...wash or cook your veggies :3 Skip this next bit if you don't want to hear what's living on our groceries!

So a few weeks back I got an odd assignment from my employer: go to a few supermarkets to buy some fresh produce, and then drop it off with a laboratory for microbiological analysis. Well the results just came back in, and it looks like there's quite a vibrant population of little critters living on our groceries!

The ones prepackaged in plastic bags (carrots, kale and the like) came in highest, probably because the hot, moist environment during transport makes them little incubators. Bacteria numbered in the millions of CFU (colony forming units) per gram, and the coliform levels were regularly beyond testable limits. Yeast and mold were well-represented at the party too!

The good news is that E. Coli was virtually non-existent, and all the other microbes aren't really all that dangerous. People've been ingesting this sort of stuff for centuries, and our bodies are pretty well-adapted to cohabit with them. Quite a few tiny organism are beneficial even! Still... I'm definitely gonna be much better about washing veggies I plan to eat raw from now on :3 (or if you really want to play it sterile, a hydrogen peroxide solution works wonders and dissipates safely into H's and O's).

Anyway, thought some of you guys might that interesting! If you want more specifics, feel free to ask - that just scratched the surface of what we learned from the experiment ^^

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Also, figured I might toss back up the Artist Feature again there were still some slots available! You guys remember the rules, right? If you're an artist just leave a comment here saying you'd like a spot, and then make a journal like this one with the person you got this from featured in one of your slots!

1)  Fringedog
Of the Blazing Sky: Fringe has a real knack for drawing Tengus, especially in his fluid painterly style!
Werejackelope: This one still blows me away whenever I look at it. Such a unique design! It was what sold me on watching him.
Another Kind of WW2: It's got a WWII tank in it. 'Nuf said :3

2)  noben
Boobquake: Remember back when that Iranian cleric blamed seismic activity on immodest dress, and the silly experiment it prompted last year? Well I ran across this picture then and it really left an impression - honestly, it's kinda one of the few things I really remember about the event XD (in fact I just discovered that I'd bookmarked Nolen's gallery back then to peruse through later, but apparently lost it in the shuffle! oops! x_x)
The Burnt Pearl: She has so many examples of incredible lighting, I had a tough time picking one! The nice thing about this piece is that it was recorded, and shows the coloring from start to finish in under four minutes! I feel like I should have learned some new art tricks from the video, but mostly I'm just dizzy from how fast it went @_@
Dragon Luffs: Composition, texture, lighting, expression; everything pulls together beautifully on this one. It just oozes "hug" :3

3)  minimink
Fountain and the Snake: Very neat design, and that eye is just so captivating! :D
Leaning Human: I love the lighting on this, and notice that neat effect where the more distant part is blurrier than the foreground? I've gotta try that one of these days!
The End: Minimink writes, too! I found this pretty thought-provoking, both from wondering what I'd do in that situation and from the protagonist's carefree attitude toward it all. Plus, does his feeling turn out to be justified? We'll never know!

4)  nightlinez
Sunrise Relaxation: Maybe I'm crazy, but in a bunch of her art (and especially this one) I detect a lot of Southwestern influence. It makes for a really neat aesthetic, one you don't find too often 'round here!
Spare Crumbs: There's something about seeing a really well-executed piece of art on a totally absurd subject that makes for an insta-fave in my book.
Rental Car: I've always wanted to do that - she's light enough, she probably can! This pretty much sums up her great 'derpy' style :)

NEW 5)  dawkz
Space Mercenary Memento: Okay. This guy is AWESOME. I mean look at this picture. You looking at it? The sexy retro pinup of a classic VG character? Yep. This guy has perfected what I have only dreamed of doing. Lookit those textures, that vintage feel, that gorgeous pose! Just... wow ;_;
Jugs Win Wars!: If you have to ask why this is one of my favorite pics of all time, you've not spent much time hanging around my gallery.
Maybe Tomorrow (Detail): This picture's breathtaking in its entirety, but I'm linking to the zoomed in version here so you guys can see the amount of care Dawkz puts into his art. See the scale highlights even? That's some serious TLC.
(Okay, one more :3): Heh, check it out, this guy even likes the same music I do. I Remember!

