Castle quote. Much love for that show, especially 'cause it's Nathan Fillion.

Yeah, it's been a while since I've posted. I haven't really felt like it, but I might as well post sommat now 'cause I'm procrastinating for a few minutes.

I am currently recovering from H1N1 flu. Whee. I went to the doctor last friday and got some meds. I'm much better, but I'm still really tired. It'll be a while before I get my full strength back. I was really pissed about it because I couldn't perform with the rest of U Chorus yesterday. *sigh* First time I've ever missed a concert, but Dr. Jennings was really nice about it.

Anyway, things are pretty nuts right now. I have two sections of a paper due on friday and then even though I get a week off for Thanksgiving... Oh boy... It ain't going to be a break. Here's how the week's gonna play.

Saturday & Sunday - Work on Psych project.
Monday - A second oral surgery because the chain came off my tooth and it's not in the right spot, so we can't leave it alone. After the surgery, I'll be in a painkiller stupor.
Tuesday - Painkiller stupor.
Wednesday - Dentist appointment in the morning and orthodontist appointment in the afternoon. Luckily, the offices are in the same building and the appointments are really close to each other. If the pain is still bad I'll be back in the painkiller stupor that evening. --;;
Thursday - Thanksgiving. If I'm up to it, I'll be at the Turkey Day Game. However, I'll be going to our neighbor's house with my family for dinner. We're going to meet some more new people. Which is kind of yay and not so yay. One of our neighbor's colleagues is coming with his family and they're Japanese, which will be fun, but my mom wants me to try to converse with them. --;; She means well, but I'm not comfortable with it. I'm a self-conscious monkey. *shrug* Socialization. I needs it. --;;
Friday - I will not be in a food coma because I never gorge on Thanksgiving. However, it is back to work for me on my psych stuff.
Saturday - More work
Sunday - Return to Kirksville.

Also through out the week, I'll be doing the laundry I should've done a month ago. >> I know I have too many shirts when I can go an entire month without doing laundry (not counting socks, underwear, and towels).

I've started working on my baba's christmas present from last year again. I just have to finish up two corners and then the middle cross stitch thing. I feel bad that it's taken me so long, but I've had a lot going on. I've also been side-tracked from my Yu Yu Hakusho fanfic. >>;; New ideas for Fallen Angel (my FF7 fic). I don't mind bouncing between the two fics though. Keeps my brain fresh I suppose. I've done some character work on my webcomic as well. Creating descriptions and the markings. I'm making up my own element symbols.

Oh yeah, all hell breaks loose and chaos ensues after the break. =D

December 3rd - I have my practical final for Criminal Investigation. A week later we have to turn in a paper about our investigation. I dunno if we'll have a written final or not.
That same week, I have my power point presentation for Psych Research.

The week after, I have poster presentation for Psych Research and the final draft of our paper is due.

No idea when the mock trial for Criminal Law is gonna be. I just know it won't be during finals week because we're going to have a written final.

It's insane. I'm looking forward to the end of this semester. --;;

I don't know how to describe this semester. I'm hanging in enough that I'm doing really well in my classes, save for the tests in psych, but that's no surprise. I suck at tests. I'm stable enough that I don't need to go back to counseling at this time, but next semester I will definitely have to make time. I'm gonna be a basket case. However, I'm reluctant because I'll be leaving after next semester and I being uprooted from the counseling services here may be a bit much for me if I get invested again. My mom's already informed me that I'll probably have to leave Dr. Maxim's care once I graduate because she's technically a pediatrician in her field. That means a new person to talk to about my meds. yay. Then again... I had to do it before several years ago when we were switched to Maxim. *shrug*

*sigh* This is just the beginning of the changes that I'll face once next semester starts. I'll have graduation prep to do, a portfolio, etc. Then after graduation... Everything changes. It's gonna be nuts.

Meh, enough procrastinating. I gotta get back to work. I have a results section to write. I'll try to write entries more. I think I've felt a bit crazy at times because I just don't vent like I used to. Though sometimes... Writing in a blog like this just makes me feel more lonely. *shrug* I just have to remember why I started in the first place. I write for myself. Not others. Trying to write for anyone other than myself usually ends with writer's block because I'm so busy wondering what other people would think about what I wrote. Bah. It's so stupid.

*Grabs hammer* BEGONE EVIL WRITER'S BLOCK! RELEASE MY CREATIVITY! I WANNA WRITE AGAIN! *smashes a brick wall*

I feel better. =D

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates!
~Marty / Shin~

Sorta sommat I just said to myself. >>;;

Well... Last year nearly around this time... I reread all my old RKT stuff and chatted with Unknown, learning of Blade and Shuu's lives away from the internet. Now as I rewrite my Yu Yu Hakusho fanfic... I felt an urge to reread them again. I was able to analyze more things and be horrified by some of my behaviors. After rereading them last year... I realized that I inadvertently... I dunno if that's the right word... But in a way I fell in love with Blade. Now, after reading them with more knowledge in my head... I think it's more that I fell in love with her fictional character, Saikoro. I dunno... Either way... I fell in love with a personality. Part of it is the fact that Blade completely accepted me for who I am. Insanity and all.

Blade, Shuu, Shi, Sporky, Flare, Mel, and Hoshi. They all accepted me for who I was. I really could be myself with them. I was more real with them than I was with my high school friends. They helped me revive my muses and rekindle my passion for writing. I was living vicariously through Shin. I got so many things I wanted... Aside from all the trauma I put Shin through. ^^;; Still. The acceptance, friendships, and love I got from them... It felt more real than the Bnet days. We didn't talk a lot about our personal lives, but whenever it came up... It felt natural to open up to them. I never hesitated with them. I mean... It was Sporky that I opened up to when things were getting rocky with one of my closest high school friends...

I just wish I hadn't made Shin so uptight and had allowed her to be more affectionate... Less of a spaz. XD Then again, way back then I was a spaz. >> So moody was I.

Since I owe a lot to those ladies and they mean so much to me... I'm doing a tribute. I've gathered descriptions of characters and I'm going to draw them. I'm also going to make "photo" type pics that are like snapshots from the RPs. I'm already dedicating my Yu Yu Hakusho fics to them (and Kia and Lexi since they were such inspirations for me). I'm also going to dedicate any other written works to them that contain scenarios that I worked out with the RKT ladies.

It seems so silly to have people you've never met in real life to mean so much... but... I was so happy... Nothing brought me more joy than to get online and chat with these ladies, especially when we went on adventures. It was a place to vent and exercise my muses. A place where I could confront my issues safely. I just felt so safe talking to them. I don't quite know why, but I did.

And I miss that... I miss them so much... It does kinda hurt to think about it... But in the end, I'm just glad I was given the opportunity to meet all of them and be a part of their world for a little bit. Even if they never think of me again or even remember who I am... I'm still glad that I knew them. I loved them all. They let me be me. That Shin in the chats was merely based off of Shinzui of my fanfic. In all essence... She was me... and I've reminded myself that her era has ended. That's how I'm able to work on my Yu Yu Hakusho fic again after believing that it was just too painful to do so... Last year, I declared that I would never work on it again because I just couldn't stand dealing with the Shinzui character after RPing her in RKT, but now I know the difference. In RKT... That was Shin. That was me. She is different from my fanfic Shinzui. They share many things, but are still different.

Shin of RKT has been retired. Shinzui of Aoitsuki Yurai has been reborn. I have a new fire with that story, but I don't know if I'll use any villains I created in RKT. *Shrug* It depends on how I feel about it. I might use Hokori because I don't quite like the way things went with him. The Kenki Yokoshima story line might be reincarnated in a different writing project because I did like what I came up with for him, but it will have to change a lot... I want it to be separate from the story that was in RKT, especially since Blade and I were using that story line to develop Shin and Sai's relationship. *sigh* It still saddens me that their relationship never got completely off the ground, but that's how things go.

I will reread the chats again eventually... I didn't try to summarize them this time like I had intended. Meh. I just wanted to read them. I know that when I reread them again it will still depress me, but that just shows how important these people were to me and how much I miss them.

As for the rest of my life right now... Bleh. I've been kind of just going through the motions... I probably should return to the counseling center... I've definitely missed out on joining the group, but we'll just have to see. There is nothing bad about my life... No crises or anything... Things are just a bit... I dunno... Weird. Everything is new to me this semester, except Chorus. It's freaking me out a little I guess. I'm now terrified of my Crim Law class because Prof. Williams wants us to do opening statements in class and he said he's going to select people AT RANDOM. >< I hate talking in front of class like that. >> that's why I'm not going tomorrow... Along with the fact that I really need to get my part of the intro for the psych project paper done, which is something I'm clueless with because I've never really written an intro for this type of research paper.

I'm just kind of overwhelmed by my emotions and things. 'Course right now I can blame it on the fact that my uterus is reminding me that it's there and fertile. --;; However, I've kind of been up and down for the past few weeks. It doesn't help that I'll be going home a lot these next few weeks. I'm already kind of a mental case with my emotions... This isn't going to make it any better. I'm a little more isolated this year than last year... I miss hanging with Michelle and Holly. Every thing is so different...

