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FC Meme!
Posted 10 years ago(meme viked from the most excellent BoilerRoo.)
Where are you staying?
I will actually be staying near the con but need to figure out exact details later. Please note me if you want phone number info!
What day are you getting there?
Thursday probably afternoon!
How are you traveling?
Driving!
Who will you rooming with?
Taxus and his friend Katt. They're awesome!
What is the best way to find you?
Text me! Again, please please note me or email me if you want to swap phone numbers. I was thinking of holing up in the Art Lounge for a while and drawing with anyone who shows; what's a good time?
Are there any panels you might be attend?
Not sure!
Will you be suiting?
I don't believe so. But it's a big world and you never know what might happen.
Do you do free art?
Sometimes! It's pretty variable, and I hope you're cool with that.
Do you do trades?
Sometimes!
Do you do badges?
Yes in theory! In actuality I might not have material good enough to make badges on the spot, and I don't have a laminator or whatever.
Will you be selling?
Not really; poke at me at the con if you want me to draw for you. I have, and will, draw for beer or sushi, and I like money a lot.
What do you look like?
A younger and happier version of Vladimir Putin, only with glasses and nowhere near as ripped.
What is your gender?
Assigned Male at Birth. Male pronouns work most of the time, thank you for asking!
How tall are you?
5'9"
Can I talk to you?
Please do!
Can I visit your room?
Possibly! I'll need to check with my room-mates however.
Can I buy you drinks?
Please, and thank you!
Can I hug or snuggle with you?
Potentially! Please ask first.
Will you be going to parties?
Yes! I like alcohol. A lot!
If I see you, how should I get your attention?
Please approach, my hearing can be pretty off sometimes.
Can I come with you for food/fun/etc?
Sure!
Can I look in your sketchbook?
Oh no, that's where I keep my po... uh. Gee. It's kinda hard to be all shy about that with you guys, y'know.
Can I draw in your sketchbook?
Sure!
Can I take your picture?
Yes.
What's your goal(s) for the con this year?
To see old friends, maybe make some new ones, and to be inspired by all the awesome art at the con.
Where are you staying?
I will actually be staying near the con but need to figure out exact details later. Please note me if you want phone number info!
What day are you getting there?
Thursday probably afternoon!
How are you traveling?
Driving!
Who will you rooming with?
Taxus and his friend Katt. They're awesome!
What is the best way to find you?
Text me! Again, please please note me or email me if you want to swap phone numbers. I was thinking of holing up in the Art Lounge for a while and drawing with anyone who shows; what's a good time?
Are there any panels you might be attend?
Not sure!
Will you be suiting?
I don't believe so. But it's a big world and you never know what might happen.
Do you do free art?
Sometimes! It's pretty variable, and I hope you're cool with that.
Do you do trades?
Sometimes!
Do you do badges?
Yes in theory! In actuality I might not have material good enough to make badges on the spot, and I don't have a laminator or whatever.
Will you be selling?
Not really; poke at me at the con if you want me to draw for you. I have, and will, draw for beer or sushi, and I like money a lot.
What do you look like?
A younger and happier version of Vladimir Putin, only with glasses and nowhere near as ripped.
What is your gender?
Assigned Male at Birth. Male pronouns work most of the time, thank you for asking!
How tall are you?
5'9"
Can I talk to you?
Please do!
Can I visit your room?
Possibly! I'll need to check with my room-mates however.
Can I buy you drinks?
Please, and thank you!
Can I hug or snuggle with you?
Potentially! Please ask first.
Will you be going to parties?
Yes! I like alcohol. A lot!
If I see you, how should I get your attention?
Please approach, my hearing can be pretty off sometimes.
Can I come with you for food/fun/etc?
Sure!
Can I look in your sketchbook?
Oh no, that's where I keep my po... uh. Gee. It's kinda hard to be all shy about that with you guys, y'know.
Can I draw in your sketchbook?
Sure!
Can I take your picture?
Yes.
What's your goal(s) for the con this year?
To see old friends, maybe make some new ones, and to be inspired by all the awesome art at the con.
Open for commissions again
Posted 10 years agoHi!
It turns out my new contract job will be delayed for a couple of weeks. I am trying to look on the bright side of this, that I won't be driving as much during El Nino. And it does mean I can hopefully do more of Further Confusion than I had planned. I was really stoked to start on this day job though.
I don't feel I can take on anything really time intensive like sequential stuff or character sheets. I do feel I can do up to 10 of the following combined;
* single character sketches at $20 each, inked for $30, grayscale or flat color for $40.
* I can work up printable badge art, but I don't really have the ability to snail-mail nor laminate things. For that reason I'd be willing to do cell-shaded badge art at $10 each.
* please inquire if you want a multiple character sketch, cell-shaded work, or full color. I might be able to take some of that on depending on how much other work I can find.
It turns out my new contract job will be delayed for a couple of weeks. I am trying to look on the bright side of this, that I won't be driving as much during El Nino. And it does mean I can hopefully do more of Further Confusion than I had planned. I was really stoked to start on this day job though.
I don't feel I can take on anything really time intensive like sequential stuff or character sheets. I do feel I can do up to 10 of the following combined;
* single character sketches at $20 each, inked for $30, grayscale or flat color for $40.
* I can work up printable badge art, but I don't really have the ability to snail-mail nor laminate things. For that reason I'd be willing to do cell-shaded badge art at $10 each.
* please inquire if you want a multiple character sketch, cell-shaded work, or full color. I might be able to take some of that on depending on how much other work I can find.
Episode VII spoilery discussion; something I didn't like.
Posted 10 years agoI've been thinking about Episode VII lately and Finn's achieved the status of "problematic favorite." The problems have been bugging me more lately.
Finn has what I think is a really compelling story, and then the movie goes the other way. Here's this guy, a disposable utility for the totalitarian regime, who finds that his first battle is a lot nastier than anything he was ever indoctrinated to expect, and he runs - his objective is to run as far as possible away from the First Order. The only reason he comes back, the only reason he claims an epic destiny as a hero, is that he made friends along the way and he wants to help them. By contrast to Kylo Ren, who can't wait to grab a cool mask and pseudonym, Finn's desperate to get rid of his mask and claim an actual name. Wow. That's heavy. That's awesome stuff.
I kinda feel like that really compelling story gets lost though, from the way Star Wars is about swashbuckling action (and this one's good at it!), through the way that's not necessarily easy to write, and through how the movie's a big story with lots happening and one character's ethical problems are bound to be a minor subplot at best. He seems all too willing to kill. I mean yeah, people run on autopilot while stressed and he is just desperate enough that I can kinda maybe see blasting out of a hanger just to get elsewhere. Heck, it's what he's been trained to do; on a very human level it makes sense that eh, he's just a soldier for this other side now. But it still sits badly somehow. Here's this guy who reacts so badly to murdering prisoners and to someone in his fireteam dying messily, it's really hard to buy that over the next few days the same character gleefully opens up on TIE pilots and stormtroopers (if anyone knows there are actual people behind the armor, it'd be Finn, right?). Wouldn't it have more impact if, after an entire movie of obvious reluctance, Finn picked up a lightsaber aggressively to protect his friend?
Star Wars isn't really strong on moral conflicts - it's at its best when things like psychological trauma and faceless evil are handwaved to get on to more pulp action. And to be fair, George Lucas trying to write deep personal development would be infinitely worse. So... problematic.
Finn has what I think is a really compelling story, and then the movie goes the other way. Here's this guy, a disposable utility for the totalitarian regime, who finds that his first battle is a lot nastier than anything he was ever indoctrinated to expect, and he runs - his objective is to run as far as possible away from the First Order. The only reason he comes back, the only reason he claims an epic destiny as a hero, is that he made friends along the way and he wants to help them. By contrast to Kylo Ren, who can't wait to grab a cool mask and pseudonym, Finn's desperate to get rid of his mask and claim an actual name. Wow. That's heavy. That's awesome stuff.
I kinda feel like that really compelling story gets lost though, from the way Star Wars is about swashbuckling action (and this one's good at it!), through the way that's not necessarily easy to write, and through how the movie's a big story with lots happening and one character's ethical problems are bound to be a minor subplot at best. He seems all too willing to kill. I mean yeah, people run on autopilot while stressed and he is just desperate enough that I can kinda maybe see blasting out of a hanger just to get elsewhere. Heck, it's what he's been trained to do; on a very human level it makes sense that eh, he's just a soldier for this other side now. But it still sits badly somehow. Here's this guy who reacts so badly to murdering prisoners and to someone in his fireteam dying messily, it's really hard to buy that over the next few days the same character gleefully opens up on TIE pilots and stormtroopers (if anyone knows there are actual people behind the armor, it'd be Finn, right?). Wouldn't it have more impact if, after an entire movie of obvious reluctance, Finn picked up a lightsaber aggressively to protect his friend?
Star Wars isn't really strong on moral conflicts - it's at its best when things like psychological trauma and faceless evil are handwaved to get on to more pulp action. And to be fair, George Lucas trying to write deep personal development would be infinitely worse. So... problematic.
Some not-particularly spoilerish comments
Posted 10 years ago1. I liked Episode VII.
2. I really liked the soundtrack and think Williams really brought his experience with the prequels, Harry Potter and Jurassic Park/JP II to the mix. Most of the tracks though seem to be very short by comparison with the original movies, which probably relates to the story's pacing.
3. I've heard people talked badly about Carrie Fisher but imho she aged WAY more gracefully than Harrison Ford, and Chewie still looks so young! I suspect Peter Mayhew looks crusty and strung out under the costume. I suspect he looked like that in the 80s. Peter Mayhew kicks ass.
4. It's 2015 and there still are no feathered dinosaurs in Star Wars.
5. I'm kinda sad that the Thrawn Trilogy isn't canon any more, but y'know, the Dark Empire and Yuzhun Vong and Suncrusher stuff isn't canon either any more, so yeah, I'm cool with this.
6. Going between the "Hologram/Binary Sunset" track from Ep IV and "Cuban Pete" suggests a really fun film.
"Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan. Now that's a name I've not heard in a long time."
"My uncle said he's dead."
"Oh, he's not dead. Not yet, anyway. HIT IT BOYS!
THEY CALL ME OBI-JUAN
I HANG LIGHTSABERS FROM MY THONG
WHEN I SHAKE THE MARACAS I GO CHICK CHICKY BOOM CHICK CHICKY BOOM."
7. Not actual dialogue;
"OOTA GOOTA SOLO?"
"He say you under arrest."
