Closing this blog. Starting up another.

I'm sorry to say that I've decided to stop updating this blog. My heart hasn't been in it for a while.
I feel like continuing to post old pictures or to edit an iffy shot from my backlog of pictures would be bullshitting you. I don't want to keep half assing an entry just to say I posted one.

I have enjoyed this blog for the most part because without it, there are a few really good drawings I would never have done. I just feel like a post a day is not a possibility anymore.
When I started this blog, I didn't have a job. No paper route, no nothing. So I had a ton of free time.
While I still have more free time than the average person, I don't feel I have an adequate amount of time to keep up a quality post a day art blog.

I don't get regular hours at my cashier job. I'll work 2-7 one day, then 11am-4:30pm the next, then I'll have a day off, then I'll work 8am-noon, then I'll work 4:30-9:30... So my hours are pretty erratic. Even though my shifts are only 5 and a half hours long at the longest, I'm still getting used to working again. Before I got this cashier job, I hadn't had a legit, paid-by-the-hour job since 2009, and even then I got shit hours. Maybe 4 hours a night three nights a week.

From mid may up until yesterday I had a paper route that I had to wake up at 5am every morning for. That didn't help.

With this being said, I do want to start up a new project blog. A friend of mine from deviantart started up a project where she's going to illustrate every Beatles song. You can find her here: http://illustratedbeatles.blogspot.com/

That gave me an idea. While the Beatles have certainly had their share of influence over the art and music of the past fifty years, they have not lit the proverbial fire under me quite like they have for some. At least... not over time. There was a period of little over a year where I ate, slept, and breathed the Beatles. That time has now passed, and I can appreciate them without an obsession looming over my head.

So I got to thinking. Is there an artist that has had that kind of a lasting influence on me? Yes, there is. His name is Thomas Dolby.
Most of you probably only know "She Blinded Me With Science" and maybe "Hyperactive" if you're an 80s freak, but my first real exposure to him was the music he composed for a short computer animation film called "Gate to the Mind's Eye". My first real exposure to his music were the three songs he composed for the film "FernGully:The Last Rainforest", but I wouldn't connect him with that until years later.

I have decided that for my new project blog, I will illustrate every Thomas Dolby song. I realize it's kind of a lofty goal, but with the things I've learned while posting this blog, I feel I can make it happen.

It will not be a post a day venture. I feel like that will make it easier on me and will allow me to churn out some quality art once in a while instead of a picture from 2007 that you've already seen.
I do want to shoot for a post a week, but that won't be set in stone.

In a way, I feel kind of bad that I wasn't able to keep this up for an entire year, like I set out to do. Back when I started, I didn't know just how difficult it would be to post something brand new every single day. I am not the skull-a-day blogger (I believe his name is Noah Scalin but don't quote me on that). He is a legit amazing artist with far more creativity than I. I dwell mainly in drawing and photography. He is more of a legit multi-media artist.
But I didn't come here to put myself down. Again. I am sorry I wasn't able to keep this going for a full year. I will leave up my previous entries but I will probably not update this particular blog again, except to give you guys the info for my new blog, when I've gotten that all started.

I hope you'll stick with me for that one.

Day 213/365: New

Poof. Picture I took this summer.

I was trying and trying and fucking trying to think of something to draw for today but I have horrid, horrid art block. I can't think of anything. I was just going to say "fuck it" and post an old, previously published picture, but if there is one theme on this list I shouldn't do that for, it's 'new'.

Tomorrow's theme is nightmares, and considering I work from 11am-4:30pm, you probably won't get shit for that.

Day 212/365: Neglected.

New picture today. And by new, I mean I took it a couple months ago. I just haven't posted it yet.

It's a piano in a house where like... six people were murdered with an axe.

Tomorrow's theme is "new", so we'll see how that goes.

Day 209-11

I have been terrible about keeping up with this blog lately, and I'm sorry about that. I've been working, and although that hasn't been a terrible amount of hours at a time (4 through 5 and a half), it's going to take some getting used to.

Also, when I do get home, I'm tired and my back hurts, and I just never feel like posting blogs anymore. To once again get caught up I'm going to be using old pictures.
Day 209 was "music", day 210 was "musically inclined" and today is "nature".

