Why do you have to taste so fucking good??

I hate you.

.....okay, no I don't, obviously I don't, I WISH I COULD.

Sorta. First, IN July, thank you Orson Welles:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V14PfDDwxlE

AAAAH the FRENCH:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5LkDNu8bVU

Get jiggy wit IN, Orson, get jiggy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXYrT9J2Sek

Ahm goin' back to bed now and continue being ill. Enjoy.

Seriously. And not my butt, your butt. What's going on with that? That butt. That one over there. YOUR butt. Yes, YOU. You fellas are losing your HEADS here. And your butts.

There's no way to emphasize "In" in "In July". That's just stupid.

Show me a way a sentence in English can begin emphasizing "In July" and I'll go down on you.

Meanwhile, that BUTT. Over there.

BUTT.

Then you should go and commission my critterbean Iiji:

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/360...../#cid:26788549

She's making shrinky-dink badges of PURE WONDER and DELICIOUSNESS AND there's a limited supply of shrinky-dink-ness to be had. Get yerself a badge! Go do it!

I'm a year older! What the hell?

2009 wasn't as awful as 2007. It bottomed out a couple of times, once at the beginning and once near the end. Most of it passed in a blur of work and study with very little time left over for anything else. 2010 is starting as a dance with uncertainty. Where will it go from there? Where-ever I can make it go.

Carpe Diem. Start with seizing the day, making that a habit, and see if the whole year doesn't follow.

Last night was a huge curry dinner shared with a small circle of sweet people. I wish everyone I loved could have been there. (There was enough food for it.)

Happy New Year, everyone. Live big as you possibly can. Yeah it's true, sometimes it's all you can do just to survive. But that's not a permanent state of affairs. Life's a swinging pendulum. How far it swings, in what direction, how good its hang time....all of those things absolutely can be influenced. Accept no bullshit to the contrary.

Go!

Greetings to you o fine people, you princes and princesses of FA, new watchers and old, friends and countrymen, and stuff! Great God in a Bottle, it's Christmas. Who'd have expected it? Not me. What to do, what to do. I suppose a good place to start is with some thanks. Thank you for the watches! Sorry there hasn't been anything new to watch for a dog's age but that's been the nature of the past year. Lots of heavy lifting on the RL side with little to no room left over for me. That promises to change in 2010, in ways both good (yay!) and bad (boo). I aim to make it as good for m'self as I possibly can. I appreciate all the support, believe me, in all the way it arrives.

Was 2009 bad for you? I wish you some joy this Christmas. Hell, I wish upon you bucketfuls of the stuff! May it be so damn happy they'll need a jackhammer to take the grin off your face when you're dead. Was 2009 a good year for you? AWESOME. May this holiday season be the cherry on top of the sundae. Take off all your clothes and wallow in it. That's exactly what I'd do if I were you.

Thank you for all the wonderful art you've made (you know who I'm talking about. YOU. Yes, YOU!). It's given me reason to smile when things have been grim. That wonderful voodoo that you do.....keep on doin' it. You keep me inspired and excited.

Berbleuhugs to the lot of you. *hugs*

The protracted silence is owed to being computerless for nearly SEVEN FUCKING WEEKS. ARRRGH. AND YET MORE ARRRGH.

Thank you, all my new watchers, and thank you all my sweet friends, and for those whom I owe email and such, please be patient, I'll get to 'em soon and proper.

It's been quiet here. Didn't realize how much I missed my Internets until I had no Internets. Though I did not miss Spam. It missed me, apparently, since there were about a hundred waiting for me when I logged back on.

I've noticed:

1. you cannot kill your co-workers. Even when they deserve it. Down, boy.

2. old funk only becomes stinkier with time. Get in there with your hydraulic system and blast it out.

3. the Foo Fighters have produced a ton of cool music since the Colour and the Shape. Don't know why I stopped buying their CDs. Got some catching up to do.

