Interesting adventures in the Disney Store. Desperate moms trying to get their kids the shiniest dresses come hell or high water, not-so-desperate dads just trying to get any costume that won't be a wallet killer, and lots and lots of babies and little girls trying on outfits. Lots of cute little Snow Whites and Tinkerbells all across the store today. It was charming. Tiring, but charming.

The wind was wild today; it had my car teetering on the highway. Daddy put more transmission fluid in it; every month or so the fluid is all but gone and my car jerks around. It's kinda scary, yanno? But other than that, the car is super reliable, and I only have to spend about 16 bucks a week to keep the tank full. 30, this week, because I went everywhere.

I coughed up $220 today and purchased the Web Standard Creative Suite at the school store (so much less than I thought; I withdrew a hella lot of money to be safe) and got Fireworks, Flash, and Dreamweaver. Only 1G of memory, which is fantastic (Design Standard was 4G), and now I can do my homework...AT HOME! What a concept. I'm really relieved.

It also means I can experiment with Flash in my free time. I'm rather excited to do that.

And since I withdrew so much cash, I'll probably keep some for myself for gas, to get Transformers, and to.......get the cute princess pins at the Disney Store SHUT UP.

Yeah that was all well and boring, so ( have a new character )

Music shopping yesterday resulted in the purchase of Mika's 'Life in Cartoon Motion', DJ Tiësto's 'In Search of Sunrise 5: Los Angeles', and Rufus Wainwright's 'Release the Stars'. Man. Rufus. Weirdass album. You confuse me. Please don't be confusing at your concert. But Mika is cute and chipper, and Tiësto is always fabulous.

Steve has to stop badgering me to buy a swimsuit. I REFUSE. Those days are over at least until the lap pool is opened next year. Swimming connotates moving in the water, not just...sitting in there. That's bathing. Don't feel like it.

But I have been on what some may call "a roll", or something. Things've been turning out decently. Or, at least, not as bad as usual? ( +4 )

Maybe if I learn to like, nurr, make lineart in Photoshop that isn't so choppy, Edwin won't be so difficult to pull off.

Okay, Michigan. The 90º thing needs to stop right now. Man I did not enjoy my shift today. And tomorrow I get to be at the rustbucket on I-275. NOBODY NEEDS TO GO TO THE PARK ON A THURSDAY. GTFO.

Somehow I managed to fill up my car with fifteen dollars, which is the cheapest I've managed in months, despite gas prices being horrid and $3.30? I don't know how that works, but, good car, goooood.

It's as if I never stopped working at the parks. I didn't feel too out of place. Little things, sure, forgot, but overall. Sit in the box. Wave. Take money. Give tickets. No, ma'am, there is no beach. Yes, I'm sure.

I definitely totally forgot about Aida at Southgate, which bugs me. I had good seats! Oh well. Thinking about cancelling my seat for next season, as I don't have a second one this time around, and seeing shows alone is kinda lame. With gas going the way it is, I doubt I'll be able to dote on things like that anymore.

Oh man, Project Top Secret. You are getting exciting. I was invited and admitted into Team Quietus, which is pretty much just a group of artists who work together on various tasks and projects for Top Secret. It'll be really nice to work with like-minded people, just as it is to interact with the more..thinky-types than the drawy-types. It'll be nice to shift between the two fields and see where it takes me with this project.

If it doesn't kill me, of course.

Grades came innn. Why are we grading like Europeans. WE ARE IN AMERICA shut up, no offense, let me whine DAMMIT, I WANT TO SEE LETTERS, NOT NUMBERS. So from what I see, it's solid A's across the board. Score.

Uh, yes, words.

Screw words.

( Have some drawings instead )

Tired at midnight. This is sad. I AM ADJUSTED TO WORKING DAYS.

My first retail experience of Black Friday has me convinced that mall workers are BRAVE creatures. Our line went all the way to the back end of the store for a couple hours. It eased off after a bit, but we were constantly going into the stock room and pulling things out, rearranging the shelves, finding sizes, not finding sizes, and all that. Crazy business; I need some new shoes man, cause I was limping at the end of the day. I also discovered that I am not a ladder person; my knee became very stiff and sore after a few trips. I'll carry motrin with me to work from now on.


Well, I suppose the trauma is over with the issue-I-barely-mentioned. Wednesday, that is. I had accidentally forgotten to deposit and transfer my refund check to my mother's account (to finish paying for her new car), since she did not call me and just left a note that I didn't see. Lots of yelling, etc. Today, practically before I ran out the door, I handed her the receipt from the transaction I made yesterday, and she uh.
Noticed that I never cashed the check.

But somehow the cashier still gave me $100 back and a receipt for a transaction. That technically never happened.
My account should bounce or something. I don't have the $602 I "transferred" to my mother's account. But the bank totally gave me money anyway? It was sickening, annoying, and kinda funny at the same time. I have to miss out on my lab Monday to go and sort this all out, and I can only hope that things are under control. Or, at the least, that perhaps only my account suffers the damage; I do not want my mom mad at me anymore for my inability to look at the kitchen table for tiny post-it notes. Though, I am kinda glad I'm missing lab; it's a waste o' my time.


