Hey, just letting dudes know that yes, I'm alive, and my house hasn't burned down, hooray! Thank you for the well-wishes! ;_; Everyone is okay so far; I haven't heard of any deaths. However, the church I drive by every day is completely gone; part of the hills surround campus are all black, and I think the castle is gone, too. The fires aren't gone by any means...they're still burning in various spots along Malibu, and I know there's big ones in Irvine, Moorpark, Valencia and San Diego, too. D: (PLEASE be safe, my San Diego friends!)

They at least let us return to our homes on Pepperdine yesterday afternoon. Obviously, internets and electricity are working, so that's always good! However, pretty much all of the roads are closed, so I missed school both yesterday and today. XP I am going to try and go in tomorrow, though it'll probably mean the commute's twice as long since I'll have to double back to Kanan to get on the freeway...I highly doubt either the canyon or PCH will be functioning tomorrow. Yesterday I felt sick and had a splitting headache from all the smoke, even after wearing a cheap oxygen mask for a good chunk of the time. Today I feel a little better; I'm just downing water and trying not to overexert myself so that I'll be okay for tomorrow.

My mom took some pictures yesterday during our ventures, so I thought I'd steal a few and share:

( Pictures inside )

Also, since I was pretty much too ill and worked up to concentrate on anything, I spent most of yesterday and this morning fighting Yiazmat: I'm guessing around ten hours total. And at around noon, I emerged VICTORIOUS! So:
Defeated Yiazmat = YES
Completed the bestiary with 100% = YES
Earned the Order of Ambrosia ranking = VERY YES

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. 8D

And that's...about the only happy thing that's happened this weekend. :D; So I'm going to go attempt a bit of productivity now.

OMFG

I FINALLY, FINALLY BEAT OMEGA MARK XII. YAAAAAAAAAY! *dances all over the place*
GOODBYE, GREAT CRYSTAL, YOU WILL NOT BE MISSED. XDDDD

Now all that's left if Yiazmat. But that will come at a later time, when I have, uh, 20 hours to spare. 8D;

In the meanwhile, I'm leaving tomorrow morning for the California Adventure Halloween bash that evening, Friday night at an Anaheim hotel, and then Saturday at Disneyland with Club 33 for dinner! :D Won't be around the internets until Sunday, so keep them fresh and tasty until I return, dear friends!

Did my make-up class for Production Design I yesterday, so I thought I'd do another dump of all the bizarre stuff we do during life drawing. I think I may keep going to the class next term, even if it is early Sunday morning, just because I rarely do this kind of freeform stuff on my own, and it'd probably be good for my artist soul.

( Work warning! Nude drawings under the cut! )

Been tackling my FFXII game again lately, and AGH, SO CLOSE TO SATISFYING MY COMPLETIONIST SELF. X) I finally found that friggin' Behemoth King and beat him! I also finally found that stupid Vagrant Soul rare monster in Pharos; now I just need to find the Luxollid (which was missing for some reason...)

So now I just need the Luxollid, two humanoids, Zodiark, Omega Mark XII and Yiazmat, and my bestiary will be COMPLETE. MWAHAHAHAHA.
/dorkery

Drawing: Many comic pages to do, another giftart to start...

Writing: Nuttin'.

New Lunargyros page from yesterday, yo. The Mean Girls are baaack! (And corrielle, I pimped your reading material. XD)

Yesterday our class also went to EA for lunch. It turns out that we didn't get to see much of the actual offices, because they were holding some kind of gaming conference and apparently we weren't allowed in the area we wanted to tour. D: Dang! I may or may not return for the "other" tour next week. Either way, we ate lunch in their cafeteria (pretty good food for a reasonable price!) and wandered around the lounge, the gift shop and the outdoor areas. They had a bunch of video games up for playage (mostly Golf and their Medal of Honor series) and people spent a lot of time in the gift shop buying new and just-released games for cheap. None of their games really interested me (most were for XBox anyway, which I don't own,) so I didn't buy anything. Except they had a Fawkes plushie and a plushie of the Monster Book of Monsters from Prisoner of Azkaban, so I wanted those. XD;

The grounds also included a fountain to relax by, a gym where you can play video games while on the treadmill (BEST IDEA EVAR) and a volleyball pit and soccer field. Holy cow, those EA guys are sitting pretty! I totally want to work someplace that knows to treat its employees as more than hunks of meat. Haha, yeah, good luck with that.

