I'll talk about the wedding shower first.

Sooo... it was boring. We played games, Mary was too busy to stop and talk to me. It was mostly family... some people from Riley. I sat with them.

Baaaasically... it was me, Estella, and Amanda Becker. I think that's her last name... Oh, and MIsty was there. Being the usual mother hen. She's on about eight different medications and brags about it. That's nice, Misty.

Amanda is a single mom. Her baby is adorable.

Estella is... the same as ever.

They think the same about me.

But lets talk about Nijak for a bit. She's in charge of the Alumni page for RHS 2005. On this page, apparently, is a list of graduates... and some information on them. Like where they are, what they're doing. A lot of Nijak's former friends, including Mary, are listed as either "deceased" or "missing." Why? Well... for one reason or another, they pissed her off. Mostly its because some of them got married. And she's bitter.

I.. laughed. Really, really loudly. I just thought it was so funny that she would stoop so low. That's even more puerile than a myspace war.

OTHER NEWS!

http://www.drunkduck.com/The_Bend/ has made it to the top 500 for more than a week! We hit 400 pageviews in a single day on Thursday, a new record! And... well... maybe some of them aren't going to stick around for the long haul, but that's okay. Because we got 400 on Thursday, we got 320 on Friday. And 130 on Saturday. So some people did stick around. Before Thursday, 130 was about average for a good day. Now its about average. Daily average is now 79, rank overall is #419, and I don't see any signs of stopping anytime soon.

If only I could figure out this donation button nonsense...

Now its my dad that's pissing me off. Normally we get along great, but lately he's taken to reaffirming my fears.

Yes. I know I need to get a job. He makes it sound like I haven't even tried.
Yes. I know that jobs are limited when you're a college student.
Yes. I KNOW that I'm going to need more money next semester than I did previously.

I know. I know. I know...

And I'm sorry that I can't get a job. I've tried. I really have. To be honest, I'm sick of trying. Its the same thing ever year. I can't change it. I can't fix it.

Nagging to me that I need to get a job when I'm fully aware that I need one just makes me want to do it less.

I'm going to go ahead and assume that all the people I called during winter break... aren't going to call me back...

In other news, I have finally finished volume one. And the big accomplishment for today was that the comic got 300 pageviews. That's 110 more than last update. <3

Current Mood: confused

Okay.

So I've been drawing this comic book lately and I've been getting some pretty good reviews about it. That's cool. I like feedback. I like being told that my style in both writing and art is refreshing and different. These are good things.

I hate it when it is referred to as "manga."

"Manga" to me means a graphic novel that reads right to left and is from Japan. And while I know that this is not true of all series, it conjures up visions of samurai and the types of things we see on Cartoon Network. I think of manga and I think of overly-beautified, pointy people with swords and robots.

My style is not like that. It resembles anime if only in the sense that that is where my primary interest in art came from, but aside from that, it has little to do with anime. I have nothing against manga, don't get me wrong. But I am an American artist. As much as I gripe about my country, I am still American. I speak English as my primary language. If I were Japanese, it would be manga. If it sold in Japan by some strange fluke, it might be considered manga. But as things are... its a comic book. A graphic novel, if you must. But its not manga.

I'm not that much of a weeaboo.

Bookmaking is fun.

If my body is my temple... why am I expected to go to church on Sundays? o_o

Current Mood: sick

Read script.
Gather actors.
Film.
Import.
Cut.
Paste.
Drag, drop, edit.
Export.
Save.
Burn.

Current Mood: stressed

Design posters.
Buy ink cartridge.
Make posters.
Print posters.
Put up posters.
Advertize.
Buy paper.
Make washes.
Buy china markers.
Make masterpiece.
Buy zinc plate.
Buy paper.
Buy better paper.
Etch.
Print.
Print.
Print.
Come up with concept.
Scratch concept.
Rethink concept.
Create sphere.
Create isoparm.
Delete isoparm.
Mold, squash, stretch.
Copy.
Copy.
Create environment.
Animate.
Create NPC.
Create town.
Create dialogue.
Create world.

Current Mood: stressed

Is it weird that I'm not constantly thinking about sex?

Current Mood: confused

I'm adding something to my list of personal rules:

No groping without my permission.

