This morning we had a puppy come in and she was just lying in her cage...not even moving. We could tell she was extremely lethargic and sick just by looking at her. Dr. Christine took a look at the puppy and then kept her at the clinic to be worked on and to keep an eye on her. We did testing and it turns out she's positive for parvo. T.T

She's so far along that she can't keep any liquids down and is crying in pain. Breaks my heart. We're not sure she'll survive through the night.

So, tomorrow morning I'll go in and see the outcome. I pray that she'll be ok through the night and can pull through this. But it's looking slim. Poor puppy.

I have nothing to write about here. Sadness. Thought I should change it off of Anime Central however since that was almost two weeks ago. ^_^;;

I feel inspired to draw... but I can never get myself to actually do it. >.< Hopefully soon. 'Cause I kind of miss it. I've been in a reading kick lately and that seems to be consuming my time outside of work.

Anywho, hope everyone is doing well. <3

Yay~ It's been so long since I've been to an anime convention. I'm very excited. =^__^=

So I'll be in Chicagoland this weekend.  zzd and I are heading down tomorrow morning to stay with  bluebane at his place. We'll be going to the con Friday and Saturday and perhaps Sunday. Otherwise we'll be bumming around the city and shopping at fun places like Mitsuwa and Ikea. *__*

Anime Central here I come! Wheee~ ^o^

Wow, has it really been a month since I've uploaded any art? >_>;

Ah, sorry. I've been super busy with work lately. The long days are exhausting and the last thing I feel like doing at the end of the day is drawing. ^_^;; Plus I haven't been very inspired. Blah. I am working on a commission however and I have a little doodle of my dog I'm slowly working on. But I don't know when those will be up.

Anywho, I hope everyone is doing well. And thanks again to all my recent watchers! It means a lot. Hopefully I'll get more stuff up for you to enjoy soon! =^__^=

*goes back to listening to 'Follow Me Down' by 3OH!3*

So today I wrapped up my first week at the vet clinic. The first thing I want to say is 11 hour shifts are KILLER. X3; I feel like I'll never get used to it and at the end of the day I want to chop off my legs they hurt so badly. Not to mention how exhausted I am. Buuuut, other than that I'm really enjoying it.

I have SO much respect for receptionists at clinics now. >_>; Holy hell...all the things to remember! And if you make a mistake you could really hurt a patient. I was counting out pills today for the doctors and I would recount about 10 times, LOL! I didn't want to give the wrong dose. X3;; I really like working in the pharmacy area doing the blood work and, yes, fecal. XD; I also make the doctors show me things under the microscope and harass the techs to show me things. I want to learn!

I also really like the people I work with. The receptionists are great, especially Jim. He's hilarious. And all the doctors are pretty chill and nice. The vet techs are about my age so we get along well. So yeah, I'm really happy I don't have anyone I really can't stand working with. X3;;

The highlights of this first week are:
* Playing April Fool's jokes on one of the doctors
* Bagging up two dogs who were put down on my first day >_>;
* Learning about all the crazy owners
* Filing and re-filing my ass off X3;;
* Meeting the clinic kitty Raymond
* ALWAYS remember to fill out files completely >.<

So far this week I've picked up A LOT. And according to people I'm doing really well with the training. So I feel good about this job. ^__^ I just have to get used to the hours... I don't want to be an adult!!! XD;; But the pay sure is nice. >_>;; I can't wait to get my first paycheck!

So yeah, my first week has gone pretty smoothly. I'm curious to see what next week shall bring. :P

I applied for a receptionist position at a vet clinic near my home - and I got it! =^__^= I put in my two weeks at my current job (I will miss it dearly T.T) and I start my new job at the end of March. I'm super excited! I loved working at a vet clinic before and I'll also be able to cross-train with the vet techs eventually. Sweet!

Also, no one was interested in the special commissions I offered...so I'm just taking the post down.

This game is EPIC. And the song is amazing.

Enough said...

Robot Unicorn Attack!

Go play!

I BOUGHT A NEW CAR!!!

