Broken

If that snow doesn't go away by the time my plane wants to land at DIA on Friday, there will be some serious trouble in the skies.
Things have overall been unpleasant recently. Reasons for which I can't begin to explain, but it's that complex where everything happens all at once and the straw breaks the alsn's back. (And since everyone here calls me a "child" I find it perfectly acceptable to break down crying in the teacher's room when said straw breaks said back.)
Still, there are people out there going through much worse, right now. Like Melinda, or Maggie... or even Rea out there in Thailand. Yea... I can't compare with that stuff. You guys are cooler than me.

Ah well. Here's hoping this isn't my last post ever due to some fatal plane crash in the bazillion flights I'm taking tomorrow. Cheerios!

This is so ridiculous...
Can someone explain where your stats come from?

COMBAT CARDS 2.1

watch brokenblues fight

CREATE YOUR CARD

RULES: Each player of this game starts off with 10 weird things/habits/little known facts about yourself. People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 10 weird habits/things/little known facts as well as state this rule clearly. At the end you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. No tagbacks.*

1. I am obsessed with the sound Japanese trains make as they go past the rice fields. It always makes me smile.
2. I generally don't enjoy anything in the moment, but after it's done I look back on things with great fondness.
3. I have spent more time in a hospital bed than at the gym.
4. My friend Tydan York, David "Ryu" Cocran, and I used to fight with real swords in front of Ty's house when I was in high school. I never realized how stupid that was until recently.
5. I secretly wish I had no posessions.
6. I run my tongue over my front teeth a lot after I've brushed them cause I like the feeling.
7. I have only ever persued things in life that have come naturally to me- with Japanese being the one exception. It is the only thing I've battled on with after failing miserably at every level.
8. I often regret the plans I've laid out for myself and wish I had chosen to lead a humble and easy life near my family and friends.
9. I hate meat, but I love hot dogs.
10. Even though I was a lighting technician for 4 years, I hate heights and have mild vertigo.

....and I'm not gonna tag anyone cause I hate that.
EDIT:
I tag
Lauren
Rea
Mutual Soul
and Marrrrie!
Tally-ho!
It's so refreshing to do mindless memes.

Living takes so much time... how does anyone have time to be great?

LOOK! Look, you! Just look at this movie!
http://www.panslabyrinth.com/
GET THIS: The Director, Guillermo Del Toro, says, "I love the fairy tale illustrations of Arthur Rackham, Edmund Dulac, and Kay Nielsen." Oh, and who are Alsn's favorite artists? Hmmmm. Let me think! DAMN, THIS IS GONNA ROCK!

This movie deserves a tea party like none other (except maybe Alice in Wonderland).

December 30th is officially the date of the next Mad Tea Party. All of those who've been to prior Mad Tea Parties are invited, uninvited, and invited again without delay. There will be tea from the orient and mad costumes, as always, are mandatory else you be booted from my porch, and don't forget to bring your own mad tea cup! The time shall be after 2:00pm, but the time of the movie has yet to be decided for reasons I can't justify. Please drop an RSVP if you'll be in town (colorado-wise), send your snail mail address, and you'll be suited with a proper invitation at the appropriate approaching time.
If my excellent friend, and worst enemy (Oh, the opposites of madddddness!) Melinda Mystell Magnificent will be in town, I'd simply die for her co-hostingship, as she has been with me since the inception and death of the Mad Tea Party lineage.

Cheers all!
And have a happy leaky faucet day.

Alsn fills time while the students wax the floor. ... this would never happen in America. They won't let me help because my clothes are too nice. HA! That also would never happen in America. Where are my paint pants when I need them?
Speaking of paint pants... a meme about my senior year of high school:
( Read more... )

This is what happens after Kindergarteners have sucked the life out of you.
( Read more... )

Bwaaaa.....
*face palm*
Life is too great! I can't handle the greatness and I think I might have to fall apart before long.
My coworkers say I'm suffering from "honeymooning." They say my lack of home sickness is simply that I haven't registered that I'm not going home. OH! I've registered! Dude, I just signed a two year contract with vodafone (cell phone company) it better register!!
Anyway... I'm happy. I just wanted to write that.
oh... and this may come as a shock to you all- I love Japanese kids! They're awesome!

