Poor Thorne, I'd be screaming too if I'd found that one. {{{hug}}}

I'm learning the hazards of poking awake figments who haven't been active in my brain for a while.

So here I am, rousting these characters for some webstuff I'm working on, and they're proceeding to get all prima-donna on me. >,<
Jendar: "Oh, no, I'm afraid *that* old picture just won't do; I never was happy with it. You'll have to draw me a new one."
Barin: "You never scanned the good picture of me, you'd better still be able to find it!"
Eliyen: "...you never drew me in color at all." [**POUT**]

...sigh. So much for being able to put this project together quickly and simply. I feel quite grateful to the pair of figments who gently reminded me where their half-finished-already portraits were, and pointed out that those would be just fine with a minimum of extra work. As for the others - back to the old sketchbook.

Spent the early afternoon trying to beat a new website layout into shape. So far, new website is being Very Difficult; time for me to break out ye olde "HTML for Complete and Utter Morons" book again before the next sparring session.

Hmm, and which bishonen should I pick on for my next layout here? ...maybe I should go for obscure again. X D Layouts are so much more fun to contemplate than getting ready for work at the Cube Farm...

Mmmm, sushi. Even a day that started out with a rotten headache can be made very very happy with suitable application of good sushi.

We went to a Game Day at a friend's house today and got introduced to a silly little game called "Are You a Werewolf?" - which was much more fun than I would have expected. It's hilarious to just sit back and watch that one, for all the politicking that goes on. I took my laptop, but only got a grand total of about five sentences written; there were just too many distractions.

And then on the way home Riss took us to Japan Diner. (If writing for me was like giant fish dropping from the sky, I'd never get any done because those suckers would be filleted and on rice before they knew what hit 'em!)

Gawd help us all, I did it. [runs and hides]

Vel, you want Laguna to fly? It'd never happen - he just doesn't have enough coordination for flight. That moogle would turn up its little pink nose and stomp away in a huff! X D

And regarding the image of a guy in a dark alley, tempting Lunar with a ficblog, the only thing I can say is -- "C'mon, give it a try... the first post is free!"

I think my feelings on writing are most similar to yours, Catt -- it's carving out pieces of oneself to place on display, whether to the general public or just a few friends.

For me, getting the words onto paper or HDD is like pulling strands of braincell out through my ear. (gack, what an image! >,< ) ...and then I get paranoid about letting anybody see what I macrame out of my brain-yarn. I know that nobody else can make me stop writing; I'm the only one responsible for that. But I have a hard time keeping up enthusiasm for a project when someone whose opinion I trusted says, in effect, "*I* don't like the precise shade of gray you used, so no matter how well you might have done everything else, your whole project is one big Suck-o-Luxe."

...urg. Sorry about the whine. I think it's time to brave it out and find a snippet to post on House of Mews so I can start to keep that flippin' New Year's resolution.

Mmmm, keeping warm via figment hate... I don't think Laguna will ever forgive me for the things I've been saying. ^_^;;

Several more odd dreams last night: one about watching a friend compete in some kind of canoeing event (or maybe kayaking?), one about FF9 characters, one about working in a pet store. O.o` Great. Canoes, Kuja and Canaries -- and in spite of the phrasing I don't think the last two were connected in any way.

Wonder now if I hadn't been dreaming enough through the earlier portions of this week, or if I just haven't been remembering them....

Your commentary on writing had me hanging on the edge of my chair trying not to fall off, I was laughing so hard. Not at the difficulty involved in pushing massive dead fish around, mind you, just at the amazing phrases you came up with. (I suppose this would be a bad time to admit that I kind'a like LJS hush puppies...? That's gotta be right up there on the Culinary Crimes List with purple oglops.)

It's also nice to know I'm not the only one who can't resist agitating Thorne -- you two are just as bad! X D I do have to concur that the idea of an anatomically correct moogle is way too disturbing -- but here's a counter-proposal: when FF8 was fairly new, I purchased a fun set of fanart stationery off eBay, and one of the designs therein shows Laguna -- teasing Tonberries. And you never know what those little dudes have under their robes.

fu fu fu... terror - confusion - massive wrongness... my work here is done (for now). Off to the day job with me!

Had stressful character-related discussion with roomie last night before bed. Had at least two strange dreams during the night, one of which was Gatchaman related. Don't *think* the two are in any way connected, but you never know....

So the roomies and I have decided to file the serial numbers off the Conjunction's idea and start a joint weblog. I've tried to update my links to include it, but PITAS is being a touch slow to show the update so just in case it crapped out somehow, anyone who's interested can find it here. Riss and I are thinking of posting fic-snippets in it, G-Cat wanted to be able to dabble her toes in something blog-like before she dove into one on her own... so it may turn out to be something of a mish-mash. We'll try to make it an amusing mish-mash, though! ~_^

Important Safety Tip, Igon...

