Better (di)Late than Never

I got back from the optometrist over three and half hours ago, and my eyes are only just now starting to return from dilation. I was told they'd be back to normal in about an hour. On the bright side, I did win out with those sweet sweet disposable sunglasses they send you home in. (Doubles as a wrist band.)

It's about time I went to the optometrist. It was getting the point where I could barely make out street signs until I'd already passed them.

Halloween: Rhymes with 'Where've you been.'

Four months? What a slacker I've been. Moving just does that to you.

Anyway, here's a picture someone just sent me from Halloween. Don't ask me what kind of pose that's supposed to be.

Because I really need it.

Repairing bathroom fixtures gives me an excuse to go to Home Depot and ask young guys working there if they know where I can get some caulk.

Book Nerd

Yesterday I went to Book People to have some stuff signed by Garth Nix. I'm rather proud of my growing collection of signed books.

I've said both before that I am a book nerd, and I skip around in my hobbies. Since I have neither the tools, the money, or the frame needed to reupholstered a gorgeous antique style chair, I've gone full force into a reading frenzy. I've had no compulsion lately for computer games, video games, or art journaling. Unfortunately, with my schedule, I only manage one book a week, but at least I'm making progress on my to-read list.

I finished Harry Potter yesterday (and by the way, I was very pissed to find that the major one-line spoiler someone posted on a community was true,) and I'm already 50 pages into The Neverending Story. I've heard for ages that it was good, but what really made me want to get it was when I discovered that certain hardcover versions are printed in green and purple ink, just like the book within the Neverending Story is supposed to be. (Green narrates Fantastica, and purple the real world.)

Habitual Hobbyist

I got to work yesterday to discover I'd missed Sandra Bullock by about five minutes. Today, I had a customer with an American Express centurion card. I'm not sure who has heard of that, but it's an an invitation only credit card for the super wealthy with essentially no credit limit (people buy bentleys and jet planes with these things) a $2,500 annual fee, and pretty much gives you your own personal concierge who will get you whatever the fuck you want whenever the fuck you want it.

I always jump around with my hobbies. Nick's dad is bribing him a to loose a certain amount of weight by next March and it's put me on this healthy cooking kick. I think I've just been so malnourished from all the fast food I've been eating, that my body is flipping out and going OMFGVEGETABLES! I make stuff like greek chicken (chicken with feta and kalamata olives over spinach) and marinated tofu over rice noodles with baked garlic asparagus.

I stumbled on an upholstery book and now I want to make a wing chair or a fainting couch from scratch. But, carpentry tools are expensive, so I'm just going to reupholster my couch with awesome fabric when I get a chance, since my dog chewed it up when he was a puppy. Maybe I can try out carpentry later.

I'm in Texas

After 8 months with an expired registration, and a year and a half after receiving the title of my car to transfer, I finally went down to the closest Tax Assessor's office to get shit done. I've lived in Texas for seven years, now, but this was the first time I ever actually went somewhere where little old men were swaggering down Main Street in cowboy boots, hats, and big belt-buckles. There was even a little white church (protected by the historical society.) How can any road with a name like Main Street have 4-way Stop signs?

I'm a city girl, even if it happens to be a smallish city.

Approved

Guess whose application for lease just got approved? I will mostly likely be signing the lease Thursday night, and by the end of July, I will be moving into this sexy piece of architecture.

2113 sq ft.
3 bedroom
2.5 bath
2 living areas
1,250/month ($417 per person)

Its even got a big back yard for my dog with cute little fruit trees. (See how happy my car looks?)

Art Journal - pg 13

Get Real-tor

Given my options, I don't believe I'll be moving,
thankyouverymuch.

Art Journal - pgs 8 & 9

Ready for the big (star)bucks.

Yes, indeed! That is me: Certified Barista. After nine days of training and many-a-mocha, I had a brief interview made a few espresso drinks, and au lait!... certification.

Now I must take a nap. I open tomorrow at 4:45am, and I don't want to be latte.

Har har har.

Art Journal - pgs 5, 6 & 7

My Mystery Machine has lopsided headlights. Boo.

Art Journal - pgs 3 & 4

Two of my earliest entries in my art journal, started about a month ago.

I Have Been

So, I've been absent for a while. I suppose I've felt that I need to write something to entertain people, when it actuality this should be primarily for me, and if I happen to be doing nothing of interest, that shouldn't deter me from blogging.

I have been playing World of Warcraft.
I have been reading.
I have been working.
I have been creating in my art journal.

In respect to the penultimate. I have a job! Not one of monumental importance, not a career, but a source of income, and a means to get by while I learn Adobe Creative Suite 2, work on my portfolio, and save for grad school. I work at Starbucks, and free coffee is ever so delightful.

As for the last, as much as I enjoy my art journal, I find it hard to take that last step to make it truly personal: writing in it. I like to show people my work, but if I take that step and write in it, it becomes another issue of only writing that which I would not mind people reading, or just squirreling away the journal for myself. (Difficult, as I have to leave it out for the paint to dry.)

