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"The novel", and current plans for the future
Posted 14 years agoDay five is upon me, and so far I haven't broken the streak -- 1000 words a day is remarkably easy. I know they say everybody has to find their speed and only then will they know what to expect; NaNoWriMo's 1667-words-a-day standard seemed a good guideline for other parts of the year, but I've found since I began writing Epoch that 1000 words flies by like a breath, and 1667 feels like a million years. There's a tipping point, and I've found mine. This is great news. It means I stop when I reach it, it feels effortless, it feels great when I finish and I always leave something to come back to tomorrow.
I was skeptical about the writing advice, "stop when you know what comes next" -- it doesn't refer to the avoidance of a good outline, but I had found in the past that if I gave in to my desire to binge one day, the next day I came back to a blank page that stayed blank, often indefinitely.
The big thing about only writing 1000 words a day is that I have the entire rest of the day -- a good 15 hours of wakefulness -- to have ideas float into my brain. Most of the time, the story really does have to "marinate" for you to figure out what you want to do. You have to give yourself the time to let those things come naturally. If I had sat down and tried to write 5000 words the first day, I worry I wouldn't have had so many scenes/characters/plot points ready and waiting. I would have gotten myself stuck. I realize now that it's actually very important for me to only write so much per day, because when I come back the next day, I have given myself a chance to "figure out" things that wouldn't have come to me if I had tried to force them.
I am doing everything differently, this time around, and so far it is working really, really well. I don't have a hard outline, yet this time I know the entire story start to finish. I barely plan ahead, but just write chapter to chapter and scene to scene, in chronological order, only setting myself up with a little prompt for the next day. I am refusing to spend more than a few seconds on editing, and only browse a little at the end of the session for a few minor touchups (but I'm trying to avoid that, too). It's very liberating.
I could easily see, in the future, bumping it up to two 1000-word sessions per day, spaced well apart, so long as there is time enough for ideas to pop up in between, and not leave me stuck the next day with nothing to write.
So now, I write until I hit the 1000 word mark and if I know what I want to do next, I write a brief synopsis of how the scene will continue (if it's not done, which actually isn't often) or what the next scene will be, and then I leave it there for tomorrow. Any ideas, naturally, get compiled in the Evernote folder where I stash all the details, but I will not give in to the desire to write a scene ahead of time. I used to do it in the past, and it gave me some great one-offs, but I have realized that letting myself do that means I end up looking at filling in the gaps as some kind of chore. You don't want to give in to all the best parts first. Leave them there for Future You to write, look forward to them as a reward, and writing the rest doesn't feel like a chore at all.
I also went out and found a few collections of music and ambient sounds -- including music on the guqin, a 7-string Chinese zither, Tibetan bowl meditation, and others. It isn't that it fits this story to a T, necessarily (though meditative music fits Lux's environment, I don't picture this fantasy setting particularly rich in Asian influences beyond the obvious allusions to Japanese RPG tropes), but it definitely helps settle my mind and gets things moving.
Obviously, I will need proofreaders. Thankfully, this is essentially a novella -- it'll be fairly short, at least in the first draft. I want to keep it simple, easy to digest. I know these days a lot of us don't have time to get terribly invested in something we're taking a first chance on. I'm totally one of those people. But when the time comes, hopefully a handful of 10-15 people will be willing to hack the hell out of it and give me their input, one person at a time, until I'm ready for an editor or whatever comes next.
My plan is to release it for free in PDF format but also put it on Amazon or anywhere else that sells e-books, for $0.99. People can read it, for free, instead of taking a chance on it; then, if they like it, they can "donate" by buying the digital copy and ensure that I write again. A lot of authors I admire are doing this now, and I think it's a great business model.
So that's that. Today, however, is art day. Well. After I get my 1000 words written. :) Yesterday I got up at 4:30 AM, planned to write. Didn't. By 9:00 AM I felt bad, and by 2 PM I felt horrible. By 6 PM I felt way too tired to even get up and walk around, so I realized I would have to break my streak and write two times the words the next day, but at 7:30 PM inspiration struck and I pecked out those 1000 words easily. It felt really good.
So. Whether or not I am about to leave this journal and go write those 1000 words immediately after, I don't know. But I'll get it done at some point today, and tomorrow, after the next 1000 words, I'll publish days 4-6 of the writing in my scraps. :)
Hope everyone is enjoying the day. It's finally raining here. Everything is dark and quiet and misty. If this isn't great writing weather, I don't know what is. <3 Rain + coffee + zither music + christmas lights in a dark office = pretty much can't give me a better comfort environment unless you filled my office with puppies. It's so great I even started knitting something. Sure, it'll take me 8 hours compared to the creator's 1.5, but I'll never get better unless I try. A little each day and it'll be done in a month. LOL. See you~
-HD
I was skeptical about the writing advice, "stop when you know what comes next" -- it doesn't refer to the avoidance of a good outline, but I had found in the past that if I gave in to my desire to binge one day, the next day I came back to a blank page that stayed blank, often indefinitely.
The big thing about only writing 1000 words a day is that I have the entire rest of the day -- a good 15 hours of wakefulness -- to have ideas float into my brain. Most of the time, the story really does have to "marinate" for you to figure out what you want to do. You have to give yourself the time to let those things come naturally. If I had sat down and tried to write 5000 words the first day, I worry I wouldn't have had so many scenes/characters/plot points ready and waiting. I would have gotten myself stuck. I realize now that it's actually very important for me to only write so much per day, because when I come back the next day, I have given myself a chance to "figure out" things that wouldn't have come to me if I had tried to force them.
I am doing everything differently, this time around, and so far it is working really, really well. I don't have a hard outline, yet this time I know the entire story start to finish. I barely plan ahead, but just write chapter to chapter and scene to scene, in chronological order, only setting myself up with a little prompt for the next day. I am refusing to spend more than a few seconds on editing, and only browse a little at the end of the session for a few minor touchups (but I'm trying to avoid that, too). It's very liberating.
I could easily see, in the future, bumping it up to two 1000-word sessions per day, spaced well apart, so long as there is time enough for ideas to pop up in between, and not leave me stuck the next day with nothing to write.
So now, I write until I hit the 1000 word mark and if I know what I want to do next, I write a brief synopsis of how the scene will continue (if it's not done, which actually isn't often) or what the next scene will be, and then I leave it there for tomorrow. Any ideas, naturally, get compiled in the Evernote folder where I stash all the details, but I will not give in to the desire to write a scene ahead of time. I used to do it in the past, and it gave me some great one-offs, but I have realized that letting myself do that means I end up looking at filling in the gaps as some kind of chore. You don't want to give in to all the best parts first. Leave them there for Future You to write, look forward to them as a reward, and writing the rest doesn't feel like a chore at all.
I also went out and found a few collections of music and ambient sounds -- including music on the guqin, a 7-string Chinese zither, Tibetan bowl meditation, and others. It isn't that it fits this story to a T, necessarily (though meditative music fits Lux's environment, I don't picture this fantasy setting particularly rich in Asian influences beyond the obvious allusions to Japanese RPG tropes), but it definitely helps settle my mind and gets things moving.
Obviously, I will need proofreaders. Thankfully, this is essentially a novella -- it'll be fairly short, at least in the first draft. I want to keep it simple, easy to digest. I know these days a lot of us don't have time to get terribly invested in something we're taking a first chance on. I'm totally one of those people. But when the time comes, hopefully a handful of 10-15 people will be willing to hack the hell out of it and give me their input, one person at a time, until I'm ready for an editor or whatever comes next.
My plan is to release it for free in PDF format but also put it on Amazon or anywhere else that sells e-books, for $0.99. People can read it, for free, instead of taking a chance on it; then, if they like it, they can "donate" by buying the digital copy and ensure that I write again. A lot of authors I admire are doing this now, and I think it's a great business model.
So that's that. Today, however, is art day. Well. After I get my 1000 words written. :) Yesterday I got up at 4:30 AM, planned to write. Didn't. By 9:00 AM I felt bad, and by 2 PM I felt horrible. By 6 PM I felt way too tired to even get up and walk around, so I realized I would have to break my streak and write two times the words the next day, but at 7:30 PM inspiration struck and I pecked out those 1000 words easily. It felt really good.
So. Whether or not I am about to leave this journal and go write those 1000 words immediately after, I don't know. But I'll get it done at some point today, and tomorrow, after the next 1000 words, I'll publish days 4-6 of the writing in my scraps. :)
Hope everyone is enjoying the day. It's finally raining here. Everything is dark and quiet and misty. If this isn't great writing weather, I don't know what is. <3 Rain + coffee + zither music + christmas lights in a dark office = pretty much can't give me a better comfort environment unless you filled my office with puppies. It's so great I even started knitting something. Sure, it'll take me 8 hours compared to the creator's 1.5, but I'll never get better unless I try. A little each day and it'll be done in a month. LOL. See you~
-HD
I love my city! (Houston Clergy Council... read on)
Posted 14 years agoThank goodness I live in a city where I am reminded daily that we still have folks who can have their faith and still speak out about issues which they feel not only ostracize others outside of the faith, but which they feel do not help their cause. These are behaviors which are unconstitutional, and the HCC is standing up for the values they share with those of religions other than their own and those who have no religion at all. As an atheist, I am very proud of all of these people and am glad to live in Houston. This is seriously one of the most life-affirming things I've read in a really long time. Go HCC!
http://houstonclergycouncil.org/
June 13, 2011
As Houston clergy, we write to express our deep concern over Governor Rick Perry’s proclamation of a day of prayer and fasting at Houston’s Reliant Stadium on August 6th. In our role as faith leaders, we encourage and support prayer, meditation, and spiritual practice. Yet our governor’s religious event gives us pause for a number of reasons:
We believe in a healthy boundary between church and state. Out of respect for the state, we believe that it should represent all citizens equally and without preference for religious or philosophical tradition. Out of respect for religious communities, we believe that they should foster faithful ways of living without favoring one political party over another. Keeping the church and state separate allows each to thrive and upholds our proud national tradition of empowering citizens to worship freely and vote conscientiously. We are concerned that our governor has crossed the line by organizing and leading a religious event rather than focusing on the people’s business in Austin.
