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What did Santa bring you this year?
Posted 16 years agoOkay, now that the Christmas carols are fading off into a dim memory, the tree is getting dry enough to attract the attention of Fire Marshal Bill and I've just about got all of the Christmas wrap picked up from the gift giving orgy, it's time for what is becoming a Holiday tradition, the sharing of "win" Christmas gifts Santa brought...
This year, Sammy decided to do most of her shopping at Home Depot and I got a DIY Christmas. In her mind, nothing says "Merry Christmas!" like a Hitachi 15 gauge pneumatic brad nailer and a book on how to install crown molding... Woo boy... No subtlety there...
For Sammy, I got her a 16GB iPod Touch... As
crazyweezil mentioned in an earlier post, technology gift for the win! While Sammy can name all of the pharaohs of 18th dynasty Egypt, when it comes to computers, my dog could do better, if she had an opposable thumb... She's been fiddling with it (Sammy that is, not my dog), trying to learn its idiosyncrasies for three days. The few times I've been able to talk to her (except for Good Morning and Good Night) have been when she was bragging about how she figured out how to make her e-mail come in on the thing or when she showed me how she was using it to do web surfing. It's certainly has cut down on the after-Christmas chores, since she's so preoccupied that she hasn't been able to assign any!
Anyway, what special gift did Santa bring you this year? Hope you had a good Holiday with friends and family and best wishes from Sammy and I for a wonderful New Year!
Cap
This year, Sammy decided to do most of her shopping at Home Depot and I got a DIY Christmas. In her mind, nothing says "Merry Christmas!" like a Hitachi 15 gauge pneumatic brad nailer and a book on how to install crown molding... Woo boy... No subtlety there...
For Sammy, I got her a 16GB iPod Touch... As
crazyweezil mentioned in an earlier post, technology gift for the win! While Sammy can name all of the pharaohs of 18th dynasty Egypt, when it comes to computers, my dog could do better, if she had an opposable thumb... She's been fiddling with it (Sammy that is, not my dog), trying to learn its idiosyncrasies for three days. The few times I've been able to talk to her (except for Good Morning and Good Night) have been when she was bragging about how she figured out how to make her e-mail come in on the thing or when she showed me how she was using it to do web surfing. It's certainly has cut down on the after-Christmas chores, since she's so preoccupied that she hasn't been able to assign any!Anyway, what special gift did Santa bring you this year? Hope you had a good Holiday with friends and family and best wishes from Sammy and I for a wonderful New Year!
Cap
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...
Posted 16 years agoWell, it doesn't snow very much here in the People's Republic of Oregon but today it certainly outdid itself... It's been snowing for 12 hours straight and, according to the weather report, there's freezing rain coming in behind it. Wooohooo...
Now I like snow. Where I'm from in the Midwest, it starts snowing around Thanksgiving and doesn't stop until Easter. Now Sammy, being from around these parts, doesn't. She came outside while I was shoveling the walkway bundled up so the only thing you could see was her glasses, two very red cheeks and the tip of her nose. Pretty funny...
In any case, there is something peaceful about standing alone outdoors with the snow falling all around. The world seems to stand still for me. Others may dream of tropical beaches and hot summer days, but give me a quiet winter's day with snow falling and I'm there...
Cap
Now I like snow. Where I'm from in the Midwest, it starts snowing around Thanksgiving and doesn't stop until Easter. Now Sammy, being from around these parts, doesn't. She came outside while I was shoveling the walkway bundled up so the only thing you could see was her glasses, two very red cheeks and the tip of her nose. Pretty funny...
In any case, there is something peaceful about standing alone outdoors with the snow falling all around. The world seems to stand still for me. Others may dream of tropical beaches and hot summer days, but give me a quiet winter's day with snow falling and I'm there...
Cap
Happy Thankhanukwanzmas!
Posted 17 years agoSheesh, Thanksgiving is now over and I guess we can begin the headlong rush into the Christmas holiday season with impunity... I started seeing Christmas lights and ribbon in our local Big Boxmart in August, but now the season of unbridled consumerism has officially started. The whistle blows early tomorrow morning... Every department store in the area is vying to be open first tomorrow, with most opening at either 4, 5, or 6 AM... I briefly considered getting up that early and toddling off to see what all the hullaballoo was all about, but, when I asked Sammy whether she wanted to go with me, I got the "Are you out of your freakin' mind!" look... I may just wander out on my own when I can rouse myself from my self-induced turkey and pumpkin pie torpor... May just pick up a couple sets of the toe-socks Sammy is so fond of to add to the Christmas bootie I already have stashed for her... I'm not sure how many folks will be out early tomorrow, with the economy being what it is and all... I know that I picked up most of the stuff I got for Sammy online, so tomorrow may be my one and only foray into a brick and mortar store before Christmas... Wonder if most others have done the same, so it will be an interesting exercise, if nothing else.
In any case, hope your Thanksgiving was a good one and stay safe out there... There's gonna be at least one madman on the road!
Cap
In any case, hope your Thanksgiving was a good one and stay safe out there... There's gonna be at least one madman on the road!
Cap
Veteran's Day 2008
Posted 17 years agoOn the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, hostilities for the "War to End All Wars" officially ceased. Europe lay in ruins, dynasties that had ruled for centuries were no more and the blood of 20 million stained the battlefields of Russia, France, Italy and Austria...
November 11th was to be held up as the day when peace at last and forever was to descend on a troubled world. To remember the veteran soldiers who were the key in bringing about that peace, albeit fleeting, Armistice Day (later Veteran's Day) was established in the U.S. by Woodrow Wilson in 1919. Since then, there sadly have been other wars where freedom has been tested, but there have been many in those 89 years who have answered the call to protect it.
Please spend a moment tomorrow to thank those around you who wore the uniform in the service of the country. They have paid the freight for us all.
