I've finally gotten my art ref for North finished and posted up- so now it's time for even more North art from the past year plus to slowly make it into my gallery!

I've been putting off getting a lot of artwork uploaded here, and I'm finally starting to sort through what I've gotten over the past couple years (and even some work that never made it onto this account from even further back..) and get it into my gallery. Part of what's probably had me dragging my feet with getting some of this artwork up is that I've changed my 'sona!



I now go by North, and while I'm still mostly Akita Inu, I also have some Coyote and Shep in me.



I've kept the red stripe, and I see this character as more of an evolutionary change of my old one to truly reflect who I am now. I'm still debating whether to stick with my account here (leaning towards this option so I won't have to rewatch over 1400 people or lose all my favorites, etc....) or make a move over to  Northinu, but when I'm done uploading the last of my art of Taka, I will post up my ref for North (which you can see on my Twitter) and start posting the art I've gotten of HIM over the past year and a half!

I'll be there this weekend! WILL YOU?

So there's a bunch of commissions that never made it into my gallery, which was a damn shame! So I hunted and searched through my hard drive to come up with as many of those as possible and got them posted up- check it out! There's some beautiful work by some awesome artists!

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Quick life update: Feeling buried. Things are crazy busy with work- exhaustingly and wildly busy- and it seems like it only gets worse every week! Being understaffed but also budget-tight while we make major changes means I have to cram as much work as possible into a rigidly set amount of hours as circumstances shift, and I'm given more and more new things to do before I'm able to even start working on any of the ones from weeks ago. Sometimes it feels like the more I try to crawl out of this mountain of tasks, the deeper I sink in somehow, but I know I'll eventually make it to the summit... right? Post-its are a big help!

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I just stumbled upon "The Blue Room E.P." by Coldplay and this amazing Radiohead-esque track- I don't know why this never made it onto one of their major releases, but wow! Classic Coldplay a la Parachutes was just awesome and so different from where they're at today!

Bigger Stronger - Coldplay

Pretty Girls - Britney Spears & Iggy Azalea


Cheek to Cheek - Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong


It Wasn't Me - Shaggy ft. Ricardo Ducent


Thong Song - Sisqo


Never Gonna Stop (The Red, Red Kroovy) - Rob Zombie


In My Head - David Guetta ft. Nervo

push pull - Purity Ring


All Day - Kanye West


Afterglow - Foxtails Brigade


Push It - iSHIi, Pusha T


Runaway - AURORA


All Time High - Rita Coolidge

It's been a crazy start to the summer, and I didn't even THINK about AC until maybe 2 weeks ago. I've started performing weekly at a local restaurant, freelancing in IT for a local business, helping on some films, working my regular job and going to weddings! Just lots of stuff going on, but most of it is good. :)

I was considering skipping Anthrocon this year, but I could use a break from everything, and I'm looking forward to seeing lots of awesome friends! Let me know if you'll be there so we can meet up at least at some point. If you're not going, have a super happy July 4th weekend!!

-Taka<3

Anyone a really good drummer and want to work on a song or two with me sometime? Some songs are really best with some percussion! Hit me up! :D

Here's my top albums of the year- what I've listened to the most this year, and what I was most impressed by! I was going to keep it to 5, but I had to give each of these their due!

1. Modern Vampires of the City - Vampire Weekend

Ever since I stumbled upon the afro-beats and New England-based lyrics of Vampire Weekend, I've been hooked. My first listen of Modern Vampires was a questionable experience for me- it was more subdued than their previous albums. It wasn't what I was expecting at all. But as I gave it more of a listen, it grew on me as I started to appreciate the maturity this band has gone through. My favorite track off of the album is probably Hannah Hunt- filled with beautiful imagery and symbolism.



2. LongLiveA$AP - A$AP Rocky

This album didn't just drop- it exploded on the scene with intricate and confident lyrics over solid beats. Not every track is a standout (hard to do with 16 tracks), but the tracks that stand out are amazing. Rocky's flow is so on point, and his trademark deep voice is never abused. My favorite track off of this album has got to be Fuckin' Problems- A$AP Rocky, Drake, and Kendrick Lamar all kill it on this track, and their verses are tied together perfectly.



