Life only got better for me and probably will continue to do so, so check out http://articuno.deviantart.com for all my updates :D

I got a job at a computer/gaming store called CEX (please no jokes) http://www.cex.co.uk/
With the wages I am earning, me and Xai can now save about £700 a month towards a deposit for a house which we aim to get before the end of this year.
We were planning on moving in with Xai's parents for a couple of months if I hadn't gotten a job by the time the contract on our apartment ran out, which was end of March. For those couple of months we had planned to save for a house to buy in June, life would have been really rough sharing a place with parents and siblings as well as having to travel 30 miles to work every day..
Strangely enough after five months of constant searching and being called for very few interviews, I got a job two weeks before the end of March! What timing.. but things have always been lucky like that with me and Xai.
Anyway this completely changed our plans. We are now staying here in Leeds and have found a cheaper apartment in the same building. It's about the same size as this one but facing South and with better views of the river, canal and railway :>
Too bad for our landlord who was too stupid to lower the rent. No one is interested in this property now that there are so many others available for way less. I suppose the recession can have it's uses, house prices are dropping so fast, we're not going to have any trouble buying one and we can be as picky as we like.

About the new job.. well it's a job... that's all I have to say -v- I don't want to stay there forever but at the moment despite how much it annoys me I am grateful to be earning loads while so many other people are losing their jobs, homes etc.

Life is somewhat awesome right now, of course there's always room for improvement and the first thing I plan to do is get a job that's more suited to me. Next on the list is to get that house and then finally start saving for our wedding. At this rate I estimate another year or two depending on how many holidays we decide to take!

Now unfortunately with work and everything I've found that my time is extremely limited. I don't want to be online these days, all I want to do is come home and spend time with my beloved, whether we're out traveling or just relaxing with dinner and a movie..
On that note I want to say farewell to everyone for the time being, who knows when I'll be able to dedicate myself to art and TST again? Maybe on my days off when Xai is at work.. I'd like to continue designing websites with Lugia too.. I'll see how much time I can make for that.

I will be around but I won't be responding quite so much, I won't be available for idle chatter anymore, I won't be submitting anywhere near as many journals as I once did. I'll just be living my life happily and striving for more happiness.

Now I shall be heading off into the night. Me and Xai are about to visit a special place.. somewhere that we were almost two years ago now.

The place where I realised I loved him and always would..

I don't know why I bother posting on LiveJournal, all my friends read everything on DA, so yeh this is why I've not posted anything! ^v^

http://articuno.deviantart.com/journal/

Ok so we had this meet in Leeds and it was a lot better than I'd expected! I was really worried about how everyone would get along since Andrew had never met Rocket_Ninetales or Nick, but we all really had a good time together.
Starting around 12pm, me and Xai picked up Rocket Ninetales and Nick from the train station and went straight to City Square to play with PEADGES!! Tried to make a video on catching them but they were nervous peadges for some reason so we failed to catch a single one..
After running out of bread we went into the city center market to look at the pets and other randomness, found some cute kittens!
We got some snacks/lunch then decided to head back to our apartment. On the way we ran into this crazy protest taking up the entire high street.. I got a video of it here http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=wvdAYk0hMnQ
Took a nice long walk along the River Aire and got some photos of the waterbirds. It was a beautiful day for it, just really cold!

Once we'd gotten home we showed RN and Nick around and sat down infront of IRC for a few minutes before going to pick up Andrew around 3pm.
We then went straight to the arcades to play DDR/Airhockey/Pool, the usual! Spent most of our time there, what a great atmosphere on a Saturday despite all the kids!

We drove home again and played some Half Life and Brawl but then our time ran out quicker than expected. We had to drop RN and Nick off at the station at around 6.30 for them to get home early enough for dinner.
Andrew stayed with us for another couple of hours and we mostly just talked and browsed the net.
At the end of the night me and Xai were exhausted, great day but not enough time ^v^ Ah well, can't wait for the next time we all meet!