Cap
November 11th was to be held up as the day when peace at last and forever was to descend on a troubled world. To remember the veteran soldiers who were the key in bringing about that peace, albeit fleeting, Armistice Day (later Veteran's Day) was established in the U.S. by Woodrow Wilson in 1919. Since then, there sadly have been other wars where freedom has been tested, but there have been many in those 89 years who have answered the call to protect it.
Please spend a moment tomorrow to thank those around you who wore the uniform in the service of the country. They have paid the freight for us all.
Cap
Wow, is FA slow or what?
Posted 17 years agoSorry if I haven't commented back or thanked folks today (thank you all!), but FA has been truly glacial... I thought it was my 'puter, but I did a speed check and was doing 19 MBPS download and 1.4 MBPS upload so it wasn't me...
Oh well... I'll check back tomorrow and maybe the admins will have fed the hamster...
Cap
Oh well... I'll check back tomorrow and maybe the admins will have fed the hamster...
Cap
Where the Heck Have You Been?
Posted 17 years agoThe latest page shout from crazyweezil kinda got me thinking that some furs out there might be wondering what is going on with me... Granted, I've never been the world's most prolific artist, but lately I've slowed to a snail's pace.
Here's the scoop... I changed jobs this week, but have been balancing two positions for the last month and a half. I didn't change companies, but am working in a different group within the same firm. Without too much whining, I've been working my patootie off trying to tie up loose ends in the position I just left so that I wouldn't leave a turd-pile for my successor and working in my new position, since the individual I am replacing dropped everything the minute he got a new position six weeks ago (and probably a lot before). The result has been a ton of late nights and weekend work to keep my old and new bosses happy. That doesn't even count the "Sammy Time" every day (not that I mind that at all; it's just that makes for less drawing time).
In any case, I'm hoping that as I learn my new job and as the days get rainier/shorter here, I can get more drawing time. In the interim, please bear with me... I will try to spend as much time as I can replying to all my friends out there and may even be able to scratch out a thing or two (if using Illustrator can be called scratching).
Thanx for your forbearance and patience!
Cap
crazyweezil kinda got me thinking that some furs out there might be wondering what is going on with me... Granted, I've never been the world's most prolific artist, but lately I've slowed to a snail's pace.Here's the scoop... I changed jobs this week, but have been balancing two positions for the last month and a half. I didn't change companies, but am working in a different group within the same firm. Without too much whining, I've been working my patootie off trying to tie up loose ends in the position I just left so that I wouldn't leave a turd-pile for my successor and working in my new position, since the individual I am replacing dropped everything the minute he got a new position six weeks ago (and probably a lot before). The result has been a ton of late nights and weekend work to keep my old and new bosses happy. That doesn't even count the "Sammy Time" every day (not that I mind that at all; it's just that makes for less drawing time).
In any case, I'm hoping that as I learn my new job and as the days get rainier/shorter here, I can get more drawing time. In the interim, please bear with me... I will try to spend as much time as I can replying to all my friends out there and may even be able to scratch out a thing or two (if using Illustrator can be called scratching).
Thanx for your forbearance and patience!
Cap
The Cap'n Top Five Hottest Women of All Time
Posted 17 years agoWell, I've been wanting to do this for some time, that is, get everyone's ideas on who they have on their list for the world's hottest women... Some rules:
1. Gotta be a real person. No fair picking someone like Kasumi from DoA Extreme Beach Volleyball, Laura Croft or Princess Peach...
2. Can be from any time period, but there's got to be an accurate picture or rendering of the gal in existence.
That's all! Here's mine, in no particular order:
1. Leslie Caron - Cute, attractive and possessing some of the best looking legs ever to grace the silver screen... Doubt me? See http://www.allposters.com/-sp/Lesli....._i1631163_.htm . Big plus points for her sexy French accent.
2. Barbara Eden - Those who've been watching me for a while know that I'm an "I Dream of Jeannie" otaku. 'Nuff said.
3. Betty Page - Has to have one of the best all-round bodies ever seen. Incredible...
4. Marsha Mason - Like Leslie Caron, started as a dancer, hence her gorgeous legs...
5. Beyonce Knowles - Beyonce is just OMG hot in every category I can think of...
Honorable Mention - Terri Garr, Shelley Long, Yoko Matsugane, Lindsay Lohan (before she became a drugged-out freak ala Brittany Spears) and Lucy Liu.
How about yours? Let me know!
Cap
1. Gotta be a real person. No fair picking someone like Kasumi from DoA Extreme Beach Volleyball, Laura Croft or Princess Peach...
2. Can be from any time period, but there's got to be an accurate picture or rendering of the gal in existence.
That's all! Here's mine, in no particular order:
1. Leslie Caron - Cute, attractive and possessing some of the best looking legs ever to grace the silver screen... Doubt me? See http://www.allposters.com/-sp/Lesli....._i1631163_.htm . Big plus points for her sexy French accent.
2. Barbara Eden - Those who've been watching me for a while know that I'm an "I Dream of Jeannie" otaku. 'Nuff said.
3. Betty Page - Has to have one of the best all-round bodies ever seen. Incredible...
4. Marsha Mason - Like Leslie Caron, started as a dancer, hence her gorgeous legs...
5. Beyonce Knowles - Beyonce is just OMG hot in every category I can think of...
Honorable Mention - Terri Garr, Shelley Long, Yoko Matsugane, Lindsay Lohan (before she became a drugged-out freak ala Brittany Spears) and Lucy Liu.
How about yours? Let me know!
Cap
Well, Hellooooooo....
Posted 17 years agoWell, FA is back... I'm sure that the number of folks visiting the newly-revived site is causing some of the slow-osity. I hope...