NEW 6)  mikakitty
Lady Love: The subject may lack fur, but this pinup has always been one of my faves of Mika's, plus it really lets her talents shine! She has an innate understanding of color and lighting that make every one of her pictures pop, and she's regularly able to patch together simple, quick, fluid curves into alluring poses like this one.
Doggoneit! 1 and 2: Mika is probably best known for her TF art, and prolific as she's been it was tough choosing which one to highlight! They're all worth taking a look at, but this series of two is a good primer. Lots of motion, great expressions and a story told in every pic!
Pen and Ink Tutorial: Tutorials! She makes them. And they are enormously helpful, especially for people just starting out! This was the one that convinced me to try loosening up my linework a bit, and it helped foster a new set of foundation inking principles (i.e. not having to draw and connect every line) that've in large part led my art to where it is now.
(One more once more :3): Alright, so I sneaked a peak ahead of where I'm at in her gallery because this cute one caught my eye. Besides being very sweet, it is also the most unerringly accurate fursonified version of an actual person I have ever seen (short of painting spots on a photo of course ). Absolutely 100% dead on! Truly a remarkable work of portraiture.

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Hey everybody!

So, a while back I drew a picture depicting a soldier in the Battle of the Bulge; some of you guys maybe remember that one? Well when I made it, I never imagined the character taking on a life of his own. But he - Herman Luther - most certainly has, thanks to  fernin's talented and generous writing!

On top of the scene that he penned for the original pic, Fernin out of the blue just finished an epilogue AND a prologue, all in one story:

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/6109333

which also features an incredible piece commissioned from  spacehunk (originally posted here )! It was an amazing gift - if you have some time, consider giving it a looksie!

Guess it's about time I replace that last journal, seeing as it's a bit out of date. Bear with me while I try to find a more meaningful subject ^^; In the meantime:


I was trying to think, what PC or console RPG's are out there where transformation plays a big role in the plot? Chrono Cross and the Breath of Fire series are about all that come immediately to mind, but I'm no expert - there must be more out there... right?

What games with TF themes have you guys played? Any you particularly enjoyed?


EDIT: If anyone's interested,  nasuki put together a lengthy list of games that might be of interest to furs and fans of TF's alike!

http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/2097843/

Just a quick announcement that I'll be without internet this week again due to travel! If the submission count that'll be waiting for me when I get back becomes so tall that it topples over and buries FA, my apologies in advance ^^; It's already at 11,000 and still climbing; it's reaching critical mass!!!

I miss being unemployed, back when I had enough time to both draw and look at people's art here...



(but I shall never give in to the nuclear option!)

Apologies for a journal so close on the heels of the last, but I have been tagged (oh noes! D:) by  T-kay, and my honor be at stake!

But first: Thank you so much to all new watchers and to everyone who's faved my pics lately! I really, really appreciate it, and hope my silly doodles continue to satisfy!!!

Second: Anyone here stumble onto the  furryawards group yet? Personally, I don't think it's a bad idea at all Check it out, and if you like the idea, consider spreading the word!

Alright, now then, onto the meme:

The Rules:
- You must post these rules.
- Each tagged person must post 10 things about themselves on their journal.
- You have to choose and tag 10 people and post their icons on the same journal. <- NO I DON'T, BWAHAHA
- Go to their pages and tell them you tagged them!

01.- I have a propeller from I believe a 1920's pusher plane on my wall. Not 100% sure about the provenance though.
02.- Across from that I have a mannequin outfitted in 10th Mountain Division gear circa WWII. He stares at me while I sleep, but I've kind of gotten used to him...
03.- I live on a lake across from an amusement park. Free fireworks shows every Saturday night in the summer, woohoo!
04.- I've visited 22 countries and 21 states, and desperately want to visit many, many more!
05.- I'm an only child (no surprise there, right?) and still live at home with my parents. It's thanks to the low overhead that I've been able to do so much traveling!
06.- I wrote my master's thesis on the All Mexico Movement of 1848.
07.- I'm currently using that masters degree in history to its fullest... by working at a local vitamin manufacturer >_<
08.- It took until I was 25 for me to finally get my driver's license.
09.- I've never been in a relationship, much less kissed a gal XD
10.- I've still never had an alcoholic drink! Much like with the driver's license, I'm waiting to see how long I can avoid it until social convention forces me otherwise :3

No tagging here, but anyone who wants to share 10 things about him or herself is more than welcome to!

Not too long ago it was rightfully pointed out that I own more WWII helmets than anyone in his right mind should (I forgot about the Navy talker's helmet out in the hallway, , so actually that makes 19 all total ^^;), and it got me wondering what sorts of silly stuff everybody else has hoarded over the years!



