New Beginnings

Yesterday I spent remembering and celebrating the old year. Today, I'm making plans for the new one. College starts up in a week or so and I'll have to get back on an actually-go-to-bed and then wake-up-early schedule again. That will be an adventure, all right :D

As for resolutions, I've decided to read every day, write ever day, practice music/voice/German every day, and draw everyday. I want to get in shape. I miss being strong. I could pick my mom up when I was twelve XD Also, I must finish a draft of one of my stories. ANY of them. Just get it done. To list, the more serious and likely to be completed of my literary endeavors include Imperfect, a novella about an angel who falls in a guy's back yard, Kings of Darkness, where a jock "detective" is thrown in the midst of a massive power struggle in a fantasy world, That Story with Esme and Faun (unnamed as of yet), involving a quiet, clever gypsy and his sunny reckless sister in their chase to save his soul, and Shattered, a twisty turny retelling of Snow White spanning over a decade. I've seriously slacked in my writing. It's depressing.

This is a new year. It's an invisible stake we can put in the ground. It's where we can say: "I'll be better this time around." A better person, better at whatever things you treasure, better at learning, and better at being. And BBC's Sherlock is on today! I have been waiting so long for that :B

Huzzah, you all! Happy new year. Make it something special, 'cause you deserve it :3

College, Cookies, and Chocolate Chips

Yessir, I'm a sixteen year old in community college. It's a totally new experience since I homeschooled all my life, but I'm loving every second. I have A's in English, A's in Psychology, A's in Music, and I'm hoping an A in art. It's a blast. Of course, I'm really busy. I'm taking part in a production o'er there, too, so I've hardly had time to post or write or draw or anything.

I did a lot of work yesterday. I cleaned up my schedule then so today I did get to draw. I'm gonna write. And right now I'm posting! I'm super happy that I got this time to lay out some sketches. We don't draw people in Art class--we draw vases. It was nice to go back to my cutesy cartoons for a little while.

I started rewriting Kings of Darkness. It's coming out pretty cool.

I don't feel like taking the time to polish this post. I just want a place to shout out my delight. Also, I'm making cookies. Cookies. How cool is that?

LIFE IS GOOD

_{BEWARE! Random italicized German words will follow in this post.}

So, I was takin' college testing, and I was panicking because I somehow forgot how to divide.

WAM! Mom appears in the doorframe. She holds up a slip of paper:

DON'T PANIC, the paper says, in large friendly letters. Just like the Hitchhiker's Guide. It continues as she unfolds the parchment: It's all good. I love and adore you.

And suddenly this warm glow overcame me and I finished with college level reading and writing, followed by high school level math. Viola! Not that that has anything to do with what's going on right now, but I just wanted to proclaim how wunderbar my world really is.

Don't panic, world! It's all good! People love and adore me. I am so happy.

Now, I'm sick to my stomach thanks to too much of Momma's homemade pie, and I just saw videos of dear Mutter pre-meeting-Vater, and I just danced to some of my favorite songs (BREAKING BENJAMIN :D), and I just hung out with my dear Aunt Mars and Grandma and her BF, and I just partied like it was 2011 BABY, so I just wanted to say just how cool and sweaty and happy I am. No alcohol involved, I swear. (Dear Sis and I have a pact. But that's another post).

So. Life's cool. Life's great.

AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMY. I LOVE AND ADORE YOU.
You rock :3

Snow Patrol

I love this band beyond words. It inspires me. His voice is so soft and beautiful. The lulling beats are hypnotic (they make me think of The Phantom of the Opera, almost). The music just draws you in.

And then there's the lyrics. I look for song meanings despite the fact that I already feel what they are about; I just have a hard time putting it to words. Yet most everyone seems to think these are break up songs. I don't buy it. The ones that ARE about romance don't feel like an 'end' to me. More like a road bump. Like a row in the middle of a loving couple. That's what I love about this band-- how their lyrics portray the rough side of a relationship with someone you care about without being rid of the good side.