Also, our teacher's six-year-old son was awful cute. ♥

And since we just had our last surface modeling class, the model for the Strahl is OFFICIALLY DONE:

( And it's under here! )

Otherwise...gettin' up early tomorrow to take some operator shifts and make a smidge of monies. Just like old times!

Drawing: Next LG page, plus I've got a commish and two of those meme-arts I should start on. @_@

Writing: Sporkings when possible; haven't for awhile.

Got this from okageaberdene:

Pay It Forward: I will send a handmade gift to the first 4 people who leave a comment here on my blog. I don’t yet know what that gift will be, but you will receive it within 365 days. The only thing you have to do in return is "pay it forward" by making a similar agreement on your blog.

Memes like this are most excellent, yes!

So I went on Thursday, and I got my new TV and DVD player! :DDD Weee! I have never had my own such appliances in my own room before, so they're very shiny! The TV is a 23-inch flatscreen with HD capabilities, and the DVD player (while small and cheap) has them, too. :3 It took quite a bit of setting up, and at first I couldn't get the DVD player to work, but now it seems both the PS2 and DVD player work great. I don't have actual TV itself, as I have no cable yet, but oh well. I care more about the DVD player and PS2, anyway, and the cable will probably come later.

So today in class we watched the 10-minute demo and trailer for Metal Gear Solid 4, as this was actually educational and relevant to the lesson. I love that video games are educational now for making video games, anyway. And Snake puked after rolling around in a barrel and felt better after looking at pr0n, lawls. But actually, the textures were really preeeetty and dynamic and you could do crazy-ass stuff in that game. It was rather intimidating.

And then the teacher goes and mentions how we're going to have a homework assignment in a week or two to texture a full game environment. Whichever three students do the best environments get FRECKING PAID INTERNSHIPS AT EA. sadaskldjalklk.
I'll try my best, but the chances of me getting a PAID INTERNSHIP WHUT are veeery slim, considering there are many people in that class who can model and texture environments faster and better and prettier than me. And that just reminded me of that feeling that I'm still running just to keep up with all my assignments...I'm keeping pace, but not really excelling at anything. It's so frustrating...maybe just because most of my life I've been so used to doing really well with not much effort, and now I'm working so hard and just coming up mediocre in comparison.

Uuugh, I don't even know, maybe I'm just overanalyzing. It's bizarre because I finished (mostly) my texture homework and was all YAY I UNDERSTAND THIS AND IT LOOKS GREAT, but now I just feel average at all of it. -_-

Talking of video games, I played a bunch more FFXII: beat Hell Wyrm (THAT ONLY TOOK ALMOST TWO HOURS, WEEE) and am currently trying to survive the three rings of hell that are the basement levels of Pharos. It's really sad that the friggin' bosses in this area are not as awful as the FRIGGIN TOADS AND HORSES that wander around the main hall. I have to flee every time I step out into the stupid hall, otherwise I AM MAULED AND THEN DEAD BY. DAMN. TOADS.

Either way, I'd much rather play FFXII on my shiiiiiny new TV than worry about schoolwork, but I just don't have the time...


Drawing: Finished the commission, need to do animation homework ASAP.

Writing: More on fic today.

