Swirling Consciousness

Hey guys! I just got home from getting my wisdom teeth removed. I feel a little dizzy, but that's about it. I've been thinking a lot about feelings lately (mainly love), and wondering about its intricacies, and ended up starting to write a song about it. It's not done yet, and I haven't yet even decided on a key, but I do know that's it's gonna be a blues song. Not sure if I'll do standard 12-bar blues though. Anyways, here's what I've got so far:
~
Sitting alone in your quiet hour
Wond'ring what it takes to make love flower

Maybe you wonder if it's just for the pleasure
Or it's something deeper,something science can't measure

I'm trying to tell you it's a worthy decision
But don't try too much; It'll be your religion


Sitting alone in your quiet hour
Wond'ring what it takes to make love flower

Maybe the rebound is your saving grace
It's really just you trying not to lose face
~
That's all I've got so far guys. I'll get around to finishing it and making my riffs in a few days. I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope you take the words to heart, because every word in it is true.


Roses are #FF0000

Strung Out

I'm still deciding on what I want the new layout to look like for the blog. And what the new title should be. But I'm not so sure yet. So this is the temp. layout. I've also been wondering (again) about how the narrative of my book should be, because right now I have to jump through hoops just to explain stuff, whereas with other styles of narration it would be so much easier. That, and I need to sit down and write out a whole storyline, because while I like just writing and letting the story flow, I also would like to leave those subtle plot hints that when someone re-reads a book makes them enjoy the book that much more. I hope I can do it.

Anywho, I picked up some new CD's the other day. They're all good, and I thought I'd make mention of them here. My Paper Heart by Francesca Battistelli, which has a rather unique sound that I like, The Invitation by Meredith Andrews, a Chicago artist that puts out some good stuff, and even though I don't listen to Paramore, I picked up the Paramore Piano Tribute CD by the Piano Tribute Players and the Strung Out On Paramore tribute CD by the Vitamin String Quartet. It's a good bit of acoustic rock, and you should check it out.

There's a bit more, but if I post it now then I won't have anything to talk about later! And who knows what I may be crazy enough to post when I come back home Friday tripped out on twelve shots of Novocaine and a few lung-fulls of Nitrous Oxide?

Fun Stuff

Once again, I have to say I LOVE my Harajuku stripes arm warmers. They're awesome. So, anyways, yesterday I went to a Chicago Rush football game. The Rush won. Yay. Today I went to a White Sox Game. The Sox Won. Even bigger yay. Then, I went to Medieval Times, sat front and center for the black and white knight, and he won. I may just have lost some of my voice after the yay that ensued. All in all, it was a very fun two days. Yay!

Sorry!

So I apologize for not having posted lately. Things have been a little busy. I'm getting my wisdom teeth removed next week Friday, and so I'm not sure how well I'll be to post for that Arts Friday. I should get around to posting that Thursday or possibly Saturday though. Wish me luck!

Edit: just picked up my prescription mouthwash  for the surgery, and I also got my Harajuku stripes arm warmers today! *cue cheering like a five year old*. Now that that cheering is over, I wanted to mention how awesome/cute these things are. Plus, the packaging was awesome, where the warmers told you that they were super kawaii (seeing as they're made in Japan, this wasn't surprising). But still! Yay!

Boredom

So I've been really bored lately. I should probably fill that time with writing, but I HATE it when my mom bugs/interrupts me while I'm writing (mostly over how to spell stuff and telling me I should be doing something besides whatever I'm doing), and so I prefer to write when she's not around. Not much interesting happened today, but I did finish up learning how to play kiss from a rose by seal. Just the one guitar by itself sounds a little empty at certain points though. Oh well. That's it for today. Hope I find something better to post tomorrow.

Roses are #FF0000

New Sketches

So I didn't do any writing this week. But I did tons of sketching. These are my three best pieces so far, so I figured I'd post them. This first is a vial that I drew weeks ago but that was when the scanner wasn't working:




These next two are sketches of images:








The one directly above this is actually a sketch of my friend Lexa, partly done because I felt like it and partly because her birthday is coming up! (Btw Lexa, I have your b-day gift. Whenever I can get it to you.) Pretty good for only using a number 2 pencil for everything, right? I should get a pencil set.

Anywho, that's all for this The Arts Friday. Hope you enjoyed it!

Roses are #FF0000

Sketching

Did more sketching today. Also started reading a new Saintcrow book (new to me, old in print) called Working For The Devil. Good read so far. Anywho, thought I'd show you guys my setup.




