Finals

Working on Fashion Design project surrounded by 57+ pages of research images, space heater, computer (blasting tunes), full teapot, and mug.

Lets get 'er done.

Watermarks Shouldn't Skin Your Heart, But Heart Your Skin

I was recently having a chat with one of my sisters about tattoos. It all started with a statement that the beauty of this man:

Rick Genest (AKA: Rico The Zombie)

is all that is keeping me going through finals right now.

My Desktop

I went on about how fucking gorgeous I find this man, and said "Man, he's even cute without the tattoos..." citing the image bellow from when they covered his tatts for a concealer comercial

Sis rated him a 9 out of 10 without the tatts, but not so much with them visible, "I mean its well done, but he was gorgeous to begin with. It took away some of his looks when he got all inked up. Its like a distraction, he doesn't need them."

Doesn't need them? He IS them... or they're him.

However you want to say it.

This is an old argument that two of my sisters and I get into whenever the subject is broached.

"[...] its hard for me to see a lot of them as beautiful and not just visual clutter." Says this particular sis.

So here is what I have to say on the subject and this is what I told her and then some:

I apply this same thought process to any and all body modifications, but right now I'm using tattoos as my example because that's what I, myself, am devoted to someday getting. Tattoos are not something apart from a person, but a part of them. Once added tatts become like a birthmark, and add to the beauty of the body. It's not like they're going away. Okay, yes, with a lot of money (and pain) tattoos can be removed, but stop thinking like that. Whether or not the person is ashamed of their tatt or wants it removed is not your business, it is purely theirs. In the meantime, not all of us (soon, hopefully!) want them removed and it's hurtful that this beautiful part of us is thought of as "clutter." I liken it to parents telling their homosexual child that, "It's just a phase." Please, please, don't think of people's tattoos as ugly, distasteful litter on their body. It's a very real and visible part of them. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean that you have to be cruel about it. "Cruel?" You say.

Yes.

Cruel.

Sometimes I feel like my hopeful tattoos are already there, simply because the designs are so much a part of me and who I am as a person. Unfortunately, I have lost count of how many times my tattoo and/or piercing plans have been met with suddenly fallen, or awkward facial expressions followed by, "You're too pretty for that." It just kills me a little every time the people who I care about, who supposedly accept me for who I am, tell me that these pieces of me shown on the outside will mar me. Mar me? They are me! How can you say that you know and accept who I am, but deny these same parts of me when they are made a tangible part of my appearance? Some of us really do wear our hearts on our sleeves, or back, or face, or leg, or hey, even our arse. Saying that you don't approve of a person's heart? That is cruel.

"If you're getting a tattoo, I assume that you don't care what I, or anyone else has to say about it." Was the sentiment expressed the last time this subject was dragged onto the theatrical stage of our conversations. Now, I couldn't give a weasle's left testicle what the majority of humanity thinks about my heart or how I show it. However, I think it is the exact opposite of hypocritical to say that I care very much what my friends, especially those close enough for me to think of them as sibs, have to say. 

I should clarify and say that my caring what they have to say, does not mean that it will stop me from getting my tattoos.

So I want all you tattoo-haters to chew on that for a while.

Who's ready for Gotham High!?

Haha, sorry sorry, I'm super excited to get to work on this, but I would definitely be too nervous to get infront of a camera and just talk. Although I suppose having a subject to confabulate about and advertise makes it easier. But that's not the point! The point is that he is talking about me too!! I'm one of the voice actors (squee)! A few posts ago in Not So Disappointed I mentioned getting cast in something and THIS IS IT! I'm the voice of motherfucking Barbra Gordon in the Gotham High Audio Drama!! This is the coolest thing ever!!

It begins.

The time has come... for end of term exams.

I know that some of you, dear readers, are probably cocking an eyebrow or frowning at this simple statement. Finals? Not for another couple of weeks, right? WRONG. The moment thanksgiving is over it is crunch time. Art classes don't actually have exams, they have projects. Really big projects that fail to take into account that the student has other classes that are also assigning said student really big projects to do.

My advise on getting through this difficult time? ORGANIZE, ORGANIZE, ORGANIZE!! Cut projects up into sections and set deadlines for each section. If you magically find yourself with extra time because a section has gone faster than expected, start the next section! There will always be a part that takes longer than expected. There is no such thing as free time until everything is done.

