| The proof is in the pudding |
[Nov. 22nd, 2009|09:56 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  stunned | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Whatever Joe's listening to on Pandora | ] |
Or in this case, the statistics and numbers.
I knew that the back end structural changes for my site would make a difference in the number of hits my site would receive, but I had no idea it would do this. I can now very confidently say that changing the structure was one of the best things I have ever done, regardless of how difficult it was, and how much time it took me.
Traffic statistics for serindemyuu.ithilear.com (2009-11)
| |      | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Jan
2009 | Feb
2009 | Mar
2009 | Apr
2009 | May
2009 | Jun
2009 | Jul
2009 | Aug
2009 | Sep
2009 | Oct
2009 | Nov
2009 | Dec
2009 | |
Last month, in October, my SerindeMyuu.ithilear.com site had a total of 466 hits for the entire month.
This month, which is not over just yet, my hit count is at 3,241.
I've received one hundred and eleven hits since yesterday alone.
I'm starting to think I should have done this a long, long time ago. |
|
|
| The forbidden fruit! |
[Nov. 21st, 2009|02:00 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  contemplative | ] |
http://www.regretsy.com/booksubmissions/
I'm tempted.
I really, honestly, truly am.
The question is, am I even able to reduce my product quality well enough to score that kind of free advertising?
What's really amazing is how many people end up buying stuff just because it was featured on Regretsy.
Hmmmm. |
|
|
| Checking in on the heart's desires |
[Nov. 19th, 2009|01:42 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  calm | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Evanescence - Eternal | ] |
It's been a bit since I revisited last year's New Year's resolutions. So let's peek at them now, since we're getting closer to the end of the year!
• I will finish writing ST.
I've come to realize that in order to execute things the way I want, I need to fix things, first. I have come to terms with the fact I will not finish writing it this year, I am 90% sure that I won't. I will, however, finish the edits that I need to make to complete the story.
• I will actually update my website once in a while.
Yep.
• In fact, I'll keep it up-to-date.
It's up to date except for the newest image, which needs to be resized and that's all. I am SO glad that I did the work on my site that needed to be done.
• I will get better at drawing.
I feel that I have improved, this is good enough for me. My anatomy has gotten much, much better.
• I will complete a dozen drawings that I like.
I have more than a dozen that I am completely happy with. This is a very good thing!
• I will make at least a dozen plushies - Some for me, some commissioned.
I've finished 4, this year, I have 2 halfway done, and I have six that will be done before Christmas.
• I will get better at web design.
This has definitely happened.
• I will make the time to roleplay. I miss playing with all of you people!
I'm getting better about this. Still not as much playing as I would like to be doing, but definitely getting better.
• I will finish my enormous dragon painting.
This is completed and has been for a while. I had nowhere to put it, so even though I liked it, it got burned. ^^ Yeah, that. Again.
• I will reach level 115 in RaiRO with my transcended Gunslinger.
My Vigilante (The unofficial name for trans slingers) is now base level 115, and job level 60something. I won't be capping job any time soon. XD My perma-alchemist is level 106, and my Assassin Cross is level 92.
• I will complete the quests I need to farm the materials for my slotted Butcher.
Done and done. I've got two slotted Butchers now. Still done!
• I will make a new beloved friend.
I have a few, and I'm still getting closer to some of them. This is good.
• I will clean out my closet.
My closet is very clean.
• I will wear all the formal dresses I've never used, even if for no reason.
All but the blue one have been worn.
• I will finish writing the content for Ithilear's main page.
Still working on this, but it will be easier to do now.
• I will draw new players to Ithilear, and finish Chapter 2.
I've given up on this one. -_-
• I will bring Rune back.
This is... er, mostly done.