We also express concern that the day of prayer and fasting at Reliant Stadium is not an inclusive event. As clergy leaders in the nation’s fourth largest city, we take pride in Houston’s vibrant and diverse religious landscape. Our religious communities include Bahais, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, Unitarian Universalists, and many other faith traditions. Our city is also home to committed agnostics and atheists, with whom we share common cause as fellow Houstonians. Houston has long been known as a “live and let live” city, where all are respected and welcomed. It troubles us that the governor’s prayer event is not open to everyone. In the publicized materials, the governor has made it clear that only Christians of a particular kind are welcome to pray in a certain way. We feel that such an exclusive event does not reflect the rich tapestry of our city.
Our deepest concern, however, lies in the fact that funding for this event appears to come from the American Family Association, an organization labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. The American Family Association and its leadership have a long track record of anti-gay speech and have actively worked to discriminate against the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community. The American Family Association and its leadership have also been stridently anti-Muslim, going so far as to question the rights of Muslim Americans to freely organize and practice their faith. We believe it is inappropriate for our governor to organize a religious event funded by a group known for its discriminatory stances.
As religious leaders, we commit to join with all Houstonians in working to make our city a better place. We will lead our communities in prayer, meditation, and spiritual practice. We ask that Rick Perry leave the ministry to us and refocus his energy on the work of governing our state.
Signed,
Rev. Dr. Jeremy Rutledge, Minister, Covenant Church, Alliance of Baptists/American Baptist Churches
Rev. Douglas Anders, Conference Minister, South Central Conference of the United Church of Christ
Rev. Paul Beedle, Unitarian Universalist
Rev. Dr. Ginny Brown Daniel, Minister, Plymouth United Church, UCC
Rev. Beth Ellen Cooper-Davis, Minister, Northwoods Unitarian Universalist Church
Rev. Michael Diaz, Director of Connections, Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church
Rev. Dr. Millard Eiland, Alliance of Baptists
Rev. Pat Farnan, Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church
Rev. Lura Groen, Pastor, Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church
Rev. Teddy Hardy, Minister, St. John United Church of Christ
Rev. Lori Keaton, United Church of Christ
Rev. Harry Knox, Senior Pastor, Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church
Rev. Janice Ladd, Executive Pastor, Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church
Rev. Dr. Becky Edmiston-Lange, Co-Minister, Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church
Rev. Mark Edmiston-Lange, Co-Minister, Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church
Rev. Dr. Margie Latham, Minister of Administration, Covenant Church, Alliance of Baptists/American Baptist Churches
Rev. Mona Lopez, Volunteer Staff Clergy, Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church
Rev. Laura Mayo, Minister, Covenant Church, Alliance of Baptists/American Baptist Churches
Rev. Dr. Daniel O’Connell, Senior Minister, First Unitarian Universalist Church
Rev. David Pantermuehl, Grace United Church of Christ
Rev. Adam Robinson, Assistant Minister, First Unitarian Universalist Church
Rev. Ken Richter, Senior Minister, First Congregational Church, UCC
Rev. Bill Royster, United Church of Christ
Rev. Sam Schaal, Transition Minister, Bay Area Unitarian Universalist Church
Rev. Robert Tucker, Executive Director, Foundation for Contemporary Theology
Rev. Ernie Turney, Pastor, Bering United Methodist Church
Rev. Bonnie Vegiard, Unitarian Universalist
More than anything, this letter has reminded me that the issue of the separation of church and state is NOT simply a secular or atheist buzz-phrase; it reminded me that it is an important issue even for my Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Wiccan, UU, and every other friend I know.
The separation of church and state doesn't just protect me from being forced to observe my beliefs in a way I don't wish; it protects them, as well, and seeing from their perspective once again how important it is made me see the statement "separation of church and state" the way I should have always seen it -- it's a universal issue, and it's important to all of us who care about the needs of others who may not think the same way we do.
http://houstonclergycouncil.org/
June 13, 2011
As Houston clergy, we write to express our deep concern over Governor Rick Perry’s proclamation of a day of prayer and fasting at Houston’s Reliant Stadium on August 6th. In our role as faith leaders, we encourage and support prayer, meditation, and spiritual practice. Yet our governor’s religious event gives us pause for a number of reasons:
We believe in a healthy boundary between church and state. Out of respect for the state, we believe that it should represent all citizens equally and without preference for religious or philosophical tradition. Out of respect for religious communities, we believe that they should foster faithful ways of living without favoring one political party over another. Keeping the church and state separate allows each to thrive and upholds our proud national tradition of empowering citizens to worship freely and vote conscientiously. We are concerned that our governor has crossed the line by organizing and leading a religious event rather than focusing on the people’s business in Austin.
We also express concern that the day of prayer and fasting at Reliant Stadium is not an inclusive event. As clergy leaders in the nation’s fourth largest city, we take pride in Houston’s vibrant and diverse religious landscape. Our religious communities include Bahais, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, Unitarian Universalists, and many other faith traditions. Our city is also home to committed agnostics and atheists, with whom we share common cause as fellow Houstonians. Houston has long been known as a “live and let live” city, where all are respected and welcomed. It troubles us that the governor’s prayer event is not open to everyone. In the publicized materials, the governor has made it clear that only Christians of a particular kind are welcome to pray in a certain way. We feel that such an exclusive event does not reflect the rich tapestry of our city.
Our deepest concern, however, lies in the fact that funding for this event appears to come from the American Family Association, an organization labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. The American Family Association and its leadership have a long track record of anti-gay speech and have actively worked to discriminate against the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community. The American Family Association and its leadership have also been stridently anti-Muslim, going so far as to question the rights of Muslim Americans to freely organize and practice their faith. We believe it is inappropriate for our governor to organize a religious event funded by a group known for its discriminatory stances.
As religious leaders, we commit to join with all Houstonians in working to make our city a better place. We will lead our communities in prayer, meditation, and spiritual practice. We ask that Rick Perry leave the ministry to us and refocus his energy on the work of governing our state.
Signed,
Rev. Dr. Jeremy Rutledge, Minister, Covenant Church, Alliance of Baptists/American Baptist Churches
Rev. Douglas Anders, Conference Minister, South Central Conference of the United Church of Christ
Rev. Paul Beedle, Unitarian Universalist
Rev. Dr. Ginny Brown Daniel, Minister, Plymouth United Church, UCC
Rev. Beth Ellen Cooper-Davis, Minister, Northwoods Unitarian Universalist Church
Rev. Michael Diaz, Director of Connections, Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church
Rev. Dr. Millard Eiland, Alliance of Baptists
Rev. Pat Farnan, Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church
Rev. Lura Groen, Pastor, Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church
Rev. Teddy Hardy, Minister, St. John United Church of Christ
Rev. Lori Keaton, United Church of Christ
Rev. Harry Knox, Senior Pastor, Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church
Rev. Janice Ladd, Executive Pastor, Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church
Rev. Dr. Becky Edmiston-Lange, Co-Minister, Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church
Rev. Mark Edmiston-Lange, Co-Minister, Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church
Rev. Dr. Margie Latham, Minister of Administration, Covenant Church, Alliance of Baptists/American Baptist Churches
Rev. Mona Lopez, Volunteer Staff Clergy, Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church
Rev. Laura Mayo, Minister, Covenant Church, Alliance of Baptists/American Baptist Churches
Rev. Dr. Daniel O’Connell, Senior Minister, First Unitarian Universalist Church
Rev. David Pantermuehl, Grace United Church of Christ
Rev. Adam Robinson, Assistant Minister, First Unitarian Universalist Church
Rev. Ken Richter, Senior Minister, First Congregational Church, UCC
Rev. Bill Royster, United Church of Christ
Rev. Sam Schaal, Transition Minister, Bay Area Unitarian Universalist Church
Rev. Robert Tucker, Executive Director, Foundation for Contemporary Theology
Rev. Ernie Turney, Pastor, Bering United Methodist Church
Rev. Bonnie Vegiard, Unitarian Universalist
More than anything, this letter has reminded me that the issue of the separation of church and state is NOT simply a secular or atheist buzz-phrase; it reminded me that it is an important issue even for my Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Wiccan, UU, and every other friend I know.
The separation of church and state doesn't just protect me from being forced to observe my beliefs in a way I don't wish; it protects them, as well, and seeing from their perspective once again how important it is made me see the statement "separation of church and state" the way I should have always seen it -- it's a universal issue, and it's important to all of us who care about the needs of others who may not think the same way we do.
I don't like green apples. :(
Posted 14 years ago...I just realized that after carving one up and trying to eat it. I realize I've felt this way all year any time I tried to eat one. I used to like them, but... Too sour. Too, too sour. I has a sad.
a snippet from "epoch"... going to try to write some more ;;
Posted 14 years ago(working title)
gah, why can't i write today. i can't write. i need to just force it. i know i need to force it, and maybe the first half will be crap but it will be salvageable, but somehow knowing that you're about to write crap, before you've even written it, it can be so hard to just accept that it WILL be crap, and to write anyway.
so here's a pinch from yesterday's. i have to start writing from here, and i'll try to do so now.
no need to attempt to critique me just yet -- this is a first draft and i'm not allowing myself to edit until it's done. if you want to help me out, offer to be a proofreader when it's done and i'll let you take all the red sharpies you like to it. trust me, i will need it.
“Get up, you lazy pickpocket!”
Reve’s eyes were sticky with sleep, but he opened them and immediately cringed. God, the headache had grown so much worse. He almost regretted not asking for water, but now the guard thrust a dingy cup through the bars of the cell and he hadn’t the strength to refuse it.