That said, thank you to all out there who favorited my stuff just before "The Great Crash!!!" I was greeted by about a hundred faves when I logged in today and those who've watched me even for a little while know that I like to individually thank every fur who faves something of my work... Just this once, I would ask your indulgence and let me thank you as a group. With FA running as slow as it is, I don't think there are enough hours in the day for me to type out a thank you and wait for the page to refresh. Trust me, I tried... It took me 10 minutes just for 2, so multiplied out, it would have taken me (counts fingers and toes quickly) close to 17 hours of typing and waiting and typing and waiting and tying and waiting... You get the idea. Not that you aren't worth it, but I do have to go to work tomorrow... So, thank you one and all!
I've honestly been pretty lazy over the course of the last few weeks, but I will post a couple things I've been working on... I'm glad FA is back, but just in case there is a catastrophic failure again though, I'll continue double-posting both here and on FAP.
Welcome back FA!
Cap
That said, thank you to all out there who favorited my stuff just before "The Great Crash!!!" I was greeted by about a hundred faves when I logged in today and those who've watched me even for a little while know that I like to individually thank every fur who faves something of my work... Just this once, I would ask your indulgence and let me thank you as a group. With FA running as slow as it is, I don't think there are enough hours in the day for me to type out a thank you and wait for the page to refresh. Trust me, I tried... It took me 10 minutes just for 2, so multiplied out, it would have taken me (counts fingers and toes quickly) close to 17 hours of typing and waiting and typing and waiting and tying and waiting... You get the idea. Not that you aren't worth it, but I do have to go to work tomorrow... So, thank you one and all!
I've honestly been pretty lazy over the course of the last few weeks, but I will post a couple things I've been working on... I'm glad FA is back, but just in case there is a catastrophic failure again though, I'll continue double-posting both here and on FAP.
Welcome back FA!
Cap
Memorial Day 2008
Posted 17 years agoWhile Memorial Day is all about beer, barbeque, and the Indy 500 to most nowadays, to me, it's all about memories... Not that any of the aforementioned things are bad, mind you, but as we are going about your activities this weekend, please spend a moment to remember the men and women who gave their lives to allow us to do so...
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Ypres 1915
Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD, Canadian Army
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Ypres 1915
Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD, Canadian Army
Sick as a dog...
Posted 17 years ago私は病気である... I don't know what it is, but yesterday, at work, I started to get the sniffles... By the time I got home, whatever this malady is had me coughing so hard that I thought my head was going to fall off. The chills and body aches came next... Sammy did what she could for me, like getting me my "wubbie" (poncho liner) and Tylenol, but I spent the day either in bed or in the sauna trying to cook the germs into submission.
I had every intention of drawing this weekend, but only managed to get a half-hearted start on my next piece.
Bottom line, no art this weekend... I'm going back to bed.
Cap
I had every intention of drawing this weekend, but only managed to get a half-hearted start on my next piece.
Bottom line, no art this weekend... I'm going back to bed.
Cap
A Night to Remember...
Posted 17 years agoI just remembered that today, in 1912, the RMS Titanic struck an iceberg at 11:40 PM in the North Atlantic and sank 2 1/2 hour later. Now, I'm not a huge fan of the 1997 movie, but I was captured by the mystique of the ship and the event when I read Walter Lord's "A Night to Remember" while still in grade school... The series of mistakes, from the poor quality steel used in her construction, to the design of her under-sized rudder, to the outdated regulations governing the number of lifeboats she was required to carry, to the crew missteps on that Sunday evening are, in retrospect, a classic example of cascading blunders that led inexorably to monumental tragedy...
Titanic, for me, has always represented something different, something special... It's like looking at another world; a dream world of innocence and confidence, opulence and Old World-liness, that would disappear almost as quickly as did the ship itself, shattered by the events of August 1914. While we can scientifically dissect what happened that fateful night and avarice-driven companies can fight over who owns the rights to "legally" rob the grave of over 1500 people, I still can and do picture myself in white tie and tails, checking my pocket watch against the clock on the Grand Staircase...
Rest in peace, Titanic...
Titanic, for me, has always represented something different, something special... It's like looking at another world; a dream world of innocence and confidence, opulence and Old World-liness, that would disappear almost as quickly as did the ship itself, shattered by the events of August 1914. While we can scientifically dissect what happened that fateful night and avarice-driven companies can fight over who owns the rights to "legally" rob the grave of over 1500 people, I still can and do picture myself in white tie and tails, checking my pocket watch against the clock on the Grand Staircase...
Rest in peace, Titanic...
Sakura-con: There I was...
Posted 17 years agoWell, I'm currently sitting in the post-convention afterglow, having put in two-and-a-half grueling days of fighting crowds, standing in lines and general anarchy, I am now getting ready to pile into the car and head back to Portland.
All told, it was fun... I got to work with Guest Relations a bit, based on my (limited) command of Japanese and my god-like driving skills (well, I can drive, which set me ahead of some others). I ended up as a chauffeur and general worker-bee, driving around band members, shooing away fanbois and making myself useful for two days, when I wasn't cruising the vendor booths and Artist Alley.
Got to talk at length with Merekat on Friday. For those who don't know of her, she is one of the most awesome-ist digital artists on the planet. See http://www.merekatcreations.com/
This site has some of the best tutorials you'd ever want to see on shading and general drawing... I had met her (along with Fred Gallagher of MegaTokyo) when I was on Staff for Sakura-con about three years ago and it was good to see her again. A genuinely nice person who doesn't let her ego get in the way of her talent...
Got to see the Ali Project concert as well, but more from the "If you use flash photography, I'm gonna have to muss you up" standpoint. Awesome show from a Japanese band making their North American debut.
Unfortunately, I didn't get to see
shizuki or 
sieneko tho' I looked for them. Oh well, maybe next year...
I did get to see a very nice Rangiku Matsumoto costume (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rangiku_Matsumoto ) from Bleach. I was chasing my eyes around the floor for a few minutes, but I did get a very nice picture...
When I get a few moments, I will post my pictures (and maybe a couple short videos).
