I wish I could get over this cloud of emo mood that's been plaguing me these past few weeks(months?). I don't think it's normal practice to burst into tears while watching Kiki's Delivery Service.

Also, I've been fighting a losing battle with my fishtank lid these past few weeks. The lights are busted, and even though I've changed both bulbs and both starter plugs, the goddamn thing STILL isn't working. Sigh. (The tank gets sunlight for part of the day, though, so the plants won't die at least.)

On the bright side, I got the DVD of Kung Fu Panda while buying the new starter plugs, and that film is pure distilled pretty-art-style-eye-candy artistic inspiration for me. I might go looking for the art book when I've got the money for it. Plus, I finally got that Japanese Peace Lilly I wanted. My room is kind of starting to resemble a rainforest. XD Including my mum's pepper plant, I have seven pots with plants in them in here now. Sure, the sensitive plant is basically dying, but the parlor palm contains an unidentified trailing plant with green-and-white leaves as well and I'm on the lookout for another Venus fly trap, so.

And on the brighter side yet, I finally got VLC player to screencap properly without crashing! OH GOD, THE POWER. I AM TOTALLY WATCHING ALL MY ANIMATED FILMS (All four of them excluding the Ghibli films? Oh how ambitious of you Holly) AGAIN SOMETIME SOON AS THAT BECOMES WAY MORE FUN WHEN I CAN STOP MID-MOVIE AND MAKE A RIDICULOUS ICON OR SILLY MACRO.

I think I might have to just accept that I can only really seem to keep bettas in bowl environments.

Most other fish inserted into that tank do FINE. Oshare!Betta was doing great in his little bowl until I decided he'd be better off in the tank, and I found him dead today. (His death was always going to be kind of ironic considering I named him after an undead skeleton. XDDD) Maybe it's true what they say about

I think I'll just have to suck it up and clean out the bowl when I get my next betta.

Also, my TV's broken.

JUST FUCK YOU, WORLD. 8D Why are you being a douchebag to me this month?

Anyway, here's a meme.

Comment on this post and I will choose seven interests from your profile. You will then explain what they mean and why you are interested in them. Post this along with your answers in your own journal so that others can play along.

( My answers under here! )

Because yes, my new bed is coming tomorrow and my brother is finally moving out of my room! Meaning I can move the rats, laptop and the jewelery-making stuff into my own room!

...Faced with the prospect of emptying this pile of clutter (and snotty tissues, seeing as my flu is still present), my wish to be productive has hit rock bottom, as it often tends to do. I NEED TO FUCKING STOP THAT OKAY. >:E

THINGS THAT MUST BE DONE TOMORROW OR BY TOMORROW:

-Get new fishbowl and gravel for Oshare, seeing as I broke his old one in the process of cleaning it. (God knows how.) I don't want to recycle gravel that might have broken glass in it, so the whole lot is getting replaced. I'll probably try to get a color of gravel that contrasts with his cambodian red-ness (so... blue or green, I guess. :B) and maybe AN ACTUAL FUCKING ORNAMENT to put in the bowl.
-Buy foods.
-Buy change counter and bank bags to count out Sean's piggy bank money, which has been lounging around my desk for months now.
-Put all of my desk-related stuff into crates for the maneuver into crates in anticipation for moving stuff.
-Clean out the rat cages.
-Work out another meeting with employment agency people.
-Get a flawless, no-loss victory on the WakuWaku course in PPF so I can justify myself taking a crack at the HaruHaru course (Shhh, I'm a perfectionist. 8D)


Also, I have decided. I WANT PPF2 FOR CHRISTMAS. Because I need moar gay skeleton-related puzzle fun.

FISH? O_O (Yes, I just had to use that joke. I mean, SRSLY, she lives on an iceberg, has penguin minions and has cheesy evil plans, therefore she's Neopia's version of Cortex.)

Speaking of which, I got Crash of the Titans. (MONSTER EDITION, BABY. I got a fuzzy pencil case, mobile phone charm, fake tattoos, a special features DVD and a sticker sheet sorely lacking in N.Gin or any of the minions) I beat all the levels by this afternoon, so now all that's left is to get all the gold idols and finish the couple of mojo challenges I never managed to get first time round.

OKAYSO. MY THOUGHTS:
( -ARE FULL OF SPOILERS SO LJ CUT NOW. )

Meryl - Probably has a tumor. Most likely dying. :(

Myself - Probably went through more worry in the past 12 hours than I did during my exams. Also found a complete soundtrack to CTTR. Really should be getting ready for work just now too.