On the whole, I feel I've done very very good, and it has been a good year. It's had its ups and downs of course, they always do, but at the end of every day, I'm happy - And that's what really counts. There's no more feelings of failure, no more feelings of wasted life or time. I am content, and life is good. |
|
|
| What's in a name |
[Nov. 17th, 2009|10:24 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | contemplative | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Noriyuki Idaware - Mirumu | ] |
For the past several years, the proximity of the characters' names has been begging for something like this to be done, but until I started getting back into RPing again here recently, there never was a setting where they would actually encounter one another.
Now it works out perfectly, so here they are - Rune and Rue.
I have no idea what happened when I was drawing that. I didn't even realize that it had taken a very dramatic western tilt to the art style until I was done with his face and I zoomed out to view the full image.
All I can say is, what happened?
It definitely isn't a bad thing to broaden one's horizons, but it was a little bit unexpected. I have never drawn anything in a western-comics style, but here it is. Or is it more toward the tilt of realism? I honestly don't know. Regardless, it was not what I was expecting, and I am now rather bemused as to where my art is going.
Strange times. |
|
|
| Counting down... |
[Nov. 13th, 2009|01:56 pm] |
| [ | music |
| | Kecharitomene - Loreena McKennitt | ] |
So we move in 25 days. I can't believe the time is creeping up on us so fast!
We've had 3 people interested in the house so far, which is great. The sooner they get someone to take over the lease, the better. I'm really looking forward to not having to WORRY about it any more.
I got a message today from a lady that wants to buy the extra bed we have. We're only getting $180 for it, but it's better than nothing, and it's a huge load off to know that that's one less piece of furniture that we'll have to fit into a truck and drag around with us.
I also have a man who is interested in the big broken 52" TV. He said that he will be calling around to find a repairman once he gets back into the state, but if we can hold it for a week he would be happy to take it off our hands. Thank goodness!
That leaves just the 28" TV to try to sell, but if we end up having to move it with us, I think we could manage. The new TV is a flat panel, so it is extremely compact. 42" and about 4 inches thick. Technology really is amazing sometimes.
I finished my drawing of my dear Runey-as-Assassin Cross the other day, and I'm pretty happy with it on the whole:
It really makes me miss him, actually. He's been getting a bit of playtime here and there though, in odds and ends settings, which I thought would quiet him down. WRONG! He's being louder than ever, and it's really kicking my creativity up. My inspiration is trickling back to me with him being played, but of course it's not for anything I have already started. Go figure.
I sold my circuitboard earrings last night, and I definitely had an eyebrow-raising moment last night when I was writing out the address. They were being mailed to the office suite for HowStuffWorks. How cool is that? It definitely made me smile. I'm always fascinated by how small the world is, and it's cool to me that someone 'small' like I am could make something worthy of someone 'big' like that.
In other news, I made delicious chicken, and now you all have to try making it yourselves. It's really easy - Take a boneless, skinless chicken breast, and mix equal parts of dried rosemary, parsley, and basil. Add salt and pepper as you please, rub the herb mix onto the chicken, and then fry it in just a dab of olive oil. Olive oil is heavenly for frying chicken, because it easily keeps it from sticking to the pan, but it doesn't make everything all greasy, and it doesn't sizzle and pop nearly as much as grease or even canola oil does.
But yeah. It's really easy, really quick to mix up and make, and it's extremely rich in flavor. I'm going to make it again for dinner tonight, and serve it with garlic alfredo pasta.
Trying to use up all our groceries is proving an interesting challenge, actually. Who'd have ever thought they'd want an empty pantry? But it will be much easier for us to not have to move boxes full of dry goods, and we definitely can't transport anything cold or frozen, so all of it needs to be eaten.
Of course we can't forget Thanksgiving. We're waiting a bit to buy our turkey, but that should make a nice feast that will feed us for almost the rest of the time that we're here in North Carolina. Shorty will be joining us for Thanksgiving again this year, which makes me happy but a little sad at the same time. That's the crappy thing about the military, I guess. We meet these people, some who I like and some who I come to love dearly as friends, and then in a moment, with the passing of a paper, they're whisked away from your lives and you realize you quite likely will never see them again.
