Living Every Day in April

Wow, I am scheduling this post for 24 HOURS AGO so it will show up in April. But don't be fooled. I wrote this the morning of May 1.

Without further ado: my 30 days of April.

1. Got school done early
2. Was exhausted yet didn't go to bed early
3. Got the spot by the window and it rained
4. Walked a lot with Bethany
5. Childcare went not badly
6. Went to apartments, ate good eggs
7. Biking, nice breeze
8. Perfect weather, tea and Sherlock Holmes and breeze and dimming light and porch swing
9. Cooked up leftovers for lunch
10. Rain in the morning, friendly bus drivers
11. Started really going through stuff
12. Paper Beaky fights
13. Homestuck Meetup
14. Got excited to reach out to (other) geeks
15. The day was warm and my lunch was bread
16. Weird blood mystery
17. Walked over 2 miles
18. IM with Shadow
19. Mango smoothe, drew Ched a b-day pic
20. I can't play guitar
21. Nap!
22. Painted a Hero of Light bag
23. Lots of planning
24. Walking, presentations
25. Set up blog for FF
26. Efficient on work
27. First webcomic panel~
28. Cleared stuff out
29. Great weather, so close to school ending
30. Read for 1 1/2 hrs

So as you can see, the most repeated thing is good weather. The most exciting thing is the webcomic (though I haven't promoted it much cuz it's still at 1 panel). Walking is also a plus, and I'm cleaning up to move! (even though it's still a month and a few days away)

The problems of taking your time

Tomorrow is my oral exam in Japanese. The next day is an oral exam as in... a dentist appointment.
The Japanese one is basically where I go in and converse with the teacher and she decides how well I've learned the material. I could have taken it a week from yesterday. Instead I'm taking it two days from yesterday. So what was the deal about yesterday?
Well, simply this. I don't want to come an hour into Austin just to spend 15 or so minutes in class and the rest wasted on Monday. Not when I should be watching my bros at home. Even if I drove myself and didn't have to spend the whole day there, it would not be worth it. So I was determined, COMPETING for one of those five or six slots on Wednesday.
The problem was, we were signing up on the way out, and we could leave once we finished with a conjugation exercise. I figured I needed to go quickly but it would be OK because the majority of people would want the extra study time. But of course, people started finishing. The ones who were doing well in the class. Who were all too willing when the teacher encouraged them to take a Wednesday slot. Some of my te and ta blanks were still empty and almost the entire past negative column. I tried to do the te and ta from memory without making sure about exceptions or funny rules... and I basically went down the nai column and rewrote all the nais as nakattas in the past negative column. Which probably was correct, but I didn't take the time to check for exceptions. The whole time I was preparing a plea in my head in case I had to beg for an already filled Wednesday slot. When I finished, I rushed to Sensei's desk without checking everything over and turned in my paper. I wrote my name in the last slot for Wednesday, 12:20. Not as early as I would have liked, because I plan to meet with my creative writing teacher directly afterwards and I assumed I'd have a lot more time.
After leaving class, I felt pretty terrible. I had rushed my work, which I hate doing, and had only just barely gotten the spot I needed probably more than anyone else in the class. (Pretty sure I live the farthest away, and that I have the most younger siblings to watch while my parents are out. I feel confident in this statement.) I shed a few tears and complained obnoxiously only in my head that this was a terrible way to decide who goes when.
Looking back with a rational mind, it probably made sense, actually. The people who are good at the Japanese will finish the exercise first. The teacher encourages them to take a spot on the much earlier day, and, feeling confident because they are good at Japanese, they will take it.
My tendency to take things slow works against me sometimes. When I get called on in class, if I haven't prepared my answer beforehand, I have to pause and, you know, THINK about it. And then I get prompts, because it looks like I don't know.
Why is the WHOLE WORLD so fast paced? XD
Now, I really need to study for that exam. So that I can not regret taking it early.

Random update (I need more themed posts)

What a crazy week!