This is why I need to graduate next semester. I need to get out of here and back to a place where I can establish a stable lifestyle. I can't do that up here and it's driving me batty. I continue to relapse each time a new semester starts. I don't really have anything that's stable... which is why I need to make something that is. Set aside an hour per day to do something that is the same from day to day. Hmm... Well, I need to do my sculpting. That's what I shall do. An hour each day, I will sculpt... --;; After this weekend because I don't even have my sculpey up here.

*sighs* Oh how I miss the simpler days... but life is just going to become more complicated as I get away from the familiar routines of college. I know it will eventually settle, but I'm gonna be a basket case till then.

God.... I know what I need right now... but I do not have such a person at this time. Yes. Person...

... Oddly enough... Just now... That line just broke the writer's block on Chapter 12 of Aoitsuki Yurai... Shinzui gets all emotional (just like I am right now) and I hated Kurama's comforting gesture in the first edition of the fanfic... It was just too... Bleh... I like what I have now. A simple, comforting embrace. Just being held, which is what I want right now. It's all I ever want when I'm feeling this depressed. No words. I just want to be held. Unfortunately, I do not have someone to do that. *shrug* For now, I hug my wolf plushie, Timber. It does kinda help. XD Wow... Now I'm laughing at myself. I was crying and all depressed before and now... Well, I'm amused.

Writing is my drug... I always feel better after writing. In a way it is a form of escapism, but it help keeps me sane. Besides, the reason I don't have a person to fulfill the need is because I have no interest in anyone anyway. XD *Shrug* That's just the way things are right now.

Man... I really do feel much better now. I'm pleased. Time for bed.

Oyasuminasai, minna-san.
~Marty / Shin~

I finally read the final volume of Fruits Basket. It was cute, funny, and it made me cry. It's also appropriate that I use a Furuba icon. =D

I've followed the manga for so long that it feels weird for it to be over. I really enjoyed it. =D Like Dragon Knights, it's a series I'll read over and over again.

Reading the final book of a series I've followed for years always makes me feel like I've grown up a bit. In a way I have. I'm very different from how I was when I first started reading the series. I understand more than I used to. The meaning behind things has changed, too. I think I relate the most with Kagura and Momiji, especially Momiji, in the end. I watch and sometimes act, but I'm the observer of human stories... and, for now, I also don't get a romantic ending. XD Instead, I get to watch others and wish them well.

It's weird that while I've been reading Fruits Basket and waiting for the ending... I've been growing up along with the characters. I think it's rather fitting that I've read the final volume during my last year of college. Everyone in the final volume is growing up and moving on. They're thinking of the future, which is what I've had to do lately. I've actually been scanning the classified ads whenever I'm in STL either for job opportunities or houses. Just to get an idea of what to expect when I do graduate and return home. As much as I hate the school system... it will be very strange to be part of the real world when I've been in student land for so many years.

However, I look forward to real world land. At least it'll be more stable than college life... I hope. --;; All I need is a steady job that pays a living wage and I'm good.

Well, that's it. School's going well and life is okay.

Time for food,

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates!
~Marty / Shin~

My comment to Christina as we watched the first couple episodes of Buffy. XD My entry title requires the use of the Dante icon. =D

That icon fic meme thing I got from Kia is still on hold. XD I'll have to find the entry again... >>;;

I have several things to post about in this entry, so I shall make LJ cuts.

( First - Academics )

( Second - Writings )

( Third - Bank Adventure )

... I might have to buy another craft table, too because my current one has become my TV's home. XD I like the set up, too.

Anyway, nothing else of interest has happened. Time to get back to writing. =D

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates!
~Marty / Shin~

Things are busy. *sigh* I'll eventually do that icon meme that I got from Kia. --;;

Right now I'm dog sitting for Lacey and her family. I don't think I've ever gotten up at 7am so many days in a row. It's kinda nice because after I take care of the dogs needs, I go out to Strattons and have breakfast and read more of The High King's Tomb by Kristen Britain. Still, I am starting to get tired. --;;

I also have a commission for a figurine of Sesshomaru and Rin (non-romantic interaction) for someone's birthday. It's rather neat, but I haven't started sculpting. I have everything I need and I'm spending all of tomorrow working on it at Lacey's house, so I can keep an eye on the dogs. It's not going to be as detailed as my other figurines, but it will still look nice.

Tomorrow... Well, today, I suppose. --;; It is past midnight. I have an orthodontist appointment. Yay. I also found out that I agreed to help my mom and dad at the office on Friday. *sigh* Luckily, they only work until noon on Fridays.

Oh yeah. I bought Dragon Quest IV while I was in Seattle.... It's addictive. --;;

I'm going to have a long sleep when this week is over. --;; It's great to earn money, but I think I'd rather have a solid job with a real schedule.... That doesn't require me to be up at 7am.

I've also been reading InuYasha because I never did finish reading it. I'm already on chapter 75.... There are 558 chapters.... This will take a while.

In addition to all this, I've still been slowly working on the rewriting of Aoitsuki Yurai. I'm a little stuck because I haven't been able to sit down and completely focus on it.

Also... I've discovered that I'm in an emotional slump. It's been hiding behind the excitement of writing, games, travel, and other stuff. I'm not sure how to describe it. I've just wanted to hide from the world lately. I am rather lonely because I haven't had contact with many people this summer. I feel a bit withdrawn. I think a full year of nothing but stress and delaying therapy until the second semester has taken its toll. I'm just so tired... In every aspect... But most of all... I'm tired of society. I'm tired of people...

How strange... I'm lonely... and yet I'm not sure I want to be around people. Thank you stupid trust issues and fear of people for making me be uncomfortable with being social. I am also convinced that once I have a good thing going with someone, whether it's friendship or something more, it will come to an end. Whoo... Abandonment issues. I just don't trust people to stick around. I've had people going in and out of my life for a long time. Some physically and some emotionally and mentally. There's a distance that can be placed between people that feels just as bad as that person being physically gone.

What can I say? I'm broken and scarred.... Well, and scared. It's easier to relapse than most people think. Besides, I've only been working on some of these issues for two and a half years or so... Possibly three. Some of my issues... I've never talked about with my counselor. Mostly because I know he won't always be there... Well, he can't. Once I graduate, I'm leaving Kirksville and that's where he works. I need someone more permanent to help me with the bigger demons.

*sigh* I'm tired. I should be asleep... I need it... But I've had so much trouble falling asleep... Regardless of how exhausted I am. All my dreams have been doing lately is torture me by showing me images of what I want but they are things that I seem to never truly obtain. However, I've come to understand why... I keep people at a distance... I'm unstable... Why would such a good thing happen to me when I'm not happy with myself?

The truth is... It won't. In the past 22 years... It's never happened. Most possibilities turned out to be mere illusions and lies. Let's face it... I've only ever fallen in love twice. First ended in intense hurt... and the second... Well, I pretty much screwed it up and now I question the honesty behind it... I think those two experiences have made me fear allowing myself to love. Even now I always try to suppress even the flicker of a crush and it usually works. I've always been the one who was in love or had a crush. The only two people who have ever told me they liked me to my face didn't really mean it.

*Shrug* I'm always writing romance... Living vicariously through my characters. I know the psychology behind it. I understand the mental and emotional components of romance... To a degree. I'm pretty good at writing the flowery words of romantic situations and feelings. I've read books, watched shows, and observed people. However, I can only speak of being in love. I do not understand the feeling of being loved by another. That is lost on me ever since my only experiences have been tainted by the lies and illusions of it all.

However, I listen to my friends talk about their boyfriends. I am jealous and yet... I think it's a beautiful thing. It mostly makes me smile and feel happy for them, but it does cause a bit of pain at the same time. I ignore it. Let 'em gush. It's always so cute.

... Hmm... I need to eat the food I brought up with me... then I need to sleep... I don't think I'll be getting much tonight, but that just means I will require caffeine... bleh.

I'm done. I needed to vent. I haven't vented on here in a while. At least not in this way... I think... *shrug* I lose track. I may repeat myself a lot, but it keeps me from doing something stupid. I know what I'm capable of and I'd prefer to avoid it.

Oyasuminasai, minna-san.
~Marty / Shin~

Yeah, that was me. XD That's how I felt on Sunday of the con. It was just pure insanity in the hallway, so I wanted a weapon if I went out there. That's one of the reasons I bought the wooden cutlass. XD

Okays. Time to update about what's been going on.

( First my Natsucon report. )

Also, I got a commission from someone I met at the con and I really hope I can do it. I just need to know how early in August they want the items... 'Cause I have a lot going on and if it's too early... I won't be able to do it.

I finally managed to write my behavior mod paper and I did my final today. I'm done with the class. Yay!

Sunday I leave for Seattle with my mom to help Mary and Pete pack for their move to Denver. I return the Thursday of that week.

The Friday after I return from Seattle I start my dog sitting job for Lacey's family. =D July 31st to August 8th. I get $30 a day. w00t! More money toward the printer/scanner/copier. Whatever is left over is going to be saved for my next big buy... Whatever that may be. I will have to get up at 7am to let the dogs out and feed them, but at least that'll make me get up and start my day. Perhaps this is what I needed to completely reset my schedule. XD

Then I head up to Kirksville on the 21st I believe.