I'll have to take pictures of our last holiday together I suppose.
Now I need to get back to cleaning I guess.
I bought a really pretty leaf dish on clearance for $2 and it's sitting on my table, but it needs some of the Halloween candy transferred to it, because it looks a little silly to just have an empty dish sitting on the table as a centerpiece.
I also need to take the bed apart so the lady can pick it up, I need to finish the dishes, sweep the kitchen, and tidy up the bedroom. Then the day's work is done, and I guess I can work on writing. I owe a post at SoM, and I need to take a moment to update my site with the above picture, now that it's all easy to update. And I should send another email to Dusky, as well.
I'm excited to be coming up on the part where we begin a new life chapter, but I would be lying if I said it wasn't a little scary, as well.
But all in all, the world keeps turning, and so life goes on. |
|
|
| Productivity |
[Nov. 10th, 2009|10:52 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  accomplished | ] |
Yesterday I started a project that I finished today. I finally updated and changed the backend structure of my website.
It is now officially easier to update than any site I have ever had. Only rarely, once every dozen or so updates, will I need to touch the HTML at all. My website is now self-managing and updates with a simple WYSIWYG editor, just like the one I'm typing in now.
Copy/paste the image I want to put on my site, write my content, mark the box to tell it to add it as an Art update.
It uploads, places the images, places the links, creates the page.
I have to do nothing. This is a really amazing feeling for me. I've wanted something like this for my sites for years, but I never had the time or the PHP know-how to make it work.
I only had to ask my brother for help once, and he was more than happy to help me, and once he explained what I was doing wrong, it all made sense.
This also allowed me to integrate blog-style self-updates for the front page, a fully functional blog on my site specifically, and something I have also wanted for years - A Comment page and feature on each individual drawing.
I didn't take the time to go back and add the comment feature to every drawing though, so it will only be on the new ones. But I uploaded eight of my latest drawings to the site to give it a whirl, and I'm extremely pleased with how it all turned out. All the functionality I've ever wanted, but without having to sacrifice the site design I was attached to.
One thing I still need to do, though, is tweak a few CSS bits to make sure they're fully functional with Internet Explorer, as the site is optimized for Firefox.
You can take a look at it here:
http://serindemyuu.ithilear.com
Once that was done, I knew I had to do it for Ithilear's front page, as well. Ithilear's design had not quite been what I wanted before, and I didn't know what to do with it to make it... well, whimsical. I liked the dark look and all, but it just wasn't working, and I wanted to tie the design of the front page in with the design of the forums. I ended up painting a tree and pretty mountain background, and ran with it from there.
The design still does not implement all the features I want, so I will be adding a menu at the top of the page eventually, but for now it covers the bases and gives me what I need... and again, blog-style updates for the front page. Yeah, I'm all about those.
It also gave me a chance to experiment with things I'd never used in web design before... such as transparent PNG images. It pushed my coding skills to a limit and even a bit beyond, but it worked out great, I think, in the end. And once the interface was up and running, it only took 15 minutes to fully update and convert more than a dozen pages to the new format. How great is that?
Anyway, you can lookit that one here.
http://www.ithilear.com
It was hard work, but I think it'll pay off in the long run.
Especially now that I can super-easily document and archive my character bios!
|
|
|
| New at Etsy |
[Nov. 4th, 2009|11:14 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  busy | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Korn - Word Up! | ] |
I'm posting in my LJ a lot. I think I do that when I have a lot on my mind.
Today is supposed to be the ball, but I don't know if we're going or not. I haven't heard anything from my husband.
Regardless, I think I need to shower and at least do my hair up pretty, just in case. I should probably wash it and then twist it and pin it with chopsticks, letting it dry halfway when it's in a bun is the best way to get my hair to hold a curl. Then I take it down, separate it by gently shaking the twists out, and it turns into the most perfect ringlets and banana curls.