"Got the wrong guy, pal."
"So jivalae. Marakach vi'kach chita. Jabba waninchi koch bawich shaini wa-nabuska, heh heh heh."
"He say you Brade Runnah."
"Tell him I'm eating."
2. I really liked the soundtrack and think Williams really brought his experience with the prequels, Harry Potter and Jurassic Park/JP II to the mix. Most of the tracks though seem to be very short by comparison with the original movies, which probably relates to the story's pacing.
3. I've heard people talked badly about Carrie Fisher but imho she aged WAY more gracefully than Harrison Ford, and Chewie still looks so young! I suspect Peter Mayhew looks crusty and strung out under the costume. I suspect he looked like that in the 80s. Peter Mayhew kicks ass.
4. It's 2015 and there still are no feathered dinosaurs in Star Wars.
5. I'm kinda sad that the Thrawn Trilogy isn't canon any more, but y'know, the Dark Empire and Yuzhun Vong and Suncrusher stuff isn't canon either any more, so yeah, I'm cool with this.
6. Going between the "Hologram/Binary Sunset" track from Ep IV and "Cuban Pete" suggests a really fun film.
"Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan. Now that's a name I've not heard in a long time."
"My uncle said he's dead."
"Oh, he's not dead. Not yet, anyway. HIT IT BOYS!
THEY CALL ME OBI-JUAN
I HANG LIGHTSABERS FROM MY THONG
WHEN I SHAKE THE MARACAS I GO CHICK CHICKY BOOM CHICK CHICKY BOOM."
7. Not actual dialogue;
"OOTA GOOTA SOLO?"
"He say you under arrest."
"Got the wrong guy, pal."
"So jivalae. Marakach vi'kach chita. Jabba waninchi koch bawich shaini wa-nabuska, heh heh heh."
"He say you Brade Runnah."
"Tell him I'm eating."
"Do what you love..." (personal/philosophical)
Posted 10 years agoMore soliciting commissions/status update about commissions soon; I'm really not great with the business aspect of doing this, not yet anyway, so thank you for being patient with me! Meanwhile, here are some thoughts about the "do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life" quote.
If you're anything like me, this one really bothers you. Part of which is generational, I think. If you're an X'er or Millenial you might've gotten told to follow your bliss while being pressured to do something that rakes in the money; maybe you followed your bliss, chased your passion, and you're now working at a day job seemingly unrelated to your degree (especially painful if you're paying off student loans); you've definitely been told that your age group are comic relief or offensive in your lack of ambitions.
The thing is, "never work a day in your life" just simply isn't true. I read about Iain McCaig getting frustrated by drawings that just aren't working, or Charles Vess grinding away for hours trying to figure out how to draw a cat the way he wanted for a story, and I know the artists I admire are putting in a huge amount of work.
Further, I've noticed something, maybe you've noticed this in your own stuff; loving what I'm doing doesn't make it not-work, but it means I can keep working smarter and harder for longer.
Obviously I love drawing and the feeling that I'm learning when I make stuff (this varies by what I'm doing), and when I'm drawing or painting, I'm much much more emotionally involved - so it's a lot more work - and there's more emotional payoff as I'm working, which keeps me enthusiastic and involved a lot longer than I would be at a day job. I tend to work in organic chunks of around 2 hours on anything, but when doing artwork goes beyond that, I usually want to keep going, I usually want to power through any fatigue and make stuff. I'll still be trying to do a good job of painting after 3 or 4 hours, where if I were still doing a 3-4 block of payroll, I'd be wistfully gazing at the clock every 2 minutes and just wanting to get out of there for a bit.
If you're anything like me, this one really bothers you. Part of which is generational, I think. If you're an X'er or Millenial you might've gotten told to follow your bliss while being pressured to do something that rakes in the money; maybe you followed your bliss, chased your passion, and you're now working at a day job seemingly unrelated to your degree (especially painful if you're paying off student loans); you've definitely been told that your age group are comic relief or offensive in your lack of ambitions.
The thing is, "never work a day in your life" just simply isn't true. I read about Iain McCaig getting frustrated by drawings that just aren't working, or Charles Vess grinding away for hours trying to figure out how to draw a cat the way he wanted for a story, and I know the artists I admire are putting in a huge amount of work.
Further, I've noticed something, maybe you've noticed this in your own stuff; loving what I'm doing doesn't make it not-work, but it means I can keep working smarter and harder for longer.
Obviously I love drawing and the feeling that I'm learning when I make stuff (this varies by what I'm doing), and when I'm drawing or painting, I'm much much more emotionally involved - so it's a lot more work - and there's more emotional payoff as I'm working, which keeps me enthusiastic and involved a lot longer than I would be at a day job. I tend to work in organic chunks of around 2 hours on anything, but when doing artwork goes beyond that, I usually want to keep going, I usually want to power through any fatigue and make stuff. I'll still be trying to do a good job of painting after 3 or 4 hours, where if I were still doing a 3-4 block of payroll, I'd be wistfully gazing at the clock every 2 minutes and just wanting to get out of there for a bit.
Upcoming commissions - and a question about PayPal
Posted 10 years agoHi!
The first part of the month got eaten up with the day job ending (it was a temp gig, but I am happy I was able to last a year there), and trying to replace a laptop, then trying to get a scanner to work with the replacement. This means I wanted to offer commissions earlier, and didn't feel I could as I'd no way to get them uploaded in a timely manner.
Now I feel like I can offer commissions.
$20 for blue pencil (or red pencil, or green - I'm really grooving on the Col-Erase pencils), one character, can be any rating from G to XXX, any species. I am hoping to get 10-20 of these completed over the upcoming 2-3 weeks. Please email me details of character appearance and activity at JonServal at aol dot com (I'm not great at keeping up with notes here, and I can't as easily flag them). It'd really help to have some sort of title which grabs me as "hey, it's a commission!" -- but you knew that.
The question. I've heard that PayPal's gotten to be pretty draconian about payments which are gifts vs. invoices. I would rather simply get paid after completion of work, but would anyone have suggestions for how to simply do that without risking getting me or my customers in trouble?
Thanks!
The first part of the month got eaten up with the day job ending (it was a temp gig, but I am happy I was able to last a year there), and trying to replace a laptop, then trying to get a scanner to work with the replacement. This means I wanted to offer commissions earlier, and didn't feel I could as I'd no way to get them uploaded in a timely manner.
Now I feel like I can offer commissions.
$20 for blue pencil (or red pencil, or green - I'm really grooving on the Col-Erase pencils), one character, can be any rating from G to XXX, any species. I am hoping to get 10-20 of these completed over the upcoming 2-3 weeks. Please email me details of character appearance and activity at JonServal at aol dot com (I'm not great at keeping up with notes here, and I can't as easily flag them). It'd really help to have some sort of title which grabs me as "hey, it's a commission!" -- but you knew that.
The question. I've heard that PayPal's gotten to be pretty draconian about payments which are gifts vs. invoices. I would rather simply get paid after completion of work, but would anyone have suggestions for how to simply do that without risking getting me or my customers in trouble?
Thanks!
and now blather about Hobbit 3; the Battle of Five Armies
Posted 10 years agoThere'll be legit content here soon.
Okay, so I know Hobbit 3 is old hat, having come out last Christmas, but I skipped it because it really didn't sound appealing. This means that only today have I clicked on enough YouTube links to watch, oh, some 20+ minutes or so of the thing all told. The movie's namesake battle at the end.
Elves are an ancient race, few in numbers, expert archers with swift reflexes and an affinity for animals, which is why their general is the only mounted guy, and the rest of them are all mass in formations of hundreds of tightly-packed plate armored infantry, which then move uphill to attack the dire-goat cavalry army. Firing volleys of arrows to prompt the dwarves to charge and give up the advantage of the heights isn't a terrible move (if you're okay with having cavalry charge downhill and smash through any ranks you might be able to form) and charging your dire-goat cavalry downhill isn't a terrible idea either, but giving up on firing your ballistae into big formations of hundreds of armored elves just so you can have a cavalry charge isn't exactly the smartest tactic out there. Lest you think only elves and dwarves did dumb things, the orc response to a sheep chariot is not to pull back and fire arrows at it, but to send warg-riders and trolls charging cheerfully towards it.
But then this movie is about rule of cool, not about wargaming.
The way Bard inspires his unarmored, poorly armed militia well after the elite plate armored units have already gotten into melee suggests Peter Jackson hasn't played Warhammer, but... I dunno, that rideable blinded war-troll with ball-and-chain arms and morning star prosthetic legs sure seems like a recent casting. The troll with the ladder full of goblins is reminiscent of the old Grenadier miniatures War Giant - anyone else remember that thing? http://www.mirliton.it/product_info.....blin-war-giant - pretty cool huh?
And then we get into the really silly stuff. PJ has to stick in unfunny slapstick with Bifur getting stuck to an orc he headbutts ('cause he has an axehead stuck in his skull, hur hur), Legolas hangs upside down from a bat while slashing orcs before he gets into combat with Bolg, literally jumping from piece to piece of a bridge falling from under him because dude, he is so totally The One. And then there's LALO dropping a werebear into melee combat. Or ripping off the end of Alexander Nevsky with Azog disappearing below the ice forevermore.
So I can finally add to my summary of the Hobbit movies.
An Unexpected Journey is about a group of Vampire LARPers trying to play D&D. They aren't very good at it, the DM's idea of excitement involves lots of dangerous heights, and every five minutes there's some sort of gigantically dramatic confrontation among the player characters. Devastation of Smaug sees the players getting more familiar with the system, including the DM, whose mapping and description skills have really improved, and the group's joined by two veteran powergamers.
Battle of Five Armies is the epic length last game session and as part of it, both DM and players get more and more slap-happy and try sillier/more over the top stuff as the game winds on past midnight.
Okay, so I know Hobbit 3 is old hat, having come out last Christmas, but I skipped it because it really didn't sound appealing. This means that only today have I clicked on enough YouTube links to watch, oh, some 20+ minutes or so of the thing all told. The movie's namesake battle at the end.
Elves are an ancient race, few in numbers, expert archers with swift reflexes and an affinity for animals, which is why their general is the only mounted guy, and the rest of them are all mass in formations of hundreds of tightly-packed plate armored infantry, which then move uphill to attack the dire-goat cavalry army. Firing volleys of arrows to prompt the dwarves to charge and give up the advantage of the heights isn't a terrible move (if you're okay with having cavalry charge downhill and smash through any ranks you might be able to form) and charging your dire-goat cavalry downhill isn't a terrible idea either, but giving up on firing your ballistae into big formations of hundreds of armored elves just so you can have a cavalry charge isn't exactly the smartest tactic out there. Lest you think only elves and dwarves did dumb things, the orc response to a sheep chariot is not to pull back and fire arrows at it, but to send warg-riders and trolls charging cheerfully towards it.