"It's beginning to get to me
That I know more of the stars and sea
Than I do of what's in your head
Barely touching in our cold bed

Are you beginning to get my point?
How all this fighting with aching joints
Is doing nothing but tire us out
No one knows what this fight's about

It's so thrilling but oh so wrong
Don't have to prove that you are so strong
'Cause I can carry you on my back
After our enemies attack

I tried to tell you before I left
But I was screaming under my breath
You are the only thing that makes sense
Just ignore all this present tense"

I mean, how beautiful is that? Don't get me started on 'Eyes Open', 'Run', or 'Chasing Cars'. Those songs make me cry. Then there's 'Shut Your Eyes', just about the COOLEST song EVER, and the bouncy 'Hands Open'. Anyhow, check Snow Patrol out. Seriously. The two albums I've heard of theirs rock.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Er.

Hi.

It's been a while, hasn't it?

Okay, so I'm belated, but here mid-February I'll gladly grin and wish you the best this 2011. So far, my year's especially grand because this one, for the first time since 2008, I'm starting it without rheumatoid arthritis. I'M CURED! HURRAY! Yay for low-dose naltroxone even if it gives me insomnia! I CAN MOVE AGAIN!!

Which brings me to my first resolution. I want to get in shape! Sitting on the couch writing stories/watching tv/writing fanfiction/other non-physical activities (bad girl!) lost me the gorgeous physique I had when I was twelve. My muscles faded, a stomach appeared, AND I gained quite a bit of facial fat. Which is just laaaaaaame, 'cause I'm now a walking weakling as well as totally inflexible. I really want to be strong and lean again. Sooooo... #1! Get fit.

(There was a day I thought I'd never, ever, ever, ever have to wish that, and I allowed myself a bit of smugness over all the poor people who did. I feel utterly evil for that now.)

MOVING ON. I want to finish That Story with Esme and Faun! I still owe you a post describing those two darling gypsies, don't I, since you already Met Cass (see my previous post ;) ). I was writing a thousand words every single day in that novel for a few in a row, but I'm very quickly going nowhere. Writer's block be-darned. I guess I just have to sit down and do it. Now we've got #2! Finish That Story.

I'd also like to learn German, but it's going to be hard to find a way to do that. In the meanwhile, I already know a few words! Like danke and guten abend and gut Gott.

So, there you go. Get fit! Finish a story (I've got tons of ideas! I'll tell you all about them later, I promise. There's so much I want to share)! Learn German!

I guess now I'm off to start the new year and continue my old life, which I adore quite grandly. Much love, and keep checking over here at my galaxy, 'kay? I'll never abandon this dear blog for good ;)

Meet Cass

(Just so you know, this is an old picture)

Ladies and gents, meet Cass. He's a Kaleedish snype (aka Egyptian Knight; Kaleed is roughly a mix between Egypt and the romanticized medieval era with a bit of my own flare ;D), and the first in a series of posts on my newest literary endeavor, a story that has yet to be named. Heheh. He is the third main character, and shows up about a third of the way through the book.

Actually, Cass isn't really a snype just yet. He finished all his training a year early because he's so darn dedicated (you would be tried to find a more patriotic Kaleedish subject, that's for sure). That would be a good thing, if it didn't mean he had nothing to do anymore besides hang around the pharaoh's palace. He can't even graduate until he slays and flays a great beast, and since he is still technically a squire, he can't leave his post as a castle guard.

Cass makes the most of it all, of course. Being a squire puts him in a relatively high social status, a fact that he take to its fullest potential. When he isn't practicing with his khopesh (check it out! The black and gold one looks most like how I imagine his: just here ), showing off to his friends, practicing his duties or sneaking a peak at the shows folks put on for the pharaoh (he likes fake magicians best, with mirrors and all kinds of tricks), he's taking care of his appearance, because Cass is girly like that. He keeps his would-be blonde hair cropped to a buzz - since hardly a soul grows out their hair in Kaleed - and wears a long hat like shone above to block out the hot desert sun. He finds duste leftover from magic wielders and brushes his teeth with it, so when he smiles, they sparkle. He's extremely pleased with that effect and likens it to the fake magic shows he adores, even though it's real magic.

