Random Ramblings

Well, the V mask went over well. I *almost* trolled the trolling preacher (I think he's a liar, acting, saying things that'll purposely get a reaction from the crowd) but I didn't. A couple of guys behind me were like "remember remember the fifth of november!!" and a (possibly homeless) man took my picture on his cell phone. XD Epshteyn gave me weird looks, and the kids in the hall/my class were amused. : ] This has been the best reaction - usually I get odd stares, and haven't had the chance to wear it out much, so it was fun this year. YAY 3RD YEAR STRONG. XD
And I didn't get arrested! But, the law against wearing masks states that it doesn't apply to people "wearing traditional holiday costumes," so I'm not breaking the law~! XD
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Anyway, the other purpose of this post is to mention a very interesting game Fran found, and we spent awhile with. XD It's called
THE ENDLESS FOREST. XD
http://tale-of-tales.com/TheEndlessForest/
It's more of an art piece than a game (made as such) and it's actually pretty damn cool. You play as a deer - WITH A HUMAN FACE!! and just run around the forest. You can do emotes, basically, towards other people, but you can't talk, and your name is a glyph. You can get different pelts by having people cast spells on you, same thing with masks, and antlers. And if you're lucky, the Gods of the game (the creators) will intervene and do crazy stuff! Etc. etc. There's so much to do, it looks pretty cool.

Rek, Fran and I played around for like an hour, just without even registering. We were dancing, and other people were dancing with us, and jumping around. XD It was pretty silly, and AMAZING. XD It's also really nice, in a way, that no one is talking and getting all trash-talky, but it has led to a lot of "WHO WERE YOU??" on the internets by people. XD

Unfortunately, it doesn't work on the mac (what DOES?) but Rek sounds like she'll lend me her computer every so often, if I want to/have the time. :B
It's amusing, and an interesting concept - and FREEEE. XD So go check it out!

MORE being a positive Nancy! (er... whatever. XD)

Painting class went great! My painting's really coming along (photos will be put up tonight!) and Danny was... NICE?!
Like, so upbeat, and peppy and YEAH!
It was almost creepy! XD

And I went to Main Art and got a portfolio that's actually NICE!! And when I was there, I ran into Jake! (my surface research teacher back in freshman year) He has a curly handlebar mustache now!! XD
So I got to talk to him about what's goin' on, and told him I was in Comm arts, and he asked what part, and I talked about animation stuffs, and he asked if Erin got in too, and I said yes, and he's like "Oh good." : ] And I told him Rek got in too, and we all hang out together and get inspiration and things were fantastic, and he said he was so happy for us. :B
He's teaching at Mary Washington, and doing signs and ads for Main Art, and spotting in the gallery upstairs. And now I have to post more stuff up on my blog so I can email it to him. XD And I need to return these clamps he leant me for the book project! D:
And I need to tell him about Erin's awesome success with the scholarship and her monster book~!!
He was all like "Have you published any books yet?" and I'm like "No..." and he made a face like "Aww, come on!" XD

It was just really great getting to see him, and be all like "YEAH, I'M DOIN' WELL!"
SWEEEEEEEEEEEET!

I'm really, REALLY diggin' this positive mood, everyone's so happy and getting stuff done that they like to do, and being inspired to make awesome stuff, and yeah. :D
It's like "GOOOOOOOOOOOO~!!"

I found this song this morning, and it's awesome. D: I dunno if the video's supposed to go with it, but eh. XD I REALLY like the song - reminds me of you, Rek, getting weird/awesome songs stuck in your head - thought you might like it too. : ]

Also, it's a combo of snippets of DEG and Daft Punk flying around my head right now~ Such interesting combinations. XD

I got up super-early today, which is amazing. And I have a (sorta) clear plan of what I'm doing?
I gotta go to class, get a good picture of my self-portrait, rush home, clean up, put on my V "costume" (happy 5th of November!), figure out what I need to print for my portfolio, get it printed, get some advising for my courses, look for a new portfolio that doesn't suck ass, and somewhere in there, if I have time (HAHA!) run to the costume shop and look for a fake Tommy gun. Was thinking of getting stuff printed later, but I dunno if I have the time, what with Nekocon and all....