I purchased a 2010 Hyundai Elantra~ It's a dark blue color with gray interior. I love it!!!

I was looking at getting a used Hyundai because I figured that was in my price range. But the used car the dealership had, I wasn't interested in. I loved the sunroof it had...but the silver wasn't my favorite color (plus my brother has a silver car) and it had a big dent in it already. So, Walter (the salesman) asked me if he gave me the right price, would I be interested in a *new* car. I said yes, but figured I wouldn't get a very good price. Well, last night he offered me a payment of $240 a month for 6 years. That was pushing it and I told him I needed a night to think on it.

Well, I got home, worked on some numbers with my mom and came to the conclusion that the highest I could go would be $200 a month. And if Walter couldn't do that for me, I'd walk. I was kinda assuming that I probably couldn't get the car and that I'd have to go to another dealership, so I was ready for disappointment. But when I got there and put the numbers down for him and told him what I wanted, I was able to get it! He went off and talked to the sales manager and came back with good news! ^o^ I was so, no, I am STILL so excited!!!

I ended up getting a brand new Elantra for $2,200 down and monthly payments of $198 at 4.9% interest. W00t! And all by myself! - I'm so proud! X3;;;

The car is soooo nice. I love the way it drives. And it's so pretty! - yes, prettiness counts. >:E The interior is really spiffy and it glows a very nice blue in the dark. The radio is great with an auxiliary port for my iPod~ =^__^= Plus cruise control! (didn't have that in my Corolla X3;;) I love it!

I will miss my '97 Toyota Corolla...she was a very good car. But it was time to move on. Now...time to find a name for my new car! :3

So...I'm planning on purchasing a new car. And by new, I mean a used car; hopefully a 2008 or 2009. But! I'm having a hard time deciding on what car brand I should go for. I have a 1997 Toyota Corolla right now. I LOVE my Toyota, but she's getting old and the miles have taken their toll. ^_^;; So it's about time I've invested in a new car.

I was planning on getting another Toyota... But with all the recalls and shit, I just don't know if it's worth it. -_-;;

The two cars I have in mind right now, that I really like, are the Mazda3 and the Hyundai Elantra. Anyone own these cars? Know anyone who does? Feedback would be greatly appreciated. Are they good cars? Reliable? Worth the money? I'm also thinking about the Honda Civic...but that's a bit pricier. I dunno! >.<

It's just so hard! - I'm freaking out about if I'm making the right decisions or not. X3;; This is a big chunk of money...and I'm nervous. ^_^;;

So yeah, if anyone has any feedback, opinions, suggestions...please let me know!

Thank you~!

For Christmas, my mother bought me a DNA test for my lovely mutt, Mazzik. About three weeks ago I sent in his DNA and I just received the results today. ^o^ My pup, Mr. Maz, is...

Level 3 (20-36%):
Shih-Tzu

Level 4 (10-19%):
Afghan Hound
Bernese Mountain Dog
Pekingese

Level 5 (Less than 10%):
Beagle
Chow Chow
Maltese
Weimaraner

I laughed so hard. I guess it's just my destiny to always have shih-tzus. X3;; (My family has owned three shih-tzus now.) Not that I mind, they are adorable and loving dogs. ^__^ And! - he has part Berner in him. My favorite breed! I could have sworn he was part Chinese Crested. But now that I study him with the breeds they found, I can definitely see the breeds mixed in him.

This was a lot of fun and now I know my baby's ancestry.

For images of Mr. Maz himself:
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2481569/

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Shih-Tzu:

I can see where Maz gets the shih-tzu in him. The crazy hair and tail especially. ^_^; The shih-tzu "are alert watchdogs and like to bark, although they are generally quiet when inside. They need to be with people and make affectionate companions." That fits Maz to a T.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Afghan Hound:

I can definitely see the afghan hound in Maz. Especially the long, lithe body. "They are sweet, loyal, affectionate and sensitive. They are suspicious of strangers, but not hostile towards them. Some may be timid and high-strung. They get along well with other dogs and pets. ...they are highly sensitive to anesthesia due to their low levels of body fat." I think a LOT of Maz's traits come from the afghan hound. Especially the whole thing about body fat. I can't fatten Maz up! X3;; He's also pretty high-strung at times. >_>;;

