Re-surface

Okay. Well, it has been a while since I put up a post. I've been busy with my classes. No, seriously. I'm very meticulous about my grades, to the point of resigning myself to hermit-dom for whole semesters on end. Which reminds me...
*side note*
I read a little icon the other day that said, "When work feels overwhelming, remember that you're going to die." That puts things into perspective. It reminds me of Ecclesiastes; I love that book. Despite popular belief, that book does give much hope. I think it just depends on where the one reading it is at spiritually in life.
*end of side note*
Every once in a while, when my homework load is light-er, I like to resurface to just catch a breath. My "resurfaces" usually consist of watching a movie, reading a non-school book, reorganizing some stuff, or in this case posting on my blog. Blog wins this time, huzzah! (I should really be doing homework right now. sshhh!)
At this time, like I said in my post about weapons of Math Instruction, I will now elaborate on a certain misconception about my person. First of all, I'm not smart, I'm not a nerd, I'm not a geek, I'm not tech savvy (as you could probably tell from my first post...). For some reason people just think I am. I'm not kidding you, last semester a girl in my class said, "Come in our group. You look smart." (um... no, this is my sleepy face.... It was an early class). Is it because I spend hours studying, or because I spend hours in the D.A. lab, would it be because I work in media services? (I'm just an unglorified video logger). I just do all those things to keep afloat. If I didn't do all that I'd fail every single one of my classes (or sink further into debt in the media services case). I'm really just average when it comes to academics.
Second, technology hates me! Something always happens! Even my own camera gets tempermental with me! I constantly hear the phrases "oh, that's never happened before," or "here, just let me do it," or "I don't know what you did..." or , my personal favorite "how did that happen?"(um, I have no IDEA!). Even common everyday machines look at me and laugh (what? do I have something on my face?) or smirk from inside their monitors or engines as they watch me calmly, then frantically attempt to find out what went wrong.
For instance (now, I'm going to re-enact this for you. So those imagining me, pay close attention!) , a couple of weeks ago I was driving home from a long day at Insertnamehere University when the front right side of my car began to lurch up and down. I immediately determined "this must be a problem with the axel." But then it did this freaky lunge and I heard something smacking something else under the hood. "umm...I hope this doesn't blow up." So I slowed down and calmly prepared to pull off the road. "Please don't blow up! Please don't blow up!Please don't blow up!" But why do people stick tall white wedge-things on the side of the road!? So, I couldn't pull over until I passed the blasted things. By this time my heart was vibrating and lurching in one accord with the car (no, it was not a beautiful thing).
Then I got out to take a look. The tire shredded and it was slowly deflating. See, look. All that for a menial blow out? Come on, if it caused me all that fright it might as well have been something more significant than a shredded tire! Maybe just a little explosion would have been okay? Wait, no, never mind.
All this to say, something about my presence causes bad things to happen with machines. They must not like me. But that's okay, the PS2 still loves me. And I reciprocate that by playing with it as often as I get the chance.
Well, that was a somewhat refreshing "resurface," talking about how technology hates me and people setting me up to disappoint them. Yes, very nice. Needed to get that off my chest. Back to homework, now! Dive, dive, dive! (You know, like in the submarine movies? )

Quirkiness

Quirkiness x 6 = me, I guess, is the name of the tag. (although I argue that the first six quirky things listed do not, in any way, sum up anyones' being, I will go along with this as I'm sure that that viewpoint was not the intention of the "tag".) This was sent to me by my Mom (which is yet another reason why I'm 'participating'). I find that this is very much like a chain letter, except that its not....(o.O) My Mom sent it to my sisters and I, so I don't really know who else to tag, unless I tag them back or pick six random strangers. And I'm not so sure about the latter(e_e)<<<*shifty eyes*
Well, moving on. In this tag you share 6 quirky or strange things about yourself. Ha ha ha ha...*cough*

The Rules~

1. Link to the person that tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Share six non important bizarre things/quirk/habits about yourself.
4. Tag six other people, link to their blogs and let them know by posting a comment on their blog or something.