Mostly it's been school. I'll brief yous guys but I probably talk school too much here.
In Japanese on Wednesday I did two presentations, so Monday I'll just get to watch and do a few review activities. After that is just exams (one spoken, and then the final) so I'll pretty much JUST be studying.
Same story in Geography, I'm pushing to get things done so I can take it easy. I have the equivalent of one chapter left to read, and then I'll take my last test.
Finished all History tests. I just have to make this book report not seem so jumbled so it's good enough for an A. Even if I bomb it though, I've got a guaranteed B.
Creative Writing: homestretch. Revision and portfolio putting-together is all I have left.

So basically, things are winding down.

As for other stuff... Hm. I've decided not to wait on getting my own site and my own hosting to post my webcomic because WHO KNOWS when those dreams will happen? And I'm determined to get a foothold with my comic THIS YEAR. So I've set up a blogspot blog and formatted it decently so I think it will support the format I'm looking for. I won't bother linking to it yet, since it's fallow, but I have the very first panel/slide/page thing sketched up. I like it with the sketchiness, and I think inking it isn't necessary, so I just need to scan it and touch up some color and whatnot. The format and overall feel of the comic may vary A LOT, especially in the beginning, but I've got to find my rhythm somehow. c:
To amp me up, I've been watching a web series called Strip Search (COMIC strip, people) that is basically one of those live-in reality shows where webcomic artists are up against each other to see who has got what it takes. (Note of caution to any would-be viewers: strong language, some "mature" topics. Why can't there be GOOD CLEAN SHOWS ugh)

Um, what else? Ah, right. There were a lot more kids tonight than usual. A couple of adults were in with me to help out and also cuz one of them was doing a project with the kids. I brought, upon request, activities for younger children whose attention might not hold, but it was actually the older ones who ended up becoming extremely restless. After much begging, I finally let them go outside. Also, I dug through a marker box looking for estranged caps and markers, so now my hands are of the colorful variety.

BLOGGER YOU HAVE FAILED ME!!!!!!!!

Ok, quick angry rant.
Blogger is a great platform for actually blogging. The themes are good, I like the setup, and it's relatively unknown (so not like tumblr where it's really easy to stumble across personal blogs.)

The thing blogger vaccumms at (aka sucks at, excuse my language but that's how I'm feeling) is TELLING ME WHEN MY FRIENDS HAVE POSTED!

On the homepage, there's my bloglist, right? It's supposed to be a feed of all the blogs I am following. It gets most of the posts from She Learns As She Goes and from Inspired Sketch and from Bad Catholic. Probably misses a few. These blogs are nice but I don't personally know the people.

Why does blogger seem to have it out for my friends' blogs??? A lot of times, it will link to a post on Emma's blog that doesn't actually exist. I figured maybe she published something and deleted it. It's a little annoying that it still shows up but I figured it was only a glitch.

However, the FINAL BLOW was when I found out today that BLOGGER HAS NOT BEEN *chooses not to use bad language "substitutes" here* TELLING ME ABOUT BETHANY'S POSTS FOR OVER A MONTH!!!

During that time, she made six posts, none of which showed up in my feed. I know she doesn't post very regularly, so I don't usually go to her blog to check. But because Blogger didn't even tell me about a single one of those posts, I haven't been reading or commenting on the things one of my very very very dear friends has to say.

I'm just mad. It's not enough to make me leave blogger as my blogging platform because like I said, for the actual blogging it's great (for me, anyway, in this relative blogging desert, since I don't need much interaction to thrive). However, I'm considering finding a different sort of RSS reader (for those of you who don't know, it basically lets you see everything new on whatever sites you choose, all in one place, which is what the blog list is SUPPOSED TO DO.) I can't use Google Reader cus they're discontinuing (they do run blogger so I bet it's the same coding... no wonder they're quitting, the service probably didn't even work. D<< ) Do any of you random viewers from canada or germany have a recommendation? Or are you just here to steal my pictures and leave?

Bethany, if you see this, once again, I'm really sorry.
Really.

Meetups and Geek Witness

I went skating with some homestucks and not a lot happened but it was cool. I tried on john’s glasses and skated around with that john and a nepeta holding hands with them (it was kind of awkward at first I wasn’t expecting it… I don’t know why people like to do that while skating, but people link up ALL THE TIME and I was trying to be friendly so I went with it). Also a Sis strider was nice to me and I got priority pizza because I'm vegetarian and two people thought they recognized me though I’d never seen any of them before.