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Bernese Mountain Dog:

I don't see much of the berner in Maz...except maybe some of the very faint patterning he has. Although, some of the berner traits fit: "They are devoted to their owners, friendly to strangers and require lots of human attention. They may suffer from separation anxiety, which may lead them to destructive behavior when left alone."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Pekingese:

I can see the hair, tail and coloring from the pekingese in Maz. This trait of the pekingese really fits Maz as well: "They may be picky eaters and will sometimes refuse to eat in an attempt to control their masters." I've done so much food switching and treat buying to get Maz to eat. The little brat. X3;;;

Just a rant I need to get out...

If you're going to commit to owning a breed of dog that has long hair that can mat easily...take care of and brush your dog on a regular basis!

In the four short months I've worked as a dog bather and grooming assistant I've seen way too many matted and neglected dogs. Just today I got a small maltese mix that was horribly matted. She was only about 5 or 6 months old and in that time she had gotten a ton of mats all over her body. Luckily, I was able to work out the ones on her back and some on her legs...but not without pulling and hurting the poor thing at times. I try to be gentle, but you have to pull and work at them to get them out. That is NOT fair to the animal. And she still has a ton on her legs and under belly.

You cannot just let these things go. Mats need to be taken care of! And not just by the groomer. If your dog starts getting mats before you take them to the groomer, you need to brush them out best you can. They will pull and tangle more if you just leave them and that can cause skin irritation and pain for the dog. And way too many times I've had to watch the groomer freaking sheer a dog like a sheep. That is just plain abuse and it makes me so angry.

Telling me, "Oh, I didn't know!" and "I didn't think it was that bad." is BULLSHIT. If you pet your dog daily you should know. And again, take responsibility! You bought or rescued the dog you own so you should know about the breed. If they have long hair that grows (shih-tzu, maltese, goldens, doodles, etc) then you need to take care of them and BRUSH them. They can't do it themselves.

A couple mats are acceptable...it's going to happen. It's inevitable in these breeds. But if you neglect to do anything and it gets to the point that I've seen and we have to shave them out... it's just wrong. The pain the animal has to go through is just not fair.

So like I said before, take responsibility and take care of your dog's coat!

*steps off soapbox*

...For awhile anyway.

Recently I've been in a huge art slump/block. I haven't drawn much of anything lately and I don't plan to. I've completely lost my passion. -_-;;

So yeah...until I get out of this slump I'm not going to take commissions. I hate drawing when I feel I can't and I refuse to give anyone less than my best.

For those of you who may have been interested, sorry, but you'll have to wait until I open again. And I'm not sure when that'll be. ^_^;;

Sorry again. I'll be doing my best to get my passion back!

I WANT ONE~!!! T___T

*whines*

Damn it...I want a Cintiq so badly. I miss using them at school. They are glorious pieces of technology. *sighs longingly* I could do artwork so much faster... Ah, it would be nice.

So! Who wants to get me one!?

Ha...ha ha...hahahahahaha! *wipes at tear* Oh, that's a funny one.

Maybe sometime in the far, far future~

*dreams and continues to save pennies*

Hey everyone~

I'm going to be pretty busy over the holidays so I wanted to take this chance to wish you all Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! *hugs*

I'm so thankful for everyone who has commented, favorited and watched my art. You have no idea what it means to me. The support from all of you really keeps me going. =^__^= So thank you very much!

Also, Happy New Years!!! I'll be in Michigan over the new year so I won't be able to post then. :P

I hope everyone has a very fun and safe holiday season! Eat lots of good food, have fun opening presents, play in the snow, party it up, visit family and all the other fun things you do over the holidays. Heehee.

Thanks again!

~Shuki

People! I need your help. T.T My Adobe Illustrator won't work! *weeps*

Every time I open the program and start a file, about a minute or two after it says "Adobe Illustrator CS3 has stopped working" and then promptly closes. ~_~ I have art to do!!! T__T I tried reinstalling, thought it worked, and then it happened again. *sigh* It's so annoying.