So what do you all collect?

Hey everyone! Hope you're all well, and that your fingers aren't frozen to the mouse this winter. Guh, so c-c-cold... -_- Just a couple orders of business for today!


If anyone's in the market for getting a commission or two, Mika, Tea and Joey could sure use the work. Here are the situations:

 mikakitty http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/2031389/
 teaandzebrastripes http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/2037010/
 joeykhimerakat http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/2053678/

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Also, I've been meaning to get around to that Artist Feature meme that circulated around not to long ago! Fringedog was the first to bring it to my attention, so the first slot's his; Noben gets slot two because she very thoughtfully just featured me out of the blue the other day! The other eight are for any artists/writers/composers who want to post this meme themselves (but seeing as it's already made the rounds, I'm betting most who wanted to do this already have ^^;). Remember how this works? Just leave a comment here saying you'd like a spot, and then make a journal like this one with the person you got this from featured in slot #1!

1)  Fringedog
Of the Blazing Sky: Fringe has a real knack for drawing Tengus, especially in his fluid painterly style!
Werejackelope: This one still blows me away whenever I look at it. Such a unique design! It was what sold me on watching him.
Another Kind of WW2: It's got a WWII tank in it. 'Nuf said :3

2)  noben
Boobquake: Remember back when that Iranian cleric blamed seismic activity on immodest dress, and the silly experiment it prompted last year? Well I ran across this picture then and it really left an impression - honestly, it's kinda one of the few things I really remember about the event XD (in fact I just discovered that I'd bookmarked Nolen's gallery back then to peruse through later, but apparently lost it in the shuffle! oops! x_x)
The Burnt Pearl: She has so many examples of incredible lighting, I had a tough time picking one! The nice thing about this piece is that it was recorded, and shows the coloring from start to finish in under four minutes! I feel like I should have learned some new art tricks from the video, but mostly I'm just dizzy from how fast it went @_@
Dragon Luffs: Composition, texture, lighting, expression; everything pulls together beautifully on this one. It just oozes "hug" :3

3)  minimink
Fountain and the Snake: Very neat design, and that eye is just so captivating! :D
Leaning Human: I love the lighting on this, and notice that neat effect where the more distant part is blurrier than the foreground? I've gotta try that one of these days!
The End: Minimink writes, too! I found this pretty thought-provoking, both from wondering what I'd do in that situation and from the protagonist's carefree attitude toward it all. Plus, does his feeling turn out to be justified? We'll never know!

4)  nightlinez
Sunrise Relaxation: Maybe I'm crazy, but in a bunch of her art (and especially this one) I detect a lot of Southwestern influence. It makes for a really neat aesthetic, one you don't find too often 'round here!
Spare Crumbs: There's something about seeing a really well-executed piece of art on a totally absurd subject that makes for an insta-fave in my book.
Rental Car: I've always wanted to do that - she's light enough, she probably can! This pretty much sums up her great 'derpy' style :)

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I try to give people the benefit of the doubt. Today, while volunteering at the library, a lady came by with three young kids in tow and asked me where the books on animals would be. I directed her out of the mysteries aisle to the nonfiction section. Okay, maybe she's unfamiliar with the layout.

Next I overheard one of her kids ask, "What's that pink bird we saw at the zoo that's tall and stands like this?" When it took her a full minute to come up with "flamingo," I though she might just be having a stressful day.

Then another kid went to the computer and asked, "Mom, how do I spell lion?" Her response: "It's L-Y-O-N, hon'."

Silly me, I still tried to give her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe I'd just misheard her; she had a thick New England accent after all! But when the kid said, "They don't have any, Mom - did I spell it right?" she came over, repeating quite clearly, "Huh - yes, L-Y-O-N."

-____-

Now I pretty much agree with Stephen Fry's stance on language, but... well, frankly, I didn't want the poor kid thinking that that was how "lion" was really spelled. As politely as I could, I poked my head around the corner and offered the correct spelling, unless she was looking to read about southern France (okay, minus that last part :P). It must not have been polite enough, though, because when the same kid later asked how to spell "hawk," she said with a huff, "I just don't know anymore."

Well, he wasn't about to let that deter him. The kid's first guess? "Is it H-A-R-K, Mom?" Oh dear. Although it hit me later, the way the New England accent goes, "hark" would pretty much be pronounced "hawk."

Anyone care to bet this family doesn't visit the library too often?