But I digress.
I've been cleaning house, getting ready to move, but I've been working on increasing my stock in my Etsy shop as well. We're coming up on Christmas, so I'm trying hard to fill it up with stuffs to make it more likely people would find/buy something. I really wish I could get better established, any income at all is going to be a big help while Joe is looking for work, I think. We still haven't heard back if he's going to get any sort of disability compensation for his shoulder and knee.
Here's a peek at some of the new stuff I've been throwing into my shop, 'cause I love sharing pictures with y'all. I've kept it to thumbnails for the sake of not spamming up the page, but you can click 'em to see the actual listing for more/bigger pics.
 
Cherry Cordial earrings, and matching necklace.
Made with brass, red quartz, and my most favoritest pressed glass leaves. I seriously need to order more of those leaves, I'm almost out!
Midnight Garden necklace, with blue gems instead of red. Trying something a little different with it.
Tech tack earrings. They're made from real circuit boards that I cut out of a broken PS2 controller. Geeky. :P
Baroque earrings. I am smitten with these, myself. Must find more of the wire-wrapped beads to work with.
Jade Waterfall earrings. Originally named Packerland, thanks to Poky. Thanks a lot, Pok. :P
Wild At Heart earrings. They were fun to make, but seriously not my style. Why do I keep making things I would never wear myself? I guess it's a good thing that I have a lot of ideas...
I also re-listed the Pendulum this morning.
I originally decided to offer it regularly, but I'm tired of making them at the moment, so once the last one sells out I'm not planning to make any more. I have one for myself, I've sold three. Once this last one goes, maybe I'll use the money from it to design a new Second Edition Pendulum? That might be interesting, just to shake it up a bit.
I always have millions of ideas for things to make, just not the funds to make it happen. Oh well, maybe someday!
|
|
|
| Steampunk: Officially No Longer Cool |
[Nov. 4th, 2009|08:52 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  disappointed | ] |
And you can see why it's officially no longer cool right here.
It's getting nothing but praise so far. Am I really the only one who's disappointed to see another good genre tainted by Disney's stomping feet?
|
|
|
| Victory. |
[Oct. 6th, 2009|05:36 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  tired | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Finch - Ender | ] |
The traps were down for all of 15 minutes before we heard the resounding smack that symbolized that in the war between Myuu and mice, I was the champion.
No further evidence of mice in the 24 hours since. All other traps still baited and untouched. Will leave them down a few more nights, just to be sure. I also found where I'm pretty sure it came in from, I'll be cutting a piece of foam to stuff into the hole, and then hot-glue it in place. It's a half-inch gap beside the kitchen drain, leading into the crawlspace beneath the house. Half an inch is more than plenty for a mouse to get through, even the big fat one that we caught last night.
My dishes are clean, my kitchen is spotless and sanitary.
I spent the day working on jewelry and drawing instead. I tried to work on some of the drawings I owe people, but I just was not feeling it.
Instead, I celebrated my victory, by beginning the first drawing of Runey that I've attempted to do in a very long time. Dressed as an Assassin Cross, because I made him a SinX in RO, and because I feel that the look rather suits him.
The sketch of it is as such:
And it is clickable for a larger size.
It's been so long since I drew Rune, I'm a little surprised at the differences in my art style that have since evolved. I would like to think that my drawing ability has improved substantially, but at the same time, I hope that it still reflects the 'Myuu' sort of vibe that indicates that it is my art.
Hmm.
|
|
|
| Oh, it's ON. |
[Oct. 5th, 2009|12:37 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  pissed off | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Finch - New Beginnings | ] |
Don't get me wrong. I'm all for the humane treatment of animals.
But that little fucker ruined a loaf of bread and a new package of tortillas, woke me up five times last night, and shat on literally, LITERALLY, every clean dish in my cabinets. Including my grandmother's fine china. Tea-plus-3-course-for-8-people full setting, more than 60 hand-wash-only dishes I now have to take care of today. While three loads run through the dishwasher, while I sanitize more than 30 square feet of countertops, the floor, and the table.