Fish - Oshare!Betta is making his first bubble nest, Amitie!Betta could in fact be male and is still hiding, and Gumshoe!Betta is still an adorable grumpypants.

I just re-found betta baby, now DOUBLE THE FREAKING SIZE IT WAS A FEW DAYS AGO WHEN IT ESCAPED, hiding behind the filter. Clearly, fish really DO grow bigger when you give them moar space.

I'm pretty sure it's a girl now (it has girl stripes), so I'm probably gonna attempt to breed her with Oshare!Betta to get moar bettas when she's all grown up. THEREFORE, BETTA BABY IS NOW CALLED AMITIE!BETTA, EVEN THOUGH ONLY mortiklaww KNOWS WHY I'M NAMING HER THAT. Gumshoe!Betta must be so proud. They will have beautiful kids, I'm sure.

I think now would be the time to let her out to join the rest of the tank. 8B

So I saw the Transformers movie. I think I need to see it again though because it got really confusing at times.

BULLETPOINTS NOW:

( LJ CUTS: SPOILERS IN DISGUISE )

In other news, the unthinkable happened and betta baby escaped its little enclosure. it's either hiding its ass somewhere in my heavily foliaged tank, or it's been etted by a fish with a big enough mouth to do so (bala sharks, cichlid, hell, possibly even the danios or Oshare!Betta). Either way, the breeding spot is open again and thus I am gonna go look for a decent female and maybe another tank to keep Oshare!Betta in. Because he eats from my hand and DAMN THAT'S JUST SO CUTE HE HAS TO GET HIS OWN PRIVATE TANK.

...Why do I not have a GMD tag yet?! *makes one*

I got Puyo Pop Fever a few days ago and it TOOK OVER MY SOUL. Zomg, Oshare Bones is the most adorable undead skeleton EVER. *points to icon*

I tried dying my hair all purple two days ago. Didn't dye it enough. D:

Also, the mice are back and with a vengance. D: They're also getting to be too wily for their own good and getting caught in the traps around the middle, breaking their spines. D: WHY WON'T THEY GO IN THE HUMANE TRAPS?

Also, Edgeworth!betta died, so now I'm off to go buy a replacement.

When I went to bed last night, I discovered... That the "missing" Cory is in fact merely just an evasive little shit and was at the time sitting by its tankmate going "MUA HA HA HA HA! STOOPID HUMAN! I FOOLED YOU GOOD! >:D"

.....Stupid fish. Glad it's alive, but.... Stupid fish.

Okay, I am bemused.

I was faffing about with my smaller tank's filter. Let me tell you about my smaller tank - The occupants are one betta fish (Gumshoe), and two Julii Corydoras (Unnamed, as I can't tell them apart.)

Then I noticed I couldn't locate one of the Corys.

I did a pretty thourough inspection of the tank. I am now pretty sure there's only one damn Cory in there now.

This leaves me to ask:Where the FUCK did the other one go? D:

He can't have died and been eaten. There's only two other fish in there, and Gumshoe isn't too fond of eating from the tank floor. It'd have taken them more time than that to eat that fish.

He might still be in there, and if he is he's a little shit. Or he's dead (VERY unlikely, as I didn't find a fishy corpse).

There is No Freaking Way that the other fish could have killed him. Corys are peacful fish, and Gumshoe generally keeps to himself (Though he's known for trying to fight his own reflection).

Or he might have jumped out and died on my floor somewhere. Unlikely, but all too possible - the tank is a small, open-topped one and Corys are known to dash up to the top of the tank for air (They're labyrinth fish, like bettas - they can breathe both ways.). Though I can't see why he'd jump out like a moron.

Either way, I am missing a Cory, and if the little fucker doesn't show up soon I'm gonna have to either put him in with the other fish or get him a new friend (Corys are group fish what don't do well on their own). x_x


OKAY ENOUGH PET-NURTURING. TIME TO WORK ON PICTURE FOR ELJAY LAYOUT.

Gumshoe!Betta did the fishy horizontal mambo with his mate-fish, BlueBadger!Betta. :D

AND! Unlike Edgeworth, who forgot to make a nest when he mated, Gumshoe's made a little bubblenestynest.

...now I need to figure out exactly how to get both male and female bettas (and the two ickle corydoras I got to clean the tank , come to think about it) out of the tank before the babies hatch and they start eating them all. XDDD I think it'll soon be time I break out that little margarine tub again....