I wanted to include this collage because I made it when entirely plastered on cheap wine, but it still looks pretty damn good.

I like this picture but nobody on my deviantart has paid it much attention.

So poof. There you go. If I can drag my butt to blogger for long enough to submit a new entry tomorrow, I should remain caught up. Terribly sorry about this.

Tomorrow's theme is "neglected" which is exactly what this blog has been lately. XD

Day 208/365: Music.

Today you're actually getting a new picture. And after this I should actually be caught up. As in... this is today's entry. The one right before this was supposed to have been yesterday's but I got home late and felt like sleeping...instead of staying up to write a blog nobody reads. XD

There was an antique fair in the park one day, and there was a little jukebox thing that I snapped a couple pictures of.

So, yeah. Tomorrow I have to work from 4:30pm-9:30pm. I have a total of  seven days left of delivering the newspaper. I previously thought my last day was a Sunday, but it's not. My last day is a Saturday. Which means that tomorrow I will deliver my last Sunday paper ever. EVER. I'm never, ever getting another paper route as long as I live! Shopper route, maybe, since they're delivered only once a week and you don't have to get up ungodly early to do it, but I'll never deliver newspapers again. It's only fun for the first like... month. Then it starts getting on your nerves.

Anyhoo. I have other various internety things I want to do so I'll stop rambling now.

Day 207/365: Murderer

Because I'm so behind, I'm going to use old pictures to help get caught up. The next entry should actually be today's entry, and then I should be all caught up. XD
I'm using the keyword "dead" because... I can't say I do a lot of gore art, or art involving murderers... so I didn't have much to go on. I would have posted something new if I were actually caught up.

Some roses hung up to dry at my old workplace.

I'm fairly sure you've already seen this picture, but I like it a lot. And it illustrates my feelings right now. I like fall and the holiday season (although I work retail now, so that could change) but I'm never quite ready for summer to end.

A shot of a door in our house. I messed about with it a little but I didn't do much.

Day 206/365: Mother.

Again, a late entry. But I can't say I give a crap. Sleep is more important to me than a stupid blog nobody reads. Don't get me wrong, I've really enjoyed posting things for this blog, but when each post has a grand total of 4 views, and two of them are mine... there isn't much motivation to keep posting.

Anyway, today we have for you a selection of pictures of my mother. There may be some of them that you haven't seen but I'm not sure.

I know you just saw this one, but that is my mother in the picture.

This is my mother's hat that she wore when she chaperoned on the school trip to France.

I probably do not need to tell you that this is not my picture. Since, you know, I'm in it. If you're not sure which one I am, look for the fattest arm. I'm attached to that arm.

My parents acting like statues.

This shot was the funnier of the two.

My mother not paying attention in the coffee shop. My favorite coffee shop ever, which is Java Joe's in Des Moines, IA. GO THERE NOW.I COMMAND YOU. AND BRING ME BACK SOMETHING. A RASPBERRY CHAI TEA LATTE, PLEASE

But... yeah. Technically yesterday's entry. You'll get today's probably... tonight. I work from 2pm until 7 and probably won't get home until closer to 8.

Day 205/365: Months.

Today, you're getting two never before published pictures. Work with me and just pretend they have anything to do with today's theme. I worked from 2-7 today, and I know that's only five hours, but I'm not used to working and I have had this insane anxiety all afternoon and evening. I actually work 8am to noon tomorrow. What I don't understand is why they have to schedule me to work an evening, and then the very next morning, early.

I need this job so I can't really say anything but it torks me off. Speaking of being torked off, my hours next week are all fucked up.
Apparently, I work this Sunday, but apparently they think Sunday is part of next  week. My weeks start on MONDAY. Sunday is the last day of a week. Not the first day. I don't work until 4:30 in the afternoon, so it won't screw up my Saturday (the family is going out of town). On Monday, I work noon-5:30. What the hell. Tuesday I'm off, then Wednesday I work 2-7, Thursday I'm off, then Friday I work 11:30-4:30. I don't work Saturday but Sunday is up in the air. Ugh.
I did put in to have my birthday, October 9th, off. I also want to put in to have November 1st off. I want to go out on Halloween and not have to worry about being hung over the next day. Plus November 1st is my dad's birthday.

