and then I lost my phone

Today was a happy day.

Note, I said a happy day, not a good day.
Isn't that the same thing, you ask?
Not really, at least in this case.

Today was very normal, overall. I went to work, made some progress on my current project. Went to class (Womens Lit), talked about cool stuff. Next class (Senior English Course--wait, you're not an English major, you say. Well, so what, I say. Anyway, I'm just auditing it. I'll have to tell all two of you blog readers about it sometime, its a pretty interesting class.) Talked about cool stuff again.

Next class was sketchbook. I drew pictures. I tried out my new brush pens, which are awesome. Sketchbook has been a kinda weirdly hard class for me so far.

Wait, what? Sketchbook, hard? Don't you just go and draw pictures the whole time? Yes. I have... a kind of interesting relationship with my sketchbook, and with sketching, which I've really come to realize more lately since my two illustration classes are Sketchbook and Head Painting--very different.

TANGENT. I keep meaning to take pictures of my paintings and sketches to post on my art blog. And I keep forgetting when I'm at school, and I remember when I'm at home and my pictures aren't. Blah. END TANGENT.

Anyway, long story short, in sketchbook class I've been experimenting with different sketching media because pens just aren't fun, and I really am loving the brush pens. I got the idea to use them because I've been having SO MUCH fun in head painting DESPITE the fact that we use no color, or even white paint for that matter. Paint just works so much better with how I think than pen does. Its not as.... stiff. Brush pens unite the convenience of a pen with the looseness and real-estate-covering qualities of a brush. Which makes Sarah happy.

So while I'm having all this fun with my new brush pens my phone decides that it wants a bit of sunlight so it sneaks out of my pocket and then, not satisfied with just getting some sunshine, decides to play hide-and-seek too. So far, its winning.

And then class ended early so we could eat before going down to the guest artist lecture by the awesome Jillian Tamaki. I'm really glad I went, it was overall a very interesting and encouraging lecture, and I had maybe a smallish epiphany as a result. Epiphanies of every size are happifying.

Also, today I wore one of my favorite outfits. Mom/Aunt Allisons old couduroy paisleyish jumper with pockets. I love jumpers with pockets, and paisleyish things.

So I would call today a happy day, not a good one. Because it really was just a normal day. And I lost my phone, which is very not good, because I actually really need to use it. But... I just felt happy anyway. Despite the fact (or because?) I lost my phone.

Also, happy talk like a pirate day, world. Despite being made aware of the holiday before even going out the door this morning, I failed to celebrate it in its traditional way. And was happy anyway.

New York--quick and boring write up

So a couple people wanted to hear about my New York trip, and I wanted to tell you all about it. But one of the effects of the New York trip was that I am now VERY behind on my homework, so finding the time to do a good thorough job of it is just not possible. This is the best I can do. Truth be told, no effort has been made to make this report at all interesting. I basically just looked at the itinerary and wrote a couple lines about each place we went.

The first place we visited after our flight was the National Portrait Galleries in Washington D.C.. It was here that I started my method of museum-viewing that I used throughout the trip—don’t worry about running through the whole museum to see the famous pictures, don’t worry about appreciating every single piece of art there, just walk around until a piece catches your eye. Take a closer look, try and figure out why it caught your eye, maybe take a picture or a sketch, then move on. The portrait gallery was really fun, it was really interesting to see all the different types of art there.

Afterward we visited some of the monuments, which was fun, but I’d already seen most of them at least once on my previous trips there.

The next morning we went to the Delaware Art museum, where I got to see lots of Howard Pyle originals. It was SO COOL. Howard Pyle was amazing. There was also some work by other artists that was fun to see as well.

Right after that we headed to the Brandywine museum, which have a lot of the Wyeth’s work (N.C., Andrew, and Jamie). The N.C. Wyeth gallery was closed at that time, but Bethanne, being Bethanne, talked to the people in charge and got them to let us in anyway, which was awesome. The N.C. Wyeth gallery was probably the highlight of the trip for me, I wish I could have stayed longer but I’m glad that they let us in at all. I also really liked some of Jamie Wyeth’s paintings, he was a great colorist. Before leaving I bought a couple postcards for myself of N.C. Wyeths paintings, I chose those that I thought had the most accurate color reproduction (since I had just barely seen the originals, I thought that that was probably the best time for me to make that kind of call :-). I only realized later that the two illustrations I had chosen were both from Treasure Island...but that's not surprising, since that's probably N.C.'s most well known work. 

After the Brandywine museum, each of the 3 vans went their separate ways to get lunch. We decided to get snacks at a grocery store just to tide us over until we could get real Philly Cheesesteaks in Philadelphia.

Finally, we headed over to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. My favorite pieces there were probably those I saw by Monet and Cassat—I guess I just kinda have a thing for impressionists.