3. The Electric Lady - Janelle Monáe

As someone who liked, but didn't love Monáe's first album (I think it was stronger as a whole than as individual songs), but did really love her style, I was both excited and nervous for the release of The Electric Lady. I should have been more of the former. Every track on the first 2/3rds of the album just sings, and the interludes are a fun way to craft a story and atmosphere around the music. My favorite track off of this album is Primetime- Monáe's duet with Miguel is simple and beautiful, a classic R&B song with both a modern twist and a retro sound.



4. Yeezus - Kanye West

Many of my friends will tell you, some with disdain, that I am a huge fan of Kanye West. I think he's been pushing the envelope of hip-hop for years, and he's been one of the most driving forces in music for the past decade. Yeezus is no exception- it's a largely successful experiment, blending elements of rock and industrial with his trademark flow. Gone is the myriad of guest appearances that made My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy so great- this is just Kanye. And he kills it. It's like nothing you've ever heard before, and that's a very good thing. If I had to choose one favorite track… it would probably be New Slaves.



5. Pure Heroine - Lorde

I stumbled upon Lorde on Spotify early this year honestly… because the cover looked cool. I've found a lot of great music using this tried-and-true method, and I was really impressed by Million Dollar Bills, Royals, and the later released single, Tennis Court. Pure Heroine shows surprising depth for an album created by a 16-year-old New Zealand teen. I think overall it makes a statement about being a young human being in today's world without being too trashy or insincere. Choosing a favorite track is a bit difficult, but I've been really digging the laid back 400 Lux.



6. Studio Killers - Studio Killers

The self-titled album that seemed like it would never actually release finally dropped earlier this year. And, unlike many albums in that situation, Studio Killers was everything I was hoping for from the Gorillaz-esque band (the 'real' musicians hide behind cartoon characters). Funky and smart lyrics, complex sounds, and a lot of flavor and soul make this album stand out, and kept me listening on repeat for much of the summer. I kind of want to choose the final track of the album, True Colours, as my favorite, since I love how it concludes the album, but I'm going to choose Eros and Apollo as it showcases everything the band is about, and it's one of the songs that really got me into Studio Killers.



7. Beyoncé - Beyoncé

To no official fanfare whatsoever, Beyoncé released her self-titled album to the iTunes store along with a series of music videos. In return, she's received record-breaking sales- and that's not just chalked up to her celebrity or the mystery of the album. Nearly every track on the album is really solid, which is great from what feels like such an experimental album from the artist. Indeed, it gives me a very strong similar vibe to Frank Ocean's Channel Orange, which was probably my favorite album of last year (no surprise, maybe, that Ocean is a frequent collaborator with Beyoncé). There's a lot of great tracks on here, and it seems like Beyoncé and her alter-ego, Sasha Fierce, are more and more becoming one. I'm going to choose Drunk In Love as my favorite track as of right now: it's surprisingly dirty for Beyoncé- in a way, it's B at her most vulnerable- and she shares the track expertly with her husband, Jay-Z.

Today's like the first real fall-weather day, and I am LOVING it. I woke up shivering, and I had to grab a red blanket- first time in months I've needed more than my sheets! I can't wait to wear hoodies and take walks to admire the beautiful changing leaves (I guess I'm kind of a romantic, haha). My favorite seasons are probably Spring and Autumn, there's something really invigorating about the time between the major seasons!

It's my quarter-century birthday in about a month, and I guess I'm a little nervous about what that means. In some ways, life feels like it's flying by faster than ever, and somehow 30 and 40 and 50 and 60 don't seem so impossibly far away anymore. I guess you could say I'm seeing my life flash before my eyes, but it's maybe not so dramatic.

So yeah, I dunno if it's my birthday coming up or the season, but this time of year is always one of reflection for me. I think it's good to take some time to look back on your life and then look ahead towards the future- what could be and what you want.

That's it :D I'll be there at Anthrocon this year!

If you picked up Animal Crossing today for the 3DS, let me know and maybe we can meet up and visit each others' towns!! :D

Super quick journal, just letting y'all know I'll be at FWA this year! If you want to say hi while I'm there, let me know!