I thought my summer was going to calm down after the convention, but it decided to add more adventures. XD

I'm still working on my Yu Yu Hakusho fanfic. I've rewritten five of the chapters and I'm working on Chapter 6 now. I really like how it's turning out now. I feel much better with rewrite. =D

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates!
~Marty / Shin~

*Watching Secondhand Lions and sees the skeet machine salesman*

Flying man! *puts arms up like Hiro does in Heroes* =D And he's making things fly.

Sorry, I get amused when I recognize actors.

I also recently found out that the person who plays Sabu in The Producers movie. ("Sabu. Champagne") is also the host of Groomer Has It. Jai Rodriguez. He was also Angel in Rent on Broadway for a time. =D

On a writing note: I've rewritten the first two chapters of Aoitsuki Yurai and I'm currently working on the third chapter. Things are completely changing in that chapter. =D It's fun.

That's all. XD I have nothing else to say.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates!
~Marty / Shin~

Ran stopped me. XD That was my reaction to all the Mary Sue type things I found in Aoitsuki Yurai. Namely the mood changing eye color and the overzealous, fanciful descriptions. *Shudder* Just thinking about them make me twitch. I'm turning this phrase and the image it brought to my head into a one panel comic. There's also a six panel comic that involves my reaction to the multiple times I made the shade Shinzui's eyes change according to her mood. It was painful to see those. XD

Yoinked from Kia-chan

Your result for Roleplayer Test!...

The Biographer

Plotful, Character-Oriented, Platonic

Take Roleplayer Test! at HelloQuizzy

I'm not surprised. XD I am very character oriented. I always say I want to tell their story.

I've reread all of Aoitsuki Yurai and I've made notes. I've decided what things must be changed and what I want to keep the same. All I have to do is start rewriting the chapters. The basic plot is the same, but I want to give it more flow. I hope to start the rewriting process by the end of this month. I'm actually looking forward to it. ^^ I should be happy with my story, but if I want to finish Shinzui's full story then I need to rewrite the first part of her saga. Some things just don't make sense and it's a rather jerky plot. All major plot points are staying, but they will be tweaked. I'm not happy with the fact that I had some of the canons act OOC and there were times where they were just sort of there. I want to get them more involved because they're supposed to be. I'm hoping to give everyone the attention they deserve. Even though I can't really surprise people who have read it, but I want to make some things more of a surprise for new readers. Though a few of the things in the fic aren't meant to be surprises. XD I want the reader to know already. I'm also removing any Japanese that isn't a name, nickname, or spell. They may be in Japan, but they're speaking English, so special stuff will be in Japanese. It's also more based of the Anime rather than the Manga. *shrug* I want to make the characters more believable.

Most of all... I'm getting rid of the god damned mood changing eyes that I gave Shinzui. Every time I read about the shade of blue in her eye changing in response to her mood.... *shudder* I cringed. The red and amber stuff is in response to Inu or a spell. Mood response... ew. *twitch* Also, Koumori is way too much of a spaz. --;; He is a lustful, psychotic bastard, but he's not really a spaz. *sigh* It makes me happy to be fixing the mistakes I made because I wanted to just write the story and get it up. I didn't think through everything. Now that I have and I've been able to flesh out some of the characters as well as their pasts... I want to write the story properly. I'm really excited about it. =D

Oh yeah... I'm going to tone down the swearing a bit. ^^;; I think I got overzealous with really harsh swearing near the end. I'm also going to control my urge to write long descriptions and... *sighs and points to Mamoru* You're a troublemaker!

Mamoru: But I'm dead in the story!
Me: You don't meld well enough in that chapter you're in! It doesn't make sense! A lot of things I wrote don't make sense now that I've finally established her history with Makai and Reikai!
Mamoru: And you're blaming me?
Me: ... Shut up. ><

I'm also going to remove sneak peeks, name meanings, and some other author's notes stuff that I just don't want to include anymore.

When I finished rereading Aoitsuki Yurai, I decided to wander around FF.Net, too. =D I think I'm going to reread some fanfics because it's just been so long since I've read them. I'm starting with Kia's. =D

I'm also going to post the first chapter of my Final Fantasy 9 fanfic because I'm completely satisfied with it. =D It's been so long since I've posted ANYTHING on FF.Net and I've missed it. I doubt anyone will actually read it, but I don't care anymore. I just want to tell stories and I plan to never lose sight of that again.

I've gotten some figurines done and I'm working on some more. I plan on being finished with anything involving sculpting and baking by Friday. All weekend will be about painting. =D

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates!
~Marty / Shin~

**Edit** For some reason LJ ate my paragraph about Billie Mays... I know I wrote one! I just don't know where it went... o.O;; Weird.

We went to the baseball game yesterday. It was awesome because the weather was fantastic and the Cardinals won. However, today my mom has food poisoning or something, so she's been really sick. I was already feeling sick because I haven't been getting enough sleep lately and my diet is whack. Hearing that my mother had been vomiting since midnight or so (it was around 7am when I found out) made things worse for me. I know MY nausea is all in my head and I'm just dehydrated. --;; Unfortunately, we got hot dogs from the same vendor, so who knows. I haven't had any problems other than nausea, so perhaps my stomach's just stronger than my mom's. Anyway, she has medicine to help now and she has some ice chips and if the medicine works she'll have some gatorade. I feel bad that there's not much else I can do except check on her every hour or so and get her water or gatorade or sommat. Still, at least this is making my mother take a day or two of rest. She's been pretty frantic the past few days for no reason. --;; I obviously inherited my ability to stress over things that are going to happen in the future from my mother. XD

So, I'm taking care of my mom and taking it easy so I myself don't get sick. Tonight I plan to make a scottie dog for Lisa. She had surgery on her gallbladder last friday. She's doing okay and seems to be recovering well. =D

I've given up on my carving clay plan because polymer clay doesn't carve as well as normal clay. It's too bendy. XD So, I'm going to just make whatever comes to mind and attempt a few small chibi versions of characters. I can't sculpt humans normally without using armature wire, so I might make ONE non-chibi figure. Maybe. So far I've made a sitting chocobo, an orca, and I'm almost done with a dragon.

Oh yes, I've noticed something that I find kinda weird. Okay. Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, and Ed McMahon. All died in the same week. I asked "Okay, who's next?" Next day, Billie Mays dies unexpectedly. There's also Fred Travalena. Again I ask the same question. Now there's Harve Presnell and Karl Malden. It seems like every time I watch the news I hear about someone famous dying. --;; I didn't know much about many of them except two.

Michael Jackson - I really do love his music. As a person, he wasn't the best, but his life was definitely not good for creating a person with a stable mental state. --;; He had a lot to deal with, but in all honesty, his death at 50 didn't surprise me. I couldn't see him living past 60. I don't know why, but I just didn't think he'd live a full life span.

Billie Mays - I was really saddened by his death because he had just started a new show on Discovery called Pitchmen. He and another famous pitchman auditioned people and their products and selected two for each episode. They helped them develop the product, but most of all, they created a pitch commercial for their products. Last month I finally saw a commercial for one of the products I saw on the show. It was cool. The show was kind of like American Inventor, but Pitchmen was more about getting the product out there. By the end of the show they product was either a hit or a miss. It was pretty cool and a good show for people who just needed help getting their item out there to the public. I have no idea what the show is going to do now.

I don't have anything else to post about except another set of meme words. =D

Reply to this entry with the word "words" and I will reply with five words which remind me of you. Then post to your journal describing what those words mean to you. I will be glad to take more word suggestions, if you'd like to add to the list.

sloreneapopgave me these words.

Manga: Ah. I've discussed my obsession with manga, my ambitions involving the idea of graphic novels, and what my interest in manga has lead to in my last entry. =D Still, I didn't mention that Manga was also the first thing I really fangirled over with someone else. Skip Beat is a good example. XD I saw many awesome cosplayers at Anime Iowa, but I went nuts when I saw the lone Kyoko cosplayer in her Love Me uniform. I stood up and shouted: "Kyoko! Skip Beat!" She came over and we just went crazy. XD

House:Two things come to mind. The show with Hugh Laurie and the house in kirksville. I've already talked about about the house in kirksville and the she-devil, so I won't discuss that. The show. House. Hugh Laurie. *sigh* I love it. I haven't seen the fifth season yet, but I'm looking forward to whenever it comes out on DVD. A lot of people don't like the show because House is mostly being an ass just for the sake of being an ass. For some reason that doesn't bother me. I guess it's because he really appeals to the part of me that doesn't like people and the part of me that wants to act like that, too. I also just like the way the show is done. It has drama, but the majority of the episode revolves around the medicine! NOT the drama! I love it. =D Also, I find the character of House interesting from a psychological stand point. Most people don't get that humans in general are very uncomfortable being vulnerable in front other people and House especially because of how his father was! He's already forced into a vulnerable position because of his physical disability, so why the hell would he let himself be emotionally vulnerable? *Shrug* I understand why his character acts the way he does. He enjoys being an ass, but there's a lot more to it than just that. Yes, there are times where I want to slap him upside the head, but all in all, I really like him. I did not like how the last season turned out because I want Wilson to be happy. I don't like seeing him so depressed. ...Yeah, I like Wilson, too. =D I heard that there were some bumps in the most recent season that didn't make much sense (I already had an important thing ruined for me. grr *shakes fist at person responsible*) and the police guy thing in the third season was a bit of a stretch at times, but I still like it. I think the only way I'll stop liking it is if it loses the focus on the medical aspect and becomes another medical drama like ER or Grey's Anatomy. ER was good in it's early seasons, but now it's ridiculous. I think it's finally ending. To sum it up. I am a House fangirl. =D

Seattle: Ah, Seattle. One of my favorite cities. I'd live there if it wasn't so expensive and far away from STL. I love visiting Seattle though. =D The salmon. *drools* >>;; There's just so much to do in Seattle and there are so many beautiful views! I adore Washington in general, but Seattle is my favorite city in the state. Most people hate the Seattle weather, but I love it! I love rain. Unfortunately, my sister and her husband are moving to Denver for another series of education for Mary (I think she has a good chance at getting a job once she graduates from this college). However, I do get to have one last visit there because my mom and I are going to help Mary and Pete pack up their apartment. We'll still go up there to visit my cousins and their families, but I don't think we'll visit them as often as we visit Mary and Pete. >>;; Seattle would probably be my top city if I liked coffee because it's like the Mecca for coffee lovers, but there are still places I haven't been in this country, so no one has that spot right now. XD Still, I love Seattle and I can't wait to go back. XD I gotta have salmon sushi in Seattle.