Then, we went to get our real Philly Cheesesteaks. We went to a place called Genos, which is apparently one of the two places that claims to be the originators of the Philly Cheesesteak. The sandwiches were delicious (if a bit expensive).

Thursday, we drove to New York. Our first visit was to Blue Sky studios—you know, the people who made Ice Age and Rio. They gave us a tour and then we got to eat lunch with all the BYU alumni (/Mormons) who work there. It was really fun and inspiring to see how much art and work (and artwork) goes into making movies.

Next we visited Bob McGuiness, who was just the nicest guy. We all crammed into his studio and we talked about art. It felt kinda like we were visiting someones grandpa or something (which I guess we were, haha). 

The next day started with a visit to a certain bakery, the name of which has slipped my mind. But we got the thickest, richest, creamiest hot chocolate I have ever tasted or probably ever will taste. It was seriously amazing. I was surprised at first that one small cup was 6 dollars… then I understood.

Our first visit was to Abrams Books. I was pretty sure that I had walked into heaven. I mean, this was a place filled with books, book lovers, and book makers. And they gave us cookies and picture books and were just really nice in general. Yeah. I used to want to be an Editor… I know that I would have loved that, but illustrating is so much fun. Yeah. Anyway. I guess we've established that as long as books are a big part of my future, I'll be happy.

We went to the Society of Illustrators for lunch and oh my do they have a whole lot of awesome art there. Definitely a feast for the eyes, and they fed our mouths as well. It was basically a buffet style thing and it was all delicious—my favorite was the cuscus salad. Yum.

Then we visited an artist’s agent, Richard Solomon. They talked a lot about what they do and what they look for in artists they represent, etc.

Then, the Museum of Modern art. They had some interesting stuff there, and also stuff I didn’t quite understand… I got to see some famous paintings in person though, which was cool, including Christina’s World, The Scream, and Starry Night, among others. Afterward we got street food for dinner and visited the Strand Bookstore, where I was sorely tempted to by so many things but I didn’t :D.

Saturday morning Rebecca and I went and bought tickets to see The Mystery of Edwin Drood. We were late getting to the box office but it turned out being a good thing because their servers were down and they weren’t able to sell tickets yet. We waited around for awhile, and with the help of some really nice people we were able to give them our names and number, so they could call when the system was working again. We walked around, saw a cool church which we explored, and they called Rebecca back and we were able to buy our Student tickets for 32 dollars. Success all around!

Then we visited Sam Weber’s studio, which  was way cool—he was a really nice guy and we got to look through his originals, which I’d seen in print (both in book covers and art books) but it was interesting to see what the paintings looked like before he altered them digitally.

Next, we headed to Paul Zelinsky’s studio, which may have been my favorite studio visit of the trip. He was really nice and accommodating, and we got to look at the originals of his Rapunzel picture book, which won the Caldecott a few years ago.

After that, we headed straight back to Broadway to see our play. We got a delicious torta from a street vendor outside the subway station which was possibly the most delicious thing I ate on the trip.

The show was fun. The singing was amazing and there was a lot of fun comedy in the show. The voting at the end for the detective/killer/etc. was also fun. So overall, the play was a fun experience but it wasn’t particularly moving or life changing as other Broadways (or equivalent) I’ve seen. But it was worth the 32 dollars, so I'm happy :-).

Sunday was a bit of a rest day, as it should be. We went to the YSA ward at 11:30 and afterward headed to the Met. By this point in the trip (actually well before this) my feet were feeling pretty abused and complaining fairly loudly. Fortunately, the Met is one museum we visited on the trip where most rooms are well supplied with benches. I continued to use my wandering method of museum viewing, adding a long sketching period in front of paintings I liked which also happened to have a bench in front of them. It turned out to be a very fun and restful way to experience the museum.  Afterward Bro. Barret took us walking through some fun sites to see in New York, including some murals by Maxfield Parrish and Dean Cornwell.

Monday morning we visited Peter de Seve’s studio, which was fun. He’d actually forgotten we were coming, but was very friendly and accommodating anyway. He offered a lot of good thoughts and insights about the industry.

Afterward we visited Brett Helquist’s studio, which was wonderful. He showed us a bunch of his original paintings and gave us some really inspiring and sound advice about how to go through school and get started as an illustrator.

Then, we had free time until 4, when we would have to head to the airport. I got Rebecca and Stephanie to come with me to a Filipino restaurant I’d found by searching online. I got to have Sisig and they tried Tocsilog and Bangsilog. Then we wandered around Soho, looking at random shops, my favorite of which sold all kinds of fancy and exotic foods. I got a pear-almond tart, which was delicious.

Then, we headed to the airport and home.

And lived happily ever after.