Christmastime has traditionally been one of my favorite times of the year... getting together with family, eating great food, and relaxing and having good conversation with pretty decorations all around.

Our family has been doing a white elephant in lieu of traditional gifting for the past couple years- basically, everyone buys a gift around a certain amount, say $20-30. It's wrapped and put in a pile. Everyone takes a number and picks a gift in order. When it's your turn, you can either choose an unwrapped present from the pile, or 'steal' an already opened gift you'd like from someone else in the circle (then that person has to choose an unwrapped gift to replace it). When one round is done, and all gifts are opened, you go back around in reverse order and either keep or trade the gift you have! It's a lot of fun, takes less time to shop for, doesn't cost too much, and if you end up with something somewhat useless, it's not a big deal! haha

However you celebrate your holidays, enjoy the time with family and/or friends- or be thankful you only need to see certain ones once a year! *chuckles* Being agnostic and not very religious at all, this holiday is more about spending time with the people I care about and enjoying the traditions I've grown up with, and the new ones that I've grown into!

When I think of Christmas Eve, I imagine snuggling up in a comfortable chair, warm and cozy, with only the soft glow of Christmas lights all around... I hope you all have the most wonderful holidays! And have a mug of hot chocolate for me- one of my favorite things around this time of year. And a candy cane- I am red and white, after all. ;)

Taka <3

Hey! I've been on weasyl- a new art sharing/community site- for a couple weeks now (although I haven't been checking it actively, to be honest). Because it's still in beta and invite only, there isn't a whole lot going on with the site, although a lot of people have finally been catching onto it and making accounts! So I figured now might be the time to both plug the site and tell you where to find me on it!

I really like most of the layout of the site- uploading is easy and streamlined, and the whole experience feels like a nice balance between deviantart and FA. It's simple, like FA (thank goodness it's not overworked like dA- I haven't been able to even look at that site for years), but has some very nice submission and organizational features, and a clean, modern design like dA!

Definitely check it out, and if it's something you're interested in signing up for, I do have a few beta invites available- just send me a note!

If you'd like to add me, I'm at: http://www.weasyl.com/profile/Taka

This was a fun song to sing, interesting emotions- equal parts sadness and strength, very nostalgic and at the same time, the feelings are fresh.

When tumblr comes back up, I'll post it to there, but for now- my cover of Gotye's overplayed "Somebody That I Used to Know"! I really hope you like my version, anyhow!:

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/9118834/

Just recorded a cover of Louis Armstrong's version, if you'd like to check it out!:

http://takasings.tumblr.com/post/32.....-cover-as-some

Whenever I hear this song, I now think of  RayFkm 's wonderful image:

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/4640058/

*grins*

I haven't done a mix tape for awhile and, after hearing  BourbonBuck's great "Bucktoberfest" mix tape, I wanted to throw one out there for people! I love all kinds of music, so there's some different genres mixed in there, but I didn't get too crazy with it on this one! As with any mix I create, I put half of the time into just ordering the songs so that they flow well and cutting songs that don't work, so this isn't just a bunch of random tracks thrown into one-

Enjoy it and let me know what you think!

-Taka <3


You can download here! (right-click and save as): http://dl.dropbox.com/u/35370932/Li.....0On%20Mars.mp3


I went through and timecoded all of the tracks so if you hear one you like, just check the tracklist for the time!