Photos can be found here http://s636.photobucket.com/albums/uu86/ArticunoSeagull/Stuff/

The trip to London to see my sister was quite fun, despite it being London and all. I found the most awesome Krispy Kreme flavour ever (Cinnamon) and we got to ride on my fav trains everywhere we went.
We also went to St James' Park to catch pigeons and other random birds, I picked up a coot LOL... They're so cute and round XD
Well, that's really all we did there.. it feels so good to be home, this was the first time I'd ever felt that way about where I live right now.. ^v^

2 weeks till my parents arrive!

I'm really pleased about something, my parents phoned me up yesterday and told me they are able to come and visit us on Jan 31st ^v^
We have so many places to go and people to see! I wonder if we'll have time for everything.. we haven't seen my parents since end of November!

Well on a completely different note, I've been looking at stats from when I started The Sky Temple compared to now, the popularity has increased massively since then, I'm really happy about that. I'm not just talking about one part of the site either!
Although I am in need of some real help on a couple of pages on the site, it's not easy working on the content of your entire site all by yourself sometimes. Wish there were more web designers around here!

Anyway on another different note, me and Xai should be going to see my sister this weekend if we're able to get onto a train. I'm quite looking forward to that ^v^ They have a new house and we haven't seen it yet! (plus I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Networker trains in South East London!! Eeeeee!)
Oh and BLEH at lack of jobs and BLEH at 7 page application forms that you spend days on and may not even get anywhere V_V;

I had a really lovely Christmas. It was just me and Xai of course.
This is quite weird but during the day while turkey was cooking, we decided to go out and feed the pigeons in the pigeon square.. while on the way out, the entire city center was DEAD, we must have seen a total of 5 people the whole way there and back and maybe one or two cars.

Unfortunately this also meant that there were no pigeons!! Who knows where they go to when people aren't around but there really were none around anywhere! So we had to walk back LOL!...

Well after getting back we put the music channels on TV and listened to classic Christmas songs which really made it feel more like Christmas to me ^v^

Dinner was amazing, I can't believe how well it came out for our first time!

We became rather lonely without our family at about 9pm, but then we decided to watch some Wolf's Rain and forgot about it ^^

So overall, a nice and peaceful day.. turned out perfectly!

Well I popped down to Devon with Xai over the weekend to see my parents and had quite a good time, shame my dad was mostly working so we couldn't do much. We didn't get much time either but we did get to see Tiercel one evening and that was awesome ^v^
Managed to play some DDR at our good old Torquay arcades, I actually passed my first 9 footer AND it was caught on video! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kymE5mkQmSo Please watch in high quality!

Nothing much else has changed except we started decorating our place for Christmas, got our own tree and many lights! It's also been snowing here which is really wonderful for me, there was never much snow where I used to live ^v^

Well Xai's back to work now so I have a bit of free time to get online :>

Life in Leeds is turning out to be fantastic! Although I'm still job hunting, I'm really quite happy here so far.
I love the area and going for long drives/walks.. I love the restaurants and take away places, the tall buildings and city lights at night.
I love being able to pop over to a choice of four different DDR machines whenever I want!

So far, I'm surprised I don't actually miss my old home yet..
So, what have I been up to? Well I got a new pen for my tablet which TimeShift got for me, but art is still low on my priorities just now.
I've been out with Xai to many new and interesting places, infact just the night before last we came across Hewenden Viaduct.
Amazingly, this has a path that allows you to walk across it and look down! So that's what we did!
We've also been just up the road to City Square where hundreds of pigeons live and are fun to feed and catch, lol..

Having your very own place is sooo much win, no one tells you what to do, your fridge is always stocked full of your own food that YOU go out and buy..

I find myself online less and less these days, I'm having too much fun being out and about with Xai ^v^

Safely arrived in Leeds after a long journey with a birdcage on my lap the entire time >_<
Moved my birds into their new HUGE cage and they're already very happy and singing away!
Having a good time so far, the weather is horrible but everything else is wonderful, especially Xai! Will be mostly inactive for maybe a week or more. I have lots to do ^v^

In just a few hours, Xai will be here.. and I'll never have to leave him again ^v^
Yes I'll be leaving my wonderful home, friends, family etc. tomorrow but if I have Xai, I can manage.
I'm currently just sat here eating while I wait for his arrival (he's on his way down as I type).
I've been busy all day packing the last of my stuff.

