I never really engaged in normal pretend-play as a child. I always played something weird, like burying toys in the yard and then pretending I was on an archaeological dig. Now, I engage in games like this:

Adorable!

Account Structure Update
Back by popular demand, Basic Accounts will be available to all users again by the end of the (northern hemisphere) summer. More information on the decision-making process and proposals relating to the future of Basic Accounts are in lj_2008.

New Themes
Two attractive and all-new Flexible Squares themes, "Circular" and "Circular Brown" are now available.


L to R: Circular and Brown

New V-Gifts
Give someone you care about the gift of enticement. With the new Chocolate Ice Cream, Vanilla Ice Cream, Tea, Coffee, Curry and Sushi v-gifts, all the significant people in your life will be able to share in the longing for the tasty edibles below. Plus, it reminds loved ones you think they're really sweet, really savory or just plain satisfying.


L to R: Chocolate Ice Cream, Vanilla Ice Cream, Tea, Coffee, Curry and Sushi

Ж-Men...but not the ones you might expect!
This week LJ Russia launched Ж-Men, a new comedy series about superheroes, inspired by the LJ communities dedicated to superheros, comics and cartoons. The title's "Ж" comes from ЖЖ, the nickname for LiveJournal in Russia.

Ж-Men's script is written by a group of LJ enthusiasts who also happen to be television professionals. Who knew? Following the premiere, five more episodes will be broadcast over the next two weeks. We hope you find the series fresh and enjoyable.

This is, of course, an experiment for LiveJournal. As always, we'd love to hear what you think!

Benefit Summary Prospectus

Sounds good to me!

linebyline
A writing prompt where members respond to single phrases and use them in their posts.

plants
A community for green thumbs, botany enthusiasts and lovers of plant life.

mst3k
The LiveJournal destination for Mystery Science Theater 3000 fans.

What philosophy do you follow? (v1.03) created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Existentialism Your life is guided by the concept of Existentialism: You choose the meaning and purpose of your life. “Man is condemned to be free; because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does.” “It is up to you to give [life] a meaning.” --Jean-Paul Sartre “It is man's natural sickness to believe that he possesses the Truth.” --Blaise Pascal More info at Arocoun's Wikipedia User Page... Existentialism 95% Strong Egoism 90% Justice (Fairness) 75% Kantianism 70% Nihilism 50% Hedonism 50% Utilitarianism 30% Apathy 30% Divine Command 0%

I don't care if it has songs about cannibalism, I hate musicals.

genx_xslacker
For everyone born between 1965 and 1976, your commnunity is here.

localgrr
The home of Local Girl's Day in Pictures.

oh_my_tatt
A place for showing off and discussing tattoos.

So, I'm not sure why I thought it was a good idea to take summer classes. Way too much pressure. I'm not really up to the challenge. I have so much work and no time to do any of it. I just need a break.

I've been seeing a counselor. Just one of the grad students on campus. I don't know that it's really helping me. Frankly, I don't like talking to people. Especially not about something as private as feelings. I don't like talking about feelings. "How does that make you feel?" I don't know. It's worse than small talk! I know there is something wrong, and I have some theories, but I am not sure I'm ready to discuss it with anyone. Certainly not someone I don't know. That's just creepy and weird.



I decided to see a counselor I've been uneasy in public settings. (Plus, the boy has told me that I should... mostly because I give in to my fight-or-flight [ALWAYS flight] impulses all the time.) I freak out when there is too much going on around me. I just panic and shut down. I can't focus in class because of the noise. One of my instructors thinks it's a good idea to allow 40+ students to all talk at the same time. I can't deal with more than 1 or 2 people talking at a time. Beyond that, I can't sort out individual voices - everything sounds like static. I shut down. Which sucks, because the instructor gave an exam after the group discussions. I was so rattled that I don't even know if I answered any of the exam questions, or if I just handed back a blank paper. I have carefully drafted an e-mail explaining my situation and asking if we can occasionally have a full-class discussion rather than small groups. I plan on sending it tomorrow evening - I don't want to ruin her holiday weekend.

Sadly, things are not looking good for me academically. Such is life, I guess. If I can't find a way to deal with this crap soon, I may fail out. I just get up and leave when I feel upset or uncomfortable. I have to really force myself to stay. I have an acceptable GPA right now, but if it drops much more I'll really start to worry. I think these summer classes may knock me below my comfort level.


On the bright side, I made a cute dinner for the 4th ...
1UP Burger:

Inspired by this Instructable.

Uffda: my day would not be complete if I didn't mention the cat.


And me. I bought a weird wrap thingie. Is it dorky? I thought I could put some nice-smelling essential oil on it and just cover my face when I get too overwhelmed by my surroundings. It'll probably look goofy, but if it works, I don't care how stupid I look!