...make some pointless, pointless lists to pass the time.

I feel like making lists!

Five books that have affected me profoundly:

* Room, Emma Donoghue

* Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, John Boyne

* Carrie, Stephen King

* Artemis Fowl, Eoin Colfer

* The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents, Terry Pratchett

Five films everyone should see before they die:

* Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind [trippy as hell]

* Nightmare Before Christmas

* Thirteen

* Calendar Girls

* Fiddler on the Roof

Five fictitious characters I'd totally make out with:

* Simon Bellamy [Misfits]

* Amy Pond

* Artemis Fowl

* Hermione Granger

* Hwoarang from Tekken

Five favourite songs:

* Who is it, Michael Jackson

* Grounds for Divorce, Elbow

* Boys and Girls, Blur

* My Beloved Monster, Eels

* You don't know, Will Young

Five people I want to meet [dead or alive]:

* Katie Piper

* Eoin Colfer

* Eva Peron

* Jack White/Nick Cave/Dolly Parton

* Charlie McDonnell [yum]

Five items of clothing, superior to all others:

* Converses [preferably red] and Doc Martens [also preferably red]

* Patterned skinny jeans [tarten is best]

* Bras that manage to be both comfortable and not ugly

* A top with Dolly Parton's face on it

* Fishnet tights

Five names I really really like:

* Evangeline

* Lazarus

* Forrest

* Deanna [since that post a few days ago, I've realised it's actually a really cool name]

* Quentin

Five memories I'd spend my whole life reliving if I could:

* Korea '10

* The whole of year six

* Soul '10

* New year, '10/'11

* Last day of year eleven

Five occasions I literally cannot wait for:

* Scotland with family '11

* Soul '11

* The chump I sometimes call "my brother" coming home

* Meeting my first niece or nephew, come mid-September

* Retirement

People who've made me the person I am:

* My mum. She's instilled morals and a conscience into me that I probably wouldn't have if it wasn't for her. Undeniably, my rock. I don't know how else to say - I love my mum, and I'd take a bullet for her any day because I know that, without her, I'd be a rubbish version of the me I've become accustomed to over the last decade or so.

* Dad, from whom I've inherited my social awkwardness and sense of humour and ability to cut the crap and see people for who they really are [eventually].

* Rob, my brother, the reason I'll defend what I believe and people close to me until the end. I envy his lifestyle I wish I could have. He's the coolest brother on the planet, and he's taught me more than teachers ever will, even if most of it is irrelevant, and I know that, if it wasn't for him forcing his [excellent] music tastes down my throat, I'd be a chart-slave and so, for that, I am eternally grateful.

* Liz, the only person who can consistently make me feel like a moron [in a good way] and not feel my wrath. She makes me want to be a better person, she guilt-trips me into being proactive and mature, not stupid. I have so much I've learned from my sister - and I know my niece/nephew will grow up to be just as inspirational as her and her husband.

* Jen D. I've been watching her grow from when we were both in playgroup, and it's been a pleasure. I'm so, so proud of her, what she's been through and how she's dealt with it, how she's productively channelled her emotions into her music, her unshakeable faith, and I feel honoured to know her. I look up to her so much [not in the literal sense. She's both shorter and younger than I am], and I love her.

* Hannah, my emotional twin for a long time. I learnt from her [the hard way] how to stand up for myself and not be a pushover, and the years of laughter we had together before are looked back on with a smile.

* Ben. I haven't known him for as long as some of the other people on this list, but he's helped me gain a sense of contentment and familiarity in a new county that I don't think I would have had otherwise. He reminds me of me in a lot of ways - both satirical, both quite ethical and opinionated, both have deep hidden personalities, both utterly unpleasant when it's our time of the month - and I think it's because of him that the last year has been among the, if not the, best of my life. I have a lot to thank him for.

* Rory, with his neverending patience and willingness to give advice, even if it isn't always what I want to hear, has taught me that anything is possible if I persevere. He's opened my eyes to a whole new way of thinking, and he's [grudgingly] made me not resent intelligent people so much.

* Mac - where would I be without her? For my whole life, she's been close by [even if not geographically in recent years] to make any room of people prettier and more likeable, and her infectious bubbliness will never cease to make me smile. I loved loved loved spending time with her in Spain, even if I was a massive killjoy about being out in the sun, and I miss her loads.

* Ella, my favourite cousin [I'm pretty unashamed in my favouritism, she's way cooler than her brother]. She's so talented, but so modest - I know for a fact she's going to be one of those people who kids point to on the telly and say to their parents, "I want to be like her", and I completely empathise.

* Venis. [When I met her for the first time, I was stuffing my face and I never quite got over the embarrassment of trying to communicate around a mouthful of biscuit] She's something of an enigma - I don't think she's aware of it, but the way she is with her friends has made me realise how amazing they all are too. She completely respects and appreciates them, and, I know, will always stand up for them and I, for one, think that's a quality more people should have.

* Callum, the first proper friend I made in Suffolk. He makes me question my motives - am I doing this because it's the right thing, or am I being immature? He's made me grow up and think of others more often, even if it's hurt on occasion.

* Josh. What can I say? This chump has helped me in more ways than he'll ever know in the year or so since we became close. His utter lack of modesty never fails to exasperate me, but it's because of him that I've found reason to not give up hope, because he's taught me that not everyone is out there to hurt me. I hate to say it because his head's big enough as it is, but it's been awesome getting to know him, finding out that he's not just a pretty face - he's a genuinely great guy, and I'm happy to know him.

* Sophie I've known since year seven, and, in a nutshell, I love her. I see her as a sister, a sister to whom I can tell anything and everything and I know she won't judge me or hate me, I know she's always on my side, I know she'll always support me. Since I met her I've been caught in an internal battle of paranoia and self-hatred, amongst other things, and she's always provided me with security and stability I've needed to feel comforted, and for that I owe her. 

* Judge. As much as I hate to admit it. He taught me that, if you're going to play with fire twice, you'll get burned twice - and if you keep going back to someone who's hurt you, they're going to keep hurting you. I made a mistake, and I'm not going to make it again.

* Dan, the first friend I met in reception. I've always admired the way she concentrates on something she wants to achieve, be it a style of dance I know she loves or convincing me to play the mum in year two, until it's achieved, and her quiet, uncomplaining manner.

* Cheryl. I haven't had the chance to see her anywhere near as often as I'd like, but her gosh darn awesomeness spreads over a hundred miles to infect me, and for that I'm grateful. She's one person who I know will always make me smile. I both envy and admire her individuality and bravery, and if I were to go lesbian it will always be for her, because she's just so amazing.

* Fran introduced herself to me in the middle of year ten with her shirt buttons constantly popping open, and neither of us has looked back [I think]. From her I've learned that it's best to always be yourself and to stick two fingers up at whoever disagrees, which I'm working on. She's both talented and gorgeous as well as kind and empathic, and she doesn't recognise it.

Phew. That was a biggie. Now it's past midnight, I've reached a doubly gripping point in a highly addictive book, and I have a German exam at 9am tomorrow. Byee

Quote of the day: If you're born knowing you're loved, and if you die knowing the same thing, everything that's happened in between has been dealt with. [Michael Jackson]