Capital!

I did this monster design awhile ago. The guy on the left is definitely based around Bloo from "Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends," though he's a monster and quite real. I also imagine he has a deeper, much less nails-on-a-chalkboard voice. I can't help but think the green guy is my favorite though. He just seems so classy with his top hat and monocle.

Figured I'd go ahead and post this this week, since it seemed to fit into the Illustration Friday category of "Eye Glasses" (Hey, there's an eye, and glasses. It works.). Oh, yeah, I'm trying to get back in the swing of IF. I'm basically just trying to draw and design things more. And write more. And do everything more.

We'll see how ALL of that goes, I suppose.

Minnesota

Despite the gorgeous temperatures here in sunny SoCal, I still can't help but occasionally be weather-sick. The variety in weather patterns is seriously lacking, and sometimes I can't help but want to be bundled up inside on a snowy morning.

It's weird to not really think of Minnesota as home anymore, but I don't. I don't necessarily consider SoCal home, in the nostalgic sense of the word, either. I feel like I have yet to find home. But last week, I was definitely feeling Minnesota-sick and a bit weather-sick, so, inspired by this Kickstarter campaign, I designed a Minnesota poster of my own, to celebrate the winter I miss from a distance of time and space.

The Philosophy of the Hipster

I do not identify as Hipster.

Sure, there are things I like that others most definitely would not. I enjoy folk music and listening to NPR and I hope to one day own a working typewriter. But I am not nearly fringe enough, cool enough, nor fashionable enough to be a hipster. I buy most of my clothes from Target, not an obscure vintage store. And I do not own anything with a mustache on it (and my husband doesn't count because a) he's usually just unshaven, not mustachioed and b) I don't own him).

But I do identify with the mindset.

I've added this picture of Hipster Sasquatch to make this more tumblr, pinterest, re-blogging friendly. Because if there's anything that hipsters love more than being obscure, it's telling people about it.

I grew up hearing that everyone was special and unique. Individuals were praised for their accomplishments and pushed to achieve. We felt satisfaction when we attained goals and truly believed we could do whatever we set our minds to, that we could be the best.

Then, we grew up and realized that there are 7 BILLION OTHER PEOPLE in the world. The odds that we were truly different were small. The odds that we were the best at anything even less.

So our culture adjusted and adapted. We started embracing the old, and turning it into something new. We take pride in liking something "you've probably never heard of" because we realized the value of something no one has ever heard of. We've all heard everything before. There is nothing new under the sun. Etc.

I fully understand this desire to be counter culture. Like the hippies before us, we are bucking the system any way we can. We are embracing the past while trying to find our place in the present. With unemployment rates high and the desire to be happy more than successful even higher, it's a tough spot to be in. How do we reconcile what we grew up hearing with reality and our goals? It's a complicated problem that seems to have a solution, but I feel like I can't quite figure out what that solution is.

So if you find yourself frustrated with all of the hipsters out there, please just understand that our generation is trying to find its place. Just like the aforementioned hippies, or the punk rockers, or the grunge, goths, and emos. We are just trying to figure out our place.

Just like everyone else.

Peeve

My biggest writing/reading pet peeve right now follows this form:

"Dear ___________," (optional, but standard)

[basic, simple, usually short introduction]

[extremely bold statement, typically of protest or disapproval]

[the exact phrase, or similar to] "Let me explain..."

I realize the intention is to catch the reader off guard, to say something outlandish and out of character such that the reader immediately takes notice, audibly gasps, and reads on with intense voracity (this is the only way I imagine the writer is anticipating his/her audience will react).

To me, it just seems gimmicky, unnecessary, and a little like spoon feeding.

If what you're saying is really that radical and bears an immediate explanation, such that the reader (typically NOT the person to whom the letter/Manifesto is addressed at the beginning, btw) is already hoping for said explanation and sees that this particular blog entry does not end with the simple yet bold statement but continues for, say, several more paragraphs, then you might not really need this particular form.

I'm not posting examples of this because the two blogs I've seen lately that I know follow this form are otherwise well written, and I do not want to detract from that.