Books read in 2012 (incomplete)

 In the past I've kept lists of the books (novels) I've read and then posted them online at the end of the year. I wasn't very consistent with keeping track this year so this list isn't complete, but here are most of the books I read this year. If I counted correctly, there are 52 books on this list, averaging only one per week. In past years I've read nearly 3 times this many, but things have gotten in the way this year it seems. Well, one per week ain't too shabby, is it?

• The Spirit Eater, Rachel Aaron
• The Spirit Rebellion, Rachel Aaron
• The Spirit Thief, Rachel Aaron
• Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
• Leadership and Self Deception
• The World is Flat
• Les Miserables, Victor Hugo (didn't finish, but I got pretty close.)
• The Enchanted Glass (didn't finish but I will come back to it) Diana Wynne Jones
• Finnikin of the Rock (didn't finish), Melina Marchetta
• The Homeward Bounders, Diana Wynne Jones
• The Scorpio Races, Maggie Stiefvater
• Dragonhaven (again), Robin McKinley
• the Emerald Thread (again), Mordena Babich
• Paladin of Souls, Lois McMaster Bujold
• Fall of a Kingdom, Hillari Bell
• Town of Evening Calm, Country of Cherry Blossoms; Fumiyo Kouno
• Anya's Ghost, Vera Brosgol
• Howl's Moving Castle (again), Diana Wynne Jones
• The Vor Game (again), Lois McMaster Bujold
• The Mountains of Mourning (again), Lois McMaster Bujold
• The Warriors Apprentice (again), Lois McMaster Bujold
• The Curse of Chalion (again), Lois McMaster Bujold
• A Long Way From Chicago, Richard Peck
• The Chocolate War, Robert Cormier
• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Mark Haddon
• White Cat, Holly Black
• American Born Chinese, Gene Luen Yang
• The Book Thief, Marcus Zusak
• How I Live Now, Meg Rossoff
• The Outsiders, S.E. Hinton
• Matched, Ally Condie
• The Sky is Everywhere, Jandy Nelson
• The Braid, Helen Frost
• Skin Hunger, Kathleen Duey
• The Chosen One, Carol Lynch Williams
• Getting Away with Murder, Chris Crowe
• Leviathan, Scott Westerfield
• Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson
• Code Name Verity, Elizabeth Wein
• Out of Sight, Out of Time, Ally Carter
• Only the Good Spy Young, Ally Carter
• Don't Judge a Girl by her Cover, Ally Carter
• Cross My Heart And Hope To Spy
• I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You
• A Matter of Magic, by Patricia Wrede
• The Seven Towers, by Patricia Wrede
• Hexwood, by Diana Wynne Jones
• The Sherwood Ring, Elizabeth Marie Pope
• The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Brian Selznik
• Ella Enchanted, Gail Carson Levine
• A Conspiracy of Kings, by Megan Whalen Turner
• The King of Attolia, by Megan Whalen Turner

Buhay pa ako....

Hello everyone who reads my blog! Which is to say nobody, at least lately, because there hasn't been anything for anyone to read.

Sorry.

I really do want to do better. I really enjoyed having a blog before the mish and I've wanted to post here, I just never got back into the habit once I got home... theres always something else to do and all that. Well, I'm breaking that right NOW by postpoing my homework a bit longer, again, to give a quick brief update on my goings-on, which I hope will get the ball rolling for me so I'll start posting things here again like I used to.

I'm really excited for this new semester, all my classes so far are great and I'm learning so much... my only complaint would be how busy I am, but its good busy so its not that bad.

On Mondays and Wednesdays I have History of Graphic Design with Stephen A Hales. So far I'm really really enjoying this class, its been really interesting and thought-provoking, which I can't honestly say about art history classes I've taken in the past--and I'm an art major! It seems that people's question here is, why History of Graphic Design instead of History of Illustration? Well, this is the class that had room and fit in my schedule, and now that it's started I'm glad it worked out that way.

Tuesdays and Thursdays start with Senior Illustration Studio with Brother Barret, which has been fun so far. We're basically just doing different projects we can add to our portfolio and enter in competitions. Our first assignment was on the theme of "buffet", and my concept has evolved quite a bit since I started but I'm having alot of fun with it.

After that I have my Foundations Global Leadership class with Anton Bowden. This fulfills the Social Science general education requirement for graduation which most people fill by taking something like Anthropology or Politics or some such thing. I just saw the course title and thought it sounded cooler than any of the other courses and signed up. I'm really glad I did, everything we've talked about has been really interesting so far--Personality types, Learning Styles, and Team Dynamics are what we've covered so far. We met our groups for the group project today and I think my group has alot of potential to work well together, especially because we can apply what we've learned in class about how teams work effectively.