Wait, I think I'll just run to the graphics lab Friday morning. I don't have class, and we're not leaving till the afternoon, and that way I'll have time to finish my typography piece, if I want to submit it.
Hahaha, it sucks, I just have this giant pool of stuff that I don't know what to pick from anymore. D: I took stuff out, but then added things in... I'll figure it out. I need to just lay out everything and then pick out what's the strongest. I need to be more objective, frankly..

But aaaaaaaaaagh. Last night I didn't get any sketches done. D: I just looked at my portfolio some, ate food, helped Crystal with refs, and passed out. XD But I guess I needed the sleep.
AH! But I DID do a really nice Trigger sketch in my philosophy class! :D I took a jab at making him more 'realistically' drawn, and it turned out hella nice - and also made him look like a rock star, high on something, and "tossing his hair for all the fans." :B I'm really happy with it, even if it is just a small sketch.

Ah, but I kind of know more of what I'm doing with my classes next semester too. :D So THAT'S putting my mind at ease...
I feel really... positive right now! How odd! XD I've just been in a funk for awhile, and now it's passing, I think. I guess I'm excited about today! Hope it turns out awesome...

Oh yeah, and the Gorillaz were on the cover of a magazine. D8 http://gorillaz-news.livejournal.com/268884.html#cutid1 They ARE working on a third album, and akjsdhgsdalgljkgjlgdjkdklkgk *froth* These guys were my OBSESSION in high school, so it's AWESOME to see more of them!!!

Also, I found it, Erin. 8D

He's walking right into the camera, too, and then goes "oooohhhh shiiiittt...." and just slides out of frame. XD Poor man.

Ah well, to school!

Halloween was fun. : ] Got to see my family, go trick-or-treating with my sister (WHAT. XD) and failed at it. There were a few grumbles here and there, but it was a nice visit. Everyone thinks I should ride the bus more, take more medicine, etc. XD Sister's doing NaNoWriMo for her creative writing class and it's looking cool thus far. :D Stuff.
Dad about cried when I left for THIS home, he thought I was staying away because of him and I'm like NOOOOOOOOOO. XD

Sunday's been interesting. My fish has ceased being pissed now that his tank is clean, but he was PIIISSSSSEEDD when I cleaned it. XD And his water feels super-cold, so I need to look into a heater.
PW Cosplays are a no go, since we can't handle the workload right now, lolz. XD So I'm going to rock my new Girlycard coat and also cave in and buy a fake "ratatat" Tommy gun and (hopefully) mod it out just a little so it has TWO grips like it's supposed to. :P We'll see.

Looking at Nekocon stuff has me excited, the list of panels and videos showing is up, and I'm stoked, and now have too many things planned. XD I need to print these, but there's no printer-friendly version. D:
Also
PHOENIX WRIGHT MOCK TRIAL 2009.
D8!!!!!!!!
FUCK ERINNN!!!
3-5 PM SATURDAY. BE THERE!

OH WELL on OUR PW cosplay, we get to see a motherfucking TRIAL. D8!! Here's hoping it's good, though. : \ Because it doesn't say anything more than that about it.

And honestly, I'd rather not be a less-than-perfect prosecutor... :B
AND I TOTALLY THINK YOU SHOULD GET NEW CAMO AND AN EYEPATCH. :D AND SOMEHOW CONVINCE CHRIS TO BE OCELOT, BECAUSE HE CAN TWIRL THE TWO REVOLVERS YOU GUYS HAAAAAAAAAAVE. 8D

*ahem*
ALSO, there's going to be a concert by this band called Suicide Ali... I checked 'em out, and Dir en Grey they're not, (sort of reminds me of My Chemical Romance if they were Japanese, lol?? XD I like MCR, but not as much as some, you know? XD) but hey, FREE CONCERT. 8D They look pretty interesting, and it sounds like fun to go. I ADORE live music, so hey. :D
And there's gonna be dances!
and no curfewww!!!!!
No time I have to be home!!!
Interesting panels!!
Stuff to buy~!!
Anime to watch!!!