Pasta: PASTA! XD Pasta is my staple food. I always have pasta somewhere in the pantry. It's so easy to make and all I need is some sharp cheddar cheese and some salt to make it tasty. It even beats out rice, which I've been trying to make my staple food for years. XD I really like thin noodles. Angel Hair and the Chinese noodles that I find at Straubs. I think in the past year I ate a pasta meal at least once a day. o.O;; I just like noodles. Pasta still has yet to beat my favorite food which is beef fried rice, but I've found some pasta meals that have come pretty close. When I was a kid I was so picky about my food. I would only order angel hair pasta with the sauce on the side at any italian restaurant and I was sad whenever I found out that a particular restaurant had stopped using angel hair. Like Italy from Hetalia, I'm crazy for pasta. XD It's just a simple and tasty food.

Psychology: My major and something I seem to be good at... Except for research articles. XD The behavior portion of psychology is where my strength is. I selected psychology as a major because I knew it was the only thing I could stick with through out college with only one speed bump. That's my Psychological Research class. I'm not good with the real research stuff. I can find connections and create theories, but when it comes to actually trying to make an experiment, record results, and write articles... Uh... No. Not very good at it. XD My writing is more inclined toward an english major paper, not the scientific type of paper. XD However, I am fascinated by the way people behave. The how and why of it and trying to figure out how to help people. It's also kind of fun to know how to properly influence people and manipulate them, but I save that for my stories. XD Yeah! Psychology has been a huge help with my writing! My character development and writing would still be pretty flat if I hadn't taken all the psych courses! I've been able to create more depth and learn how to keep character behavior consistent and make the development smooth. Also my character developments can make more sense now. XD Psychology has a huge influence on my writing because I want people to understand my characters and care about them... or hate them if they're a villain. I want people to be able to relate to my characters and what better way to do that than to make the characters seem more real through the use of my psychology knowledge. =D I've started to figure out new personality types, create back stories that make sense for a character, explain behavior, etc. I love psychology and it's really changed a lot for me. It's helped me open my eyes to my own problems and figure out how to deal with them. I've also been able to offer more help to people because I'm able to understand things better and I can really hone in on underlying problems, too.

I've been working on this and other things over the course of a few hours, so now I am feeling better. My mother is improving with the medicine. She's been able to drink some gatorade and she's eating saltines right now. I'm going to check on her in a few minutes though.

Yes... I'm actually watching American Idol... I'm not a big fan of the show, but they're doing a Michael Jackson tribute, so I'm watching it. A lot of people are shocked when I say that I hate American Idol and I've had some people berate me for such a declaration. XD I can't help it. Yes, there are some great singers, but I just find the show so boring! The winner sorta gets cheated anyway because they can't change their contract. The runner-ups usually get a better deal than the winner. XD I also don't really like the judges. I want to see a voice teacher in there! Like Dancing the Stars! They have ballroom dancing experts! American Idol is more about marketing appeal than actual talent... Yeah talented people usually win, but still. Bleh. Even Dancing with the Stars has lost its appeal because they let the people decide who goes. I like seeing the experts decide who's the best because they know what the hell they're talking about.

That's why I like The Next Food Network Star and Groomer Has It. The judges decide who goes home NOT the audience. The Last Comic Standing is the exception. Why? Because I don't mind seeing people make an ass of themselves while attempting comedy. XD Plus, Comedy has a wide range of appeal while singing is a bit narrow because of style. Also, I've noticed that the American public is a pretty damn good judge when it comes to comedy. Also, it's really hard to judge expertise with comedy. Comedy is purely about audience appeal. In fact it depends on audience appeal. Singing... Hmm... Yes, audience appeal, but it's a bit more limited than comedy. Also, in the first two I mentioned and Last Comic Standing... The people live together! You get to see them interact together, which is so much fun! I also liked Greatest American Dog. =D

Also... I guess American Idol just bores me to death. Music yay... Watching people compete musically... Boring. I'm weird. I think another thing that bothers me is the way the judges seem to enjoy stomping on people's dreams and ambitions in such a... I dunno... Pompous way. At least the judges in the other things I watch are at least encouraging even if they are rather harsh at times. *shrug*

Now my mother is downstairs (She's feeling better) and we're watching Saving Grace. I love this show. =D

'Kay. I'm done now. XD Time to wander around and collect more words. ... I just have too much fun with the word meme.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates!
~Marty / Shin~

Nothing much going on. I finished my second test for Behavior Mod and I'm working on my project proposal. I've also started working on art projects. Yay! Finally! XD

So instead of some entry about current events, I present a meme to you. =D

Reply to this entry with the word "words" and I will reply with five words which remind me of you. Then post to your journal describing what those words mean to you.

And if you want to give me some more words, I don't mind. =D These types of memes are fun.

These words were given by axiem

Anime: Oh man. This means a lot to me. A lot of things happened because of my interest in Anime. I expanded to Sailor Moon & Anime on Bravenet, the RKT & DHS forums, the RKT chatroom, and my interest in writing was revitalized by fanfiction. I had some friends who were not very kind about my Guardians story and I lost my will to fight writer's block for over a year. One of them even ridiculed my first Sailor Moon fanfic in a very unkind way. Also, Anime really strengthened my friendship with Lacey in middle school. "OMG you like Sailor Moon?!" "OMG So do I!" XD We'd trade notes, asking each other about the episodes and we made up our own sailor scouts, made up languages and stories, and just had loads of fun with it. I still have the notes. XD
Also... Because of anime I met a lot of people who meant a lot and STILL mean a lot to me regardless of my lack of contact with them.
- Becca/Des - One of my best friends in Bnet. She also helped me with my writing a lot. Great editor. She was a bit cruel at times, but I think there was some tension between us that I was unaware of. That was revealed later. >>;; Still. We shared a bond of friendship that I miss, but I think we've both moved on. I hope life is treating her wonderfully.
- Asura/Don - The only one out of my many failed online relationships that counted. Even now it's kind of tainted, but he's the first guy who I ever fell in love with who actually reciprocated my feelings. In fact, I think he's the only guy who has ever told me that he loved me and really meant it. Perhaps things might've worked out for the better if I hadn't been such a dumbass, but at the same time the distance was a big strain on our relationship. *shrug* Still holds a special place in my heart. PLUS he is a freakin' awesome writer. =D I hope things are going well for him and that he finds someone who makes him happy.
- Kia - It's because of Anime that I wrote fanfiction and it's because of fanfiction... Namely Yu Yu Hakusho fanfiction. That I met Kia. =D Or as I prefer to call her, Kia-chan. I love her writing and she gave me great feedback on my own. We're still good friends over LJ. I try to stay in contact through the comments. Kia was also the one who introduced me to RKT. I have her to thank for the opportunity to meet the ladies: Blade, Shi, Shuu, and Sporky.
- Lexi-chan - Similar with Kia. Yu Yu Hakusho and fanfiction. =D I adore her writing, too. We're friends via facebook now. We don't talk much, but it's nice to see how she's doing.
- Blade - One of the best... No. Correction. She is THE best person I have ever RPed with. Hell, she's the ONLY person I'd ever consider co-writing a story with. =D Also, I think I inadvertently fell in love with her through one of her male characters. We really connected when it came to writing. I wish we hadn't lost touch. She's married now to a wonderful woman and they have a daughter. From the sounds of it she's really happy. I hope her life continues to be full of good fortune and happiness.
- Shi - This girl was an odd one, but she was lots of fun. I really enjoyed RPing with her. She certainly wasn't afraid to play the pervert. XD I think she's mostly responsible for the awakening of my own inner pervert. I adore her. Again, we lost touch after I went to college. I hope things are going well for her.
- Shuu - Another girl that I really enjoyed RPing with. We were both drama queens, so it clashed sometimes, but when I was feeling particularly dramatic she was so much fun to RP with. Some of our stuff is completely ridiculous, but it was awesome. We've also lost touch. I hear she's in college now and doing well.
- Sporky - Wonderful RPer. Wow. I was in awe every time she RPed. She also joined Paleo Argentum (the sailor moon RP I did for a while). We really played off each other very well. Especially when our characters don't get along. XD It was hilarious. Again, I lost contact with her when I went to college. I hope she's doing well.
-- I'm pretty sure I would've stayed sane during my sophomore year of college if I had continued to RP with these ladies. I was crushed when I talked to Unknown a few months ago only to find out that none of them were around anymore and Blade has completely cut herself off from all the old internet hangouts. I miss them, but that makes the times I had with them all the more precious--
Anyway. Back to Anime. Yeah. It caused a chain of many events that have taught me so many things and begun new things for me. Anime Club. Wow. I've never been so open with people until I really became friends with people there. I feel comfortable around them and I wish I had been more social my freshmen year, but at least I got to get to know some of the older members before they graduated. It was awesome. Some of my favorite times in club were definitely our visits to Country Kitchen. Those were awesome. Now because of Anime Club, I've been reintroduced to anime conventions and have learned how fun Artist Alley is. So much has spawned from my love of Anime. I don't think I'll ever give it up. XD