Not only Cass is extremely skilled when it comes to fighting, but he truly takes the code of chivalry to heart and follows its rules to the letter, carrying them around in a little papyrus book. Despite his morality, our squire is an inherently power-hungry person. Cass's greed and Cass's wish to be a true hero often play mental battle in the poor guy's head, which can make him freeze on the outside. He isn't the cleverest fellow out there, and his Sordian complexion belies his ties to Kaleed. He's cocky, conceited, overconfident, vain, greedy, and skinny despite his musculature. But beyond it all, Cass truly means the best, he's mean with the sword, the bravest man you'll ever meet (sometimes even to a foolish degree), and a real sweetie, too. Love him, hate him, or something in between - he'll just be glad for the attention ;D

(On a side note, if he were a character from King Arthur, Cass would totally be Kaye)

A Final Follow-up So I Can Shut Up About the PJ Series

(You might want to read this post before reading this one:

http://somewhereinthisgalaxy.blogspot.com/2010/12/because-true-love-isnt-shaky-or.html
)

BEWARE, Percy Jackson and the Olympians SPOILERS LIE AHEAD!

I really really really really really really enjoyed that series. I hated the love triangle (bah. If you could call it that. Rachel Elizabeth Dare never had a chance), but the action was nonstop and the whole thing was really funny. Most the characters didn't seem to have distinct voices in the dialogue, though Mr. Riordan was magically able to give them well defined personalities anyhow. I really really really did like that book, and here are some things that made it rock all the harder:

Relatable villains! Extra brownie points for the bad guys beyond Kronos you could actually get. (Luke, I'm looking at you. Ethan too. Can't forget Prometheus!)

Nonstop action! Things just kept going and going and going like the Energizer Bunny.

Hades! How could people hate such a grouchily lovable god? Poor guy really got the short end of the stick, and I couldn't help but love him. I just wish Mr. Riordan had taken note that out of all the other Greek gods, in mythology he and Persephone are the only ones who don't cheat on each other. I don't think he should have changed that for this story, but I still really enjoyed it. And you gotta love little Nico :D

Tyson! Because he is just the cutest cyclops ever.

Prometheus! Because he is just the awesomest titan ever, and I really do think he was good intentioned at heart.

Percy! Seriously, that kid really impressed me. He focused on the battle at hand and not some silly one-sided love mess. He gave up a chance at immortality to bring some recognition to demigods. He was very much in love with Annabeth throughout. He was brave and bold and wicked clever. He was forgiving and tolerant but drew the line. I think Mr. Riordan did a great job with our lead.

Some things I was disappointed in:

Hera. She isn't so lenient. This is the woman who made a man kill his own family (two little boys. Two children. His wife, too) for daring to be the son of a woman she hated and Hera's husband. She wouldn't let some puny demigod speak up to her like Annabeth did and only leave a few cow messes as punishment.

Hermes. So he was avoiding Luke because of the prophecy? Well, Greek Mythology has proved that you can do whatever the heck you want - but you won't change fate. Why couldn't he be with his son UNTIL all that happened? It would end the same way, that's how it always works in myth.

The spy. Silena? Hmm, I don't know - I was suspicious of Michael Yew. Because he was peeving the Ares cabin, I thought it might have been to keep them out of war. I thought he lied when he said he had given Clarisse the chariot, and that Silena would discover so when she went back to camp. Our daughter of Aphrodite returning with the Ares cabin to fight the draken really rocked, though, so that made up for it :nod: And I guess she made sense, and she surprised me, which was nice, but I'd hoped for a twistier more interesting conclusion to that mess.

And you know how I feel about Annabeth. Seriously, she spent the whole first two books mooning after Luke, but when Percy makes friends with a spunky clever redhead she gets all funny. Which I guess is just silly like all humanity (the race she so vehemently demeaned. Grr), but it still peeved me. I was really happy for her when she got to redesign Olympus, though. That has to be a dream come true for the girl, I know she'll do a great job.