Anyway, now that my novel is over I'll post today's pictures.

Yeah. Tomorrow's theme is "mother"... Yeah. Whatever.

Day 204/365: Memory

Today, you get two previously unseen pictures. I'm sorry about the lack of legit art I had to sit down and draw, but I haven't been feeling very artsy lately

I'm not quite sure why I like this picture, but I do. It feels nostalgic for some reason.

I spotted this little doohicky at an antique fair and took the time to snap a photo.

But.. .yeah. I only worked four hours today, but I slept in late this morning and I've just felt really odd lately. Either I'm getting a cold or my allergies are just totally kicking my ass.

Tomorrow's theme is "Months".

Day 203/365: Mismatched.

I don't have a whole lot to say about today's entry. I'm tired and I have to work tomorrow. Granted, not until the afternoon, but I'm just oddly exhausted right now.

I edited a picture I took in a car. I thought they looked neat side by side. I still have the full color version which I might post for you at a later date. And really... I know the theme is mismatched, but these do kind of go together. But they're mismatched at the same time.

Whatever. Nobody reads this by now. I've actually thought of giving this up, actually. If I'd made any less progress on it, I might have. A friend of mine has a project where she's going to make a picture for every Beatles song, and I might take up a project like that that has no definite time frame. Like making art for every Thomas Dolby song or something. Maybe I'll start that up when this is over. Or maybe I'll start that on the side and use some of the pictures from that to post here. Eh. I've got time to think it over.

Tomorrow's theme is "Memory", and I will NOT be doing anything related to the song from Cats. That'd be way too predictable.

Day 201-202/365

My sincerest apologies for this entry being late. If I had regular readers like that skull a day guy, then people might actually notice my tardiness, but as it is that sort of thing fades into the internet background.
When I've actually figured out what to post for today's entry, I'll combine it with this. The first picture's theme is "Magical".

A very well done costume at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival this year. I did some crappy editing to make sure there were no old shirtless beer gut wielding men in the background.

You're lucky I'm here at all. I just got the crappy old fantasy RPG "Fate" and no lie, I played it for almost four hours in a row. IN A ROW. 

I have not done anything like that in a very long time. Also, I did manage to get some things done today. I made quiche for breakfast, did the dishes three times, and swept/mopped the kitchen. And that was just before noon. After noon, I went for a walk, helped somebody make a cake, and went for an extra bike ride. I am totally beat right now.

I'm beginning to feel that familiar "UGH work approaching" dread, which is stupid. I have the whole day tomorrow and then I don't even work until 1pm on Tuesday. And I only work until 5. On Wednesday, I work 2pm-7. Thursday is the kicker because I work 8am-noon. But then I'd have the entire rest of Thursday and wouldn't have to work again until 2pm on Friday. So I should be fine.

Anyhoo. Today's actual theme was masquerade, and because this guy cracks me up a lot, I'll use this picture.

Dun da dun dun. DUNNNNN

Day 200/365: Luck.

Today, the picture I'm posting for you is new, but it's... eh. Not all that great.

I took this at like... 5:30 in the morning on my paper route.

I have 16 days left of delivering the paper, because roughly two weeks ago I put in my 30 days notice. Now, if someone expresses interest in my route before that time, I gave my manager the okay to let them have it. Considering what time of year it is, though, I'm fairly certain I will have to wait the full 30 days before I get to stop waking up at 5am every morning.

I would like to reflect on that, though. Biking every single day since mid May I've lost probably 20 pounds. That's just when I started counting. At this time last year, I was at least two sizes larger than I am now. Maybe more.

For the first time in my life, I have clothes that are becoming too big for me to wear. It's always been the other way around, so it's a welcome change.

There are things I'm going to miss about biking around town before most people are awake, but in the same way the route has been good for me, it's had its disadvantages.

This summer I didn't... live it up as much as I usually do. I used to get out a lot more. This summer I never wanted to do anything extra in the way of biking anywhere because "I have the paper route super early tomorrow". It's also made my bedtime very early.

We're talking about the girl who would chat on MSN until 2 in the morning. Suddenly, being up past 9:30 is "late".

When I got the paper route, I was having no luck whatsoever finding a job, and it was the only income I had.