1. 0:00 Life On Mars? - David Bowie
2. 4:12 Cooler Couleur - Crookers, Yelle
3. 8:50 Worry Walks Beside Me - Michael Kiwanuka
4. 13:48 Cayman Islands - Kings Of Convenience
5. 16:52 You've Got The Love - Florence + The Machine
6. 19:40 Les Etoiles - Melody Gardot
7. 23:00 Sullen Girl - Fiona Apple
8. 26:55 Sea Wolf - Saint Catherine St.
9. 30:44 Sweet Dogs - Trolle Siebanhaar
10. 34:30 Sweet Jane (Live 1969) - The Velvet Underground
11. 38:32 Ruin - Cat Power
12. 43:05 Won't Make A Fool Out Of You - Marcus Canty
13. 47:18 Twilight Galaxy (Acoustic) - Metric
14. 51:32 Sleeping Ute - Grizzly Bear
15. 56:10 Limit To Your Love - James Blake
16. 1:00:44 All I Want - Joni Mitchell
17. 1:04:20 Snatch It Back And Hold It - Junior Wells, Buddy Guy
18. 1:07:15 Ram On - Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney
19. 1:09:45 Street Lights - Kanye West
20. 1:13:08 Star Witness - Neko Case
21. 1:18:15 Ritual Union - Little Dragon
22. 1:21:45 綠島小夜曲 (Serenade on the Green Island) - 蔡琴 (Tsai Chin)
23. 1:25:10 Forrest Gump - Frank Ocean
24. 1:28:26 Time Above The Earth - The Kooks
25. 1:30:20 Pauvre Coeur - Jillette Johnson
26. 1:34:35 Lost Without You - Vanbot
27. 1:38:05 La Vie En Rose - Jacqueline François
28. 1:42:05 Window Seat - Erykah Badu
29. 1:46:55 The Sea And The Rhythm - Iron And Wine
30. 1:52:18 It's Real - Real Estate
31. 1:55:05 Come On Petunia - The Blow
32. 1:58:55 Life On Mars? - Seu Jorge

Was drawn by  clup's tunedump to do a companion of what songs came to mind when listening to those. Check out his journal for the inspiration! http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/3773507/ Maybe it's weird, but I can't help being reminded of similar sounds whenever I hear something new...

Cheated Hearts (Acoustic) - Yeah Yeah Yeahs


Ain't No Grave - Johnny Cash


Me And You - She & Him


Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) - Arcade Fire


Dirt Off Your Shoulder/Julia - Jay-Z/Beatles/Dangermouse (Grey Album)

Seems like FA has been super slow to load the past few weeks, but I haven't seen any official word on the matter- is this just me, or is there something up with their servers?

After 10 years with my old, small Graphire3, which has been acting sort of wonky lately, I decided to finally upgrade to a better tablet!! I was going to go with the Bamboo Create, but found a FANTASTIC snap-deal from a seller on Amazon on the Wacom Intuos4 Wireless!

I'm still getting used to it: 4x the pressure sensitivity is actually extremely noticeable, haha, and the smoother 'paper-like' surface of the Intuos vs. the hard, rough plastic of the Graphire is a very different feel. Also, having all these buttons along the side to set up vs. using the keyboard! (although I LOVE the little customizable screens next to the buttons) So far, it's been slightly frustrating in almost re-learning how to use a tablet with my computer, but I am LOVING the prospect of having this much more control over what I'm working on If you have any tips, PLEASE feel free to leave some!! I'm already using the felt-tip nibs at the suggestion of a friend, which gives a little more of a rougher feel (was perfect for coloring).

Part of getting the new tablet is that I'd like to start drawing more- I was super into art as a kid, but that hobby fell by the wayside as I channeled my creativity and focus into other things I enjoy. I never feel like I have enough time to do all of the many things that interest me, but I'm trying to make more time for art now. I can count on my fingers the number of things I drew seriously in the past four years or so- it feels really fantastic to be getting back into it *grins*

So expect to see more art in the near-future! Trying to experiment with different things, and learn as much as possible- just about to start another surprise piece for a friend, if any of you are gamers, I'm sure you'll appreciate it :D

Been listening to this album on a loop, SO amazing:

Had a great time hanging with  Fluke and  oran, rooming with them and  turbopaw69,  leo_zodiac, and unofficially  darkghost13, and meeting all you awesome feeps! (furry peeps, I totally just made that up, whatever) It's been like over 10 years since I found this fandom, and I'm glad I finally got dragged to a con- definitely see a few more ahead of me ;3 Way too many cool people to list, you know if you met me or not! haha- thanks everyone for making my first con so awesome! :D

SONIC RAINBOOOOOOOOOOOOM (eeyup.)

Hey! Just a heads up, I'm driving across the country and will be at AnthroCon I guess this weekend! o_o Email me if you wanna meet up some time and say hi :D takacoeur[at]gmail.com