...Don't cross the streams! -- No, wait, that's not what I meant to say. Today's Important Safety Tip is, if you're going to pound on the door of a small business 10 minutes *before* their official opening time, wanting to be let in early, you could at *least* buy a dang pack of gum or something before you leave. >,<

Okay, enough for the venting -- on to social stuff! I'm glad that you got many spiffy contest entries, and I'm looking forward to seeing/reading them. (Woo-hoo, more Academy stuff!)

Luny, your "grumpy elves" look very cool so far - but since I'm a walking ShopVac when it comes to making up titles for anything (I soooo suck at it), I'll leave that to more word-talented minds. And I'm sorry to hear you got caught by the same evil virus that had Twig down. Hope you're feeling better soon! {{{hug}}}

And another big {{{Hug}}} to Catt's poor abused KH Cloud... but just so's he knows, I've seen a LOT more KH angst-wallows out there than comedies. O,o`

Yo, Kosagi, I hate to be the one to point this out, but you're the only one with keys to your Gallery, right? Soooo, can't blame letting Creed in there on anybody else. ~_^ (Must do something about that neon sign hanging over your head that says "I've got a soft spot for over-wrought little drama queens!") Oh, and don't pick on my Oglops -- they're tasty! (In a severly bad-for-me junk food sort of way....)

Thorne, I've been saving you for last because it's taken me a while to figure out how to phrase this. It's re: the comments you made about connecting Laguna to G - G - (Ghod, I can't say it! >,< ) - to That Crossover Which Shall Not Be Named. If it's just a case of his tendencies to champion the small and abused, okay, I can deal with that... I think. But if you're suggesting making the Unholy Pairing into a Truly Unholy Trio [TM], then I'll have no choice but to call in the S.P.C.P.M. on you. (the "Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Pretty Morons.")
...oh, and you're absolutely right about RPG heroines and their dex rolls and tendencies to blow off roofs (Gardens, whatever) like dry leaves; Yuna gets a big-time Cool Points Bonus for saving herself.

Three words:

Purple Oglop Oreos.

Life is very, very amusing some days. X D

I wonder what minor but annoying sin I kept committing in a past life, to deserve the karma of being "Woman Who Must Change the Toilet Paper Roll" all through this one.

Seriously, I always seem to be the one who sits down in the bathroom when there are, like, 2 sheets left on the current TP roll. 98 percent of the time, there's more paper right at hand to replace it with; it's just a recurring minor nuisance... the kind of thing that makes me suspect I was a man who always left the seat up, in my last incarnation, or something like that. >_<

(And reading back over this, I really shouldn't let my mind wander on such topics -- it's obviously too little to be out on its own.)

YESSSS! "We have met the deadline, and kicked its @$$!"

*ahem* Little something for you in the old e-mail. X D

It's official; my weblog has now passed the number of counter hits that my website gets. In about half as much time. O,o` Heck, frequently the blog gets more hits per day than my main site page counter, the separate Anime Art page counter *and* the page for the Pern fan club, all combined.

I'm not sure whether to be amused or disturbed by this...
...ahh, might as well be amused. I'm disturbed enough already. X D

{{{Hugs}}} to both of you and hope you're feeling better soon. I'm glad the "Tower of ALHR" amused everyone! ...and ampersands or no, I could probably have kept it to at least equal the phone book's size if I'd gone with 9-point or smaller font, but there's no point in ruining our eyesight any faster than it's already going, ne? (g)

Ah well, back to the color pencils... I've got a deadline to meet.

Technology: 0, Chinese Food: 1

All pyschodrama aside, AIM is being a right royal beeotch today; completely crashed out my system a couple of minutes ago.

On the other hand, crabmeat rangoons have amazing calming properties. After having snarfed a full order of them, I could care less. La la la la la la! ^_^ (Wonder if my boss ordered me the Prozac variant...?)

It may be time to get rid of the guest book I've had up on my art site, because the pr0n spammers have discovered it, big-time. They think it's just the niftiest thing since sliced bread to fill up people's guest books with lewd little links... and the one I had to delete this morning was advertising stuff that no sane person should EVER want to see. (Yes, there *are* things out there which are worse than Palmer in a bikini!) >_<

Does anybody know where to get the paperwork to officially register as a mobile "psychodrama-free zone"? I really, really need that right now. Between a roommate who's had altogether too many medical appointments over the last month (which can't be helped), to a houseguest who came over for one night but ended up staying the whole weekend and then some due to snow and inertia, to my boss' mother having hysterics over losing a month's worth of accounting information... kyaa. Okay? Just -- kyaaa. {8P

Killing trees in the name of entertainment...