I have since gotten a job as a cashier. I've only worked a grand total of three days, but... I want that to be my sole income earning worry. I can earn half a monthly newspaper check in a single shift as a cashier. Plus... I'm not sure exactly what hours I'll have once I settle into a regular-ish schedule, but I will once again be able to stay up later if I so choose, such as if I had the 2-7 shift. If I had that tomorrow (and didn't still have the paper to worry about) I would be free to stay up as late as I wanted tonight.

I'm starting to ramble and not make any sense, so I'll wrap things up. 

When I finally am done with the paper, I will keep up daily biking and add to it, so not to lose any progress I've made.

So basically, I'm lucky to have had the paper route do a bunch of good things for me, but it will be nice as hell not having to wake up at 5am every morning. 

Tomorrow's theme is "Magical", so stay tuned for that.

I'm off to bed now. I should have been in bed ages ago.

Day 199/365: Love.

Today, I'm going a little bit of an odd route with today's picture. If you're not familiar with the Vilisca axe murder house, here's a little excerpt from their surprisingly well made website:

"Almost 97 years ago, long before serial killers and mass murders had become a way of life, two adults and 6 children were found brutally murdered in their beds in the small mid-western town of Villisca, Iowa. During the weeks that followed, life in this small town changed drastically."

That was where I took this picture. It was taken in one of the children's bedrooms. The tour guide was still in the study/living room going on about that, but I broke away from the group and stood in this room. I got a cold chill all over and started staring at the closet doorway.
The tour guide later told us that two of the children had hidden in that closet.



I chose this picture for today's theme because every child has that favorite toy that they love to bits. The axe murders took place in 1912. A lot of us today are used to having a lot of things and had a lot of toys, but back in those days, a kid might not have very many toys at all, so I think they loved their toys more.


We went to the axe murder house back in early August and the reason I haven't posted any pictures yet is because even the pictures on the computer kind of freak me out.


Anyway. Tomorrow's theme is "lucky".

Day 198/365: Logs.

Today, you get... MORE NEW PICTURES.
:3
I have an enormous backlog of pictures from the Ren Fest... well not enormous, but I have a lot, so... any of them that I can twist to fit my themes will be posted here.

LOL

You see... logs were cut down to use for the wood on the outside of this building, SO IT WORKS. :P

You see, those wood chips were once part of a log. HUZZAH

TREE IN PICTURE=AUTOMATIC INCLUSION

So yeah. Worked another five hour day today, and it went infinitely better than yesterday, despite how early I was there. My ride had to drop me off way early so I had to kill time in the break room. And by time, I mean an hour and a half.

Tomorrow's theme is "Love" so... yeah. Get ready for that.

Day 197/365: Lines.

Today, you're getting two more new pictures. I'm on a roll here.

I wanted to include a second shot so you could see what everything looked like before I ran it through a warm color temperature filter in Paint Shop Pro X.

Those were taken at the MN Renaissance Festival we went to last weekend. And by last weekend I mean like three days ago. XD

Anyhoo. Tomorrow's theme is "logs", and you'll probably get a few more shots from the Ren Fair, as I work 10am-3pm tomorrow and won't get home until after 4:30. And actually, dad has to go to some special class for work, and he has to drop me off ungodly early at work... like an hour and a half early, so I have to kill two hours in the break room before work. At least there's a tv in there.

Day 196/365: Like glass.

Today, you... TA DA! Get a new picture. But it isn't "like glass". It IS glass.

My obsession with Labyrinth notwithstanding, I've always thought crystal/glass balls were pretty and mysterious. This year at the Renaissance Festival in Shakopee, MN, I decided to finally buy two of them. I wanted three but at that point I could only afford two. And I had to borrow over a dollar because of tax and shit.

Now, it obviously won't be perfect because contact jugglers generally use acrylic juggling balls, but I don't really give a crap.

Tomorrow's theme is "lines", which should be vague enough to deal with

Day 194-5.

Yeah, my computer is being a boob so that's why yesterday's entry hasn't been posted. I was GOING to upload new pictures for you all, but my google chrome isn't working so I'm having to use firefox, and I mysteriously can't upload a picture in firefox without losing my internet connection.
Day 194 was supposed to be "Light" so... yeah

And today's theme was supposed to be lightning, but I don't have any fucking pictures of lightning. So just pretend the aforementioned picture was lightning.