Tonight I'm going to an all you can eat restaurant with Xai and my parents.. the one Tiercel took me to a few weeks back, it's really nice ^v^ I hope he can make it too but right now I'm not sure if he can.

Well this is my last proper day here in Devon! I'm enjoying it as best as I can. I'll be gone from tonight onwards, be back online either Tuesday night or Wednesday!

I hate to say goodbye.. but I had to yesterday and today. It was my last day at work and although I am free to fly forward and better myself.. I really am upset about leaving.
My colleagues were some of the greatest friends I ever knew, I doubt I'll meet anyone that tops them in the future, they were always there to support me when I needed them. They even helped me to win my job back when I was unfairly fired.

How I'll miss them.. gosh I'll miss everything about working on the John Lewis Software Support team..
It hasn't left my mind. Even in my dreams I am seeing the office.. the equipment.. and my friends..
I always dream of things when they have a massive effect on me.

To Xai and the TSTers, thanks for putting up with me being down all this time.
I'll be much happier when I settle in a new job. It might take me a long time to find a job I'm going to be happy with, I just know I'll be comparing it to my previous one all the time.

Perhaps it's time I started looking into the airline industry.
*sigh* Just two and a half more days left in my current life..

November 4th is now less than a week away. As the date has been drawing nearer.. I've been feeling unhappier. I'm going to be leaving behind everything I know and love (with the exception of my pet birds).
I can't even bare to think about it lately.. I am packing and preparing everything without thinking..

I'm terribly sad.. no longer will I be able to head down to my favourite places when I'm feeling lonely or stressed, no longer will I watch the sunset over Dartmoor out of my bedroom window..
No longer will I take train rides to work beside the coastline..

I'll miss Christmas in Devon.. the atmosphere.. walking around the small towns and villages with their markets and "Christmasy feel", The lights my parents put up around the house.. the food they cook.. the friends we meet with..
*sighs*
Summer won't ever be the same again either.. the beach, the peaceful night-time walks, the clear stars..

I'm going to be so homesick, though it is a small price to pay in order to be with Xai forever, the pain of saying goodbye to him on every visit is far greater than homesickness I'm sure..

Anyway I'm going out tonight with my colleagues for dinner at a Chinese restaurant, it'll be the last time we're all together ^v^ I'll miss them too.. I don't think I'll EVER find such wonderful work friends ever again!

Wow, all I can say is wow. The party went so well! Thankyou Xai, Tier, Jess and Nick for making it so special!! Thankyou everyone else who put the effort into trying to get here, I'm really greatful to you all!

So much happened at the party that I just can't write it all down, instead I'll post photos. Unfortunately no videos were taken ;_; EDIT! One video was taken with a phone! http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=jUxe8B5TQDg

http://gallery.articuno.co.uk/main.php?g2_itemId=2831

I've also uploaded a few of my favourite photos to my dA scraps, these were ALL taken by Nick so thankyou, everyone really appreciates it and loves them! ^v^

Back to work tomorrow but only 14 days now until I move out with Xai, today was the last time he's ever had to say goodbye to me!

I didn't get the job I wanted, they didn't give a reason either, seemed to be one of those automated emails. There is another job I'm applying for that I actually sort of want.. it's not nearly as good but a job is a job right?
At worst case I'll end up in some really bad minimum wage place for a while, but I'll manage.

Anyway I just wanted to let most of the TSTers know that all this week I'll be packing over half of my stuff for Xai to take back with him on Monday, and I'll be trying to finish making his mask for our engagement party this weekend.. I won't be online much at all except while I'm at work (lol).
I can't believe how quickly it's come along! I really can't wait.. the main thing is that I'll be with Xai again.. I really can't stand going weeks without him.

On Saturday is me and Xai's engagement party finally!! ^v^
I'm really mad at the moment because of these stupid early shifts I'm doing at work but I'm also so happy thinking about Xai, sometimes it feels like every day I love him more, but how is that possible?!