That's it, you little bastard.
From this moment forward, your hours are numbered. |
|
|
| More stuff I made |
[Oct. 3rd, 2009|10:24 pm] |
| [ | Tags | | | jewelry, shop | ] |
| [ | mood |
| |  chipper | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Hubby playing Nocturne | ] |
Today was a productive day for jewelry, I made six pairs of earrings. That's a lot for one day, but I didn't get 'done' til so late this evening that I won't be putting them into my shop until tomorrow. It's best to start submitting shortly after church hours on Sundays, to maximize viewing, as people are getting home. Between 1 and 2 is the best time to add on Sunday. Monday through Friday, peak hours are between 11 and 1, while people are on lunch breaks, and between 5 and 7 in the evening, as people are getting home. Silly little things like that I've learned since starting my shop. But anyway...
Mini beaded snowflakes:
I may omit the little spacer beads on the top in the future. Or else not use the tube bugle bead thingies. Though I like the length they give.
Geeky circuit board earrings:
Yes, made with real circuit boards cut out of a broken PS2 controller. I *think* these were the bits connected to the dual shock motors, which then connected to the main board. I have yet to determine how to turn the dual shock motors into jewelry, but I kept them anyway.
Long dangly pearl-accented earrings:
They're figure-eights of wire, with a little pearl suspended in the middle of each figure-eight. They need slight adjustment still as a few of the loops are slightly off-balance, but my hands were exhausted by the time I got to these. They were the last pair I made today. On the whole, though, I think they turned out fairly well.
Very 80's inspired earrings:
My mom had bought me these pieces, saying she knew I'd "think of something" they'd be great for. That was more than a year ago. Now they're stuck on earrings because I can't think of anything else to do with them. But overall, I kinda like the effect!
Big long pearl earring things:
I had no idea what to do with them. They were my only two big glass pearls. Hubby made this suggestion. They're simple, but still appealing, so I guess it works overall.
Cherry cluster earrings:
Without a doubt, these are my absolute favorites of the day. I'll be making a necklace to match, with the same cluster as a pendant. The green bead is a little heart-shaped leaf. I'm almost out, so I'll need to order more. They're about 35 cents per bead, though. Eesh. But hey, that just goes to show you that I really do prefer the high-quality stuff.
That's all for now, I feel pretty productive though on the whole.
Feedback is welcome and appreciated. And please excuse the blurry pictures, my hands are shaky and I wasn't using the tripod. |
|
|
| Review me, please? |
[Sep. 26th, 2009|05:17 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | calm | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Hubby playing Metroid Prime | ] |
Mmkay, so. I've got a bit of a favor to ask, of anyone who has the time or interest to spare.
As... pretty much all of you know, I keep an Etsy shop. On the whole, for a complete business novice, I'd say that I've done fairly well in the 4 months that I've been running the business. I'm finally in the black - I won't say I'm in the 'green,' because that implies I'm rolling in money, but I have finally recovered the startup costs from starting an honest-to-goodness business, and I have a little bit of change in my pocket from the venture. It feels good, but I'll be honest.
I haven't been as... well... wildly successful as I hoped I would be, this far into my business plan, so I'm looking for some outside opinions and constructive criticism.
My shop is located here:
http://moonsea.etsy.com
And for those who have the chance, I would eternally appreciate if you could answer a few questions for me.
1. Are the prices acceptable?
Is everything priced in a range you'd be comfortable paying? Is any of it too high? Too low? What about the shipping? Is it reasonable?
2. How is the merchandise quality?
Does any of it look shoddy or poorly-constructed? Too 'cheap' looking for the price? Don't be afraid of hurting my feelings - I really want to improve, and if you think something looks crappy, please tell me so.