I saw a picture for one the craziest ideas I've ever heard up on dA. Luke/Rachel? REALLY? I can't shake the feeling that it just might work. Especially since EVERYONE loves Luke. Thalia. Annabeth. Now Silena Beauregard. Rachel was only a matter of time ;-)

Check out the picture yourself: http://ribkadory.deviantart.com/art/Luke-n-Rachel-188240963

Because True Love Isn't Shaky or Uncertain, and action packed books rock

(If you want to understand this post better, try reading this one: http://somewhereinthisgalaxy.blogspot.com/2010/12/because-i-have-really-soft-spots.html )

I don’t want to strangle Annabeth. I’ve been thinking about it, and I realized the idea makes me sicker than her comment on mortals did in the first place. I wouldn’t be capable.

What I do want is for that Anna girl to quit calling Percy a coward, to listen to him, to stop picking on Rachel, to worry about other things besides a silly love triangle and work with the guy she cares about to SAVE THE WORLD before it bloody ends.

And I want Percy to stop leading on a girl he doesn’t really care for and get together with the one he does already. I respect Percy, sure, because he is focusing on his mission to save the world and Olympus and all that instead of Rachel vs. Annabeth (which I think is the main reason he’s letting R.E.D. get cozy with him in the first place). But still, he should be clearer. It’s just not fair on either end.

And Rachel! I wish Rachel would tell the guy about her silly visions. Sure, they might just be dreams. But they might not. Better safe than sorry. Or, at least, I’m assuming she’s having visions. It’s hard to tell in stories like this when you’ve just gotten into it.

I’m really loving this book to pieces. Hestia rocks to high heaven. I still wish there wasn’t a silly love triangle, but the humor’s great and the pace fantastic. It’s nice having a story where things just keep on happening.

Because I'm silly and passionate

Gosh darnnit, I’m fed up.

Okay, so there’s this really awesome series. It’s by a guy named Rick Riordan, it’s called Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and you’ve probably heard of it. It’s got modernized Greek Mythology, adventure, humor, excitement, and I love it to pieces. It’s been forever since I’ve touched anything from that series, but, jumping in on that final book, Mr. Riordan does an unbelievable job of catching me up. I could probably just read that one novel without any of the others and still get what’s going on. And it doesn’t feel repetitious even if you do remember what happened, because it’s like fond memories, calling back something you enjoyed a long time ago with a funny, dry twist to it in the narrative.

Anyhow, it’s a great book, it’s a great story, it’s great fun.

WHICH IS WHY THIS WHOLE THING IRKS ME SO MUCH.

There’s this character, who’s been there forever, who’s the romantic interest, who’s totally ending up with Percy no matter how any of us feel (though I’m getting the picture that people like her. I think I liked her too, ages ago. Before THE INCIDENT). Now I feel really weird about this, because I’ve adored the villains of a couple stories. I’ve relished in the messed up antiheroes. I’ve loved flaws that make a person cracked, but still leave them pure and lovely. But I hate Annabeth. I can’t stand her. She’s ruining the series for me, all because of one dumb thing she said when she was hurt and upset.

I wish Mr. Riordan had left romance out all together in this series (but kept the girls, ‘cause girls rock. Isn’t it weird how in general they only include girls in action series for the purpose of romance?). If he had, I wouldn’t be dealing with this trauma. Every second of the story that pretty grey eyed blonde takes up is a second I spend seething in animosity. And it’s not that I like the other girl better, though I guess I do (she introduces herself by her full name! Who does that? Who in the world introduces herself by her full name? Rachel Elizabeth Dare. The only person I know weird enough to do that is ME, which I guess makes me biased. But I want to make it VERY CLEAR that the reason I despise Annabeth has nothing to do with R.E.D.). It’s that Athena’s daughter hit my worst pet-peeve ever in literature, similar to the reason I resent Arya from Inheritance and elves in general in most stories (note I said most).