But then this movie is about rule of cool, not about wargaming.
The way Bard inspires his unarmored, poorly armed militia well after the elite plate armored units have already gotten into melee suggests Peter Jackson hasn't played Warhammer, but... I dunno, that rideable blinded war-troll with ball-and-chain arms and morning star prosthetic legs sure seems like a recent casting. The troll with the ladder full of goblins is reminiscent of the old Grenadier miniatures War Giant - anyone else remember that thing? http://www.mirliton.it/product_info.....blin-war-giant - pretty cool huh?
And then we get into the really silly stuff. PJ has to stick in unfunny slapstick with Bifur getting stuck to an orc he headbutts ('cause he has an axehead stuck in his skull, hur hur), Legolas hangs upside down from a bat while slashing orcs before he gets into combat with Bolg, literally jumping from piece to piece of a bridge falling from under him because dude, he is so totally The One. And then there's LALO dropping a werebear into melee combat. Or ripping off the end of Alexander Nevsky with Azog disappearing below the ice forevermore.
So I can finally add to my summary of the Hobbit movies.
An Unexpected Journey is about a group of Vampire LARPers trying to play D&D. They aren't very good at it, the DM's idea of excitement involves lots of dangerous heights, and every five minutes there's some sort of gigantically dramatic confrontation among the player characters. Devastation of Smaug sees the players getting more familiar with the system, including the DM, whose mapping and description skills have really improved, and the group's joined by two veteran powergamers.
Battle of Five Armies is the epic length last game session and as part of it, both DM and players get more and more slap-happy and try sillier/more over the top stuff as the game winds on past midnight.
100 Truths Meme
Posted 10 years agoSure, why not!
1. Last beverage: water but before that? A sweetened iced green tea.
2. Last phone call: day job phone call, someone checking an employee's upcoming check.
3. Last text message: housemate saying they were sorry about a thing.
4. Last song you listened to: "Raff" off The Lafayette Afro Rock Band's 1974 album "Malik." Just found it on YouTube. Check it out, it's good stuff if you like funk.
5. Last time you cried: Crying jag at day job earlier this last week
6. Dated someone twice: Yes
7. Been cheated on: Maybe?
8. Kissed someone & regretted it: Naw
9. Lost someone special: Yes
10. Been depressed: Yes.
11. Been drunk and threw up: Yes. But it takes a lot to get me that drunk.
LIST THREE FAVORITE COLORS:
12. Forest green
13. Desert yellow
14. red-shifted orange
THIS YEAR HAVE YOU: (2015)
15. Made a new friend: I think so?
16. Fallen out of love: Not sure.
17. Laughed until you cried: Yes. Frank Zappa's "The Man from Utopia" album. Check out "The Dangerous Kitchen" sometime, especially if you're low on sleep.
18. Met someone who changed you: Well yeah. People are constantly changing even if it's subtle.
19. Found out who your true friends were: I think so? I'm not sure what that means honestly.
20. Found out someone was talking about you: Uh, I think so?
21. Kissed anyone on your friend's list: Yes I think?
22. How many people on your friends list do you know in real life: Not honestly sure.
23. How many kids do you want: Honestly I've never been sure. It's probably pretty academic.
24. Do you have any pets: When I was dating my current-housemate, they brought cats with them, and even though the relationship changed I still kinda think of them as my cats. So my remaining cat is adorable geriatric-kins. She's in some of the photos in my scraps. She's very cute!
25. Do you want to change your name: Yeah.
26. What did you do for your last birthday: Nothing big or formal. I know I watched Jurassic World though.
27. What time did you wake up today: 0615 or something.
28. What were you doing at midnight last night: I'd just gotten to bed so I was down for the count. Would be for some time.
29. Name something you CANNOT wait for: some sort of fiscal prosperity
30. Last time you saw your Mother: Last July
31. What is one thing you wish you could change about your life: My childhood.
32. What are you listening to right now: Just white noise atm. I stocked up some 90s music to listen to later today.
33. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom: Yes. That's kinda an odd question?
34. Who's getting on your nerves right now: Some of the coworkers at my day job really really grated on me.
35. Most visited webpage: Tumblr's getting up there these days. I know people really harsh it for politics and bullying but honestly I largely use it as a way to look at art.
36. What's your real name: Given name's Jonathan. I don't actually mind nor prefer Jon.
37. Nicknames: Paka. Brushwolf.
38. Relationship Status: Single, in open long-distance relationships.
39. Zodiac sign: Gemini
40. Male or female: AMAB
41. Primary School: went to several
42. Secondary School: rural enough childhood to go from grade school straight to high school.
43. High school/college: Clarkston High School/University of Michigan in Ann Arbor (there's a story there).
44. Hair Color: Dark brown, getting a few gray hairs here and there. The facial hair has never entirely reached a consensus on what color my beard is.
45. Long or short hair: Fairly short. When it gets long it kinda Einsteins out.
46. Height: 5'9"
47. Do you have a crush on someone: Sure!
48: What do you like about yourself: weirdly optimistic and positive at the oddest times, actually happy while inebriated, and I honestly think if someone's a popular/professional/successful artist they're pretty darn good.
49. Piercings: None
50. Tattoos: None
51. Righty or lefty: Right handed
FIRSTS :
52. First surgery: Theoretically around an accident when I was 5.
53. First piercing: n/a
54. First best friend: Mal, back in grade school.
55. First sport you joined: Fencing, in high school. I played IM basketball a little and was on the IM archery team in college.
56. First vacation: I think somewhere in north Florida/south Georgia as a very small child.
58. First pair of trainers: Not sure what this question is?
RIGHT NOW:
59. Eating: Nothing, but I was planning to get doughnuts in a bit. Or a croissant breakfast sandwich.
60. Drinking: Water. Coffee in a bit.
61. I'm about to: Borrow a car from a CarShare and drive somewhere. I still want to get a car back at some point, but right now this has really been good for my sanity.
62. Listening to: Again, environmental gunk. Later, I have some stuff to listen to while driving.
63. Waiting for: Some sort of fiscal prosperity. Or possibly death.
YOUR FUTURE :
64. Want kids: I used to be unsure; now I think no is probably good; it's academic anyways.
65. Get married: I'd kinda like to at some point.
66. Career: Don't really have one. I'm an office worker but would like to succeed at art for bucks full time eventually - I don't think that will happen.
WHICH IS BETTER :
67. Lips or eyes: They're both awesome.
68. Hugs or kisses: Hugs are great.
69. Shorter or taller: Both are great.
70. Older or Younger: Both are good!
71. Romantic or spontaneous: Both?
72. Nice stomach or nice arms: I dunno, both?
73. Sensitive or loud: No clue!
74. Hook-up or relationship: Why not both? These are good things.
75. There is no 75. Serious.
HAVE YOU EVER :
76. Kissed a stranger: Yes.
77. Drank hard liquor: Yes.
78. Lost glasses/contacts: Yes.
79. Sex on first date: Yes.
80. Broken someone's heart: Maybe.
81. X the mystery question. I'll say YES. Imagine it was some ultra-super-exciting question here!
82. Been arrested: No. But I've had some uncomfy interactions with the police anyway.
83. Turned someone down: Yes.
84. Cried when someone died: Has anyone ever said no to this question?
85. Fallen for a friend: Yes.
DO YOU BELIEVE IN:
86. Yourself: Yes and no?
87. Miracles: Oh yes. I'm more certain miracles exist than I believe in any deity.
88. Love at first sight: Yes, I'm certain that it happens all the time.
89. Heaven: There's a long-winded discussion about the comment "Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads" and connecting it to Jewish parables, Scandinavian economic philosophy and Dene (Navajo) worldview, but eh, I'd sound like a nutjob. It can wait.
90. Santa Claus: No.
91. Kiss on the first date: Hell yes. Kissing is a good thing and there should be more of it.
92. Angels: Some people qualify, yes.
93. Technically this is a little more like 97 truths.
ANSWER TRUTHFULLY:
94. Had more than 1 girlfriend/boyfriend at a time: Yes. Poly.
95. Did you sing today: Not yet! Wait a bit, probably.
96. Ever cheated on somebody: Unfortunately, I have to admit I have. It's just not a good way to work with people; don't do it.
97. If you could go back in time, how far would you go: I think I'd like to revamp how I handled some stuff in the past.
98. The moment you would choose to relive: Being in love back in 2001 or so was nice. When the relationship I was in back in 2000 was working, it was something I'd love having back again. Getting free of high school and the south and discovering autumn in Michigan was nice. My very first game of Werewolf the Apocalypse ever was a pretty awesome moment.
99. Are you afraid of falling in love: Even if I were, it'd be academic. I crush on people all the damn time.
100. Are you afraid of posting this as 100 truths: It's probably TL DR but eh. Not afraid per se.
1. Last beverage: water but before that? A sweetened iced green tea.
2. Last phone call: day job phone call, someone checking an employee's upcoming check.
3. Last text message: housemate saying they were sorry about a thing.
4. Last song you listened to: "Raff" off The Lafayette Afro Rock Band's 1974 album "Malik." Just found it on YouTube. Check it out, it's good stuff if you like funk.
5. Last time you cried: Crying jag at day job earlier this last week
6. Dated someone twice: Yes
7. Been cheated on: Maybe?
8. Kissed someone & regretted it: Naw
9. Lost someone special: Yes
10. Been depressed: Yes.
11. Been drunk and threw up: Yes. But it takes a lot to get me that drunk.
LIST THREE FAVORITE COLORS:
12. Forest green
13. Desert yellow
14. red-shifted orange
THIS YEAR HAVE YOU: (2015)
15. Made a new friend: I think so?
16. Fallen out of love: Not sure.
17. Laughed until you cried: Yes. Frank Zappa's "The Man from Utopia" album. Check out "The Dangerous Kitchen" sometime, especially if you're low on sleep.
