Dedicated to posting? Oh, yes, of course.
So I've been as busy as a person like me can be. I specialize in occupying myself with absolutely nothing. Over Christmas break, my one solid goal was to catch up with Homestuck, an over 5600 page feat I have been working towards for a year and a half. And I did it. I finished it..at least until he updates in a few days.
I've also been watching movies. This is a relatively new obsession for me, prominent over the last year. I used to not care much for them, opting to instead stick with books. But, as with books, there are very few movies that I have found that genuinely disliked. Most often I find myself quite comically enraptured, especially when it comes to animated films. Who says they're only for children? I have so much more appreciation for it now, at fourteen, than I ever did as a little kid. Rise of the Guardians? 97 minutes of pure eye candy. And don't even get me started on the others; Brave, Paperman, Wreck-It Ralph...the list goes on. Lately, I've been trying to focus on those small things that make my heart swell; namely chocolate, pasta, a good book, kickin' music, and animation, movie magic. People tend to take for granted just how gorgeous they can make movies these days. Not even just animated movies, either. "Real-life" sci-fi and fantasy movies, with hundreds of hours of behind-the-scenes work in order to make them so aesthetically pleasing. Lord of the Rings (and The Hobbit), The Chronicles of Riddick, to name a mere few.
Something that often comes to mind is whether I'd rather be blind, or deaf. Of course, there are many more handicaps that would be awful as well, but to focus on those two. Deafness; to never again hear a fantastic musical score that you never noticed set the mood so well, until it's gone. The sounds of nature, and even the annoying din of city life, falling on unhearing ears. To never rock out to your favorite stupid song again. Scary. Especially with how much music has come to mean to me over the past few years. But blindness...one can learn to read Braille, but until you do, you are as uneducated as a 4 year old. To have to write by feel, learn the placing of the letters on your keyboard well enough to type legibly, to need a machine to tell you what your computer screen says. And...the movies. I've heard there are inventions that will tell you what is happening in the movie...but the colors. The landscapes, the breathtaking scenery, the smooth motion and meticulate attention to detail. To never draw, doodle with the sights you see. To have to rely on your ears and outside assistance to make sure you are not stepping to your death on a busy highway. That is something that truly terrifies me. I would learn to cope, yes, but I am always thankful that I do not have to deal with that particular lesson.
So you have a newfound fascination with movies. Okay, what about reading? Ahhh, yes, I do have quite the task on my hands as far as reading goes. I have compiled for myself a list, of so many books I planned to read, or even never finished, or came recommended. I also have a movie/TV list, but it pales in comparison. Near 250 titles, not including separate books within each series. I hope to finish by the end of my senior year...or at least shoot for by the time I'm 30. The daunting thing is that it keeps growing. I have fallen off the reading bandwagon over this year, and yet I thirst for so much of it. I am off to a rocky start, having finished but a couple of them, but I refuse to let it be a project I start and ditch.
Only time will tell, I suppose.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Keeping Busy
Wow...over 2 months...I'm officially a bad blogger. I'll try to be vigilant with this again.
School starts on August 20th, and I'm happy to say I'm rather excited! I've been anxious to start high school since 6th grade, if only for the thrill of a change. I'll also be in volleyball (Dear God, please help me not to die. Thank you.) and I hope to get involved in other extracurriculars. It'll be strange to have a set schedule and homework again, but I've had plenty of time to myself for lazing and the like this summer.
Sadly, I did not get to experiment with other mediums so much as I wanted to, but I have had substantial improvement, which is lovely. Art has been a fun release, it isn't something I have to resolve myself to do. There's nothing like that urge that grips you to just create. I've also had much inspiration from amazing artists all over.
One of the many is the screwbald duo (http://screwbald.deviantart.com/gallery/) I can only hope to be able to paint so well someday, and hopefully I'll get a chance to try good quality watercolors soon!
Also, my family and I went to the city's Chalkfest, where artists of the community got together to draw on the sidewalks of a public park and compete. I got a chance to see all of them, and it was truly amazing!