4. Happy to be drawing again. Funny how my talents sometimes feel more like curses.

..."when am I going to post new art?" It's a good question and deserves an answer.

Berbie's long artistic absence has nothing to do with anyone or anything furry-related. I'm not leaving the fandom (it's a good question whether I'm really even in the fandom). I'm miles from being done drawing 'morphs; I've been drawing 'em since I was ten or thereabouts, I can't see why I should stop now. Hell, I come back to FA and a good dozen MORE people are watching me and I've not posted anything new in a year!! Criminy. That sort of egoboo only a fool would turn down. Berbie ain't no kind o' fool. (Most of the time.)

It's been an exciting year, but one that's been hard on the bones. 2009 promises to be another year of positive developments and artistic growth. That said, I expect it will as hard if not harder on Berbie's bones, and when Berbie's bones are getting worked that hard (minds out of the gutter, now, children; he's still a reluctant bachelor) Berbie tends to use his down time to be quiet. It's all part of being an introvert. Value that state of being if that's what you are! There's not one thing wrong with it! The world is built around extroverts. They outnumber us at least three to one. Sometimes you can get it into your head that being outside of the norm is somehow bad. Bah! It takes every kind of people, sweeties, and that means you too. And me. Do the things that recharge you. That's what I'm doing, now. Practice, exercises, self-training, exploration. There will be more Berb art, I know it. Be patient. It'll come. Meanwhile there's bucketsfull of great art here on FA that we can enjoy together. Folks like Kami, Luve, Squeegee, Kiani and Thomas Blue; Acyd, f27, Negogeen, Onnanoko, fabercastel, KaeMantis, Vera, Basalt, Iiji, the Most Beloved Wolphyn and a great massive pile of others.

I know the furry world will always keep spinning. Thank you for wondering what's going on in my little corner. Warms them cockles, it do. :D

Loves!

I turned my back on life and it slipped me another damn birthday!! How'd that happen? CRIPES. I'm older than I've ever been! AGAIN!

2008 wasn't easy but it was a huge improvement over 2007. A rectal exam using gynecological tools meant for blue whales would be an improvement over 2007. Whoever promised me a rose garden anyway? Nobody.

Each year I learn a few more things about myself, shed a few more bags, (re)discover another skeleton or two. It's the net that counts in life, not the gross, I think. I'm sticking with that analogy goddammit. Feels right. That's good enough for me. But enough of this gay banter! What's worth remembering, you ask?

Life *is* what you make of it.
Happiness is mostly self-generated.
Sadness blows, but meds rule! :D
I love my friends.
Making a living at art rocks, but I'm re-evaluating what that means for me.
I am continuing on the road to fulfill my dreams. Some I got nailed, others no longer interest me, and some are getting a fresh jab.
Orange County is a terrifying mall-maze of a generic-flavored Purgatory with a few nice places hidden away.
SoCal is cool in many ways, but it ain't home.
I miss the rain.
My pups are wonderful company.
It feels good to take a break from drawing and painting.
Corporate America is freaky.

I'm off to have a good time tonight and have a good time this afternoon, doing some doodling, maybe watch a movie, talk to some friends, and generally be a goof. *hugs*

As the day inevitably draws to a close....

Merry Christmas, my friends, my loves, my dear ones, o Hell-Kites, all! Blessings on all my new watchers (where did all you people come from??)! Blessings on those who still watch me, even though I've not posted for nearly a year. Ah aim to rectify that. *ahem* Soon. Blessings on those who've stuck with me through this grand adventure with occasional injuries, aka My Life.

My wish would be that it was a day of love, of happiness, good cheer, good food, fine company and a few fat presents; may drama have kept far from your doorstep.

*hugstight*

Berb

I have a way-nifto-facto new ICON, thanks to the enormously talented Ladyfoxglove!

YAY!!!

{Edit} THERE. Now big and unmissable!

PRESIDENT OBAMA.

I am so damn happy I could burst.

Adios, Reaganomics; and your extra-specially-retarded stepchild, Shrubanomics, too. Don't let the door hit ya where the Good Lord split ya.