3. What is your favorite piece?
I want to stick with what appeals more, for obvious reasons. I'd like to know what people like best, so that I can offer more things like it.
4. What is your least favorite?
And aside from least favorite, is there something you just flat-out don't like / think is in poor taste / looks like garbage / can't imagine who would ever pay for such a thing?
5. What kind of 'special offers' would you like to see?
One-of-a-kind pieces instead of the several-of-a-kind I've been making? Full sets like the one matching set I have up? Sales? Buy-one-get-one half off?
6. How do the pictures look?
I know I have a few blurry ones that I have yet to re-take now that I have a better camera, so please ignore the blurry ones, I'll be re-taking them as soon as I have the time to actually sit down and do so. What I'm more interested in is if you think the staging is good, if the backgrounds are too busy, if the diversity of shots are acceptable... Etc.
7. Is there anything else?
Other commentaries, thoughts, ideas, or suggestions you might have?
Thanks a bunch, in advance - I really really appreciate any help that you all can give me!
|
|
|
| A new week |
[Aug. 30th, 2009|10:22 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  uncomfortable | ] |
I wanted to be productive this weekend.
I wanted to clean, unpack, cook delicious food, finish some drawings, make jewelry.
Instead I ended up being sick with terrible stomach pains. Either I've got a bug, or I suffer from IBS and I never knew until this weekend.
I have a wonderful new computer chair with plush cushioning, a high back, and arms.
I spent the entire weekend huddled in this chair with my mint-white-and-lavender afghan that my grandmother crocheted for me, and I read about 4,700 pages of manga.
Productivity is at an all time low.
However, the inspiration meter has been steadily ticking upward.
9 more volumes to read, then I'll be caught up with the series and eagerly awaiting having more translated.
This week, I anticipate a large number of pages to be added to the novel.
We shall see where tomorrow leads. |
|
|
| The weird things I do |
[Aug. 14th, 2009|01:26 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  awake | ] |
Random project started this morning: A syringe the right size for a ball-jointed doll, so that my future drug-addicted precious doll will have all he needs to be happy!
Almost done.
Internet is on at the new house.
Leaving to run errands now, will post a proper update later.
|
|
|
| Moving day! |
[Aug. 10th, 2009|09:01 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | chipper | ] |
Today's the big moving day, and that means it's the last day I'll be able to get online until next Monday. x.x
Batteries are charging, camera is at ready! It's only a mobile home -_- But it's better than nothing, and at least it's a modern, fairly nice one.
Striker: My paypal address is myuumaster@yahoo.com of course, and you will obviously know what shipping was once it gets there. XD I'm sure they'll be joining you some time this week.
Pokkins: Double-checkin! Street is 1180 Blue Creek Road, the rest is all the same. I luff you!
Everybody else:
I'ma miss you all hardcore this week D:
With any luck, the cable guy will get out there sooner.
Now I better get out of my jammies, 'cause it's time to go pick up the keys! |
|
|
| Yay creativity |
[Aug. 6th, 2009|08:12 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  cheerful | ] |
Connor:
Domerin: (Click for full view)
Solid Snake: (Click for full view)
Sesshoumaru: (Click for full view)
And so, that concludes the commissions, and my project list is open again. Hopefully I'll be able to find some people to commission me for some stuff soon.
I still want to make a plushie Mouse, but I have yet to find the right fabric for her wings, and Mouse without her wings would just be... ...odd...
Better update later. |
|
|
| My Life According to Stabbing Westward |
[Jul. 27th, 2009|03:55 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  depressed | ] |
| [ | music |
| | The Dreaming - Fucking Go Away | ] |
Ganked this gem from Striker.
Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. Pass it on to 15 people you like and include me. (Pff YEAH RIGHT) You can't use the band I used. Try not to repeat a song title. It's a lot harder than you think! Repost as "my life according to (band name)"
Pick your Artist:
Who else?
Stabbing Westward!
