I'm tired....man, you ever have something...a project...or paper...or in my case...a drawing...that you try to "finish up" only to realize you'd gone too far, and its impossible to go back...and it was better before...and blah.
I've been smelling fixitive all day...I know I lost a few hundred braincells today...and man, lemme tell you, that sux. I had a headache from sniffing that crap...there's no escaping fixitive man. That stuff lingers, clings, follows you...wherever you go.
How do you say....bababooey. Wtf is that? I actually have no clue...but I've heard it before, and its fun to say...kinda rolls off the tongue...bababooey...bababooey...baba....crap! There, you see?! The fixitive done did it! Argh...where can a body get a hold of a military issue gas mask.
The housemates and their friends have been playing majong since I got home...and it is now 5:10am...good lord, Chinese people do love their majong. Me? I've decided a good night's rest is what I need. So may Buri smile upon you, and may Audhumla's milk nourish you...and may that fat blunt git you HIGH as a birdie.
Pardon me, I'm just VERY tired...I know not what I say. G'nite.
7/14/2001 05:13:11 AM
Thursday, July 12, 2001
Final Fantasy is....technically astounding. I think its one of those marker films...kinda like the first time you saw the dinosaurs in Jurasic Park. Well...uh...not quite like that. But it is the first full length computer animated feature film that tries to "look real"...and succeeds to an extent. As for the story...well...*shrugs* Y'kno what? Why don't you watch it and tell ME...=) 'Sides, I'm always doin' the talking...
I was pretty tired today...having stayed up late last night, and waking up early to meet up and watch the movie. Of course, we toyed with the thought of catching the "double matinee"...but in the end, I don't think we were up to it. In fact, I decided to head home early with Hiroshi to do my laundry, while the other guys went to play pool. On the way out, I stopped by the bookstore to pick myself up a copy of American Gods.
Its pretty much untouched from when I mentioned it yesterday, but I thought you might want to see what I was talking about. Its also a .bmp file because I haven't had Photoshop since I reformatted...its why the picture is so bad and dark. I'm thinking about giving it to my brother once its finished...since he's been asking for me to "draw me something".=)
Well, I'd better get to bed...and having a book to read before I nod off is a great feeling...=)
Well, class today was good...as you know from reading previous entries, I didn't think too highly of my instructor initially. Let it be known that I was wrong.=) He's a good instructor...and even though he's a hard ass most of the time, I'm convinced he's a good guy. Myself, I don't really talk to him at all (which is kinda strange, because I'm usually chatty with my drawing/artsy fartsy instructors), but I admire his skill and experience...and I'm always listening and absorbing. I think I've gotten much better since I started out.
We usually have time for two portraits per session...and during the half of class after lunch, I switched sides to draw the other model...she's a great model as well as beautiful...but when I got settled into my seat for that second pose...maybe it was the angle...or the light...or the pose...or the hankercheif....probably all of the above, but I was mezmerized and inspired all at once. Her eyes were dark and alluring, and the light shown on her face, accentuating her exotic beauty...and I was just taken with the urgency to capture it. I don't know if you've ever just been struck with inspiration and worked feverishly to record it, as if it would up and walk away if you didn't hurry...if so, then you know what I'm talking about.
I got done with a good portion of it when the session was over...everything else, I could finish at home. And so after class, I rolled it up, along with a few of my other pieces, and brought them home.(not before making a 2 and a half hour detour at Virgin to read the 3rd Preacher book and have my iced double cafe mocha=). I set it up on my drawing pad, which sits atop my make-shift easel against the wall. Whenever the urge strikes, I take a seat and blend a bit, or draw a few lines, crisp an edge or two, lift out some tone...y'kno...all at my leisure....which, as you're probably aware of by now, is the way I like to work.=) Alas, if only the real world was so obliging.
Well, the bell tolls four times...which means, I'd better be heading off to lala land. I've got to wake up around 10ish tomorrow in order to meet up with the guys and watch Final Fantasy. Same bat time, same bat channel...'nite.
7/11/2001 04:04:44 AM
Tuesday, July 10, 2001
Just purchased my ticket for the flight home...it'll be a good wind down to summer.
Like I mentioned last night, I made a trip out to Grace Cathedral this afternoon for class. Like many other San Franciscans, I passed by the place many times...even stopped in awe more than once or twice...but holding lecture on those front steps, and being able to walk around the grounds at my leisure...it was really great. The whole class walked the labyrinth and learned the symbology of it, as well as the building itself...located on one of the original 7 sacred hills of San Francisco.