Ain't got no job; Ain't got shit to do.

Being jobless is pretty damn nice, aside from that entire money thing.

I've been hanging out at Bookpeople, and coffee shops downtown because I actually have time to sit down and read; I read two books in two days. I've been knitting, and cooking, and painting, and making collages, and doing arts and crafts, and watching entire DVDs of Cowboy Bebop in one sitting because I have time. I've been able to sit down and think about what I want to do with my career, and do research on the internet because I have time. Now I just need some fucking money.

The jobs I want, I can't get at the moment. I know Illustrator, and I know Paint Shop Pro, but I know nothing about Quark, or Photoshop. At the moment I'm mostly looking at stuff that's short term and flexible so I can save money to buy Adobe CS2 (About $500 with Nick's student ID), gain certification, and build a more diverse portfolio than just fliers and postcards. I've been kind of looking at some office work with a little design mixed in, but I'm not putting too much faith on that. Still haven't told my parents I lost my job because they're going to give me shit about it, even though I did nothing wrong. Don't want to tell them I'll be getting a ho-hum job while I gain certification for my career because they will give me shit about it, even though it is probably the best solution.

Nick's parents suggested we move in with them to save up money for grad school. It will be weird. No sex ever. Just too weird.

Sushi: Let me Shouyu

Art journal entry.

I Like Books

I threw away a book once, and I've felt guilty about it ever since. It's not just that I like to read books; I like the idea of them, and I like the way they look. I like the aesthetics of books: Cover designs, dust jackets, paper stock. My favorite thing to see in a home is a bookshelf so crammed with books, it's unthinkable that it's maintained any sort of ordering convention.

For these reasons, I have a healthy appreciation for art journals, decorative book binding, and altered books, as the book has become almost more art than literature. (recycle the link a few times for a few different pictures.) The latter I think is a perfectly wonderful solution for those books you'd like to throw away, but simply don't have the stomach to do.

I've had one book sitting on my shelf for a few years that I didn't know what to do with. I picked it up from a discount pile for $1, an while it wasn't atrocious literature, I don't really have a fondness for it, and didn't know what I should do with it. I finally decided to just deconstruct it and make myself a nice little art journal, and that's exactly what I did this past weekend.

The original book (the dustjacket is lovely)


The new cover, created over the original cover board. (The title is to remind myself that entries are solely for practice, much like a sketch book, and not to become discouraged if things don't turn out as I'd like.)


Exposed spine bound with a decorative stitch. (Coptic Stitch) I folded the original pages in half to create new pages for the journal.


The binding style allows the book to lie completely flat while open, so it's good for journals. I glued the original dust cover to the interior.

In Other News

I pierced my septum. I swear it's up there. Unfortunately, this is the only picture I have with it showing that turned out:

Ready! Aim! Fired!

Long time no see. I've been gone sulking. I was laid off last week, and while there are more positives to it than negatives, being let go was a bruise to my ego. What you are about to see is a rapid fire posting of entries. I like my updates in nice little categories, so a lump update is a 'no.'

Fantastic things about being laid off:
* My former employer has promised me glowing recommendation for when I apply to grad school, as well as when I apply for my next job.
* Pretty much gauranteed to be paid more, as I will not apply to another start-up.
* I actually know what I want to do at my job now that I've had a chance to try things out.
* Severence pay = paid vacation.
* Agreeing to be a consultant = free copies of Adobe Illustrator 10, and Paint Shop Pro.
* I will likely get a larger budget for my work and use a professional printer more, instead of printing most everything myself.

The downside to all of this is that I just don't have a job or a paycheck, and frankly... job searching blows.

Jinkies!

Car Drives, Hard Drives

Walker finally came of age for half of his inheritence money, and he's using most of it as a down payment on a car, which he desperately needs. Almost every day for the past few weeks I've been late to work because I have to wait for him to get ready and start his car before I can leave (in case it doesn't start.)

I went test driving with him Saturday, and I really don't see what the big deal is about car shopping and car sales men. Maybe I just deal with getting price quotes for work so often, that I know that as a consumer, sales people have absolutely no power to push you around. One guy was being really pushy and annoying me, and I wanted to tell him to back the fuck off, but I wasn't the one shopping for a car.

Also, I HAVE A NEW, FULLY FUNCTIONAL, GORGEOUS COMPUTER WITH HOT, HOT GRAPHIC CARD ACTION! I'd like to thank the IRS for serving as my personal savings account for the past year, forcing me to save the money for this gorgeous machine (complete with glowy blue fan.) Last tax refund went to credit cards. This was more fun.

My graphics card came with a free copy of Half-Life 2. I spent a few hours throwing Chinese food at guards and running away. It is a beautiful thing.

I'm giving my old computer to my sister, since my dad took the one at the house when he moved to California. She is grateful, and I will force her to take me out to dinner when I drive it down to San Antonio. That will likely be this weekend. Some stupid chick was driving much too fast in the suburbs and skidded off the road, up the hill, and into the back yard at 3am last night. I'd love to see it before it gets fixed.