Goodbye Idiocracy. What a joy to have an intelligent President again.

They tried to smear the man with Guilt-By-Association bullshit. Rezko, Ayres, yadda fucking yadda. They tried to suggest he was nothing more than a pop star. They tried to make us believe he was all words, no action; that he was a terrorist in disguise, a stealth Muslim, a Communist, a Socialist, and oh dear but he's BLACK! Obama's campaign brought out the worst from the inbred corners of this nation, more than any other candidate in recent history.

Finally, something changed. Something triggered the little grey cells to start ticking over and analyzing information, rather than just sucking it down like a baby at a tit. We looked at this man through that distorted filter...and found those lenses just didn't work for us any more. The reality didn't match the spin.

Then we voted.

And now it's done.

Hello, 21st century. We aren't quite turned around yet....but give us time. We'll be there, better than before.

Two days in a row, on my back, at home. I have had a lot more fun on my back, let me tell you. OW.

So Uni and Jace have this meme thing. What the hell.

[01] Do you have the guts to answer these questions and re-post as The Controversial Survey?

This takes guts?

[02] Would you do meth if it was legalized?

Nope. I like my body uncooked.

[03] Abortion: for or against it?

Yes on right to privacy, on right to choice, no on government having control over human reproduction. I've met many women who've had abortions. I've yet to meet the so-called "abortion of convenience" example I'm told is the norm. Abortion should be a last resort, but the option should be there.

[04] Do you think the world would fail with a female president?

Gender's irrelevant here. Competence is all I ask for. (Well, and an idea of where north is on the moral compass.)

[05] Do you believe in the death penalty?

No.

[06] Do you wish marijuana would be legalized already?

We're talking a drug that actually helps: I've seen it work. I can't see myself using it but I want the option there for those on chemo.

[07] Are you for or against premarital sex?

Oh please: The last place you want to discover you're incompatible with your partner is in the bedroom, on your wedding night.

[08] Do you believe in God?

Yes. And he's not some big bearded dude in a fucking white robe.

[09] Do you think same sex marriage should be legalized?

Yes. We're all Americans. Let's have equality here, people.

[10] Do you think it's wrong that so many Hispanics are illegally moving to the USA?

Misleading question. The vast majority of these people would happily stay in their home countries if they could make a living there, and if corporations here didn't want the cheap labor. You want to stop that flood? Break the backs of the corporations here, and reinstate the laws Reagan dunked which permit 16-year-olds to work.

[11] A twelve year old girl has a baby, should she keep it?

Adoption; a 12-year-old isn't equipped to be a mother.

[12] Should the alcohol age be lowered to eighteen?

Make a thing taboo, and kids will want it even more. Try teaching kids responsible drinking and see what happens.

[13] Should the war in Iraq be called off?

Yes. Get our troops out of there. (Like the Iraqis WANT.)

[14] Assisted suicide is illegal: do you agree?

No. Give people some control over how they would leave this world. It's easy to judge when you're not looking at a life of pain control and bedpans.

[15] Do you believe in spanking your children?

Nope.

[16] Would you burn an American flag for a million dollars?

Make the economy better for the middle class and I won't seriously consider doing it.

[17] Who do you think would make a better president? McCain or Obama?

Talk about a gimmie: Obama. Let's see: on one side we've got a poor kid who went to Harvard, graduated at the top of his class, Constitutional Scholar, taught Constitutional law for years, served with distinction in his state's legislature, went on to the nation's Senate and got on the loose nukes ish with Richard Lugar right off the bat. On the other: a crazy old man who was a maverick (about fifteen years ago), who graduated near the bottom of his class in the college his fam got him into, has had serious anger issues his entire life, who swings in whichever direction the money's coming from, whose hands are still dirty from the LAST government bailout he was part of, whose policies don't differ a bit from those of the worst president we've ever had, who surrounds himself with right-wing lobbyists and has a poisonous religious nut as a running mate. There's a choice here?