Okae, I've done it! Here's the blog I'm keeping for Japan: http://tsudagaijin.livejournal.com/
I'm keeping a separate one for a few reasons.
#1- It's more for family than anything.
#2- I'd rather start new.
#3- If people don't want to hear about Japan, they don't have to add that new blog as a friend.

See? Good reasons!

"You have blue eyes." She pronounced in proud English.
"I do." I replied.
"You have yellow hair!"
"I do." I nodded.
"Why do you have blue eyes and yellow hair?!" she asked in a voice threatening with confusion.
I shrugged, shoulders to ears, and gave a weak smile. "Because I wasn't cool enough to be born Japanese."
I don't think she got it word for word, but I think she understood my meaning, and that made her smile.
It's easy to make them smile. It's not even the kind of smile you get out of polite uncertainty, either. If they don't want to smile, they won't! I met a girl today who refused to smile ever. Not for pictures, not for anything. She was quite unsettling.
Today my office whisked me away to traditional Japanese sites with a group of students from Hokaido. I climbed a bajillion stairs (okae, only 1,200.) to get to the Konpira Temple- that was cool, but hot... yea. Everyone had soaked shirts by the end and I felt a bit like jumping into the ocean after that. Instead we went to Marugame Castle and trudged up these amazing slopes because crazy Japanese people have to build their castles on the highest point in the town... evil doers. It was still awesome and pretty, but my out-of-shapeness was starting to catch up to me. Then we went to the Seto Ohashi Bridge. Dude- whoa! That's a big fricken bridge. I got to stand under it and in it and... yea... having a train go over your head is an awesome experience.
Tomorrow we make udon and canoe and swim in the ocean. Yoshi!

... I feel like a reverse tourist.
I think I'll go home and take an ice cold bath. Mmmmmm.
I never really know what to tell you people in my momentary LJ opporunities, so I'm sorry if they're lame. Please let me know how everyone is back home!

Tokyo is as it was before.
Shikoku parted from the clouds like a green mass of mountains that had been idle under the covers too long. I was happy to see it. This was my home. I saw Tsuda as we came around the bend in the road and I was floored. The ocean! So blue! And so close! I suppose I am still in a bit of shock. The people are sweet and talk with small mouths and bashful eyes. I nod ten times per second to keep them talking. If I don't they stop as though they've done something wrong... so odd. My head may soon fall off from this feat.
I only have pieces of time to write, so it must be sparse. I have to set up a new live journa; just for Japan.
And freakin 'A the computer I'm on is old and evil and PC to the max. Ahhhhh! The quotes are shift 2, the chon (that possessive marker whose name I've plum forgot) is shift 7! How can I type contractions fast with that up in shift 7?
There really is more to say than that. For now I am simply trying to figure out what is and is not real.
More on reality and the doubt therein, later.

Well, I wasn't planning on seeing Dead Man's Chest for a week or so, but my mother wanted to see it the day it came out- and she wanted to look like a pirate. This is my mother we're talking about. She's, like, 50-something. So we dressed up as pirates and braved a downpour of rain to see it.

I have to see it again to solidify how I feel about the movie. At first I didn't like it at all, but then it slowly became fabulous and by the end I was hooked like a fat fish. More I say, more! (That's what they wanted me to say)

I'm sorry to all who tried to call me last week- any voice mails left were lost to the void that is Laramie Wyoming, so I have no idea what anyone wanted.

My friend Kaj of Gnoph (the comic) came to visit for a few days and we went to Ren Fest and Cherry Creek Arts Fest and drew and made stuff- it was a very revitalizing few days.
She's putting the crew from my comic in her comic (Complicated to explain how they got there) I'm pretty honored and excited about it. http://www.drunkduck.com/Gnoph/

And there's nothing like having your father's brothers around for a weekend to show you how normal your father is. >_< Bleargh!