Before I go chatting: the newest Lunargyros page that's up today is actually the 50th completed page! :D Hooray, I'm excited about it...I think this is the most I've ever drawn (consecutively) for an original comic! And I'm even more excited for the following pages. X3

This last Saturday was the birthday party for my most fantabulous of roomies, ghettopeach. caedhe totally went all-out planning it, as it ended up being an interdimensional crossroads/RP party. We had Captain Jack Harkness as a bouncer, Captain Jack Sparrow at the bar (naturally!), a plant lady trying to save the world through organics, Gob Bluth from Arrested Development was leading the festivities (brilliant performance, I say!), Nymphadora Tonks, and more! My job was that I was a tattoo artist, so I drew stuff on dudes, but I phail at RP so I couldn't really think of a character to be. D:

Either way, it was still tons of fun! There were tons of snacks, Jack Harkness ready to put a cap in the ass of anyone waving a gun around, we had a sporking monkey AXEL EL OH EL and a huge-arse birthday cake shaped like a pirate ship. (And Norrington was on this ship!) :D MOST EXCELLENT. However, I came down with a bad headache during the party, and wasn't really able to participate in the drinking games. I still feel rather blehhh right now, so I'm trying to take care of myself and fight off any illness. Now is a bad time to get sick. :(

ghettopeach, you are aaaaaawesome!


In other news:
- HOORAY, my schoolwork was essentially finished yesterday! I have two more makeup classes to go to, but at least I've gotten the bulk of the work for them done. Now it's just a week and a half until we start up again! @_@
- As far as FFXII goes, I am now totally lost in the Great Crystal, which is raeping me hard. There is something very wrong with this place when I can chain 50+ Necrophobes together in the space of two small areas. D: BUT! I accidentally stumbled across Ultima, and after getting killed a lot and a lot by Holyja, I DID manage to beat her! Mwahahahahaha! And holy crap, Ultima should not look that cute in my Sky Pirate's Den.
- I need to be moved out and into my new room by this weekend. The amount I am in denial of this is unheard of.

...And I have the sudden urge to watch 'Pocahontas' now. Huh.

Drawing: Whatever I can get done. Both comics projects and other stuff.

Writing: Only six chapters left to spork! *collapse*

I AM OFF TO GO SEE PIRATES IN FIVE MINUTES. OH YEAH. 8Db

And while I'm out, have a meme:

Ask me about a character (or characters) and I will give you three facts from my own personal headcanon about them. :D

Picking characters from fandoms I know well is obviously a plus. XD You can ask about my original characters, too!


Also, I kinda just wanted to use this icon I just made.

Of...two pictures. Ah well!

( Warnings for some VERY vaguely-suggeted shounen-ai, and then some trippyness for the eyes )

Holy crap, I ignored a lot of work yesterday to play FFXII. THERE ARE SO MANY FRIGGIN' SIDEQUESTS. I SPENT EIGHT HOURS ON IT AND BARELY GOT FAR.
But I did manage to get the Esper Exodus, finish the bestiary for a few other places, find quite a few rare monsters (AND SOME ENTITES ASJDASDA), defeat Carrot, defeat Deathgaze, find some other mark I couldn't remember, do the Seven Sisters sidequest, and do the Earth Tyrant sidequest. *collapse*
Oh, and I did visit the Necrohol. Wasn't able to get everywhere because I haven't done the Nabredus medal sidequest yet; I think that's coming up next on my list. I have decided that I hate Baknamys. Haaaaaaate them. D:

Gah, this group project for History of Visual Effects class is turning out to be much more of a pain. And for such a fun topic, too! Curses!

voodoobob, I still ♥ you!

Drawing: All that, one birthday present, and now I need to start another...

Writing: Not any further on that.

New Lunargyros page was updated on Tuesday, here. Finally getting back to some of the fun stuff. XD And gaah, I still can't wait until I actually get to the Halloween part! Two important characters get introduced there, and the plot really starts to take off. I think I'm going to try and shorten the amount of story between now and then, as what I had originally written is mostly filler and not all that crucial to anything. I know I'm leaving out one whole scene altogether, but now I'm wondering if I should shorten or cut two other scenes that I can explain better in less words. We shall see...

I actually think I understand the very basics of UV mapping! YAAAY!



Although in comparison, my displacement map on my actual final project looks like complete crud. Boo. I need to ask the teacher for more help, and it doesn't help that I'd much rather work at figuring out this Hunter model than my real final project. Although after playing with UV maps on the Hunter, I think it shouldn't be too hard for me to try them on the temple, either...

- Thusfar, I have not gotten called in for jury duty. Go me!

- Holy crap, that picture making fun of Roxel got popular really fast. Irony for the win?