Now, on to Kumori-con, which is much closer to home in beautiful, rainy Portland!
Cap
All told, it was fun... I got to work with Guest Relations a bit, based on my (limited) command of Japanese and my god-like driving skills (well, I can drive, which set me ahead of some others). I ended up as a chauffeur and general worker-bee, driving around band members, shooing away fanbois and making myself useful for two days, when I wasn't cruising the vendor booths and Artist Alley.
Got to talk at length with Merekat on Friday. For those who don't know of her, she is one of the most awesome-ist digital artists on the planet. See http://www.merekatcreations.com/
This site has some of the best tutorials you'd ever want to see on shading and general drawing... I had met her (along with Fred Gallagher of MegaTokyo) when I was on Staff for Sakura-con about three years ago and it was good to see her again. A genuinely nice person who doesn't let her ego get in the way of her talent...
Got to see the Ali Project concert as well, but more from the "If you use flash photography, I'm gonna have to muss you up" standpoint. Awesome show from a Japanese band making their North American debut.
Unfortunately, I didn't get to see
shizuki or 
sieneko tho' I looked for them. Oh well, maybe next year...I did get to see a very nice Rangiku Matsumoto costume (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rangiku_Matsumoto ) from Bleach. I was chasing my eyes around the floor for a few minutes, but I did get a very nice picture...
When I get a few moments, I will post my pictures (and maybe a couple short videos).
Now, on to Kumori-con, which is much closer to home in beautiful, rainy Portland!
Cap
Sakura-con Here I Come!
Posted 17 years agoWooohooo!!!! Here in Seattle for Sakura-Con, the largest anime convention in the Pacific Northwest!!! I lost my fundoshi for my Jigo costume somewhere (I think Sammy hid it... She thought it was horribly funny in an embarrassing way), and my Yamamoto Genryuusai costume takes about an hour and a half to apply the facial makeup (not something I want to do in a hotel room), so I'm not cosplaying this year, but I will be hanging around Artist's Alley and taking a lot of pictures...
I know that shizuki and sieneko will be up here somewhere, and hope to meet others as I pass through the thousands of guests.
Well, time to head on down to the Convention Center and see what mischief I can get into!
Seeya there!
Cap
I know that
shizuki and sieneko will be up here somewhere, and hope to meet others as I pass through the thousands of guests.Well, time to head on down to the Convention Center and see what mischief I can get into!
Seeya there!
Cap
Tagged (V2.0)
Posted 17 years agoTagged by 
charrio who also lives in the Neighborhood of Make Believe (Oregon)
1.) Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, and find line 4.
"For his famous character-study of Tiberius does not seem to us free from indignation and partisanship." Tacitus, The Annals of Ancient Rome (yes, it was the closest book...)
2.) Stretch your left arm out as far as you can. What can you reach?
A futon chair
3.) What is the last thing you watched on TV?
"No Reservations" (Anthony Bourdain)
4.) Without looking guess what time it is?
1840
5.) Now look at the clock. What is the actual time?
1838
6.) With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?
A TV playing in another room
7.) When did you last step outside? What were you doing?
About an hour ago when I came home from work
8.) Before you started this survey, what did you look at?
Wikipedia article on Bangladeshi independence.
9.) What are you wearing?
Running shorts and t-shirt
10.) What did you dream about last night?
Sammy (as usual)
11.) When did you last laugh?
A few minutes ago when my Bouvier des Flandres came bounding into the room with one of Sammy's socks and proceeded to "kill it" in the center of the room, with Sammy bouncing in after her yelling "Give it back!!!"
12.) What are on the walls of the room you are in?
Anime cels from Ranma 1/2, Tsukikage Ran, Apollo program mission patches, a clock and a huge honkin' poster of a scantily clad Ranma-chan.
13) Did you see anything weird lately?
This commercial http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUEkOVdUjHc Those rascally Dutch! Definitely mature only! You were warned!
14.) What do you think of this quiz?
It's aaeyet...
15.) What was the last film you saw?
Ben Hur
16.) If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy?
A house on Depot Bay (Oregon coast)
17.) Tell me something about you that I don't know?
My granddad was an honest-to-gosh rocket scientist (fuel engineer on the Apollo Saturn 5 project, hence the patches)
18.) If you could change one thing about the world...
There are so many things I would change...
19.) Do you like to dance?
Yes, unless I've had too much to drink, then I dance like Mr. Bean...
20.) George Bush...
Could be worse... Could be Warren G. Harding.
21.) Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her?
Abigail Leigh (she'd probably kick my butt when she got old enough for that moniker)
22.) Imagine your first child is a boy, what do you call him?
St. John (pronounced sin-jin... How kewl is that?!?)
23.) Would you ever consider living abroad?
Been there, done that (14 years total in Europe, Africa, and Asia)
24.) What do you want God to say when you reach the Pearly Gates?
What do I want him to say or what will he say? What I would like him to say is "Come on in, the beer's in the fridge!" What will he say? Probably "You've got the wrong address buddy... You're new digs are south of here... Way south..."
Nobody tagged, but this was pretty kewl...
charrio who also lives in the Neighborhood of Make Believe (Oregon)1.) Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, and find line 4.
"For his famous character-study of Tiberius does not seem to us free from indignation and partisanship." Tacitus, The Annals of Ancient Rome (yes, it was the closest book...)
2.) Stretch your left arm out as far as you can. What can you reach?
A futon chair
3.) What is the last thing you watched on TV?
"No Reservations" (Anthony Bourdain)
4.) Without looking guess what time it is?
1840
5.) Now look at the clock. What is the actual time?
1838
6.) With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?
A TV playing in another room
7.) When did you last step outside? What were you doing?
About an hour ago when I came home from work
8.) Before you started this survey, what did you look at?
Wikipedia article on Bangladeshi independence.
9.) What are you wearing?