Brigid Vaughn/burdge-bug (http://burdge-bug.deviantart.com/gallery/) remains a constant inspiration for me as an artist and a person, I want to be like her when I grow up ;)
One thing that had a depressingly notable absence from my time this summer was reading. It occupies much of time in the school year, but it seems to take a back burner over vacations. However, I have picked it back up again, and I have a long list just waiting to be read! I'm currently starting Good Omens, a novel by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, as well as re-reading old favorites. I have Graceling by Kristin Cashore ready for pickup at the library, which I am psyched to grab. It came highly recommended by a good friend, and then Brigid Vaughn referenced it, striking my memory. A favorite author of mine, Rick Riordan, has composed a list of books and his reviews, (http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/) some of which I have already read, but I'm anxious to start that and see what comes of it! I'll definitely be kept busy.
With all the time that I spent not reading, I've been watching movies. (that sounded bad, didn't it?) I am ecstatic to say that I purchased a set of Studio Ghibli movies that I've been watching almost continuously since they arrived last week. (call me a nerd, I dare you) My favorites remain Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle, but the others have their merits too! There's 12 movies, and I worked my way through all the ones I haven't seen except for one. A few didn't spark my interest, but I am still blown away by the talent evidenced by the animation and art in these movies. I also have a giant lineup of movies that were childhood favorites I have to watch again.
So I'm not kidding when I say I'll be keeping busy, and I'm excited to see what comes of this school year! I have my art, books, movies, and music to keep me sane, so hopefully my opinion that this is a life to love will not have changed by the time it's over.
School starts on August 20th, and I'm happy to say I'm rather excited! I've been anxious to start high school since 6th grade, if only for the thrill of a change. I'll also be in volleyball (Dear God, please help me not to die. Thank you.) and I hope to get involved in other extracurriculars. It'll be strange to have a set schedule and homework again, but I've had plenty of time to myself for lazing and the like this summer.
Sadly, I did not get to experiment with other mediums so much as I wanted to, but I have had substantial improvement, which is lovely. Art has been a fun release, it isn't something I have to resolve myself to do. There's nothing like that urge that grips you to just create. I've also had much inspiration from amazing artists all over.
One of the many is the screwbald duo (http://screwbald.deviantart.com/gallery/) I can only hope to be able to paint so well someday, and hopefully I'll get a chance to try good quality watercolors soon!
Also, my family and I went to the city's Chalkfest, where artists of the community got together to draw on the sidewalks of a public park and compete. I got a chance to see all of them, and it was truly amazing!
Brigid Vaughn/burdge-bug (http://burdge-bug.deviantart.com/gallery/) remains a constant inspiration for me as an artist and a person, I want to be like her when I grow up ;)
One thing that had a depressingly notable absence from my time this summer was reading. It occupies much of time in the school year, but it seems to take a back burner over vacations. However, I have picked it back up again, and I have a long list just waiting to be read! I'm currently starting Good Omens, a novel by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, as well as re-reading old favorites. I have Graceling by Kristin Cashore ready for pickup at the library, which I am psyched to grab. It came highly recommended by a good friend, and then Brigid Vaughn referenced it, striking my memory. A favorite author of mine, Rick Riordan, has composed a list of books and his reviews, (http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/) some of which I have already read, but I'm anxious to start that and see what comes of it! I'll definitely be kept busy.
With all the time that I spent not reading, I've been watching movies. (that sounded bad, didn't it?) I am ecstatic to say that I purchased a set of Studio Ghibli movies that I've been watching almost continuously since they arrived last week. (call me a nerd, I dare you) My favorites remain Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle, but the others have their merits too! There's 12 movies, and I worked my way through all the ones I haven't seen except for one. A few didn't spark my interest, but I am still blown away by the talent evidenced by the animation and art in these movies. I also have a giant lineup of movies that were childhood favorites I have to watch again.
So I'm not kidding when I say I'll be keeping busy, and I'm excited to see what comes of this school year! I have my art, books, movies, and music to keep me sane, so hopefully my opinion that this is a life to love will not have changed by the time it's over.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
With Closure Comes Growth
It's a good thing I got a new sketchbook for my birthday, because I just filled up my current one. I went back through it and was amazed at the difference. What encourages your growth as an artist and anything, really, is practice. The beginning of my sketchbook is 11/30/11. The end is today, 5/20/12. But what is sad is the gap. There are 70 pages full, but there is nothing between 1/7/12 and 4/2/12.