We put up our tree last night, decorated it today. Many old ornaments seem to have bitten the dust. An old Rudolph ornament I made Daddy (I drew deer like crazy in 2nd-3rd grade), and the Eeyore one I made and TOTALLY didn't trace (I copied from a folder and felt awesome for a month). A couple ones from the 80s. Broken ball ornaments. But we still had plenty. It's a pretty tree, full of gaudy sparkly pinecones, Homer Simpsons, and Disney characters. Twinkle lights and candy garland; we are the coolest house because we are the only ones we know that have candy garland. There used to be bird ornaments; when I was little, I got a bird ornament every other year because I was nuts about their feathers. They're pretty uh, dead now, haha.


Somehow, I managed to get 85% of my Christmas shopping done in ten minutes right before my shift on Friday. Borders was so quick! How? It was insane. But I got my parents, sister, and Steve's stuff. I'm looking around in the 'souvie' section of the D-store for some stupid little things to put in my Christmas cards for everyone. Maybe some cute little pins. You guys like pins?


Let me close with saying that if I hear that stupid Disney Channel remix of "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" one more time, I am liable to snap, and I cannot be held responsible for this. It's because we only reel 6 mini clips at the store. SIX.

Sittin' in the undergrad library, since the wireless network at the Towers seems to be quite the lame, and has been since yesterday afternoon. I was initially worried it might've been something amiss with my own computer, but it's just fine here. No worries then; I'm leaving tonight anyhow, right after Drawing.

I have been given, nay, branded with eight hours of work on Black Friday. Eleven to Seven. I am not sure how to feel about this, as it is my first time working retail on such a horrible day. And in a mall, no less. But we shall see. Perhaps I will be the aforementioned 'line buster', who simply walks up and down the line trying to soothe the grating nerves of impatient guests (who really shouldn't be so impatient; they KNOW what they're in for if they dare leave their homes on such a day). Had I started work at 4AM, I would have gotten free mouse ears (but it's 4AM, so.). That's okay; I get a Pirates of the Caribbean shirt. I can deal.

Little sister Katie and I went up to Davison Auditorium and saw Jakey's father play in Fiddler on the Roof on Saturday. He was lovely, as expected, and there were a few others that were decent, but the dancing. Oh, the dancing. It was incredibly dry, haha. I can't expect Radio City from community theatre, of course. And those Russians needed to loose a few pounds before doing those dances.
I did get a chance to talk to Mrs. Powers post-performance, in which she informed me that Jakey is currently in a bare apartment with a stool and a deflated air mattress. She says that Mr., Jordan, and she shall be driving out there on Thanksgiving to buy him a bed and spend the holiday with him. That's nice; I can only imagine how lonesome it must be for him, all the way out of state, by himself. WITH A STOOL. ): I will have to acquire his address so that I may send him cheerful things.


I had a mind that I was going to design Momma's Christmas cards as well, but it is becoming apparent that it just won't happen. She sends these things out too early (to piss off my Godmother), and I don't have the confidence to do so. I had a great idea for the card, too; Balthazaar, Malchior, and Caspar in the evening, charting the stars, dressed so finely, with turbans (not that I enjoy drawing turbans or anything). Sigh. I might just draw it for fun anyway; the Feast of the Epiphany is all the way in January anyhow, and perhaps that will have some sort of value to it. To whom, I don't know. Maybe just me? That is fine. I need to find the time to be satisfied with my work.


Ah, so. I'm going to need a show of hands comments as to who is going to be wantin' a card and some doodles. There are those among you who shall be receiving such things regardless of your response, as I may or may not live to torment you with my semi-consistent badgering. But still. If you haven't made it clear you'd like a little something, please just let me know. I can ask for your contact stuff more candidly if I need it.
The Blacklist
fallenmoon, ruffwriter, fightfair, ikuze, severina, sein_ying, skinnyvee, antiheroism, ignautus, and radical_jojo (if I can find your home address)

The design I made for my cards actually pleases me, and I hope everyone likes it. I'm only hoping I have enough stock envelopes for the card paper I'll be using to print them from my shitty home printer (let there be a fresh color cartridge, oh Lord, please).


Lastly, I need a bit of input. I am currently in the midst of selecting background for my final exam for Life Drawing. It involves putting myself in context, and I wanted to use something with columns or church architecture. Because it's pretty. And doesn't involve grass.
Here's a few I've started collecting--
1
2
3
4
5

I think I am going to decide between 2 and 5 (rotating the angle, of course, so everything isn't askew). But I'd like to know what everyone else things. I've got about 3 1/2 weeks to work on this, and they say the longest part is just deciding what direction to choose. I guess I'm asking what one looks like it'd turn out best in charcoals with my ugly self stuck somewhere in it, haha. Clothed. Because my teacher isn't crazy.


I close with 46% battery power. Back to see if the 'net situation at the Towers has been remedied. And to wait impatiently for class to come, so that I may finally go home for Thanksgiving.

AAAHAHAHAHAAAA I GOT THE JOB. I go in Sunday to fill out ze paperwork and WHEEE. Seven bucks an hour isn't amazing, but it's not bad, either. It's just starting pay, anyway. I'll do good and get a few raises here n' there.