Then I have Professional Business Practices for Illustrators with Will Terry. This class is really fun and interesting. We've talked alot how the market for illustration is right in the middle of a huge shift because of new technology like e-books and the i-pad, but this doesn't have to be a bad thing for illustrators if we take advantage of the technology available. I'm really excited about what we've been learning in this class.

Then on Friday we have Illustration 4 with Justin Kunz, which is the En Plein Aire painting class. I've only been once so far and it was difficult, but I think with time I'll get better at it.

And on top of all that I need to start/continue work on my BFA project... I turned in my proposal today, I'll probably know on Thursday if the Illustration faculty liked my idea and whether I can go forward with it or if I need to think of something else.



And that is my life recently in a nutshell.



Is anybody reading this? Just out of curiosity...

Awesome movie

For my very first post here after being home, I just have to share this completely awesome short film with everyone.

Skit, scat, scoodle-doot, flip, flop, flee.

Take a look at this.





Yep. Those are my feet... in flip-flops. I haven't worn flip-flops in YEARS. This is because flip-flops are flat and can't hold arch supports.

But.

I made arch supports. Yes indeedy!

I used craft foam, really good glue, and scissors. Of course I used my arch supports as a sort of guide.




I'm very happy with my flip-flops. Its so nice to not wear a full shoe in the heat!




Also: Kudos to the first person who can tell me what book the post subject comes from. (WITHOUT Google/internet help, obviously.)

THAT WAS TOTALLY WICKED.

This week was completely awesome in several ways.

We drove over to Charlies to get our dental work done. I read two whole books on the ride there, plus bits of other books. I could have read three if I'd read straight through the whole trip, but even I'm not THAT hard core of a reader.

I needed the least dentistry stuff done, having only one small cavity--on a biting surface. This was repeated several times, "Yes, its a very very small one--and its just on a biting surface!" which made me think it was somehow important. Apparently cavities on biting surfaces are much easier to deal with. And it was small.

I was at the office for a long time anyway, because everyone else (mom sky lynz bre)had more stuff that needed doing. So I watched movies--Les Mis the movie, and then the movie of the musical/opera version. I wouldn't have been able to understand the musical version if I hadn't watched the movie first, but they were both awesome, and now I feel all cultured and actually know the context of the songs that I've heard so often. Plus Charlie and Lanea have the book of the music and the song Bring Him Home has only one flat and isn't too difficult to play, so I got photocopies of that to learn.

But the most awesome part of the week was our trip to San Francisco to see Wicked, as a sort of Birthday Gift for mom and a About to Leave thing for me. I've wanted to see it ever since I heard the sountrack in 9th grade... so, like, six years? five? Well, its been awhile anyway. We went early and spent the afternoon walking along Pier 39, Fishermans Wharf, and Ghiradelli Square. We went to the show and... well, I basically just sat there with my jaw wide open for any flys that may have happened to pass the whole time. It was that amazing. Also, you'd think I would be disappointed that the people in our performance didn't have the same voices, etc. as the recording that I have practically memorized, but it wasn't like that at all. After leaving the show I put in the Wicked soundtrack to listed to in the motorhome and... well, after Marcie Dodd's completely amazingly awesome performance as Elphaba, the Elphaba in the recording just didn't sound that great. Seriously, Marcie Dodd was--is--mind-blowingly awesome.

One of my favorite quotes--Elphaba has just arrived at school and everyone is staring at her--

"What? Have I got something in my teeth? Ok, lets get this over with. NO, I'm not seasick, YES I was born green, NO I didn't eat grass as a child."

One small (TINY) disappointment/surprise I had was the fact that, if you've heard the soundtrack you've heard most of the play. There is only a minute or two between most songs, when you've heard the songs you've heard most of the show. Once I realized this, there really wasn't to be disappointed in.

Here is a clip of one of the longer gaps between songs, with "our" Elphaba, Marcie Dodd. This isn't "our" Glinda (ours was Alli Mauzey, and I like her better) but its still pretty good. I also thing "our" performance was cleaner/more impressive/BETTER than this, but still.




THAT WAS THE BEST VACATION EVER.
*sigh*
I love our family.

I'm still geeking out about it.

You guys.

I got to meet Megan Whalen Turner.

She Glowed, and floated three inches off the ground.

Really.

Mission call

It arrived.

I will be serving in the Phillipines, San Pablo Mission. I'll be speaking Tagalog.

I have
absolutely no words
that can fully express
how totally
and completely
AWESOME
my mother is.

No really.

You all wish you had a mom as cool as mine.


When I called yesterday morning, all excited over the possibility of flying to California and meeting my favorite author, Megan Whalen Turner, in the company of (and with some help from) my other Book Friends (who are awesome, just by the way), I was informed that the exact dates of our family trip to Florida had JUST BARELY been definitely set... for the EXACT SAME DAYS as this trip to CA would be.