Hope everyone has a lovely holiday, surrounded by friends and family... and maybe some palm trees on a tropical island somewhere ;)

Okay, that last one's a long shot, but we can dream, right? Cheers!

...I joined FA! Or at least, that's what an average American consumes in one year (that's 22.0 liters to those of you who do not use the system based on the size of King Henry I's foot). And as an average American and a fan of ice cream, I-

Okay, I'm just trying to say it's my anniversary of having joined FA! It almost sneaked up on me - it doesn't feel like it's been a year. Less, perhaps, since in terms of the few drawing projects I've completed it's gone by in a flash. Or more, because this community now feels like such an integral part of my life! Looking back at how many wonderful people I've met through this little corner of the tubes in such a short time is simply mind-boggling. Few communities can boast such a supportive, open, friendly group. So thanks a ton, everybody, for making being a part of FA so enjoyable! May our collective odyssey continue for years to come :)

Whew! Okay, that's the last of the big trips for a while. Sorry about the lengthy disappearance! It's JetBlue's fault for their crazy All You Can Jet pass. Never let one fall into the hands of a travel addict, or he'll be MIA for a month! I've put up a new travel notifier on my profile to give everybody a clearer heads-up on my whereabouts from here on out (I'm shocked and positively touched that people missed me! ^///^). In the meantime, it's finally time to catch up with FA! Hooray FA!


Someone's requested I post all of the photos I took out West, but with the final count at over 4,000, I thought I'd spare you all the slide show and just share a few funny ones:

Don't forget to look both ways. (Vermilion Cliffs, AZ)
No more, no less. (Treasure Island, San Francisco, CA)
Don't! It's dangerous. (San Francisco, CA)
See? It wasn't kidding! (San Francisco, CA)
Shoulda gotten a better contractor. (San Francisco, CA)
Recall that a recent law allows one to exercise their 2nd Amendment right anywhere in a national park. Make of this sign what you will! (Muir Woods, CA)
Worth two in the bush. (South Lake Tahoe, CA)
I smell an opportunity for a prank. (Yosemite, CA)
Why hello there! (Yosemite, CA)
Nature's glory: now with parking! (Yosemite, CA)

Also, for any WWII buffs, here's a picture of the submarine USS Pampanito and the Liberty Ship Jeremiah O'Brien in San Francisco harbor. I'd thought the John Brown was the only Liberty Ship still afloat, so it was a pleasant surprise to stumble on the O'Brien! Well worth checking either out if opportunity presents.


Think that about covers it! Hope you guys enjoyed those pics. Have a good one!

No, not yet - I'm always careful to stay behind the railing. That being said, I was just noticing that it's been three weeks since I last posted anything, and probably just as long or longer since I've left any comments on anyone else's submissions! Augh, I'm so sorry!!!

I feel absolutely awful about that, particularly the latter - it's a classic case of having bitten off more than I can chew. Weekends have been busier than weekdays, and full time employment has been sucking away at my free time faster than a thirsty mosquito with a bendy straw. With only a handful of hours each night to dedicate to things FA, the choice has been either to draw or submission-churn, and I've been drawing non-stop to keep up with commitments!

So where are the pics I've been drawing? Well, A. I'm super-slow, so a lot of time doodling doesn't translate into a lot of pictures finished, and B. They've been either unposted gifts or unfinished sequences-in-progress. But, boy, you guys'll be in for a treat when those sequences are done! :3

At any rate, that's the story. Many apologies again for having seemed disappeared! Hopefully I'll catch up enough on drawing that I can dedicate some time to going back through all those submissions before the next big trip starts them piling up again. Which will be soon. *cough September cough* Yeah, I have a travel addiction X3 Don't judge me!

Hope everyone's well and had a great, relaxing summer!

Hey guys! I'm still alive, and still churning through the submissions that backed up during the trip (only 2,300 to go ^^;)! As long as I'm clearing off that last journal, let me share this with you:


I sat down tonight to watch a special on the NatGeo channel about the Humboldt Squid (that big hunter squid with teeth even in its tentacles). Scientists decided to strap a "crittercam" to the animal to get never-before-seen footage of the squid in its deep-water environment. So to obtain the victim subject, they fish for it with a phosphorescent lure, because the experts know Humboldt Squid are attracted to lights. They catch one, and proceed to attach a camera... with a light. The squid is released, dives deep, and is promptly attacked by a dozen other savage Humboldt Squid.

-_____________________________________________________-

Science.