[18] Are you afraid others will judge you from reading some of your answers?

People don't need a meme to judge me. I've been judged for a lot less than this.

...though I do apologize for the toothiness. I hurt and that's making me grumpy.

..to have FA back!! YAY for all the hard work of Dragoneer and his fellow server demons!! A hundred times yay, plus ice cream and then some.

I am happy. Good gravy, life is being kind to me. I've got awesome friends, a great place of employment, puppies...whatever I've forgotten is also probably good, too. Thank you, en sof.

I have gotten to meet Kami and her boy Matt, which was a blast. I've got the great company of Vantid in my homestead. I'm getting fat off her cooking.

Laundry to do, fish and freelance to attend to, life to live, weight to lose, inhibitions to lose, bullshit to lose.

Well, *rubs paws together* no time like the present.

I LOVE JOO!!

Berbles

Just finished watching Live and Let Die. It's every bit as cheesy and funky as I remember. Good that childhood loves sometimes survive the test of time.

Also, pizza.

AAAAAAND ice cream.

Nearly a half pint, my dears.

Fuck you right in the eye, weight loss program. TAKE MY LARD IF YOU CAN.

I held out on all of you. I'm sorry, folks, I shoulda said something earlier.

So last week I were in a car axey-dent.

It happens like this: my workbud had taken me to the car-repair place to pick up my beast. He needed a guide back, since he's unfamiliar with the OC. (It's easy to get lost in the OC. Most of the OC looks like the rest of the OC, which is to say it's like ONE GIGANTIC FUCKING MALL SURROUNDED BY EUCALYPTUS TREES.) I'd planned to return to work anyway and so off we went. Three blocks short of work somebody cuts somebody off and we're stuck at a dead halt under a green light.

Enter lady with baby, driving car, not paying attention.

BANG.

I not hurt, friend not hurt too bad, my poor car? She hurt. Try four grand on for size. Doesn't fit? Me neither. Good news: all of us had insurance, no one had to go to the hospital, no one lost control and acted like a dork, and the Accident Lady's insurance will pay for my rental. Yay! Wish it payed for my gas. Boo.

It was Accident Lady's first accident, I think. She was seriously shaken up, in tears. I tole her we all okay, no big oWs, and any accident you walk away from ain't that bad. At least I got her to laugh.

Today I start me some schoolin'. Gots to get my taxes in order, bleah, and work's huge right this minute. No new arts from Berbie for a while. I'll try to keep kickin' in other ways.

*hugs you all*

Hey! Where'd all you watching-people come from? I swear, one day I had no new watchers and all of a sudden I've got zillionz!! What got you folks here?

No, not the book or the movie based on the book: me. I'm alive.

This time the silence (and general absence from those places I've been known to haunt on the Internets, that series of tubes, thank you Senator Ted Stevens) is largely due for reasons that are Most Awesome. I've got me a new full-time gig with a cool company! After months of craziness (freelancing in a new market, scrambling to pay bills and all that jazz) I have got some stability again. Critterbeans, it feels so good to know I've got my ass covered, even if it turns out only to be temporary. Dunno, though.....I've got a feeling that I've finally found my landing pad. So Berbie? Him happy. Work, taxes and events are keeping him running at full tilt, but that's gonna change soon, too. After May, the only thing I need worry about (if it can be called "worry", since I don't plan on selling or schmoozing while I'm there) is Comic Con. I got work, my pups, the Intarnets and movies; best of all I've got me budskis to play wif.

I'll be back and participating, too; I owe Lil Miz Nightclaw her crit, and there's some thank-you art that's gonna get done. Figure drawing again, woot!! And painting, puppy adventures, maybe even meeting a few cool folks I've always wanted to meet.

2008 brought a strong fresh breeze into my life. I can feel my wing muscles again. I can feel the itch to stretch them, to get 'em all beefy and powerful. A permanent state of affairs? Probably not, but then, nothing is. I'll give this new tack all I've got. Who knows? By the time I've got to tack again, who's to say it *won't* be to something even better?