18. Met someone who changed you: Well yeah. People are constantly changing even if it's subtle.
19. Found out who your true friends were: I think so? I'm not sure what that means honestly.
20. Found out someone was talking about you: Uh, I think so?
21. Kissed anyone on your friend's list: Yes I think?
22. How many people on your friends list do you know in real life: Not honestly sure.
23. How many kids do you want: Honestly I've never been sure. It's probably pretty academic.
24. Do you have any pets: When I was dating my current-housemate, they brought cats with them, and even though the relationship changed I still kinda think of them as my cats. So my remaining cat is adorable geriatric-kins. She's in some of the photos in my scraps. She's very cute!
25. Do you want to change your name: Yeah.
26. What did you do for your last birthday: Nothing big or formal. I know I watched Jurassic World though.
27. What time did you wake up today: 0615 or something.
28. What were you doing at midnight last night: I'd just gotten to bed so I was down for the count. Would be for some time.
29. Name something you CANNOT wait for: some sort of fiscal prosperity
30. Last time you saw your Mother: Last July
31. What is one thing you wish you could change about your life: My childhood.
32. What are you listening to right now: Just white noise atm. I stocked up some 90s music to listen to later today.
33. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom: Yes. That's kinda an odd question?
34. Who's getting on your nerves right now: Some of the coworkers at my day job really really grated on me.
35. Most visited webpage: Tumblr's getting up there these days. I know people really harsh it for politics and bullying but honestly I largely use it as a way to look at art.
36. What's your real name: Given name's Jonathan. I don't actually mind nor prefer Jon.
37. Nicknames: Paka. Brushwolf.
38. Relationship Status: Single, in open long-distance relationships.
39. Zodiac sign: Gemini
40. Male or female: AMAB
41. Primary School: went to several
42. Secondary School: rural enough childhood to go from grade school straight to high school.
43. High school/college: Clarkston High School/University of Michigan in Ann Arbor (there's a story there).
44. Hair Color: Dark brown, getting a few gray hairs here and there. The facial hair has never entirely reached a consensus on what color my beard is.
45. Long or short hair: Fairly short. When it gets long it kinda Einsteins out.
46. Height: 5'9"
47. Do you have a crush on someone: Sure!
48: What do you like about yourself: weirdly optimistic and positive at the oddest times, actually happy while inebriated, and I honestly think if someone's a popular/professional/successful artist they're pretty darn good.
49. Piercings: None
50. Tattoos: None
51. Righty or lefty: Right handed
FIRSTS :
52. First surgery: Theoretically around an accident when I was 5.
53. First piercing: n/a
54. First best friend: Mal, back in grade school.
55. First sport you joined: Fencing, in high school. I played IM basketball a little and was on the IM archery team in college.
56. First vacation: I think somewhere in north Florida/south Georgia as a very small child.
58. First pair of trainers: Not sure what this question is?
RIGHT NOW:
59. Eating: Nothing, but I was planning to get doughnuts in a bit. Or a croissant breakfast sandwich.
60. Drinking: Water. Coffee in a bit.
61. I'm about to: Borrow a car from a CarShare and drive somewhere. I still want to get a car back at some point, but right now this has really been good for my sanity.
62. Listening to: Again, environmental gunk. Later, I have some stuff to listen to while driving.
63. Waiting for: Some sort of fiscal prosperity. Or possibly death.
YOUR FUTURE :
64. Want kids: I used to be unsure; now I think no is probably good; it's academic anyways.
65. Get married: I'd kinda like to at some point.
66. Career: Don't really have one. I'm an office worker but would like to succeed at art for bucks full time eventually - I don't think that will happen.
WHICH IS BETTER :
67. Lips or eyes: They're both awesome.
68. Hugs or kisses: Hugs are great.
69. Shorter or taller: Both are great.
70. Older or Younger: Both are good!
71. Romantic or spontaneous: Both?
72. Nice stomach or nice arms: I dunno, both?
73. Sensitive or loud: No clue!
74. Hook-up or relationship: Why not both? These are good things.
75. There is no 75. Serious.
HAVE YOU EVER :
76. Kissed a stranger: Yes.
77. Drank hard liquor: Yes.
78. Lost glasses/contacts: Yes.
79. Sex on first date: Yes.
80. Broken someone's heart: Maybe.
81. X the mystery question. I'll say YES. Imagine it was some ultra-super-exciting question here!
82. Been arrested: No. But I've had some uncomfy interactions with the police anyway.
83. Turned someone down: Yes.
84. Cried when someone died: Has anyone ever said no to this question?
85. Fallen for a friend: Yes.
DO YOU BELIEVE IN:
86. Yourself: Yes and no?
87. Miracles: Oh yes. I'm more certain miracles exist than I believe in any deity.
88. Love at first sight: Yes, I'm certain that it happens all the time.
89. Heaven: There's a long-winded discussion about the comment "Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads" and connecting it to Jewish parables, Scandinavian economic philosophy and Dene (Navajo) worldview, but eh, I'd sound like a nutjob. It can wait.
90. Santa Claus: No.
91. Kiss on the first date: Hell yes. Kissing is a good thing and there should be more of it.
92. Angels: Some people qualify, yes.
93. Technically this is a little more like 97 truths.
ANSWER TRUTHFULLY:
94. Had more than 1 girlfriend/boyfriend at a time: Yes. Poly.
95. Did you sing today: Not yet! Wait a bit, probably.
96. Ever cheated on somebody: Unfortunately, I have to admit I have. It's just not a good way to work with people; don't do it.
97. If you could go back in time, how far would you go: I think I'd like to revamp how I handled some stuff in the past.
98. The moment you would choose to relive: Being in love back in 2001 or so was nice. When the relationship I was in back in 2000 was working, it was something I'd love having back again. Getting free of high school and the south and discovering autumn in Michigan was nice. My very first game of Werewolf the Apocalypse ever was a pretty awesome moment.
99. Are you afraid of falling in love: Even if I were, it'd be academic. I crush on people all the damn time.
100. Are you afraid of posting this as 100 truths: It's probably TL DR but eh. Not afraid per se.
Blowing sunshine (personal/philosophical)
Posted 10 years agoSo I have this theory about normal, average people.
Humanity is huge and diverse such that only 30% or so of the population is a big enough trend to sell stuff or appear ubiquitous.
The first time I thought about this was stuck in line at the supermarket - you know how there are these magazines you're kinda stuck staring at while waiting in line, and generally they suggest that your fellow travelers on this planet are vacuous, superficial, gossipy, vengeful, and just plain mean? That's not everyone. That's a big enough chunk of everyone that, even after all the costs of producing and distributing stuff, and having a lot of it never move off the shelves, the publishers are still in business.
Then we look at just how many ways someone can be expected to be normal. That's a lot of different areas and of course the more areas you use to define as "average," the more chance you get of someone not being our arbitrary "average."
Very few people are psychologically-healthy well-paid full-time-professional college-graduate straight non-minority plain-vanilla binary-gender claims-a-religion-but-not-especially-devout sports-fan car-house-owner would-be-parent with somewhere around an IQ of 100. There are plenty of people who fit part of those identifiers as my theoretical 20-40% groupings overlap but the chance of someone being all of them is like what, 2-7%, rather than 90% the way we're often taught and then internalize?
So I may think I'm relatively alone in my "broken" "weirdness" and "failure," and it's statistically likely there are tons of people like me. Any commonality means a much much larger chance of someone being as much a wreck/failure/weirdo as I am. So I'm not alone, not at all, no matter how weird, failed, and outlying I think I am sometimes.
None of us are. We're a lot more average and normal than we think.
Humanity is huge and diverse such that only 30% or so of the population is a big enough trend to sell stuff or appear ubiquitous.
The first time I thought about this was stuck in line at the supermarket - you know how there are these magazines you're kinda stuck staring at while waiting in line, and generally they suggest that your fellow travelers on this planet are vacuous, superficial, gossipy, vengeful, and just plain mean? That's not everyone. That's a big enough chunk of everyone that, even after all the costs of producing and distributing stuff, and having a lot of it never move off the shelves, the publishers are still in business.
Then we look at just how many ways someone can be expected to be normal. That's a lot of different areas and of course the more areas you use to define as "average," the more chance you get of someone not being our arbitrary "average."
Very few people are psychologically-healthy well-paid full-time-professional college-graduate straight non-minority plain-vanilla binary-gender claims-a-religion-but-not-especially-devout sports-fan car-house-owner would-be-parent with somewhere around an IQ of 100. There are plenty of people who fit part of those identifiers as my theoretical 20-40% groupings overlap but the chance of someone being all of them is like what, 2-7%, rather than 90% the way we're often taught and then internalize?
So I may think I'm relatively alone in my "broken" "weirdness" and "failure," and it's statistically likely there are tons of people like me. Any commonality means a much much larger chance of someone being as much a wreck/failure/weirdo as I am. So I'm not alone, not at all, no matter how weird, failed, and outlying I think I am sometimes.
None of us are. We're a lot more average and normal than we think.
Public Service Announcement about old dinosaur movies.
Posted 10 years agoI've decided the lyrics to the Jurassic Park theme (at say 0:40 here - https://youtu.be/xJmCXdRjtdQ) are;
I'm a Brontosaur
I'm a Brontosaur
I've got stompy, stompy feets!
I'm sure knowing this will improve your enjoyment of that movie and also, it will probably not surprise you that I figured this out in the shower.
I'm a Brontosaur
I'm a Brontosaur
I've got stompy, stompy feets!
I'm sure knowing this will improve your enjoyment of that movie and also, it will probably not surprise you that I figured this out in the shower.
woo meme. Know your artist or something
Posted 10 years agoBasics
Nickname: Jon, Paka (old old handle). Vulpes, 'way back when I was in college.
Location: NorCal
Age: Old enough to worry people will judge me harshly for my age
Height: 5'9"
Zodiac sign: Gemini
Pets: Ancient tiny cat! She's 20. If you go through the scraps there are some photos of her.
Favorite thing about yourself: optimism, adaptability
Worst habit: badly looping thoughts.
Fun fact: I've actually operated a particle accelerator.
Identity, Sexuality & Personality
Gender identity: AMAB
Sexual preference: Sentient
Romantic preference: Relatively sane
"Kinsey Scale" score: 3
Myers/Briggs type: INFP
Hogwarts house: uh, Davion. Silent Strider. I guess I'll go for Gryffindor if we gotta use the unfamiliar idiom.
Routine
"Early Bird" or "Night Owl": Both. This doesn't exactly work out so well.
First thought in the morning: Usually don't remember this.
Last thought before falling asleep at night: So tired!
School/Work
Do you work or are you a student: Currently employed at soul-numbing day job!