Now, I've really been looking forward to the family trip. I have. But MWT's series has been my favorite since 2007, and my roommies can attest to the extent of my obsession with these books. (As I read KoA just before officially moving down to BYU, my family has only had a watered-down version of this obsession, but knowing me, I think they get an idea of what my roommates go through in dealing with it.)

So hearing that I couldn't go meet my FAVORITE AUTHOR before she moves out of the country (and thence to the other end of the country) and I go on my mission and who-knows-what-else happens was kind of... disappointing. Except without the 'kind of'. Actually, maybe we should replace that 'kind of' with 'EXTREMELY'.

I'll just swallow my pride, own up to my absolute spoild-ness and admit that a few tears were shed over this. I blame Annie for being so understanding and sympathetic. Aren't you supposed to cry when someone is being understanding and sympathetic? I think that is some kind of rule.

Anyway, when I asked mom desperately if there was any way to change it, or maybe I could go to FL from CA, I would even make the phone calls (AND I ABHOR PHONE CALLS WITH A DEEP, DARK LOATHING... well, maybe not that extreme) or, or SOMETHING... she kind of got the idea that this author event, which would seem silly and unimportant to most people, was actually important to me. More important than a family trip to Disney World which I had seemed reasonably excited for. (Yeah, my priorities are completely wacko. Most people would take Disney World over Favorite Author and book Friends any day.)

So yesterday I was making stupid suggestions and making phone calls and... well, basically I felt like I was being an absolute pest and being the worst, whiniest, botheringest daughter ever. ("Oh boo-hoo, I have to go to Disney World. Everyone should waste time and energy and money over me. Boo-hoo." Gosh, I sound disgustingly spoiled. Yuk.) I HATE asking people to make changes for me, I'm an "ok, whatever works for you works for me, it doesn't really matter" kind of person. (At least, I think so. Maybe this is only an illusion I have of myself, and I'm actually an absolute pest. Urgh. I hope not.)

So by yesterday evening (it somehow seemed a longer time than just from morning-to-evening, but thats as long as it was) I had resigned myself to the fact that require too much bothering-of-other-people and being a self-centered pest, and that I would just content myself with sending my books to be signed and seeing the pictures of everyone else being there. And really, I would have alot of fun with my family, and it was probably for the best. I was still really disappointed though, and went to bed with a headache because I'd worked myself up over the whole thing. I mean, really, what did I have to be disappointed about? I would get over it. Really. It would just... be awhile.

But I ascended from the depths of the HFAC after class today and my phone buzzed to deliver me this glorious text message:

After all day on the phone and computer, I CHANGED ORLANDO TO MAY 2-6 SO YOU CAN GO TO CALIFORNIA!!!!!!

I called my mom. The conversation was short, but, well... you know.



Oh
my
goodness.

You guys.

I've been walking on air ever since. Not even finals stress can bring me down.


NOTHING, EVER, CAN TOP THE AWESOMENESS OF MY MOM.



Nothing at all.

feeling crafty

On Saturday Kim, Kristy and Paige went to the craft store and came back with craft supplies. Paige very kindly let me use her fabric paints, so I made a couple awesome shirts--one that says "I CAN DO ANYTHING I WANT!" (a quote from The King of Attolia) and the other says, "You can't," said the Magus in question and on the back it will say, "I can steal anything," Eugenides corrected him.(A quote from the Queen of Attolia)

And, though my shirts are awesome, I am almost as amused by Paige's apron. She had meant for it to say: "Kissing the cook may be HAZARDOUS to your health. Take a risk." but she kind of ran out of steam before she finished. So right now the apron reads, "Kissing the cook may be HAZARDOUS."

I kind of like it this way better.

Most of the books I've read this year

If you know me well at all, you know I'm not particularly organized. So I'm pretty pleased with myself for this mostly-complete list. I'd keep good track of my reading for a few weeks, then completely forget and have to go back and try to remember. Sometimes I'd remember all I'd read, and sometimes I just wouldn't. Despite my lapses in book-tracking, I believe this list to be mostly-complete.

I'm counting 115 titles here, though I might be slightly off. Most of them are novels, and I read most of them cover to cover, though there are some exceptions--a few short stories, novellas, or re-reads where I skipped the less interesting parts (though most of my re-reads were cover-to-cover), and several audio books while working.

115 titles--thats approximately 9.5 a month, 2.3 a week, or .3 a day. Looking back, that seems about right.

These are in reverse order--so I have recently started and not yet finished the first two titles here, the first book I read this year is at the very bottom of the list.