But for all future generations of writers, if what you're saying really is that radical, you don't need this ploy. Let your opinions stand out on their own. You don't need to stoop to gimmicks. You don't need to resort to laziness. Be smart with your writing and people will take notice, without even being told to.

Reflection

Everyone is good at something and not other things.

Elementary, I realize. But necessary to consider.

Because one of the biggest problems I have right now is seeing something awesome, and then getting discouraged because I could never make THAT. It is so mind-blowingly awesome, after all. I mean, look at it, would you?

What I need to keep reminding myself of is, while I may not be able to make THAT (whatever awesome thing IT is), I can still make things. And they are mine. And I am good at making things that are mine. No one else can make things that are mine.

I simply cannot let myself get so caught up in the fact I cannot create THAT, that I do not create at all.

On Self-Indulgence

The first hot chocolate of the season. And in a delightfully oversized red mug! Perfection.

To continue the theme of self-indulgence, I watched the movie Annie Hall tonight, my first Woody Allen flick (as part of my attempt to watch AFI's Top 100 List...the one from 2007. As of tonight, I'm now at 28/100). 

I found the movie quite self-indulgent, and not just because I couldn't help myself. It seemed like the kind of movie anyone who has ever vaguely considered writing a script would write, in the way that he or she would most likely write about any little thing they found interesting, every funny line they've ever thought was even slightly entertaining, or every scenario they found influential or ironic in and about their own lives. And then came the scene in which Allen's character is writing a script about his life, which ends up almost identical to the previous scene, and I had to laugh. Touché, Mr. Allen. 

What really struck me about the film, however, was the fact that I ended up really liking it. It wasn't necessarily shocking; I am a sucker for quirky movies and Allen seems about as quirky as they come (or neurotic...whichever). But the movie actually struck a cord with me. I loved how there wasn't a "happy ending," but that there was resolution. I loved that there was an overall purpose, despite the Family Circus-like path it took to get there. I loved how life-like it was.

Watching a film like this, with an interesting story, a unique way of telling it, and an actual (gasp) point to the film made me wonder why I ever watch bad movies. When you've had delicious, fresh mild cheddar, you can't ever really go back to the store-brand, pre-packaged kind.

Well, you can, but you'll be disappointed.

Actual Conversation:

Me: Have you ever actually been to Minneapolis?

Coworker: No. But I've been to Des Moines.

Me: Yeah, that's...not the same thing at all.

Update! September Issue

One of the goals on my list has been on there for awhile, when I was first concocting the list. It was on the list before there even was a list. Anyone who knows me wouldn't be surprised to know that I want to work on a feature film, so putting it on the list was a natural step.

But between the time I started actually writing the list down and the version that is now posted, I got a job working on a feature film. That's not cheating, is it?

It's not exactly what I was expecting when I dreamed of working on a feature, but it could also be so much worse than it is. In fact, it's pretty great getting to assist a director. Yeah, there are times I have to do things I'm not too keen on, things that aren't exactly my cup of tea, but I also get to work in a creative environment on a film that gets me pretty excited. I also get work for a crazy director. I can say that because I'm in the same category of crazy as he is.

...so that's coming along.

I'm also halfway done with P90X. This thing is brutal - and so great. It comes with a diet guide, which is probably the biggest asset, in my opinion. You hear so many things about daily quantities of food you need to eat, but this actually gives you a somewhat specific guide, but also includes flexibility. The workouts suck, though. Like, drenched in sweat, can't walk up the steps hardcore sucks. "I hate it, but I love it." Oh, Tony.

In other news, it's Fall for every other part of the country, which means chilly weather, cups of cider, and gearing up for winter. For me, it means pretending it's chilly outside (and getting really excited when it's overcast, like today was), making sure to drink pumpkin spice lattes as often as possible, and getting excited about all the different fruits and vegetables that are showing up at the market again. Squash! Zucchini! Persimmon! Heirloom tomatoes! (Though it's probably more like "Heirloom tomatoes?" as I just bought one but don't really know what to do with it or if it's any good or not). I'm excited to create a few new tasty treats this fall.

I think "listing things" should be on there.