Now if you'll excuse me, my throat is fucking KILLING ME.

But the good news is, I don't have to get up early to deliver a paper tomorrow, so I get to stay up as late as I want. It's a preview of what is to come after I'm done with the paper route for good... which will be September 22nd at the latest. I won't have to get up early on my birthday, October 9th.

Speaking of which, I'm going to put in for that day and Halloween off at my new job. Well. At least my birthday. I might put in for the day after Halloween, so I can stay out late on actual Halloween. I wouldn't mind working the day of Halloween if I got off work with enough time to go see my friends. 

Anyway, I have a food blog to write, and then I'm going to do copious amounts of fangirly things online for as late as I can possibly stay up.

.

Day 193/365: Life.

Today, you're getting never-before-seen pictures, taken last month on a hiking day trip my family went on.

This is why I don't walk faster, so I can be a ninja and take pictures of people while they aren't looking. 

This would be my highly fashionable brother. Gay men apparently have to look chic all the time, even when hiking.

Horseback riders we met on the trail. 

And there you have it. Life is a very vague theme. Therefore, anything alive fits the criteria, and the above pictures contain life.

I WIN.

In other news, my family are going to the Renaissance Festival in Minnesota tomorrow. Tonight, my parents are going to a concert at the Surf, which means I get the tv tonight. So I'll be watching X2... and not just because Nightcrawler is in this one. Okay. Maybe it IS because of that, but I wouldn't watch it if it weren't a good movie. XD

Tomorrow's theme is "light", but I'll be gone for a good chunk of the day, so that entry may be a day late.

Day 192/365:Lies

Ta da! New picture!

The font is called Fright Night, and can be found for free online. I think it was from dafont.com, so try there first.

But... yeah. I wasn't home for most of today. I had job training beginning at 10 am and ending at 4. Dad and I left the house at 9:30.

Despite that I am in the weirdest hyper-yet-exhausted mood ever. Yeah. If you're friends with me on facebook, I wrote a note about it. Basically it was complained about that I didn't do anything in the house before we left, but there was really only about an hour and a half that I could have been doing chores, and part of that was spent getting ready and packing myself a lunch. Basically, I can't take a bath until mom has left for work, which is 7:30am or after. I was also really nervous about the job training and when I'm in that frame of mind I can't get anything done. So I was just a little pissed that people had the balls to complain about how I didn't do anything.

Tomorrow will have much the same scenario as today, however. I have job training from 10-4 again, and I might do a few dishes before I leave, just so people can't bitch and moan about how I didn't do anything before I left.

Also I've been astonished at how long it's taken peoples' priorities to change. First it's "We'll be glad to take you to and from work if you get a job", and then BAM, I barely have a job and suddenly it's "You really need to get your license back, it's going to get REAL old having to drop you off and pick you up every day". Yeah. I know. That's why I'm WORKING, so I can get my SHIT PAID OFF, and so I can MOVE OUT, so you WON'T HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT SHIT ANYMORE. 

It isn't going to happen overnight, dude. I spent six hours in training and made what amounts to about 43 dollars. A few will be taken out for taxes and shit, but forty-fuckin-three dollars. That's half my newspaper check for an entire month.

For the sake of demonstration, let's say I work four days a week, 9am to 4pm. That's seven hours. I get paid 7.25 an hour. That would be 50 bucks a day. Which would mean I'd make about 200 bucks. Some will get taken out for taxes and all that junk, but holy hell, TWO HUNDRED BUCKS. At that rate, it would take me about 9 weeks to pay off my fine. Not to mention increased hours around the holidays.

But yeah. This rant has already gone on longer than I intended. Tomorrow's theme is "Life". Sorry. I have been known to go off on tangents like this. I'd tell you "It won't happen again", but those would be 'lies'.

*cymbol crash*

Day 191/365: Letters

I'm terribly sorry about this being late. I was ready to submit the entry last night, but I had dishes to do, laundry to get in, and two other people besides me were all on the internet at the same time, which slows things down only... a lot.