This is my pc, up on the right is the scanner that finally started working again. If you're wondering why I have two mice, the lower one is my wireless mouse, and moves the cursor at a much faster rate than the other mouse. As such, it is less accurate, so I have some software that kicks in to slow that mouse for accuracy, but the other mouse is still more accurate, so I use it for detail work. I do my sketching at that desk/in my room. For outlining/tracing, I kludged myself together a light table, shown here:




Now what this does is allow me to place an image and paper together on the table, flick on the light, and have it reveal to me the image underneath the blank paper. This let's me outline or trace, and (what I usually do) attempt to re-create the proccess by which the other image was drawn, or how I would draw the image if I were sitting in the scene.

Anyways, I'll be working on some more for Friday, and I hope you guys have a great day.

Roses are #FF0000

Newness

So I'm thinking of a new title for my blog. I still think too much, but I'm not the same brooding Jon that I was when I started blogging. Which makes me feel kind of good. And so, I want my blog to reflect that. Right now it's showing (thanks to my banner) a beginning of new life (or a new heart). And so, I want the title to change.

Anywho, I did some tracing today to work up my art skills. I'll do more tomorrow. And possibly write. Possibly. Well, I'll see you guys in the morning.

Roses are #FF0000

Too Much Cute... But Also Not Enough

Hey guys! I thought of sketching a little today. But I didn't. Fail. I'll do it tomorrow. I didn't cuz I've been reading chibi vampire, a totally chibi/kawaii manga brought to the us by tokyopop. You should read it, if you're into cute stories. Something inside of me says that this is reminiscent of twilight, but chibi came long before that did, so I can still feel good about myself. You can read it online if you want. Anywho, enough about chibi, and not-done-sketches, here's that picture of my haircut. Personally, I think it's a little odd, but I can't tell why. Decide for yourself:

Roses are #FF0000

Uhh... [Insert Good Title Here]

Good evening guys! Kind of a late post today, but meh. So, I got my haircut, and pictures of that will be up in the morning. Also, my scanner started working again! Yay! So I will work especially hard on a sketch for you guys, and will have it by Friday, I promise. That, and if I finish the sketch soon enough maybe a short story. But that I don't promise.

[Insert laying in bed with eyes closed trying to think of something interesting or profound to say, and then having mind wander off into sketch ideas for ten minutes]

Well, that's all I've got. Maybe I should've posted when my brain was working a bit better.

Roses are #FF0000

A Note To My Readers

Hey guys! Do to the fact that I have indeed begun working more on my book, my time to sketch and write short stories has gone down exponentially. In light of this, The Arts Fridays will now only occur once every two weeks, so as to give me more time to work on something that I can actually post as opposed to just my book, which I will post no more excerpts of. Thank you for your understanding, and I hope that you continue to visit my site.

Roses are #FF0000

Summer Checklist

Hey guys! So I've decide to make a summer checklist for myself, of things I wanna do before the summer is over. I've never made one before. So here goes:

- Get at least halfway through writing my book.
Note: the following is tricking from freerunning, NOT parkour.
- Learn to palm flip
- to palm spin
- to wall flip
- to wall front flip
- to Kip-up
End tricking
- to cartwheel (I still can't do one. At all.)
- Run a 6 minute mile (sprint speed, not average speed)
Begin parkour:
- to Kong Vault
- to Speed Vault
- to Dash Vault
- to run up a 10' wall (I can only do a 9' or so now, whatever height Mike is with his arms raised above his head plus 6")

And that's about it. On paper, it seems like I should be able to do it. Realistically, once I get some of the tricks the rest will follow, but I expect the most trouble from the wall run, and the mental issues with a Kong and the flips, although as I said once I do one flip I expect to have gotten over that, save for the front wall flip. Here's hoping I can do it!

Random Nothingness

So there's actually a number of things going on, the first of which is that I'm thinking of new development company names, studio names, stuff like that. Finding a name I like is hard. Second of all, I got some more of my book typed up (read: I write my book on paper, and then edit it as I type it). Third: I'm really sorry about dallying on those pictures, but my scanner still doesn't like me. Sorry! And finally: I got Final Fantasy XIII! Yay! From what I've played so far, the voice actors are good, the game itself is visually pleasing, and the story is something I could get into. And have. Well, I must now get back to gaming. See you tomorrow!

Art

Sorry guys! I did tons of writing this week, but it was all for my book, and I'm not posting any more of that here. And I don't really have any other art to post, so... I'll figure something out. A quick sketch or something. I'll post it tomorrow. Sorry!

Edit 4/3/10:

So... My scanner isn't working. I'll try again tomorrow, and sketch something better as well. Once again, I apologize.