My friend Lauryn did something I have been thinking about doing for a long time and just simply haven't done. Not for lack of trying, or lack of content. I get busy, and other things get in the way (case in point, it's been probably 3 or 4 months since I first drafted this post). Perhaps I'm scared to commit to these things because, what if I fail? But I think the important thing to keep in mind is that you can succeed and you can fail, but you can't even do either of them if you don't even try.

Lauryn's list was 25 things to do before she turned 25, and now that that milestone has passed, 30 before 30. My list won't be as nicely formatted as Lauryn's, but you can find the complete list in the page entitled "29 x 29." Why 29? Because I like to be different. That's pretty much the reason.

I have recently again felt the rise of the need and desire for a list like this, which is why I'm posting this now, as the list is actually somewhat well underway. Shortly after writing the list some months ago, in a fit of discontentment, I decided to really start to try to make some headway, and started out with this one, which I will soon eventually successfully cross off:

And we're off!

(more to come)

A Third Helping of Oatmeal

I'm sure you're all sick of hearing about oatmeal by now, but I had to post at least one more.

You see, I bought a big bag of steel cut oats and it would be a travesty not to share it.

Steel cut oats are different than regular oats. Heartier. More textured. A richer flavor. I haven't yet mastered it, but this bag I bought is quite big, so I definitely have time to do such. Steel cut oats require patience in the making. You can't just pop them in the microwave for a few minutes and be good to go. There are several ways you can make them though. I tried the microwave method, which was to put them in the microwave covered for 5 minutes, stir, and then microwave another 5 minutes uncovered. If you do this method, don't make the same mistake I did. Please please please use a container big enough so it doesn't lava over the sides of the bowl and create a nice mess to clean up. You can also make them on the stove top, which takes about 30-40 minutes. But the method I will try next, for sure, is to pop them in the crock pot overnight! I'm so excited about the prospect of dumping the proper ingredients in the crock pot, going to bed, and waking up to a nice warm bowl of steel cut oatmeal. SO happening this weekend.

 1:4 ratio oats to water

Honey, flax seeds, coconut flakes, and blueberries. 

On the leftovers, I added some agave nectar. 

I can't seem to figure out the sweet without being too sweet yet.

The Great Bee Infestation of 2010

Picture Hitchcock's famous film "The Birds," but replace fake creatures of the aviary variety with disgustingly real, wiggly, hellish insects from the underworld. Now you have a pretty good idea of what my Sunday was like.

It started normally enough. My alarm went off, I hit snooze. Typical.

My roommate then knocked on my door, which is a bit unusual for ten to nine on a Sunday. She entered, and immediately closed the door behind her. Odd.

She proceeded to inform me that there were bees in our apartment, five of them to be exact. One in her room, one in the bathroom, and three in the kitchen. She was about to head out, but thought she couldn't leave without informing me of the bee issue. I am glad she did not, as now would be a good time to tell you about my ridiculously irrational (but, let's face it, at least somewhat rational) fear of bees.

Remember the show "Rescue 911" (I never realized it was hosted by William Shatner!)? I remember watching this show. I must have been 5 or 6 years old, based on the dates of the show. In one particular segment, a boy is having a picnic with his family. Unbeknownst to him, a bee flies into his pop can. When he takes a drink, he swallows said bee and his face blows up to twice its size. I believe he also went into some sort of anaphylactic shock. After a brief google search, it may have been that the bee stung him in the throat, causing his throat to swell shut. Traumatic, to say the least. I have been afraid of bees ever since.

There are other factors attributed to this fear of bees, but I believe that is when it started and it continues to this day.

So my roommate and I made an impromptu trip to the grocery store for whatever kind of bee killer we could get our hands on. Turns out they had only one kind. Decision made.

We returned to our bee infested apartment, poison in hand. First we tackled the bee in her room. The bees must have moved, as there were now two in the living room and only two in the kitchen. We sprayed them all until there wasn't any life left in their small yet terrifying bodies. She had killed a couple, and I had killed a couple. Now all we had to do was wait for my boyfriend to come over to clean up the bee carcasses.