Running shorts and t-shirt
10.) What did you dream about last night?
Sammy (as usual)
11.) When did you last laugh?
A few minutes ago when my Bouvier des Flandres came bounding into the room with one of Sammy's socks and proceeded to "kill it" in the center of the room, with Sammy bouncing in after her yelling "Give it back!!!"
12.) What are on the walls of the room you are in?
Anime cels from Ranma 1/2, Tsukikage Ran, Apollo program mission patches, a clock and a huge honkin' poster of a scantily clad Ranma-chan.
13) Did you see anything weird lately?
This commercial http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUEkOVdUjHc Those rascally Dutch! Definitely mature only! You were warned!
14.) What do you think of this quiz?
It's aaeyet...
15.) What was the last film you saw?
Ben Hur
16.) If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy?
A house on Depot Bay (Oregon coast)
17.) Tell me something about you that I don't know?
My granddad was an honest-to-gosh rocket scientist (fuel engineer on the Apollo Saturn 5 project, hence the patches)
18.) If you could change one thing about the world...
There are so many things I would change...
19.) Do you like to dance?
Yes, unless I've had too much to drink, then I dance like Mr. Bean...
20.) George Bush...
Could be worse... Could be Warren G. Harding.
21.) Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her?
Abigail Leigh (she'd probably kick my butt when she got old enough for that moniker)
22.) Imagine your first child is a boy, what do you call him?
St. John (pronounced sin-jin... How kewl is that?!?)
23.) Would you ever consider living abroad?
Been there, done that (14 years total in Europe, Africa, and Asia)
24.) What do you want God to say when you reach the Pearly Gates?
What do I want him to say or what will he say? What I would like him to say is "Come on in, the beer's in the fridge!" What will he say? Probably "You've got the wrong address buddy... You're new digs are south of here... Way south..."
Nobody tagged, but this was pretty kewl...
Happy St. Patrick's Day (and stuff)!!!
Posted 17 years agoI'll start with the "and stuff."
Well, I'm getting myself mentally prepared to head up to Seattle in a couple weeks for the largest anime convention in the Pacific Northwest, SakuraCon... It's not that I am really dying to go and spend a butt-load of money on hotel rooms, food and anime-related tchotchke... I do like Artist's Alley though and taking pictures of the cosplayers...
As an aside, I've gotten pretty lazy lately about my drawing... I've started a couple of projects, but my hours at work have been horrible lately and Sammy doesn't let me get away with horking down dinner and immediately running up to my office to draw... Oh well. I'm taking my Macbook Pro and a sketchbook with me to Seattle... Maybe I can do some drawing there...
In any case, have a great St. Patrick's Day!!! I'll be celebrating today since showing up to the office half in the bag on Monday or Tuesday wouldn't be a good thing...
Have a good one!
Cap
Well, I'm getting myself mentally prepared to head up to Seattle in a couple weeks for the largest anime convention in the Pacific Northwest, SakuraCon... It's not that I am really dying to go and spend a butt-load of money on hotel rooms, food and anime-related tchotchke... I do like Artist's Alley though and taking pictures of the cosplayers...
As an aside, I've gotten pretty lazy lately about my drawing... I've started a couple of projects, but my hours at work have been horrible lately and Sammy doesn't let me get away with horking down dinner and immediately running up to my office to draw... Oh well. I'm taking my Macbook Pro and a sketchbook with me to Seattle... Maybe I can do some drawing there...
In any case, have a great St. Patrick's Day!!! I'll be celebrating today since showing up to the office half in the bag on Monday or Tuesday wouldn't be a good thing...
Have a good one!
Cap
New Sammy Avatar
Posted 17 years agoAll,
You've got to check out the new Sammy avatar I've got up on my FA page! I think it's super neat! Done by a super talented artist based here in the great, rainy Pacific Northwest shizuki
She's been a featured artist at SakuraCon, the largest anime convention in the Washington, Oregon, Idaho region for a number of years. Check her art out!
Thanx Shi-san!
Cap
You've got to check out the new Sammy avatar I've got up on my FA page! I think it's super neat! Done by a super talented artist based here in the great, rainy Pacific Northwest
shizukiShe's been a featured artist at SakuraCon, the largest anime convention in the Washington, Oregon, Idaho region for a number of years. Check her art out!
Thanx Shi-san!
Cap
So, what did Santa bring you?
Posted 17 years agoJust wondering what others got for Christmas... Sammy got me a bunch of stuff (new roll-around duffel bag, a couple of music CDs and a pair of sandals; I got her a Mac Mini, among other things(. But the thing that really surprised me was an authentic Roman legionnaire's good luck charm... The 1" long bronze gladius has been dated from around the first century AD and is believed to have been made in Roman dominated Illyrium or Macedonia. Although it may seem a bit esoteric, this was definitely the win Christmas gift this year!
So, what did Santa bring for you? Hope it was everything you wanted!!!
Cap
So, what did Santa bring for you? Hope it was everything you wanted!!!
Cap
Happy Christmas and a Wonderful New Year!!!
Posted 17 years agoAll,
I know that reading though fifty-zillion journals can be a chore (kinda the reason that I don't post often), but during this, my favorite time of year, I did want to take a second to thank all of you out there in FA-land for all of your support and friendship.
With as little drama as possible, this has been a pretty challenging year for me on a number of different fronts and I'm glad to be through it in basically one piece. As I take a reflective look back on the events of 2007 though, there has been a few bright spots and one of them is the pleasure I've derived from viewing your art here on FA and the kindness displayed by the community as a whole. It has truly been your comments and critiques that have kept me drawing and (hopefully) growing as an sketch artist.
Thank you.
Cap
"...and it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One!" Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol, 1843.
I know that reading though fifty-zillion journals can be a chore (kinda the reason that I don't post often), but during this, my favorite time of year, I did want to take a second to thank all of you out there in FA-land for all of your support and friendship.
