It's amazing what a little sun and a nice cool breeze can do to brighten your outlook. Why be sad when there's so much goodness and happiness out there to grab?

Okay, I'm done sounding like a motivational poster, but geez, the weather today is just really making me happy. So grab some lemonade, sit outside, and enjoy it! You'll thank yourself for it!

*Paws at his office window in an attempt to get back outside himself.*

Okay, four weeks away from FA....

So much to catch up on...

Okay, now I'm back from Otakon. Art dump again!

...and money reserves regeneration, eesh.

I'm back from AC. Commence art dump!

Okay, so Kael and I are heading off. Seeya Friday! I'll be wearing at least one badge with Kjatar on it; a different each day.

Stolen from  patches_namaki

Something for me to do while I was bored and unfulfilled at work, and just in case someone wanted to know me better, I suppose?





ANGER
1. With whom did you last get angry?
It's very hard to recall, honestly. I don't get truly angry very often. Likely my ex, though.

2. What is your weapon of choice?

Christopher Walken!

More seriously, though, as much as I like the look of dual wielding, I'd have to say the weapon I'm best with is probably the greatsword. It makes full use of my reach advantage and ability to move it quickly.

3. Would you hit a member of the opposite sex?
Not immediately, but I would retaliate if struck.

4. How about of the same sex?
Not generally, but I cannot say I haven't done it before.

5. Who was the last person who got really angry at you?
Hah, there was this guy in soccer the other weekend. He got the ball in front of the goal and had a clear shot, but I slid from behind and deflected the ball enough that he missed. He got really pissed off.

6. What is your pet peeve?
People who want to inflict their beliefs on everyone else.

7. Do you keep grudges, or can you let them go easily?
I don't form them often, and I try to see people in a new light every so often, but most times when I've done so, they've come out looking the same way even in a different light. I let go what I can, but that's not always what people are looking for.


SLOTH
1. What is one thing you're supposed to do daily that you haven't done
in a long time?
Exercise. I'm doing my best, but it's tough to get it in every day. (Especially when I can't play DDR because my downstairs neighbors don't like the noise... bah. I have a nice new pad and everything, but I am prevented. Grr.)

2. What is the latest you've ever woken up?
Uhm. I just finished college. Therefore I had an odd sleep schedule. I've woken up at pretty much every time of the day, but the time I went to sleep varied from midnight to 5pm or so, depending on if I slept before or after classes, and so on.

3. Name a person you've been meaning to contact, but haven't?
Eh, keep meaning to talk to a couple people about commissions. Kacey, GothicSiamese, and there was at least one other.

4. What is the last lame excuse you made?
Eh, I can do it tomorrow.

5. Have you ever watched an infomercial all the way through (one of
the long ones)?
Ugh. That's when you click the remote and grab a nice good book.

6. When was the last time you got a good workout in?
Soccer last weekend. We were up against a team that was REALLY fast. Lots of breakaways, which are tough for me to deal with.

7. How many times did you hit the snooze button on your alarm clock today?
None. ...mainly 'cause I moved my alarm across the room. Zombie-walking wakes ye up.

GLUTTONY
1. What is your overpriced yuppie beverage of choice?
Frappuccinos. I don't have them often, but they sure can be tasty.


2. Meat eaters: white meat or dark meat?
White meat. Never been a fan of the dark, but it always used to work out, since we had one dark-meat eater in the family.

3. What is the greatest amount of alcohol you've had in one
sitting/outing/event?
Tough call. It's honestly very rare for me to drink all that much. Probably a combination of two rounds of liquor-pong with vodka, a pair of glasses of mead, and a Kahlua and milk that I had at a SFFG party last year.


4. Have you ever used a professional diet company?
Not directly, although I've used some of the material from Weight Watchers to get something of an idea about what I was doing.

5. Do you have an issue with your weight?
Aye. On a steady downward incline, though, so hopefully that won't last too long.

6. Do you prefer sweets, salty foods, or spicy foods?
Honestly... saltiness if what gets me. I like sweets decently enough, but if there's a choice between the two, I'll often go salty.


