Too High a Climb, Too Far to Bear

Flights of Snow

Thu, 21 Dec 2006 16:19:31 GMT

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!

Battle card

Wed, 06 Dec 2006 05:15:56 GMT

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

COMBAT CARDS 2.1

watch brokenblues fight

CREATE YOUR CARD

Spill the Beans on Being Tagged

Sat, 02 Dec 2006 17:28:32 GMT

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.

Tue, 14 Nov 2006 10:31:15 GMT

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

Pan's Labyrinth

Wed, 18 Oct 2006 09:37:38 GMT

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.

Mon, 02 Oct 2006 04:08:47 GMT

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:

1. Who was your best friend?: Sarahcrantz
2. What sports did you play?: Occasionally ultimate frisbee.
3. What kind of car did you drive?: Toyota Corolla 81. LANCELOT!
4. It's Friday night, where were you?: Mua ha ha, either working in the theatre, at a cabaret, at a play downtown, out with friends at Village Inn, or speaking intellectually over coffee.
5. Were you a party animal?: Hells yea.
6. Were you considered a flirt?: Hells no.
7. Ever skip school?: Maybe. Possibly. I deny everything!
8. Were you a nerd?: Define nerd. Did I love school? Yes? Did I have lunch with my English teacher? Yes. Did I do well at school? Yes. Did I wear pocketprotectors? No.
9. Were you in any clubs?: So many that they had to not reference some in the yearbook because I took up too much room to be reasonable. The main ones were, Religion and Philosophy Club, Japanese Club, Thespains, United Youth club, and sometimes computer club.
10. Did you get suspended/expelled?: It could have happened, but the teachers loved me too much, so they looked over stuff they shouldn't have.
11. Can you sing the fight song?: Purple and Gold forever, my brother! Of course!
12. Who was your favorite teacher?: It's hard to say. I learned the most about hard work and the way the real world is difficult from Mrs. Vlasin, and Mr. Kron taught me how to survive in the world, with skills I've used everyday since then. I liked them both, but feel uncomfortable and like a bothersome flea when I'm around them.

13. Favorite class?: Either Honors Lit or Theatre Company.

14. What was your school's full name?: Littleton High School
15. School mascot?: LIONS!
16. Did you go to dances?: I think I went to all of them, though some of the homecomings I went to as chauffer for friends who couldn't drive.
17. If you could go back and do it over, would you?: Yes! I loved high school! I had the world at my fingertips and not a doubt in my mind that I had all the answers... I lost all confidence when I graduated.

18. What do you remember most about graduation?: I remember that I wasn't going to graduate. A satanic woman, the only teacher in the school who didn't adore me, was going to flunk me out of her World Problems class because of some stupid situation in which 4 boys were sick they day they were supposed to present, so she just called the next person-me. I wasn't ready. I wasn't supposed to be ready for another week! So she failed me.
My other teachers, my AP English teacher in particular, were furious. They rained hellfire on her and made her give me a second chance. I squeaked through that class with a C-. My other teachers gave me As to make up for it in my GPA, so I got to graduate with honors. I love that story.

19. Favorite memory of your Senior Year?: Painting the stage floor to look like mahogany. Sarah and I painted late into the night, paiting ourselves into corners, inhaling fumes, getting dirty, and my mother brought us a homemade dinner. It was one of those perfect days that I wouldn't change for the world.
20. Were you ever posted up on the senior wall?: Baby, I ~painted~ the senior wall.
21. Did you have a job your senior year?: I was a lighting technian.
22. Where did you go most often for lunch?: Subway across the street.
23. Have you gained weight since?: My freshman year of college I gained about 20 lbs, but I lost them all when I got my tonsils removed. Then they slowly came back my senior year. =P But they're coming off in Japan, you betcha.
24. What did you do after graduation?: Went to CSU. Best choice I could have made. CU would have drowned me, CC would have killed me, and if I'd gone out of sate I'd have missed out on the awesomenss of my family.
26. Where are most of your classmates?: Actually, they're everywhere. I had the opportunity to have really super intelligent friends. They've all graduated from prestigious colleges and hold amazing job- or will as soon as they find them. There's a concentration of them in L.A. Cali, but a few in New York. For the most part, no one is still in Colorado.
27. Are you going to your 10-year reunion?: Wouldn't miss it!
28. Who was your worst teacher?: The cow who almost didn't let me graduate! But Mrs. Rosenberg, the art teacher, was close. I could have been a better artist if she taught something other than, "draw what you feel." Yelch!