*EDIT I'm back! Will start churning through all those submissions and journals!

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...I guess I had better mention I'm heading out soon, too, as a quick heads up. But not to AC, sadly - to somewhere completely different (the HRE), and for two weeks! Net access is unlikely, so I'll probably be off the air from this Saturday until July 12th.

Also, it's recently come to my attention that there are some rumors going about to the effect that I have 'talent' and may or may not be 'the best dude ever.' Rest assured, these rumors are completely unfounded. All of the individuals who have apparently taken a peek at my page (a figure that continues to blow my mind) were most likely just trying to find where they parked their cars. And I totally understand, guys - same thing happens to me all the time. Nonetheless, I really, really appreciate everyone who's paid a visit and all of the encouragement!

*proceeds to wander around FA clicking 'unlock,' hoping to hear his car beep*

I'm back, and I left a quick report for anybody's who's interested here. Now, let's clear out that old journal with a question:

Are there any "what if's" in history that you find particularly interesting? In history classes the professors would always tell us to avoid speculating, but I always thought that was half of the fun of the subject! So if you like, either from alternate histories you may have read or from ideas that may have just popped into your mind one day, go right ahead and toss out some different paths that the past might have followed!

Just a quick and mostly irrelevant PSA to let you guys know I'll be internetless when I take off Thursday, May 13th, to a new spot on the map (Bahamas) :D woohoo! Once I'm thoroughly waterlogged, I'll be back the following Wednesday and start tackling that inevitable mountain of submissions!

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After Action Report:

Well, I'm back from the islands and my tongue is officially less red than the rest of my face! The place was almost paradise, by which I mean:

-The reefs were in great shape! (but with moderate faunal variety)
-The beach was a long, beautiful stretch of white sand! (albeit a bit crowded around the resort)
-The food was all you can eat! (although usually quite bland)
-There were even a few topless sunbathers! (of the elderly European sort D: )

So overall I enjoyed the trip immensely! (mostly :p) But it's also good to be back - time to start whittling down those subs!

Since it is May 5th here:

Feliz Cinco de Mayo a todos los Mexicanos (yo se, no es equivalente a 16.Septiembre, pero todavia es importante, verdad? :D )

And since it is now May 6th in GMT:

Best of luck to all of the British voting in the general election today!

...but when I look at a picture, it still doesn't feel like reading :(



Sometimes I get so captivated by all of the fantastic images on FA that I forget there is a small army of writers here as well, whose art is just as compelling! Does that happen to anyone else? Well, at any rate, it's about time I make a concerted effort to explore the wordier corners of FA. Would anyone care to suggest any talented authors? Or any specific stories that have impressed you?

For myself, and possibly of interest to any TF fans lingering about,  Vixyyfox (who is an incredible writer in her own right: clever, prolific - published no less! - and well worth watching!) pointed out  clothoverlord in a journal not long ago. He not only vividly depicts the transformation sequences themselves, but also extensively explores their consequences in a way that sets his work apart from much of the genre. Check him out, especially if you are a fan of dragons! And though I'm generally inclined toward prose,  D-Tail has rekindled my interest in poetry with his light and uplifting lines, bringing back fond memories of reading the likes of Shel Silverstein!



But, yeah, enough of my thoughts on the matter - who do you guys recommend?

Just a couple days ago I was at 1648 pageviews and I remember thinking, "Huh, Treaty of Westphalia. Cool." Then I post two pictures and now... whoa. Over 2k! Guess I better mark the occasion with a sketch like all the cool people do. Maybe one of these days my pageviews will catch up to the imageviews on Buzzy Beetle Helps !

Here's a big thank you to all the new watchers out there! Glad you liked what you've seen!

...

...

START OF IRRELEVANT STUFF

Seems awfully silly to make a whole new journal entry just for pageviews and watcher appreciation. So it's time to improvise!

1. Know a Scythian and a Sarmatian, but can't tell them apart? Check out this thread, which has artists' depictions of every type of warrior to roam the steppes, ever! Educational and with inspiring armor designs.

2. Any other amateur doodlers out there besides me? Here's something really easy I learned lately that (imho) has really improved my lineart. When inking, now I lightly round out any right angles created when one line intersects another. So simple, but I really like the look! Learned this, among many other things, from  insomniacovrlrd's tutorials (he walks you through the whole process behind his great style, but fair warning: features mating pokemon!).

