New Years Resolutions

1. Write more - > Write a few stories
2.  Fill two sketchbooks - > MAKE MOAR ART
3.  Do something to be more adultish -> pay for the car, or something
4.  Make a new friend
5. Go somewhere
6.  Learn a new hobby
7. Finally figure out what to do with the blank white walls in my room - > not a metaphor, I literally don’t know what to do with them since I’ve taken the wallpaper off them eight years ago
8. Buy some studio equipment - > and do some sort of self portrait project with it. I WILL CELEBRATE ME

Things I will not worry about:

1. Wither or not I’m going to suddenly figure out what I’m supposed to do in life, because I’m sure that’s something life is going to tell me eventually, maybe tomorrow or three years from now.
2. Trying to be somebody else, because it’s not going to make me happy. I’m not going to be that person who has a posse or anything. I’m the person who knows the nerd lingo, owns too many shirts from movies, and still thinks Harry Potter was the best thing written.
3. Stop worrying about if my art is popular. Instead worry about if I’m making art that is ME and not someone else.
4. If I’m going to find Mr. Prefect this year. I plan to enjoy doing what I want to do. Who knows if I’ll have the chance to lounge around in my pjs watching tv all day again. 
5. Stop worrying about my weight, because l seriously doubt twenty pounds is the difference between me and true happiness.

The Best of 2012!

MUSIC:

1.     We are Young ft. Janelle Monae – Fun

2.     Telephone Banking – Clean Bandit

3.     Rivers and Roads – The Head and the Heart

4.     One Spring Morning – Akron/Family

5.     The Third of the Storms (ft. Sam Sparro) –Mike Simonetti

6.     All Fired Up – The Saturdays

7.     Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu – Benny Dayal, Anushka Manchanda, Shefali Alvaris

8.     Be My Guest – Gaitana

9.     Take a Walk – Passion Pit

10. Roll with the Wind – Alexander Rybak

11.  Up Up Up – Givers

12. Billionaires – Your Twenties

13. Little Talks – Of Monsters and Men

14. Glad You Came – The Wanted

15. Babel – Mumford and Sons

16. Starships – Nicki Minaj

17. A&E – Clean Bandit

18. Earthquake ft. Tinie Tempahs – Labrinth

19.  Want U Back – Cher Llyod

20. Thrift Shop ft. Wanz- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

21. Spinnin for London 2012 – Dionne Bromfield & Tinchy Stryder

22.  Die Young – Ke$ha

23. Diamonds – Rihanna

24. Bangarang ft. Sirah

25. Paradise – Coldplay

Extended:

26. Mozarts House – Clean Bandit

27. High Hawk Season – The Mountain Goats

28. Rail Guddi – Jassi Sidhu

29. Shera Di Khom –Ludacris

30. Veer da Viha – Jassi Sidhu

31. Is it the Sea? – Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy

32. Beat of my Drum – Nicola Roberts

33. Crystal Ball- Grimes

34. Uk Shanty – Clean Bandit

35. Take Care – Tom Rosenthal

36. Legacy (ft. Derrick Carter) – Youseft

37. Forgets Slowly – Tom Rosenthal

38. Wild One – I Am Harlequin

39. Default – Djago Django

40. Disperate Youth – Santigold

41. True Romance – Motion City Soundtrack

42. Lights – Ellie Goulding

43. 30 Days – The Saturdays

44.  My Heart Takes Over – The Saturdays

45. Should’ve Known Better – Soluna Samay

46. Euphoria – Loreen

47. Stay – Tooji

48. Aphrodisiac – Eleftheria Elefheriou

49. OPA – Giorgos Alkaios & Family

50. Garden of Your Mind – Symphony of Science

51. Fela Igjen – Alexander Rybak

52. Fairytale – Alexander Rybak

53. Shuffle – Bombaby Bicycle Club

54. Into the Open Air- Julie Fowlis

55. Keep Your Head Up – Andy Grammer

56. Bad Girls – M.I.A.

57. Gimme Sympathy – Metric

58. Home – Philip Philips

59. Give Your Heart a Break- Demi Lovato

60. Good Time ft. Carly Rae Jepsen – Owl City

61. Call Me Maybe- Carly Rae Jepsen

62. I will wait – Mumford and Sons

63. Lover of the Light- Mumford and Sons

64. Dirty Paws- Of Monsters and Men

65. Price Tag/Don’t You Forget About Me – Pitch Prefect OST

66. San Franciso – The Mowgli’s

67. Titanium ft. Sia – David Guetta

68. Levels – Avicii

69. Super Bass – Nicki Minaj

70. In Your Imagination – Symphony of Science

71. Electric Shock – F(x)

TV:

*missing: New Girl, OUAT, Friday Night Dinners, Me and Mrs. Jones, Leverage. Baby Daddy

FILMS

*missing: Albatross, Dark Shadows, The Avengers, Cockneys vs. Zombies

BOOKS:

My Nana

This was the second year my Nana wasn't there for dinner Easter Dinner. Only three Easter ago she was fine, and a few months after that she didn't who anyone or anything was anymore. She died back in January, and my grandmother held a small memorial for her before Easter dinner. This was what I read, a page from my sketchbook I made the day after my mom told me she passed on. 

I wish that I listened more, maybe I'd feel like I knew you better.

Family Photos

One of my biggest influence is family photos. I'm the official family photo hoarder.

These are just a few of the thousands that I have. 

   

I've always had this fascination with the past. Many of the important people in my life are the figures I've never really met, and these photos are only way I've gotten to know them, and to understand a bit of their stories. Some of my favorites aren't the ones you expect, the faded colors, the private moments, these photos are the evidence of my past. 

Sketchbook Pt. Two

I don't know if its because I've got sketchbooking on the brain or I'm still emotionally compromised by the birth of BB's baby on Bones but I really have nothing new or nor exciting to talk about today. So since it's my blog and being vain is allowed, I'm going to talk about my sketchbooks.

It wasn't until I was talk to my advisor the first semester at MU that I even thought about sketchbooks seriously. Of course, I had sketchbooks before but they were full of drawings of anime characters. I happened to find the prefect sketchbook at Borders big enough to write and draw in, and small enough that it fit into any bag, and I started using it and it's been a necessary part of me since, and usually average one a semester. (Unfortunately Borders went under and I couldn't get anymore of the first one, but I've adjusted).

I can't really think one way or another even when I get attached to something. Lately I've been getting a bit more destructive. I've been staining the pages, and I've already had to duck tape up the binding much earlier then my last ones. 

From the latest sketchbook:

A Diary of the things I want to do,

Before transferring to get my BFA I would have never thought I could do anything outside the medium of photography, but now I've realized that I can do whatever I want. I can make jewelry, draw, take photos, etc. The sky the limit. I think once I graduate I might venture into some new fields.

I want to:

-Draw. Lately I've been drawn between the little colored pencil landscapes I've been doing with these sketchy drawings made with pre-colored paper that I've been dying with watercolor paints and tea. I also have made some larger pieces with oil sticks, so who knows. But I've discovered that drawing is ALOT of fun! (The ! is completely necessary.)

- Sew. I already have a collection of buttons to make eyes for little creatures! I just need to brush up on my sewing skills, but my grandmothers the master so it shouldn't be a terrible problem.

- Bezel set game piece rings. Once I get a job and have more money for the start up fee's I can make a bunch of these. I love soldering things, I've discovered. And I can bezel set other things. Bezel set everything!

I'm still going to take photos, but I realize that if I want to do something else I can. And it's exciting. I want to hit up flee markets and vintage type stores so I can find neat old things to work with. I've already hit up the Salvation Army stores in my area and already have a small stock of pieces to bezel set with that I'm hoping to work on the rest of the semester.

There isn't a point to this other then the realization that I'm not just a photographer. I'm an artist. I can create whatever I want with whatever I want.

Lost

Feeling lost is easy. Everything is forces itself upon your mind. You aren't always yourself, or who you feel you are.

We live by social standards, social morals. You are your environment, your social standing, your family, your race, your lifestyle. It isn't right and often you wonder how its even possible to be someone, someone different from someone else.

I still can't say this is me. This is me at the complete essence of myself.

But it isn't always such a burden, we can't just come into this world with no influence. We need to learn to grow, to feel, and without a basic understanding of something it isn't possible for any of this.

To to find yourself somewhere is not a short journey but one of a lifetime.

I am Me.

I am me. An American Mutt who has roots in Germany, Norway, England, and even in the soil of this country. I come from the sea, when my ancestors sailed here looking for a better life. From those who fought for our country in the white and navy blue. From teachers and artists, housewives and immigrants, this is the blood that runs through my veins, and I am proud of this.