Dogs: Oh jeez. Did you have to choose another word that means a lot to me, Keith? XD Animals in general are a passion of mine, but dogs are the number one. I mean wolves and foxes are my favorite animals, but dogs hold one of my dreams. I mean. I want to get certified in dog training, I want to learn how to groom dogs, and one of my dreams is to have a center for stray and abandoned animals. I love dogs. I want to devote so much time to them. I go gaga for them. I am crazy for dogs. I really am. I just see a dog and I instantly smile. I have a better repertoire with dogs than I do with people. Hell, I like dogs more than people. With dogs I almost instinctively know what to do when they're around and I can read their behavior quite easily once I understand it. =D They make me happy and I want to have a career with them... That doesn't involve becoming a vet. What I really want to do is train dogs or groom them. Do something with them so they can be happy and comfortable. I'd love to be an animal cop, but there are some things they have to do that I know I could never do. I'm really big on animal rights... To a degree. Not to the degree of PETA, but I get pretty damn pissed when I see animals mistreated. Like that damned handler leaving 8 dogs in a van because she was too tired to put them in their kennels in the freakin' GARAGE! WTF! 7 of them died. RAWR. Yeah. That got my blood boiling. I get really passionate about animals that are pets because I believe when you buy a pet, you are also signing an unwritten contract to take care of them and treat them with kindness. Animal abuse pisses me off. Anyway, yeah, I love dogs. =D

Hoodie: Well, I did wear hoodies a lot... Still do. XD For the longest time I refused to wear pullover hoodies because they were such a pain to take on and off, but they've become part of my wardrobe. In fact, I have a master plan with hoodies to sell at cons. I have to work my way up from a basic form, but I have a unique idea for some designs. =D I also draw hoodies a lot because they're so easy to draw on people. XD I believe something I like about hoodies is that I can hide. I can hide my torso and my face. My body type becomes muddled and if I have the hood up and head down, people can't see my face very well. I still like being able to hide. Also, they're damn comfy when there's a cold wind. XD I learned the true value of my hoodies this past year as I walked to and from the house in the colder weather.

Fiction: The genre I read the most and the genre I write the most. Dear lord I LOVE writing fiction. It's so much fun making up my own stuff. I also love reading fiction because it takes me away from the real world and lets me go through something new and different. Most of the stuff I read and write is more along the lines of fantasy, but that's essentially a type of fiction anyway. I have so much freedom when I write fiction. Maybe too much sometimes, but I enjoy it so much. =D Playing with stuff that is outside reality is great and reading things like that is my way of escaping when I need a break. I get energy from reading fabulous fiction. =D I also just like fabricating stories to entertain people. =D I connected with Lacey through fiction. Harry Potter and Anne McCaffrey's books. It's because of the Anne McCaffrey books that I went to my first convention. Dragon Con. The author herself was going to be there, so Lacey, Lacey's mom, Sara (the Japanese exchange student staying with Lacey, and I trekked down to Atlanta, GA to attend. I got to meet her. The first time I've ever met an author of my favorite books. First time I've ever gotten an autograph from an idol in person. =D Such a delightful woman at that! Oh yeah, Harry Potter is the reason I got connected to Bnet in the first place. >>
- However, there is much sadness for me right now... One of my absolute favorite authors, David Eddings... He passed away earlier this month. I had no idea that his wife, Leigh, had already passed away two years prior. Now he's gone, too. It's only now that I've really gotten to think about it and realize how much it saddens me... I believe I've been avoiding thinking about it... Polgara is one of my favorite books. It's in my top five. Possibly my top three (I've read a lot of books, so it's hard to pick). He was a fabulous story teller. I'm glad he finished his final series before he died, but still... I had hoped to meet him one day. I really wanted to talk to him about writing and get his autograph. His fantasy world was so well created and his writing just had... This spark. Hell, I wrote my junior analysis paper on his books in high school! All the components of his stories were so well executed. He's definitely one of my idols when it comes to writing.

Manga: The importance of manga is rather separate from Anime. Through Anime I met a lot of people, but through manga... I shared a lot with my best friends in high school. We didn't watch a lot of Anime, but we read a lot of of manga. Our favorite place to go was the bookstore so we could see what's come out and read stuff. We'd exchange and share manga all the time. God, those were wonderful days... It's amazing that the best year of high school for me was sophomore year because I had such a tight knit group of friends and yet sophomore year of college was absolute hell for me. Still, manga has always been something that brings me together with people. I think I relate to people more when we talk about manga rather than talking about Anime. Writing plays a bigger role in manga than it does in Anime. >>;; Also, I've come to realize that manga is a type of medium that I really want to use for storytelling. I want people to see what I see. I doubt my art style will ever be as beautiful as some mangas, but it'll contain some manga influence. XD My stuff will NOT be manga though. I'd rather not have to debate with idiots. Anyway, manga is something I will probably never stop collecting. I love it too much.

god, Keith. You picked some really nostalgia inducing words. Damn you. XD That's okay, I needed to reevaluate a few things in my life. Put a few things in a new perspective.

It's almost ironic that I ended up thinking about all the people I got involved with through Yu Yu Hakusho because I've been revamping my fanfics. Aoitsuki Yurai and Kuraikako. I might want to play with the titles a bit to make them proper. XD Still. *Sigh* It's difficult to work on these again... Shinzui became a part of me when I RPed her in RKT. However, I have to remind myself... I became Shin, who is rather different from the Shinzui in my fanfics. Shin is a mix of me, Shinzui, and Inu. Mostly me. I lived vicariously through her. Her time has ended and she must be laid to rest. Shinzui Ookami of my fanfics has not had her stories told though, so she won't be quiet. I want to tell them properly. She's a really important character to me, even if she's only an original character for fanfiction. I grew through my RPing of her, so I want to finish her stories. I want to give her the happy ending she deserves. Even if I never go through four stories like I planned... I want to get through the two so her initial story is told and then her forgotten past is revealed. The third story is for Inu and then the fourth and final one is meant to bring everything to a close. I think if I ever get inspiration for those I'll write them, but the first two are the most important.

I just have to get myself to focus on one story at a time. XD Perhaps just have one fanfic to work on and one original. My webcomic is the original that gets attention and I think Aoitsuki Yurai will end up being the fanfic I select. Hell, it's already done... I just want to rewrite it. Some of the crap in it makes me twitch, but I have to remember that it's allowed to be corny because I'm using references from the YYH Anime and that anime was damn corny. XD Especially when dubbed. The biggest thing I want to work on are all the relationships and the psychology of my characters.

Having so many ideas and writing so much really makes me happy... Even though I haven't had much contact with people this summer... I think this has been one of the few times where my frequency of happiness has been high. I've gotten to write a lot and I've been reading a lot. I wanted to get way more art projects done by now, but at least I've started on them. Yay. XD My main goal is to get at least a couple character figures, keychains, and the Garnet pendants done. If I at least get a bunch of keychains done then things will be better. XD A lot of people wanted keychains.

Well, I really need to go to bed now. My sleep schedule's been way outta whack. I admit that I probably am a bit depressed, but the lack of social contact with anyone other than my parents is probably to blame. --;; But I just haven't had time for people. I've been really busy. *shrug*

Oh yeah! I saw Up the other day. I love it! =D It's so adorable and it has a great message. I want to see it again. XD

So addicted to Paramore. XD

*sigh* I just can't stop babbling. A lot has been happening in my head lately. Rereading old writings that mean so much to me did that. XD Plus I've been having a lot of plot point ideas for my webcomic lately. Yay! I plan on trying to keep things a little simpler than usual. Less symbolism and less complexities. I love complex characters and stories, but the general masses do not. XD I'm workin' on it. I need to start on descriptions and concept sketches. I have decided that I really want the format to be more full page style rather than fixed panels, but I might have to start with fixed panels for now. It would be eight in two vertical columns (mostly because that's how the comic layout sheets I bought work). Plus it's easier to transition the two vertical columns into what I call the full page format. To me a full page format is like what you'd see in manga and most American comic books.

I admit that I am really serious about this. I want to make it. Even if I only get to do the one major story arc. I want to do it. I want to tell this story and show that I can make a webcomic AND complete it. =D Who knows, people might actually like it. *shrug*

Okay, now I really must go to bed. XD

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates!
~Marty / Shin~

And it's in a fangirling capacity. =D It's just pure happiness.