This might seem like a very intense way of doing things, but really, once it is all complete, you will feel so much better and you can walk in on your exam day with confidence.

Finals
Garment Construction- Dress and book of samplers.
Good news here is that it's a very simple dress, I just need to catch up on the Samples. If I have time I would love to add beading and ruffles to the dress. (EDIT: I ADDED RUFFLES!! IT'S SO CUTE!!)
Writing- Research Essay (plus two make up assignments)
The intensity of this one is my fault, I put off doing two super important projects because I got intimidated (stupid stupid stupid!!)
Fashion Design- BIG FUCK OFF PROJECT (Combine two completely different cultures as inspiration to design a small clothing line of 15 pieces, flats of all of them, 5 illustrations, consumer profile, store layout, mood board, fabric swatches, and an actually made detail example)
... and then, I died. *passes out just from looking at the amount to be done* It's not that any of this is actually difficult, but it is EXCEEDINGLY time heavy.
Psych- A test for the final (and a test tomorrow just to spread things out for us)
I never thought I'd be so glad to have a test!!

I kind of wish that classes were optional over finals. If I didn't have to spend 3-4 hours in class, I would definitely feel like I had more time to get this stuff done. On the other hand I also have to work, anyway. :/

Fashion Stress

I really don't like posting such drama on here. I feel like humor in the face of something bad is at least better than just being this frustrated but I need to vent:

I feel like all of my sketches look like the modle has daddy issues. This project is due on tuesday and my part is the 10-12 front and back flats, 2-3 illustrations, and finishing the mood board. Our current MB is just not inspiring me right now.

I should have insisted to stay elegant. Too late now.

FML

Not So Disappointed

So there was this thing that I was hoping to be involved in.
First I missed the try out. Then it was extended so I sent in my audition.
Then people were busy. So I didn't know what was happening.
Then my friend got a part and said that he'd done a reading with most of the cast. I assumed that it was all figured out and came to terms with not making the cut. I reminded myself that I have never done this before. I am inexperienced and should get more training and can't expect to get this sort of thing on my first try.

This evening I went to check my email only to find a politely worded missive asking if I want the part...

And then I died.

(That would also be the part where I sent a frantic Facebook message to the two people who had encouraged me to audition freaking out like the respectable sort of fangirl I am).

Food Poisoning.

This sucks.

"Ms. S,
I will miss class again today due to food poisoning, your class got me off of dairy and now XXX'N'XXXXXX's might rid me of my nasty egg habit. I would like to set up a time to meet and discuss what was covered in today's class. When will you be available?
-Med"

I feel like doing this just keeps digging me into a hole and it will be harder and harder to get out of. The truth is that I WILL be dragging my ass into the city today. Queasy or not, I have thing that need to get done. I just can't bear to move myself just yet. I am so drained and dehydrated from being sick for the last couple of days and having to work through the first day feeling like I was going to puke at every smell or sudden movement.
I'm no longer running to the bathroom or curled up in a fetal position, but I am certainly not well either. I am aiming to make it to my second class of the day, and then meet up with my teacher for the class I missed yesterday, basically crash her evening class, so I can get the lesson and hopefully learn a little extra on the side. That's probably part of my problem, I can't stand a class to be boring, so if I already know the material, I go a little over the top so as to make it challenging. I just can't take the easy way out.

Ow, ow, ow. SHIT. I hate eggs now. They need to just go away. I am NEVER getting an omelet from that place EVER again. Ugh, just the thought make me shudderingly nauseous... more shudderingly nauseous...

Tattoos For the Win!

This is more of a tumblr sort of post, but I don't have one so here:

The picture and status are stolen from my friend's Facebook totally without his permission >_>"

Jon Leaving SPG: The Non 4am Version

Buh-bye, Biscuiteers!

So a lot of Steam Powered Giraffe fans have been taking sides and making commentary on the whole The Jon is leaving forever and ever and ever DRAMA!!!!!!!!! ... thing. So to those people who are blaming Bunny Bennett and David Bennett (I don't know why just them, I consider Steve Negrete, Michael Reed, and Sam Luke part of the band as well) how about I put it for you another way:

I sort of think of being in a band more like being in school, than a 9-5 sort of job. At a nine-to-five, you get paid over time if you work past closing hours, but normally when you leave work you are DONE for the day. That's it. Pick it all back up tomorrow.