“I’m not a pickpocket,” he murmured, bringing the cup to his lips. The guard scoffed, leaning against the door, regarding Reve with a look of disapproval and amusement.
“Oh, we’re innocent, are we!” roared the guard, face turned up in a sneer. He would have been handsome in a rugged, earthy way, if he didn’t regard others with such an ugly sense of superiority. Strange, Reve thought, how even the most provincial of men had no shortage of self-regard.
“I didn’t say I was innocent. I said I’m not a pickpocket.” Reve gestured to the next cell. “He’s the pickpocket.”
The guard blinked and looked over to the other prisoner, dumbstruck.
“I’m the one who had a go of it with the Elder’s -- what was it, niece?” Reve fought a grin and took another sip. The guard was incensed.
“Granddaughter! And -- and like hell you did. She’s a nice girl. That she’d gallivant about with the likes of you! Trash. Trash, that’s what you are.”
Pulling to his feet, Reve dusted off his trousers and passed the cup back through the bars. The headache had subsided quickly, now, and he’d be at his full strength as soon as he had something to eat. “Keep your pretty lies close, law-man,” the rogue smirked, waiting for the guard to take the cup. He couldn’t hold back a chuckle when the gruff man refused it, harumphed, and stormed out of the holding area.
“They’re going to hang us; I know it,” came the voice of the man in the next cell. Reve sighed, lacing his arms through the bars, leaning into them. Just from the voice, he pictured an old, toothless beggar, thin as a rail and clothed in filthy rags.
“You’re just delirious,” Reve murmured, and snaked his hand through the bars of the next cage to offer his cup. “Drink. I don’t know how long I’m going to be stuck in here, but like hell I’m going to hang around with your dead carcass stinking up the place.”
He felt the cup snatched from his hand and immediately heard the sound of the old man’s ravenous gulps. A twinge of guilt and pity pained his stomach, followed by the unmistakeable roiling of hunger.
After a moment, the old man spoke again. He seemed calmed by the small kindness, but only just. “It doesn’t matter the crime,” he whimpered. “They’ll hang us just to be rid of us.”
Exhaling through his nostrils, Reve leaned his forehead hard against the bars. “If it gets me out of here.”
“Y-you don’t understand,” the pickpocket cried, sinking to the dirt floor. “This village takes its law from the God Himself!”
Reve rolled his eyes to the ceiling. “That’s just what I needed...”
“From the God Himself... ’Let he who cannot abide the Law learn it by the Sword,’” the beggar mumbled, reciting from the Texts, his voice wavering with frightened tears.
Reve intercepted the next line as the beggar went on, though his voice was tinged with mockery. “’Let the God pass First Judgment, for His ruling comes from on High. Return to Him what to Him belongs.’” He glared at the wall opposite his cell, his voice dark. “Yes. I know the god-damned Verses. I’ve been hearing that rubbish my whole life.”
“T-they’ll kill us... they’ll kill us both!”
Closing his eyes, Reve ran his tongue over his cracked lips and tried not to lose his wits. Few villages upheld the Texts to the letter; Fundamental worship of the God had gone extinct long ago, or so he had thought until this morning. The Texts did say that crimes against the Law of Man were punishable by death -- one strike and you were out -- but most folk had written it off as archaic rule, guidelines which had only been necessary in olden times, when people were less civilized. He'd certainly never passed through a town that would hang a man for the small crime of nicking a wallet... or for making time with a politician’s granddaughter.
Civilized. He snorted. If what the old man claimed were true, Reve would know in short order whether the God he had denied since childhood really waited in the Hereafter.
It wasn’t an answer he was particularly desperate for.
gah, why can't i write today. i can't write. i need to just force it. i know i need to force it, and maybe the first half will be crap but it will be salvageable, but somehow knowing that you're about to write crap, before you've even written it, it can be so hard to just accept that it WILL be crap, and to write anyway.
so here's a pinch from yesterday's. i have to start writing from here, and i'll try to do so now.
no need to attempt to critique me just yet -- this is a first draft and i'm not allowing myself to edit until it's done. if you want to help me out, offer to be a proofreader when it's done and i'll let you take all the red sharpies you like to it. trust me, i will need it.
“Get up, you lazy pickpocket!”
Reve’s eyes were sticky with sleep, but he opened them and immediately cringed. God, the headache had grown so much worse. He almost regretted not asking for water, but now the guard thrust a dingy cup through the bars of the cell and he hadn’t the strength to refuse it.
“I’m not a pickpocket,” he murmured, bringing the cup to his lips. The guard scoffed, leaning against the door, regarding Reve with a look of disapproval and amusement.
“Oh, we’re innocent, are we!” roared the guard, face turned up in a sneer. He would have been handsome in a rugged, earthy way, if he didn’t regard others with such an ugly sense of superiority. Strange, Reve thought, how even the most provincial of men had no shortage of self-regard.
“I didn’t say I was innocent. I said I’m not a pickpocket.” Reve gestured to the next cell. “He’s the pickpocket.”
The guard blinked and looked over to the other prisoner, dumbstruck.
“I’m the one who had a go of it with the Elder’s -- what was it, niece?” Reve fought a grin and took another sip. The guard was incensed.
“Granddaughter! And -- and like hell you did. She’s a nice girl. That she’d gallivant about with the likes of you! Trash. Trash, that’s what you are.”
Pulling to his feet, Reve dusted off his trousers and passed the cup back through the bars. The headache had subsided quickly, now, and he’d be at his full strength as soon as he had something to eat. “Keep your pretty lies close, law-man,” the rogue smirked, waiting for the guard to take the cup. He couldn’t hold back a chuckle when the gruff man refused it, harumphed, and stormed out of the holding area.
“They’re going to hang us; I know it,” came the voice of the man in the next cell. Reve sighed, lacing his arms through the bars, leaning into them. Just from the voice, he pictured an old, toothless beggar, thin as a rail and clothed in filthy rags.
“You’re just delirious,” Reve murmured, and snaked his hand through the bars of the next cage to offer his cup. “Drink. I don’t know how long I’m going to be stuck in here, but like hell I’m going to hang around with your dead carcass stinking up the place.”
He felt the cup snatched from his hand and immediately heard the sound of the old man’s ravenous gulps. A twinge of guilt and pity pained his stomach, followed by the unmistakeable roiling of hunger.
After a moment, the old man spoke again. He seemed calmed by the small kindness, but only just. “It doesn’t matter the crime,” he whimpered. “They’ll hang us just to be rid of us.”
Exhaling through his nostrils, Reve leaned his forehead hard against the bars. “If it gets me out of here.”
“Y-you don’t understand,” the pickpocket cried, sinking to the dirt floor. “This village takes its law from the God Himself!”
Reve rolled his eyes to the ceiling. “That’s just what I needed...”
“From the God Himself... ’Let he who cannot abide the Law learn it by the Sword,’” the beggar mumbled, reciting from the Texts, his voice wavering with frightened tears.
Reve intercepted the next line as the beggar went on, though his voice was tinged with mockery. “’Let the God pass First Judgment, for His ruling comes from on High. Return to Him what to Him belongs.’” He glared at the wall opposite his cell, his voice dark. “Yes. I know the god-damned Verses. I’ve been hearing that rubbish my whole life.”
“T-they’ll kill us... they’ll kill us both!”
Closing his eyes, Reve ran his tongue over his cracked lips and tried not to lose his wits. Few villages upheld the Texts to the letter; Fundamental worship of the God had gone extinct long ago, or so he had thought until this morning. The Texts did say that crimes against the Law of Man were punishable by death -- one strike and you were out -- but most folk had written it off as archaic rule, guidelines which had only been necessary in olden times, when people were less civilized. He'd certainly never passed through a town that would hang a man for the small crime of nicking a wallet... or for making time with a politician’s granddaughter.
Civilized. He snorted. If what the old man claimed were true, Reve would know in short order whether the God he had denied since childhood really waited in the Hereafter.
It wasn’t an answer he was particularly desperate for.
new avatar X3
Posted 14 years agoF5! I was being silly. :D Making a new set of Nao icons for myself on LJ, thought I'd shake things up a bit!
First crack at new novel, 1600 words today, revelations.
Posted 14 years agoFirst off, holy crap, that was easy. This is not good. :D If I take a stab at something and it is easy the first time, I inevitably set myself up for failure the very next day. So I'm going to try to convince myself that it was Very, Very Hard and refuse to write extra after I hit my limit -- they say to stop when you know what is going to happen next, so that you have something to go back to; I'd hate to write 3200 words today and have nothing left in me for tomorrow.
It's a little idea I'd tossed around a couple of years ago -- not furry, but shounen-ai sword-and-sorcery, kind of an epic journey/romance/fight-the-system tale. It features themes of an oppressive, tyrannical Church, but while it might appear my views on religion are sneaking into the plot, the only real theme that matches up is the ability of a religion to force a civilization to do what its higher-ups want them to do; this world actually does have a deity, but I wanted to play with the idea of a world where a God created things, became jaded by the behavior of her creations, then decided to go into hibernation. After that, the clergy use belief in this deity (which is fully rooted in word-of-mouth proof) to further their own ends over millenia until the entire religion has allowed the world to become an oppressive theocracy.
I like the idea of the reluctant hero falling for and protecting an unfortunate, a young, naive student of the faith who has been groomed and sheltered to sacrifice himself for his beliefs. I like the themes that come into play when the truth comes crashing down on this poor youth, from the mouth of the deity herself, encouraging him to return home to punish the wrongdoers with God actually on his side.