Okay, I've been threatening to do this for a while now, just so you can see how your work "stacks up". (This is chapters 1 through 36, complete.)

Er. *ahem* That last entry was written under the double influence of too much exercise and a glass of blackberry merlot wine. Certain psychotic Square characters have demanded this disclaimer. ( ...because I refused to delete the entry.... difficult wench that I am )

My apologies to anyone who may have been traumatized by the mental images it caused.

Life in a Snow Globe, Round 97...

There's nothing quite like shoveling the driveway -- at 11 PM, for the second time in a day -- to make a body feel every single one of her years. (Oooh, I'm gonna be sorry for this in the morning. Heck, I'm sorry now!) Pennsylvania has just declared a statewide snow emergency, and I am so, soooooo tired of winter.

That funny kind of hissing noise, though, is not the snow falling; it's my ego over-inflating because of all the nice things you said earlier tonight. Could somebody please bring a pin over here and let some of that out? ...'cause if it takes up too much space, the roomies are going to pitch me back out into the cold wet stuff.

-- NOT you. [*glares* at Sephiroth, who has offered the Masamune for the task] Not unless you wanna be drawn in drag. Wearing bad 80's rejects from the wardrobes of Madonna and Cyndi Lauper.

...wow, who knew the big goober could face-fault like that?! Whee! X D

(Maybe considering the holiday's name I should have used Vincent, but these two are just too dang cute... and Pure Hearts Club F create awesome FF7 doujin.)

Hope everyone feels loved today!

Me: [beating head against table beside unfinished picture] "Arrrrgh! *Why* am I doing this to myself?"
Nan: [far too calm] "Because it's for Twig's contest, and you wanted to show your appreciation for her writing."
Me: "... ... ... yah." *sigh* [pick up pencil again]

I hate when she gets all calm and rational on me like that.

Ah - must remember to count Lunar's site update as a positive. Not just one, but *two* new chapters of Feather Flight, thank you thank you!

And roomie Nan managed to get some kick-@$$ inking done on a piece of art, so today hasn't completely sucked dirty mops. Just frustated that my own efforts aren't going better. Growf.

Just shoot me now....

Score for the day so far:
World: 4
Household: 0

And not a single damn' cookie in the house.

Went with roomie this morning to get more small chunks of her removed, because of abnormal biopsies. Am learning to despise trips to the dermatologist's office, but better we should get these things taken care of before it becomes something worse.

It's snowing here in PA again. I think it's time to start a Snowblower Savings Account, so if we get snowed on this much next year, I can just laugh and fire up the mechanical snow-mover instead of whining and swearing and reaching for a shovel. At least this time while shoveling, I can amuse myself by picturing Cloud flopping face-first on the glacier (with apologies to Thorne, don't mean to make fun of your gaming woes. Having once spent the better part of a day rebooting to try to beat that first d@#^ blitzball game in FF10, I should know better.)

From the 2003 "Stupid White Men" page-a-day calendar (a little late, but I only saw it today):

"February 2 - Groundhog Day: Punxsutawney Phil sticks his head out, sees that W. is still running things, ducks back and won't come out for the next three years."

...I think I know how he feels, poor dang groundhog.

And for all you yaoi fanfic writers out there, here's one way to help get your figments awake and ready for action in the mornings!

Social stuff time! First of all, I'm glad to hear that you have started to feel better, and hope the recovery's complete very very soon! {{{Hugs}}} One or the other's bad enough, but both... [wince] that is just NO fun.
The snippet about dealing with an unwell Zack, however, was priceless.

Thanks for the suggestion on dealing with fench! I'll have to remember that one... and it would probably amuse my boss, too. X D

Please, Luny, may we have some more "Feather Flight"? Pretty please? After the way Chapter 15 ended, I'm anxious to see what comes next.

Bless your fuzzy little heart, Tsaiko, for publishing the link to that screentones tutorial! I've tried scanning actual tone sheets, which doesn't work worth a rat's @$$ (and that's about what my previous attempts a creating electronic tone looked like, too >,< ). I also enjoyed your commentary on what separates the MarySues from actual characters; cool insight, that.
Anou... Chocobo Lure + sex toys? Oroooo... now *that* made my brain hurt!

And this is at least partially your fault... once it had been said, I couldn't pry the image out of my brain with a crowbar until this was done! Sorry it's not my best coloring job. ^_^;;

It is apparently "The Day of the Unwashed Customers" here at the store.

I wish somebody would have let me know ahead of time; I could have brought nose-plugs. {8P

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