I would have cosplayed had I been ready, but I had only heard about it a few hours beforehand and skipped youth group to go.

I’m pretty sure that’s okay though.

Once my pastor said something like “if your non-christian friend wants to talk to you on a Sunday morning it’s okay to skip church” the point being, that reaching the lost is more important than having perfect attendance marks.

And man, I realized something.

(the following is what I wrote in my sketchbook on sunday)

"...wanna be so much more excited about Jesus than stories, all those little worlds. But I think it's also ok to really like those little worlds, God has given us these great imaginations to create little worlds, we're created in His image-He's a creator and we are creators in His image, we make ittle worlds and they can be so amazing and extensive and then we have to realize these little worlds--they are just that, little! God's world is SO BIG we don't even know how big it is!! the world God created is REALITY! So cool!"

(and here is where it gets to the part where it relates to the homestuck)

"Geeks have SO much potential to get SO excited about God and His story! The outpouring of creativity and fan material I see is incredible! Imagine if all that passionate, unabashed excitement was channeled toward the praise of God! Imagine! Excitement is so infectious, there have been many shows etc that I've gotten into simply because I saw so many people discuss it or fangirl excitedly. Is this what it's like to have a heart for people? I just wanna infect the nerd world with a Jesus-excitement, the internet my mission field, conventions my mission trips, and art, writing and genuine excitement as weapons of conquest!!!! I wanna go after these guys! i think the church doesnt seem to have much "geek appeal." but~~ there is so much to be excited about! God, send me where I am to reach these people!"

So here's the deal. My pastor has been talking about neighboring (you know, building relationships and being witnesses to those right in your neighborhood.). I've been taking note but kind of holding off until I move to where I'll be living for the next year or so. But I kind of realized that my "neighborhood" and community is on TWIG and on tumblr, and I definitely want to do the building relationships thing where I am right now--in a virtual sense! XD

iPod scribbledowns

Here's a post I've been wanting to do that contains unedited thoughts and scribbledowns from the Notes section on my iPod.

Ambulance
To a small child it's a favorite flashy and noisy toy that makes
mother crazy (even better).
To an older one it's a transport for heroes. Weeoohweeooh! Someone is
hurt, but it's okay. Ambulance to the rescue!
But then we grew to be adults and now we know that not everybody makes
it, even when the ambulance comes. And the ambulance is a sign that
someone else is in danger of death or something serious, and plus it
interrupts the traffic. Gone are heroic visions and love for annoying
noises. Instead we grip the wheel or grit our teeth and wish idly for
a perfect world.

Thoughts on eye contact
He avoids the faces because it's easier to look at things
Than at people.
Why should I fear?
In worst case I am a strange one for a few seconds and forgotten
within a few hours
Or in best case a new friend remembered for years, but that chance is
so rare just from a look that why should I worry? I am not in danger
of too many friends, and looks don't make enemies.

500 friends on facebook and we don't know our neighbors' names
On the bus, in the street, at school
Maybe I'll be that person who looks everyone in the eyes and not be
the one who looks away in a flash
Are we afraid of looks like tribals are afraid of cameras? don't point
that thing at me; it will steal my soul!
You are afraid that if I look you in the eyes I'll capture a piece of
you, that I will see your fear or your shame
Look, look, and please don't see judgement looking back. I'll try. I
will, please see looking back someone else broken but also mended. See
hope
Yes I want to capture a bit of the strangers and maybe I won't have to
speak, but maybe they'll go home hungry and wondering, or maybe
they'll just forget. When did it become terrible to look?


The things that make a house a home
The door knob at the bottom of the stairs that has stuck open but it's
better that way
The desk piled high with papers that you can't use without making it worse
The oven mitts on the piano bench and the clock that's always five
minutes ahead and the spots on the floor where the color has fled at
the scooting of chairs and the puppet theater turned countertop and
every single window


Traffic Light Fruit
There were a pear, a banana, and an apple, and they were a traffic
light as one might easily assume. It was an easy job. The pear was
green and the apple was red and the banana was yellow. One day,
wishing to exercise a lesser known talent, the pear was yellow, but
the banana, not wanting to be unripe, refused the green, which the
apple gladly took. But the banana could not find it in itself to
become red, and the traffic was an awful mess that day when the light
was yellow too long and nobody really stopped but in the intersection
they slipped on the banana peels.