With school, as with a band, or indeed any creative endeavors, it is not enough to just show up for the allotted time. If we draw the comparison, that class time is the same as rehearsal/performance time, then what I mean to say is that it is not enough to simply come to class or practice with your shit unprepared. If that is all anybody ever did, school would go more slowly, and bands would get hardly anywhere seeing as they would have almost no new songs and it would take them a lot longer to learn their parts. When you are part of a creative group you must do your homework. You must learn your parts, you must go to the study sessions (aka: collaborative meetings), you must put in the effort to succeed.

Recently, I found that 5 three-credit courses was just too much for me to handle with my part time job. I simply could not finish all of the homework, and understand what I was doing or learning. It was a choice between learning the lines and going on stage without knowing what I was actually saying (being utter crap at it), or going on stage for a shorter period, but knowing what I was saying, why I was saying it, and how to spin it with feeling (just being really good at it overall). I decided for the latter, and I feel like that is what has happened with Jon Sprague and Steam Powered Giraffe.

Now, I have no intimate knowledge of this band, I am simply going by the explanations given by Bunny, and what I got from a perusal of the extremely long and blatantly honest post from David. As far as I can pick up, Jon was doing the best he could, but was stretched too thin. He was doing the required reading, but not coming up with creative and interesting insights to share in class and maybe couldn't make it to the extra curricular study sessions. In the end, the class was moving too far ahead and requiring more and more work, leaving Jon in a sticky position of having to drop something too far into the semester after the drop point.

I'm really hoping that this is making some semblance of sense. The issue is obviously far more complex than how I have phrased it. This is simply how I relate to the issue, by framing it in terms that I can understand.

I would also like to note that this is totally NOT the first time that SPG has changed their lineup...

The original SPG automaton line up.

The previous SPG automaton lineup.

Oh yeah, by the way people who have been following this blog since my last post, I have dropped my last class of the week, 2-D design. It is not what I wanted to do, but the class was super intense and I have already put in more time and effort into my other classes, making me more invested in keeping them, and getting good grades. Wish me luck! (And Jon too!!)

The new SPG automaton lineup.

SPG: Changing The Lineup

Steam Powered Giraffe

One of the major signs that I am overtired and should probably get my ass to bed, apart from sometimes uncontrollable sneezing, is that I get teary over random shenanigans. Case in point, it is now 4AM and I just watched Bunny Bennett's only publicly available vlog for the third time in a row. I should also note that I really should be finished with my homework, but am not keen on the subject of EcoFemanism as written about by this particularly dry author...

In any case, I have just found out that the character of The Jon, as played by Jon Sprague, of the band Steam Powered Giraffe has been let go. Bunny explains that it was a mutual agreement, seeing as the band is trying to move forward, and Jon simply could not put in the time or the creative effort.

The Jon singing JuJu Magic

As I listened I looked through old tumblr posts dealing with Jon and all the fans who bought his hats and who will miss him terribly. I makes me sad that I will never get to see them live as they were when I first fell in love with them. I do hope that Jon does well by himself in his future endeavors, he is obviously a very creative and talented individual.

I should also note that this is the first time that I have ever been able to see one of Bunny's videos and she is super cute in her, well, girl form. I WANT TO MAKE HER PRETTY THINGS TO WEAR!! >_> Sorry fangirl moment over pretty people... If it was announced that Bunny/Rabbit would be leaving, I would be melted into a puddle of tears with a two gallon tub of sorbet and a box of Oreos. It's not that The Jon and The Spine aren't awesome. I will totally keep my eye out for Jon, but if it were say The Spine, David, who were leaving I would do the same as for Jon. If Bunny left, I would follow her, and simply keep an eye out for SPG. Did that make sense? This isn't likely to happen, I don't know why I felt that I needed to explain that.

Some day I will have enough money to become an Engineer-eteer, and be able to watch all of the Bunny Vlogs!

(You can also tell that I need sleep when I relly so heavily on spell scheck. This is the best thing I've wtrittne this entire= post, no lire, you just can't tell cause I went over the rest of itproperly.)