Can anyone help with this problem? ...anyone?

Hey everyone~

So I've updated my commission prices... I had to increase them a bit. Sorry! I just have a lot of expenses coming up soon and money is in demand! X3;; Check them out here: http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/819045/

If you're interested in a commission, please let me know! =^__^= And if you think you know someone who'd be interested, pass it on? Thanks so much!

Also, I was wondering if I did $5.00 Holiday icons, would anyone be interested??? They'd be head shots with your character wearing winter gear, santa/elf gear, under a mistletoe, with a present, etc. You could choose. :3 Let me know~

Thanks everyone!

Tonight's episode was so good...but so sad! T.T I'm so looking forward to more!

BUT I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL JANUARY 21ST!? ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?

*weeps*

I'm not a patient person. X3;;

Oh, and BIG surprise who won Project Runway. >:3

So...I won't be adopting Meeko. T___T

I got the call today that my application was approved and that I could pick him up tomorrow. I was ecstatic. But when I told my parents (after I thought it was ok) they threw a fit and wouldn't allow the cat in the house. After a long argument I finally gave in and decided that I wouldn't adopt him. Not in such a cat hateful home.

I'm really upset and just wish I had my own place right now. Then there would be no problem. I hope Meeko finds a loving home.

Bye bye, kitty.

So...I may be getting a kitty! =o.o=

On Sunday,  zzd,  bluebane and I went to Petsmart to get my dog a new leash and collar. I wasn't planning on getting anything else and it was supposed to be a quick run in. Well...we spotted the cats for adoption. >.<

There was one kitty in particular who I really fell in love with...Meeko. He's orange and white, adorable and super playful. I lifted Maz (my dog) up to the little window to see Meeko and he wagged his tail happily. He hasn't had a kitty to play with since I moved out of my old place. And best of all, Meeko didn't seem scared at all and pawed at the window like he wanted to play! *weeps* He's so damn cute!

ZZD and I decided we wanted to adopt him and asked a staff member to see the adorable kitty. After that, we were hooked. Later that night I filled out an online application.

Now I wait to hear back from the Humane Society he's from....and to convince my parents to let us have a cat in the house. -_-;; That's going to be the tough part. *sigh* I really, really want him! I hope everything works out.

*crosses fingers*

So I wanted to make one more journal about the plush I'm selling. This is the last call for people who are interested. All details can be found here: http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/1019718/
After a week I'll be taking the plush to Goodwill. So if you'd like one...let me know! =^__^=

Also, thank you so much to those who purchased plush from me already. I really appreciate it! *hugs* Let your friends know too! X3;;

Also, holidays are coming up...and that means money spending. >_>;; Just wanted to remind people that I'm still taking commissions! My commission page is located here: http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/819045/ If you're interested, send me a note!

Thanks so much!

Wow! I got a lot more responses to the plushie post than I thought I would. X3 So, as requested, I took pictures of the plush I'm going to sell.

RULES:

* If you are interested in purchasing any plush from me, leave a comment telling me which ones (there are numbers written by each one) and I will save them for you. - First come, first served!

* Also, give me an estimate of what you would be willing to pay! I'm totally willing to work with people on price. Other than the price of the plush there will be a shipping cost.

* I'm accepting PayPal only and shipping within the U.S. only. (Unless you are willing to pay for the more expensive shipping)

*If you'd like more info, picture angles, etc. just let me know. :3

PLUSH:

~Wolves/Huskies~
http://pics.livejournal.com/haunted.....e/pic/0013d4ap
http://pics.livejournal.com/haunted.....e/pic/0013ec00
http://pics.livejournal.com/haunted.....e/pic/0013f1qa
http://pics.livejournal.com/haunted.....e/pic/0013ga98