7. Have you ever looked at a small house pet or child and thought, LUNCH?
Er... no. (Although I'm not above making jokes about the fish they have at Chinese resteraunts.)

LUST
1. How many people have you seen naked (not counting movies/family)?
Lesse... I think it comes out to four.

2. How many people have seen YOU naked (not counting physicians/family)?
Well, that only comes out to three.

3. Have you ever caught yourself staring at the chest/crotch of a
member of your gender of choice during a normal conversation?
Nah. I find it makes it quite difficult to carry on a conversation. *Snicker*

4. Have you done it?
Aye.

5. What is your favorite body part on a person of your gender of choice?
Mm. It varies. Different things attract me to different people, I suppose.

6. Have you ever been propositioned by a prostitute?
Yeah, although I didn't realize it at the time. I was working in DC then, and young and confused.

7. Have you ever had to get tested for an STD or pregnancy?
Not had to. I go in for blood tests for my liver occasionally, though, and they tack the STD tests on as a preventative measure, so whatever works.


GREED
1. How many credit cards do you own?
Two. One with cash back for regular use, one I keep empty for emergencies. USED to be the one I did my WoW subscription and a couple other things through, until I realized how much I wasn't enjoying WoW.

2. What's your guilty pleasure store?
At this point? Video game stores. I have many, many hours of gameplay left on the ones I have now, but I always feel like going, just to browse.

3. If you had $1 million, what would you do with it?
Stick it in the bank and immediately start negotiations for the construction of a custom house. Granted, a million won't go that far in this area, but it'd be enough to buy land, get blueprints drawn up, and start on materials and construction. That... would make me quite happy. Ah, the things I would have in it...

4. Would you rather be rich, or famous?
Rich, certainly. I really don't want to be famous, to be honest. I value my privacy pretty highly. And besides, if you're rich and change your mind, you can hire a PR firm, hah...

6. Have you ever stolen anything?
When I was younger. I've long since changed.

7. How many MP3s are on your hard drive?
About... 20 gigs? However, I tend to go for open-license music. Things like OCRemix and some of Johnathon Coulton's music.
Oh, that includes podcasts too, now that I look into it. Those suckers take up a lot of space.

PRIDE
1. What one thing have you done that you're most proud of?
I think, at this point, graduating college has been my high point.

2. What one thing have you done that your parents are most proud of?
And I think that was theirs, too. Although, one of my Dad's big things is me playing on the same soccer team as him. He's in the goal, and I'm in the field, but it's certainly a unifying experience.

3. What thing would you like to accomplish in your life?
Good question. That's the existential crisis I'm running into at the moment. The fact is, I simply don't know.

4. Do you get annoyed by coming in second place?
Not at all. (Well, I get annoyed at myself if I come in second because I did something stupid. A good example: at my first Madicon, I entered the DDR tournament, and the last song of the tournament was one I had never played before that had a big pause. So I stepped off the pad and turned around, thinking it was over, and failed it. And in THAT case, I was annoyed at myself. But when I'm simply beaten by greater skill, I just relax and enjoy.)

5. Have you ever entered a contest of skill, knowing you were of much
higher skill than all the other competitors?
Well, I'll play video games with people who don't have the same skill, but I tone down my performance to their level and improve with them. Things are better when everyone's enjoying themselves.


6. Have you ever cheated on something to get a higher score?
A long time ago. But again, long since changed.


7. What did you do today that you're proud of?
It's a new day, as I'm writing this. Uh... I got to work on time? I guess that's an accomplishment.

ENVY
1. What item (or person) of your friends would you most want to have
for your own?
Uh... *Blink* ...hrm. I can honestly say I'm pretty happy with what I have... I guess Cav's PS3'd be nice, but I don't particularly care about having one, really. Maybe I should pass on this one.