- I'd kinda like to go see Shrek 3 with someone this weekend. Would anyone like to go? No biggie if no one can, I'm just looking forward to the movie, and feel like now it's kind of my responsibility to keep up with what's going on in the computer animation world. :P

- I know I should start packing for the move, but I so don't want to think about doing that right now. I suppose I really don't need to start packing until the end of this month, anyway, since I'll move in the middle of June. (Right around when final projects will be due. Greeeeat.)

- My quest to complete the FFXII bestiary continues. Along the way, I've run into some marks unexpectedly, like Gilgamesh. The second half of that battle seriously took me almost an hour and a half; holy crap. But it was almost worth it because Gilgamesh was kind of hilarious. My characters are fast approaching level 60, so I might try and tackle the Necrohol next time. Or maybe not. I'm still a bit chicken.

- There was something else I was going to mention, and I totally forgot what now.

Drawing: I might actually be able to get ahead of myself this weekend?! Now's the time I'll really really need to, though, so I might as well try...

Writing: In the last third of that epic sporking!

New Lunargyros pages was posted on Tuesday, here. I meant to do a two-page update, since not so much happens on the first one, but I never got to making the second page. D:
I am considering making a Lunargyros LJ community, just because then I can stop spamming my personal journal, and maybe post some other fun extra stuff. But I'm not certain if I should take on modding another LJ comm. o_O Is that something people would actually even be interested in joining, just so that it wouldn't be a dead comm? *ponder*

I had the weirdest dream last night; probably having to do with lots of gaming yesterday. I don't remember all of it, except that the reoccuring theater came back, which seems to be either in place of or in conjunction with the reoccuring house of stairs from my dreams. Someone was puking a lot, and my friends had to deal with it. D: The part that was weird was that I had come back from some mission thing, and somehow my Intro to Maya/Texture 1 teacher had gotten brainwashed, because he was trying to kill me, and I had to attack him back. And I knew that he was trying to get me because he had the little red "enemy health bar" over his head. And I was going, "No, I can't attack you! Then how will I pass the class?! D:" Maybe killing that Garif hunter played on my conscience too much and wormed its way into my subconscious?

And I probably had that dream at all from some weird combination of remembering eating lunch with him and a bunch of the other students on Tuesday (industry talk over Greek food, weee!) and then playing through FFXII for who knows how many hours yesterday. I kind of accidentally stumbled into an Esper battle yesterday, too. :D;

Me: *scouring the Shrine of Miriam* Woot, way stone! Hunh, "Stone of the Condemner seems to react to it"? Well, sure, why not...
Vaan and co.: *use way stone*
Me: Uh oh, this room is...suspiciouslly round...
Zeromus: Y HALO THAR.
Me: D8

Luckily, I still managed to kick his ass. After going through nearly every phoenix down and hi-potion in my inventory, that is. Damn you, anti-magic field!

Speaking of, are there any kind souls out there who have completely filled out the FFXII bestiary and can give some help? I am having a hell of a time finding some monsters, and I'm not even talking about rare ones (which just kind of show up everywhere, ironically.) I really want to complete the Sky Pirate's Den, but now I'm wondering if I'll even be able to do that because there are certain monsters that I'm not even sure exist in certain areas anymore!

Yes, I am still on FFXII while everyone else has moved on to Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. And considering I have no DS, I probably won't get those, either. I phail. DX

Drawing: Going to finish the next LG page, then on to homework...

Writing: Same old.

Everyone else went to the Ren Faire today, but since I have to go to class in about an hour and a half, I couldn't accompany them. Feh! So yeah, I mentioned I saw the movie on Thursday, but just now get to talk about it!

( Kinda-sorta spoilery for Meet the Robinsons )

( And kinda-sorta spoilery for FFXII )

I bought Roadsong 2 (FINALLY) a week back, and have been slowly working through it. It's fun so far!

I still don't know if I can go to Comic Con yet, arrrgh. DX I need to find this out ASAP.

I just realized: my brothers should be home by now! Or at least getting home really soon. I wonder if they'll give me a call.

EDIT: Fixed a bad tag, gah.