~Cats~
http://pics.livejournal.com/haunted.....e/pic/0013hdct
http://pics.livejournal.com/haunted.....e/pic/0013kx9b
http://pics.livejournal.com/haunted.....e/pic/0013p8s6
http://pics.livejournal.com/haunted.....e/pic/0013w2e8
http://pics.livejournal.com/haunted.....e/pic/0013qga4

~Disney Characters~
http://pics.livejournal.com/haunted.....e/pic/0013rz97
http://pics.livejournal.com/haunted.....e/pic/0013skd8
http://pics.livejournal.com/haunted.....e/pic/0013t1a1

~Dogs~
http://pics.livejournal.com/haunted.....e/pic/0013x85z
http://pics.livejournal.com/haunted.....e/pic/0013y184
http://pics.livejournal.com/haunted.....e/pic/0013zt9w
http://pics.livejournal.com/haunted.....e/pic/0014016g
http://pics.livejournal.com/haunted.....e/pic/00142x9x
http://pics.livejournal.com/haunted.....e/pic/00143b2a

~Moose~
http://pics.livejournal.com/haunted.....e/pic/00141rd2

EDIT:
These are the ones already spoken for:
W1, W4, W5, W6, W7, W11, W15, W16
C2, C4, C7, C11, C12
WD1, WD8, WD9, WD10, WD11, WD12
D2
R1
M3

Thanks!

Hey everyone! I've been published in the Sugar Ninja's comic anthology! My Maz the Spaz comics and character designs are in the book (Sweet edition) and I'm thrilled. =^__^=

The comic anthology was created by Ana May from the Sequential department of the Savannah College of Art and Design. A bunch of the girls from the department submitted their work and the anthology was put together. There are some amazing artists along side me in the book, including the very talented  zelda (She's also the editor! - thanks for all your hard work girl!)

If you're interested in purchasing the anthology you can do so here: http://www.lulu.com/product/paperba.....ook%29/5443404
(You can see my comics on page 5 of the preview :3)

There is also a Spicy version with more mature content: http://www.lulu.com/product/paperba.....ook%29/5607093
(I don't think I'm in that one)

But yeah...I'm really excited! I'm so glad the book is finished and I can have my work in print form. So very cool~ Heehee.

Saturdays at work are crazy. But this Saturday was insane. @__@

Community Bark was in the Milwaukee newspaper and brought in a ton of new customers. The moment I walked in I was given a dog to bathe and for six hours straight I didn't stop and continued bathing dog after dog. X3 The time went super fast though! Heh. And I got to wash an 8 month old Landseer Newfoundland and this adorable little dog named Peanuts. :3

If you want to read the article about Community Bark, here's the link: http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwau...../63352117.html I think it's a really nice article and I hope we continue to have great business. I love seeing all the pups that come in. X3

Have a good weekend everyone!

 zzd won the 1,000 pageview kiriban! I didn't even know she was playing. X3

In other news...Community Bark has finally opened! It has been CrAzY~! But in a very good way. We've had a ton of customers and dogs and I've been bathing dogs like mad. We've had so many beautiful pups come in...I want to snuggle them all. (a 8 week old golden puppy came in today and I got to hold her while the owner washed her other dog. SO cute!) It's a LOT of work, but it's fun work and the time goes by super fast.

I just got done working 7 days in a row and I have tomorrow off and then another 5 days of work. So I'm pretty busy. ^_^;; I've been so tired, so I really haven't been doing much drawing. Hopefully, once I get into a routine, I won't feel so tired and actually get things done. :P

I hope everyone has a great week!

Just as a reminder, the first person to send me a screen shot of 1,000 page views gets a drawing of their character finished to my choosing.
I'm truly honored to have so many page views and watchers within the first months of being a part of this community. I hope to improve on my art and meet more and more fun people! Thanks guys! =^__^=

And as for those bees in my ceiling... they were paper wasps. @__@ ZZD and I finally got up the courage to move the ceiling panels and check out what was up there, and it was a HUGE nest! We had my brother knock it down and then we killed the rest of the remaining wasps that were somewhat still alive. X3 But now we're bee free and have our bedroom back. It's a good feeling. ^_^;;

I hope everyone is having a good week!