STOKED-NESS IS STARTING. 8B

I was getting kind of bummed because I didn't have a new costume, or an artist table, or whatever, so I guess it was feeling kind of... not artistically productive? But it sounds like there's going to be a lot of things to do and experience and learn from, and so now I'm happy. : ] REALLY HAPPY!

Here's hoping it goes well~!!!!

( I had a trippy as hell dream this morning... )

Anyway, sorry for the weird dream. XD I'm going home today to visit my family!! Which is a long overdue visit, and I hope you all have a happy Halloween, All Soul's Day, Samhain, whatever you prefer to call it. : ] I guess the moral of the story is, also celebrate those people who you love who are no longer with us, not just candy and parties. Celebrate the spirits too. :]

'The crazy, Japanese, GOFFICK HORRAR BAND called DIR EN GREY.'
XD Oh man.

This was an interview I believe Fran saw, and was like "WTF??? Lyrics about being raped by your mother???" XD It was just funny that she told me about it, and I found it.
Though the jab at lolitas I'm sure isn't appreciated either, by you Fran. XD Sorry! But I mean, they're guys in a rock band, I think they just don't get it. XD

I partly love this interview - because it shows awesome clips from their shows, and I LOVE getting to hear the band members talk (LOLZ) but I also really hate it, because I feel like there's such a slant, such a misunderstanding, on the part of the announcer. He's obviously somewhat disgusted and sees them as these strange, foreign rabble-rousers. XD AHAHAHA, THAT'S it, he reminds me of the news-guy from V for Vendetta, in a way..
It's just like, he totally doesn't get it, and it's almost fantastic for that.

My favorite line is "You can mention that I am horrible and nasty in nature if you want." :B
I always have a love for people who just don't give a fuck about what people think of them and are mean and nasty, because I'm not like that at all. (though I am breaking old habits where necessary!)

Also, (in a tidbit of fangirlism) I found out Kyo is as tall as me (SHORT! 8B), and also an Aquarius AND a Dragon (Zodiac-wise) like I am! XD Which is just kind of cool. Makes me wonder how he thinks, if there's similarities? I don't want to say "OMG I'M LIEK KYO" but it just makes me wonder how his brain ticks, especially from an artistic standpoint - I wonder that about everyone anyway, lol.

Also also, the fangirls are REALLY fucking annoying. So I have to rail hard against being like them. D8

Made an art blog over on blogger!
http://seir33.blogspot.com/
If you want to follow me over there, then be my guest! :D
It's kind of a mess right now, but I'm confident that it'll work out ok. : ] I think if I post more of the stuff about my art life like I've kind-of been doing over here (except with less RAEG and more photos) it'll actually turn into something I'm proud of!

I'll try to cross-post when I can, too, so you guys will know when new stuff updates. : ]

YAAAY one more step towards being a somewhat responsible artist! Woo~!!

I had a WEIRD dream last night. It's like all of my fears about my fish manifested themselves. D:
( weird dreams, and weird feelings. D: Also, painting class. )

Ok, first it was Tool. Then Justice. Then Tool again. Most recently, Franz Ferdinand.
And now I'm on a Dir en Grey kick. XD

It started with me giving them a listen randomly a few days ago? And then Erin was playing it in her car, and we were talking about Kyo's voice going from all the abuse he's putting on it. (;^;) But later that evening, I was looking at Daft Punk stuff on Youtube, and that freakish baby thing from Technologic was on the screen, and somebody's like "If you think THIS is creepy, then check out Dir en Grey's 'Obscure.'" So of course, what else could I do but look at it? XD

Here it is in all it's crazy glory - DEFINITELY NSFW. Or safe for probably most people's eyes. XD

It was just so horrible and disgusting and disturbingly sexy and amazing and beautiful in its ugliness that I... I just love this kind of shit. XD