The storm of blogging

I haven't blogged consistently recently, but I've been saving up topics! I'll probably schedule new posts to come out over every few hours, but some of these things can be condensed. So here are the small ones that don't deserve their own posts:

The apartment stuff is working out splendidly. I'll be moving out in June.
On that note, I walked over two miles from the apartments to church looking for businesses to consider applying to. The great thing about Austin is that there are SO MANY funky little businesses, and they aren't all whataburgers and the like. I want to work at Hobby Lobby, though, if I can get that job. Some people from my church saw me walking and drove me the last half mile or so to church. That was nice of them.

I've been going to an art group on Wednesday nights. Those guys love to argue, and it's not the rational deflection of specific points that I like. It's more of a batting down the other person's entire opinion and sometimes I have opinions, but I'm not keen on being shot down. XD

We got some eggs from Emma's family and snap, they're great. So yellow, so cool.

I started going through my stuff and sorting out what I'm leaving at home.

I had a weird blood mystery! Here's what happened. I was laying in my bed Tuesday night, when I got this dumb urge to check if my alarms were set. I was already late to bed and had to get up at six. I had set BOTH my alarms just that evening before I sat in bed and drew a little. Finally, I got up and they were both set, but when I returned to my bed, there was a brown spot right below my pillow, where my shoulders might have been when I was laying down. On my new orange sheets. What? I was disturbed by this. I sniffed it. It smelled funny but I couldn't identify it for sure. It was dry. Blood was my first thought. I had eaten some M&Ms in bed on Monday evening, but it definitely didn't smell like chocolate, and besides, a crushed m&m would be uncomfortable to sleep on all that time.
I went down and got wet rags. I rubbed that spot out! (the whole thing pretty much came right out.) On the mattress pad below it was definitely brown (on the orange it almost looked black). But when I rubbed it thin on the rag, it took on that rust shade and definitely looked like blood.
I  wasn't bleeding. I checked. There was nothing on my clothes. It was probably dry before I got in bed that night. But HOW DIDN'T I SEE IT? and HOW DID IT GET THERE? These are things I may never know. The sheets are farely new, and I know I haven't had any wounds or other things that would make me bleed that much since then. Even if I had a pimple or something on my back that was bleeding, it wouldn't have bled like THAT. It was more than an inch square. I just can't figure it out.

Lastly, a school update.
I drew this picture of my family for Japanese class:

Yesterday, we were supposed to talk about our families and I was thinking I'd go early on, but raising hands does not come naturally to me. In any case, I was ready, and I began raising my hand higher each time. Finally the teacher said "three more people" and on that second one I legit rose my hand so that it was immistakable... and she was looking at the other side of the classroom and called on someone else. And then she STOPPED. After saying 3 people she only called 2... I was moderately upset about that. Not only does it mean I have to wait in EAGER ANTICIPATION OF STANDING IN FRONT OF MY CLASS, it means I didn't get the "courageous do it on the first day bonus" that teachers like to give.
Oh well. Bygones are bygones.
As for school in general, gee, it's winding down. Three weeks remain. I keep thinking of how things will change toward the end of the semester with weather and such but suddenly I'm on the cusp of it!
After I turn in this analysis for Creative Writing, I only have a few smaller assignments, revision, and the portfolio left.
In Japanese there are some tests and culture reports and review.
In geography I'm headed toward the last test which will be the end of it.
In History, once I take my final test on Monday, I only have to finish one book report.

I skipped an extra credit assignment in geography, which says something about my confidence in that class. It's improved! I did well on my last test, and everyone got extra points in the first two tests because teachers like to have a C average. So my self-predicted B in that class miiiiiiight become a low A!

Well, that's the little stories. Now I have to write up the "bigger" ones.