Are you a male or female:
Sleep
She can't feel - her screams are silent / Hides in the corner of her mind / Where she plays contently / She leaves this nightmare far behind / She escapes inside her dreams
Describe yourself:
Everything I touch
I scratch and tear / Until it bleeds / I do not want / I only need / Everything I touch I break
How do you feel:
Violent Mood Swings
Footsteps echo heavy off the pavement / Violence burning brighter in my eyes / Life within the flesh still diving deeper / and a random, victim businessman will die
Describe where you currently live:
Television
When I look around / I see numb empty faces / The world is waiting to die / And this apathy / Is so suffocating / The slow decay of my mind
If you could go anywhere, where would you go:
Angel
I believed that love was sacred / As I dove blindly into her sea / You see, that warm embrace felt more like drowning / As endless waves crashed over me
Your favorite form of transportation:
Sometimes It Hurts
And after all this time you'd think I'd understand the way you feel / But no / I only think about myself / And it's driving you away / I always knew it would one day
Your best friends are:
How can I hold on
I thought you were my friend / That you were someone that I could turn to / Now I realize / That you were a friend when you needed something
You and your best friends:
So Far Away
Each night I feel the distance that has grown between us / Open up as lonely as the space between the stars
What's the weather like:
Torn Apart
A darkness grows inside me in fading shades of gray / All the colors of the world are slowly sucked away
If your life was a TV show, what would it be called:
High
I've never been as high as I was with you / I finally realize love's a perfect high
What is life to you:
You Complete Me
God I pray you find me worthy / Of the right to stand beside you / And of your truth and of your passion / Of the right to sleep beside you
last relationship:
Happy
You know I tried to make you happy / But I believe you thrive on misery
Your fear:
Waking Up Beside you
At night I cling to you, I'm so afraid / Afraid the day will come / And I'll wake and find you gone / But you promised that you'd not abandon me / And kissed my fears away / But I woke up to that day
is the best advice you have to give:
Save Yourself
But I am not your savior / I am just as fucked as you / I can not save you / I can't even save myself
for the Day:
Shame (Do you think God is dead?)
We control the future but learn nothing from the past / We annihilate our species from within
I would like to die:
Slipping Away
I feel it slipping away / No more pain, no more fear / I feel it slipping away
soul's present condition:
Perfect
Lately I've noticed / How much you've changed / Even though you swear / You're the same / It used to be perfect
My motto:
Plastic Jesus
You fear life, not death
Wow.
It sounds like I'm really down on myself. o_o
...I mean I am, but not THAT much! |
|
|
| Planes and trains and motor cars, oh my |
[Jul. 19th, 2009|12:10 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  stressed | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Shin Megami Tensei OST | ] |
So I just booked my flights for the wedding I'm gonna be in, in October. I've been hard at work making the dress to save money. The flight was $230.40 round trip. Ouch.
All things considered I guess it's not terrible, and I shaved a bit more than $140 off the price by switching my flight dates to Mondays instead of weekends. We'll have to fuss for Joe to have off work to drop me off and pick me up, and I'll have to do some finagling amongst my friends to make sure I have a ride from the airport to my family's home, but it'll be all right.
I'll have a one hour layover in Atlanta for both the outbound and homecoming flights. Bleh. I'll have to pack my DS and laptop with me, of course. Since I'm going for a wedding, though, there's no way I can cram everything into a carry-on. My dress is just too bulky - It'd take the entire carry-on bag up on its own.
I'm not crazy about having to check my luggage, and I'm really unhappy about traveling alone. But Joe's busy enough trying to get things in order for getting out in December, and chances are that even if he did put in for leave, they'd deny it because October is so close to him getting out of the military altogether.
It will be nice to see my family, and I'm looking forward to it, but there may be some people at the wedding that I won't be too happy to see, and I would just feel so much better if Joe was there. He's my guardian and protector, as well as my husband, I know I'll be a mess trying to get through the airports alone. He'll go with me to see me off, but after that I'm on my own.