Hope. Nice to see you again, babe. You've been gone a long time.

My houseguest of several months, one Iiji Crabcakes, she of the Motherfucking Nutella, hit the road this morning at a quarter to nine am.

She arrived on my door during a period of major tumult. She was witness to one of the most stressful periods of my life, and godammit after the past five years that, my friends, is saying something. She was here and we both survived. We got in each others' hair---it's impossible not to, in this closet where I live--and on each other's nerves. The friendship took a pounding and came out the other side, saying "fuck you! I'm not going away."

Away she zooms, leaving sad puppies in her wake. Ellie and Barnum will miss their little creampuff playmate. So will their dad. I'll miss the Morro's mum. She was good company. And the friendship said "Things rarely work out how you think they will. Make room to take the results for all they offer. No expectations. Find the happiness in what is, not in coulds...or shoulds....or woulds."

Speed that girl on, everybody. Send her your love. Give her your good wishes and power vibes of support. She's on a mission, a five-point miracle-grow blueprint for the future. Such expeditions don't always get the support they deserve. If you know her, take a minute and beam some positive waves her way. And if you don't, hell, go ahead and send some positive waves her way anyway.

All that good stuff comes back to you in the end.

I HATE RALPH NADER

I reserve the right to deny all charges.

Ten CDs I can't seem to stop playing:

1. Chroma Key: Graveyard Mountain Home
2. the Fire Theft: the Fire Theft
3. Goldfrapp: Felt Mountain
4. Incubus: a Crow Left to the Murder
5. King's X: Ear Candy (The same can be said for Dogman, GGTN, PCHMB and Ogre Tones)
6. Porcupine Tree: Deadwing (but this also goes for In Absentia, Fear of a Blank Planet and Signify)
7. Marillion: This Strange Engine
8. the Flower Kings: Stardust We Are
9. No-Man: Flowermouth
10. Prong: Prove You Wrong

I could go on and on. Y'know a meme I'd like to see? A list of albums people consider the most influential on a personal level. There. Do that. I dare you. 'cause I'm too skeert to start it.

Today. MY BIRFDAY.

I am now officially almost old. 941, in fact. Must change front page to suit.

My goals for this year: get better at people. FINALLY. Write, draw, explore SoCal, hang out with my beloved buddies, meet new folks, do some plein air painting, see some live performances, clear out all the unnecessary crap in my life, produce more personal art, and get laid. A whole bunch.

There. That's hopeful and honest, too.

*hugs* Thank you, my budskis, for sticking with me on this ride.

Iiji left like she arrived: suddenly. The place is bigger again, but it's awful quiet.

Kind of a melancholy start to the New Year.

2007 was a stormy ocean from beginning to end, marked by changes in life, in work (oiy), in the cluttered room I call my psyche, in living circumstances. (As I write I'm noticing some irritating structural habits, a sign, I think, that I need to write a whole lot more.) I've been through my first official wildfire. I am in the midst of exploring a new market, the gigantic pool of eek that is the LA basin. New work, new clients, new challenges. And then there's all the old ones. You don't ever get rid of your demons. They're here to stay.That doesn't mean you can't beat the shit out of the bastards, however, to make up for all the hell they've given you. Before the uneasy peace is reached, slam the fucker's head to the mat a few times. No one will blame you.

2008: even years are good. It's a brand-new starting line.

Let's go.

There's an artist on FA I know, a person of tremendous talent and skill, and atop it all, she's in need.

 iiji

Go check her out. Take a look at her work if you doubt my opinion (it just so happens I'm right, but go ahead, doubt me, see how it brings your Jewish Mother down! Go on! I don't know why I bother..*ahem*). Then, commission, my friends! She will rock your socks onto the next block. Word.

Go! Go go go!

Doggie Combat!

Ellie and Morro Fite!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFcp9ExMwPg