Plus, there are elemental-themed monster summons that are wicked cute, so there's that. You goofballs will like that part. (It has been pointed out to me that this sounds a lot like FFX! I am both flattered and reminded to go and re-play it or at least read a summary, since I never finished it; I don't wanna rip anyone off, here. :D)
So anyway -- this morning I hacked out my first couple of scenes and tried not to do too much self-editing, and it was refreshing how much came out. I didn't even have their names right -- I just started writing with placeholders, and it was really freeing.
The struggle for me came when I was writing my first couple of scenes with the hero; he is in a jail cell alongside a toothless old beggar, and the hero is hungover from whatever mischief got him into trouble the night before. At first, I didn't know where it was going, but the words kept coming, and like he was talking unbidden, the old toothless man began crying, "they'll hang us both!" and before I knew it, I realized holy shit, they really will, because this religion believes in one strike and you're out, and let God sort out the criminals, and as I kept writing I realized oh my god, I am going to kill this old man because it will piss the hero off so much that he will have to stand up and fight against this evil society and before I could blink I was done.
And I felt terrible.
It is so much harder to kill off innocent, minor characters when they flow out of you, unbidden, like that, and somehow I think I could have killed any one of my babies from Redthread so much more easily and with so much less guilt because they would get all this epic glory and a big, glamorous death scene and all this poor old man is going to get is a hanging off-camera somewhere, and I felt so badly I actually had to stop writing for a minute and go get some coffee because it really wrenched my gut.
So, now I know what that feels like. It was amazing and upsetting and kind of uplifting in a way, but it was really, really hard. .____.
That was a really long ramble, because I am suffering a weirdly rare bout of insomnia. :D Hopefully this doesn't read as one long worthless diatribe that no one but me cares about. I'd be okay if it was, but! Oh wells.
Gonna go watch some IT Crowd and try to trick my brain into wanting sleep.
-HD
It's a little idea I'd tossed around a couple of years ago -- not furry, but shounen-ai sword-and-sorcery, kind of an epic journey/romance/fight-the-system tale. It features themes of an oppressive, tyrannical Church, but while it might appear my views on religion are sneaking into the plot, the only real theme that matches up is the ability of a religion to force a civilization to do what its higher-ups want them to do; this world actually does have a deity, but I wanted to play with the idea of a world where a God created things, became jaded by the behavior of her creations, then decided to go into hibernation. After that, the clergy use belief in this deity (which is fully rooted in word-of-mouth proof) to further their own ends over millenia until the entire religion has allowed the world to become an oppressive theocracy.
I like the idea of the reluctant hero falling for and protecting an unfortunate, a young, naive student of the faith who has been groomed and sheltered to sacrifice himself for his beliefs. I like the themes that come into play when the truth comes crashing down on this poor youth, from the mouth of the deity herself, encouraging him to return home to punish the wrongdoers with God actually on his side.
Plus, there are elemental-themed monster summons that are wicked cute, so there's that. You goofballs will like that part. (It has been pointed out to me that this sounds a lot like FFX! I am both flattered and reminded to go and re-play it or at least read a summary, since I never finished it; I don't wanna rip anyone off, here. :D)
So anyway -- this morning I hacked out my first couple of scenes and tried not to do too much self-editing, and it was refreshing how much came out. I didn't even have their names right -- I just started writing with placeholders, and it was really freeing.
The struggle for me came when I was writing my first couple of scenes with the hero; he is in a jail cell alongside a toothless old beggar, and the hero is hungover from whatever mischief got him into trouble the night before. At first, I didn't know where it was going, but the words kept coming, and like he was talking unbidden, the old toothless man began crying, "they'll hang us both!" and before I knew it, I realized holy shit, they really will, because this religion believes in one strike and you're out, and let God sort out the criminals, and as I kept writing I realized oh my god, I am going to kill this old man because it will piss the hero off so much that he will have to stand up and fight against this evil society and before I could blink I was done.
And I felt terrible.
It is so much harder to kill off innocent, minor characters when they flow out of you, unbidden, like that, and somehow I think I could have killed any one of my babies from Redthread so much more easily and with so much less guilt because they would get all this epic glory and a big, glamorous death scene and all this poor old man is going to get is a hanging off-camera somewhere, and I felt so badly I actually had to stop writing for a minute and go get some coffee because it really wrenched my gut.
So, now I know what that feels like. It was amazing and upsetting and kind of uplifting in a way, but it was really, really hard. .____.
That was a really long ramble, because I am suffering a weirdly rare bout of insomnia. :D Hopefully this doesn't read as one long worthless diatribe that no one but me cares about. I'd be okay if it was, but! Oh wells.
Gonna go watch some IT Crowd and try to trick my brain into wanting sleep.
-HD
I have a Facebook for clients, fans, and friends. :D
Posted 14 years agoNot that I have a lot of fans (just saying that word gives me the snob-creeps!), but if you have FB and want to get status updates on how work is going, know when the commission list is almost empty, hear about sales, see sketches and WIPs, and generally communicate with me about art and FA, feel free to add:
https://www.facebook.com/AtelierHolydust
If you're sketchy about linking your regular FB with online friends, FA folks, or generally non-IRL-related stuff, remember that you can add people like me and your online friends to a special group that has limited permissions. Privacy settings are much better, now. :)
Hope to see you there!
https://www.facebook.com/AtelierHolydust
If you're sketchy about linking your regular FB with online friends, FA folks, or generally non-IRL-related stuff, remember that you can add people like me and your online friends to a special group that has limited permissions. Privacy settings are much better, now. :)
Hope to see you there!
:D epic linkdump
Posted 14 years agohttp://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2011/6/15/
Would you kill for this? I would kill for this.
edit: I have just been informed that this is the original joke. :D It is delicious. No pun intended.
Also, damn you, Farmville -- my first boyfriend's mom is on my Facebook (yes, really) and she plays a shit-load of FB games. This exchange occurred between us just now:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9469674/Tem.....ufarmville.jpg
Lioness tries to eat baby (I honestly think it's pretty clear she just wants to pick him up and carry him someplace safe, but WHAT IS THIS BARRIER AHHH)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jT7_CtjEVFU
bonus: Samuel L. Jackson (no, really) reading "Go The Fuck To Sleep".
Would you kill for this? I would kill for this.
edit: I have just been informed that this is the original joke. :D It is delicious. No pun intended.
Also, damn you, Farmville -- my first boyfriend's mom is on my Facebook (yes, really) and she plays a shit-load of FB games. This exchange occurred between us just now:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9469674/Tem.....ufarmville.jpg
Lioness tries to eat baby (I honestly think it's pretty clear she just wants to pick him up and carry him someplace safe, but WHAT IS THIS BARRIER AHHH)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jT7_CtjEVFU
bonus: Samuel L. Jackson (no, really) reading "Go The Fuck To Sleep".
birthday was fantastic. <3
Posted 14 years agowe didn't get any pictures (that i'm aware of... i don't remember posing for any :D) but the whole weekend was amazing.
edit: i lied. dani posted ONE SINGLE PICTURE from the party, and naturally it was not flattering. X3 see below.
we went to the red lion pub only to remember it was NBA finals and the place was so packed we couldn't even find a parking spot, and we got there EARLY... so we fired off a facebook message warning everyone we were shifting to the richmond arms tavern. thankfully, it was MUCH less packed, and warren, kim, cory, tim, and i all hung out drinking beers and enjoying the evening for several hours.
once dark fell, shelly, skippy, ash, chris, tyrone, and a handful of others piled in and we had all decided by then that we were kind of hungry. warren is a bit of a food snob and refused to eat at the richmond arms (crappy attempts at english pub food were not their forté) so we agreed once the whole of the party had shown up that we'd shift to doneraki's (a 24/7 mexican restaurant down the block) and continue our drinking there and get our food on.
we showed up and had secured a block of tables and commenced to stuff our faces. shelly fronted me a top-shelf tequila shot (i was instructed on the specifics of shoot-suck the lime-lick the salt, and of course everyone made a huge show of instructing me and watching me drink it) and it was great. :D (lol @ picture. my arms will always look ridiculously fat in every picture. god i need to lose weight. but the shot was really smooth, it's just that that was right after i sucked the lime so i had sourface!) everyone had a great time, and i felt really grateful for everyone who found my silly little birthday worth showing up for.
tonight, cory told me we had one more planned event to attend, and i was told to dress "semi-formal", so i got in the car and he drove us downtown where we had reservations to vic & anthony's. i had lobster for the first time, and i realize i really don't like it much, but we planned for that eventuality :D a $30 lobster tail isn't anything to go to waste, so cory ordered a veal entrée he knew i'd like and we traded off halfway through. we had a beautiful bottle of riesling, people-watched all the snobs at the restaurant, and had a blast. all and all the whole dinner was amazing, and it meant a lot to me that he went to all that trouble.
anyway, i'm gonna get back to work; i just had to take a little half-week off for mah birthday since this is the first time i've ever not just hidden under a rock and tried to make people go away for the whole of it. :D
warren, kim, cory, and i are planning to hit NY for the alexander mcqueen exhibit at the MET before it ends on august 7. i hate traveling and you guys know i'm not rich, but i am willing to scrimp and save to see this thing before it's over in spite of my fear of leaving the house. you guys know i hate to travel and i don't go to cons anymore, but when kim and warren mentioned alexander mcqueen i was on board whether or not i went broke to go see it. this is a once-in-a-lifetime thing; mcqueen has been a very powerful inspiration to me throughout my life, and when he died last year, i felt a significant loss. i must see this exhibit. if i miss it, i will regret it for the rest of my life.
while we're there, we hope to hook up with
azelyn and take a few pictures. she can make fun of how much i complain when i have to walk places.
xo
hd
P.S. Painting exercise -- it's kind of a hip thing, I hear, to take coloring book pages and practice your coloring by turning them into paintings. :D I asked Aze to pick something for me to color and she told me to go for Mulan. This is only about 20 minutes of experimenting, and I rather love it. But I must go to sleep. I'll finish tomorrow :D
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9469674/Temp/mulan.jpg
edit: i lied. dani posted ONE SINGLE PICTURE from the party, and naturally it was not flattering. X3 see below.