It can be known as art block, but this is not always the most accurate title for it. It is a different experience for everyone, but as far as I know, it is always painful. For those who love to draw, paint, or "art" in general, to not do so is frustrating, to say the least.
As far as my experience, it was more an absence of passion than a blockade of inspiration. Until recently, to draw was not a big part of me. Now I have an urge to "art" that grips me until I start sketching furiously.
This probably reflects not only my growth as an artist, but as a person. I am a teenager, and thus I am changing. The official reason is wonky hormones, but it is also a transition into an adult, a development of thought and self. I know that I, personally, am always very much on the emotional spectrum. I laugh and love, I cry and close myself off. Everything just seems better or worse than it would if I was younger or older.
My love of music has also grown immensely, but I will talk about that another day. For now, we will continue the topic of growing as an artist with self-esteem.
"Oh another wonky teenager thing." But everybody has issues with this, some more than others. But ask anybody who is considered an artist, and they will have a story of this awful feeling that you don't have talent, or that your work means nothing to anybody. Or, on the other hand, you could ask an "unartistic" person. It may surprise you that they have a passion for it, but nobody realizes or acknowledges it.
Right now, I am eager to work more on my skills with a branching out. I have always been a traditional artist, (meaning not digital), sketching on paper with a pencil. But this summer, I hope to try other mediums, and my friend and I are planning on doing some collabs to help eachother. (she has been doing this whole arting thing a LOT longer, and she is very talented. I'm quite excited to work with her http://smhatbitches.deviantart.com/)
So the end of this sketchbook gives me more of a sense of closure than before. I think that art is a bigger part of me than it was 3 months ago. And I hope to grow in talent and confidence. My dream is that someday I will be able to touch somebody with something meaningful this way.
See some HUGE inspirations for me, people who have touched me as I hope to touch people, in the links below:
http://wolf-shadowrunner.deviantart.com/ (my sister)
http://moonwild.deviantart.com/ (non biological sister)
http://burdge-bug.deviantart.com/ (ADORE her style and character, she also has a lot of fanart of some of my favorite book series!)
http://yuumei.deviantart.com/ (beautiful artist, her /comics/ have such meaning sjfgahjsgfd no words)
http://tatchit.deviantart.com/ (just...whoa)
http://goldenwolf.deviantart.com/ (Can I do that someday? I hope so)
http://rickgriffin.deviantart.com/ (this guy...funny, an amazing artist, great writer)
http://ninetailedfox350.deviantart.com/ (wonderful artist, even better friend)
http://screwbald.deviantart.com/ (I absolutely love this artist's painting)
http://www.wild-vanilla.com/ (yeah, I can't read any of that either, but ohmygoodness favorite manga style EVER)
Must stop before I flood this with links to amazing artists. I have so many more but must resist.
Wow I could hardly form a coherent thought in my whole meaningful speech dsghjdfgs.
MY SUMMER STARTS ON FRIDAY YAAAAAY.
It can be known as art block, but this is not always the most accurate title for it. It is a different experience for everyone, but as far as I know, it is always painful. For those who love to draw, paint, or "art" in general, to not do so is frustrating, to say the least.
As far as my experience, it was more an absence of passion than a blockade of inspiration. Until recently, to draw was not a big part of me. Now I have an urge to "art" that grips me until I start sketching furiously.
This probably reflects not only my growth as an artist, but as a person. I am a teenager, and thus I am changing. The official reason is wonky hormones, but it is also a transition into an adult, a development of thought and self. I know that I, personally, am always very much on the emotional spectrum. I laugh and love, I cry and close myself off. Everything just seems better or worse than it would if I was younger or older.
My love of music has also grown immensely, but I will talk about that another day. For now, we will continue the topic of growing as an artist with self-esteem.
"Oh another wonky teenager thing." But everybody has issues with this, some more than others. But ask anybody who is considered an artist, and they will have a story of this awful feeling that you don't have talent, or that your work means nothing to anybody. Or, on the other hand, you could ask an "unartistic" person. It may surprise you that they have a passion for it, but nobody realizes or acknowledges it.