Today, from 10 am to 4pm, I have training at my new job. And by training, I mean I sit upstairs in the staff room for six hours and watch training videos. There's also some computer program I have to go through. Together, the lady I talked to said it took most people about 12 hours to get through, which I figure should work for me. After all, as the adage says, "don't rush me, I get paid by the hour".

Considering how little experience I have working face to face with customers, and how I have no retail experience at all, I'll actually be trying to soak in as much of that as I can. And I guess it's a chance for me to test my acting chops. We'll see how cheerful I can pretend to be without making it SEEM like I'm faking it.

In all actuality, I like the people I've met so far (there was even this older chick who had a nose ring), with one girl being in the college choir with me so it's really just my fear of the unknown and new that I'll have to get over.

ANYWAY. Entry. I have to wait for my mother to leave for work, then I want to take a nice long, relaxing bath... but not until I make sure the load of laundry I have in is dry, or else I'll have nothing to wear.

You'll have to forgive me the quality of this one. I was having immense trouble with it in Paint Shop Pro X. It  came up with some error about not being able to overwrite the file, which does happen with some of the pictures I take. It's odd, really.

Anyway. I have shit to do, so if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get to that. Today's theme is lies, but considering I'm going to be gone for six hours, I'm not sure exactly what you'll get for that.

Day 190/365: Legs.

Today I'm cheating and using old pictures. Well, an old picture. I'm in a downer mood and don't care much.
Also, there aren't many pictures I have that focus on legs.

Sorry this sucks. I don't know about the quality of these posts. I have training for my new job on Thursday and Friday from 10am to 4pm. Nothing that Saturday, Sunday, and Monday for sure, but I'm not sure after that. 

I'm having a real anxiety issue over that new job. I need it, and I'm sure it'll be great working there, but this fucking anxiety is robbing me of any happiness I should be deriving from the fact that I've found a job in this shitty economy.

And honestly. I'm not sure what I'm on about. Nothing jobwise is going on tomorrow at all, then I have training for six hours on Thursday and six hours on Friday, then absolutely nothing until Tuesday, and even then, I'll be training. It's not like they'll throw me onto the floor like a scrap of meat.

Anyway, I'm going to run off and get the dishes done so I don't forget about them until right before I get ready for bed. I'm sorry about this entry sucking, I have an idea for a drawing, (FINALLY!), and since tomorrow's theme is letters, it's perfect because this drawing does include letters. So except at least a sketch tomorrow. The rough sketch is on notebook paper. I hope to at least have a good version drawn on unlined paper and maybe I'll even ink it.

Whatever.

TO THE KITCHEN, BATMAN! THERE ARE DISHES TO BE DONE

Day 189/365: Leaves.

Today, you're getting a new picture. Yes, just one.

I am really obsessed with the infrared filter in Paint Shop Pro X right now. XD

So... yeah. Not saying what tomorrow's theme is so you'll be surprised. Have fun with that.

Day 188/365: Leave

Today, you are actually getting new pictures. As in, pictures I took a couple weeks ago.

You might recognize this playground equipment from a shot of mine from last year.

Same stuff.

Playing around in Paint Shop Pro X. There's an infrared filter that I decided to mess with.

A really giant dead moth I saw on the street in front of a convenience store. It was seriously huge, its wingspan was probably damn near as long as my hand.

Since I have a decent photo editing program on my computer again, you can probably expect to get more new stuff from me, but I don't promise you anything.

Tomorrow's theme is "leaves".

Day 187/365: Leaping.

Today, I went through some old facebook photo albums. I was gone all day, had a shitty few hours, and I just feel like shit. I also have to deliver the huge Sunday papers tomorrow so I don't want to linger about here.

A picture of Vanessa. Figure out why it has to do with today's theme...

Coke+Mentos=Instant fun.

I hadn't intended for like all of these to be of Vanessa, but oh well. XD

Vanessa again.

Cute kid at the family reunion in 2008. The playground equipment he's on is no longer there. It's been replaced by newer, plastic-y, more boring equipment. But the new equipment is more colorful, so I suppose there's that.

Also, THANK GOD FOR AUTO SAVE. I was just about to finish this entry when my computer froze.

So yeah. Tomorrow's theme is "leave!", so I should be able to actually produce something new, even if it is just a sketch.