I had gotten a bit of the bee spray on my hands, so I headed to the bathroom to wash them. I opened the door, flipped on the light and, immediately, four more bees swarmed up to the light. I was stunned. Two more followed them. A total of six bees swarmed by the light. I gracefully informed my roommate of this new discovery ("OH MY GOSH! THEY'RE EVERYWHERE!"). And they were, in fact, everywhere.

They were swarming by the lights, chilling on our towels, conspiring on our clock. It reminded me of some horrible cantina-type scene in a movie, all of them plotting our demise.

I went off. I don't remember much of the horrifying ordeal, other than those bees stood no chance against me and my spray. My roommate couldn't bring herself to kill any of them, not because of some PETA-like principles, but because, oddly, the dead bees freaked her out more than the live ones. So it was up to me, and I just wanted them dead. After it was all said and done, our bathroom was soaked, it smelled horrible, and we had dead bee bodies everywhere. By our final count, there had been 12-15 bees in our bathroom alone.

The boyfriend arrived and cleaned up the bees (swoon) and the roommate called the landlord while I shuddered in the corner, jumping at the site of anything that could have been a bee. They couldn't get an exterminator out until the next morning and, bees aside, it probably wasn't smart for us to stay in an apartment that had just had an excessive amount of bee poison sprayed around it. So we found places to spend the night and high-tailed it out of there. It was 12:00pm. 3 hours of dealing with bees.

We found out on Monday, after the exterminator came out, that they had been building a hive by our air conditioning unit and the bees were therefore coming in through our vents. It was a miracle they didn't get into my room. Darn right! I think God knew I couldn't handle there being bees in my room. Total and utter mental breakdown would have ensued.

Did I learn anything through this experience? Of course. I learned that I can kill bees if given a highly concentrated spray can of bee poison. I can (sort of) face my fears and deal with a terrifying situation if the need arises. And I learned that, if I never saw another bee again, it'd be too soon.

Oatmeal Part Deux

In my last post, I went into detail about how to not only use up neglected plain oatmeal packets, but also how to make a delicious, nutritious, and quite tasty breakfast meal quickly and cheaply. Lauryn made a great point about how buying the big containers of oatmeal save a ton of money. This isn't always the easiest method, of course, but that's why I combine both ease and money-saving habits. I buy the individual packets for use at work and then have the big container for use at home. Maybe I should start dividing up my oats into individual baggies to take with me to work? That seems like such a hassle. And what if we're out of honey or cream at work?! Tragedy.

Anyway, last Sunday I made oatmeal the old fashioned way (not the old OLD fashioned way of doing it over the stovetop or anything, just the oldish fashined way).

This oatmeal is completely different than the packet stuff. Well, maybe not completely as they're both made of quick rolled oats and heated up and stuff, but still. It tastes different. And because I love taking pictures of food, probably more than taking pictures of anything else, here is a photo-journey into making oatmeal.

1/4 cup of oats

This fits perfectly into my ramkin (that I got from Sur La Table, a store I aboslutely love)

I believe it's a 2:1 ratio, milk to oats. So this must be a 1/2 cup.

I use soy milk because it's what I grew up on. Don't knock it til you try it.

Mmmm. Delicious drowning oats.

Toppings! Toppings! Toppings!

I use a generous amount of cinnamon, to taste.

Voila!

I admit, this oatmeal could have been a tinge sweeter. I would probably add, as Lauryn suggested, the mathematically precise measurement of a "blob" of syrup or honey or something. I may also toy around with different types of toppings/mix-ins, like coconut flakes, chocolate chips, other dried or fresh fruits (blueberries! or raspberries! or both!), or maybe some nice cheese and spices for a savory breakfast.

My next experiement is going to be oatmeal with steel cut oats, as I just bought a 4 pound bag at Whole Foods yesterday. It will be interesting, as steel cut oats take much longer, but I'm up for the challenge.

Oatmeal for the modern man

I have just invented the best oatmeal ever.

The best part is, it can be made with regular kitchen/office supplies.