we went to the red lion pub only to remember it was NBA finals and the place was so packed we couldn't even find a parking spot, and we got there EARLY... so we fired off a facebook message warning everyone we were shifting to the richmond arms tavern. thankfully, it was MUCH less packed, and warren, kim, cory, tim, and i all hung out drinking beers and enjoying the evening for several hours.
once dark fell, shelly, skippy, ash, chris, tyrone, and a handful of others piled in and we had all decided by then that we were kind of hungry. warren is a bit of a food snob and refused to eat at the richmond arms (crappy attempts at english pub food were not their forté) so we agreed once the whole of the party had shown up that we'd shift to doneraki's (a 24/7 mexican restaurant down the block) and continue our drinking there and get our food on.
we showed up and had secured a block of tables and commenced to stuff our faces. shelly fronted me a top-shelf tequila shot (i was instructed on the specifics of shoot-suck the lime-lick the salt, and of course everyone made a huge show of instructing me and watching me drink it) and it was great. :D (lol @ picture. my arms will always look ridiculously fat in every picture. god i need to lose weight. but the shot was really smooth, it's just that that was right after i sucked the lime so i had sourface!) everyone had a great time, and i felt really grateful for everyone who found my silly little birthday worth showing up for.
tonight, cory told me we had one more planned event to attend, and i was told to dress "semi-formal", so i got in the car and he drove us downtown where we had reservations to vic & anthony's. i had lobster for the first time, and i realize i really don't like it much, but we planned for that eventuality :D a $30 lobster tail isn't anything to go to waste, so cory ordered a veal entrée he knew i'd like and we traded off halfway through. we had a beautiful bottle of riesling, people-watched all the snobs at the restaurant, and had a blast. all and all the whole dinner was amazing, and it meant a lot to me that he went to all that trouble.
anyway, i'm gonna get back to work; i just had to take a little half-week off for mah birthday since this is the first time i've ever not just hidden under a rock and tried to make people go away for the whole of it. :D
warren, kim, cory, and i are planning to hit NY for the alexander mcqueen exhibit at the MET before it ends on august 7. i hate traveling and you guys know i'm not rich, but i am willing to scrimp and save to see this thing before it's over in spite of my fear of leaving the house. you guys know i hate to travel and i don't go to cons anymore, but when kim and warren mentioned alexander mcqueen i was on board whether or not i went broke to go see it. this is a once-in-a-lifetime thing; mcqueen has been a very powerful inspiration to me throughout my life, and when he died last year, i felt a significant loss. i must see this exhibit. if i miss it, i will regret it for the rest of my life.
while we're there, we hope to hook up with
azelyn and take a few pictures. she can make fun of how much i complain when i have to walk places.xo
hd
P.S. Painting exercise -- it's kind of a hip thing, I hear, to take coloring book pages and practice your coloring by turning them into paintings. :D I asked Aze to pick something for me to color and she told me to go for Mulan. This is only about 20 minutes of experimenting, and I rather love it. But I must go to sleep. I'll finish tomorrow :D
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9469674/Temp/mulan.jpg
Officially my birthday (and wow, I'm on Netflix?)
Posted 14 years agoWhat a weird birthday surprise -- a show I was in is on Netflix instant queue -- Orphen II: Revenge.
http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/O.....?trkid=4364083
This is the one show where I finally got to play a bad guy! (Rahxephon doesn't count. I still insist Ixtli wasn't evil. She was a god, damnit!
But look for the creepy little girl with the green hair who laughs. A lot. It's kind of a minor role; she pops in now and then to instill foreboding and creepitude. Her name is Erukarena. Fun fact -- my ex actually played the bizarre drag queen villain that supercedes me. The outtakes were priceless. I didn't have any :( )
Yeah, I was never going to get to play a sultry, smoky-voiced villain, but it was great when I finally scored a creepy character. The director even told me once, after a particularly long take where I had to laugh for almost a minute, that I had sufficiently creeped him out and we needed to take a five minute break. :D Never underestimate the creepitude of tiny girls in fluffy dresses.
(Episode 20, around 7:20: she straight up MURDERS her adorable little spy. While laughing. Like it's the cutest thing in the world. Episode 22, around 12:40... it gets so much creepier. Well, pretty much from then on she's all creepy as shit and indiscriminately murdering folks left and right.)
That said, I need to go to sleep. It's birthday day and I have to go out tonight. :D I'll try to get pictures!
We're going to the Red Lion pub. It seems like 13 people have RSVP'd... >.< I don't know if we're gonna be able to fit that many. Just gotta get there early and I guess I'll have to trade off booths a few times :P
-HD
http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/O.....?trkid=4364083
This is the one show where I finally got to play a bad guy! (Rahxephon doesn't count. I still insist Ixtli wasn't evil. She was a god, damnit!
But look for the creepy little girl with the green hair who laughs. A lot. It's kind of a minor role; she pops in now and then to instill foreboding and creepitude. Her name is Erukarena. Fun fact -- my ex actually played the bizarre drag queen villain that supercedes me. The outtakes were priceless. I didn't have any :( )
Yeah, I was never going to get to play a sultry, smoky-voiced villain, but it was great when I finally scored a creepy character. The director even told me once, after a particularly long take where I had to laugh for almost a minute, that I had sufficiently creeped him out and we needed to take a five minute break. :D Never underestimate the creepitude of tiny girls in fluffy dresses.
(Episode 20, around 7:20: she straight up MURDERS her adorable little spy. While laughing. Like it's the cutest thing in the world. Episode 22, around 12:40... it gets so much creepier. Well, pretty much from then on she's all creepy as shit and indiscriminately murdering folks left and right.)
That said, I need to go to sleep. It's birthday day and I have to go out tonight. :D I'll try to get pictures!
We're going to the Red Lion pub. It seems like 13 people have RSVP'd... >.< I don't know if we're gonna be able to fit that many. Just gotta get there early and I guess I'll have to trade off booths a few times :P
-HD
Tomorrow is my birthday. :3 (June 9th)
Posted 14 years agoWe are headed to the Red Lion pub for curry night tomorrow! A few friends have been invited to join us, and among them is a close old friend I only just recently was able to get back in touch with, so it's going to be great to sit and have lamb curry and drinks with them. A few people in the fringe of our group invited themselves to the Facebook event (it was set as public -- I can't believe anyone would do this @_@) but those folks will have to sit at the end of the table. :P I can't imagine doing that, lol. But I guess for some it's not a faux pas?
There may be pictures. Hopefully I won't look ghastly.
-HD
There may be pictures. Hopefully I won't look ghastly.
-HD
this might possibly be...
Posted 14 years ago...the cutest fucking thing i've ever seen in my entire, entire life.
susceptible to earworms.
Posted 14 years agoA friend on Facebook bitched that she had "Creep" by TLC stuck in her head.
Now, so do I.
And now, so do you, probably. Sorry about that.
-HD
Now, so do I.
And now, so do you, probably. Sorry about that.
-HD
*barf*
Posted 14 years agowarning: THE FOLLOWING IS A STATEMENT OF OPINION. if this post offends you, for goodness' sakes, remember that it's just my opinion and you are free to huff and turn around and stomp far far away from here and give me the finger on the way out. you're totes entitled to flip me the bird over it. just don't expect my feelings to change. :) them's the kicks.
ahem. that said:
people who sex RP in shout boxes make me want to chuck a brick through a window.
UGH.
GROSS.
STOP IT.
NO ONE WANTS TO SEE THAT. (read: I don't want to see that.)
we get it. you want people to see that you're e-getting some.
nobody cares as much as you care. please don't force us to stumble into it. it's not very classy of you :(
ahem. that said:
people who sex RP in shout boxes make me want to chuck a brick through a window.
UGH.
GROSS.
STOP IT.
NO ONE WANTS TO SEE THAT. (read: I don't want to see that.)
we get it. you want people to see that you're e-getting some.
nobody cares as much as you care. please don't force us to stumble into it. it's not very classy of you :(
Birthday coming up.
Posted 14 years agoI realized I always forget to tell people, and I got griped for it last year ("how am I supposed to know if you never tell anyone!"). :D My birthday is coming up on the 9th.
Wishes are welcome. I'll post a birthday journal the day before, and you guys can just say hi there if you want. <3 Then I can keep it forever!
I don't have any plans. I think Cory and my ex-boyfriend have some plan for us to go out but they're keeping it pretty secretive. Just knowing they're trying so hard has already been enough of a gift for me. :D
It's too bad I don't really like cake much. I guess that's why I don't play up the whole birthday thing very well. I'd rather just go to a bar and sing karaoke and have birthday shots. LOL. Ah, growing up.
-HD
Wishes are welcome. I'll post a birthday journal the day before, and you guys can just say hi there if you want. <3 Then I can keep it forever!
I don't have any plans. I think Cory and my ex-boyfriend have some plan for us to go out but they're keeping it pretty secretive. Just knowing they're trying so hard has already been enough of a gift for me. :D
It's too bad I don't really like cake much. I guess that's why I don't play up the whole birthday thing very well. I'd rather just go to a bar and sing karaoke and have birthday shots. LOL. Ah, growing up.
-HD
summer lethargy averted! art block over. :D
Posted 14 years agookay, so let me update from where we were earlier. you guys know i'm in houston, in summer, on the 2nd floor of a four-bedroom house where everyone loves to leave doors open and therefore, heat rises up, so everyone downstairs is all YAY but i'm like NUUUU. but:
-we installed the little ceiling fan that had been sitting around waiting to be installed for the past five or so months. it's a tiny 42" one with four thin blades, so i was like "YEAH RIGHT" but holy crap, it's amazing. i was able to turn off my tower fan and i'm still good and comfortable. suck it, houston!