Unfinished: The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner; Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold

Falling Free, by Lois McMaster Bujold
A Civil Campaign, by Lois McMaster Bujold (best-parts-version re-read)
Crown/Court Duel, by Sherwood Smith (best-parts-version re-read)
Komarr by Lois McMaster Bujold
The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold
The Sherwood Ring, by Elizabeth Marie Pope
The Perilous Gard, by Elizabeth Marie Pope
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Taming the Bicycle by Mark Twain (Librivox)
They and I, by Jerome K. Jerome (Librivox)
The Winter Queen, by Boris Akunin
Told After Supper by Jerome K. Jerome (short story/novella?) (Librivox)
The Sign of the Four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Librivox)
A Scandal in Bohemia (short story) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Gaudy Night, by Dorothy Sayers (again)
A Study in Scarlet, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Librivox)
The Winter Prince, by Elizabeth Wein
Crocodile on the Sandbank, by Elizabeth Peters
Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Librivox)
Fire (short story collection,) only Robin McKinley's stories though
Dragonhaven by Robin McKinley
the Hound of the Baskervilles, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
My Father's Dragon, by Ruth Stiles Gannett (librivox)
Lord Peter (short story collection) by Dorothy Sayers
Ben Hur, by Lew Wallace (Librivox)
Have His Carcase by Dorothy Sayers
Komarr by Lois McMaster Bujold
Prauge Counterpoint by Bodie Theone
Vienna Prelude by Bodie Theone
Whose Body? by Dorothy Sayers (again) (Librivox)
The Game by Diana Wynne Jones
Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll (librivox)
Busman's Honeymoon by Dorothy Sayers
Gaudy Night by Dorothy Sayers
The Nine Tailors by Dorothy Sayers
Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy Sayers
Five Red Herrings by Dorothy Sayers (didn't finish)
Strong Poison by Dorothy Sayers
The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club by Dorothy Sayers
Unnatural Death by Dorothy Sayers
Clouds of Witness by Dorothy Sayers
To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
The Curse of Chalion by L M Bujold
Memory by L M Bujold
Mirror Dance by L M Bujold
Brothers in Arms by LM Bujold
Borders of Infinity (novella) by L M Bujold
Assasins Apprentice, by Robin Hobb
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (librivox)
The Prisoner of Zenda, by Anthony Hope (Librivox)
Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog) by Jerome K Jerome (librivox)
the Pinhoe Egg, by Diana Wynne Jones
Conrad's Fate, by Diana Wynne Jones
The Lives of Christopher Chant, by Diana Wynne Jones
Whose Body? by Dorothy Sayers (librivox)
Charmed Life by Diana Wynne Jones
Once On A Time by A. A. Milne
The Man Who Would Be King (short story) by Rudyard Kipling (librivox)
A Little Princess by Francis Hodgson Burnett (librivox)
Amaranth Enchantment, by Julie Berry
The Railway Children, by E. Nesbit (librivox)
Persuasion, by Jane Austen (librivox)
The Story of the Treasure Seekers, by E. Nesbit (librivox)
Anne of Avonlea, by L. M. Montgomery (librivox)
Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki
Anne of Green Gables, Lucy Maud Montgomery (librivox)
The Scarlet Pimpernel, Baroness Emmuska Orczy (to family)
Peter Pan, J.M.Barrie (librivox)
Little Dorrit, Charles Dickens (Librivox)
Austenland by Shannon Hale
Crown (and Court) Duel by Sherwood Smith
Eldorado, by Baroness Emmuska Orczy (librivox)
The Elusive Pimpernel, by Baroness Emmuska Orczy (Librivox)
I Will Repay! by Baroness Emmuska Orczy
The League of the Scarlet Pimpernel (short story collection) by Baroness Emmuska Orczy
(To Deidre and Jocelyn) The Thief, by Megan Whalen Turner
Sir Percy Leads the Band, by Baroness Emmuska Orczy
Nausicaa part 1 (graphic novel) by Hayao Miyazaki
The Scarlet Pimpernel, by Baroness Emmuska Orczy (librivox)
The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas (librivox)
The Queen of Attolia, by Megan Whalen Turner
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury
The Stone Fey, by Robin McKinely
Airborn, Kenneth Oppel (audiobook)
The Sherwood Ring by Elizabeth Marie Pope
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. IT WAS AWESOME. THE MOVIE IS TOO.
Bone Volume Two: The Great Cow Race by Jeff Smith (graphic novel) (oh, and I read the first one awhile back and forgot to add it.... :-})
Tales from Outer Suburbia, by Shaun Tan (short story collection with AWESOME paintings, ARC)
The Stonekeeper (Amulet, Book 1) by Kazu Kibuishi (graphic novel)
The Perilous Guard, Elizabeth Marie Pope
Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone, JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J. K. Rowling
Inkdeath, Cornelia Funke
American Born Chinese, Gene Luen Yang (graphic novel)
Inkspell, Cornelia Funke
Night, by Elie Wiesel
Inkheart, by Cornelia Funke
Howl's Moving Castle, to Deidre and Annie (unfinished)
The High King, Lloyd Alexander
Taran Wanderer, Lloyd Alexander
The Castle of Llyr, Lloyd Alexander
The Black Cauldron, Lloyd Alexander
The Book of Three, Lloyd Alexander
Peony in Love, Lisa See
Neverwhere, Niel Gaiman
The Demon's Lexicon, Sarah Rees Brennan
The Graveyard Book, Niel Gaiman (read to me by Annie)
The King of Attolia, Megan Whalen Turner (to Deidre)
The Mysterious Benedict Society, Trenton Lee Stewart (unfinished)
The Empty Kingdom, Elizabeth Wein