2. Who would you want to go on Trading Spaces with?
Never actually seen the show.

3. If you could be anyone else in the world, who would you be?
Nobody. If I wasn't myself, I wouldn't be MYSELf.

4. Have you ever been cheated on?
Don't think so.

5. Have you ever wished you had a physical feature different from your own?
A couple times, a couple different ones. I'm not always proud of my physicality. But it's gotten me to where I am today, I suppose, so it can't be TOO bad.

6. What inborn trait do you see in others that you wish you had for yourself?
Inborn sociality. I do my best, but I'm still something of an introvert, and come across as gruff and wanting to be left alone, when I really want to be around people.

7. Finally, what is your favorite deadly sin?
Favorite? I guess pride? After all, a little bit of pride isn't a bad thing. The key point is control and balance. Yeah, yeah, broken record, etc. But as long as the aspects of your life are in balance, these sorts of things won't affect you much.



THE SEVEN HEAVE(n)LY VIRTUES

FAITH
1. What religion do you follow?
Good question, and a tough one to answer. For the most part I'm agnostic. I'd like to believe that there's something out there, but a) I'm not fully convinced, and b) I have no idea what it is. I like to hear about other peoples view on it, no matter how kooky or off-the-wall, because all the possibilities add to different bits of the equation in my head. To simplify things when I talk to people, though, I just say I'm Asatru, a follower of Odin the All-father and his pantheon. Symbolic of bringing order from chaos.


2. What religion were you raised as?
More or less atheistic. My mom tossed in little bits of Christianity when she could, but my parents made a deal that I was to be allowed to choose for myself, when I was old enough. Something I can't thank them enough for.

3. Do you believe that forgiveness is a religious property, or a human property?
Both, I suppose. It factors heavily in many religions, be it a deity doing the forgiving or an individual forgiving himself and those around him. However, even the least religious of people can see the necessity of forgiveness to the functioning of a society.

4. Do you have your own commandments?
Not officially, but I do have my own moral code that I do my best to adhere to. I suppose that would be considered commandments to myself.

5. What was the last promise you broke?
I promised I would get back to some people concerning my birthday celebration, but did so woefully late. Ended up being scheduled for a month after when it was.

6. Have you ever said the words to a prayer and not meant it?
Rarely. when I was younger and my mom was just teaching me so I knew what she was talking about, I did. In times since, though... I rarely pray, which is not surprising considering my lack of belief. But when I do, I try to make it count.

7. Do you believe that anyone could be perfect?
No. Consider this... being better in some situations will by necessity make you less adept at handling others. "Perfection", then, depends entirely on the situation you're currently in. Some people may be perfect for some situations, but there is no such thing as full perfection.


HOPE
1. Did you get everything you wanted over the last holiday season?
I had trouble thinking of what to ask for to begin with. But I got a number of things that have come in quite handy since then, and that was the point when I was moving in with my ex. So I was getting what I thought I wanted.


2. Regarding your future, what is the best thing you could hope for?
Happiness and satisfaction. I want to be with someone (or someoneS, if that's how it works out) who I can please and who pleases me, and I want to do something fun, flexible, and mentally challenging in the field I've chosen to work.
Currently I'm zero for two, heh. But that's why it's in the future.

3. Do you let yourself get your hopes up for something even if you
know that there is a large chance of failure?
I try not to. But in the words of Han Solo, "Never tell me the odds."

4. Freedom or fate?
Jury's still out. Personally I think the answer is freedom, but that depends on some of the lower level physics. There is the possibility that the universe is one giant state machine. I'm hoping against it, though.

5. Have you ever bought a lottery ticket?
Indeed I have. The little scratcher ones only, though. I don't expect to win anything, but they sure are fun to play sometimes.

6. Do you gamble?
When I hit Las Vegas. I mean, who goes to Vegas without gambling?

7. Have you ever had something called off on account of bad weather,
but then gone ahead and done it anyway?
Oh, definately. This goes back to soccer again. The only thing they REALLY cancel a game for is lightning. Driving rain, snow, sleet... just ditch the ref and play on.


CHARITY
1. What causes do you support?
Sadly, I'm not supporting any at the moment.

