The Dispensary - Warwick, England '12

My aunt and uncle who live in Warwick, bought this amazing old doctor's surgery called 'The Dispensary' a few years ago. The place was a complete disaster zone when I first saw it! I finally got the chance to see it after most of the renovations have taken place and that place is super pretty.

Warwick is also a beautiful little town. They have a huge-ass castle, I mean, what more can you want or need. Let's just be honest. We took the dogs for a walk in the morning, so I took a few shots of the town. It looks a bit miserable, since it was raining... but ya know, it's England.

I've already informed them that I am moving in as soon as I finish my degree. That place is just perfect, seriously. It's furnished traditionally and conservatively, since I believe they intend to rent it out as holiday rooms or even to have it as a Bed 'n' Breakfast. Personally... I love every inch of this place.

Christmas '12 in Southampton, England

Sunday, 23rd December - 30th December '12
I'll keep this entry short, as I think it's more important I post up the pictures. After Homestory Cup, I flew straight from Dusseldorf airport to London. From London, my uncle picked me up.

So much delicious food all week long! YORKSHIRE PUDDING! 

The following week was spent, for the most part, in front of the fire watching TV in my pajamas with my cousins. It was basically all I could ever want in life. I was completely spoilt by my aunt, I didn't want to leave. She would just randomly bring me cups of tea and constantly make me super delicious food... what more could I want?? The entire week was spent in this fashion, much to the frustration of Storm (the dog), since I continually took prime spot in the living room. Sorry Storm, but you snooze you loose buddy.

I am immune to puppy dog eyes, muahaha

I really enjoyed the week with the family. It was a lot of fun to participate in all of their family traditions. The only other important details I should mention was that we spent a whole day at the huge shopping centre in town, trying to find a onesie. That was one disappointing day... also, that place was insanely busy. Christmas shopping periods man... they be cray cray. I also enjoyed a drive up to Warwick to visit the dispensary and a nice little visit at my aunt Sue in Droitwich for a hello to the portion of the family that had popped over there. 

Christmas dinner with the landlady!

Friday, 14th December '12
Ingrid was lovely enough to invite my WG over for Christmas dinner. Ingrid is my landlady and she lives in the same building as we do. She's been so nice to us ever since we moved here and I'm genuinely going to be sad to say good-bye to her and her family.

(traditional German ornament, the hot air from the candles makes the fan spin!)

Angela and I were super nervous since we were a bit worried about the conversation and maybe it being too long-a-time spent together with strangers... but it ended up being way less awkward than we thought. Celia, being her optimistic self, was all "Oh wow, I'm so excited! I can't wait!" ~__~

Anyway, we finally met Ingrid's daughter (and her boyfriend was there too). Her daughter was so nice (and so pretty!). Anyway Melina studies in the UK, so naturally her English was spot-on and strangely enough, her boyfriend could speak conversational Spanish, so we were really set. It was quite strange actually, all the languages that flew around the table.

The food was really yummy, I really liked the starter... possibly because it was prawns. The main meal was really traditionally German, a meat kind of casserole I guess, with cabbage and a bread dumpling. It looks horrid in the picture (literally looks like s...), but it was super delicious. The dessert was ice-cream and toasted almonds, plus the brownies that myself and the girls had baked for the dinner. Yum yum! 

Dezember in Berlin

Snow, omg... snowww! 

December '12 
The beginning of December came meekly along, meandered a little, and then towards mid-month... everything just came crashing down and I was just busy, busy, busy for the whole rest of the month! It started off very cold, and even snowed for a few weeks. Snow is so pretty, but it can also be such a pain in the butt, cause I kept slipping on the ice, and they put gravel on the paths to help us not fall over, and then that would get all up in my shoes. Not to mention - cold! I didn't feel that comfortable riding my bike as the snow was very slippery, so I haven't ridden my bike in quite a long time... I miss it. :(

Anyway, Berlin is super pretty around this time of year. I was especially lucky that the snow fell as heavily as it did, because apparently it's more sleet and not this nice. It's really nice in conjunction with all the christmas markets and christmas lights that popped up EVERYWHERE!

HomeStory Cup VI, Krefeld, Germany

Wednesday, 19th December - Saturday, 22nd December '12

TLDR; Awful car trip to Krefeld. Surreal and amazing experience at apartment, meeting loads of people in e-sports. Played lots of looping louie.

MarineKing!! I can confirm he NEEDS those glasses. They be strong, yo. 

White-ra is such a baller... even though I couldn't understand his accent ;___; 

 MMA so good looking T___T

 TLO is all over my camera seriously. Just everywhere. 

I tried to stay behind the camera as much as possible, but sometimes it caught me and I was even in the impressions video. I'm still a bit apprehensive, since I'm right in the middle of the video... making me the god-damn preview ~____________~. But I guess, later I'll be able to look at it with a little less terror and be like, hey, look at me at this cool event. I'm so awesome. 

I'm in the Day III video as well, but I think one video is enough for now right?!

Dreamhack Winter '12 - Day 3

Saturday, 24th November '12 
This day was far less productive than the previous two days, although the finals and after were absolutely cray cray. But I took a grand total of like 5 pictures today... so really this post ain't gunna mean shit to most people. But hey, it's my blog. What up.

Because I'm basically suffering from early on-set dementia, I don't remember exactly what I did or when... but stuff happened, promise. I remember there was a lot of long-ass breaks between games... and they were spent napping in the car or in the press area. I basically gave up taking pictures because, for the most part, I felt too weird asking more players for pictures. I also wasn't happy with the way the pictures were coming out... even after my yoda lesson, they still just didn't look as good as I had hoped. Me thinks I should take a class... I've been meaning to, but god-damn they're so expensive. 

Dreamhack Winter 2012 - Day 2

Friday, 23rd November 2012
Alright, let me preface this entire entry with the fact that I'm writing this with a minimal amount of sleep. Forgive any kind of horrid gushing, grammar, lazy phrasing etc.

So yesterday was just insane. I woke up to find that HerO has followed me on twitter. After squealing for like a solid 5 minutes (and waking David in the process) we began to get ready for the day. We arrived an hour or so before games started, so we spent most of the morning trying to locate a dude who could hook us up with a press pass. And we did. It was so easy too. So we totally got access to the twitch lounge where all the bigwigs and shit hang out. While sitting there, I was trying to be inconspicuous but I was just, OMG. They can see the admiration and hero worship in my eyes, OH GOD. WHAT AM I DOING HERE fasldjfalsjdf. haha But it was so awesome.

TheSTC, ForGG and HerO

Taeja and Myself. I always get such nice pictures with this guy. :D 

The rest of the day was just Dave and I hanging out either by the player area, twitch lounge and later on in the day, at the streams. I haven't taken nearly as many pictures this time as in Summer, but I just feel even more weird asking about it. It's made even more awkward by people thinking I introduce myself automatically by saying "I'm married". ugh... I need to enunciate better. Not married people, my name is Mary! Sorry I suck at speaking!

Anyway, the games were crazy. For anybody who reads this and is actually interested in SC2 in have to watch the last game with TLO vs. Snute was insane. My brain and my heart were just all over the place in that game, it was just the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen.

After the games finished, we headed over to the hotel bar at the Scandic Elmia and just casually hung out with some of the players. (Inside I just kept repeating to myself "Is this even real life??!"). I went to sleep quite late after hanging out with LiquidRet and a Swedish player called Andre. I mean... pinch me, wtf.

To the pictures. :)

               With Naniwa... I was rude and interrupted him watching games so he was a bit rude back to me. But I got the picture anyway  muahaha

TLO of course :)