Me Bikey

I think I mentioned that I duct-taped up my bike and made it all stripey. Want a picture? (or four?)

There you go. Consider this proof of my ownership if it's ever stolen. (unless the thief removes all those pieces of tape... too much trouble, maybe?
 Now I'm off to organize something and/or surf the web... sigh

Minimalism FAIL

Let's face it, minimalism is practically incompatible with being an artist, unless you do all your work digitally.
However, the idea of living with less appeals to me. Since I'm moving into a much smaller space soon, it's the perfect time to cut down, especially since everything I don't bring I can leave in my parents' attic and come home and get it if I REALLY need it.

Minimalism is almost incompatible with being a geek too. How do those little Loki figurines or Mori plushies or various geeky collectibles serve a useful purpose... D:

Obviously, I won't be able to easily give up my stuff. DX But the important thing is to have a place for everything, and to think about what I really NEED.

Some things I know I'm not taking:
My drawing desk. I don't use that thing anyway, it's terrible.
My filing drawer chair (well, it's really my mother's...). I keep my art stuff in the drawer part, but as a chair it's not comfortable and I don't like chairs for the most part anyway.
My Avengers display. It's just a large piece of cardboard. Yeah, it's cool! But it's too heavy to hang like a poster, and it just takes up floor space. It needs a good home... and not with my bothers! (bothers ≠ good care)
My fabric scraps and my grandma's sewing machine (and my mom's sewing machine!). I do like sewing things on the spur of the moment, but that's a lot of space that could be better used. I'll just need to plan my projects ahead of time and if I need to mend things I'll take a visit to home or something.
My 5 head lamp. The colored shells are breaking and I don't feel like replacing them. besides, that would leave my current room with no lighting unless they moved the 3 head lamp back in from the playroom... eh. I don't really think I need it.
The tripod. It's not exactly mine... and I rarely use it. If I need one, I can probably borrow it.
DDR. No wii or TV, so what good would it do? I've gotten to the level where I can get passing grades on many expert songs, so when I go, I'll leave it in the care of my brothers (we'll see how long it lasts)
My old markers/pencils. Currently I bring them to childcare, but we're in a room that usually has crayons out, so I don't need to bring 'em...

Things I'm not sure about (Bethany, Emma, Peggy if you read this, feel free to help me out).
My cosplay stuff. It's fun. I could store it with normal clothes, minus the accessories. But there are several of them... Maybe I could just bring the completed ones/the ones I'm committed to finishing. Yeah. Good idea, Claire. Thanks, Claire.
Roller blades. My primary use of these is rolling around the house. Maybe would be frowned upon in an apartment (skating on the floors. Could be noisy if someone is below, or damage things.) I have claimed LaRissa's old four-wheelers, and I like that kind of skate better, so I can use those for cruising around town and they're a bit smaller. The only thing is they're a tiny bit tight, so if they give me blisters, I'll have to get rid of 'em. At that point I guess I could rescue my in-lines from the house. Good idea, Claire. Thanks, Claire. (as you can see, a little thought is deciding these things for me.)
All of the dishes I have. I have tons of cups. I definitely don't need them all since I think all of us have several cups. Also, I might not need the picnic plates. I'll figure that out.
All of my bags. I'll probably leave behind the purple rolly one and the spotty laptop messenger bag and the zip up binder, because I don't use those often. Also, it will be a little painful, but I won't bring the plaid backpack since it's falling apart. Maybe I'll put some of the stuff I'm leaving at home in it.
My printer. I'm leaning toward no. Because I think there's supposed to be a printer we can use at the apartments, and I don't even know if mine works...
Sleeping bag. If I need to go camping, I'm sure I can get it from home?
Random decoration items. Large paper lanterns, my jellyfish (okay no jellyfish is a for sure coming), the peace tea cans I've been collecting, string and cup telephone I brought home from church... homemade nightlight, sticks and leaves... probably don't need most of those. Ones I do want to keep include a couple bottles, a candle.
The plethora of pictures on my walls. Okay, I KNOW I'm not taking all of them. But what of the ones I like? Pictures people have given me? Maybe I'll take photos of pictures I don't need to hold. As for my Kingdom Hearts poster, I like the art but have never played the game. Maybe I can cut it up and make an art project. Hmmm.
Small green end table. Well, it's cute and table like, but it could just end up taking up space.
Trash/recycling bins. I don't know what our situation with such things shall be.