There’s this point, when Rachel and Percy and Annabeth are traveling together. Percy and Annabeth are demigods, meaning one of their parents was human, and one of them was a Greek God. Rachel’s a human, a mortal, and she likes Percy. Anna knows she likes Percy, and apparently Anna likes Percy too, even though she makes a point to insult and berate him all the time (I guess she’s nice enough otherwise, and the hate/love relationships can be cute when done properly, but really, I’m kind of getting bored when it comes to that). And there’s this point, where Annabeth says – ‘She’s just a mortal’ in this horrible tone, and I quote, “She said ‘mortal’ like it was some kind of disease”.

Excuse me. But last time I checked, I’m mortal, and I’m the one reading this bleeding story. Last time I checked, mortals built the Great Wall of China, and invented airplanes, and rollercoasters, and wrote brilliant stories – oh, wait, were all those folks who did great things demigods too? Because apparently George Washington was, in this series. Sooooo… if you want to be a respectable, responsible, powerful and/or brilliant person you’ve got to have a parent who’s a god? And if that person doesn’t happen to have a parent who’s a god, what does that make this ‘mere mortal’? A pawn, on some great big chess board? A fleeting speck of dust to be flicked away on the wind? An incompetent, uncreative, stagnant, helpless nothing?

Right. They’re just a mortal.

So I’m overreacting. I’m way overreacting. But the thought, that someone’s parentage can make someone ‘better’ or ‘worse’ than someone else makes me feel sick. Whenever I read about Annabeth, whenever she shows up, I get this sour, bitter taste in my mouth and feel sick in my stomach. It’s ruining this brilliant story for me and honestly, honestly infuriating me.

I used to get confused when people went off on moral characters so passionately and vehemently, while sticking up for the rotten ones. Now I think I understand. I guess that moral character just hit that person’s ‘spot’ like Annabeth hit mine. She’s a cool enough character; tough, clever, not at all helpless. A little arrogant, I guess, because all heroes have to have a ‘fatal flaw’ (so hubris is hers), but a cool enough character. I think I remember liking her. It’s such a shame, really. Because I so love this series, but now, reading it, I feel like throwing up.

I want to wrap my fingers around her neck, squeeze, and ask her what she thinks of mortals now. And I don’t even feel guilty about it, which makes me a little worried.

Holidays, Family, and MY AWESOME LIFE

My life rocks, I'm the luckiest girl the world, I could hardly be happier, I love my family so much, blah blah blah, you've heard it a thousand times but I can't stop thinking it, and I won't stop saying it. If I'm going to be a broken record, best to be stuck on these good points, right? (totally leeched that off my father, by the way. I like steeling quotes from my genius family :D)

So today we all went off together on a little walk through of cute itty bitty set ups of fairy tales with Christmas themes, and teddy bears, and pretty lights, and a place to donate cans for people who need food, and Santa Claus at the end. Tons of fun, really. The boys, my dearest little brothers, were absolute DOLLS (which was a pleasant surprise, since they’ve been rather tantrum-prone of late). I remember at the very end, Mrs. Claus came up to Brother2 (who had latched on to Daddy and was hiding in his shoulder, not daring to look up).

"I've got a Candy cane!" she said.

Brother2 snatched that candy in a blur, but he didn’t look up. He must have a sixth candy sense ;-)

Brother1 actually sat on Santa's lap, which surprised us all. He's not really that social when it comes to people he doesn't know very well.

"What do you want for Christmas?" Olde Saint Nick sayeth.

"I already got stuff," Brother1 replied cheerfully.

About then my heart melted. He's so happy, so complete - he doesn't have a single wish for Christmas. How wonderful is that? To know that your little brother is that happy. It just made my day.

I love the holiday spirit, I love the crisp winter air, I love caroling like there's no tomorrow with Dear Sister. I love dressing in thick cozy shirts and soft fluffy sweats. More than anything I love the people I'm with - how I scored such a fantastic family, I'll never know. Sheer dumb luck. And awesome genes, too, I guess. My parents picked well!