Right now, I am eager to work more on my skills with a branching out. I have always been a traditional artist, (meaning not digital), sketching on paper with a pencil. But this summer, I hope to try other mediums, and my friend and I are planning on doing some collabs to help eachother. (she has been doing this whole arting thing a LOT longer, and she is very talented. I'm quite excited to work with her http://smhatbitches.deviantart.com/)
So the end of this sketchbook gives me more of a sense of closure than before. I think that art is a bigger part of me than it was 3 months ago. And I hope to grow in talent and confidence. My dream is that someday I will be able to touch somebody with something meaningful this way.
See some HUGE inspirations for me, people who have touched me as I hope to touch people, in the links below:
http://wolf-shadowrunner.deviantart.com/ (my sister)
http://moonwild.deviantart.com/ (non biological sister)
http://burdge-bug.deviantart.com/ (ADORE her style and character, she also has a lot of fanart of some of my favorite book series!)
http://yuumei.deviantart.com/ (beautiful artist, her /comics/ have such meaning sjfgahjsgfd no words)
http://tatchit.deviantart.com/ (just...whoa)
http://goldenwolf.deviantart.com/ (Can I do that someday? I hope so)
http://rickgriffin.deviantart.com/ (this guy...funny, an amazing artist, great writer)
http://ninetailedfox350.deviantart.com/ (wonderful artist, even better friend)
http://screwbald.deviantart.com/ (I absolutely love this artist's painting)
http://www.wild-vanilla.com/ (yeah, I can't read any of that either, but ohmygoodness favorite manga style EVER)
Must stop before I flood this with links to amazing artists. I have so many more but must resist.
Wow I could hardly form a coherent thought in my whole meaningful speech dsghjdfgs.
MY SUMMER STARTS ON FRIDAY YAAAAAY.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Shakespeare and Spontaneity
STUFFSTUFFSTUFFSTUFF.Yeah, wrapping up the school year. I've gotten past the stage where I yell at life "NO NO WAIT I'M NOT READY" to the point where I just resolve myself to the events and try not to fall off the treadmill.
So I was walking and talking with my mom and the subject of parenting came up. We discussed how when you first start out (though I do not speak from personal experience) you expect everything to go a certain way and when your kids act up, you think you're doing something wrong. And then you keep worrying but eventually you realize that it's not necessarily your fault, that life just goes that way sometimes.
And I was like...am I thinking about the future the wrong way? Maybe I'm just naive and happy-go-lucky, but all I planned was the fun stuff I wanted to teach my kids and be all spontaneous. Rules never even crossed my mind. Maybe it's just too early for that.
One of the things I would get all excited about was Shakespeare. I have recently gotten REALLY into Shakespeare, because there's simply nothing you can say that he hasn't said better. And it made me remember a book I used to (and still) love, Shakespeare's Secret. In that book, she talks about how when she was a little girl, she would sometimes wake up late at night and hear her dad reading it to himself. He would read to her for a while until she fell asleep to the melodious sound of the words. I want to do that. Even if I don't have kids, I want to do that. I'm sure I'll find some kid to read Shakespeare to, if I have no children of my own.
I also daydream about spontaneity. Sometimes we'll be riding in the van and I'll wish my parents would just pull over and I would get out and run through that green field of grass barefoot. That's pretty much motto (besides the obvious Hakuna Matata) SPONTANEITY. ILOVEIT.
I like books. Bye.
See what I did there? Yeah, I just made a point for my closing.
So I was walking and talking with my mom and the subject of parenting came up. We discussed how when you first start out (though I do not speak from personal experience) you expect everything to go a certain way and when your kids act up, you think you're doing something wrong. And then you keep worrying but eventually you realize that it's not necessarily your fault, that life just goes that way sometimes.
And I was like...am I thinking about the future the wrong way? Maybe I'm just naive and happy-go-lucky, but all I planned was the fun stuff I wanted to teach my kids and be all spontaneous. Rules never even crossed my mind. Maybe it's just too early for that.