Will probably bring but maybe not
My dolls. I'm only planning on keeping two of them, and I like 'em, but if they just end up being clutter...
Every blanket/plushie/pillow I have. I'm pretty sure I can't have too many of those. 
String lights. Come on. So cool!!
All my jackets. I have... seven? They're all special to me in their own ways, but it seems a little ridiculous to have so many... especially in Austin, Texas.

Really do want to keep
My desk. It's standing height. It is made of two book cases and a piece of counter, so it has storage space. A lot of it. It does take up quite a bit of space, though. That's my main concern. I probably could fit the end or head of my bed underneath of it. But let's get real, that would look terrible and/or negate its effect as a standing height desk.
My speakers and headphones. Music, dude. They're nice, too.
Camera, Laptop, iPod, phone. Yes, the "~essential technology~". All the cables, too.
My bed. SOOOO COMFY
My TARDIS bookcase. Takes a bit of space but can hold books, etc.
Art/craft stuff. This is where my "minimalism" has to fail. Tape, glue, markers, pencils, assorted papers... At least I'll have it flawlessly organized!
My books. I don't have many of those, so there's where I'm in luck. These and the art stuff can go in my bookcase, which I can share with Emma if she's cool with that. I would assume... it's a TARDIS...
Clothes, but isn't that a given? I am definitely cutting out the ones I don't wear anymore, however.

Well, that's what I can think of for now. Of course, there are storage containers etc that I haven't even mentioned, but eh. I'll figure them out. If you read all that, thanks for letting me think out loud. c:

style file, stale fail: Easter Edition

Anyone who knows anything about me knows that I have the fashion sense of a rug--that is, it varies. A lot. Most of the time it's boring, sometimes it stands out because it just clashes, and occasionally, something works.
C'mon, rugs are the perfect metaphor.

Anyway, I'm thinking of doing an occasional "fashion" post whether in satire, despair, or a moment of brilliance.
This shall be called style file/stale fail and I will tag it under fashion to reel in poor, unsuspecting souls who think they'll be getting inspiration fresh off the griddle of a typical, fashionable teen.

To start us off, here's one of those moments of brill. On Easter Sunday, I wore this:
-goes to find picture and scan it because this was spur-of-the-moment and I am ill prepared-

TAH DAH

I know this outfit was a success because a) I liked wearing it, b) Peggy complimented me on it pretty much right away, c) actually no I only had two reasons

If you wish to replicate this look
well
 I was thinking about saying where I got these things but it's literally all thrift/secondhand
and it's pretty obvious what the components are (I don't understand style blogs that take apart an outfit when it's pretty obvious what the person is wearing? I guess they're trying to sell specific products because $)
Bonus about my style blogging: even if it's terrible, I won't try to get you to buy anything

probably

unless it's my art/comics

but that may be yet in the future

goodbye

Best Bus Driver

My usual bus driver is the gives-hope-for-humankind sort of person.

He's usually running late, but the traffic and construction between here and Austin is understandably the reason.

He's really helpful and friendly, not to mention just NICE. I just watched him discuss with a regular (who he knew by name) how he could get him to his job more on time.

When I first rode the bus he asked me if I was going to ACC (had an ACC pass) and he knew just what stop I needed. Even after an hour of driving he remembered to pull over there without me even pulling the cord. As I disembarked he told me exactly where I could catch the return.

I was a little confused, at first, about how the continuing service worked, but when I asked, he explained it and was very kind about the whole thing.

The regulars don't even have to pull the cord (though I do anyway). This driver just pulls to their stop and often they're up front waiting by that point.

He'll wait if he's pulling away and someone drives into the park'n'ride, and i've heard nice stories about him the time he wasn't driving and I think everyone wished he was. Cx

AWARD FOR BEST BUS DRIVER GOES TO oh i dont know if I should put his name

LET'S CALL HIM MR. T

MR T IS BEST BUS DRIVER