What do you do well: I'm the best there is at what I do, but what I do isn't very interesting.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years: Ugh, I don't know. I really hope it's better than this and that I don't wind up homeless and dying.
Habits (Do you…?)
Drink: infrequently
Smoke: infrequently (I'm still working on the pack of cigs I got in mid-February)
Do drugs: not about to answer here.
Exercise: not really. I walk everywhere but does that really count?
Have a go-to comfort food: Stuff like Chef Boyardee, or the horrible Underwood sandwich spreads, or those horrible canned tamales.
Have a nervous habit: checking Twitter frequently in vague hopes of being reminded that there's stuff outside my job I like.
What is your favorite…?
Physical quality (in yourself): Green eyes.
In Others: Brown eyes
Mental/emotional quality (in yourself): Adaptive, I guess.
Food: Hwe dup bap, duk manduguk, ohmu rice. Um. I swear this wasn't planned to be this Korean.
Drink: Oatmeal stout
Animal: red foxes, coyotes, lynx, pied crows, ravens, orcas, it's sort of a huge list.
Colors: Green
Artist/Band/Group: Infected Mushroom, Type O Negative, The Cure, Dead Can Dance, Nirvana, REM, Jethro Tull... um. Again it's a longish list.
Author: e.e. cummings, Barbara Ehrenreich, Ursula Le Guin
TV Show: Samurai Jack, Megas XLR, Samurai Champloo
Video game: Katamari Damacy (don't have my own system; have played on friends')
Actor/Actress: Sigourney Weaver, Ian McKellan, Christopher Lee
Movie: Yojimbo, Yellow Submarine, A Night at the Opera
Blogger: uh, no particular favorite.
Nickname: Jon, Paka (old old handle). Vulpes, 'way back when I was in college.
Location: NorCal
Age: Old enough to worry people will judge me harshly for my age
Height: 5'9"
Zodiac sign: Gemini
Pets: Ancient tiny cat! She's 20. If you go through the scraps there are some photos of her.
Favorite thing about yourself: optimism, adaptability
Worst habit: badly looping thoughts.
Fun fact: I've actually operated a particle accelerator.
Identity, Sexuality & Personality
Gender identity: AMAB
Sexual preference: Sentient
Romantic preference: Relatively sane
"Kinsey Scale" score: 3
Myers/Briggs type: INFP
Hogwarts house: uh, Davion. Silent Strider. I guess I'll go for Gryffindor if we gotta use the unfamiliar idiom.
Routine
"Early Bird" or "Night Owl": Both. This doesn't exactly work out so well.
First thought in the morning: Usually don't remember this.
Last thought before falling asleep at night: So tired!
School/Work
Do you work or are you a student: Currently employed at soul-numbing day job!
What do you do well: I'm the best there is at what I do, but what I do isn't very interesting.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years: Ugh, I don't know. I really hope it's better than this and that I don't wind up homeless and dying.
Habits (Do you…?)
Drink: infrequently
Smoke: infrequently (I'm still working on the pack of cigs I got in mid-February)
Do drugs: not about to answer here.
Exercise: not really. I walk everywhere but does that really count?
Have a go-to comfort food: Stuff like Chef Boyardee, or the horrible Underwood sandwich spreads, or those horrible canned tamales.
Have a nervous habit: checking Twitter frequently in vague hopes of being reminded that there's stuff outside my job I like.
What is your favorite…?
Physical quality (in yourself): Green eyes.
In Others: Brown eyes
Mental/emotional quality (in yourself): Adaptive, I guess.
Food: Hwe dup bap, duk manduguk, ohmu rice. Um. I swear this wasn't planned to be this Korean.
Drink: Oatmeal stout
Animal: red foxes, coyotes, lynx, pied crows, ravens, orcas, it's sort of a huge list.
Colors: Green
Artist/Band/Group: Infected Mushroom, Type O Negative, The Cure, Dead Can Dance, Nirvana, REM, Jethro Tull... um. Again it's a longish list.
Author: e.e. cummings, Barbara Ehrenreich, Ursula Le Guin
TV Show: Samurai Jack, Megas XLR, Samurai Champloo
Video game: Katamari Damacy (don't have my own system; have played on friends')
Actor/Actress: Sigourney Weaver, Ian McKellan, Christopher Lee
Movie: Yojimbo, Yellow Submarine, A Night at the Opera
Blogger: uh, no particular favorite.
Stupid Jokes I Have Made About Jurassic World!
Posted 10 years agoCompiled in one place!
* the end of Jurassic World where, just as the Indominus rex is about to eat Blue, Chris Pratt appears in the powerlifter from earlier in the movie and bellows "get away from her you b*tch!"
* the end of Jurassic World where, after the dinosaurs have taken over the theme park, the thyseopherans sneak up to watch their theropod leaders talking to humans, and it's impossible to tell the difference between the two.
* artist Iain McCaig made the initial public pitch for Jurassic World, during which he revealed his concept art for the evil "Darth Yutyrannus," who had feathers on his head for a slightly decadent touch although these eventually appeared as horns in the final version.
* "Indominus rex and the Hybrids" formed after "Owen Grady and the Clever Girls" broke up, and their post-KP-Boundarycore sound was edgier and screechier.
Thank you, I'm here all week.
* the end of Jurassic World where, just as the Indominus rex is about to eat Blue, Chris Pratt appears in the powerlifter from earlier in the movie and bellows "get away from her you b*tch!"
* the end of Jurassic World where, after the dinosaurs have taken over the theme park, the thyseopherans sneak up to watch their theropod leaders talking to humans, and it's impossible to tell the difference between the two.
* artist Iain McCaig made the initial public pitch for Jurassic World, during which he revealed his concept art for the evil "Darth Yutyrannus," who had feathers on his head for a slightly decadent touch although these eventually appeared as horns in the final version.
* "Indominus rex and the Hybrids" formed after "Owen Grady and the Clever Girls" broke up, and their post-KP-Boundarycore sound was edgier and screechier.
Thank you, I'm here all week.
Some random stuff about getting older
Posted 10 years agoIt's weird being this old. I certainly never expected to live quite this long. Discussion of mortality aside I've noticed things in passing;
* I've been around to watch things grow from new ideas into societal standbys. Obviously I remember when the internet was new, an exciting frontier, and the idea of staying up all night surfing the web was exotic. I remember my grandparents getting a wireless phone and at the time I would never have imagined being in a society that pretty much expected you'd carry one with you all the time.
But there are other things too, more cultural details. I can remember Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles being this new trend, I can remember Smurfs being something new to quasi-rural Georgia, I can remember watching Raiders of the Lost Ark in the movie theater or Robocop being this new amazing thing. I got into D&D, not during the little spike of a fad it had, but in the aftermath - a friend had a second set of books that his cousin had before losing interest, otherwise I could never have afforded my own set. I can remember going to the games store and wow, there were these amazing new Citadel Miniatures from Britain that looked differently cool from what I was used to. More recently I remember Spectrum being a new thing, Magic the Gathering being a new thing (I have a story about how I didn't get into MtG!), Jurassic Park being a new deal with dino damage! toys. Stuff like that.
You never really know what bit of cultural gunk is going on now that in a couple of decades will be this established thing. I bet it's like that with every generation actually.
* One of the neater things is how access makes the internet a different medium from television or radio. Even UHF channels or ham radio were really specific, really needed pricey equipment and a lot of commitment to pull off. But despite all the attempts to make the internet just another basically soulless marketing tool, there's this really solid heart to it, people making art, sharing their hobbies, putting writing out there. When I was a kid there was nothing even vaguely like it and it's really very hopeful to see.
* Another stupidly cool thing about getting older is dinosaurs. When I was a kid, therapods were tail-dragging dull-colored ectotherms hunting sprawl-stanced ceratopsians, discovered in places like Montana or midwestern Canada or slate quarries in Europe - and of course I was completely in love with them! Paleontologists had discovered Deinonynchus a while back, and yet if any kid even thought about those dinosaurs, their conception looked 'way different from even a 1993 take on them! As I grew older I started learning that therapods were a lot more active than that, that therapod and ceratopsian alike moved differently, that cool fossils were showing up in China or Antarctica. Now it's 2015, and we've found a lot more of the feathers that weren't even present in theories when I was a kid - suggestions of pigment, analysis of remains show that Torosaurus and Triceratops were different ages but the same animals as were a lot of the Hell Creek species, new cool finds like Nasutoceratops and Zhenyuanlong and Regaliceratops join the roster of stuff to think about. It's incredibly exciting!
When I'm old, when I'm truly an old man, what sort of exciting and cool stuff will we know about dinosaurs then?
* I've been around to watch things grow from new ideas into societal standbys. Obviously I remember when the internet was new, an exciting frontier, and the idea of staying up all night surfing the web was exotic. I remember my grandparents getting a wireless phone and at the time I would never have imagined being in a society that pretty much expected you'd carry one with you all the time.
But there are other things too, more cultural details. I can remember Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles being this new trend, I can remember Smurfs being something new to quasi-rural Georgia, I can remember watching Raiders of the Lost Ark in the movie theater or Robocop being this new amazing thing. I got into D&D, not during the little spike of a fad it had, but in the aftermath - a friend had a second set of books that his cousin had before losing interest, otherwise I could never have afforded my own set. I can remember going to the games store and wow, there were these amazing new Citadel Miniatures from Britain that looked differently cool from what I was used to. More recently I remember Spectrum being a new thing, Magic the Gathering being a new thing (I have a story about how I didn't get into MtG!), Jurassic Park being a new deal with dino damage! toys. Stuff like that.
You never really know what bit of cultural gunk is going on now that in a couple of decades will be this established thing. I bet it's like that with every generation actually.
* One of the neater things is how access makes the internet a different medium from television or radio. Even UHF channels or ham radio were really specific, really needed pricey equipment and a lot of commitment to pull off. But despite all the attempts to make the internet just another basically soulless marketing tool, there's this really solid heart to it, people making art, sharing their hobbies, putting writing out there. When I was a kid there was nothing even vaguely like it and it's really very hopeful to see.
* Another stupidly cool thing about getting older is dinosaurs. When I was a kid, therapods were tail-dragging dull-colored ectotherms hunting sprawl-stanced ceratopsians, discovered in places like Montana or midwestern Canada or slate quarries in Europe - and of course I was completely in love with them! Paleontologists had discovered Deinonynchus a while back, and yet if any kid even thought about those dinosaurs, their conception looked 'way different from even a 1993 take on them! As I grew older I started learning that therapods were a lot more active than that, that therapod and ceratopsian alike moved differently, that cool fossils were showing up in China or Antarctica. Now it's 2015, and we've found a lot more of the feathers that weren't even present in theories when I was a kid - suggestions of pigment, analysis of remains show that Torosaurus and Triceratops were different ages but the same animals as were a lot of the Hell Creek species, new cool finds like Nasutoceratops and Zhenyuanlong and Regaliceratops join the roster of stuff to think about. It's incredibly exciting!