Woof.

I hate school. I LOVE SCHOOL!! But I haaate school. *head desk*

Five 3-credit classes. FIVE. That means 15 hours in class, then at LEAST another 15 hours outside of class working.

There are 168 hours in a week. Minus that 30 for school. 16 hours on transport to and from school. 14 for eating since I normally skip breakfast, but like to have time to linger over dinner. 56 hours of sleep if I keep to a healthy schedule. 7 hours of morning and evening routine (showering/brushing teeth/getting dressed). 1 hour for driving to and from work. 10-18 hours at work (we'll say 14). So that leaves 30 hours. 4-ish hours per day of the week of "free time", barring too much more homework, more hours (please, please, PLEASE!) from work, or something random and/or catastrophic.

Did you know that four hours is supposed to be the amount of time that you spend giving your pets attention each day so that they feel properly loved and cared for?

FAIRE Part The Second: A Fortuitous Meeting.

Last weekend of April 2012, Anime Central (Acen):

So there I was, corseted and cat-eared with nothing to do. It was Sunday and therefore the last day of the convention. Some of my friends had already left and the rest said that they would return after getting food. In the mean time, I was bored and wandering the dealers room with a boy who I'd met the night before. Neither of us wanting to take the lead in our wanderings, I decided on a few stops and then announced my intention to go hang at the Bristol Faire booth because I love Faire, miss Faire, and why the fuck not. By now, I had gained the confidence in myself to start a conversation with a random stranger so I went right up and did so. That is how I met Anne. She, in turn, pointed me to Shane. I recognized him immediately as the man who'd eaten a turkey leg from the trash, but that was really all that I remembered.

Image stolen from facebook courtesy of Bill Hillihan

"I've always wanted to work at Ren Faire," I tell him offhandedly after some conversation and funny voice impressions, "but it wasn't until this year that I looked into trying out, and by then I'd already missed them."

He then tells me that he is one of the cast directors and he is always looking for new people. He explains RenQuest to me and explains that there is also a children's version called Kid's Quest. Kid's Quest generally has a Troll, Sterling (real name, Chris), and two wizards, some combination of the Spellworthy siblings, leading the nipperkins (children) on the quest. This year they had hit a slight snag: Chris' wife had, had a baby. This meant that he might be called away at the drop of a hat and Shane wanted to make sure that Chris could do so, without leaving KQ troll-less. This is where he hoped that I could come in if I was interested and comfortable working with children. I acquired his card, and departed with my friends.

FAIRE Part The First: Stepping Onto Sacred Ground.

In the beginning, there was high school. Not actually high school, but the summer between my junior and senior years of high school. I had asked my parents about Renaissance Faire because one of my favorite comic artists had done a strip about her time going to one.

"We haven't taken you?" Mum says, "We have failed as parents."

Please understand that this is not my mother's commentary on any other parents who have not taken their children the Faire. This was simply a phrase that came up whenever my parents realized that I was a certain age and had not yet seen or done something that they considered to be a natural part of growing up, like watching Star Wars, or Brigadoon or, in this case, going to Bristol Renaissance Faire. After my parents took me the first time, I went back once more that summer with my friends. We ran around, saw shows, investigated every booth and shop, bought some clothes, and stopped in the Sun Garden to eat. That was the beginning I suppose. I was already having a great day, and then this Faire Character comes up. He scoops a still wrapped, unfinished turkey leg from the trash, and proceeds to eat it.

"EEEEEWWWWWWW! What are you doing?!" we cried. I don't know the name of this character. I don't remember why he was eating out of the trash, I don't even remember his sea cucumber joke. 

Eventually I even forgot that it was him who had encouraged us to come back and work at faire.

"he says we should come and work at Ren Faire next year!!!"
-image posted  August 2006 and forgotten until  it was rediscovered with caption August 2012

Over the next few years, I continues to return. I met and played with characters such as Jane the Phoole, Robin Hood, Little John, Will Scarlett, I had my favorite Fantastikals (fairies) who I would go visit and specific shops that I always stopped in to look at. In 2009 I managed to squeeze out the $100 for a season pass and spent every weekend that I could running around. Many times I was too shy to talk directly to people so I'd watch or play with the silent characters. Then next year, however, I was short on both time and money, and before I knew it, the season had ended. The next year, I was out of state and therefore was unable to visit. Each summer that I missed Faire winter would arrive with the disappointed feeling of something missing.