Blog quiz time

Wed, 20 Sep 2006 06:24:10 GMT

This is what happens after Kindergarteners have sucked the life out of you.

Your Love Style is Storge

For you, love and friendship are almost the same thing
And your love tends to be the enduring, long lasting kind
(You've been known to still have connections with exes)
But sometimes your love is not the most passionate
Leap before you look, and you'll find that fire you crave

What's Your Love Style?

Your Theme Song is Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd

"There is no pain, you are receding.
A distant ship�s smoke on the horizon.
You are only coming through in waves."

You haven't been feeling a lot lately, and you think that's a good thing.
The comfortable part is nice... but you should really work on numb.

What's Your Theme Song?

You Are Animal

A complete lunatic, you're operating on 100% animal instincts.
You thrive on uncontrolled energy, and you're downright scary.
But you sure can beat a good drum.
"Kill! Kill!"

The Muppet Personality Test

((Dude...That is so way off. I mean... maybe in high school I was like that... and I admit I still inwardly wish I were, but as of now... pfft. ))

Who Should Paint You: Pablo Picasso

Your an expressive soul who shows many emotions, with many subtleties
Only a master painter could represent your glorious contradictions

What Artist Should Paint Your Portrait?

((I guess I need Picasso's phone number. Anyone know it?))

Your Love Life Secrets Are

Looking back on your life, you will only have one true love.

You're a little scarred from your past relationships, but who isn't?

You expect a lot from your lover - you want the full package. You tend to be very picky.

In fights, you speak your mind and don't hold back. You know you're right, and you can get quite angry about it.

You have a hard time ending relationships, even if the other person says it's over.

Your Love Life Secrets, Revealed

((Mua ha ha ha ha! These are fun, dude... you totally agree with them even if they're 100% wrong.))

You Are a Sarariiman!

Or "salaryman." Whatever. Treadmill off, treadmill on.
Most of the sleep you get is on Tokyo's extensive subway system, since you are putting in 14 hour days.
You're a workaholic who works hard for no overtime. And vacations? Forget about it.
You spend most of your trip hunting around for gifts to bring back all of your coworkers.

What's Your Japanese Subculture?

((Aw! I've always wanted to be one of these! Maybe it's cause I answered "sleeping on a train for most common location." Hee hee.))

You Are Somewhat Machiavellian

You're not going to mow over everyone to get ahead...
But you're also powerful enough to make things happen for yourself.
You understand how the world works, even when it's an ugly place.
You just don't get ugly yourself - unless you have to!

How Machiavellian Are You?

((Hey, this one might be accurate. Maybe... or maybe I'm just egotistical.))

Mon, 21 Aug 2006 04:00:44 GMT

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!

New Blog

Mon, 14 Aug 2006 03:02:43 GMT

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!

Wed, 09 Aug 2006 09:01:33 GMT

"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!

Tsuda, Sanuki-shi, Shikoku.

Wed, 02 Aug 2006 23:36:37 GMT

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.

piratical imagery

Sun, 09 Jul 2006 08:07:29 GMT

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!