Footloose and Fancy Free

Finals are over and I'm home for the holidays! Well, temporarily at least. I'll be heading back down to Provo to work (gotta pay tuition!) but I'm home this weekend, with no homework to do, no finals to study for, and new books to read--what more could I want? When finals ended I splurged somewhat and bought myself a hardback copy of The Christmas Carol illustrated by P.J. Lynch, because I could...and it was on sale, so really, it wasn't that big a splurge :-}. I'm really looking forward to reading it--Charles Dickens was a funny guy, and of course the illustrations will be awesome.

Now that I finally have TIME to tell all you blog readers (like, all three of you ^.^) what's been going on I can't really think what to say. Hmmm... well, some big news of the last couple weeks (heh) was that I got and ARC (Thats an Advance Readers Copy, to you non-book-nerds) of A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner (the sequel to my absolute favoritest book EVER, The King of Attolia) which will be coming out in March or April and is MADE OF AWESOME (in case anyone was wondering). After I finished reading it I promptly passed it onto another obsessed fan, then to the next, then the next, who passed it on to several more, and I just got it back this morning and will be handing it off to the wonderful Shanelle tonight. (I really should try and count up everyone who has read this ARC, just to know, you know?) EVERYONE SHARE THE BOOK-LOVE. Book friends: I'm glad that you all understand me, and the awesomeness that is these books. And I'm glad that there is such a lovely concentration of us in Provo/Orem/SLC area.

We also had our roommate gift exchange and I got--wait for it--a Borders Gift card. Surprise! I also got a rather entertaining bookmark, with a pony on it--and it neighs when you press it. :-) I got Annie Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome... maybe as much for myself as for her, I'll admit, because I'll expect her to allow me to read it to her now. And she will enjoy it. Becasue Jerome K. Jerome was a funny guy.

I really don't have much else to say, so I shall now close :-D

Costumes!

First I will say that, I have just now added a random quote generator to the side of my blog. Over on the left there, see it? The javascript and I had a bit of an argument over apostrophies, but it is there. I've been entertaining myself the last couple minutes by reloading the page over and over to see what quotes come up. There are more Lord Peter and Attolia quotes than anything else right now--whos surprised?--but I think I will add more quotes and it'll even out with time.

Now, on to the actual subject of this entry...

This Halloween season has started a week early, it seems. Since Halloween is a Saturday, people are scheduling parties a week ahead!

This year I decided to dress up as Attolia/Irene from The Thief, The Queen of Attolia and The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner. (Yes, the title character of the second book.) Yes, I know that nobody else really knows who that is. But if I did something everyone else likes I wouldn't have had near as much fun putting my costume together, and really, my own entertainment was all I really cared about anyway.


I was asked to make a Rustic Apple Tart for the Illustration Association party. (They gave me the recipe.) Here is the finished product:



And now some costume pics.


Annilyn, Me, and Brooke:



Brooke, Me, Annilyn, and Caitlin:







Shadow Queen...



I was trying to figure out the 'stone face' look. And failing, but I was trying.



Gotta get a hair shot (even though Irene's hair is supposed to be black...)






Who am I that you should love me?



Happy primary-color-and-metallic embrioidered sheet-wearing cultural royalty:


Stern primary-color-and-metallic embrioidered sheet-wearing cultural royalty (I'd got in some practice by this time, so I really could do the Attolia Stone Face):

moody

Lately I've just been... less happy. I've been frustrated with classes and work and just kind of for no reason at all. I was feeling this rather acutely during my evening class tonight (Digital Painting). Not for any particular reason--I just was generally frustrated, for absolutely no good reason.



Leave class. Turn right instead of left when leaving HFAC. Enter Library.

And hour and a half passes.

Exit library, with a new spring in step and absurd grin on face.



Oh library, how I love thee.

I have previously demonstrated the greatness of my ode-writing skills (which is to say, non-skills) so I shall fall back on what others have said on this subject.