2. What causes have you given money or time to?
I used to work at theFairfax County Animal Shelter, helping to show off the cats and kittens they had for adoption there. It was a fun job, even if just for a few hours a week.

3. Have you ever worked in a soup kitchen or done another kind of
outreach for the homeless?
No.

4. Would you ever consider joining the Peace Corps, Amnesty
International, or another travel?
The possibility is always there. If nothing else, it's an easy way to travel, and I enjoy traveling.

5. Do you give money to the homeless on the street?
Rarely. I did a couple times when I was working in DC, though.

6. Have you ever helped out a friend with basic needs, like rent or food?
None of my friends have ever requested such help from me.

7. What's the greatest extent you've gone to help a friend in need?
Eh... I don't know. I think the furthest I've gone is going down to VA Beach to see someone who was feeling out.


FORTITUDE
1. What are you most afraid of?
Death. Not any particular method of getting there, but the nothingness that may very well follow it.

2. What did you do today that was really brave?
Hm. Quite frankly, nothing. There are less opportunities for bravery than you may think.

3. Who is your favorite superhero, and why?
I'd have to go with The Mighty Thor. No, not pansy Ultimates Thor. Thor has the fun Norse link, the lightning control, and the fighting skills. Plus, his method of flying (throwing his hammer and just hanging onto it) just amuses me.

4. Would you put your life in danger to rescue someone?
I would like to say yes. But it's dfficult to judge that without actually being in the situation.

5. If you were to face the Wizard, would you want more courage, more
brains, or more heart?
More heart. You can never have too much of that until it's actually bursting from your chest.

6. Have you ever gotten stage fright?
I've never been too good at giving speeches, but mostly that's for improvisation. When it comes to something I've practiced, I love being on stage.

7. Do you consider yourself to be a leader or a follower?:
Neither. I simply walk the way I will. If people choose to follow, that's their perogative.

JUSTICE
1. Have you ever been summoned for jury duty?
Nope.

2. If they reinstituted the draft (for both genders), would you go, or
would find some way out of it?
Tough call. I support the use of a draft for national defense (as in, defending our real borders, our shores). However, using one for more dubious wars that seem more wars of interest than defense... well, that would be a hard decision.
I suspect, due to several variables, that I wouldn't be on combat duty anyways, but it comes back to principle more than anything. War may be necessary in some circumstances, but it shouldn't be the first option we fall back to.

3. Do you support capital punishment (the death penalty)?
Another one that's tough to say. The problem with the death penalty is that even a jury of peers makes mistakes. Especially with how convoluted the legal system has become. Perhaps in some of the legitimately clear cut cases.

4. Which should be guaranteed legal?
Er... a lot of things should be gauranteed to be legal. But I suppose I'll go with free speech. VERY important.

5. Do you believe that George W. is rightfully President of the USA?
*Grumble* Much as I may dislike the guy, I might be willing to admit that he very well may have actually one. It seems to me, though, that there was attempted cheating on both sides, and he ma have just cheated better.


6. What was your favorite media circus trial?
I think they're all rather stupid. I don't really follow said trials.

7. Have you ever written a letter to a politician?
Often. They probably don't do anything to influence my "representatives", since my voice seems to count for little in the political process, but one does what one can.

TEMPERANCE
1. What do you have the hardest time moderating yourself on?
Food, especially as I like to cook. So I may make a large, fancy meal, and then feel I should eat more of it than I actually should, just because I put the time into making it.

2. Do you collect anything?
Books, mostly.

3. Are you addicted to anything?
Good stories. I suppose that's it.

4. Have you ever put anything on layaway or used an installment plan?
Nope.

5. What's your preferred method of paying for things?
I generally pay with credit. I'm more likely to think about a purchase and decide I don't really need it than I am with cash. Plus, I get (a small amount of) money back when I use my card.

6. Tell us one thing you wish you hadn't let yourself do?
I wish I had had a stronger moral code when I was younger. Then again, perhaps I wouldn't be who I am today if I hadn't had my exact past.