Even Jesus Had Manners

The other day I saw that a woman had dropped something and not noticed. So I picked it up for her.

"Oh, praise THE LORD!" she says.

Um sure, I've never been called "lord" before, but I suppose I could get used to it…

Sarcasm aside, I actually find it kind of rude. This "Lord" creature did not pick up your pencil case. I did. Adding a simple "Thanks" pointed my way would have sufficed. Actually I would have accepted a vague nod and/or grunt. Giving a shout out to your god is not a viable substitute for "Thank you" and completely ignores the person who just did you a favor. 

EXTRAS NEEDED!!!

PLEASE ATTEND!!

Several times on this site I have promoted a local Chi-town band, V Is For Villains. A bit ago I even posted a link to Kickstarter to fund their very first music video. Well here it comes, rock lovers, video shenanigans are underway! There is just one more thing that the band would ask of us and that is... US! The video is to be filmed at The Elbo Room in Chicago and we, as fans (or people who think it just sounds interesting), are needed to make that place look like it is bursting at the seams with people!  Don't really want to be seen? They are also asking for tech crew people and extra hands to help out! Contact them on Facebook or through email to let them know that you are in or at least interested.

OKAY....It's time to get the video show on the road. All who want to particpate in the upcoming video please step forward....This is going to be fun so we hope a lot of you will particpate and be part of V is For Villains FIRST music video: ALL ABOUT THE FLESH!
Sadly there is not enough of a budget to pay everyone, so we're looking for volunteers to be extras and tech crews. Please list what you are interested in doing and any special skill you may have that we can count on to use. We are presently working on shooting dates so we will announce all that soon. We can tell you this, it will be a nightclub scene (looks like Chicago's Elbo Room has given us an initial thumbs up to shoot there) and we will need some dancing talent to help us out as well. The treament for the video and scene shots are ready to go and working on storyboarding now. We need to know ASAP who can help. Sign up right here or send an email to: villainmanager@gmail.com
LET'S MAKE THIS HAPPEN!

They need just as many men as women so spread the word and encourage your friends to sign up too! Shooting dates will be announced some time soon, but I'm guesstimating some time around early September. From what I've been told, extras are encouraged to come dressed for a rock/gothy/electronic concert or in villain costume/mask, but nothing super elaborate that might pull attention from whatever is going on in the scene.

Thanks a ton, mosh monsters! See you there!

Well Hello There

Oh hi there.

Holy flying monkey bats, what a summer! So I have been spending the summer either running around or passing out, and lots of driving in between. Durring the week I have been working at my normal job, and interning at the Bristol Renaissance Faire. Over teh weekends, I have been staying on the Faire site and volunteering as a troll character on KidsQuest. An interactive quest  that children can go on at 2pm and 4pm for an extra $5 fee.

Photo courtesy of John Karpinsky

So yeah, sorry for the long absence. It will probably continue, just because my computer is super not in comission. Once the school year starts up I'll be able to post from school computers.

I had a dream... but I followed a bit of a different one.

ER MAH GEHRD!

I had all these plans! My room was going to be clean, My YouTube was going to be up and running, I was going to be working two jobs, and the 90 Day Delinquents would be back on the circuit...

Currently, my room is almost worse than it was, my YouTube is still shoveling crisps and won't get it's fat ass off the couch, I am working two/three jobs... it's just that I only get paid for one of them... As for the Delinquents, I don't know. It just makes me cry a little.

So, what has kept me sooooo busy that I just can't manage to do everything that I want to? Well, I will be the first to say that there are 24 hours in every day yadda yadda, but seriously, some of us need sleep. Nothing to be ashamed of.

So, yes, super busy with jobs two and two point five! Why do I call it 2.5? Well because 2 and 2.5 are for the same thing. Ren Faire! Yup, that's right folks! I am a proud costume intern at the Bristol Renaissance Fair of lovely Wisconsin. This job only really requires extreme hours from me for the weeks leading up to faire, apparently. In those weeks, if I am not at my first job, I am on Faire grounds, sewing.

Dear Headless Chicken,

I totally get it now.

-Med