I have never known a trouble that an hour's reading would not dissipate.
-Charles Louis Montesquieu

Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accesible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.
-Charles W. Eliot

When I am attacked by gloomy thoughts, nothing helps me so much as running to my books. They quickly absorb me and banish the clouds from my mind.
-Michel de Montaigne



I collected these quotes (and several others) from a quote book mom had on the table in the living room last time I was home. They are of course always true, but I didn't anticipate how very applicable they would soon be.

Life couldn't possibly, not even probably, life couldn't possibly better be!

The Last Week-or-so--in bullet points!

-The trip to California was great and relaxing. I got to read The Scarlet Pimpernel to my mom and siblings (see book blog) on the drive and they enjoyed it. (Of course. Sir Percy is Made Of Awesome.)
-visiting cousins is fun. Its great to be back with my roommates though. We have Good Times.
-When I did laundry after getting home from CA I made a discovery. My Art Nerd tee-shirt officially has a big smudge of Thalo Blue on the back. I figure, it was only a matter of time. It was going to happen sooner or later. I'm just not quite sure how it did happen.
-The Book Slump continues, but thank goodness for Librivox.org, Karen Savage and the Awesomest Job Ever.
-I think that Conspiracy of Kings should come out sooner. Or that I should get an ARC. I should probably work on that...
-A cleaning check on FRIDAY? Fortunately it was a light one and I woke up early enough that I got all my cleaning done, and they didn't look too closely.
-I think this is the first year in several that I will NOT be participating in any parades. Have fun with that, guys!
-I love the Court Jester. It is an awesome movie.
-little babies are fun to sketch.
-ANNILYN CAME TO VISIT. AFTER SHE SAID WE WOULDN'T SEE HER UNTIL AUGUST. WE SCARED HER FAMILY WITH OUR DELIGHTED SCREAMS. ANNILYN, DON'T STAY AWAY SO LONG EVER AGAIN.
-made Rolo cookies for the first time today. Yum.
-a weekend to do whatever I want. I've done some baking, watched a movie with the roomies.... reading, painting, and more of the same will follow I'm sure.
-I still need to take reference photos for Noah's Ark.... mom, if you could upload the ones that we manages to get that would be MARVELLOUS.
-I love Tonks and Sunny. One day, I will have my own house. In it, there will be birds, books, a studio, a kitchen, and a dance floor. And maybe somewhere to sleep.

The last few days we've had completely clear blue skys. Which is nice and all.

But today, I woke up, stepped out side, and there were....

Clouds.

Today, my friends, is going to be a good day. I'm tired, frustrated with my current project at work, but today the sky is full of beautiful clouds.






Ok, Twilighters shut your eyes. Or, if you don't, be forgiving. I'm sure we can understand each other on other points, just not on Those Awful Books.


see more Funny Graphs

Obsess much?

He is the last of his kind...


...all that remains of a once powerful nation...


...some think he is a myth...


...some believe he is the Chosen One...


But mostly, he's just awesome.

Awesomest Short Ever

http://www.gobelins.fr/galerie/animation/gen2008-04-Garuda.htm

Go. Experience the Gorgeous Awesomeness in less than a minute.

Whats going on in my life? Well, other than work... see book blog.
I think I want to cook things more. I will get myself Ingredients tomorrow. I will.

Whats going on? OBSESSIONS! What fun. I love obsessions.

So maybe you're wondering whats going on with my life. I certainly haven't said a whole lot about it. So, I'll tell you.

I work.
I read.
I eat.
I read.
I sleep.
I read.

I love life.

I am currently caught up in two obsessions, which is quite fun really. Its always nice to have something to get excited over, what? (Sir Percy is rubbing off on me.)
One obsession is an old one, the Queens Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner. The King of Attolia has been my favorite book since I first read it a couple years ago. Well, guess what. You never will, so I'll tell you--just over the last few days, the title, release date, cover, and blurb were discovered by the Sounis livejournal community. So now I'm extremely happy, in a rather hyperactive way, for A Conspiracy of Kings, coming Winter 2010. Less than a year. I can wait that long, can't I? Marvellous title. And we get more Sophos--I miss Sophos! But its looking like he'll be a major player in this next book, along with other such awesomeness. :-)



The other Obsession, as you may have guessed if you've looked at the book blog, is The Scarlet Pimpernel. I'd read and enjoyed the book before, but this time I got caught up and curious, and guess what--there are over 13 books about that Demmed Elusive Pimpernel! YES. Sir Percy is AWESOME. And guess what. The Musical will be at Hale Center Theater in a couple months! I am DETERMINED that I will see it when its there. I WILL. (*HINT HINT*) I've been listening to the Original Broadway Recording on Rhapsody.com, most specifically The Riddle which is and AWESOME, dramatic song, which I think fits the story extremely well.