So, after that briefing thing for Junior College application we had this morning, I went down to United Square to pick up a new Rubik's cube. My old one is just in horrible condition. Over-experimentation plus too many washings in a too short time. Anyway, the new one is stiffer than I hoped, and I'm now waiting for it to wear out by friction before I lubricate it properly. Also, I'm going to want a proper lubricant this time that won't gum up the inside after it dries up. The silicon-based lubricant that I bought the other time just doesn't work. At all.

I'm probably going to have to spend a bit more money to experiment. Again. It seems like everyone's cubes are different, since the advice and tutorials I found on the internet don't seem to work.

I'm actually rather depressed as of now. But it's pointless and it might just be a side effect of that alien abduction. They took a sample of my flesh.

As I strolled around town(or rather, followed Shaun through one of his moodswings) I noticed that the Christmas decorations were already dominant. Well, not exactly something that I could miss, was it? Anyway, clearly, the Christmas season is already upon us. While there's still over a month to go before the actual day, I think it'd be fun to create a Christmas Wishlist now... and also because I'm delaying the second part of the cloning thing again!

Anyway, here's my list:

I've separated it into material and non material gifts, so I wouldn't look so materialistic...

1) A set of neodymium magnets. I saw a bunch of these at a gift shop once, and I thought that they were really cool. There are so many things you can do with neodymium magnets, other than just attract paper clips. You can construct simple motors using a tiny neodymium magnet and a battery, or even a miniature megaphone.

2) One of these
And why? Because they're so cute! I especially like the E. Coli and Braincell. Giant Microbes certainly look much more attractive than regular stuffed toys, and they're something that I would think as an ideal gift for all your future children.

3) Clothes that aren't green. For the past four years or so every shirt I have received as a gift turned out to be green. Not that I don't like green, but sometimes it gets weird when I'm going "Hmm... Should I go in green with a collar, or green without a collar but that funny white thing on it? No, the fabric on this green one isn't good for hot days...." Yeah you get the point. In the end, I wear one of my school shirts.

4) The complete Lord of the Rings soundtrack. Because it's nice. I actually had a hard time deciding between the Harry Potter soundtrack, the Jurassic Park soundtrack, and the Star Wars soundtracks. But I figured that there were about two themes that I liked from Harry Potter and Jurassic Park each, and I already knew all the different themes for every Star Wars character by heart. Yeah, even Boba Fett. But it's the most boring theme ever. A sinister sounding of a toneless note from the bassoon, repeated about 4 times.

5) To fit my new soundtrack(s) I would need more memory space in my MP3 player. And so I need a new one too...

6) A winning lottery ticket! Yaay!

And because I care about not looking like a self-centered, materialistic asshat..

1) A chance to wish all my friends Merry Christmas properly, even though there are those who don't celebrate it. I'll then use the opportunity to take advantage of... I mean, recognise, a new holiday!

2) A nice family gathering, like always. And perhaps something to do other than hit cards.

3) To somehow get in touch with my spiritual self, or maybe create another one because the original has disintegrated. Seriously, it's strange to live like this. It may not be apparent, but I ignore my feelings as much as possible.

4) To be able to think in a less materialistic way. I can't think of anything else to add to this section. Everything that comes up is just extremely cliché. And I know no one likes reading cliché stuff, so I'm not bothering to put them up. It's just something I've come to do away with. Pointless formalities and niceties(however you pronounce that)... wait I'm supposed to be trying for the opposite...

Ah, so there's ten things I want for Christmas. Ten things that I'm not too ashamed about to post online. In this quote I find meaning for why that is so...

Most of what we are is what people expect us to be. I mean, if you take them away, nothing means anything.

-Nathan Petrelli, Heroes.

Sure, he's a fictional character, but even television is bound to speak truth every so often.

Yeah, and I really have to clean my room tomorrow. Get the ants out. >.< Annoying little things.

-Joe