As I bang out my book paper for my History of Psych paper, I'm realizing that I was going about it all wrong until now. I was so focused on trying to include a bunch of crap from the book, that I didn't think about the fact that Hatala wants to know more about what WE got from the book. How it affected us and what we gained from it. I've been blocked on the paper up until now and I am overjoyed to be able to write my opinions on the book.

I adore Viktor Frankl. His book and his logotherapy theory, which is fascinating. Just now I realized that it reminded me of the reframing thing I read in my JINS course! I became ecstatic after making that connection because I loved that book excerpt. It was one of my favorite reads in that class. It had such an impact on me and has helped me become more positive about things that happen to me. I might bitch and whine about things and struggle through experiences, but I've been working hard to reframe them into positive things. Like my experience with the she-devil. It might be a stressful experience, but it's something to learn from and I'm so lucky to be learning it while I'm a student rather than when I'm stuck out in the real world with a job in the mix.

Now Frankl's strategy to find meaning in things and in the future is going to help me motivate myself. It's a different way to find goals for myself.

I'm just... I dunno... Excited about it. XD

To find something that has this affect on me that is nonfiction and pertains to my major is wonderful. To find something that I could become passionate about. I really believe in logotherapy. People are more motivated when they find meaning in their life. They have more strength and passion. It's fantastic.

I've been so depressed for the past few days because I haven't been able to write this damn paper and I can't start on any art projects until this course is finished, but now I feel so much better. I needed to write this paper. I needed to express these opinions. I needed to learn more about myself. To discover this passion that I never thought about before. It's great.

Hell, I barely had a page two hours ago and now I'm almost at 4. =D I just gotta get to five and make it insightful and meaningful... I really missed writing papers like this. I've been writing so many scientific type papers in my major that it's really tired me out. It's like when I wrote about Mookie being my hero. =D It felt so good and exciting to discover that about myself.

It's hard to describe why these things make me so happy that I cry. It's finding something in me that's specific and real. Something I'd commit to. Slowly I'm rediscovering the real me that I buried under masks, acts, roles, and lies so long ago. The things that are deep in my core that I walled off and hid to protect it. I'm still not whole, but I've just regained a piece of myself that I thought I had lost.

That's why it makes me cry out of pure happiness because I'm so tired of the fake mes, but it's so hard to break away from them because I still crave that protection. I crave it because I don't trust anyone else to provide such protection. Deep down I am in such a fragile and vulnerable state that I fear letting go of that protection. I don't break down the wall because I don't want anyone else to see such weaknesses. Rarely has my vulnerability been met with kindness. Most of the time I just gained new wounds. In all honesty, the image of my core right now is scarred, bandaged, and broken. She is weak and frightened by the outside world, especially of the people in it. This is why I still have so many masks I put on. To protect her. However, like I said, slowly there is some restoration and healing. As I learn of her strengths... My strengths. I start to realize what I am capable of... In a good way.

Someday, I'll be able to no longer separate the real me from what I am right now. I'll be whole and I'll break down that wall. I know I will. I have faith in that. One of the big catalysts will be finding someone I'm willing to trust with my vulnerable side. It doesn't matter whether they are a romantic partner or just a close friend. Either one will work.

I'm just going to bask in my happiness right now. =D

On a completely different note, I am addicted to Paramore. =D I like her music. Crushcrushcrush and Miracle are some of my faves. Her songs are mostly about love. Some are happy and some are sad, but all of them have so much passion behind them. That's why I like 'em so much.

Now to complete my paper and complete my course. =D It's been more enjoyable than I thought it would be.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates!
~Marty / Shin~

Also the day that I procrastinated on purpose. I was tired and didn't feel like posting last night.

Packed up and checked out of the hotel a bit before 11am. We drove up to a large park area with Mary and Pete, but it was packed with people, so we decided to drive up to the Flat Irons instead. It was awesome. Very few people were up there and it was quiet. Took a lot of pictures. We went up further and hiked a little bit. I got a picture of a Western Tananger. =D I've never seen one before.

Once we got back to the cars we said our goodbyes to Mary and Pete, but we still caravanned to the airport because Pete was heading back to Seattle at 3pm. Went through all the typical airport stuff and eventually got on the plane. We had Lance the Ocelot as our mascot. =D I like Frontier and their animals. Ironically their TV services do not include Animal Planet. XD

So it started pouring rain as the plane was boarded. We were already seated by the time it started. I saw some lightning and we ended up sitting for a while. We slowly taxied to where we were going to take off. Dad and I spotted a Prairie Falcon hovering in the winds. The rain stopped eventually, but there were circles of storms around the airport. We took off and went through quite a bit of turbulance. However... about 30 minutes or so into the flight we hit the worst. The plane hit an air pocket or something, but it fell. Oh yeah. Our plane fell. Obviously we recovered and go home fine, but holy hell it was scary! I got really freaked out by turbulance after that.

When my dad and I went to the Czech Republic with the band in high school we hit some bad turbulance like that where the plane fell, but it was only a little bit. It fell just long enough to get the basic sensation, but the plane recovered very quickly. The fall during our flight back from Denver was long enough to get the full feeling of free fall. That's why it was so scary. It wasn't just a big bump of turbulance it was a drop. We continued to hit bad turbulance a bit longer, but we got out of there.

The Frontier crew was fabulous again. One of the flight attendants was a drill sergeant with the suitcases and made sure to get every piece of trash from the seats. She was awesome and really kept the situation calm during the really bad part of the turbulance.

Needless to say... I'm glad to be home. However, flying is probably going to be a bit more nerve wracking for me now. *sigh* --;;

I finally got the internet and phone cancelled. w00t.

I have a lot to get done this week. I have assignments in both classes and my oral surgery. yay. --;;; I'm working on quizzes today. Next week is all about getting my paper done. I'm also going to start getting to work on my art projects.

Well, time to get to work.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates!
~Marty / Shin~

The day of my daughter's wedding... Wait... wrong term. My cousin. XD No free favors for anyone.

Yep. Today was Carolyn and Ethan's wedding. It was fun.

After breakfast we wandered around the Farmer's Market and it was so awesome because we went to the one market of the month that the artists attend! So there was food and lots of fun art stuff. I bought two shirts and a really nice pen. =D It was so much fun chatting with all the artists.

The group split up to do their things. My dad, John, and Pete went to the campus to wander around (I decided I didn't want to go when I found out they were probably going to walk about 4 miles or so >>;; ). My mom, Baba, and Granpa went out for lunch. My sister and I were going to go have sushi for lunch, but we discovered that it was only open for lunch on the weekdays. Oh well, we decided to have a sushi outting another time. =D Instead we ate at another place I really wanted to try. The crepe place! I haven't had a real crepe since I was in high school! I had a pizza crepe. It was delicious! I really wish we had a place like that in webster. I'm planning to run in there tomorrow before we leave and buy a sweet crepe. =D

After lunch, my sister and I wandered around. Checking out shops and art galleries. I found some more prezzies. =D. Pretty much I'm buying prezzies if I find things that make me think of a person. There was only one thing that I found that reminded me of someone, but I couldn't buy it because they didn't have the shirt in the right size. *sigh*

Anyway, I relaxed and read my book after we returned to the hotel. Then we headed out to the park for the wedding. They had a private ceremony near some trees off the trail (they scared up two coyotes) and then they came down and exchanged the vows they wrote themselves and then the rings. It was quick, but marvelous. =D There was rain and wind for a bit, but it was still wonderful. The reception itself was a lot of fun. I chatted with a few people and took pictures. Went on a short hike and saw the Western Meadowlark. Yay.

Now we're packing everything up to get ready to go home tomorrow. Flight is at 3pm or sommat. We have to be checked out by 11am. I've enjoyed my time in Colorado, but I'll be glad to be home. I miss my dogs and my room.

Oh yeah... I keep forgetting this, but at the zoo there was something I found funny. We were watching the wolves chew on their bones and some kid said: "Ew! Those dogs are disgusting!" I looked at him in annoyance, but then I had to stifle a laugh when I noticed what he was doing. As he spoke these words, the kid was picking his nose. XD I was just like: Wow... XD Then I shook my head and left, highly amused.

Time to finish packing and go to bed.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates!
~Marty / Shin~

OR The day I was reminded why I don't go to many social functions. --;;

Got to sleep in a bit today. Not much went on. We went to the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and wandered around their museum. It was fun. There was a lot of things to read, watch, and play with. =D There were a few hands on exhibits for the kids. I had a lot of fun with the lightning tube and the fog tornado thing. I took some pictures, too. Then we had lunch at a nice little place called the Paradise Bakery. Very tasty.

Our group diverged after that. Dad, Granpa, and I went back to the hotel. Mom and Baba wandered around the "mall" area. Dad and Granpa drove to Denver (45 minute drive) to pick up John from the airport. I took a shower and finished up my assignments for the Freud book. Yay. Then I caught up on some comics.

Tonight we went to Carolyn and Ethan's house for a gathering of the two families. Lots of tasty food and met some fun people. I wasn't very comfortable. Large gatherings in a smaller space with a lot of people I don't know always makes me nervous and tires me out quickly. I got to learn more about Ethan though. His parents had a sort of roast event. XD It was hilarious.

