't know what that might be.

Just finished off the last of my Phryne Fisher purchases from last Saturday, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I've found that there are two kinds of mystery stories -- the ones that encourage you to solve the mystery along with the detective, and the ones that you just go with. The Phryne Fisher series is the latter, and the kind I prefer.

I really should collect the rest of the series, but first I have to find a way to rearrange my bookcase so that I have some room.

I'm discovering a liking for Mjrn and Jote.

Also, I'm wondering about the scions of light mentioned in the Bestiary entries for the espers. What happened to them after their counterparts fell? Don't these sorts of things usually require balance?

Hmm.

Salvador Dali was a very, very odd man, but my God, he was an artist. I had a great time at the exhibition (even though it was really crowded) -- there was some fantastic stuff there, including the lobster phone, and Dad bought the catalogue, so I can look at the works all over again.

I was excited to learn that Dali and Walt Disney had collaborated for the creation of a short film called Destino. That was also being shown, thankfully, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Just had to remember not to get too caught up in asking, "What does it mean? What does it mean?" a la Jack Skellington.

I also picked up the sheet music for P!nk's Funhouse album, and I look forward to belting out the songs over the next couple of weeks (my only regret as far as that was concerned was that the music did not include This Is How It Goes Down, which is one of my favourite songs on the album).

Then we went to Borders, where I was able to become the proud owner of three of the Phryne Fisher series (by Kerry Greenwood, and an excellent author she is) and a teach-yourself-Latin book. In case I haven't mentioned this before, I've wanted to learn Latin since I was about nine years old; it's my second most long-standing ambition. Now, just in case I can't take it in university, I'll have a means to realise this ambition. No doubt my classmates will think I'm even more nerdy than they already thought, but stuff them. :D

All around, a great day.