With as little drama as possible, this has been a pretty challenging year for me on a number of different fronts and I'm glad to be through it in basically one piece. As I take a reflective look back on the events of 2007 though, there has been a few bright spots and one of them is the pleasure I've derived from viewing your art here on FA and the kindness displayed by the community as a whole. It has truly been your comments and critiques that have kept me drawing and (hopefully) growing as an sketch artist.
Thank you.
Cap
"...and it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One!" Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol, 1843.
Tagged
Posted 18 years agoHere's a meme from my PNW buddy charrio
My own personal avatar/icon/character is too easy to explain... It comes from the fact that I'm a huge Ranma 1/2 fan (Shampoo for-evah!) and I really do look pretty much like Genma Saotome in RL (bald, square-face, glasses)... I'll instead write about my favorite character, Sammy... In order to do so, I'll have to modify the meme a bit, so hope you'll understand...
1-
Q: What is the name of your character?
A: Just plain Sammy or Sammy Meise (don't want to give anything away but look up "Meise" in a comprehensive German-English dictionary).
2-
Q: Where did the name of your character come from?
A: It's the nickname of my RL mate.
3-
Q: What species is your character and why did you choose that species?
A: Mouse. Chosen because that's my pet name for her and hers for me.
4-
Q: What color is your character and why? Hair/fur/eyes/etc
A: Fair-skinned/furred, freckles, green eyes, long hair. Why? Let me look in the other room... :)
5-
Q: What is your character's personality and how does this compare to her RL personality?
A: Sammy has a genius IQ, uses six-dollar words in regular conversation, is super bookish, but has a real temper... Perfect RL match...
6-
Q: What is one item your character owns that is significant to you irl?
A: Sammy has certain assets that are enormously significant. She has huge... glasses :)
7-
Q: What is one thing you thing you would say to your character if you could meet?
A: I am usually saying "It wasn't my fault!"
8-
Q: What is one thing your character would say to you if you could meet?
A: She is usually saying "If you don't get off that computer this instant, I'm going to shove it someplace very painful."
9-
Q: How has your character changed over the years?
A: Sammy hasn't really changed much except that I'm drawing her more life-sized than when I first started... I first drew her as a secondary character in a drawing of a cat about three years ago just after I started drawing again. She was really mouse-sized in that first picture. I didn't draw her again until a year and a half ago...
10-
Q: How long have you had this character?
A: As above, I've been drawing her for ~3 years
11-
Q: Would you like to be more like your character?
A: Sammy and I are very much alike in many ways... We share a ton of interests, but have enough in the way of divergent attitudes that it makes life interesting.
12-
Q: Ok now tag other people you would like to learn about!
Prolly won't tag anyone since I really didn't follow the rules of the meme... Sorry!
Cap
charrio My own personal avatar/icon/character is too easy to explain... It comes from the fact that I'm a huge Ranma 1/2 fan (Shampoo for-evah!) and I really do look pretty much like Genma Saotome in RL (bald, square-face, glasses)... I'll instead write about my favorite character, Sammy... In order to do so, I'll have to modify the meme a bit, so hope you'll understand...
1-
Q: What is the name of your character?
A: Just plain Sammy or Sammy Meise (don't want to give anything away but look up "Meise" in a comprehensive German-English dictionary).
2-
Q: Where did the name of your character come from?
A: It's the nickname of my RL mate.
3-
Q: What species is your character and why did you choose that species?
A: Mouse. Chosen because that's my pet name for her and hers for me.
4-
Q: What color is your character and why? Hair/fur/eyes/etc
A: Fair-skinned/furred, freckles, green eyes, long hair. Why? Let me look in the other room... :)
5-
Q: What is your character's personality and how does this compare to her RL personality?
A: Sammy has a genius IQ, uses six-dollar words in regular conversation, is super bookish, but has a real temper... Perfect RL match...
6-
Q: What is one item your character owns that is significant to you irl?
A: Sammy has certain assets that are enormously significant. She has huge... glasses :)
7-
Q: What is one thing you thing you would say to your character if you could meet?
A: I am usually saying "It wasn't my fault!"
8-
Q: What is one thing your character would say to you if you could meet?
A: She is usually saying "If you don't get off that computer this instant, I'm going to shove it someplace very painful."
9-
Q: How has your character changed over the years?
A: Sammy hasn't really changed much except that I'm drawing her more life-sized than when I first started... I first drew her as a secondary character in a drawing of a cat about three years ago just after I started drawing again. She was really mouse-sized in that first picture. I didn't draw her again until a year and a half ago...
10-
Q: How long have you had this character?
A: As above, I've been drawing her for ~3 years
11-
Q: Would you like to be more like your character?
A: Sammy and I are very much alike in many ways... We share a ton of interests, but have enough in the way of divergent attitudes that it makes life interesting.
12-
Q: Ok now tag other people you would like to learn about!
Prolly won't tag anyone since I really didn't follow the rules of the meme... Sorry!
Cap
No Subject
Posted 18 years agoWell, I'm back at home here in the US of A, just in time for Thanksgiving... I was in Victoria, BC for a few days as a kind of get away. Had a great time, took a lot of pictures, walked about 3 bazillion miles around town and spent a ton of money on chachki for Christmas gifts. Victoria is a beautiful place, but I learned a few things while there...
1. The exchange rate from USD to CD is terrible! One USD bought .95 CD. Add on 13% tax on everything and you quickly find out that you're hemorrhaging money...
2. Canadian and US Customs officers have no sense of humor. I think they have it surgically removed. Here's a little vignette that took place going into Canada...
Canadian Douanier (Customs dude): "Where is home?"
Cap: "Ohio."
Douainer: "When did you leave Ohio?"
Cap: "1977."
Douanier: "What?"
Cap: "I left Ohio in 1977 when I joined the Army..."