So today is good. Ja. I somehow finished inking Halloweiners and am coloring as fast as my brain will let me. The sooner I get this done, the sooner I can finish Rachel's commish stuff that's been overdue for a while. The inking is done halfway at least, which is good. But damn Kat for inspiring me to make a pretty hardcore new piratey guy. Dammit.

Uh. Nothin' much else. Finished Naia, so whee.

Ohhh today was much better. It was chilly and rainy the whole time, and quite comfortable. I like the new computer chair they put up at number one. Most everyone who had to stop were reasonable, and I only got negative vibes from one lady. It's a record, srsly. So I watched that extra-features disc in my Forrest Gump DVD that I never took a crack at, and that killed a good four hours while I drew. I finally know the secret of Lieutenant Dan, mahaha. Also there was an amazing extra scene involving Bush Sr. getting hit in the crotch with a ping pong ball.

I also initiated the 45th folder portfolio today. 44 was getting unbelievably ratty, and there was too much in it to keep going on. So, yellow, 45. 45 damn folders of drawings n' junk since 8th grade. I have no drawer space in my room anymore. XD

So, yeah, ( speaking of which )

Moving day is tomorrowwww. Hopefully Quilla didn't get caught up in any housing troubles. AGAIN. Since she seems to have them every semester. XD

You know you're a toller when the prospect of public events disgusts you, and signs of rain make you happy. Yesterday was 'Cruizin' the Park' at LH, and I was at usually-nice-and-peaceful Waltz road. But, see, people are retarded, and they drive all the way down to me from the Huron River Drive entrance, that's like right by the car show, turn around, and then proceed to ask me where the hell it is. Fdsfdgs WHAT? What are you saying? Why are you here? TULIP TREE, TULIP TREEEE. IT WAS LIKE THE FIRST THING YOU SAW OH GOD GO AWAY. D:> Also mad props to the patrons who have parties there, but refrain from telling the guests as to particularly where, and then not even being on the events list.

Needless to say, I found the general public to be a lot more annoying and dull-witted today than usual. And I hardly got any drawing done, to my dismay. Instead, I ended up watching Cabaret and Gladiator to make time go by faster. My love of Liza Minelli goes up five points each time I watch Cabaret. Her eyes are terrifying and look like eyeball spiders or something; so much mascara. Eerie.

Friday night was final-gathering-before-college-eats-us over at Sam's, and it was Steve, Sam, Tim, Gene, Jakey, Renee, Britt, and Josh. BeardGene is still strange and unusual, but it is becoming tolerable. We played Jenga (we're hip?) and I made little animals out of my kneaded eraser, then we got ice cream at Blue Sky, then went back to Sam's. They made me watch them play darts and had to literally drag me out of the room to do so, cause as I said a million times that night, Darts is gay. XD At the end of the night, Sam went to see Tim off and came back all teary-eyed n' stuff. Huh. Everyone's really choked up about going back to school, but it really hasn't effected me so bad. I'll see 'em again, hell, Sam's coming back down with Tim Labor Day AND the 16th for Ren Fest.

Though, the prospect of waking up in the morning and not having a hello from my Dad is kind of depressing. But I'll be home on the weekends, so it shouldn't be so bad. Here's hoping the Towers residential suites have a more..uh, mature? sort of people that don't have their cellphones echoing through the halls at 3am. Oh God and we have stoves. I hope the stoners don't want toast at 5am and burn shit, like Lee's experience at State. DX

Tim said he hoped that the black guy who showed up in his room one night dressed as a banana (I kid you not) was still there. Because that is an amazing experience to have. Also, he's gonna miss his stoner roomie, if only because he liked to freak him the hell out with peek-a-boo. Oh, college.

It is wet and gray outside, and I hope that it stays as such for my afternoon shift at good ol' number 7. The I-275 joyfest where all the out-of-towners come rollin' in. Oh well. Movies.

Also, some of y'all should hop a Greyhound for September 16, and come Renaissance festin' with me. 8D

( Divide and conquer; pass the staff; bad guy, good guy )

So Steve and Jakey (who is home now!) came by and we went over to Sam's. Then off to Gene's, because nobody could decide where to get food. So, uh. Gene's house makes sense? Well, it would be my first encounter with the Xbox 360, and I think I want one. If only for Dead Rising. I BEAT UP ZOMBIES WITH JEWELRY AND BOOMERANGS DO YOU HEAR ME? It was beautiful. That Rockstar Table Tennis game looked gay, but I had so much fun kicking Steve's ass (since he pwned me so hard in Fight Night). Josh also brought a Go board and I had my first shot at it and failed miserably. Must be an acquired skill. The lines hurt my eyes.

Also, it seems that everyone at work is leaving, because I have like four 8-hour shifts. Hahahashoot it's gonna be fun. D: Oh well, more money for me.

( IDO lovin', TAE lovin', and some other crap )

Helped crack down on some idiots who were smoking marijuana in the pool parking lot. Seriously. They deserved it. What idiot smokes weed in a packed park on the weekend?

The Great Outdoors is so on. What a fabulous movie.