Pocky has permanent permission. ;DD

Current Mood: confused

So I found a lump. Second one in four years. Where? Well, I was masturbating when I found it. Shut up. You do it, too. Its too late in the summer to schedule a doctor's appointment. I feel awkward going to the health center. There's still a chance that its an ingrown hair or a cyst. Other than that, my shoulderblades found a way to dig into my spine. Ow. Unexplained bruises on my thighs. General leg problems. [/end medical report]

I didn't get the job at ArtMart. I applied too late. It couldn't get in earlier because they required three references: one teacher and two former employers. Up until July, I'd only had one job. By July, the position was filled.

Which brings me to my mom. I was fine with it until I told her. But she comes out with the "you should have sent it in earlier" bullshit and I just fucking lost it. She's on edge lately because Bill is still causing drama. She's mad at him, trying to pass it off as concern, taking it out on me. She's the queen of the double-edged question: "Would you be happy with any old job right out of college?" I assume that because Bill's problems stem from his need to have "the perfect job" that the answer she is looking for is essentially "yes." So I reply "yes, as long as I keep looking for a better one."

"I hope you enjoy your future at McDonald's, then, if you're not going to try to get an internship."

So I got made and I broke a chair that was already broken to begin with.

Why do we always argue on the last day?

Current Mood: annoyed

I'm so sick of Bill. He ruins people's lives even when in separate cities.

So he called today for mom. And I'm hearing this all one-sided conversation.

So he's having a hard time getting a job. So is everyone else. Y'all remember those rants I was posting a few months ago? Like that. I know I'm not the only one. I blamed it on shitty management and bad timing. Guess what he's basing his lack of success on...

Adderol. That's right. Because he stopped taking his ADHD medication, that's why he can't hold down or enjoy a job. Not at all because he's a jerk. Not at all because he can't work with people who are less educated than him. Not AT ALL because he called his boss a Nazi.

Idiot.

And now he thinks that he may have schizophrenia because he's paranoid all the time. I want him to meet my boss. The one that also claims to have schizophrenia. I'm sure they'd have a great time trying to see who can exaggerate their problems the worst.

Current Mood: aggravated

And Lee's news, my manager is flirting with me. Make him stop. D=

Current Mood: annoyed

<3

I have a laptop. His name is Leonard. He is extremely shiny right now.

I also have an iPod. His name is Gamma. He holds my music for me.

[end transmission]

Current Mood: giggly

I get this week off because the team is doing away games until Saturday.

And now that I have a job, it means that I better appreciate my time off.

Today I:
-FINALLY saw Shaun of the Dead. (Fucking best movie ever. Now I know what everyone is raving about.)
-Went to bellydance.
-Ate out at Hacienda with the bellydance group.
-Went to a drum circle. Which, by the way, IS SO TOTALLY COOL! I wanna go whenever I can. (will upload footage to Youtube once I get new computer set up.)

Tomorrow I will:
-go out to my grandma's for the 4th
-hang out with my cousins
-swim
-eat Uncle Tom's cooking (which is FUCKING AMAZING!)

Thursday I plan to:
-have an adventure with the videocamera in Downtown Mishawaka
-enjoy the scenery of the Riverwalk
-listen to Sam play the bagpipes by the river
-use up an entire DV tape shooting footage of my favorite places around town. (will make a short video of my findings to upload to Youtube in the future. =D)

Friday I will:
-relax
-take the car in to get the blinker fixed
-get ready for work on Saturday
-revel in the fact that I actually have a paycheck for once.

Current Mood: happy

Right. So I know that I've talked to some of you about Gwyn. For those of you whom I haven't, Gwyn is a quadruplegic that goes to our church and Jenn Schram roped us into visiting at the nursing home for the last ten years.

Oh wait. That's half-right. Take all that and put it into past tense.

She died today. She didn't take well to some surgery that she was supposed to have. Mom went to see her so she could be with her when she kicked the bucket.

Question: Am I supposed to be sad that someone who has been dying since the day I met her is finally going to end her suffering? I mean, she had choices in the course of her life that she didn't make that could have made her life so much more bearable for herself, even in her condition. She was offered a chance to go to to a better nursing home that was geared more for people with her condition an more her age, run by people who cared and DIDN'T STEAL from her. It would cost the same, and all she would have to do is move.

But of course, she didn't want to leave her friends at Ironwood. Her friends who steal from her and really aren't her friends.