Douanier: "Well you really can't call Ohio home then, can you?"
Cap: "Yes I can. I live in Oregon, but Ohio is my home. You didn't ask me where I lived..."
Douanier: "Grrrrrrr... Get out of here." I think I was half a step away at this point from the strip search/rectal exam, so I beat feet.
3. There seems that there is still a wide chasm between English-speaking Canadians and French-speaking Canadians... (For all you Canadian furs out there, don't kill me... Just an observation!) Okay, I'm pretty much bilingual in French and English. Canada is officially supposed to be bilingual, French and English, right? In order to practice my French (which I don't get to do very often here in the People's Republic of Oregon), I tried using it on a few of the shopkeepers and hoteliers... In one case, I asked very politely (in French) for a tour brochure for a local point of interest. From the look I got, you would have thought that I had asked to boff the individual's sister. After a number of instances where I got nothing but funny looks or downright indignant reactions, I gave up and had to content myself with watching the French language channels on the TV in my room... Yeah, maybe I was naive and should have reserved my practice for the next time I got to Quebec, but I wanted to give it a shot...
That all said, I really enjoyed my brief stay in Canada. It had been many years since I was last north of the border and it was every bit as beautiful and hospitable as I remembered. I'll be going back again soon (albeit with more money, less French and with less lip for the Customs agents!).
In other news, thanx to MadPlumber for my new av!!! As I stated to him, I don't know how he got my picture, but the likeness is remarkable! Thanx MP!
Cap
1. The exchange rate from USD to CD is terrible! One USD bought .95 CD. Add on 13% tax on everything and you quickly find out that you're hemorrhaging money...
2. Canadian and US Customs officers have no sense of humor. I think they have it surgically removed. Here's a little vignette that took place going into Canada...
Canadian Douanier (Customs dude): "Where is home?"
Cap: "Ohio."
Douainer: "When did you leave Ohio?"
Cap: "1977."
Douanier: "What?"
Cap: "I left Ohio in 1977 when I joined the Army..."
Douanier: "Well you really can't call Ohio home then, can you?"
Cap: "Yes I can. I live in Oregon, but Ohio is my home. You didn't ask me where I lived..."
Douanier: "Grrrrrrr... Get out of here." I think I was half a step away at this point from the strip search/rectal exam, so I beat feet.
3. There seems that there is still a wide chasm between English-speaking Canadians and French-speaking Canadians... (For all you Canadian furs out there, don't kill me... Just an observation!) Okay, I'm pretty much bilingual in French and English. Canada is officially supposed to be bilingual, French and English, right? In order to practice my French (which I don't get to do very often here in the People's Republic of Oregon), I tried using it on a few of the shopkeepers and hoteliers... In one case, I asked very politely (in French) for a tour brochure for a local point of interest. From the look I got, you would have thought that I had asked to boff the individual's sister. After a number of instances where I got nothing but funny looks or downright indignant reactions, I gave up and had to content myself with watching the French language channels on the TV in my room... Yeah, maybe I was naive and should have reserved my practice for the next time I got to Quebec, but I wanted to give it a shot...
That all said, I really enjoyed my brief stay in Canada. It had been many years since I was last north of the border and it was every bit as beautiful and hospitable as I remembered. I'll be going back again soon (albeit with more money, less French and with less lip for the Customs agents!).
In other news, thanx to MadPlumber for my new av!!! As I stated to him, I don't know how he got my picture, but the likeness is remarkable! Thanx MP!
Cap
A Soldier...
Posted 18 years agoAll,
On this, the eve of Veteran’s Day, I wanted to share a few thoughts with you. By way of a brief explanation, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month 89 years ago, the “War to End All Wars” (which later became known as the First World War) ended. In 1938, the US Congress passed legislation stating that November 11 would be set aside as a day "dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day" both to honor America’s veterans and to remember their sacrifices.
After the Second World War and the Korean Conflict, Congress amended the Armistice Day remembrance and designated November 11th as Veteran’s Day.
For those here in the US and for those abroad therefore, November 11th should be a day of reflection, as a day set aside to thank and honor living veterans who served honorably in the military - in wartime or peacetime.
Over this weekend, if you should see someone wearing a hat, a pin or a jacket that shows that he or she served, please say take the time to say “thanks.” The individual spent years, perhaps in some very austere conditions, away from family and home, earning the right to wear it…
I’ll leave you with a short poem by George Skypeck I have hanging here on the wall of my office. Every time I read it, all of the memories and the individuals with whom I served come back to visit…
“I was that which others did not want to be,
I went where others feared to go…
And did what others failed to do.
I asked nothing from those who gave nothing,
And reluctantly accepted the thought
Of eternal loneliness…should I fail.
I have seen the face of terror,
Felt the stinging cold of fear,
And enjoyed the sweet taste of a moment’s love.
I have cried, pained and hoped…
But most of all, I have lived times others
Would say were best forgotten.
At least someday, I will be able to say
That I was proud of what I was… A soldier.”
On this, the eve of Veteran’s Day, I wanted to share a few thoughts with you. By way of a brief explanation, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month 89 years ago, the “War to End All Wars” (which later became known as the First World War) ended. In 1938, the US Congress passed legislation stating that November 11 would be set aside as a day "dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day" both to honor America’s veterans and to remember their sacrifices.
After the Second World War and the Korean Conflict, Congress amended the Armistice Day remembrance and designated November 11th as Veteran’s Day.
For those here in the US and for those abroad therefore, November 11th should be a day of reflection, as a day set aside to thank and honor living veterans who served honorably in the military - in wartime or peacetime.
Over this weekend, if you should see someone wearing a hat, a pin or a jacket that shows that he or she served, please say take the time to say “thanks.” The individual spent years, perhaps in some very austere conditions, away from family and home, earning the right to wear it…
I’ll leave you with a short poem by George Skypeck I have hanging here on the wall of my office. Every time I read it, all of the memories and the individuals with whom I served come back to visit…
“I was that which others did not want to be,
I went where others feared to go…
And did what others failed to do.