When I'm old, when I'm truly an old man, what sort of exciting and cool stuff will we know about dinosaurs then?
TS Eliot's contribution to superhero literature
Posted 10 years agoone two three fo!
Hollow Man Hollow Man
This is dead land and cactus land
Leans together in the wind
Headpiece is stuffed with straw
Alas! Here comes the Hollow Man!
Hollow Man, chambers of the sea,
Not Prince Hamlet nor meant to be!
Do I dare eat a peach?
Gonna walk on the beach?
Look out! Here comes the Hollow Man!
The yellow fog that on the window panes
Lingered upon the pools that stand in the drains
Hollow Man hollow Man
Friendly neighborhood Hollow Man
Should've been ragged claws
Scuttling 'cross silent sea floors
To him, this is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Here comes the Hollow Maaaaaaan!
[Sorry. I just had the idea of filking TS Eliot's poetry to Spider-Man, and it was too dumb to resist.]
Hollow Man Hollow Man
This is dead land and cactus land
Leans together in the wind
Headpiece is stuffed with straw
Alas! Here comes the Hollow Man!
Hollow Man, chambers of the sea,
Not Prince Hamlet nor meant to be!
Do I dare eat a peach?
Gonna walk on the beach?
Look out! Here comes the Hollow Man!
The yellow fog that on the window panes
Lingered upon the pools that stand in the drains
Hollow Man hollow Man
Friendly neighborhood Hollow Man
Should've been ragged claws
Scuttling 'cross silent sea floors
To him, this is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Here comes the Hollow Maaaaaaan!
[Sorry. I just had the idea of filking TS Eliot's poetry to Spider-Man, and it was too dumb to resist.]
No Subject
Posted 10 years agoI don't say this very often, but I'm proud of my country sometimes.
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-.....-sex-marriages
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-.....-sex-marriages
Tumblr and Tutorials
Posted 10 years agoSo I've been thinking.
Right now I post furry art here, at SoFurry, and at Weasyl - but not on Tumblr. My only Tumblr right now is outward facing so it's clean, non-fetishy stuff, except for all the werewolves and violence and whatever. Anyway. No promises, but would people be interested in me starting a separate furry themed Tumblr?
I've also been I think figuring out a batch of stuff the last little bit, and people like tutorials. Maybe making a tutorial would really help me as well as other folks - so if I did make something, what would folks most like to see?
Right now I post furry art here, at SoFurry, and at Weasyl - but not on Tumblr. My only Tumblr right now is outward facing so it's clean, non-fetishy stuff, except for all the werewolves and violence and whatever. Anyway. No promises, but would people be interested in me starting a separate furry themed Tumblr?
I've also been I think figuring out a batch of stuff the last little bit, and people like tutorials. Maybe making a tutorial would really help me as well as other folks - so if I did make something, what would folks most like to see?
Force Awakens trailer
Posted 10 years agoSure. So.
I've been a little burned out on Star Wars. A lot of why is that it's something that you're supposed to love, as a good red blooded American nerd, despite the way the prequels were basically big budget fanfic - you need the prequels to be into Star Wars about as much as you need to read the Silmarillion to be into Middle-Earth - and the constant remarketing of the old trilogy every time a new slightly different iteration got released.
There are things to be optimistic about with the upcoming movies. I mean, the Abrams Trek films were all pulse-pounding action and glitzy special effects and that's not really Star Trek... but it is Star Wars. We get Carrie Fisher back, which means this Star Wars movie will have two women who presumably deal with them, and one's older, so that's kind of a nice change of pace. I'm pretty happy with a Black guy being apparently more prominent, that's kind of a nice change of pace. Having Chewie be a suit and BB8 being an actual real prop suggests that there won't be the prequels' fondness for blue screen over story.
That said, the first trailer didn't grab me. Okay, some kinda cool tech, stormtroopers doing the Godzilla HALO drop into SF thing, and some kind of Sith in the forests out beyond the Wall and oh yeah the Millenium Falcon. Eh. But the second trailer just blew me away. I think a lot of it was actually long shots this time - we start with "don't mind me, I'm just cruisin' the desert AND THERE'S AN OLD WRECKED IMPERIAL CLASS STAR DESTROYER" and move on to big epic armies of stormtroopers and so on. Star Wars is about big expansive spaces in which people do fast-moving cinematic things, and this trailer definitely promised that.
I don't have the same "oh wow this is gonna be the most awesometastic movie ever!" feelings that I had watching the Episode I trailers back in the day (and I know I still get that, because that's how I reacted to the Malificent trailer). But y'know, for the first time in a while, I think this might actually be a fun movie I'd like to watch - and hopefully that's true.
I've been a little burned out on Star Wars. A lot of why is that it's something that you're supposed to love, as a good red blooded American nerd, despite the way the prequels were basically big budget fanfic - you need the prequels to be into Star Wars about as much as you need to read the Silmarillion to be into Middle-Earth - and the constant remarketing of the old trilogy every time a new slightly different iteration got released.
There are things to be optimistic about with the upcoming movies. I mean, the Abrams Trek films were all pulse-pounding action and glitzy special effects and that's not really Star Trek... but it is Star Wars. We get Carrie Fisher back, which means this Star Wars movie will have two women who presumably deal with them, and one's older, so that's kind of a nice change of pace. I'm pretty happy with a Black guy being apparently more prominent, that's kind of a nice change of pace. Having Chewie be a suit and BB8 being an actual real prop suggests that there won't be the prequels' fondness for blue screen over story.
That said, the first trailer didn't grab me. Okay, some kinda cool tech, stormtroopers doing the Godzilla HALO drop into SF thing, and some kind of Sith in the forests out beyond the Wall and oh yeah the Millenium Falcon. Eh. But the second trailer just blew me away. I think a lot of it was actually long shots this time - we start with "don't mind me, I'm just cruisin' the desert AND THERE'S AN OLD WRECKED IMPERIAL CLASS STAR DESTROYER" and move on to big epic armies of stormtroopers and so on. Star Wars is about big expansive spaces in which people do fast-moving cinematic things, and this trailer definitely promised that.
I don't have the same "oh wow this is gonna be the most awesometastic movie ever!" feelings that I had watching the Episode I trailers back in the day (and I know I still get that, because that's how I reacted to the Malificent trailer). But y'know, for the first time in a while, I think this might actually be a fun movie I'd like to watch - and hopefully that's true.
About furry penis
Posted 10 years agoOkay.
So I'm an artist. Sometimes I do furry art. Sometimes I do adult furry art. And inevitably this brings up the question of what male furries' bits look like.
I mean this is the fandom which obsesses about horse dick or dog knots. I tend to go for drawing humanish, because for everything like a horse or a dog where you kinda know what the bits look like, there's a cat or a fossa or something like a coati where glah what's that even look like? Where are you even gonna dig up that information?
There are all these quasi-accurate animal dicks in Blotch's artwork and I have no clue how they're managing to research it. Are they simply possessed of skill at image searching which I don't have? Is there a Kingdon Guide to the Dicks of African Mammals which I don't know about?
I'm reminded of this tonight because I was vaguely thinking of drawing a hippopotamus transformation. It seemed like a neat idea. I don't think it's been done. Maybe it might be nice to show the guy going from having a human penis to a giant, throbbingly unrealistic hippo penis. So what does hippo wang look like? A batch of web browsing later, I still don't know. I found a discussion of it being small, photos of something which if that's a hippo penis it's not small, a batch of photos of adorable hippopotami babies (which isn't exactly what I'm trying to find) and photos of a whole batch of stuff which even I can tell is not a hippopotamus penis. Those two animals copulating? With the big horns on the nose and the big pretty ears? Not hippopotami.
Yeah. Definitely going with my initial opinion of anthro penes.
So I'm an artist. Sometimes I do furry art. Sometimes I do adult furry art. And inevitably this brings up the question of what male furries' bits look like.
I mean this is the fandom which obsesses about horse dick or dog knots. I tend to go for drawing humanish, because for everything like a horse or a dog where you kinda know what the bits look like, there's a cat or a fossa or something like a coati where glah what's that even look like? Where are you even gonna dig up that information?
There are all these quasi-accurate animal dicks in Blotch's artwork and I have no clue how they're managing to research it. Are they simply possessed of skill at image searching which I don't have? Is there a Kingdon Guide to the Dicks of African Mammals which I don't know about?
I'm reminded of this tonight because I was vaguely thinking of drawing a hippopotamus transformation. It seemed like a neat idea. I don't think it's been done. Maybe it might be nice to show the guy going from having a human penis to a giant, throbbingly unrealistic hippo penis. So what does hippo wang look like? A batch of web browsing later, I still don't know. I found a discussion of it being small, photos of something which if that's a hippo penis it's not small, a batch of photos of adorable hippopotami babies (which isn't exactly what I'm trying to find) and photos of a whole batch of stuff which even I can tell is not a hippopotamus penis. Those two animals copulating? With the big horns on the nose and the big pretty ears? Not hippopotami.
Yeah. Definitely going with my initial opinion of anthro penes.
Old meme
Posted 10 years agoSwiped from Velantian;
1. How many jobs have you had, and which was your favorite?
Far far too many. It's kinda embarrassing. Favorite is hard to say; I kinda liked being involved with the beta test for a software package, at a really giant company local to here which at the time had really nice cafeterias and grounds.
2. When did you first connect to other people via computers?
Sometime around 1994-95. I'm from a fairly rural area originally.
3. We're/are you on AOL? Compuserve? LJ? Dreamwidth? A Listserv? Other?
AOL, LJ, and Dreamwidth. But I got my start with an account through a school.
4. If you went to college, does your major match your career/current job?
Heck no. I'm pretty sad about that.
5. Have you had a mammogram? Colonoscopy?
Nope.
6. When did you get your first cell phone? What was it like? (Did it have a screen? Could you text? Was it a brick or flip?)
Very late. Like 2003-2004 late. It was a flip-phone.
7. When did your family first acquire a color TV?
Hard to remember when. Sometime around 1980 I think.
8. When did your family acquire a second TV?
"Second TV," kemo sabe?