Oh! Carolyn's mom, Sarah (she's also my cousin), is getting married! Her boyfriend proposed on wednesday of this week! It's really exciting and I'm thrilled to see Sarah so happy. Unfortunately I can't remember her boyfriend's name right now. --;; *Sigh* However, they've set a date for June of next year. I think it's the 26th. Yay! High probability that the wedding will be at Emmanuel, so no travels. It's weird to think that by that time next year I'll be a Truman alumni instead of a student. At least that's what I'm planning and hoping to be.

Tomorrow will be wandering campus with Dad and John. Dad will be telling us stories about his college days. =D The wedding is at 5:30pm in the park, so we get to relax. The reception will only last until 8pm... at least at the park. No idea where they'll go after that. It's low key and casual. I'm looking forward to it.

Time to unwind and then go to bed.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates!
~Marty / Shin~

Yeah. We annoyed her by not taking highway 25 like she wanted us to.

I have to make this a quick post since it's so late. We are now in Boulder, CO. =D

This morning we left the hotel and hung around in Denver for a little bit in order to wander around the botanical gardens. They had a dinosaur exhibit there for some reason. =D I took a lot of pictures of various flowers and some of the dinosaur statues. After a while it started to rain on us and we ran for cover. It was kind of fun wandering around in the rain... Until we saw lightning and heard really loud thunder. ^^;; Ironic since we had watched a thing on Nat Geo about the science of summer and there was a portion about lightning.

They had an indoor tropical exhibit that we could explore while it rained. When it cleared up we left and had lunch at a really neat place called Ink! Coffee. Great sandwiches and I tried a green tea chai. Very tasty, but I like the usual chai I make. There's something about chai from cafes or coffee houses that I'm not too fond of... I think it's the foam... Or just the way they make it. *shrug*

Anyway, we drove out in the direction of Boulder. We were supposed to take highway 25 for a quicker route, but we missed the exit and Vira kept trying to get us to turn around and go back to get on 25. XD Eventually she gave up, but made us go a longer route. We made it safely and got all checked in and settled. We're staying in the Bolderado. It's a really nice, but older style hotel. They even have an old style elevator that requires an operator! Really neat, but kinda scary since it shakes a lot. o.O;;

The hotel is beautiful. Lots of furniture styles that are similar if not exactly like a few pieces at my home in STL. The carved rose motif is familiar. =D

Met up with Baba and Granpa for dinner at the Red Lion. Its specialty is wild game. Unfortunately I couldn't sample the rattlesnake because it was an appetizer that was made like a crab cake. Those have onions, so I can't eat them. *sigh* But I did have the ostrich. =D Rather tasty. Sort of in the middle of beef and chicken. It's definitely a red meat. More of a beef type flavor, but a chicken texture. I also sampled wild boar. =D First time I've ever liked a bratwurst since my German class joined Frau at her house for a food day and I sampled a really mild brat. Boar ham is good, too. I don't know what makes it taste better than regular pig, but I like it.

Tomorrow is sort of open. I know I have to get the stuff for the Freud book done before 10pm central time. 9pm Colorado time. My brother is joining us and we have a dinner at Carolyn's house around 6pm or so. Other than that the day is open for exploration.

Skip Beat updated! Yay. *sigh* The story is intense right now. I wanna see how the Beagle's plan pans out and what Kyoko does.

Didn't get to write any of my FF7 story today, but I have played with some ideas. Hopefully I'll get the chance to do that tomorrow.

Time for sleep.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates!
~Marty / Shin~

Those are actually lyrics to a song I sung in German class with Frau Sweeney. =D

Yes, we did go to the Zoo and there were many animals. A lot of 'em! No Llamas though. TT_TT Pete came with us, too! Mary was working.

We had a lot of trouble finding parking, but we found it eventually... In a park's roundabout. XD There were other people parked there, so we knew it was okay. As we walked to the zoo we saw a large lake with an island. The island had trees and in those trees were a ton of Cormorants! It was really cool. We also discovered a baby bird hanging out on the ground near some ivy. So cute!

We spent several hours wandering around the zoo. The amorous Banded Mongoose gave us some nature lessons in front of all the school children. XD I knew it was going to happen because they behave like the meerkats do when they're feeling amorous. There was even a wolf exhibit! The have a pair of white wolves. So marvelous! I got lots of pictures. I get even more excited about them now that I've actually been in an enclosure with wolves. There were also foxes at the zoo, but they were hard to see. ^^;; The Arctic Fox was asleep in a corner of his habitat and the Bat Eared Fox was curled up asleep, too. Hard to photograph, but I did anyway. I also saw a Maned Wolf, which sort of looked like a large fox with long legs. However, he was also asleep, but at least I got a picture of his face. XD

There was also a Red Fox in one of the enclosures. I saw him moving through it when I glanced over, gasped, and ran over to the enclosure. He had disappeared. I walked around the wall area and saw a hole that went under the fence. He had a fox hole. XD Second red fox I've seen in this vacation and still didn't get a picture. Oh well.

I got rushed along because my mom was getting agitated. Plus it was getting really cloudy. The bird house was the worst part. mostly because it was so dim that my camera wouldn't work without the flash. I never use the flash on animals. I HATE the flash. Photographing the birds in the small cages was easy because I had something to rest my hands against, but the open flight cages were dimly lit, so the camera wouldn't work without blurring. Unless I used the flash. Ew. One of the cages had a Scarlet Ibis and I really wanted a picture. Camera still wouldn't focus properly, so I took a short video instead.

After the zoo we dropped Pete off at the house and went back to the hotel. We relaxed and the tech guy fixed the internet connection. Nice guy. He really went above and beyond the call of duty. He took the wall socket apart to see if that was a problem. Then he rewired the phone and ethernet circuit and hooked up a modem box. Now the internet works. Plus we won't be charged.

Then we went to dinner with Mary and Pete at a place called Reivers. I had fish and chips. Very tasty. =D

I've finished the first Freud quiz. Woo. I gotta get through the other two essays in the book before I can do the next one.

Well, I'm tired and I want to rid my ears of my father's snoring with my ear plugs (I learned to tolerate them because my dad's snoring bothers me so much).

Oh! Exciting last night. I got a lot of plot work done for my Fallen Angel story. =D At least for the first major part. I'm not sure what the climax will be nor the ending. *shrug* I will figure it out soon enough. I'm pleased with the progress I've made. I have to also figure out ways to work in the past stories of other people involved, but I think I've got it figured out. Plus I might write a separate story involving the journals I came up with. *shrug* I can't get ahead of myself. ^^;; Gotta figure out how to end Fallen Angel first. XD Oh yeah... I renamed Rhiannon. She is called Sera now. As in Seraphim.... Actually, only just now did I realize that her new name connected more with the title. >>;; Now I just have to figure out HOW she's a fallen angel of sorts... Metaphorically speaking. XD I'll figure it out.

Time for bed.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates!
~Marty / Shin~

This was written yesterday. I couldn't post it until today. So the context is a bit off. I will post again later tonight.

Today we left Aspen. Instead of heading back the way we came, we decided to drive through Independence Pass. The continental divide is there as well, so I got to stand on it. Whee. It was cold up there! There was still snow every where. My dad and I took a short loop trail to the outlook and because we decided to walk the full loop we got to see something that people rarely see. A pair of Ptarmigans. A male and female! They’re a ground dwelling bird who lives on the tundra areas. The male is pure white in the winter and molts to brown in the summer. The female is a variety of browns and blends in with the grass. Apparently you could live in Colorado all your life and never see one. It was awesome!

We drove on and went through a town called Twin Lakes. We stopped there to use the restrooms and a lady waiting for the restroom told me we were being watched and directed my attention to a Prairie Dog poking out of the grass staring at us. It was really cool. I finally got a good picture of a hummingbird, too. =D

We saw some deer and marmots while we drove. Our next stop was Leadville, which is an old mining town. Cute little town! People were so friendly. We ate at a place called the Golden Burro. Best French Dip sandwich I’ve ever had. It even beats C.J. Muggs. =D Absolutely delicious. We browsed around town for a bit and I bought some Christmas presents as well as some fudge. In the same store where I got some presents for people, I bought a small dinosaur figurine (I felt nostalgic XD ) and one of those optic sphere things. It’s a man made stone. I got a green color because it reminded me of Materia. --;; I’m such a geek. It’s a bit big, but I can just say it’s a master materia or sommat. There were a few that were the right size, but the only color available was blue and those aren’t useful without another materia. XD The red wasn’t the right shade, so I went with green. =D

We continued our drive and stopped in Georgetown for a bathroom break again. Their visitor center had a really neat way to show off their stores. Each store had a small box display in the large hallway that lead to the bathrooms. That way you could see what the store had. I want to go to the Stonehenge store because they have some really neat items. One of the displayed items was a glass columbine flower.

Our travels eventually reached Denver and we got to our hotel. Pete and Mary met us in the lobby later on and we ate dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe. I had a Fruitapalooza drink. It was good. We retired to the hotel to relax and I was going to work on my quizzes, but the internet won’t work. For the rooms we have an ethernet hook up (yeah, there is a charge, but the lobby is nuts and I don’t want to go down there) and all you have to do is hook it up, turn on your computer, open a browser, and then accept the service agreement. Uh.... No. >>;; That didn’t work. We called the IT people and we tried everything, but it still doesn’t work. Now I’m waiting for someone to come up and try to fix things. That was almost 20 minutes ago. I doubt they’re going to try to fix it tonight.