Dammit, I just found Loboto!Betta laying dead in the tank. ;_;

These past few days have been exceedingly shitty. May the rest of the month be much better.

I did something silly.

Oh, also, I got another betta. His name is Gumshoe. 8D Picture tomorrow though, I sleep now.

THIS ADVERT NEEDS TO HAVE ALAN BLUMENFELD DOING THE VOICEOVER.

...The scary thing is, that's the brand of milk I use. XD

Anyway, before bed, "normal" things.

My gourami died on Wednesday... I only just got around to blogging it. D: I'm kinda glad he's dead at last, though. It wasn't a nice way for a fish to live, gasping at the bottom of the tank like that. D: He got the last laugh on me by escaping the little isolation tank and getting back into the main tank to die, though. meaning I had to stress the hell out of the other fish by fiddling around with a net, failing then giving up with the net and diving in with my arm. D: Rest in peace, Boyd!fish. I dunno if I'll replace him with anything though.

Also, I sold some of my jewelery! :D Three pairs or earrings for £15. I'm gonna miss the amber and jade ones though. D:

That girl doesn't seem to know when to quit. Look at this, then look at this.

...Kay, NOW I'm offended. :D That's not just character theft anymore, it's ripping off art.

I have a feeling there's a language barrier, though, so I'm gonna try using a filipino translator to note them and tell them off politely.

...I think I might be pissed off more if I even used the character design they stole from me anymore, but eh.


In other news, my blue dwarf gourami's been dying for nearly a fortnight now (laying on its side and gasping, not eating, etc). I wish I knew humane ways of euthanising fish... he looks all pathetic and sad. D: It's not a dignified way for a fish to go.


....I need to post more.

So, betta baby has spat out that glassworm yesterday. Yay.

However, now it can't close its mouth.

I looked up such a condition on various forums... the most common response to such a complaint was to put it down.

Shit! SHIT! XO

I think I'm gonna try resetting the dumb thing's jaw before trying anything like that though. Then I'll consider the other option, which will probably be done by letting him out in the big tank(I have no doubts that the big-mouthed fish like Bonita, Becky, Boyd or the two bala sharks could dispatch him with minimum fuss). Or maybe clove oil, if I can find some.

...I swore I'd not get attached to the babies, but damn, it's hard not to when you only have one of them. ._.

The betta baby's been a silly little fuck and has tried to cram an entire glassworm down its throat. The problem is, this was last night and it's still got the head of the glassworm poking out its mouth. I'm worried about it.
I hope it doesn't die from this. D:

( Cut for one line of bitching )
( Cut for meme )

And now, I'm off to work.

Meryl's leg is getting better, thank God. It was probably sprained/bruised.

The compensation culture is finally paying off for me! Because of downtime, paid LJ users get an extra week. Click here to claim yours!

(...Even though we only really lost two days at the most. But then again, why the hell am I complaining about this?!)

I got yet another male cichlid in the hope that Becky won't attempt to kill him. I called him Bonita(HE'S MY FISH AND I'LL CALL HIM WHAT I WANT DAMMIT), and so far it looks good because HE'S harassing HER, rather than the other way round. Plus he seems full of beans to boot(he was trying to ram his way out of the plastic bag and attach himself to my face when I was putting him in the tank, I swear!).

Baby!Betta met its parents yesterday. More accurately, its parents tried to eat it several times through the transparent plastic of its new isolation tank(it was big enough to move out of the margarine tub, so I moved it).

In other news, until I find a better one, this is probably my current favorite song now. :B

...I should prolly draw something soon. XB

AUGH. I finally finished that poster thing mentioned last entry. (OMG, I AM CAPABLE OF DRAWING THINGS WITHIN A TIME LIMIT) Imma burn copies to disk, play with the rats awhile then go to bed.

...One of my female bettas died on Tuesday. D: It was the hyper little albino-y one. Alas, never again will she chase food into the filter stream going ARGARGARGARGARGARG.

The lone baby betta's doing great, though. it's over double the size it was when it hatched. 8D

I just checked in on my fish, and...

Loboto's guarding what appears to be a small nest of eggs.

HE'S GONNA BE A DADDY! @_@

...Assuming the other fish don't scoff the eggs, of course.

I just went to feed my fish when I found my resident greedyguts fish, Jasper, lying dead on the tank floor. He looked so healthy this morning too...

I dunno whether to get a new male so the female, Becky, won't be all lonely (they came as a pair for that reason).