Ok

1. Um, I don't like the sound of things rubbing or scratching against the carpet. (it bothers me more than nails on a chalkboard)

2. I believe that certain rules in grammar (as taught in classrooms) limit the potential of written English! Go ahead, look into the old classics and you will see amazing quality and a lack of adherence to the rules of grammar. (as they were probably not yet written.) I'll have to elaborate on this later.

3. My right eye is shaped like a football, but only my optometrist can tell.

4. The lady who cut my hair left one side longer than the other side, and only I can tell. (well, my sister Icarus can tell)

5. I don't like finishing lists.

6. ....

I just got to thinking, is this "tag" thing another ploy reflecting that "Six Degrees of Separation" idea? If it is then I'm not going to continue the "tag." Not because I disagree with the idea (which I kind of do anyways. Its mathematically as well as socially impossible. The problems that probability, distribution of the population, the fluctuation of the population (births, deaths), present to this idea is so ridiculously overwhelming that it will remain just that: an idea. But that's not the point). I just don't participate in chain letter, pass-it-on things.

Math Instruction

"Weapons of Math Instruction" are not my own words. But the first time I read it I laughed so hard I figured, "I simply must share it!"

Weapons of Math Instruction

At New York's Kennedy airport today, an individual later discovered to be a school teacher was arrested trying to board a flight while in possession of a protractor, a T-square, a slide rule, and a calculator.

At a morning press conference, Attorney General Ashcroft said he believes the man is a member of the notorious Al-gebra movement. The man is being charged by the FBI with carrying weapons of math instruction.

"Al-gebra is a fearsome cult," Ashcroft said. "They desire average solutions by means and extremes, and sometimes go off on tangents in a search for absolute value. They use secret code names like x and y and refer to themselves as unknowns, but we have determined they belong to a common denominator of the axis of medieval with coordinates in every country. As the Greek philanderer Isosceles used to say, there are 3 sides to every triangle," Ashcroft declared.

When asked to comment on the arrest, the President said, "If God had wanted us to have better weapons of math instruction, He would have given us more fingers and toes. I am gratified that our government has given us a sine that it is intent on protracting us from these math-dogs who are willing to dis-integrate us with calculus disregard. Murky statisticians love to inflict plane on every sphere of influence," the President said, adding: "Under the circumferences, we must differentiate their root, make our point, and draw the line."

The President warned, "These weapons of math instruction have the potential to decimal everything in their math on a scalene never before seen unless we become exponents of a Higher Power and begin to factor-in random facts of vertex."

Attorney General Ashcroft said, "As our Great Leader would say, read my ellipse. Here is one principle he is uncertainty of: though they continue to multiply, their days are numbered as the hypotenuse tightens around their necks."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

See now, wasn't that hilarious? Oh, no no! Don't mistake me for a nerd or a geek just because I understand what all those fancy mathematical terms come from! (I'll have to make a post on being mistaken for an "individual who is socially inept due to being overly studious" ie. a nerd. Because I get that a lot.)
I very much enjoyed math until this past semester when I had to take college calculus. I hate calc. with the passionate fury of ten-thousand (no wait, make that twenty-thousand) burning suns! My professor would (literally) go off on tangents and not finish the lesson. So I'd have to go to the math lab frequently.
I do know that math (and even calculus *spoken while gritting teeth*) is very important. And I utterly give my highest respects to those who understand it and use it. I think those that actually love it, though, are somewhat strange (my professor would bob up and down with excitement and grin like a cheshire cat while explaining rules and theories). But big kudos to them too!
I, for one, believe that:

Calculus is an essential devilry!