Meh. Not like I’d use it for long. 10 bucks for 24 hours. Um... I’ll wait till tomorrow when I’m going to use it for more than 2 hours.

Some highlights of the day that I haven’t mentioned yet:

1 - I saw a red fox crossing the highway at one of the stop lights (he made it safely). It was really neat! He was so pretty! I could’ve gotten a picture if I had my camera out.
2 - It snowed on us. XD We were between Independence Pass and Leadville and it snowed on us. Really cool.
3 - The hotel we’re staying at in Denver is across the street from a Barnes and Noble. =D Explorer Bookstore beats them though.

The fox was the most awesome part. =D

Oh! I did something really stupid. I accidentally reformatted the memory card on my camera and lost all my photos... Luckily I had just transferred ALL of them to my computer. I was deleting a bunch of them anyway and that would mess with the quality of the other pictures or something, so it was a blessing in disguise. Plus I’m already halfway through a 4GB memory card and I know I’m going to take a lot of pictures tomorrow. Good thing I cleared it out. Though I really would prefer to keep them on a card. *shrug* oh well.

Tomorrow we head to the zoo and do some other fun things, but the zoo is what I’m looking forward to.

I’m going to write a bit and then go to bed. I’m really tired.

Catch ya’ on the flipside, mates!
~Marty / Shin~

... These are a few of my favorite things. =D ... That was completely random. o.O;;

Yes, today was full of those things. Marmots included. =D

It was an early start (for me at least XD ). I got up by 8am for breakfast and then we headed out toward the Maroon Bells, which are a pair of mountain peaks, to hike. As we were driving into the park a deer was startled away from the side of the road and we saw a marmot on some rocks near the parking lot. Ironically, I have a new rain jacket that was made by a company called Marmot. XD

We got ready and went out to hike. I was in heaven! So many aspen trees and lots of water. I have a really weird obsession with water... I really like to photograph clear water. Not too far away from the trailhead we ran into some German tourists who had stopped to photograph something. We approached quietly and saw that there was a Marmot grazing n the grass right next to the path. He stayed there for quite some time and my parents and I got some marvelous photographs (they're going to go on my DA sometime tomorrow I hope). Then we wandered down the trail to continue. There was another marmot lounging on a high rock. I took a photo of him as well. =D

It's really hard to describe the beauty of the area we hiked in. =D Surrounded by the sounds of birds, the river, and the aspen leaves when the wind blew. I'm going to put almost all my pics on DA though. I also got some fun photos with my fox plushie mascot. I plan to write a travel blog from her point of view just for fun.

After we got back we drove to Snowmass Village to check it out and to find a restaurant I wanted to eat at called The Sweet Life. Unfortunately, that was at the base village and we failed to find it. Snowmass Village is really... well... poorly planned. It's confusing, the roads are a maze, and there is very little signage. So we returned to Aspen and ate at Johnny McGuire's Deli. It was tasty. Then we just relaxed at the hotel for a while.

I started to read Sigmund Freud's Totems and Taboos I've gotten to page 40 or so. I got restless after a while because I found the totems interesting, but the taboo stuff doesn't grab me as much. Plus in the totem part, Freud concentrated a lot on the taboo of incest. >>;; It was weird. This is why I'm not a big fan of Freud. He was sort of obsessed with the libido. XD I do like his theory of the Id, Ego, and Superego.

My dad and I went back to the Art Tee Shop and I bought two more shirts. ^^;; One was one sale and it had a diagram of a brain on the front and on the back it's a picture of a snowboarder with the same brain diagram underneath with the phrase "deep thoughts" under it. I like the brain diagram. The other says: "My imaginary friend thinks you have serious mental problems." XD I love it. There were several other tempting ones, but I have to limit myself. >>;;

We returned to the hotel, relaxed more, and then left for dinner. We ate at a place called Ajax Tavern. Oh my god was it good! I had Colorado Lamb Bolognese. It was so delicious. *drools at the thought* I also had Cookies and Milk for dessert, which included an oatmeal cookie, a chocolate chip cookie, and a small Nutella milkshake. It was so yummy. =D Best place we've eaten in... well... I still drool over the thought of that salmon sushi. =D

We walked around a bit and then returned to the hotel. Now I am relaxing and watching shows. I'm going to go to bed though. I'm exhausted.

Oh! We also drove past a ranch that had Llamas. =D Whee!

Tomorrow we leave to return to Denver. We're going to return through Independence Pass.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates!
~Marty / Shin~

Pretty much all we did today was walk around the town.

We walked around the John Denver Sanctuary and looked at the rocks that were inscribed with lyrics to his songs. Lots of beautiful nature. =D I took a lot of photos of a Cedar Waxwing, but I didn't realize my memory card was full, so none of them were saved. *tear* Oh well. I still got to see that bird, which made me happy. We spent the morning doing this and then wandered back to town for lunch. Had a great cheese pizza at Tastys.

I finished the Frankl book and started Freud's book Totem and Taboo. Not looking forward to reading it, but meh. I've never read one of his books. I just know his psychology. --;;

I bought some new books at the Explorer Bookshop. Oh my god... I LOVE that shop! They have so many different books! I found a book of Norse myths (first time I've ever seen such a collection!), Disorganized Mind (a book that helps people with ADHD get organized), and Was Superman a Spy? (a book about various DC and Marvel heroes. Background stories of how they were created and other fun facts. =D I already know that a psychologist who invented the lie detector went on to create Wonder Woman.) The store had a kitty. =D I got to visit with him. I almost bought The Divine Comedy, but I could only find it in hardback, so I decided to let it go and try to find it back in STL. Hardbacks are difficult to pack. --;;

I also bought some chocolate from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Company. *drools* I've also acquired two new shirts. One is the Coexist shirt (like my bumper sticker) and an ADD/ADHD type shirt. =D The distraction is a bunny rabbit this time. The Aspen Art Tee was a really cool store. They display the shirt graphics they have in an art gallery style and all you have to do is go to the clerk, tell them what shirt you want and what size. =D It's freakin' awesome and extremely efficient.

We had dinner at Nobu Matsuhisa. Apparently we needed to have reservations if we wanted to be in the regular dining room with the full menu. Walk-ins eat in the bar area. The menu is smaller, but it wasn't so bad. I got to have salmon, egg, and shrimp sushi. Very tasty. I also had some delicious sake called Onigoroshi brewed by Hokusetsu. The english name is "Demon Killer". =D It was yummy. Then we went to Victoria's Espresso and Wine Bar to get some ice cream. They had pastries and various ice creams and sorbets. There were some interesting flavors. Roasted Beet Sorbet? wow. I had green tea ice cream, which completed my japanese fix. =D

Now I'm relaxing. Posted some more pics on DA. Watching Animal Planet. =D I like Whale Wars. I don't think I'd ever go as far as these people, but I will say I'm on their side when it comes to the whale hunting issue.

Apparently we have an early morning tomorrow... Yay... *sigh* --;;

So, I'm going to go to bed.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates!
~Marty / Shin~

Yes, today was a day of driving. We drove from Denver to Aspen where we are staying for three days. =D

Oh my god the drive was so pretty! I really missed seeing mountains. Not much went on though. I learned a lot about my parents' various trips to Colorado and some of my dad's history in Colorado (he went to University of Colorado in Boulder for his undergrad). Saw lots of beautiful scenery. Stopped at some pretty rest stops. At lunch at a great places called the Westside Cafe. Oh so very good. =D I had a French Dip sandwich that rivaled the one that C.J. Muggs serves and that's my favorite, too. It turned out our waitress was from Springfield, MO, so we chatted with her for a bit. It was fun.

Stopped at a place called Grizzly Creek and walked for a bit. Got some fun pictures, but then my batteries went out. Grr. Took some fun picks of my fox mascot... Who still doesn't have a name or gender... I think it looks female, so it shall be a she... Now I just have to name her. I've also just found out that one of her back legs is longer than the other and is missing some stuffing. The foot is also bigger. Oh noes. XD Oh well. *shrug* I still adore her. Colorado is sure to inspire me somehow.

So, we arrived in Aspen and checked into the Hotel Aspen. It's nice. We relaxed for a while. My parents soaked in the hot tub and swam in the pool while I just sat and chatted with them. We saw a pair of magpies up close, which was awesome. I love magpies. =D Their behavior is like a mix between a crow and a jay and they really like shiny things. XD They're also really pretty.

We had dinner at Little Annie's and then wandered around the 'mall' area. Lots of really expensive stores, but I liked the area. I wish there was something like it in STL... With stores that have more reasonable prices. XD

I'm feeling much better compared to yesterday. I hydrated a lot and relaxed as much as I could. Now, I'm going to see about uploading photos on to my computer. Then it is bed time.

The more interesting stuff should start happening tomorrow. I have no idea what we're going to do, but it won't be a lot of driving around. XD

I also read the Ouran High School Host Club special chapter. Oh so cute! =D We finally get to find out how Haruhi's parents met and how they got married in the first place.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates!
~Marty / Shin~