Also, recently I found out the reason that they now have Coke, Diet Coke, AND Coke Zero: So guys won't be afraid to buy a low-sugar Coke drink. Diet Coke and Coke Zero ARE the same. I assume this is the same deal with Pepsi/Diet Pepsi/Pepsi Max.

....I now hate everything. :D WHY does society have to have two different labels for THE SAME FUCKING PRODUCT? Changing the packaging does not make the drink any more or less manly/girly.

HERE'S AN IDEA. Why don't guys concerned about the effect low-sugar drinks have on their self-esteem just SUCK IT UP AND BUY A DIET DRINK YOU BASTARDS. Sugar-free drinks are evil anyway... Especially ones with aspartame in them. >:B

In other news, I feel like changing my layout. Thoughts? :O

I was going to tidy my room today, but then I found out that there's a whole day of River Cottage on TV. I rather like that show. CURSE YOU, BROADCASTING SCHEDULE! *Is a mighty big procastinator*

...I wish my laptop wasn't situated RIGHT BEHIND THE TV. Then I could IM and watch it.

Anyway, about my pets.

Meryl has a lump. Either an abscess or a tumor. I'm very very worried. IT BETTER NOT BE A TUMOR I DON'T WANT TO WASTE A LOT ON VET BILLS AGAIN. D:

My dad did a really stupid thing a few days ago and got two baby silver/bala sharks for my fishtank after hearing me say I really like them (I DID mention they grow too big for my tank in the same breath, mind). they're only about two or three inches now, but I've seen how big they get (Like, a foot long or so) and I'm gonna need a bigger tank in the future. As in, five feet at the least. D: AND I DON'T HAVE ROOM FOR THAT SORT OF THING WE ARE SO GONNA HAVE TO MOVE. Also, the fish seem really stressed out. it's probably my fault somehow though.

I wish I got the digital signal in my room now(My TV's strictly for videogames at present). Then I could kill two birds with one stone and watch River Cottage and tidy at the same time...

...But being a lazy fuck, I'll probably end up watching River cottage. :D But then again it's probably best I leave the fish alone for a bit.

I somehow doubt very much that just because a bunch of astronomers and the like say that Pluto isn't a planet that people are going to stop mentally including Pluto in the planet list. The only thing this is really going to effect is gameshows and pub quizzes.

...I find the term "mini-planet" utterly hillarious by the way, and this is why:

Neptune: I shall call him.... *raises pinky to mouth* Mini-Planet. *DR EVIL LAUGH*

I gave the rats some corn on the cob today only for Milly to run off with all four bits and not let the others have any, the bitch. D: So I shoved her in solitary confinement in the little cage with a bit, just so the others could get a crack at the stuff. She keeps whimpering wondering what she's done... YOU WERE A GREEDY PIG THAT'S WHAT MILLY YOU FAT TOAD. I can understand why she would have made off with one piece, hence why I shoved in four bits, but all four? Greedy Milly. Shame on you.

The remaining two debauwi catfish seem to be doing much better after a dose of white spot treatment. They aren't doing that swimming-with-their-noses-to-the-surface thing that's supposed to indicate stress anymore and they're eating (though only Daphnia and to a lesser extent bloodworms seem to spark their attention), but they spend a lot of time hiding at the far end of the tank... I think I need to track down some more of them just so they're all shoaltastic and happy like pretty much every glass catfish page says they should be.

....On a closing note, I had no idea that Roman Dirge and Jhonen Vasquez had LJs. :O

Yet another of my catfish is dead, and the other two don't look too happy still.

See if I get fish from that shop for a very, very long time. >O

In lighter news, where's Neville Flynn when you need him? XDDD

Sadly I couldn't get good pictures of the rest of my fish... but Loboto was up for a photoshoot. 8D I love how he turns out in photos - he looks like a chinese painting of a dragon or koi.

YAY KOCHAMARA TSHIRT BITCHEZ. 8D

I should really take pictures of all my fish in their new tank and post 'em up here. :B *keeps forgetting to*

I have simply fucking had it up to here with sharing. Especially with my brother. Share your room, share your pets, share your games, oh you're being selfish for not sharing this and this and this... How about I have one precious little thing to myself, hm?

Though to be honest, I've really just had it up to here with everything lately. I just feel so unfufilled in everything I do and lacking direction, plus I don't feel assertive enough. It takes the slightest thing to bring my mood down recently, and I hate it.

And I still can't find my camera. God DAMMIT. -_-

On the better side of things, I got some of the fish today. Two burmese danios, which are possibly some of the nicest-looking fish ever, and a betta who will probably end up being called Loboto or Tiberius.