-installed two shelves, greatly reducing the amount of clutter. i'm addicted. must go get more!
-new art style practice, based on the art of games from GUST, seems to be a success, even with a furry character. partran's portrait is very close to done now!
-on that note, i took the laptop desk from under my laptop (was just using it for added height) and used it under my tablet and stayed good and comfortable. it's not a cooling one, but it doesn't really even have to be. so i'm never working without it again!
so it looks like i won't suffer from "oh god i'm sweating fuck this i'm gonna go lay on the couch and watch tv" and i won't experience a serious desire not to be in my office, so this is good. :D it's good and icy in here now, amazingly. my sugar gliders even have their own mini-comfort fan for hot days (not pointed directly at their cage!), but i don't think they'll even need it, now.
-hd
-we installed the little ceiling fan that had been sitting around waiting to be installed for the past five or so months. it's a tiny 42" one with four thin blades, so i was like "YEAH RIGHT" but holy crap, it's amazing. i was able to turn off my tower fan and i'm still good and comfortable. suck it, houston!
-installed two shelves, greatly reducing the amount of clutter. i'm addicted. must go get more!
-new art style practice, based on the art of games from GUST, seems to be a success, even with a furry character. partran's portrait is very close to done now!
-on that note, i took the laptop desk from under my laptop (was just using it for added height) and used it under my tablet and stayed good and comfortable. it's not a cooling one, but it doesn't really even have to be. so i'm never working without it again!
so it looks like i won't suffer from "oh god i'm sweating fuck this i'm gonna go lay on the couch and watch tv" and i won't experience a serious desire not to be in my office, so this is good. :D it's good and icy in here now, amazingly. my sugar gliders even have their own mini-comfort fan for hot days (not pointed directly at their cage!), but i don't think they'll even need it, now.
-hd
it's really hard to do art when...
Posted 14 years ago...your hands are sweating so much they drop the tablet pen and the tablet already makes your lap 140 degrees... >.< i can't stand this, guys, i'm sorry. >.< i have my fan directly on my lap and i still am in total hell. any suggestions? (i'm in houston... it's still TWO months til the hottest month of the year and i'm not sure how well i'm gonna do. >.<)
edit: I had a small overhead ceiling fan sitting in a box and it has been installed. I feel tons better already. :D Hopefully I can say the same tomorrow when it gets super hot again during the day (the sun has officially gone down, so it's gotten a bit cooler outside). I'm going to invest in a more sturdy laptop cooler for my tablet someday soon if I get the money, so thanks to everyone who recommended it!
edit: I had a small overhead ceiling fan sitting in a box and it has been installed. I feel tons better already. :D Hopefully I can say the same tomorrow when it gets super hot again during the day (the sun has officially gone down, so it's gotten a bit cooler outside). I'm going to invest in a more sturdy laptop cooler for my tablet someday soon if I get the money, so thanks to everyone who recommended it!
; ; the new gaga album is...
Posted 14 years ago...boring...
>.< you guys know i'm the biggest gaga fan ever. i am so bored by this album. so sad! why does it have to be such a fucking snoozefest! what a bummer. it's not that it isn't great background music, but that's not what i buy a gaga album for. :/ waaaaah.
i haven't been too active lately. still working on coloring azelyn's birthday pic. last night i had a CRAZY-ass dream about being a new transfer student in a supernatural boarding school, sexy uniforms and all (in the dream, I understood it to be a "vampire boarding school", though no vampire-y activity was ever witnessed). every so often, a siren would erupt, ear-piercingly loud, and the lights would go out. all the kids would hit the floor and start scurrying on hands-and-knees into the nearest classroom, trying to hide. men in black, full business suits and sunglasses would breach the perimeter with flashlights, hunting down very specific students. i didn't know what was going on, but i knew enough from the reactions of my classmates that whatever they wanted was bad. all we knew was, if they were looking for YOU, and they got their hands on you, you'd be dragged out and no one would ever see you again.
i brought up the dream with cory over dinner, explained that much, and wondered about it, as if i might be able to make a novel out of it and he gave me a really interesting twist: what if the school was actually some form of purgatory that the kids didn't realize WAS purgatory, and the men in black were bounty hunters paid by families to usher specific people through limbo into their afterlives?
:D it'd be a huge twist in the novel, of course, but... it gave my dream the worthwhile boost it needed, i think. so it's on my list of potential novels for november.
hd out.
>.< you guys know i'm the biggest gaga fan ever. i am so bored by this album. so sad! why does it have to be such a fucking snoozefest! what a bummer. it's not that it isn't great background music, but that's not what i buy a gaga album for. :/ waaaaah.
i haven't been too active lately. still working on coloring
azelyn's birthday pic. last night i had a CRAZY-ass dream about being a new transfer student in a supernatural boarding school, sexy uniforms and all (in the dream, I understood it to be a "vampire boarding school", though no vampire-y activity was ever witnessed). every so often, a siren would erupt, ear-piercingly loud, and the lights would go out. all the kids would hit the floor and start scurrying on hands-and-knees into the nearest classroom, trying to hide. men in black, full business suits and sunglasses would breach the perimeter with flashlights, hunting down very specific students. i didn't know what was going on, but i knew enough from the reactions of my classmates that whatever they wanted was bad. all we knew was, if they were looking for YOU, and they got their hands on you, you'd be dragged out and no one would ever see you again.i brought up the dream with cory over dinner, explained that much, and wondered about it, as if i might be able to make a novel out of it and he gave me a really interesting twist: what if the school was actually some form of purgatory that the kids didn't realize WAS purgatory, and the men in black were bounty hunters paid by families to usher specific people through limbo into their afterlives?
:D it'd be a huge twist in the novel, of course, but... it gave my dream the worthwhile boost it needed, i think. so it's on my list of potential novels for november.
hd out.
rofl gaga. <3
Posted 14 years agohttp://gawker.com/5804909/the-best-.....avid-letterman
this is one of the best talk show interviews i've ever seen.
I haven't been too productive this week, but I'm doing well otherwise. I'm just still getting crappy sleep! Like, last night, I got to bed on time and I slept for around 9 hours, but my eyes feel kind of ...sticky? You know, like my eyes are just tired and not really open. I don't feel fantastic. I'm trying to drink water (need to go get some after I'm done typing this, actually) and taking my vitamins but it could be any number of bad habits keeping me feeling like this. :P We are going to hit Ikea in the next week or two and pick up a new mattress -- the one I've been sleeping on for the past few years is definitely uncomfortable. We found a memory foam one there for like $300, which is a pretty damn good deal. I want to lay on it first, though, before I settle for it.
I'm honestly trying to eat better, but I need to get another magic bullet (it's like a mini-blender that does single servings of stuff), since mine apparently got lost in the shuffle of the move and all the cups and tops are scattered and/or missing. Once I get one hopefully I can go back to getting a lot more fruits and veggies in my diet each day, and I really hope that helps me move toward feeling better.
this is one of the best talk show interviews i've ever seen.
I haven't been too productive this week, but I'm doing well otherwise. I'm just still getting crappy sleep! Like, last night, I got to bed on time and I slept for around 9 hours, but my eyes feel kind of ...sticky? You know, like my eyes are just tired and not really open. I don't feel fantastic. I'm trying to drink water (need to go get some after I'm done typing this, actually) and taking my vitamins but it could be any number of bad habits keeping me feeling like this. :P We are going to hit Ikea in the next week or two and pick up a new mattress -- the one I've been sleeping on for the past few years is definitely uncomfortable. We found a memory foam one there for like $300, which is a pretty damn good deal. I want to lay on it first, though, before I settle for it.
I'm honestly trying to eat better, but I need to get another magic bullet (it's like a mini-blender that does single servings of stuff), since mine apparently got lost in the shuffle of the move and all the cups and tops are scattered and/or missing. Once I get one hopefully I can go back to getting a lot more fruits and veggies in my diet each day, and I really hope that helps me move toward feeling better.
I really loved this skit. <3
Posted 14 years agohttp://www.hulu.com/watch/243592/sa.....hats-that-name
In case you missed it, and are in the US and can watch. :D
Also, can't forget this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KY4L.....eature=related
In case you missed it, and are in the US and can watch. :D
Also, can't forget this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KY4L.....eature=related
See you guys Sunday. :D
Posted 14 years agoLet's face it, I'm not getting beamed up today! Hurrhurr. I look forward to the next five months living out scenes from "The Road" with you guys.
I just heard Harold Camping is in jail and some old lady killed herself. THIS IS WHY RELIGION SCARES ME.
Actually there are like FOUR events planned today, and I have to pick, last minute, which ones I'm going to --
--the 10th birthday of the kid I nannied for almost 2 years when she was a toddler.
--a pool party at my ex's mom's apartment
--my husband's little cousin's dance recital
--a post-rapture party tonight at the Fox & Hound bar that, like, every atheist and freethinker in Houston is going to -- I'll be surprised if we can even get into the PARKING lot, but I'm so tempted to go...
I wish I felt better. I went to bed last night at 10 or so, because I hadn't gotten very good sleep. I woke up an hour later because of an unusual pain I was having. The pain had actually woken me up. I tossed and turned but it was too intense. Mostly it just frightened me, but it always turns out to be gas -_-; I took some medicine for that and some ibuprofen, and Cory made me a heat pad out of uncooked rice and a towel, which helped immensely. I laid there with the heat pack (we reheated it 3 times) and after a while it all helped enough that I was able to climb back into bed and go back to sleep, but I woke up again 6 hours later and couldn't get any more sleep. So yet again, I'm awake ass-early in the morning and will be tired all day. :( This has got to end! LOL.
Anyway. I'll see you guys after tonight's surely monumental, prophetic event. Don't forget to play Rapture Excuse Bingo tomorrow.
http://media.photobucket.com/image/.....cuse_Bingo.jpg
I just heard Harold Camping is in jail and some old lady killed herself. THIS IS WHY RELIGION SCARES ME.