This has officially launched a kick. XD

Someday, I want to go through all the albums and figure out what they're really saying in the lyrics - the above song, for example, is about abortion and it's commonplace-ness in Japanese society..
But I'm just randomly looking at this site, which has all the lyrics.. and the translations are rough, but I actually sometimes prefer them that way. XD http://codeofvulgarizm.tripod.com/
I know you said, Erin, that there was a good site, so if there's one better than this one, could you point me towards it? :D And if I've found it, then huzzah! XD

But before we move totally on to the Diru kick, The Franz has to say something:

I'm REALLY diggin' this song too. :D I think I might just do my moving typography piece on this... if I get the time. D: At least on part of the chorus, because I can see it in my head.
"Whoah-ho
LOOK OUT
You're what she CAME for
You're what she CAME for
NO QUESTION/NO DOUBT!"

Hahaha, such a contrast. Franz Ferdinand is all about dance music, kinda happy quirky and weird, and sexy, and Dir en Grey is about dark macabre rock music... and sexy. XD I THINK I PICK THE BANDS I LIKE BY THEIR SEXINESS, LOLZ.

Gaaaaaah but I want to draw Kyo now SO BAD. I think the combination of zombie walk+this = SPEWING BLOOODDDDD FTW!! I'm wondering if I can draw him for my Tin sketchbook - if a few can be from photos, then.... >BD BWAHAHAHAHA.
2 pages from photos out of 100 isn't bad at all right?

TO HOMEWORK~!!

Well, for the next 3 hours after my earlier post, I was on a roll. I did my laundry, cleaned my room, did my dishes, ate, etc. I was like "YEAH!"
I agreed with Fran to paint her in the evening, since it's hard enough to paint as it is, without worrying about the light changing on you all the time. D: So night painting it is.

BY THE WAY... If anyone has any free time they could spend by modeling for me for a couple hours once or twice a week, that'd be amazing. 8< I reeaaally need models. You can read or do homework or whatever, I'll go to your place if it's more convenient, and I'll pay you if you want. And you don't need to be nude or anything, just a person sitting there. 8D Please?

Anyway, for the rest of the evening, it's been off-and-on getting distracted and editing photos for class. I got all the Hollywood Cemetery photos done, and now I'm halfway through Zombie Walk. So progress!
I also was doing this over at Crystal's, which we were over there for an unexpected 3 hours, since she made everyone food. :D But I got work done and had fun at the same time, so awesome!

But still, I've been getting distracted looking stuff up. : \

I did feed my fish, and water my plant... Poor Tsuki, the 'lucky bamboo' plant I have, was starting to get dried-out looking. D: And Morning Glory (oh you poor Betta fish, how did you get named that? XD) has some weird sections on his fins where it looks like they're hanging weirdly? Like they got twisted. XD I think he might've possibly torn them on the plants...?
But gah, still gotta change his water. D: I'll do it as soon as I can..

So I gotta finish editing these photos too, and post them, and paint tomorrow, as well as work on those sleeves when I get the chance. Here's hoping all goes well!

Augh, it's 2 PM, I got up an hour ago, I went to bed at 4 because I got caught up looking at old anime (fondly <3) after the time for reminiscing was up, lol, (read "I should've gone to bed when everyone else did." :P) and I didn't get a whole lot of anything done last night, even though I told myself I had time to work on the sleeves for my Von Karma cosplay. :| I'm sorely disappointed in myself, on the one hand, but on the other, I'm like "I did zombie walk, I got that homework done, I didn't go to a party, and instead spent time with my friends and got a lot of inspiration, which is a lot better, and I was too tired to do much else."

But I can't dwell on whether I failed or not. I've got laundry and dishes and a fish tank to get clean, and work to do - painting and cosplay especially. But I must've overslept because now I feel groggy - STILL. 8{ So I'm like "NNNNNNNNNNGHHHHHH..."

Agh, it's like, I know I can do it, so why DON'T I? Ever.
Gah, but I gotta have faith in myself. Last week I got myself caught up to where I should've been, so now it's a matter of not letting it slip. Maybe I'm just afraid it will, and that's what this is all about.
Well no time to worry, gotta hop to it.