I asked nothing from those who gave nothing,
And reluctantly accepted the thought
Of eternal loneliness…should I fail.
I have seen the face of terror,
Felt the stinging cold of fear,
And enjoyed the sweet taste of a moment’s love.
I have cried, pained and hoped…
But most of all, I have lived times others
Would say were best forgotten.
At least someday, I will be able to say
That I was proud of what I was… A soldier.”
Thought I was gonna croak...
Posted 18 years agoAs y'all should know if you read the earlier journal regarding my purchase of a Macbook Pro, I've been doing all of my art since August on a Mac... I really love it for graphics and it was doing just great until (queue the portentous music) I upgraded to OS X Leopard... Don't get me wrong, Leopard is super-kewl and it was working great, but I found that my Parallels software to run Windows no longer worked... No problem, sez I and two days ago, I decided that I would uninstall Parallels and give Boot Camp (another app that will run Windows on a Mac). Boot Camp asked me to partition the hard drive so that Windows would have a separate section... Okay, sez I, make it so... Well, everything from there quickly went to Hell in a hand basket. Things got so screwed up that I ended up erasing my hard drive, taking about $1000 of art software I had purchased (like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Manga Studio and Poser 7) via download and stoopidly had not copied to disk with it... The software was so screwed up, the computer would not even boot...
After cussing for hours, I called my local Apple store and set up an appointment with a Mac Genius.
There's a bright side to the story however... The Mac Genius (Brent) got my computer up and running in about 15 minutes. As I was lamenting the loss of the software, he happened to say something like "Well, too bad you didn't use Time Machine..." It was only then I remembered that I had been fooling around with Time Machine and had run it once about a week ago on a whim just to see what it would do. I had no idea what it was, but it did something... I thought it was like a Windows System Restore, which does nothing, as far as I can see, especially if you have deleted applications. The Mac Genius breathed a sigh of relief, then told me Time Machine actually mirrors the files and applications on your hard drive at the time you used the application. Woohooo! And best of all, all of this help cost me absolutely zippo... Everything was free. When I got home, I ran the Time Machine application again and in about an hour, my computer was back up and running with all of the applications I thought I had lost. I was even able to get Parallels working!
Moral of the story: If you don't know what the heck you're doing, when it comes to unfamiliar software, don't do it!
Kudos to Apple's software engineers for coming up with such a neat product as Leopard and Time Machine. Special thanks to Steve Jobs for making Apple such a neat company...
Cap
After cussing for hours, I called my local Apple store and set up an appointment with a Mac Genius.
There's a bright side to the story however... The Mac Genius (Brent) got my computer up and running in about 15 minutes. As I was lamenting the loss of the software, he happened to say something like "Well, too bad you didn't use Time Machine..." It was only then I remembered that I had been fooling around with Time Machine and had run it once about a week ago on a whim just to see what it would do. I had no idea what it was, but it did something... I thought it was like a Windows System Restore, which does nothing, as far as I can see, especially if you have deleted applications. The Mac Genius breathed a sigh of relief, then told me Time Machine actually mirrors the files and applications on your hard drive at the time you used the application. Woohooo! And best of all, all of this help cost me absolutely zippo... Everything was free. When I got home, I ran the Time Machine application again and in about an hour, my computer was back up and running with all of the applications I thought I had lost. I was even able to get Parallels working!
Moral of the story: If you don't know what the heck you're doing, when it comes to unfamiliar software, don't do it!
Kudos to Apple's software engineers for coming up with such a neat product as Leopard and Time Machine. Special thanks to Steve Jobs for making Apple such a neat company...
Cap
I'm Back (Kinda...)
Posted 18 years agoA short note... I thought that I would be out of the net for about two months but things didn't quite work out as planned... Don't want to get into a bunch of details, but I ended up taking a fall and hurting myself pretty bad... Now, a trip to the ER, a couple of casts on my legs, a pair of crutches and a handicapped parking permit later, I can get back to drawing because sitting in front of the computer is about all I can do for a while.
Cap
Cap
I'll be out of the net for a while...
Posted 18 years agoAll,
I gotta let y'all know that I'll be out of the net for about a month and a half... I'll be going through training over the course of the next weeks that will require all of my free time. No more free time, consequently no more art, at least until the end of October. I'll try to check in on occasion, but I will not have even the weekends to myself for a while.
Be safe, be well, and be good!
Cap
I gotta let y'all know that I'll be out of the net for about a month and a half... I'll be going through training over the course of the next weeks that will require all of my free time. No more free time, consequently no more art, at least until the end of October. I'll try to check in on occasion, but I will not have even the weekends to myself for a while.
Be safe, be well, and be good!
Cap
No Subject
Posted 18 years agoWell, last journal entry had me talking up my new Macbook Pro... My intention was not to replace my desktop (which is my gaming computer), but to use my Mac for art...
Although my uber-clocked Core2 Duo was running fine, I wasn't satisfied, oh no. Last night, I re-flashed my BIOS to make it quad core compatible and dropped in a Q6600. Haven't started to play with it yet. The thing makes for a screaming hot machine right out of the box, but the chip is unlocked and is begging to be tweaked.
If you see a red thermal glow on the horizon, that will be my PC, post-tweaking...
Wish me luck...
Cap
Although my uber-clocked Core2 Duo was running fine, I wasn't satisfied, oh no. Last night, I re-flashed my BIOS to make it quad core compatible and dropped in a Q6600. Haven't started to play with it yet. The thing makes for a screaming hot machine right out of the box, but the chip is unlocked and is begging to be tweaked.
If you see a red thermal glow on the horizon, that will be my PC, post-tweaking...
Wish me luck...
Cap