Actually there are like FOUR events planned today, and I have to pick, last minute, which ones I'm going to --
--the 10th birthday of the kid I nannied for almost 2 years when she was a toddler.
--a pool party at my ex's mom's apartment
--my husband's little cousin's dance recital
--a post-rapture party tonight at the Fox & Hound bar that, like, every atheist and freethinker in Houston is going to -- I'll be surprised if we can even get into the PARKING lot, but I'm so tempted to go...
I wish I felt better. I went to bed last night at 10 or so, because I hadn't gotten very good sleep. I woke up an hour later because of an unusual pain I was having. The pain had actually woken me up. I tossed and turned but it was too intense. Mostly it just frightened me, but it always turns out to be gas -_-; I took some medicine for that and some ibuprofen, and Cory made me a heat pad out of uncooked rice and a towel, which helped immensely. I laid there with the heat pack (we reheated it 3 times) and after a while it all helped enough that I was able to climb back into bed and go back to sleep, but I woke up again 6 hours later and couldn't get any more sleep. So yet again, I'm awake ass-early in the morning and will be tired all day. :( This has got to end! LOL.
Anyway. I'll see you guys after tonight's surely monumental, prophetic event. Don't forget to play Rapture Excuse Bingo tomorrow.
http://media.photobucket.com/image/.....cuse_Bingo.jpg
Considering someday mommyhood, and um... the nutjobs.
Posted 14 years agoIs it any wonder I'm almost 30 and still refuse to take the plunge?
Yes, I want a child someday. No, it's not 100% necessary that it be my own, but adoption these days seems like such a crap shoot. It's still on the table for me, because it is not necessary for me to make a little clone, necessarily. The major thing for me, is, I don't want to have a child til I'm damn good and ready and prepared (that time is still not now), and if I wait too many more years, adoption will be the safest and smartest option. the reality is, though, that through-the-rings adoption is like 100-300k, because the system in America is a load of horse crap. So right now, for a middle-class girl like me, it's having my own kid or going Juno-style.
That said... I am still very happy being a big kid, drawing my art, playing video games, all that stuff. And that won't have to stop when I finally have a child, but in the last year, the studying I've done on the subject of becoming a parent has really frightened me.
First point: natural childbirth. I've watched documentaries that showed me the light and swayed me over to that side only to have me realize that there was another side that left me right back on the fence.
I always end up on the fence, about everything. Because I try to find both sides, and I become totally indecisive! As far as natural childbirth goes, I've gone right back to my view of "I'd rather be absolutely sure I won't die or the baby won't die if something goes wrong". And yes, I am terrified of pain. So an elective c-section (when it's actually almost time, not "scheduled" as is the fashion these days) actually does sound like the right option for me, when the day comes. Even after seeing documentaries telling me that a c-section denies me the opportunity to bond with and latch on to my child (come the fuck on) and that it's unnatural, I am not convinced. I'd rather spare my kid the horrible rounds of drugs that come from trying to wait on a natural birth, personally. If it's a choice between being at home and potentially losing the kid to a complication (not a small chance) vs. just going to the hospital and saying "let's get this shit done", I'm choosing the latter.
And yeah, that will be my choice. But here's the kicker: women these days who are vocal about issues such as natural childbirth, breastfeeding, and a lot of other "crunchy" topics are so goddamn arrogant and smug that it REALLY hurts their cause.
I mean, I'm a free agent here! I'm a potential future parent who would love to do what's best for herself and whatever family she's going to have, and yet all I see are a bunch of uppity, self-righteous snotballs who are so smug it makes me want to join whatever club they're NOT in just so I can get some relief.
It upsets me. Things like breastfeeding, homeschooling as an option, and eating healthy should be something people want to encourage if they believe in it, not hold over everyone else's heads like a big goddamn trophy.
I'm sorry, I've just been seeing a lot of stuff on Facebook lately that makes me think:
a) some people I used to know have totally lost their personalities in the quest to be the perfect parent, and now everything that comes out of their mouth is about this or that issue and how much better they are than any other parent who doesn't do what they do (so it's kind of like they've died, to me)...
b) they go on and on about choice and empowerment, yet the minute anyone tries to make a different choice, they practically get yelled out of the room.
I think, in the end, I'm just going to have to go with my gut and do what seems best, because the idea of associating with any of these people makes me worry I WON'T make good choices, because just the thought of being around any of them for even a moment makes me want to rip my hair out. In short, I think they have some good points, but goddamn if I am not sick of feeling like I'm being lectured any time I honestly want some information.
I'm aware of the similarity between this debate and the ones I've gotten into with people about religion. I see smug people on both sides regarding religion, and yes, I've been one of them. Perhaps there are people who are just as smug on the "hospital birth - public school - formula" camp, but I haven't really seen any, yet. I hate being indecisive, I really do. Having empathy and wanting to make the right choice sometimes just leaves me at square one no matter what I try to do.
But I think parenthood just turns some people into pod people.
Hopefully this post doesn't make me look too old. I may still look like I'm in my early 20s, and I may act like it, but sometimes my brain wants me to be a grown-up, and I try to oblidge, at least for a little while. It can be fun, because it's new to me, but god, do I fear turning into one of the people I used to know who were fun, happy teenagers and turned into mindless, soulless parents.
Commissions are still open indefinitely, BTW. :) Give me your thoughts, though.
P.S. This makes me wonder, FA:
Should I go on in a few years to have an ankle-biter of my own, and talk about a tiny Holydust, would you consider me un-cool and stop watching me? :D It's okay to be honest. Spout your feelings. I wanna hear them.
Yes, I want a child someday. No, it's not 100% necessary that it be my own, but adoption these days seems like such a crap shoot. It's still on the table for me, because it is not necessary for me to make a little clone, necessarily. The major thing for me, is, I don't want to have a child til I'm damn good and ready and prepared (that time is still not now), and if I wait too many more years, adoption will be the safest and smartest option. the reality is, though, that through-the-rings adoption is like 100-300k, because the system in America is a load of horse crap. So right now, for a middle-class girl like me, it's having my own kid or going Juno-style.
That said... I am still very happy being a big kid, drawing my art, playing video games, all that stuff. And that won't have to stop when I finally have a child, but in the last year, the studying I've done on the subject of becoming a parent has really frightened me.
First point: natural childbirth. I've watched documentaries that showed me the light and swayed me over to that side only to have me realize that there was another side that left me right back on the fence.
I always end up on the fence, about everything. Because I try to find both sides, and I become totally indecisive! As far as natural childbirth goes, I've gone right back to my view of "I'd rather be absolutely sure I won't die or the baby won't die if something goes wrong". And yes, I am terrified of pain. So an elective c-section (when it's actually almost time, not "scheduled" as is the fashion these days) actually does sound like the right option for me, when the day comes. Even after seeing documentaries telling me that a c-section denies me the opportunity to bond with and latch on to my child (come the fuck on) and that it's unnatural, I am not convinced. I'd rather spare my kid the horrible rounds of drugs that come from trying to wait on a natural birth, personally. If it's a choice between being at home and potentially losing the kid to a complication (not a small chance) vs. just going to the hospital and saying "let's get this shit done", I'm choosing the latter.
And yeah, that will be my choice. But here's the kicker: women these days who are vocal about issues such as natural childbirth, breastfeeding, and a lot of other "crunchy" topics are so goddamn arrogant and smug that it REALLY hurts their cause.
I mean, I'm a free agent here! I'm a potential future parent who would love to do what's best for herself and whatever family she's going to have, and yet all I see are a bunch of uppity, self-righteous snotballs who are so smug it makes me want to join whatever club they're NOT in just so I can get some relief.
It upsets me. Things like breastfeeding, homeschooling as an option, and eating healthy should be something people want to encourage if they believe in it, not hold over everyone else's heads like a big goddamn trophy.
I'm sorry, I've just been seeing a lot of stuff on Facebook lately that makes me think:
a) some people I used to know have totally lost their personalities in the quest to be the perfect parent, and now everything that comes out of their mouth is about this or that issue and how much better they are than any other parent who doesn't do what they do (so it's kind of like they've died, to me)...
b) they go on and on about choice and empowerment, yet the minute anyone tries to make a different choice, they practically get yelled out of the room.
I think, in the end, I'm just going to have to go with my gut and do what seems best, because the idea of associating with any of these people makes me worry I WON'T make good choices, because just the thought of being around any of them for even a moment makes me want to rip my hair out. In short, I think they have some good points, but goddamn if I am not sick of feeling like I'm being lectured any time I honestly want some information.
I'm aware of the similarity between this debate and the ones I've gotten into with people about religion. I see smug people on both sides regarding religion, and yes, I've been one of them. Perhaps there are people who are just as smug on the "hospital birth - public school - formula" camp, but I haven't really seen any, yet. I hate being indecisive, I really do. Having empathy and wanting to make the right choice sometimes just leaves me at square one no matter what I try to do.
But I think parenthood just turns some people into pod people.
Hopefully this post doesn't make me look too old. I may still look like I'm in my early 20s, and I may act like it, but sometimes my brain wants me to be a grown-up, and I try to oblidge, at least for a little while. It can be fun, because it's new to me, but god, do I fear turning into one of the people I used to know who were fun, happy teenagers and turned into mindless, soulless parents.
Commissions are still open indefinitely, BTW. :) Give me your thoughts, though.
P.S. This makes me wonder, FA:
Should I go on in a few years to have an ankle-biter of my own, and talk about a tiny Holydust, would you consider me un-cool and stop watching me? :D It's okay to be honest. Spout your feelings. I wanna hear them.