It's just amazing, because I admire each and every one of them. They're beautiful, in every way possible, and brilliant. They make my life so very wonderful and I'm so, so, so happy to be blessed with them.

I feel the need to express that in writing every so often. I'm not sure why, but... well, it's important to me. I want them to know how much they've shaped me. How much I love them. I want the world to know how happy I am, how blessed. I am so grateful, to everything there is to be grateful to.

I wish you all the best this holiday season, I'll send some love and some happy thoughts, too *blows a kiss* Expect to hear more from me! I've got a new story idea and will be ranting on it shortly, so be excited or run away screaming. You're pick.

Much love, Merry Christmas!

Do you know what rocks?

I’ll tell you what rocks! Polar bears. I mean, they’re HUGE. They’re like real, live magical monsters. I mean seriously, there should be more books with polar bears in them (besides the Golden Compass; that didn’t really interest me). A werebear would be a heck of a lot cooler than a werewolf, if you asked me.

My case: They’re ten feet tall, they’ve got big claws, they eat a fridge full of seal for just one meal, they have really sharp teeth, they live in a remote area, and they roar. MONSTERS. But they’re furry and cuddly warm creatures too, which means in a story it would be relatively easy to write in a soft side to whatever part they played. They’re perfect writing material if you ask me, and my fingers are just ITCHING to do something with them.

The only problem being: What?

So far, all I could think up was a fellow named Faun, with a personality I’m still building up, but I think it’d be a similar to Theodore Rosefelt’s (another of my characters – you might remember me ranting on him. Yes, he was named in fond remembrance of the United States’ former president of a similar name). He sold his soul (or maybe just half of it; I’m still working on that) to have the ability to shift forms into that of a bear whenever he chooses. I’m still figuring him out, though, and I’ve no clue what story he’s going to take part in. *shrugs helplessly*

Anyhow, I just felt like unloading my fascination and excitement about a beast nearly twice my height. I’d love to hear what you think and know about polar bears – especially in regards to literature – , as nowadays, all you hear about them is how they’re going extinct due to melting ice (which is really a very very sad thing).

More of my drawings because I like to share them so HA

Only one of the characters shown here is actually mine, being the gal. Not the guy that looks like a gal, the actual gal being slung over his shoulder. It's Phoenix Shifter, if you remember her from before. The rest belong to some good friends of mine, so I want to make that very clear.

But I drew these! Yaaay! I'm so proud. And wings are fuuuuuuuun. I love sketching wings.


These are my sad attempt at bat wings. Geier doesn't normally have them; he's just showing off.
These are his babies, his wicked cool swords. Luft (air), Erde (earth), Wasser (water), and Feuer (fire) - one for each element. Later he'll get spirit, but five swords are harder to fit in nicely than four.
This guy's uncle made him wings to prove he could to some other disbelievers. They actually work, but all Lewis wants is to get rid of them.

My Halloween Costume '10

I was attempting to get all decked up for Halloween as a demon/psycho-ologist/sinister psychologist/Lyla Alden with the devil horns she should have been born with, and I think I came pretty darn close. This costume was a BLAST.

Here's what I was going for:

...And here's what my costume ended up looking like.

I'm rather proud!

Red Lips

I use burny lipstick yesterday, the kind that stings and stains your lips, because it looked just perfect for the character I was playing that Halloween. But it WON'T COME OFF. It's really weird, heheh, because I hardly ever wear makeup at all, and now I'm walking around with these bright red lips and no mascara or anything XD

I promise, pics are coming - pics of Dear Sister, myself, and Brothers 1&2. Before the end of the year at the latest.

Happy Halloween!

EDIT: GAH! Due to blogger craziness, the pictures and the text are totally out of sink. Each bit of text has a description, however, so you should be fine if you read and look carefully. Read on!
----

Yippy! It’s the Day of the Dead, All Hallow’s Eve, that special day where people buy candy just to give it away. It’s like Christmas, only sweets instead of presents, and people give to strangers rather than those they know just to let kids have a good time. I think it’s a touching holiday, and a real fun one too, with all those fabulous costumes. I love picking them out and putting them together; it’s such a blast.