3.  paperplane. An incredibly talented and versatile artist who's still just starting to get a following. But you don't have to take my word for it! (whoa, just channeled LeVar Burton there for a sec)

4. Depressed? The ending to the SEGA/SNES classic Earthworm Jim, beat on hard mode: You're the Best!

There we go. That's a journal. Now, pardon me as I float away in the latest 4" of rain southern NH got. At least we still have power...

Cripe, that was a heckuva storm last night. 60mph (95kph) gusts were knocking trees down left and right, and around midnight I got to watch the sky catch on fire as a nearby power substation fried, sending giant blue and orange arcs all about. It was quite a spectacle, but it also meant we're in for a long power outage. And the more immediate consequence was that it cut off electricity to the pump in the basement, and the waters started rising really fast. So, with trusty bowl in hand, I went into the bowels of the house and bailed it out through the whole night.

I wonder if beavers have this problem in their homes too?

Anyway, it was a wet, fun-filled night, but I'm proud to say a flood was averted! Fortunately a nearby friend hadn't lost power, so I was able to borrow his generator to get the pump (and the heat) back online. But the cable's still out, which means I won't have access to the net much until the infrastructure is fixed. Hoping everybody else on the east coast fared better!

UPDATE: Power's back on! Woohoo!

I am happy to announce that the post-vacation ritual of sorting through trip pictures is finally done, which means that I can focus on more important things! In related news, I've started a big, multi-page drawing project, but I hope to break it up with a few quick singleton submissions in the meantime. I also broke down and got one of those newfangled "tablet" gadgets people keep talking about (just a little Wacom Bamboo) to try to speed up the inking process. Haven't tried it yet, but I have high hopes - I hear if you plug it into your laptop overnight, you'll wake up to the Mona Lisa on your monitor. Hey, any advice for tablet n00bs?

Since some people expressed an interest, here's the link to the pictures I posted on the net. I tried to just include photos of aesthetic and cultural interest, and of course a few of each quintessential site. The album consists of about 7% of the total pictures I took. In case anybody wanted to see the flash flood and evacuation adventure I had in Petra, I also put four videos up on Youtube. And, last thing, here's the link to that journal again where I wrote a few of my observations about the trip.

Ok, back to the drawing board!

I'm back! Guess that means it's time to tackle the 2520 new messages waiting for me on FA. And sorry if my comments/responses seem somewhat non-sequitur after such a long hiatus!

Long story short, the trip to Egypt and Jordan was fun, surprising, and exhausting. I almost need a vacation from my vacation! Getting back to drawing again will be nice and therapeutic.

- - -

Long story long, if anybody's interested...

Well, I wasn't sure what to expect from Egypt besides the famous monuments, but I imagined that I'd notice a lot of similarities to Turkey. Turns out though that the two countries have very little in common, so I had a very fresh travel experience! The first surprise was just how poor the country is - Guatemala is the only place I've seen that even comes close to the level of poverty in Egypt, but the African country seems even worse because of the overpopulation. Evidently in 60 years Egypt's grown from 14 million to over 80 million (our guide told us that in the 1960's a baby was born in Egypt every 22 seconds, faster than India and China combined), and they all live on the narrow stretch of green by the banks of the Nile. Many live in mudbrick houses that look like they did thousands of years ago, save for the ever-present satellite dish on top. The donkey still acts as the rural family's car, tractor, and truck - many farmers don't even have a cart for the animal to pull. But the land they farm is unbelievably fertile, as vibrantly green as fresh leaves in the spring. The way that the endless ocean of sand abruptly turns to lush valley, and then a few hundred yards later, blue water, and then back again, is bizarre, and the environment might even have been romantic if not for the pollution. Irrigation canals were lined with trash and livestock corpses, and smokestacks along the Nile added to the smoke of burning sugar cane fields and the airborne dust of the Sahara. It was like constantly looking through a hazy yellow filter. The cities, Cairo in particular, were similarly crowded and dirty, but what stuck out there was the traffic. It is a complete free-for-all. 2.5 million cars in a street system that can hold 1 million, and no stoplights . Not that anyone would pay attention to them if there were - lane markings, signs, even the direction of traffic are all paid no heed by the Egyptians. Instead of stoplights, Egypt has soldiers sleeping - I mean directing traffic - at every intersection, which brings me to my last observation of Egyptian society. Far moreso than in Turkey or even China, the government here was constantly in your face. When a country of 80 million has compulsory military service, soldiers are everywhere . They didn't always have guns, and when they did they didn't always have clips of ammo, but there was a full-blown checkpoint at every intersection in the countryside, and like I said, guards posted at every street corner in the cities. All to guard against... what? It was all very strange and gratuitous.