It's too bad that my friend Mike doesn't work at the airport in St. Louis any more, since starting the air traffic control thing out in Roswell. When we were leaving for our honeymoon, Mike happened to be working, and I ended up seeing my Dad at the airport, as he was leaving for a business trip. It was really nice, and really took the edge off of flying.
I've sort of inherited my Dad's big fear, I guess - Two of the four planes I'll be on are those little bitty charter jets that hold like 20 people max. More often than not, those are the ones that crash x_x So I'll be seriously freaked.
I booked all four as window seats to try to keep myself distracted.
Now I just get to worry about the dress, until time to travel actually gets here.
As I mentioned, my bridesmaids' dress that I'll be wearing is something made by my own two hands. It feels great to be creative, but it still needs some work. Despite taking all my measurements and sewing it accordingly, it needs to be taken in at least two inches. I'm not sure how that happened, but I'd much rather have it a bit too big, rather than a bit too small. I'm not getting any smaller, after all.
I had bought the pattern for 99 cents on sale (regular price $17), and made some modifications as I went along. Changing a sweetheart neck line to a square one, since a sweetheart neck line to the extent of what the pattern had looks a bit dumb when you have no assets to show off.
On the whole I'm really disappointed - The pattern had some very, very serious flaws in both measurements, layout, and instructions. The way it told me to hem it made it impossible to turn the dress right side out, once the lining was attached. I ended up having to chop the lining in half at the waist and do a hidden stitch all the way around to put it back together. Shouldn't professional, commercial retail patterns be designed to, you know, avoid fatal flaws like that? Did they even try to make the dress, or did they just draw it, figure it looked good enough, and make it up as they went on instructions?
They also had the zipper put in wrong, and the way the straps were supposed to attach, the fraying ends would have been visible. I'm glad that I'm adept enough with a needle and thread that I was able to rectify those things. Once the dress is finished and pressed, I will have hubby snap a picture to share here.
Aside from that, we're getting ready to move, and I'm trying to figure out what to do for something special, for our upcoming first anniversary.
I already know I'm baking a cake, but what else?
I know there's traditional gifts for the man to give the woman, but what is the woman supposed to give the man? :\ |
|
|
| (no subject) |
[Jul. 16th, 2009|03:30 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  bored | ] |
| [ | music |
| | The Dreaming - Send Me An Angel | ] |
Stolen from Striker.
More than anything, I'd like to know how many of these you guys actually understand!
1. Go to photobucket.com.
2. Type in your answer for each question into the PhotoBucket search bar.
3. Only use the first two pages. Choose your favorite photo to represent your answer.
4. Copy the html and paste it here.
5. You can only answer in picture form.
Big images ahoy.
( Read more... ) |
|
|
| Oh yeah, I have a journal... |
[Jul. 6th, 2009|11:41 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | calm | ] |
The long weekend was really nice.
Back to playing Oblivion. I found a copy of the Game of the Year edition (with tons of extra content) for $10, like new, just missing the manual. You can't get the regular version for that little.
Made Runey... or tried to. The Shivering Isles are like something straight out of my own head, so I've been playing around there a lot. Rune's the god of madness now. Strangely fitting, isn't it?
Sold a pair of earrings over the weekend, yay. It's been pretty slow - The economy is bad, and that does bad things to business, since jewelry is really just icing and it's something people can live without. But I'll keep working on it.
I've been busy sewing dolls. Need to get Sesshy mailed off but I hate to send him without Connor, it'd just save so much time x.x we'll see I guess.
Also, a new project for this week. I think I can make it, some of the hardest parts are done already.
Project status: 4,332/15,000.
Almost 30% of the rough cut.
Now is bedtime.
More talk later... |
|
|
| navigation |
| [ |
viewing |
| |
most recent entries |
] |
| [ |
go |
| |
earlier |
] |
| |
|
|
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
myuumaster's journal