Asgard

Everything is reflected in the sky.
Some say we came from the sky, it was the first element of creation.
The gods created us from their own blood, made the world from their flesh and inserted us into the vast openness was the beginning of the world.
When we think of our gods we see them from the heavens.
These stern leaders with our destiny in their hands.
Yet they must be lonely.
The age of the gods is over, they've become a whisper in the wind.
They soar the skies in a world they no longer know. They could let themselves die but we still have a hold on them.
We are from them.
We are them.

The 2010 Edition of "THE BEST OF"

just a list of my favorite music/tv/movies of the year!

Music:

Once upon a time I listened to music. All I have this year is a list of my favorites (most of them discovered via movies/tv shows):

A Life Less Ordinary- Motion City Soundtrack

Just Say Yes- Snow Patrol

Tik Tok- Ke$ha

Good Morning Charlie – Oceanic Six

Cousins- Vampire Weekend

Telephone- Lady Gaga

Something Good Can Work- Two Door Cinema Club

Rolex Sweep- Skepta

Echoes- The Rapture

XXXO- M.I.A.

The Dog Days Are Over- Florence + The Machine

Spotlight FT. Tanya Lacey- Tinchy Stryder

Bulletproof- La Roux

Pretty Young Things- Bodyrox

Change of Seasons- Sweet Thing

Sigh no More- Mumford and Sons

Teenage Dream- Darren Criss

Hometown Glory (High Contrast Remix)- Adele

Spanish Sahara- Foals

Out At the Pictures- Hot Chip

Until We Bleed (with Lykke Li)- Kleerup

Paradise Circus- Massive attack

TV:

It was all MERLIN, DOCTOR WHO and Misfits with me, and of course marathoning TNG, DS9 all the time.

Recurring favorites: Bones, Psych, Lost, How I Met Your Mother, Chuck, Glee

British Favs: New Series of Skins, Merlin, Doctor who, and Misfits

New loves: Big Bang Theory

MOVIES:

This year I watched 215 films. I didn’t actually have a goal of how many I was planning on watching, but I’m setting a goal for the next year (250). This year I watched a lot of British Cinema, and managed to find a few random Bollywood and other foreign films in the mix (thanks to a cinema class I took in the spring). I didn’t really go the theaters much, and I’m going to use the poor college excuse. Plus, you can find mostly anything on the internet.

Favorite 2010 releases: Leap Year, Letters to Juliet, Toy Story 3, Cemetery Junction, Charlie St. Cloud, It’s a Wonderful Afterlife, Wild Target, Easy A, 4.3.2.1, Chatroom, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Tangled, The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec

Older Releases: Whip It, Gran Torino, In Bruges, Hot Fuzz, Dil Bole Hadippa!, Cherrybomb, Heartless, Cashback, The Disappearance of Alice Creed, Ondine, 3 Idiots, Let the Right One In.

(post below of my favorites seen this year)

Movies I wished I had a Chance to see/haven’t tracked down yet: The oxford Murders, Cairo Time, Morning Glory, London Boulevard, Tamara Drewe, It’s kind of a Funny Story

Why J.K. Rowling is Amazing

Nearly all myths can be broken done into the same elements. The idea of a supernatural figure like Jesus, a god that has died and come back to save the world, can be found in dozens of myths across the globe. These types of figures are called archetypes. The wise old man, the mother figure, the hero… In the 1940’s Joseph Campbell wrote a book, called The Hero with a Thousand Faces, in which he discusses the hero archetype found through many different myths throughout the world.

The hero starts his journey with a call into a “world of strange powers”. While at first he fights it, soon he accepts and is encouraged and supported by the “wise man” figure. He then passes his first challenge and begins a journey of quests and is guided on this path by helpers. At one point he reaches his very end, and in most cases our hero dies, and comes back again. Now he conquers his finial task and is able to return as a hero. While this is just a brief overview, hopefully this starting to sound familiar. This is the story of our hero, Harry Potter. Although J.K. Rowling has never confirmed this, it is obvious that the “Harry Potter” novels go beyond just a simple children’s story.

She hasn’t come up with this story without backup. She’s done her research. If you analyze some of the creatures she’s created, you’ll come to notice, they aren’t all made up. She adapted them from myths from all over the world. Dragons are common in Norwegian and Asian myths. Hippogriffs? You’ll find them in stories throughout history. There are a million more examples but I’m not going to bore you.

You may be saying at this point, she’s hasn’t done any thing original, she’s just borrowed it all. Well, that is completely wrong. This shows you how bloody brilliant this woman is. Great literature throughout history always manages to reference to past, an homage to that before us.