Commissions opening; also, more $60 portraits
Posted 14 years agoWe're fast approaching the completion of my art queue -- I'd say another day at the most before you'll see the last of them posted. I'm opening up regular commissions again, but still offering a special portrait deal (the same one from a few months ago, which has made up the majority of my latest submissions). $60, single character, no background. No feather-winged characters for $60, though, please. I love them, but they take an extra two hours... I can still do them, but you'll have to pay the regular base price.
Also!: I'll happily do flat-color portraits for $40 instead of my usual $50, for now.
Right now I'm still not feeling that confident about pieces that require a full background (need more practice but so not rich enough to take the time off to practice, ugh), so I may be a teeny bit choosy about those. But only a little bit.
Please do not note me or comment to request a commission; as usual, go to my website and use the commission form, or drop me an e-mail via the contact form that is there if you have any questions prior to submitting a quote request! :) I don't get notifications about notes, and they can be a little frustrating to manage.
If you know you have an idea of what you might want but can't pay right this second, you can reserve a space in line with a $5 (non-refundable) deposit. When you are ready to get started, I'll place you back in the queue in the spot you paid in advance for.
For now, slots are unlimited. Portait slots will ALWAYS be unlimited, but depending on demand, "regular" commissions (the kind that take two or more days of straight work) may be later limited to a certain number of slots. Keep an eye on my journal footer for any changes.
I'm actually on my way to bed, but I thought I'd go ahead and post this just to give whoever is interested a little bit of a head start. Don't worry about my not being here to respond immediately; I can make a note of timestamps on whatever e-mails I get. My PayPal info is on the blog under "Payment Info" if you want to go ahead and reserve a slot, but I recommend you contact me via the blog first just to be sure I'm going to be capable of doing something you like, first. :)
x.o.
HD
Also!: I'll happily do flat-color portraits for $40 instead of my usual $50, for now.
Right now I'm still not feeling that confident about pieces that require a full background (need more practice but so not rich enough to take the time off to practice, ugh), so I may be a teeny bit choosy about those. But only a little bit.
Please do not note me or comment to request a commission; as usual, go to my website and use the commission form, or drop me an e-mail via the contact form that is there if you have any questions prior to submitting a quote request! :) I don't get notifications about notes, and they can be a little frustrating to manage.
If you know you have an idea of what you might want but can't pay right this second, you can reserve a space in line with a $5 (non-refundable) deposit. When you are ready to get started, I'll place you back in the queue in the spot you paid in advance for.
For now, slots are unlimited. Portait slots will ALWAYS be unlimited, but depending on demand, "regular" commissions (the kind that take two or more days of straight work) may be later limited to a certain number of slots. Keep an eye on my journal footer for any changes.
I'm actually on my way to bed, but I thought I'd go ahead and post this just to give whoever is interested a little bit of a head start. Don't worry about my not being here to respond immediately; I can make a note of timestamps on whatever e-mails I get. My PayPal info is on the blog under "Payment Info" if you want to go ahead and reserve a slot, but I recommend you contact me via the blog first just to be sure I'm going to be capable of doing something you like, first. :)
x.o.
HD
glider toys and financial stability
Posted 14 years agoThings are doing better, so Cory and I went to the grocery store to pick up a few essentials. I checked the baby aisle -- a common practice now that I have sugar gliders. I wanted to see if they had any more segmented plates, since I only have two, but they didn't. Instead, I found a cheap pair of baby keys for $1.50.
I brought 'em home and plunked them in the cage before Topher and Echo woke up. Weirdly, Echo ventured out of the pouch before her brother did, and when she saw the new addition her tail went snake-y and she tensed up and started staring at the keys like "VAT IS DASS?!"
She approached them slowly, and within minutes was batting and biting at them like a happy little kid. I love these guys.
She then went back to sleep for an hour. I caught her hanging out halfway outside of the pouch and brought her a pine nut, which I fed her through the bars of the cage. When these guys wake up they go into what I like to call "tanuki mode", where they freeze like little statues and can remain for upwards of 15 minutes... I fed her the pine nut, knowing she was in tanuki mode, and she accepted it, but then sat there for a full five minutes with the nut between her teeth, still as lake water.
They're so funny. <3 I love them.
I brought 'em home and plunked them in the cage before Topher and Echo woke up. Weirdly, Echo ventured out of the pouch before her brother did, and when she saw the new addition her tail went snake-y and she tensed up and started staring at the keys like "VAT IS DASS?!"
She approached them slowly, and within minutes was batting and biting at them like a happy little kid. I love these guys.
She then went back to sleep for an hour. I caught her hanging out halfway outside of the pouch and brought her a pine nut, which I fed her through the bars of the cage. When these guys wake up they go into what I like to call "tanuki mode", where they freeze like little statues and can remain for upwards of 15 minutes... I fed her the pine nut, knowing she was in tanuki mode, and she accepted it, but then sat there for a full five minutes with the nut between her teeth, still as lake water.
They're so funny. <3 I love them.
My new system for time management :3
Posted 14 years agoOkay, so. Yeah, I quit that awful job, but day one back on art only has made me so grateful. :D I was worried about managing my time well, but I think I've found a simple system that works.
I downloaded "Pomodairo" (http://code.google.com/p/pomodairo/), a lightweight program designed to help you use the Pomodoro system for time management. I use it loosely -- I altered the time of a Pomodoro unit from 25 minutes to 30. Instead of the "task, task, break, task, task, larger break, etc." system, I use a system that goes:
* 30 minutes of work
* 30 minutes of break time
until I've reached at least 7.5 or 8 hours of work that day.
Sometimes (often, really) I'll reach the end of a work unit and feel like going on, so I'll just skip the break any time I feel like it, knowing I can just take the rest of the day off once I've hit 8 hours. So I could do all 8 in a row if I wanted, but with this system I can keep track of how long I've worked without a lot of complications.
My minimum is 7.5 hours a day, which is 15 Pomodoros. I just make a tally on a piece of paper when I've finished one, and if I hit 15, I'm done for the day. If I feel like doing more, it gets shuffled to tomorrow's tally, giving me a head start. So long as I do five days a week, 7.5 hours a day, I'm working full time. If, for some reason, there are no commissions or raffle sketches that can be worked on, I work on the comic. Barring that, I work on self-improvement -- following tutorials or doing personal art.
I do allow for 2 hours of the aforementioned "self-improvement" art a day, but they aren't mandatory.
I keep track on a dry-erase calendar, by the week. I circle the days I feel like working and if for some reason I get sick or can't, I pick one of the other two leftover days. At a glance I can see how I'm doing.
So far it's worked insanely well! I got everyone's sketches that remained on my portrait list today, and I would have gone farther, except I didn't get started until the day was half over and I had 2 hours of lee-way from the 2 hours I worked before I quit the crappy job. (LOL.)
I already have a 30 minute headstart on tomorrow and I may get another one in before I go to bed, unless my back keeps hurting. I gotta find a less painful way to sit over my tablet... My chair/desk combination doesn't really make for an effective tablet working situation. If I had a regular tablet instead of an on-screen-drawing one I don't think I'd be in pain like this, but I could never figure out how to finagle any kind of system to make it easier. Oh well. Til then, I'm good. :D
I like the system. I hear a lot of freelancers use the 30/30 setup, because 30 minutes flies by faster than an hour. Before all this, I would work 1 or 2 hours at a time, but I would find myself getting burnt out easily or getting distracted with the internet or what-have-you. So far, this system has prevented me from doing ANYTHING else while I'm working, which is great.
Let me know if you try it and if it works for you.
-HD
I downloaded "Pomodairo" (http://code.google.com/p/pomodairo/), a lightweight program designed to help you use the Pomodoro system for time management. I use it loosely -- I altered the time of a Pomodoro unit from 25 minutes to 30. Instead of the "task, task, break, task, task, larger break, etc." system, I use a system that goes:
* 30 minutes of work
* 30 minutes of break time
until I've reached at least 7.5 or 8 hours of work that day.
Sometimes (often, really) I'll reach the end of a work unit and feel like going on, so I'll just skip the break any time I feel like it, knowing I can just take the rest of the day off once I've hit 8 hours. So I could do all 8 in a row if I wanted, but with this system I can keep track of how long I've worked without a lot of complications.
My minimum is 7.5 hours a day, which is 15 Pomodoros. I just make a tally on a piece of paper when I've finished one, and if I hit 15, I'm done for the day. If I feel like doing more, it gets shuffled to tomorrow's tally, giving me a head start. So long as I do five days a week, 7.5 hours a day, I'm working full time. If, for some reason, there are no commissions or raffle sketches that can be worked on, I work on the comic. Barring that, I work on self-improvement -- following tutorials or doing personal art.
I do allow for 2 hours of the aforementioned "self-improvement" art a day, but they aren't mandatory.
I keep track on a dry-erase calendar, by the week. I circle the days I feel like working and if for some reason I get sick or can't, I pick one of the other two leftover days. At a glance I can see how I'm doing.
So far it's worked insanely well! I got everyone's sketches that remained on my portrait list today, and I would have gone farther, except I didn't get started until the day was half over and I had 2 hours of lee-way from the 2 hours I worked before I quit the crappy job. (LOL.)
I already have a 30 minute headstart on tomorrow and I may get another one in before I go to bed, unless my back keeps hurting. I gotta find a less painful way to sit over my tablet... My chair/desk combination doesn't really make for an effective tablet working situation. If I had a regular tablet instead of an on-screen-drawing one I don't think I'd be in pain like this, but I could never figure out how to finagle any kind of system to make it easier. Oh well. Til then, I'm good. :D
I like the system. I hear a lot of freelancers use the 30/30 setup, because 30 minutes flies by faster than an hour. Before all this, I would work 1 or 2 hours at a time, but I would find myself getting burnt out easily or getting distracted with the internet or what-have-you. So far, this system has prevented me from doing ANYTHING else while I'm working, which is great.
Let me know if you try it and if it works for you.
-HD