Since this year I won't be doing much for this special day, I thought I should post some dress-up memorabilia. I plan to be a Psycho-Ologist - or a Sinister Psychologist, or Lyla Alden, if you remember me ranting on her - this year, but you probably won't see pics until tomorrow. To tie you over, and for my own nostalgia's sake, here's every other year I ever dressed up:



Halloween, 1999, Dear Sister and I. I think we're supposed to be Barney and a Bumble bee, but who knows? The masks kind of throw me off.




Halloween 2003, Dear Sister as Alice in Wonderland and myself Super Man! Yippy!

A vampress and a mummy. Dear Sister's costume rocked this year, being 2004.

I went as a vampire for the second and last time, Dear Sister as a ghost. Isn't the blood a brilliant touch? And while I love sissy's hood, it's her killer expression that makes me want to drop dead. This is 2005.

Brother1's first time dressing up! At a year old, I believe, this is him as Super Baby. Dear Sister and I had AWESOME costumes this time around (we scared poor little kids on accident, they were so cool); me as a Ghost Bride, and she as a vampire in 2006. We switched our costumes from the last year, if you note.

Though I looked great as Medusa, the monster from Greek Mythology, getting the snakes out of my hair was a brutal, brutal memory I won't ever forget. But isn't Dear Sister just the cutest li'l witch you ever did see? She comes with a bumble bee, too!

You long-time readers should remember this one! My first Halloween on blogger, 2008, when I went as a Harpy (not a blackbird), again from Greek Mythology. Everyone else had chicken pox at the time (though I was soon to follow), so I was the only one who dressed up this time around.

This year ROCKED. Brother1 as Indiana Jones, myself as Anna Bolena, or Anne Boleyn, or Nan Bullen, Queen of England and my personal hero, Daddy as a Man in Black, Mommy as Donna Noble from Doctor Who, and Dear Sister as a Genie. Awesome, eh?

Myself, as Cinderella, last Halloween at 2009. This costume came out beautifully, I think, and that dress is one of my favorites.

That's it, I guess. Thanks for stopping by and reading - happy, happy, Halloween!

More On Drawing

I really don't like sketching glasses on people when I draw. It's not that I don't like glasses - I wear glasses, for those of you who don't know - , but when you add the frames to the face, it blocks out most of the hard work I put into the eyes, and no matter how hard I work to go around my details it always ruins them. You can see my dilemma. *sniffs*

The trouble is there are some characters that just aren't who they are without glasses - Lyla Alden, for instance. She is wearing the same flashy red frames she picked out when she was somewhere between six and eleven years old; they were waaaaaaaay too big but she bought 'em anyway and had the lenses replaced every few years. Lyla without her glasses isn't exactly Lyla, which is something even she would agree to (of course, if you saw Lyla without her makeup, stiletto heels, fake eyelashes, fake nails, glasses, and with her hair down she'd most likely kill you).

Anyhow that's my drawing ramble for today. I'm getting better, I'm having fun, and now I'm coloring some of my sketches on the computer! Check out these quick colored doodles of Phoenix Shifter, the spunky sweet farmgirl, with shorter hair:

Yesterday

Late Night rocks. I mean really rocks. It'd be nice if all the 'bars' were open longer, but hey. It still totally rocks. If I were to sum up yesterday in a couple words, I guess I'd have to say "I played Late Night". That's just about it, heheh - I usually obsess over sims after getting a new EP, at least for a while. But let me think; I know I did a bit more than that.