You know how, when you buy an assortment of oatmeal, the plain ones always get the shaft? Are there people that eat that stuff plain? Just...water and oatmeal? More power to 'em if there are, but I can't do that. I need a little flavor, a little depth to my oatmeal.

But at the same time, you don't want to just throw those packets away. It's perfectly good oatmeal! At the very least, you should make some cookies out of it or something. But now, with this recipe I just invented, you no longer have to wonder what to do with the sad, lonely, and neglected plain packets. And it's such an easy recipe, anyone can do it!

Ingredients:
One plain packet of oatmeal
One individual tub of honey
One individual-sized creamer (your choice of flavor)

Make oatmeal according to package directions (open packet, dump in bowl, add water and heat, or add already heated water).
Personal Note: I have used both methods and they both work equally well, in my opinion.

Add creamer.
Personal Note: I like vanilla or hazelnut flavored, but any flavor will do. Also, if they make other flavors, please let me know because I only know of the standard 4 (plain, vanilla, hazelnut, Irish cream) and other flavors definitely intrigue me.

Add honey to taste.
Personal Note: I added the whole tub this morning, which ended up being too sweet (even for me!), so maybe start with half the packet and then go from there.

See? It's that easy! As I said, this can be made easily at work (if your work provides you with cream and/or honey) or at home, though when I'm at home, I have a totally different method for making oatmeal. It involves milk and cinnamon and cranberries. I will have to post that one next.

And for all y'all that says that this isn't a real recipe because I don't go into details about how to raise bees for honey or cows for milk or grow my own oats, then I suggest you log off of your computer and mind your own bees/cows/oats.

Please direct your attention to the page at the top

As a filmmaker (which, by the way [warning: tangent], is one of those words that never really had an opportunity to be sexist, from the get-go. Like waiter or actor or whatever. Filmmaker is, from its core inception, a sexist-less word. Which clearly shows its superiority among professions), I feel it is my duty to society to watch as many films as possible. You know, get a nice, well-rounded education before I start gallivanting around irresponsibly making films. No one wants that.

So at the top, you will find a list of all the films I have seen this year. I'm going to try to update it as often as possible, I really am. It's already pretty updated, so success so far. I think there are one or two I haven't yet added, and I'm also in the process of working through some television shows (currently 30 Rock, Arrested Development, and The X-Files), which naturally takes time away from film watching. Feel free to add films to my "to-watch" list with suggestions, or comment on the mediocrity you find within my film choices, or whatever. Hey, I watch what I want. You gotta see how it's NOT done as much as how it is.

Late, but Better Than Never

Joy. 3.28-4.3

stick shift

getting off work early

Thai food

Movie night with Kelly

Target and Yogurtland

Talking to RV

Graham NOT selling Ruby

Gazanias

::Sigh::

Why can't we just live where we want to? Why can't we just do what we want to? Why do we constantly have to hone certain skills, just to be able to do something that requires a whole different skill-set? Why does our society, our world, have to be all about making enough money to live? Why can't we all just live?

There are times that I would feel totally content growing my own food, living on a sprawling piece of land that affords me space and quiet and time away.

And then I start to think about the reality of it all. What if one crop went bad and now I have to starve because I don't have enough food to get me through winter? As if that is my only concern about winter, what about freezing to death and no one knowing because I don't have a phone in my secluded place?

So I guess I will have to let what I describe in that second paragraph remain what it is: a place of escape, a place of dreaming, a place beyond reality, and a place of happy.

Internet etiquette

I'm not yet totally familiar with internet etiquette. I know not to steal other people's work. That's called plagiarizing, kids, and we learned that was bad in college. But what about when you find a recipe you really like and want to repost it? An article you think perfectly articulates your feelings on a subject? A comic strip you laughed so loud at that you almost got fired? These things need to be shared people! The world needs to know!

Links. They're a great way to add a little excitement to your blog. Sort of like Easter Eggs on DVDs, they are sometimes skillfully used to underscore a point, or as an easy way to just point people to the thing about which you are speaking. I believe this is the proper way of pointing people to those aforementioned things. Much less messy than simply posting the URL, or even the bit URL.