20 days till I move to Japan. Ask me if I'm the least bit ready!
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Somehow I thought my graduation from CSU would mean one thing for certain: No more 24 hr parties trying to get things done.
HA!
Obviously I had forgotten one very important thing!
I'm Capt... er... alsn... elliott.

Anyway.
How do you cram a 2 years worth of American life into a month? I've been trying, let me tell you, and it's not smooth sailing. Things would be a lot better if I didn't have to work for my dad, but I know he needs me, and his book-keeping is a mess, so it's for the better, I guess. Meanwhile I'm tearing my hair out.

I haven't bought anything from a fabric store in a month and a half! That's a friggen record! I gave away 5 garbage bags of clothes to Goodwill when my mom wasn't looking. I crafted and wrote 38 thank you notes for graduation gifts. I cleaned under my bed! I stitched two pillow shams to match the quilt I made my sister for x-mas.

I STILL HAVEN'T SEEN X-MEN!!!!!!!!!!!!

And... AND, I have been roughly keeping up with my comic twice a week. It's a miracle!
See gifty chibi Fated feather crew from Jenshin: http://www.randomisgod.com/TwoMoons/fated.jpg

So...
My mom took me to the Apple Store to collect on my graduation present today. The deal was if I got my job in Japan, she'd go in on a laptop with me. Well- the laptop I wanted was gone. They just have Macbook, now. Oh well. So I got that one. I didn't even ask about the features, I just pointed and said, "that one, Tanto!" (His name was Nick, but he still got it out of the back for me.)
Anyway, so I'm about ready to shell out the cash when he asks, "Which printer you want?"
Confused, I told him I just wanted the laptop. He said it was free. So I got a printer/scanner to take with me to Japan! Woot!
Then I'm about ready to shell out cash again and he's like, "You want pro-care or apple-care?"
Confused, I said I just wanted the laptop. He's all, "Yea, one of them is free."
Uhm. Okae! So I got a 3-year help-all warantee-like thingy. I can also take my laptop into the Apple Store in Tokyo and they'll update the software et all. Nice.
So now I've got my wallet in my hand and the guy asks, 'Okae, which I-pod you want?"
I SAID NOTHING ABOUT AN I-POD! (I'm one of those freaks of nature who has never wanted one)
He's like, "yea you get an Nano for free. You want white or black?"
...
...
Why don't they just knock $400 off the price of all the computers instead of giving you $400 in merchandise for free? It's crazy!
So now I have all this stuff I don't need and my laptop- believe it or not, I did finally get out of the store.

Now I can't decide whether I should get Microsoft Works or not... blah. Chances are, I should, but I hate buying software. Maybe I'll wait till I get my first paycheck.

Speaking of paychecks- I'm working for my dad for the next four weeks so I can have some money to live on for the first month in Japan. No more weekdays for alsn.

AND WHY DOESN'T IKEA SHIP IN JAPAN?! *cry cry cry*

At long last, hello!

I am writing, now, from the comforts of home in a country where I can get free refills of a wide array of soda pops, ketchup, and good old-fashioned English on museum displays. Ah, what’s better than time abroad to remind you of what’s really important in the US of A.

I, in fact, returned at midnight yesterday, but I spent the day trying to recover from a nasty bout I caught at the end of the trip which was aggravated by 20 hours of travel from London to home. (several connections)

First news I will give you has nothing to do with Europe.
( I got my JET placement, )

( Now then. Europe! )

There are a few comics I drew on my trip which I’ll upload and post as soon as I can muster sitting at the computer for longer stretches. As for now- I’m too sick. But never fear- I’ll get over it.
Glad to be back- thanks all for your encouragement while I was in Rome!

Bonjourno all from Roma. I suppose It's Rome in normal speak.

I don't have much time, maybe more tomorrow now that I understand the speak of internet cafes.
Things are rough. Not knowing where I sleep every night has been very difficult on my nerves. Today I had a breakdown when the place Dre had reserved for me to stay wasn't open, so I wandered all over Rome looking for a hostel... alone. By the way, you stupid male race... you people are crazy! Do you know how many men asked me into their cars? INSANE!
So yea... travelling buddies are okae. They don't think so much like me, and I can't gauge them so well, so it's been rough. We got caught in Paris for a week, but I rather liked it. I began to feel like I belonged there. We're off to Venice tomorrow and Athens after that. I dunno... I'm tired and I'd rather be home, but I'll stick it out because I have to, and because it is good for me.