9. Did you ever own "designer jeans"?
No. Grew up dead poor.
10. Have you ever been to a disco?
Nope.
11. How many places (towns, states, countries) have you lived in?
Two countries kind of, only four states.
12. Have any of you contemporary friends died? (I.e., people more or less you age.)
Not really. I lost people I liked but didn't necessarily know very well, plus a scattering of older folks.
13. Are you parents still living?
Yes.
14. Do you have any gray hairs?
Yes. Some beard hairs are either white or just blond. The ones that aren't brown or red or black. Part of why I'm clean-shaven is that my beard would look just that bad.
15. Did you or your family own a Betamax?
No.
16. How did you spend New Year's Eve 1999/2000?
I vaguely recall going to watch fireworks from the park nearest my apartment - which had this really great view of the downtown area where they set fireworks off.
17. What's the oldest article of clothing you still wear?
A poncho or a hat which I got back after graduating college.
18. Name one or two historic events you've seen. (directly or on media)
I was on the sidelines during the "Battle for Seattle" - while I wasn't in the protests, I was trying to hold down a day job at the time and drove regularly past the staging area for the riot police/National Guard. I remember 9/11, the Berlin Wall coming down, and obviously I was around for the first African-American president.
19. Do you eat your vegetables?
Heck, yeah. I was a vegetarian for a while there.
20. Are the privileges of adulthood worth the responsibilities?
I don't think I could answer that one. I think if you have a good childhood, you'll probably go into a good adulthood and it'll be worth it despite the little pangs of regret. If you didn't have a good childhood, though, adulthood is this weird mix of being relieved that much more of your destiny is under your own control, and cranky resentment of all of the gunk you have to do to keep going, plus all the weird past regrets. Is that worth it? That's impossible to judge!
21. Do you feel like an adult?
Kinda. I feel like a 20-something a lot of the time - still just figuring it out, and kinda outclassed and outmoneyed in this world, though childhood is thankfully over.
22. Is youth wasted on the young?
Yes and no. Part of being a kid is that you can and should waste time doing a lot of not much in particular, goofing off, figuring out your likes and dislikes. Do it while you can, because you may not get the chance later.
1. How many jobs have you had, and which was your favorite?
Far far too many. It's kinda embarrassing. Favorite is hard to say; I kinda liked being involved with the beta test for a software package, at a really giant company local to here which at the time had really nice cafeterias and grounds.
2. When did you first connect to other people via computers?
Sometime around 1994-95. I'm from a fairly rural area originally.
3. We're/are you on AOL? Compuserve? LJ? Dreamwidth? A Listserv? Other?
AOL, LJ, and Dreamwidth. But I got my start with an account through a school.
4. If you went to college, does your major match your career/current job?
Heck no. I'm pretty sad about that.
5. Have you had a mammogram? Colonoscopy?
Nope.
6. When did you get your first cell phone? What was it like? (Did it have a screen? Could you text? Was it a brick or flip?)
Very late. Like 2003-2004 late. It was a flip-phone.
7. When did your family first acquire a color TV?
Hard to remember when. Sometime around 1980 I think.
8. When did your family acquire a second TV?
"Second TV," kemo sabe?
9. Did you ever own "designer jeans"?
No. Grew up dead poor.
10. Have you ever been to a disco?
Nope.
11. How many places (towns, states, countries) have you lived in?
Two countries kind of, only four states.
12. Have any of you contemporary friends died? (I.e., people more or less you age.)
Not really. I lost people I liked but didn't necessarily know very well, plus a scattering of older folks.
13. Are you parents still living?
Yes.
14. Do you have any gray hairs?
Yes. Some beard hairs are either white or just blond. The ones that aren't brown or red or black. Part of why I'm clean-shaven is that my beard would look just that bad.
15. Did you or your family own a Betamax?
No.
16. How did you spend New Year's Eve 1999/2000?
I vaguely recall going to watch fireworks from the park nearest my apartment - which had this really great view of the downtown area where they set fireworks off.
17. What's the oldest article of clothing you still wear?
A poncho or a hat which I got back after graduating college.
18. Name one or two historic events you've seen. (directly or on media)
I was on the sidelines during the "Battle for Seattle" - while I wasn't in the protests, I was trying to hold down a day job at the time and drove regularly past the staging area for the riot police/National Guard. I remember 9/11, the Berlin Wall coming down, and obviously I was around for the first African-American president.
19. Do you eat your vegetables?
Heck, yeah. I was a vegetarian for a while there.
20. Are the privileges of adulthood worth the responsibilities?
I don't think I could answer that one. I think if you have a good childhood, you'll probably go into a good adulthood and it'll be worth it despite the little pangs of regret. If you didn't have a good childhood, though, adulthood is this weird mix of being relieved that much more of your destiny is under your own control, and cranky resentment of all of the gunk you have to do to keep going, plus all the weird past regrets. Is that worth it? That's impossible to judge!
21. Do you feel like an adult?
Kinda. I feel like a 20-something a lot of the time - still just figuring it out, and kinda outclassed and outmoneyed in this world, though childhood is thankfully over.
22. Is youth wasted on the young?
Yes and no. Part of being a kid is that you can and should waste time doing a lot of not much in particular, goofing off, figuring out your likes and dislikes. Do it while you can, because you may not get the chance later.
Three things meme!
Posted 10 years agoSwiped from Nekona, since FC was over a while ago.
THREE SCREEN NAMES YOUVE GONE BY
Leucrotta
Pachycrocuta
Tannahill
THREE THINGS YOU'VE DONE IN THE LAST 33 MINUTES:
Ate delicious toast with blackberry jam
Loitered around MU*s
Let this adorable little annoying cat climb on my shoulders
THREE THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
I'm pretty innately optimistic at some level
I keep trying to figure out my issues rather than accepting that as how the world must be
I really like my eye color
THREE THINGS YOU DISLIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
Weird psych problems
Really short tempered about politics
Some bits of my appearance (esp browridges)
THREE THINGS YOU'RE AFRAID OF:
Poverty
Homelessness
Soul-deadening warehouse jobs
THREE THINGS YOU ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW:
Blue jeans
8 lb, 19-20 year old cat sitting across shoulders
wire-framed glasses
THREE OF YOUR EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS:
wire-framed glasses
internet access
small sketchpad with means to draw in it
THREE IMPORTANT OBJECTS
photos of grandparents
laptop
house keys
THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE BANDS:
Nirvana
The Surf Coasters
The Ramones
THREE WAYS TO BE HAPPY:
Being able to see beyond duality
Compassionate awareness of where others are similar to myself, rather than different
Frequent orgasms
THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE SONGS AT PRESENT:
"Coyotes," Modest Mouse
"Cherry Bomb," Shonen Knife cover
"Still Remains," Stone Temple Pilots
THREE NEW THINGS YOU WANT TO TRY IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS:
Drawing some sort of longer term comic
Visiting the Seattle area
Pursuing more published opportunities
THREE THINGS YOU REGRET:
Picking the "wrong" major in college
Not joining the Navy or Coast Guard
Abandoning an attempt to go to grad school at UC Berkeley, years ago
THREE THINGS YOU WANT IN A RELATIONSHIP:
Acceptance
Fairness
Um, weird kink
THREE IMPORTANT THINGS YOU'VE GIVEN TO THE WORLD:
Some okay art
Some fairly funny jokes
Helping a friend stay alive and get back to okay health
TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE:
I'm actually older than you think I am and older than I look
I've actually operated a particle accelerator
Sometimes I think it'd be nice to move back around Atlanta
THREE EMOTIONAL THINGS YOU LIKE IN THE OPPOSITE SEX:
Smart, smarter than I am
Similar taste in food (seriously. Hard to go on dates if you don't have a variety of places to eat)
Interest in a wide variety of music
THREE THINGS YOU JUST CAN'T DO
Play a wind instrument
Competently drive a stick shift
Longboarding
THREE THINGS YOU MISS FROM YOUR PAST:
My grandparents
The initial feeling of optimism and openness I had when I first came to this area
Having my own car
THREE REASONS WHY YOU ARE WHO YOU ARE:
My friends
The ever-so-high quality of Georgia public schools
Really good luck with one of the few art related courses I've ever had
THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES:
Drawing
Fencing
Tabletop roleplaying games
THREE THINGS YOU NEEEEEED! REALLY BADLY RIGHT NOW:
A car
A permanent or at least long term job which I don't hate
Some sort of relatively inexpensive place to live
THREE PLACES YOU WANT TO GO FOR HOLIDAY:
Vancouver Island
Olympic Peninsula
New Zealand
THREE CARTOON CHARACTERS:
San, from Princess Mononoke
Ringo, in Yellow Submarine
Ein, from Cowboy Bebop
THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO:
Move away from where I currently live
Run a D&D campaign to completion
Get in some more time kayaking
THREE SCREEN NAMES YOUVE GONE BY
Leucrotta
Pachycrocuta
Tannahill
THREE THINGS YOU'VE DONE IN THE LAST 33 MINUTES:
Ate delicious toast with blackberry jam
Loitered around MU*s
Let this adorable little annoying cat climb on my shoulders
THREE THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
I'm pretty innately optimistic at some level
I keep trying to figure out my issues rather than accepting that as how the world must be
I really like my eye color
THREE THINGS YOU DISLIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
Weird psych problems
Really short tempered about politics
Some bits of my appearance (esp browridges)
THREE THINGS YOU'RE AFRAID OF:
Poverty
Homelessness
Soul-deadening warehouse jobs
THREE THINGS YOU ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW:
Blue jeans
8 lb, 19-20 year old cat sitting across shoulders
wire-framed glasses
THREE OF YOUR EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS:
wire-framed glasses
internet access
small sketchpad with means to draw in it
THREE IMPORTANT OBJECTS
photos of grandparents
laptop
house keys
THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE BANDS:
Nirvana
The Surf Coasters
The Ramones
THREE WAYS TO BE HAPPY:
Being able to see beyond duality
Compassionate awareness of where others are similar to myself, rather than different
Frequent orgasms
THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE SONGS AT PRESENT:
"Coyotes," Modest Mouse
"Cherry Bomb," Shonen Knife cover
"Still Remains," Stone Temple Pilots
THREE NEW THINGS YOU WANT TO TRY IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS:
Drawing some sort of longer term comic
Visiting the Seattle area
Pursuing more published opportunities
THREE THINGS YOU REGRET:
Picking the "wrong" major in college
Not joining the Navy or Coast Guard
Abandoning an attempt to go to grad school at UC Berkeley, years ago
THREE THINGS YOU WANT IN A RELATIONSHIP:
Acceptance
Fairness
Um, weird kink
THREE IMPORTANT THINGS YOU'VE GIVEN TO THE WORLD:
Some okay art
Some fairly funny jokes
Helping a friend stay alive and get back to okay health
TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE:
I'm actually older than you think I am and older than I look
I've actually operated a particle accelerator
Sometimes I think it'd be nice to move back around Atlanta
THREE EMOTIONAL THINGS YOU LIKE IN THE OPPOSITE SEX:
Smart, smarter than I am
Similar taste in food (seriously. Hard to go on dates if you don't have a variety of places to eat)
Interest in a wide variety of music
THREE THINGS YOU JUST CAN'T DO
Play a wind instrument
Competently drive a stick shift
Longboarding
THREE THINGS YOU MISS FROM YOUR PAST:
My grandparents
The initial feeling of optimism and openness I had when I first came to this area
Having my own car
THREE REASONS WHY YOU ARE WHO YOU ARE:
My friends
The ever-so-high quality of Georgia public schools
Really good luck with one of the few art related courses I've ever had
THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES:
Drawing
Fencing
Tabletop roleplaying games
THREE THINGS YOU NEEEEEED! REALLY BADLY RIGHT NOW:
A car
A permanent or at least long term job which I don't hate
Some sort of relatively inexpensive place to live
THREE PLACES YOU WANT TO GO FOR HOLIDAY:
Vancouver Island
Olympic Peninsula
New Zealand
THREE CARTOON CHARACTERS:
San, from Princess Mononoke
Ringo, in Yellow Submarine
Ein, from Cowboy Bebop
THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO:
Move away from where I currently live
Run a D&D campaign to completion
Get in some more time kayaking
That FC meme!