After the lecture and inside the church, it was a very peaceful walk through. I'm by no means religious, but I'd have to say the space exudes a certain serenity...the stained glass windows were so vibrant. Its rare indeed the amount of times I've stood in such a large enclosed space...I mean, think about it...sure there are larger buildings, but they're divided into floors with a 10 foot ceiling.
I was glad for the experience and the knowledge shared today. This class is really cool...I can tell my instructor is trying to impart not only the class lesson plan, but life experiences as well...comming from a guy who has been through a whole lot. I think its fantastic. Of course not everyone "gets it", or bothers to look deeper, but for those of us who do, its much appreciated.
Class tomorrow...not sure if the 'teach is gonna be there...he mentioned last friday that he may be out sick. Either way, I'd better get myself to bed. Take it easy.
7/10/2001 01:12:03 AM
Monday, July 09, 2001
2:49AM on the little clock in the corner of my screen here...Sunday night...lights are off, and I've just got some extremely chill Boyz 2 Men playing...just 2 guitars and 3 beautiful voices. Its been awhile, but after a few moments, its clear why I dig 'em so much...I kinda grew up on 'em....in fact, they're largely responsible for my fellow GBMers and I hanging out so much back in the day...heh...but to go into more detail I fear, would embarrass too many.=) Suffice to say to say, a story about 4 dudes in a minivan, outside a girl's apartment. Or howabout that one time....okay okay, I'll stop guys...heh.
The fourth was good...we all got together and Will and L's place...Tom and his gfriend were already there when I arrived and Jeff showed up later...the cookin' was already smellin' good. Whoever thought of BBQin' on the 4th should be commended...and whoever thought of BBQin' in general should be given a medal. A whole lot of steaks, sausages, and polish dogs...all marinated in different (experimental=) ways...good friends to kick it with...and a TV/couch setup to lounge about. I can definately think of worse ways to spend Independence Day.=)
My dad, brother, and cousin Tony stopped by on Saturday. It turns out they'd just come from a Sportsmart where my dad had bought my brother a camping lantern. They tinkered with it in the living room...and in the process, made the place smell like smoke=) I really get the feeling my dad has been havin' a ball since he's been living up here, and I'm really happy for him...he's got a great job that he likes, he's made alot of friends(my dad and bro both have this way of relating to people and making friends...while I was kinda the introvert for a good portion of my younger days=) up here...sometimes on weekends, he goes camping with my uncle and his kid(Tony)'s Boy Scout troupe...stays out late on weekdays, heh...y'kno, just enjoyin' life. Thats what its all about, now isn't it?
Things are lookin' up for my brother as well I think...he's temp working at another company where he gets along well with the people, and his coworkers think highly of him. Because of this, they've kept him on several weeks longer than they'd initially anticipated. I've already written about his cool place...funny housemates. Sometimes, they all take trips out to the water and go fishing after work, or on the weekends...not such a bad time.
Last night I was over at Will and L's place again(yeah, this place is like my second home=)...Hiroshi and Will's friend from Michigan were already there. At the Liquor store(because it was predetermined that we would get drunk this night..heh), we grabbed the goods, some chips and some liverwurst and crackers...yea, yeah...I hear ya already, *wtf?* Don't ask me how the idea came up...but it did...and we walked out of there with like half a pound of it.=)
We had initially planned to watch the entire Starwars trilogy...heh...but as we all know, talk is cheap...which translates to: We got through the first movie.=) By the end, one had gone to bed, and Hiroshi left for home. We decided to finish up the rest of the Cowboy Bebop series...mainly for my benifit, because everyone else had seen the whole thing multiple times. I've got to say that this anime series is easily one of the best I've ever seen. Its great...the style, design, writing, dub, voice acting, music....man, it is ALL great quality. Definately one of those "must owns" when money is easier to come by.=) I was half reluctant to finish up the last 5 of 26 episodes...kind of like I was reluctant to finish up those Sandman books. Its the feeling you get when you know something great is coming to an end.
Anyhoo...that was a recap of the last few days. I'd better get to bed if there's any hope of getting up tomorrow at a reasonable time. I've got to meet the class at Grace Cathedral. So, why don't you take care...we'll swap stories soon. G'nite.