So should I feel bad that someone who has been slowly dying for at least ten years is finally going to not be in pain anymore? Should I be sad? Someone tell me how I should feel, because apparently "glad" isn't it.

Current Mood: apathetic

Do you feel it when someone is eating your brain?

I mean, if you're dead you don't feel anything, but that's because your brain is dead. But lets just say, for instance, that the brain is separated from the body before it can fully die (the brain can survive on its own for what? Ten minutes before shutting down completely?)

So if the brain is alive, and the brain is basically what makes you a living creature, and a zombie eats your brain (and hence, eats you), do you feel it?

Current Mood: curious

Your choices:
"That's why they call me, they call me the workin' man"
"Money makes the world go around, ze world go around."
"I've been workin' on the railroad, all the live-long-day."

Pick your lyric.

First day workin' at the Cove was yesterday. First hour and a half we wrapped hot dogs in foil. Then I took the cash register and started punching numbers. Unfortunately, they were the wrong numbers and I had to void all of it. By the second hour I was getting the hang of it. And then the remaining four went smoothly. Except when someone ordered a beer and I had to get someone else to pour it. >>

That was awkward.

But yes. I has monies now. Sort of.

On to the bad news:
Mom has declined her offer to go halfway on the new computer. Which means that I have to buy it myself.

The good news:
Apple has a discount for students and there's a special offer: buy one computer, get an iPod free after rebate. I can afford the computer right off the bat, but all I need is like...$34 to get the iPod. Which means I just have to wait until the end of the week when I get my paycheck (-squeals- that sounds so professional! >w<).

Soooo... that's my week so far. =]

Current Mood: chipper

Job, yes? >w<

Me have job. =O

I'm working at the Coveleski Stadium. Cashier at the Sweet Spot. Free cotton candy for me! >w<

It only pays $5.50 an hour, but I don't really need a lot of money. I really just needed something that I could put on my resume so that the first thing people see on a job application isn't two years old. So I'm pretty happy.

Also, my camera is fixed. I don't have anything to edit/compress video into mpeg-4, but I at least have it so that if something REALLY REALLY COOL happens, I can put it on youtube later. =]

Also, my job normally has Tuesdays off. So I can go bellydancing. And about... three weeks off so I can visit people down in Indy. All two of you. Maybe say "hi" to my brother while I'm down there. Hire a guy to punch him in the nose.

Also... since I'm a mod now at Zantarni.com... and that place is going to hell in a fast car, one of the mods there is making a similar website that will hopefully have more relaxed rules and a more active administrator. She asked me to to help with the developing of it. I get to make webgraphics! Which looks good on a resume, even if it doesn't get off the ground.

Soooo... for once this summer... I'm pretty much pleased with this week. I hope the trend continues.


OO! OO! OO! And I lost four pounds in two days just by drinking 2 liters of water everyday. I know that it shouldn't matter and all that jazz what I look like, but I'm more astonished by the fact that I've actually been drinking 2 liters of WATER EVERYDAY and THAT's what's been causing me to lose weight. Frickin' water! xDD

And and and... I made $20. From my gramma. <3

Current Mood: bouncy

Why do we call ourselves the "human race?" Do we really think that anyone is going to win?

Current Mood: confused

You know... it takes two months for someone to be trained to stock shelves at Bed, Bath & Beyond, or other similar stores. But it takes one week to train for Camp Millhouse, which entails advanced people skills, CPR, healthcare, hygiene, janitorial work, and lifeguarding.

So... if I can learn to do that in a week, why does it take two months to finish training at a chain like Target?

Likewise, how do temp services get away with no real training in a specific job?

This is all very silly.

In other news, we had a bonfire. Ronco burned his Journalism textbook that encompassed such idiotic statements as "a journalist does not assume that all cats are female and all dogs are male" as well as several geometry notes, a few credit cards. Amy threw a bag of confidential student information in. I ripped up a pad of newsprint from second freshman semester. Matt burned a church pew.

I had vodka. I don't think I'm going to again anytime soon.

It was a good time. I'm pretty sure that the suburbanites across the woods think we're doing ritual human sacrifice. Which is kind of what we wanted to happen, so we're good with that.

In any case, I smell pork cooking on the grill.

Current Mood: thoughtful