*dainty curtsy*

Insert Clever Title Here X

Sorry about the title for this post. The cold weather froze all my creative title
juices.
Well, I'm nearing the end of my Christmas Break. Around this time I start to remember all those things I told myself I'd do once my break began. And, simultaneously, I become greatly distressed for I find that I have not accomplished any one of my lofty goals or completed any of my uber cool projects. So, the last few days of my break I'm usually frantically whisking around all over the place trying to make the most of my homework and study-free time while I can. I must do the things I like before I won't have anymore time to do them. I usually find that in trying to cram so many things in at once I still haven't completed anything.
Here is a recap of what I have done/not done throughout this break for those of you that care to read on: I rented two of my favorite Tolkien books from the library and I've only gotten half-way through the first one! I've only made it to the third level in Call of Duty 4, and I haven't even reached level twenty on my third round of KH2. I still haven't sold my old textbooks. I still haven't found any free version of an animation software that's compatible with Vista. And I said that I'd definitely make it a point to frequently post on this blog. (I guess you know my motive for this post now).But I've (in my astounding lack of knowledge and blissfully unaware logic) finally come to the brilliant realization that if I pick one or two tasks and carry them out....(wait for it).....(because this is the good part).......I might actually get something done! Huzzah!! The good of logic-based thinking coupled with the strength of old-time knowledge triumphs again!! Well, actually, God probably just balled the two of them up and hit me on the head with it.But at least I realized it!!
So, lately I've finished two digital paintings and I've done a few sketches here and there. There is strong evidence of this sketching business I've been up to (aside from tucking myself away in my room all day). My giant pencil sharpener is filled with pencil shavings, my ruler, compass, protractor (I'm very particular about spacing, angles, and arcs), sketch book, and other various tools to my aspiring trade are taking up half of my desk-space, and I wore a hole through my pencil's eraser, see?

See that little yellow thing? That was the eraser. And if you look again, you'll notice that I also used up the first eraser on the pencil. Consequently, the little folds in my computer chair are abounding with eraser dust. And I may need to vacuum in here for methinks my carpet feeleth gritty with the bounteous profusion of lines unwonted that spilleth from my pages. (Just kidding about the second sentence). However, seriously, let me tell you something about myself:

I am nothing without my ability to erase

This is a bit odd because, as I mentioned in my "About Me" section (once again, look left) I like pen and inking. Which, as you may know/or not, it is a very unforgiving medium (in my hands anyway). Ah, this reminds me, I'd still like to ink one of my sketches before my break is over. Guess that means I have work to do! さよなら (Sayonara!)

Finally Complete

As mentioned in my "About Me" section (look left) I enjoy drawing, etc. Well, as this new year began to approach I realized that I had so many "unfinished" sketches on my computer spanning all the way from the year 2005! So I thought to myself, "Self, Its time you finished something. You need to build up a presentable digital portfolio, or something." So two days before New Years I got to work. There was this one particular sketch that I made in the Summer of 2006. I scanned it onto my computer in 2007 and worked on it every once-in-a-while using the GIMP. So it was somewhat near being done when I began. I just finished it yesterday! This danged thing took almost 2 years to complete! I almost cringe when I see all those anatomical errors! My style has definitely changed since '06. And the background still needs a little work.
Well, let me tell bit about this picture. (I know this is a blog and not a gallery, but I am so tickled about it being done that I simply must say something or I'll go mad.) On Easter '06 we got Kingdom Hearts II for our PS2. We, then, bought Kingdom Hearts I (so we could play it in the right order). Needless to say, it became our (my older sister and my two younger brothers') favorite video game. So that Summer I drew my brothers in Kingdom Hearts style as characters in the game with their very own keyblades. Then I drew my sisters and I in Kingdom Hearts style as characters in the game, also with our own keyblades. As you might notice, this is the drawing of my sisters and I (now completely digitized!). Both pictures are two parts to the Bible verse:

"Though one may be
overpowered by another,
Two can withstand him.
And a threefold cord is not
quickly broken."
Ecclesiastes 4:16

So now I have a little series-thing goin' on. I like for all of my sketches to have some kind of meaning. Which is good and bad. Good because I really dislike it when you ask an artist a question about one of his works and he says, "It just is," or "I don't know." Bad because I find it hard to just sketch willy-nilly. I may wake up one day and think, "Today I'll sketch something just for fun." So I'll open my "just for fun" sketch book and grab my favorite pencil. Then I'll just sit there stare at the blank page because I don't know what to draw, because whatever it is it MUST have meaning! CDO *!! I can't draw unless it does! I annoy myself.

*obssessive compulsive disorder, but in alphabetical order (like it should be)