But what if you changed a couple things? Mostly (of course), I am relating this to reposting recipes. What if the changes weren't drastic, but enough to make a difference? (Which brings up another point, one about how you know when you've crossed that fine line of a recipe being someone else's that you simply tweaked and when it becomes your own, but I'll save that for another post.) What if enough things were kept the same so the recipe is recognizable but you can't link it exactly because you made changes? I'm just not sure the best way to go about it. I think you're supposed to ask permission in order to post someone else's recipe, even if tweaks were involved. I've seen both things on the blogs I follow. Some people post links, others post things like "adapted from" and then they provide a link to the original recipe, but also print the way they did it underneath.

And links, that's another thing. Can I link to anything around the internet I want? I don't do it in an offensive way (as in, if I said something was stupid and then linked a friend's page or something, inferring I thought they were stupid. That would be mean. And passive aggressive).

So, yeah, is there a handbook for all of this? There should be.

(you'll notice a lack of links in this post. I think I'm link-shy now.)

The phenomenon that is blogging

I recently started using Google Reader (GR). I had a routine before using GR, where I would literally just remember all of the blogs I liked and would check them on a regular (cough, daily) basis. They were mostly of the cooking variety. I think they all were, actually. I loved following those blogs. I got excited each day that my favorite ones updated (it was like Christmas!).

Google Reader opened up a whole new world for me. Not only did I no longer have to actually remember which blogs I followed, I didn't have to check them every single day in order to see when they were updated. GR does this FOR me. It made me feel awfully lazy, to some extent. I mean, come on, it's not like I had to exert that much effort to begin typing the name of a blog I like, since the address was stored in my cache (or whatever). But now I didn't even have to do that! (insert picture of lazy me, leaning back in my chair drinking a can of pop, eating from a large bag of potato chips, clicking at the mouse saying "all right! now I only have to enter ONE url." In a horribly offensive southern accent)

And it opened up a whole new world of following blogs as well. I started adding blogs left and right! I imagine that I went on the internet equivalent of what extremely rich people do.

Every. Time. They. Shop.

My proverbial cart overfloweth. I follow cooking blogs galore, but not just that anymore, oh no, I now follow blogs on writing, film, technology, photography, and news. I follow blogs of people I know and one of a person I don't (which totally makes me feel like a creeper but her posts are so good and heartwarming and it's like a big hug or something to read about her trials and life and everything. It's like a really sappy Halmark movie that you don't really want to like but, gosh darn it, you DO). I also check out what GR thinks I would like on a regular basis. It's not always right, but I usually find something that entertains me, and sometimes, oh those sweet sometimes, something to add to my plethora of reading materials.

I started writing my blog a while ago and I never quite understood how people did it. Seriously, I did not comprehend this whole blogging thing, even as recent as last week. I mean, updating on a regular basis? Keeping up with current events? Dredging up funny/heartwarming/interesting stories from the past? Making everything that comes out the first time you write it actually compelling, every single time? Yeah right, like that could happen. "But it MUST. Because it DOES," I thought. And then promptly concluded I could never be one of "those" writers.

See, I had gotten it into my head somehow that bloggers were all the new generation's Jack Kerouacs. They just wrote, stream of conscious, everyday. They didn't plan. They just wrote, all very flowy and hippy-like. Yep, every blog writer was a hippy in my head. Or, you know, something like that. Which is ridiculous. As I read more and more blogs, I began to surmise that, by golly, these people actually PLANNED what they were going to write, like an essay or a story or something.

That made a lot more sense.

It also gives me hope for my blog. Maybe, just maybe, I can actually get the hang of this blogging thing after all.

Heh.

Pictureless, but listed

Joy. 3.14-3.27

VFX Seminar

Indiana Jones Wii

Art

Flowers and their scent

More free lunch (and curry chicken salad to boot)

Late, but listed.

Joy. 3.8-3.13

1. My church's neighbor, Oscar.

2. Crossing things off my to-do list

3. Free lunch at Lunch

4. All but deserted beaches

5. Chill Pelicans

6. Hiking

7. Sandpipers and the way they run

8. My New Favorite Flower

9. Rock Climbing and Waterfalls