Somebody has a Case of the Mondays

I've been in a bad mood all day. This morning I was chewed out by my boss for something that's not even my fault. I've NEVER gotten into trouble here. Fuck being nice.

But then I made this picture, and I felt better.

I Made This! Isn't it knit?

I finished this lovely ribbed scarf recently. It is quite soft. I knit it between cut scenes playing video games. I find this fact amusing. I’m supposed to start a Harry Potter scarf for Nick, which he’s lusting after since he first heard about them being produced. He also demanded I supply him with a full wardrobe of sweaters made from designs of his choosing, and also graciously ‘gave me permission’ to create my first practice sweater for him, as it will ‘most likely look like crap’ but it will be ‘the thought that counts.’ I’m going to need to order some yarn to start the scarf. He's says if I'm extra good, he'll let me wear shoes, and I can take a break from having babies. I kid, I kid. I knit for love.

In other news, I bought presale tickets for myself, Nick, and Walker to see Margaret Cho in June. Guaranteed within the first ten rows. Exciting!

Cheer up, Chum!

My profile stubbornly refuses to update with my most recent post. Stubbornly!

It is as if it suffured some horrific blow upon discovering the results of the last presidential election, and it lingers in perpetual despondance: mopey, mournful, and melancholy.

My Subconscious is Psychic

When it knows it's going to rain, it whispers to me 'today is a good day for a skirt and strappy heels' as a big FUCK YOU for all those times it wants chocolate chip cookies, and I tell it 'no thank you, I'm not hungry.'

No One Loves Puppy

I just remembered, my dog turned 2 yesterday. Poor puppy. I was so preoccupied running around fetching stuff for Nick because he's so miserable and pouty that I forgot about my dog. Should have taken him out to a park or something to run around, or buy him special treats. Maybe I'll do something late March, because that's when we got him.

The picture above is from two days before he turned two.

Bacterial Battle

All the cleaning from Sunday made Nick sick. He took it upon himself to take apart the vacuum, because it got clogged from almost 2 years of dirt + dog hair.

Messing with the vacuum cleaner, Nick erupted into a massive sneezing fit, which (according the doctor) ruptured membranes in his nose, making him susceptible to bacterial infection. The vile minions of the bacterial army stealthed into his nose Sunday night, began their attack on Monday, and by Tuesday had gained control of the fortress. The General is displeased.

I'm convinced Nick needs me... needs me to save his genetic line from the evils of allergies. I am a goddess of physical health and well-being.

Home Improvement Marathon, All Day Sunday!!!

Have important people visiting? Need to make your place look good in a hurry? You, too, can spend all of your free time cleaning and repairing your home, just like me!

Try these, and other fun and exciting projects, at your very own home:

* Clean bathrooms!
* Re-caulk the tub and toilet!
* Re-apply bathroom fixtures!
* Wash dishes!
* Clean kitchen counters!
* Clean the stove!
* Wash clothes!
* Spackle walls!
* Texturize and paint walls!
* Repaint wall trim!
* Fill holes!
* Watch the dog, intimidated by all the artificial smells and chemicals, anxiously pee on the carpet... twice! (To save time for your other projects, it's a good idea to procrastinate until your boyfriend cleans it up... twice!)

A Charge of Battery

I was arrested at the gas station, yesterday. It's true! There were no sirens, no handcuff, and no police. I simply got into the car after filling the tank, turned the key, and nothing: Stuck. At the gas station, in my car, with a dead battery: Arrested.

I flipped out my not-so-trustworthy phone (its battery is also one jolt from shot, and horribly maimed to boot) and called Walker. He came charging to my rescue (pun intended) with cables in tow to get my vehicular party jump-started. Thanks, Walker! It's nice to have friends that car.

Further adventures consist of me going going to Sears during lunch to replace my battery. Excitement!

Lazy Takes Effort

I was planning on being devoutly antisocial on New Years Eve, but ended up going to dinner with Nick's parents, his cousins visiting from Japan, and Walker at some upscale Mexican restaurant. I wasn't too impressed, but they had the coolest chairs in the foyer. If this picture was centered, I would love the frame it for my computer desk. (I'm wearing the fantastic houndstooth coat Nick bought me for Christmas. See how fantastic it is?)

Then my mom called and she was very pissed off because it was my sisters birthday, and I hadn't called her yet, so I ordered a margarita. Alcohol makes life happy. Then we went home and played games, kissed at midnight, and went outside for three minutes before decided the neighbors fireworks were crappy and not worth our time.

Thwarted on Friday, I resolved to be devoutly antisocial on New Years Day, but ended up going bowling with five other people. We made stupid rules for each frame (ie. 6th frame, use the six lb. ball; 7th frame, can't use the finger holes; 8th, try and spin it.) I got a strike on the two hands 15 lb ball frame. I wish someone had taken a picture of me trying to throw it.

Sunday, I was devoutly antisocial and sent Nick to the store to buy me chocolate while I lounged around in my pjs the entire day. Huzzah!