Well yesterday I spent a day out with Tiercel and we had such a good time! He took me to an all you can eat restaurant!! Went to the petshop to stroke the birds and we played Goldeneye too (and I lost..for once but came close..)
I met some of his housemates and we went for DDR too (well I was the only one who played though).
Great day but I was so sad about not being able to share it with Xai, and when I got home, he was at work.. so I couldn't even tell him about it.

Slept well-ish but woke up at 4am with a terrible aching leg. Too much walking and DDR all day x_x

I applied for a job at O2 in Leeds - broadband tech support.. I really hope I get this.. it's the only job I'm kinda determined to get at the moment.

On another note, I have to have a filling tomorrow and am frightened of the pain, I don't care about the injection but even with that it STILL hurts!! Why!? -v-

Well on Sunday I'm going to Plymouth to see Tiercel and go for lunch, maybe go to the arcades or catch some pigeons ^v^ Can't wait, haven't seen him since June, too bad Jess can't come.. >_< I haven't seen her since then either. At least I'll be seeing them for my party next week though! Can't wait for that!!

90% of the time.. when something is too good to be true, it usually is -v-
I met someone who I thought was a dream come true, now I think they don't really exist. Nothing adds up.. all the information I have on them is just not quite right.. I mean the chances of these things actually happening or being true are one in a million.. something is "fishy" about what I've been told. I could be totally wrong but even if I am, I can't find out now so I'm left to wonder about it which is really annoying me.
I hate internets for this *shakes fist* and this is the last time I get my hopes up about people I've never met before!

It's probably also the last time I become really close friends with people online! I am so happy to have my current TST friends who I know in person ^v^ You guys have always been there for me, I will always be there for you too! As soon as I move we can start going out much more!
Most importantly though.. Xai is real and that should be all that matters to me ^v^

Got home from Leeds yesterday! I'm really happy at the moment, Xai has settled down in our new place and he's already re-arranging furniture and whatnot.
We really feel at home where we are, the view of the city at night is fantastic! We went for a walk during the day and came across a brilliant Italian restaurant that we stopped for lunch in. I am seriously impressed by the amount of decent food shops around the area!
After lunch we went to the bank and opened a joint account together. I also added our new address to all my current accounts.
Walking around our side of Leeds is surprisingly peaceful. We decided to go for another walk at night while our roast dinner was cooking (OMG our oven has a timer LOL), while we were out we came across our nearest DDR machines, just a 20 minute walk away if you go slowly.
Speaking of DDR, I managed to get a B in an Expert song for the first time, an 8 footer (Era nostal mix). I'm quite steadily doing 7 footers at the moment ^v^ Xai is so proud of me!

Getting back on topic, we played DDR for about 10 minutes before we had to head back and eat our roast dinner that Xai had spent a long time making perfect for me (and it was perfect!)
I much prefer Xai's roast to anyone else's. No I'm not biased or anything, he really does make it how I like it best.
Sleeping in our new place was a dream come true, the beds are amazingly comfy ovO So is the overall "feel" of our room. We couldn't have found a better place I think!

Well it turns out that Xai has got November 3rd - 7th or so off work so instead of moving out on the 3rd of November, it'll be the 4th. That's absolutely fine by me. I'll be finishing work on November 1st and will have time to pack everything.

Only one month to go.. and right in the middle of this will be my party!! and are confirmed to be coming along with and
We'll be holding a mini TST meet the afternoon before the party itself. I guess you could call this a leaving party for me too.. oh and something that made me very happy is that Xai's mum is coming along too, she'll finally be able to meet my family haha!
Right well that's all for now I suppose. Next update will probably be either very soon (because I have loads of free time on late shifts at work) or after the party since nothing much is meant to be happening in between than and now.

Hmm, so I'm currently staying at Xai's house until Wednesday, now he was meant to be moving into our new place that day after I leave, but last night he came home from work and sat me down.

He told me, "I arranged to move in a day earlier so we can both spend a day and night in our new place!"
I cried with joy, seriously. I didn't even DREAM of being in the new place until start of November, I'm SO happy about this! There will be pictures and videos of the inside of our place as soon as possible ^v^