118 posts tagged “links”
I just got home from having to euthanize one of our dogs. It's a really terrible situation and I find that I simply can't write about it. But the reason for this post is to mark what the first thing I read when getting back was. I was checking out the wonderful site, Jezebel, when I came upon this article. At first, I thought it was terrible luck to come across that right after having to put Wrangler down. But I think it was actually the opposite. What it said really helped me deal with the situation. So, thanks Jezebel. And thanks, Wrangler; love you, babe.
Quote:
As I've said before, adopting a pet is perhaps the most masochistic thing we humans can do to ourselves. We develop affection, friendship, and unconditional love for our companion animals, all with the knowledge that we will be completely bereft and broken-hearted when we (inevitably) outlive them. But the upside of that total buzzkill (sorry) is that those of us who grew up alongside animals are lucky to have experienced those emotions; through them, we were given the tools to cope with love and loss, specifically, the ability to understand that just because loved ones are out of our lives, the impacts they made remain.
Yep, I am once again ill. I don't think I mentioned it last time since I was slightly better than death warmed over. Yeah yeah, I know that you all believe I have a superhero worthy immune system. And I do! But I am convinced this year's coughing yuckiness is a super bug. My family has met its kryptonite. All of us have had it at least once now. Poor Rain has just recovered. With my luck, I have caught it right before my midterm. Thankfully, I don't expect it to be a terrible one. That is unless in the next day and a half or so it gets much, much worse. But let's keep our fingers crossed that that doesn't happen, shall we? Until then, I sit here in front of a fan holding a frozen bag of Brussels Sprouts. Yeah, I think I have a little fever on top of us having a couple days of very warm weather. What will make me feel better?
Eddie Izzard. Duh.
and Ellen.
If you follow this (like I did, dammit, LOTR got me again) you will find Yahoo! Mail's new promotional vid. I think they're trying to get me to upgrade to something. Unfortunately, they just showed me the only content I'd upgrade for. That is unless hobbits start IMing me with "What's up, G?"
Damn, that was ten times better than the last Lucas film.
2008 is the Year of the Rat. Which animal year were you born in?
The Year of the Tiger, same as my mother. I've always found this some little bit great.
I think the description of people born in this year is a lot like me. Though there are a couple that I don't think are.
Tiger people are sensitive, given to deep thinking, capable of great sympathy. They can be extremely short-tempered, however. Other people have great respect for them, but sometimes tiger people come into conflict with older people or those in authority. sometimes Tiger people cannot make up their minds, which can result in a poor, hasty decision or a sound decision arrived at too late. They are suspicious of others, but they are courageous and powerful. Tigers are most compatible with Horses, Dragons, and Dogs
- Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco.
-image found here
Don't you hate when you start a webcomic and it's funny, original, etc....And then it starts getting less and less funny. Starts feeling tired. Eventually, you admit it bombs but you're trying to give it time to turn around. And then finally, you decide it's not going to and you have to make the final leap and delete it's link from your favorites?
*Sigh*
We'll today was my first day with this. The comic in question? In His Likeness. It's been a while since it's been funny or really had much of any substance. The beginning really had a charm to it. I mean who wouldn't like a big black dot that's claiming to be GOD?
But now it's blegh.
So goodbye, IHL. It was good while you were. *Delete*
Now for some of my favorites the opposite is true. I start out doubtful but they just get better and better. Here is a list of those:
Wapsi Square. You don't realize it for about 20 comics are so but then it hits you. This is fucking brilliant. It is art. This is just ...whoa.
Then there is SomethingPositive which is a misnomer if there ever was one. Often very funny and randomly endearing.
xkcd. I love this comic so much.
There really are a number of great webcomics out there. Funny that I read them since I don't read any comics in RL. It's also funny to see the things so many of them have in common. Liquor is a huge main theme and there are many characters that are definitely alcoholics. Another is the talking-creature-that-shouldn't-be-talking. Those are two common themes that really run through a huge majority of these webcomics. The alcohol thing annoys the hell out of me sometimes since I really just do not appreciate that behavior. The talking creature thing is cute sometimes but often feels to formula.
Still definitely some wonderful webcomics out there and I'm sad to see one that had potential go away. Sorry, IHL, that I had to delete you. E-mail me when you have some substance or at least can make a clever joke.
So I found these two sites today. One is a generator for regular LOL-ing. This one is for making fake motivational posters. I had a hell of a time trying to do that on my own last time. And since I found these, I had to make some but I really look forward to seeing someone else's.
Right now, Rain On Your Skin is taking a huge test. Wish her luck! But in a few hours, she and I will be going to the house we're renting to sign the lease and get the keys. Much excitement! Of the good kind too, which has been much missing for a year now. Its our first place away from the bosom of our families. That's a giggle worthy mental image. Yet, true.
