So the holiday season is upon us once again, and as I stand on my feet for 8 to 12 hours a day, bagging up the Christmas wishes of my customers, I found myself doing a little wishing of my own.

My desires vary, from the materialistic to the intangible. But they all have one thing in common: I doubt I'm getting any of them.

What I want: An iPod touch (any size). It's not because they're "what's cool" or because it has a brand name. It's because I've always been an avid media fan (especially music), and the 1GB Sansa Clip I own isn't nearly large enough to hold the +20gb of music I own.

Why I won't get it: I just moved out on my own for the first time, and barely have enough money on hand to pay for gas half the time. A +200 dollar media player isn't in my budget, and I highly doubt it's in anyone else's either.

What I want: An HP Compaq TC1100, which is a tablet PC. Zig has one, and the moment I saw it, I was in love. It would help me edit my photos better, and finally allow me to try digital drawing.

Why I won't get it: Not only are the moths flying out of my wallet laughing, it's an old discontinued model you can't buy in a store. And quite frankly, I don't trust eBay worth two turds.

What I want: For DPT to meet for Christmas. We don't talk as often, especially since I moved out of my folks' house, and not all of us have met in person.

Why I won't get it: Raven and I live close by, but Ronja lives in another county, and Wolfe lives clear across the country. Either way, they all have families to spend it with, and even if such was not the case, I for one do not own a private jet and can't teleport, so that's shot.

What I want: To meet Kinky, and have him for one night, all to myself. ...He's quite an interesting fellow.

Why I won't get it: Other than the fact that he lives too far, I don't think my boyfriend would like that idea...

What I want: To be kissed underneath the mistletoe on Christmas morning.

Why I won't get it: Because I have no fucking idea where to get mistletoe.

I is nineteen years young today, ^_^

Had a random gathering of people, played games, laughed our asses off , and finally got my first game system (a Nintendo DS Lite).

Life is good.

I just looked at my dA page, and by some miracle, I have reached one-thousand pageviews. Well, a thousand and five to be exact.

I don't know who the hell is looking at my page, but it sure is appreciated.

I also have 15 watchers, of whom actually take time to read/look at whatever I put up. I just wanted to tell you all how much I am glad to have you all around. Thank you.

It frightened me how much mental agony it took me to write my last poem, so I suppose I'm losing my touch. Anyways, I do think my writer's block is starting to lift (I can only hope), so there is a possibility I might actually post a new series soon. Keep an eye out.

Yesterday, we Americans celebrated 231 years of freedom. Yes, my friends, 'twas July 4th once more: our Independance Day.

Traditionally, most folks have themselves a BBQ (because it's oh-so-un-American to spell "barbeque" as it is...) and practically set their houses on fire (or blow their limbs off) with fireworks at home.

I'm all for following good-ol' traditions, but this year, I did things a little differently.

For the first time, I actually have a real job that I've kept for longer than three weeks (and involves NO fast food), and didn't bother to take off of work. So there I was, workin' open to close--9 AM to 6 PM--with barely any customers.

Luckily, once my day was done, I got to relax a little by the Indian River, where there was a little celebration in a nearby park, at the base of the Melbourne Causeway.

The best lesson I learned that night: drunk people are quite entertaining. Especially around explosives and bright flashes.

See, me and my boyfriend Ed went around 7 PM, and after nearly an hour and a half of attempting to find parking and walking halfway across the city to get there, sat on a crowded dock, where he claimed to be the best spot to watch the fireworks show. When we got there, we found a large group of about 18 or 20 people on the dock, chatting with one another.

The Melbourne folk are much more hospitable than folk in Miami, where I grew up. Perhaps TOO hospitable...

I took it upon myself to take pictures with Ed's camera of the sunset by the dock, and the moment I did this, the woman behind me, obviously wasted, started to speak to me. She was very kind (though I don't know if it's her that's kind, or that seventh Corona she'd had), and offered me a beer. I stated that I was only eighteen--not quite old enough to drink legally--and she took in the information for a total of three seconds before tossing me a beer anyways.

I kindly put it back in her cooler and got up to sit next to Ed, all the while trying to get a hold of Raven in the hopes of not losing her in the crowd. Another woman (of whom was ridiculously entranced by the flash the HP camera emitted) sees me talking to Ed, and offers to take our picture. I hand her the camera (of which she couldn't hold straight worth a damn), and she manages to stop shaking her hand long enough to snap a shot. As Ed holds his hand out to take the camera back, she yells, "NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! THAT shot totally SUCKED! I'm goin' ta take another for ya."

Before we could even think about how to sedate this lady, a third one yells out, "Dude! Kiss her for the picture, man, " to which the whole fucking dock full of 60 or 70 people cheer us on in the hopes of seeing us make out. To my shock, Ed attempts to oblige to their wishes, and WAY more than one camera flash goes off.

Several flashes and a million Coronas later, I get the camera back just long enough to change the batteries before that second lady snatches it back and tries to take more pictures of us. Behind me, two teenagers, of whom aren't the sharpest knives in the drawer, decide to launch several bottle rockets off of the dock. Several...at once. From their hands. Needless to say, they got burned pretty bad.

I get the camera back (of which smells heavily of beer at this point) and film the fireworks show. As it is occuring, the adults are disturbingly quiet and in absolute awe over the fireworks, proving once more, that silence truly is golden.

Once that ended, they hollered and whooped for more, but were too drunk to stand for long, so they all staggered to their cars. We then found Raven sitting by another dock, of whom was in a similar disposition (and with a similar headache), except the adults on her dock chanted "USA! USA!" halfway through.

The three of us dragged ourselves to Ed's truck, tired, annoyed, and with migranes big enough to move mountains. I still have flashes going off in my head...oy...

God Bless America...riiiiiight...

*passes out on desk*

I have heard this line so many times, but never remember what it truly meant...

"Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none."
Excerpt from William Shakespeare's
"All's Well That Ends Well", Act I, Scene I

...until I saw the follow forum post by *insanegames, posted about four days ago.

<sub>I previously posted a forum about my fight with cancer. I hoped to offer hope and encouragement to everyone who read it. I wrote the way I've lived. But my fight is coming to a close. I can't do much but sleep and stay home now.

I may have never met you. I may never know the color of your eyes or the sound of your laugh. You are meaningful. You have worth and you are cared for. You may look around you and see no hope. But little me who might live next door to you or I could be across the world. I care for you. I would love you with all I am. You all deserve a chance to be loved. Don't give up your search for it. Life is nothing without someone to love. Maybe you don't see it now. But, try looking at it through dying eyes. Because you are dying. Right now, every breath you take could be your last. Why take that for granted? What excuse is good enough to not live life to the fullest?
Are you making excuses?

I have a month...if things go well. I won't waste what I have left. I care. I care for you. God, if I could make all of you feel it I would. I know this place is for help...but if I can offer some why not let you know? I want to spend my last days showing as much love as I can. I wish you all the best. Please...don't ever take what you have for granted.</sub>

Even in her final days, she is reaching out to all of deviantART and reminding us why we have been given life. Even now, she is loving us all.

I can only hope to have that kind of strength in my last hour.

You know you all have nothing better to do with your day. Stop for a moment and thank her for the best piece of wisdom you've heard all day. Post in the original forum or drop her a personal note. I'm sure it would brighten her day to know that she's made a difference.

It only takes a second. Do it.
Thanks.