I know I haven't painted a pretty picture here, but I don't mean to disparage the country. Life in Egypt is just very raw, intense, and without restraint. My biggest regret was that I could only see it all through the glass window of a bus, rather than experience it firsthand. But what I did encounter closely, the remnants of civilizations long past, was breathtaking. Cairo had a lot more old buildings preserved than I expected which offered an opportunity to see both pre-Turkic Islamic architecture as well as old Coptic Christian churches, still being used today by the Coptic minority that composes 15% of Egypt's population (who knew that many were still around?!). We even got to witness a Christmas service at a millennium-old church, as Coptic Christmas falls on Jan. 7, and they even brought in Santa Claus for the kids!

The pyramids, Abu Simbel, and the Valley of the Kings were suitably epic, of course, but to my surprise the temples of the south were just as, if not more, impressive. Pictures just can't capture how massive the pylons and columns are in Luxor - the six foot diameter column drums of Didyma are dwarfed by Karnak's ten foot monsters. But the highlights of the trip had to be the Egyptian-style Ptolemaic/Roman temples. I kinda dismissed them at first because they were so young (only some 2,000 years old, pfft), but they ended up blowing me away. For one thing, they were in great shape - at Dendera, for example, the roof was completely intact and we actually walked up the original stairs out onto it! But the most impressive thing was the color. At museums in the States, it was always rare and exciting to see a few remnants of pigment on the fragments. In these temples, whole rooms remained as colorful as the day they were first painted, no joke. Not just the scenes on the walls, but the columns, the ceilings - everything . It was like making the transition from black and white to color for the first time. Those sights are gonna stick with me for the rest of my life! Or at least until Alzheimer's kicks in...

So, um, those were the first two weeks. The third week I was in Jordan, but I'll keep this short - you've got other journals to read, and art to peruse! Jordan is more like Turkey, so it felt much more familiar than Egypt did. Similar construction style, similar Roman ruins at Jerash, similar cuisine... Man, it was so good to get some decent Shish Kebab again! That said I was surprised at how hilly and forested the north was, and how much rain poured down on us. I thought Jordan was supposed to be arid!

Petra was of course the highlight of this leg of the tour, but not just because of the great Nabataean tomb that everybody knows from the end of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade . All that rain ended up causing a flash flood right down the famous canyon, and some twenty Spanish tourists and I got to be evacuated from the site crammed standing in the back of a flatbed truck. As we pitched wildly back and forth during the bumpy 30 minute ride through driving, freezing rain, the Spaniards broke out singing the Indiana Jones theme song, and everybody had a great laugh! It's one of those experiences I'll never forget!

So that was my trip! I took a ton of pictures, so I'll be sure to post a link here to the cream the crop once I've had a chance to cull through them. Thanks for reading my little travel novel here!

Well, it's finally 2010! That means a chance for a fresh start, a chance to make (and break) a few resolutions, and that I'm in

EGYPT!!!!

Woot.

It doesn't look like I'll have much of a chance to log on over there, but I'll be back on Jan. 23rd! So until then, wishing everyone a wonderful New Year and all the best,

-LN

I am as happy as a clam. One that is... I don't know... just having a really great day siphoning, I guess. Yes. THAT happy.

I just found out that I'm going to Egypt on New Years! Now I'm really excited - kinda giddy, too - I've always wanted to see those big triangles of theirs, but they just never seemed reachable. Plus I'll be able to ditch New Hampshire for the worst of winter, so go ahead, Canada, throw everything at us that you've got! It's 72F (22C) now in Cairo, so HA!

The only downside is that I'm going to be effectively disconnected from the outside world for that month. I'm gonna crack down on my current projects, and see if I can't get one or two done before 2010, but after that there won't be any updates here for a long while. Sorry guys, but, but... Pyramids! Mosques! Crocodiles! Aw this is so cool!

Have a great holiday everybody, and get ready to start writing 2010!

Alright, I'm finally gonna do it! Today's the day I'm going to start using watches to keep tabs on all those artists instead of just keeping them bookmarked. If you made your way here because of that and are actually reading this, well... wow! Thanks, I'm honored! And keep up the good work!

-LN

[update] Watch list finally filled! Yay!