The house is in need of much love. There are scary colored walls. Poorly painted. Actually that's an understatement. They have obscene things written on said scary walls. In Black Magic Marker. I feel sorry for Green Day that they had to be pulled into that. The floors have paint splatters on them and some glue like thing was spilled near the front door. But we can pull that up. You don't even want to get us started about the kitchen counter and sink. Obviously, someone thought duct tape would solve everything. The place has a huge backyard. There's glass pieces mixed in with the dirt back there but the trees are huge and gorgeous. And we could have a vegetable garden. It has so much potential and is going to be so much fun to fix up. A lot of work. But we both think it's going to be worth it. We are actually starting work on it tomorrow because we want to be able to move in at the beginning of Oct. We have great friends and family members that have volunteered to help out wherever they can. Much love goes out to them in return.
Christy and I have a vox called Project Oh My that we're going to use to chronicle our work on the house and -hopefully- its great metamorphosis. We'll probably make our first post to it tonight since we're signing the lease and getting the keys today.
I have a feeling we'll be very, very busy these next few weeks! Stay tuned to this vox or Project Oh My to see the updates. Considering how busy (mostly good busy, let's hope) we'll be, I think I'll probably only be making substantial posts to Project Oh My and probably posts here linking to that.
Recently, I've been working on these fondant/gum paste figures for a birthday cake Rain On Your Skin is making at a co-worker's request. It's been difficult. Mostly because I was learning along the way the best way to go about it. And last night I stayed up late to make sure that they'd be done this afternoon to leave me and go off wherever. So, when I got to bed last night, it was 3 o'clock in the morning. When I got to sleep was probably around 3:40. It takes me awhile. However, I awoke at 7:15 or so from the most terrible dream. Enough of a bad dream that it woke me up so much I couldn't go back to sleep even though I'd only been asleep a little less than four hours. The dream?
Well, I was painting the dolls. I smudged the paint. I tried to fix it. Whole bits of sticky paint slid off. I tried to fix it. Huge pieces of the fondant figures broke off into my hands melting.
Yes, this was a huge nightmare.
And I look forward to no longer having to worry over those damn dolls. No matter how artistically satisfying it has been to work with a new medium.
At the moment, they are all painted. I was correct in putting the Birthday girl last since by the fourth one, I knew what I was doing. I figured out how to get the paint to look good (because if I'm not careful, not only will it smudge but it will just slip off ala nightmare) which involves me painting with the smallest brush. That brush is little more than hairthin. But it makes the paintjob look so much better and so in the end saves me time. The last thing I need to do is make wire stands for them. I've made the stands already for two of them. I was just letting the other two dry over night.
It'll be kind of strange when they're gone. I guess I'll need to find another project.
Oh yeah, Rain and I are finishing up the paperwork and getting the keys tomorrow to the house we're renting. Yes, we're terribly excited and so I had to slip it into the next post I made. This will definitely be a project. The first bedroom is painted red and purple. They painted the picture rail BLACK. And they have a white stripe going down the center of the room. It was occupied by two emo teenage girls before. And that's not an extrapolation. One of the things they wrote on the wall with black magic marker was EMO-tastic! I kid you not. I could not have made that up if I tried. If you want to see the before pictures of what will be our next project, go here. I'll be the one mainly co-ordinating the first run of painting and sprucing up for move-in. Because this week, Rain is taking a big test to become a registered nurse here. In fact, she's taking it tomorrow right before we go to sign the lease and get the keys. Yay, Christy! Next week, she has to work a lot to make up for the time she took off to study. Poor Christy will be so overworked. And I shall be permanently pulling primer out of my hair, no doubt.
Here are some pics of the dolls.
Here are close-ups of some of the detail work:
And here's the two on their stands:
I still need to paint their shoes. And put the other two on stands. And then . . . I am free from the paint nightmare!
Show us a DIY art or crafting pattern, tutorial or website that inspires you.
I would say the Dreamweaver Braiding site. As anyone who has tried a simple three strand french braid on anyone else- nonetheless herself- would agree, I believe braiding is definitely an art and crafting pattern. Through this site, I've learned everything from a five strand Dutch crown braid to a common Herringbone. The lady has written instructions alongside pictures which helps people that learn from text as well as imagery. Her work has inspired me into a new craft that I have grown to love and found very useful in day-to-day life. Even though I have mastered almost every braid with instructions on that site, her pictures have inspired me to tackle a regular nine strand, which I have accomplished on a couple occasions now, and I'm only waiting for someone with long enough hair to attempt a hairstyle modeled by Arwen in a cut scene at Helm's Deep.