#30

So I'd thought I just post cos it's just ~*required*~ since it's New Years Day atm.

Well, 2011 started like a bitch since it was the January exams and shit. Moved progressively crappier cos I felt crappy. By the time I finished A-Levels for good and summer started, It was awesome cos I was actually free and went abroad first time in four years. Felt better about everything and obviously the dread of results dawned on me; didn't sleep that night.
but got into uni nonetheless, made awesome friends that understand me quite a lot. I seriously thought I was gonna make no friends because of the 'I-just-about-hate-everyone' mentality with social situations and friend-making since I don't particularly like to approach people.
But during the end of Summer, I was exposed to Starcraft 2. It is seriously one of the few things that make me happy now. Lolita doesn't have the same power as Starcraft has on me anymore. Maybe because I really haven't worn it much since uni and don't have most of the dresses with me. There's also the problem with praticality at uni. Rooms are smaller than the ones at college and there are a lot more tables so it's a prick to walk with even the flattest of petticoat I had with me. It's especially difficult when I'm in a lecture hall - fucking narrow as hell rows.

I heard like bits and piece about Starcraft before I seriously dwelled into it. I remember the amount of promotion invested into it when Wings of Liberty came out and that my brother was getting into it by watching random stuff, but that was about it. I started getting curious and watched MLG Raleigh and Anaheim with my brother before I started uni.
What I do enjoy about the game is that you do not need to know much, if any, knowledge about the game to be entertained whilst watching it. It is just two people (if 1v1 obvs) building an army(s) to fight against each other and see who wins from the confrontations. But as a spectator, you know everything that's happening and I guess that's one thing great about the game - you can see what both sides are doing.
Another thing I absolutely love about Starcraft, is the community. You obviously have the complete fucking idiots within it but majority are so amazingly friendly, helpful and welcoming. The main faces of the community are amazing people. I really can't give them enough credit how much they've really helped me cope with some stuff whilst at uni (and to extent, now, at home.).

I've started to understand more of the game but without actually playing the game itself, a lot of thing are still difficult for me to grasp. I found my favourite race amongst the three - Protoss. I think they're insanely cool looking (I obvs know this is not legit excuse to pick a race) and general units that it has are so awesome. Doesn't help I have developed a major fangirl inside for one of the pros who plays Protoss - Liquid`HerO (a.k.a 송현덕, Song Hyeon Deok)

dat perfect hair, hmmmmm

Ok right, I know the community doesn't need a hoard of fangirls to ruin the awesome-ness of it. but dood, Starcraft just brings out the creepiest creep in me; I have no idea why.

Another person who also deserves a mention is Bisu (a.k.a 김택용, Kim Taek-Yong). He still plays Starcraft and hasn't moved onto Starcraft 2 but he will always be a legend for those who play Protoss regardless of which version they play.

boiiiiiii, u look so fiiiiine

Starcraft definitely has had a major impact on me: I definitely want to try out the game (which has resulted in my brother and I wanting to build a gaming computer in time for the summer to play Starcraft 2 and more), actually interested in Korean culture since Starcraft is quite a big thing over there and learn Korean so that I can hope to communicate with the players since majority of them don't have fluent English skills (maybe hope to become a interpreter, ahaha? Yeah, I know I'll need a degree in Korean to show fluency but meh, I'll reside there and bag myself a famous SC pro-gamer LOL). But seriously, I really don't particularly want to live in Japan and rather dot around Asia to teach English+Japanese (lol, probs not happening), but South Korea is definitely looking like a good candidate to teach.

So in preparation for that, I've been learning very little Korean! I can read some Hangul now, and know how to introduce myself and greet some as a friend or politely! Friend at uni is teaching bits but I think I'm gonna properly do some studying in the summer and hopefully know how to fluently read Hangul by the end of it! Major problem for me is some of the sounds of the language, really can't say it and it pisses me off cos I really do not want to sound like stereotypical weeaboos when it comes to Japanese so I need to nail it.

Also gotten into K-pop (finally, lulz). Same friend at uni compiled a list for the group to listen. Obviously some bias but I don't mind that cos I would've done the same if I had to introduce J-music to people ;D
I particularly like: SHINee,  B2ST, 2PM and 4minute (omg, a girl group?!). What does help is that some of the SC2 pros stream with K-pop songs in the background so I get to learn new artists and songs whilst watching their games! However, it needs to be mentioned that the Korean streamers do a better job of variety with their music because if you tune-in to a non-Korean streamer who plays K-pop, fucking  the whole of T-ara's discography is bound to come on, espeically 'Bo-peep Bo-peep'; DESPISE THAT SONG. For some reason, people love that song - idgi at all.

But yeah, maybe I'll go into more depth with some particular aspect of Starcraft one day; just a bit too much to fill in for one post.

Have some celebratory kimchi!