Just needed a bit of LJ to bring me some modicum of normalacy. Thanks for being there, all.

I stand at the edge of of the end, and dare to step into the beginning.
The cap and gown are tucked away where dust may soon settle and I strap myself into a far heavier role. ... well... the backpack is a lot heavier, let’s put it that way.
Off to Europe with Dre and Landon this week. Tomorrow I leave for New York so I can spend a few days with my high school friend Ali before jetting to Heathrow. I’m packed and poised and scared out of my mind.
Who’s idea was this?
I’m reminded of a Scrubs espisode where Michael J Foxx guest starred. Being OCD, he called the toilet on top of the hospital “his Everest.” Well... this is one of my Everests. Moving to Japan doesn’t scare me. Going backpacking in Europe with two guys I have to put my trust in- that just about tops out my limits.
I like plans. I really do. But I’ve let it all go. I can sit here and hypervenilate all I want because what I’m used to is having a mom who plans every second of every day on trips, but this is going to be nothing like that. NOTHING. In fact, we three met to ‘plan’ some things before we left and this is what we planned: “London. Paris. Rome. Athens. Venice. London.” That’s about it.

The worst part is- I might actually enjoy myself. I hate to travel. It’s probably because I’m around people who want to do everything in the guidebooks when I’d rather sit in one church all day long. So hopefully this will be really relaxing. And hopefully I don’t alienate Dre to the point that he’s really glad I’m going off to Japan. This is a pretty huge hope, there.

Well. That’s check one on my 3 checklist summer.
Graduate.
Europe.
Japan.

... maybe I’ll just stay home and watch Scrubs. (Damn you Dre for addicting me so)
I'll tell you all how it went come June 7th. Remember: I'll be in NY for a few days, so if you have any recomendations of places I should go, let me know ASAP.
Ciao all, and thanks for all the help it took to get me gradumacated.

*squeals like a little girl*
LOOK!
Alsn's Senior Portfolio Stock Photos

The Kimono Picture
Thanks to everyone for their opinions, it really helped!
And many thanks to Dre for reminding me of a better word than "Erosion." I knew he would be useful someday.
[edit] I really need sleep. I'm in what I like to call the 'last' phase. It's where I'm so tired that I don't notice I'm tired. I act so normal no one else notices. I sleep while standing- I sleep between IM posts, I sleep between fingertaps on the keyboard. I'm not complaining- I'm getting a lot accomplished. You'll notice because I look off a bit more often, or I'll ask 'what?' on the most simple sentences. But I know tonight when I crash it's gonna be awesome. Let me tell you about awesome sleep- it's fricken awesome! ... yea. Awesome. How's about I tell you tomorrow? Yep, cool.

Okae friends- It's down to the wire and I need you and your brilliant minds. I know some of you don't consider yourselves artists, and others are ten times better than I, but I need ~all~ of you and your opinions!

I'm working on this final coat. It's unlike all of the others I've done before. It's more like a comic strip, and I'm working on laying it within a white, cotton, kimono-like form. It's black and white.

This is the "idea" of what's being laid into the spine.

This is the "idea" plus more information as to the core of my intent:
Clicky Link

Both of these images, keep in mind, have been scaled down tremendously and I've lowered the DPI so they load fast, so image them 2 yards long. (They'll be a bit more narrow than pictured)
Here's what I need:
A.) Which is better? With or without lines?
B.) Do I need to insinuate a ground plane under the 'rock' form?
C.) Should the 'rock' and the 'rain' be stitched, silk-screened, or both?
D.) Should it be black and white or have a multitude of greys?
E.) If the lines are good, should they only go up and down as the other directions are distracting to the composition? (no diagonal or horizontal)
F.) Why are you such a good friend answering all these Qs for me?

Sweet.
Thanks for all your help (in advance)!