Drawing: Finished a doujin page yesterday, am about halfway done coloring the cast pic, need to color commishes, and finish the primitives homework 'cause I got sick of it fast. D:

Writing: FINISHED that OT3 pr0n, phew! And a third of the way through sporking!

New Lunargyros page was posted last Tuesday here! Eek, I've got to get to work on more pages, too, considering all this time I supposedly have...

HOLY CRAP WHAT THE HELL, FINAL MIX. Who are these people and why is some kid that looks like Roxas frozen and Mickey why are you going even more goth than before about to kick some ass and asdjsakldjsaldjalsdk *asplode*
Cuuurses, I so want this game it's ridiculous...


In only slightly fandom-related stuff, I'm thinking about shutting down the Hand Puppet Theatre. Even though there's upcoming movies that I said I would do as puppet shows (PotC 3 and Order of the Phoenix, for some), it's just starting to get to the point where it's not worth it for me anymore. I don't think I've updated the site in months; heck, I don't even think I posted about Lunargyros there. And it's basically just become eight or more bucks every month that's going towards something I don't even really maintain. I could use that eight bucks for, um...a nice meal. XD; More than that, making puppet shows isn't as fun for me anymore, and I've got so many other projects, fandom-related or original, that it's become ridiculously low on my priority list.

The problem is, I know people really, really like the site, which is why I've been putting off taking it down for so amazingly long. (That, and it's going to be a pain in the ass getting it down if putting it up was any indication...) It was basically my first big stint on the grand ol' internets, so there's tons of sentimental value, too! I hate just cutting off the whole website when there was a big fanbase built around it. Heck, I even met some of my fans while I was visiting in London, and that was pretty cool. So I think if/when I did take it down, I'd keep all of the HTML files of all the puppet shows and offer them for download, so that people can keep a copy if they want to. (And there's a hangin' crapload of them, so it'd probably end up being multiple downloads. o_o)

I know a lot of people may be really upset with me closing it down, but I think I might feel better if I "officially" close the books on that chapter, just because in my brain I kind of already have. And it would be extra-nice to get back those eight bucks a month and not have to deal with that server anymore (which was kind of a pain in the arse). It'll be tough to do all around, but I think it might be for the best. If I ever started up another personal website again, I'd probably try and find a cheaper host that was easier to deal with and didn't involve talking to people in India for tech support. (Haha, yeah, good luck with that. -_-)

I have no idea when I'd start doing this, as this week is already rather booked, but I suppose I'll let people know when I actually get to it and offer up the puppet shows for download.


Maybe I'm just thinking about this because I'm going to try and get my room clean and organized today. I also need to go buy a flash drive for taking stuff back and forth between school computers and home. Oyy, that's going to be expensive... So I need to head to Wal-Mart and maybe Trader Joe's in a second.

My wisdom teeth actually hurt less today; they've only been hurting when I eat something or sneeze. Maybe this means they're growing in straight and eventually the pain will be gone? I really hope so, because I sure as hell can't afford a dentist trip right now. Just getting them looked at would cost nearly $100. D: *curses lack of insurance*

And holy crap, I CANNOT STOP LISTENING to the FFXII OST. It is that jawsome. ♥ And I wanna go play more, too...finally made it out of the Great Crystal (I love the area map for that place; lawls. YOU'RE SOMEWHERE IN A BIG CRYSTAL BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHERE OKAY.) I need to get Reddas in my party and then go sidequesting for a bit. XD

Drawing: Still working on maaaassively huge pic; there's a commish I should work on, plus comic pages, durr...

Writing: Still reading stuff for a sporking!

Well, finally got back from orientation today for GNOMON. :O It went longer than I expected, but at least was informative. I really need to kick myself into being more social and making friends there as much as I can, since not only is it, hey, more friends, but also possibly future industry contacts. And those can never hurt! The director was just so enthusiastic about everything, he made me lawl. Financial aid still eats at my brain, but I think I'll be able to survive it.