I did try a magic trick with Brother1. Brother2 wandered around in a Darth Vader costume, and chased after the bigger boy with a pillow. Dear sister and I baked muffins. I practiced piano. We all watched that really cute TV show Raising Hope (which is just adorable, I'll have to post about it sometime). I wanted to get some typing and/or drawing done yesterday, be eh. It didn't happen. I role-played for a wee bit at the end of the day; that was fantastically fun, and I got some practice writing while I was at it. Beyond that I guess I just played with my newest Sims 3 expansion pack, random bits of chatter, observation, and food preparation not included.

It's Magic!

Recently li'l Brother1 has been showing a great interest in the big bin of magic tricks that has been hiding under my bed for the past... three years? Well, something like that. See, eons ago I was part of the 'Magician's Ring!' and performed magic on a regular basis. I practice like mad and knew all the tricks in the books (no, really, I read every single one that I had - in a certain book).

Now, a while later, I still have the mindset to figure those things out nowadays. I love going to a magic show and looked closely, trying to figure out how to do the trick. I'm none to bad at that nowadays.

Anyhow Brother1 stumbled upon my sockpile of quite a few tricks. Maybe I should start relearning them, so I could share with the guy. He's such a sweetheart, and her really does try, but he ends up giving the trick away every single time XD

Gosh, I love that boy.

The Sims 3: Late Night

It’s out! Sims 3 Late Night is out! Yaaaaay! Yaaaaay! Yaaaaay!

I’m really really really really really really really excited about this. I’ve been waiting so long. And for once, I’m going to buy it, which Brother1 is really excited about since that means he can use it more quickly and easily. See, Dear Sister keeps her Sims expansion packs under her loft bed, which is a no-go zone for anyone, and she gets upset if you do trespass on her territory. Which I understand, I guess; it’s her space. But I sure hate it when the only way we can get at sims is if she goes and brings it out for us on her own time.

I’m honestly jittery about this. More body sliders! More traits! Night clubs! More cars! More clothing!

Yippy!

I’ll come back and post a more coherent, more intelligent, more proper post tomorrow. XD

On my stories

I've started writing Kings of Darkness, yaaaaaaaaaaaay!

Yip, you heard right. Yesternight I poured out over 3000 words, which was wonderful. For probably the first time in my life I knew exactly what I was doing and where I was going to go. I am so, so happy for that, and I've gone pretty far too. I decided to try using Phoenix Shifter as the main character; I might change my mind later, but why not give it a go? She'll be Emily in this one (partly from the advice of Dear Sister), though, because it makes her a little more ordinary and I want her to be someone you can really connect with - someone whose eyes you can clearly see the land of Glorsifil through.

The trouble is that K.o.D. is only one of many stories I'm in the middle of writing. To put matters in perspective, here are just a few of the others:

An as of yet unnamed story about a man gone mad, his freaky psychologist, and his desperate attempts to go home and be with his family. The story follows Theodore and the other wards and workers in a mental hospital, exploring the idea of insanity and unraveling the mystery behind his mental illness and his new companions.

Dreams of Eden, a story about six miserable children who start dreaming of one another in a special, perfect place. Soon they learn that there is more to these dreams than meets the eye and set off on a long journey to find one other in their hidden paradise.

Twisted, a retelling of Snow White. Beatrice von Iden is a princess in her own right, and as her beloved step-mother taught her she has both a right and duty to all the privileges and obligations therein. When one day in the Queen's childhood castle, Beatrice - or Snow White, as she is fondly nicknamed - stumbles across the mystic Mirrors from her step mother's Fairies' Tales, her perfect world is slowly ripped apart as the years continue, driving her and the Queen further and further apart and throwing her into the hands of her worst nightmare and ancient enemies, the dwarves.

And those are just the most prominent at the moment. I'm still planning on writing a lot more stories in the world of Arrivia (the setting where my self-published sci-fi Project 6-1-2 takes place), for one thing, or a mystery about this guy and this girl trying to unravel their pasts, or another post-apocalyptic story. As you can see, I'm kind of overloaded. But that's okay, I guess, because yesterday I realized something I'd forgotten for a long, long while: I really, really do love to write. I hope one of these days I can make a career out of it, but I know now that I’ll be typing for the rest of my life.