Posted 11 years agoHotel:
SJ Hilton
Arrival/Departure
Still working this out - but hope to get in early and stay through Monday.
Means of transportation:
AC Transit, BART, SV Transit, feet!
Sharing a room with:
Nekona, CameraPup, and possibly a fourth person.
Gender
AMAB.
Relationship Status
Open relationship.
How old are you?
Old enough I hate mentioning it in mixed company.
How tall are you?
5'9"
Are you an Artist?
Yes!
Do you have an artist table?
Sadly, not this year!
What will you be offering at your table?
Well, no table, but talk to me. Maybe I can draw you something, or read cards or something.
Do you take commissions?
Yes, but please be aware that this is a con and I might have to say no or work slower.
Do you do trades?
For the right people, yes.
Are you a Fursuiter?
Sadly, no!
What's your fursuit?
n/a
Attending parties?
Whichever ones I might!
Do you drink?
Yes, actually.
Can I buy you a drink?
Yes. I like the fruity kind with li'l umbrellas.
Do you smoke?
Yes, but very rarely.
Are you attending any panels?
Hopefully yes!
Stage or public performance?
Other than going to the dances and flailing around?
How do I identify my self to you?
Just be friendly, open, and check to see if I recognize any of your fan names.
Rules of engagement (physical contact)?
Please, please ask before you touch, okay?
How can I find you?
Email or message me, and
Can I talk to you?
Please! But realize that I'm an introvert and slightly ADDish.
Can I give you lots of money?
"Do you want to hire me? As your bodyguard? I get 5 ryo."
Can I give you stuff?
Depends what stuff?
Can I hug or snuggle with you?
Please ask. I might not always be okay with that.
Can I come to dinner with you?
Potentially yes. The whole thing where setting up dinner might be difficult, and I might go towards whatever plans seem to be solidified first.
Can I hang out with you?
Please ask - I might be busy off and on, though I'll try to be available!
Can I take your picture?
If you do, please ask and possibly share copies?
How do I know if you're not looking to socialize (angry, busy or whatnot)
I'm really hoping to see some specific people from out of town. I might not be available, so please do ask!
Personality Type?
I tend to switch a little between being very friendly, chatty and open, and retreating back into the safety of a sketchpad. Again, introverted and slightly ADD.
What's your goal for the con this year?
Mostly have a good time and, if poor sleep and emotional intensity means I start feeling terrible, to be able to pull myself out of it relatively easily.
SJ Hilton
Arrival/Departure
Still working this out - but hope to get in early and stay through Monday.
Means of transportation:
AC Transit, BART, SV Transit, feet!
Sharing a room with:
Nekona, CameraPup, and possibly a fourth person.
Gender
AMAB.
Relationship Status
Open relationship.
How old are you?
Old enough I hate mentioning it in mixed company.
How tall are you?
5'9"
Are you an Artist?
Yes!
Do you have an artist table?
Sadly, not this year!
What will you be offering at your table?
Well, no table, but talk to me. Maybe I can draw you something, or read cards or something.
Do you take commissions?
Yes, but please be aware that this is a con and I might have to say no or work slower.
Do you do trades?
For the right people, yes.
Are you a Fursuiter?
Sadly, no!
What's your fursuit?
n/a
Attending parties?
Whichever ones I might!
Do you drink?
Yes, actually.
Can I buy you a drink?
Yes. I like the fruity kind with li'l umbrellas.
Do you smoke?
Yes, but very rarely.
Are you attending any panels?
Hopefully yes!
Stage or public performance?
Other than going to the dances and flailing around?
How do I identify my self to you?
Just be friendly, open, and check to see if I recognize any of your fan names.
Rules of engagement (physical contact)?
Please, please ask before you touch, okay?
How can I find you?
Email or message me, and
Can I talk to you?
Please! But realize that I'm an introvert and slightly ADDish.
Can I give you lots of money?
"Do you want to hire me? As your bodyguard? I get 5 ryo."
Can I give you stuff?
Depends what stuff?
Can I hug or snuggle with you?
Please ask. I might not always be okay with that.
Can I come to dinner with you?
Potentially yes. The whole thing where setting up dinner might be difficult, and I might go towards whatever plans seem to be solidified first.
Can I hang out with you?
Please ask - I might be busy off and on, though I'll try to be available!
Can I take your picture?
If you do, please ask and possibly share copies?
How do I know if you're not looking to socialize (angry, busy or whatnot)
I'm really hoping to see some specific people from out of town. I might not be available, so please do ask!
Personality Type?
I tend to switch a little between being very friendly, chatty and open, and retreating back into the safety of a sketchpad. Again, introverted and slightly ADD.
What's your goal for the con this year?
Mostly have a good time and, if poor sleep and emotional intensity means I start feeling terrible, to be able to pull myself out of it relatively easily.
Commissions still open during the holiday!
Posted 11 years agoI'm still in the middle of unpaid holiday from the day job, with a con coming up, so I'm still eager to work on a few more commissions! Little inked sketches are relatively fast for me, so for all intents and purposes I still basically have 20 commission slots at $12 each.
As before, single figure, inked stuff, color if I really feel like it! I'm willing to do multiple characters too, but ask me, as I want to keep these things I can do quickly! No revision process on these guys.
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/15071081/ or http://www.furaffinity.net/view/14995420/ are examples of what I'm up for doing.
Please email me at JonServal at aol dot com or message me here to leave details! Thanks!
As before, single figure, inked stuff, color if I really feel like it! I'm willing to do multiple characters too, but ask me, as I want to keep these things I can do quickly! No revision process on these guys.
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/15071081/ or http://www.furaffinity.net/view/14995420/ are examples of what I'm up for doing.
Please email me at JonServal at aol dot com or message me here to leave details! Thanks!
Looking for FC housing/sketch commissions
Posted 11 years agoHi!
Thanks to being really broke for a while, it didn't look like I was going to be able to get to Further Confusion this year. Now, getting to the con is a little more of a possibility -- and I'd like to go if that's possible. But now I also don't have a room set up. I'd like to split a room if anyone still has space!
If you're interested, please message me here or email me at JonServal at aol dot com. Thanks!
.......
Repeat of an earlier journal.
I'm about to have a batch of days off from work, unpaid. So I'm hoping to draw a batch of stuff!
20 commission slots at $12 each. Single figure, inked stuff, color if I really feel like it! I'm willing to do multiple characters too, but ask me, as I want to keep these things I can do quickly! No revision process on these guys.
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/15071081/ or http://www.furaffinity.net/view/14995420/ are examples of what I'm up for doing.
Please email me at JonServal at aol dot com or message me here to leave details! Thanks!
Thanks to being really broke for a while, it didn't look like I was going to be able to get to Further Confusion this year. Now, getting to the con is a little more of a possibility -- and I'd like to go if that's possible. But now I also don't have a room set up. I'd like to split a room if anyone still has space!
If you're interested, please message me here or email me at JonServal at aol dot com. Thanks!
.......
Repeat of an earlier journal.
I'm about to have a batch of days off from work, unpaid. So I'm hoping to draw a batch of stuff!
20 commission slots at $12 each. Single figure, inked stuff, color if I really feel like it! I'm willing to do multiple characters too, but ask me, as I want to keep these things I can do quickly! No revision process on these guys.
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/15071081/ or http://www.furaffinity.net/view/14995420/ are examples of what I'm up for doing.
Please email me at JonServal at aol dot com or message me here to leave details! Thanks!
Sketch commissions open
Posted 11 years agoHi!
I'm about to have a batch of days off from work, unpaid. So I'm hoping to draw a batch of stuff!
20 commission slots at $12 each. Single figure, inked stuff, color if I really feel like it! I'm willing to do multiple characters too, but ask me, as I want to keep these things I can do quickly! No revision process on these guys.
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/15071081/ or http://www.furaffinity.net/view/14995420/ are examples of what I'm up for doing.
Please email me at JonServal at aol dot com or message me here to leave details! Thanks!
I'm about to have a batch of days off from work, unpaid. So I'm hoping to draw a batch of stuff!
20 commission slots at $12 each. Single figure, inked stuff, color if I really feel like it! I'm willing to do multiple characters too, but ask me, as I want to keep these things I can do quickly! No revision process on these guys.
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/15071081/ or http://www.furaffinity.net/view/14995420/ are examples of what I'm up for doing.
Please email me at JonServal at aol dot com or message me here to leave details! Thanks!
Digital drawing/inking
Posted 11 years agoQuestion, what're people using to draw or ink digitally these days? My old (old!) copy of Photoshop turns out to be a not-great choice, and I've seen someone suggest PaintTool Sai. I'd dig getting to just sit down and color away, with no scanning step. What're peoples' experiences here?