Feh, I'm almost thinking about join the Gold's Gym next door to the Television Studio, because then I can get a parking pass and actually park in the nearby lot. Parking for that school is going to be the hugest pain in the ass imaginable. It was easy on Sunday mornings when no one was around to park, but today I circled the blocks for 15 minutes before finding something. -_-
(That, and should I actually find any time to use the gym, I could stand to lose some weight...)

So my class schedule for the next two and a half months or so will be as follows:

Monday - 1:00-4:00 PM: Introduction to Maya
4:00-6:00 PM: required lab time
Tuesday - 9:00-12:00 PM: Texture Mapping 1
3:00-6:00 PM: History of Visual Effects
Wednesday - 9:00-12:00 PM: required lab time
1:00-4:00 PM: Visual Communication
Sunday - 1:00-4:00 PM - Storyboarding and Animatics
4:00-7:00 PM - Introduction to Compositing

Which leaves Thursday, Friday and Saturday as technically completely free, but I'm most likely going to be using a lot more lab time than I'm actually scheduled (which is the minimum). So oyyy, I'll be busy! @_@ But still, I am looking forward to it!

Otherwise, I've been video gaming...am now in the Feywood in FFXII; having just beat Rafflesia. I did a bunch of marks, sidequests and snagged an esper before then, though.
Also, tegurunrampant gets a thousand points of awesome since she got me the FFXII OST, which I've wanted since I started playing and it's JAWSOME ♥♥♥

ghettopeach's friend Liz brought over her Wii yesterday, and I got to try it out with Wario Ware, and then started playing Twilight Princess. XDDDD Holy crap, that was hella fun. The wiimote took a bit of getting used to (I kept wanting to mash 'A' instead of actually swing the thing) but I think a bit of practice would get me farther. I basically got as far as Link turning into a wolf and then ending up in jail with Midna laughing at him before I had to stop. But it was still craploads of fun.

I WILL CONTINUE TO LUST AFTER FINAL MIX UNTIL IT IS BROUGHT TO THE STATES. *luuuuustillylustlust*

Less fun is the fact that I've got wisdom teeth growing in. They weren't really a bother before, but these past few days they've been hurting all the time, and today it's started hurting to eat or smile too wide. This is definitely Not At All Good. DDDX Even putting aside the fact that the idea of surgery scares me, as of this current moment I have no insurance. But I may just have to say screw it to both of those things and get it fixed anyway if this pain becomes any worse. ajsdsakldjsaldsalk *cryyyyyyy*

Drawing: Working on comics, natch. I need to work on Lunargyros next, actually, and post tomorrow's page. :O

Writing: Fic, plus starting an epic sporking. XD (Not Liquid fire, kthx.)

First off! A bit of a meme:

1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
2. I respond by asking you a couple personal questions so I can get to know you better. If I already know you well, expect the questions may be a little more intimate!
3. You will update your LJ with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Since aphonetic interviewed me, here are my answers:

( Meme answers here! )

Okay! Comment to be interviewed, and I'll ask you five questions as well! :D

Oooootherwise, I need to go run and do chores today, like get the oil changed and deposit checks and go to the bank and try and apply for that personal loan. o_o (Which probably means I should change out of my Xaldin shirt...) I hope hope it goes well and I can get it settled! At least I don't have to have all of the tuition up front, like I was first thinking. I can get enough for, say, the first two terms, and hopefully by that time my co-signer will have good enough credit for me to reapply for the Sallie Mae loan.
Will also probably go pick up yamikonumber7 this afternoon.