Wed, 28 Jun 2006 03:58:18 GMT

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

Mac Attack

Mon, 19 Jun 2006 05:19:41 GMT

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*

Fri, 09 Jun 2006 05:50:23 GMT

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.
and it is sadly not where I wanted, but happily somewhere even better! Everyone pull up your handy map of Japan. Alsn is going to be located on the island of Shikoku (whazzawho?). Yep. Find the most inaka (bassakwards) island in Japan, and that’s me! It’s the smallest island, right below the mainland of Honshu. It is home to the longest and most expensive bridge ever built which connects Takamatsu (biggest city in Shikoku) to the mainland where it’s only 3 hours by train to Kyoto, Kobe, Oosaka, and the airport. (note for all those visiting me) So now you know the island. Take the northern section of the island- that’s Kagawa prefecture. (think of it loosely like a ‘state’), Now go to the east of the north part and you’ll find a city called Sanuki-shi. That’s me! =^.^= At first I was apprehensive. However, in the mail yesterday I received a letter from the JET who’s there right now (a 26 year-old Aussie), and she told me all about this place, as well as sending me pictures of my apartment and the schools I’ll be teaching in. Looks like I get middle school and elementary school kids! Fun! (no really... high school students in Japan= BAD, I totally lucked out) What’s better? They put me here because I speak Japanese. I will be the only Jet in my city. (in most there are at least two), and the closest American is a 30 minute bus ride away. HA! Perfect!

So there’s that. I have my address, but I’ll reveal that on a need-to-know-basis; if you want it you can e-mail me.

...uhm. Sum up backpacking in Europe for three weeks in one LJ post? HA! Cannot be done, my friends. I filled half a sketch book with journals and drawings, there’s no way that’s getting pared down.
Here’s some essence:
If you like drinking anything but water in Europe, you’re gonna be poor by the end of your trip.
All bottled water in Europe tastes like chalk because they put things like Calcium and Magnesium in it. Yum.
The Metro in Europe is your first friend. Learn to use it, discover how close things really are without it, and then put your feet to use. All day passes in London for the tube cost 6.20 pounds. (That’s $12.40, btw) One trip is 2.60 pounds. All day passes for Metro in Paris are 8 Euro (About 10 bucks) and the single trip is 1.40. In Rome they were 1 euro for every trip within 75 minutes (awesome price, but the line doesn’t go very far), and in Greece it’s ridiculously cheap! The subways were 80 Euro cent, while the bus was 50 cents, and they don’t even check them! There’s no turnstile, no guard to look at them- you could get around Greece for free!
Sleeping in Europe is overrated. One should expect to get very little of it.
Always save British Museums for the end of your experience because they will floor you, and you will never look at a museum the same way again.
The Louvre is overrated. Times ten. It would be far more successful as four separate museums.
If you plan on visiting Athens, don’t plan to stay longer than a day- other than the Akropoli, there’s nothing there. Go to the port town of Patra instead- talk about a night life!
Ferry boats=awesome.
Always bring pirate boots when traveling on high seas.
Check dates! Makes sure you know when all the holidays are and when things are closed and when train people are going to go on strike.
Do not bring an umbrella! Instead bring a resilient personality. It will always rain when you least expect it! (or when viewing the gardens of Versailles)
When in France- eat tarts and tortes and pastries of every kind because you’ll never find them in any other country.
And the most important things I can tell you from all my experiences: Get a scarf. A simple cotton swarth of cloth goes a long way. Like Dre said, “When hitchhiking the galaxy you need a towel, but in Europe it’s a scarf.”

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!

Rome

Sun, 28 May 2006 18:52:30 GMT

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.

My Everest

Mon, 15 May 2006 04:23:13 GMT

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.

Tue, 09 May 2006 14:18:44 GMT

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

Entropy's Coat

Thu, 04 May 2006 04:30:39 GMT

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.

HELP!

Mon, 24 Apr 2006 22:50:24 GMT

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)!