One of the things I would get all excited about was Shakespeare. I have recently gotten REALLY into Shakespeare, because there's simply nothing you can say that he hasn't said better. And it made me remember a book I used to (and still) love, Shakespeare's Secret. In that book, she talks about how when she was a little girl, she would sometimes wake up late at night and hear her dad reading it to himself. He would read to her for a while until she fell asleep to the melodious sound of the words. I want to do that. Even if I don't have kids, I want to do that. I'm sure I'll find some kid to read Shakespeare to, if I have no children of my own.
I also daydream about spontaneity. Sometimes we'll be riding in the van and I'll wish my parents would just pull over and I would get out and run through that green field of grass barefoot. That's pretty much motto (besides the obvious Hakuna Matata) SPONTANEITY. ILOVEIT.
I like books. Bye.
See what I did there? Yeah, I just made a point for my closing.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
The Little Things
Weeeee I have no time but there's no time like the present for procrastinating!
So I still want to try more mediums but that's gonna have to wait until I have money to fund the branching out. Hopefully I can experiment this summer. I'm leaning towards focusing on painting. Acrylics, watercolors, FINGERPAINTING, and I think it'd be great fun to try airbrushing, spraypainting, or splatterpainting. oooooh so excited now.
On another topic, I'm going to a local anime con with a friend this Friday. I have not personally ever been to one (nor has she) but it's bound to be an interesting experience. Maybe it'll give a feel for the big Supernatural con my sister and I are attedning with our aunt in October (SCREAMS I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!)
October is going to be such a fantastic month for me. A lot of small, seemingly trivial things are coming up this fall and I'm nearly bursting with excitement. Starting with Mark of Athena, which I will have been waiting a whole reichy year for by then. The new Virals book, the Supernatural con!!!
Still trying to keep up with all the end of the year rush for school. Lots of projects to finish. Projects I should be working on right now actually ^-^' On a lighter note, my birthday's in 16 days, the last day of school in 24, they'll start shipping the orders of 1000 Words in 30.
I've been in a pretty swell mood, considering I'm fit to burst with excitement over various things this month, as well as planning for summer vacation. My brother and I won't get to spend ANY time on the couch this summer if I have anything to say about it.
Talking to my friend about fangirling and trying to suppress it during school hours and the like, I can't help but wonder if perhaps I get too excited over little things. But isn't that supposed to be a good thing? To take pleasure in the little things of life, not take things for granted?
So I still want to try more mediums but that's gonna have to wait until I have money to fund the branching out. Hopefully I can experiment this summer. I'm leaning towards focusing on painting. Acrylics, watercolors, FINGERPAINTING, and I think it'd be great fun to try airbrushing, spraypainting, or splatterpainting. oooooh so excited now.
On another topic, I'm going to a local anime con with a friend this Friday. I have not personally ever been to one (nor has she) but it's bound to be an interesting experience. Maybe it'll give a feel for the big Supernatural con my sister and I are attedning with our aunt in October (SCREAMS I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!)
October is going to be such a fantastic month for me. A lot of small, seemingly trivial things are coming up this fall and I'm nearly bursting with excitement. Starting with Mark of Athena, which I will have been waiting a whole reichy year for by then. The new Virals book, the Supernatural con!!!
Still trying to keep up with all the end of the year rush for school. Lots of projects to finish. Projects I should be working on right now actually ^-^' On a lighter note, my birthday's in 16 days, the last day of school in 24, they'll start shipping the orders of 1000 Words in 30.
I've been in a pretty swell mood, considering I'm fit to burst with excitement over various things this month, as well as planning for summer vacation. My brother and I won't get to spend ANY time on the couch this summer if I have anything to say about it.
Talking to my friend about fangirling and trying to suppress it during school hours and the like, I can't help but wonder if perhaps I get too excited over little things. But isn't that supposed to be a good thing? To take pleasure in the little things of life, not take things for granted?
Monday, April 23, 2012
When Time's Curveball Hits You in the Face Cuz You Didn't Swing Fast Enough
I actually have no clue what I'm talking about with the baseball/softball references, but I needed a title so whatever.
So, as a self-proclaimed nerd and borderline introvert, it is positively surreal to have a social calender that needs coordinating. My eyes are crossing just thinking about it.