Also, I got much farther in FFXII last night! :D Fought my way across the Giza Plains and the Ozmone Plain to the Garif (almost got totally killed by Storm Elementals there, which just kept POPPING OUT OF NOWHERE), did all those fun cutscenes, and even went and got that mark that's in the Ozmone Plain (I don't remember what it was called, but it was a Slaven-type monster!)
Problem is, first time I ran in there, there was also a Bull Gator running around with the Slaven mark! I tried to take on the Bull Gator first since I knew it was rare, but with that and the mark ganging up on me, I totally kept getting killed. So I try this:
Me: *runs out of area, casts raise on everyone and get everyone healed* Okay! Back in we go to get that darn Bull Gator! It's almost killed!
Bull Gator: HI THAR I'M GONNA KILL ALL YOUR PARTY THE SECOND YOU WALK BACK IN
Me: Dammit! *runs back out, raises and heals everyone again* Okay! Second try! Bull Gator's almost dead! Here we go!
Bull Gator: HI THAR IMMA GONNA DO THAT AGAIN.
Me: DAMMIT! *runs back out again*
10 Million Wus: HAY WE'RE GONNA BITCHSLAP YOU TO DEATH NOW
Me: DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMIT *flees to an area with just spikey horsies and snakes*
So by the time I got back to that area again, the Bull Gator was gone and I missed killing him. Curses. D: But I did get the mark! This is because Larsa and his endless supply of Imperial hi-potions just sitting in his magical endless-potion pants that he totally stole from Goofy Makes everything better! Larsa = ♥♥♥♥

So now I'm about to go visit the Viera Village in the woods! My characters are at fairly good levels and I'm slowly yet surely figuring out how to use quickenings and my one esper. Good times! I wish I could play more now, but I needs to be responsible first. XP

Drawing: Finished some toning this last Thursday, gonna draw for a bit now before I go do chore-things.

Writing: Am on chapter eight of the fic! ♥

Argh. I went to go get the car smog-checked yesterday, and it failed.
I just knew it would fail, too. The check engine light had been on for a few days, and the car didn't feel all that different, so I didn't know what else would be wrong with it. But I asked my dad and he said to take it in anyway, so that's what I did, and it failed the smog check. I'll need to find out from him what he wants me to do with it next, since technically it's his car, and I don't know if he wants me to shell out for repairs or not. I'm not elligible for government help for repairs since I'm not the registered owner. But who knows how much it'll cost for them to fix whatever's smogging it up? I just got the car looked at for this not long ago.

Uugh, this is why I should've gotten my butt in gear and bought a new car before my parents left. But I really don't feel comfortable going to a dealer now without someone with car experience, since I don't want to pay more than I need to. That, and I need the actual time to go car-shopping. But it'll still be four months before my parents get back from Italy...

Aside from that fiasco, I picked up yamikonumber7 yesterday for hanging-outage. We stopped by Target to get her a new TV since her roomie was moving and taking the TV with her. And we bought a 20-inch TV, thinking it would fit in the back of the car, but NO. The hugemongous box made it absolutely impossible to put it either in the back seat or the trunk! So we called over Kel and Alix and asked if they could bring another car over with a hopefully bigger backseat or trunk. And they did, and the stupid box wouldn't fit there either! So we ended up just having to unpack the box right in the parking lot and putting the TV itself in the back, since it would actually fit without all that cardboard and styrofoam around it. It was kind of pathetic and hilarious. XD

Alsooo...I totally caved in and bought FFXII. I also started playing it a bit yesterday. :O Sorry, corrielle; if you could reimburse me partway I can just show you the opening again and we'll go from there! I haven't gotten that far in the slightest. I'm still in Rabanastre, needing to break into the palace with my crescent stone.

I'm liking the game so far! :D The graphics are gorgeous, the characters are fun (although I haven't met Balthier yet, boo!) and I really need to get my hands on the soundtrack now. Still getting used to the battle system, although I'm not nearly as confused as I was playing the demo. It's a bit WoW-ish. I think I will always prefer KH2's more fast-paced battle system, but I like the fact that "random battles" are essentially done away with and you can avoid enemies if you need to.

It's a good thing too, as the enemies are actually HARD! Maybe I've just been playing stupidly (I haven't bought many licenses yet; I haven't gotten cure or anything) but I've been dying a bunch against monsters. I want to go to the Westersands to collect the bounty on the Textera mutant-wolf thing, but the monsters there are too hard for Vaan all by his lonesome. When I was looking for the kid from the nomad village, the werewolves kept killing me in ONE SWING even when I was running for my life from them. D:

I'll have to play more later, though. I'll feel better about sitting down for gaming if I can get these revised pages and some more gift arts done, so that's what I'm gonna do now!

Drawing: My plan's to be drawing all day!

Writing: Aside from clandestine planning stuff, nothing.