Sure as a young child, none of this mattered to me at all, but now that I’m adult, I can recognize the deeper themes just beyond the words on the pages. This is why I have so much respect for J.K. Rowling. Call me a nerd, dork, geeky, whatever you want, but you’re the one missing out in the end.

Favorite Childhood Book

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

I used to get this book out of the library repetitively, until at one point I got my own brand new copy, and now after ten or so years of abuse is now completely worn (that just tells how much I love it, I get really anal about the binding in my books getting broken). There are gel pen marks on the page from when I chewing on the end of one and itburst. Besides that I loved, loved the story. I was so angry when they made that movie a few years ago. I’m not normally one of those people who get really annoyed when they adapt movies into books and change things, but that adaptation makes me furious, furious. I don’t why they didn’t just follow the book, because it would have just made a much more epic and wonderful film. I still remember the heartbreak when Ella broke Char’s heart, and how exciting it was at end when she finally broke the curse. My heart was with these characters, and in a way they still are. Itwas the escape I needed from the black ages of elementary school. I read it so much that at one point had my mom open the book at a random part of the story and ask me a question about it and I would know the answer. Along with my teddy bear Pinky I would drag it along on vacations. I know that Levine has written fairy tales since, but none of them will ever compare to this story and now that I think about it, it is still my favorite novel. I think it will always be. 

I'm sorry Jean-Luc, but I do need a life....

Besides my massive need to do nothing but watch Star Trek: The Next Generation this summer (which I've had to force myself to take a slight break from due to way too much watching), I've managed to do a few things. Although, I feel really guilty from my lack of photo-ing (which I blame on the the lack of adventures in my life, but that is a huge lie). Anyways, this is a brief

overview of the past week.

My last saturday of June was spent at a yard sale for my youth group. We sold about a hundred dollars worth of stuff, (not our goal but pretty good for little advertisement and such), and besides it being massively hot and getting sick because of it and little sleep. I found a liger, which brought back so many childhood memories, and anger (seriously wtf happen to Cartoon Network after the early 00's?).

Later that night I went to drive-in for not only the first time this summer, but the first time in several years. I have memories of the last time I went being when the Hey Arnold movie came out, but that can't be true because that would have been a really long time ago. Seriously. The drive in is doing much better then people have led it to sound. It was packed, (I'm not sure if

that was because Toy Story 3 was playing). Becky had borrowed her mom's car and it has this charming quality of changing the radio station without anyone touching it, so we probably annoyed a few people in the process. Her daughter, who is about a year and a half, probably thinks the movies means you get food. ha. It was nice to hang out with her since it had been awhile.

The next morning, after a little sleep (staying up to watch the last episode of this season Doctor Who was more important), I dragged myself to church because the current pastor was retiring and they were holding a party for him.

After the retirement party my aunt was having a garden party so we went up to her house in the mountains. The presentation was okay but the food and things afterwards were more fun. My cousin's kids were quite amusing, the girls kept sticking their heads in the fountain to cool off, and little Will had all kinds of things all over coloring his white beater, which was pretty cute.

Not much happened for the next couple of days. Some work, more work but on thursday my dad took us to D.C. because he wanted to see one of the museums done there that had been closed when we had went down there two years ago. We parked like over twenty blocks away from the mall, so it took a good bit of time to walk there (and then back later). We took a tour of the U.S. Capital (not all of it, just a couple of the rooms), which wasn't very long, and they talked a bunch about statues (which I guess are very important).

I was a little less excited about the walking around in the heat (the breeze was nice thou) and I was pretty much tired and thirsty the whole time. We walked back around the capital to the mall after that to the Museum of American History which wasn't that interesting to most of us. I did find a display of older cameras which was probably my favorite thing there, because the costumes from the Lion King Broadway musical they had on display. It kind of amazes me the things they consider items to put in there. I mean, Willie Nelson's old beat up sneakers are considered history? I can understand displaying dresses from the most famous jazz singers, but sneakers? Maybe that's just me. Although, I thought being able to see most of Julia Child's kitchen was pretty interesting.

After that I wanted to go the folk festival that they were holding in the mall but, no one really wanted to go to it besides me (and thankfully we left when we did or we would have been stuck in rush hour traffic forever). We treked back to the car and after getting stuck in traffic out of D.C. to Baltimore we stopped in a diner in Maryland for dinner and didn't get back home till super late.

And besides work on friday and today, that was my week in general. 4th of July plans? Nah, but I hope I can enjoy my day off, because I work six days out of seven next week. super.

2010 movie count: no movies. see below.

STNG count: Almost finished with season five. It's all I watch.