7. Do you feel that you obsess over things?
Sometimes things replay in my mind. I don't feel I obsess over them, though.

PRUDENCE
1. Who is the wisest person you know?
I think I would have to say my father. He may not know everything, but he's wise enough to admit such and say when he doesn't know.


2. Have you ever participated in a vigil?
No.

3. Do you take advice when it's given?
I take it into consideration.

4. What area are you wisest in?
Computers, I'm sure. It's what I went to school for.
Er, wait... that's Int. Wis is supposed to be common sense and connection to one's deity. Hrm. Probably the area I'm wisest in is gut instincts, then. I often overthink things, but when I go with my feelings things seem to turn out alright.

5. Do you drive defensively?
Ish. I don't weave through traffic, but I don't sit in the slow lane, either.

6. What did you learn today?
Hah.. that I'm more bull-headed and individualistic than I thought, I suppose.

7. And of course, what is your favorite heavenly virtue?
Temperance. My personal mantra has always been to the effect of "balance in all things". Temperance best reflects this, I suppose.

I am currently searching for a commission-taking artist that could do a serious, detailed inked picture of a nonadult fantasy scene. I'm having trouble finding one that has an appropriate style for what I'm looking for.

See, there are several particularly memorable scenes from when I used to roleplay with Kjatar that I would like memorialized in art.

This one in particular: the battle which resulted in his death, a battle between him and some companions and a pair of liches. Due to the undead in the picture, it would likely be a very dark-themed piece.

Anyone have any artist suggestions?

Way too long. This one is better.

Soon, I will be posting a Mii code, and hopefully some more art, which is STILL not by me. Still commissions.


I've seen it stated by several people that they don't like finding a gallery filled only with commissions. To them, I'd like to direct this statement: in my opinion, art is meant to be enjoyed. Most of these, if I didn't upload them here, they'd sit in my art binders and nobody would see them. If anyone gets any enjoyment from seeing these pictures, then their existence here is justified.

1. What is your character's name?
Kjatar Tavishen

2. What is your character's name in another language?
Er... hold on, let me ask babelfish.
It says that my name is so unique there's no translation for it! So I'll make one up. "Ultimate Disaster of Sorcerous Might".

3. How old is he/she?
Well, it depends. There're two versions of the character. The "official" version is 813. The avatar version is my own age, 22, and will continue to age with me.

4. What is your character's race/species?
Generic arctic feline.

5. Do they have a crush?
Official: no. Avatar: entirely in love with Namira, though his eyes do wander. Of course, hers do too, so it's okay. *Nod*

6. Do they have many friends?
Many allies, certainly. Going so far as to call them "friends", however... they could be leveraged as a weakness if so.

7. What planet is your character from?
...you know, I don't remember, though we did have a name for it. Hm.

8. Does your character like to eat?
He doesn't eat, actually... he absorbs nutrients from the air as his body requires.

9. What's his/her favorite food?
Uh... air nutrients, the cereal.

10. What's his/her favorite drink?
Whiskey, actually. He may not eat, but he DOES drink. As does his familiar. Heavily.

11. Is your character annoying?
I don't think so, nor have I ever been told so, aside from the "You're a real pain to try to conspire against" sort of annoying.

13. Is your character loved?
Loved? Certainly not. Respected, yes, though normally from a safe distance.

14. Is your character hated?
By some, certainly. Who isn't? But not by the masses.

15. Is she/he emo/goth?
Nope. Emotions are too supressed for anything similar to that.

16. Is she/he straight, bisexual, or gay?
The CHARACTER is more or less asexual. Much too old to have any interest. (Well, THIS version of him, anyways. The avatar is most certainly not.)

17. Is she/he a virgin?
Much as it might surprise his allies.... no, he's not.

18. Name 3 hobbies
Research, consolidation of power, training students.

19. Is your character normal?
Ah-hah....hah hah hah.... eh-heh... uh... no. Not really. Not at all. He's a relatively powerful mage, for one thing. For another, he's a third of another, much more powerful sorcerer, who was split into three by an accidental power burst. Makes for some weird personality problems, really.