Hahaha, sorry if this was pointless. XD It's just I'm trying to break a pattern here, and my whole being is like "Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah how 'bout not..." even though I know it'd be good for me. So I just gotta go tell that part of myself to go fuck itself and listen to the part that's going "Oh god, why is THAT out? and isn't that supposed to be over there?" and "SHIT I have work to do!!!" and "LOOK AT THAT LAUNDRY! D:" and start cleaning and working. XD

In fact, I'll post my accomplishments later, no matter how small or awesome they may be, and know that I did well today, or at least my best, and didn't goof off as much. I'll prove it to myself and to you!!!
"DON'T BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, BELIEVE IN ME WHO BELIEVES IN YOU~!!!!"
You guys believe in me right? RIGHT! And screw that saying, I'll believe in myself too. :D
YAR LET'S GO!

Fran found this for me and it's AMAZING.
This was directed by Todd MacFarlane and apparently handled by the same studio that did the Batman Animated Series back in the day ~<3
OMG I LOVE IT.

(also this studio really knows how to do awesome chicks. XD)
But I think it's also just... kind of amazing. And a great juxtaposition (lol THAT word) between the saturday morning cartoons of my childhood and such serious subject matter.
It's fast and great and RAWR I AM MOTIVATED BY STUFF LIKE THIS OMAGAW. XD

and this


and this

Both from Erin. <3

And these, which I didn't post when I found them, lol. XD

Vocaloids kinda creep me out and fascinate me at the same time, but the animation's hella nice!

-A Tiffany find of awesome~

So haunting and beautiful. D8

And another from Fran!

IT HAS THE COMBINED POWERS OF THE GUY WHO DID DIGIMON AND TAKASHI MURAKAMI. IT'S FANTASTIC. XD

Zombie walk was awesome. :D
More on that later. XD

Today I was:
Nearly late to class
continually gastrointestinally miserable
seething with rage for the first time in recent memory (heart rate rising as I sat perfectly still, pretty scary)
nearly hit by a car that had stopped for me, then went forward as I crossed the street. D8

I was also:
a namer of my new fish~!!! (Morning Glory stuck. D: Glory or Gloria for short. XD LOLWTF) and my new werewolf (PEREGRINE. "As in the falcon?" "YES. 8D")
able to make a good recovery from nearly falling asleep on my sister on the phone. 8D THUMBS UP!
incredibly embarrassing to someone unintentionally. XD

And now, I am stuck with painting to do. XD

I will have to tell you all about my new betta fish!!!! who Erin got me, and is amazing and purple and stares at you, and is currently bashing his head against every nook of the glass of his tank. And about adventures painting in graveyards. And watching Zombieland. And other awesomeness!!!!

AND I'M MAKING A WEREWOLF THE APOCALYPSE CHARACTER AND HE'S A SCOTSMAN NAMED PERRY, SHORT FOR PEREGRINE, AND HE HAS RED HAIR AND SIDEBURNS AND HE'S A HOMID FIANNA RAGABASH. Which sounds like a description like "single white male" or some such for a classified. XD And he's going to be hilarious. Oh I can't wait to RP the man. XDDDDD

But PAINTING TO DO!!! GOOO

P.S. - YOU ALL HAVE ME LIKING ANTHROPOMORPHS WAY MORE THAN I USED TO. EVER. OMG, YOU'VE EITHER RUINED ME OR MADE ME BETTER. XDDDD

I'M A GACKT HOERSSSSS

This is what happens when people take the Hoers off the desktop in class. They get their picture of Gackt turned into a Gackt Hoers. 8D

Cleaning in my room, I went and straightened some books, and saw JTHM, which I haven't read in awhile. I fanned the pages, and thought "Something must have resonated with me... ah, it was that grungy, misanthropy..." Which I think is funny, because I used to say all the time "I LOOOVE PEOPLE."