I'm coming up on the end of my eighth grade year, and the school packs all the fun stuff for the top dogs into the last month or so of school. Eighth grade meal (last Friday), Visitors' Day (this Friday), eighth grade trip, graduation, end of school, examination, confirmation, etc. Plus my birthday, and various other events I'm attending, dates I'm looking forward too, all between now and the the beginning of June. As it is, I have to finish planning my eighth grade video to be shown on the last day of school before tomorrow, and don't even get me started on homework ;-;
As to be expected of a hermit such as myself, I'm floored at this sudden rush of activity. I've had periods like this before (see "Time Flies When You Have None") where I'm just swamped by things to do so everything goes by in a blur.
Only thing one can do is hang on tight and do their best, wait for it to pass. For me, I'll probably get my peace once summer vacation rolls around. I'll try to have fun and not die until then.
So, as a self-proclaimed nerd and borderline introvert, it is positively surreal to have a social calender that needs coordinating. My eyes are crossing just thinking about it.
I'm coming up on the end of my eighth grade year, and the school packs all the fun stuff for the top dogs into the last month or so of school. Eighth grade meal (last Friday), Visitors' Day (this Friday), eighth grade trip, graduation, end of school, examination, confirmation, etc. Plus my birthday, and various other events I'm attending, dates I'm looking forward too, all between now and the the beginning of June. As it is, I have to finish planning my eighth grade video to be shown on the last day of school before tomorrow, and don't even get me started on homework ;-;
As to be expected of a hermit such as myself, I'm floored at this sudden rush of activity. I've had periods like this before (see "Time Flies When You Have None") where I'm just swamped by things to do so everything goes by in a blur.
Only thing one can do is hang on tight and do their best, wait for it to pass. For me, I'll probably get my peace once summer vacation rolls around. I'll try to have fun and not die until then.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Judgement, Perception, and Perspective
I've become so bad at keeping this up, not just due to my bad memory, but I also find it hard to commit to the 30 minutes+ that it takes for me to finish one post. Thus, I have decided to simply write shorter posts. ^-^
So, right now, we are watching a new Mythbusters, which is comparing stereotypes in a battle of the sexes. A quick test they did was perception of emotions. Women proved that they are better and faster at reading facial cues. Of course, they cannot test the whole world, but for the control group they used, this was true. (Though guys did affirm to be better drivers, and they also broke the speed limit less) So who is to say what gender is better...at...life in general?
Many aspects of life and perception depend wholly on perspective. Whether it comes down to tendency to exaggeration, age, preconceived ideas and sterotypes, or emotion, it all depends on how you look at it. An example: I tend to have an immediate feeling of superiority if somebody doesn't read much. Though I am often taken off my high horse and I try to prevent judgement, it is the sad truth for me, and probably most people. I bet we've all had the experience of judging somebody and regretting it later.
I've found it is always good to keep your preconceived ideas in check (the best you can) and try to hold off on the judgements until you know the person better. And even then, give them the benfit of a doubt. Some say "people never change" or "once a _____, always a _____" Don't judge a book by its cover. People can change, and how they do may just surprise you.
So, right now, we are watching a new Mythbusters, which is comparing stereotypes in a battle of the sexes. A quick test they did was perception of emotions. Women proved that they are better and faster at reading facial cues. Of course, they cannot test the whole world, but for the control group they used, this was true. (Though guys did affirm to be better drivers, and they also broke the speed limit less) So who is to say what gender is better...at...life in general?
Many aspects of life and perception depend wholly on perspective. Whether it comes down to tendency to exaggeration, age, preconceived ideas and sterotypes, or emotion, it all depends on how you look at it. An example: I tend to have an immediate feeling of superiority if somebody doesn't read much. Though I am often taken off my high horse and I try to prevent judgement, it is the sad truth for me, and probably most people. I bet we've all had the experience of judging somebody and regretting it later.
I've found it is always good to keep your preconceived ideas in check (the best you can) and try to hold off on the judgements until you know the person better. And even then, give them the benfit of a doubt. Some say "people never change" or "once a _____, always a _____" Don't judge a book by its cover. People can change, and how they do may just surprise you.
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