Thu, 20 Apr 2006 06:09:23 GMT

It is a calm place to sit if you watch your sanity filter down from the heavens through the mesh of timeless blue above. Assuming time does stops for you, you could reflect on the facets of it all, and, turning each shard of reality, discover the opposite side you never knew you posessed but subconciously.
And then with remorse you could apologize to those you wronged, forgive those you begrudged, and notice those who you passed by.
Isn't that what realizing interdependence really is?
Fracturing a large globe of glass, and watching the pieces as they fall about you; this is the meaning of going beyond the defenition of comprehension.
This is direct awareness.

Wed, 12 Apr 2006 05:06:49 GMT

Look what Sano-Sensei made me for giving her English lessons! <3 <3 Whee! It's sakura sushi! The Japanese are so damn awesome!!!
I give up (after the first one) giving you individual pictures of the hallway I painted. Instead you get a webpage sometime later that's more comprehensive. There are just too many pics.

LIFE is EVIL! There is only one day this week that I have time to spend with friends. How much does that suck? Unnatural, I tell you. Especially for me since I have about 4 more hours in my day than the average person. Lame.

Mon, 10 Apr 2006 09:23:36 GMT

Zoinks.
Lots happening in a very short amount of time. The idea of alsn having a really darn good paying job in a few months has her already squandering away her savings. In order to prepare alsn for a world of alienation and culture clash- she's decided to go to New York to visit Ali for three days, and then on to Europe with Dre and Landon for 3 weeks.
cha.
You heard me! Im going to Europe on a whim! Deal with it!

I finished my Venice mural. Got paids lots too. *big happy artist face*
People keep bugging me to see more pics, so I'll post more when I can, but today I am most proud of my geraniums which I busted out in 20 minutes without looking at a source, which I find amazing. That's right. I called myself amazing. Another things you're just going to have to deal with.

Wed, 05 Apr 2006 08:29:36 GMT

For those of you who didn't get the memo: I'm going to Japan July 30th and NEVER coming back! MUA HA HA HA. That means I got the job, yo.
At first I felt a bit numbed out. I had told myself I wasn't going to get the job. I was ready to drink myself under the table should that occur. But then... not. Then I got extremely hyper to the point that I thought my head might explode. Then I had to go to the rec center for an hour to get myself back to normalacy. Whoa dude. Whoa.
Dre said I glowed. I say it was the mid-day shower.

I'll let you know when I have an exact location- and then you all have NO excuse not to visit me. (For my Rice friends, Japan is closer to Korea than Ft Collins... just doin' the math for ya.)

Japanese word of the day: Yappari! (Of course/ I knew it!)

What the Hell is it with 4:00 recently?

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 10:15:54 GMT

I'm reading a book (scary, I know) called "Art and Fear" which anyone with a desire to create should read- and I mean EVERYONE. Anyway, as I read I write peoples' names in the margins to reminds me that I need to tell them about such and such quote. This is the compilation of it so far.

Dre: "Computers are useless- all they can give you are answers." -Pablo Picasso

Marshall: "When you start on a long journey, trees are trees, water is water, and mountains are mountains. After you have gone some distance, trees are no longer trees, water n longer water, mountains no longer mountains. But after you have travelled a great distance, trees are once again trees, water is once again water, mountains are once again mountains. - Zen Proverb

Lee: "For the beginner there are many paths, for the advanced, few." -Zen Teaching

Meso-san & Marie: "The lawyer and the doctor ~practice~ their callings. The plumber and the carpenter ~know~ what they will be called upon to do. They do not have to spin the work out of themselves, discover its laws, and then present themselves turned inside out to the public gaze." -Anne Truitt

Melinda (you get two): "Artists don't get down to work until the pain of working is exceeded by the pain of not working." -Stephen DeStaebler
"Writing is easy: all you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until the drops of blood form on your forehead." -Gene Fowler

Rachel: "Idealism has a high casualty rate." - David Bayles

Richard: "To see far is one thing: going there is another." - Brancusi

Nick: "We have seen the enemy and he is us." - Pogo

Annie: "Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you." -Satchel Paige