Now I do and I don't. I love them as an object of study, of art. I love figuring out how they think and why. Their stories, what made them what they are now. I find humans INTENSELY interesting. But I've also found out there's MUCH more idiocy and crassness and desperation and every bad quality out there too. DEALING with people is very, very hard. Studying them is a lot of fun. XD

But anyway, that 90's grunge-y aesthetic, twinged with insanity - something you see in both JTHM and the Tool videos I was watching, things like that - are dreadfully appealing to me. XD And of course, that influences my art. Though I am glad I'm moving away from so much Vasquez influence by learning, you know, anatomy. XD

Just an observation. : ] Though I wonder, in a way, if I should do anything about it? Not to change it, but to develop an aesthetic of my own...?

( EVERYONE KNOWS NOW. THANKS, CRYSTAL. XD )

Ok, so I called the Staples people to see if I really, REALLY couldn't get my plan renewed, and I can't, and it wouldn't have covered the damage anyway. D: BUT, when I told the lady my sob story of how it JUST BROKE after the warranty ran out, she was like "oh no... well..." and explained that if I call Kodak, they can do some sort of trade-in thing, where I get a discount on a new camera!!

So, I called them, and after much confusion, and talking to people who are probably Indian or something (no offense, it was just a bit difficult for me to understand her over the phone...) they're going to send me an email coupon in a few days for 25% off a new camera, and I don't have to send my old one in! I don't even know how that works, but it does. XD
That's much better than spending 90 bucks and a couple weeks at least without a camera to repair my old one. Oh man, what a relief...
I mean, it's still a pain in the neck to have to buy another one, but this makes it hurt just a smidgin less. : ]
That, and not buying practically ANYTHING all week thus far and being a miser. XD I love it!!

So, long story short, I broke my camera. My bike fell on top of it, breaking my GLASS painting palette in the process, and busting the screen on the camera. It takes pictures fine, but I can't SEE worth a damn, nor use any of the functions on menus.
It'd cost $80 to repair it.
AND, my 2 year protection plan from Staples ran out 20 days ago.
D:
So looks like I'm probably buying a new camera - LIKE I NEED TO SPEND ANOTHER HUNDRED BUCKS.
Jesus.

And I was just trying to figure out more stuff about my camera, for photography, and I LOVE this camera so much... Now it's been reduced to a digital point and shoot. With no viewfinder. And it sucks, because I KNEW something was going to happen - 1, I knew it was a bad idea to put it in that front pocket on my bag for some reason... and 2, people's phones were dying or being lost, and I thought "uh oh, things come in threes..." I wrote down every number on my phone, and what happens? My camera breaks. D: Fuckin' great.

But, other than that, things are going ok. Great, actually. My paintings turned out good today, and my typography assignment's going to go up in the hall! Stuff like that. I just need to get motivated to do shit for... shit. XD MOTIVATION SERIOUSLY WANING.
I have to order checks and pay rent, goddammit. I don't care about these assignmennnnnts... but oh well...

I do have an entertaining tale, though...
Today when I was riding home on my bike, I stopped at an intersection. This older guy in the car on the street going across was looking both ways before he turned, and when he looked in my direction I nodded politely like I normally do, like "hello...." He smiled and shouted "Hey good lookin'!!" as he made the turn, showing off his license plate that said (an abbreviation of) "LOUNGING" in the process. XD It really kind of cheered me up.
Hahaha, at least old men think I'm attractive. XD
And I got to eat food and talk to people and my mom and sister came by and she wanted to stay, but my mom was like "No, she moved here so she could work, and you have stuff to do, we need to go home, wtf are you thinking?" XD WHAT.

Oi, time is going by super fast, I must be tired. D: Night~

( Tl;dr - Art school is going sucky.... )

And since a lot of people are going through this sort of thing right now, my response is this:

FUCK IT.
Fuck them and their rules. Their stupid, silly shit. ( DO YOUR OWN THING, SISTER. XD )
NEVER SURRENDAAAAARRRRR!!! AAAAAAOOOOOOUUGH!! AAAAAAAOOOOUUUGH!! AAAAAAAOOOOUUUGH!!

Don't give up, it'll be ok. : ]