20. Is your character attractive?
Well... one of his premier domains is illusion, so sure! He can look like whatever you like.
Personally, I think so, though.

21. How does your character handle emotions?
Mostly surpressed at this point. He has a singleminded devotion to balance. Good and evil, chaos and law, darkness and light... and so on.

22. Does your character have other forms?
Well, he has a squirrel familiar, if that counts. Also, he has multiple bodies that he controls from a central location. Golems, illused to look like him.

23. Does your character overreact?
Generally not, though he has been known to overkill in cases where her perceives balance being in danger.

24. Is your charcter a criminal?
While he's probably violated many laws, he's not a serial criminal.

25. Does your character go to school?
He runs one, actually.

26. What's his/her IQ?
Hard to say, I doubt he's even taken an intelligence test. Suffice to say, though, he's rather smart. Much more with the brains than the brawn.

27. Does your character have a desease/curse?
It could be interpreted that way. He has access to a limited amount of time magic. Each time he uses it, it eats up some of his lifespan. Hard to tell whether it's a blessing or a curse.

28. Is your character dead?
At this point... quite, yes. In a near-final session of our role-playing group, he bound his life force to a pair of liches that were tearing him and his allies apart (And, more importantly, sowing chaos to the point where it visibly affected the world), and simply ceased using the magic that was sustaining him. He turned into a pile of dust, but the liches were destroyed as well, and balance was preserved. Oh, and his friends were saved, but as an afterthought.

29. Does your character have a family?
He has the other two bits of his previous mage, which he considers brother and sister.

30. Has he/she encountered any tragic times in life?
Again, who hasn't? Although, with his emotional detachment, it hasn't really affected him much.

31. What's the best time in your character's life?
Hard to say, but probably when he was teaching at the University, and didn't have to go off and fight every few days.

32. If you could name 1 friend, which would you relate to your character?
I don't think any of my friends are like him. Luckily! I mean, I certainly wouldn't be his friend! He's fun to RP, but geez, certainly not me.

33. Is your character single?
Yes.

34. Has he/she devoloped any relationships?
Not especially.

35. Does he/she have an element?
Not really, unless time is considered an element.

36. Do you roleplay your character?
Yes indeed. Well, I did, up until he died. Now I RP the much nicer, happier, avatar version of him.

37. Do you write about your character?
In progress.

38. Does your character have a bad temper at times?
I think he might have lost his temper once in the five or six years he was alive and being played.

39. Does your character get depressed?
Nope.

40. What's your characters favorite animal?
The common squirrel, despite how much trouble that familiar's given him.

41. Does your character have any fears?
None that he would admit to. *Grin*

42. Does your character have any weaknesses?
His singlemindedness about balance can lead him to miss some options; his suppressed emotions can be both a strength and a weakness; in addition, while he is an adequate fighter, he isn't great on the attack. His advanced age can be an issue when he's using his real body. Finally, if he is cut off from the latent energy field, and he did not prepare by bringing precharged items, the magics holding his body together will slowly unweave until he dies.

43. Does your character look up to anyone?
Not really.

44. Does your character like music?
Unfortunately, no, he doesn't.

45. What's your character's favorite type of music?
Uh... none?

46. Is he/she impatient?
Quite patient and calm.

47. What's something funny about your character?
When his familiar drinks, he takes the effect of the alcohol instead of the squirrel.
The squirrel is VERY alcoholic.

48. Name 5 nicknames
Er... I don't think he has five.
Blue... K... Kj...

49. Does your character curse?
Rarely.

50. This test is over, what does your character have to say?
"Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork. Even in my spare time from running the University, it's more paperwork! This test wasn't worth my time."

...but don't listen to him, he's an old grouch. I enjoyed it!

First five people to comment on this entry get a free sketch from me. You have do this for five other people too. If you do this, you must post this in your journal and do 5 doodles for other people!

1. Claw of the Fallen! Woo!
2.
3.
4.
5.

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Meme disclaimer:
I'm not much of an artist. I freely admit that. So if you'd prefer a short piece of writing, I REALLY need the practice. Come one, come all, sign up!